Review

Review: Buried Hearts

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Buried Hearts isn’t the best in its class (that class being makjang revenge thriller), but it is reasonably engaging through most of its run, with some moments that shone a bit extra.

Unfortunately for me, I didn’t enjoy the ending so much, though your mileage may vary. Opinions on the ending are divided, suffice to say.

The thing that everyone seems to be able to agree on, however, is that Park Hyung Sik is pretty darn great in this, and it’s a treat getting to see him showcase a part of his acting range that has heretofore flown under the radar.

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Review: When Life Gives You Tangerines

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

This is a case of Show living up to the hype.

Everything about this show, from the writing, to the direction, to the delivery, speaks so deeply, of genuine tenderness, and I just love how it all comes together, to become something that’s even greater than the sum of its (already impressive) parts.

Our story is simple and approachable, yet so profound in its humanity and compassion, that one cannot help but find it affecting.

Our entire cast is fantastic, but in my opinion, our core cast, IU, Park Bo Gum, Moon So Ri and Park Hae Joon truly stand out, playing our OTP in different timelines. They deserve all of the awards, and then some. 🥲

A masterpiece that’s well worth your time.

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Review: Undercover High School

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Show starts with a bang, with an unapologetically silly, dorky, badass sort of sensibility, which I loved, so, so much. 🤩😍

Unfortunately for me, Show changes focus (and therefore tone), about midway through its run, spending a lot more time on the central mystery, than on relationships.

The story still works; I just found it a lot less fun to watch.

The silver lining, is the Seo Kang Joon and Kim Shin Rok are both fantastic in this. He basically steals the first half of the show, while she steals the second half. 😁

Not a must-see by any means, but not bad, overall.

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Review: Melo Movie

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Despite its billing, Show doesn’t land as much as a romance, as an exploration of our characters’ journeys, in the context of love, loss, isolation and solidarity.

I found myself not feeling as connected to our characters as I tend to be, and yet, the various thoughts and nuggets of wisdom that Show serves up, manage to linger with me, with an almost haunting sort of quality.

Overall, a worthwhile watch, provided you adjust your expectations and viewing lens, which I talk about in a little bit.

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Review: Blossom [China]

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Prettily filmed, with a purposefully told story, and a solid cast that delivers strong performances, Blossom is a mid-budget drama that bats above its weight.

I found it nicely engaging from the start, and I was most taken by the burgeoning OTP connection, which boasts a good amount of electric spark, particularly in Show’s first half.

Perhaps most surprising of all, is that Show manages to stick the landing in a way that feels satisfying, and makes sense.

Worth a look, in my opinion.

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Review: The Trauma Code: Heroes On Call

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

This show is glossy, snappy and zippy, with a touch of irreverence, and overall very slurpable and fun to watch; narrative arcs don’t take very long to resolve, and they are effectively engaging, such that I’d happily finish an episode, and feel ready for another.

Beyond the slurp factor, I think what lifts Show to the next level, is that it demonstrates a great deal of heart.

From our core team, to some of the patient arcs, that heartfelt quality manages to peek through the gloss and irreverence, making this story world and these characters linger with me, beyond the ending credits.

Very good; would recommend. 🥲

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Review: Motel California

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

This show isn’t for everyone – is, I think, the most accurate and important thing I could say about this drama. 😅

Characters and relationships tend to develop in ways that can lean messy &/or perplexing, and that is kind of reflective of real life, in a manner of speaking.

How well you take to that, will largely determine whether or not this show is for you, I think.

Additionally, Show works out to be a slow burn, but there’s ultimately a reward of warmth and contentment, for the patient.

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Review: Love Scout

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

This show had me squeeing week to week, right from the beginning, with its understated yet on-point depiction and exploration of burgeoning awareness and attraction between our would-be OTP. So much crackle.

On that note, Lee Joon Hyuk and Han Ji Min are pitch-perfect and really quite wonderful in this.

As a bonus, there are also a good number of likable secondary characters peopling our story world, and I found their side arcs a pleasant addition to our show.

There are several narrative elements that I didn’t care for too much, but these weren’t deal-breakers for me, and this still worked out to be a very solid watch overall.

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Review: The Tale of Lady Ok

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

I found this to be an interesting and engaging story of personal journey, with a pretty heartfelt love story to go with.

Our entire cast is strong and puts in solid performances, but the standout, to me, is Im Ji Yeon as our titular Lady Ok. Male lead Choo Young Woo is very good as well, displaying a nice range of acting chops.

Briskly paced to the point that this non-fluffy sageuk almost feels breezy sometimes, this show is way more approachable, and way more watchable than most people might expect, given its billing.

Quite underrated, in my opinion.

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Review: When The Phone Rings

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

When Show is at its best, it is cracktastically good.

A tight narrative; sparky, smoldering OTP tension; cliffhangers that kept me on the edge of my seat; it felt like Show had it all. 🥲

Unfortunately, when Show is not at its best, it’s quite disappointing indeed.

Show makes some perplexing narrative decisions in its finale stretch, which I found disappointing not because of their makjang flavor, but because of how these decisions missed the mark of what had made Show so compelling to begin with.

However, Show’s still worth a look for its fantastic first half, in my opinion. 🔥

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