Comfortably uncomfortable

"Am I the only one feeling uncomfortable?" - Crown Prince Lee Yul

At first glance, it is quite uncomfortable that several Kdrama cliches are present here (amnesia, long-lost first love, fake marriage, and palace politics). I'm a viewer that doesn't necessary hate cliches, but hates when these are not executed well, and after the first episode, I realized that maybe there is something intriguing about this Kdrama.

Right off the bat, 100 Days My Prince is not a traditional sageuk. I may still be learning Korean and not be able to grasp contexts in coversations without subtitles, but I have a somewhat passable knowledge about the language used in the royal court as seen on other sageuks. So I was surprised that there were "modern" words/phrases scattered throughout the show, and assuming that we follow the year on which this was set (1450), this shouldn't have been the case.

Now going to the plot. Despite with the cliches, I liked how the story had a steady build-up especially when the crown prince Lee Yul (Do Kyung-soo) now had amnesia, had to change his name to Won-deuk and was "forcefully" married to Hong-shim (Nam Ji-hyun) because of a decree that the crown prince himself introduced which was funny and ironic. Since the crown prince was unfamiliar with the village life as opposed to what he was used to, it was entertaining to see him adjust and assimilate which was basically the bulk of the story. Other than that was the typical palace politics with the scheming of the queen for a new crown prince, and the antagonist (the vice premier) trying to cover up the supposedly murder of the crown prince while there was a weak king in the background, not knowing what to do with the chaos brewing. That was the gist for the majority of this kdrama. There were times that I was bored especially in the midway, but I just couldn't fast-forward it since I was curious as to what will happen next and how it will happen.

I think my interest started declined when the crown prince now came back to the royal palace. It would've made more sense if the reveal was more makjang-y as there were now many cliches, why not add more. The reveal could've been more impactful but in this case, it was more like "okay, moving on" vibes. The relationship now kinda plateaued on episode 12-13 and shifted to a build-up on the evil plans by the vice premier. I said to myself "okay, maybe the finale would be more on the palace stuff since the direction was now going towards it", and was assured that it was the case, but then again no. Also, the subsequent episodes were now longer than usual and now had filler scenes.

The finale was divided into 2 parts: first is the rushed resolution with the vice premier's plot. He shouldn't have met his demise easily and put in trial instead that would result to a hefty punishment. The trap that the vice premier prepared for the crown prince in the form of an "invasion" was weak story-wise, and was basically forgotten after he was dead aside from one battlefield scene. I was curious as to what happened to the instigators of said "invasion" and how did it ended. The second part was even more ridiculous with Hong-shim playing hard to get (when it was too obvious that they both love each other) because of guilt of her brother trying to harm the crown prince, when in fact, it should've been him that feel guilty in behalf of his father, the king which played a part on Hong-shim's real father's death. The fluffy fan service was not unneccesary, but instead of the too long "hard-to-get Hong-shim" scenes, it could've ended with a grand royal wedding with Hong-shim's friends and adoptive father given a chance to wear "noblemen's" clothes, all of them having a good fluffy ending. Side note: it was too foolish for the very pregnant Kkeut-nyeo to be also on the roof while throwing cherry petals to the leads on the last scene, but then again, it was purely for the fan service and not for the logic.

Pacing-wise, I was not sure how the story wanted to go especially on the penultimate episode. The build-up of the 2 main plots were pleasantly paced all thoughout the show, but their respective conclusions at the finale were rather botched. There were also some inconsistencies with the year and age (or maybe the subtitles were wrong?). The saving grace here was the acting of both leads as well as the other characters. It may be an unpopular opinion but I actually felt more chemistry on the second leads (the crown princess and Moo-yeon) and their story, despite being tragedic, was more emotionally-investing than the main leads maybe due to it being a cliche.

"Am I the only one feeling uncomfortable?" was basically the catch phrase of the crown prince all the time. It can also be said when reading the synopsis of this kdrama before watching it as it has full of cliches, just placed in a traditional historical setting (will not call this a sageuk). That uncomfortable feeling could've been replaced by its opposite, yet after the finale, it did not. For this, I feel comfortably uncomfortable.

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Don't mistake it to be a simple sports movie

What seems to be a plain game of 바둑 (baduk) can turn out to be deadly, and with a sprinkle of revenge story, this is basically the movie's synopsis.

I don't have any prior knowledge with baduk. I don't know what I was getting into watching this film except that I just want to watch Jung Woo-sung in my screen. In this movie, he may be playing a "nerdy" character but his body build is too obvious that he is strong physically, even on the first few minutes when his character seemed to be weak. Still, I just can't help but woo.

The introduction was just very gory to witness. The neck slashing, physical and emotional torture, and violence can make one turn off watching the rest of this movie. It really needs guts to be able to proceed watching the next scenes, since the amount of violence greatly increases later on.

When Tae-seok (Jung Woo-Sung) was released from jail after 7 years for being framed up on his brother's death, he was prepared to seek revenge. The preparation for said revenge was amply shown, and it followed several tactics and mind games used in the baduk game itself. I found it to be clever, but still understandable for those without baduk knowledge like me. The enactment of the first few revenge scenes which were parallel with how they did it to him and his brother was not only brutal, but very deserving of them. Yet despite the initial success and meticulous planning, it still doesn't go well with the plan.

Immense amount of machismo is present which is borderline excessive. The only notable female character Navel (Lee Si-young) had a flat storyline and the reason why she ended up indebted to Sal-soo (Lee Bum-soo) was not totally answered. Furthermore, the romance "plot" with Tae-seok, whether a part of the revenge or real romantic feelings were involved, was unneccesary to the story.

The movie's most exciting part which is the last game between Tae-seok and Sal-soo with the action scenes after, is the highlight by far. The pacing and tension of their every calculated move and the emotional manipulation on both sides were very suspenseful. I was surprised that it ended with a draw, as I thought that the "divine move" will be revealed here. Also, the camerawork (motions and angles) seen in the fighting scenes after that game reminded me of the iconic Oldboy fight scene and it was just very pleasant to watch, although it was very bloody and had overemphasis of stabbing and slashing.

Lastly, the open ending was quite okay though I thought that the second movie focused on this ending. A minor gripe was that Tae-seok could've gotten his nephew given his living situation and not just left him money (who knows how it will be used.) I was slightly disappointed that the "Ghost" that played with Tae-seok while he was at jail wasn't revealed (I thought it was Joo-nim/Drinking Christ) and the "divine move" wasn't really a move. Aside from what I mentioned, the story still ended amicably.

For those who want to watch a nice revenge story with carefully-revealed tactics and mind games (I actually wanted more) added with bloody yet brilliant fighting scenes, this movie is really for you. Please be noted that the script could've been elevated more and do not mistake it to be a simple sports movie, since it is more than that.

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Amusing and entertaining movie to watch

Halmeoni was annoying at first but after a slight lens adjustment, perspective towards her changed. That is what the director wanted me to know when I was watching this film, and it was successfully done.

The introduction of Mal-soon halmeoni was rather unpleasant. She is shown as someone who is rude, crass, and even arrogant. Later on, her daughter-in-law is not able to tolerate her attitude and was admitted to the hospital. Halmeoni realized that maybe she is a burden to her family and wanted to escape it. This is the reality that is currently faced by our elderly. I actually liked the transition of the first scene which defined ageism by the halmeoni's professor son then towards the scene with halmeoni and her family situation, then went to a point that she may be sent to a home for the aged. Because of that, she wants to be given another chance at life which was granted...with a twist that she returned to a 20 year old lady physically but mentally still her.

Now that she has returned to a youthful appearance (she changed her name to Doo-ri), she is now able to pursue her lifelong dream, which is to become a singer. Comedic scenes were abundant here and all did not fail to make me laugh out loud. Her feisty grandmother stature was ever present despite being in a 20-year old body, which made the comedy pleasing to watch, but what I liked here is that she is now able to minimize her previous crass character and somewhat evolve into a new character that is more understanding of her actions in the others' perspective without losing her unique character. Also, her being in a band with her grandson was not only hilarious, but the songs were just great and the lyrics and message were also fitting with the story. I actually thought the actress that played Doo-ri wasn't the real singer of the songs here, and was surprised and pleased when I found it out later on. She has a nice voice.

She is (almost) able to rekindle her romantic side as she developed feelings to the charming Seung-woo PD. I actually liked how she was able to reexperience romantic love, especially with after what she went through with life. Despite with a sad ending at that part, I still felt content with them both.

What I also found great in this movie, and personally, its highlight, is that it was able to explore more on the backstory as to why Mal-soon halmeoni became who she was. It was mainly to support her newborn son as she was now a single mother after the death of her husband that she had to create a stern, firm, and most importantly, a feisty person, in order for her and her baby to survive. I still find it wrong though how she did it, as seen on one scene. Yet to the unfamiliar person, she may be shown as someone who is rude, crass, and even arrogant, as I mentioned earlier. With that in mind, this is the reason why her neighbor and friend (and former servant), Mr. Park has struck with her all these years. I loved how the pacing of the movie slowly emphasize this side of her to me, the viewer, and at the end, I was able to understand our halmeoni, in an understanding as same as Mr. Park. I also admire that their "romance" was left open, and the final scene was just funny.

Plot wise, this movie is light in terms of emotion and predictable. But it did not fail to entertain me and bring comedy, it was just funny, especially on the "younger" Mal-soon/Doo-ri scenes. The music was delightful to hear, and the pacing as mentioned, was properly executed. There were some parts that I felt was conveniently ended (e.g., her relationship with her daughter-in-law, although to be fair, it has a time skip to a year later). I also wanted it to explore more on the "ageism" issue, as what was shown on the first scene, since it was fitting for our halmeoni, but somehow, they forgot to address said issue. Still, an amusing and entertaining movie to watch.

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Happy times but on thursdays

"Why would they both want to end their lives?" A question I asked during the first few scenes. Yoo-jong (the female lead) has already attempted suicide three times, while Yoon-soo (the male lead) has no desire to live anymore after he has been convicted with a death penalty sentence. Both have common qualities: cold, lonely, and disinterested with life. Then, you would be curious on what would happen if both of them after being introduced with each other. Afterall, both just wanted to end their lives.

I liked how the pacing of this movie was in terms of answering that question in a way that it presented a linear, yet still coherent reason of their urge to end their respective lives. It took a slow approach, yet not boring in developing both characters separately, and later on, together. The insertion of flashback scenes were not only sad, but also I felt pity to Yoo-jong with her trauma, and to Yoon-soo with his crimes and circumstances. Yet, what I found unique here is that although it was justifiable for Yoon-soo to be guilty with his crimes, his innonence and circumstances would make you feel that he could've done more to lessen his sentence, yet here we are.

Also, I liked that their romance was formed not typically. It was really more on building romance from their profound pain and mutual understanding with one another, which really took off on the scene when Yoo-jong now started to confide to Yoon-soo regarding the reason why she attempted suicide several times. After few scenes, I felt sympathy towards both of them, as they were having their happy time, but limited. With Yoon-soo now having to look forward every thursday, there was now a newfound sense of life, yet wishing it not to end. Also, with Yoo-jong now able to ease her burdens to Yoon-soo, she was now able to move away from that trauma and towards forgiveness and appreciation to life itself.

Forgiveness is an integral plot point in this movie. However, my gripes regarding this were the following:

1. The lady's sudden shift of forgiveness to what Yoon-soo did. I forgot her relationship to the victims of Yoon-soo's crimes, yet I still found it unexpected that she forgave him just when he was about to die. There could've been more context inserted regarding this.
2. Yoo-jong's forgiveness to her mom when she was hospitalized. The topic in itself is sensitive and I won't be dwelling anymore on that, but as a rape victim, I find it hard to totally forgive someone who did not do anything after knowing she was raped, nonetheless, to a mother who was expected to protect her yet chose to shrug it off. Personally, I would have wanted Yoo-jong to say to her mom that she would not hate her anymore, but will still take time to totally forgive her.

The ending was so emotional, yet I honestly did not found it to be tearjerking, since it was already expected. Maybe, I was more invested on their journey as to finding a new meaning on their lives together, rather than the end itself. Still, the last scene made me feel light, assured that they were able to create happy times, however just on thursdays.

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Master of something

The charismatic opening by the presentation of the ONE network by its also charismatic owner Jin Hyeon-pil, who is able to draw an overwhelming support by its "investors" which is eerily similar to a cult leader preaching to his crowd all while the same time, an investigation being carried out by Kim Jae-myeong is now starting to end this deception once and for all, was enough for me to be curious as to what would happen next.

The next scenes, with Jang-gun now being prepared by the police to be the mole on this money-laundering corporation, for me was actually nerve-wracking, yet at the same time, I already guessed that there would be more being that he was already given the informant role early in the movie, some betrayal would occur later on, and I wasn't surprised already when that scene was shown. The build-up towards the entrapment operation was good, and culminating into a botched operation with Hyeon-pil getting away and Jang-gun being left to die seemed that the whole operation was a failure, but the fact that it occured at the middle of the film, made me thought that there would be more, most notably a revenge by Jae-myeong.

The 2nd half of the movie, which focuses on the Philippines, with the same ingredients of a scam being brewed by the same characters, was the more fleshed-out part, in terms of building up another entrapment operation to arrest Hyeon-pil. The one thing that I was confused was the yellow color grading for the Philippine scenes (which was understandable) yet was also present in some scenes in Korea. It wasn't uniform so that made me confused on some parts.

It could've been more impactful if it had focused more on the car chases and the gunfire, both of which were less plenty than I thought for an action movie. The emphasis on the money laundering scheme was the part I didn't liked and at times, were boring. After all, action movies should be full of action, and plotting said actions should be regarded as secondary, although still important. Had the scheming scenes were lessened, it could've made the plot tighter and the excitement for the inevitable reveal of the plot twists would be more sustained. Also, a recurring problem with the recent Korean movies I watched was still present here - the underdeveloped main character (I wanted to know more on the drive Jae-myeong has for this case) and the overdeveloped villain (Hyeon-pil's drive was simple, which is greed).

Overall, I felt that this was 2 movies smashed into one - 1st part focuses on the local, 2nd part on the international "scam" with the same plot, but different endings. I wanted more action, and was confused as to how the movie title connected to the movie itself, or maybe being a master of something.

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Entertaining to watch...at 2x speed

The 1st episode was just the "bomb" in terms of action, suspense, and intrigue. I was frequently on the edge of my seat on almost every scene and I was curious on the story behind the epic that is this kdrama's 1st episode. In short, it was purely exhilarating.

For the succeeding episodes, I really wanted to be emotionally-invested to the plot, and its characters, and it was convincing on some aspects. The pacing was actually great during the first few episodes when the focus was just on Jang Uk's (Lee Jae-wook) character development from a lazy bum young master to the great mage he is destined to be. Mu-deok (Jung So-min) was essential in said development, and I won't divulge anymore to more details, but that story arc was really this kdrama's strongest point. Jang-uk's character development reminded me of Aang's in "Avatar: The Last Airbender". However, I was disappointed when the skillful assasin Naksu (Go Yoon-jung) was seemingly relegated to a weak side character in the name of Mu-deok. It made sense when the original Mu-deok was weak physically, but considering that Naksu's soul went inside Mu-deok and in turn, also becoming weak mentally, did not make any sense.

There were also quite a lot plot confusion here but I think the question with the most impact to the plot was that how were they not able to defeat Jin-mu (Jo Jae-yoon) already here? He was not even powerful in the first place. Furthermore, how was he able to escape the mages with their power all the time? Jin-mu's objectives and him being the antagonist was already obvious even to them and there were already ample evidences that would point back to him as the culprit but the Songrim just didn't confronted him? Even Master Lee (Im Chul-soo) knew all along, and if he truly wanted for peace in Daeho, it would've been wise for him to deal Jin-mu early on. But then again, what would happen to the plot if he was dealt with already?

Furthermore, there was a lack of firm direction that this story wanted to go. At first, it wanted to dig up Naksu's past, then it was overturned by the sorcery which Jin-mu wanted to get ahold with, then the Bu-yeon story, all in the while there were romances blooming on several sides. It was clear from the start that the writers wanted to make this series into 2 parts, and honestly, all of the episodes (including seaon 2) could've been encapsulated into a 20 or 24-episode format. In this case, the 20-episode format as shown here could've been enough to properly convey the overall plot. But even with the many sub-stories that this kdrama wanted to incorporate, it felt draggy that for every next episode I watched, I felt dreadful and was just conscious on the time run rather than the story itself. I felt that this show wanted to compress different genres into one main story whilst in a fantasy setting, but the execution just felt short to my expectations, especially after watching the first episode.

That is where I already played it on 2x speed, and honestly, it made me appreciate this series more as a whole. The pacing became faster, and the messy build-up was already glanced over quickly. It wasn't boring anymore since there are already swift transitions between scenes that otherwise would've felt boring. I don't have to remember the filler scenes anymore, and there was an awful lot of them, especially during the middle part and the last episode. The climax could've been put on the last episode, but the last episode itself was a "good" transition for the 2nd season, despite being uninteresting anymore. Please note that "good" in this context means that it is now necessary to have a 2nd season since it would be bad if they ended it with that. To be fair, I really don't recommend watching something in 2x speed as it diminishes the effort of all of the actors/actresses and the production team in coming up with this show, but in this case, I wasn't able to hold myself back.

On a positive note, I was just enthralled with the production value especially on the 1st episode. The effects were truly convincing and the action scenes were just mesmerizing to watch. It's sad that they weren't able to showcase more action on the later episodes, but I will try to be optimistic that there would be more action and suspense on the 2nd season.

Will I watch the 2nd season? Yes, I have to otherwise, this is a bad cliffhanger ending. Will I appreciate the 2nd season more? I hope so. Will I recommend this season as a standalone? Perhaps, if you don't agree with what I said.

Alchemy of Souls was not totally bad, just not that captivating for me. Although, it is still entertaining to watch...at 2x speed.

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Could've easily become Jeon Wick, but ultimately ended up being Just Weak

When a well-known, brutal, 100% target- rate female assassin does not eliminate her target due to personal circumstances, she becomes the target herself.

Kill Boksoon (길복순) is a movie that is very much the love child between the action, dark comedy, and a little bit of art-house genres of cinema. The opening confrontation was just pure art, as with the other action scenes. The cinematography was not just top-notch, but its spontaneity and fluid flow was really able to capture the essence of what the action scenes were all about. Added with spanish background music element, the production team was really able to infuse moments that I would never forget for the rest of my "watching movies as a hobby" time.

Furthermore, Jeon Do-yeon was, as expected, exquisite in her role as the titular Gil Bok-soon. The wordplay of her last name to be incorporated with the english word "kill" was very witty context-wise. Fresh from watching her play as a single mom on CCiR, and another in this movie, I am glad that she picked this project despite playing very similarly at her last role. For this movie, she was able to show another, yet secretive side of motherhood that will do anything for her child. But her also being secretive here resulted to another problem, a quite common one in the parent-child relationship dynamic - often miscommunication.

As mentioned earlier, this movie has some art house film elements. There were 2 specifically. One was underexplored (LGBT subplot), while one was unneccesary (incest subplot). The former might be understandable given the nature of youth and it is progressive actually in Korean standards, but the latter did not gave substance to the story. It was questionable at best, cringe at worst.

Outside the captivating action scenes and great cinematography, the movie was dull. It's quite interesting to see a fast-paced action scene, followed by a slow-paced dialogue that takes too much screentime. This movie's quality could've been improved had it focused more on the action rather than the "mind games".

Morality was also tackled here, albeit grey. The concept of an "agency" handling "shows" for these trained assassins was unique. But the case that was the catalyst for the main lead to rethink about her chosen profession was rather forgettable. It would've been more impactful for her had the case itself be closer to her child's situation, rather just because the target was just close to her daughter age-wise.

It is already expected that Korean movies also explore the human side of a story, or the point of view of a character/s. In this case, it is about Bok-soon's duality as an apathetic killer and an overempathetic mother. But I was just disappointed that it wasn't executed properly here. One might think that was subtle and had to be given a deeper meaning, but given this movie's long screentime, it just ended up as incoherent, if not messy.

The ending was quite sufficient, but it was lacking of a climax. How was I to know whether this part of the movie is to be its most exciting part, when there was little indication to it. And the littlest of clue was already predictable story-wise. Good thing, it was filled-up with nice action scenes. The action itself could've been more appreciated if there was better lighting. A shocking plot twist could've added more flavor in this story. There was an attempt though, and the answer to said twist was even vague.

Nevertheless, the trailer with that spontaneous and seemingly effortless (but actually was done with utmost effort, production-wise) action scene made me excited about this, but the outcome turned out to be the opposite. Still, there were some positive aspects that deserves to be praised.

It has the similarities as John Wick, and this movie could've easily become Jeon Wick, but ultimately ended up being Just Weak.

P.S. It still funny to think that the flashback and current Nam Haeng-seons were together in this movie. Their action scene was just art, and the camerawork there was chef's kiss.

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Death can also be elegant and dignified, as this movie truly personified

Right off the bat, "Departures" already knew the story it wanted to tell. The opening scene was intriguing, and there was an essence of mystery that made it more interesting, wanting to be unfolded.

Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) returned to his hometown after his orchestra disbanded in Tokyo, accompanied by his wife, Mika (Ryoko Hirosue). I really liked that despite her husband's failure, she was supportive and wanted to go along with him. Now, coming back to Yamagata, his life was about to change.

Personally, I didn't have any background on the stigma surrounding the job that Daigo chose. It was appalling for me at first when his childhood friend, Yamashita (Tetta Sugimoto), avoided him after he knew what his job was.

But despite that, Daigo still chose the job of "assisting departures" under the tutelage of Sasaki (Tsutomo Yamazaki). At first, he was surprised by what the job entailed. But later on, he was able to witness the elegant, almost artistic process of noukan (encoffining). The comfort this process gave to the bereaved families and the appreciation they would give to him after doing it was the catalyst for him to grow on this job and on himself as a person.

What I really admired in this movie is that it tackled the human connection and the well-discussed concept of death. Death is a normal part of the life process; some may be afraid of it, but it makes us appreciate life more. It showed that death is the end of this life but not life itself, since it only serves as a gate for the next. Death isn't something to be afraid of; it is something to be expected. For some, including myself, this might not have hit us at home yet, but this movie opened our eyes to its inevitability and how we can handle and cope with it. 

Also, what I appreciated deeply was how intricate and greatly detailed this movie imparted about the Japanese death rituals. It was shown as if it is very spontaneous yet accurate and professional, and most especially the amount of respect they give to those who have departed and their grieving families as well. This was very true for the family shown in the first part, where it was very emotional and could've easily turned the ritual into a mess, but they respected the views of the dead. 

The second half might be overly emotional, but being overly emotional was its core, and it was conveyed exceptionally well. The several bereaved families that Daigo and Sasaki helped through the nobility of their utterly stigmatized and disgusted profession were such a huge proof of why they do what they do. And this job greatly helped Daigo and, to some extent, Mika grow as a couple and as individuals. Notice that Daigo now plays his cello with more life and expresses his happiness in a jollier way compared to the beginning. He was now happy at this point.

The one thing that I found lacking, and the reason why I won't give a perfect 10 on an otherwise outstanding film, is because of its rushed execution of forgiveness and reconciliation at the end. I was able to get the message the movie conveyed. The whole duration of this film tugged at my heartstrings, but the last few minutes did not do as much as I wanted them to. It felt like it was just something that they had to finally put a closure on, and that went for the movie as well. But then again, it was just adequate. 

Masahiro Motoki was just a delight with how superb his acting was. At times he was just hilarious, but his portrayal of professionalism and seriousness in his job, despite initially feeling icky about it, was just amazing. The scenes where he played the cello were just outstanding, as if he were a professional cellist. And the music itself just gave more power and flow to the movie. This film did not have any magnificent cinematography, but the music really stood out and helped in conveying the emotions and mood properly, if not exceedingly.

"Departures" really told us that there is more to death than just grief. It can also be an avenue for reconciliation and forgiveness, and at the same time, it gives a deeper understanding and appreciation of what life truly is. Death can also be elegant and dignified, as this movie truly personified.

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Will Dong-eun be able to get her glory?

A very sorrowful and heartbreaking portrayal of bullying shown on the first episode was enough to make me grip my hands to take my own version of revenge, I mean, to make me invested with this show right away. At times, I forgot that it was not me being bullied with how ecstatic they were whenever they bullied Dong-eun. It was as if it was me being bullied instead of her, and sadness is truly an understatement.

That's why Dong-eun meticulously planned her revenge to get back to them. It was utterly easy for her to just give up, but her determination was just gritting, and personally, I just couldn't feel anything but be inspired with her. In a technical sense, I loved how the pacing was done from her being kicked out of the school towards the present. Her growth as amply shown and her "love letters" to Yeon-jin just added intensity and vigor for her inevitable revenge.

This show is divided into 2 parts, with here focusing on the backstory and the planning stage of the revenge itself. Initially, I was not a fan of the split release but after watching the first part's ending with a cliffhanger and a shocking plot twist, I was able to get why they did it in the first place - to maintain the momentum of the increased tension and enthrall going in the second part. It was very successful at that aspect.

For now, I'm not as emotionally-invested on Yeo-joong's (Lee Do-hyun) story as with Dong-eun's (Song Hye-kyo). There's massive story potential shown in the first part and I know quite well that it will be tackled more on the second part. Furthermore, Yeo-joong's role at this part isn't as significant as Dong-eun, so this is why I will restrict this review on the main story.

On the other hand, this role has got to be Song Hye-kyo's best acting role as of the moment. She was really able to personify Dong-eun the best. Maybe it's because this is entirely different from her previous roles, but the stoic, almost emotionless personality was perfectly-written for this actress and she was also able to portray it very well. This project basically squashed the recurring criticism that Song Hye-kyo is a one-dimensional actress. Wasn't a big fan of hers prior, but she is able to own it and I'm being converted as a fan as of this moment. But can she transpose it on her next projects or was she lucky that a one-dimensional character suited her very well?

My other comments will be reserved for the second part, since it will be more cathartic, if not gruesome (I hope). Still, this 8-episode first part was greatly done in setting the tone for the overall show. The first part doesn't need all of the big twists and shocking events, yet I'm expecting it on the next.

The big question now lies: will Dong-eun be able to get her glory?

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Find love and comfort through this Kdrama once again

Aside from the slow, if not confusing, first few episodes, and the overbearing Ok-boon (Cha Hwa-yeon) at the beginning, this show proved once again why family-themed Kdramas should not be easily glanced and just skipped right away.

The clue to enjoy Kdramas with a family-centered story consisting of many storylines with overlapping connections, is to have a spontaneous pacing and flow. This show was successful on those aspects, and it was able to make me glue my eyes on the screen throughout its 50-episode run.

Of course, the production value is not on par with the more famous 16 or 20-episode dramas. One of my recurring issues here was the inconsistency of the frames on several scenes contributing to production lapses. Some were subtle errors where I had to rewind a few seconds earlier to confirm said errors, yet some were quite obvious. Will not spoil them for the next viewers to be able to enjoy this show more than I did.

But this is easily forgotten by the great and heartwarming story shared by the Song family and its ever expanding members. The main story of the separation of 2 siblings serves as its highlight. Even though it was dragging and too makjang-y at some point, its pinnacle was just worth it, if not totally gratifying.

There were also aplenty of romances of some sort. Most, I agree and rooted with except one where I expected the screenwriter to explore more, only to end as a footnote on the overall story. I was also rooting for them, but just why? Still, this show was not short of showing and sharing love on one another.

If I were to pick my favorite character here, it has to be Jae-seok (Lee Sang-yi). His development all throughout has overturned his immaturity at the start of the show. He was also consistent with his character and his smile and laugh are just contagious. His story was also one where I was emotionally-invested the most.

Speaking of character developments, I was glad that the mother was also able to have one. She was the one I hated the most with her haughty character, not caring or even trying to understand the perspective of others aside from herself. But then again, it's a family-themed Kdrama so the best outcomes are to be expected.

Lastly, I just found the Song family to be comforting, in that despite their situations, they were able to still push through and how they handled it were very typical in a family. I liked how this show portrayed a family (the Song family in this case), in the most realistic manner. It showed that no family is perfect, but at the end of the day, they still find comfort with one another. I also found comfort along with them.

Not thinking about some noticable flaws in the story and looking for something heartwarming and just good feels, one can find love and comfort through this Kdrama once again.

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