Lost me in the second half

Season 1 was honestly great but season 2 didn't live up to the mark. There were many times where I felt the show was trying too hard to be perfect that it lost the natural feel to it.

As a summary/recap, Deib was a popular high school kid who had a popular group of friends. He used to bully Max, a poor but strong girl and eventually they fell in love. Deib had an older brother, Dale, who was shot and left for dead for which Deib blames himself for being inebriated at the time. His parents also blamed him for a while. His father continues to be harsh with him and nothing Deib does to make up for it seems to be good enough for his father. Deib had hired a private investigator who then went missing at a crucial point. When it is revealed that Max's uncle Boyet is at the center of Dale's shooting incident, it puts a strain on Max and Deib's relationship.

There is nothing wrong with the story as such. In fact, up until the mid point it was pretty interesting. But after a while, you start to feel bored and wish the story could move faster. Or something new would happen. And when it does, you feel like this just doesn't make any sense. There are some interesting side characters - Niah, Ysay and Lee, but even their plot appears to move in circles. The sudden disappearance of a character also felt strange and unresolved. There's a death that felt like it was added for the shock value as it serves no purpose.

Acting wise, I felt the cast did a really good job though I did feel like there were more crying scenes than required. Sympathetic crying happened a bit too often. Also some of the characters feel more like cheering squads in this season and don't have a life of their own even when they could have had their own stories that were initiated in season 1.

By the end of season 2, I felt a bit tired to continue. It is mostly filled with cliches. That is why it took me 3 days just to finish watching the finale.

There are some good moments and positive messages like loving yourself, doing what is good for you, sisterhood, etc. It's just the presentation that feels unfamiliar.

One thing that does stand out is the exceptional OST. There are some beautiful tracks that I fell in love with while watching this show like Kahit Na Kahit Pa, Did You Let Me Go, I Just Miss You and the title track He's Into Her are some of the most memorable ones.

The show couldn't live up to the first season's performance but it is good for a one time watch so that the story is tied up.

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A very long vacation aka a slow burn

The first episode was not great as I was watching and I wondered if it was a good pick but the ending of the episode touched my heart and that is when I began to enjoy the story.

The acting and characters are wonderful and the story is sweet but there are times when you wish they had gotten together already. Then again the show is titled 'Long Vacation'. You're in it for a long ride.

The piano and OST are beautiful and catchy but there are times when the music overlaps on the piano playing which is a possible drawback. I would have liked to listen to Sena play more.

Sena and Minami make a good pair with her outgoing and overly positive and peppy nature and his introverted, shy, and hesitant nature which she brings out the best in while he provides her with the dependable sweetness that she longs for.

I would have loved to see some moments of them as an official couple where they know where they stand with each other.

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I am not one to watch horror shows generally but I was curious because it only has 8 ten minute episodes. That is great for binge watching. If you scare easily like me then let me just say that the show is watchable and probably won't give you nightmares. But it does have a major jump (or in my case scream) scare. There is some amount of gore but it's not that bad. Or at least it didn't bother me and I can't stand gore.

Getting to the story, I liked the setting of the call center and the concept of the show. It not new in the least but it is interesting enough to make you want to watch and find out what is going to happen and why things are happening the way they are. So that mystery element is a good driving point. I won't claim it to be the best show but for 10 min episodes, it's a fun watch. It's the length of a movie.

If you are a huge horror fan, then you might not enjoy the series as the scary parts are mild. Then again it might be worth giving a shot.

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Wasted potential

This could have been one amazing thriller/horror series but it was truly disappointing after a great start!

The story revolves around an archaeologist who is requested by monks to translate the inscriptions on a seal. This seal was placed on a Buddha statue that contained an evil spirit and buried by a powerful monk a long time ago. There was so much to explore in terms of who this evil spirit belonged to. How did it come to possess the Buddha statue? Why was the only option to seal and bury the statue and not destroy such a dangerous thing?

The first two episodes were really good but the 3rd episode made it all about people getting possessed and killing each other. I understand that it was important to explain why the statue was so dangerous but it would have helped to understand why the evil spirit works in this way. This episode just reminded me of zombies. Also, there was no consistency. Some people were affected very quickly while others were delayed in getting affected. What was the importance of having a strong heart? It seemed like there was no one strong enough to resist the statue.

I thought the scene with the crows was quite incredible visually. I just felt like it was pointless to the story. Why were they attacking people? Would they cross towns eventually and attack everyone?

Finally, why did the archaeologists go there unprepared? Dipping his magazines in the muddy water and hoping it sticks to the statue is a terrible plan to save people. Also, the cop mother was infuriating. She had no idea her son is being bullied. She had no trust in him and there is no explanation why. It felt like something was missing since her son was making amends. Also, she was acting foolishly several times which added to my frustration with her. As a cop, you expect her to be more sensible.

Finally, the show moves on to a new mystery without exploring what happened after everything was done. What happened to the villagers who survived and if anyone who was possessed managed to survive besides the main characters? The ending was a bit too abrupt. There was so many ways of making this an incredible short series. I wish they would have taken 2 more episodes in order complete the story and explain a lot of the events instead of rushing through things and hinting at a second season. I just hope they read these reviews and work on their story for next season.

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Ate It Up!

Celebrity was an excellent binge.

Seo Ari was a rich girl who became a door to door cosmetics salesperson after her father went bankrupt. One day she ends up tangled in the world of instagram celebrities and finds herself gaining attention and lets her curiosity of the world get the better of her.

What I enjoyed:
- Every episode had a lot happening. Very fast paced which I love.
- The characters which may seem over the top but not unbelievable because I have actually come across such people.
- The production was clearly top notch on this.
- The intro (theme) is gorgeous.
- The story-telling is certainly intriguing and I am a sucker for mysterious hidden characters and trying to figure out who dun it.
- Having heard of a few friends turn into rivalries among celebs and youtubers, the plot was quite believable. The way people end up exposing each other. The following unfollowing drama. The rumours and the fans defending and trolling and the public reactions. It's all well known facts about these celebs. The plot was a good run-down of how some of these people act on and off-screen.
- Though there is no proper romance, there is some really fascinating chemistry between Seo Ari and Jun Kyung that made for a fun experience.
- I love me a bit of a revenge plot so this show was right up my alley!

What could have been better:
Although I have already rated this a 10, the one thing that was distracting was that a lot of the online comments and DMs were not being translated and so I would occasionally translate them myself since some of it was a huge part of the story. Obviously, this isn't an issue of the plot itself. Rather, for whatever reason, the subbing was lacking.

I would definitely recommend watching this show even if you are not fascinated by celebrities and influencers as it has a lot going for it.

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Amazing until you get to the end...

I have been let down so severely by what was a fantastic drama. Let's highlight the reasons why this drama is a 9 first.

The story is about a dedicated wife-mother-daughter-daughter-in-law who is encouraged to find more meaning to her existence beyond living for her family by once again working as a doctor. When she discovers that she needs a liver transplant, her husband of 20 years, further discouraged by his mother, is unwilling to save her life by giving her a part of his liver. Luckily she finds a donor just in time and becomes determined to live her life for herself for once.

Through the plot is quite serious, especially considering the fact that the wife is unaware that her husband is in fact cheating on her, the show managed to evoke a lot of laughter. The comedy is fantastic and I am never getting over the line, "My husband is dead".

The cast are incredible. You completely empathise with Doctor Cha and are made to root for her through each of her troubles. She has a good head on her shoulders. Her husband Doctor Seo is as pathetic as a cheating man could possibly be and the actor has not only managed to get you mad at him but is also much of the butt of the jokes in the show. His expressions add to the hilarity. Doctor Roy Kim is Doctor Cha's friend in need. He supports her exactly when she needs it. He cares for her and was the ray of light she needed during her dark times. Without him, her husband would never have realised what he was discarding. Doctor Roy is also the complete opposite of what the husband is. An upright man and a gentleman. The mistress and her daughter added the much needed drama for a proper cheating scandal and the entanglement that required Doctor Cha to wake up from what she thought was a perfect life. Doctor Cha's children had their own stories going and even though the daughter was annoying at first, both her kids were sympathetic to their mother's situation which also added to her courage.

Now coming to the let down.
Throughout the show, they teased a possibility of Doctor Cha leaving her cheating husband and moving on with Doctor Roy. If the writers wanted to show her happy on her own, this angle for this character was not at all needed. He could have just been a friend from the beginning. Yes, it's true that she never showed interest in Doctor Roy because she was still in love with her husband and reeling from the shock of his affair. Yet the writers continued to tease this love triangle that never would be. It feels like the writers are telling the audience that it is not appropriate for a woman in her 40s who is divorced with two kids and health issues to have a chance at real love. She should continue her life in service of others but this time as a doctor. At least that is what much of the audience has taken away from this decision where people are writing - "yes, she had too much BAGGAGE". Only men are allowed "baggage" even today and be considered worthy of a second, third, xth chance at love. Not women. And despite being a cheater and an incompetent partner in general, the husband gets to stay friends with his wife and his ex. It was unclear if he got back with his ex. Furthermore, they practically removed traces of Doctor Roy from her life. Thus my disappointment is in what the writers inadvertently ended up pushing.

For the finale alone, I wanted to give this show an 8.5 (it was also quite dull compared to the rest of the episodes) which otherwise was a 10 but I have decided to leave it at a 9 because at least the writers didn't force her to forgive her husband and allowed her to get divorced and live for herself for a change. Coz that would have been the absolute worst.

I wanted to remember this show fondly. It's sad this finale won't let me do that.

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Enjoyable

The story might feel a little confusing at first but you catch up quite quickly. It was a fun ride! I had 0 expectations before starting this so it was a completely positive experience. It's not too scary either.

I almost didn't recognise Kim Nam Gil from Through The Darkness so that discovery was exciting.

I was a little doubtful that the pretty boy idol portraying Priest Yohan would make a good character but he added some humour to the show that is otherwise a bit dark. He emoted better than I expected.

The CGI is nice. One particular scene reminded me of a scene from Harry Potter as well.

I do wish they hadn't split up the season unnecessarily. Not happy about this trend but it was an interesting ending. Looking forward to part 2.

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Suddenly went downhill

When the series started initially, it looked like a good concept. A lawyer helping people solve cases for only 1 dollar (1000 won) but as the story progressed it seemed like there was nothing unique and special about this lawyer. Rather some things were plain luck. Still the highs were compensating for the lows.

I'll lightly touch upon some points without giving away major spoilers.

When we dove into the backstory, I enjoyed the slightly serious mood as well. When we returned to the current timeline, that's when things took a nose dive. The episode seemed so pointless and a waste of time. Ironically, the episode number was cut down to improve quality. It just makes me wonder how much worse and insignificant things had to be chopped out to still make the episode and story feel so stagnant.

I'm a little tired of shows with excessively long build-ups and then quick and easy take downs of the bad guys. But I am willing to understand the show wants to end on a dramatic finish IF it is done well. But when you lose all steam towards the end, the finale feels very flat. At least this is my perspective. I genuinely enjoyed the show initially and up until episode 10 gave it an 8.5 rating. I have to drop that to a 6 because I was bored beyond belief by the last 2 episodes.

As far as acting is concerned, I enjoyed Namkoong Min as Cheon Ji Hun. The female lead as Baek Mari's character isn't very notable or important and because of that her acting is not something I enjoyed much. In contrast, the other prosecutors Seo Min Hyeok and Na Ye Jin are the more interesting characters. The second female lead also has a very subdued personality and doesn't get much of an opportunity to shine.

If you're looking for romance then there isn't really much to speak of in this series so you might be disappointed on that front. The show's comedy is a bit lame overall. I wish I could say otherwise. Maybe if the editing/story-telling was improved and pacing were faster, it would be a fantastic show. It's a shame because the cast seems to have given their best. To watch or not to watch is solely at your discretion.

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Two cute couples for the price of 1!

Perhaps this show is not for everyone but I loved the concept. The couple was already established but now the FL is being asked to break up with her boyfriend. It was funny from the first episode. I was very curious how they will work through their issues. The FL has a strong head on her shoulders due to her background and can overrationalise things at times but she is a kind and caring person. The ML can be clingy but he is sweet and kind and who wouldn't love that. I also loved the second leads in the story. Maybe slightly more than the leads because their relationship didn't deal with too much workplace distractions.

Though thers ard a few serious moments, the show also makes you laugh and smile. And both couples have cute moments together. Though I wish there were more romance, a little less angst, and if the comedy was even better then I would have rated it a 9 at least.

In a way I am glad the writers didn't drag the background storylines too much. They were not ths point of the story. It was about the couples and some of the problems they dealt with are quife realistic. Even the nicest people have trouble in relationships because you aren't completely sure how to handle the situation.

The one good thing about the breakup trope was also that they didn't show both living separate lives. They continued to work together as they dealt with their emotions. I don't like when they completely remove the leads from each other's lives. So that was a plus for me.

The OST is also quite calming. I hope everyone gives the series a chance.

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Lacking compared to part1

My review is for the second half of the drama rather than the entire drama. I quite loved the first half (part 1) but this second half (part 2) was so much more weaker.

The first 3 episodes are decent, there are light moments (when you compare to the tragedies of the first part) and hope. But episodes 4 - 9 were such a drag to watch. You get brief moments of happiness and then problems. To the point that it seemed like a never-ending mess. I was prepared for a tragic ending. Apart from that, the story was really moving slowly with not much happening. You can easily watch these episodes on 2x because everyone talks so slowly.

Some of the characters really annoyed me. One being the king. He was so hell bent on retaining power and his position that he lost trust in everyone including his ministers, his son, and his people. To target his own people who already faced so much was simply unforgiveable according to me. What does loyalty mean if the other party unreasonably wants to sentence you to death in order to feel "peace"?

The other character was the scholar who acted all noble and could see that the king's fears are driving him to cruelty and he made the same exact choices by giving into his unreasonable fears. Though it just proved that he was always a cruel man and he never regretted his part mistakes. He would repeat them again without much hesitation.

Finally, it was Officer Gu, who we all knew was not worthy of marrying Gil Chae.

It's easy to blame the "barbarians" for the sufferings of the people of Joseon but this part highlighted that the people of Joseon were far more cruel to their own. They abandoned their own family and wives and sisters and daughters if they deemed them to be "tainted" and were obsessed with keeping Joseon "clean". They were willing to kill their own by labelling them as traitors without proof. They forced women to kill themselves. They humiliated anyone who survived. They truly disgusted me because instead of easing each others suffering and giving each other comfort after all the hardships and sorrows, they rejected and ridiculed them instead. They didn't allow their own people to heal. So the real traitors were the ones who escaped "unscathed". Problem is, I don't know if majority of the audience will understand this because of the way it was presented. Unless you can relate to being "othered" in your own country, it's unlikely that most of the audience will understand this aspect of the story because of the way it is presented. It will probably get sidelined as an aspect of war.

The last two episodes were the best compared to the rest of this part. Though there are again unnecessary hurdles and part of me wanted to know what happened to all the politics that we were forced to suffer through, I am glad we were not forced to suffer more on the leads' story front. If not for the last 2 episodes, I would have certainly scored this part lower just for those middle episodes. The male lead also said and did all the right things and he truly was a blessing for everyone. The growth of the female lead was also nice to see and a good contrast between part 1 and 2.

One aspect they glossed over is what exactly happened to Ryang Eum.

The OST of this show continues to be enjoyable.

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Packed with action, bromance, and thrill!

I absolutely devoured this show! It was heart-racing level of good! Full of adrenaline! Small spoilers towards the end.

Geon Woo meets Woo Jin as rivals in a boxing match but they quickly become friends. Geon Woo's mother falls for a loan scam and thus starts the journey of both men trying to take on a dangerous group of men.

The bromance is impeccable and fun with a bit of jokes thrown in here and there. It reminded me a bit of Midnight Runners. Though Bloodhounds has a lot of violence and blood and a bit of torture. I had to speed up some of those parts but mostly I was filled with an adrenaline rush as the show went on.

Episode 6 made me anxious and I was sweating. So be prepared for that. It's not a very easy watch.

There is no romance in this series. It's pure grit and testosterone. But they didn't forget to add some badass females. I was delighted by them not simply depicting women as helpless or eye-candy. Nope. You'll love them!

I only have two small issues but it's not something that would make me like this show any less.
SPOILER
- Why did they (writers) send Hyeon Joo away? I was so ready for her to be there at the end.
- The ease with which Kim Myung Gil kills the deadliest killers felt a bit of a stretch. Especially since he says he was scared of them.

SPOILER FREE
This series deserves at least a one time watch. Especially if you saw Woo Do Hwan in Joseon Attorney, then watch him in this different avatar in Bloodhounds. He is spectacular!

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A PROPER ROMCOM!

I hope everyone ignores negative reviews and give No Gain No Love a fair chance because I have never enjoyed the comedy and heart fluttering romance as depicted by the main leads. Shin Min Ah is the life of the show and brings so much chemistry to this pairing that you'll never notice the age gap. And the humour is on point!

There have been 2 other romcoms airing simultaneously (Cinderella At 2 AM and Love Next Door) but none of the comedy has been on par with No Gain No Love. It has been so much fun watching this. Though the plot is not unique with some typical tropes likes fake marriage and opposites attract, the direction and the dialogues catch you off guard! You predict the FL to say or do one thing and she completely surprises you which makes it so much more entertaining. The chemistry between the main leads is sizzling and my only complaint is that I wanted to see more of them because of how much I enjoyed their romance. And I also loved that for once the female lead is the bolder one in the relationship besides also being smart and quick on her feet. The male lead is kind, at times shy and aloof and gentle. They really complemented each other.

We also have 2 other couples. Though I wouldn't say I was fond of them and sometimes I even found them annoying but it definitely presents something for everyone. The second leads also have a 18+ spin off which I will be watching to see if I enjoy their chemistry better in that. However don't let my preference dissuade you because I was fully entertained and it gave me lots to talk about.

Another thing I liked about this show is that even in the low moments of the characters, it never got too depressing and tried to maintain an overall happy and light moments so this is great for watching when you need an escape. All the actors stayed true to their characters with room for some character growth as well.

The "weakest" of the episodes were the last two because they had more serious aspects to deal with and I would have liked 2 more episodes to depict more of the main duo. And that is why I can't give this a full 10. I still loved enough about the show that I can't be too upset with it.

The main theme song is nice and upbeat. It suits the vibe of the drama.

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Greed leads to Evil

Although the plot is not unique, it is certainly interesting and a fun journey. It makes you want to keep coming back for more. I started Evilive for Shin Ha Kyun who I enjoyed seeing in Beyond Evil. However, Kim Young Kwang is a total treat to watch and is perfect as a gangster that keeps you guessing.

Don't let the 18+ rating turn you away from this. Although there is some gore, it doesn't drag into the series once it starts going and it is more to do with the journey of the two leads and how they impact each other. Although, Shin Jae Ha doesn't have a huge role, you will find yourself concerned for him and feel connected with his character within this complicated situation. His brother plays an exceptionally smart character that has a knack for quick thinking in difficult and dangerous situations.

This series doesn't represent the fight between good versus evil but rather how one defines greed and whether there is room for an acceptable evil.

All actors have done a remarkable job. Bae Na Ra is another eye candy and I will be looking out for him in future projects.

The opening theme for Evilive, In the Darkest Night, is lovely and the other OST, Prayer, is quite soothing.

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Great start. Lost me with the cheating.

The first half of Destined With You was great. It was funny and I was enjoying the fantasy element as well as the creepy bloody hand. In fact, I started to miss it later.

My biggest issue was that the ML despite having a girlfriend, kisses the FL. This was clearly a red flag for me so much so that I was angry with the character for a good few episodes and couldn't enjoy the story.

The other issue I had was that by the end, it isn't completely clear if anyone was acting under the power of the love spell or not because of the twist. I'm not sure why they made it seem so confusing. That's a plot hole.

Third biggest problem I had with the show is the father being verbally abusive to the mother as well as negligent towards her needs and the writers made them patch up after teasing a caring younger guy as a potential love interest. There was one more female character that was divorced and found love. Not sure why ML's mother didn't deserve better as well? Is it because they didn't want her to find love with a younger man? The father was so horrible towards the FL as well. All the more the mom should be with a nicer man. This is the second such drama that disappointed me in this regard. First being Doctor Cha.

I still have a few doubts related to the story. Towards the end, I decided to speed it up because the story was moving a bit too slowly.

The best thing about this drama was the SML. I wish FL had ended up with him. He was a really decent guy. FL and ML's chemistry was nice except for the weird cheating aspect. SFL was stunning but unbearable. Acting wise, everyone did great. It was the story that let me down in the second half.

The OST of the drama is beautiful.

I would say the first half of the drama is a lot more fun than the second half. It's not a bad drama but it could have been better with a bit of tweaking.

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Sweet and Satisfying

Loved the drama from start to finish! Minor spoilers.

Ji Eum has the memory of all her past lives but the person she most wants to meet is Seo Ha from her 18th life which was cut short. Meanwhile he is still reeling from the loss he suffered from the accident years later. Though I am not sure how much of it was taken from webtoon, I hear it's not an exact replica. Irrespective of that, it is cinematically beautiful with captivating performances by all actors and beautiful OST to set the mood.

The added mystery was a nice touch towards the end which kept things fresh. The pace might feel a little on the slower side but every minute was enjoyable. Loved the way the story portrayed all the relationships that Ban Ji Eum had and both the highs and the lows of carrying the burden of past lives. It was also interesting to see how she used it to her advantage in the present life.

Loved the completely different character portrayed by Ahn Bo Hyun compared to the one he had in Military Prosecutor Doberman. I love when actors can convincingly perform different types of roles well. The child actor Kim Shi Ah also stood out for her performance as the young Ju Won. This was my first proper introduction to Shin Hye Sun and although I had my doubts at first, I fell in love with her character when she is standing outside her mother's mom and reminiscing about the relationship they shared. Such a tragically beautiful moment that it brought tears to my eyes.

I also loved the back and forth between Cho Won and Do Yoon. Will they? Won't they? And the late but memorable entry of Minki to add some spice to the plot.

"Juicy Juicy" by Jo Yuri has become one of my favourite OSTs and it got stuck in my head almost as soon as I heard it!

This is a perfectly binge-worthy show that I hope finds more viewers.

If there is something to complain about, it would be that Seo Ha's dream was to renovate his mother's hotel which we didn't quite see finished. And I wish we would have seen some development in his relationship with his father just to tie up everything neatly.

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