Before watching this drama I knew nothing about baseball and did not even understand the rules. After watching the drama, I still don't understand how it works. But, the fact that I enjoyed it regardless tells a lot about what kind of drama this is.

Hot Stove League is not the kind of drama I usually watch but I wanted something different, and it was !
I found the fact that there was no romance really refreshing, I think it makes the drama more realistic and keeps the focus on the working aspect, which the drama is all about. I especially liked the relationship between the main characters. I felt they portrayed the complexity of work relationships very well, from being reluctant to welcome someone new to feeling like a piece is missing when someone leaves... They build their relationship through their work and slowly become more than colleagues. The chemistry between the main trio was great but also with the secondary characters. The Dreams felt like a team from the top to the players.
I also liked how the drama focuses on different jobs, from management, to the coaches, to the players. It is not a world I know a lot of so it was interesting to learn more about what goes behind the scenes in sports.

But they were some things I didn't like. I could not feel any sympathy towards Kwon Kyung Min even though the drama tries to justify his actions. So I felt frustrated during his scenes and only wanted to fastforward. It was very different from Im Dong Kyu whom I hated at first but came to understand.
Also, I would have liked to see more of the relationship between the brothers. I felt the second part was lacking in this aspect (well, it was non-existent), when they should have shown its development.

All in all, a drama for those who want to learn more about this kind of workplace and enjoy watching a team trying to achieve their Dreams ;)

Citeste mai mult

This is the first ever medical drama that I have finished. I was not expecting anything but I ended up watching it in 2 days...

I don't really like watching surgeons doing things inside bodies and blood flowing and that kind of things but despite all that, I really enjoyed the drama. I can't compare it to the first season (because I haven't watched it) but the atmosphere that was created in the drama between all the workers at Doldam hospital is what makes it so enjoyable. Every characters interact with one another and it makes the drama more realistic, as you expect the same thing to happen in a real workplace.
There are many second characters and each one of them is developed and has a certain depth: Dr Shim Hye Jin, who first appears aloof, has a reason for it and finally fits in with everyone; Dr Bae Moon Jung has an interesting family background; even nurse Hyung Mi is not a simple extra.
What I liked the most was how the drama tackled issues that are relevant today in Korea: the place of women in the medical field, domestic violence, having to be in debt to pay for your education, etc. But it was done very subtly and well and did not take away from the main focus of the drama.
The romance was cute and not overwhelming, both couples had great chemistry.
Finally, I appreciated the consistency throughout the script: the patients did not miraculously disappear after they were treated (though I would have liked some mention of their departure for the most important ones) and we even got to know the reason behind Dr Bae Moon Jung's divorce that was briefly mentionned in the second episode.

If you are searching for a realistic medical drama (realistic in terms of working in a hospital, not in the procedures, I couldn't tell as I am no expert) with great relationships developed between all the characters, I recommend this one.

Citeste mai mult

Crash Landing on You was another one of these dramas that have been coming every few years and that I consider classic korean dramas. They are highly enjoyable, not too deep but with an innovative script; they have a seemingly impossible love story, some action but most of all, great chemistry between all the characters.

First, I would like to say that before watching it I was slightly apprehensive of the way North Korea was going to be portrayed. I feared it would be too cliché and without nuance. Now that I have finished it I am glad to report that it did not feel that way to me. The inequalities between Pyongyang and the countryside, the instricacies of power in the society and every day life were portrayed in a believable way. Rather than provoking pity for the North Korean it shows them as ordinary humans evolving in a society that is vastly different from what we know.

The appeal of this drama rests on its cast and the characters. Every actor did a great job but especially Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin. I liked Ri Jung Hyuk's subtle expressions of amusement and love throughout the episodes. I felt that Se Ri was really relatable even as she went through improbable situations (that tornado...).
The female characters were also something that I loved, I liked that Se Ri was strong and brave but sometimes unsure. I liked the mothers : often in dramas they are either too nice or absolutely horrible. Here, they feel real : they love their child without smothering them; they want to help them without deciding every details of their lifes.
I loved how the relationship between the second leads evolved and even how it ended (obviously I wasn't super happy but felt that it somehow made it more beautiful and meaningful) and how Seo Dan grew because of it.
I loved the camaraderie between Ri Jung Hyuk, his subordinates and Se Ri but also the friendship between the women in the village. They brought the funny moments.

And finally, I really really liked the ending. I haven't been so moved watching the end of a drama for a long time. The fact that it is not a simple happily ever after is refreshing and keeps it more real.

If you want a drama with heartwarming love stories and frienships, a bit of sadness but lots of laughs, great scenery and acting, this one is for you.

Citeste mai mult

I didn't watch the drama while it was airing because high school dramas are not my thing. But I decided to give it a try because of how popular and liked it was. And I don't regret it!

In a way, it is your typical high school romance but the fact that the drama plays with the usual tropes while being critical of them makes it more enjoyable.
One of its strong points is Eun Dan-Oh's character : she is very likeable. First, the fact that she apprehends her situation with humour: I especially enjoyed her disgust at some of the dialogues during the ''stages'', it was one of my favorite things all along the drama. I also liked how she stays upbeat and optimistic even when she appears helpless and her situation hopeless.
I liked that some of the characters were deeper than I expected, especially Baek Kyung. He makes the story not so black or white. He is the mean guy but one who is confused and searching for his own self. I think his character embodies how many feel at his age : you are behaving the way that is expected of you but questionning your identity, trying to find what you really like and who you want to be.
I liked Haru. I agree that his character is not well developped but I find it nice, for once in a drama, that the male lead exists only for the female lead... I liked that his character is calm but not cold and indifferent as this type of character tends to be.

The thing that makes this drama not so perfect is the inconsistency. First, in the rythm of the drama : the first episodes are really good and grab your attention quickly as does the end but the second half gets slow and draggy. Then, there is the acting. I still don't know if it is Kim Hye-Yoon's acting or Eun Dan-Oh's character that is not well framed but I found that there were many moments where I was not convinced by the portrayal of the character. Her demeanor was sometimes too different from what I think Eun Dan-Oh is supposed to be. Especially during the romantic scenes. The last thing that bothered me is the editing. I liked how they incorporated manga effects into the editing. I found the shift between the stages and the shadow to be such a good idea, But why couldn't they use all the different effects throughout the whole drama?

Finally, this is a great high school romance drama. You will get the usual clichés but with a twist. The story is deeper, more complex and the lead characters are refreshing.

Citeste mai mult