A ride from start to finish

I've watched many romantic dramas, but I would never call myself a fan of the genre. This is mostly because, while the couples may be cute, there will always be unnecessary misunderstandings and drama to make the relationship "strong." Many romance dramas have a tendency to romanticize red flags that is often borderline abuse. I don't consider myself a romantic person and, hence, rarely do dramas make my heart flutter. However, this one not only made my heart flutter, but it also made me melt into puddles from the sweetness. Often, I caught my silly, ecstatic reflection on the screen and wondered what this drama has done to me.

Right off the bat, I noticed the similarities with DOTS like many others have mentioned. The general premise of a law enforcement officer falling in love with a doctor is similar to DOTS. The truck dangling off the cliff, and the earthquake rescue mission is also similar to DOTS. But, the similarities end there. The main characters are entirely different people from Kang Mo Yeon and Yoo Shi Jin, and so is their dynamic as a couple. Someone commented below that DOTS is a "blockbuster" meant to grip the audience and keep us at the edge of our seats, while YAMY is a good balance of high octane action and a slow, sweet, realistic slice of life. Unlike DOTS, Xing Kelei and Mi Ka are not "heroes." They are ordinary people who are also very competent, passionate professionals, trying to navigate their daily lives, and on more than one occasion, encountering something out of the ordinary.

Bai Jing Ting and Sandra Ma are an unlikely duo, and so I had my doubts at first. I ate my words within the first episode. This couple has so much natural chemistry; it blew me away. Sandra Ma is a fantastic actress. I cannot imagine the compassionate, capable Mi Ka being played by anyone else. Sandra Ma has impeccable dialogue delivery; her soft voice, sweet giggle, puppy eyes, and tender disposition are all so naturally conveyed. The drama being undubbed made her feel most authentic because her diction and voice modulation really adds to the acting. Sandra has the ability to portray characters as dynamic. She made Mi Ka cute and warm without making her annoying. Mi Ka is kind but not a pushover. She knows how to stand up for herself and does not let anyone walk over her. She's calm, level-headed, reasonable, and by far the most realistic female lead I've watched in a long, LONG time. She also shows so much character development; the contrast between her in the first episode and episode 39 is striking.

Xing Kelei is just as well written. Truth be told, I never pegged Bai Jing Ting as being able to carry the role of a police officer. But I'm so impressed with his acting abilities that I can unabashedly say that I've become a fan. He's charming and powerful as a captain. In many cases, dramas tend to boil down military/policemen to macho men with a false sense of superiority and ego, two sizes too large for their body. This toxic masculinity bleeds into his romantic relationships. It makes him the dominant one who makes all the decisions, the one who takes the initiative and drives the relationship. Xing Kelei is confident and well aware of his charm and talent, but he is far from egotistical. To see the tough, mean captain of the Tigers be clammy, shy and timid around Mi Ka is so adorable. The contrast between him as an officer and him as a boyfriend is so stark; it makes you swoon. In a relationship, the two are partners, on equal footing, and the two respect each other's choices and opinions. This relationship is by far one of the healthiest I've seen in dramas. There is consistent communication and no room for misunderstandings. Even when the two fight, neither lets feelings stew nor hesitate to apologize. Even when they miss each other due to their demanding occupations, they understand and respect each other's careers and accept that sometimes their jobs take precedence over each other. Every time you expect conflict, the two surprise you by being level-headed and mature. It sounds like the bare minimum, but it is still so refreshing to see. I enjoyed the natural progression of their relationship. While it may be slow and awkward at first, it is very realistic, given that it is their first relationship. I think this is what makes their interactions all the more authentic. Their conversations feel natural and casual, akin to your day to day interactions with the ones you love.

The side couples are just as adorable. Each couple has a different dynamic. Shu Wenbo is so obtuse; it's hilarious. Unlike popular opinion, I didn't find his cluelessness annoying. In fact, I found it quite endearing because as soon as he realizes his feelings, he's quick to act on them. Ruan Qing Xia is assertive and forthright without being annoying, and as an aspiring journalist, I admire her professionalism and sensibility. I adore the relationship between Keyou and Shou Yuhan. While Kelei and Mika are like spring- new, fresh, pure; Keyou and Yuhan are like autumn- comforting, familiar, warm and mature. All are different types of love, but equally as beautiful.

The romance is a slow burn, and the pacing of the drama is slow. There are arcs of thrills and action, followed by periods of the characters figuring out the mundane complications in life. The balance is perfect, and the simplicity of it is what made me keep watching. Each period of hardship unlocks a different level on Kelei and Mi Ka's relationship. The earthquake episodes are interesting, and the confession is especially heartwrenching. I have a special appreciation for episode 39. The writers did an impeccable job maintaining the thrill from the beginning to the end of the hostage situation. The addition of the lovers' fateful encounter after a long period of separation is heartwrenching and really adds to the experience.

Is it perfect? On most days, when I am much more practical and not in my feelings over the end of a fantastic drama, I would say no. However, today I choose to be impractical and argue that yes, it is perfect. That being said, the editing can be a little choppy, especially when stitching together multiple takes of the same scene. But that can be easily forgiven. While there are some recycled tropes earlier on in the drama, there are no unnecessary plot devices, and every bit of the story is there for a reason. There are no unanswered questions or plotholes. The product placements drove me a little nutty, but I just chose to ignore it.

I don't usually watch long dramas, and 40 episodes can be considered long. Yet, the episodes flew by, and at the end of it, I hoped for more. But now that I've finished watching it, I'm left with hollowness. This drama was truly a joy to watch. It's the type of drama that I wish I never watched, to experience the unadulterated joy of watching it for the first time. It also left me with a lingering sense of warmth and solitude. A drama that has joined the ranks of my most elite. Undoubtedly, a ten on ten for me.

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Eerie, fast-paced thriller

Search was a well-balanced, perfectly paced, well written, adrenaline rush inducing thriller in typical OCN fashion. It doesn't fall under the horror genre but provides a handful of jump scares and gory character deaths. That being said, it's not scary, so do not be wary of this drama.

The first two episodes were by far one of the most thrilling I've watched in a good while. It was a perfect amalgamation of the eerie ambience, wary heroes, solid characterization and timely scoring. It hooked me from the start and managed to keep me thoroughly fixated till the end. The drama is short and succinct, having only 10 episodes, which means that the episodes are very meaty with almost no filler. Even the romance is briefly mentioned and takes a back seat to the panic-inducing chaos that occurs in the DMZ. There is no OST per se, but the background score is superbly ambient.

The cast did an outstanding job. Jang Dong Yoon's Yong Dong Jin is poles apart from his character in The Tale of Nokdu. Krystal does a good job as the cold, and competent Son Ye Rim. She was a badass from start to end- intelligent, agile and far from a damsel in distress. K-dramas tend to dumb down FLs who are initially intended to be strong, so I was delighted to see a female lead who was equally as capable as the MLs. Although Kim Da Jung irritated me with her nosiness, you can't deny that she's a strong character too. Yeon Woo Jin, despite barely having lines, blew me away and Yoon Bak and Lee Hyun Wook shouldered their roles masterfully. Yoo Sung Joo was undeniably fantastic as the cruel and power-hungry Lee Hyuk because he made me absolutely loathe his character.

JDY and Krystal have excellent chemistry, and while romance is certainly not the focus here, their longing gazes and words of comfort reassures viewers of their lingering affection for each other. Considering that they referenced it multiple times, I was hoping that the writers would have mentioned the reason for their break-up. But it never came. I can't help but wish that their love line had been more fleshed out. Regardless, they seem to get together at the end.
However, arguably the best couple in this show was YDJ and Mac/Leo. I would be lying if I said that Leo's death didn't induce some hurt.

It isn't flawless, however. There are some plotholes and logical fallacies. I could not comprehend why Jo Min Guk was the only one with green eyes. I initially assumed that the red eyes were a consequence of the mutation caused due to radioactive exposure and rabies. However, the finale detailed Woo Sang Min, the first infected, having red eyes. So why is JMG the only green-eyed one?
I found some of the elements poorly explained. For instance, some background about the radioactive material would have been appreciated and better explained how it caused people to turn into "zombies." I also felt that SMG's death was rather pointless. He was a grey character from the get-go, and I was half expecting his demise, but it felt so inconsequential.
For all his barbarity, I think that LH did not receive nearly as much as he deserves. His death was not satisfying. I truly wish that someone would've put a couple of bullets in him and have him publicly persecuted.


It's also a little predictable, but all is forgiven for having given me two days of blood rush and excitement. It was fantastic enough for me to wish I never watched it so I could rewatch and feel the thrill all over again. This genre is unconventional for K-dramas because it often requires quick pace and tight storytelling, a task that does not translate well into episode format. However, dramas like Search, Guest and Kingdom are a testament that it isn't impossible. Fingers crossed for more dramas of this genre.

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Main Couple steals the show

Ah, where do I start? Like strong and charming female leads? Like respectful, consistent male leads? Like a bickering couple with good communication and comprehension skills? Well, then you're going to love this one. I haven't watched a 10/10 C-drama in a hot minute, and I am truly delighted that I watched this one.

I had my doubts when I first saw the poster. Being very honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of Luo YunXi. He certainly did not make me fawn in Ashes of love, and I hadn't seen him in anything else. I have watched Bai Lu have palpable chemistry with Xu Kai, so naturally, I was a bit dubious. Rookie mistake. This man is an absolute charmer, with perfect comedic timing, a gorgeous smile and sizzling chemistry to boot. As per usual, I drooled over Bai Lu throughout the show.

The first point to make is that I absolutely adored the female lead. She was fiery, stubborn and independent. I loved that despite Yuan Shai's protests, she fought her way into the company and proved her mettle to him. Even in a relationship, she does not lose her head and remains grounded and true to herself. Seeing her become a career woman by her own capability was refreshing to see, as opposed to the usual trope of the male leads, helping female leads achieve their dreams. Even when Yuan Shai did her wrong, she wouldn't forgive him easily, stood her ground and made her points, ensuring he understood what he did wrong. I do, however, think that her tear allergy could've been used to move the story more. In the beginning, I thought her allergy would build the crux of the story, but I was completely wrong. I'm not mad though because it became just a part of her character as opposed her entire character. Despite her potentially life-threatening allergy to tears, I'm pleased that they didn't write her to be completely cold and emotionless.

At the beginning, I wasn't fond of Yuan Shai. He tended to think that he knew the female lead just because they were childhood friends, a personality she completely outgrew. Along with the usual "I know what's best for you because you're too stupid to think for yourself so I have to make decisions for you," he also did, "I'm hurting you to protect you, but you don't need to know why so I'd rather you just hate me." As much as I loved Yuan Shai, I'd be a pathological liar if I claimed this didn't turn me off. But thankfully, Jiang Jun sets him straight. And thankfully, he redeems himself. The highlight of this show is undoubtedly the palpable chemistry between the leads. Dare I say; I enjoyed them more than Bai Lu and Xu Kai (I bring this up because this seems widely discussed among the audience.) I enjoyed their banter, but I enjoyed their dynamics even more. Yuan Shai being her boss, one would expect him to be more dominant in the relationship, but surprisingly it's her. It was also refreshing how Jiang Jun wasn't shy or timid when it came to skinship. Their kisses were phenomenal!! Not a single fish kiss in sight! I like the nonchalant manner in which they portrayed sex. Unpretentious and natural.

If not for the adorable main couple, there were several reasons to have docked points.

1. Du lei is far too unpredictable and far too frivolous. For a fraction of an episode, I imagined that I found catch second lead syndrome. He put aside his bitterness towards Yuan Shai and worked together with him for the sake of Jiang Jun. But then he takes such a 180 after the time skip, to the point of becoming unrecognizable. And just like that, the minuscule amount of affection I had for him evaporated. He becomes creepy and delusional, still pining after a woman long gone. If anything, I think he received way little resentment from Jiang Jun for the part he played in her father's death.

2. The second couple was not nearly as interesting as the first. Nuff said. I found myself skipping their scenes. Not even my irrational crush on Riley could save their love story. I respect that Xu Li was brave enough to give up her career and youth for Xiao Chuan. Couldn't be me, but I respect it. There's often some scorn towards women wanting to settle down quickly, and start a family, when there shouldn't be. I enjoyed that this show portrayed the female leads as on two ends of the spectrum but equally happy.

3. Some might argue that the 6 episodes after the villain was defeated was unnecessary, draggy and pointless, but I beg to differ. It establishes Jiang Jun's growth as a person and as a career woman and establishes the growth in their relationship. It asks several important questions about the profound sexism in the corporate industry, with women often having to choose between their careers and their relationship, due to societal expectations of "stability" being defined by the marital status of a woman. I would gladly have watched 30 more episodes of this. However, I see where they're coming from, and I see why one would think that those 6 episodes were unnecessary. I DO, however, agree with those who felt like the first 30 episodes and the last 6 were written by two different people. In fact, it was. And it's very evident.

BUT I enjoyed the main couple too much to dock points. I, personally, did not find the show draggy. I felt that most, if not all, the characters were well written, with their own variety of issues. I, unexpectedly, found myself enjoying the relationship between Qiao and Yuan Ji. This is definitely a show to rewatch.

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A poignant tale of parenthood & unconventional strength with a side of heart-meltingly sweet romance

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

A story of a child abandoned by her mother, who becomes a single parent, raising the child without the knowledge of her ex-boyfriend; a woman who falls in love with a happy-go-lucky policeman, all while being hunted by a merciless serial killer. Is it a slice of life? Is it a thriller? Is it a rom-com? The truth is, it's a little bit of each. But not the usual mish-mash of tropes one would expect from a drama of multiple genres. Its whimsical storytelling manages to warm the cockles of the heart but also makes it race with adrenaline. Indeed, the leitmotif is parenthood, or more specifically the relationship between a parent and child, the sacrifices, devotion and regrets that come with being a parent and the even the stigma around single parenthood. As saccharine as the romance was, it managed to take a backseat to the heart-warming parent-child relationship between the characters. If none of this tickles your fancy, watch it for the laughs, for there's plenty.

The drama doesn't solely focus on the lives of the main leads, but an array of uncanny characters in the equally uncanny little town of Ongsan. The norm for dramas that focus on multiple characters, is that they tend to neglect the main leads and over fixate on a bunch of incredibly banal secondary characters. However, I did not meet a single character in When the Camellias Bloom that I did not fall for. The characters are of varying levels of eccentricity, a truly delightful pack. They're not extraordinary. They're not perfect. Rather, they're all very flawed, very realistic characters, just like regular humans. Isn't it human nature, after all? No one is blameless. No one is impeccable- we may do erroneous things sometimes, but we're not bad by nature. Yong Shik's mother boasts of being tolerant when she's under the impression that her son is in love with a lawyer, but quickly recoils when she realises that it was, in fact, Dong Baek- an orphaned, single mother. She crosses the line by calling Pil Gu a burden, after which she swiftly realises her hypocrisy and changes her ways. The neighbourhood ladies pester and poke at Dong Baek with their prejudice, but come to care for her with sisterly fondness.

Gyu Tae starts as a flirty, obnoxious wannabe social figure, with an inferiority complex, but grows to comprehend his love for his wife and grows out of his immature ways. Ja Young, a highly educated lawyer and self-made woman, slut shames Dong Baek but later befriends her. Dong Baek's mother abandons her not because of the lack of love, but because of the abundance of it. Hyang Mi is a kleptomaniac due to her arduous childhood. She suffers silently and toils selflessly for her brother, despite his thanklessness. I liked that. I liked that no matter how horrendous the characters may have been, they had redeeming qualities. Even the serial killer was difficult to hate.

Dong Baek would have to be one of my favourite female leads that I've watched in a very long time. Often people complain of female leads being weepy, dependant beings whose badassery evaporates as soon as they fall in love. We identify crying with weakness. I'm not faultless either. I would rather cease to exist then let someone see me at my worst. Dong Baek is a paradox. She starts off as a clement, compassionate and timid character, who harbours pain from a motherless childhood and as a result feels scared to fill space. She tearlessly suffers as the resident doormat, blamed for every mishap that happens in Ongsan. Yet, she's not entirely diffident from the get-go. She's someone you would feel like protecting but is, in actuality, entirely capable of defending herself. Her often unexpected zingers and moments of blind fearlessness is testament. As the drama progresses, she learns to let down her iron-clad walls and learns that she's not as alone as she thought she was. Her strength is not necessarily physical. She cannot beat up 50 thugs like Bong Soon or outsmart obnoxious chaebol heirs like Yi Seo. Rather, it's her quiet fortitude, her resilience and her boundless heart that makes her strong. Her slow yet steady character development is a show-stealer.

Speaking of show-stealers, Kang Han Eul is undeniably the superlative. His portrayal of the boisterous, moon-eyed cop with a devil-may-care attitude, a mellifluous cachinnation, and a cotton candy heart and a ChungCheong accent that befits him is so spot on, that I don't think anyone else could have played it better. Dong Baek and Yong Shik's romance is not torrid and sultry. There are no heated kisses or sizzling skinship. It's slow-paced - an affection developing over time that builds into a mutually supportive relationship. They don't love with elan, but with sweetness and light. Yong Shik may look one fry shy of a happy meal, but he is anything but unintelligent. His unadulterated support and understanding towards Dong Baek and Pil Gu, delivered in clumsy words with his charming dialect is so lovable that it made my heart melt one too many times.

Pil Gu and Jung Suk are on the two farthest ends of the age spectrum, yet managed to shine equally. Kim Kanghoon's often mardy, but shrewd Pil Gu is so delightful to watch. He has miles and miles to go with his oodles and oodles of talent. This is certainly not my first rodeo with Lee Jung Eun, who is perhaps one of the most talented actresses in the Korean Entertainment industry. After all, she has an Oscar to her name. She delivers what she promises.

Watching Kang Jung Ryul finagle his way in and out of Dong Baek's and Pil Gu's life was perhaps the most grating part of this drama. He's a douchebag through and through. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to hate him. He is, much like the other characters, imperfect but not damnable. He has his shortcomings, but he manages to grow a backbone and make peace with himself and those around him towards the end. His redeemable quality is that he grows as a person and that's more than you could ask of most people.

I went into this with the assumption that it had 16 episodes. At episode 15, I was ready for a conclusion only to find out I had 4 more episodes to go, at which point I found myself losing motivation to finish it- a predicament which lasted only till the beginning of the next episode. However, this drama did not have a single unnecessary minute- no pointless fillers, fights or fallouts. There is a breakup, but it doesn't feel redundant. Initially, I thought that the editing of the episodes was a little confusing, simply because it was hard to ascertain the timeline of events, but as the series progressed, I grew fond of the way it added to the poignant pacing and storytelling. This is where one would say that they would definitely watch 10 more episodes of this and would even wish for another season. But, I dissent. This drama was perfect in its length and had the most satisfactory conclusion. Surely there's no better conclusion than growing old together. Any further elucidation like their married life or Pil Gu's teenhood would be overkill. This drama made me ponder a bit about the meaning of strength. I would rewatch this drama when in need of some reassurance of my own. It's one of it's kind.

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Treat it as an independant drama for maximum viewing experience

Early on with this drama, I learned that it is necessary to detach yourself from GO GO SQUID 1 completely. For avid fans of GGS1, the casting change can be hard to digest, but I think the good casting makes up for the initial discomfort. The timeline can be confusing, and the switch from CTF to robot fighting doesn't help. But as the story progresses and the original characters start being mentioned, the timeline becomes more sketched out and coherent. But for the sake of everyone's sanity, it's easier to think of this as completely independent from GGS1 but in the same universe. It is a spinoff, not a second season.

However, since it calls itself GGS2, it's hard not to draw a comparison to the original. Unlike GGS1, GGS2 is more story-centric rather than theme centric, in the sense that the story focuses more on the characters and their stories rather than robot fighting. There is also more emphasis on the camaraderie between K&K and SP. GGS1 treated K&K as a large organization with insane brotherhood and teamwork, while in this drama, K&K and SP feel more like a squad. They're simply a group of people who are extremely close friends and colleagues. GGS1 felt more fluffy and cutesy, and while this one is just as sweet, feels more mature, which could owe to the higher production quality and the main couple's relationship being more mature.

There is minimal conflict, and the story flows smoothly, perhaps a little too smoothly. The lack of plot twists could be boring to some, but I watch dramas of this genre for an escape, so I found it manageable. The overall recasting is excellent. Some of the characters were so exceptional in their roles that it's difficult to picture their previous actors in the same role (which will probably give me a hard time when I try to rewatch GGS1). Li Yi Tong was so fantastic as Ai Jing, Wang An Yu as Shen Ze( who is again an entirely different person from GGS1). However, one of my favourite characters from GGS1 was Xiao Mi, and I truly missed seeing him in Lee Hong Chi. He performed so well as Xiao Mi that I have difficulty seeing anyone else portray him. There was also a lack of depth to his character, and the genuineness and emotional connection as seen in GGS1's Xiao Mi were missing. Demo's presence was also thoroughly missed. Wang Hao here felt like a completely different person from GGS1. That is another caution; some characters can feel completely different from their GGS1 counterparts, so it is important to separate the two shows.

The dynamic between the families, especially towards the latter part of the drama, is adorable. I also really enjoyed how the relationships between characters are intertwined, for instance, how most of them marry or date within a circle. The cameos were enjoyable, and even the mentions of GGS1 characters gave me joy. The last couple of episodes were so fulfilling. The proposal, the preparations for the wedding, the family/friend gatherings all made me feel like I'm living vicariously and made me miss wedding season (I'm Indian, nuff said). Everything was so perfectly wrapped up, with a pretty bow to boot. This drama has the best, most concrete and detailed ending I've seen in a C-drama. The double wedding was such a good addition; revisiting Tong Nian and Han Shang Yan's romance was something I didn't realise I needed so desperately. Shen Ze and Ai Jing are so cute that I wished we had more scenes of them together. I've lamented about the often unnecessary focus on secondary characters' screen time in almost every drama I've seen, but this show had the perfect secondary couple and chose not to give them enough screen time. The last couple of episodes are also insanely funny, especially Wu Bai's reactions, the failed proposals, the wedding talks and the post and pre-wedding ceremony chaos.

While it was a little difficult to get into initially, the drama's progress was good and made it easier to understand towards the middle. It isn't perfect, however. Their couple fight made me feel uneasy; the way Wu Bai was manhandling Ai Qing was borderline abusive, no matter what his reasons. Similarly, in episode 27, he tells her that (it) is his right as a husband, and that does not sit right with me. You do not owe anyone anything, even your husband. Your husband is not automatically entitled to your body. There is also a fair share of Chinese nationalism, but that is expected of a sports/competition drama.

That being said, this is a good drama (for the most part) that should be treated as its own story. The characters are well written, lovable, and easy to get attached to.

Now wish me luck in my valiant efforts to rewatch GGS1 without frying my brains.

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