It's an Mnet survival show...what do you expect?

Writing this review based on:
1. Watched it just a month ago
2. Already knowing who the final line-up is
3. Never really finished watching any other survival show (saw PD101, PD101 s2, WIN, MixnMatch)

Firstly, I want to say that knowing that this show was produced by mnet, I expected the evil-editing to be more evil but it wasn't as evil as I thought.

I actually decided to watch this show after seeing Enhypen for the 3rd time on weekly idol. So I came in watching is not as a fan but as someone who is interested in getting to know the group more. (I do really like the group now. Not enough to stan but I watch some of their videos on YT once in a while.)

What I find interesting about this show versus the Produce series is that the starting number of participants is quite small (23) so participants have more chances to get screen time. That said, there were still many participants who I didn't get to see much of (I didn't bother watching the individual cams anymore). The style they chose to separate the "better" trainees led to some participants getting more screen time than others. As a viewer, it was more difficult to support ground trainees because they didn't get to do as much so they didn't get to show off their skills as much.

There was obviously clashes among trainees but I don't think the show singled out any person as a bad guy. The reason why I say that is because the participants who initially seemed "bad" had a character redeeming moment later on. You would see how they admit that there was a point where they made mistakes and admitted to it and did better later on.

There were some members who seemed promising to debut but ended up getting eliminated which I agree; it was sad to see those participants go. But I also think that there's a chemistry among the current members that wouldn't be the same if we ended up with a different lineup. I'm not saying this because I don't like the other participants rather, I think they would do much better in a different group.

Overall, I say that watch this only if you like Enhypen or want to get to know the group otherwise you'll be wasting your time. It's a typical K-pop survival show with frustrating screen time distribution and bias towards certain participants. You also might get attached to some participants who don't end up in the final line-up. This show made me appreciate the group more though seeing what they had to go through. And it's probably because of this that despite what people will say about the group, I'll keep rooting for them :)

P.S. This show also has some really good performances too so I do like to look back at them once in a while.

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A female lead to inspire all the wallflowers of the world

I'm writing this review based on :
1.) Me not having binge watched any dramas in the past year - I've only been following dramas as they were released)
2.) Not having seen a Chinese drama in 2 years - The last was Prince of Tennis (Chinese ver) in 2019
3.) Not having watched a high school drama in in 2 years - Aside from PoT, I also watched A Little Thing Called First Love in 2019

That said, while I really like this drama, I wouldn't be raving about it to everyone.

I really did enjoy the first part as the ML and FL were developing their friendship/relationship. As shared in other reviews, I'm glad that despite the FL having pined over the ML for YEARS, this didn't stop her from working hard to improve herself. She's very smart and independent and very very sensible. In fact, the story begins in during university because she doesn't exactly do anything to win the attention of the ML.

I would describe the way their relationship developed as quite mundane and without the typical *sparks* that you expect in a drama. But I also appreciate how rational FL was when their relationship was developing to something more. She didn't give in right away when ML confessed his feelings. She still made some irrational choices but in the same way we all make irrational choices. While there aren't that many cheesy scenes, there were still a sprinkle of them here and there which I really liked.

I have to say another reason I enjoyed this drama is all the side characters and seeing their friendships grow with the main leads. I especially enjoyed the scenes with Baili (FL's roommate) and MingRui (ML's roommate) and their own love stories unfold. But I also liked how there were cross interactions: Baili would sometimes talk to ML and MingRui would often be with FL.

I think my interest in this drama lessened a little bit because of the things that happened in the latter half. It turned a more serious note and while I do understand it's an important part of the story and shows a bit of development in their relationship, I somehow feel that it wasn't tied- up so well. Anyway, the ending isn't sad, it just made me feel sad.

All in all, the story is quite cliche but without the usual cliche characters. And if you're in the mood for a light college romance story with lovable characters you might give it a try. I have to say though the OST was really forgettable for me.

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Office drama for the tired office worker

I've had this story on my watchlist since maybe 2016 but I never watched this until this year. I have to admit, this show won't be for everyone but as a 26 year old yuppie with 6 years in the corporate world, I really enjoyed this drama.

Unlike most office dramas I've seen, this show focuses on the day to day triumphs and struggles one faces in a 9-5 job. The drama tackles the issues that people in the corporate world encounter. And I appreciated the way they approached the office "drama".

As someone from the younger end of the workforce, I could really relate to the newbie group as they first learned to adapt to the working environment, to their supervisors and colleagues, and even figuring out how they could add value to their job and teams. You will empathize with the characters as each of them explores office life. I especially sympathize with them because I have been in exactly their situations myself. Seeing them overcome each struggle reminds me of the times I've conquered my own.

The portrayals of the different kinds of bosses were also very well done. And watching each newbie adapt to their own supervisor's teaching style was very relatable.

I liked how they showed how different friendships can develop in a professional environment. There are the newbies who started out as complete strangers who learned to like and respect each other. The supervisors whose work and responsibilities strained their friendship. And even the bosses who learned to accept that friendships in the office are hard to find when you're at the top.

I don't normally like kdrama endings but I pretty satisfied with the ending here. I know some people won't like how this ends but I think it illustrates the nature of a work cycle. There are time when people end up leaving and move on to different stages in their live. Or as Dong Sik would say, they're just opening another door in their life.

I recommend this drama to anyone who has struggled through the 9-5 life. It has a lot of relatable moments and relevant quotes. You will relive all the good and bad experiences in your office life but in the best possible way.

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I'm not a fan of cheesy romances so I didn't really care much for the relationship between Lee Gon and Tae Eul. In fact, I wanted to fast forward their romance scenes because I found them too dragging. That said, if you're into that kind of thing, you might consider watching for that reason. I have friends who did enjoy the drama for this purpose.

Despite my disinterest in the main couple, I try not to give up on dramas right away. I found the side characters to be my redeeming factor. Many people have probably mentioned Woo Do Hwan's impressive acting as both Eun Sup and Yeong. But I also enjoyed the Sin Jae, JangMi and Nari's appearances in the story. In fact, Sin Jae's story was one of the reasons I kept with the show when they started dropping hints about it.

The main plot of the story was my main disappointment. As the story progressed, they kept dropping all these hints that felt like they would be important. But then they didn't quite connect and didn't actually lead to any grand conclusion. I guess it helped when Lee Gon explained the math behind some of the events but I felt most of these were not relevant in the end. The whole time traveling concept also left a lot of unanswered questions.

It didn't help that the last episode seemed rushed just so we could see more scenes of the happy couple in the end. I wasn't very satisfied with the ending for the other characters either.

All in all, if you're a fan of Lee Min Ho (which I'm not) or Kim Go Eun (she's okay) and cheesy romances, but don't mind sci-fi mumbo jumbo, you can give this show a try. Otherwise, I suggest you skip this show.

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Pretty good adaptation of the anime

I watched the first 100_ episodes of the anime back in 2013. It was the first anime watched but I really enjoyed it. So when I heard that they were releasing a live action Chinese version, I was both excited and skeptical. I was excited to see how they would adapt the anime into live action but I skeptical because I don't have a very good impression of Chinese shows. I was also afraid the drama wouldn't give justice to the anime. That said, I think this was a pretty good adaptation.

As I was watching this, one of the struggles was trying to connect my knowledge of the characters with the characters that appeared in the drama. The names were all in Chinese and the character appearances didn't immediately bring to mind the characters they were trying to portray. However, I think the actors did a pretty good job expressing the personality of each character.

I also think they did a pretty good job choosing which parts of the animo to include in the 40 episodes. There were some scenes in the drama that looked exactly like some frames in the anime.

The action scenes were mostly close up shots. It would have been better if there were more wide angle shots to see the play on the whole court. Although, maybe the games wouldn't have looked as impressive if done this way (I wouldn't know).

Overall, I don't have many complaints considering this is an adaptation. I have never seen the other live action adaptations but I think this was done very well. I might be biased since watching this was very nostalgic.

If you are a fan of the Prince of Tennis anime series, you'll probably enjoy this too. And even if you're not a fan, I think it's still a pretty good and wholesome story about friendship, self growth and reaching for your goals.

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Reply 1988 is one of my favorite Korean dramas. So when I found out the same PD-writer team was doing Hospital Playlist, I was interested to watch this. However, because I loved Reply 1988 so much, I actually did not expect to be equally satisfied with Hospital Playlist. I wanted to see the same feel good relationship from Reply to appear in Hospital Playlist. But at the same time, I didn't want it to be the same.

I shouldn't have worried though. Because this show gave the same feel good relationship I missed from the previous show, but in a different dynamic with the new group. Since the show focuses on adults, the problems they face are different from the Reply series; and I think this makes it great in a different way.

Each character is complex and interesting. And the actors playing them do a really good job. The way they interact is also very heartwarming. It's also good that we get a glimpse of the lives of the people around the 5 main doctors.

I like how the show is a slice-of-life type of drama yet the show isn't dragging. The show is quite fast paced and they don't drag out unnecessary parts. They explained the 'conclusion' of a situation through a simple conversation between characters.

I also enjoyed the band and the music. If gives such an interesting perspective to their relationship outside of work. And the songs were great too. I especially liked that the characters played the instruments for real.

The only problem I have is that there are so many characters so it takes time to familiarize them all. Aside from that, it's a great show.

It does have a hanging ending though. But we have season 2 to look forward to. :)

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Please give this drama a shot :)

Go Ahead

Context:
1. Watched this with low expectations (I didn’t know what to expect from the synopsis)
2. I love a good family/friendship slice of life drama
3. Chinese dramas always give me nostalgia even if I didn’t grow up in China (I’m ethnically Chinese but I was born and raised in the Phils)

Plot – As expected of a slice-of-life drama, the story starts out quite slow as they slowly reveal the background of the characters and their relationships over the next few episodes. The development of their 5-member family quite interesting, as it was also the foundation for the many issues they would face throughout the story. I like to break down the story parts: 1 - 10 eps were their HS life, 11 - 20 eps were about their university and post university life, 21 - 30 eps were focused on the romance and 31 - 40 eps were their struggles and how they resolved them. I enjoyed most of the story, but it was the 3rd 10 eps where I started to lose interest. I would skip this if I were to rewatch. More than the romance, it was the story of family, friendship and growing up that kept me interested.

Character – The characters have such distinct personalities from each other I loved to see how different character pairings produce a different relationship. As a family, we see how they deal with their unique family dynamic and the problems that arise from them. In their lives as 20-somethings, we see each character’s personal struggles, and how they overcome their problems. Most importantly, how they support each other throughout it all. There were moments in each character’s story that I felt like I could relate.

Actors – The acting was quite satisfactory. They weren’t perfect but not terrible or awkward either. I think there were scenes where they weren’t completely convincing in portraying the emotions of the characters but they did good enough to make me appreciate and love each of the characters. My favorite is the 2ML both the actor and the character.

Music – I felt that the OST list was not so wide but I like that every time I listed to the songs, I recalled the emotions when I watched the show. I liked to replay the sad songs because they made me feel nostalgic.

It’s a typical slice of life story about family, friendship, and growing up. But it’s the story of each character that makes you stay till the end. It’s not the most exciting drama but if you can push through the boring parts, the story ends on a really good note.

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Maybe not your typical kdrama

To quote a line I heard somewhere before: This is not a love story, this is a story about love. There are no kissing scenes, there is no PDA, very little flirting. But there is more meaning in the way the characters talk to each other, look at each other, act for each other.

One of the reasons I really like this show is the character interactions. You don't just care for the 5 main characters, you learn to love everyone around them as well. The first few episodes are focused mainly on the development of the character backgrounds and understanding the role of each character (because there are SO MANY). Many people got bored around the middle part which I agree I felt too. But stick to the story and it won't disappoint. Or maybe it will? Hehehe. Starting episode 14, the story really kicks off and the plot moves a lot quicker.

Maybe not everyone will like how it ends but I think it's what makes it so meaningful for me. (I still don't think I'm over this story)

If you're looking for a story with a good plot, loveable characters and great cinematography, I suggest you give this a try. You will both love and hate this drama.

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Slice of Life drama with beloved characters

Admittedly I didn't initially like the premise of this story so I came in watching with low expectations. But it was HIGHLY recommended by a friend who shares similar drama preferences so I kept an open mind.

Honestly, speaking, I LOVED it. It's everything I want in a comfort-friendship drama. In fact the romance aspect isn't put at the forefront of the story in half of the episodes.

The story had such a slow start for me because I was mainly hoping to see cute romantic scenes. But these don't pick up until around the 16th episode. And quite honestly, the first 8 episodes were basically getting to know all the other characters in the story, so just brace yourself for a slow slow start.

Although I found it slow (and dragging) I found myself starting to care more about the stories of the other characters. And I love when they flesh out the backgrounds of all the "side characters". There's enough background stories to go around. And the friendship they develop working through each of their problems made me want to have my own similar group of friends. I do love all the girls though from Damai, Nana, Xiaochun and Xinxin.

The setting is also amazing and the shots take them beautifully. If there was one takeaway from this drama, it is that their town would be such a nice place to visit on a holiday.

The OST was also quite fitting, including more slow, calm, nostalgic songs.

The romance was actually quite mature. Slow to develop but between two emotionally mature adults who knows how to work through their conflicts together. It's somehow healing to watch versus most other romcoms that show intense arguments and conflicts before the happy ending.


Overall, very nice comforting watch. I like the idea of it, but I don't think I'll find myself rewatching it anytime soon.

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Listened to the OST for a week after finishing the drama

Context:
1. Not a big fan of fluffy romance
2. I enjoy the "tragic ending"
3. Love when there's a good friendship arc

Plot-wise, I do thing the past + present did tie in well together. The way they switched between present to past scenes and the pace they revealed the details in the past was done smoothly. They revealed just enough each episode to keep you interested to know more. As a side-note, at some point, I did find the present scenes a bit dragging. But it might have also been because I started losing interest in the romantic scenes. Please note though that my love for this drama might have been influenced by the kinda-sad ending. There's something about tragic romance that really gets to me.

Acting-wise, I really enjoyed Yoo Ah In's (ML's) acting here. I have to say that I was never his biggest fan but after watching this, I'm interested to see more of his works. The FL and 2ML were good but I don't think I could say I was blown away by their performances.

Music-wise, I LOVED THE OST. As you can tell from my subject, I replayed the songs for a week. They fit well with the scenes with their OST as the background music and you can tell from the multiple fan made video montages. It also helps that I love listening to sad OSTs after watching a sad story.

Character-wise, I really liked the friendship between the characters. While there is a romance aspect to the story, they was sufficient screen time to watch their friendship develop. It's one of those dynamics where even if you know that 2 are going to end up together, the 3rd friend is still an important part of the group and not just a plot devise to spur the romance of the furst 2 characters. This trio is honestly one of my top drama squads. I also liked the comic relief that the girl's other friends bring.

Overall, it's a story with good flow, interesting characters, solid friendship and relationship development, and a great OST. It's a good introduction to historical/period piece, since the other half is present-day. Be ready for some heartbreaking scenes which are super worth it and fit really well to the overall story. I really love this show; the only reason I wouldn't say it's my top drama is simply because I hated the present day fluff. But if the combination of that is your cup of tea, you might find you next favorite drama!

P.S. It's a great introduction to Yoo Ah In if you haven't watched him in other shows. And even if you have but haven't seen this show, I just want to say: 1930s Yoo Ah In is just *chef's kiss*.

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Cute high school friendship drama

Disclaimer: I used to be obsessed with this show the first time I watched it 8 years ago. I recently saw this on Netflix and decided to re-watch it. I'm reviewing this based on my feelings of nostalgia as I re-watched it.

You know how there are some shows you consider to be kinda lousy and you shouldn't enjoy it but you do anyway? This is one of those shows for me. Even after 8 years, I would consider it one of my favorite dramas.

This show follows the typical J-drama pattern each episode and gives me strong anime vibes: the acting is unnatural, the romance is cringy, there are many scenes that just defy logic and there's somehow a pattern that they follow each episode. But what this show lacks in many aspects, I think it makes up for it in heart.

I guess the charm of a high school drama (especially one not focused on romance) depends on how they portray the journey of growing up and discovering oneself as the main character takes on challenges and meets new people. It's interesting to watch the behind stories of each of the ML that make you grow to love each of them. I especially love to watch how the FL earns the respect and friendship with each of the ML as the story progresses. And while she does give off the dumb schoolgirl vibe, there moments of advice she shares to her classmates which I feel I can also apply to my own life.

The quality of dramas have changed over the years, and this drama would be considered quite outdated by today's standards. That said, if you're new to J dramas or if you're looking for some lighthearted fun, this drama might surprise you. I love a good friendship story and the Asuko March squad has been one of my favorites. If it counts for anything, I really really liked the OST as well.

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Still pretty good the second time around

Context: I watched this first in 2017 and then re-watched it earlier this 2020.

After watching Goblin the first time, I remember that one of the reasons I liked to so much was because of all the plot twists in the story. I didn't expect the challenges they were presented with as they came. And this made me enjoy the show, wanting to know how each piece of information connected to another. I also like how they connected the present situation with the past of the Goblin.

I also really enjoyed the relationships among the main cast. Aside from the Goblin and bride, I also like watching the interactions with Sunny, Grim Reaper and the nephew. The bromance between the Goblin and the Grim Reaper was also really cute and nicely developed.

One of the issues I had with the story was the relationship between the Goblin and his bride. It was difficult for me to accept a love story between a high school student and an immortal being who looked like he was in his late 30s. If I didn't focus on their supposed romance, I think their chemistry suited them well as a HS student and a 39 year old man.

What I appreciated the most after re-watching it was that some of my questions answered (I didn't bother re-watching back in 2017) And I felt like I could accept the way the show ended when I didn't really like it before.

I also have to say that re-watching this lost of the magic for me. It used to be one of my favorites, but it's not one of my top 5 anymore. Whether from re-watching it or because I found other dramas I liked better, I'm not so sure. I probably won't watch it again for a long time.

If you're trying to decide whether or not to watch this, I still highly recommend it. If you enjoy shows with an interesting plot and good twists, interesting characters that also have their own stories (aside from the main) and don't mind the fantasy element, you should check this show out.

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