Between the living and the dead

Exhuma is an explosive mixture of south korean folklore and mythicism. It effectively evokes the universal dread and mystery regarding the afterlife.

Our group of leading characters are the perfect bridge between the spiritual and supernatural, never quite here or there, always between the two worlds. Great atmosphere, never looses the steam, with memorable moments.

But then it reaches the mid point of the film. This is a strong story, but the uneasiness and tension goes away, and never quite reaches the same high as the first half.

This film is ambitious and creative. The cinematography outstanding and visually delivering the eerie emotions you are supposed to feel in every scene. It helps that the effects are mostly practical as well, which it's marvelous to watch nowadays.

Horror film fans will be satisfied but this story is more of a mix of genres. There are no traditional jump scares but very well crafted world building and character development that will immerse you in the film experience.

I do recommend watching this film without knowing anything about the story or the characters for a bigger impact.

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I came for the romance and stayed for the story.

I was in the mood for a historical romance story and Blossoms in Adversity seemed like a good idea since it features some of the actors I like. I was pleasantly surprised by this drama. I really thought it was going to be yet another run of the mill romance but what I found was so much more.

The story it's not about romance per se, that's a side story, the main plot of Blossoms in Adversity it's a family torn apart when their patriarch crosses the Emperor in the wrong way (for the right reasons). As a consequence the men, including the children, are exiled to the north and the women, find themselves without the family's fortune and no men to support them. So, out of necessity, they create a matriarchy and end up finding agency of their own for the first time ever with incredible results as they slowly rethink the "rules" they have been living by so far. Slowly, each women starts to show their true self, their personal interests and strong characteristics, they start business, struggle and succeed, the road it's never easy but their bond it's stronger.

I will be honest, you will have to push through at first. There’s some catty behaviour but it’s important to understand that most of these females characters never thought they would be anything other than brides or mothers, as set for the society, but these women prove to be mature and sensible enough to hold proper conversations with each other and realize why they need to work together.

The male lead's story it's also very interesting and it complements well the main characters but I found the women's story far more compelling. This drama is very uplifting and consistent in its characters's development, never betraying them.

I recommend it!

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This show kept on popping everywhere in my dash, so I figure I would give it a change. I’m really glad I did.

It was very refreshing to find a tv show that portrays a healthy relationship and how a shared passion can bring people together. There’s really no drama involving the main couple, mainly because these are two people who trust each other and actually talk about their feelings. Their relationship develops slowly but surely, at a perfectly natural pace.

I enjoyed the show a lot thanks to this factor, but it was a little too much at times. It’s like the leads are the only ones who have everything figure it out, which is why everyone around them worships every single thing they do. I get why they are charming, even I fall in love with them, but I think a little more real life struggle regarding Xiao Nai’s business or Bei Wei Wei’s future plans after university would have made the show a little better.

Still, it was so fulfilling to have a leading who is so freaking smart and truly independent. Too bad I found this version of Bei Wei Wei a little too proper and prim. It is hinted that she has personality traits that are not ladylike but we never really get to see them. I think this was partly a decision made by the director to make her like that and I kinda wished they would have choose to keep some of her spunk from the original movie version.

TV version’s of Xiao Nai is a smooth bastard and I love him. The actor brought a lot of charm into the character and made me fully understand why he was so popular but, just like with our leading lady, I would have appreciated it more if I could have seen his shortcomings. Nobody is this perfect all the freaking time.

One of my favorite things from the show was the friendship between the leads but also the one with each other friends.

Xiao Nai’s besties were an absolute delight. The bromance is strong in this show and so very funny. This might be one of my favorite tv friendships ever. They aren’t just simple sidekicks but also had strong personalities and a easy going banter. They are great team and I was cheering for them to succeed!

But the real surprise was the friendship between the girls. In tv shows we always see how strong the bromance is but the women behave catty at one point or another, right? I really appreciate the way this show took the time to properly portray a healthy and rock-solid sisterhood.

Sure, you can find the typical secondary characters and sub-plots in the show too but everyone who matters ends up becoming better at the end.

Now, to the gaming part: I love the CGI they used to portray life inside the game as a second world where the characters can meet and establish strong relationships; and it’s even a cathartic way to confront others. The graphics are incredibly beautiful, it blown my mind.

So, overall, I liked the tv version of LOVE O2O and I recommend it for what it is: a breezy and lovely show.

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I just came back from a screening of Train to Busan! In my country is rare that asian films make it to the big screen, so I was very excited to be able to watch it and I’m happy to report I wasn’t disappointed.

The story is generic, nothing we haven’t seen before, but the way the film is shot and the how the characters related to each other is what makes this movie worthwhile. I particularly enjoyed how the film demonstrate that humans’ survival instinct is linked to certain selfishness (embodied in Kim Eui-sung’s character) I was on the edge of my seat through the two hours and whispering to the characters what to do so they could survive and get to Busan.

Gong Yoo has always been a good actor but lately he has being excelling with his performances and this time is no different. He really made me connect with his character and what he was going through.

Ma Dong-seok, as you would expect, stole every scene he was in. From badass warrior to doting husband and comic relief. Jung Yumi and Kim Soo-ahn are the ones bringing all the feels.

By the time we get to the final scene I was holding my breath, praying the survivors would make it to through the tunnel. I really enjoyed the film and if you have the chance to watch it on the silver screen, do it!

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The premise of this film isn’t something we haven’t seen before but it’s the actors and the way they portray their characters and how the story develops that makes it enjoyable to watch.

Xia Liang (Ni Ni) has been in a committed relationship with her boyfriend for the past ten years. She basically lives as a housewife but without the ring, wedding nor official title. It’s not like she’s expecting him to propose in a obvious and annoying kind of way, Liang is happy to just be with him. But when she finds a diamond ring in his jacket pocket, she starts to get ideas. Of course, it all explodes in her face. Isn’t that the way?

That’s when with the help of some magical (or should I say spiked?) chocolates, her 17 year old self starts to take over her body. After the initial confusion, 28 year old Liang and her younger self start to work together in order to regain youthful boldness while reclaiming and achieving long lost dreams.

The rest of the characters are also a lot of fun to watch. Liang’s boyfriend (Wallace Huo) has a lot of reflecting and groveling to do in order to correct his mistakes, while the other love interest (Darren Wang) is the dreamboat we all fantasize about. But does the fantasy hold a candle to the real thing?

Liang’s best friend (Ma Su) was hilarious and supportive, and added another layer of the girl power portrayed in this film.

Overall, this was a very sweet film to watch.

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I watched this movie years ago but even now remains one of my favorite on-screen romances, particularly because its leads are two of my favorite korean actors but also because they share an amazing chemistry and their meet-cute it’s anything but typical.

Hyung-seung (Ji Sung) dated for almost a decade what he always believed to be The One until -to his utter shock- everything comes crashing down when she leaves him. The days and months pass by, drinking away, when one night he receives a phone call from an unknown number. The caller it’s a woman who tells him to be quiet and puts on an entire show over the phone, which ultimately ends in phone sex. The caller it’s Yoon-jung (Kim Ah-joong) who was hoping to lit the fire on her dying relationship by giving her boyfriend a little surprise over the phone, too bad she misdialed his number and ended up sharing a very intimate moment with a complete stranger.

The rest… you have to watch it.

Ji Sung and Kim Ah-joong share an incredibly chemistry together and built a relationship based on friendship and trust even when they don’t even share any physical space for the better half of the film. There’s good storytelling on this rom-com that not only has it’s focus on the main character’s love lives but also how they perceive themselves, each other and their professional lives. I love how it’s thanks to this new found friendship that the leads find a new sense of security and self-steem where they reach a common place of understanding of who they are, the goals they set for themselves and who they want in their lives.

And I like how the movie isn’t shy nor apologetic about any of the leads own security about their sexuality and mutual attraction. Relationships don’t always go the way we would like to nor have conventional starts, and that’s okay.

I really recommend you watch My PS Partner. It made me laugh and fall in love with the story and characters, all accompanied by a really fun soundtrack.

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A really fun film about passionate youth!

Let me start with saying that Tori Girl was the film I needed in my life and didn’t even knew about it. Everything about this story is outstanding and here’s why.

Japanese films about university students when done well are some of the best and most endearing stories you will ever find. There’s a particular rhythm and feel to this slice of life productions. Usually, in this stories, universities aren’t a place where you study: they’re a place where you join an incredibly interesting club, filled with odd and good hearted characters. Perhaps you will even find love or at the very least a crush. And Tori Girl has all this elements… with a twist. A twist so refreshing that makes the film stand out from al others.

Drifter Yukina (Tsuchiya Tao) has no aim in life and hates her university, where there are mostly male student and almost none of them is as cute as the usual leading man. Everything changes when she meets cute Kazumi (Ikeda Elaiza) and smooth talker Kei (Takasugi Mahiro) who is captain of the Team Birdman Trial, the Human-powered Aircraft Society. Convinced she will be teaming up with him, she gives her all to the team until her path crosses with apparent delinquent Sakaba (Mamiya Shotaro), with whom she develops an antagonistic relationship and must learn to bond with in order to win the competition.

Yukina is an incredibly amusing and gutsy protagonist in a journey to find her calling, who demands to be respected by her peers. This is only emphasised by her first meeting with Sakaba, who changes up the entire tone of the film. Mamiya introduces Sakaba in the most hilarious way, pushing the film to a heightened level and it leaves an impression.

The rest of the cast is equally great and while I would have love to see more of them, I am satisfied with what we got. I know these kids will keep on getting on each others’ nerves and grow stronger as friend long after the closing credits end.

Heavy on team-building with a team captain who is a cheeky bastard that knows exactly how to play his cards, but most importantly a fun dynamic with two leads that will keep you entretened until the final minute, Tori Girl is literally an uplifting film you can’t miss out on!

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Super fun!

This is one of my favorite films to watch when I am having a bad day, it always manages to make me laugh. Steal My Heart might not be a masterpiece but it certainly is entertaining and hits all the right notes with me.

The story follows Lee Tae-ho, a hot shot criminal profiler who is currently working on a serial murder case. Thanks to his ability, the police force finally has a suspect and just when they are about to catch him, the culprit becomes a hit and run victim. Now, Tae-ho must find the driver who got away… little does he know that the person he is looking for is Yoon Jin-sook, his first love and nowadays a famous white collar criminal worthy to lead Danny Ocean’s team.

Between Tae-ho’s sense of duty and Jin-sook’s smarts, they need to find the way to do the right thing and not end up in jail at the same time, but when old feelings start rearing their head, will they make it?

Starring Joo Won and Kim Ah-joong who play their parts to perfection as the mismatched couple who are perfect for each other. The rest of the cast is incredibly funny as the clueless detectives, and one random cameo from Chae Tae-hyun.

I really recommend it to, at least, give a chance.

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Perfectly imperfect.

I am blown away. I’m not sure if it was because I knew nothing about the film or didn’t know what to expect, but what I found was a true gem.

Us and Them is a bittersweet decades long romance about two people meant for each other but can’t seem to find the way to figure out how to be together and achieve their dreams at the same time. Yes, this is a story of young love but it’s also a story about family and those people who we choose to be part of our lives that changes us forever.

This film is also the directorial debut of Rene Liu, a singer-songwriter-actress from Taiwan. It’s hard to believe this is her first time behind the camera because she manages to tell a multilayered story, of everyday normal people, and the complexity of their relationships with amazing ease.

It helps that film counts with the participation of two of Asia’s raising stars, Jing Boran and Zhou Dongyu, and veteran chinese actor Tian Zhuangzhuang.

While Jing and Zhou bring out the most passionate and restlessness feelings of youth, it’s on Tian to be the steady and unyielding presence of family love. The three managed it with such a deep understating of who their characters are that you can’t help but feel connected to what they are going through.

I don’t want to tell you more because the movie is told in a way, going back and forth through time, where you are trying to figure out how this love story ends until the very last minute. I highly recommend everyone to watch this beautiful story, I promise you will enjoy every minute of it.

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Long live the sisterhood!

I have started watching the chinese drama Ode To Joy because I heard a lot of good things about it and I was curious as to how they would represent a show with five leading ladies. Especially because in the past I have come across some really silly, self-centered, only seen by her parents as marriage material or man-dependent women characters in chinese television. Of course none of this wouldn’t be a problem for me if such woman has an actual storyline that defines her beyond her romantic interest but that was not the case. So, I approached Ode to Joy carefully but hopeful because the whole premise of the show is that this is a story about five strong-willed and independent women making their way trough the world on their own terms.

Our story takes place in Shanghai and Ode to Joy is an apartment complex. Floor 22 has five residents: ANDIE, a smart and aloof business woman. Next door there is FAN, YING YING and GUAN sharing the space. And at the end of hallway lives spitfire XIAO XIAO. These are our leading ladies, they could not be more different from each other, and yet due to a elevator malfunction and shared loneliness, the five quickly form a bond that takes them from acquaintances to sisters.

The reason behind why I chose to write this review from episode 01 to 16 is because up until now there has been no romantic entanglements. Sure, there was that one nasty boyfriend but it was only a plot devise in order to push the friendship between the ladies to grow even stronger. And I can really appreciate a show that takes it’s time building up the friendship between women and trying to make us understand who these people are, instead of throwing us into a full-time romance from the set-go. This way we get to know our characters and fully understand their actions, their motivations, ambitions and dreams. On this the show has a slow pace but there’s always something happening, leading up to a storyline that eventually will play a bigger part in the life of one of the girls and by association on the others.

ANDIE (Liu Tao) has a very interesting storyline. Owner of apartment 2201, Columbia graduate and Wall Street genius, she couldn’t do better professionally. But we slowly find out she doesn’t like to to touch, and this social anxiety has crippled her in more than one way when it comes to building human relationships outside and inside the office. Until her neighbors come into he scene, her only friend is TAN (Jing Dong), who also happens to be her boss and is helping her find her brother who she lost touch with after they were both sent to an orphanage at a very young age.

But Andie also has an online friend, who she finally meets at one point between episode 5 and 10, and so we are introduced to who is probably the first real romantic interest of the show. WEI (Ding Yong Dai) is a middle aged man who so far has been trying to gently break down Andie’s walls in order to get her heart. Is she interested? She cares for him, sure, but she has her reservations and I think she’s right to have them. It could be due to her fear but it could also be her instinct telling her something is off about Wei.

Personally I don’t know if this character is truly sincere with her, and very much like Andie, I find myself doubting him. It feels like we are not getting the entire story and something will go wrong any minute.

FAN (Jiang Xin) works on the HR department of a big company. She is a good person with those she cares about, she also has a lot of experience on life and with people so she actually gives excellent advice to her friends on floor 22. But, at the same time, she’s also very interested in getting married to a rich man in order to achieve her dream of ending all kind economical struggles. My first impression, and I am going to be completely honest, was that she is a gold digger but the show slowly let me see through her and understand that she doesn’t want to a kept woman, she wants someone to share her burdens and struggles with. But she is going for the wallet instead of good intentions or heart, judging men for what they wear or the kind of car they drive. I can understand what her character is trying to say: having money makes life easier, and to a point, in we are being completely real, she might be right. When you don’t have to worry about things like getting enough money for rent, groceries and such, it leaves time to enjoy the things you like and give yourself presents. But is the way she’s going about it that is worrisome.

I’m particularly looking forward to see the development of her friendship with WAN (Zhang Lu), the owner of a small company and her former classmate who just moved to Shanghai in order to expand his business. It’s clear he is very much interested and she is letting him believe he’s got a chance, I wonder if it’s true or if there are other intentions.

GUAN (Yang Zi) unlike the other two is a recent collage graduate who moved to Shanghai in order to pursue a career. She’s probably the most introverted and soft-spoken of the girls, slowly trying to push through in a job she doesn’t like at all and in which she has to work overtime almost every day. Even though Guan is very capable and I’m sure she would do just fine on any job, she cares deeply about what her parents think of her and this, I’m guessing, will be a important point in her story. They are the reason why she choose this particular job and this particular company. Her father wants her to work at a big city and a big company in order for her to gain life experience, on the other hand, Mom wants her to comeback home, get a easy job and get married. On this, I agree with Dad since she is indeed rather green on life and job to the point of not knowing much about human dynamics or realizing when someone is giving her attentions in a special way. Guan has taken Andie as her role model and with he advice of Fan, you can already see her slowly growing into an amazing, caring and smart young lady. Looking forward to the day she actually gets to work on something she likes.

YING YING (Qiao Xin) is the most naive to the point I sometimes wonder if she’s not plain dumb but then BAM! she surprises me with a smart move and then I have to apologize to her character because she did so well. Doesn’t mean she won’t screw up again, this character is the kind that learns through crashing and burning which -as you can imagine- can be quite frustrating but her innocent personality makes up for it. I would say she will have a lot of growing up to do through the entire season in all aspects of life.

Finally, but not least important, we have XIAO XIAO (Wang Ziwen) who has recently came back from studying abroad (she was actually partying) under the request of her mother. Turns out Mom is afraid her father will name Xiao Xiao’s half brother the heir of the company. Yeah, she’s rich, well connected and crafty. Her story doesn’t concentrate much in the family drama, tough, it centers around how she’s building up her reputation as a business woman who is capable of taking the lead in her father’s company if ever needed to. But to be completely honest I’m not even sure if she truly wants to inherit he father’s company… I’m not even sure if she wants to work at all. It feels more like “business” is the only language her family understands, so she communicates her worries and desires in a business like manner, and making strategies to look good in front of her parents. Is she a fake? No, I don’t think she knows how to properly express herself when it comes to the people she loves and it’s only until you get to know her that you understand how caring she is for everyone.

I’m really excited about the new romantic storyline she’s starting because I want to see more personal development from her, apart from the sisterhood, and a romance with DR ZHAO (Wang Kai) seems like exactly what she needs. He takes no BS from anyone and she is full of it.

Overall and so far, Ode to Joy is a really good show with strong storylines and characters, and a slow pace where you learn something new with every episode. Like peeling an onion, one layer at a time.

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This isn’t the first Korean period drama to depict a commoner with a particular set of skills gaining intimate access to the royal circle, only to become a pawn in a web of murderous court intrigue. But “The Royal Tailor” stands out with its attention to technical details, conveying beauty in an especially tactile way.

The first half to the story is light-hearted and plays fast and loose with history, devising sights gags to send up Joseon fashion crimes like shoulder pads, push-up bras and platform shoes, which are amusingly anachronistic. But the scenes also serve to paint commoner Kong-jin’s personality in vibrant strokes, such as his preference for the company of gisaeng, who model his provocative designs with sexual confidence, to his habit of hobnobbing with high-ranking snobs.

Meanwhile, Dol-suk is the hands-on artisan who excels at embroidery. He too is from humble origins but has managed through hard work to achieve the title of Royal Tailor, being in charge of making the clothes for the King and Queen, and some nobleman when their highnesses want to give them gifts. Dol-suk is also a few months away from becoming a nobleman himself, this is a very important point for what’s coming in the second half of the story.

Kong-jin, being able to work for commoners, is quickly recognized as the quintessential artist, experimenting with shapes and forms, and drawing inspiration from such mundance objects as a wine jar. His consciousness of style as an individualist statement is epitomized by his habit of burning his logo onto his costumes, the Joseon version of a fashion label.

And the rivalry between the two tailors is loaded with class implications; appalled by Kong-jin’s out-there designs, a nobleman proclaims, “A garment should reflect social status and rules,” echoing the law of the period that prescribes, legally, what each class can wear. While buttressing the hierarchical system, Dol-suk is ironically its victim, barred from donning any of the fancy clothes he makes.

A serie of events leads to Kong-jin entering the palace in order to repair his majesty’s clothes and he soon becomes enamored with the Queen, a breathtaking beauty rumored to be untouched by the king since their wedding night. Kong-jin’s intentions are pure: he wants the Queen to be happy, and she wants the King. So, he embarks in a Joseon make-over the turns more than one head and cuts some others because nothing it’s simple inside the Palace, and getting the attention of the King is of out most importance.

The complexity of the relationships between the four main characters, played effortlessly amazing by Han Suk Kyu, Go Soo, Park Shin hye and Yoo Yeon seok, is one of the many aspects of why this film is a must watch. The pretty clothes are breathtaking but the people wearing them do it in such a manner that’s impossible to take your eyes away. Each movement, color and embroidery has a meaning for the story.

I highly recommend it!

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A great romcom!

Sometimes, when I am having a bad day, I watch this film. It helps that rom-coms are my crack and I absolutely adore this cast.

Most of the story takes place in the span of one day and on the road. Bae Soo-jung (Moon Chae-won) is the team leader for a cosmetics company and in order to get a prime location at the department store display, she needs to secure basketball star Kang Jing-chul as the company’s brand ambassador. Sadly, the sportsman isn’t anywhere to be find and with his grandfather recently passing away, people are speculating he might have returned to his hometown: Busan. Soo-jung has no other option but the hop in the train and try to find him.

Kim Jae-hyun (Yoo Yeon-seok) is a successful sports agent and all around man about town. Always with a ready smile and a pretty girl at his side. Jae-hyun has spent the last few months in talks with Jing-chul, his former underclassman from school, trying to convince him to join the NBA. However, Jin-chul is not interested and time is running out for the signing of the contract, so Jae-hyun has to take the train to Busan in order to find him and convince him to sign.

As destiny will have it, Soo-jung and Jae-hyun -who are looking for the same person- end up sitting next to each other in the train. Hilarity and romance ensues.

This is a light rom-com, with some really lovely scenes and other times funny moments that will make you laugh out loud. The chemistry between Yoo Yeon-seok and Moon Chae-won is really good and I really like the way they portray their characters. At first glance, you would think they have most of their respective lives figured out but soon you see there’s more than meets the eye.

For example, Soo-jung is not so put together as she appears and I like that once she’s sure of something, she’s a woman who is not afraid to make things happen. Whatever that might be or where it might lead. On the other hand, Jae-hyun might have all the tendencies of a player but as the movie helps us get to know him, you can see that he actually takes his life and work very seriously. That he’s actually a responsible man that does the right thing when it calls for.

Some of the conversations about love, sex and relationships that the two of them have are very interesting, sometimes showing the more traditional point of views of female vs. male but other times showing something different.

We all know how the story ends, of course, it doesn’t change the fact that watching Yoo Yeon-seok as a cheeky playboy flirting with Moon Chae-won, who can win over the most cold heart, is a lot of fun.

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I highly recommend it!

Upcoming Summer is not love story but a story about love. The film touches on themes like learning to be brave by accepting life’s difficult realities. Through their friendship Chen Chen and Zheng mature and are left to explore the people they want to be as they grow into adults.

I really like this film and I recommend it. It’s fun, endearing and touching. Wu Lei and Zhang Zifeng deliver really good performances and have great chemistry with each other, and the rest of the cast. The story has a few twists that I know have caused some buzz in China but I personally found it to be beautiful.

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A consistent drama

Doctor Slump has a good start focusing on what hustle culture and burnout does to the mental health of a professional who is used to be outstanding and has found a wall they can't pass by. I found this storyline, regarding Park Shin Hye's character, the most engaging and I think she delivered a really solid portrayal of a person living with a depression diagnosis and going totally under the radar. We usually wonder how people get to a certain point in life and if her character hadn't been able to ask for help, one would have to wonder if her story might have been different.

On the other hand, Park Hyun Shik's character takes a more conventional arc that we are used to see in this kind of dramas: the hot shot doctor who finds himself abandoned by everyone, except this story finds way to give us glimpses at this life and how utterly lonely it has been. Almost alienated and finding a difficult time to make real connections. His downfall, I think, it's a blessing in disguise because he finds himself with the possibility of exploring other ways to form lasting relationships.

The two main characters are the perfect fold of each other and their arc together it's very endearing to watch. Going from childhood rivals, to comrades in sadness, friends and finally falling in love with each other. They have seen themselves and the other in their worst and find a way to hold up each other, only like a true friend can. And that's why they are so darn cute to watch.

There are other characters dealing with certain social status and mental health issues but theirs are never properly developed until the last minute, which is a shame because it would have given one particular character a much more nuanced story.

This is when I have to admit the story fizzles a little when it moves away from its original premise and goes into other genres that, sure, made for an interesting watch but ultimately fell flat.

Nevertheless, Doctor Slump manages to maintain the viewer entertained for its entire run thanks to the great chemistry between all the characters.

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