This was the first good time travel k-drama I'd ever found. I found the second male lead to be incredibly annoying but he helped drive the story. A few things that made me give this show such a high rating is a) I loved how they handled the time travel. It was intriguing to watch as the various characters figured it out. B) the characters and writing were delightful. A lot of lovable characters, several despicable ones as well. They kept the life and death struggle separated from the romance too. C) the comedy in general was very funny and not cringe inducing (except for one scene at the beginning) and typically just added to the charm of the lead characters. D) the effects were usually adequate for the story. Not super realistic, but not painfully bad. I found the sets and costumes to be well done in both time periods, and the tenseness of the drama segments had me extremely worried. The only downside to the series is the deus ex machina ending but honestly, I was so intensely relieved i was fine that the authors did that. Plus the ending had me laughing out loud again so I left the show with a smile on my face.
Reviews
8 Reviews
Julie and the Phantoms
(2020)
I just accidentally binge watched the entire first season.
25 September 2020
This show manages to out do the network that (ahem) normally would carry this type of show. It was excellent. It still had that 'after school' vibe to it, but was extremely well produced, the songs and choreography were great, the effects ranged from better than average TV to totally awesome. The villain makes your skin crawl, and the dialog is much better written than most of the shows of this ilk. I intended to just watch it during supper and got sucked in by the characters. I am anxious to see a second season (though i expect i have to wait a year for). Really great job guys. There are several spots that were actually pretty moving.
In a Class of Her Own
(2020– )
It started a little rough but got much better - I highly recommend it
6 September 2020
I am a HUGE fan of the Korean original Sungkyunkwan Scandal, when I saw this one, I was put off because the main character's family home (they are supposed to be very poor and in debt to their eyeballs because of her brother's sickness), looks like a wealthier family home. Like definitely upper middle class. The sets looks like set and that was unsettling. Then the actors started really settling in to their characters, the jokes started at a faster pace and they were FUNNY! I expect my upstairs neighbors are probably ticked off at me binge watching the show and guffawing at the jokes they can't understand. Despite the rough beginning, it ended up a very solid comedy in its own right with slightly different underlying story line. I would have liked to see the last episode stretched out into two (It was very slightly abrupt like they wrapped up in 10 minutes something that should have taken 30 or so). But it was a lot of fun. I highly recommend it.
The Untamed
(2019)
Imagine Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead played as a chinese buddy movie comedy
6 September 2020
Don't get me wrong. This series is VERY VERY dark. And Parts of it are Very Funny (laugh out loud, falling off the couch funny a few places, particularly every time one character gets drunk). The show is really well played. The CG effects aren't the best, the sets are huge, lavish and sometimes look like sets but the characters and the story are so engrossing that just fades into the background really fast. It is a Chinese cultivator world gut wrenching, political drama, family drama with giant monsters like its a modern Ray Harryhousen film with a lot of buddy movie screwball comedy on top. It is charming, funny, sad, heartbreaking and truly delightful. I've only watched it once cause i don't' know yet how soon I can stand the emotional roller coaster ride yet. But as soon as I finished watching it i wanted to erase all memory of the show from my brain so i could immediately re-watch it for the first time again. Warning: the show is addicting.
Jojo Rabbit
(2019)
one of those rare movies have to rate 10 out of 10
9 November 2019
When I first heard the premise of a little boy with Hitler as his imaginary friend, it sounded like a ludicrous premise. Sounded like the dumbest idea for a movie I'd ever heard of (except for the one where a little kid fish gets lost and he dad fish had to go find him, that did sound pretty boring too, till I saw it).
The ad convinced me it was going to be a great move, a sad movie, a weird movie, with a little bit of romance in it. I was surprised at how often the movie plot surprised me. Many places the story doesn't go where you were expecting.
Beautiful, amazing photography.
Ridiculously funny writing and actors doing an amazing job.
It is for Nazi War movies what Amelie is for gritty french romance. A lot of fun.
It is for Nazi War movies what Amelie is for gritty french romance. A lot of fun.
Sungkyunkwan Scandal
(2010)
Excellent screwball romantic comedy
26 June 2014
This series is a historical period piece as its background. The storyline has the feel of an 'after school special' and stars young kids just getting in to Sungkyunkwan University to study to become government officials. Its full of student hazing, bullying, student and national politics all revolving around a small group of the students. Like Twelfth Night, this story involves a girl dressing as a guy and entering an all male environment (in this case a male only university). The protagonists are all extremely likable, and most of the antagonists actually grow on you as the story progresses. This is one of my top 5 favorite k-drama TV series. The story is slightly PG-13 in my opinion in that it does have major characters from the local gisaeng house (female 'entertainers' of the period in potentially every sense of the word, rather like a geisha house). Also, for those that are particularly squeamish, our hero is distressed because he thinks he is falling in love with another guy (our heroine in her brother's clothes). All part of the comedy. The story is ridiculous because no one who looked at her would believe she was a guy for one moment, but just suspend your disbelieve and enjoy the stupidity and fun. I very highly recommend this series.
The Master's Sun
(2013)
A very fun TV series
26 June 2014
This is a ridiculous screwball romantic comedy / horror / thriller that is lots of fun to watch. The hero is self-important pompous son of a Pancho who never lets anyone get close to him or touch him. He has strong disbelief in anything supernatural. Our heroine is a down on her luck girl who has the misfortune of being a veritable ghost magnet who discovers that our hero is just what the doctor ordered for her condition and nothing he can do will shake her off. The characters are all adorable, the special effects are obviously done on a budget so I recommend you hold your breath for Hollywood effects and just sit back and enjoy the ride. Even the characters at the beginning of the series that you don't like much, you find things to love about nearly all of them as the story progresses. This is absolutely one of my top 10 favorite k-drama TV series (yes, with subtitles). I highly recommend it for anyone who likes screwball comedy and doesn't mind subtitles.
My Love from Another Star
(2013–2014)
great series with a slightly shaky ending
26 June 2014
Yes, I'm giving this show 9 out of 10 stars (I'm dinging it one star because the logic of how the ending takes place is a bit too much of a stretch). The characters in this show, particularly the heroine are Painful to watch. I am not joking. I would get so upset watching her stupidity I would have to stop watching an episode for the day and come back to watch the rest the next day. That being said, the characters and the story are adorable and incredibly (and surprisingly) likable, including this heroine that is such a ditz. The story is INCREDIBLY addicting and just kept me coming back for more. The special effects (except for one very funny scene with the heroine's little brother) are generally excellent and quite acceptable for the story. The fellow playing the villain did an excellent job playing a sociopath. The writing of his character was great, and there is enough genuine threat against our protagonists to keep me anxious as to how the story could possibly turn out all right given the situations they are put in. It was a lot of fun to watch, but as I said it was also very painful to watch too just because our heroine is painfully stupid sometime. It just hurts watching her stick her foot in her mouth over and over again. But you really do start rooting for this unlikely couple and wondering if they can possibly stay together. I recommend the show if you don't mind subtitles and like screwball romantic comedy with a good dose of thriller and sci-fi thrown in.
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