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Doragon-zakura (2005)
Worth Watching
The following review only applies to season 2, which I finished watching on Netflix a couple of days ago. The synopsis had caught my eye so, as a former teacher myself, I found myself interested to see how a former bikie gang member and now a lawyer could transform young lives and help them on the way to an entry to a prestigious university in Tokyo.
The first thing that struck me was how similar the storyline was to one of my favourite manga stories. I have loved the "Great Teacher Onizuka" series for a long time now and, while not exactly the same content, there is a certain familiarity to how the main character wins his students' confidences. It's certainly very engaging for viewers.
The one thing I found really annoying was the music. It did not help the visuals in any way, in fact, it was downright distracting and it became a nuisance, trying to block out the stupid music which was doing its very best to enhance the drama, but failing badly at every turn.
There was evidence of some quality over-acting but too little to take away from the main characters' performances which I enjoyed. I am sure if you give this show a try, it'll prove to be time now wasted.
Ted Lasso (2020)
One of the Best I've Seen
I was really looking forward to watching Ted Lasso as I have become a fan of football (the world game not the American or Australian varieties) for reasons I shall not bore you with.
Within the first couple of scenes I was hooked and remained so for the entire three seasons. Genuinely, I did not want the show to end. I rate it as one of the best shows of this genre I have ever seen. As a rule, I am not a big fan of swearing as I find it mostly unnecessary and over the top, but strangely, even though swearing is used liberally throughout, it seems to add to the humour. How it does this I am not sure. Billy Connolly, the Scottish actor and comedian, also swears often in his stage shows but he is genuinely a very funny man so it works in his favour too.
The characters are well portrayed and I came to care a lot for most of them, except of course for those we are not supposed to like that much. So well done to all involved in this show. Not a fan of the round ball game? Don't worry, this show will teach you just a little about how much football means to so many people around the world. You'll be hard pressed to find better.
The Good Bad Mother (2023)
Great Show, Worth Watching
I finished watching this not long ago and was very, very impressed with it. The plot has the usual bad guys and, while they are not as thoroughly unlikeable as others I have seen, they were nasty and corrupt enough to dislike their screen persona.
The good guys were totally lovable and to the director's credit the plot had me guessing quite a few times as to which way the main character was going to go. Ra Mi-Ran is brilliant. I have seen her in "Black Dog" and she impressed there too. Check it out if you liked her performance here. Lee Do-Hyun and Ahn Eun-ji are wonderful as the children born together on the same day and grow up together to form an interesting partnership. The supporting cast are also excellent, especially the kids who play the twins. They steal the show is so many scenes!
The was only one scene I felt was way too corny and overdone and that's why I gave the rating 9 instead of 10 and maybe I am a bit too harsh but wither way, The Good Bad Mother is well worth your time.
Dojeok: Kalui Sori (2023)
Began Well, but Then Dived.
I thought the idea of a Korean style western in the vein of the old Hollywood would be good to watch. Sadly, I was wrong but it took me a while to reach this conclusion (episode 5, in fact).
The first few episodes were quite good, with an interesting plot, strong characters but also a discernible flaw. The "assassins" couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with their guns. So many shots , so many misses when fighting each other. But then aiming at other targets they became dead shots, hitting everything. How could they be so vastly different? I put it down to terrible writing.
Episode 5 did it for me. The train scene and its aftermath....the horses are only trotting along and yet they overtake the train supposedly going along full steam ahead. Then this.
One of the main characters, a Korean/Japanese officer, yells this when everyone has fled the chaos inside the train: "Hey, you in the grey coat!" I paused the video at that point because in the background literally nearly everyone is wearing a grey coat! He then yells at his soldiers "What are you waiting for? Go after that woman!" Now these soldiers must have massive psychic powers because, out of the hundreds of fleeing people, they know exactly who he is talking about! How on earth did they know that? Answer? Bad writing.
These kinds of flaws really put me off, they're things I cannot ignore and I certainly cannot give high ratings when writing of this poor quality is allowed to go to air. Maybe the Korean is poorly translated? But anyway, the show has deteriorated to the point I am not interested in watching the rest of it. Probably a four rating is generous, but I am allowing for the fact that I got this far without dumping it sooner.
Dongbaekkkot pil muryeop (2019)
Annoying in the Extreme
So here I am having watched the first six episodes and now I am seriously considering whether I should go on with it and watch it til the end. It has all the elements of an entertaining show but the main characters are really, really annoying.
The female lead, Dongbaek, is a very attractive woman but she does nothing but belittle herself. Her lack of assertiveness is infuriating at times and it does nothing to endear her to me as a character. Hopefully she will stand up to the idiots around her in a more aggressive way in a future episode (if I make it that far).
As for the male lead, Yong Shik, he is just a pathetic character, whose snivelling, childish behaviour wrecks whatever credibility the show has. Why would a director make a main character behave this way? How any woman with any sense of respect like an idiot like him is beyond my understanding. He keeps hanging around like a bad smell but she does little to ward him off. The scene in the police station epitomises his childishness. He acts like a petulant child and needs a good kick up the rear end from his mum, something I hoped she would do. But alas! Not to be.
I am going to give it maybe two more episodes but if the story does not improve or at least progress a bit, I'm done with it. This would be a shame as the potential is there for a really gripping tale complete with a serial killer in the background.
On a positive note, I have seen many of the actors in other shows and I know they can act really well. It is just sad that they got lumped with a plot that goes very slowly and a script that could have been much better. In summary, a 20 episode show that could have been over and done in less than half of that.
The K2 (2016)
Quite Enjoyable
Episode One began with a chase scene that, I thought, would never end. I was almost tempted to stop watching there and then but I gave it till the end of the episode and to be honest, I am glad I did. The K2 is an eminently watchable show, not superb, but certainly worth watching till the finale.
The characters were well scripted and there were enough plot twists and turns to keep me interested till the end. The actors did a good job with the script they were given and the action scenes were not too badly done. One thing that did detract is a believeability factor that has occurred in a couple of Korean shows. You cannot undergo surgery and then within hours beat up people. I mean, really. It stretches things way too much hence the 7 rating.
The K2 is not a brilliant show but it will keep you absorbed for most of the episodes.
Peurodyusa (2015)
Worth Watching For Sure
I have been intending to watch this show for quite a while now, mainly because of Lee Ji-eun (IU). Why her? I have watched "My Mister" twice and she is absolutely wonderful in that so I thought to myself 'How good was she in an earlier production?' Answer? She was very good in this. Cast as a pop idol she is perfect.
But the performances of the other cast members are also very commendable especially Kong Hyo-Jin. She is simply brilliant. As for the plot, well it drifts a bit hence the 8 star rating. And Kim Soo-Hyun is really overly shy to point of being madly so. His character annoyed me a lot because of his persistent apologising.
The humour was entertaining, the cast well chosen, acting quality was superb so overall a show well worth watching.
King Deo Raendeu (2023)
Could Have Been Much Better
There is much to commend this show as it is an uncomplicated romance/comedy. It appears to have attracted a lot of negativity in many reviews but please do not pay any attention to them. King The Land is far from perfect but it is no way a 1 or 2 rating as many have described. I found it to be cute in many ways, reminiscent of What's Wrong With Secretary Kim, but not quite Secretary Kim's appeal. So what went wrong? For me, there was too much emphasis on long kissing scenes, too many love song interludes (should I say interruptions?) which ended up making scenes repetitive.
As in many Korean shows, the audience has to take the action with a rather large grain of salt and I refer to the helicopter "rescue" scene. If the writers had managed things like this even a little more realistically, it would have made the show better.
And one further point, why on earth do the male characters in so many Korean shows wear obvious lipstick? If any directors out there read this, please stop it. It looks ridiculous and serves no purpose whatever, except maybe to highlight a fashion in Korea of which I am totally unaware.
Finally, a big congratulations to the supporting cast. They were wonderful. That's not to say the main cast were bad, they did their job admirably with the script they were given.
Angmapansa (2021)
Did Nothing For Me
I admit to watching only episode 1 but it did nothing to inspire me to watch any more. Drab plot, ordinary scripting matched by so-so acting made me wonder about the 10/10 ratings so many have placed on this show. For me, it was hard to see why such high ratings were given.
One reviewer has mentioned Vincenzo alongside The Devil Judge but for me Vincenzo was much better in every respect. If you are looking for a storyline to grab you from the start, you will not find it here. Maybe it comes later but I highly doubt it. Another interesting thing I have noticed in Korean shows that have judges as part of the plotlines, how come some of them are so young? Is this the reality in South Korea or is it simply to keep a youthful image for the main characters? Not recommended viewing.
Somebody (2022)
Like Thrillers? Ignore IMDB's Current Rating Then.
I cannot believe the low 5.7 rating for this. As thrillers go, this one is excellent. There is a subtle rage within the bad guy that comes across threateningly on screen, enough to make you wonder what he will do, which is the essence of a good thriller is it not? The cinematography adds to the atmosphere, shadows, darkness and sometimes just the sheer lack of dialogue adds wholesomely to the tension.
I would only criticise a few aspects of a couple of characters but I will not divulge anything more except to say that one character, for her job, does something remarkably stupid. I'll let viewers discover what for themselves.
The music score is very good and almost makes we want to have a listen on Deezer or something similar. The acting is very good, realistically scripted and the bedroom scenes are very risque for Korean shows. Should be more!
Don't pay any attention to the low rating. Give this a go, it's only 8 episodes and it should be well worth your time.
Seumuldaseot Seumulhana (2022)
Almost Nailed It
I loved this show until the last two episodes which is a shame as it was almost a 10/10. The development of character, the plot conflicts made it seriously watchable. I almost fell off my chair when I found out that the actor who plays Na Hee Do (Kim Tae Ri) turns 32 very soon, I mean, how good was she translating the actions, speech and mannerisms of a late teen? It was a truly wonderful performance throughout. The supporting actors also did a very creditable job playing their respective roles. Fewer tears towards the end would have made this much, much better as I found it became too soppy for my tastes. Can't wait to see Kim Tae Ri on screen again.
Thirty-Nine (2022)
Not Good Enough
I know that coincidence plays a solid role in K Drama but this one goes beyond the believable. One or two coincidental meetings between main characters is acceptable but four in less than two episodes borders on the ridiculous. I was willing to give this show another chance after episode one but another "chance" meeting half an hour into episode 2 did it for me. I switched off, never to return which is a shame because Son Ye Jin is an excellent actor. Pity she chose this role.
Taineun Jiokida (2019)
Can't Believe This Rated So Highly
I have watched many Korean series in the past couple of years and nearly all have been very satisfying. I usually use the IMDB rating as a guide as to whether a show is worth watching. This one was horribly way off the mark.
The first episode probably should have been a warning with super-annoying characters being introduced and a main character who is a complete moron for not getting out of the residence in the first place.
Then there is the issue of one of the other major characters always turning up out of the blue and always just at the right time! It became way too coincidental and made me shake my head in disbelief that viewers could be expected to take this show seriously. I just finished watching the last episode and I still can't work out the motive for all the carnage that occurs.
In summary, this was one of the worst Korean shows I have ever seen and my advice would be to avoid it at all costs.