alexandra-42857 Reviews

Spirited (2022)

My new favourite Christmas film!

[9/10 · 18 December 2023]

My husband watched this last year and recommended it to me. I loved it so much I watched it twice and again this Christmas and it doesn't disappoint. So funny and great storyline. But the best thing is the score. Every song is brilliant and I can just see this coming to the west end soon. The dancing is slightly over produced but Will and Ryan are so talented, funny and likeable. Maybe not suitable for young children but definitely a film that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Pity it's only on Apple TV so most of my friends and family can't watch it yet.

It's hard to choose my favourite song but Good afternoon is exceptional.

Parasite (2019)

Interesting plot, good acting, very weird and almost completely devoid of everything I love about Korean Television

[5/10 · 3 May 2021]

In the last few years I pretty much exclusively watch Korean television (apart from a few good Chinese dramas) and this is why... Incredible story telling, brilliant acting and an ability to create a story where warmth, kindness, humility, villains, tragedy and decency are skilfully blended into a story that takes you on a journey with enough realism and fiction to leave you satisfied and happy. They don't have to be rom coms, it doesn't seem to matter what the genre, most (of course not all) leave you not just entertained but are thought provoking too.

With this in mind and all the hype and awards this film received, I felt that I should watch it.

I can take weird, some parts of many K dramas are a bit weird but in a good or at least tolerable way. It wasn't that I didn't understand what the writer was trying to convey, I just felt it was all over the place, with no actual storyline. K dramas are not like US or UK dramas, they are basically one long film divided into episodes which allows complex characters, touching and thought-provoking moments and interesting story lines to develop. For this reason, the film felt really short to me. I'm so disappointed. The acting was good but I felt the sofa scene and ending in very poor taste not to mention the unbelievable recovery of the son! I think I will stick to my well selected K dramas and definitely avoid this writer from now on. Don't judge all Korean television by this drama unless of course you loved it which surprisingly many seem to.

Nothing But Thirty (2020– )

Top notch, thought provoking drama with great acting.

[9/10 · 1 November 2020]

This was another brilliantly written and thought out Chinese drama with a much more grown up and for the most part realistic story. It follows the lives of three women about to turn thirty and how that period in their lives changes their outlook and lives quite dramatically. It is a story about the struggles and strength of women but without being too female focussed. The men are not portrayed merely as side characters nor the villains, rather all the characters are imperfect yet endearing at the the same time. Once again the story telling was so clever and thought provoking and I found myself often thinking about the predicaments and emotions of the characters. It's not a light hearted or funny drama but it is really good and something quite different. The highlight for me was the extra little story of another little family at the end of each episode which I imagine more realistically portrays the average life for many in China. Highly recommend.

I'm Not a Robot (2017–2018)

Wonderful, romantic and funny!

[10/10 · 18 September 2020]

I totally loved this series. I wasn't sure that it would be believable, but it really was done brilliantly. Great acting, perfect balance of sadness, comedy and romance. The chemistry between the main couple was really good and all the supporting characters were lovely too. Highly recommend!!

Go Ahead (2020)

11 Stars!! Best drama I have ever seen..

[10/10 · 18 September 2020]

This drama touched my heart deeply. I felt emotions I have never felt before and fell in love with this wonderful family. Being both a child and parent and having a family that is not all blood related but just as much as a family as any other, I perhaps found this story even more meaningful. The acting was outstanding and the 5 main characters were so wonderful! The standout of course was Li Jianjian (Songyun Tan) who had something so endearing about her. She was cute, tender-hearted, feisty and so naturally loving and optimistic which was what her brothers both so needed, and her smile just made me smile. The three of them made me so jealous. What a unique and deep relationship they had that only they could really understand. Both brothers were also wonderful and the Li dad, well he just melted my heart. If we could all be such a wonderful parents and human beings! This child actors were brilliant too and so many of their moments broke my heart. Yes the ending could have been better and there is definitely potential for a second season but the first half of the drama deserved 10 starts on it's own! So many moments I will never forget and will enjoy again when I watch it again.

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo (2016–2017)

One of my favourite K-Dramas

[9/10 · 9 September 2020]

Like so many other dramas, I delayed watching this because of the Title, but as usual it was way better than expected. This was largely down to the leading couple. Hats off to Song Kyoung Lee for brilliant acting, she is actually so pretty but made herself seem so boyish and frumpy. The star of the show was another new actor for me in Nam Joo Hyuk. I think his smile rivals Lee Jong Suk! He played such a playful but genuinely lovely character. Great acting from both leads and the undeniable chemistry was confirmed by them dating after the show. The one annoying friend character of Kim Bok Joo was so ridiculous that I deducted a star just for her, hopefully K-dramas will steer away from the stupid side characters in future.

Legend of the Blue Sea (2016–2017)

Wonderful, romantic and so funny!

[9/10 · 9 September 2020]

I really loved this series. I wasn't sure about the mermaid aspect but as usual I was pleasantly surprised at how well it was done. The characters were lovely, most especially the leading lady. She was so pretty, vulnerable, tough and endearing all at the same time. The were many really funny moments in this without any over-the-top side characters. And the balance of tension, drama, comedy and romance was perfect. One of my favourite K-dramas.

Boys Over Flowers (2009)

Oh dear.... Korean television wasn't always great I guess

[6/10 · 9 September 2020]

Let me start by saying that I am the biggest fan of Korean TV and almost exclusively watch K and C-dramas which I feel are far superior than western tv these days. I totally LOVED Meteor Garden despite it's cringeworthy moments and ridiculous ending. So I thought I would go back and watch the 'classic' Korean version (I haven't seen any others). Wow, where do I start. The good points, I like Lee Min Ho and the Si Hoon character and far preferred Jan Di's friend to the same part in MG. But this series required you not to just set your brain aside, you need to put it in another room just to prevent the urge to use it from time to time. It was like they wanted certain moments or scenarios but didn't bother on any of it making sense. I kept laughing out loud at the sheer ridiculousness of the situations and stupidity of the characters. I mean MG was frustrating, but at least the chemistry between Si and Shancai was off the charts and they were actually happy together for more than 5 seconds at a time. Jan Di looked like her skin crawled every time Joo Pyo came near her. She was a sweet character, but thick as a plank and totally lacked that unique cuteness required for the role. The ending was slightly better and less ridiculous than MG but it was tedious to get through. Apart from one series, I have never rated a K-drama lower than a 8 so my 6 stars hurts, but I recommend you might want to skip this one.

Go Go Squid! (2019– )

Enjoyable and sweet!

[8/10 · 6 August 2020]

I was looking for a light, sweet romance and that is exactly what this series is. The acting was good all round but I didn't quite believe the matching of the lead couple. I actually found they had more chemistry behind the scenes when watching the YouTube BTS clips. They were both very endearing though. What I loved most was the friendships. The young guys were so lovely and loved the friendship between them (seriously would love to hang our with them :-) ) My favourite characters were Demo, 97 and Little Mi - such sweet guys. There were slightly too many dramatic flash backs but most of them were necessary. I love these dramas because they celebrate kindness and integrity which we need so badly in this world.

W (2016)

One of my favourite dramas!

[10/10 · 6 August 2020]

I had been wanting to watch this series for a while and was so happy to find it on Netflix recently. I'm a big fan of Lee Jong Suk and have been watching most of his previous dramas while he is doing his military service. This was a really well crafted story with excellent special effects and of course fantastic acting both from Jong Suk and Han Hyo-joo. There was loads of great comedy, romance, suspense, action and drama all perfectly blended as only Korean film makers seem to be able to do so well. Highly recommend.

Just Between Lovers (2017–2018)

In a class of it's own!

[10/10 · 28 June 2020]

I have been such a huge fan of K and C-dramas, I watch nothing else these days. I didn't think a Korean drama could get any better until this series which really should have remained being called Rain or Shine. The reviews in Viki clinched it for me, they were off the charts about this series. All the characters, storyline, script, cinematography, sountrack and sublime acting puts this in a class of it's own. Its real and honest, not light and fluffy but it's still so heart wrenching and melting at the same time. It's my first time seeing Junho act and oh my goodness he is incredible!! He portrays such a self assuredness at the same time being so humble and selfless and you become so mesmerised by not only his authentic portrayal but all the characters of this story. I completely forgot it wasn't actually real! I don't like sad stories as a rule but this was so worth it and I got the ending I was hoping for although it was a little abrupt. This drama and many of the moments will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommend!

Tune in for Love (2019)

Enjoyed it more than I thought I would

[8/10 · 24 May 2020]

I am a big fan of Jung Hae In. As expected he was great in this film as was his co-star, Kim Mi Soo. Both lovely characters very well acted. This is not a fluffy romantic film, but a more serious, gritty simple story. I like Korean dramas because they are usually free from bad language so could have done without the swearing but it was pretty minimal so not too bad. There were a few bits, like the reasons for parting, that I didn't quite understand and it could have ended a bit better but I enjoyed it anyway. What I loved most was how authentic and raw it felt, although I'm so used to watching series it felt really short!

Clean with Passion for Now (2018–2019)

Could have been a lot better, but still worth watching

[7/10 · 24 May 2020]

I ignored the low star rating and decided to watch this series based on the good reviews. The bad points first. The story line. The first 5 episodes weren't great and the male lead character, Jang Seon Kyul was pretty unlikeable, you need a glimmer of hope even in the beginning. The ending really let it down the most. Firstly the stupid thought process of the leading lady, Gil Oh Sol and her father drove me nuts and as is so often with these dramas, a lot of time is wasted not saying how they feel. My pet hate is when everything is only resolved in the last few minutes of the series. On the positive side, the Jang Seon Kyul character improved drastically as the series progressed and I ended up really liking him by the end, even more so than Oh Sol who was a lovely character for the most part (except the last few episodes). The supporting characters were all great and I really enjoyed episodes 8-14. Still worth watching but could have been so much better.

While You Were Sleeping (2017)

Way better than expected!

[9/10 · 24 May 2020]

I put off watching this series, because I'm not usually a fan of any 'magical' elements to stories, but based on the reviews I watched it. I was not disappointed! Brilliant acting and characters, great writing and directing and camera work. It's amazing how they weave humour, drama, tension and excitement so effortlessly. Lee Jong Suk is a brilliant actor and I love it equally when he is serious and funny and the Nam Hong Joo character was so likeable, off beat and best of all, honest! I didn't expected Jung Hae-in to be in it, what a bonus! Loved the suspenseful lawyer side as much as the romance. Everyone should watch this!

Oh My Venus (2015–2016)

Oh my goodness, I LOVED Oh my Venus!!

[10/10 · 13 May 2020]

I shouldn't have let the name put me off, and watched this much sooner! There is always so much more to Korean dramas than their name and synopsis. This rom-com was so well written and acted, it had hilarious moments all the way through with no ridiculous side characters. The bonus was Henry playing the comedic one without being too silly! There was drama, excitement, sadness and the most romantic moments ever too. The chemistry between the leads was great and a good balance between passion and decency. Loved all the supporting characters and was also super inspired to get fit and eat better too... bonus! Highly recommend.

Forest (2020)

Romantic, exciting and generally enjoyable.

[8/10 · 6 May 2020]

I watched this based on some tremendous reviews on Viki, and I enjoyed it but not quite as much as some rave reviewers. The acting was good and the scenery was beautiful. There was more than just a lovely romance, but also a rather complicated but exciting storyline which really got interesting in roughly the last third of the series. I liked both the main characters and I especially loved Choi Chang and his infectious smile!

What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018)

Romantic, hilarious and perfectly paced rom-com!

[9/10 · 3 May 2020]

This romantic comedy drama was a refreshing change to most K-dramas. It had a great story-line, loads of witty humour, lovable characters and a dramatic and emotional twist to the story. What I loved most was how Young Joon's character did develop but he managed to remain his usual pompous self but it was never serious and he was actually really kind a caring underneath. In the same way, Mi So just accepted him being so full of himself, not feeling the need to set him down because she knew he was really lovely and kind. The other thing I liked was the lack of misunderstandings and wasted opportunities so prevalent in many of these dramas. I loved the part where she says, I want to make things clear, so there are no misunderstandings and the scene in the cupboard, where he maturely doesn't take offence, but rather doesn't want to argue with her unnecessarily. The only thing I didn't like, was the ridiculously annoying woman Se Ra. I assume it's a Korean thing, but the stupid side characters are so unnecessary and really annoying. The actual humour was so good throughout, no silly side characters are needed. This series had more passion than most K-dramas but still very decent which I really like. Great acting and characters I will miss.

Good Morning Call (2016–2017)

I really wanted to love this...

[7/10 · 19 April 2020]

I love K- and C-dramas and this was my first Japanese series. If I had never watched any other K/C-dramas I would probably have thought this was brilliant but although it was still very addictive and enjoyable to watch, it fell short of the usual brilliant standard of Korean and Chinese dramas. In the first series, I found the lead actress character to be waaaaayyy too silly to the point of annoying at times and the lead male character was just too dull. I actually enjoyed the second series much more, as the girl became far less ridiculous and more gown up and the guy warmed up and was a much nicer character. All the side characters were absolutely lovely though and there were lots of great moments and acting throughout. If you want this storyline done perfectly, watch Put your Head on my Shoulder.

Because This Is My First Life (2017)

Just brilliant!!

[10/10 · 19 April 2020]

I absolutely loved this series. So nice to have a more grown up story with brilliant acting and so many touching and funny moments. I just wish it didn't have to end! There was proper passion in this series for a change but still very tasteful which is what I love about k-dramas. It ended just the way I was hoping and made me cry and smile all the way through. Watch it, you won't regret it! (You can never judge these shows by their titles and pictures. They never cease to impress me once I start watching, but this one was one of the best)

Still 17 (2018)

One of the best dramas I have seen!!

[10/10 · 2 April 2020]

Before I started watching Korean and Chinese dramas about a year ago, I had no idea that they were such brilliant story tellers and hopeless romantics! The storylines are obviously unlikely but the human emotion and relationships are depicted expertly and with such heart-warming tenderness. Still 17 is one of the best, if not the best series I have watched. The acting is superb and the characters are just so wonderful (loved Chan especially) that you wish you could move right in with them. There were no overacting silly sidekicks but instead natural laugh out loud funny moments and heart-breaking sadness are woven beautifully throughout the story. Like another reviewer, I have withdrawal from the characters and found it hard not to fancy Mr Gong :-) I especially loved that they ended it well, including flashbacks to some of the memorable moments in the story. Stomach dropping, heart bursting romance and friendship and moments you will remember for a long time. Highly recommend.

A Little Thing Called First Love (2019)

Almost perfect!

[9/10 · 30 March 2020]

I chose to watch this recently despite the few reviews because it has the same writer as my favourite series Put your Head on my shoulder which in my opinion is the best Asian series I have watched. ALTCFL started slowly but with lots of promise. The chemistry between the two leads was amazing but the lack of physical affection they showed to each other let it down. I love Asian dramas because of their innocence but perhaps this one was a bit young for me. I'm thinking maybe it's because Jin Mai is under 18, but not sure. Despite that the series had such beautiful, emotional story lines and wonderful relationship development. Not just romantic, but friendship and family relationships too. The acting was superb and in my option the series got better and more exciting in the middle. The only let down was the ending. It's what we all wait for and we don't just want it to to be resolved in the last episode. Overall thoroughly enjoyed this series and highly recommend it.

Put Your Head on My Shoulder (2019)

Updated review after re-watching... Flipping wonderful!!

[10/10 · 25 March 2020]

This is the first Asian series I have watched for a second time and I loved it even more than the first. There is so much more to this than a simple love story. The characters are so endearing and the absolute adoration Gu Wei has for Situ Mo is the best part. I love they way he Googles everything and that the parents are nice and supportive for once and instead of huge obstacles, you just get to enjoy two very different characters develop such love and friendship. Situ Mo is such a cute, loveable character and the other friends are so lovely too. In contrast with many other series, the last few episodes are the best, not a rush to a final conclusion but most of my favourite lines and moments come from these episodes and they take you a bit further than down the road. Watched this during the Covid-19 outbreak and it was a sweet escape! More like this please!!

Meteor Garden (2018)

Just loved the series!

[9/10 · 15 March 2020]

I have become a huge fan of Korean and Chinese dramas. Meteor garden was different to most Asian series, slightly more quirky and definitely a few cringe moments (London restaurant scene and the unidentifiable 'English' accents!) but with such incredible characters and heart melting moments that any flaws didn't matter a bit! I cried almost all the way through the Hot Pot episode! The friendship between the F4 was almost as endearing as the romance story and the relationship between Lei and Sanchai was incredible. Si and Sanchai had such chemistry and although frustrating at times, I just loved the relationship between the two of them. The side stories were ok but I kept looking forward to getting back to the main story line.

I want to be friends with the F4 😂! The soundtrack is something else, both the western pop songs and the original songs sang by all the F4 actors are just incredible. I have all of them as well as many other Asian drama soundtracks on Spotify and they make me smile every time. Thoroughly recommend! Be be prepared to want to binge watch 😃.

My First First Love (2019)

Season 2

[7/10 · 4 March 2020]

Loved the first series and romance story, but thought the second series and especially how the romance ended didn't feel right or believable. Totally thought Song-I should have ended up with Do-hyeon who had a pretty miserable conclusion. Loved the characters and friendship though and as always brilliant, acting and sweet moments throughout.

Put Your Head on My Shoulder (2019)

Simply wonderful!

[10/10 · 22 February 2020]

I have been a great fan of Korean dramas but this was my first Chinese series. At first I found the animal sounds a bit offputting but I soon got used to it and after giving it a chance ended up absolutely loving the simple romantic story and characters. I loved that we got our happy ending/s and then the story continued for a few episodes. Such a sweet, romantic series, really going to miss the characters.