Pinocchio (2014)

STORY
I found the first half of the show fresh on its own merit. The conflict of the first arc got me hooked that I even found myself thinking about it before I sleep. I ask myself questions how, why, what will happen next? It was a thrilling ride for me because of its fast pace. Until the second half/arc comes in. I could care less about the evil moms lurking around than the poor tragic brother Dal Po has. I nearly dropped the show because of the plot and the constant "i must tell the evil truth about this some because i care". It slowed down on the second half. Good thing the cute was still there, but it was less angst. I love the family's bonding and love for each other. That's the best thing.

ACTING/CAST
The actors in this drama should be given a standing ovation. The drama's execution kind of cured some of the plot holes and "not so incidental" information gathering.
Park Shin Hye's character was refreshing. A heroine who was honest (because she has no other choice that is), and understanding is a nice project for PSH.
Lee Jong Seok's acting was superb as always. An acting which gets you right through your heart. Kim Hae Sook is another notable actress though her character here undermines her acting ability. She could have done more in the earlier episodes.
Beom Joo's character was a little inconsistent. Though it was a nice resolution for him.
Yoo Rae! All she did was pout. That's kinda sad.

REWATCH VALUE
With the story laden at hand, the twists would give a lesser effect already. But maybe I'll rewatch it. If I miss Dal Po's finger guns. HA.

Leggi di Più

What I liked:

The story really pulls you in at the beginning. In the first half it did a good job of executing very emotional scenes in a believable way and the plot line was both consistent and to a certain extent not unbelievable. The characters were developing nicely and the music was excellent. I liked that they were trying to be a bit different in terms of camera angles and character growth. It made me laugh a few times

What I disliked
At the halfway mark, it really began to drag. It felt like it really lost the momentum of the previous ten episodes and, in my opinion, what could have been a fairly straight forward romance with the subplot of revenge/family issues all of a sudden turned into the kind of teen angst you see in high school with breaking up multiple times because 'I just want you to be happy' yadayada. I also believe that restorative justice is a great idea in real life but in a drama difficult to execute in an interesting way. In many ways it was too idealistic, but I don't judge it on that, just on its pacing. I half watched it because it became boring to me. I also did not like that it hastily ended with a wedding when they could have just, you know, continued dating.

What I loved:
The music. There was not a lot of out of place kpop songs, and the songs they did include (for the most part) were fitting in terms of mood. I disliked the ending song.

Rewatch Value:
Zero for me.

Would I recommend?
Yes. I think it is a solid investment of time. The value of the acting and overall script is enough that you won't regret it.

Leggi di Più

I recently completed watching this Korean drama that I absolutely loved! Amazing Drama. Acting, Storyline, Romance & Humor Everything was perfect. It's about a girl who can't lie without hiccupping and a guy who dreams of becoming a journalist. The chemistry between the two main characters is undeniable, and their love story is so heartwarming! The supporting cast was also fantastic, adding depth and complexity to the overall story.

I think it's a very amazing k-drama and trust me when I say a k-drama is good then it really is and this one stands out to me. Nothing too cliche, no understandable love story that came out from nowhere like the love story is very heartfelt and not out of context. Not your usual they fell in love at the first sight but rather a relationship that took time to be strongly built. It also talks about a very important issue which is the HUGE effects of media on us and on our views of others. I can say I came out with a learned lesson like it literally taught me something about life. It is just amazing and I could talk about it for hours.

Overall, I highly recommend Pinocchio to anyone looking for a well-written, entertaining, and socially relevant Korean drama. It's perfect for fans of the genre and even for those who are new to Korean dramas. You won't regret giving it a watch!

Leggi di Più

Pinocchio, Pinocchio I thought you were going to be a stupid show. But I was so wrong...I should have known better you had Mr. Tall, talented and sexy as your main man. Lee Jong-suk ....wow. He just continues to showcase his talent. Spoiler: He is responsible for Ms. Park Shin-hye finally, I mean finally having a realistic kiss. She also matured into this role really well. The chemistry between the two was great. The supporting cast is top notch. The plot and storyline had you engaged from the start. It made you sit up and say "oh wait...so this isn't a comedy..." (for those of us that don't read in-depth previews before a show and it had Park Shin-hye. I was expecting some funny in the first epi.) Spoiler: the only part that wasn't so believable or I missed something in translation, was the whole phone/stolen text piece, maybe it's just me. There were parts towards the end that I wanted a little bit more, something fell flat a little? Overall I was satisfied. This was a great show. If I say anything else, I will spoil it for you, so watch it for yourself.

Leggi di Più

Perfect Drama!
Better than any other drama i've ever seen. It had moments of sadness , love , humor , drama , suspense everything. AND everything was presented at perfecting timing.

Story: The story presented a very different kind of issue involving the influence of media nowadays and how the words from our reporters and the media can change a person's life (and mind you in a very drastic kind of way). Oh and it has a pinocchio(a person who cannot lie) in it who becomes a reporter all the more reasons to watch the show. The writer new exactly how to present the story. She lived up to my expectations as i was wondering how she would be able to get a story better than "I Hear Your Voice". Well she did manage to do that. Some people mind find this topic kinda boring i myself did but u just have to have the courage to just watch the first episode and there you go you would be hooked to this drama!!!

Acting: Perfecting acting. It seemed as if your the part of the story yourself and u know the characters vey well. It was like these characters were made for these actors. I absolutely adore all the actors in this drama. Lee Jung Suk!!!!! Is the best. Park Shin Hye is the best. BEST SUPPORTING CAST EVERRRRR!!! My dream cast from now onwards!!! <3 eeeepppp well that pretty much sums up how i feel about that :D

Well there was every type of genre for different genre lovers except for horror. Well i think there was some kind of horror in it towards the end related to a particular persons behavior (well you have to see it to understand it). Ahhhh Park Hye Ryun your simply the best. You made me sooo happy. :D

In the end im just disappointed for one tiny bit of a reason. And that isss:

GAHHHH!!! Why did it have to end so earlyyyyy :((((. Saranghae Pinocchio you shall be remember always <3

Leggi di Più

Just like I Hear Your Voice, I love how the writer teach us something after watching Pinocchio - No matter how many lies you have said, in the end, you will still need to face the truth, no matter how painful it can be.
THE STORY: HATS OFF TO THE WRITER, REALLY. The plot was really written very beautifully well. And I actually love how every single scene is like a piece of puzzle, piecing up to form the big puzzle, and there we go, we finally solved the mystery. Every single episode is just so intense, and there isn't a single part where I'd find it draggy or boring or whatsoever. It seems like the production team has already planned out carefully what scenes to be added in.

THE CASTS: I really want to rate 10/10 for this part!!! Every cast portrayed their role very well and it just makes the whole show so enjoyable, so exciting that it can give you goosebumps! However, I do like to compliment Seo Bum Jo and Sung Cha Ok's characters. Both of them gave me a great impression, because I get to see how both of them grow and become more mature since episode 1. I am actually awed by how Manager Sung is the one who learnt something from Dal Po instead. In other words, I am glad that I didn't have to hate her all the way in this show. (:

THE MUSIC: I didn't really hear much of the OSTs in background, only intense background sounds, so I don't have a real OST that I can really remember.

REWATCH VALUE: Sadly, I have to rate it as 7. I will rank it higher if there are more intimate scenes between the main couple. Honestly, I do not have any feels for this OTP, rather than OTP in I Hear Your Voice. Probably this show is targeted more towards the "revenge" part instead of the love story. Nonetheless, I will still rewatch if I have the feel to watch some intense scenes. (;

Leggi di Più

I finally finished watching this, phew...

I'm guessing that I'm only in the  minority here, in the circle of people that found this drama only decent. The only adjectives that I can think of at the moment to describe this drama are draggy and boring. Sure, the beginning was really intense and I thought that I seriously got hooked. The plot line was unique and really interesting to follow, however, I strongly believe that the drama was just too long. I kind of lost it somewhere in the middle. The same cases and problems got stretched out into a couple of episodes, which I found completely unnecessary actually. Seeing the star-studded cast working together was kind of cool but I do think that the main couple lacked chemistry. In my opinion, In Ha's character didn't hit my image of Park Shin Hye one bit. On the other hand, I really enjoyed the performance of the various side characters, who made the drama really diverse. But that's kind of it. I can't find any more reasons why I liked the drama. Towards the end of watching the series, I really wanted to end it and to start watching something better. So, would I rewatch it? Nahhh...

Lastly, I'm going to mention that I went in to watch this just because it gained so much positivity and great reviews so probably my expectations were unrealistic for this. It's a different story that you might or might not enjoy, depending on your actor and genre preferences.

Leggi di Più

Quelle déception...

Il m'aura finalement fallu des semaines (si pas des mois) pour arriver à la fin des 20 épisodes de cette série.

Si le pitch de départ est intéressant (une fille soufrant du syndrome de Pinocchio et qui ne peut donc pas mentir, qui souhaite devenir journaliste), l'idée est finalement plutôt reléguée au second plan et très peu exploitée.

S'ensuit une succession d'épisodes plutôt fades (hormis quelques bons passages de temps à autre, mais en quantité nettement insuffisante), qui tombent dans le larmoyant (au final, tout le monde pleure à tout bout de champ, ce qui a eu le don de m'agacer prodigieusement). Même l'actrice principale, que j'ai beaucoup apprécié dans "Memories of the Alhambra" ne parvient pas à éviter le naufrage, même si c'est elle qui s'en sort le mieux.

Les personnages secondaires ne sont pas beaucoup plus intéressants, emmêlés dans une intrigue sans grande envergure.

Je ne suis pas du tout contre un drama qui exploite habilement les émotions mais nous sommes ici en présence du stéréotype de ce qu'il ne faut pas faire (enfin selon mon avis personnel, bien entendu). C'est plutôt surjoué, prévisible et assez décevant en fin de compte.

Bref, une grosse déception me concernant (même si je suis encore tendre avec la note finale car je n'aime pas descendre un drama par plaisir) et donc une série que je ne recommanderais personnellement pas :-(

Leggi di Più

THIS SHOW WAS AMAZING ON ALL LEVELS.

A basic resume of the show is that one day a little boy's family is torn by a news broadcast and he ends up in a completely different family that adopts him not knowing his real identity but whom have ties to he person who divided his family. As the show goes on he becomes what he hates most a reporter, and learns what a real reporter is, all while catching bad guys, having fun with his friends, reporting anything and everything that happens AND looking good the whole time.

The acting from EVERYBODY was absolutely GREAT, I can guarantee 178% that this show will not only make you laugh tremendously but also cry rivers in the right moments. I cannot begin to describe what an emotional rollercoaster it has been, and yet it has been a pleasure the whole time. The music was great, never got annoying, never used too much and I give a personal thanks to the writers who made such an amazing job not only with the story but also how they filmed it, literally 200/100.

Thank you to all the actors, the writers, the cameramen, the staff, the musicians and everybody else for producing such an amazing show.

Leggi di Più

Yes, yes and YES! This drama just knocked it out of the park on every damn level. This ranks up there with shows like Healer and one of my faves. Firstly, the entire cast was just amazing, Park Shin Hye and Lee Jong Suk were perfect, their romance sweet without being too angsty, but mainly they hit all the right notes from start to finish. There were no draggy moments in the show, the pace kept me interested, even in the slower, more poignant moments, I didn't feel like screen time was being wasted. What I loved about what this show did was how the story broke my heart right at the start, and then, bit by bit, put it all back together. Some parts were hard to watch, especially at the start, but the payoff is so wonderful, that it was all worth it. I loved how fleshed out everyone was, not just the main characters. Even our so-called baddies were real people with motive and doubts and guilt (except for one, but sometimes people are just sociopaths). I adored the family dynamics with dad and granddad, and because of the convoluted ties between all of them, the relationship between the leads wasn't just going to be a given, and they realized and respected that without making it into an angst-fest - how refreshing! And then there were the other families, the teams of reporters, their camaraderie and bickering, the central 4 (who I dubbed the scoobie gang) and their seniors - I loved them all. So, while the show put a big grin on my face in the end, I'm so sad to leave these characters, and really, can we please have a sit com just dealing with the antics of newbie reporters to console us?

Leggi di Più

Well after &amp;quot;The Heir&amp;quot; syndrome I was really disappointed in Park Shyn Hye and K-dramas overall so I hesitated a lot when starting with &amp;quot;Pinocchio&amp;quot;. However, right now I can say that my faith for K-dramas and the lovely Miss Shyn Hye has strengthened than ever before.

Such amazing plot ! The storyline just keeps getting better and better. The first episode might be intense and a little bit lengthy but please be patient because everything is not what it seems. There are cases so sensitive and acquires profound thoughts that I admire K-drama's boldness to disclose such matters. After all episodes, the message is clearly delivered: &amp;quot;There is nothing as precious as the truth&amp;quot;. Ignorance is never a good thing. Each and everyone of us should always protect justice no matter what the &amp;quot;dark side&amp;quot; has to offer. What a powerful and meaningful message!

Aside from the awesome story, the cast is incredible. There is no character that I am able to hate. The main leads were portrayed perfectly by Jong Suk and Shyn Hye. Sure she cries a lot but we can relate to her misery and her kindness. Their chemistry was off the roof ! The 'third wheel' Bum Jo here is so adorable that I really hope this actor can get more attention and be recognized soon. Yoon Yoo Rae is definitely the cutest character in the drama hope they make a sequel for us to see her relationship with *no way I won't spoil the fun*. However, I was touched the most by the Choi family, grandpa makes me laugh and cry everytime. Romance sure is sweet but family bonding is what I treasure the most when I was enjoying the drama.

There are many reviews about this well-known drama but I sure hope whoever reads this could try giving the drama a chance and be moved by it (just like me :p). Thrilling scenes, hidden mystery, political matters, passion, youth, friendship, love, family, all are in perfect harmony here. However, I don't really want to rewatch this as I want to keep these feelings and lessons that a K-drama could teach me. Hope you guys get on this wonderful ride of Pinocchio !

*P.s: OSTs are wonderful. Not too impressive, but relatable esp while watching the drama. Enjoy it !

Leggi di Più

Actually, there is a deeper story than just being reporters

Well, the resume of this drama is really bad, it didn't make me want to watch it. But I did cuz I was interested in the actors and some scenes I could see there and there. So, first point : the story and the resume are really far away of each other... I mean, the story is really more deeper than that. The relationship between each reporter and also with the police is well-described, really captivating. The brotherhood and the relationship between the brothers is really wonderfull, cute and it makes me cry like hell. Their story is really deep and well-written, it's not just a backstory.

Here, the romance didn't bother me that much but I really couldn't stand sometimes the character of the main female lead... I mean, she is always whinning, she never cares about others' feelings but she thinks she's right... I really didn't like that. But I have to say that their story, a forbidden one at the beginning, was quite sympathic to watch. But yeah, during the last episodes, there was too much romance for me so I skipped some useless scene... So, just a 9.5 cuz I really couldn't stand these points. I have the feeling that each character had a improvment, a self-development, that they all grew up because of this unfair world and so on, but that she was the only one to act like she did ; I don't know how to explain better thant that without any spoilers so I will not.

And I really liked the OST but none of them catched my ears so I just put a 6 for them. The acting was really great and if I had to rewatch it in some years, I think I will be quite happy and I'll re-enjoy this show.

Leggi di Più