While You Were Sleeping (2017)

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Era da tempo che non vedevo un drama così bello!!
Mi ha ricordato un po' Pinocchio, un drama crime/thriller romantico. Questo con un pizzico di fantasy. Io non amo particolarmente questo genere nei drama (almeno finora in 1 o 2 mi hanno entusiasmato) ma qui non mi ha affatto disturbato, anzi è risultato addirittura piacevole.
Gli attori mi sono piaciuti tutti tantissimo, i protagonisti su tutti: lui già visto e amato in Pinocchio appunto, lei in Start Up (my love). La storia è sempre bella e coinvolgente e ho una enorme voglia di rivederlo. Non ho molto da dire perchè l'ho amato, ho amato ogni singolo istante. Davvero, davvero stra consigliato.

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Ho iniziato questo drama senza chissà quali aspettative e ho finito per adorarlo. Le prime puntate sono introduttive e non mettono subito in chiaro quale sarà il percorso della storia, che quindi è andata avanti sorprendendomi in positivo, soprattutto. per quanto riguarda il modo in cui hanno incastrato tutti i pezzi del puzzle. L'elemento fantasy è ben integrato alla realtà e le parti "tribunalesche" non sono mai noiose o scontate.
Per quanto riguarda gli attori c'è poco da dire, sono semplicemente fantastici e sul pezzo. I personaggi sono ben scritti, mi è piaciuto molto il fatto di aver visto molte loro sfaccettature e ho amato anche la crescita che compiono nell'arco delle puntate.

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E’ un prodotto di intrattenimento, e lo fa benissimo!

Ho letto di tutto e di più su questo titolo. Chi si lamenta della performance della protagonista, chi del protagonista, chi della chimica fra i due, chi della gestione dei flashback, chi della logica degli avvenimenti, e così via. Immagino sia così per ogni e qualsiasi drama. Io non sono molto abile a notare illogicità sottili e parto dal presupposto che quello che sto guardando, specie perché bazzica nel soprannaturale, sia un mero prodotto di intrattenimento. Da questo punto di vista, per quanto mi riguarda hanno fatto un lavoro ottimo. L’unico, vero, minus di tutta la serie è il fatto che non spieghino come siano nati questi sogni e che a volte siano poco coerenti con le (presunte) premesse. Fine. Ma non stiamo mica guardando una lezione universitaria di fisica nucleare!
Il concetto di base è interessante, anche se forse non completamente originale (raccontiamo storie da migliaia di anni…).
Lo svolgimento è ben condotto, senza battute di arresto e accelerazioni improvvise. C’è almeno un cruciale colpo di scena che non avevo minimamente previsto e mi ha fatto ballare di soddisfazione sulla sedia. La storia d’amore fra i protagonisti non prende mai il sopravvento sulle vicende, ma è ben integrata nella storia. Il fatto stesso che la linea temporale viaggi avanti e indietro non confonde, perché il tutto resta abbastanza lineare e perfettamente comprensibile. Il finale è soddisfacente. L’ambientazione nei tribunali è molto piacevole, anche se probabilmente non completamente realistica. Ma, ehi, mica è un documentario!
I costumi? Da donna ho notato particolarmente quelli degli uomini. E le lunghe gambe di Lee Jong Suk inguainate negli abiti scuri, sormontate dal resto, fanno la loro magnifica figura. Anche Jung Hae In, in divisa, specie quella scura, non lascia indifferenti. Lo stesso Lee Sang Yeob, pur se gravato da un personaggio antipatico, è di una innegabile eleganza.
Passando alla performance degli attori, non ho notato particolari deficienze, anzi. Il quartetto dei principali – il duo protagonista, il poliziotto e il legale cattivo – è riuscito a dare un’interpretazione convincente e non forzata. Non dico che siano da oscar, ma hanno sicuramente guadagnato la pagnotta. Anche diversi interpreti di personaggi secondari hanno fatto molto più del loro dovere, per esempio Kim Won Hae, nei panni dell’investigatore Choi, è stato veramente magnifico, Hwang Young Hee è stata una convincente madre della protagonista e, in generale, la serie dei caratteristi di contorno si è comportata alla grande. Non so perché in tanti ce l’abbiano con Bae Suzy. A me nel suo ruolo è piaciuta molto. Una ragazza gravata da un passato doloroso e dal perdurare di sogni sconcertanti e spesso minacciosi, non può che avere qualche stranezza.
I personaggi sono umani. Non ci sono supereroi, tizi imbattibili, che prendono sempre la decisione giusta, che vincono sempre, e così via. Le decisioni sono difficili, soppesate, sofferte, tanto più quando ne dipendono le vite delle persone. Il cattivo del mazzo è forse il più umano di tutti, un uomo tutto sommato tormentato, ma che non riesce mai a trovare in questo tormento la forza di fare la cosa giusta, o almeno quella meno errata. “Non sei qui perché la tua risposta era sbagliata. Se qui perché hai preteso che la risposta sbagliata fosse giusta.” Non sono solo i buoni a disprezzare il malvagio, vediamo più volte, nel corso del drama, che si fa schifo da solo. Che tristezza.
Resta da parlare del commento musicale. Ecco, sinceramente forse è l’aspetto più trascurabile. Le canzoni per il mio orecchio non sono particolarmente memorabili, e non ho ricordi di musiche di sottofondo che mi abbiano particolarmente colpito, a parte il crescendo orchestrale che sottolinea le parti più pregnanti. Un po’ poco per scriverne a casa.
In sunto, una serie che ho trovato godibilissima e che ho guardato tutta d’un fiato, a botte di una decina di episodi al giorno, visto che sono in ferie. Una serie da guardare e riguardare, che mi lascia con l’arduo compito di trovarne un’altra che sia almeno alla pari. Compito difficile, perché siamo veramente ai limiti superiori, qui.

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Assolutamente da vedere!Originale e commovente.

Drama inaspettatamente bello ? c'è tutto amore grande dolce e bello,fantasy,destino,suspense e originalità.ho amato gli incroci del destino che fa incontrare i personaggi durante il tempo.Cast di grandi attori dai protagonisti a gli attori di supporto anche loro molto noti.Attori fantastici tutti e i protagonisti molto bravi,una Suzy bella e brava e un Lee Jong-suk fantastico,parte molto azzeccata per lui.
Commovente e romantico al punto giusto,quella nota di fantasy che rende tutto più originale.
ora ho capito la fama di questo drama e sono d'accordo...merita visto e rimane nel cuore.

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Un drama stratosferico!!!

Un drama stratosferico!!! Non ci sono altre parole per descriverlo.
La trama è particolare e intrigante.; c’è la parte legal, la parte romance e la parte fantasy (che riguarda i sogni premonitori). Durante le puntate ci troviamo di fronte a scene commoventi, drammatiche, romantiche e comiche.
Gli attori sono tutti bravissimi e la storia ne guadagna. Ho amato il rapporto tra i tre protagonisti Leo Jong-suk, Bea Suzy e Jung Hae-in. Ci fa capire che la vera amicizia esiste e cosa vuol dire tenere veramente ad una persona. Mi sono piaciuti tantissimo anche i personaggi di contorno che rendono il drama corale.
La storia d’amore c’è ed è dolcissima me mi è piaciuta tanto anche la parte legal che mi ha tenuta sempre con il fiato sospeso.
Un drama da guardare ASSOLUTAMENTE!

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The amount of hate that this drama is receiving is astounding to me because in my opinion this has been a stand-out drama among many other dramas that were considered vastly popular this year including Suspicious Partner, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, and others. The other reviews on this site seem to be incoherent and sort of click-bait so I will try to be as analytical and straightforward as I can with my review. My overall thought is that this is a drama that is great to watch once and feel good about the romance, the justice system and the characters.
Disclaimer: I am not a Lee Jong Suk or Suzy fanboy (or many other actors to begin with) so I have no personal feelings for any of the actors.
Disclaimer 2: I value storyline/plot and character/character development extremely highly and far above music which is also above replay value, but I will analyze each in their own category.

Storyline/Plot:
This plot is one of the most interesting yet not confounding plots (I’m looking at you ‘W’) that I have seen in a Korean drama in recent memory. Many recent dramas have been historical dramas that are trying to break the past tropes for a fresh feeling or are mundane/ “normal-life” struggles dramas that bring in new and ironically less “normal” characters. This is something different and interesting because it ties together two interesting aspects: fantasy which are essentially seeing the future through dreams and the justice system. Two aspects that are usually very different but through this drama are associated in a fresh way.

Now, onto the actual plot. I think the pacing was done superbly well and the inserts of flashbacks was well timed. My main complaint about the plot was that there were a few plot holes that were never truly covered. Firstly, why is Suzy able to see dreams about random people when the original idea was that whoever saves you will be who you dream about just like all the other characters? How did Suzy start dreaming to begin with? What is the motive for the detective to hide that he does not know Suzy and Lee Jong Suk? These issues are sort of touched upon but glossed over because there is no real answer to them.

Besides plot holes, everything about this was very good. There are people that complain that the flashbacks and past were not impactful enough but the contrast between past and present that the director/producer used was actually well done. I knew that the plot would be interesting and good when the first episode consisted of Suzy killing herself and Lee Jong Suk struggling with what he saw in his dream just as any other person. Secondly, I believe that one of the strongest points of the drama was the incorporation of the premise of the show into the romance and the melodrama portion. There are some dramas that try to be too many things at once and often fail at all of them or are unable to incorporate all of them. This drama does a superb job of incorporating the dreams into the romance, the justice system, everyday life and the conflicts as a whole.

Overall, one of the best plots done in recent history. This drama is logical (including the fantasy of dreaming of course) and also touches upon some key ideas in an interesting way. What do you do if you know the future? Can you change it? Is changing the future the right thing to do? Is the legal system perfect? Morality over personal interest? All decisions have consequences whether you like it or not. All of these aspects are intricately woven into a very well written plot that presents multiple themes throughout.

Characters:
I believe the true strength of the show was in characterization of not only Lee Jong Suk and Suzy but also of the many side characters. Firstly, I believe that characterization must be logical and follow some “set of rules.” What I mean by this is that some dramas have side characters that perform actions for no real reason or their characters exist with only one thought running through their head. However, each of these characters has their own motivations and thoughts which can be perceived just by thinking about it from their perspective and the drama was shot in such a way and with such good pacing that each character seems relatable. Before I talk about Suzy and Lee Jong Suk, I will talk about each of the side characters and give examples of what I mean. There are 3 “side characters” that I must highlight to show why characterization is so strong and important in this drama. I don’t want to touch upon the detective because there were plot holes that I discussed earlier that I am still unsure about.

Suzy’s mom is an eccentric woman but when you get down to her character she is a person that is devoted to her daughter and her daughter’s happiness is the core of her being like many other mothers. Would you want your daughter to date a man that could get her killed? How about giving her false hope or causing her pain? The rating of the men around her daughter is a personification of what mothers actually do. Every action by this character makes sense.

Lee Yoo Beom or the main villain is an intricate character whose end-game is truly highlighted in the last episode. A self-driven, greedy individual who presents a façade of intelligence but struggles to stick with his own morals when gain is in front. This character through flashbacks and actions by Lee Jong Suk is strongly characterized as someone that would take advantage of another person while maintaining that he was simply doing the logical and right thing. The most impactful seems were when he was in the bathroom washing his hands or loosening his tie and cufflinks. These are small things that show a much more in-depth character. The washing of the hands to symbolize washing himself of his guilt. Or loosening his clothing when he is doing things that are morally wrong to symbolize the loosening of his morals. Every action about this character makes sense especially being driven into a corner where he ends up making the decision to kill a person he said knew him better than his parents. Every action made sense.

Han Woo Tak. Many people love this character and for good reason because he is the charming and loyal second lead that many people are supposed to feel bad for due to his unrequited love. However, his actions also make sense. From the beginning Suzy shows no romantic interest in him and it is clear to anyone that Suzy and Lee Jong Suk were more than friends from early on in this drama. Many other second leads in other dramas would do anything to become the love interest including ruining friendships and ignoring the obvious truth. That is the beauty of this character. He knows how to look and read other people. Woo Tak makes decisions based off of other people while still maintaining his outstanding morals. He decides to value his friendship with both main characters over his own love. Many people experience unrequited love in their life and end up just being friends. Sacrificing everything for a love interest that clearly shows no affection back is a sign of terrible character that does not fit with his logical and morally sound characterization.

Lastly, our two main lead characters. Many people say Suzy is just a pretty actress. I would say that this is by far her best performance and she perfectly acted out her character. How do you act out an optimistic yet afraid girl that constantly dreams about other people dying or experiencing death yourself? Suzy perfectly acted out a quirky girl that tries to always keep a smile on her face and not let her fears get to her. This character is very complexly written because it touches upon an interesting aspect of human psych. How do humans deal with pain and tragedy and fear? Some people become depressed, while others hide it. Clearly Suzy’s character was hiding her fears at the beginning while it was also clearly controlling her life ie. short hair and quitting her job. This character indicates that when you hide pain it can be harmful and cause your character to be much more falsely optimistic or pessimistic at times. Her character makes sense.

Lee Jong Suk’s character is also very interesting. His character is someone that has bettered himself from the past but still maintains his resentment for certain things and events ie. regret about his father and hate for Lee Yoo Beom. Many people say that a plot hole in this drama is that for such a smart character he does nothing except rely on dreams and other characters’ help. I would argue this is very realistic. No matter how smart someone is there are obstacles that they can’t pass without help. Do you kill 7 people, or do you get the criminal? Suzy helps him think outside the box. If you believe every character should have all the answers that means you are watching some very poorly written dramas. Do you unleash your anger, or do you allow the legal system that you believe in to work? Lee Jong Suk is not a super hero and that is very clear from this drama. He clearly struggles with the same emotions and understanding that I our other logical viewers would reach. The last key example is that he knows his best friend Woo Tak loves his girlfriend, but he does not outwardly show it. Other dramas would result in him fighting his best friend or going out of his way to disturb their relationship. But his character’s ability to read other people and trust his friends shines through and he does not complete many of the actions other main characters would do.

Lastly, the chemistry. I would say it was okay and cute at times. I do not think it was as great as some viewers claim or as bad as others would say. It was simply a part of the story which I actually prefer. The romance was not overbearing and did not interfere with the story but instead was another key aspect of the story. Suzy and LJS love each other and would do anything for each other but that does not mean that they do or should. It was not the sizzling romance with smoldering eyes and hot kisses that many fans would hope for, but I honestly think this is more realistic. Love does not have to just be passion, it could be walking your girlfriend to work every morning or being jealous she is paying attention to another guy. It does not have to be star-crossed lovers with exaggerated lines that would die for each other at a moment’s notice. Even though there was a bit of that in this drama too.

Music:
I think this music was quite good. There were several songs that stood out to me including “When Night Falls” by Eddy Kim (which was probably the best song), “It’s You” by Henry (meh, I think the song fit but isn’t that great), “I Love You Boy” by Suzy (fits the drama very well and is also very good).

Rewatch value:
I rarely rewatch dramas but there were many good scenes and moments that you could rewatch for the aesthetics and the acting. I would say that of the recent dramas I would like to watch this drama again to think more about the other villains and the detective. They were all well written and correctly paced but I think I may have missed some key points.

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Simply one of the best...

So good, so good, soo good... This drama may be about people sleeping, but is sure to keep you wide a wake and on your toes as you binge it... The first episodes are packed with humour as well as heart heartfluttering flirting, fun and twists of fate, twist of umbrellas, twists of the arm... Showing all from exploding busses (ok 1), to domestic abuse and hubby love. Watching glimpses of your future when you sleep may not only save your life but will also shorten the runway in to love... or make you run scared... heck why not both?

As the show progresses the darker and deeper tit gets, the suspense and issues rise... (not that there weren't any in the beginning) and though the plot has lots of side stories they all come together, mixing genres without making a mess! Impressive right?

The show has an overall good and valuable message, about learning from ones mistakes. The characters are not only gorgeous for the eye... they are lovable interesting and not the least bit flat, as each story and character is properly dealt with and shown from several angels, ok not all but most of them. ..

Watching this for the first time will definitely surprise you and probably have you guessing, watching it for the second time you will probably notice a lot of details you thought were insignificant the first time around, and watching it a third time will probably just make your hart flutter, but this is just me guessing since I have actually only seen it twice.

In numbers:
Bingeabilaty: 10
Annoying elamnts: a few but they can be overlooked
Fluff: 10
Visuals: 10
Acting: 10
Side characters: 9
Fun: 10

So if you have yet to have seen this masterpiece go watch it, if you have seen it before go rewatch it...

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This drama is a gem and a rarity in Kdramaland. The level of sensibility in this show goes above and beyond anything I’ve seen in my 70+ Asian drama repertoire. This show is incredibly impressive when it comes to relationships and maturity. The characters are so functional together.

I watched this with the family. We did plenty of marathoning. It’s an easy show to watch with great little arcs that are quickly completed so annoying people/events aren’t dragged out unnecessarily. I do feel like that is one of the killers in Korean dramas, especially if you’re watching it with others and can’t press the fast forward button as liberally. The plotlines and the setups were intriguing, thought-provoking and feasible.

I enjoyed the pacing in this show with all the neat and tidy arcs. And the show maintains its consistency and quality all the way through. That’s noteworthy. At first, the comedy felt forced, but in general, the drama was everything – funny, sad, meaningful and intelligent. All the characters are fun and don’t waste their screen time.

The start is a little shaky as most Korean dramas are. But it settles in nicely. The characters are smart, funny, quirky and loveable.

One of the main things that stands out to me with this show is their problem solving, friendship and communication. Because they all dream about each other’s lives, it’s hard to keep secrets and they all talk about their problems together. This is awesome.

Jae Chan – male lead
This is probably one of the first LJS dramas where he’s not this perfect upstanding guy. I liked his flaws. His character development is wonderful and his backstory fits in nicely with his philosophy and attitude.

Hong Joo – female lead
I loved how respected she is in this show. She is well positioned in her workplace and she gets to play a significant role in problem solving. At times, I’m annoyed that she just thinks she’s helpless in the face of her nightmares.

Woo Tak – aka Batman
This guy was hands down the most favourite character. He is so good-natured, handsome, and strategic. His involvement in the show made everything better. I loved him so much from beginning to end.

Yoo Beom – bad guy
This guy is handsome too but he can also be hella annoying. Still, I liked his character and how he contributed to the troubles of our team.

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This is a hard review for me. I love the writer and I love love love Lee Jong Suk. For me, he's an actor who has a knack for good roles and the talent to pull off those roles. He's my favorite! So it wasn't until yesterday, after much introspection, I admitted to myself that maybe I did not enjoy this drama as much as I wanted to (god, I wanted to). And as soon as I let that buried feeling out, the reasons came pouring down on me.

1. The Plot - What I loved about Park Hye Run's writing (particularly in Pinocchio and I Hear Your Voice) was that she knew what to say and when to say it. With Korean dramas, things can get messy and all over the place, particularly when dealing with themes of past and present. She did a fab job tying lose ends before, but in WYWS the story was all over the place. The back-and-forth of the story was really messy and the "past" didn't have the impact it intended. It reminded me of Kill Me Heal Me (another amazing drama with painful back-flashes). I loved how original her idea was but it wasn't articulated properly.

2. Suzy - I have always felt Suzy has potential to be a decent actress but so far, everything she has done has been problematic to me. I don't know if anyone else feels this way but I have spent some time thinking why I don't feel affected by her. It's not bad acting but it's the "cutesy" act. For some reason, Suzy's acting comes off as a half-hearted cutesy attempt. Instead of improving her acting, she focuses more on being pretty and sounding cute. When she acts, it feels like we're supposed to bow down to her beauty or something. And it hinders my experience because, instead of empathizing with her character, I end up feeling envious or annoyed. She has a hard time evoking that feeling of human-connection and understanding in me.

3. Lee Jong Suk - My two points are self-contradictory here. Firstly, I feel Lee Jong Suk is being typecast as this perfect character. In every drama, he practically plays the same guy in  different professional fields and having different life stories. Secondly, he did try to do something new in this drama  by pulling a Jang Hye Jung. He's literally the male version of Lee Bo Young's iconic character in I Hear Your Voice here. But sadly, he does not pull it off convincingly. So basically, he did try something new but it didn't work out well. But he really needs to keep experimenting more. I know he can pull it off and show more variety!

The chemistry was sadly lacking between the main couple. I don't know whose fault it is, but my disappointment was palpable while watching the whole drama. I was waiting for that "click" moment but they never seemed to click. At least not for me.

The rest of the cast was relatively better. I loved Woo Tak and the people in Jae Chan's office. The cases were interesting but not enough. The last case was the best out of the lot and the saving grace for me! Overall, I loved the idea but I wish they had built upon it some more and the lead pair had more chemistry.

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This is one of those dramas that I thought I would love, then suddenly lost interest. I'm not sure when I lost interest exactly, but I know that I went from eagerly awaiting new episodes to forgetting that it was still airing. For me, I think this is a case of mostly great story, not so great cast.

The plot involves seeing the future in your dreams, which is not a new kdrama concept, but I liked the way it was executed here. The supernatural thriller aspect of this show was what kept me most interested. I was excited each week to see if the characters would be able to change their fate.  There's also a lot of the plot that involves the characters' backstories, which I also very found interesting. It's not the most exciting or original thriller, but I was entertained. The writer, Park Hye-Ryun, wrote two dramas that I enjoyed with similar styles, "I Hear Your Voice" (one of my favorite villains) and "Pinocchio" (one of my favorite dramas). I think this one doesn't quite measure up in comparison, but in some ways it's kind of a hybrid of the two. "While You Were Sleeping" combines the law and reporting, asks similar questions about morality, and of course adds a supernatural twist in a way that is meant to seem totally plausible and realistic. The most obvious similarity, of course, is that it stars Lee Jong Suk. Maybe they were banking on recapturing past magic with all of these elements, but it still falls a little short.

Lee Jong Suk is fairly consistent. He's got this cool confident swag  thing going on, without being too arrogant, and while being vulnerable enough to maintain his charm.  In this role, however, he is supposed to come off as a little less cool, and it honestly didn't work. He still maintains his charm, but the lighthearted character he was going for still seemed too much like the character he usually plays, just in forced silly situations. I don't think fans of his will be disappointed, or that he does a bad job, it's just that something feels off with this character pretty early on. He of course is matched with Suzy, who I have been neutral about for a long time. She plays eccentric Hong Ju, the real center of this whole drama, but she went from being interesting to too predictable for me in this role. For a character who is supposed to be so headstrong and determined, she was still easily overshadowed by the guys. I honestly don't think she had a strong enough presence for this role.  It also doesn't help that her chemistry with Jong Suk didn't quite work either.  At first they were cute, really cute, but then they were pretty boring and forgettable. Both of their emotional scenes also felt really forced. She seems like an actress that relies on her costar's charm to make the chemistry really work, and since Jong Suk wasn't at his A game, that made her extra mediocre. So fans looking for a good rom com storyline will be pretty underwhelmed.

The rest of the cast is mostly great, especially Jung Hae In and Kim Won Hae. Hae In is a formidable second lead, if the romance portion wasn't so lacking, and really charming. I also love Won Hae's versatility, even though this role is more low key and emotional than I've seen him before, he is clearly a talented actor. Then there's the rest of the ensemble, especially the prosecutors and staff, who were all extremely entertaining, and added a lot to the story to hold my interest. Still, I have to say that I was disappointed by Lee Sang Yeob. He was good at playing arrogant, I will definitely give him that, but as a villain he was pretty boring. On paper his character is duplicitous, charming, and manipulative, but I felt like he was pretty one note in his portrayal. I'm a sucker for a good villain, so maybe I'm being extra hard on him, but I just wasn't impressed.

My rewatch value is obviously pretty low because my desire to even finish was pretty low. The plot is good enough, I think, to warrant a second viewing to see how the pieces fit. It may even be better to just binge watch so you don't have enough time in between to lose interest. I will also add the disclaimer that I was simultaneously watching other on air suspense/thriller dramas at the same time, and this started to pale in comparison, which didn't help.

The OST was pretty "meh" worthy for me. It fit the vibe of the story well, but I have no desire to hear any of these songs again. If I connected to this drama more I would probably like the OST more, but there are plenty of bad shows with soundtracks I love, so maybe not.

Overall, I'd say I'm disappointed based on the strong start, but not mad that I completed it. I would recommend too many other dramas before this one, especially since suspense is a common theme this season, but this isn't terrible, just not great. I wish more questions were answered at the end, instead of going for the standard ending, but I don't have any real major complaints. I would easily recommend this to fans of "I Hear your Voice" and "Pinocchio", with the disclaimer to lower your expectations, and expect some major deja vu.

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