While You Were Sleeping (2017)

watch and enjoy!!!!

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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This story has so many twists and turns, it'll make your head spin; but if you keep steady, you'll get a fantastic tale. The idea of "pay it forward" is subtle but constant throughout. Karma and life lessons are also important ideas for both the characters and the varying subplots. The primary plot doesn't involve only the main characters though. Every named character seems to have some influence over the entire storyline.
I drew a chart to show how each character introduced was associated to another character either more or less significant. The chart has lines and arrows all over the place. :)
The OST used fits each scene well. The scene editing is slightly confusing, but is often explained later on. There are many "Ohhh, that's what that was about" moments. The acting is good. You can see which actors are more seasoned, but the younger actors hold up well also.

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If you're pondering over watching this drama or not, JUST WATCH IT! It's one of the best kdramas I've ever watched. Its strongest point is the plot: there are many characters and many things happening over a span of 32 episodes only but the writers have handled it so well! Everything is neat, it's not excessively complicated or confusing and there are many 'WOW' moments, where you actually feel like applauding the script writers!
The whole cast is amazing and SO talented, all the secondary characters have done really well and tbh they are the ones that added the real flavor and made the drama so pleasant to watch!
Lee Jong Suk is pretty effortless as an actor, whatever he does looks nice and adorable. He did well in all his scenes, whether they were sad or happy or silly, there wasn't really a moment when I found his acting as artificial or fake. He also manages to capture the audience's attention but I guess we must credit the writers too, because they were the ones that made Jae Chan so appealing and lovable! But Jong Suk acted seriously well!
The one who played Woo Tak (i'm sorry idk their real names) omg he was the best. I don't understand why I'm so affected by this second-lead syndrome but he is EVERYTHING in this drama. From the way he acted to how sensible and extraordinary his character was. I really have no words. He deserves the best in the world, all I wanted was to cuddle with him and feed him all the good food that exists. Has there ever been a second-lead as amazing as him??
Suzy, aka our Nam Hong Joo. She did well, I liked her in all her scenes! She gave full justice to her character and I guess she really understood Nam Hong Joo in her essence.
The rest of the cast was really amazing, shout-out to Seung-won who's the most adorable brother ever and to Lee Yu Beom, who was such a sexy antagonist TT please don't hate me lmao. I really loved him tbh, the actor was SO amazing, like all the scenes where he was washing his hands and trying to clean himself from his bad deeds, i mean THE EMOTIONS! Lee Sang Yeob deserves a standing ovation for his performance imo.
The music was nice and soothing, some of the songs needs to be added in my playlist.
Idk what else to add, except from that this is one hell of a drama and y'all need to watch it!
peace out <3

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Enjoyed this one

This was a very good show. Lee Jong Suk was good. He's a good crier and he is just so beautiful - easy to watch. Suzy did a much better job than she had in other things I've seen her in. I do have to say that the brother and the friend looked so much alike I always had to figure out who I was watching, which took me a little out of the story. It was an interesting premise and I liked how each episode tied up a small loose end, but kept the overall mystery intact. The music was PERFECT - created lots of tension. The ending was terrific. This is one of those shows that has some pretty good kissing scenes, and it is a drama that I go back to periodically.

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“Wat if u can see de future in a dream?? "

De production & storytelling was de 1 I admired most about de series. De lead characters were definitely commendable. Lee Jong Suk's cute ways & intense looks can get u hooked. Suzy just shined more in dis drama, i would say .. There's also de super cute & totally gorgeous Jung Hae In who took "second lead syndrome" to a whole new level who even has a charming personality… Okay, and perfectly sculpted abs too, OMG!

//VERDICT // The tale which never lost its magic throughout de series!! Each setting was carefully thought out & every plot twist was revealed so marvelously. At 1 point, it was so thrilling that I wanted 2 squeal & cry as I was watching an episode while riding a jeepney. There was a balance of action, romance, fantasy, and comedy. Overall, it was still a feel-good series which is so good when it comes to fantasy romance + thrilling courtroom drama !!!

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Lucid dreaming at an unreal level

Nothing like the Sandra Bullock movie of the same name, this dreamy romance of intertwined lives by saving-indebtedness is sweet and heartwrenching at parts, with pretty solid acting particularly by the neighbourly mom who provides daily breakfast, and the investigator sidekick. Bae Suzy carries off her bob with panache, but what was most endearing was that scattered throughout the series' cutscenes were lil furry inserts of the neighbourhood cat and indoor corgi. One liner non-spoiler summary of the series: "If you could dream the future, what salvific changes would you effect, and how would you live with the consequences of your (in/)actions"

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The story is shocking, it has unbelievable plot twist, and has a good ending +5
Its humor scenes made me laugh +1
Lee Jong Sook is an actor that I know, he acted well +1
Some 'not romance' scenes were touching. +1
Kim So Hyun as a guest role +0.5
Total: 8.5
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If it was not the good story, I would not watch this drama. I don't like how the men are crying. It was too much. So, I'd rather to watch Woo Tae's acts rather than Jong Sook's (blame the director for this lol). I think, So Hyun's acts are far better than Suzy. So, as a woman protagonist, should be a better actress than Suzy to play in this high tense drama.

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Enquanto Você Dormia

Assista passe livre na Rakuten Viki -
Enquanto vc dormia - 2017 - While You Were Sleeping
Kdrama que consegue envolver o mundo dos sonhos e visões do futuro com o da justiça onde promotores, advogados, policiais, reportes, estudantes mostram suas personalidades em várias situações cotidianas: enquanto vc dormia. Aqui a lei e os argumentos usados para defesa e/ou acusação são expostos quando os sonhos deste trio de personagens maravilhosos, se tornam realidade. E Tem aquelas frases maravilhosas que ajudam a compor e a dar mais sentido as cenas uma delas "...com apenas uma vida, a gente não pode simplesmente morrer bonita, a gente tem que trabalhar."
Terminei com dor e lágrimas, mas, com a sensação de dever cumprido e alegria no coração.
Link para OST https://g.co/kgs/aJKov9
Trilha sonora
1- When Night Falls (긴 밤이 오 면) Eddy Kim
2- It's You - Henry Lau
3- You Belong to My World (좋겠다) - Roy Kim
4- I Love You Boy - Bae Suzy
5- While You Were Sleeping (당신이 잠든 사이에) -Brother Su, SE O
6- Lucid Dream (자각몽) - Monogram
7- I Miss You Today Too (오늘도 그리워 그리워) - Davichi
8- Maze (미로) - Kim Na-young
9- Come To Me (내게 와) - Lee Jong-suk
10- IF - Jung Joon-il
11- I'll Tell It (말할게) - Jang Da-bin
12- Would You Know (그대는 알까요) - Lee Jong-suk
13- Words I Want To Hear (듣고 싶은 말) - Bae Suzy
14- Primavera - Ludovico Einaudi

Elenco principal
#LeeJongsuk como Jung Jae-chan (Promotor)
Bae Suzy como Nam Hong-joo (Reporter) Jung Hae-in como Han Woo-tak (Policial)

Nam Da-reum como Jung Jae-chan (jovem)
Lee Sang-yeob como Lee Yoo-bum
Ko Sung-hee como Shin Hee-min

Elenco de apoio
Detetives de Divisão 3
Min Sung-wook como Lee Ji-kwang
Bae Hae-sun como Son Woo-joo
Lee Ki-young como Park Dae-young
Kim Won-hae como Choi Dam-dong
Park Jin-joo como Moon Hyang-mi
Son San como Min Jung-ha
Pessoas ao redor de Jung Jae-chan
Shin Jae-ha como Jung Seung-won, irmão mais novo de Jae-chan
Jang Hyun-sung como o pai de Jae-chan
Pessoas ao redor de Nam Jong-hoo
Hwang You ng-hee como Yoon Moon-sun, mãe de Hong-joo.


#wikipedia

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SO WORTH YOUR TIME

Storyline:
This drama absolutely BLEW my mind. You know a show is good when you're trying to eat ramen during it and you can't because you're too focused on the show. It continually surprised me with innovative plot twists and storylines that I could not predict. Not to mention the production of the show was FANTASTIC. I love how they used the concept of time to intelligently confuse the watchers while explain and interweave the backstories of the characters. The connections that this show made were amazing. Definitely did not see the character identity reveals coming. I also how they used subtle details to depict unsaid parts of the story. This show also just taught me a lot about what it's like in the courtroom and being a lawyer and prosecutor so I enjoyed that.

Acting:
PHENOMENAL. There were many crying scenes because of the tragedies that occurred in the plot and I thought every actor nailed them. Didn't seem over the top or not enough; I thought they captured the pain that the character would feel while scream sobbing perfectly.

Romance/Chemistry:
I actually enjoyed how there wasn't as many romantic scenes in this dramas as others because the main focus of the story on other topics was really well done and felt more important. However, the emotional and romantic connection was very much felt. I liked how the two leads grew together and were connected by fate and how dedicated they were to each other. I liked that there wasn't much of a love triangle and that the men stayed really good friends.

Music:
Perfectly matched every scene and expressed the tone of each scene well. Some great soundtracks in there.

Overall:
FREAKIN AMAZING. I'm so happy I watched it and Korean productions are genius, everyone involved with this project deserves so much credit for how great this was.

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Interesting premise. So much potential but was explored poorly.

This drama is probably the worst drama out of all the Park Hye-Ryun dramas.

The show's premise was very interesting in the first few episodes. The directing and the story was executed perfectly. But after the first few episodes, I realised there was a pattern. All the cases were linked to each of the character's danger. I found that very boring. It lasted throughout the whole drama until the last case. They also pulled a lot of fake outs. I knew the main characters weren't going to die so I wasn't really interested with the story.

The romance was not strong. It was a side theme.

I would watch the start and the end but everything in between is just filler cases.
But since it's a Park Hye-Ryun Drama, you're guaranteed to laugh out loud.

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Jung Hae In deserved to be the main lead!

I just finished the drama. I started it probably one or two months ago and I admit I was busy but I think I also wasn't hooked enough to make time for it and watch it.

Overall it was good, it's probably my third drama with Suzy as the main lead and she didn't disappoint. I've loved her acting since the very first time I saw her in Uncontrollably Fond and then Start Up and she's very interesting to me. Lee Jong Suk on the other hand... he's never clicked for me. There's something about his facial expressions, they don't say a lot. I watched him in Hymn of Death and literally got the same impression. I don't mean to be rude, he's pulled off some nice scenes, yet I feel like there is something missing every time.
I would've preferred Jung Hai In to be the main lead. I got to see him in Snowdrop/Tune in for Love and right after While You Were Sleeping, I started binging Something In The Rain and I love the dude. IDK but his eyes and smile really say a lot and oh boy is he handsomeeeeee 😂❤️

Back to the drama: it was an interesting plot. Yet I would've preferred some more complex scenarios. At time it felt like things were too obvious and personally, I don't quite enjoy that. Yet, the pacing was good, things ran kinda fast and that helped keep the interest (almost) alive.
There were some really interesting life questions or morals that the writer emphasized nicely on the dialogues. Each character, main or supportive one was nicely depicted and brought some valuable life lessons to the table. I like it when writers do this, that they don't forget about the support characters and bring their life stories up and make them relatable to us. I guess we can all agree, the prosecution office was hella funny. Han Woo Tak and Mr. Choi definitely hold the crown for my fav characters.
Much love for the leads but they could've had a better chemistry.

The OST... I don't really know what to say. "I love you boy" by Suzy was nice though. It keeps popping i my head every now and then.
Rewatch value: I don't think I'll ever miss this drama. There are far better ones out there that I'm really biased about rewatching as there are so many new dramas to watch, yet so little time.

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