Doom at Your Service (2021)

It had potential

This K-Drama had the potential to be one of the best but the second half of it was such a letdown

Why did I like the first half so much? The main couple were undeniably adorable, the story between Myeongmal and the deity made me curious, the second lead couple were decently interesting [keep this in mind], and the main female lead's story about her terminal disease was also interesting. As a video student, the cinematography was just genuinely amazing. On top of that, Ailee's OST "Breaking Down" was undeniably one of the best OST's there are.

But what happened to it? Why did I ended up giving the story a 6 and rewatch value a 4.5?
It was genuinely draggy, the story between Myeongmal and the deity was built up and it was at its climax but they didn't explore it deeper, the second lead couple became boring and toxic. Kevin's scenes [the Aunt's canadian boyfriend] could've been swapped with a story for the deity. They also didn't explore Dongkyung's disease any deeper.

Now am I saying that I hated the second half? No. As much of a letdown it was, I still liked it. I liked Seonkyung's story of discovering what he wanted at the end, Joo-ik leaving the publishing company to create his own, the main lead couple was once again adorable, the editorial team had a better story than the second lead couple even though they were only there for a few episodes.

Overall:

I didn't regret watching it but would I rewatch it? I want to say yes but I would not waste 16 hours re-watching this one. It was a decent k-drama with pretty cast, pretty ost, pretty cinematography but boring writing [at least for the second half].

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To be honest, the storyline was a little confusing to me, but the acting, the OST and the cinematography made it up to me. Seo Inguk and Kang Taeoh are so handsome that was a huge bonus. I don’t really like the second romance, only because I’m not a huge fan of love triangles, and Kang Taeoh was so likeable and cute?. Her brother was also really cute and fun to watch. I sort of expected it to be super sad and melodramatic but it was quite light. Although it did have some super sad moments. And I know people wanted it to be a sad ending but tbh who watches shows for their realistic aspect? I watch purely for entertainment so sad endings don’t work for me. Overall it was a really great watch, I definitely recommend it.

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My thoughts in this drama is so-so, I mean it was not bad but it's not something I'd add to my favorites either. The story is what I already expected of fantasy dramas, it was really dramatic. At some point, I find myself losing interest because there is nothing much happening. The story is quite straightforward. For the characters, I sometimes didn't like how the FL would run away when she feels like she's become a burden to people but at the same, I can relate lmao. Park Bo Young as always nailed her character here. Seo In Guk also suits Myul Mang, he looks so good and cute at the same time. I thought we would be getting more supernatural beings here, like Lee Soo Hyuk for example (his visuals really fits perfectly for those roles) but we only get Doom or Myul Mang (not a big deal but it would be more,, entertaining if there's more?) I also liked Na Ji Na's love story development in the drama, Idk but I find the side couple really cute. The chemistry also of the main leads is oozing with cuteness. Overall, I must say I like this drama but it's just in the middle for me. The thing that made me rate this high is the cast and their chemistry.

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Is it worth watching? No but yes.

I was so excited to start this drama and finished it with a smile, overall I liked & enjoyed it but there's something that bothered me and still bothers me a few days after finishing it. It's the fact that the concept and plot had amazing potential but the execution was just decent/okay.

Story (7/10)
The story started very strong, reading the short summary of it already got me interested and my curiosity went through the roof after finishing the first episode, I thought about so many possibilities of how the story could progress and how the ending would look like. Doom as an immortal being and the female lead Tak Dong Kyung who only has three months to live eventually falling in love with each other sounds so thrilling and interesting, the concept itself has a huge amount of potential but it kinda went back and forth at half-time of the drama + they dragged it a little too much with some decisions from the characters that seemed unnecessary to me. Even though it went back and forth at some point, some scenes were so emotional and well-executed. I didn't enjoy the love triangle of the other three major characters in the story, I'll talk about that later though. However I must say that there were a lot of beautiful life lessons and messages hidden in the story. The chemistry of the main two leads was the reason I kept watching, which leads us to the amazing cast and acting in this drama that I enjoyed a lot more than the story itself.

Cast/Acting (9.5/10)
As someone who's been a fan of Park Bo Young since Strong Woman, I got so excited when I heard that she got to be the main lead in a 2021 drama. Then I realized Seo In Guk is gonna be the male lead, I haven't seen any of his dramas before but remembered his small guest role in Abyss. I've been interested in him for a long time so I thought that this drama is gonna be perfect for me and I wasn't disappointed by the two main leads of this drama. Their INSANE chemistry alone got me to continue watching this. One of my favorite female actors + one of the most talented and attractive actors I've seen in a while were the perfect match and made the drama 10x more interesting for me. Their acting was incredible as well, Park Bo Young played a more mature role this time which I haven't seen a lot from her and it was really refreshing to see, her acting was as good as ever. Seo In Guk also surprised me, even though it was the first time I've seen him as a male lead I think that his role fit him perfectly and his acting was on point. He was able to convey so many emotions through his eyes only and I enjoyed his role & acting so so much. He officially became one of my favorite actors.

On the other hand as I have already mentioned, the love triangle didn't interest me as much as the main couple. I payed attention in the first few episodes but they slowly lost my attention. It's not that I didn't like the three as actors, I just didn't get strongly invested in their conflict/story and mostly skipped all of their scenes near the end because it lost my interest. However, I liked their roles outside of that (in my opinion) kinda boring love triangle. For example Na Ji Na as Dong Kyung's best friend.

I adore our main character Tak Dong Kyung's family and there were some other supporting characters that were really interesting to me, 9.5/10 for the cast and their acting.

Music (10/10)
TXT, Ailee, Baekhyun, do I have to say more? The OST for this drama is godly. Next to the two leads, it has to be the best thing about this drama. Even our male lead Seo In Guk sang a song and I absolutely love it, even the instrumental OST is so good, my favorite one is "Doom" and I personally think it fits the mood and atmosphere perfectly. My favorite OST overall has to be Breaking Down by Ailee though, I have been listening to it since Episode 1 and haven't got sick of it. But all the other songs are really great as well and there's not one that I particularly hate or don't like, which is why the music gets a solid 10 out of 10 from me.

All in all a pretty good drama, I still got attached to it even though I personally think they could've done a lot more with the concept and plot. It had very entertaining, emotional, funny, heartwarming and breaking moments even with its downsides but the bboing couple aka. Park Bo Young and Seo In Guk carried the show a whole lot. They were adorable and I was blown away by their chemistry. It's honestly worth watching just for them, it comes with an incredible OST and a good story that has some downsides - in the end the drama still gets a 8.5/10 from me.

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The plot revolves around Tak Dong-kyung (played by Park Bo-young), a strong-willed and pragmatic woman who, after learning about her limited time left to live, unwittingly summons Myul Mang (Seo In-guk), a supernatural being responsible for bringing doom upon the world. The dynamic between Dong-kyung and Myul Mang forms the crux of the story, and the chemistry between the lead actors is palpable, making their interactions both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

One of the strengths of "Doom at Your Service" lies in its ability to balance fantasy elements with real-world emotions. The show delves into existential questions, exploring the meaning of life, love, and the impact we have on those around us. The fantasy setting serves as a metaphor for the unpredictable nature of life, and the narrative encourages viewers to reflect on their own choices and relationships.

The supporting cast adds depth and charm to the series, with standout performances from Lee Soo-hyuk, Kang Tae-oh, and Shin Do-hyun. Each character contributes to the overall narrative, providing a well-rounded and engaging viewing experience.

Visually, this is a treat for the eyes. The cinematography is stunning, capturing the magical and melancholic moments with equal finesse. The special effects used to depict Myul Mang's supernatural abilities are seamlessly integrated into the storyline, enhancing the overall visual appeal of the drama.

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Actually really liked it!

This is one of the best dramas I've ever watched.

I binged this drama and counting on the fact that it has 16 episodes, I was never bored even once during this. It took me the entire afternoon + night but when I was finished I wished it was even longer. The last episode is so nice since you just get to enjoy their relationship and not worry about any conflict. The characters are really likeable and they really fit in with the story and surroundings.

The only bad thing I could say is probably that the whole Lee Hyun Gyu and Na Ji Na thing was quite dragged out, but I liked that Cha Joo Ik actually got her instead.

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honestly speaking,

i expected more from this drama. originally, i picked it up a few years ago, & ended up dropping it after a few episodes. on top of that, i wrote a horrible short review, & i’m thinking that i should’ve just listened to my gut.

— nonetheless, a few friends recommended this to me again & told me that i desperately needed to give it another go—so i did. the drama starts off promisingly, and everything’s just perfect on the cliché scale, until they come crashing down even in that department. the main story becomes so complicated & bizzare in the middle of the show, which had me seeking some entertainment in the second leads, whose storyline i ended up finding even worse. not only does it not add to the main couple in any way, shape, or form—the people involved in this triangle are HORRIBLE! from ji-na to ji-uk & all the way to bland, friendly hyun-gyu. i thought that maybe it would be cute seeing two lovers reunite after a rocky goodbye, but instead i got this really weird narration of a girl being passed between siblings. kinda sickening?
— but nonetheless, back to the main story. sure, it was complicated but i also didn’t feel the chemistry at all. the only thing that made this drama a complete tearjerker & a sobfest was dong-kyung’s relationship with her family, & her tragic back-story. nothing about this modern, new love with myul mang had some appeal. the writer’s got lazy (obviously), & stopped with his proper development—which is why we got the result we did. also, the story lacks in the romance department soooo much, but i decided to look over that for the sake of peace.

— my last penny would be the fact that i’d preferred this to be a sad ending. it would really send the message across more accurately, & it would cause heavier reactions. the happy ending that we got was so rushed & …lazy. almost stupid. there was absolutely zero drama effects in this k-drama.
— waste your time if you wish, seo in-guk has a really nice face to look at. and, this role suits him a lot. i wish they didn’t butcher the whole character.

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It's genre limitations made for wasted potential

Doom at Your Service was a show I watched blindly, without reading anything about it prior to watching besides knowing who it's main characters would be played by. In the beginning, I was instantly hooked by it's characters and the general plot line or "concept" of the story. Unfortunately, due to it's desire to be pandering to the romance which is what this drama decides to be defined by, it eventually lost it's initial spark.

The initial idea that was presented into this drama was my favorite thing about it as a whole. We have the physical manifestation of doom itself, falling in love with a girl who embraces her incoming death, and is faced with many misfortunes, but instead of moaning about it, chooses to embrace it and move on with her life, perhaps a metaphor for how willingly she accepts her "doom." This dynamic was such an interesting concept to me in terms of fantasy Kdramas, instead of the usual mythological being (like a demon, a god, etc) being the main lead. I loved that Doom himself was something created by humans , for humans - he causes balance within the universe simply from existing in various different forms. He's a fluid, abstract being, and Dongkyung, our main lead, is someone that embraces him for all that he is. The contract was such a good hook to the story, too, and kept me wanting more.

So, as you can tell, the other main aspect of the drama that I loved were its characters. Dongkyung was such a well written and realistic main lead - she was headstrong, stood her ground no matter what, and was far from your damsel in distress/clueless FL. Her reactions to things never felt out of character in that way, too. Although she had a soft side that resided in her natural kindness and empathy towards others, and was stubborn when it came to things involving her self worth. This made her a perfect match to Doom, and because of their dynamic, their chemistry was amazing right from the start.

Besides that, this was when I began to feel the drama lacking. Its side story felt like another drama in it's entirety because of how contrasted its plot line was in comparison to the main story. Like, the main story was so dramatic and had dark, metaphorical elements scattered all over it, then the episode would switch to your typical office romance love triangle with some slice of life level angst involved. And while I loved Ji-Na and Joo-Ik as characters, by all means, I just found the emphasis on their love story to be so unneeded? Especially with the bigger underlying problem in the drama? But I suppose fluff is probably needed to keep viewers entertained, in some way...

And speaking of fluff, another thing that was making me lose interest was when they began to usher out all the fantasy elements, or at least sidelined to the point where it felt like it wasn't there at all, and put heavy emphasis on the romance. While the profound love between Dongkyung and Doom was indeed important to show how they both affect each others' lives, I'd have appreciated it if they didn't try so hard for it be some kind of tearjerker, especially towards the end. What is it with fantasy romance dramas and having the ML disappear for some time, have the FL think he's dead and just try to move on with her life, and then have him appear again out of nowhere? The trope is so tiring and predictable when it's obvious you just want the drama to drag on a little longer..like, there are other ways you can provide a good and exhilarating addition to the story without making him die and then come back, you know?

Overall, I feel like Doom at Your Service had so much potential to be an amazing and well written drama if it had a higher budget, per se. It's fantasy elements were so interesting to me lore-wise, but unfortunately, it's classification as a romance could only limit it to Powerpoint Presentation transitions. I loved the characters, but besides the main leads, I couldn't find myself being attached to anyone else on an emotional level. Even the ending itself was wrapped up perfectly with a pretty bow, with no consequences for either of them whatsoever. Seriously.

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Good Enough

Korean Drama 'Doom at your Service' has an intriguing universe that is not properly explored. The romance too had potential but ended up being boring and slow paced.

The world built was pretty interesting, first of all. The whole doom-god had plenty to give, especially doom's story and character. Unfortunately, the drama left everything on a superficial level. The romance was pretty great too, with a nice combination of two tragic characters finding salvation through each other, and with an all star cast to boot it all. Sadly, that too, ended up being boring, with many predictable twists and lots of cliches. Also, the female lead's character was annoying at times. The side couple, though interesting at first, was a let down as well.

Finally, the cinematography was on point and the performances from everyone in the cast were great and enjoyable.

So, overall, 6 out of 10.

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I MISS BO YOUNG!!!!!

Short review: this drama taught me that I can talk to Bo Young in English and she can respond in Korean. No language barrier for us! Love will be our language <3

Longer review: mostly enjoyable with some really underwhelming elements. The love triangle storyline was unnecessary. Sometimes the details were a bit muddled, but I can overlook the weaknesses to appreciate Park Bo Young's stellar performance. She makes everyone look good, which is why Seo In Guk endeared himself to me. Most importantly, it's a life affirming drama that reminds us to appreciate life in its highs and lows. Might be a tad overdone, but we could always use more slice of life stories that encourage simply living.

I might rewatch this because I miss Bo Young and she really carried this.

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I forgave much of its faults because I loved the central couple

In brief: I enjoyed this drama a lot, it made me care and it made be cry - but this is despite many issues - in short I forgave a lot in this drama (that I’ve not forgiven In others) because it got under my skin and I loved the central characters so much, as well as the wider cast. It never truly delivers on its initial premise or promise - which is a shame as it really had the potential & the right ingredients to be AMAZING. I would still absolutely recommend watching it to form your own views (but I do get the many who have negative opinions on it)

Spoilers ahead -
Things I liked

- The central couple - I love the chemistry between #seoinguk and #parkboyoung - I thought it was crackly and hot - even their handholding would make my heart leap. I really cared and was rooting for them, wanted to watch them fall in love and then get heartbroken and then hopefully get their Happy Ever After
- the premise - sometimes fantasy premises can be confusing, the rules of the world they make opaque but the set up of this premise, the contract they had and the conflict it gave to their predicament was clear & promised to give us the melodrama this drama suggested it had in buckets
- the characters. Tak Dong Gyung is a really relatable heroine. Her backstory and how she came to be someone who masked her real emotions and the different but understandable way she reacts to her predicament - she’s strong & independent and funny - and played by the ever lovable #ParkBoYoung with humour and vulnerability
- Doom is a great fantasy hero, all cynical & arrogant and so ready to be brought to his knees by love. Played with cool, sexy confidence by #seoinguk - I was so ready to fall in love with this hero!
- the character set up of the second leads - writer Na Ji-Na and team leader Cha Joo-Ik - I warmed to and was rooting for them to have a great story
- the OST - the tracks are great and one of them is sung beautifully by #seoinguk
- the ending! So many KDramas don’t land the ending and whilst this drama didn’t knock it out of the park, I didn’t wail over it being ruined
- the black moment before the finale when they’re apart really tore at my heart. When she wakes and thinks he’s there in his lush house reading his book and he gazes at her with such love in his eyes and then… she wakes. Heartbreak!

Things I didn’t love.
- mainly the writing. This is the main thing that stops this drama being great rather than just good. The plot is all over the place. I hated the reset episodes where it felt like we got the same content over again - just to make the point that they were fated. I loved seeing badass cynical Doom again but this could have been a super quick montage. The characters say odd things, the script doesn’t flow.
- the second leads. They are so badly served by both the writing and their storyline. I really was rooting for them. I loved Lee Soo Hyun and his deep voice and ability to carry off a white flare. But ugh. This managed to be simultaneously underpowered as a storyline whilst also taking up a lot of screen time. Just didn’t get why they even liked each other, let alone why this was some huge tragic love triangle.
- development of central couple - much as I loved them - felt patchy. They fell for each other quickly, too quickly for me and when they did get back together felt curiously flat and not passionate enough. It was good but wanted MORE
- the goddess was a wasted opportunity for an interesting character in her own right. Instead she was a method to get plot points.

Ultimately I liked this drama a lot more than it probably deserved when broken down into its individual parts and this was down to a fantastic cast, a central couple I rooted for and loved (despite what happened to them ?), their chemistry, Seo In Guk’s portrayal of Doom (sigh) and a great OST

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