Nightly Photo Studio (2024)

OK....where should I begin...

Since last September I have been in a Korean drama slump. I dropped so many dramas that I was starting to lose hope.

I came across this title by accident. When I read the synopsis and saw that two of the actors that I liked that was in Fiery Priest was in this I had to watch.

I also keep forgetting about the main character. I didn't like Carter but I absolutely loved Stealer Treasure Keeper. He looks different in everything that I've seen him in hence the reason I couldn't recognize who he was.

Deputy Go was a lot better in this drama than Uncanny Counter Two. Even though he was weak at times I pretty much enjoyed him in this drama.

The main female lead was annoying to no end!! I didn't like her character in Itaewon Class and I didn't like her in this one. She was that whiny female I have come to despise in Korean dramas. They had to add romance in this and they had to bring out the clingy naggy lovesick female. These two romance scenes were that of two kids falling in love with each other. It wasn't swoon worthy, it was childish. The main FL was so bad. Why do they make female actors act this way??
I did, however like her best friend. Even though she and Deputy Go's romance was hard it was more believable and likable than the main two main characters forced romance. The main two lead's romance scenes were the most awkward romance scenes ever. The main ML was like a robot when it came to showing his affections. It was like they had to whisper in his ear to tell him what to do but forgot to tell him how to act it out. The main FL was what I said earlier, clingy, whiny, and naggy.

I didn't like the wife's character either. The writers tried to make the viewers feel sympathy for a wife who married a cop that didn't factor in what his life would be like as a cop so they made her act like she was lonely so she could cheat. Her justifying her actions just because her husband was too busy catching bad guys didn't sit well with me. Cops, lawyers, doctors, judges...those are the type of people who shouldn't marry outside of their profession. The writers made it seem like the cheating wife was the victim but it was the husband who was the victim.

The first 6 or so episodes were awesome. The final picture taking was so gut wrenching that I caught the water works on those episodes but then it stopped. The 'visitors' just stopped coming. Because of that the series took a dive. Instead of focusing on making the ghosts final goodbyes a happy one they decide to switch it to romance mode. Once in that mode it just didn't go anywhere. Like I said, the ghost and the best friend's relationship was more enjoyable to watch than the main two characters.

Now for the end, it was so predictable. I wish it would've taken the other route but I guess the writers wanted a happy ending.

No one in the ML's family was able to break the curse but he was...because of a girl....Eye roll for sure.

The first episodes of visitors were the best. The last few episodes I wish I would've skipped but I thought it was going to stray away from the romance scenario but it didn't.

I doubt I will be able to find anymore decent Korean dramas without the romance and without me dropping it.

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Shouldn't judge a drama by just 1st episode

This was worth it to watch it for around 16 hours ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ The ending is also very satisfying.😊😇

The Midnight Studio feels like Hotel Del Luna and I'm happy SK created a horror💀👻😈👿👽☠️ close to my Genre so I can relate better.
But I was really missing beak nam-gu in the ending scene where four of them were clicking photos. I really wanted him to be there with his wife. If he was there, it would be the most perfect ending on kdrama history.
This drama literally keeps me in a hype for every episodes, The storyline is unique , cute and with perfect level of emotions.

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waste of my time

This drama started off real good, with a solid plot of the main leads helping ghosts to leave for the afterlife. I was really enjoying seeing backstories of ghosts until they ruined it with unnecessary romance. First of all, there was no chemistry between the main leads and their romance was so visibly forced. I wouldn’t say the acting was great either. It was my first time watching Joo Won star in a drama but his acting wasn’t realistic at all. The scenes of him being happy,sad,frustrated- he had the same expression in each of them. He looked confused. Wouldn’t say it was one of Kwon Na-ra’s best works either. Anyways, I watched the whole drama just for Yoo In Soo. I liked his romance with the female lead’s best friend but their ending was open. Like he was a ghost and the other was a person. I’m giving it 3.5 for the sake of Yoo In Soo and few ghost stories that were interesting. I would NEVER REWATCH THIS!!!!

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A Supernatural Thriller that Surprises

Yet again a ghost story, that was what I thought!

A supernatural suspense thriller, Joo Won stars as Seo Ki Joo, a 7th generation photographer who runs a small photo studio, which specializes in storing the last memories of the dead. The camera he uses for this taunting task was stolen by his ancestor, as such it is a cursed object and the descendants belonging to Seo family line bear the brunt of the curse. They are unable to live beyond 35 years and die in mysterious ways. The overall synopsis spells the ordeal faced by our main lead on a daily basis. Imagine what he has go to through when a crazy attorney who was fired from her job is added to this mix. “The Midnight Studio” weaves a subtle romance in the midst of horror and supernatural suspense. Both the main leads have their own set of problems; Ki Joo lives from day to day hoping to survive while leading the dead souls to their salvation, Han Bom (Kwon Na Ra) is busy finding jobs while being ostracized in her own field. As each case unfolds, the storyline turns into a gripping tale of long-lost love & reconciliation.

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/05/07/the-midnight-studio-series-review/#more-810

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What I expected but not really (to be edited until series ends)

I was interested in watching this after seeing the cast cry during the script reading and it had similar vibes to "May I Help You?"(which I recommend btw) so I was interested in seeing how the theme of helping the dead safely move on to the afterlife without having any regrets was going to be tackled. Plus, it being a photo studio was already I guess unique because how are they going to deal with providing such a service to ghost customers when living people may give them issues.

the series has a solid opening. It gives basic understanding of how everything works and still leaves enough curiosity for plot development in future episodes. I enjoyed the stories of the deceased (ep3 was hilarious imo- the aespa cameo you didn't know you needed) and learning more about how our ML's family came to be cursed this way and how FL comes into play in everything especially the link to a ghost from the past. We get to meet all type of ghosts so not every story is the same/similar. Plus, not every ghost has good intentions and seeing how they deal with them ensures the interest in the story is maintained. The side character stories are also somewhat interesting, but I hope they are fully developed by the end of it all.

My problem with the series starts(?)/started(?) in ep7 when the romance plot finally takes off, that's if we can call it that. I am all for FL taking initiative but tbh it was more coercion than positive pursuit. She keeps crossing the line and not respecting his stance. My guy says no she hears try again (just because she felt embarrassed and feels like he is stringing her along which he isn't btw). We are blinded in seeing this because he is also interested in her, but oh well.

I am still struggling to wrap my head around why ML is looking for his uncle when he knows about the family curse but there is still time for clarity.

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Of Ghost and Curse and unfinished business in an unremarkable manner

Ghost/horror genre and ability of a human to see them is not new. ML has a fulltime job as a photographer of the dead prior to crossing over to afterlife. It's a cursed ability handed through generation in his family. His sidekicks are 2 ghosts (ex deskworker and ex cop) both with reasons of unfinished business and had stayed in the land of the living.

The main selling point were the episodic telling of the stories of each ghost visitor. From child to elderlies, each with their final request. ML's role, often challenging but rewarding to see the visitors have a proper closing before sending off to the other realm. This worked well in the beginning.. I cried on episodes of grandma, the child, abd the courier deliveryman. Those were stories that were touching and memorable.

Enter my criticism. Later on its fixated on the overall big baddie ghost. And sidetracked by cop ghost's story about his wife (very skippable). That enjoyable nature of diff ghost diff story was abandoned.

Next the romance between our ML and FL. In the beginning I enjoyed how ML seem a lil antihero and FL was kind of bubbly and goofy. ML was just trying to survive the curse and escape the looming death. I felt their relationship never reached the height it should. If hot is 100C, theirs is like lukewarm. Cause of this I never felt the intensity of a love thats connected to life and death.

From execution of plot to casting of the leads, it never truly fulfilled what it was supposed to. Nothing truly disastrous, but isnt remarkable either.

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A GOOD EXPERIENCE!!

I found the series quite enjoyable, although I must admit that other compelling dramas are currently airing. Despite this, the show's storyline captured and maintained my emotional investment, and the lead actors were particularly impressive. It is worth noting that the show is a work of fantasy and not based on logic, which may have contributed to its weaker aspects. Although I do not plan to re-watch the series, I found it to be a valuable experience overall. While the thriller and crime elements of the plot could have been stronger, the stories of the deceased characters were more intriguing. It would have been even more compelling if the show had focused on these characters, but I recognize that the plot revolves around the leads' quest to lift a curse. Rather than attributing the show's shortcomings to itself, it would be more appropriate to acknowledge that the genre often follows this pattern. I would recommend this series to anyone looking for an enjoyable and engaging viewing experience.

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Good Enough

Korean Drama '' Midnight Photo Studio '' is a fantasy romantic comedy.

The drama has many funny moments, with the side characters adding their special flair to the mix. The ghost stories were also quite emotional and bittersweet, and, fortunately, plenty.

The romance was also enjoyable, with many sweet moments between the leads, though the final episode had a cheesy twist, but, still, the couple was adorable. The side couple was a bit awkwardly handled.

The performances were, in addition, pretty enjoyable by everyone in the cast.

So, overall, six and a half out of ten.

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Get ready for a rollercoaster ride...

This drama was definitely a rollercoaster ride, for sure.

The first few episodes were boring, I did a lot of fast forwarding. This drama reminded me a lot of Hotel del Luna and a few others with similar story lines, and I had really high hopes for the drama, but like I said, a rollercoaster.

After I believe episode 9 or so is when it got better. I really did enjoyed the later episodes and how they developed the plot. I also enjoyed watching them resolve the mystery of his uncle, even though, it was already known that he had died, but it did explained how he died and how it was related to Han Bom.

I also like how he started to embrace the curse after meeting Bom instead of just going day to day without a purpose. She really did helped him see the bright side of things, even though, it was the hardest for him at the time.

The ending was not a disappointment, but it wasn't the best as well. The entire episode focused on Ji Won and Assistant Manager Go, giving us a little glimpse of happiness to our main leads.

As for Ji Won and Assistant Manger Go's relationship, I think they should have allowed him to possess someone so that she can either have a human partner or have her die so she can be with him that way. If I remember correctly, in Hotel del Luna, one of the ghost was able to possess the bully and stayed in her body, so I feel like they should have allowed that instead. I mean, don't get me wrong, I do like the idea of her being with him and pulling a Beauty Inside plot line, but I feel like they should have just made it perm for those two.

Overall, I feel like it was missing Mr. Baek. I wish he didn't turn into an evil spirit and dying. He was part of the team.

I am giving this an 8.5 just because the earlier episodes were boring and disappointing and Mr. Baek had to die, but the later episodes made up for the earlier ones.

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Un entre-deux-mondes qui ne m'a pas entièrement convaincue...

Ce drama m’a intéressé de par son univers. J’adore les histoires de fantômes que cela touche à l’horreur ou au drame, il est certain que je regarderai au moins la BA. Ici, soyons honnête, le concept ressemble assez à « Hotel del Luna » (Beaucoup de gens les comparent d’ailleurs.), ayant apprécié ce dernier & voyant Joo Won au casting, je me suis lancée =D.

Alors, j’ai adoré le début, avec ce studio photo pour les morts, l’aspect malédiction, ainsi que les deux acolytes fantômes, j’ai même pas mal pleuré… (pour les cas des épisodes 2 & 4) Mais très vite, les choses se compilent de façon trop évidente… Il y a beaucoup trop de liens « cachés » entre les personnages. [Cela peut apporter du « mystère » (si on les découvre pas trop vite) mais cela peut également alourdir l’histoire et enlever une partie de son attrait.] J’avoue que tous ces liens m'ont fait penser que les scénaristes ne savaient pas trop quoi inventer pour meubler… (Il y en a vraiment TROP !!!)

On peut dire que j’ai commencé à décrocher autour de l‘épisode 11, pour totalement capituler aux deux derniers épisodes. (Je jouais sur mon téléphone en regardant les épisodes… J’étais donc HYPER CONCENTREE ^^) Je pense que l’histoire aurait pu s’arrêter à l’épisode 14 avec quelques ajustements… (Pourquoi encore foutre le bordel en « changeant » de photographe… Rahaaaaaaa !)

En bref, il s’agit d’une histoire qui peut être sympathique si vous aimez le genre & que vous êtes moins blasée que moi… (J’imagine que je commence à avoir vu trop de dramas…)

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Give it a try, but for me it fell short

Things I liked:
-Loved the relationship between ML and his two ghost partners. Yoo In Soo as Sung Ho and Eum Moon Suk as Nam Goo were both very good. There was quite a bit of humor when these three were involved.
-FL's friend the attorney that climbed up the hill to her office. I LOVED the yellow suit she was wearing.
-The way they styled ML. Loved the color of his hair, it set him apart. I also loved the clothes they put him in, loose, comfortable clothes.
-2FL storyline (for the most part).
-I liked the cameos.

On the other side of the coin:
-ML and FL had no chemistry, as far as I was concerned. The whole thing seemed kind of forced to me. However, they didn't have the cliche misunderstanding breakup.
-Some of the filming was extremely dark. If you aren't in a dark room when you watch it, you'll miss stuff.
-I didn't like the character of the FL at all. I don't care for forward women, and she just couldn't get the hint.
-Continuity issues - they are drinking in the park at night, and suddenly when they are walking home it's daytime.
-I felt that this show suffered from too many episodes. There was a lot of wasted time.
-The cop ghost - didn't like the ending of his story, or his lack of resolution with his wife.
-The 2FL and the office ghost in a relationship? Please, that was just too ridiculous.
-Though it was a happy ending, I was pretty disappointed in the show once I finished it.

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My favorite genre. (Hoping that we'll have a happy ending for the leads at least)

I especially love the romance genre where one of the leads can see ghosts, but I had put this one on hold because it was a bit heavy compared to the recent light hearted dramas I had been watching.

I love the ML, he is so adorable. What's more, he looks after the FL so much that even though he doesn't admit his feelings and rejects her, its hard to dislike him. The guy is sure he only has around 3 months to live, so, he doesn't really think he has much to offer. But he could at least just tell her that he is going to die. So far, I have loved episode 7 the best, despite rejecting the FL twice now, the ML was so damn jealous of her admiring another guy. Now that I have finally started the drama, I can't wait for next week's episodes.

Coming to the beautiful stories we have, each episode was created to make you cry. The deaths seem so untimely and we wish these people had another chance at life.

This drama gives me the same feels as The Master's Sun. (The romance and the ghost seeing lead (here both of them see the ghosts))

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