The true meaning of what's more than blue

If you knew life was going to end this way, would you choose to start it?

As long as K & Cream could find each other, they would. A love can be so deep that you would sacrifice your happiness for theirs behind a smile. I now understand the meaning behind the title. K & Cream's story is already sad, but if it wasn't told to the world, that would be even sadder.

And this is where the series starts.

The story revolves around our main leads K & Cream, but it's accompanied by 2 subplots that seamlessly and beautifully connect together. Two heartbroken lovers, a photographer and a dentist, and a music director and his assistant. The subplots don't tell much as I describe them now, but throughout the story they expressed their share of love in their own way.

The two broken souls find each other and become each other's family, filling in the empty holes of their lives. To Cream, K became many figures to her: a friend, a brother, a father, a mother, and a lover. The story was so raw with emotions that I felt myself loving and fearing and crying with them.

I previously watched the movie before this, an all-time favorite I remember crying so hard in. I wasn't disappointed at all at how the writers filled in the many gaps to make a series. The series has true storytelling--we're watching the scenes that took place in the past. Specifically, the story is told in the words of our main lead K, but viewed in the eyes of everyone else. We get a feeling that we know how it ends, but that doesn't take away from the story. Watching this series became a journey of how K & Cream came to love so deeply and why their ending turned to be that way.

I knew how it was going to end, yet it still hit me in my heart and I cried more than I expected. I always thought "More than Blue" had a second meaning besides a story sadder than sad. Perhaps beyond this sadness, there was still a happy ending behind it--one filled with no regrets and a heart finally at ease. I want to praise the actors who did an amazing job portraying those emotions so well. And I love how the OSTs captured both their sadness and love, they're really beyond beautiful.

What makes this story so special no matter how many times it's told is that it hits close to our hearts. It reminds and teaches the listeners not to take time for granted.

Even if you knew how things would end, choose to love.

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An inspiring story about leaving a memory

The trailer is pretty deceiving. You'd think it's a sports comedy but it's not the core of the story. This movie is an emotional journey about South Korea's team at the Homeless World Cup in 2010, and how they won with a memory.

The movie follows our lead, Yoon Hongdae with a rebellious attitude--the same one he carried ever since he decided to pursue football as a child. That attitude gets him in trouble. As discipline, he had to become a coach for this team. Throughout the movie, we witness a lot of his character development alongside all 6 of the team members. They all had their own reason for being in the team, whether it be for their family, loved one, or for their own passion. This championship was a final chance to redeem their future.

But it's not just about winning and leaving a record. Rather than a record, they wish to leave a memory. They succeeded at that, and after the movie I even searched about the real events that happened. I also cried more than I expected..... it's the motivational-touchy type of feeling. The games immerse you and make it feel like you were there, cheering too.

To be honest, the plot doesn't have a very special formula, but there was enough time to explore each character. Just enough to get attached to everyone and start rooting for them as loudly as the crowd. Solid 8/10!! Really loved the OSTs too! :)

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The Queen's enthralling battle of the throne---all done in 24 hrs

Set in the late 100s and early 200s, everything in this show happens in 24 hours.

Starting from the death of the King, to the gripping chase for which prince is the "most morally correct" decision to take over the throne, all the way to the fully-waged war of the entire country. Amidst it all, the Queen loses none of her composure---and remains very, much badass.

I will keep this review short and sweet for those debating whether to watch the show or not. FIRST: A CONTENT warning, there are sex and nudity scenes. If you're here for the historical drama but very much wanna skip on those, I advise you to look for the timestamps and avoid them. Now that that's out of the way, I will say that Queen Woo does a compelling and excellent job at keeping you tied to your screen as you constantly wonder, and wonder, WHO will she choose? Which prince can protect the future of Goguryeo? How will she survive when everyone wants to skin her alive?

And who the hell killed the King?

A war of politics, as even her own people conspire to force her off the throne.
A war of mindgame and deception, as she carefully formulates her plans while tricking her enemies and spies in the shadows.
A war of intelligence, as she learns to fight smart and think 5 steps ahead of the game.
A war of chess, as she quite literally embodies the Queen chess piece, demonstrating her expansive reach, power, and elegance in battle. Queen Woo is NOT here to play. She is there to stand on the frontlines and fight alongside her soldiers.

And because all of this happens in 24 hours....the show is very action-packed and fast-paced. There might be some pieces of the puzzle glanced over or missing, such as the ending that leaves us on the biggest cliffhanger of the century (I say cliffhanger because even though history has already been made---we still want to see what happened!).

If you enjoy a strong female lead, can handle mature and heavy content, and love a good retelling of Korean history, this show is probably for you. Personally.....I think Queen Woo is a good enough reason to stay. Such a powerful and steadfast character who demonstrates that she is unwilling to let her people live as pawns in this chess game for the rest of their lives.

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"If I want things to change, I should at least do something"

That "something" may not be the right answer, but to these soldiers, it felt like the only one.

D.P explores the bottom of the iceberg about the raw reality that exists inside these barracks. Not only is it a realistic portrayal of the bullying, superiority, and violence, but there's a very powerful message coming out of this drama—that not everything is black and white, but there are gray areas. Gray areas like the bystanders and the very system that enables the military to operate this way—the very reasons why these soldiers run away. However there are little cracks to that system, such as Son Seokku's character. Though it's barely scratching the surface, it gives us a sliver of hope that maybe things can change, just in a different way.

Overall, I like the way the story was set. We're introduced to Jung Haein's character, An Junho, a seemingly typical guy at first, but later proves his competence to take the position of D.P. But from the first episode, they hit us right away...and we realize that Junho is very flawed. He's not written as the usual perfect hero and I love it. He's clever but does not always make the right choices. Jung Haein did an amazing job with his role as did the rest of the cast.

By the end of the drama, I was crying buckets...even now I feel like crying again just thinking about that ending. This show is so emotionally gripping that I wanted to break down multiple times, it hurt so much how real it was. It's a show filled with subplots as we watch this journey of Junho carrying out his job, with an empathy he knows he shouldn't have, but he does. Because of this empathy, we're reminded that these deserters are not just deserters. They are human.

We're used to hearing the mentality: "What happens, happened. Move on." It's no different here, with soldiers experiencing some of the most horrid abuse but have to "man up" because that's what they're told. The ending is a bit open-ended, but we're left with this strong feeling that we can't just move on and we're responsible for change.

On another note, I really can't move on from this drama, it left a deep impression on me. The cinematography was incredible; it's so unique and did justice to the visuals in the scenes. I hope there's a season 2, because we're told that An Junho still has about 500 days in his service. Please watch it!

......ONE MORE THING: THE OSTS ARE JUST SO AMAZING. I seriously never skipped the intro/outro credits. Kudos to the music director, the discography is just perfect, perfect.

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"As you get older, you get used to goodbyes"

It was the first impactful quote for me. Although it doesn't fully represent the direction of the story, it makes a very important point. Time is precious.

Navillera is the inspirational slow-burn, slice of life you're probably (hopefully) looking for. I'm pretty sure I cried in every single episode, whether it was a few tears or full-on sobbing. Deokchul pursues the dream he lost as a child, wanting to finally fulfill it and keep his heart at ease. For him, ballet was his happiness. If there's anything he hasn't said goodbye to at an age of 70, it's ballet.

His story touched my heart and changed my way of looking at things. One--don't take things for granted. Two--it's never too late to do something.

Kudos to the cast, especially Song Kang who played as Chaerok here, a talented but stubborn ballerino who still has yet to make his debut. I first watched him in Sweet Home and seeing him here in a completely different role, I'm very impressed by his acting. And the fact that he practiced ballet for 6 months prior to filming amazes me.

Sure, the story is a bit predictable and you get a sense of where things are heading pretty fast. But that doesn't take away from the beautiful storyline and message--not to mention the really gorgeous cinematography and production. OSTS were on-point too.

What makes you happy? People figure it out at different times, but the drama reminds you that it's okay. If you're using that time to do something that brings you happiness, don't let go of it.

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Theater-worthy but a bit bland

This is the type of a movie you NEED to see in the theater because of how incredible the CGI and visual/sound effects are. You really can't capture the full experience on TV. I'm not much of a sci-fi person but this gets a 10 for cinematography.

I came for Kim Taeri and Song Joongki, and....stayed for Kim Taeri and Song Joongki.

I think the movie is okay for a weekend watch, but the story was kind of bland. Not necessarily cliché, but just not enough going on to keep a strong impression from start to finish. There wasn't enough character development, and a lot of questions went unasked about our other characters' backstory besides Taeho.

BUT like I said, the effects were just gorgeous and the characters' interactions with Dorothy were adorable. It was pretty predictable but it did have its share of plot twists, especially at the end which actually surprised me. The action scenes were great and the team had great chemistry together. I also shed a few tears, the film does have some emotional scenes.

Overall: 8/10, maybe a 7 without the special effects. If you're here for the leads like me, go watch!! Their acting definitely does not disappoint. But if you're not a sci-fi person, you want a strong plot, and notsomuch here for the effects, save it for later when you're out of things to watch.

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Memories can be forgotten, but emotions will never disappear

Even if every day started with a hello and an introduction, she still loved the him of now and would continue loving the him of tomorrow.

The past is completely wiped out, every day. Memories only stayed for the present day. Emotions lingered in the future. That's what makes this story so sad--no matter how clear the memory was, he could never remember. What is clear though, is that Lu Yao never forgot the love he felt for Xingyue.

Lu Yao lives a very painful life, it's hard to imagine what it'd be like to be in his shoes. He feels the emptiness, the love, and the longing, but he doesn't know from where, how, and when he got it. At the same time, it's beautiful that no matter what day it is, he still finds Xingyue again and again and comes back to her. Xingyue kept her willingness and her courage to keep coming back to him too.

Tragic, but beautiful. I wasn't expecting the sudden twist, but because of it, the beginning made so much more sense to me. Pay attention to the smallest details and you will understand.

Also, I just want to emphasize that the actors did an AMAZING job. I could feel their emotions right through the screen and that's why it felt so real and I felt so touched. Jasper Liu always manages to take roles from the saddest movies, I associate crying with this man now (in a good way, he is so so incredible at this genre). What can I say, I cried for a good 30 minutes straight after that ending. BRING TISSUES.

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A drama full of regrets, but no regrets

Regrets.
If you're familiar with Greek mythology and the whole story about Sisyphus, the title gives it away. Yes, this is the main, consistent theme. Would you go back even if you knew it would repeat all over again?

I've watched so many time travel dramas but there's something about Sisyphus that's so addictive. As many already said, Sisyphus contains some nonsense/plotholes and it's already expected that the bars of logic have to be significantly lowered. While it did frustrate me sometimes, it didn't take away from the story itself. You keep wondering, "How is a badass and a genius going to save the world?" Also, props to PSH and CSW for their excellent performance here. I think they had amazing chemistry (with the subtle romance here and there later on) and worked really well together.

You have to enter this drama with an open mind. It might feel draggy at first, you feel confused from the start, you question if everything is pre-determined, there's so many "what the hell" moments and it's push-and-pull. And I think that's what makes this so intriguing. If the "title" is really true, then how- if- could the time loop really be broken?

I think it's best to enter it blindly--don't reach too much into the reviews. While there were some regrets in the drama (the many inconsistencies in the writing), the great production, cast, and storyline saved its grace. The visual effects and CGI might be a bit lackluster and the plot armor is just glaring, but I still really enjoyed the action scenes. Cinematography was top-notch and the thrill was enough to make me hold my breath. And, I cried--maybe a lot more than I expected.

Sisyphus used a familiar genre but pulled off something fresh and unique to the table, ambitiously at that.
No regrets.

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If their duty is to serve, whose duty is it to protect the soldiers?

I am writing this after crying cause I am very much broken (in a good way).

If you've watched season 1, we continue forward with Junho holding the same resolve as he tracks down deserters, but with renewed vigor. He still very much carries the anger and guilt from his very 1st mission as D.P. It's an emotional journey, with many fists, blood, and tears involved as Junho (quite literally) single-handedly fights violence while standing his ground. But finally, the little cracks in the system have grown large enough to break its outer shell. This season is just as violent as before, and realistically, not much has changed at first.

Season 2 ties a lot of loose ends and cliffhangers from S1. We follow the trial of Kim Ruri (the mass shooting cliffhanger), which rightfully takes a majority of the storyline with its connection to Cho Seokbong's case. We also witnessed the major character development of Im Jiseop, the captain who became our sliver of hope for change from Season 1. And finally, the delivery of truth to the hurt families of the victims who try to change the system from the outside. It was done beautifully, with necessary flashbacks to remind us what still needs to be accomplished.

I said this before, but Junho really is an imperfect hero that makes me love him so much. He wants an answer that no one seems to know. He wonders why they're here to serve and protect, YET no one ever protects them back. He is still pained and traumatized by his own mistakes.

"Who" will be there for the soldiers when they're injured? "Who" will be brave enough to tell the truth to the world? Junho vowed to never make the same mistake again, saving more lives this time around. He has grown a lot since S1, becoming more calculated and sharp after building all that experience. Although we can't really say the system has changed much yet, enough damage was done to provoke it. As Ahn Junho said, he's ONLY getting started with this.

I think the cinematography outdid S1, because a lot of shots were improved beautifully and brings us an immersive watching experience. The pacing was better this season too. Nonstop praise to the cast....Jung Haein, why do you have to make me cry all the time...

As Beomgu said, "We'll win it next time." Prepare better, fight harder, stand taller. We have 364 days left in Junho's service, so buckle up everyone. See y'all in Season 3!

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A second chance at life

Season 2 takes a psychological turn compared to the gritty, gut-wrenching violence we're introduced to in season 1. The violence is still very much there, but we get a focus on the more important things--the meaning of life vs. death.

Everything that takes place in the borderlands is an amazing analogy to your "fighting chance" when faced in a near-death experience. Arisu and his crew survive because they fought for it. Even when words like "My life was trash" or "I was a terrible person" almost made them give up, each game was a test of whether they were willing to take that chance. The seeming plot armor of being able to take all these bullets and knife stabs is analogous to their will to live.

In the final Queen of Hearts game, Arisu could've accepted his death. He was close to giving in to his weakness and losing that reason to live, not knowing what to believe in anymore. It's amazing how much we got to see his character grow, as well as everyone else. I love how Season 2 delved into our main characters' backstories (Usagi, Niragi, Chishiya, Ann, Kuina, Aguni, and even Tatta). We saw the raw intentions and their resolve, and the reason they kept pushing—that's why we see most of them survive the meteor at the end. I especially loved Chishiya’s backstory in the King of Diamonds game with Kuzuryu, who decided he did not want to live an unfair and unequal life. As Arisu said, it's not just about surviving anymore. It's about hope and believing that they could restart, even with the survivor's guilt.

The ending was a perfect masterpiece, but bittersweet because clearly none of them remember anything that happened in the "limbo" during their brief moment of cardiac arrest. But they seem to have a deja vu, and a lot of them carried the values they learned back into the real world. They strived to become a better person in this second chance of the aftermath. It's such a beautiful parallel to our own lives.

Binging this series was supposed to be our source of escapism from reality, but the ending hits us with reality instead. Value your existence, it says. Life is really what you make of it--you can choose to stay miserable, or take control and embrace the flaws of it too. We're just living, after all. We learn, we fail, we learn, we try again. All in all, season 2 was a great transition from season 1’s thrill and impending death to finally finding that systemic purpose. I think it even outperformed it as we explored the reason behind the games (and life).

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Even more possibilities

On the surface, it might seem like just another "spy movie" but this honestly would've made a great series...the possibilities and potential is great.

It's fun, found myself laughing and on the edge of my seat at times. The action scenes were really entertaining and well captured. The last time I watched Youngkwang was Pinnochio so I'm so glad I picked up one of his works, he's as an incredible an actor the last time I remember it. Side note: Don't watch the trailer, trust me--just come in blindly so you can put the pieces together yourself.

Overall, the storyline is nothing special but I missed these kinds of action comedies, just something lighthearted but thrilling at the same time. Also no, there's no romance but the chemistry between the leads was really great (loved their bickering). Oh, and gotta love the Red Velvet promos.

But really! This could've been a series, so much potential of both of their backstories. Which I WISH they really delved into WSH's background, unfortunately it'd be hard to condense into a movie. Same goes for Dahee and how she became an MSS agent.

Definitely give it a watch! I didn't even realize that time went by so quickly.

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Less dialogue, more action, faster thriller

At first glance, it looks like another one of those typical vengeance dramas, but it strays away from that. It's gripping, highly violent, and an action-packed journey that shows more than it tells.

This is the show's strength—it gets straight to the action.

The storyline is actually nothing too special, you have your main character YJW who's out to seek revenge for her father. She's completely broken and rage-filled, weak and vulnerable at the beginning until she decides to take initiative. It becomes a game of deception, infiltration, and going under cover, along with your casual twists here and there. Up to this point, the plot sounds all too familiar, but what truly stole the show for me was the thriller and intensity.

Forget whatever preconceptions you had about "gangs" from all the previous kdramas you've watched. This is the real deal. As in, Choi Mujin is the real deal. The story is flipped this time. We get an in-depth exploration of the other-world—the world of gangs, drugs, and killers. I was constantly on edge for YJW and wondering if she'd ever get caught, but besides her extreme fighting skills, she's also pretty clever. But the one who stole the show for me was CMJ. As the ring leader, you'd expect a steadfast and merciless boss. He is pretty merciless, but we also see a glimpse of his emotions. A part of him has cracks and is vulnerable, and he takes risks that he'll never know when it'll come to bite him back.

The cast is STELLAR. No character was unnecessary, they're all connected in some way. CMJ taking in KJW to help avenge her father, her going undercover to the narcotics force that happens to be targeting CMJ, and her partner JPD who she finds shares the same broken soul as her (2 broken souls are a recipe for: yes, there is some romance at the end, but it's not the focus at all). Then you got the ringleader's silent-but-deadly subordinate and the former member who's there to ruin the fun. I do wish we got a better depth of Gangjae and Taeju's characters though.

Finally, the cinematography and the music...outstanding. The camera captured the action choreography in a seamless way, it almost seems like a dance. It's crazy to think that some parts were one-shot despite the intense action. And kudos to Han Sohee who even attended action school for this, she nailed her performance.

My Name captures a familiar storyline but twists it in a unique way. It's not often you get the other perspective in the mafia world. Interested in an action thriller full of deception? Definitely binge it.

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"I want to do everything in my power. No regrets."

I am one of those people who thought this was a kdrama, and when I finished this movie, I STILL think it should've been a kdrama.

I was so intrigued by Kim Woobin's character, his friends, his boss and the people that surround him at work---I wanted to know their stories, their families, motivations and how they, too, might continue to inspire others. This is one of the major themes of the movie, which inspires us to find intention in what we do as a living beyond the simple happiness we might find from it. Because the one thing that transcends happiness is the ability to share the pouring passion from your heart and watch as this passion transfers and glows in someone else. Thanks to Officer Jeongdo's dad for that, by the way. Their scenes together as father and son made me cry.

As a sucker for action films, this definitely reached my expectations and I was excited to see how he combined moves from his holy trinity black belts in taekwondo, judo, and kendo. The action scenes were well-orchestrated and made it believable enough that he could take down tens of men at a time.

Now, the surface issue is presented as monitoring ex-convicts with ankle monitors for any suspicious activity, and to especially be on high alert for those with a high chance of committing the same crime. The deeper issue tackles at Korea's criminal justice system, which gives out way too generous sentences for serial rapists and rapists, period. 20 years for permanently damaging 15 children's lives really made me scoff.

But it's true, this is happening as we speak and it's important movies and dramas like this have been bringing light to the issue----recently No Way Out has done it as well. That's why I thought the movie deserved more storytelling that could possibly dive not just into our beloved main characters' lives, but also the journey to combating the system.

That's enough of my spiel though, and my real review is that this was a fast-paced, heavy-themed, but motivational movie. It makes room for you to ponder these issues like I did, appreciate the amazing action performances, and grieve after being emotionally wrecked. The lighthearted comedic moments give you a little bandaid in-between. I love Kim Woobin's simple-minded character so much, even his life motto is so simple, which is to "have fun" at everything he does. And it's crazy how much character development we got from him in less than 2 hours, because beyond this "fun" bloomed his purpose to continue serving, saving, and inspiring.

Hats off to this amazing cast for bringing this movie to life.

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If you put John Wick and Red Dead Redemption together...

...you get Song of the Bandits. Congrats! This is a good thing by the way. Will keep this review short & sweet since I'm a year late to watching it----but for people who haven't seen it yet, it's definitely worth your time.

If you enjoy wartime dramas (specifically, Joseon era between late 1890s-1945), great action sequences, a lovable main cast/squad, casual plot twists and a badass male lead (Kim Namgil is the one who incited me to yell "John Wick?!" to my screen), this is an easy and satisfying binge. BTW, he is unbelievably attractive here (although he always has been).

Unfortunately, it was supposed to be 20 episodes but being forced to cut this down to 9 episodes is absolutely foul. Lee Yoon's squad has some of the most interesting written characters, yet we only get to understand their intentions on the surface. We really needed those 11 additional episodes to flesh out their backstories and help us understand why(?) and what(?) brought them to join hands with Lee Yoon. Let me feel their characters. Let me get attached to them, dangit.

I say this as someone whose favorite kdrama is Mr. Sunshine, so if you also really enjoyed that masterpiece, you will likely enjoy Song of the Bandits too. There's not much to critique personally, except for the obvious lack of backstory. For an already fast-paced kdrama I wouldn't have minded a slower pace for a much more fulfilling story. Netflix, when I get you....

Need that Season 2 badly. Please give it to us.

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Romance with a tinge of Hollywood

I've been looking for a lighthearted romance movie to watch and THIS was it. It's a simple story about 4 couples from 4 different perspectives and stages in life, but the simplicity is what makes me feel so giddy. It feels so real but it's just too good to be true--maybe an ideal Hollywood romance. But I found myself smiling so much and cheering them on. The plot structure is nothing special, you have the issue that then gets resolved... but the storyline made me keep watching until the end. Also I love the diversity and cinematography in this film, beautiful scenes! Definitely perfect for a weekend watch.

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