Gritty & Violent AIW Retelling

While I have never been an Alice in Wonderland fan (not of the book or any of the retellings), I decided to give this show a shot because it reminded me of The Hunger Games and Battle Royal. The gritty setting and horror elements were truly the best part of the series. The further Arisu descended into the rabbit hole, the more explicit the violence become. I never felt the violence was gratuitous for shock value, but served as an immersive experience for both the characters and audience alike. While the show certainly put its characters into interesting survival and moral quandaries, I felt rather ambivalent about the character's fates. I'm not sure if my detachment stemmed from the genre itself (don't get too connected to the characters because they could all die at any moment) or if it was from a storytelling perspective. I'm not sure I would rewatch this series, but I certainly will give the second season a try.

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Fun and Breezy Romantic Comedy

At ten episodes around 45 minutes long, it’s a quick and fun ride. I almost think this drama would have benefited from one or two more episodes as the conclusion to the two main love stories felt a little too rushed to make for a satisfying ending. Nam King-ho and Yeo Mi-ran have a typical romance with some nice skinship scenes, but their romance didn’t feel fully fleshed out by the end of the series. Even less so was the romance between Do Won-jun and Shin Na-eun. What did the second leads really like about each other besides them being hot? No clue, friends.

While the romances were enjoyable, the true intimate connections were felt between the main leads and their best friends. Teo Yoo and Hi-hoon Kim had insane chemistry together, and the story points this out with plenty of romantic beats between the two. It’s queer baiting for laughs and giggles, which is a bit disappointing. It could have so easily made for a contemporary and fun BL romance. Mi-ran and Shin Na-eun also had a kindred spirit connection that felt genuine and heartfelt. I always enjoy a good sismance and bromance, which this show did well. It was fun and quick so I have no complaints, but I'm not sure it was all that memorable.

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Steamy Romantic Comedy

I’m not going to lie - I adore skinship. I love the hand holding, the sweet and/or steamy kisses, and the all encompassing hugs. When I looked up the best Asian dramas to find the most skinship, Lost Romance was the first on everyone’s list. It does indeed have it all, including a sensual and explicit love scene between the leads. He Tianxing/Situ Aoran and Zheng Xiao'en, as played by Marcus Chung and Vivian Sung, were on fire from the moment they met. Their witty banter, comedic timing, and instant chemistry made it easy to root for them in both the fictional and real world. Their fictionalized selves were over the top and exaggerated, which made for a nice contrast to their more reserved and introspective real world selves. The gradual connection they developed over the course of the show felt natural and genuine.

While I adored the main leads so much, it was hard to not to fall in love with second lead Duanmu Qingfeng. He very much encompasses the archetypal “nice guy to his egotistical best friend” role, but he truly made for a memorable and swoony second lead. The other supporting fictional characters in the novel, whether friend or foe to the main leads, made for a fun and memorable ride. The only characters and story that fell flat for me was the real world dramedy occurring with He Tianxing’s family. The tone and plot of this story felt too tonally different and disconnected from the breezy, if somewhat silly, fictional world.

The story is very much a spoof on the romantic comedy genre. It excels at making fun of popular romantic tropes in the beginning and ending of the series, but it does fall into its own trap during the middle section. I didn’t mind this digression too much. Considering I love the romance genre, I enjoyed the two leads become a part of the tapestry of the novel rather than remaining outside of it. However, I could see some viewers enjoying these parts less than the rest of the series. I also appreciated that the story attempted to tie together the real and fictionalized worlds. Several of these “story within story” shows* do a poor job of giving a proper ending to both storylines, but this show did both in an interesting and unique way.

The OST and directing were outstanding. I could watch this show and listen to the soundtrack over and over again. However, my biggest issue is Zheng Xiao'en wardrobe. I didn’t mind the muted tones or cozy look, but the shape and style of the clothes looked terrible on her. It was even more noticeable compared to the rest of the female cast, especially He Tianxing’s sister. Was this design choice to illustrate her as more chaste? To show her roots in romance? Who knows. I was also extremely sad the cute promos they played between scenes were not in the actual show. I wanted to see the two acting cutesy with cupcakes!

** I’m looking at you, The Romance Between Tiger and Rose

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Perfect Balance Between Romance and Thriller

When I started looking into popular Kdrama romances, Healer was one of the most popular and recommended shows. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy a show released almost ten years ago. I figured the production value, acting quality, and storyline would be outdated and problematic. I am so happy to report I was absolutely dead wrong! This show stands the test of time with an outstanding cast and story expertly balancing between an intense plot and epic romance.

Let’s first talk about the chemistry - all of the actors worked well together, but the romantic relationship between So Jung-hoo and Chae Young-shin sizzled on screen. Although secrets kept them apart for much of the first half of the show, the second half more than makes up for that distance with plenty of skinship between the two (hugs, cuddles, kisses, etc.). I appreciated the time spent developing their emotional connection to one another, particularly when unveiled secrets threatened their burgeoning romance. The secondary characters were also memorable, particularly Kim Mi-kyung as Jo Min-Ja. Her character had a surprising amount of depth despite being regulated to working at the computer most of the show’s run.

The action sequences were intense and well-done. I know Ji Chang-wook is know for his action work, and it is on showcase in Healer. I did find the storyline to be rather confusing, although I think it worked perfectly well for the mystery aspects of the show. Mystery is not my genre of choice so I tend to miss red hearings and clues other sleuths may pick up. The show tied up lose ends well, although I do wish some more closure was given regarding the role of the Healer in the future.

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Lots of Issues

Dear gentle reader, I pretty much hated it. Let me count the ways.

❤ I will never take sound production for granted again. I could hear almost every little rustle coming from the actors moving around the set or the noise generated from an outdoor scene. And, my god, the cicadas were incredibly loud in the outside shots. I don't mind a certain amount of background noise as I think it makes scenes feel more real than fiction, but it took me completely out of the narrative to be trying to hear the actors over all of the other noise.

❤ I wasn't a fan of the OST. While the tunes were lighthearted and happy, I didn't fell like they reflected the show for some reason. The show is pretty lighthearted so I'm not sure why the songs didn't click, but they didn't.

❤ The side characters were one-dimensional with little making them integral to the story. I also felt like some of the performances were lacking. However, perhaps they were lacking because they were given so very little depth and breadth. The only side character I absolutely adored was Hyeon Jin. Give me a fierce best friend any day of the week! I wish her and her later love interest would have been given more screen time and character development.

❤ This show would have benefited from a shorter number of episodes. My number one pet peeve is when shows insert entire scenes or clips from previous episodes to pad out current episodes. This had so much padding, particularly episode 8 (with 15 minutes of a montage sequence featuring the main couple in a 40 minutes episode). Perhaps if I had loved the characters more this would not have bothered me so much.

❤ While I think the romance had potential, it didn't work for me. Part of it was Lee Jae In's physical manhandling of Kim Da Hyeon. Every scene where he was touching her felt like him pushing her around. He would either have his hand wrapped around her wrist dragging her behind him or he would be pushing her around to get her where he wanted her. I don't think it was intended to look that way, but it did.

❤ If this show got one thing right, it was what a realistic romance would look like between two working adults. Both of them have to make concessions or compromises in order to see each other. There are also times when they had to make phone calls or texts count because they couldn't physical see each other. These scenes back-to-back felt a little choppy, but I do think it was realistic.

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Conflicted About Story's Message

I feel a bit conflicted about Oh My Venus. While the two leads had great chemistry, I'm not sure the overall story worked for me.

❤ While I love a good story where a woman takes control of her life and destiny, I'm a little concerned about the portrayal that a "sexy" and "healthy" woman's ideal body type is thin. Hmmm. I do appreciate the male lead talking several times about "health" rather than "thinness" as the best indicator for wellbeing, but it still feels a little too on the nose that the female lead loses tons of weight and turns "pretty" (so to speak).

❤ The two leads have amazing chemistry together. Their romance was built slowly as they dealt with their developing personal feelings. However, I was not a fan of their ending. It may be an HEA, but the actions leading to it felt problematic.

❤ The makeup was spot on for this show. The fat suits used for the main female lead and the second lead were outstanding.

❤ I loved Kim Young-ho's boys, Jan Joon-Sung and Kim Ji-Woong. Who doesn't love a found family trope? Not me!

❤ I disliked the second leads so much. Part of it had to do with their set-up - it truly felt like they had started a relationship prior to his breakup with Kang Joo-Un. Partly it had to do with how mean and vindictive Oh Soon-Jin was written. Seriously, she was the worst and I had a hard time having sympathy for her with how terrible she was to most of the others.

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Interesting Plot + Tepid Romance

This didn't work for me for several reasons.

❤ The romance was disappointing as I felt the two actors didn't have much chemistry or connection at the start of the series. Mid-season the two finally found a romantic vibe, and I did believe their love by the end of the series.

❤ The story itself was interesting. I'm not sure I found it all that plausible, but it certainly sucked me in to it. I couldn't stop watching to see what happened next.

❤ Probably the most interesting part is as Kang Chul becomes a fully realized character, the madness of Oh Sung-Moo grows. The performance of the actor playing the writer, Kim Eui-Sung, was amazing. He did an excellent job portraying this poor unraveling soul struggling between reality and fiction.

❤ I wish the side characters from the webtoon, Yoon So-Hee and Seo Do-Yoon, were given a bit more depth and interaction within the story. It would have made for nice layers for the two to be more integral to the plot rather than as side pieces for Kang Chul to use as needed.

❤ The cinematography and action sequences were really well done. Jee Jong Suk, playing Kang Chul, had some excellent and memorable moments.

❤ The biggest problem, or at least the one I noticed the most, was the sound production. It was somewhat hard to hear the actors when they were in crowded or outdoor scenes, particularly when they were on the phone. I noticed myself turning up the volume multiple times during those scenes, something I never thought about prior to other shows.

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Mood Boosting Fun Time

If you're looking for a mood boosting fun time, you've come to the right place!

❤ I'm pretty sure you will see a picture of Ahn Hyo Seop and Kim Se Jeong if you look up the word "chemistry" in the dictionary. Also probably Kim Min Gue and Seol In Ah. All of these actors had spades of chemistry with each other, and I was here for it.

❤ The friendships between the characters were literally everything. I loved how the best friends of the main characters have their own utterly beautiful romance.

❤ Kim Se Jeong as Shin Ha Ri was riveting. Someone likened her to Emma Stone, and I 100% agree. She played Ha-ri with such charm and vulnerability that I couldn't help but fall in love with the actress and the character.

❤ The supporting cast was absolutely brilliant. Even the characters with little screen time somehow made their scenes shine.

❤ The last episode was a bit disappointing. I felt like the show back peddled on some of the smart decisions made by characters to make it seem more "drama" filled than it needed to be. I perhaps might have enjoyed it more if I had not been watching it live - I think my expectations became too big with the wait between episodes.

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Melodramatic and Campy

While I can see the appeal to this series, it had too much melodrama for my taste.

❤ The heart of this story is the romance between Yoon Se-ri and Ri Jeong-hyeok. The actors had phenomenal chemistry together and really sold the believability of their star crossed lovers romance.

❤ Who doesn't love a found family story? Not me! Captain Ri's Company Five stole the show (and my heart). I loved all of them so, so much - taciturn Pyo Chi-su, stoic (but handsome!) Park Kwang-beom, nerdy Yoo Su-bin, and the kid-like Geum Eun-Dog. I loved how they all adopted Se-ri, and she them. The relationships they build between each other, the love they feel for each other, it was the best part of the show.

❤ The ones to get shafted here are by far the second lead couple, Gu Seung-Jung and Seo Dan. The two had decent chemistry together, and their respective stories fit well for the romantic aspect of their relationship. All of their build up was for nothing and the ending to their storyline was incredibly unsatisfying.

❤ The first part of the story is set in North Korea, while the latter half is mostly spent in South Korea. It was fascinating learning about the Korean Demilitarize Zone (KDZ) and the differences between the two countries. However, I'm not sure on the accurately portrayed by the North Korean portions of the show.

❤ If the plot hadn't gone in such a dramatic direction, I probably would have rated it higher. It was just a little too campy and over-the-top for me.

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Bewitching & Bittersweet Romance

If someone were to ask me to describe this series, I’m not sure I could do it justice. It’s about life and loss; joy and grief; hope and despair. It’s about letting go of the past to embrace the present and future; building a friendship with a rival; falling in love for the first time. It is, as Eun-tak says, a “sad love” story. Yet despite this show being an absolutely bewitching and bittersweet story, it didn’t quite work for me.

❤ This show works best when it focuses on the four main leads - Kim Shin, Grim Reaper, Ji Eun-tak, and Sunny. Kim Shin and the Grim Reaper shine whether they are bickering or bantering.

❤ It took me some time to get invested in the love story considering an immortal is attempting to romance a high school senior. I embraced their romance eventually, but it took me some time to get past the circumstances. Eun-tak’s sunny personality mixed with Kim Shin’s awakening emotions were the perfect mixture between silly and sweet.

❤ It’s too long for such a short story. Whole scenes from previous episodes we’re inserted into later episodes to pad it out to sixteen episodes, but it dragged down the pacing dramatically. I think it could have been well executed with half the run time.

❤ The person training to be the next assistant to Kim Shin, Yoo Duk-hwa, was only used as a plot device or the comic relief. The CGI was also pretty terrible, particularly in the earlier episodes.

❤ Be prepared for a bittersweet ending. This is a show that talks a lot about depression, loss, and grief. If you’re looking for a fun and feel good show, you might not enjoy this experience right now.

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Romances Couldn't Hold My Attention

I'm not a fan of medical or police dramas, but I had heard the romances were cute in this show. I can get through almost anything if it has a romance I enjoy. However, it became increasingly obvious the more time I spent watching that the romances did almost nothing for me. The main leads were certainly cute together in the beginning, but their romance quickly fizzled out as their relationship grew. It felt like I was watching two friends, not romantic partners, in the later episodes. While the second lead couple started off promising in the "opposites attract" category, they quickly turned into the worst part of the show for me. Ruan Qing Xia had too many red flags and boundary issues for me to root for her in a relationship; likewise with Shu Wen Bo, who was too cut off and removed from his emotions. I enjoyed the romance between the third leads, but they do not get much screen time until the later half of the season.

While the romance is an important aspect of the show, I would say their individual careers truly make up the bulk of the story. If you are squirmish or violence is a trigger for you, please skip this show. It doesn't shy away from the realities of these two people’s professions. The action sequences and medical emergencies were well-done if that is important to you.

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Adorable Contemporary Romance

My Little Happiness is an adorable romantic comedy with charming characters and sweet romances. The leads have amazing chemistry together, and their romance was meticulously built over the twenty-eight episode run. While the two encountered their fair share of drama, it came across as relatable considering it being their very first romantic relationship. Other romantic partners pop up from time to time, but the two leads are end game from the very first episode. The secondary leads also sizzled on screen despite their more tumultuous relationship. I love to watch a romance with tons of skinship, and this show delivered big time. Expect lots of hugs, hand holding, and kissing once relationships move toward romance. While the romance is the main focus of the story, all of the characters had interesting and dynamic lives. I enjoyed all of their multifaceted dynamics with one another - as individuals, as romantic partners, and as friends.

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Interesting Premise With Problematic Execution

I feel so conflicted about this show. While it featured an amazing cast and an interesting premise, it was riddled with plot holes and shallow world building. I adored the main cast. Lee Jae-wook, Jung So-min, and Shin Seung-ho provided some of the best performances as Jang Uk, Mu Deok-i, and Go Won. I loved all of their interaction as well as their general character arcs. Much of this first season is a blend of comedy and tragedy, which they effortlessly managed with skill and talent. The other actors were fine in their roles - not particularly memorable, but fine as an ensemble cast.

While I overall enjoyed the performances, the general mystery and worldbuilding left a lot to be desired. Despite it having an expansive and complex world of magic, I felt I barely understood any of it after twenty episodes. Considering this magic system is important to character development, it should have been easier to understand and articulate to the audience. Additionally, the murky worldbuilding put up road block between organic character development. It felt like the characters stagnated or had to wait to move in a certain direction in order for the plot to catch up. To give credit where credit is due, the special effects and overall cinematography were beautifully executed and well shot. This show obviously had money and backing behind the production.

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Excellent Chemistry Yet Overly Dramatic

While I liked the main romance between Mi So and Young Joon, I felt ambivalent about most of the other parts of the story.

❤ I absolutely adored Park Seo Joon as Lee Young Joo. Am I surprised? No, of course not. It was a difficult role to nail as he had to be equal parts egotistical asshole and vulnerable romantic lead. I wasn't as sold on Park Min Young as Kim Mi So. Her character wasn't all that interesting despite the intriguing premise. I wanted to love her, but I didn't. That said, the two leads had amazing chemistry and heart melting moments together.

❤ While the secondary characters were played by some of my favorite character actors (looking at you Kang Ki Young!), I didn't like any of their romances. While they all had potential, none of them were given the time and attention needed to make them a viable, interesting foil to the main lead's romance. When I compare this to Hometown Cha Cha Cha, which did an excellent job layering the ensemble cast's stories without overwhelming the main romantic story, it just doesn't hold up.

❤ The brother's storyline was by far the worst part of this show as it was overly convoluted and added nothing of value to their characters. It reminded me of the worst parts of a soap opera. Then again, rarely do I enjoy love triangles so perhaps that aspect tinged my engagement of it.

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Combustible Chemstry With Problematic Elements

I find myself rather torn on this show. Initially I didn't like the romance - I felt the male lead was bit too standoffish and remote, making is extremely challenging in determining if he actually liked Zhu Yun (especially in the earlier episodes). Some of his decisions, especially the middle section of the show, felt incredibly toxic and, well, mean. Like, mean boy mean. And I still stand by that assessment all of the months since watching the show, but I find myself returning to rewatch their romance time and again. These two actors had excellent chemstry with each other, which makes some of their more problematic moments as a couple, or even as friends, palatable. I also see definite character growth between them as individuals and as a couple. I recommend going into this show knowing these two are flawed and their development takes time and patience. It's ultimately worth it in the end.

The show does an excellent job with having a second male lead that is not actively vying romantically for the female lead. The female lead and second male lead are friends, but not romantically attracted to each other. It was refreshing to see the two male leads competing more so as friends, allies, and business partners rather than as potential love candidates. I can't remember the last time (or any time) a second male lead has not developed some sort of feelings for the female lead, and it was absolutely wonderful.

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