Pethushka

Hats off to the writers, because wrestling with that many characters must have been no small feat. And hats off to the actors as well, for whom this shoot must have been very challenging. If not mentally, then physically. The fight scenes were a really big part of the series and I would be hard-pressed to find one with more fights and brawls. They were also very well developed, and apart from the imperfect sound, there was nothing to complain about. And because each character had their own way of fighting, each fight was completely different. So there's definitely no fast-forwarding this one. The fights here are literally a masterpiece that leave you breathless. And the music ensures the right amount of adrenaline in your blood, driving the cheers right out of you. The rest of the plot was also interesting, without unnecessary stalling or drawn-out shots. I liked the fact that the filmmakers didn't squeeze everything out of every situation and left it up to the viewer to figure out how our heroes must be feeling. At times, I even told myself I was wondering how this or that one was taking it. But not seeing for myself left me even more tense. And that's probably what sets this show apart from the rest. It's based primarily on a good script. The development of the plot often surprised me and the interactions between the characters were unexpected. Only a handful of them could be identified as positive or negative. Of course, that made it all the more entertaining. If I were to comment on all the characters that captivated me I'd probably be here well into the evening, so I'll just mention a few of the most important ones. Jung-tae was simply legendary. I don't understand why Hyun-joong has hid this side of him from us for so long. I used to completely dislike him, but he gets an A-plus for this role with me. Kim Ok-ryeon was pretty bland at first, but towards the end when she started to show more, she won my sympathy too. Anyway, Se-yeon Jin, who played her character, has made a lot of progress since It's Okay, Daddy's Girl. And then there's Gaya and Aoki, who I'm still unclear about even after finishing watching. The irony is that I normally like both actors a lot, so it's purely a case of not liking their roles. Although I liked Gaya a lot more in the second half and she was great as a kid. And who was the most repulsive to me out of the entire series? You may be surprised, but even more than Seol Doo-sung, who was played perhaps as best he could by Il-hwa Choi, I couldn't stand Do-goo. I wanted to strangle him every time he appeared on screen. But that too is an achievement. All in all, I really enjoyed Inspiring Generation and it's one of "my" shows. Heroes, villains, betrayal, friendship, love... all in the 1930s, which I love. If it weren't for a minor crisis that befell me after arriving in Shanghai, I'd probably rate it even higher. So if you love this era and the martial arts to go with it, don't be put off by the number of episodes and go for it. A strong 4 stars.

I loved The Greatest Love mainly because the cast exuded an incredibly positive energy and you could see how much they were enjoying filming every scene. I've never seen so many surprises and amazing cameos in one show. But no matter who else appeared, the biggest star here was without hesitation Dokko Jin, who I consider one of the best characters ever to appear in a Korean series. He has a perfect, extravagant personality and fights hard for love. And that's what audiences want in a romantic comedy, right? Hyo-jin as Ae-jung is definitely one of the better heroines too. I can only remember one situation where I didn't root for her because she did that classic stupid thing that made things unnecessarily complicated. Otherwise, she was great. I can't say that this show avoided all the clichés that regularly appear in them, but at least it didn't bore the audience with the most tired ones. I liked that the characters didn't needlessly torment each other and acted for the most part in a pretty understandable way. For an energy recharge, this piece is perfect. 4.5 stars.

I'll share my enthusiastic review as well, where I certainly won't be holding back on praise. As for the story, it was engaging and unique from the start. I can safely say that Healer worked its way into my heart after just a few minutes. The famously choreographed action scenes (especially the running on the rooftops) augmented with the great soundtrack were a feast for the eyes and ears. If there were any kinks or inconsistencies, I (thankfully) wasn't aware of them. Since almost all the characters were interestingly written and acted, there was no time for boredom either. Chang-wook as the healer literally took my breath away. I devoured his every move with mouth wide open and gushed over how talented and versatile he is. And even though it was the first time I saw him perform, he instantly became one of my favorites. His character was outstanding, amazing... just the best. The main character was perfect for me, too. She wasn't stupid, she wasn't hysterical, she spent a minimum of time crying, and most importantly, she didn't take on rescue operations herself, which would only have made things worse anyway. In short, she did nothing but make me happy. Ji-tae Yoo as Moon Ho and Ji-won Do as Kim Moon-sik's wife were no weaker. And I saved the very best one for last. Yes, the total number one for me was Mi-kyeong Kim as the hacker. This character is literally an experience. Just like the whole series. Where the hell is City Hunter... 5 stars.

I have very conflicted feelings about I Do, I Do. It was just up and down. Just when it started to look like I was letting itself get carried away with their relationship after all, I found myself getting bored after a while. And it went on and on. Jang-woo Lee was passable, but Seon-ah Kim didn't fit him at all. In fact, I found that I don't think I like her as an actress. The script was as worn out as an old record, and aside from a few nice romantic scenes, it sucked. So the best part of this whole thing was probably Soo-hyang Lim and the main character's appealing dad. Once was enough. 2.5 stars.

I haven't seen a movie this suspenseful in a long, a truly long time. It's so terribly suspenseful that after the first line I was ready to rewind the film to the end to see how it would turn out. It blends so many things that I love in movies. Unexpected twists and turns, engaging narration from the main heroine, and... one big game. And the best part is the insightful, even clinical way in which it's filmed. I have no complaints about the cast either. I'm simply and plainly blown away and if anyone asks me for a movie recommendation this year, this one will immediately jump out at me. Anyway, I'm off to buy the book this weekend. 5 stars.

Weakness, weakness. In the first place, I don't understand how they could cast actors whose English outright grates on your ears off in a series where most of it is in English. I also felt that most of the characters weren’t comfortable in the parts that were filmed in America, at times almost comically so. Once the action moved to Korea it got a bit better and they weren't as spastic, but even there it wasn't great. The plot dragged terribly slowly and kept repeating itself. Nor was it any great shakes in terms of cinematography. On the other hand, the embraces, the kissing, and the other love scenes felt a lot more natural than the ones they've been filming in Korea in recent years. And that's what my first star is for. My second is for Rae-won Kim, who was excellent. Compared to him, Tae-hee Kim was truly dreadful. I'm always rooting for her, but she didn't work for me here. A weaker 2 stars.

It's not as much of a bummer as I expected based on the reviews on various sites, but when I remember how much I was looking forward to this series, it's disappointing. I never would have believed I'd ever write it, but Rain’s acting wasn’t that great. Most of the time he looked like he got his role as a punishment. He didn't really come into his own until the last episode, when he was maybe happy that the end was near. It’s not that I think he doesn’t know how to act anymore, it's more like he didn't get a chance to act. But at least the stylists dressed him so nicely. The atmosphere was too melancholy for me. As a movie it would have been okay, but after 16 episodes I was pretty tired of it. There just wasn't a spark between Rain and Krystal. Plus, I'm still not sure Krystal has what it takes to play the lead. She's talented, but I don't think she has much in the way of charisma. So average.

There's so much I want to say, but somehow I ran out of words with all the excitement. In short, it's a suspenseful series with a touch of crime that grabs the viewer and doesn't let go. And if you're one of those people who sometimes cries at movies, chances are there will be tears too. Like the script, the cast is strong. Yoo-bin Kim, who portrayed little Saet-byul, was absolutely amazing. At times, I couldn't understand how she could act so well at her age. Bo-yeong Lee as her mom was again at last a heroine that I could completely empathize with and whose actions I could fully understand. Not to mention Seung-woo Jo as Dong-chan, and his brother and nephew, who weren’t far off. I really salute their performances, because not everyone can play a mentally challenged person so convincingly. Goo Shin had a smaller role here, but even so I was reassured that he is an incredibly charismatic actor, and after his role as the grandfather in Thank You he continues to have a place in my heart. So in summary, God's Gift is simply one of those films you MUST see. And the negatives? The ending wasn't quite to my liking, and for the first time in a long time, I thought they could easily have thrown in at least one more episode. But I have a vivid imagination, so I interpreted the finale in my own way and I'm satisfied. Almost a full 5 stars.

A sweet, rainy-day romance with a nice cast and music. My only criticism would be that at times it really wasn't immediately obvious what season we were in. Otherwise, this is a nice film perfect for when you want to switch off, make a proper cup of tea, and watch something that will recharge you and calm you down at the same time. And since it was exactly at that type of moment that I put on Over the Rainbow, it really did it for me. 4 stars.

At first it might seem like a regular gangster movie, where the main character realizes through love that she doesn't really want to live a dirty life, so she tries to go clean, only to find out in the end that it's actually too late. And yet this definitely isn’t the kind of movie that has been made dozens, maybe hundreds of times. Open City has an exceptional and subtle plot whose power gradually starts showing, especially at the end. There is a nice soundtrack and the actors give wonderful performances. Especially Ye-jin Son, who constantly convinces me that no role is a problem for her. Once again she took my breath away, once again she was perfect, and once again I’m repeating myself. But I guess she can't do it any other way. Myeong-min Kim handled the role of the detective also to perfection. So well, in fact, that I'll have to look up his other films. And I liked Hae-sook Kim as well, even though her character didn't have that much screen time. 4.5 stars.