Review - Start Up (TV Series, 2020)

Monday, January 18, 2021 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

 I wanted a drama for the new year, and this one was buzzing! 


Granny Choi:  "You're a cosmos flower. And it's still spring. Wait until fall, and you'll bloom beautifully. Be patient."


The Rundown

Behind the name: 스타트업 

Country: South Korea, 2020

Genre: Rom-Com, Drama 

Network: tvN

Production: Studio Dragon

Director: Oh Choong-hwan

Cast: Bae Suzy (as Seo Dal-mi), Nam Joo-hyuk (as Nam Do-san), Kim Seon-ho (as Han Ji-pyeong), Kang Han-na (as Won In-jae), Kim Hae-sook (as Choi Won-deok), Song Seon-mi (as Cha Ah-hyun)

Compare to: Itaewon Class

Hate it or Love it? Love it!


Synopsis in a Sentence: A girl starts a “pen pal” friendship with a guy she ends up falling for, and 15 years later, she sets out to find him... will she fall for her childhood crush or the new guy in the picture? 


On Writing: The Plot

Shoutout to writer, Park Hye-Ryun for churning out this original, multi-layered, depth-filled series! There are so many plot lines and layers and nuances that it feels like a bunch of series in one. We get a bit of drama, a bit of comedy, a little romance, and of course, the love triangle that turns out to be not your typical rendition!  So we laugh out loud a little, shed a tear or two, and see the innermost regrets, shames, and lessons that only life can really teach, all from the comfort of our homes! 

The storyline captures nuanced, yet relatable perspectives from the struggles of the rich, the poor, and the in between, to young ambition, failure and success, to the struggles of the engineering world, and the entrepreneurial one as well. Despite the wonderful production and acting, the writing just might be the star of this one! A fabulous job! 

(4.5/5)




On Acting: The Cast 


Cheers to the cast and crew! 

Seo Dal-mi, the lead role, is played by Bae Suzy and she is of course, charming, convincing, and credible! As expected, Suzy delivers the role with heart, relatability, and talent! 

Nam Joo-hyuk plays Nam Do-san, the insecure geek, yet brilliant genius and he does so well delivering this character! A job well done! 

Kim Seon-ho as Han Ji-Pyeong is the new love of the silver screen! This is perhaps his most popular role to date and we can’t wait to see what project he chooses next. For now, he’s back to his first love; the theatre! 

Kim Hae-sook plays the lovable granny, Choi Won-deok and we can’t love her enough! She’s fierce and real and strong and cuddly and Mme. Kim does an excellent job of making us want her as a granny! Arguably the star of the entire series! 

And then there’s Song Seon-mi, who plays money-loving mum, Cha Ah-hyun. And even though we want to judge her, Song makes this character so amiable and alluring that we just can’t! 

All other actors do such a great job of this, that we believe every bit of it! It’s so true-to-life that we totally relate! A fab job to the visible cast, and invisible crew behind this great production! 

 (4.5/5) 


On Production: The Creativity

Production is really very pretty and of course, well executed! The transitions are quite noteworthy and the overall picture is just gorgeous!  

The epilogues are a wonderful addition that enrich the overall story! A well-done effort! 

(4.5/5)                                              



On Resolution: The Conclusion

The resolution is wonderfully woven together, although, given the unique tilt of the story, I’d hoped to have gotten a nice little twist to the love triangle, but… nevertheless, all other plot lines are amply resolved, so a good conclusion overall!  

(4/5)


The Verdict: A fun, interesting, layered series that delivers depth and delight in equal measure!  A great watch! 


Overall Score = 17.5/20


                            









Posted In , , , , , , , , | 0 comments |

Review - Extracurricular (TV Series, 2020)

Saturday, August 1, 2020 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek


I was in the mood for a gritty, gory crime/thriller, and this one fit the bill! 


   “Dreams are expensive.”


The Rundown

Behind the name: Literally: Human Class, 인간수업

Country: South Korea, 2020

Genre: Gritty, Thriller-ish, Crime 

Production: Studio 329

Director: Kim Jin-Min

Writer: Jin Han-Sae

Distribution: Netflix 

Cast:  Kim Dong-Hee (as Oh Ji-Soo ), Park Joo-Hyun (as Bae Gyu-Ri), Jung Da-Bin (as Seo Min-Hee), Nam Yoon-Soo (as Kwak Ki-Tae), Park_Hyuk-Kwon (as Jo Jin-Woo), Seo Ye-Hwa (as Na Sung-Mi), Kim_Yeo-Jin (as Lee Hae-Kyung) & others 

Hate it or Love it?  Love it


Synopsis in a Sentence: Oh Ji-Soo is a top student with a stellar record--he keeps a low profile and stays out of trouble, while maintaining a side hustle that’s enviable to any prostitution ring, until he’s blackmailed by a fellow student, and then his life, and the lives of everyone he knows, start to unravel... 

On Writing: The Plot

The story is sooo original! Especially for the South Korean TV industry that shies away from the gritty bits of society. It shows everything; bares it all out, and captures the nuances of issues from the societal and individual angle, reflecting the “ungodly” aspects of society that’s part and parcel of every community and country, and the reasons behind the developments of such aspects. It’s a great story, well written, craftily captured, and fabulously executed. 

Three cheers for the plot! 

(4.5/5)

On Acting: The Cast 

A very well cast crew! 

Oh Ji-Soo is brought to life by Kim Dong-hee, and he is very good, very credible, in showing the nuances and layers of the character’s state of mind. It’s easy to develop empathy for such a layered character in such a gruesome business. And it’s a job well done! 

Bae Gyu-Ri, played by Park Joo-Hyun, is the numb daredevil, and spoilt rich kid, who has no qualms with blackmail, and Park does a top job of it. 

Seo Min-Hee is the girly girl/or the subject of the story, and actress Jung Da-bin relays her so well, she’s relatable and understandable and annoying in good balance. 

Bully, Ki-Tae is Nam Yoon-Soo in this drama, and he’s so convincing, we think of him as a heartless hoodlum which means, great job, actor! 

And for the adults in the series, the home room teacher, Jo Jin-Woo, played by Park Hyuk-Kwon and Detective Lee Hae-Kyung illustrated by Kim Yeo-Jin, are fabulous and give authentic renditions of their characters. 

So overall, a very well played cast! 

 (4.5/5) 

On Production: The Creativity

Production is very nicely suited to the genre. The music selection is fabulous, and creativity is exceptional. Everything from the script to the cast is brought together by the production and it’s a job so well done, it’s almost unreal.

 Shoutout to the production team behind the scenes who never get enough credit for what they deserve! 

(4.5/5)                                              


On Resolution: The Conclusion

It ends so well, we’re wondering if there’s a season 2, and we hope there is, but even if there isn’t, it’s a realistic resolution, and it’s very well done. 

(4/5)


The Verdict: An enlightening, thorough, nuanced, and gritty rendition of society!  


Overall Score = 17.5/20 





Posted In , , , , | 0 comments |

Review - Hotel del Luna (TV Series, 2019)

Saturday, April 11, 2020 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

It looked like a fantasy and was the 10th highest rated Korean TV series in cable TV history, and, importantly, I wanted to see some of the actors in action! 


“Narrator: Feeling sad and disappointed is only natural when witnessing disappearances. When a flower withers away, just like it dreams of a new blossom, you’ll live, meet, and love again.”
The Rundown
Behind the name: Previously, "Guest House of the Moon"
Country: South Korea, 2019
Genre: Fantasy, Drama 
Network: tvN
Director: Oh Choong-hwan
Cast:   IU (as Jang Man Wol), Yeo Jin Goo (as Goo Chang Sung), Shin Jung Geun (as scholar Kim Shi Ik), Bae Hae Sun (as Choi Seo Hee), P.O (as Ji Hyun Joong), Kang Mi Na (as Kim Yoo Na, the high school student), Lee Do Hyun (as Ko Chung Myung), Lee Tae Sun (as Yun Woo/Detective Park), Young Soo (Park Yoo Na as Princess Song Hwa), Kim Kyu Ri (as child Man Wol), Kim Kang Hoon (as child Chang Sung)
Compare to: Hotel Blue Moon
Hate it or Love it?  Enjoy it!

Synopsis in a Sentence: A young and promising hotel manager is forced to take his first job out of college working for a paranormal hotel — a hotel for ghosts and spirits in transition to the afterlife — where he meets characters that make him solve cases between the physical and spiritual worlds. 
On Writing: The Plot
It’s a story about death, and the afterlife, and overall, the purpose of life, love and the lessons we learn along the way.
It’s a series of short stories from different perspectives; young and old, rich and poor, and in between. Perhaps the best feature of the plot is that it is nuanced and quite deep, yet entertaining. It neatly and perhaps expertly wraps up drama, comedy, fantasy, issues like good versus evil, right versus wrong, life versus death in a way that is magically un-didactic and un-preachy. And this alone is a massive feat!
But the plot goes beyond these overall themes to tell stories of sacrifice, suicide and spirituality that are very well written and executed, enabling us to think of a greater purpose, of life and death and everything in between! All wrapped up, of course, in a couple of love stories. Overall, a plot well done!
(4.5/5)


On Acting: The Cast 
The characters the actors portray are round characters-- good and bad, layered and yet sometimes predictable--but the execution of these fairly complex characters tells of the great talent of the men and women and children that give these fictional people life. And the award, really, should go to the entire cast! But to mention a few…
IU proves she’s quite the talented actress through these series, as she portrays the (somewhat) threatening yet soft sureness of hotelier, Jang Man Wol in this series. She conjures up believable tears as well as laughter, transitioning seamlessly in the same scene, and really relays a believable character. Guess Korea’s little sister has quite grown into the actress!
Yeo Jin Goo plays Goo Chang Sung, the male lead, and is quite the lead everyone expects. Perhaps his character may be the most one-dimensional of all, but that’s alright, people also like predictability and his character gives the characters a sense of stability.
Really, the entire cast is a great collection of people to watch. And special shout out to the child actors that bring the past to life! A great cast! (4/5)



On Production: The Creativity
The production is a fantasy! It might be the star of the whole thing! Despite the layered plot and the talented cast… well perhaps. But really, the creativity of the production is evident throughout the story, for where the plot may seem to drag out, the gorgeous production comes in to save the day, with marvelous hues and dreamy scenes that transport you back into the fairytale.
Since the series tells different stories, you get to experience the greed, danger, hatred, yet hope, joy, and mystery of life, and that’s all thanks to the marvelous production!
(4.5/5)     
                                        
On Resolution: The Conclusion
With a plot so well written and a cast so convincingly skilled, and the production so riveting, can the conclusion measure up? Well, yes, really. It wraps the entire story up with no loose ends, and in quite a perfect way, that with all the mystery the world gives us, in life and death and everything in between, it offers us solace in sorrow, assurance in adversity, and gladness in the grief that life can offer us. A job well done!
And then we get a hint at a sequel! With a famous actor! Hoot!
(4/5)


The Verdict: A collection of fairy-tale-like stories that offers analysis and entertainment and hope that is deeper than we think. 
Overall Score = 17/20








Posted In , , , , , , | 0 comments |

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)