DryedMangoez Good Ol’ Reviews written after a television series has completed its premiere run.
The 2020 JTBC drama 18 Again (18 어게인) is an all-around fun and heartwarming series depicting relatable life lessons about family, friends, school and career. Though it loses a bit of steam towards the end, it is a wholly satisfying series that is powered by sincere performances and a positive overarching message.
OCN’s 2019 series Strangers from Hell (타인은 지옥이다 / Hell is Other People) is a psychological thriller to end all psychological thrillers. Ten fast-paced episodes explore the often-tumultuous depths of people’s minds and often-frightening depths of today’s society. It serves as a reminder about not ignoring those reaching out for help and how there may always be something lurking beneath an innocuous surface.
The 2018-2019 drama series My Strange Hero (복수가 돌아왔다) appears to try and bring a new take to a familiar theme and setting. But being unable to commit to ideas it offers up results in a talented cast being given material that lacks cohesion and weight to really leave a lasting impression.
The 2018 film On Your Wedding Day (너의 결혼식) is a heartfelt, realistic coming of age story about the people and moments that help to shape your life.
The 2017 KBS drama Hit the Top (최고의 한방/The Best Hit) is a charming and fun slice-of-life look at youth at all ages. And the moments that help shape one’s self and one another.
The 2017 SBS drama While You Were Sleeping (당신이 잠든 사이에) may not have gotten everything right, but its ambitious, yet accessible premise and a charming cast ultimately make it a worthwhile experience.
Jero Yun’s 2018 feature Beautiful Days (뷰티풀 데이즈) is a haunting slice-of-life melodrama that features quietly affecting performances from its main cast and an engaging film with a relatively simple and ultimately straightforward story.
I’ve definitely expressed my apathy to Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger many times before. But similar to my pleasant surprise from the Zyuohger returns film, this latest Sentai crossover film, Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger VS Lupinranger VS Patranger manages to almost erase what I disliked about LuPat and instead focus on what worked. And unlike many crossover team-ups, the blending together of the two (or three in this case) teams worked seamlessly and actually added to the overall enjoyment of the movie.
Disney’s 2020 live-action remake of the classic animated film is not a bad movie. However, in trying to distance itself from the original by finding its own, more mature voice, Mulan falls far short of being a truly epic event. The potential is there and the foundation is solid. But by never truly committing and following through on what it wants to be, the film feels undercooked and underdeveloped.
Ra Mi Ran and Lee Sung Kyung kick ass in the hilarious, fun, action-packed film Miss & Mrs. Cops (걸캅스/Girl Cops).