This drama has sat high up on the rankings for long time, yet like Six Flying Dragons, is one that I have avoided. I don’t really know why, it just didn’t appeal to me, which is surprising when a few of the main cast are actors I’m familiar with. However, I decided to trust in the high ratings and watch it.
Essentially, Reply 1988 is about a small neighbourhood and the families that live there, namely five childhood friends going through the end of their high school years and growing up. Deok Seon seemed to be the main character, being the only girl, and is kind and bright, although she struggles in school. Sun Woo is a model student and perfect son to his recently widowed mother. Taek is the baby of the group, somewhat spaced out and clumsy so that the others all feel protective about him, although he is a child prodigy baduk player. Jeong Hwan and his family became rich overnight, and although he may seem emotionless, he is really very sweet. Dong Ryong is a geek more interested in girls and having fun than studying. Together, they are the closest of friends, and all their lives intertwine. Taek and Jeong Hwan both have a crush on Deok Seon, but she likes Sun Woo, who is actually in love with Deok Seon’s sister. There is a nice side story about Jeong Hwan’s brother and Deok Seon’s best friend getting together, and lots about their parents and their friendships too. It was quite funny, although jokes being punctuated with goat bleats was weird to start with.
Firstly, the episodes are long. Like, 40 to 50 minutes longer than normal. That’s basically like watching a whole other episode. It took me a long time to get through the series because of that, because I would often have to split the time up, taking me two or three days to watch an episode.
Secondly, I think this series isn’t really for international audiences. It is filled with references that made absolutely no sense to me, although sometimes I could get it when they talked about western imports, such as Hollywood films. For the most part though, a lot of the humour was centred around reminiscing about Korea in the late 80’s and early 90’s, from adverts and comedy shows, to home life and politics. Much of it went totally over my head. Although I did enjoy their little tribute to Secret Garden, which made prefect sense, being a show that aired in 2010 ...
Thirdly, the Rui Effect was strong in this one, and totally confusing as to who was actually the second male lead. I thought for sure that Deok Seon and Jeong Hwan were going to end up together at the end, and that Taek was the Rui in this case, but apparently not. Also, side note, I was not bothered at all about Jeong Hwan until I saw him in his Air Force uniform. Thinking about it now, I’m kind of angry that Jeong Hwan didn’t end up with Deok Seon from how much I was sure that he would, although I think I would have angry whatever. There was just no winner in that scenario.
I feel like Dong Ryong was sort of the forgotten main cast member as his story didn’t get padded out nearly as much as the others. It seemed like he was thrown in for comedy value, and to prevent all scenes of the boys at school just being of Sun Woo and Jeong Hwan studying like the good kids they are. I also feel like they forgot about Jeong Hwan a bit at the end too, instead focusing more on Sun Woo, Deok Seon and Taek. The last episode tried too hard to be sad and sentimental, and while we all know how much I love a series that makes me cry, everyone at a wedding getting all happy emotional just doesn’t do it for me. Also, while we are talking about negatives, why is it called Reply 1988 when most of it happens in 1989, and fair portion of it in 1994 and ending in 1996. I think there was more screen time of the flash forwards to Deok Seon and her mysterious husband in 2015 than anything in 1988.
TLDR
Although it was good, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I were a 35 year old Korean person.
Don’t be put off by the long episodes - so much happens it’s easy to break them up.
I would watch it again purely for a couple of the kiss scenes and Jeong Hwan in his uniform.
Saturday, 5 January 2019
Monday, 31 December 2018
2018 Rewind or Whatever
It’s New Year’s Eve and everyone is reflecting back on the past 12 months. My social media is full of picture collages and soppy reminisces.
Fair enough, I guess I’ll join in. It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do.
1) Agi
In January, I got a kitten. Her name is Agi and I love her. She makes me happy and she is SUCH a cat. She does a lot of cat things and is generally just perfect.
2) Family
My baby niece grew into ... a slightly bigger baby, and her big sister turned into a little girl. These two girls are absolute angels, and their mother has done a far better job raising them than she gives herself credit for.
3) Bridesmaid again
I was asked by a dear friend to be her bridesmaid, which was somewhat of a surprise. It really moved me, in ways that I simply cannot put into words. It is a honour that I do not deserve, because she is a far better friend to me than I am to her, but it means so much to me that I will always strive to be as good to her as she is to me.
4) Korea
This year, in celebration of my 30th birthday, I had originally planned to man up and travel solo to Korea. However, I procrastinated for too long, and the tickets for the tour I had settled on had sold out. I was pissed off with myself for being such a coward, but also was finally able to recognise that I will just keep prevaricating unless I found someone to come with me. So I did. Yes, I have to wait until 2020, but Elle has promised me that she will come and I am holding her to it. Or I will kill her.
5) 30
Oh yeah, I had a sort of big birthday.. Somehow, I have managed not to die over the past 30 years. I’ve also managed to stay single, childless and poor, so you know, I’m not sure how much of a good thing making it to 30 really is.
6) Croatia
I went on holiday. It was nice, and I didn’t get burnt. Yay! It cost me a lot of money and I didn’t even get to go to the place that was the inspiration for going there. Boo!
7) Clear Skin
In the middle of 2017, I went off the pill and my skin exploded with the hormonal mess that is my body. This is something that I really struggled with for the past 18 months, physically but also mentally and emotionally. It messed me up. Big time. It still does. But I think that I have finally got it under control. Skin care and diet have made all the difference.
8) Infertility
In October, I found out that I cannot naturally have children. I had suspected it for a long time, but to have a doctor who specialises in your condition say those words to you is a whole other thing.
9) Media
I got Apple Music and started listening to a lot more kpop in my every day life. I also signed up to Viki Pass, so I’ve been watching a lot more Korean dramas, especially since I got an amazon fire stick and could watch them on my TV. Both of these have been amazing, although likely to have played a massive part in me not wanting to socialise much.
Fair enough, I guess I’ll join in. It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do.
1) Agi
In January, I got a kitten. Her name is Agi and I love her. She makes me happy and she is SUCH a cat. She does a lot of cat things and is generally just perfect.
2) Family
My baby niece grew into ... a slightly bigger baby, and her big sister turned into a little girl. These two girls are absolute angels, and their mother has done a far better job raising them than she gives herself credit for.
3) Bridesmaid again
I was asked by a dear friend to be her bridesmaid, which was somewhat of a surprise. It really moved me, in ways that I simply cannot put into words. It is a honour that I do not deserve, because she is a far better friend to me than I am to her, but it means so much to me that I will always strive to be as good to her as she is to me.
4) Korea
This year, in celebration of my 30th birthday, I had originally planned to man up and travel solo to Korea. However, I procrastinated for too long, and the tickets for the tour I had settled on had sold out. I was pissed off with myself for being such a coward, but also was finally able to recognise that I will just keep prevaricating unless I found someone to come with me. So I did. Yes, I have to wait until 2020, but Elle has promised me that she will come and I am holding her to it. Or I will kill her.
5) 30
Oh yeah, I had a sort of big birthday.. Somehow, I have managed not to die over the past 30 years. I’ve also managed to stay single, childless and poor, so you know, I’m not sure how much of a good thing making it to 30 really is.
6) Croatia
I went on holiday. It was nice, and I didn’t get burnt. Yay! It cost me a lot of money and I didn’t even get to go to the place that was the inspiration for going there. Boo!
7) Clear Skin
In the middle of 2017, I went off the pill and my skin exploded with the hormonal mess that is my body. This is something that I really struggled with for the past 18 months, physically but also mentally and emotionally. It messed me up. Big time. It still does. But I think that I have finally got it under control. Skin care and diet have made all the difference.
8) Infertility
In October, I found out that I cannot naturally have children. I had suspected it for a long time, but to have a doctor who specialises in your condition say those words to you is a whole other thing.
9) Media
I got Apple Music and started listening to a lot more kpop in my every day life. I also signed up to Viki Pass, so I’ve been watching a lot more Korean dramas, especially since I got an amazon fire stick and could watch them on my TV. Both of these have been amazing, although likely to have played a massive part in me not wanting to socialise much.
Saturday, 8 December 2018
The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
I’m going to start this post by just saying that this drama literally just made me cry a lot, and that I really like when films or dramas make me cry. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have started watching the last episode while waiting for my tea, because my food went cold and slightly soggy as I sobbed my heart out during the last 5 mins.
I don’t even think I want to do a normal review post.
It’s difficult because the first half of the series felt very different to the end - even half the cast seemed to just vanish. It starts out with Moo Young, the main guy, his brewery friends, Jin Kang, the main girl, her friend and her overpowering boyfriend, her brother, Jin Kook and all of his police buddies, one of whom becomes Jin Kang’s boyfriend. But by around half way through, we don’t really see any of them again apart from the main three, which felt a little weird. I get that we needed the start to show Moo Young’s cold and calculating side, to get unnerved by him, and to see how this changes with his relationship with Jin Kang, but it did divide the series for me a little too obviously.
Despite this, I did like this series a lot. Seo In Guk as Moo Young was worlds apart from the adorableness of Shopping King Louis. I wasn’t familiar with Park Sung Woong, who played Jin Kook, but very familiar with Jung So Mi, who played Jin Kang. Some bits were funny, some bits were sweet, some bits were shocking and some bits were sad. Viki did spoil a lot of it for me, but that didn’t stop me from getting caught up in the twists and turns. It was beautifully shot too - the cinematography was stunning, and the whole thing was presented in wide screen, which gave it a real film like feel.
Towards the end, I was thinking - you can tell this is a Japanese story. Korean writers seem to like to leave you on a happy ending, to give a glimmer of hope no matter what. Take Train to Busan. Practically everyone dies, there is a heartbreaking scene between the Dad and his daughter, but they end it with the pregnant lady and the daughter getting to safety. Not Japanese writers through. It’s like Koizora, in that the ending leaves you with nothing but a broken heart. No resolution, no indication of what happens next, just the end.
I just watched the end again because I’m a masochist.
Tl;Dr
It’s a proper drama drama
Watch it if you like being sad
I wouldn’t not watch it again
Next up I’ve decided to finally bite the bullet and watch Reply 1988. In fact, I stopped half way through the first episode to write this post. So far, Go Kyung Po is making me want to rewatch Chicago Typewriter, but other than that, it’s a bit weird.
I don’t even think I want to do a normal review post.
It’s difficult because the first half of the series felt very different to the end - even half the cast seemed to just vanish. It starts out with Moo Young, the main guy, his brewery friends, Jin Kang, the main girl, her friend and her overpowering boyfriend, her brother, Jin Kook and all of his police buddies, one of whom becomes Jin Kang’s boyfriend. But by around half way through, we don’t really see any of them again apart from the main three, which felt a little weird. I get that we needed the start to show Moo Young’s cold and calculating side, to get unnerved by him, and to see how this changes with his relationship with Jin Kang, but it did divide the series for me a little too obviously.
Despite this, I did like this series a lot. Seo In Guk as Moo Young was worlds apart from the adorableness of Shopping King Louis. I wasn’t familiar with Park Sung Woong, who played Jin Kook, but very familiar with Jung So Mi, who played Jin Kang. Some bits were funny, some bits were sweet, some bits were shocking and some bits were sad. Viki did spoil a lot of it for me, but that didn’t stop me from getting caught up in the twists and turns. It was beautifully shot too - the cinematography was stunning, and the whole thing was presented in wide screen, which gave it a real film like feel.
Towards the end, I was thinking - you can tell this is a Japanese story. Korean writers seem to like to leave you on a happy ending, to give a glimmer of hope no matter what. Take Train to Busan. Practically everyone dies, there is a heartbreaking scene between the Dad and his daughter, but they end it with the pregnant lady and the daughter getting to safety. Not Japanese writers through. It’s like Koizora, in that the ending leaves you with nothing but a broken heart. No resolution, no indication of what happens next, just the end.
I just watched the end again because I’m a masochist.
Tl;Dr
It’s a proper drama drama
Watch it if you like being sad
I wouldn’t not watch it again
Next up I’ve decided to finally bite the bullet and watch Reply 1988. In fact, I stopped half way through the first episode to write this post. So far, Go Kyung Po is making me want to rewatch Chicago Typewriter, but other than that, it’s a bit weird.
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