Pinocchio

Pinocchio is a very well crafted story about just how much the media effects people, as seen through the eyes of our main protagonist, Dal-Po. There is also a very nice romance in there.

The main thing I enjoyed about Pinocchio was how well it was able to balance drama and comedy. The main story was where the drama came from, and was kept in the arc of the main characters. The main characters did have some comedic moments, but most of the comedy was kept to the side characters, which I liked. This was one of those rare shows where you really got to know and like the side characters. I also enjoyed how unique the story was. There aren't too many shows about what goes in the world of journalism.

If I must nitpick, I have to say that I wish they would've cut out some of those cliché moments. Yes I know that Korean Dramas are well known for being soap opera-like, and that those moments very rarely occur in this drama. However, it really took out of the realism of it all when there is a long and silent stare while a ballad plays in the background.

This was the first Korean Drama I ever watched, and I'm glad of it. If you are trying to get into Korean Drama, this is a good place to start.

So it's no secret that I generally either hate or am greatly disappointed by older k-dramas (my other reviews speak for themselves). I often find the older "style" of k-dramas makes them feel too dated or too much like a soap-opera. Newer k-dramas stand up to serious scrutiny and can be as entertaining (if not much more!) than western dramas.

That being said this was a very pleasant surprise! I have had "Pinocchio" on my watch-list for a very long time, and I initially tried watching it over a year ago and dropped it after just two episodes because I couldn't get past the fake "Pinocchio syndrome." This time I decided to give it another chance and just go along with the premise, and boy am I glad that I did!

Pinocchio is a very well written and acted drama. While it does suffer from some dated aspects like soundtrack and camerawork/cinematography, the very engaging plot and fantastic acting more than make up for it. This story is extremely relevant, both then and now, and it takes a look at important issues like integrity and media manipulation. Yes, there is a love story, but honestly that is not the main focus, although the love story is cute and the actors had good chemistry. I really enjoyed every character in this, they are all very well rounded and well acted by the entire ensemble. Our lead Lee Jong-Suk was terrific in this, he has great chemistry with both his romantic interest as well as his brother and even his romantic rival. I have enjoyed later/more current dramas with Yoon Kyun-Sang and Kim Young-Kwang, so seeing their familiar faces was a plus. The story is engaging and keeps you interested right up till the end, and Lee Jong-Suk really carries the show with his incredible acting, he seriously is one of the saddest actors I have ever seen.

If you, like me, tend to shy away from older dramas, definitely give this a shot, it's a rare older drama that feels relevant and is done very well.

This might have become my favourite kdrama because it is finally a drama without too much telenovelistic stuff in it. The development of the characters along the movie is exceptional. Despite the tragic story, I did not shred a tear and I am happy about that because it means that the plot made me focus more on the positive part of how great the characters become in time and not of bad side of the world.

I love this series so much. It has a fictional premise of the Pinocchio syndrome, but that didn't take away from the series for me.

The actors did such great jobs of portraying their characters, so much so that I am forever doomed to be in love with Dal-po.

This series made me laugh and also tear up - in short, it did its job very well! It was also a great suspense story.

Recommended.

This drama meticulously portrays how much a family can be affected by the negligence of the media and how a person overcomes from it's aftereffects along with romance and humour