truth-teller
Joined Dec 2010
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Ratings37
truth-teller's rating
Reviews28
truth-teller's rating
For now I give it 6 stars, and though I haven't seen all the 7 episodes released so far, I'm not surprised the k-drama fans are out in force as usual to blow smoke up its backside. It's pointless to come here for a balanced review on anything k-drama because everything is "must see" and the "best drama" of the year, whatever the actual quality.
No-one does monsters quite like the Koreans and there's been a glut of shows featuring monsters and zombies in the past few years. Because of this there's some high bars to reach and overcome and there's really nothing here we haven't already seen. There's an uneasy mix of occasional comedy thrown in with the drama which might settle and gel as time goes on but in the early stages comes across as jarring.
I'll update this when I've seen the whole series, but right now I'm just here to say that if it really is as marvellous as all the 10 star reviews, I'll happily eat my hat. Until then I'm reserving judgement, despite being an admirer of the two leads. That's not enough for this to be an automatic masterpiece.
No-one does monsters quite like the Koreans and there's been a glut of shows featuring monsters and zombies in the past few years. Because of this there's some high bars to reach and overcome and there's really nothing here we haven't already seen. There's an uneasy mix of occasional comedy thrown in with the drama which might settle and gel as time goes on but in the early stages comes across as jarring.
I'll update this when I've seen the whole series, but right now I'm just here to say that if it really is as marvellous as all the 10 star reviews, I'll happily eat my hat. Until then I'm reserving judgement, despite being an admirer of the two leads. That's not enough for this to be an automatic masterpiece.
For every exasperated review explaining this is NOT season 2 of Squid Game, there seem to be many more complaining that it is, and that it's rubbish.
It's a game show, a reality GAME SHOW replicating as far as possible the games/ordeals of the original drama contestants without the shootings being real. It's a great idea and it's fun to watch - that is if you are bright enough to understand what you are watching and do not spend your time fuming over your own mistaken impressions.
With 456 participants to begin with it's not difficult to see why they concentrated on some obvious characters in the first few episodes - a mother and son, a bunch of college jocks, an elderly doctor (reminiscent of the old man in the original series) and various others, but as the games start eliminating vast numbers (including some that had featured fairly prominently) it becomes easier to spot and recognise people, watch relationships develop and root for some while hoping others don't make it.
I haven't watched it all yet, but enough episodes to find it fascinating, especially how people's minds tick, their perhaps misplaced self-confidence, dismissive attitudes towards others, or (just as bad) their gullibility. I'd like to think my own strategy would be to stay sharp but be kind to others where I can, which is why I haven't thoroughly insulted all the confused reviewers, and any blood spilled in the writing of this review is just ink.
It's a game show, a reality GAME SHOW replicating as far as possible the games/ordeals of the original drama contestants without the shootings being real. It's a great idea and it's fun to watch - that is if you are bright enough to understand what you are watching and do not spend your time fuming over your own mistaken impressions.
With 456 participants to begin with it's not difficult to see why they concentrated on some obvious characters in the first few episodes - a mother and son, a bunch of college jocks, an elderly doctor (reminiscent of the old man in the original series) and various others, but as the games start eliminating vast numbers (including some that had featured fairly prominently) it becomes easier to spot and recognise people, watch relationships develop and root for some while hoping others don't make it.
I haven't watched it all yet, but enough episodes to find it fascinating, especially how people's minds tick, their perhaps misplaced self-confidence, dismissive attitudes towards others, or (just as bad) their gullibility. I'd like to think my own strategy would be to stay sharp but be kind to others where I can, which is why I haven't thoroughly insulted all the confused reviewers, and any blood spilled in the writing of this review is just ink.
At the time of writing this, there were 42 reviews (presumably from BTS fans) and every single one rated this show 10/10.
How honest and realistic is that? Typically some had only watched one episode but insisted it is a 'must see'. Skewed ratings and reviews really don't help anyone, so here's a more balanced view of it.
I am an avid watcher of K-dramas and many of the "variety show" spin-offs that put actors into reality situations where they live in the countryside, cooking and working on farms, or working in restaurants, supermarkets, guest houses that they take over and manage for a couple of weeks. These shows are fun to watch and interaction with the locals contributes to the entertainment.
I'm halfway through this and have to say it's really quite boring. If you are happy to watch pretty actors washing up, frying corn dogs and doing the dishes for a couple of hours before wanting to close and leave for the day, this is for you. They worked a couple of hours here and there, took a day off after being open for only 2 days, turned customers away because they were having a break - a perfect recipe for how you don't run a business.
If you want to watch actors really work and run a business instead of playing at it, then 'Unexpected Business' featured a supermarket that opened at 7.00 am and closed at 10 pm, sold bus tickets, snacks, meals with alcohol, and served as the hub a small town revolved around. The celebrity "owners" became a part of the local business community, their famous part-timers who showed up one after the other to help out chatted to the customers, getting to know them, drawing out stories from them and the interaction between everyone was funny and interesting.
All that happens in Jinny's Kitchen is diners coming and going, saying "mmmmmmmm", then "thank you", and leaving. There is no interest, no entertainment, no personality to any of this whatsoever. It is bland and tedious, despite Choi Woo-shik and Kim Taehyung's friendly appeal. They seem to understand there should be some entertainment value in what we are watching, but the boss and the gimbap lady are totally colourless with zero personality. The glorious Park Seo-joon is trapped in the kitchen studiously boiling and frying behind the scenes and his interaction with the customers is basically nil and they have no idea he is there.
I will finish it and adjust this review if it picks up, but right now it's just meh and I'd recommend Unexpected Business as an example of how this kind of thing can be done successfully.
How honest and realistic is that? Typically some had only watched one episode but insisted it is a 'must see'. Skewed ratings and reviews really don't help anyone, so here's a more balanced view of it.
I am an avid watcher of K-dramas and many of the "variety show" spin-offs that put actors into reality situations where they live in the countryside, cooking and working on farms, or working in restaurants, supermarkets, guest houses that they take over and manage for a couple of weeks. These shows are fun to watch and interaction with the locals contributes to the entertainment.
I'm halfway through this and have to say it's really quite boring. If you are happy to watch pretty actors washing up, frying corn dogs and doing the dishes for a couple of hours before wanting to close and leave for the day, this is for you. They worked a couple of hours here and there, took a day off after being open for only 2 days, turned customers away because they were having a break - a perfect recipe for how you don't run a business.
If you want to watch actors really work and run a business instead of playing at it, then 'Unexpected Business' featured a supermarket that opened at 7.00 am and closed at 10 pm, sold bus tickets, snacks, meals with alcohol, and served as the hub a small town revolved around. The celebrity "owners" became a part of the local business community, their famous part-timers who showed up one after the other to help out chatted to the customers, getting to know them, drawing out stories from them and the interaction between everyone was funny and interesting.
All that happens in Jinny's Kitchen is diners coming and going, saying "mmmmmmmm", then "thank you", and leaving. There is no interest, no entertainment, no personality to any of this whatsoever. It is bland and tedious, despite Choi Woo-shik and Kim Taehyung's friendly appeal. They seem to understand there should be some entertainment value in what we are watching, but the boss and the gimbap lady are totally colourless with zero personality. The glorious Park Seo-joon is trapped in the kitchen studiously boiling and frying behind the scenes and his interaction with the customers is basically nil and they have no idea he is there.
I will finish it and adjust this review if it picks up, but right now it's just meh and I'd recommend Unexpected Business as an example of how this kind of thing can be done successfully.