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Reply 1988

Vintage! So adorable.

There is so much going on in this drama and I cannot even remember each scene. Not to mention that each episode is 1.5 hours long so it's not just long, but lengthy. But still, I love it and there is so much that I want to write about life. It is a drama that is relatable on my part because I am a young adult and some points in the drama have talked about how scared they are for their future.

Aside from that, I am from an Asian family.

The main characters, we have five of them. First, is the ever-lovely Sung Deok-sun played by Lee Hyeri (former Girl's Day Member) is the only girl in the group. As for the rest of them, we have Kim Junghwan (played by Ryu Junyeol), Sung Sunwoo (played by Go Kyungpyo), Choi Taek (played by Park Bogum), and Ryu Dongryong (played by Lee Donghwi.

Each of them has different personalities and different hobbies in life. Probably the most obvious one among them is Choi Taek who is a professional player of Go Game or Baduk in Korean. Their friendship is actually amazing and it's amazing how they kept it until they have become an adult. Some of us grew apart from our childhood neighbors, but it's different with them. That is why it is amusing on my part.

There are so many things that I am excited about in this drama. I don't want to overshare because I hate spoilers, but honestly, I love the chemistry of both characters when they are starting to build a special relationship. It makes me so happy that I cannot help but smile every time their scene comes up. If you are curious, try to watch it now.

Seriously speaking though, the drama is nostalgic and it makes you realize that growing old is really inevitable in life. Although I hate to admit that I am scared for my future, it is important to take some steps to grow progressively. While it is not necessary to be always productive and progressive, one must still make a decision.

Furthermore, I am also afraid that my parents will grow old. I have realized that they have sacrificed too much in this lifetime. As the eldest sister just like Sung Bora (played by Ryu Hyeyoung), I can relate to her struggles. Every eldest daughter can relate and I am sure of it. Everything that she does is for her family and I love how strong she is. She may be emotionally detached, but she cares and that is something that I can relate to as well.

Another point is that we grow out of things as we get older. There are people that touched our lives but sometimes, we have to leave them to make our own journey. It's nice to revisit them, but it's better to keep them in our happiest memories where we find comfort if some days are getting dark. The past is always a beautiful reminder of the blossoming days that taught us what is really in there for us. Reply 1988 is a subtle reminder that the beautiful days are there for us to cherish.

To the friendship that was created in Ssangmun-dong, I hope it will last forever.

[filmreviewsbyshaina]

Bride Wars

Here comes the bride! How lovely it must be to be wed to your dream guy? Or perhaps, to the most handsome gentleman in town. Well, that isn't the case for the two best friends Olivia and Emma.

Emma, played by Anne Hathaway, and Oliva, also known as Liv, played by Kate Hudson are both getting married to their boyfriends. Since their childhood days, they are both inseparable. Both of them dreamed to be wed at their dream wedding place called "The Plaza." However, due to the mixing of schedules, both of them have the same wedding day.

The movie is fun and I love how the actresses have shaped their characters. They are bright women who are competitive in their working fields. They also have a lovely friendship and they are supportive they are of each other. It is too good to be true, however, as the saying goes, life is not all about cupcakes and rainbows.

I admit that the movie is good and that it annoyed me sometimes because I hate their bickering. But oh well, it's a comedy so it's a given. However, it will forever remind us that whatever we plan in life is not always going to work out. We should expect delays and changes when we are working on something and that is perfectly normal.

I am not here to blabber about life lessons but that is the point of the movie. What matters most is we are able to understand what we truly desire in life. The plans that are laid out are sometimes too much to handle and it might get us stuck along the way. Also, those changes may bring something more beautiful than we originally planned.

I do not totally recommend this movie but it is something worth remembering, so go and watch it. It makes you want to cherish the life that you have with someone that truly understands you. All of us deserve a best friend like Liv or Emma. Their life is always intertwined ever since and I hope that someone would come into our lives and would just knock down the stagnancy that we are experiencing.

Cheers to Liv and Emma!

[filmreviewsbyshaina]

A Business Proposal

The beloved webtoon is now adapted as a Korean series and became a hit on Netflix. Starring Kim Sejeong and Ahn Hyoseop, these two have the cutest chemistry that makes the viewer feel butterflies. They played the character Shin Ha-ri, a researcher at the company owned by President Kang Tae-moo's grandfather Chairman Kang.

The drama is very light and effortlessly funny. Although the plot is common and cliche, it never fails to put a smile on my face as they cast great actors and actresses. Not to mention that the chemistry of the second leads are beyond great heights. Secretary Cha Sunghoon and Jin Youngseo portray an idealistic relationship in the drama. They are both mature and at the same time, the actors carried it well. That is why we would love to see another drama by Kim Minkyu and Seol In-Ah!

Another point to be taken is that the plot is always interesting and it never makes you bored. Aside from that, Kim Sejeong is always consistent in her acting which always leaves me speechless. Aside from that, Ahn Hyoseop nailed being funny throughout the drama as it suits him the 'CEO who is always full of himself' type of thing.

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However, I was so mad at Minwoo the Chef who is a friend of Ha-ri for seven years. It was a devastating scene that got to the point that I became so frustrated with him. A total jerk indeed!

However, the drama was great but the last episode is not satisfactory. It is like they are trying to immediately end the plot with marriage and that's it. It leaves me hanging and it's not well thought of on my part. But that's how it goes. It ends and it's up to the viewer's imagination what happened next.

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[filmreviewsbyshaina]

Our Beloved Summer

Heartwarming, slice of life, and realistic. Those are the three words that have been stuck in my mind ever since I watched this drama. Kook Yeonsu, played by Kim Dami is a relatable character for she represents people like me. Born in an unprivileged type of situation and forced to become consistent and courageous to hide the fact that some of us are actually living in hell.

Choi Ung (played by Choi Wooshik), on the other hand, is a type of person that I would never understand. Despite being able to see his situation, he is someone that will not deeply touch my heart aside from the fact he carries all the burdens that people went through.

It was a sophisticated drama that made me feel things that I have forgotten over the past years. The calmness, soothing, and relaxing feeling were there. A bit of nostalgia was present and it made my soul very happy that I just want to be locked in that feeling forever. The OSTs are amazing and it is an amazing light drama that I would personally recommend. It has become my all-time favorite for 2022 releases and I hope I could watch this again for the 1st time.

Negative things to say? The plot was slow and the characters frustrate me. Some days it's cute but some days, it's painful to watch them. I guess it is how it goes. But I cannot blame them, they were victims of the harsh reality and they have every right to decline every opportunity that awaits them even if it makes them happy. Gambling in love is a difficult choice but you still have to decide at the end of the day.

Ung and Yeonsu were gamblers in life. They played it right and they rightfully deserved each other. It was heartwarming to see them together and the character dynamics that they have shown are something that everyone would always remember.

Big kudos to Wooshik and Dami. Hoping to see another drama from both of them, again.