This review may contain spoilers
The amount of hate that this drama is receiving is astounding to me because in my opinion this has been a stand-out drama among many other dramas that were considered vastly popular this year including Suspicious Partner, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, and others. The other reviews on this site seem to be incoherent and sort of click-bait so I will try to be as analytical and straightforward as I can with my review. My overall thought is that this is a drama that is great to watch once and feel good about the romance, the justice system and the characters.Disclaimer: I am not a Lee Jong Suk or Suzy fanboy (or many other actors to begin with) so I have no personal feelings for any of the actors.
Disclaimer 2: I value storyline/plot and character/character development extremely highly and far above music which is also above replay value, but I will analyze each in their own category.
Storyline/Plot:
This plot is one of the most interesting yet not confounding plots (I’m looking at you ‘W’) that I have seen in a Korean drama in recent memory. Many recent dramas have been historical dramas that are trying to break the past tropes for a fresh feeling or are mundane/ “normal-life” struggles dramas that bring in new and ironically less “normal” characters. This is something different and interesting because it ties together two interesting aspects: fantasy which are essentially seeing the future through dreams and the justice system. Two aspects that are usually very different but through this drama are associated in a fresh way.
Now, onto the actual plot. I think the pacing was done superbly well and the inserts of flashbacks was well timed. My main complaint about the plot was that there were a few plot holes that were never truly covered. Firstly, why is Suzy able to see dreams about random people when the original idea was that whoever saves you will be who you dream about just like all the other characters? How did Suzy start dreaming to begin with? What is the motive for the detective to hide that he does not know Suzy and Lee Jong Suk? These issues are sort of touched upon but glossed over because there is no real answer to them.
Besides plot holes, everything about this was very good. There are people that complain that the flashbacks and past were not impactful enough but the contrast between past and present that the director/producer used was actually well done. I knew that the plot would be interesting and good when the first episode consisted of Suzy killing herself and Lee Jong Suk struggling with what he saw in his dream just as any other person. Secondly, I believe that one of the strongest points of the drama was the incorporation of the premise of the show into the romance and the melodrama portion. There are some dramas that try to be too many things at once and often fail at all of them or are unable to incorporate all of them. This drama does a superb job of incorporating the dreams into the romance, the justice system, everyday life and the conflicts as a whole.
Overall, one of the best plots done in recent history. This drama is logical (including the fantasy of dreaming of course) and also touches upon some key ideas in an interesting way. What do you do if you know the future? Can you change it? Is changing the future the right thing to do? Is the legal system perfect? Morality over personal interest? All decisions have consequences whether you like it or not. All of these aspects are intricately woven into a very well written plot that presents multiple themes throughout.
Characters:
I believe the true strength of the show was in characterization of not only Lee Jong Suk and Suzy but also of the many side characters. Firstly, I believe that characterization must be logical and follow some “set of rules.” What I mean by this is that some dramas have side characters that perform actions for no real reason or their characters exist with only one thought running through their head. However, each of these characters has their own motivations and thoughts which can be perceived just by thinking about it from their perspective and the drama was shot in such a way and with such good pacing that each character seems relatable. Before I talk about Suzy and Lee Jong Suk, I will talk about each of the side characters and give examples of what I mean. There are 3 “side characters” that I must highlight to show why characterization is so strong and important in this drama. I don’t want to touch upon the detective because there were plot holes that I discussed earlier that I am still unsure about.
Suzy’s mom is an eccentric woman but when you get down to her character she is a person that is devoted to her daughter and her daughter’s happiness is the core of her being like many other mothers. Would you want your daughter to date a man that could get her killed? How about giving her false hope or causing her pain? The rating of the men around her daughter is a personification of what mothers actually do. Every action by this character makes sense.
Lee Yoo Beom or the main villain is an intricate character whose end-game is truly highlighted in the last episode. A self-driven, greedy individual who presents a façade of intelligence but struggles to stick with his own morals when gain is in front. This character through flashbacks and actions by Lee Jong Suk is strongly characterized as someone that would take advantage of another person while maintaining that he was simply doing the logical and right thing. The most impactful seems were when he was in the bathroom washing his hands or loosening his tie and cufflinks. These are small things that show a much more in-depth character. The washing of the hands to symbolize washing himself of his guilt. Or loosening his clothing when he is doing things that are morally wrong to symbolize the loosening of his morals. Every action about this character makes sense especially being driven into a corner where he ends up making the decision to kill a person he said knew him better than his parents. Every action made sense.
Han Woo Tak. Many people love this character and for good reason because he is the charming and loyal second lead that many people are supposed to feel bad for due to his unrequited love. However, his actions also make sense. From the beginning Suzy shows no romantic interest in him and it is clear to anyone that Suzy and Lee Jong Suk were more than friends from early on in this drama. Many other second leads in other dramas would do anything to become the love interest including ruining friendships and ignoring the obvious truth. That is the beauty of this character. He knows how to look and read other people. Woo Tak makes decisions based off of other people while still maintaining his outstanding morals. He decides to value his friendship with both main characters over his own love. Many people experience unrequited love in their life and end up just being friends. Sacrificing everything for a love interest that clearly shows no affection back is a sign of terrible character that does not fit with his logical and morally sound characterization.
Lastly, our two main lead characters. Many people say Suzy is just a pretty actress. I would say that this is by far her best performance and she perfectly acted out her character. How do you act out an optimistic yet afraid girl that constantly dreams about other people dying or experiencing death yourself? Suzy perfectly acted out a quirky girl that tries to always keep a smile on her face and not let her fears get to her. This character is very complexly written because it touches upon an interesting aspect of human psych. How do humans deal with pain and tragedy and fear? Some people become depressed, while others hide it. Clearly Suzy’s character was hiding her fears at the beginning while it was also clearly controlling her life ie. short hair and quitting her job. This character indicates that when you hide pain it can be harmful and cause your character to be much more falsely optimistic or pessimistic at times. Her character makes sense.
Lee Jong Suk’s character is also very interesting. His character is someone that has bettered himself from the past but still maintains his resentment for certain things and events ie. regret about his father and hate for Lee Yoo Beom. Many people say that a plot hole in this drama is that for such a smart character he does nothing except rely on dreams and other characters’ help. I would argue this is very realistic. No matter how smart someone is there are obstacles that they can’t pass without help. Do you kill 7 people, or do you get the criminal? Suzy helps him think outside the box. If you believe every character should have all the answers that means you are watching some very poorly written dramas. Do you unleash your anger, or do you allow the legal system that you believe in to work? Lee Jong Suk is not a super hero and that is very clear from this drama. He clearly struggles with the same emotions and understanding that I our other logical viewers would reach. The last key example is that he knows his best friend Woo Tak loves his girlfriend, but he does not outwardly show it. Other dramas would result in him fighting his best friend or going out of his way to disturb their relationship. But his character’s ability to read other people and trust his friends shines through and he does not complete many of the actions other main characters would do.
Lastly, the chemistry. I would say it was okay and cute at times. I do not think it was as great as some viewers claim or as bad as others would say. It was simply a part of the story which I actually prefer. The romance was not overbearing and did not interfere with the story but instead was another key aspect of the story. Suzy and LJS love each other and would do anything for each other but that does not mean that they do or should. It was not the sizzling romance with smoldering eyes and hot kisses that many fans would hope for, but I honestly think this is more realistic. Love does not have to just be passion, it could be walking your girlfriend to work every morning or being jealous she is paying attention to another guy. It does not have to be star-crossed lovers with exaggerated lines that would die for each other at a moment’s notice. Even though there was a bit of that in this drama too.
Music:
I think this music was quite good. There were several songs that stood out to me including “When Night Falls” by Eddy Kim (which was probably the best song), “It’s You” by Henry (meh, I think the song fit but isn’t that great), “I Love You Boy” by Suzy (fits the drama very well and is also very good).
Rewatch value:
I rarely rewatch dramas but there were many good scenes and moments that you could rewatch for the aesthetics and the acting. I would say that of the recent dramas I would like to watch this drama again to think more about the other villains and the detective. They were all well written and correctly paced but I think I may have missed some key points.
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Simply one of the best...
So good, so good, soo good... This drama may be about people sleeping, but is sure to keep you wide a wake and on your toes as you binge it... The first episodes are packed with humour as well as heart heartfluttering flirting, fun and twists of fate, twist of umbrellas, twists of the arm... Showing all from exploding busses (ok 1), to domestic abuse and hubby love. Watching glimpses of your future when you sleep may not only save your life but will also shorten the runway in to love... or make you run scared... heck why not both?As the show progresses the darker and deeper tit gets, the suspense and issues rise... (not that there weren't any in the beginning) and though the plot has lots of side stories they all come together, mixing genres without making a mess! Impressive right?
The show has an overall good and valuable message, about learning from ones mistakes. The characters are not only gorgeous for the eye... they are lovable interesting and not the least bit flat, as each story and character is properly dealt with and shown from several angels, ok not all but most of them. ..
Watching this for the first time will definitely surprise you and probably have you guessing, watching it for the second time you will probably notice a lot of details you thought were insignificant the first time around, and watching it a third time will probably just make your hart flutter, but this is just me guessing since I have actually only seen it twice.
In numbers:
Bingeabilaty: 10
Annoying elamnts: a few but they can be overlooked
Fluff: 10
Visuals: 10
Acting: 10
Side characters: 9
Fun: 10
So if you have yet to have seen this masterpiece go watch it, if you have seen it before go rewatch it...
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1. The Plot - What I loved about Park Hye Run's writing (particularly in Pinocchio and I Hear Your Voice) was that she knew what to say and when to say it. With Korean dramas, things can get messy and all over the place, particularly when dealing with themes of past and present. She did a fab job tying lose ends before, but in WYWS the story was all over the place. The back-and-forth of the story was really messy and the "past" didn't have the impact it intended. It reminded me of Kill Me Heal Me (another amazing drama with painful back-flashes). I loved how original her idea was but it wasn't articulated properly.
2. Suzy - I have always felt Suzy has potential to be a decent actress but so far, everything she has done has been problematic to me. I don't know if anyone else feels this way but I have spent some time thinking why I don't feel affected by her. It's not bad acting but it's the "cutesy" act. For some reason, Suzy's acting comes off as a half-hearted cutesy attempt. Instead of improving her acting, she focuses more on being pretty and sounding cute. When she acts, it feels like we're supposed to bow down to her beauty or something. And it hinders my experience because, instead of empathizing with her character, I end up feeling envious or annoyed. She has a hard time evoking that feeling of human-connection and understanding in me.
3. Lee Jong Suk - My two points are self-contradictory here. Firstly, I feel Lee Jong Suk is being typecast as this perfect character. In every drama, he practically plays the same guy in different professional fields and having different life stories. Secondly, he did try to do something new in this drama by pulling a Jang Hye Jung. He's literally the male version of Lee Bo Young's iconic character in I Hear Your Voice here. But sadly, he does not pull it off convincingly. So basically, he did try something new but it didn't work out well. But he really needs to keep experimenting more. I know he can pull it off and show more variety!
The chemistry was sadly lacking between the main couple. I don't know whose fault it is, but my disappointment was palpable while watching the whole drama. I was waiting for that "click" moment but they never seemed to click. At least not for me.
The rest of the cast was relatively better. I loved Woo Tak and the people in Jae Chan's office. The cases were interesting but not enough. The last case was the best out of the lot and the saving grace for me! Overall, I loved the idea but I wish they had built upon it some more and the lead pair had more chemistry.
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I watched this with the family. We did plenty of marathoning. It’s an easy show to watch with great little arcs that are quickly completed so annoying people/events aren’t dragged out unnecessarily. I do feel like that is one of the killers in Korean dramas, especially if you’re watching it with others and can’t press the fast forward button as liberally. The plotlines and the setups were intriguing, thought-provoking and feasible.
I enjoyed the pacing in this show with all the neat and tidy arcs. And the show maintains its consistency and quality all the way through. That’s noteworthy. At first, the comedy felt forced, but in general, the drama was everything – funny, sad, meaningful and intelligent. All the characters are fun and don’t waste their screen time.
The start is a little shaky as most Korean dramas are. But it settles in nicely. The characters are smart, funny, quirky and loveable.
One of the main things that stands out to me with this show is their problem solving, friendship and communication. Because they all dream about each other’s lives, it’s hard to keep secrets and they all talk about their problems together. This is awesome.
Jae Chan – male lead
This is probably one of the first LJS dramas where he’s not this perfect upstanding guy. I liked his flaws. His character development is wonderful and his backstory fits in nicely with his philosophy and attitude.
Hong Joo – female lead
I loved how respected she is in this show. She is well positioned in her workplace and she gets to play a significant role in problem solving. At times, I’m annoyed that she just thinks she’s helpless in the face of her nightmares.
Woo Tak – aka Batman
This guy was hands down the most favourite character. He is so good-natured, handsome, and strategic. His involvement in the show made everything better. I loved him so much from beginning to end.
Yoo Beom – bad guy
This guy is handsome too but he can also be hella annoying. Still, I liked his character and how he contributed to the troubles of our team.
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The plot involves seeing the future in your dreams, which is not a new kdrama concept, but I liked the way it was executed here. The supernatural thriller aspect of this show was what kept me most interested. I was excited each week to see if the characters would be able to change their fate. There's also a lot of the plot that involves the characters' backstories, which I also very found interesting. It's not the most exciting or original thriller, but I was entertained. The writer, Park Hye-Ryun, wrote two dramas that I enjoyed with similar styles, "I Hear Your Voice" (one of my favorite villains) and "Pinocchio" (one of my favorite dramas). I think this one doesn't quite measure up in comparison, but in some ways it's kind of a hybrid of the two. "While You Were Sleeping" combines the law and reporting, asks similar questions about morality, and of course adds a supernatural twist in a way that is meant to seem totally plausible and realistic. The most obvious similarity, of course, is that it stars Lee Jong Suk. Maybe they were banking on recapturing past magic with all of these elements, but it still falls a little short.
Lee Jong Suk is fairly consistent. He's got this cool confident swag thing going on, without being too arrogant, and while being vulnerable enough to maintain his charm. In this role, however, he is supposed to come off as a little less cool, and it honestly didn't work. He still maintains his charm, but the lighthearted character he was going for still seemed too much like the character he usually plays, just in forced silly situations. I don't think fans of his will be disappointed, or that he does a bad job, it's just that something feels off with this character pretty early on. He of course is matched with Suzy, who I have been neutral about for a long time. She plays eccentric Hong Ju, the real center of this whole drama, but she went from being interesting to too predictable for me in this role. For a character who is supposed to be so headstrong and determined, she was still easily overshadowed by the guys. I honestly don't think she had a strong enough presence for this role. It also doesn't help that her chemistry with Jong Suk didn't quite work either. At first they were cute, really cute, but then they were pretty boring and forgettable. Both of their emotional scenes also felt really forced. She seems like an actress that relies on her costar's charm to make the chemistry really work, and since Jong Suk wasn't at his A game, that made her extra mediocre. So fans looking for a good rom com storyline will be pretty underwhelmed.
The rest of the cast is mostly great, especially Jung Hae In and Kim Won Hae. Hae In is a formidable second lead, if the romance portion wasn't so lacking, and really charming. I also love Won Hae's versatility, even though this role is more low key and emotional than I've seen him before, he is clearly a talented actor. Then there's the rest of the ensemble, especially the prosecutors and staff, who were all extremely entertaining, and added a lot to the story to hold my interest. Still, I have to say that I was disappointed by Lee Sang Yeob. He was good at playing arrogant, I will definitely give him that, but as a villain he was pretty boring. On paper his character is duplicitous, charming, and manipulative, but I felt like he was pretty one note in his portrayal. I'm a sucker for a good villain, so maybe I'm being extra hard on him, but I just wasn't impressed.
My rewatch value is obviously pretty low because my desire to even finish was pretty low. The plot is good enough, I think, to warrant a second viewing to see how the pieces fit. It may even be better to just binge watch so you don't have enough time in between to lose interest. I will also add the disclaimer that I was simultaneously watching other on air suspense/thriller dramas at the same time, and this started to pale in comparison, which didn't help.
The OST was pretty "meh" worthy for me. It fit the vibe of the story well, but I have no desire to hear any of these songs again. If I connected to this drama more I would probably like the OST more, but there are plenty of bad shows with soundtracks I love, so maybe not.
Overall, I'd say I'm disappointed based on the strong start, but not mad that I completed it. I would recommend too many other dramas before this one, especially since suspense is a common theme this season, but this isn't terrible, just not great. I wish more questions were answered at the end, instead of going for the standard ending, but I don't have any real major complaints. I would easily recommend this to fans of "I Hear your Voice" and "Pinocchio", with the disclaimer to lower your expectations, and expect some major deja vu.
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This drama is a constellation of highly interesting characters who shine individually, but are amazing as a group. When talking about chemistry, we invariably think of romance, but I've come to consider this an oversimplification, since the bond between friends, relatives or even respected colleagues can be just as strong and palpable as any romantic relationship, given these characters are well written and acted out.
After watching 4 dramas by the same pen, I can affirm this is the writer's signature. Her characters are always intensely human, imperfect, goofy… unripe even. Then, they grow, they overcome obstacles and they learn but, guess what, they stay human, imperfect, goofy and incredibly relatable.
Therefore, while I fully agree with all the other reviewers here who were not convinced by the love story, I don't consider it a major problem. Hong Ju and Jae Chan are a lovely couple, one we could all meet at the bus stop; they are very real, they talk to each other and their growing affection is not dragged for ages. The only downside of a "feel-real couple" is that it doesn't pierce the screen or our heart.
Again, I didn't really care. I loved the ensemble and was truly sad to say goodbye to them all. Even the main villain had a twisted charm. And although Woo Tak must be one of the dearest, most hug-worthy and adorable character I've come across in a long while, I venture as far as to say that had he got the girl, the end result would have been the same: sweet, but not sizzling.
The way I see it, this has nothing to do with the acting, but the way each character was written. The whole cast played exceptionally well and empathy for them was always high.
I loved the soundtrack too, but not at first. I warmed up to it slowly but steadily and particularly enjoyed Suzy's "I love you boy". Songs and instrumental pieces are used with due parsimony and don't overpower the scenes.
WYWS is sure worth re-watching. I'm already planning on luring one or more of my fellow watchers into sharing the pleasure with me.
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This review may contain spoilers
This was the drama I was most excited about and I had high expectations and I can tell you that I wasn't disappointed. The story is original and the first episode starts pretty well. I really liked the opening and the structure of the episodes. I really love Lee Jong Suk and I knew that he's going to give everything in this role, and he did play amazing. I did like the other characters as well. It's true that there were few that I didn't really like, but the storyline and the way things were explained made me forget about the hate.
I really enjoyed watching every single episode, and the last ones were incredible. They kept me in suspense and I couldn't really tell what was going to happen. I did like the fact that they didn't give a big attention to the love triangle, the producer decided to focus on the friendship of the three 'dreamers'.
I can't really say bad things about this series, I mean, the things I didn't really like were essential and they made everything more interesting. If I would have to choose one thing that I hated about this drama, I would choose one of the suspects/criminals. *I am not going to tell the name of the one I hated the most, just because I don't want to give any spoilers.*
I seriously recommend watching this drama, not only because this is somehow a goodbye from Lee Jong Suk because he's enrolling in the army, but because the story and the characters are built up in a beautiful way that makes this drama stand out from the others.
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This review may contain spoilers
After reading reviews and comments on this drama, I have arrived at this conclusion: While You Were Sleeping is that popular drama you either hate or love. It all depends on your preference and/or drama watching experience. Examples of dramas like that are Goblin, Descendants of the Sun, and Scarlet Heart: Goryeo. I am the kind of person that dislikes most of these for several reasons.One word I would use to describe this drama: average. This drama is really no different from every other drama. It really let me down and failed to live up to expectations (for me).
Note: When I am referring to an ‘episode’, I am talking about a 30 minute episode :)
Story: 5/10
The show starts off with a huge bang. Just in the first four episodes, a ton of stuff was going on and I was not sure what to think because my brain was very confused. It was cleared up in the next few episodes, and I genuinely enjoyed the beginning. But after that point, things got repetitive. From episode 9-24, the show was basically a repeating itself over and over. I could easily predict what was going to happen, and the supposed “cliffhangers” were terribly predictable. Even the last cliffhanger in the finale did not get my attention since I knew that everything was going to be the same. But the show does conclude really well. The last few episodes were the most exciting and I really liked how this drama ended. But... that's kind of late, don't ya think?
Acting/Cast: 8/10
I do have to say, Suzy’s acting seemed to have improved. She played Hong Joo pretty well, but I didn’t like this character at all because she was one-dimensional and had zero development. Lee Jong Suk, playing Prosecutor Jung Jae Chan is same as always (he always chooses the same types of roles, which leads me to believe that he can’t act and is only popular because of his looks… please don’t fight me on that xD). Also lately I noticed (after listening to his OSTs for this drama which are mehh imo) that Lee Jong Suk speaks with the most boring voice ever. This also leads me to believe that he only has one tone of voice: a flat, monotonous voice. But Jung Hae In’s character, Han Woo Tak, completely stole the show for me. He had a way more more interesting character than the other two leads combined, and he was one of the reasons I stuck through to the end of this drama.
Characters: 5/10
There was barely any character development in Hong Joo or Jae Chan. But I did really enjoy the side characters and their storylines way more than the two main characters.
Music: 10/10
I can probably say this without getting attacked: WYWS is the drama with the best OST of 2017. A few were mehh but the majority of them were beautiful. I like “It’s You” by Henry soooo much. I may be biased since I love Henry and English OSTs…
Enjoyment level: 6/10
I did like the beginning, but it got boring in the middle. WYWS only got better in the last four episodes in my opinion (but that is too late to save). There was true suspense; suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat in the last episodes. I thought that I would not be surprised by the ending one week before the finale, but I did end up getting surprised xD. I think that WYWS ended really strongly, which is pretty hard to do since all the viewers want to be satisfied. I also really loved the comedy in this drama. Some parts had me rofl xD
Rewatch value: 1/10
This drama was average and boring most of the time so I will never touch it ever again.
If you are looking for a good law drama, go check out Witch’s Court. Witch’s Court is literally the polar opposite of While You Were Sleeping (can’t explain or I will be giving out spoilers xD) and is a lot better in every aspect.
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A person is driving a jeep on a rocky mountain. It's a bad idea from the start but he's hoping for the best. Suddenly, he takes a wrong turn and finds himself on the edge of a steep cliff, about to fall in an abyss. He's still hoping for the best.
Out of nowhere, a heavy gust of wind comes and makes his jeep topple over. As it falls the person gets all of his limbs broken and his tongue caught between the teeth. He's still hoping for the best.
Suddenly, there's a landslide and huge rocks fall on top of the jeep. Now the person has his abdomen torn apart and his intestines pouring out. But he's alive and still hoping for the best.
The pressure from the rocks causes the jeep to stumble forward and miraculously an ocean appears in the front. The jeep falls in the water and now the man can't breathe. Finally, when the jeep sinks down among debris and lost souls and the man takes his last breath, he realizes that all that hoping was in vain.
Did that all make sense?
No? Well, neither does While You Were Sleeping.
You want to know how the plot unfolds?
Exactly like the events in the above mentioned story: Unrealistically and taking its merry time from bad to worse.
Wanna know how you'll feel after finishing the show?
Exactly the way the driver of that jeep must've felt. You keep hoping for the best but things stays at their worst.
And now I'll explain why.
The show's biggest problem is the flawed characterization. Our protagonists that are portrayed to be these brilliant and hardworking individuals are essentially idiots, only being able to succeed because 1) they can see the future in their dreams 2) somebody from the supporting cast helps them sort out all their problems.
It's like praising an SAT student for scoring high when he saw all of the correct test answers in his dream. Though he didn't even bring his own pencil to the test and had to borrow it from someone, atleast he was able to correctly remember the answers and jot them down.
That has to count for something, right?
In my opinion, that something is bullshit.
After a very long time, I actually started off with liking the role Lee Jong Suk was given. I always say that he's a great actor who's sometimes given bad roles and in the beginning of this drama, I felt like after a long time he was finally given a good role again. Prosecutor Jung made mistakes, messed up and didn't feel as flawless as some of LJS's other roles. But soon, as the episodes progressed, that bubble burst for me as I saw him again mould into his typical run-of-the-mill T.V persona. I'd still say that he acted good but unlike Ji Chang Wook in Suspicious Partner, his acting alone wasn't strong enough to solely carry an otherwise flop show on its back.
Suzy was unmemorable like always. Not annoying but not standing out either and the chemistry between the couple was non-existent.
Surprisingly, the life of the show was the supporting cast. Han Da Wook; sexy and adorable detective was so precious but didn't have enough screen-time that was needed in order to develop his character to its full potential. The side story lines (consisting of 1 or 2 episodes) were so much better than the main ones. The prosecutors were all a source of bliss and some of the best acting was done by people who were there only as guest roles.
It's a shame when you feel nothing for the main characters and instead, gravitate towards the one's that are used as mere plot-lines. Unlike the protagonists, I found the antagonist to be far better developed and dimensional. Even though he was rotten to the core, he actually used his head and had some brilliant planning. He was far more intelligent than our hero and he didn't even have the advantage of knowing the future.
The OST had some good songs but because of the drab plot, I couldn't get a solid feel for them.
The show has classic Park-Hye Ryun written all over it. While You Were Sleeping is an ignored love-child of Pinnochio and I Hear Your Voice but unfortunately, is less captivating than the both of them.
To be honest, all the convenient plot-devices, medical inaccuracies and ridiculous circumstances could've been ignored if the show wasn't boring as hell.
While the last 4 episodes were the best (since Lee Jong Suk's character finally showed some growth) the rest of the show remains horribly dead.
When you don't feel a connection to either of the main guys, finishing such a dull show becomes a feat. I have to say that WYWS was literally the hardest show I've had to complete and it was only because of my utter aversion to dropping shows, that I was able to finish it.
I personally don't reccomend this drama.
Nobody should have to be the person in the jeep but if you're a fan of the casted actors and the writer, you can give it a try.
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Firstly the opening of the drama introduces you to the lead female protagonist bae Suzy who as a reporter is smart, intelligent and have a different way of looking into things. Tbh this is my first time watching bae Suzy's drama. Her character is portrayed as someone who can forsee the future. She is woman with beauty and intelligence both but knowing the future is also a curse because she can't change what she sees.
The other male lead is Lee jong suk who after meeting Suzy starts to see the future too but unlike Suzy he has a capability to change the future. Unlike other dramas where he is portrayed as someone who is an ideal type of person with nothing wrong with him here he portrays as someone who take up things and sometimes try to prove his worth but regrets it later because he fears that he might not be able to pull it off.
Now the next role of woo tak who is a dedicated police officer. But even though he was in a side role he's an eye candy, drawing all the viewers attention and making us drooling over him. We had our eyes more glued over him than LJS. Like LJS he develop the ability to see the future too. The most interesting way is how the different characters in the drama are connected together by the same ability to change and forsee the future and thus shares a adorable friendship to help and protect each other.
Finally there is a villain Lee yeob who is a prosecutor like jae Chan but unlike him he support the criminals and act as a parasite to manipulate evidence for them and feed his greed for money and power. He being in his profession has destroyed so many innocent life by tampering and changing the evidence that his deeds made him hate himself for helping wrong people.
The overall drama was good but sometimes LJS and bae Suzy's acting seems too much at places. They looked more like overacting at places but thankfully the powerful plot was able to deal with it.
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The plot isn't the most original idea, with dreams somewhat akin to the premonitions of the Final Destination franchise, though with slight modifications in the mechanics of said premonitions. The execution of the dreams is definitely done far more superbly however. The story doesn't just lead you with a series of events that occur chronologically, but pieces together a larger puzzle with dreams and events that foreshadow one another and tie up loose ends. This makes a lot of cases and mysteries more unpredictable than what meets the eye, though by the drama's repetitive nature, some conclusions by default are predictable to a means.
What really makes the drama for me are the acting and characters. If you have a strong distaste for Suzy's acting, know that I have not seen Suzy in any other dramas, nor have I known her from her singing career, so my conclusion on her acting is solely based on this drama. Suzy does Hong Joo a great service in portraying her character's ordinary yet quirky personality. She doesn't rely on pretty appearances to pull off her character. In fact, we see very early on that Hong Joo would rather sacrifice her beauty for the lives she cares about most. Lee Jong Suk does a great job playing Jae Chan as well. The character is actually quite similar to Jong Suk's many other roles, so if you've seen him before, you can know what to expect. As far as the leading pair's chemistry, I won't deny at times their relationship felt awkward, but it's not the worst. They have their moments, but the romance isn't as strong as your usual romcom.
Jung Hae In does a fantastic job as Han Woo Tak, and you just can't help but feel for him. I would argue this drama may contribute to a large case of second lead syndrome. At many times, it felt as though he and Suzy shared more chemistry than the latter with Jong Suk. Above all, I was absolutely blown away by Lee Sang Yeob's performance as Lee Yoo Beom. His character drove me insane. I absolutely hated him, but can't help but respect how Lee Sang Yeob could portray such a menacing character. He got every little detail down in persuading viewers of Yeo Beom's conniving nature, from hand motions to slight changes in facial expressions.
There's not much to say about the music; it was amazing. The soundtrack was beautiful, and was always inserted at the right times. There were no scenes where I strongly felt that the background music did not fit the scene, and many of the records ranged from a comedic euphony to an intense, suspenseful orchestra.
If you enjoyed the romance and comedy moments, you might enjoy a rewatch, but I'd say the show loses a lot of its surprise factor spark after you finish it, especially as it deals with crime & law. Overall, this drama was a great watch. There were some bumps along the ride, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
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This review may contain spoilers
This isn't really a review but just my thoughts after finished watching this. Contains major spoilers so if you want read this with discretion please.First problem, the biggest plot came pretty late, after 27 out of 32 episodes, and it wasn’t even that momentous, it was basically 3 people recognizing each other, and it had no impact to the show’s crux.
Second, they focused too much on the romance. The main couple was a bit all over the place. Romance scenes popped up every 5 minutes, even inappropriate sometimes, and often really cheesy. And what makes me mad the most is, they literally killed my second favorite character to fortify the main couple’s relationship.
Like, the death just didn’t make any sense and absolutely wasn’t necessary and other than that it was to prevent something that could’ve been avoided easily long ago. Feels like they used that in order to cover up a massive amount of plot holes and most of all it was their last solution to save the show which is viewers tears.
Third, acting is not that good. All they did good were smirk and squint, and cry. LJS still can’t act panicking right. I love him from Doctor Stranger but somehow he got worse in this one. Especially when the show was climaxing. That kinda makes romance scenes feel cheesy to me.
On the other hand, the show looks nice, good cinematography and good soundtracks. Humor was alright. TBH the biggest plot twist for me is who was the bride at that last episode. Jesus it still giving me shiver while writing this.
I think the show could have done much more. Because the 'can tell the future, messing with the time' theme has been used in so many other works that been considered Masterpiece in different forms such as anime, games, movies,... I was super hyped when I found out this show contains that material. If you’ve came across an anime called ‘Steins Gate’ or a game called ‘Life is Strange’ you’ll know what I mean. You save this person, 10 more people die because of that. The more time you save that person the more you create a butterfly effect. You save this girl 4 times to prevent her inevitable death and somehow a typhoon with a size of the moon appears and wipes away the whole town clean. So you gotta choose between stuff, stuff that as same important to you and that person, you gotta sacrifice either one of them, but if you do it good you can still get a happy ending. Now I’m not comparing these to the show, but the way they handled it, and the way they built it up was so clever and engaging and immersing. You have these first 10 episodes full of sunflowers and silky roads, and after episode 10 it feel worse than standing on Normandy in WW2. That’s how you do a plot twist. That’s how you make a show good. I was preparing all my body and my mind for something like that. I was ready to give this show a 11/10. Now I can’t tell that I’m not a bit disappointed. I personally thought they would inherit and learn from those successful factors and develop them into a new story but no, they just didn't do it. They chose to remain a formal KDrama and insisted too much on the romance aspect. They made the name of the show less meaningful.
Well maybe it’s just me who set the bar too high. I’m totally new to this KDrama thing and after all, there are things you can draw and code but simply just can’t film it out.
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