phd_travel Reviews (2,882)

Undercover High School (2025– )

Fantastic blend of comedy and treasure hunt

[10/10 · 22 March 2025]

A great blend of spy action school injustice and comedy and drama and cute romance. Great comeback for Seo Kang Joon. He is good a comedy and has the personality for the role with the right swagger and attitude. Ji Kin Joo is cute and sweet without being annoying or too self righteous and quite suited to her comic role. The villains look quite their parts and the chairwoman's daughter is quite good in her conflicted role.

The soundtrack is fun and suitable for what is going on from the nostalgic romantic song to the Mission Impossible like theme when they are investigating the urban legends clues and seeking the gold treasure. Hope k dramas in the future can have this kind of light hearted comic adventure tone.

Hidden Face (2024)

Enjoyable twisty ride

[7/10 · 8 March 2025]

Set in the classy world of an orchestra a strange twisty triangle unfolds between a conductor, his cellist wife and another cellist. It involves a house with a secret room that can view the master bedroom and master bathroom. It is quite suspenseful to see how each character displays their true colors.

Haven't seen the original Spanish language movie but this Korean version is not a similar remake. From what I see from the synopsis the Spanish story is quite different. So apart from an orchestra and a hidden room it's a fresh experience.

This is one of those Korean movies that is quite explicit maybe to make up for the prudishness of the TV dramas.

Song Seung Heon looks quite conductor like with his longer hair. Park Ji Hyun is quite different from her previous demure roles on TV. Versatile Cho Yeo Jeong has done a variety of roles and she is quite funny here. Effective supporting role by Park Ji Young as her mother and director of the orchestra.

Worth a watch.

Melo Movie (2025– )

Too slow and depressing

[2/10 · 6 March 2025]

Some series just don't have enough story for a series. There is so little story that even 10 episodes drag. Every time something is going to happen it doesn't. The fragmented nature of the screenplay lessens the impact of the dramatic moments. Things make sense when they are explained later but by then it's too late. There are a few touching insights into relationships and how people find happiness or sadness. But not enough.

The two main romances have 2 simple questions or issues to resolve. First the main romance the critic and the director. Why he just doesn't tell her about his brother's accident that made him leave her with no explanation. Secondly the composer and the writer why she just broke up with him. Things are just dragged out while you wait for an explanation or resolution. Even the story about the brother is dragged out and frustratingly unclear. Why is he so depressed and suicidal? What needs to be shown isn't.

The problem with this show is that if you want some comedy there is none so it isn't a rom com.

Park Bo Young looks quite pretty here. But she has a knack of chosing irritating heroines to play. She is angry with her father and then the male lead. Choi Woo Shik plays a movie loving critic. He is an adequate romantic lead. But his finer acting shows up when he is sad later on in contrast to his cheerful earlier persona. He finds happiness through movies because the real outside world isn't great.

The secondary couple is a bit irritating as well. She could just have spoken up about her needs and wants to her boyfriend. Instead of just suddenly breaking up. A miserable pair.

The characters are not appealing and unusually for a kdrama I didn't empathize or sympathize with the characters.

Don't bother.

One Thing She Doesn't Have (2014)

Quirky comedy

[7/10 · 6 March 2025]

This is a quirky satirical comedy about the entertainment industry. It's quite risque. But it comically handles sex scandals and the casting couch in Korea. An actress who gets bad reviews does a play with a director. She doesn't want to do nudity. So she gets her friend to double for her.

The filming seems amateurish and disjointed at times but I suspect it's deliberate style.

The cast seems better than expected. Cha Ye Ryun plays the actress. The classy looking Jo Hyun Jae is the director. Lee El plays the friend of the actress who agrees to be her body double.

Surprisingly it was quite enjoyable in a quirky unpredictable way.

The Age of Shadows (2016)

Great mix of history and fiction

[10/10 · 4 March 2025]

This is a fictional movie about resistance efforts that spans Shanghai to Seoul and attempts to bring a bomb to Seoul. If feels real though maybe because it is partially based on factual efforts. Things start off with espionage and under cover and double agent stuff. Be patient and concentrate to keep clear who is who. When things start to get rev up they are so good. The train scenes and the station scenes are really exciting. The ending is a feel good wish fulfillment. But I am glad they did it. It's not Inglorious over the top. So even that feels plausible.

Talk about star studded so many major actors from the K drama galaxy add gravitas to the movie.

Song Kang Ho has always excelled in showing duality in his characters and this role is no exception. Playing the traitor turned reluctant partial independence fighter to full fledged resistance person. I Lee Byung Hyun is dignified in a smaller role as the leader of the resistance. Gong Yoo shines with patriotic righteous fervour. A totally convincing hero full of nobility. Han Ji Min is lovely as the female lead and her scenes are totally memorable. Her torture scene was heart wrenching. The traitors are well played as well by great K actors.

Watching this movie after Harbin came out is interesting. There are similarities with the spy stuff and the train and station scenes. Sets costumes and production values are visually fine.

In a way this movie because it is fictional is able to have a more harrowing and exciting feel good ending story. Harbin is a true story so there is only so much you can do. This movie came out in 2016 which was before K movies had triumphed internationally with Parasite. It should have won awards and ought to today. However nowadays the political agenda in some places is to downplay movies that show the Japanese doing bad things in Korea.

Hopefully more people will watch this superbly entertaining grandly produced movie.

Midnight in the Switchgrass (2021)

Fiction isn't as good as reality

[5/10 · 4 March 2025]

Quite a watchable and famous cast populates this catch a killer thriller. It's loosely based on some Truckstop Killer but dramatized and that is where the fault lies. The events feel predictable and not much better than some lifetime thriller. If they had stuck closer to the real story then you couldn't have faulted the story so much although the killer did take a long time to be caught in real life. The formula ending doesn't feel right.

The distractingly beautiful Megan Fox plays an undercover FB agent luring the killer by pretending to be a hooker. As if a hooker could be so beautiful. Anyway Bruce Willis has a small role as her partner. We now know he isn't well so I just applaud his appearances however small. An enthusiastic cop played by Emil Hirsch teams up with the FBI. Lukas Haas plays the killer trucker.

Fans of Megan Fox will want to watch this through. Though it isn't a standout movie.

Till Death (I) (2021)

Poor Megan

[3/10 · 4 March 2025]

Watching this movie I felt bad that a beautiful actress like Megan Fox who can actually act well had to go through such a gruelling and gruesome movie. The physical aspect of filming in the freezing cold is already bad enough. The idea is sickening. Being chained to her husband who just shot himself.

With a little morbid fascination I watched it to the end to see what happened. Formula sickness without explaining much background.

A pretty actress like her should be doing rom coms and dramatic roles that showcase her talents. Not this gore fest with a bunch of unknowns.

Do not bother unless you are a die hard fan.

Trigger Warning (2024)

OK for this kind of movie

[6/10 · 2 March 2025]

Alright for this kind of action movie. The actress Jessica Alba has always done action well. She is watchable and surprisingly believable. She acts as a soldier who returns to her he town after her father dies. As she investigates his death she unravels a conspiracy in the town involving a local politician who espouses conservative values. Everyone seems to know each other. Lots of the town folk she knows are bad. Some of the characters are a bit confusingly hard to tell apart. Too many beards and cowboy hats.

The action is quite well done with lots of fighting and fire.

Watch it for her. She is still an action star.

Trial by Fire (I) (2018)

Problems with the justice system

[7/10 · 2 March 2025]

This is a grim story. A fire that kills three kids. The father railroaded for the crime. Every weakness in the justice system seems to come to light in this movie. It gets better towards the second half when the problems with the trial come to light one by one. From the DA to the witnesses to his wife to the fire expert. Each one is debunked convincingly.

Jack O'Connell does an ok job considering he is from Ireland. Laura Dern plays a woman who champions his cause.

A good movie in the debate about death penalty. Some criminals do deserve death. However some innocent people get swept up in the net. The justice system Is flawed. Look up the innocence project. Difficult question.

Kinda Pregnant (2025)

The joke wears thin

[5/10 · 1 March 2025]

This comedy is about a woman faking a pregnancy due to several reasons including wanting to have a baby since young and envying her friends who are pregnant. Not laugh out loud but amusing at times. Signature Amy Schumer comedy features mildly inappropriate jokes are combined with somewhat original situations. Slight gasps for crudeness. Funny scene with Will Forte in the garage. The problem is there is a monotony to the humor. Some situations could have been funnier. The friends didn't have great lines. Some of the supporting characters were totally unnecessary.

It's okay but not a must watch.

Brave Citizen (2023)

Funny wish fulfillment action

[8/10 · 1 March 2025]

Lots of school bully shows have been made some boring some good but this movie is something different because of who takes on the bullies. It is a female boxing champ turned sweet and demure school teacher. She sees a psychotic bully victimizing a fellow student. At first she steps in behind a cat mask but as she is discovered yhings lead up to a laugh out loud feel good boxing match. Guess who triumphs?

Shin Hae Sun is a ballet dancer so her athleticism is on full display here. Quite a good role for her. The recent boxing match between transgender and female in the Olympics comes to mind.

Really enjoyed the fighting scenes.

The Secret Mission (2019)

Interesting aspect of Japanese crimes in Korea

[8/10 · 28 February 2025]

The efforts to eradicate the culture and language of an occupied people is an often overlooked crime of occupying imperialist powers. This movie is a funny touching and exciting story that shows the Japanese occupiers in Korea doing this. The comic touch helps get the viewer involved with the characters including the teachers making a dictionary despite Japanese oppression. A funny ex con helps them. The production is beautifully made to evoke the era and the sets are attractive. Things lead to a nail biting climax.

There are many movies about resistance against the Nazis but people tend to forget the Japanese occupied Korea for over 30 years and did terrible things.

Maria (III) (2024)

Fascinating

[8/10 · 28 February 2025]

Quite fascinating. There are more good parts of this movie than bad. The recent trend is of similar biopics to focus on the irrelevant or salacious like Maestro but this one isn't modern in that sense. It's about her and her music. There are insights into her private home and domestic helpers during her last years. Also her medical issues and addiction that led to her death.

Clever mix of her singing arias in her prime in opera houses and her attempts during her final days. There are quite a few snippets of glorious music from Bellini to Puccini. Also some fantastical and beautiful scenes with singing in the rain and also visi d'arte climax. Black and white scenes of her courtship with Onassis and even meeting JFK. The dialogue sounds improbable but it's watchable. Interesting scene dealing with nasty press.

It is not a miniseries but at few minutes of her rise to fame would have balanced the overall picture. Since they did flashbacks but showed Nazi abuse.

Angelina Jolie does a good job. She is watchable and her oversized features do recall the real Callas.

La Dolce Villa (2025)

Surprisingly engaging

[7/10 · 27 February 2025]

There are some qualities that put this above the average filmed in Europe Netflix rom com. We have all seen this cheap villas in Italy for sale on the news. So it is interesting to see what happens if someone buys one. There is a fantasy element to the way things play out. The interactions with the locals is pleasant. Everyone is so fluent in English. Also the renovation seems so easily done. The scenery was ok and the Villa wasn't that great but what do you expect for a euro anyway. There is a little plausible crisis at the end that is quite cleverly solved.

I like the Italian actress she was classy looking and her English was easy to understand. Couple of flaws. Scott Foley could have done without the grizzly beard. The daughter was annoying and bratty after taking the $$ from her father she still had this attitude. The results of the makeover are glossed over to quickly.

To My Haeri (2024– )

Poor writing and draginess wastes a good premise

[4/10 · 26 February 2025]

About a quarter of this show is alright. But the parts that aren't good outweigh the good sections. The premise had potential. The triangle between the 2 men loving different personalities in the same body could have been funnier and more exciting. They just handled things in a disappointing way. Also when they went back to show the reason for the traumas of the characters it is quit e interesting. But that should have been done earlier because up to then didn't really care for the characters. There is a lot of draginess even at 12 episodes the series felt overlong. One long movie could have had all the story in it.

SHS does an okay job. The 2 personalities are easily differentiated. LJW is a bit out of her league looks wise. His character comes across as selfish for most of the show, then when you find out why he has to care for the old ladies it feels like a weak excuse. He did treat her badly. Kang Hoon's character doesn't get a satisfying story.

The plot about who is in what position in the anchor time slot is so boring. The psychiatrist is useless.

Surprisingly there is hardly any humor in the show. There could have been many funny situations but there were no laughs at all.

Bad writer.

Don't bother with this one unless you really like to see the stars of the show.

Study Group (2025)

Immense fun - a must watch

[10/10 · 26 February 2025]

The action sequences in this show are so original funny and well directed. The effects are superb. Kudos to the director. But this isn't just a show about school kids fighting. The story is involving with a good vs evil battle between the ones who want to study and the gangster recruiters. At 10 episodes there is no drag. A good direction for K dramas to break away from the 16 episode standard. If you think you have seen enough school bullying shows this is different because it has a black comedy satirical tone that keeps things from getting heavy and propels the story delightfully onwards with surprising turns of events throughout. And there is enough time for backgrounds of the characters so you understand the motivations of both the heroes and the ones who become good. I love the way every action sequence is different leading from one to another. The cast is not terribly famous apart from the perfectly cast Hwang Min Hyun as the angelic looking sometimes comically dumb student who is good at fighting. Quite a memorable hero. They sure got a suitable bunch of actors to play the thugs.

One of the most enjoyable series.

The Brutalist (2024)

Weird and not in a good way

[3/10 · 23 February 2025]

What a let down. This movie isn't about brutalist architecture. Instead it's about the horrors of the immigrant experience. It's marred by some out of place unexpected perversion and cliched woke stereotypes. Fans of Adrien Brody will be disappointed. This is not a movie in the vein of the excellent movie "The Pianist". He does look like he is suffering though. The story misses out on establishing a sympathetic connection with the characters. They don't show his background in Europe with his great projects, or the husband and wife together happy in Europe. So when the finally reunite it isn't touching. Their relationship does not mean anything to the viewer. There is nothing nice or loving in the relationship. After all that time apart the husband and wife have such an awful weird unpleasant first night. Also Felicity Jones looks like a plump English lass. Should have an actress with a more gaunt Continental look like someone who could have been suffering through the camps. Seriously wrong for the role.

It is cliched to make the immigrants 100% good and the wealthy white Americans of Dutch descent the Van Burens exploitative rapists. Why on earth is there suddenly a gay rape? And what happened to Guy Pearce at the end? Why did the cousin's wife turn on him. Can't be antisemitism since she married a Jewish man herself.

Another thing why was it filmed with in this dim gray lighting. I thought I was losing my eye sight.

I am baffled by those who praise this depraved movie. The source material is no good. If this movie wins best picture Oscar then it shows that Hollywood has got precious little left to offer. A case of the emperors new clothes.

Greyhound (2020)

Different POV - more for the war buff

[5/10 · 23 February 2025]

This naval WW 2 war movie has a specific POV of the commander of a destroyer protecting a convoy of allied ships crossing the Atlantic to the UK.

Firstly because the POV is almost always from that person only there is less of an overall picture of what is going on. So you will see ships destroyed but only from far and not much underwater sub action. This has the advantage of putting the viewer in his shoes with the difficult choices during his command. But as a war movie those viewers not so interested may be lost if they don't follow the synopsis.

There is too much naval jargon. Why be so authentic when it is a novel?

The climax has a sub vs ship battle is quite exciting.

This is one for the world war 2 war buff not for the general viewer.

Mission: Cross (2024)

Fast and funny

[7/10 · 22 February 2025]

A tough female cop is married to a house husband who secretly turns out to be an agent with skills. When he is lured out of his retirement to help rescue another colleague. His actions overlap with his wife's investigatio. The story is fast actually too fast. It is not confusing just if they had slowed things down now and then I would have understood the jokes better.

The action sequences are inventive and original and funny. Generally the humor is quite good with some laugh out loud moments amidst the fighting and shooting. Hwang Jung Min is versatile and adept at comedy. Look out for a homage to his other roles.

Love Affairs in the Afternoon (2019)

Realistic drama about adultery and divorce

[8/10 · 21 February 2025]

Surprisingly this show kept me interested for all 16 episodes. Considering it isn't as makjang as World of the Married or as brilliant as Love Marriage DIvorce, this series is still holds it's own in the adultery genre. It's realistic with normal people. Sure things could have been sped up by cutting out the flashbacks and maybe 2 hours from the ending quarter or so. Especially when the wronged spouses are so adamant about holding on. When it is good it is super good like the nail biting scenes like at the hotel.

There are 2 main adulterous loves. Firstly the younger lady and the biology teacher played by Lee Sang Yeob who had too many mournful looks. Secondly there is the elegant older woman with kids played by Ye JI Won who looks very slim and pretty and the painter. The more convincing love story is the latter one. Full of passion. The women both are married to men who take them for granted. Loved the character of the mother in law of the younger lady who has the funniest lines.

Worth a watch.

Kokdu: Season of Deity (2023)

Too long for the story

[2/10 · 19 February 2025]

If ever a series needed editing to half the length this is it. It starts off okay with a historical star crossed lovers deaths. But then the modern present day story goes Nowhere.

Some much of it is just stuck in a rut not moving forward. Poor Kim Jun Hyung given such bad dialogue.

Im Soo Hyang has often been ridiculed for her acting. But here the story is worse than her acting. The endless back and forth between the couple is meaningless. So many words that mean zilch.

The secondary stories are not any good at all. Her brother and the friend are so uninteresting.

The story is so scatterbrained. One moment there is some dorky comedy the next moment some overacted angst.

This is a terrible series. Avoid it at all costs.

Dr. Brain (2021– )

Draggy

[6/10 · 18 February 2025]

There is one of the few k dramas on apple tv. The story is not enough for 6 episodes. It could have been handled in a single long movie. Lots if unnecessary scenes. The jigsaw takes too long to assemble and in the end there isn't that much to it.

Interesting premise about scanning the memories of another person.

Wanted to watch this for the late great Lee Sun Kyun so unnecessarily taken away to soon. He played an autistic doctor who scans brains to figure out his son's death.

The villain seems a bit cliched. The ghost like pal makes no sense. Memories can't be interacted with. Seo Ji Hye plays a sombre detective. Bit too one expression through out. She gets to do some fighting shooting action.

Not a must watch.

Blitz (II) (2024)

A fascinating different perspective

[9/10 · 15 February 2025]

This war movie is quite different. It shows things about the London Blitz that haven't been done on screen. A unique approach to a WW2 movie.

Firstly there are the not often shown perspectives of a mother and her young boy. The destruction tends to focus more on aftermath rather than the direct moment of the bombing. Interesting scenes showing life in the shelters and the underground. Didn't know about the flood. Towards the end it gets quite surrealistic but not too out of hand. The dance hall followed by the pilfering from bodies is macabre.

There is the very 2024 added angle of racial discrimination against the mixed race child and interracial romance that is integrated into the story although some times it can be preachy at times especially the scene in the shelter. The villains shown in this movie are the evil racist Londoners rather than the Nazis.

Saoirse Ronan looks quite beautiful in the 40s get up although strangely they made her eyebrows too dark for her hair. She does a good cockney accent too. The child actor is alright but his face is not that expressive. He has to carry a lot of the show.

I wasn't bored at all because of the unique perspectives and never before portrayed scenarios of WW2.

The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call (2025– )

So exciting and enjoyable

[10/10 · 14 February 2025]

I usually don't have the patience for medical dramas. But this series is a refreshing change at only 8 episodes. This fast moving series combines the best elements of feel good action comedy disaster with interesting and improbable medical situations. Plus there is some overseas action in some dangerous country. No expense is spared in this series with movie like production values. The situations get more and more exciting and they are laugh out loud in the sheer audacity of the situations like helicopter action.

Ju JI Hoon is quite a good hero. He isn't suited to rom com but here he is in his element. Smart looking enough to be a doctor. Nice team work from the supporting cast doctors and nurses- you get to know them and like them. The villains are the senior doctors who put profit above saving lives and that message is hammered home. Like the feel good resolutions to the issues.

If there is another season great. If there isn't this is still fine as it is.

Dark Nuns (2025)

Decent exorcism scenes but the story doesn't make much sense.

[7/10 · 13 February 2025]

This exorcism movie delivers what it promises - - exorcism by nuns.

I liked the blend with shamanism. The in between parts of the story are a bit hard to follow and doesn't make much sense. Like why the doctor priest played by Lee Jin Wook changed his mind. Lots of mumbo jumbo and incomprehensible stuff. Don't get what the Italian priests were going on about. Couldn't help at first then they could. The grand finale exorcism scene lasts quite long. Why do it in such a flammable place?

Song Hye Kyo is fine as a smoking dying nun. As her protege Jeon Yeo Been is serious and sad looking so she is convincing. The rising young actor Moon Woo Jin plays the boy possessed and he does a good job alternating between angelic and demonic.

The movie is ok for what it is but not great. What more can be done in this genre? As a horror movie Exhuma is better written.