Mientras Dormías (2017)

Wow.
Just... WOW.

I haven't been on the Korean-dramas train for long.
The first Korean drama I seriously sat down to watch was a few weeks ago and it was W.

I honestly thought nothing could compare. I was so sure W ruined me for every other drama out there.
Because nothing worked for me as I tried watching other dramas after it. Nothing hit me in the feels like W had.

At first, while I loved While You Were Sleeping, I couldn't help but think it wasn't as great as W.
I was mistaken.
The more I watched it, the more I realized its greatness.
In all honesty, I can't compare the two because they were each *as* amazing in different ways.

W probably beat While You Were Sleeping for me in terms of plot and pace.
While While You Were Sleeping probably beat W for me in terms of character development and emotional turmoil.

I cried actual tears more than once in While You Were Sleeping because the acting was just... SO... good. I laughed, I smiled, I loved those characters to pieces.

How do you know a show is great? If it makes you feel those strong, those intense feelings. If it makes you laugh, if it makes you cry. If it makes you feel excited just to watch each new episode. Like how I cried when a character broke out in tears. Or how I laughed at the silliness and the jokes.

How do I know if a romance is a great one? If they make me want to root for them.
And boy, did I root for them. I rooted for them from beginning to end, and they never let me down. Their romance developed in the best way possible. Not too fast, not too slow, while still remaining funny, sweet and passionate.
It felt natural, while not feeling dragged out. It had just the right amount of everything, and I loved them to pieces.
They made *holding hands* seem better than a kiss.
And when they hugged? *fanning myself*.
Let's just say the chemistry was sky high.

That, and the OST.
Because I'm telling you... I have yet to hear an OST as beautiful as this one in a show.
It was made to perfection. Each song fit the scene *perfectly*. It only made the romance, the suspense, the scenes, feel more alive.
My favorite of the songs: When Night Falls, It's you, I love you boy, Your world, Lucid Dream, Maze, Come to me.

Final thoughts: do watch this show. Please do. Whether it's because you're like me and you love a good fantasy-romance show with action and suspense, or simply because you love Korean dramas... just watch it. You will not regret it. It's one hell of a journey, and I'm so happy I took it.
And for those of you, like me, hoping for a happy ending... you don't have to worry when it comes to While You Were Sleeping (:

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I wanna address 3 things

1.) Plot/Story
2.) Suzy's acting
3.) Cast


Plot/Story
The plot of this show was really good. It was very unique, adding a punch of fantasy to a really good 'supposed' legal drama. It sounded stupid at first, but it blended really well, and the outcome was outstanding. It didn't fail to deliver in terms of being real enough for a legal drama, and not normal enough for a fantasy genre. Credits to the writers of the show and the director. And for whoever was in charge of casting that really cute corgi. I'm giving it a 9.5 to the story just because they failed to further discuss how they had their powers in the first place.

Suzy's acting
I'll be honest, Suzy isn't my favorite actresses. She is pretty, but she isn't that good in terms of delivery. For scale, my favorite actresses in order are
Han Hyo Joo
Shin Min Ah
Park Shin Hye

The acting of those 3 are far and beyond Suzy's current acting now, but she is in no way near of being classified as a bad actress by a lot of people. I would give her a rating of 7.5-8/10. If you want an example of a person who is really bad at acting, but is just overly hyped because he/she looks hot, look at Nam Jo Hyuk. I would rate that guy 3/10. Monotone as fuck. Suzy delivers during emotional scenes, and she makes us smile when she tries being quirky and cute during feel good scenes, but what I don't like about her acting is the regular flow. In scenes where there is no clear emotion, neither happy, sad, thrilling, or funny. Just the plain old, 'boring stuff' as some call it; the normal scenes that are explaining the plot of the show, she fails. She feels a bit awkward in those scenes for me because she doesn't look to convincing of a character. Her acting was far better as compared to Uncontrollably fond, but she still has work to do as an actress.

Cast
The cast was really good in this drama, particularly the main 3 characters + kim won hae. Lee Jong suk, is a shoo-in (we all know he's one of the best actors of Kdrama), Suzy has been discussed already. Jung Hae In, the adorable second lead who was so phenomenal a lot of people had Second Lead Syndrome once again. Would honestly watch another show where these 3 are in it. To further summarize my choice of Kdramas to watch is actually pretty simple: I see Kim Won Hae, I click. I get that his name isn't hyped enough to be cast as lead in a drama, but he sure does good whenever he's a supporting character, never failing to make us laugh, and on this particular role, cry.

Overall, I would watch this show again, even with one of the best plot twists i have ever watched.

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I enjoyed this. I thought the show did a good job blending the thriller/supernatural plot with cute romance and comic moments. The actors did a good job and they made for a really cute trio. Woo Tak was especially cute to me. The characters in general were really likable and the romance was sweet. But actually I was more into the trio of friends working together to solve crimes rather than the main romance. Everything was  tied up very neatly and satisfactorily.  I really don't have any complaints about it. It was entertaining, but for some reason it wasn't one of those dramas that had me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next episode. Overall, it's pretty, cute, and fluffy but interspersed with the crime/thriller violence.

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This is the first Kdrama I have watched in my life. This show is worth to see.  Lee Jong Suk and Suzy Bae made a really good couple. The story is very much breathtaking and will create intense thoughts in the audiences mind. The song lyrics are relatable with the real life. This show let the audiences put themselves on the characters shoes and let the audiences feel the experiences that each character goes through. Every single episode are heart touching.  It is hard to believe that it is really over, and I miss it already! From the nightmares to the laugh-out-loud moments, the nail-biting court trials to the feel-good scenes, this drama delivered several wonderful contents. This show is entirely without faults. There should be a second season for this show. <3

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This was one of the best dramas of 2017. Include the perfect cast, perfect couple, a great amount of comedy, a great amount of romance, and the perfect amount of mystery. I like that their was a second lead and he did like the main actress but didn't ruin/try to ruin other relationships. The problem of many law/police dramas is that it gets boring after a few episode as they are mainly solving cases. This wasn't a problem in this show as they focused on many aspects and this show had both a continuous and per episode story. The main couple were perfect, they were realistic (they didn't hide their flaws) and the chemistry was amazing.  I was excited to watch each episode and I knew i couldn't skip any scene as it came out once a week.  request: while watching don't skip, it's wort every moment!. I also like how the younger brother had a story (not gonna ruin it for you). This would be the top drama of 2017. I love bae suzy, lee jong suk and jung hae in ! also watch a few episodes before stopping , but i think the first episode should be enough to get you hooked. There was just one thing I didn't get, how dream could be so specific that they would never give the answer but if you just ignore the realism of the dreams, this drama is great.

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Overall I found this to be Beautiful drama from beginning to end; best one I have seen this year. Great casting, good music, story was intriguing and well written. Once you started watching this drama, it's hard to stop. It is very interesting and each episode leaves you wanting more and more until the very end. There is no need to skip any episode because is not dragged or bored like most Korean dramas. I highly recommend everyone to watch it.
 I really liked the main couple, Lee Jong Suk and Suzy looked really cute together and their character were so adorable. They indeed delivered an outstanding performance. As for those who criticize Suzy, I have to tell you that I loved her character the most, her actions felt natural which makes her character more real and believable. I would love to see them working together again.  
Keep up the good work!

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Near Perfection

Nothing in this world is perfect. However, some things are nearly perfect, and While You Were Sleeping is one of them. From a great storyline and plot to a great cast and amazing characters along with one of the best OSTs ever, While You Were Sleeping is a must-watch.

Story:
The story of this drama revolves around the special ability of a group of friends to be able to see into the future through their dreams. Throughout this drama, this group of friends and the people around get to see the ways their dreams affect the world of law, their love lives, and their day-to-day lives as well.

These characters realize that knowing the future, seeing it in their dreams, doesn't mean that it can't be changed. They face decisions at every stop, just like we do, except for them their decisions carry much more weight and can deal heavy consequences, good and bad.

All these key components are intricately woven together to create a plot that is not only interesting but also logical. The plot also shows how much each decision, no matter how small, affects everyone and everything around them. All this works together to create one of the best plots in kdrama history.

Acting/Cast (Spoilers Below!!!):
The characters and the cast that played them were spectacular. Unlike many kdramas where the characters are unlogical and do things for no apparent reason, the characters in WYWS make their decisions logically.

Yoon Moon Sun (Hong Joo's mom) has only one condition when she makes her decisions, her daughter, and that makes sense. She is a mother devoted to making her daughter happy especially after all the hard things Hong Joo is going through. All she strives for is to keep her daughter happy and safe. Her decisions and actions portray that mindset perfectly.

Lee Yoo Beom is the main antagonist of WYWS. He is driven by his greed for power to the point that he does many things morally wrong, and he knows it. Throughout the drama he is wracked with guilt and tries to make excuses for himself, driving himself deeper and deeper into the hole he has dug until he goes as far to murder someone.

Han Woo Tak is a fan-favorite. Loyal, kind, and even through many hardships maintains outstanding morals while always thinking of others first. Even though his unrequited love for Hong Joo was never returned with even a glance. Woo Tak valued his friendships with Jae Chan and Hong Joo so much more that instead of being jealous of Jae Chan and trying to hurt him, Woo Tak helped their relationship to move forward. Through Woo Tak, I saw what a real friend was. Someone who can sacrifice everything, even his love, for his friends.

Jung Jae Chan is far from your perfect protagonist. Instead, he is full of resentment, hate, and regret from his past. He struggles to keep his morals intact as he faces hard decision after hard decision in the world of law. However, Jae Chan is also a kind person and a great friend. Although he is aware that Woo Tak likes Hong Joo, he doesn't attack him or try to break their relationship apart. Instead he hides the fact that he knows it and shows the amount of trust and faith he puts in his friends.

Finally, Nam Hong Joo is a quirky girl, to say the least. She is always smiling and laughing, hiding the insecurites and fears she has. Hong Joo showed just how much fear can control a life. From her short hair to quitting her job, she lives in fear all the while trying to hide it. However, as the story progresses, she retakes control over he life, returning to her job, actively trying to change the futures she sees in her dreams, and facing her fears.

Music:
The OST of While You Were Sleeping perfectly fit the drama and also produced some amazing songs, including "It's You" by Henry (My favorite song), along with great songs: "When Night Falls" by Eddy Kim, "You Belong to My World" by Roy Kim, and "I Love You Boy" by Suzy and many more. Overall, one of my favorite OSTs ever.

Rewatch Value:
I don't really ever rewatch dramas, but if I were to choose one drama to rewatch While You Were Sleeping would be one of my top choices. Even though watching it a second time might reduce the thrill, it would allow me to catch some smaller details I missed the first time around.

Overall:
My favorite drama I have watched thus far. An amazing plot, logical and beautiful characters, and a magical OST makes While You Were Sleeping a must-watch drama.

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I already had listened to many things about this drama, but finally I could finish it and I'm just amazed! I love different plots with the same tacky romance and this was just like that. The plot of dreams coming true maybe can seem too easy when we look at the first time. I thought that I would lose interest in many cases being solved in the process, but it isn't like that. In each case, we are through into a different solution and a new revelation of the main plot, and this was very exciting! I didn't get tired of the stories and my curiosity just grows in the process.

I have to confirm my theory about why I have this problem with Lee Jong Suk. I'm sure now that the problem is his beauty, haha. I don't know how to explain, but when I look at his face I thought impossible that a normal person can look so perfect. For me, this compromises my perception of his performance, even if that could be a terrible judgment (and it is!). This justified why I love "W" so much because Jong Suk really looks like a character of webtoon. Even with this conception (again, I'm not saying that this is a right thing to think, I'm just sharing my conclusion because Jong Suk always was an open question to me), I thought that I could see more of his acting on this drama, and the last episode show this cleary. And what episode! I'm already in tears with the ending of "Flower of evil" and now I just can't stop crying with this. I could see the "human" part of Lee Jong Suk in many parts of this episode, LOL. About Bae Suzy I haven't any complaints... The character of Nam Hong Ju was made for her. The sincerity, boldness, everything makes me love this character. We don't see just two men trying to save a girl, but three friends that support each other equally. This is amazing! And speaking of the last friend... I love Jung Hae In. Just that, haha. His character was very fun and strong, I just missed a deeper connection with the main couple (as a past connection) and a more detailed story. They focused on the main couple and kinda left Han Woo Tak besides sometimes. I get that, but still... I just wanted to see more of him! It was just me or sometimes looks like they could show Woo Tak as gay? I really thought that the big secret was this, haha.

So my conclusion is that this drama is amazing! If you are looking for something fun a cute but also surprising and electrifying, this is an excellent choice!

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I know alot of people probably won't agree with my rating  but despite this, I decided to justify my rating choice. I normally don't because who even cares, but the more I thought about this drama after I had finished it, the more disappointed in it I got. While I liked it, here's my rationale behind why it's not the best out there or the greatest.

story: While the story was interesting and unique, I felt like it was ultimately directionless.  I loved the supernatural theme, and I believe that is what initially piqued everyone's interest in the beginning. Well, that and Lee Jong Suk of course ;) However, the more the story drug on, the more I felt like the supernatural unique aspects of the drama began to disappear and lose it's "magic" and appeal. It just became redundant and somewhat lackluster. In the end, the story tied up nice enough but I'm still left a little deflated with a lingering feeling that it could have potentially been more.

characters:  In the end, the characters and character development, or lack of I should say, was what disappointed me the most. Lee Jong Suk did a marvelous job with his character. I could see his growth from an immature troubled youth still struggling with deciding between right and wrong and later watched him grow into a young man who stood firm in his beliefs. It was a seamless transition and I enjoyed the progress. In comparison, Suzy's character barely had any character growth. Her character was one dimensional at most. It was flat and a little boring to be honest. I don't know why, but something about her acting never communicated to me or pulled me into the story. I had the same problem with our second male lead in question, Han Woo Tak. While a handsome specimen and a potentially intriguing character, I felt like he was even more tasteless and boring than even Suzy. Even worse, I was left hanging till the very end wondering what dirty little secrets he was hiding or quietly pondering the possibility that Woo Tak might be more sinister then he let on as some of the directing of this series seemed to insinuate. I was sorely disappointed however when his character and role in general just fell flat resulting in a character I strongly felt was ultimately pointless and boring with no real character development either. I sometimes felt the side characters at the law firm had more interesting interactions and character growth to be honest.

music: The music in this was superb. It fit the scenes perfectly and was able to pull the perfect emotion for every scene. It was as beautiful as the cinematography which I also happened to find beautiful and breathtaking.

Chemistry: The couple chemistry was only so-so. I didn't really feel much of a connection between the two actors and I continue to feel like their relationship bordered on closer to friendship then it ever did to an actual intimate relationship.

Antagonist: And finally, the biggest problem I had with this entire drama was the antagonist. It was almost comical how the painted a big red villain sign on Lee Yu Beom. Sure the dude was crooked and manipulative but as the series drew on, I expected a little bit of insight into his sinister mask. What made him tick? What was his backstory? Why was he so twisted inside? They had so many opportunities to draw forth various complicated emotions from the viewers with a more complicated and complex antagonist so I was sorely disappointed when they decided to paint everything black and white and simply made Lee Yu Beom into the typical "Born to be the bad guy" lead in which every action he has ever taken was meant to cause distress to our main heros. The struggle between the antagonist and the protagonist was much too disney version for my liking. Character depth is more realistic and has the potential to leave a more lasting impression on the audience.

With that in mind, I over all rather enjoyed this series. I'm not dissuading anyone from watching this, if you are considering watching it then by all means go ahead. It was an enjoyable ride and I don't regret watching it. I would say it was worth the watch. If you are looking for something rich in supernatural mystery or character depth then I would advise against it. This drama was more focused on things like standing firm in your beliefs, distinguishing between right and wrong, human connections, and how we are all ultimately tied together somehow in an intricate and dynamic web of fate.

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With so many similar dramas like this one it really fascinates me how much I've liked this one. It's your typical law, supernatural, romance drama with a hint of quirkiness. I guess anybody who likes series of the same genres will enjoy this one.

First of all, the story isn't that all unique, but I definitely enjoyed how the plot was nice, clear and straightforward from the first episodes. Episode 1-2-3 and *poof* - you're hooked. The series looses it's fast pace when everything seems clear, however, the pace is quickly swept up again after an episode or two. Also, it's so satisfying when the little plot holes in the drama start to fill up little by little as the show progresses. As I always like to focus on romance and the relationships between characters in every Korean drama, the love story between the main characters was like a breeze of fresh air. Jung Chae Chan's and Nam Hong Ju's affection for each other and how natural it was made the drama so enjoyable to watch. Speaking about enjoyable, I'll talk about my new oppa. Oh yeah, it's Jung Hae In. I fell in love with Han Woo Tak's character right away. He is my new perfection of what any man in Kdrama world should be. Also, he's very lovable. Beware!

Hence, the multi-talented actors made this show worth watching. The star-studded cast put a smile on my face. However, I get that many people are fed up with Lee Jong Suk's acting - he tends to play the same type of character most of the time, but he has done a spectacular job in this once again. Not to mention that him and Suzy even recorded songs for the OST of the drama. An emotional and moving soundtrack is one of the most important elements of a successful drama. Personally, I'm very impressed with all of the songs, hence, now I have many songs to rewind over and over again while getting ready in the morning!

So, as I've finished the drama 30 minutes ago, I can proudly say that I'll miss it. I remember not expecting much from the synopsis and the trailer, but now I'm very happy with my decision. If you love an intense, romance filled and fresh crime-solving dramas, you'll probably enjoy this one as much as I did!

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Overall I thought that this drama had its ups and downs. There were some parts that I really enjoyed and others where I did not enjoy it so much. Let's start with the parts I liked. I enjoyed the fact that our main hero was a sort of anti-hero. The character played by Lee Jong Suk was by no means perfect. He had many many many flaws that the show sort of built around. The characters made fun of him for his flaws and it definitely added a hilarious layer of comedy to the show. I also really liked the ending. I wouldn't say that it was the best wrap-up ending I've ever seen. Nonetheless, it ended the show on a "decently" sweet note. You'll see what I mean when you finish watching the last episode. Lastly I really who was cast as the two main characters. Lee Jong Suk and Suzy are probably one of my most favorite actors and actresses, respectively. There wasn't really much that I didn't like other than the story/plot.

Story: [8.0/10] While you were sleeping is basically your typical prosecutor/lawyer/law drama with a slight little twist. The character played by Suzy can dream of events that happens in the future. Meanwhile Lee Jong Suk plays the role of a prosecutor. Throughout the drama he goes through solving many different cases through this ability that pops up to help him solve the case. There's is also a prosecutor turned lawyer played by Lee Sang Yeob who is the main antagonist of this story. He mostly spends his time defending the criminals opposite of main character prosecutor. I felt like the story started out pretty strong, but near the end it really started to waver. The story gets a little less interesting in my opinion when the viewers see the end result because Suzy's character can dream of the future. Instead we are left with trying to understand how we reach an end through viewing the stuff that happens in the middle. I'm just a little disappointed because it flt like the plot could be summed up as saying a prosecutor who solves cases through dreaming of the future. It basically makes for a deus ex machina. Other than my disdain for the simple plot, I really enjoyed the comedy. I also sort of liked the romance, but I felt like there wasn't too much spark or chemistry. Although I feel like that may also be a result of the plot and how the dreams played a role in how the two main characters ended up falling in love/getting together. It sort of makes it superficial. In the end, I thought that the story lacked a climax. I went to watch the episode today on 11/16 to find that it was the last one! I was like OMG WHAT? The show definitely didn't lead me to think it was nearing the end because it was sort of anti-climatic as well.

Acting/Cast; [9.5/10] This was one of my favorite parts of the drama. I'm a big fan of the two main characters. Often times I feel like a show has better production value if you have big name actors and actresses. This drama was one of them. Lee Jong Suk and Suzy has been in many big named dramas that ended up doing very well. I also enjoyed the villain that was played by Lee Sang Yeob as well. It really made me annoyed when I saw him enter the screen. I know that a show has a decent villain whenever I hate to see them. It means that the show made a good attempt at trying to make him  a treacherous character.

Music: [8.0/10] I generally don't really have much about to say about music in dramas unless the genre of a drama is specifically musically-related. The music was okay. I give it around an 8.0/10.

In conclusion, I give this drama an 8.5/10. Generally I usually view dramas that score at least an 8.5 on MDL. I find that these shows are very much so above average. A 9.0 is a must watch and anything higher than that is what I assume to be a top notch drama. This show currently has a 9.0 at the time of me writing this. I slightly disagree. This isn't really a must watch drama on MDL for me, but I definitely think it's above average. I definitely felt like they could have done more with the dream concept as well as the plot. Although I'm sure that they were a little constrained based on the fact that this was a prosecutor type drama. TL;DR I liked the characters, the ending, and the comedy. I wasn't a big fan of the plot.

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This drama promised greatness, which it unfortunately was unable to deliver entirely. The premise sounded intriguing with a little fantasy twist. Though the plot had some interesting twists and turns, overall the drama had a very repetitive setup. Most of the episodes consisted of one of the characters having a dream, throughout the episode they work to prevent it and at the end they save the day, rinse and repeat.

I also had a lot of trouble backing the lead couple in While You Were Sleeping. Even though Lee Jong Suk and Suzy did very well in their roles. I didn’t sense a whole lot of chemistry or any for that matter. Thinking back on the drama, I don’t even know when feelings started to form and the romance began.

Yet there are some points in this drama that just blew me away. The pilot for instance was a work of art. If only they were able to keep that going week over week. A handful of these episodes where so beautiful and breathtaking. The effects used to bridge reality and dream whisk you away to another world. The visual effects that this drama uses make a good argument to watch it.

Overall, I think While You Were Sleeping is an interesting enough drama to watch. Unfortunately, I don’t think it was able to deliver on the ultra-hype that proceeded it.  If you are interested in the premise, watch this drama! Get swept away in this beautiful striking drama!

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