Reviews

After a very high pitched recommendation phonecall from my Jang Geun Seuk fangirl friend, I decided to watch this drama. At the time only 8 episodes were out, and I was really liking it. Little did I know that the first half of the drama is the only good part to it.



The story is very shallow to being with, but they made interesting twists to keep it alive. That is, after the writers was left just as confused as the viewers. The last episodes are barely just people talking about the same things they always have been talking about, and it's just not fun to watch anymore. It's also very predictable near the end.



The music is okie. I like Jang Geun Seuk's voice, and his song 'My Bus' was great. To be completely honest, that song was also part of the reason to why I decided to watch this drama.



All in all, I was disappointed in this drama. Previously I have watched mr. Seuk in You're Beautiful, Baby and me and Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do. If I hadn't watched those, I probably would have ended up disliking him. He shows off in all of the above, but he's just a sad sight in Mary Stayed Out All Night. The acting overall is dry, and the characters are just left as big questionmarks in my mind. I am still puzzled as to what happened to Moo Gyul's mother and so on.



All in all, this is not a drama I am willing to watch again. The drama had a great cast and had great potential, but it just didn't work out. Being a person who always scores a drama of the impression I'm left with at the ending, it's difficult for me to remember the 'good parts' since they were greatly outnumbered.



Sorry, but my overall is a 3.

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This is the first time ever I drop a drama because it is too good. It sounds like a paradox, so I'll do my best to clarify my reasons.



As I said, this is an amazing drama. It's based upon a true story, which explains why I find it hard to rate the plot. The way it is narrated is quite unique: it uses the technique of flash forwards, making the viewer aware from the very beginning of the destiny of basically each character. This style can be very confusing at the beginning, to the point viewers may think they are watching the wrong episode; once established, though, it becomes highly intriguing, and one of the strong points of this drama.

Instead of depriving the viewer of the thrill to know what's going to happen, this method excite the curiosity to find out HOW it happened, and why.

If there were a separate rate for direction and editing, I would give them both a 10 without hesitation.



The acting is stellar. I'd go as far as to say that it's more suitable to an essay movie than a television drama. As a matter of fact, this is by the same director of the 2001 movie.

The cast is so convincing and the acting so intense, one truly believes to be watching the real story, instead of a screen revisitation of it. Characters' changes are portrayed subtly and slowly, giving the viewer time to understand and empathize.

I found myself talking to the screen more than once, praying one or the other of the characters would not make that choice which, I knew, would change the course of their lives forever.



The music is poignant and moving. Combined with the beautiful photography and the outstanding acting, it brought me more than once to the brink of tears - and I don't cry easily, if ever.



So why did I drop it?

Because I was empathizing too much, and it pained me. By the middle I was so involved in this story I would feel restless and anxious. Mind you, the show has got many sweet, touching and funny moments. I just couldn't take all the emotions anymore.

It is my intention to go back to this drama in future, maybe after a strong dose of surreal/hilarious/ridiculous shows, like a camel storing water before a long journey.



Hence the very high re-watch value.

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Nicholas Teo was amazing in this drama, in my opinion, much better than his last drama. His character was a very cool but sensitive man and he played his part perfectly. Cyndi was okay at some points, but her acting was a little ditsy and over exaggerated. It may just be the way the drama was supposed to play out but her acting became a little annoying at points. The story is absolutely fantastic! The development goes at a steady pace, enough to make the watcher crave for the next episode and still feel satisfied with the episode they just watched. The only fault is the exaggeration of some parts but even that can be overlooked. The songs (especially Nicholas Teo's) are fantastic because some are actually sang in the drama and they are well-sang and well-written. This drama would be re-watchable because after the ending is completed, there is a feeling of wanting to reminisce on how they reached the ending and all the events that happened in between. Overall, this was a great show, full of drama and events that keep you wanting to know more. :) Hope this helps!

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Story- Nothing special here folks. you got the love quaddrangle, pathetic girl becoming obsessed with guy, guy in love with other girl, then guy later hiding his true feelings for pathetic girl for the longest time. Ending is blah.

Acting/Cast- I was intrigued by the casting but in the end the way the writers wrote the characters just made me lose interest. The chemistry was there between the leads but it was wasted. I thought the casting for the second female lead was all wrong. She wasn't as pretty as Han Chae Young so it was hard to believe that both male leads would pick her over HCY's character.

Music- It had a couple of nice songs but it wasnt too memorable.

There's no way i'd rewatch this!

Overall- this drama had some funny moments but with the average storyline and ending, this should only be watched when all the best dramas out there have been watched already.

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By far the best drama I have seen to date and I have feeling it'll remain that way for years to come. Hyun Bin plays the lead role so exceptionally well it's hard not to acknowledge his immense talent. In my opinion, this Ha Ji Won's best performance. Actually each character in this drama is just perfect for their role. The storyline is so brilliant and is captured just as flawlessly on screen - It's a complicated story to tell but the behind the camera team did an excellent job drawing out the right emotions in the viewers. If you haven't seen this drama I highly recommend that you do. You won't be disappointed.

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I watched this movie for the first time one day while my laptop was broken to pass the time, and I instantly fell in love with it. After that, I showed it to my sister and that became the first movie we ever saw together, and it was instantly deemed a classic among our lists of movies we've watched both separately and together. The storyline was absolutely captivating and had us hooked from the beautiful beginning to the unexpected ending with its multiple plot twists and breathtaking moments. This movie turned us into fans of the Wuxia genre's unique fighting styles and amazing choreography. The casting was great and they played each of their parts well. We both enjoyed the music, specifically the main theme and its arrangements.



This movie is perfect for those who love the Wuxia and romance genres. I highly recommend!

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I had a lot of fun watching this "highly entertaining, very different from the norm" drama. It has a very real human story within a fantastical framework. It was entertaining and thought provoking throughout its run.

The actors had great chemistry, the music was very fitting and the cinematography was wonderful. It is not your typical love story. It is not a rom-com. It isn't really comparable to other dramas that have recently aired. The writer and director of this drama stand out in a spectacular way.

For the writer's part: So Hyun Kyung told a very good story with twists and turns and a movable plot that kept you watching. Just when you think the story is moving in one direction it does a little flip and takes you on another, unexpected path. The themes of 49 Days are love, forgiveness, family, death and learning to truly live. It is a beautiful story.

For the director's part: He kept the plot moving and stayed true to the writer's vision. The camera work was very well done and I love when the lighting and the shots are part of the action and mean everything to how the story is told.

There are plenty of light moments but this show was never meant to be a comedy. I have seen comparisons to other more comedic shows and I feel that is doing this show an injustice. It's been a long time since I've watched a drama where the plot was so evenly paced and well planned out. Even though that plan may have taken me in places I didn't expect and were not the norm for a Kdrama.

It is easy to stick with this show and sometimes you will be on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen to the characters you have grown to love. (Han Kang! I adore you) I was satisfied with the ending. I was impressed and pleased with the story I was told. I recommend 49 Days highly.

If you haven't seen it, try not to read the spoilers!

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Normally I watch dramas that have finished airing. However, I made an exception with 49 Days since it was so addicting. I absolutely loved most of the series, my only problem would be with how it ended. Other than that though the series was amazing, though it did drag out a little in the middle. I feel like this would have been better at a 16 or 18 episode drama.



The story was absolutely unlike anything I had watched before, and it was executed pretty well. My only problem with the story would be the antagonists' reasons for being evil weren't good enough in my opinion.



The Cast and the acting were absolutely spectacular and had terrific chemistry.



The music was also great and I still listen to the OST after the show has finished.



As for rewatch value, this drama simply has none. Once you take out the element of surprise and suspense, it will become boring.



Overall though, this drama is a great drama to watch and I loved every moment of it, other than how it ended.

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