My Dearest

Conflicting yet Desiring

Period dramas always bring various conflicts that heightens to an uprising or a war. My Dearest may be such a tender title for it gives us the story of two people who had pushed and pulled their feelings for one another, not admitting that they are attracted to each other.

Like any Korean period drama, it depicts the women to be more desirable if one has various talents while the men being scholars or of high-ranking official. There is a caste system which causes the singles to choose only those within their societal levels. But Gil Chae isn't your typical leading lading. In fact, she is not the 'artistic' type and is somewhat mischievous and manipulative. She knows she is beautiful and can attract any man, except the one her eyes delight in. Jang Hyeon, rightfully described in the synopsis is mysterious. No one knows his roots, or his abilities. What people think is that he is a playboy, enjoys the company of women without being married to. Both Gil Chae and Jang Hyeon have already pre-conceived ideas of each other. They may be drawn to each other, but what they say is not what is in their hearts. The circumstances surrounding them, the Qing invasion, the war, the survival, the escape all contributed to the push and pull of their relationship.

My heartaches when Ryang Eum had not been truthful to Gil Chae. Does he not really want her to be with Jang Hyeon? Does he not want to part from him? Is it bias or selfishness? There are unspoken reasons for the actions of Ryang Eum. The timing of their meeting was really bad. And I can feel Jang Hyeon's pain as he heard and saw who the bride is. Gil Chae chose to marry someone else - was it for survival of her family? or was it out of gratitude to save them? or was it to save face as everyone knew already of this engagement? Will there be even a reason for Jang Hyeon to fight the Qing? Will there be any reason for him to hope in reuniting with Gil Chae?

What I love about Gil Chae is her courage that shone when she tried to save her friend. She is ingenuous, and a creative person which made her good in business. She learned that from Jang Hyeon. She does not know how much Jang Hyeon had to go through in order to survive, even to be an instrument to save the king, despite not his aim. She does not know how skillful he is in combat and all along, she thought someone else saved her.

Namkoong Min is right in saying that he does not consider Ahn Eun Jin as a junior but an equal (when he accepted his best actor award). We have seen that Ahn Eun Jin embraced her character and is an equal of Namkoong Min 's character. Their characters unfolded and little by little developed as they continue to find each other.

About the production, this is immense. Locations, costumes, the Korean army and the Qing army may not be the main thing but surely completed the feel of a period drama. The music, especially Ryang Eum's singing is haunting. I wonder if Kim Yoon Woo really sings.

This drama also shows that those who go to war also fear - fear to die and they depicted this especially for the scholars who were never trained in battle. So, we should be reminded to honor those who defended our countrymen in the past for their sacrifices.

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Gone With The Wind Joseon Style

This drama has Gone With The Wind written all over it. That was obvious by the second episode. Lee Jang Hyun is the rakish Rhett Butler, Yoo Gil Chae is the willful and determined Scarlett O'Hara, Nam Yeon Jun is the wavering Ashley Wilkes and Kyung Eun Ae is the trusting and loyal Melanie Wilkes. I'm 6 episodes in so I wonder if they'll do anything to make the story a bit more original. I hope so.

As always Namkoong Min is excellent. I just wish the dialogue was worthy of him. The character is a bit too loquacious for a mysterious man. The dream sequence in episode 1 is one of the most beautifully shot pieces of footage I have ever seen.

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it's a crazy trash and cringe drama, but typical of every Korean production, exploiting actors for success.
Set during the righteous and perfect Qing rule over Korea.
The warning "this story is about fictitious events" always makes me cringe, as it seems like Joseon never existed. Nice respect for history...
Already in the first episode we find something Koreans are very good at, erasing history to make themselves great. The Emperor... historically inaccurate since he was a coward.
Cultural appropriation of Chinese sewing techniques, Chinese hanfu. Phrases said to mock China, its history, its culture and its multi-ethnicity, because Korea is poor.
The story is absolutely ridiculous, out of context and the romance context completely unrelated to the real story. A cast of actors who can't act, the two protagonists too detached and modern compared to the historical context. The story lacks a balance between romance and historical context .
The two protagonists are cringe from episode to episode. Th side characters are ridiculous and lacks depth.
Historical inaccuracies every now and then.
Bad direction and camera, without color balance that make the visuals squalid.
It totally falls after half and the ending is bad and casual

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A great story from 1936

So here's the thing as an enthusiastic reader, nothing annoys me more than plagiarism and part one is a straight 1 for 1 storyline from Gone with the Wind. The only thing that was not plagiarized was the Palace story line which I believe was completely unnecessary in Part One. I assume this was the writers attempt to humanize the King but it just made me hate him more in part 2.
Acting wise, ML was the perfect Rhett Butler and FL was the perfect Scarlett O'Hara and their acting was the most important. Casting director really did their thing for the cast of part 1. It is part 2 where things got funky. I know many people found FL annoying but she is supposed to be. Selfish people survive and Eun Jin was the major reason those ladies survived.
Despite the great story being told, the rewatch value of only part 1 is not as high. it is a very frustrating watch just like Gone with the Wind.

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a review for both part's 1 and 2

"Do you hear that? The sound of flowers blooming"
I was sold. I was seated.
——
I devoured this drama in 2 days and lost my sleep for the beautiful narration it truly was. Mind you i have 3 pending kdramas as of 12/29 but i mindlessly put it on hold just to reserve myself to see this drama through...

I initially came across this drama when MBC released its trailer. it caught my attention but i guess it wasn't enough to get me out of the kdrama slump i was at the time😂 THANKS TO TIKTOK it resurfaced on my fyp and gave this a shot!!

Many say it starts off slow and picks up at 3rd-4th episode however i do not feel the same. From the first episode till the last few minutes of episode 21–i loved every bits of it.

I seldom writing reviews and reserve writing allat for dramas deserving. I can confidently say its well within my #10 all time best kdrama and #1 sageuk drama. Easily Nam Goong Min's and Ahn Eun Jin's best roles portrayals out of their filmographies.

Do i recommend?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Though be prepared for the rollercoaster and tearjerker it will be. If you suvived scarlet heart/moon lovers, then you wont have much trouble going through all the episodes. It is depressing. Sad. Dark.
I came for the romance but also stayed for the history of Joseon. I found myself sympathizing for the plight and the women of Joseon endured. This drama portrays all of the character's story so well—so much depth and well thought and written characters.

I miss my JangChae already☹️❤️
I'm in "i wish i could watch it like the first time" moment🥲

WELL my yapping ends now.
It has been awhile since i felt this empty after watching a kdrama. The void left in me will be hard to fill in.🥴

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BEST DRAMA EVER

Μια από τις καλύτερες K Drama σειρές. Εκπληκτικοί ηθοποιοί, υπέροχη σκηνοθεσία. Υπομείνετε τα 2-3 πρώτα επεισόδια (φαίνονται χλιαρά αλλά έχουν τον λόγο τους) ώστε να εξελιχθεί η ιστορία τους που θα σας χτυπήσει την καρδιά. Το έχω τρεις φορές. Θα σας μαγέψει η μουσική, η πλοκή και η απέραντη αγάπη πάθος μεταξύ των πρωταγωνιστών. Κάθε επεισόδιο έχει εξελίξεις ενώ δεν κάνει καθόλου «κοιλιά» μεταξύ των επεισοδίων. Αξέχαστο!

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CANT WAIT PART 2

I'm the type of person who doesn't really understand history but for this drama I can still enjoy it.
The acting of the cast makes me speechless again.
Each episode makes my heart scratched to pieces why are they acting but my heart hurts too, anyway I can't wait for part 2 and I also ask why not immediately air 20 episodes in one season why should it be divided into 2 parts ??? Its kinda annoying but that fine
Namkoong min and ahn eun jin make me sick!! Both great actress and actoor no wonder so many people at south korea talking about this drama because so worth it to watch

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Epic romance meets the dumbest b**ch main lead you’ll love to hate

A Beautiful Mess of Passion, Plot Holes, and Questionable Decisions

✨ THE GOOD:
Visually stunning — Gorgeous costumes, epic sets, and cinematography that screams “period drama goals.”

Chemistry overload — When the leads actually talk sense, sparks fly like fireworks.

Side characters — Surprisingly decent, giving the show some much-needed balance.

🤦‍♀️ THE “WHY IS SHE LIKE THIS?!” MOMENTS:
Main lead’s decision-making skills = nonexistent — You’ll spend half the time yelling at the screen.

Plot confusion — Twists pop up like whack-a-moles with zero explanation or payoff.

Dragging pacing — The story trudges on, begging you to stay awake or find snacks.

💔 THE “I’M HERE FOR THE DRAMA, NOT THE IDIOCY” FACTOR:
If you can survive the main lead’s antics, the emotional moments have some weight.

Romance is messy, over-the-top, but occasionally endearing.

🎯 VERDICT:
"Like trying to enjoy fine wine while someone keeps spilling grape juice everywhere."

Watch if: You want epic visuals and drama, and have the patience for a frustrating lead.
Skip if: You hate irrational characters and plot holes big enough to drive a carriage through.

Best paired with: 🍷 A strong drink and zero expectations for common sense.

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Gone with the wind but better

I just finished this drama for the third time. I loved it the first time, but every time I allow myself to watch it again it gets even better. Pride, prejudice, loyalty, selfishness, idealism - the drama tackles these themes without being able to answer them clearly. All the characters have their own strengths and weaknesses, comprehensible motives that do not remain black and white in their contrasts, but reflect the shades of gray of real people and situations.
The characters undergo a comprehensible and logical development. I find the lovers' struggle for a love in which they do not give up on themselves, but remain true to themselves, to be topical and contemporary.

Beautifully staged, opulently equipped, the musical accompaniment is also worth mentioning, especially the title song.
The acting performances are remarkable. The lead actor Namkoong Min in particular is able to reveal the inner emotional worlds of his character in his face so convincingly that the fact that it is a play is forgotten.

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an unmatched, enthralling masterpiece

i don’t even know where to begin to describe how excellent this drama is. i knew i was going to enjoy it after watching an edit of it on social media, but i didn’t know just how much of a treasure it was going to be!

as a history lover, i absolutely relished this excellent period work of art.

not once did i fast forward or feel bored during any episode. i felt sad as i was nearing the last episodes. and so, i enjoyed everything a little extra, not wanting to let go.

the longing and yearning is absolutely tear jerking and the romance worthy of swoons! as someone who leans more towards romance, the politics within Joseon and across nations were so interesting and captivating that i was curious to see how it all ended.

i love the feminism and patriciachial society themes.the FL & ML are both feminists in a way that’s fitting for their time and their viewpoints really touched me.

trigger warning: sexual assault

a line that will stay with me from the ML is when a woman he knows tells him how she has “dirtied” herself for “sleeping” with the barbarians (the foreign ruler actually raped her). she blames herself as if the violent act was her fault, despite being the victim. but the ML says, “if a dog bites you, did you dirty yourself? if a barbarian beats you, did you dirty yourself?” you can see the glint of realisation in her eyes after hearing his words. they took away her shame and guilt because it wasn’t hers to carry in the first place.

it’s the first drama i’ve ever watched that depicts how gruesome and barbaric war really is.

i also really love the touch of realism in the drama. for example, the blood stained clothes the FL wears for days while fleeing from the war stays on her for a couple of scenes, which makes sense because they don’t have time to wash their clothes or properly take care of themselves during a time of war while fleeing for their lives.

the stylists and make up artists did a great job at portraying the characters as sick because they really looked like they were going through it!

the battle scenes are the most frightening i’ve seen so far from any drama. there were scenes where my body was tense with anticipation or worry from both the politics and the life or death scenes. i physically squirmed when a sword was pierced through someone’s body as if it’s happening to me. at times it felt like a horror movie!

none of the characters are one-dimensioned and the actors delivered astounding performances. phenomenal. i feel so proud as if i know the cast personally.

the story telling is so evocative and thought provoking.

the ML’s voice is everything. my phone literally vibrates when he speaks. so raspy. so deep. so calm. so confident. his appearance is a delightful treat for the eyes.

approaching the final episodes, i was worried if the end was going to turn this drama into a ktrauma for me. i can’t fully express how glad i am it didn’t because i enjoyed every minute of it!

this drama is definitely first-class. i’m fondly going to remember this one.

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