Beautiful historical love story
Beautiful production with near perfect casting. the chemistry between the main couple was electric, both characters well developed. The rest of the cast and their backstories could have been expanded on more rather than focusing on the historical aspects.Only negative aspect is that it should have been 16 episodes long. The historical aspects didn’t add much value to the love story other than keeping them apart and bringing them back together. a few of the story arcs could have been left out and they were separated too many times, it became a bit irritating.
But overall, it’s definitely worth the watch.
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A mature story not those boring childish time wasting kdrama
I have never took my time to register and comment on this forum before but this my dearest movie forced me to comment. Infact I watched 10 episodes in 2days despite my busy work schedule. But this story must not end on season 1 because the loves and little borns never get meaning in the story and the male lead is still going to war at the end of the episode 10 . The heart breaking part that makes me not like the full story is how the male and female lead didn't end up marrying each other while the other girl andher loyal husbandd married happily. If there is season 2 please let it air immediately unlike arthal chronicle that took months to watch season 2
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My dearest series, indeed!
It took me forever to finally watch this show. I have had this on my watchlist for a while and I finally had time, energy, and fortitude to be able to watch this. And let me tell you - it was well worth it. I was both sorry I waited so long to watch it, and sorry I already watched it and it finally ended. It was a masterpiece, for lack of a more eloquent term to describe it.Lately, I have been on a K-drama slump and have really been struggling finding good series to watch and so I have been either rewatching old favorites or watching C-dramas or J-dramas. However, this one really made me remember the good old days of K-drama, especially the really fantastical storytelling of historical dramas of the past like Jewel in the Palace, Empress Ki, Jumong, The Great Queen Seondeok, to name a few.
My Dearest is one of the best historical dramas I have seen so far. It had all the right elements to make the series into such a beautiful saga of love, loyalty, friendship, found family, and fealty. The leads did such an amazing job - I fell in love with Lee Jang Hyun and Yoo Gil Chae. Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun-Jin were phenomenal. The supporting cast also made the whole series flow beautifully. The cinematography was the perfect backdrop to the storytelling. The soundtrack just wrapped your heart and soul. I swear, this series has me on a chokehold. I love this show so much.
WATCH IT. YOU WILL CRY. BUT IT IS WORTH IT.
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This review may contain spoilers
A devastatingly beautiful drama that stays with you long after it’s over.
✅ What Makes My Dearest Exceptional🔥 A Perfect Blend of Epic Storytelling and Deep Emotion
• This isn’t just a love story—it’s a story about war, survival, sacrifice, and longing.
• Every character feels real, flawed, and deeply human.
• The scale of the war and the intensity of the emotions hit equally hard.
💔 A Love Story That Feels Earned
• Some dramas tell you that two characters love each other—this one makes you FEEL it.
• Every moment between them is filled with tension, heartbreak, and the weight of everything they’ve been through.
• This isn’t a simple, easy love—it’s the kind that is fought for, stolen, and torn apart by fate.
⚔️ The Fighting Spirit of Korean Dramas at Its Best
• Unlike One and Only, where confidence in battle is a given, here, every survival moment feels desperate and earned.
• The struggle to live, to love, to protect—it’s all intense, and you feel every second of it.
🎭 Acting That Lives on Screen—Especially the Female Lead
• The acting is absolutely breathtaking, but the female lead (Ahn Eun-jin) delivers one of the most incredibly nuanced performances.
• She has that rare, doll-like beauty that feels perfect for the historical period—but what makes her performance even more astonishing is how she transforms.
• At first, she looks soft, youthful, and delicate—almost untouched by hardship.
• But as the story progresses, her eyes change.
• She carries every emotion—pain, resilience, heartbreak, and love—just in her expressions.
• It’s an extraordinary performance that makes you feel every moment of her journey.
👥 Themes of Emotional Maturity & Patience
• This isn’t just a romance—it’s a story about growth, patience, and emotional depth.
• The male lead’s quiet, unwavering patience with her maturity makes their relationship even more layered.
• It’s not just about love—it’s about understanding, waiting, and loving someone through all of life’s hardships.
❌ Where My Dearest Wrecks You
💔 It’s Brutal, Emotionally and Physically
• There’s no “safety net” in this story.
• People suffer, die, lose everything.
• The heartbreak isn’t just one scene—it’s the entire experience.
• Prepare to be wrecked.
🐌 The Pacing May Feel Slow at Times
• The drama takes its time developing everything—which makes it all hit harder, but requires patience.
• Some parts could have been slightly tighter, but in the end, it all pays off.
👑 A Drama That Refuses to Let You Go
💡 It’s not just a drama—it’s an emotional experience.
• After watching My Dearest, I couldn’t move on for days.
• It’s the kind of story that leaves you staring at the ceiling, haunted by what you just witnessed.
• Some dramas you forget—this one lingers, refusing to leave you.
💡 It has the kind of heartbreak that feels like real life.
• No forced tragedy, no exaggerated melodrama—just pure, raw, human devastation.
• The kind of love that should have worked but was never meant to be.
• The war, the time period, the struggle—it all feels painfully real.
🚨 Final Verdict: An Unforgettable, Devastating Masterpiece
⭐ Rating: 4.75/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅ One star for the raw, breathtaking performances.
✅ One star for the sheer emotional depth.
✅ One star for the realistic, heartbreaking love story.
✅ One star for the intensity of the war and survival themes.
✅ Half a star for the extraordinary transformation of the female lead.
❌ Minus quarter of a star for the pacing—some moments could have been tightened.
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This review may contain spoilers
THIS HAS BECOME ONE OF MY FAVES OF ALL TIME!!!
This show was amazing. So entertaining, so romantic, and so well done. I will be doing a full review here and not splitting it up by parts btw.Firstly, I was surprised to watch the whole show and not really see any big kdrama actors. Even the old usual side actors weren’t really present. They utilized a lot of fresh faces (at least to me anyways and I’ve been a kdrama fan for 6 years) and I appreciate that.
Secondly, the characters were amazing. Obviously the ml and fl were great and I really appreciate their performances. I knew Eunjin from Strangers From Hell and I feel like she was able to keep the same freshness and youthfulness to her character. Her performance is also one of my favorite fell characters of all time. The character, Gil Chae, is so inspiring because she has such a great self esteem and at the very core knows what she’s capable of and what she deserves. She also has an entrepreneurial spirit which I feel like is rarely shown in kdramas. She’s a total girl boss.
And Namkoong made me want to watch the show because as an nctzen, I can’t help but be drawn to him, he looks so much like Jaemin lol. Even his portrayal of the character reminded me of Jaemin and every scene Namkoong was in made me feel satisfied. The beginning scene of him on that beach still brings tears to my eyes. I could just see the exhaustion with the fight and life in general on his face and those tears slipping down was amazing.
The side characters killed it aswell. I was surprised to see how much second leads there were. Ryanguem really was so loyal and beautiful and to have a gay second lead was unconventional but I love it. It makes the perfect sense of his character’s actions and the show wasn’t afraid to show a person like him in Joseon Korea as well as not write his actions off as brotherly like most show wills do. Chungah I know from watching Heart Pairing this year but had never really seen her before. I really liked her performance as well but I still don’t understand why she was chasing down captives. She was a bit of a weird character. Yeongjun was annoying but surprisingly I cried for him on the last ep so I guess he wasn’t all that bad. He’s just one of those overly honorable characters that has no room for gray area which bores me. Eun Ae was sweet but I didn’t like how she kept downplaying Gil Chae’s feelings for Yeongjun as if that’s not her best friend smh.Will forever be a fan of Gu Jam cause he has a lot of aura and is so cute. Big Hyungnim was a cute character as well.
The progression of the show was pretty good to me but I did feel like the dialogue was kinda weird at point. Like when Jang Hyeon comes back and Gil Chae is getting married. I feel like neither of them actually expressed their feelings toward each other. And I watched all 21 episodes and I don’t recall ever seeing or hearing a “saranghe” from either of the characters. Also to use the memory loss trope 2x in one drama is kind of lazy but I’ll take it. I also felt rather let down with Janghyeon’s past and expected something more exciting.
The show is long but genuinely I watched every episode with eagerness and never ONCE got bored of it. I enjoyed the themes of chastity and nationalism. I also enjoyed the soundtrack. I do like the ost in Ryanguem’s voice the most cause it brings me to tears.
This show is a 10/10 and I’ll recommend it to everyone
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I started this drama liking Yoo Kil Chae right off the bat. Although a little spoiled and bratty, I still found her very confident, witty and sassy. Watching her grow from a little princess in her village to a humble person surviving to get back to her family was such a great journey. Her courage, resilient, and leadership was the reason why her little group made it.
Lee Jang Hyun, what can I say? He was the perfect man. Brave, strong, and oh so handsome. No, but for real though, he did so much for her in the background that it hurts when he didn't get credit for it.
This is the drama would definitely recommend to my non- drama loving friends.
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I think I never gave a historical kdrama a perfect score before
I think I never gave a historical kdrama a perfect score before. This one deserves it. The portrayal of a Joseon in ruins during and after war with the Qing and how the war deeply wounded its people from the lowest to the highest ranks of society was poignantly breathtaking. Everything about the production is top notch. Performances throughout were excellent.I went in having no expectations and expected a nice romcom, but I was served the most epic love story I've ever seen in kdrama. I highly recommend this drama to anyone ready for an epic tale of love in the time of war.
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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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i need a cigarette
every tongue that rises against yu gil chae shall fall.no, but in all seriousness, this was one of the best historical k-dramas i have ever watched, i love how saeguks are making a comeback! the first half of the show was cinematic and excellent in every way, but falls apart a bit in the second half plot-wise.
i felt so emotionally drained by the end that i couldn't even enjoy GC and JH's (umpteenth) reunion. i also felt very confused about how some things were left off (i.e. who put RE in the asylum, who succeeded the king, the resolution between eun ae and yeon jun).
i would rate it like this: the first half was 9/10, but the second half was a 5.5/10 for me. a strong start with a mediocre, albeit happy, finish.
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Maybe the best Kdrama of all times.
Ok, I have watched many K-dramas so far—many stories, many romances, many dramas.I have to say that this might be the best K-drama ever. Everything is in the title: "My Dearest"… The romance is "romancing" and It is not the childish romance you often encounter; it is a mature, healthy romance— it is ride or die.
You get attached to all the characters, even those you’re supposed to hate. You feel the pain, the struggle, the love, the hate… Everything is so well written that it’s scary. One episode, I’m laughing; the next minute, I’m crying.
I don’t know why, but this K-drama reminds me so much of Alchemy of Souls. The same loneliness after finishing it… It was hard to go through all the episodes because I knew I would suffer.
If you’re hesitating, don’t. It is worth watching.
One thing I learned is that true love can never fade, even in the face of all the hardships in the world.
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This review may contain spoilers
Blooming Flowers at War
This show is a stunning cinematographic experience with amazing soundtrack and acting. The start is slow but the show rewards the viewer later with its killer plot - tension, betrayal and desperation. It is a story of one man that risks it all for the woman he loves and holds on to his values no matter the consequences.In all honesty, this is a frustratingly interesting story. It somehow keeps you watching long after you've given up on the characters. I did struggle with our main leads at times, but I have to say that it was a brilliant move to not make them perfect. The viewer gets to see them actually evolve and find what holds them together in a world divided by war and violence.
The actors did a wonderful job portraying such complex characters. Yoo Gil Chae was the epitome of a naive and entitled girl who had not yet seen life outside of her village. Only when Gil Chae meets a worldly man and has to fight to survive, does she finally start to face some hard truths and truly grow. The journey was long and painful, but she saved so many people on the way that I felt like she redeemed herself.
I was quite literally glued to my screen every time our main man, Lee Jang Hyun, had something to say. It felt like a message of utmost importance was being delivered as he masterfully built that tension through powerful body language and enunciation. I haven't seen such a talented actor in a long time. He was unrivaled, raw charisma.
This is no casual drama experience. It requires determination and willingness to power through some mind-blowingly maddening moments. However, Part 2 serves us even more madness, so this is just the appetizer. Enjoy!
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Super
My Dearest stands out for its ability to blend a great love story with a violent, cruel and deeply human historical context. The character ofJang-hyun is too charming, cultured, ironic. The evolution of the character Yoo Gil-chae, from a vain flirtatious woman, who I didn't like at all, is surprising.
The historical context is not a simple background, but an active protagonist.
The direction is elegant and refined, with photography that enhances the natural landscapes, traditional costumes and the emotion of key moments. The soundtrack, melancholic and sweet.
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