Pretty,Powerful and Evil
This was a pretty powerful binge, one with great a mounts of beautiful blood splatter, explosions, conspiring, evil, more evil and a huge show of evil, more evil, most evil... confused identities, interesting (also confused) motives and very few genuinely good as in evil vs good type of characters.The type that may make you loose hope in humanity as well as wonder if the herbs where better in the past as well as be amazed by the healing power of the young and the fearless.
The build up of the first 3-5 episodes is better then the remaining ones, I am not saying it goes down hill from there. It more of an evening out of the field.
The chemistry between the characters is really good. I love the male lead (not only because he is played by Lee Jae Wook, but also because of the way he is written. Fun, faisty, smart and all round a pleasure to watch. His interactions with the female lead are both playful and will make you go wait what, is this okay?
The female lead has a bunch of moments of bad ass cool, fun, confused done well. But also a few really how can she be so stupid, as well as make you wonder how many lives she (and the rest of the cast) has. That said I loved every bit of her screen time and would love to see her a gain.
All in all en interesting watch, the type to cater to all you romance, gore and evil needs.
P.S This is not a drama that will give you SLS at all... At least not me
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The K-drama I never meant to love
I never imagined I'd end up watching this show. While I do enjoy the slow burn of a well-paced K-drama and the tension of a tightly written mystery, this one had everything I typically avoid: graphic violence, unhinged psychopaths, morally questionable revenge arcs, endless swordfights, raw depravity, and—if I’m being honest—Lee Jae Wook, whose past roles never resonated with me.And yet… I loved this one. In fact, I think I’ve become obsessed with a show that, ironically, centers on the dangers of obsession. The production quality was excellent, the casting felt pitch-perfect, and the soundtrack elevated the entire experience. Most surprising of all, Lee Jae Wook as Hongrang was completely immersive. For the first time, I saw what others had seen in him all along—he didn’t just play the character; he was Hongrang.
So if this drama doesn’t seem like your thing, I encourage you to give it a try anyway. You might find yourself just as drawn in—and amazed—as I was.
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Beautifully, cinematically shot with thrilling action scenes, a compelling primary romance plot and secondary conspiracy plot. This had all the elements of a perfect drama.
Even better, there were themes! On how wealth and power corrodes the soul. On the moral cowardice of many and the rare moral courage of a few. On how justice exacts a price. On the abuse many vulnerable children suffer.
Yes there was a core plot for 8 or so episodes and then extended plot ideas for 16 episodes - and somehow they ended up shoving something together for 11.
But I would still urge you to give it a try.
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You made me a man.. the best drama after weak hero class s2 of this year fr
DearHongrang is easily one of the most beautiful and emotionally captivating dramas I’ve watched this year. From start to finish, it left a deep impression on me. I smiled, cried, and felt so connected to the characters and their journey — it was truly a rollercoaster of emotions.Lee Jae-wook gave a phenomenal performance, showing incredible depth, strength, and vulnerability all at once. His acting felt so real, and you could see how much he poured into his role. BoA also surprised and moved me! she was stunning in her performance, and her presence brought such elegance and heart to the story.
What made the drama even more special was the OST. Every song was beautifully matched with the scenes, making the emotions hit even harder. I’ve already rewatched the whole drama because it was just that good. Every detail — the acting, music, visuals — was done with so much care.
If you’re looking for a drama that truly touches your heart, Dear. Hongrang is it. I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.
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Lee Jae Wook Strikes Again in a Heartbreaking Historical Masterpiece
First and foremost, after Lee Jae Wook’s last historical drama Alchemy of Souls, he did not disappoint. In Dear Hongrang, he returns as a skilled and agile swordsman—disciplined (or perhaps not entirely)—bringing intensity and emotional depth to his role. Unlike the character Jang Uk, this time he sheds the humor and embraces a darker, more brooding presence. Lee Jae Wook, alongside Jo Bo Ah and an ensemble of elite actors, made this drama a truly memorable experience for me.The story is dark, often sorrowful, and just when it gives you hope, it tears it away. While the narrative centers on Hongrang, it's not solely about him. It delves into the twisted ideologies of human nature—greed, jealousy, and how the innocent are caught in the crossfire of the wicked. Yet, it also speaks softly but powerfully about love and friendship.
The fight scenes are exceptionally well-executed, with choreography that impresses without feeling overdone. The plot keeps you on edge, weaving suspense and emotion right up until the final moments.
This drama is a heartbreaker—but one you won’t regret watching.
P.S. - the OST is AMAZING!!
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Beautiful and heart wrenching
PHENOMENAL!!!This drama reveals the beauty of love, even in the midst of a hostile environment and dark times.
It shows humanity that endures despite pain and hardship.
And above all, it exposes the CRUELTY human beings can display... bloodcurdling!
The OST is a MASTERPIECE.
The acting was perfect and Absolutely no one can say that there is no chemistry between Jo Bo-ah and Lee Jae Wook, their acting is so on point.
A deep crush on Dear Hongran. ✨
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Dear Hongrang, thank you for coming!
The SHOW I WAS WAITING for so LONG, CAME and TOOK a PIECE of MY SOUL.I was hoping that the long wait would not be in vain, but the show exceeded all my expectations. I never thought that a historical series could captivate me to such a way. I simply couldn't stop watching it. It held my attention the whole time, I didn't find it boring for a single moment, and there were no insignificant, time-consuming scenes in terms of the story. The story depicts difficult and painful events and situations, but all of this was brought to the screen with unusual courage and even more tasteful and beautiful.
The beautiful and heartbreaking love story, we can feel the pain and joy of the young lovers with difficult fates, how they become each other's shelters. A great story about two people, who have nothing but hope, only pain and suffering all around them, yet they fight with their overwhelming and sincere love. The purest love, when you have no one but the person you love, but you don't need anything more, it gives you enough strength for everything, it brings you back to life. Nothing can end this, not even death, because Hongrang is always watching over Jae I. The scenes between FML and ML were beautifully depicted. There were chemistry, tension and passion on the screen.
The fight scenes turned out quite well, I liked that these scenes weren't always moderated, they used effects and colors boldly, and showed everything that was needed.
This was a well-assembled production, with lot of heartbreaking, thrilling scenes and sad, but delightful ending. The last part couldn't be avoided without tears, but from the beginning we could know, what awaits Hongrang, I have rarely seen a more beautiful depiction of the "final farewell". Brilliant implementing.
The last scene was an excellent ending of the story. I am totally under a spell, I am completely captivated by the story.
The OST was amazing , it was a hit!
We could pick holes in it but I don't want to and I don't care about them at all.
Thanks to the production team and all the cast members for this amazing drama!
The world has become a little better place with this show.
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Loving you felt like destiny,even if it ended in pain.
My Dear Hongrang is one of those rare K-dramas that pulls you in from the very first episode and doesn’t let go. Each episode ends on such an emotional or suspenseful note that you can’t help but press “next.” The pacing, storytelling, and emotional depth are handled beautifully. The chemistry between the leads feels raw and real, and the cinematography captures the historical setting with such grace and detail. I think ending should have been little better.... it hurts. 1st k-trauma of this year guys😭🤌🏻Was this review helpful to you?
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Powerful and beautiful
This would make a close-to-perfect film.It was slow in the beginning and it had some plot holes. It's not clear how or why the leads fell in love with each other. It's cold and weary and then half-way they lit a spark that we aren't sure where it came from. They were too subtle on developing such an intense love. I believe that's my biggest criticism of this drama.
I do believe this drama is worth it just for the last three episodes. It would have been great with an optimised storyline for film. I'm giving it a high score just for the last part of the drama.
I knew this could never have a happy ending but I'm still left profoundly heartbroken. It took me a long time to finish this drama because of the theme, in the current political affairs, and because I was feeling the pain of the protagonists a little too intensely.
Overall, the drama is great. It talks about important topics, the cinematography is insanely beautiful and the soundtrack matches the visual and the theme. They all work perfectly together with the acting and most of the story.
I like the way the Soul Reaper confronted his abuser. While he was talking about transcendence and deity, the Soul Reaper brought him back to earth. The ones who do evil do it because they are evil or are ok with the suffering of others and there's usually a societal and political structure which allows them to do this level of evil. He put him in his place and it was an act of justice. Those who commit these acts are people, no matter their social or political status. They need to be treated as such and need to be served the people's justice. I found this very relevant in all of society so often controlled and propagandised by religion and power.
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Was this all for nothing?
I really wish they would have gone with a slow burn romance instead of the incest plot. Both Kissing scenes in the beginning were hard to watch. One the FMC is drugged (not by the MMC) and Two the FMC thought the MMC was her brother and still kissed him. I can see where that would make people stop watching then and there. The snow man (I forge his name cuz it doesn’t even matter) was confusing to me because I thought he was the same as the painter. I didn’t get till the end kind that they were two separate ppl. I don’t understand the point of the snow man?? was he just there to kidnap the children??? I’m assuming the children were just used as canvases and when it didn’t turn out right he just idk killed them? The twist and turns were fun so I enjoyed that. I didn’t like that the MMC never got a true name or a life that was fully his own. He died nameless and that’s so sad to me. All the other characters pissed me off so much. the step mom was annoying and I do feel bad for at the end she just wanted her son but why be so mean to the FMC she wouldn’t have owned anything and she didn’t seem to want to take over the family business anyways so why everyone acted like she was this huge threat and to kill her was baffling. the father was a sh*tty person. he cared about no one. not even his daughter who for whatever reason I was convinced was tha daughter of the lover for some reason. so there was a third sad dead love interest I guess. The adopted brother just got too obsessed with her. I really wanted him to team up with the MMC so bad and redeem himself but nope had to go and get himself killed. the grand prince was a despicable Person! I love the actor who played him but hate that he’s mainly doing villain roles…I love him as a MMC….overall the acting and the filming were soo good! the plot and writing lost me a bit and I don’t like sad ending. so I give it a 7/10Was this review helpful to you?
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Amazing
I don't know why this show doesn't have better reviews. Honestly, this is the best korean costume drama ive seen in so long. The cinematography and the musical scoring was absolutely breathtaking. The actors did a great job as well. Although it was a bit strange how At 1 point she thought hongrang might be her real brother and kissed him, but I feel like she knew that it was not her brother, it wasnt made clear though,but other than that, the show was so amazing. The only part I really did not like of the show was the witchcraft demonic sacrifice theme that they did on some of the later episodes, but I just fast-forwarded that Everything else is just so beautiful and even though it was a sad ending.I'm glad he got to die in her arms and we got closure.I would definitely rewatch this again.It really shocked me how good it was since there's only an eight star rating. Breathtakingly beautiful show 🥰Was this review helpful to you?
A beautiful creation
This drama is a great work of art, from the moment it was written to the casting of the perfect actors to bring it to life for the audience, and it is indeed astonishing. I am really a fan of thrillers, mysteries, and action dramas, as they put me on the edge with each scene and episode, and when they uncover hidden clues, it makes me feel a sense of accomplishment, even if I wasn't the one who went to look for clues.The series covers the theme of deceit, betrayal, and revenge, which is well executed in this series, as the cast makes the audience feel the emotions they act out, engaging everyone.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this series to mystery, drama, and action lovers.
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