Just finished it: I loved it, this was brilliant. The way the action sequences were choreographed, I bow down to that and the director. It was just too, too good. The performances and the sound mix were all top-notch. I’ve just finished it, and I can’t stop thinking about A Shop for Killers Season 2, I don’t know why. But this IP and this series have really set a new standard for boxing-themed dramas in world cinema, tbh. Now I want to explore even more brutal and authentic ones, let’s keep more seasons coming, we want Season 3. And Woo Do-hwan, you’ve won a fan in me.
Thanks, but how do I distinguish between wuxia, xianxia, and xuanhuan? They often list everything as wuxia in the genre, so do I have to work it out by reading the synopsis?
After watching Ep 1: late to the party, but what a banger of a start. The direction and performances are insane, season 2 already sets the tone for where it’s heading. The sound mix, editing, and production are crazy good. And btw, idk if it’s a Netflix issue or what, but the brightness felt dim , don’t know if anyone else felt that too.
I know it’s a martial art, but is it always that over-the-top? Like, everyone talks like gods and the whole vibe feels so dramatic. I don’t know why, but I just can’t connect with that kind of world. If you’re into Wuxia, do you have a good series to recommend- something in the middle, with fantasy but not too extreme?
Just finished watching it: it started well, interesting as a cross-country romantic drama with slice-of-life elements, but it went very passive in the middle and lost its way. The screenplay isn’t particularly strong or brilliant; it never really explores depth or emotional weight & so towards the end nothing feels very memorable.
Other than the Mon–daughter confrontation, that whole scene was good; most of it is fairly forgettable. So, not a bad watch, not a great one either, I just ended up skipping through it fast.
And one more thing: performances were decent to okay.
no hate to the ml actor but I would of loved finding else in this role. his acting just doesn’t fit to me at…
He’s just bad. And it’s a mystery how he’s getting roles of this magnitude, he doesn’t even deserve a sidekick role with the kind of performance he’s giving, tbh.
I really don’t understand how Heo Nam-jun keeps landing roles in major dramas alongside such talented actors. He was paired with Kim Da-mi before, and now with Im Ji-yeon, both incredible performers. Forget about coming close to their acting, he’s a pain to watch, with his awkward facial expressions and constantly shaky dialogue delivery, lacking nuance or any real connection with his scene partners. It honestly makes the viewing experience frustrating. And don’t even get me started on how bad his cameo in Perfect Crown was. I even find myself wondering about his training and overall acting direction.
Just finished episode 2, and it’s pretty cool overall. The chemistry between them feels engaging, and the character development so far is going really well. The acting is superb, they’re handling their roles brilliantly, I’m really liking it.
That said, I’m a bit underwhelmed with the story & direction. It feels a little weak, and the story hasn’t shown anything major yet, but since it has just started, there’s nothing much to worry about. They are still keeping it engaging through the screenplay. That said, some parts of the screenplay are very strong, while others feel a bit rough. The director tends to focus more on the aesthetic side of the actors, making things visually appealing rather than focusing on the screenplay and staging, and that sometimes affects the actors’ performance. Also, the repeated face shots and body shots feel a little extra. I don’t have a major complaint about it since the drama just started and initial episodes usually lean into aesthetics, so that’s fine. I just hope that after the characters are fully established, the editing and overall approach shift more towards stronger screenplay and story development to make it more impactful.
On the technical side, it’s outstanding. The production quality is on another level, with costumes, sets, and the overall visual appeal looking absolutely stunning. The cinematography is fantastic and really enhances the experience. I’m enjoying it to the fullest so far, and there’s something about all the characters we’ve seen that makes them feel interesting to explore further. But the highlight remains the chemistry, they didn’t disappoint at all.
Other than the Mon–daughter confrontation, that whole scene was good; most of it is fairly forgettable. So, not a bad watch, not a great one either, I just ended up skipping through it fast.
And one more thing: performances were decent to okay.
Rating: 7
That said, I’m a bit underwhelmed with the story & direction. It feels a little weak, and the story hasn’t shown anything major yet, but since it has just started, there’s nothing much to worry about. They are still keeping it engaging through the screenplay. That said, some parts of the screenplay are very strong, while others feel a bit rough. The director tends to focus more on the aesthetic side of the actors, making things visually appealing rather than focusing on the screenplay and staging, and that sometimes affects the actors’ performance. Also, the repeated face shots and body shots feel a little extra. I don’t have a major complaint about it since the drama just started and initial episodes usually lean into aesthetics, so that’s fine. I just hope that after the characters are fully established, the editing and overall approach shift more towards stronger screenplay and story development to make it more impactful.
On the technical side, it’s outstanding. The production quality is on another level, with costumes, sets, and the overall visual appeal looking absolutely stunning. The cinematography is fantastic and really enhances the experience. I’m enjoying it to the fullest so far, and there’s something about all the characters we’ve seen that makes them feel interesting to explore further.
But the highlight remains the chemistry, they didn’t disappoint at all.