AnicsiRoscoe

I beg to differ, there is never anything wrong with a viewer, it all comes down to taste...

Totally omg! Han Se Ju's mistake nr. 1: His hairstyle (although he explains in episode 1 why he has it...), Han Se Ju's mistake nr 2: His fashion sense. URGH. No. Just no. Someone please, fire that stylist, because it is just not attractive.

The final three episodes are among the best, so you won't be disappointed :)

I just finished this drama, and I have to say: It's been a crazy ride. I loved almost everything about it: The cast, the plot, the setting, the music, the characters and the WRITING, I swear, some of those lines just grip you and never let you go. I must admit that I found the 30s setting much more intriguing, and the present parts were sometimes a bit draggy (especially Baek Tae Min's part annoyed me at some point, although he was an excellent villain).
However, the final three episodes were superb and bumped my appreciation for this show by quite a bit. I regret none of the tears that were shed. All in all I whole-heartedly recommend this drama. It is a painfully beautiful tale about love, friendship and camaraderie that even transcends time, and should not be missed! 9/10

Naturally, but I am talking about numbers, scores, not written criticism :) As you said, giving information so people know what to expect and what not to expect as to not be disappointed, is what the comment section (and reviews, too I suppose) is for. I was not trying to start an argument here, I never even disagreed with you. The only thing I did not understand was your way of telling people not to compare the production with one of a major broadcasting station. Anyway, I think the one thing we do agree on, is that people should give it a shot with an open mind and see if they like it or not, right? :)

What you say is all true and legit. However, what people base their rating on, doesn't change with 'it's supposed to be' or 'production costs' or whatever. The rating here should be given objectively (although, of course, enjoyment does always play a big part in it, no way around it), so when the writing, acting, settings, editing and mostly, plot, leave something to be desired, I will take that into account. I am not saying that I did not enjoy it, because I did, but all these flaws (even if they are 'meant to be' that way) cut into how MUCH I enjoyed it. Taking that into consideration, on top of all other factors, I would end up with a score of 6.5, which is actually quite generous. People who score according to quality, rather than personal enjoyment, do it because that is what is expected on this platform, not out of spite. And well, let's not talk about haters, because haters are gonna hate, they're a completely different species.

So yeah, tl;dr: A production doesn't objectively become any better, just because it is 'meant to be' a certain way. It deserves to be critiqued the exact same way as everything else as well.

Okay, so there is so much wrong with this drama that I won't even start xD That said, don't expect a masterpiece, or anything grand. If you just need a fluffy, funny romcom time-travel drama, this is for you, though. As long as you don't question anything (and I mean a lot, because you will stumble over a mine-field of plot-holes), this is actually quite enjoyable.

I do have to advise to first watch "Queen In Hyun's Man" to everyone into time-travel romances, though. It is a fantastic drama, a hundred times better than this one here, though. Definitely give it a shot :)

I wanted to watch a drama that, for once, isn't set in Seoul, so I tried to give this a shot, as the plot sounded very interesting. Halfway through episode 3, I am afraid I have to drop this. It's not that the drama is really bad, it's just not my cup of tea. The writing is too clumsy, the acting mediocre at best (although the leading man is making a good figure so far) and the dialect is going on my nerves. Also, just from the first three episodes I have to say that Tae Seong doesn't deserve his wife.

Anyway, I am not saying "don't watch this", there have been a lot of positive comments, so I suggest you just watch two or three episodes and decide for yourself whether you like it or not.

I am at episode 10 now, and does that woman not know how to smile? Urgh, it's so frustrating. I get she is terrified and hasn't all that much to laugh about, but her face looks like she's going to burst into tears ANY second now. I thought she was gonna be a strong woman from the beginning of the series, but so far I am really disappointed. 10 episodes in and there seems to be no character development at all. I think I might put this on hold for a while.

Super random comment, but ep 5, it was a TANGO not a WALZ omg. I was so startled I couldn't enjoy the moment urghhh

It is embarrassing to say that I started watching it only a couple of weeks ago and I cannot even remember if I finished it. That said, it started out pretty nice and then wasn't able to keep my attention anymore, as per usual with the cliché romance dramas. It's still a cute watch, though. I should figure out if I finished watching it lol

I completely agree with you. I feel somehow cheated. The setup was brilliant. BRILLIANT. Korea during the 30s under Japanese rule, writers, freedom fighters, reincarnations, stardom and ghosts? Hell, yes! But somehow it just didn't live up to my expectations: As you said, around episode 10 or so it became a giant cheese-feast and suddenly many of the developments felt forced in the modern world. It's a shame :(
(don't get me wrong, I still liked this drama a lot, but yeah... expectations were not met)

I am on the second to last episode and I have too many thoughts. I think the stalker's sister ruined everything, it felt so forced, honestly. She seems too normal to be able to commit such deed. She was painted way too two-dimensional by the writers. I wished they had let Tae Min be the one and only antagonist and thought of a more clever way. I am much more intrigued by the 30s setting, somehow the future setting lost focus and that's a shame. I also think that Bang Jin's attachment to Jin Oh is unbelievable. She met him like... 4 times for less than 5 minutes each. That doesn't justify her 'love-left-me-i-am-so-miserable' attitude. I think it was cuter when it was just a crush, rather than 'something' between them. This drama could have been a new masterpiece. Oh well, let's wait for the final two episodes.

All the dramas you mentioned would be something for people that change from Anime to Asian drama in my opinion. I would not dare to show a single of those old shows to my European friends. Way, way, way to cheesy for the average netflix/american tv person I believe.

Hmmmm, for some reason I could not get into Man to Man. I also don't agree with Strong Woman Do Bong Soon. While it's a fun watch, a lot of scenes are too overdone and cater more to 'asian drama lover's' sense of humor, so I think it wouldn't be good for beginners.

Personally I think when you switch from American/Western series to Asian Dramas, what puts most people off is the abundance of cheesy romance paired with super weird and overdone comedy. My first K-drama was You Who Came from the Stars, and it totally had me hooked. However, I've been watching Anime since I was younger, so I had no issues with the clichés and whatnot.

So I think Asian Drama beginners that don't have a past of watching Anime should rather watch something more mature, not so cheesy and with some action or at least very interesting characters. My personal Top 5 would be (in random order):
- Yong Pal: The first couple of episodes are just mind-blowing. Medical drama with twists. We also don't have the typical 'love on first sight' or 'rich asshole chaebol/poor girl' dynamic, which makes it interesting. I think it could be a pretty good drama for the first time.
- Chief Kim (No cheesy romance and just pure, amazing comedy. Interesting character dynamics. Though maybe the comedy is a bit too weird for some people...)
- I Remember You: Actually made me think of BBC sherlock the first time I saw it. Despite the clumsy romance it's an action packed drama with amazing cast that will keep you at the edge of your seat. Those acting skills and bromances will play with your heartstrings, even when you're a first-timer.
- Descendants of the Sun: I agree with this one, and the international success speaks volumes. Although the first episode is super cheesy, it takes a new turn when the position of the main lead becomes apparent. The romance gets time to develop more naturally after the first episode, and the rest of the plot is definitely interesting enough to hold the attention of Western TV lovers. I do have my problem with the English speaking actors in this, but whatever...
- It's Okay, That's Love: Might be my bias, because I simply love this drama to pieces, but I think the psychological aspect is super interesting and refreshing. Not to mention that the themes and romance are quite mature compared to many other dramas.

Honorary mentions: Age of Youth (for girls in their college years), Time Between Dog and Wolf (for action lovers), Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim (for medical drama nerds), Oh My Venus (for the Rom Com deprived), My love from another star (for those that like pretty boys....)

Totally agree with Lee Jin Pyo in City Hunter. I just couldn't hate him, no matter how ruthless and cruel he was, he was turned into such a being by his tragic past. Every fiber of his body screamed 'authority' and 'charisma'. The acting really was brilliant. City Hunter, despite it being an old drama, continues to be one of my favorites. It's a masterpiece, despite its flaws.

Who is the male main lead in this drama? I prefer Woo Jin as an actor, but I have a feeling he is the second lead? ;'(

I agree with covers, sometimes they can be the deciding factor on whether I even take a closer look or not. I like simple but beautiful covers usually more than the super fancy ones, but there are also cases where I am drawn in by flowers or supernatural elements. Unfortunately your three favorites don't leave an impression on me at all. it might be because I have seen neither of those shows, but I really dislike the design of all of them. They look old fashioned and amateurish, especially the two yellow ones. But I guess that just shows how we all have our own preferences :) Off the bat I can name only two posters that left an impression on me: Yong Pal and DOTS. I also loved the simplicity of Goblin, and Tomorrow with You makes you immediately fall for their chemistry.

The show has a romance tag. Is it worth watching for romance as well, or does it spoil the mood?

I think he looks manly in a very handsome way? Like, a lot of Korean Actors that are popular nowadays have super feminine faces, I guess men wouldn't really admit to that being handsome. Won Bin has an attractive face for both men and women. And btw, I think he's freaking hot, I really don't see how you can not think he's gorgeous, but everyone has different tastes I guess xD lol