Ari Li

Looks like we are finally back in the old Kdrama era

The first thing that came to my mind while watching the drama was- it was giving old Kdrama vibes. It was pure nostalgia as if I was rewatching all those dramas that introduced me to this whole new world decades ago. If I could compare it to more recent drama then 'The business proposal' is the closest one in terms of plot and fluffy rom-com feel.
But it isn't the plot that will make to glued to it. It is the acting and chemistry of our main lead. They felt so believable and relatable especially in the beginning. It is simply a Chaebol drama , "rich man poor woman." but you will still watch it because it is so damn entertaining. The dialogues are hilarious, acting is just perfect. Honestly this was the sort of vibe that I was missing badly from all the recent Kdramas. They were following more western style and sort of loosing their own essence in the race. (Though I can't complain about every single one of them. Some were exceptionally good but that is just my p.o.v. and one can have different opinion over it.) Honestly it was 9.5 rating drama for me but towards the middle it began to lose it's maturity and relatability which I loved in the beginning and then I thought it is one of those kdramas which you can only enjoy if you don't try to find logic. But for me it would have been perfect if ML's character was more reasonable. In the beginning his behaviour felt hilarious, then it became annoying a little. Even FL who was portrayed really cool/mature and relatable in the beginning began to turn into cliched clueless kdrama FL. For me it started really very well in the beginning but began to fizzle out towards the end as it began to turn its characters little cheesy for my taste. Overall it is a good fluffy rom-com one time watch kdrama for sure.
(Btw was I the only one who was taken aback for a moment because sml really looked like Jin.)

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There is just no way one cannot recognise a MAN like that!!!

I went into it without any expectation tbh. I don't remember if I have seen any show with the same leads. But man...who would have thought....that I WOULD BINGE WATCH IT ALL in one go and I need more of it😭. What a beautiful pairing.
The story isn't something new and we have many Jdramas which are pretty similar in plot but this one has a feel to it. Felt more genuine and believable unlike a few where overdramatic scenes and exaggerated dialogues just takes away all the reality from it. Seriously I can easily recommend this drama to simple office romance lovers.
( By the way is it just me who thinks ML looks like Leon from Resident Evil game, especially his hair in front of his face?)
I loved the acting. It felt calm and genuine it is like when you feel and hear them emotionally rather than watching it with exaggerated lines and complex poetry and what not. Plus the chemistry is lit what more do we need?
To conclude it all- Is it good? YES! Is it re-watchable? Hell YEAH!
PS:I am still struggling to understand how could FL not recognise ML and not just once but twice???

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How to butcher a good show...

First of all " SLOW CLAPS FOR EDITING"
People giving it full rating while I am still stuck to the episode astonished where everything came to light about ML amd that very episode which was supposed to be the most important one, for which every single viewer was waiting from the beginning...was butchered in such a way that you feel like- " Did I miss something? ". Tbh it felt like I missed many episodes in between due to all that censorship cr*p. Why make a show in the first place with that setting if it will be ruined ultimately.
Sigh* ( Finished ranting)

I loved the starting of the show. The storyline for instance was pretty unique. A dowager falling for eunuch and the revenge plot. Though it didn't come as a surprise for many of us...but they didn't really hide ML's true identity for long. I was really hoping for few twists but... Anyways it was pretty obvious from the get go. I loved the way Dylan portrays his character. He looks gorgeous but his acting makes the most cringe worthy scenes bearable. FL too was pretty lovely ( she kept reminding me of Bailu a lot probably because of same voice dub artist). She was portrait smart and quick witted unlike many characters we see in historical dramas. ( Though there were moments, where same old cliche of FL ruining the plans in the process of helping ML, were used a lot). Second leads were really good in their characters. Her maid though... She was most annoying one at times but that is just how her character was written😪. The actress did really well and she is really cute too. I loved second lead's bickering a lot. Now comes our antagonists. Our double faced emperor was the one who really stood out for me. I mean his acting really deserves applause. Because he really made sure that my blood would boil with his actions 😂. He was really good the way he portrays timid yet conniving person in the beginning. The other empress ( she was in LLTG) ...I love her already. I knew she would be good...I just wished she had more screen presence. Storywise it could be really great if they didn't chop many important scenes. It felt I skipped many scenes. All the anticipation that I build for the identity reveal fell so damn flat. I wished they developed their characters a little bit more ( I am no expert) but ML's behaviour changes dramatically the moment he fell in love. Just like many dramas. Revenge becomes secondary for him now that he loves someone. I wished FL could have become his inspiration to develop his character yet it all ended up in a cliched way. There are more episodes to come yet I already feel like I have watched enough. This censorship just ruined the drama for me.
If you wanna watch it for the leads then go for it they did their best but don't expect it to be like Love between fairy and devil or Love like the galaxy. You will be utterly disappointed.

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Waaaay better than expected.

I jumped into this without much expectations tbh but it really surprised me . I started enjoying it more with each episode. So the question is whether one should binge watching this?? Answer: YES YOU SHOULD. If you like light hearted stuff.
The story is pretty simple and the subject matter is something which one might have watched or atleast read somewhere. (In my case I read many mangas with this kind of story ). Here the FL accidentally summons a devil lord not devil tbh a bad guy...umm...not a bad guy either. I mean atleast that's what synopsis says. ( He is not had tbh he is more like a smart dude). Seriously unlike other dramas usually ML would take atleast 4-5 episodes to understand the new reality or adapt to a new world but here my goodness he went straight to a place where he would get all the information he needed. LIBRARY!
Hahaha...and in one day or night he read everything from ancient to modern and understood science and all new discoveries. That's... really impressive. I wish I could have that sort of photographic memory. Sigh*

All the decisions ML takes are really smart he is not just handsome man he is rather connvining at times and knows how to deal with FL in his own ways. FL on the other hand is your nerdy sort of naive girl which could irritate few people at times but I forgive that because the actress really did a great job in portraying her character or maybe that type of role just suits her. She is adorable.
I must point out that all the actors here are really good. There are subtle actions which one can pick up if you are into acting and stuff that they have done remarkable job in portraying their emotions. Not for a moment you will think...yeah that is little extra.

Though this show is little weak in writing but what can one expect different from such a typical storyline. I mean anybody can guess what will happen in the following episodes pretty easily. Another thing that I liked was the second leads though there are some issues with their decision making (probably weak writing again) but they are good actors and unlike other dramas where you will see besties of ML and FL are usually ends up being a thing as if its mandatory. Here SL have no such relationships. One more person need special mention that is FL's mother. My goodness she was gorgeous and I still think she should be FL's sister or something not Mother. But well...
As I said I have certain issues with the writing but what irked me most is the writing for FL. She like a pendulum. At times she is portrayed like a strong athelete and after some time she will be like damsel in distress and the next if the scene requires her to be stronger she will again revert back to her strong self. The FL is oscillating between strong and weak and not sticking to her character which is an athelete atleast she can remove her heal from that crack herself...you will know what I mean if you will watch.
Okay now that I have get it out of my chest...this show on the positive end is pretty enjoyable ( not to nitpick about silly things ). It is fluffy light hearted and you will keep on smiling till the end. And if you are into the dramas with beautiful cast then it will definitely be your cup of tea. Overall I did not get bored watching the show for a single moment at least for now. So go watch it and share your thoughts as well.

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A silly mix of different genre

While writing a script somebody might have asked- so what genre would be good? Drama, thriller, romance, comedy, fantasy element, slice of life, etc., and the producers were like- YES.
The makers have utilised every possible thing to make the show appealing. The concept is not new and we have seen many dramas with this plotline. What drives the show is its thriller part, at least for me. The story has many loopholes and there are many questionable coincidence that happens out of blue and some scenes look over exaggerated and they look really silly but the actors are the reason that you would forgive it all. The comedy part is not bad but the law cases are not intriguing enough and I find myself skipping those scenes most of the time. All the actors are superb and it's been a while since I last saw Jin Hyuk in a show plus all the veterans in here are really good. Overall it is a decent watch that one might see if there is nothing in particular interesting to watch.

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Most realistic modern Cdrama

I am sure now, if Leowu chooses a drama it is going to be great without any doubt. His acting is so realistic and mature despite his age surprises me at times but given he was working in this field since his childhood days makes sense but what surprised me a lot was acting of FL. I have seen her dramas before but this time it felt so refined. Excluding the tennis bully guy who felt little extra with his character (or maybe his character was written in such a way that it felt little overboard) rest of the cast did an amazing job in the drama.
It has been a while when I last watched a sports drama and enjoyed it thoroughly. The story is pretty simple but you will find yourself engrossed in their struggles to achieve their dreams in their respective feilds. The show is very encouraging and portrays a good deal of struggle faced by women in corporate world without any filter. Office setting looked really realistic for the first time in a Cdrama. However just like any modern drama there is a catch. Whenever FL's stepsister's scenes came into play it went back to the cliche rich guy poor female storyline with the same modern Chinese drama vibe that we are all familiar with. Nevertheless I enjoyed the second lead but if I skip all their scenes I don't think it will have much impact on the main storyline of the drama. I loved the interaction of all the badminton players and their dynamic was superb. I came to enjoy amazing acting of ML but stayed for realistic vibes and encouraging storyline of the drama. The efforts of the actors to portray a realistic sports world and their hardwork is mind-blowing. Special mention for dialogue writers. I loved main couple's interaction so much. At times it felt hilarious but deep in so many ways.
Even if you are a sports drama fan or not I am sure you will enjoy this simple, realistic amd sweet drama just like me.

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Highly recommend!!!

I was not expecting this drama to become one of my favs of this year. From the very first episode I was laughing so hard. I was not expecting it to be this funny but the moment I saw credit roll on the screen in the middle of the episode, I knew it this was my type of drama. Their is no dearth of humour in this one. Quite a contrast and definitely a much needed relief from all the open/sad ending dramas and the serious ones that have been in vogue recently.
Acting wise I am very impressed with Esther here. I think this type of role really suits her well. Though I loved her serious role as well (my journey to you) but she fits perfectly in these types of roles. Her chemistry with Ryan Ding is outstanding. After Moonlight this is their second collab and as expected they are amazing in their roles. Their interaction will make you laugh throughout the episodes. Production value from costume to CGI is top notch. I can re-watch this type of drama numerous times and would recommend it to all the reincarnation/transmigration genre fans to watch this one. Storywise if you were a fan of 'Romance of Tiger and Rose' then you would definitely like it. Even if you think the plot has been used so many times in webtoons or anime or in dramas I would still recommend you to watch this one for its amazing cast. Even if you are not the fan of the cast you should definitely watch it for its amazing comedy. You will not be disappointed.

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Liu Yunning and Zhao Lusi- I waited for this duo since the Long Ballad

I won't go as far as declaring it a masterpiece or the perfect drama of the year. Cdrama tends to go down the drain towards the second half most of the time which was the case here as well. Story wise, the premise was really good, though it depends on your personal preference for me I found myself skipping a lot especially in the second half. In the beginning it felt quite a mix of Novoland pearl and Princess Agent. The torturous life of FL and her evolution from a slave to an independent strong woman is what reminds me of the other two shows. Plus I am a sucker for a strong female sort of storylines hence I continued watching it despite everything. ML on the other hand looked like a jerk, snobbish and a typical cdrama ML but he was more than that. The more you watch the more you understand his pov. His own experience and the way he represented a life that was not full of roses to FL made his character more grounded. He never helped her in things or showed any affection to her, never bend his harsh rules for her or showed leniency whatever may come. His reasons were simple. 'You won't find kind hearted people out there so one should be strong enough not just physically but mentally as well to deal with a world like that without expecting someone's help.' That was the biggest contrast between him and the SML, who showed her a world full of kindness and goodness shit and what not. I understand him to some extent but would not agree with his ideologies of kindness returns kindness. This only works only in some cases but rest of the time it is pretty much what happens with FL during her business ventures in the beginning.
Side cast in my opinion was not explored enough that I would find myself thinking about their characters. Except for another tomboy female (Shijie) I do not think there was anyone worth remembering. Her character though was strong and tried to portray an antagonist which people could sympathize with but she felt little extra at times and I couldn't feel much sympathy for her. Music was good and costumes were beautiful. l am Not a fan of CGI here they could have done better there but overall it was an intriguing drama. And obviously with one of my fav CPs. I wouldn't say it has much re-watch value but it is definitely a one time watch.

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Serious concept but no emotion

First of all the concept of the movie is pretty serious and giving it a low rating doesn't mean anybody takes it lightly. I don't know about the anime or manga from which it was adapted but I really didn't feel any emotions in this one. I didn't connect with any character. Acting wise it was okay...I guess...no one in particular from the main cast striked me as someone I would remember for long... however all the guardians in the movie were really good. I really don't know what kind of situation or pressure one goes through to even decide that this life is not worth living...but if I connect all that to this movie I didn't see anything that would make him take such a step. Or maybe they didn't show as much back story as it needed to connect to the viewers to understand and feel his pain for taking such measures. ML's family didn't look like a family in the first place. Everyone felt awkward around each other. Nobody really talked or behaved like a family member, no matter how estranged, there should be something to make the viewers believe that they were part of a family. Brother doesn't give a damn to explain anything or give more attention, spend more time or anything to ML even after the incident , yet he says he was there it was ML who didn't look. Except for his friend I don't think anyone felt close to ML and her role wasn't much to invest in either. You can give it a try but it was not my cup of tea. It felt it was missing the soul.

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It is everything what we need in a revenge drama.

Song Hye kyo is a queen and she has proven this yet again especially after all those dramas that came before it and she was taunted for her acting. I felt her every emotion in this drama. Her pain, agony, guilt and her efforts to hold back her anger. It was a long journey for her character to achieve what she wanted and unlike many dramas where it all ends with revenge, I loved it that she felt remorse for everything. That makes a difference between a pure evil and a pure hearted human being. I couldn't hold back my tears in which she remembered her past when she was not involved in bullying.

The story continues from where we left and it felt great to see karma hit all those bullies who made her life a living hell. But big applause to all the negative characters of this drama. Their acting was so good that I hated them to the core. It was satisfactory the way it ended. The music was great, cinematography was mesmerizing and as I said acting was top notch even those adorable kids.
Now that I have said all the good things, it's time for all the negative points.

First of all I felt no depth in all the negative characters. They were just pure evil. There was no grey side in them. I could understand if they had some traumatic past that turned them into this kind of people but we don't see anything that could explain their psychotic behaviour. The same goes for the man who killed ML's father. I mean the REASON!!! It was so dumb that I still cannot digest it. If he had some sort of past with him or anything along those lines I could atleast teeny tiny bit understand that behaviour but seriously 😒... Correct me if I am wrong but as far as I have read even Psychopaths don't kill someone who tries to save their lives. I dunno perhaps I was expecting little bit more from his story as he looked pretty interesting character and could add extra depth in ML's story. ML's character was fine and pure relief tbh whenever he came on screen it was like a fresh breath in all the dark and emotional mayhem of FL's life.
Another psychotic character was FL's mother. I just can't....sigh. Why just WHY was she so damn annoying. Not an ounce of love towards her very own child. What was the reason? Nothing! She just doesn't care at all. I really thought towards the end she might change. I thought when she will see her scars and all she would change just for once but ...nope no character development.
I didn't see any guilt in any negative character in this drama.
There is one more thing that I found really unnecessary and people might not agree with this. But I really want to point it out because it seems that it has become a trend in many Kdramas to have all those s*x scenes. I just don't see in what manner do they add anything in the storyline. Not that I find it bad or something but I am so tired seeing naked people in most of the western dramas these days already. Coming from an Asian family these kind of scenes are big no if you want to watch shows with your family. I love watching kdramas with my fam and just because of such scenes I just can't do that.

To conclude it all it is definitely one heck of a drama that you would not like to ignore. I am so happy that Song Hye kyo chose this role. She was amazing in this.

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YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS FOR SURE

The drama is pretty simple and family centric and writing too much about it will spoil the fun so I will write some bullet points for this one.
- WELL ACTED: In comedy if actors are not good enough to express the right emotions then all the jokes fall flat pretty easily. All the actors had done a splendid job in the drama. Casting is superb.
-QUIRKY MUSIC: You would not expect such different choice of songs in historical dramas. Songs are really funny especially their lyrics. Suits the tone of comedy genre of the drama for sure.
-HISTORICAL COMEDY: I haven't seen this type of comedy drama in a while. It is very different from all the other shows. Think about all the funny moments actors would go through while shooting for a historical drama. Yup! that is what you will see here.
-FAMILY BOND: Very realistic portrayal of a family despite a comedy show. Everyday struggle, festivities, argument among siblings, mom's scolding, romance, emotional scenes...it has everything.
-ROMANCE: I really liked how they introduced all the male leads. All of them are different but so good with their respected partners that you would enjoy all of their interactions.
-NO BORING MOMENTS: Well it is COMEDY so obviously you won't feel bored even for a second. Even the elders will make you laugh so much. Sibling fights and their mom's constant nagging is really funny throughout the drama. All the misfortunes that male leads go through is really hilarious (I know it sounds wrong but you will get it after watching).
There are some slow scenes but they won't bother you that much.
If you are still hesitating to start this one then I would suggest you to just watch the first episode. You won't be able to stop after that :)

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Who the heck is writing this story

First impression: Very very questionable decisions taken by FL throughout the episodes that makes you wanna question whether the writer was high while writing the story or they think audience is pretty naive to accept it all.
What irked me - being stalked for many years but still you (FL) won't share it with your family.
- No bodyguards even though you can easily afford some help.
- Walking alone on the streets at night despite danger to your life.
- FL doesn't ask police to help her but prefer to go to some secluded place.
- Instead of taking some evidence (like photos) she always leaves the scene and doesn't even confront her husband or friend.
What I liked- It is Jang Na Ra's genre.
- Loved the intensity of the show. Just first episode and everything is like bang boom boom.
- Suspense is really good the moment you think FL has figured out everything then things again go down the drain and everyone is sus again.(despite all those dumb decisions by FL you will be on the edge of your seats.)
- Actors are doing really good. Loving our 'Go back couples reunion.'
- No comments on storyline, too much is happening so it is little confusing to comment on it. Lets see how it will unfold, I have high expectations from Jang Na Ra. Show is watchable so far.
PS: The drama has created a web of twists and turns that it itself got entangled in it badly. Despite having amazing cast the storyline is really very bad. I am contemplating whether I should lose my remaining brain cells trying to understand the plot and continue it or just drop it now or wait till I hear that the plot has progressed well and it was not that bad after all. I doubt the latter though with each passing episode. This show could have been really very great if writers tried to do something different (we are all inundated with same type of plot already) and like sane people instead of justifying questionable decisions of actors, they could have made the story more realistic with some character growth. (sigh)
In conclusion I would suggest people : watch it at your own risk.

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WHATCH IT!!!

This drama is really very unique and I am not talking about the plot. We have seen many shows with similar plot (especially Japanese ones who are obsessed with this idea). But it is the way they interwoven the comedic aspects and the real life problems so subtly and effortlessly without imposing anything on viewers is really commendable. It has been a while since I enjoyed any Kdrama without yawning or feeling irritated with their stupid storylines. This show is definitely a breath of fresh air. The characters feel so real and relatable. Plus the comedy is not too much or too stupid. It balances out everything with the serious and emotional scenes that will bring tears in your eyes to all the banter of the main leads. Even the sub plot and the the rest of the cast is so enjoyable and fun to watch that you would either smile ear to ear or laugh your as* off through out the episode. I was little worried about the chemistry of the main lead but man... it is sizzling hot.

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Disclaimer: Not for soft hearted people!!!

This drama is setting a mark for extremely dark dramas. If you are looking for morale in characters, or perhaps have ignited a hope that things will turn better and everything will be all sundry then extinguish that hope. Here are only characters with no morale or sense of justice and the rest of the good souls will only be manipulated to meet a very deadly end. So if you are more into that sort of things then this might not be your cup of tea because its characters are outright EVIL.
I have watched FL in many dramas where she had played badas*s characters, bubbly characters or the ones where she is extremely kind hearted one. This one is something else altogether. I am sure it is gonna be one of the best dramas of her life.
I am not saying such dramas haven't been made before or such characters have not been conceptualised before ( The Glory, Penthouse, The Mouse are few such examples) but it is extremely different in a sense that all the other characters are as hopeless as the FL. In simple words- with no morale or principles. How unhinged a human being could be? This drama's FL will surely set a mark for that one for sure.
The intro was more than enough to set the tone and few minutes in and I was taken aback by pure chaos that happened in the first four episodes. The music adds to the whole chaotic plot but the acting of every side character including the main characters are worth your time. This could have been a great drama if they hadn't deviated so much from the original webtoon storyline. Plus the ending which ultimately plummeted its ratings. They could have done so much better if they really wanted to go with different ending than the original. Unnecessary death in the name of sacrifice, looked nothing but stupid which brought nothing to the FL's arc.
It is definitely not the ending I was expecting especially the way they started the show. It was one chaotic drama that fizzled out due to weak writing towards the end. To conclude -You will be left unsatisfied with only bitter taste.

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What a mess!

Ok first of all I had a huge expectation since I found out Seo Yea Ji and Sang Yeob would be there in the drama. I loved their acting in their earlier dramas so much. Save me and While you were sleeping are the best one among them. However this show...how should I put it...it had everything yet it was just so unsatisfactory that it was completely unbearable towards the end. My ques is what happened to the revenge part???? It became so weird in between that most of the time I was questioning the ultimate goal of Ra El and her fake mother. Unnecessary bickering, yelling, seducing and flashy outfits doesn't make the story compelling to viewers.
Even the dialogues felt so boring...I mean who talks like that in real world? So much poetry! Ok I get it...its a drama it cant be real and blah blah blah...but it was so over the top that it was not making any sense. I was expecting more thrill and Revenge twist. What about her family? Just few flashbacks!! Thats it?? It was just Seo ye ji and park Byung Eun and his childhood trauma. So what!! Why should we care when he never really raised his voice against all the atrocities of his in laws and wife?? I must say it was pretty much ok till ep.10 but afterwards it was a pure mess. To all the people who really enjoyed this show I must say you guys really have a different taste altogether. I won't even bother to recommend this drama to anyone. Seo Yea Ji can do much better without this kind of scripts. Sigh! We really needed our queen back but not in these kind of stories.😑 Lee Sang Yeob's acting prowess was not even shown properly

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