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This review may contain spoilers
Excellent entertainment.
I was blown away by the production quality of this drama that is now (2024) 12 years old. The two child actors were already very experienced and their portrayals were terrific. Both actors have continued to have successful acting careers.Kim Soo Hyun plays the older Prince/King and his acting is excellent he has manged to select some great roles and has won numerous accolades. The FL Han Ga was not as animated in her acting and has since married, had children and dropped out of the Kdrama scene.
The palace intrigues are predictable, however, the use of the shaman to create and evil spell and the consequences are what drives the plot. You need to suspend your logic at times, e.g. the bad guy seems to have unlimited assassin yet is never caught in his bad deeds.
The 2ML is loveable but doesn't stand a chance and the writers were especially mean to end him the way they did. The head shaman got under my skin with her weak character and inability to show moral character I wanted to smack her.
The young actor playing Seol really owned her role and the desperate fight scene trying to protect her beloved master was heart wrenching.
NB Jung Eun-gwol is the novelist and Jin Soo Wan is the screen writer and both have created more memorable dramas since then.
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Like entering a deserted alleyway at night - tread carefully.
There are a lot of dark truths depicted in this drama.It starts with Kim Mo Mi's childhood dream of making it big as an entertainer. She has the body and the talent, however, her face does not conform to societies standards of beauty. Her solution to wear a mask and live stream fulfills this desire,
Her fans are men who lust after her and during a brief encounter with a shamelessly flattering man she is attacked and almost raped. The man is accidentally injured and her rescuer is another fan who has been stalking her. Her instinct is to call the police but she is persuaded by Joo Oh Nam that he will fix things.
Each chapter reveals more about the the individuals.
Their fears and lack of autonomy leading to reaction without plans. We learn some of their back story and how their family upbringing has emotionally crippled them.
The decisions made are reactions that they justify;
She asked for it
He deserved it
God wants me to punish her
I was pulled into the drama by the terrific acting and the moody lighting and sets. A tawdry element overlaid with gritty reality and a serious lack of glamour is reflected in the choice to have plastic surgery to become beautiful but still have the inner ugliness show through.
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Good in parts and off in parts so quite inconsistent but the actors nailed it.
This is a fairly unsubtle drama. The actors play their parts well and the camaraderie in the kitchen is heartwarming.Our two FLs are polar opposites so it is easy to dislike the self-effacing Na Bong Soon, although her character development makes her a lot more likable towards the end. Shin Sun Ae has a very bold personality and feels grieved that she died so young and is nearing the 3 year time of ghost departure. She is focused on possessing female bodies so that she can get laid and ditch her virgin ghost grudge.
Meeting chef Kang Seon Woo seems like the answer to her prayers so she goes all out trying to seduce him. This is so startling to him because of Na Bong soon's about face of character that he is very flattered but decidedly uncomfortable.
This comedy premise is also uncomfortable for the audience as at times it borders on sexual harassment.
There is a mystery about how Shin Sun Ae died and the ever helpful officer Choi plays a dark and damaged character that also is exaggerated towards the end then unbelievably looks like he gets redeemed. WTF!
I almost dropped it whilst the hostage situation unfolded it became too absurd with characters charging off without police assistance and the evil spirit being exposed as the really bad element.
I also do not understand why Asian dramas are so hung up on starting a romance the abruptly leaving to go overseas - probably a cultural necessity ......
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A scrutiny of corruption
This complex tale of corruption by the people in power and the actions used to cover up their greed and malfeasance is quite gripping.The ML, like his father before him, is a genius at maths. His savant nature enables him to absorb and compute vast data and understand it. He appears disconnected to the world and has only one friend that he can relate to and together they set out to correct the corruption.
Enter the jaded lawyer whose ability to use his rhetoric to confuse his audience and lead them to the outcome he wants (has been paid to get) and truth is lost.
The story may have a dry topic, however, the cliff hangers come thick and fast as the master mind conspires with the corrupt officials to maintain his position and do away with these two upstarts.
Their near death experiences and last minute rescues keep the action at the forefront. Their touching trust in each other and strong support add warmth to the story.
NB Ep. 13 the solo singing of the Tea Harvesting song is breathtakingly beautiful.
Terrific support roles, great settings and camera work add to the enjoyment of a tale well told and relevant today.
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Classic Wuxia with top acting from the ML
I enjoyed this grand epic of a tale and I was surprised and grateful for the extra episode giving me an alternate ending.2023 and I decided to watch this 2016 Wuxia, romance fantasy so even though the special effects are impressive, (the steam punk flying machines are a hoot), some can seem dated. There are tropes galore, however, perhaps less dated at the time. You can expect glamorous castles, bloody fight scenes, evil wicked queen, a species that some members able to grow impressive wings and fly, second ML syndrome and enemies to lovers.
Zhang Ruo Yun plays the ML Feng Tian Yi and he is standout in this standout, layered role and gets to act out various personnas with flair. He has a lot of presence bringing nuance to his acting utilising facial expression and body language.
The FL, Yi Fu Ling, played by Guan Xiao Tong, despite her extensive acting credentials, paled next to Xiao Tong.
There are lots of costume changes, I kept chuckling as I wondered whose wardrobe is the FL raiding.
The evil queen is suitably scary and is killed off along with her clever ex husband the mysterious creator of all the engineering marvels including the flying city.
Lots of action, magic, machines and fantasy to keep me interested.
Some plot holes and the usual lack of communication leading to misunderstandings (lazy writing) to be expected from Chinese Wuxia. Overall still good entertainment.
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This review may contain spoilers
Two juicy roles for the main male leads and they work out beautifully
These detective stories are adapted from the novels about Poirot by Agatha Christie.I am a big fan of the fashion from this era and the production of sets and wardrobe and lighting are terrific.
There are two handsome male leads and if this wasn't under the strict Chinese censorship I could imagine a very lovely BL story.
They flirt and Qiao Chu Sheng plays the role of protector /provider to the more ingenious Lu Yao. The dinner with violin and gift giving is very sweet.
Together the brawn and brains make up the investigative team to solve a series of murders. Lu Yao deduces the solutions from his science and medical knowledge and Qiao Chu Sheng provides the martial arts and police back up. Both actors do a terrific job inhabiting their roles and we learn about their backgrounds and what has shaped the characters they become.
There are interesting side characters - Salim and Lu Zi Fu in particular.
I like the comedy and bickering between all of the main characters. Leon Zhang proved he can do manga style comedy in Mr. Pride vs. Miss Prejudice. The rest of the ensemble contribute well to the complex mysteries.
The acerbic reporter, Bai You Ning, who makes up the trio, is less successful in adding to the story. More of an annoyance. She has zero romantic chemistry with Lu Yao and the writers have badly scripted the ending.
We are left with a cliff hanger but I hope they read the commentary regarding Bai You Ning and maybe lose her out to sea.
Also at odds with the drama is the poorly executed parts where English is spoken. Out of sync and not matching the voice of the actors it is a jarring annoyance.
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What a fun RomCom!
A strong female lead with shades of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo and Inspector Koo. The fight scenes are vigorous and necessary for the storyline.
The dialogue between the actors is on point, often hilarious and delivered with conviction. There is a hint of bromance and lots of slow burn romance that gets to a nice, adult relationship.
Friendship between the 4 main actors is lovely and supportive as the main lead's past dramas are revealed. lots of layers to the story had me bingeing the last 5 episodes. Heaps of laugh out loud moments, comedy, cringe, slapstick and acerbic wit combine to deliver good comedy.
I hope all these actors are cast into more opportunities in the future.
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Cuteness has a use by date
A young man approaching 30 has had the good fortune to be considered cute in a country that reveres looks. This has enabled Kosuke to glide through life and loves with little effort and no self reflection.His looks have opened doors for him in business and smoothed over difficulties so upon meeting a character, claiming to be his future self, who foretells that he will soon lose his cuteness panic sets in.
In quick succession events conspire to reinforce his popularity is waning and it forces Kosuke to begin some soul searching. He is basically a really nice, helpful and cheerful character so his cuteness is not his only redeeming feature but he is unaware of his strengths.
A new co worker seems immune to his charms. She is stiff, withdrawn and very results driven. They are partnered up and with his natural supportive actions Izumi gradually begins to like him. Hers is a difficult role where only micro gestures are used to convey her robotic stiffness and awkwardness. A good foil for Kosuke's more flamboyant, warm gestures.
An interesting plotline a little weird because the future Kosuke is taller(?) The cuteness factor is captured beautifully by the male lead and his personality had me rooting for his success.
Easy and fun drama with only slight exaggerated actions that are common in Japanese manga conversions. No nasty characters, Polite, consensual actions from our ML - a stolen kiss from the FL.
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A dark love story with a sweet ending
The main couple will pull you in with their chemistry and restrained acting. The beautiful kimonos are as much a visual feast as the traditional sweets depicted. I loved the descriptions of these confectioneries as they are presented it added depth to the the story as did the emphasis on their world of politeness and manners.Another surprise addition is the evil mother singing Gothic tales as she plots her next evil deed.
Plot twists and reveals kept the tension up as the pieces of the murder puzzle and accusation of Hanaoka Nao’s mother Yuriko are uncovered.
Takatsuki Tsubaki is depicted as a severe, focused person trying to win over his grandfathers approval in a bid to be the successor. Hanaoka Nao is just as focused and determined to discover why her mother was framed for the death of Takatsuki Tsubaki's father.
The love hate attraction determines the push and pull of their relationship.
This is a complex story of traditional mores in a conservative Japan and the tragic consequences.
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To My Star Season 2: Our Untold Stories
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Worth the investment of time
I loved this drama and was drawn in by the mystery of why Ji Woo had walked out on Seo Joon without explaining himself, leaving Seo Jeon to worry and fantasise and not let go because he needed a reason. When he does track him down, a year later, he is met with a closed off defensive person who rejects any romance overtures.This omission of why the two leads are behaving in the way they are allowed me to feel the confusion and pain. I spent a lot of the time with tears in my eyes as I waited to see how this drama will play out.
The writers have made them very human. The actors captured the angst and craziness that is relationships, breakups and the effects on the one left behind. The backstory is gradually revealed so we can once again gain empathy for Ji Woo.
The push pull dynamic is displayed in all its illogical actions and internal drama and thankfully they work out a compromise so they can keep their relationship happening. It is not fairytale perfect and involves compromise but we are left with hope for their continuing growth in their relationship.
Not a BL but a slice of romance for all, no matter what your orientation.
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Men behaving badly
This drama is primarily exploring power and male friendships.None of our MLs are married and each has been brought up in court where intrigue, betrayal and suspicion are rife.
The respective personalities of these kings and their loyal close friendships are displayed as concurrent stories that intertwine and entangle with lots of battles, fights and deaths along the way.
Ah Li is revered for his glamorous looks and lusted after by many yet his character is the one to watch. He is playing the long game and successfully manipulates remotely without revealing his final intentions - segue to Series 2 which I will put on my PTW list.
I hope the second series gets more funding to make some of the sets and props more acceptable.
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A wild ride
Totally enjoyed this over the top spoof of a spy story.
The two leads play off each other well and the humour is fast and often slapstick. Not too be taken seriously, however, the fight scenes are very entertaining and despite a high body count it is not a gore fest.
The humour is not sophisticated and is often accompanied by a sight gag. I felt engaged and liked their characters.
The FL, Yoo Da Hee, played by Lee Sun Bin is suitably ernest and despite her small stature is quite fearless and brave. The ML, Woo Su Han played by Kim Young Kwang is, seemingly, naive and focussed on money but ends up with a surprising background that saves the story. I like this couples sparring remarks and later support and protection.
There is a Mission2: Possible in the offing so I will be waiting.....
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It is okay to be a little selfish
Wow just finished One Spring Night and I loved every aspect of it.I struggled with the internal moral dilemmas.
I am Australian and have not been subjected to those societal/parental restrictions. This made the drama even more fascinating.
The people depicted were very real and relatable so kudos to the whole ensemble. There is a lot of side stories to the main couple and each one was interesting and contributed to the whole drama.
Flawed humans dealing with attractions and the consequences of their choices;
The romance is a slow burn and very poignant. The ex boyfriend is incredibly self centred and justifying of his stalkerish actions that stem from his own lack of belief in his worth.
The parents share their concerns and ways of dealing with societal expectations and this too fills out the context of the conflicts.
Overall a very well made drama with a terrific OST that sets the scenes up wonderfully and allows there to be periods of no dialogue.
Enough depth to be rewatchable.
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Irresistible Compulsion
Have you ever had an obsession, a craving or an addiction where you know, logically, this is not good for me but the impulse over rides the thought? This drama explores, from the FL point of view, how she becomes ensnared by the handsome ML. The attraction is intense, illogical and all consuming - when she is with him. There is a comment she makes about missing his smell that leads me to think pheromones are in play here.On the surface Yoo Na Bi, played ably by Han So Hee , is attracted to handsome fellow artist Park Jae Eon (Song Kang whom I loved in Navillera) and he gives the impression he is interested too.
Where the drama gets interesting, for me, is in the psychological disparity between the actors intentions and actions. We learn very little about the motivations of the ML and are privy to the turmoil generated in the FL by her accepting the relationship limits.
Lots of good secondary relationships keep the story padded out in a good way. The 'hot' scenes are passionate and for their age context very realistic. There is some bad behaviour but then these are typical, flawed humans.
I found the drama mesmerising and even agree with the ending.
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This drama is like a guilty secret.
It will make you laugh at very inappropriate times. This act of laughter will lighten the scary darkness at the heart of a psychopath's killing actions.Our hero/anti hero is a protagonist wanting to be nice and do good in the world. (Protagonists’ secret weapon is their purity of intent. Generally speaking, they are motivated by a sincere wish to do the right thing rather than a desire to manipulate or have power over other people). This stance means that others view Dong-Sik as weak, a pushover and at the start of the drama it drives him to consider a desperate act. The consequence is the setup for the black humour that follows. Using his love of murder movies for reference we get to watch this playful, puppy eyed, sweetie slip into murderous role play. The acting is terrific and the shift in facial and body response is something that keeps the entertainment level high.
Our true baddie, Seo In Woo, is likewise a complex character who initially sees Dong-Sik as a worthy soulmate and imbues him with skills and intelligence that are more projections of his idealistic self.
The two ML's are polar opposites in personality and family dynamics and when Seo In Woo realises his mistake his focus on Dong-Sik becomes a murderous cat and mouse game.
Neighborhood police officer, Shim Bo Kyung, has aspirations of following in her successful, detective, father's footsteps and here too the reality lines are blurred as she believes she is getting encouragement and clues from her father when in actuality he is a projected hallucination and her skill set and lack of martial arts is severely lacking. Some of her actions and responses annoyed me and I had my fingers crossed that our ML would not choose her for a love interest.
The black comedy may not suit everyone as it relies on absurdist humour creating awkward and hilarious encounters and reactions. It shows up regularly in every episode and I was grateful for this as it was a counterfoil to the truly horrible planned murders from our handsome and urbane psychopath, Seo In Woo.
I do recommend Psychopath Diary it has shades of the strange film Seven Psychopaths (2012) where that plot spins around the idea of dog nappers and spirals out of control.
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