Betsy3491

Lighthearted and playful

Fun and enjoyable. But I agree with others who say the plot was awkward and contrived. For example, quite a coincidence that Go Da-rim’s sister informed Da-rim about an emergency at the exact moment she and the ML were going to make love. Quite a coincidence that both team mothers who had been selected to flog the company’s baby product on television couldn’t do it (each because of a problem with her face) right before the show was to go on. And speaking of mothers–quite the coincidence that the two mothers of the two leads just happened to meet and become such good friends that they move in together.

It’s not funny when a male boss bullies a female employee by making her do something over and over out of pure vindictiveness. I wasn’t laughing.

Reviewers have been extremely critical of the Ahn Eun-jin in this drama. I think most of that criticism should be directed at the writers who produced an inferior script, a script that Ahn Eun-jin was simply following. Personally, I loved her so much in MY DEAREST (one of my all-time favorites), I can forgive her for not being perfect here.

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No deeper meaning

The first three episodes of THE IMMORTAL ASCENSION were promising – they take place in a gorgeous setting and show a warm relationship between the two boys. Both boys are under the care of a menacing antagonist, in the guise of an old “master.” Yang Yang’s acting was superb in these episodes.

Then the series fell apart.

The rest of the drama seemed to be slapped together without much effort or forethought. This version of taoism seems too materialistic to me. Shouldn't the “masters” who represent the epitome of sagacity be looking for truth and enlightenment? Instead they seem to be bereft of any real wisdom and to have no real moral compass.

Han Li was a constant puzzle. Where was the meaning in his life? His goal seemed to be to acquire magical artifacts, to rise in status, and eventually achieve immortality. He's not interested in creating any meaningful connections with anyone--male or female, human or immortal. He did have a few tender moments with an animated mouse. Even his affection for his family seemed almost non-existent.

A number of mostly forgettable women pursue him. Does he have a capacity for intimacy? For love? If he did, I sure couldn’t detect it.

Generic demons and bad guys show up, fight Han Li, and are destroyed. We know they’re evil because, they scream at their underlings, smirk and laugh diabolically, and try to kill the good guys. Monsters include lizards with glowing eyes, a serpent, and a mantis demon or two, each, in turn, dispatched to the great beyond. Lots of spiky golden wheels turn in the sky.

I DID like the ending, and I’ll probably watch Season 2.

As for Yang Yang the actor, I understand he studied dance and plays the piano. I’m glad he’s got other interests. Hope there’s someone around him encouraging him to build a life on something other than his youthful good looks (which are mentioned by reviewers incessantly) so that he’s not totally devastated when they’re gone.

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PASSION AND REVENGE

Yes, there were some logical problems in this drama, but its emotional heft far outweighed the negatives. Is the behavior of the ML an example of male toxicity? For my part, I thought he was obsessively infatuated–which is bad enough--but I hesitate to put a modern cultural interpretation on him.

Either way, the powerful, electric performance by Wallace Chung (ML) and an equally impressive dual performance by Xiaoran Li made this drama unforgettable. Xiaoran Li plays two totally different characters about as effectively as any I’ve seen previously from an actor.

The kind, understanding (and handsome) doctor–everyone’s best friend but nobdy’s love interest–touched my heart.

The reactions--pity, fear, sympathy–which showed on the faces of Feng Murong’s military underlings, who truly loved their commander, reflected and bolstered the audience’s responses. (Someone such as Mr. Shen, for example.) This was a nice framework, and the director used it well to increase sympathy for the ML to an even greater extent.

One minor point that’s still bothering me--

The sad, bedraggled look of the puppy in the cage (and his frequent cries) hurt my heart. Makes me wonder how long he was stuck in that cage during filming.

Hey movie makers. Pay attention to the animals. I’ve sometimes seen misery on the faces of the horses, and one of your main stars (Yuning Liu) has said that they’re not always treated well.

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Black-and-white morality

First, let me say that I really loved this series. For example, I couldn’t resist all the delightful touches that made Goddess Wu Shuang so mesmerizing: her whips, her mechanical bird, her little purse that would hold an elephant–well, let’s just say, a lot of stuff. I also loved the often hilarious minor characters, such as Zeng Qi, the Tower boat maid who exuded goodness and crossed her eyes when she went over to the dark side, and Qian Lin, the reformed War Demon whose acrobatic fight moves were astonishing. I could name ten or twelve other characters whose stories enriched this drama. I loved the idea of the Tower boat soaring through the skies, the fierce drought dragon, and the toddler who could eat nothing but gold.

In other words, the series is not lacking in imaginative plot twists or details.

The male lead,Yuanzhong, starts out as a grim, grouchy misanthrope with a shriveled soul. Somehow the actor made this unpleasant character likable–partly, I think, by making him honest and real.

As for the OST, even though this series is 36 episodes long, the music was mostly haunting and beautiful--although to be fair, at times, a bit shrill.

Like many lengthy Chinese series, this one isn’t perfect. It drags now and then. The ending isn’t as clean as it could be (Whatever happened to Zeng Qi? We never find out.)

My main problem with this drama is that it embraces a strict morality of good versus evil–sometimes in the most puerile way. When one of the main characters turns “bad” we know because he’s now dressed in black and has an evil, maniacal laugh. The domain of the gods is depicted in white and soft pastels. Characters seldom engage in reflection or analysis, Punishment (or sometimes torture) is automatically dished out for misbehavior.

Still–I highly recommend this poignant, entertaining (and underrated) series.

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A Wild, Wacky Romp

STUDY GROUP, based on a webtoon, is fun, exuberant entertainment. Lots of laughs and surprises interspersed with cartoonish, implausible violence. A parade of horribles get their come-uppance from the unlikely, but likeable, study group members.

The theme here is very similar to that of WEAK HERO, CLASS I, which has a certain depth and nuance STUDY GROUP lacks. In both series, the ML looks and acts like a wuss, someone who’s a natural target for bullies. The bullies are quick to notice, of course. Big mistake though, because each of these dudes is an incredibly talented and well-trained fighter–whose only goal is to stay out of trouble, get good grades, and go to college.

That’s where the similarity ends. In WEAK HERO, CLASS I, the ML is a superior student who aces all his exams and ranks at the top of the class. Not so with Yoon Ga-Min, the ML in STUDY GROUP. No matter how hard he studies he just can’t seem to get his brain in gear, and he’s ranked at the bottom.

But he has a plan. No spoiler here; the plan is divulged in the first moments of the first episode.

Wild and crazy action ensues. I’m easily bored, but not a moment drags – in either series. I’m guessing you’ll like them both.

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Great idea, not-so-good execution

If you’re going to write a fantasy, especially if it’s a drama, the parts that aren’t magical have to be really believable. Otherwise you lose your audience. The writers make one big mistake along these lines right at the beginning.

Is it possible that someone could be run through by a sword and live to tell the tale? It’s probably happened–but not likely in a situation where antibiotics are unknown and no one understands the basics of hygiene. And, never, I’m guessing, when the patient gets up, resumes his daily activities, and even rides a horse for hours on end.

At least for the first five episodes, the FL comes off as an annoying twit–but she improves after that. This woman is supposed to be cute, appealing, and funny. She’s also supposed to be a respected and knowledgeable medical professional. Unfortunately she doesn’t know how to be all those things at once. But, to be fair, I’m not sure anyone could do it. They made her a more serious person in the latter half of the drama, and that helped a lot. Also the humor worked better as the series proceeded.

Unfortunately, the lighting on the set is not the FL’s friend–at least in the beginning. In almost every scene of the first five episodes she looks older than she is (she was 35 when this series was filmed). Again, they fixed that problem in later episodes, and she starts looking more age appropriate in her scenes with the (10 years younger) ML. Another improvement was the ludicrous wig the pipe-playing white haired guy was forced to wear. The finally got that one under control after a few episodes.

There’s a lot of telling and talking, explaining and pondering and politiking in this series. Both the King and his nemesis, Ki Cheol are waay too philosophical and self-absorbed. The King talks endlessly about his self-doubts and feelings of inferiority, while Ki Cheol is always plotting and carrying on about the future and who should be next on his murder list. I think these two should be forced to live together, where they would undoubtedly drive each other crazy–instead of the audience.

At times the English translation is stiff and barely intelligible. Example:

SCHOLAR: “I had thought this, since a new king is coming, that if nothing should happen, there is no hope. If change were to occur, a bloody storm will blow.”

CHOI YOUNG, ML:“The place I will be escorting you to was put together in haste, hence it will not be too pleasant.”

SCHOLAR: “In an era like this, a warrior as you is pitiful as you have to continue to slay before you are slayed.”

Having listed all the negatives, this series actually isn’t that bad. For the most part, it held my interest. Seven stars.

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Weird

A mostly well-conceived, but weird, drama - 8 stars

The first sentence of FAMILIAR WIFE blew my mind. And not in a good way.

We hear a newscaster proclaim the following: “The planet Wolf, 68 light years from Earth, ahead of its extinction, is rapidly becoming a black hole.”

As a science writer, all I can say is, “NO! NO! NO!” Black holes are never, EVER caused by the “extinction of a planet,” imminent or otherwise. To be clear, large stars occasionally collapse into black holes, but never planets.

Nor are exo-planets given names like “Wolf”. (Look up HD 20794d or K2-18b)

The rest of the newscaster‘s report explains that there may be a “change between the Earth’s and Moon’s calendars,”which--excuse me for pointing this out--is absurd gobbledygook.

Hey writers! This kind of thing should have been tweaked.

BUT...to change the focus a bit here--the rest of this series is mostly quite good. I’d even call it a hidden gem--not counting the last four episodes which seem to exist only for the sake of product placement.

The drama focuses on the daily crush of ordinary life and the toll it takes on well-intentioned human beings. How marriages get destroyed. How people forget to be kind and considerate.

As for the acting, the two leads do a fine job, and a number of skillful actors are showcased in minor roles.

In every office there’s someone who marches to a different drummer, and in this office that’s Kim Hwan. Kudos to the writers for imagining him and to Cha Hak Yeon (N) for bringing him to life.

One of my favorites, Lee Jeong-eun, plays the FL’s slightly demented mother. If you want to see what a masterful actor this woman is, watch OUR BLUES, another outstanding K-drama.

I’ll just mention two weird things about the plot--although there are others:

1) How come (except for one scene near the beginning) neither of the main characters seem at all interested in the fate of their two children. These poor kids have been zapped into nothingness due to the ML’s need to change wives. The fact that they’re never mentioned again is downright weird.

2) From episode 9 or 10 onward, everyone suddenly starts wearing stripes–striped shirts, striped blouses, a striped jacket. Why?

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A Touching Drama

All in all, this was a very solid series.

What I didn't like:

1. The music was intrusive and sometimes schmaltzy and sentimental.

2. The plot had touches of Hallmark hokiness.

3. At times, the writers pounded the message home with a lack of subtlety.

But what I did like far outweighs the negatives:

1. Convincing acting featuring likeable characters. The secondary characters were appealing and had interesting stories of their own, more than just placeholders.

2. This series showcased different kinds of human love-not just romantic or parental love-but love between friends, love between student and teacher, or siblings-and even love of craft.

3. In spite of a few false notes, this story was extremely effective. No easy answers to life's problems here. Just flawed human beings doing their best in an indifferent world. Touching but realistic

4. Unusual subject matter-how many ballet movies or series focus on male dancers? And the theme was an important one and worthy of the lengthy treatment it got here.

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OK...but not my favorite

The actors and characters are appealing, and I like that they feature a strong middle-aged woman as one of the leads. She even occasionally gets a few good lines, although basically she's there to play den mother to the rest of them. This series started as an interesting fantasy that turned into (yet another) variation on a police procedural. Too much school bullying and endless fighting scenes. The vision of the afterlife is unimaginative and ludicrous. Everything is white, including the file cabinets and there are some crazy rules: "We want you to catch the evil spirits who are embedded in bad, bad human beings, but, hey, don't get involved in human affairs." And what is all this stuff about the "territory" boundaries moving around. Nonsensical twaddle. I know the tousled, disheveled look is in, but it's not working for Ga Mo Tak. He needs a better hairdo.

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Mr. Magic is a stud muffin...

I prefer series with a bit more depth than this one. It was a bit saccharine and sentimental, but for what it was - it worked. Even the sound track was enjoyable. I'm a sucker for magical special effects, so I was able to excuse the simplistic message and just enjoy the visuals. I know the poor kid didn't have a mother, but someone needed to tell Ah-Yi to keep her mouth closed and trim her bangs. For 4/5ths of the series she could have done with a personality transplant. She was a little too bland and vapid for my taste. On the other hand, Ji Chang-Wook more than made up for it. When he says, "Do you...believe...in...magic?" it's to die for.

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One of the best

I’ve sometimes been critical of certain popular Korean or Chinese dramas. But I’m having a hard time finding anything negative to say about GO AHEAD, a 40-episode Chinese family drama made in 2020. It’s certainly not a perfect production. Still, it’s entertaining, interesting, and touching. And it dodges so many of the common traps that these kinds of series fall into, that all I can say is: Bravo!

Most of the actors were impressive, especially the three male leads: Weilong Song who plays the older brother (and also the young actor who plays him as a child), Steven Zhang/ Zhang Xin Cheng who plays the younger brother, and especially Tu Song Yan the Dad, the owner of the noodle restaurant, where so much of the action takes place.

Whenever one of these three incredible actors was on screen, I was totally immersed in the drama, and emotionally convinced that I was watching a slice of reality and not a fictional work. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention Yi Sun who plays the best friend of the FL. She’s convincing as a kind, generous, but inhibited young woman who’s oppressed by her overly-dominant mother.

I did have some problems with Songyun Tan, an actress in her 30s who plays the FL, Li Jianjian. For half the series this character is supposed to be sixteen years old. When playing a teenager, the actress seemed to be working too hard to make the character spunky, cute, and childlike. She came across as childishly petulant and performative way too much of the time. Also (as is often the case in older Chinese productions) she seemed more like a twelve-year-old than a sixteen-year-old, throwing whiny tantrums and hitting her brothers in fits of pique.

But I really can’t blame the actress. Because this is such a common problem in older Chinese dramas, I suspect it’s due to other considerations. Perhaps she was given instructions to play it that way from the director.

In the second half, when the same character is in her late twenties, Songun Tan is much more appropriate and believable in the role–more relaxed and also more likable–although still a fun-loving, cheerful tease.

The series got a little too sentimental for me in the end. “Emotions aren’t like a faucet where you can turn them on and off at will.” Too many bromides along with the schmaltzy music...but by and large the skillful acting sold it–so it was OK.

A winner.

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Entertaining

1. Of all the women our brilliant alien friend met in 400 years, a shallow, scatterbrained, selfish, vain narcissist was the ONE? Well, OK. She was a babe, no doubt about it. It would be nice if there was some explanation for it–other than hormones.

2. Why do they keep talking about this dude’s original home as a“star”? Unless he can withstand temperatures of one million degrees F (or more)--to say nothing of the crushing gravity--my guess is that he comes from a planet, not a star.

3. In one episode Do Min-jun points to a bright point in the sky, obviously a “star,”and tells his startled Joseon acquaintance, “That’s where I come from.” Later, he tells Song-Yi who wants to know the same thing, “You can’t see it from here.” Which is it?

In one of the first episodes we hear that he comes from “another galaxy.” But any other galaxy, especially Andromeda our largest neighbor which is 2.5 million light years away, would look like a smudge in the sky, not a star.

4. Not to go all nerdy here, but there are some other problems too. Hey, Korean movie makers, get a science advisor.

5. Dangling plot points. What did the young girl who looked like Song-Yi, the one he met when he first came to Earth, have to do with anything? She’s totally irrelevant to the plot.

What I liked:

1. I thought this series was very funny in places. Often the humor in Korean Dramas doesn’t work for Americans. This series was an exception.

2. I came to like Song-Yi much, much more toward the end. She showed some really likeable characteristics. Loved her honesty and sensitivity.

3. I’ve seen reviews that were critical of Kim Soo-hyun’s acting in this drama–but I thought he was absolutely great. It’s true he was poker faced in most scenes, but he somehow communicated deceit, tenderness, anger, confusion, disdain, and a host of other emotions. And he did it all with an almost imperceptible change of expression.

4. The compositions of the various settings and the wardrobe choices were exquisitely done. That library in Do Min-joon’s house was to die for.

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No connection between leads

Some positives and some negatives. The story held my interest.
Most of the energy in the script centered on the main conflict and the FL’s various problems. But the script just didn’t give the secondary characters, who were apparently supposed to be a group of lovable eccentrics, any good material to work with. The over-acting of the semi-hysterical principal, the scatterbrained dancer, the guy who was supposedly possessed by spirits, as well as some of others was painful to watch.

The male lead seemed warm and likeable, but the female lead was a bit cold and imperious. I didn’t feel much connection between the two of them. Couldn’t she have at least put her arms around him when they finally kissed? She acted as if she could barely stand to touch the poor guy.

By the way, teachers who specialize in early child education (kindergarten and pre-school) are committed, trained professionals, although no viewer would get that from this drama. A kindergarten teacher would never leave children unsupervised or allow random people to wander into the classroom. It would have been nice if we could have seen the FL actually teaching something (yep, there’s actually a curriculum) or doing something other than reading a picture book to the class–which any parent could do.

Not my favorite K-drama of the year.

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WHEN TWO PEOPLE DON’T SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE...

I was really excited after viewing the first episode. What a great idea! The clever Hong sisters base this series on both the literal and metaphorical idea that human beings “speak different languages.”

The FL is a Korean actress–who speaks only Korean. She has a professional relationship with two potential love interests. Male lead No. 1 speaks only Japanese. Male lead No. 2 speaks Korean fluently (as well as five other languages).

But No. 2 doesn’t understand the FL’s emotional signals. In fact, he has communication problems of his own, which she doesn’t fully appreciate at first. Nevertheless, he’s the person who touches her heart.

We find out gradually, that the FL is mentally unstable. She suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), a real condition, thought to be triggered by a severe childhood trauma.

She’s also in the middle of a prolonged film shoot, which takes place intermittently in various picturesque locations. Other people’s livelihood, and her own self-worth, depend on her ability to tough it out and finish the job.

This drama gets a lot of things right. The settings, the symbolism, the music, and the atmospherics are all effective. The day-to- day life of the film crew is something you don’t often see in K-dramas, and I liked that.

The dialog, especially between the FL and the second ML, is confusing. The FL keeps laying her heart on the line, but he keeps rejecting her. Is he afraid of getting hurt? Is he misinterpreting her? And she also has communication problems with dude No. 1. This drama is a bumpy ride, and the plot doesn’t altogether make sense. Everyone seems to be working way too hard to get it right, and, unfortunately, the effort is showing.

Still, this is an extremely original drama. But it may be that the premise is stronger than the script.

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Among other things–deliciously zany

A lot of series these days recycle the same old bland mush replete with prefabricated tropes picked up from Ikea. BACK FROM THE BRINK has a few items from that warehouse, but it’s also quirky and fun.

For example, I loved the way Yongzhou City was a nest of vipers and general daffiness. In one episode, YanHui, gives all her money away to a scammer in exchange for some useless, but hilarious, medical advice (“A powerful force will cure your heart”). Her would-be suitor, Guan Peng Yuan, rides down main street on the back of a giant tortoise. In a later scene, when the flaming dragon sword comes swooping back to the ML, the audience sees it coming–not in the sky–but reflected in one of his eyes. And I like the really creative way they sometimes transition between scenes. Little touches like this, added a boatload of zip to this drama.

I liked sections of this drama, but in other places the plot verges on idiocy. The “Bamboo Butterfly,” in episode 26 who manifests as a vain, middle-aged woman–a harridan who shrieks at Tianyao to divorce his wife and marry her is one example of overacting tinged with misogyny. I was embarrassed for the poor woman who had to play this role. To “win” the Ghostly Eulogy, our main couple must solve a series of ridiculous riddles, unworthy of a third-rate quiz show.

Overall, though, the cast–including most of the minor actors--was impressive. For example, Bai Xiao Sheng. Who doesn’t love a bad boy? (Hands go up.) OK, not everybody. Some of you would gladly strangle him. But personally, I like a little rascality in my demons.

And those pixie orphans, are to die for. Speaking of dying, one adorable little girl does just that. When I was about to get mad at the writers, I saw her eyelid twitch, reminding me that this is Fantasyville. Will Yunyun be back? Anything’s possible in this crazypants drama.

As for the ML, Hou Ming Hao’s face is always a perfect reflection of what his character, Tianyao, is feeling. How does this dude do it? For example, we (the audience) know that he’s sick with jealousy the minute he lays eyes on Bai Xiao Sheng’s dimples.

A few random criticisms:

Where does Yanhui and her female companions get those gorgeous gowns that never seen to get soiled when they wander through forests and deserts–and even when they get dunked in the water?

In spite of the fact that Tianyao is a demon who stabs his honey in the heart–not once, but twice–he can still convince the viewers, and eventually he convinces Yanhui, that he’s steadfast and true.

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