Aunt, uncle, and cousin who genuinely care for the FL and want the best for her instead of plotting to sell her off to the highest sleazy bidder?! Nice in laws?! Nobody was drugged? What is this unicorn drama 😂🤣😂🤣
A lovely heartwarming drama overall though I liked the second half more than the first half, especially the FL. Question about their friend Cha Eun Woo though - didn't he have a pregnant wife, which was why he finally went back home? But we never see them? Or did I miss something?
These kind of roles suit JCW the best, even though he wanted to stop doing action. He's simply fabulous.
Yes, I was thinking the same and glad he didn't follow through on that. 😂 But, I am simultaneously watching Welcome to Samdal-ri and the contrast really showcases his versatility, and glad he keeps things interesting by taking on different roles.
I have to say, LKS and DKS are doing a great job playing nightmare-inducing psychopaths. A little cartoony at times, but honestly, it works, as it adds to how absolutely unhinged they are. 😱☠️
I'm enjoying this so far, but Tae Jung's ability to magically recover from numerous stabbings is comical.
Right?? His character's plot armour is basically made of Vibranium the way he can bounce back from everything, especially after that particularly bad jail fight. 😂 But, I am watching this for the adrenaline-filled action thriller that it is, not for its grounded, gritty realism.😝
I was really hooked at first because i love Ji-chang-wook's action drama but the way they are giving a mountain…
His character was never professionally trained, never took lessons, he just taught himself to be stronger in jail, through working out, that's it. It would be completely unrealistic to expect a character like him - a former nice, soft delivery guy - to be able to go up easily again rich bad guys who probably paid to train with the best of the best for more years than he was in jail. The fact that he is able to survive this far is already miraculous, lol!
I would also add that JCW is doing a fantastic job depicting his character and playing this role. The drama highlights his talent and there is nothing here that is in any way "disrespectful" or diminishes his talent. If anything, it would be even more unrealistic and silly to depict him as a kickass fixer like in Healer or internationally trained mercenary like in K2.
Finally got around to starting this, and while I'm enjoying it more than I expected overall, I am feeling incredibly frustrated and aggravated by the FL's refusal to let people know her cheating boyfriend and awful assistant hooked up. Like somehow, having her entire reputation and fantastic career dragged through the sewage is somehow more tolerable and acceptable to her pride than letting the world know the truth?! I find that sooo incredibly unbelievable. I'm glad her mom spilled the beans just like that to the Haenyeo, but the FL's reaction was again, so perplexing to me. Anyway, just wanted to vent about this one thing. 😅
Zhao Lusi. She has a huge personality on screen, and very big balls. Doesn't put up with shit from anyone either,…
Yes, there are a number of C-drama actresses I quite like or enjoy watching, but at the same time, few truly blow me away, especially with their versatility and ability to take on very different roles.
Meng Ziyi actually would have been perfect. I could see her doing fighting scenes and we already know her and…
I've watched a few of her dramas - Blossom, Princess Gambit, Heroes, and a few others - but I am not sure she would feel that different from Victoria Song, other than a closer age gap.
Zhao Lusi. She has a huge personality on screen, and very big balls. Doesn't put up with shit from anyone either,…
I agree with Zhao Liying as a possibility, she was good in Shen Li. Unfortunately, I personally don't really get Zhao Lusi or Yang Mi's appeal as actresses, so they wouldn't work for me. 🫣 Not to mention Zhao Lusi would come across too young to feel like a "jiejie". Or maybe "indifferent" might be more accurate, since I don't dislike them either and have watched their dramas. Same with Dilraba. I do like Tan Songyun, but for me, she doesn't feel like a good fit for this particular role...
I didn't like the direction the drama went in the final episode. The "it was all a dream" trope (for me)…
Yes, in general, transmigration, time travel, certain types of rebirth, need some kind of "it was just a dream/book/video game" element to pass censors, if I recall. Altering the past, fictionalizing real history, are generally a no-no. Or that was certainly the case a couple of years ago. It also depends on the platform. So if the drama is going to air on Chinese TV, the more strict they are with what's okay/not okay. But there is also a certain amount of self-censoring at play too, since producers/directors also probably don't want to deal with the potential hassle. Overall, short-form dramas and verticals especially are the most lax with what they can and can't do, but as they gain popularity, I've heard they are getting a little more strict too...
None of them. There is the actress who played a female general. Then played a Dr opposite Bai Jin Ting. That actress.…
Do you mean Zhou Ye from Legend of the Female General? I like her, and liked that drama, but she feels younger than DYX to me, so the older FL/younger ML dynamic wouldn't work. I do like (Sandra) Ma Si Chun as well (who played the doctor from the BJT drama You Are My Hero), but I can't picture her either.
Yes, Liu Shishi is beautiful - absolutely loved her in Journey to Love. I thought she would fit the fighting spirit of the character, and she's a better actress, but wasn't sure how she would pair opposite DYX.
Be fr. I only see unattractive people rising in the entertainment industry lately. Acting isn’t just any regular…
I did want to point out that the vast majority of actors, in Hollywood and Asia -- even recognizable ones -- are still "working actors".
In Hollywood, many take on secondary jobs to make a living wage because they actually aren't paid gobs of money, unlike those at the very, very top. For those who make a decent, but not outrageous sum -- enough to afford or require some support staff -- they also make less than you would think once they pay out their agents, stylists, trainers, assistants, publicists, lawyer, travel, and taxes, etc. Not to mention, many go into the business because they love acting and they are good at it, but hate the fame part and didn't sign up to have their looks picked apart.
And in Asia, actors are typically locked into very strict decade-long contracts. In China, this often means no base salary, requiring cash advances to cover living costs, draconian contract penalties, and they receive as little as 10-30 percent of their earnings during those years. Korean contracts may be different, but they aren't called "slave contracts" for no reason.
I seem to be enjoying this more than many others here, and I don't mind Victoria Song or the age gap either. And she's great in the fight scenes. At the same time, I do think maybe someone else could have been a better fit...?
And yet. I am hard pressed to name one actress who would fit the parameters -- someone who looks more mature than DYX, but could have strong chemistry with him, while also looking convincing as a fighter/soldier/martial artist. Everyone that comes to mind either look too youthful, or girly, or delicate, while the more mature actresses all give a similar vibe as Victoria Song including Wu Jinyan, Meng Ziyi, Liu Shishi. The closest I can think of is maybe Song Yi, but I don't think she would be as convincing as a fighter. Maybe Li Qin? Zhao Liying?
Given how fantastic some of LXX's verticals are, this was a bit disappointing, tbh. I was really hoping for more, but still loved that he did an adaptation of When the Phone Rings. This is not an abridged carbon copy of the Kdrama like the vertical "Call for Love" was, since some plot elements were changed here, but still close enough to be instantly recognizable.
Yo. Can you get beyond Victoria's acting? Should I start this drama now or not?I know her acting. I've watched…
I am not too far in yet, but enjoying it so far and whatever VS lacks in acting (and I don't even think it's that bad, certainly decent enough for me to keep watching), she makes up for with her excellent martial arts/fight scenes, likely due to her decades of dance training and experience. My friends who are caught up to date also like the relationship between sisters-in-laws too, and like the slow burn between the OTP.
A decade?! How about almost 20 years older than AiMi. But Wu Jinyan and Wang Xingyue had great chemistry. And…
Yes, I did say she was more than twice her age in real life and "easily looked" a decade older, so mid-20s and up.
In any case, so far, (please don't come at me, haha) VS is giving me the same vibes as WJY, tbh. So I guess I will need to keep watching and see how things unfold! (I am not expecting this to be as good as The Double or anything, but still enjoyable in its own way.)
I'm honestly a bit surprised by all the harsh criticisms for Victoria Song. I don't think she's any worse than other older actresses cast to play younger women. While unmarried, given Chu Yu's life with the army, she likely both *looks* older and *is* older than her unmarried peers who live a pampered and sheltered life at home. So Victoria Song does not look dramatically out of place age-wise (and she looks pretty great for her real-life age too). Sure, her acting is not going to win awards, but she makes a much more convincing female soldier to me than some of the other recent younger female generals (even though I liked them too).
I loved The Double, but I didn't see this much criticism over bad age casting in that drama even though Wu Jin Yan was supposed to be only slightly older than Ai Mi (real life around 15 at the time), but easily looked a decade older and was more than twice her age in real life. I was able to ignore all that and enjoy the show and OTP as is.
As for chemistry, right now where I am, it works as is, because she still sees him as a little brother. DYX is great playing basically a boy who had to grow up fast and the youngest in a large family of grown men who doted on him.
I would also add that JCW is doing a fantastic job depicting his character and playing this role. The drama highlights his talent and there is nothing here that is in any way "disrespectful" or diminishes his talent. If anything, it would be even more unrealistic and silly to depict him as a kickass fixer like in Healer or internationally trained mercenary like in K2.
Yes, Liu Shishi is beautiful - absolutely loved her in Journey to Love. I thought she would fit the fighting spirit of the character, and she's a better actress, but wasn't sure how she would pair opposite DYX.
In Hollywood, many take on secondary jobs to make a living wage because they actually aren't paid gobs of money, unlike those at the very, very top. For those who make a decent, but not outrageous sum -- enough to afford or require some support staff -- they also make less than you would think once they pay out their agents, stylists, trainers, assistants, publicists, lawyer, travel, and taxes, etc. Not to mention, many go into the business because they love acting and they are good at it, but hate the fame part and didn't sign up to have their looks picked apart.
From this article: Only 14% of SAG-AFTRA members make at least $26,470 annually to qualify for SAG-AFTRA healthcare coverage
https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/actors-strike-hollywood-sag-aftra-living-wage-healthcare-struggle-1234798347/
And in Asia, actors are typically locked into very strict decade-long contracts. In China, this often means no base salary, requiring cash advances to cover living costs, draconian contract penalties, and they receive as little as 10-30 percent of their earnings during those years. Korean contracts may be different, but they aren't called "slave contracts" for no reason.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slave_contract
https://wuulongcha.wordpress.com/2023/03/05/the-rabbit-hole-c-actress-jiang-jia-en-is-mia/
And yet. I am hard pressed to name one actress who would fit the parameters -- someone who looks more mature than DYX, but could have strong chemistry with him, while also looking convincing as a fighter/soldier/martial artist. Everyone that comes to mind either look too youthful, or girly, or delicate, while the more mature actresses all give a similar vibe as Victoria Song including Wu Jinyan, Meng Ziyi, Liu Shishi. The closest I can think of is maybe Song Yi, but I don't think she would be as convincing as a fighter. Maybe Li Qin? Zhao Liying?
In any case, so far, (please don't come at me, haha) VS is giving me the same vibes as WJY, tbh. So I guess I will need to keep watching and see how things unfold! (I am not expecting this to be as good as The Double or anything, but still enjoyable in its own way.)
I loved The Double, but I didn't see this much criticism over bad age casting in that drama even though Wu Jin Yan was supposed to be only slightly older than Ai Mi (real life around 15 at the time), but easily looked a decade older and was more than twice her age in real life. I was able to ignore all that and enjoy the show and OTP as is.
As for chemistry, right now where I am, it works as is, because she still sees him as a little brother. DYX is great playing basically a boy who had to grow up fast and the youngest in a large family of grown men who doted on him.
Anyway, I'm enjoying this drama so far!