I would strongly recommend reading the companion piece by Frost_edelweiss (above) for information about the time, the historical significance of the silk road and the geographical nature of China and its cities. I learnt a lot from the post.
DW is so different from SS. SS was similar to LBY in some ways, she doesn't let go of someone who has wronged her. Quite young, she was quite petty and thought through how to punish a person (like the princess) DW - similarly young (I estimate her age to be 17-18 at the beginning of the story) , went through hardships more turbulent than SS (with fear of dying during her pearl dives and being sent to the 'maternity' section *shudders*), however she came through it still naïve about the world and she needed to learn the harsh lessons about people (through YZJ) on his convoy. He thought her to fight, to be smarter than the ones who would cheat her. He also essentially created a family for her (with members of the convoy). I love LTTG and would rewatch it again in a heartbeat. If you wanted angst, there was plenty there . The leads were pretty much apart from the moment he 'betrayed' her by leaving her behind (her greatest fear) . I was also gratified to see how the ML struggled when they reunited (and her being cold) I do hope that DW/SMZ will not forgive him so easily and what he will do next will earn him more episodes to grovel back to her side. P.S. I learnt with C-dramas is that you need to suspend belief at some plot points (such as DW's journey into becoming SMZ via her trials through the desert and snowy mountains)
Whether SE or HE, let's just follow the flow. No one truly knows yet (I am still traumatised by JTL) KJ's number one has always been YZJ and he will always prioritize YZJ. From the trailers we know that YZJ and DW/SMZ will get back together and I can't wait to see how they will reunite (after these misunderstandings)
It is an interesting first episode. A part of me does hope that the ML is going into the profession because he was inspired by his tutor and not just there for his (ex) tutor. I can see that Seo Hye Jin does love to teach and along the way she is tempering the students' parents expectations but as a hagwon, they still need to produce results. I will probably keep watching until Ep 4 before deciding if it is a keeper. PS. Ratings does not make a drama. A drama should resonate with you and if it doesn't, it is ok to move on and search for another. It's all about personal taste.
The Prime Minister makes me ponder a lot - is he good? Is he bad? Did he truly love/like Ja Yun? Did he need BF's technology for himself? You have the wipeout (dead bodies) of the hackers after they did their part. It looked like they were gassed to death. So, it just highlights how people are dispensable and imagine if the elites had access to a bio-engineered product which ensures that they live for a long long time. They will consider the everyday person as dispensable slaves. That ending really isn't my cup of tea and the thought of Ja Yun's consciousness embedded into Chae Woon just feels creepy. No buzz about Season 2 so it looks like that's it...
Honestly. I just want Chae Woon and Ja Yu to survive this. If you have the top three most powerful men breathing down your necks, all three in pursuit of the same thing, Blood Free's trade secrets. I don't know how Ja Yu offering herself as the first test subject (replacing all her organs!) will play out and we have the final two episodes to find out! Han Hyo Joo tends to have chemistry with her male leads whether it is overtly or covertly romantic. Check out Happiness and Moving.
Am I the only one not watching for any potential romance? I like how both Chae Woon and JaYoo have a camaraderie, even since they went through the bomb blast together. They understand how each other ticks and they actually assess each other based on their usefulness, rather than a romantic interest. The mole mystery is solved but the problem is that the bad guys are high up in terms of rank and power. SIGH. I felt like punching that prime minister when he went on the spiel about how not everyone deserves to be immortal, only the rich. The 'outsiders' will not be able to handle the possibilities.
I am in! I love the setting (1950s) and yes, corruption was rife then too. However, our team is building their network, with the street beggars and I am sure that American-Korean officer will be back when the guys need his help. Looks like the next case will be another blood pressure raising story.
Ratings can be an indication. However, if you like the plot, watch the first four episodes. If it is not your cup of tea, drop it. I have dropped high rating dramas because I (personally) don't enjoy the story, and this can happen even when my favorite actors are part of the cast.
So... after 4 episodes, this is a keeper. There may be some slow parts - especially with the trinity (President - His son (scummy CEO) - and the Prime Minister) but could it be they are looking for a cure (somehow) for the PM. It is suss that he is receiving some sort of treatment? (Ep 4) Plus that ending for Ep 4 - interested to see how this will unfold.
Yoon Ja Yu as a character. I think it is meant to show that she is fully focused on her work. I don't believe she is setting up the corporation purely for financial gain but I still wonder if there are other reasons for her company. They threw in a tidbit about her sister dying from a (brain) degenerative disease. Could it have been Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or Mad Cow Disease? Ja Yu is meant to be shown as a loner, do not form attachments to others easily and shows very little to no emotion. She is more analytical and sees people as a resource (to be utilised). So far, Han Hyo Joo is portraying her character quite well.
SS was similar to LBY in some ways, she doesn't let go of someone who has wronged her.
Quite young, she was quite petty and thought through how to punish a person (like the princess)
DW - similarly young (I estimate her age to be 17-18 at the beginning of the story) , went through hardships more turbulent than SS (with fear of dying during her pearl dives and being sent to the 'maternity' section *shudders*), however she came through it still naïve about the world and she needed to learn the harsh lessons about people (through YZJ) on his convoy. He thought her to fight, to be smarter than the ones who would cheat her. He also essentially created a family for her (with members of the convoy).
I love LTTG and would rewatch it again in a heartbeat. If you wanted angst, there was plenty there . The leads were pretty much apart from the moment he 'betrayed' her by leaving her behind (her greatest fear) . I was also gratified to see how the ML struggled when they reunited (and her being cold)
I do hope that DW/SMZ will not forgive him so easily and what he will do next will earn him more episodes to grovel back to her side.
P.S. I learnt with C-dramas is that you need to suspend belief at some plot points (such as DW's journey into becoming SMZ via her trials through the desert and snowy mountains)
No one truly knows yet (I am still traumatised by JTL)
KJ's number one has always been YZJ and he will always prioritize YZJ.
From the trailers we know that YZJ and DW/SMZ will get back together and I can't wait to see how they will reunite (after these misunderstandings)
A part of me does hope that the ML is going into the profession because he was inspired by his tutor and not just there for his (ex) tutor.
I can see that Seo Hye Jin does love to teach and along the way she is tempering the students' parents expectations but as a hagwon, they still need to produce results.
I will probably keep watching until Ep 4 before deciding if it is a keeper.
PS. Ratings does not make a drama. A drama should resonate with you and if it doesn't, it is ok to move on and search for another. It's all about personal taste.
You have the wipeout (dead bodies) of the hackers after they did their part. It looked like they were gassed to death. So, it just highlights how people are dispensable and imagine if the elites had access to a bio-engineered product which ensures that they live for a long long time. They will consider the everyday person as dispensable slaves.
That ending really isn't my cup of tea and the thought of Ja Yun's consciousness embedded into Chae Woon just feels creepy.
No buzz about Season 2 so it looks like that's it...
Han Hyo Joo tends to have chemistry with her male leads whether it is overtly or covertly romantic. Check out Happiness and Moving.
I like how both Chae Woon and JaYoo have a camaraderie, even since they went through the bomb blast together. They understand how each other ticks and they actually assess each other based on their usefulness, rather than a romantic interest.
The mole mystery is solved but the problem is that the bad guys are high up in terms of rank and power. SIGH.
I felt like punching that prime minister when he went on the spiel about how not everyone deserves to be immortal, only the rich. The 'outsiders' will not be able to handle the possibilities.
Looks like the next case will be another blood pressure raising story.
However, if you like the plot, watch the first four episodes.
If it is not your cup of tea, drop it.
I have dropped high rating dramas because I (personally) don't enjoy the story, and this can happen even when my favorite actors are part of the cast.
Plus that ending for Ep 4 - interested to see how this will unfold.
Ja Yu is meant to be shown as a loner, do not form attachments to others easily and shows very little to no emotion. She is more analytical and sees people as a resource (to be utilised).
So far, Han Hyo Joo is portraying her character quite well.