To me, it genuinely seems to be clear that Bo Geol is Ki Ho.-His mother used to say the same thing that Ki Ho…
Yeah, but the screenwriter can't wait too long to make us start liking his adult self or the 2ML will swoop in to steal everyone's hearts. 😅 We fell in love with Ki Ho in Episode 1 but people's memories are short!! (Assuming Bo Geol is Ki Ho, of course).
I think the big question we're wondering about is this: if Ki Ho is Bo Geol, why is he acting so indifferent towards, and uninterested in, Mok ha? He did subtle things like tried to stop his brother from publishing the story and gave her shoes (the first thing he said he'd give her when they got off the island; and did he reverse psychology is brother into letting her have the rooftop room? 🤣) Besides that, though, his lack of interest in her seems strange and intriguing since I agree with those who think Woo Hak is a red herring. There's certainly something to his identity being hidden due to his dad, who gives me psycho vibes, but he's a grown man now. Why would it be important for him to still remain anonymous?
I checked one of the trailers again, and the ML is the one doing a voice over about "50% probability" and "I hope you can be a singer who can change the world with her songs" which are similar to things Ki Ho said in Episode 1.... here's hoping! 🤞
I wonder if something happens to Ki Ho's dad that makes Ki Ho look suspect, so he has to change his name to avoid suspicion as his father's murderer or something? Just throwing out ideas based on the trailer and that we know he doesn't tell her who he is at first when they meet again as adults. 🤷♀️
Definitely one of my favorite sageuks. Most sageuks I can only say I MOSTLY like but never COMPLETELY like. This one breaks the status quo. There are heartwarming characters, a compelling story with a tightly written script that makes you laugh out loud in one scene (the brothers are too cute together) and guts you in the next. This drama also has a fantastic female lead who is kind, compassionate, tough as nails and whose main goal is to protect everyone and maintain the ethics of the palace while at the same time outsmarting all those just out for themselves and their own gain. So good! P.S. I felt there was too much focus on the gender identity/dysphoria plot point for the first three episodes, but by episode four (and afterwards) it's barely mentioned again.
I realized that a perk to twelve 1 hr and 20 minute episodes is that there will be roughly the same amount of screen time but with fewer cliffhangers. 🥳
for me, based off of the trailer, it doesn't seem like either of the male leads is Kiho. i feel like he would've…
Since Ki Ho is such a big part of Episode 1, and they make him so lovable and darling, I can't see the screenwriter not including him later, and no other actors from the cast list seem plausible other than one of the two MLs. This screenwriter is also notorious for the reveals that take time to unfold and develop, so I think she's intentionally leaving mystery for the story to fill in. But I'm with you on the confusion: how did Ki Ho get away from his dad? If one of the MLs is Ki Ho (and it seems at least those closest to Mok Ha know she's Mok Ha), why wouldn't he reveal himself right away, especially when he knows who she is? He clearly hadn't given up hope she was alive, why then not show himself for who he is? 🤔 So many questions...
The first episode was SO good. I can't wait to see how the story unfolds!! I thought Woo Jin was adorable in Vagabond and he's just as awesome here; really brings such an amazing performance for Ki Ho.
Didn't expect the child abuse plot but it makes Mok Ha's desire to be a singer so much more meaningful and touching. Excited to see how Ki Ho returns to Mok Ha's side and who his grown up self will be. 😏 If the episodes continue to be this long then we're really not getting much less than a 16 episode drama. 😅 I'm not complaining!
The friendship is fun to watch and Hyun Wook steals the show (while Ji Hoon is good, too, his character is just a little less endearing since he's pricklier). It's not so much the violence that turned me off (though it IS violent) but the lack of realism. What kind of school would allow that kind of violence to just go on completely unaddressed? Teachers nowhere to be found during these long, drawn out, brutal fights? And they just get slapped on the hand for it and move on. 😬 I could roll with the plausibility of the fights outside the school a bit more, but why on earth don't these darn boys get help from the police sooner? It just felt like this made up fantasy world where adults just go "Wah Wah Wah" like in Peanuts and do nothing else useful.
The "Reply" dramas are weirdly edgier than most dramas in random ways (Reply 1997 turned me off for this reason and honestly it's just not as good, though the Busan accents were fun to hear, and they're not featured in Kdramas much)), but despite that, Reply 1988 in particular really delivers.
I'll admit, the first 1/3 of this drama was SO slow and boring for me (the episodes are up to an hour and a half!! Too long 😭). I kept thinking, "What on earth makes everyone love this?" It took me forever to start caring about the characters (the main female lead was too ditzy and flighty for me at first) and acclimate to the weird goat bleats that characterize the comedic moments, but slowly the characters grew on me as I watched them grow (the comaradarie of the main 5 friends was so heartwarming!). At some point, around Episode 5, I became hooked. It does have such a nostalgic quality to it, and the last 15 minutes or so gave one of the biggest gut punches I've ever felt at the end of a drama. I never weep watching Kdramas (maybe once in a blue moon I'll shed a tear), but at the end of this drama, I was sobbing.
This drama doesn't try to say the past was better or that we should or would want to return to it, but at the same time it breaks your heart to see what was lost (and can never be had again) once time moves forward. It just makes you ache with sadness when it's over.
If I could describe this drama in one word, it would be "nostalgia." As Deok Sun says as she narrates the ending voiceover, we can never really "go back"; we can return and "come home" but what happened in the past can never be replicated or experienced in the same way again, and that makes us ache and pine for it when the memories are good and sweet. I think it's particularly true when we think back on a good childhood. A childhood filled with family, a strong community of friends and neighbors, and safe places to fail and mess up, and learn from those mistakes so we can leave Neverland behind and embrace adulthood and the future with boldness.
I was not prepared for the punch in the feels in the middle of this drama. All the themes are personal now and…
I know, this one is still one of my favorites. I love the themes about choosing love over hate. And my favorite scene is when the ML makes the choice to not follow the villain down the path of revenge and hate (and when he asks the 2ML to save them! 😭) even when the ML knows the person he loves most in the world could have been hurt by him. Ah, so good! My favorite part to rewatch!
I wonder if something happens to Ki Ho's dad that makes Ki Ho look suspect, so he has to change his name to avoid suspicion as his father's murderer or something? Just throwing out ideas based on the trailer and that we know he doesn't tell her who he is at first when they meet again as adults. 🤷♀️
Didn't expect the child abuse plot but it makes Mok Ha's desire to be a singer so much more meaningful and touching. Excited to see how Ki Ho returns to Mok Ha's side and who his grown up self will be. 😏 If the episodes continue to be this long then we're really not getting much less than a 16 episode drama. 😅 I'm not complaining!
I'll admit, the first 1/3 of this drama was SO slow and boring for me (the episodes are up to an hour and a half!! Too long 😭). I kept thinking, "What on earth makes everyone love this?" It took me forever to start caring about the characters (the main female lead was too ditzy and flighty for me at first) and acclimate to the weird goat bleats that characterize the comedic moments, but slowly the characters grew on me as I watched them grow (the comaradarie of the main 5 friends was so heartwarming!). At some point, around Episode 5, I became hooked. It does have such a nostalgic quality to it, and the last 15 minutes or so gave one of the biggest gut punches I've ever felt at the end of a drama. I never weep watching Kdramas (maybe once in a blue moon I'll shed a tear), but at the end of this drama, I was sobbing.
This drama doesn't try to say the past was better or that we should or would want to return to it, but at the same time it breaks your heart to see what was lost (and can never be had again) once time moves forward. It just makes you ache with sadness when it's over.
If I could describe this drama in one word, it would be "nostalgia." As Deok Sun says as she narrates the ending voiceover, we can never really "go back"; we can return and "come home" but what happened in the past can never be replicated or experienced in the same way again, and that makes us ache and pine for it when the memories are good and sweet. I think it's particularly true when we think back on a good childhood. A childhood filled with family, a strong community of friends and neighbors, and safe places to fail and mess up, and learn from those mistakes so we can leave Neverland behind and embrace adulthood and the future with boldness.
Highly recommend!