I personally have a few additions, all three regarding the first half of the last decade: - Queen of Reversals (2010) - Hwang Tae Hee played by Kim Nam Joo - I Do I Do (2012) - Hwang Ji An played by Kim Sun Ah - I Have a Lover (2015) - Do Hae Gang and Dok Go Yong Ki played both by Kim Hyun Joo
I think another honorable mention should go to Dal Ja's Spring, a drama from 2007 which had quite a few strong female characters and was quite unique for that time.
I don't like posting negative comments about female characters...but this is the first time I really feel that strong about it.
I found the premise interesting even if not particularly a novel idea...but by the end of the first episode I sadly LOATHED the FL (and almost all female characters in the show). She's despicable as a mother, a daughter or a woman in general. I'm actually convinced this character was written by someone who has a very low consideration of females.
She takes a man who just lost his memory as her husband by lying to him, without thinking he might have a family waiting for him elsewhere. I could consider this as viable if she was somehow forced by circumstances to pretend to have a husband and if she honestly regrets it, but she's just doing it because he's handsome and she wants a man...she's not even really doing it for her children. Com'on! Also, at the end of the first episode, when the male protagonist saves her little son from being hit by a baseball...well, she doesn't even run to her child to check on him if he somehow got hurt or scared. She just stands there all happy and smug about having found a strong man who managed to protect her child when she was too distracted to look after him.
I know this is a silly complain and I'm not usually one to be bothered by PPL...but everyone is driving a freaking Maserati in this drama! I mean, I get that most of them have a very good job, but still a Maserati costs around $100k and it's not a very common car to see around even compared to other luxury brands. I'm not sure how things are in SK, but in Italy I usually see around many more Ferraris, Porches and Jaguars compared Maseratis. The thing is that such cars are a quite relevant and recognizable status symbol and seeing so many characters driving one makes it weird and hard to ignore. My suspension of disbelief drops everytime I see it, which is a pity.
Had I watched this before The Princess' Man I might honestly have enjoyed it more. But with the previous romance/revenge saeguk show still quite fresh in my mind (I have completed it barely 10 days ago) it's hard not to make comparisons and Gunman in Joseon ends up falling short by quite a lot. The romance is both less developed and less intense, the revenge progression seems both more convoluted yet somehow less effective, the characters are seemingly interesting but end up being not that compelling and the plot also suffers from some weird characters' decisions and reactions. The story in my opinion does get better towards the latter episodes, but by then I was sadly a little disenchanted with the premise.
While this is definitely not going in my top favourite list, overall I found the drama to be quite enjoyable. It's a decent watch, but one needs not to expect a masterpiece or he/she would incur in a serious disappointment. It deserves the current 7.7 MDL rating.
This is the first drama I watched with Lee Joon Gi and I can see what the fuss is all about. The guy is obviously very good-looking, but he's also a really captivating actor and he's good both in the more emotional moments and in the several action scenes. For sure the drama wouldn't be as enjoyable without him.
I liked it. And I didn't really expect I would, considering the several bad reviews.
The show indeed isn't perfect and the interesting premise might have been done at least 10 better, but to me it was far from being as bad as some people painted it in reviews and comments. It's not the best show out there, but it's generally well-acted, not overly contrived and interesting enough to keep my attention till the end.
Some characters' decisions do make little sense though, and while the two main leads have decent chemistry, it's sadly not in the romantic kind. They would have worked better as friends or colleagues, but even so they were sort of cute...in an awkward sort of way.
This drama was simply amazing...I'm still in awe...
I was hesitant to pick it up even if the reviews were so positive because...well it's a saeguk political/romance drama and I don't usually stomach them too well. But this might be the exception to the rule.
The acting was wonderful, the writing amazing, the characters great, the production good, and even the music complemented the drama quite well even if (as an Italian native speaker) I found the lyrics of some of the songs to sound a bit ridiculous sometimes. There are a few tropes (it's a Romeo and Juliet kind of story after all), but they never felt as cliches and there was no 'destined-to-be' drivel which often plagues this sort of stories both in Asian dramas and western fiction. I didn't skip a single scene whether it was about the main couple, a secondary characters or the political schemes...I found it all to be too compelling to even just think about the ff button.
over the holidays I couldn't watch it raw, but I can finally watch it as it airs just in time for the finale!
Yep, I also found about 3 slower episodes in the middle of the series which left me slightly disappointed. But they weren't all in a row so to me the pacing never felt really draggy.
over the holidays I couldn't watch it raw, but I can finally watch it as it airs just in time for the finale!
The last few episodes have been quite crazy...in my opinion they really managed to keep things hyped till the end. I can't wait to watch the final episode tonight, but...at the same time I'm also a little bit sad this show is ending. It was a lot of fun!
thought im the only one but we're on the same boat!! was just expecting so much because of the reviews here but…
Glad someone else feels the same! ;) I actually was in denial for months, thinking this drama must be great and it was my fault I was just not feeling it. But no amount of waiting made me want to continue it, especially when there are so many other dramas I've yet to give a chance to... I'm not excluding someday I might pick it back up and finish it, but currently I seriously doubt it.
I'm honestly not sure how I'd feel regarding a sequel. I loved the show, but it feels completed and there's no…
Uhm, I honestly can't remember that detail, but mostly what I meant is that the story arcs of all the main characters are done by the end of the series, so even if the general plot might be continued I don't know if I would find a second season as compelling. An opposing drama for me is Stranger/Forest of Secrets in which even if the main plot was resolved quite satisfactorily, we still have plenty of character development to explore. Luckily a second season is upcoming for it!
Waaaaaa...I can't wait for tonight's episode! I think this show managed to keep the plot interesting and make me care for what happens to the main characters (and even some of the secondary ones) which isn't something all dramas (or even most of them) manage to do, especially after the midpoint. The series may have been a disappointment for anyone who wanted a darker, more serious take on the concept, but the drama was very clear with its comedic tone by the end of the first episode. Yet, it didn't completely obliterate every chance things would turn out darker and a few times it really managed to make me second guess the way the writers wanted to go, which is quite a good thing since it kept things much more interesting. I personally found the pacing to be quite well done. There are a couple slower episodes, but they are either preceded or followed by stronger and eventful ones, so I never really felt the plot was dragging.
I'm loving Heo Sung Tae in the gangster role! I think I've always seen him playing villains up till now and he's…
I think the interactions among all the characters are really well played! It's definitely thanks to the great cast but also the writing which (in its weirdness) makes sense and therefore doesn't cheapen the character development we get to see. Yoon Shi Yoon and Heo Sung Tae's on screen bromance is for me definitely one of the highlights and best surprises of this drama.
Episode 12 was great. It was not rushed at all, and just the right pace to cover every thing about the "conclusion"…
Episode 12 was definitely what I was waiting for! Bo Kyung is now on the right track, Dong Shik is figuring out who he really is (even if I do hope he'll retain some of his 'serial killer' moments...they were so fun!) and the last act of the story seems to have started. I really can't wait to see them (and hopefully gangster Chil Sung...I just love him!) working on the case together!
I really love all the main characters! My favourite so far has to be Shim Bo Kyung and Dong Shik's "dongsaeng".…
I'm honestly glad there are other people liking Bo Kyung. It's true that I'm still not finding her story arch all that compelling (maybe I was expecting too much...it's getting better though!), but I can't find any reason not to like her overall and I do end up cringing when I read hate comments on her character. She comes across as nosy and doubtful but she has all the reasons to be so considering she's a cop and the evidence at her disposal is indeed pointing to Dong Shik. I'm actually liking the fact that, while she's conflicted about it, she does not ignore what her brain tells her just out of emotion. That being said...I'm really looking forward to her discovering In Woo is the real serial killer and finally avenging her dad! :P
I don't want to believe DS killed someone there is still a chance the detective and DS was unconscious after they…
That's definitely possible and it's likely they'll take this route otherwise the next 6 episodes will be seriously darker which isn't quite in line of how the show as progressed up till now. Rewatching the scene it does indeed look like some time might have passed before Dong Shik came to after the fall, so that would have given enough time to In Woo to get there and finish matters himself. In the context of the 10th episode, though, this turn of events was a serious blow and the reaction from Dong Shik was heartbreaking to watch. Kudos to Yoon Shi Yoon!
I really didn't expect Dong Shik to ever kill someone whether it be on purpose or by accident, this show is just…
I was honestly shocked by this turn of events as well...I really did not expect him to kill anyone even if just by accident! I admit that the blackmailer's death put me in a much somber mood and I wasn't able to laugh any longer during the final beats of the episode. On the other hand I must also say that I'm very excited to see how the writers will solve the situation as it really complicates matters quite a bit.
I think she might be turned into a moron just so that In Woo can manipulate her, which makes her character even…
Sadly that might be the truth... Still, I'm kinda hopeful for something different. The writers up till now have done a pretty good job at keeping things unpredictable...am I being too trusting? XD
- Queen of Reversals (2010) - Hwang Tae Hee played by Kim Nam Joo
- I Do I Do (2012) - Hwang Ji An played by Kim Sun Ah
- I Have a Lover (2015) - Do Hae Gang and Dok Go Yong Ki played both by Kim Hyun Joo
I think another honorable mention should go to Dal Ja's Spring, a drama from 2007 which had quite a few strong female characters and was quite unique for that time.
I found the premise interesting even if not particularly a novel idea...but by the end of the first episode I sadly LOATHED the FL (and almost all female characters in the show).
She's despicable as a mother, a daughter or a woman in general.
I'm actually convinced this character was written by someone who has a very low consideration of females.
She takes a man who just lost his memory as her husband by lying to him, without thinking he might have a family waiting for him elsewhere. I could consider this as viable if she was somehow forced by circumstances to pretend to have a husband and if she honestly regrets it, but she's just doing it because he's handsome and she wants a man...she's not even really doing it for her children. Com'on!
Also, at the end of the first episode, when the male protagonist saves her little son from being hit by a baseball...well, she doesn't even run to her child to check on him if he somehow got hurt or scared. She just stands there all happy and smug about having found a strong man who managed to protect her child when she was too distracted to look after him.
I mean, I get that most of them have a very good job, but still a Maserati costs around $100k and it's not a very common car to see around even compared to other luxury brands. I'm not sure how things are in SK, but in Italy I usually see around many more Ferraris, Porches and Jaguars compared Maseratis.
The thing is that such cars are a quite relevant and recognizable status symbol and seeing so many characters driving one makes it weird and hard to ignore. My suspension of disbelief drops everytime I see it, which is a pity.
The romance is both less developed and less intense, the revenge progression seems both more convoluted yet somehow less effective, the characters are seemingly interesting but end up being not that compelling and the plot also suffers from some weird characters' decisions and reactions. The story in my opinion does get better towards the latter episodes, but by then I was sadly a little disenchanted with the premise.
While this is definitely not going in my top favourite list, overall I found the drama to be quite enjoyable. It's a decent watch, but one needs not to expect a masterpiece or he/she would incur in a serious disappointment. It deserves the current 7.7 MDL rating.
This is the first drama I watched with Lee Joon Gi and I can see what the fuss is all about.
The guy is obviously very good-looking, but he's also a really captivating actor and he's good both in the more emotional moments and in the several action scenes. For sure the drama wouldn't be as enjoyable without him.
The show indeed isn't perfect and the interesting premise might have been done at least 10 better, but to me it was far from being as bad as some people painted it in reviews and comments. It's not the best show out there, but it's generally well-acted, not overly contrived and interesting enough to keep my attention till the end.
Some characters' decisions do make little sense though, and while the two main leads have decent chemistry, it's sadly not in the romantic kind. They would have worked better as friends or colleagues, but even so they were sort of cute...in an awkward sort of way.
I was hesitant to pick it up even if the reviews were so positive because...well it's a saeguk political/romance drama and I don't usually stomach them too well.
But this might be the exception to the rule.
The acting was wonderful, the writing amazing, the characters great, the production good, and even the music complemented the drama quite well even if (as an Italian native speaker) I found the lyrics of some of the songs to sound a bit ridiculous sometimes.
There are a few tropes (it's a Romeo and Juliet kind of story after all), but they never felt as cliches and there was no 'destined-to-be' drivel which often plagues this sort of stories both in Asian dramas and western fiction.
I didn't skip a single scene whether it was about the main couple, a secondary characters or the political schemes...I found it all to be too compelling to even just think about the ff button.
I can't wait to watch the final episode tonight, but...at the same time I'm also a little bit sad this show is ending. It was a lot of fun!
The final duel is finally here!
I actually was in denial for months, thinking this drama must be great and it was my fault I was just not feeling it. But no amount of waiting made me want to continue it, especially when there are so many other dramas I've yet to give a chance to...
I'm not excluding someday I might pick it back up and finish it, but currently I seriously doubt it.
An opposing drama for me is Stranger/Forest of Secrets in which even if the main plot was resolved quite satisfactorily, we still have plenty of character development to explore. Luckily a second season is upcoming for it!
I think this show managed to keep the plot interesting and make me care for what happens to the main characters (and even some of the secondary ones) which isn't something all dramas (or even most of them) manage to do, especially after the midpoint.
The series may have been a disappointment for anyone who wanted a darker, more serious take on the concept, but the drama was very clear with its comedic tone by the end of the first episode. Yet, it didn't completely obliterate every chance things would turn out darker and a few times it really managed to make me second guess the way the writers wanted to go, which is quite a good thing since it kept things much more interesting.
I personally found the pacing to be quite well done. There are a couple slower episodes, but they are either preceded or followed by stronger and eventful ones, so I never really felt the plot was dragging.
Yoon Shi Yoon and Heo Sung Tae's on screen bromance is for me definitely one of the highlights and best surprises of this drama.
Bo Kyung is now on the right track, Dong Shik is figuring out who he really is (even if I do hope he'll retain some of his 'serial killer' moments...they were so fun!) and the last act of the story seems to have started.
I really can't wait to see them (and hopefully gangster Chil Sung...I just love him!) working on the case together!
She comes across as nosy and doubtful but she has all the reasons to be so considering she's a cop and the evidence at her disposal is indeed pointing to Dong Shik. I'm actually liking the fact that, while she's conflicted about it, she does not ignore what her brain tells her just out of emotion.
That being said...I'm really looking forward to her discovering In Woo is the real serial killer and finally avenging her dad! :P
In the context of the 10th episode, though, this turn of events was a serious blow and the reaction from Dong Shik was heartbreaking to watch. Kudos to Yoon Shi Yoon!
I admit that the blackmailer's death put me in a much somber mood and I wasn't able to laugh any longer during the final beats of the episode. On the other hand I must also say that I'm very excited to see how the writers will solve the situation as it really complicates matters quite a bit.
Still, I'm kinda hopeful for something different. The writers up till now have done a pretty good job at keeping things unpredictable...am I being too trusting? XD