Preview for episode 14 looks pretty dark. Well can't say I wasn't expecting this. Everything has turned out predictable but not in a good way. Not the type of show that you leave on hold for a while. The pacing is horrendous, if you put in on hold you're bound to drop it at some point.
So. I'll faithfully watch this week's episodes before Wednesday because I hung on for 12 episodes so I'm going to see this to the end.
Should have dropped it when it started to lag at episode 6, but I loved the Haona quartet so much, I decided to put my trust in this show.
Storyline wise, yes is not perfect but its better than any other GL storyline IMHO. But really not even 1 Thailand…
I used to watch a fair number of them and still do (BLs) , but in terms of ratings or appreciation, I tend to be way more generous compared to non LGBTQ+ content. I've grown very tired of the overall mediocrity of Thai shows... but to be fair, my first BLs were Not Me, Kinnporsche, and Triage ... which set the bar too high when you compare it to the rest clearly. Not to say that I don't enjoy lighter series ( I loved Theory of Love, and thoroughly enjoyed Cutie Pie and Love in the Air for instance) but so far, it's not working for me in the GL department.
Since I don't keep a dropped list ( I'm of the opinion that you can only rate a show you've entirely seen since some shows get better in later episodes in spite of horrible starts), you can't see how many... But I can roughly estimate that number to about 10 give or take 1 or 2 counting also this one.
I haven't completely given up on the genre though... My problem is, I want A GOOD STORY featuring gay couples. Not a fanservice session with cringy lines and a plot that is playing second fiddle. It's unfair to the actors but especially to the viewers.
Right now I'm setting my sight on two shows I haven't yet given a try:
1. Petrichor which is ending this week if I'm not mistaken.
2. The Loyal Pin.
I wasn't convinced by Freen and Becky in GAP... to be fair not because of her, but because I thought the script was horrendous and like in this drama, some scenes were just extremely weird just for fanservice purposes such as SLEEPING IN THE SAME BED AS YOUR BOSS when you haven't even worked for A MONTH at your workplace. Even 10 years would be inappropriate given the power imbalance and how close they were (i.e not close AT ALL at that point in the story) but my God what the fudging fudge was that! ( and I still have nightmares about that cleaning 'lady' at the office, just NOPE)... BUT I'm sucker for beautiful costumes so I hope the level of cringe I've been getting lately from Thai LGBTQ+ productions ( be it BL or GL) won't be a deterrent in this one.
Please be good you two... I haven't yet thrown the towel but I'm THAT close.
Guys, is this drama worth watching? Should I start it?
I'm at episode 37 so, close to the end. Personal opinion. It's a very tropey xianxia. Nothing new under the sun. Pretty predictable but enjoyable nonetheless. Now that I'm about to finish it, I'll probably rate it between an 8 and a 8.5 depending on my mood by the time I finish it tomorrow or the day after.
A bit too much CGIs in my opinion and the fighting scenes are a tad bit overly long but it's well done, there's a good budget behind at least. The romance is okay... I wasn't swept of my feet to be honest. The leads have an ok chemistry. I've seen WAY better... But I've seen WAY worse as well. I had a serious case of second lead syndrome for Mo Fang as you can see on my avatar ( if you see this comment before I change it).
The plot is pretty straightforward, the revelations are all predictable and the fate of some characters as well. Seriously, mid-show, I already knew who was going to die.
It's definitely a one-watch if you're used to the genre. I'd recommend it if you're in the mood for a good xianxia but not the kind that is heart wrenching and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Personally sometimes, I enjoy watching shows that are just ok because I don't have the time to be obsessed about a show to the point of neglecting real life. I'd say it's one of those shows that fits the bill: It's good without being extraordinary if you see what I mean.
So ultimately is-it worth watching? ==>Yes
Will you remember it as a masterpiece? ==> I doubt it UNLESS you haven't seen any before.
Hope it helps you.
PS: The opening song is a banger.
PS 2: The beginning is a bit "weird" and overly long in my opinion, but it takes off after 6 to 8 episodes, don't remember the exact number.
YES Kim Eun Hee is BUSY writing Signal Season 2. Still one of the best thriller ever written for Korean TV, several remakes, none holding a candle to the original. Kingdom with all its qualities just cannot compare. So, yep PRIORITIES.
i had the same issue of feeling bored midway too. i read episode summaries for a few eps and then it picked back…
Just finished it! Yeah... I finished it literally in one go... I have LOTS of thoughts and no time to write them now, so I'll probably write a review before the end of the weekend.
Just wanted to give you a heads up since you asked for my opinion, I'll tell you when it's posted.
Final ratings 9, because of the horrendous pace so no 10 for me... But it is still saying something given HOW AWFUL the pacing was.
This happens a lot in kdrama where the FL pretend to be a man and the ML will fall for them before knowing the…
Normally there should have been some form of identity crisis, but there was literally none there... Well Eun Ho hinted he felt conflicted at some point but we sure didn't see it >_<
I'm not sure about your comment. I think they made it a point to explain that the key is unique in the world but…
At this point I'm not even sure he knows Eun Ho and Deok Su have the other half. He knows that Deok Su has her half... which she keeps.... (I'm sure he'd rather keep her half but since he's playing innocent at present, he can't pressure her to give it to him) and he strongly suspect Eun Ho and/or Deok Su to have the other half...
Or to be clear, he strongly suspects either Eun Ho and/or Mae Hwa to have the other half... but he hasn't completely abandoned the idea of Deok Su working with them. He's trying to keep them all in check BUT I'd say he's mostly suspicious of Mae Hwa, since she hadn't told him she had found Jae On. Probably hoped to get back the key by killing her but that plan went down the drain so we'll see how things go from now on.
SML entering villain/delulu era for a women who doesn’t love him back « I’ll get her back »🤦♀️🤦♀️…
OH MY! THANK YOU! I'm not the only one who thought that!
Is it the actress? In Love Next Door, her kisses were horrible as well. WTF? I was bracing myself for the kiss and I unfortunately got what I anticipated, as you said "lips press/fish kiss".
If it sucks that much just don't do any close ups and film from afar, my brain will do the job. You can't trick the audience with these fakes and it breaks the magic SO.BAD.
Can you convince me to continue this? I just found out ML knew at eps 12. Like the drag is real, but is the plot…
Depends on what you're looking for... Compared to the past 3 weeks, I thought episode 12 was way better BUT the show is turning DRAMAtic. It's no longer silly and fun. Personally that wasn't what I signed up for but since I didn't drop it so far, I'm gonna keep watching.
It's not bad... but if you've seen ( and dropped) as many sageuks as I've done in my relatively long time as a K drama watcher, it's a bit of a tedious watch because that pattern is overused. What made it palatable in the beginning - the haona quartet, the friendship etc. - has taken a back sit and from the preview I don't think we'll get our quartet back together before episode 15 at the earliest.
The positive is the Prince got together with Jae On this week... BUT the downside is Su Ra and Jae Hwa are basically going to the dark side: One for money, the other because of jealousy... They've shown some sweet moments between our lovebirds... But I suspect these will be the ONLY sweet moments this week.
It's not pleasant and in my opinion there's not enough "positive emotions" to counter the negative ones. Lord Cheon is a walking nightmare.
So bit of a mixed bag. If you're really invested in the plot, I say go for it... But if you were into this show for the humor, haona quartet and fun... You can forget it.
There, I'm team "give up if you haven't already". I personally always make sure I watch episodes as they're aired when shows are currently airing because if the show starts to drag, it always ends up in a "on hold" than "dropped".
So on the fence about GL in general... AND.... On the verge of dropping this one as well. Can't get into it, some lines are truly weird ( comparing the law to taking off one's clothes, WTF?)... Directing is all over the place... And I enjoy Namtan in this role, but not Film. I'm not sold at all at her perfect girl façade. She's overacting it in my opinion.
So far, Thailand hasn't delivered a single GL I enjoyed, and I definitely won't blame the genre. Tipping the Velvet and any British adaptation of Sarah Waters novels have always been on my tops for GL content but nope.
I struggled with the first 4 episodes... Now near the end of episode 5 and still struggling. But since everyone keeps on throwing compliments I don't know. To be fair, I dropped all GLs from Thaïland so far, this one is the best out of the worst so... I really want to like it as much as everyone... But I guess I'll be among the silent minority that didn't like this show...
Right now I'm pondering if I should see this to the end, after all though I'm not sold on either of these romances, I'm still mildly invested in the main plot of how things are gonna get resolved when Oom wakes up... But I honestly don't know if I'll manage.
This being said, great opening and ending. Gotta mention the few things I like.
I'm not sure about your comment. I think they made it a point to explain that the key is unique in the world but…
Saying that Mae Hwa might know where the box is, was just a conjecture on my part... doesn't necessarily means Lord Cheon thinks it's the case. She's been his right hand for many years so he might assume that is she knew where that box was, he would have known.
But I think the fact that Deok Su and Eun Ho looked for the box in episode 12 goes to show that no one knows where this box is.
This being said, getting rid of Mae Hwa is getting rid of a key witness for Lord Cheon. So far, he's assuming Deok Su doesn't know the truth and thinks Mae Hwa is guilty... but that's only if Mae Hwa doesn't talk. If he wants to keep Deok Su under his wing - and he does, she's smart, she knows how to make him more money - he has to make sure Mae Hwa will never have the chance to reveal the truth to Deok Su. Also, just like his son, she's got a good name and luck is on her side so it's better to have both under his control...
I also think he's a sick human being who gets some sort of twisted satisfaction for having the daughter of the friend he betrayed - friend who helped him when NO ONE else did for that matter - working for him.
I wasn't the biggest fan of this character from the beginning, but the more we know, the less I can bear to see him on my screen. Thankfully he was so busy making money he sent his son abroad to study otherwise Jun Hwa would have turned out as twisted as his psycho father.
I'm not sure about your comment. I think they made it a point to explain that the key is unique in the world but…
Ah yeah true, the inside could also be metal. Personally I understand if people are bothered by the lack of logic, but regarding this particular issue, I consider it nitpicking. If THAT is a plot hole, we can nitpick about 'lack of logic' in any drama for whatever reason, there would be no end to it, but that's my personal opinion. I still have 30 minutes left in episode 12 but I can't bring myself to watch it yet... I know there's more angst though I've spoiled myself the end of the episode ^^
I'm not sure about your comment. I think they made it a point to explain that the key is unique in the world but…
It's cool if you don't like the show. Shao Skywalker mentioned plot holes which I personally don't think are plotholes except for the issue of breaking the box. But everybody's free to disagree. If these "plot holes" bother you to the point of taking you out of the story, well dropping the show is indeed the right choice to make.
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1
Well can't say I wasn't expecting this. Everything has turned out predictable but not in a good way.
Not the type of show that you leave on hold for a while. The pacing is horrendous, if you put in on hold you're bound to drop it at some point.
So. I'll faithfully watch this week's episodes before Wednesday because I hung on for 12 episodes so I'm going to see this to the end.
Should have dropped it when it started to lag at episode 6, but I loved the Haona quartet so much, I decided to put my trust in this show.
Just like Deok Su, I was betrayed.
...
...
...
NO! NO! NO! NO!
You lost THREE! THREE!
Can't even spare a last thought to Mo Fang goddamn it!
Since I don't keep a dropped list ( I'm of the opinion that you can only rate a show you've entirely seen since some shows get better in later episodes in spite of horrible starts), you can't see how many... But I can roughly estimate that number to about 10 give or take 1 or 2 counting also this one.
I haven't completely given up on the genre though... My problem is, I want A GOOD STORY featuring gay couples. Not a fanservice session with cringy lines and a plot that is playing second fiddle. It's unfair to the actors but especially to the viewers.
Right now I'm setting my sight on two shows I haven't yet given a try:
1. Petrichor which is ending this week if I'm not mistaken.
2. The Loyal Pin.
I wasn't convinced by Freen and Becky in GAP... to be fair not because of her, but because I thought the script was horrendous and like in this drama, some scenes were just extremely weird just for fanservice purposes such as SLEEPING IN THE SAME BED AS YOUR BOSS when you haven't even worked for A MONTH at your workplace. Even 10 years would be inappropriate given the power imbalance and how close they were (i.e not close AT ALL at that point in the story) but my God what the fudging fudge was that! ( and I still have nightmares about that cleaning 'lady' at the office, just NOPE)...
BUT I'm sucker for beautiful costumes so I hope the level of cringe I've been getting lately from Thai LGBTQ+ productions ( be it BL or GL) won't be a deterrent in this one.
Please be good you two... I haven't yet thrown the towel but I'm THAT close.
Now that I'm about to finish it, I'll probably rate it between an 8 and a 8.5 depending on my mood by the time I finish it tomorrow or the day after.
A bit too much CGIs in my opinion and the fighting scenes are a tad bit overly long but it's well done, there's a good budget behind at least. The romance is okay... I wasn't swept of my feet to be honest. The leads have an ok chemistry. I've seen WAY better... But I've seen WAY worse as well. I had a serious case of second lead syndrome for Mo Fang as you can see on my avatar ( if you see this comment before I change it).
The plot is pretty straightforward, the revelations are all predictable and the fate of some characters as well. Seriously, mid-show, I already knew who was going to die.
It's definitely a one-watch if you're used to the genre.
I'd recommend it if you're in the mood for a good xianxia but not the kind that is heart wrenching and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Personally sometimes, I enjoy watching shows that are just ok because I don't have the time to be obsessed about a show to the point of neglecting real life. I'd say it's one of those shows that fits the bill: It's good without being extraordinary if you see what I mean.
So ultimately is-it worth watching?
==>Yes
Will you remember it as a masterpiece?
==> I doubt it UNLESS you haven't seen any before.
Hope it helps you.
PS: The opening song is a banger.
PS 2: The beginning is a bit "weird" and overly long in my opinion, but it takes off after 6 to 8 episodes, don't remember the exact number.
Still one of the best thriller ever written for Korean TV, several remakes, none holding a candle to the original. Kingdom with all its qualities just cannot compare.
So, yep PRIORITIES.
Yeah... I finished it literally in one go... I have LOTS of thoughts and no time to write them now, so I'll probably write a review before the end of the weekend.
Just wanted to give you a heads up since you asked for my opinion, I'll tell you when it's posted.
Final ratings 9, because of the horrendous pace so no 10 for me... But it is still saying something given HOW AWFUL the pacing was.
Or to be clear, he strongly suspects either Eun Ho and/or Mae Hwa to have the other half... but he hasn't completely abandoned the idea of Deok Su working with them. He's trying to keep them all in check BUT I'd say he's mostly suspicious of Mae Hwa, since she hadn't told him she had found Jae On. Probably hoped to get back the key by killing her but that plan went down the drain so we'll see how things go from now on.
Yeah, it's complicated...
Is it the actress? In Love Next Door, her kisses were horrible as well. WTF? I was bracing myself for the kiss and I unfortunately got what I anticipated, as you said "lips press/fish kiss".
If it sucks that much just don't do any close ups and film from afar, my brain will do the job. You can't trick the audience with these fakes and it breaks the magic SO.BAD.
It's not bad... but if you've seen ( and dropped) as many sageuks as I've done in my relatively long time as a K drama watcher, it's a bit of a tedious watch because that pattern is overused. What made it palatable in the beginning - the haona quartet, the friendship etc. - has taken a back sit and from the preview I don't think we'll get our quartet back together before episode 15 at the earliest.
The positive is the Prince got together with Jae On this week... BUT the downside is Su Ra and Jae Hwa are basically going to the dark side: One for money, the other because of jealousy... They've shown some sweet moments between our lovebirds... But I suspect these will be the ONLY sweet moments this week.
It's not pleasant and in my opinion there's not enough "positive emotions" to counter the negative ones. Lord Cheon is a walking nightmare.
So bit of a mixed bag. If you're really invested in the plot, I say go for it... But if you were into this show for the humor, haona quartet and fun... You can forget it.
There, I'm team "give up if you haven't already".
I personally always make sure I watch episodes as they're aired when shows are currently airing because if the show starts to drag, it always ends up in a "on hold" than "dropped".
So far, Thailand hasn't delivered a single GL I enjoyed, and I definitely won't blame the genre. Tipping the Velvet and any British adaptation of Sarah Waters novels have always been on my tops for GL content but nope.
I struggled with the first 4 episodes... Now near the end of episode 5 and still struggling. But since everyone keeps on throwing compliments I don't know. To be fair, I dropped all GLs from Thaïland so far, this one is the best out of the worst so...
I really want to like it as much as everyone... But I guess I'll be among the silent minority that didn't like this show...
Right now I'm pondering if I should see this to the end, after all though I'm not sold on either of these romances, I'm still mildly invested in the main plot of how things are gonna get resolved when Oom wakes up... But I honestly don't know if I'll manage.
This being said, great opening and ending. Gotta mention the few things I like.
EDIT. Episode 6
Nope that's a drop.
But I think the fact that Deok Su and Eun Ho looked for the box in episode 12 goes to show that no one knows where this box is.
This being said, getting rid of Mae Hwa is getting rid of a key witness for Lord Cheon. So far, he's assuming Deok Su doesn't know the truth and thinks Mae Hwa is guilty... but that's only if Mae Hwa doesn't talk. If he wants to keep Deok Su under his wing - and he does, she's smart, she knows how to make him more money - he has to make sure Mae Hwa will never have the chance to reveal the truth to Deok Su. Also, just like his son, she's got a good name and luck is on her side so it's better to have both under his control...
I also think he's a sick human being who gets some sort of twisted satisfaction for having the daughter of the friend he betrayed - friend who helped him when NO ONE else did for that matter - working for him.
I wasn't the biggest fan of this character from the beginning, but the more we know, the less I can bear to see him on my screen. Thankfully he was so busy making money he sent his son abroad to study otherwise
Jun Hwa would have turned out as twisted as his psycho father.