Kcdramamusings

A Phenomenal Journey Throughout

A Youku original (albeit not an adaptation), this historical is definitely one of the best written scripts in a long time. Featuring Liu Xue Yi & Ju Jing Yi in lead roles, the storyline focuses on the resurrection of the female lead (who escapes death twice, miraculously). Once in childhood when her entire family is massacred and next on her wedding night, when the female antagonist does a face swap. As I have already mentioned in the “First Impressions”, face swap doesn’t make much sense; I’m still calling it “Soul Swapping”. The newly resurrected female protagonist Yang Cai Wei makes use of her beautiful face, and rich lifestyle to seek revenge. Easy concept right? Nope, it is easier said than done. The 32 episodes romantic saga takes us on a revenge journey where our odd couple counter each other, become allies, fall in love again and conquer the evil villain. This was a phenomenal joyride and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/04/03/in-blossom-series-review/#more-706

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Was Promised Glory, This Show Was Anything But That

From the very first moment, I saw a woman who strong but also vulnerable in her own right!

“Tempest” runs on the coattails of an espionage controversy that seems thrilling but fizzles out in the end. Starring Jun Ji Hyun & Kang Dong Won in lead roles, the show weaves an intricate pattern of random assassination attempts as our female protagonist, Seo Mun Ju tries to accomplish the impossible, stepping into the footsteps of her late husband who was killed brutally. The investigation turns into presidential candidacy which ultimately leads to shocking revelations. The initial episodes keep you invested in a high drama spy espionage that is full of political intrigue. We keep wondering who the actual antagonists are, while watching the full-blown romance bloom between our main leads. From start to end, we are treated to high octane melodrama, and the show literally thrives on it!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/10/03/tempest-series-review/#more-2081

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A Disappointing Watch Indeed!

This show had so many random twists and turns that I literally don’t know where it went awry!

And this was supposedly tvN’s costliest project till date. I get it, I mean all that trivia about space and the equipments must have cost a fortune; and yet they delivered the biggest flop of the year. Even Lee Min Ho’s charisma couldn’t save it. There were so many loopholes in the storyline that I can’t defend it anymore-

1) Honestly, not a fan of cheating trope. Going Ryong did travel to space as a tourist for his patient’s sake, but if he didn’t have feelings for Go Eun, he should have made it clear before he left; or atleast in the thousand other occasions he got while he was in space.

2) I fail to understand how the main leads fell in love within a week, given Eve’s tough personality and disciplined character. Also, despite being veteran actors, their chemistry didn’t serve.

3) The last four episodes made zero sense, I understand sharing body heat, but is it really possible to have sex in zero gravity? Even if they couldn’t detect Eve’s pregnancy in the hundreds of tests they did before she left for the space station, how did the morula survive the space travel? Also, Gong Ryong didn’t finish his training and yet managed to sustain for 6 months in outer space, how?

4) The ending was preposterous, I didn’t quite understand the purpose behind it. Are they trying to propagate their agenda of giving birth in space?

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/02/25/when-the-stars-gossip-series-review/#more-1612

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A Suspense Thriller At Par With the Best

I started this show with zero expectations so it was pleasant surprise and also shocking!

Adapted from the novel “Snow White Must Die” by Nele Neuhaus, the show dives headstrong into two murder cases right off the bat. Before you gather your wits and question the inadequacies in the investigation, our protagonist is sentenced to ten years imprisonment. Starring an ensemble casting which includes Byun Yo Han, Go Jun, Go Bo Gyeol, Kim Bo Ra in lead roles, the show is a crime thriller which is simply egregious. The show circles around the main lead, Go Jeong U. He as someone stuck by circumstantial evidence, doesn’t remember anything about the murders that he supposedly committed; as he was drunk and the psychiatrists tagged his scenario as a “Blackout”. The show leads us through a journey where Go Jeong U retraces the steps through the murders that he was accused of. Shockingly bizarre truths unfold as he discovers that he was betrayed by his near and dear ones, people he trusted implicitly. Let’s dig deeper and learn more about his story!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/10/06/black-out-series-review/#more-1237

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An Impresive Start to a Hilarious Romcom

If you enjoyed watching the recently concluded romcom “The Matchmakers”, then probably “Knight Flower” should be on your watchlist. The premise is quite similar, a widowed daughter-in-law belonging to an influential family who lives a double life. While Jung Soon Deok (Cho Yi Hyun) portrayed a masterful matchmaker, Lee Ha Nee plays Cho Yeo Hwa, a gutsy yet happy-go-lucky widow who masquerades as the “legendary hero” at night. I jumped into this drama because Lee Ha Nee is one of my favorite actresses and her comic timing is unbeatable. If you have watched her in “The Fiery Priest”, then you would understand my point. She doesn’t disappoint here either; Yeo Hwa is a joy to watch, it could be the fight scenes where she punishes the baddies or her subtle romantic scenes with ML, Lee Jong Won. Well I did have reservations about this pairing, the eleven age-gap is pretty obvious; I’m not even sure if this is a noona romance. Nevertheless, both have a striking chemistry, and we are going to talk more about this!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/01/15/knight-flower-first-impressions/#more-450

"Knight Flower" Series Review

There are very few shows that actually get me excited; especially the weekend ones. Currently, I’m juggling not one but four shows on weekends and despite this hectic schedule, “Knight Flower” always held priority. Simply because I couldn’t wait to watch what kind of new antic Cho Yeo Hwa would get involved in. The central character of this show, Yeo Hwa is the dutiful widowed daughter-in-law of the Left State Councilor. She was widowed the day she got married and has spent 15 years mourning of the loss of a husband she never met. Rather tragic, but underneath her demure nature hides the legendary hero who climbs walls at night and helps the needy people while punishing the evil. The entire circumstances of this story line is elevated by the fact that Lee Ha Nee plays this role with a dexterity. Her perplexed expressions are on point, comedy is Lee Ha Nee’s strong point, and she excels in that. Let’s review this hilariously ridiculous romcom with slight dangerous edge!

Read the complete review here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/02/19/knight-flower-series-review/

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A Phenomenal Journey Which You Become A Part Of!!!

Once in a while comes a drama that is little over-the-top and yet a perfect slice of romance!

Sequel to the popular 2019 hit “Hospital Playlist”, “Resident Playbook” doesn’t immediately offer solace or warmth that was so characteristic of its predecessor. The show revolves around four very burned, unsure resident doctors who are still finding their own path. That being said, this isn’t their individual journey, the storytelling focuses on the inner workings of the OB-GYN, something that has never been catered too before. In the backdrop are the lives and journeys of our first year residents who are trying to figure out what they want from life in general. This show doesn’t automatically turn them into geniuses without the span of twelve episodes; no it doesn’t. When the show ends, these characters are still flawed but on their way to becoming better. I loved how realistic it was, how it perceived its characters and gave them room to breathe!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/05/20/resident-playbook-series-review/

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The Biggest Disappointment of this Year!!

I’m still trying to figure out if I liked this show or not!

When I read that the show has only 8 episodes, I was kind of disappointed; given the fact that it has an ensemble casting consisting of some of my favorite actors. I was like “I would only get to watch them together for 8 episodes, that’s bad”. When the show started, I had no idea about the storyline, so when they suddenly plunged us into a universe where powerless angels exist, I couldn’t make the head or tail of it. Above all, the fact that Park Hyung Sik was playing an antagonistic role was even more shocking. I have nothing against experimentation, but I just couldn’t look at his face and think “This guy is evil (I mean that’s a pretty handsome face after all)”. The story goes awry right from the pilot episodes since we are never given the proper introduction to the characters or their backgrounds. Instead of twelve zodiac angels, there are only eight ones existing. We don’t know what happened to the other four, except the fact that they are dead (makes you wonder, aren’t angels supposed to be immortal, can they be killed???). The show leaves you hanging with umpteen questions until the finale episode and even then, the ending is so rushed that it leaves you unsatisfied.

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/09/16/twelve-series-review/#more-2048

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Could Have Been Better

This felt like an extended version of a chaebol melodrama with added action scenes!

I’m a huge fan of Rain, that was one of the main reasons to start this show. The pilot episodes did catch my attention and I was slightly hooked (won’t say that this show was intriguing right from the start). We have loads of plotting and scheming happening in the backwaters, alongside the “classic mother-in-law & daughter-in-law melodrama”; add a cheating husband, a crazy illegitimate brother-in-law and a hot bodyguard to this mix, and we have a complete potboiler. This show was full of overused tropes- a bodyguard falling for his employer, a husband who is insanely in love with his wife and yet cheats on her and a scheming mother-in-law who got her comeuppance in the end (that was quite satisfactory). There isn’t much to dwell in this drama, so we are going to quickly tap into the specifics!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/08/04/red-swan-series-review/

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A Crispy Storytelling With Stellar Casting

Club a drug addict detective, a greedy reporter and an insurance agent together and we get a crime thriller of epic proportions!

Although the said genres in this drama are thriller, action and mystery; “Connection” strongly thrives on the complicated friendships in this show. It could be Jae Kyung who has given up on friends altogether or Yun Jin who is too invested in her own affairs to care much about her friends or Park Tae Jin and Won Jon Soo who use friends for their ulterior purposes. Friendship is the start and the endgame of this show. The past few weeks flew by fast, that’s how much this show occupied my weekend space. Starring Ji Sung, Jeon Mi Do, Kwon Yool, Kim Kyung Nam in the lead roles; the drama seems to revolve around Jang Jae Kyung (Ji Sung), but he isn’t at the epicenter. Rather, the storyline evolves as he deciphers the uncoded murder of Park Jun Seo, who was seemingly friends with all of them. So why did he commit suicide or was he murdered by his close friends who all seem equally suspicious? The story keeps you guessing and up until, the last episode you couldn’t have guessed the real criminal!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/07/07/connection-series-review/

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What An Utter Disappointment!!

I have lost count of the number of times either of these two men got thrashed and still survived!

This show started with a punch, a group of Olympic athletes; once famous, but now fallen from grace. Each of them left their dreams behind for a certain reason and joined the police force to earn a steady income or to work for the people. The only problem is that no one takes them seriously, since they are special recruits. Also, the police force is mostly headed by shady & questionable individuals who are obviously in cohorts with our delightful villain who refuses to die, no matter how hard everyone tries. He is like an unconquered factor who keeps raising from the ashes, phoenix or not? Starring Park Bo Gum, Kim So Hyun, Lee Sang Yi, Heo Sung Tae, Tae Won Seok as the main leads, the show had a promising storyline; but too much violence & gore took away the meaningful impact, leaving behind a lackluster show that was disappointing!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/07/24/good-boy-series-review/

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My Favorite Fantasy CDrama this Year!!!

The show has ended and I still haven’t gotten over the wild vibes!

Guo Jing Ming’s directorial always have a set tapestry- the characters are as queer as they can and the cinematography is at another level. With sumptuous locales and luxurious settings, he always commands stories that will take up every minute of your existence. His characters are so endearing, that you wish to join them on their journeys. It could be a 34000 years old Great Demon, who is both hilarious and flirtatious, a proficient Demon Hunter from an illustrious family line, reserved and highly disciplined, a Goddess from the Wilderness, who is sweet, frail yet courageous, an erstwhile Commander of the Martial Camp whose only concern is protecting the said Goddess, a childlike physician who loves to scream and a Mountain God who loves to cook. The similarity between them- they all love each other and are a huge family. The storyline wraps these characters tightly into a bond that is unbreakable and unbelievably strong.

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/11/19/fangs-of-fortune-series-review/#more-1336

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Thriller Family Melodrama at its Best

Two mothers with different agendas and priorities!

MBC’s “Bitter Sweet Hell” pulls off hijinks in the most egregious manner possible; it can be considered as a journey of maternal love but from two different perspectives. While Hong Sa Kang keeps a tight rein on her only son, Dr. Choi Jae Jin; No Yeong Won gives her son, Do Hyun the breathing space he needs. Both love their sons but in different ways and this familial love becomes the cruz of this family melodrama. Starring a ginormous casting like Kim Hee Sun, Lee Hye Young, Kim Nam Hee, Yeonwoo; the show portrays complicated family relationships in the most realistic way possible. At the epicenter of this show is the terse, strained relationship between a sharp mother-in-law and her smart daughter-in-law, who have been at loggerheads forever. Their dynamics start to change when a psychopath decides to destroy the familial ties. Decidedly, there is nothing new in the script but the show keeps you on your toes. The thrill factor could be attributed to the unrestrained antagonist, Lee Se Na, who plays the “Devil’s Reincarnate”, judging the entire family and handing out punishments.

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/07/01/bitter-sweet-hell-series-review/

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One of my Favorites in 2024, Surprisingly Impressive

There are very few dramas that actually hold your attention until the very end; I’m the kind of person who mostly fast forwards through the penultimate episodes because I can’t stand the angst or melodrama. I rarely did that with this show, enjoying each and every moment. I grew fond of the characters; it could be the sides or the mains. Adapted from the manhua “Wu Geng Ji” (武庚纪) by Zheng Jian He (郑健和) and Deng Zhi Hui (邓志辉), “Burning Flames” is a dystopian story with the MC seeking justice for the wrongs inflicted by the Immortal realm on the humans and the demons. It was peculiar that the antagonists in this show were actually Immortals who are supposed to protect the common people. From start to end, there wasn’t a dull moment as Wu Geng led the fight against the all powerful immortal while growing mature as an individual. Ren Jia Lun excels in his portrayal of Wu Geng/A Gou. Both are obviously varied personalities, and yet he embodies them effortlessly. Joining this ensemble casting are Xing Fei (Bai Cai), Zhu Xu Dan (Lan), Yan Yi Kuan (Zi Yu) and Zhu Zheng Ting (Ni Tian Er Xing), each of whom make valuable contributions to his arduous journey. There was character development for each of them and some more!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/04/28/burning-flames-series-review/#more-768

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A Cliche Romance That Couldn't be Worst!!

I expected a masterpiece but was treated to mediocrity!

The reason to start this show was that I absolutely loved Jung So Min in “Alchemy of Souls” & “Love Next Door”. The variability in her choices is exciting, and I was hoping this would be a follow-up. Sadly, the show starts off with a strong premise & interesting characters, but the later half nosedives into obscurity. What started as an interesting romance between star crossed lovers turns into a story with no character growth; the worst part being that the lead couple had zero chemistry. I was more disappointed by their lack of chemistry than the convoluted plot, because Jung So Min is known to have a phenomenal rapport with her co-stars. The supporting characters were annoying, even the antagonists were a major let down. Waiting for the show to end became a weekly respite!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/11/17/would-you-marry-me-series-review/

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My Favorite Actors in an Intricate Storyline

What happens when a batshit crazy tyrant Joseon King who is also a strict gourmet meets a genius chef from the future?

It’s mayhem and chaos but in a comic way. tvN’ s “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty” sets the tone for this rambunctious affair from the first episode itself. Award winning chef Yeon Ji Yeong is suddenly thrust into the Joseon era by a mind-boggling time travel transition when she reads the contents of an ancient book, that her father borrowed from his historian friend. There she meets the utterly handsome yet ruthless King Yi Heon. Their first meeting is equal parts hilarious & shocking because it takes a long time before Ji Yeong accepts the fact that she is in the Joseon era. Add to the fact, that she behaves rudely with Yi Heon without knowing his true identity, we have a disaster in making. The show is as flavorful as the dishes that Ji Yeong prepares after she is forcefully appointed as the Chief Royal Cook. Both of our leads butt heads, have abundant arguments while sharing tasty food that is catered to Yi Heon’s picky taste buds.

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/09/30/bon-appetit-your-majesty-series-review/#more-2075

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