I wanna like it more but…
Blossoms in Adversity is a welcome departure from the typical disgraced family trope… Instead of the usual set up where the story starts off after a noble family has fallen, we get a show that focuses on the failing of the family in real time.This drama does so many things that I like. The music, cinematography (though it's a bit over the top at times) and action were all pretty good. The ML's action scenes were especially good. You can tell that he's been molded into a ruthless killing machine, who is perfectly capable of beating a man to death with his bare hands, then he demonstrates😆.
BIA shows how women are treated as commodities rather than people in this ancient society. Women and girls are supposed to be looked at, and used not heard. The domestic talents they cultivate are ultimately useless when it's time for them to earn money on their own. The purposeful ignorance they live in can even be a threat to their lives in dire situations.
I really enjoyed everything that had to do with this critique of the traditional family unit and expectations of women… Seeing a group of women overcome the odds over and over was amazing… but….
I don't really like anything else.
The ML’s acting was especially bad. I remember seeing a review mention someone had a “frozen face”, as soon as I saw the ML I knew it was him. Only his eyebrows move, it's hilarious.
The romance lacked chemistry, So I skipped through all their later scenes together…
There is a villian and I hate him because he is stupid. The ending seemed super rushed to me, and all their problems were solved super conveniently…
It was alright, I would recommend it, but I would never watch it again.
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Please understand what you're getting into.
This is a story about a 30-sum year old woman getting psychometric powers after touching the butt of a cow that got hit by a meteor... then using those powers (which only activate when she is touching a booty) to catch a serial killer.Of course Shenanigans ensue...
I don't understand why people are taking this drama seriously. This is a comedy, and its a damn good one.
All the jokes were funny and memorable. The cast did an excellent job. I didn't mind the lack of romance because its clear that isn't the point of the show. The goal is to make you laugh! That is what I needed and wanted!
Music and cinematography were great! Added several tracks to my OST list!
I thought the chemistry was fine... some people are complaining about their dynamic when its legit enemies to lovers. ML starts off thinking the FL is a S3x offender... I can understand him being abrasive to her touching him without consent. His reactions were totally appropriate!!! Despite that their relationship develops and deepens.
Its a fun(ny) solid drama that warmed me up!
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It's fine.
Yea we watched it for Nam Goongmin...His dedication to his roles is honestly unmatched. Honestly the real shining star for this show is the actors. The plot itself is a little predictable but seeing the actors pull it off was amazing.
Everyone brought their A game for sure! I was hoping that this would be as exciting as Vagabond but its a little more subdued... The action is brutal and realistic. NGM really drops his usual playful attitude and becomes someone else. Def gonna rewatch ep 1 for YEARS to come.
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It's so good!
A wonderful comedy that is elevated by its cast in every way. It was such a fun experience. So glad I had the time to rewatch it.The only thing holding it back was that some of the villians are so dumb. No one dies in the show despite the fact that there are multiple assassination attempts, yeah they're that stupid.
Honestly that just adds to the humor!
The music, cast, and plot are all perfectly balanced. It's nearly perfect. I wish a little more attention was paid to the romance, but I'm glad I didn't have to sit through another love triangle.
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Great! until it isn't?
I really liked this show! Episodes 1-7 are basically perfect!At the halfway point things start to take a dip? I felt that the establish patterns of certain bus passengers were being disregarded in favor of a more dramatic presentation?
Earlier in the story our main characters are held down by the other bus passengers for attempting to leave the bus... but when the culprit is revealed and pulls a knife on the main characters all the passengers including FOUR men all stand by and watch the FL get her throat slashed AFTER STABBING ANOTHER GUY??? Not once but twice?
The main leads have to scream for help to get other people into action... even though they were happy to inconvenience the leads earlier...
I also disliked the stupidity of Mengmeng's ? death? Why would the bus stop there? why didn't she look both ways before stepping onto a busy highway? The driver doesn't have mirrors so he could see and be like "watch out!"??? and the lack of urgency towards the end?
The ML is visibly suffering after every loop after the halfway point.... The FL disreguards him and keeps pushing him.... Lady he's bleeding from the nose... yall can't take a break for one loop so the man can relax? And not be burned to death, stabbed or be chased by the cops?
Not to mention the hot potato with the bomb near the end? Eveyone was just taking their sweet time telling the truth to each other.... I know its a DRAMA... but damn.
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BAD + Crazy
The big twist is that this is not a supernatural drama about possession, but rather a thriller involving DID.I have to applaud this drama for being better than Killme/Healme or Hyde, Jekyll, Me in its depiction of what kind of traumatic even triggers DID.
That's the good stuff.
K functions like a ghost... I've rarely heard of DID patients being able to see and interact with their alters... It was hard to believe... shoulda just made him a ghost...
There are investigation portions to the story but they all take too long... Some things that could be resolved in 2 eps are stretched out across 4 total sometimes. The drama reeks of weekly writing because the relevant plot that you've been following will be dropped in favor of something new...
I'm not sure if this story was planned out but its bad enough that it FEEL like the writers were making shit up as they went.
ACTION was great! I actually adore K!
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A Relic of a Bygone Era
The first thing that came to my mind when I started this drama was "dated". Everything in this show is extremely dated. The cinematography, music, story, and tone all feel like I've been blasted back to that very warm era from 2008-2012 for Asian dramas. Unfortunately It's been a decade since then and I need a lil more than what this show was able to give. Plain talk: it's really boring.Though the drama tackles some serious issues like CA, SA, dr*gs and MORE, but it has a serious tonal issue. One moment we'll see the worse thing ever happen to a person and three minutes later you'll see some of the most cheesy comedy ever. The framing device is also weird? It's like a 4th wall break thing like The Office but it doesn't contribute anything… So what's the point in having it at all?
The story is simple… boring… and linear… At times I was shocked at how mature the content could be then be pulled out immediately by the erratic tone. This drama does not know what it wants to be: A crime solving law drama, A conspiracy drama, or a tacky rom com…. in the end it split the duty unevenly…
A big issue for me is the FL and how she's obviously not like other girls…🙄 Shes built up to be a bad B who can take care of herself but the only reason she gets anything done is because she's surrounded by men… I wasn't a big fan of her silly or "cute" moments because I really never felt like I could take her seriously. Like if that chick from It's Okay to not be Okay acted like she did THEN I'd find it cute because that woman was actually a bad B…
The leads had pretty ok chemistry and had some nice moments from the beginning. The whole cast had great acting with only one person standing out.
But like JO HAN CHUL tho… dude was the bread and butter of this drama and carried the entire thing on his back. He was so ridiculous that I'd wake up everytime he was on screen. Man really felt like he was having fun writhing on the floor in his underpants.😂😂😂 It's worth watching just for him, played a great scumbag.
All in all if you like simple straightforward stories with no detours or if you're feeling nostalgic for dramas they stopped making a decade ago then this is the drama for you. You'll definitely have some fun but never rewatch…
Has a satisfying more traditional HEA too!
Hated the wedding dress tho…
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They never stick The Landing.
They never stick the landing anymore.Okay, I would like to start off with saying what I LOVED about this drama.
I really liked the main characters and their arcs. The ML does at lot of growing, the 2nd FL works through a lot of her problems and same can be said for the 2nd ML.
This show looks REALLY good. The effects and set are awesome.
The mysteries are all pretty unique and fun to watch. All the arcs had at least one good thing to offer…
The first 10-15 eps are really good. No notes.
Now the REST.
The costumes in this show are awful. They're almost as bad as Til the End of the Moon's. I know it's a web novel world but the color, cut and styles of some outfits just made me scratch my head. Also toooo many accessories on each person. They are supposed to be homeless traveling demon hunters who rely of the good will of the people they help for survival, yet they have so many dangling gold and silver bits and bobbles… It's ridiculous, but forgivable.
About 10/15 episodes in the pacing really starts to take a nosedive. Things take forever to resolve and they become predictable. It was around then that I guessed how everything would turn out…
The last arc was torture for me to get through.
The ending is also so unsatisfying. A quick tie up would have been ten times better than what we got.
This is a cute watch but don't expect it to be the most well put together.
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Almost there.
The Double is a pretty good drama. For the first 15 episodes I would have said that this show was on its way to being as good as Love Like the Galaxy.But it's not quite good enough to fill that LLTG Hole.
The positive things I have to say are endless, because this is an example of when you can feel every ounce of effort that was crammed into this show. The cinematography was amazing, there are so many shots that are screen saver worthy. The consistent use of flowing fabrics, wind and flower petals made my eyes pop open on more than one occasion. The fight choreography was on point too, it's almost comparable with Blood of Youth and fighting is the whole point of that show. The music also slapped. Be it a bgm or the featured artists it was always a pleasure to listen to whatever was coming out of my speakers. I did add more tracks to my playlist, and that's always the mark of great music.
I have the highest praise for the actors, there's not a single person in this show who was not giving a stellar performance as well, the direction and cast's chemistry was great! I feel like there are so many scenes where I can't imagine another actor replacing any of our main characters. This along with the initial writing in the first quarter of the show made the story so compelling! Everything just made sense, and I really liked that.
On the other hand it's hard to overlook the flaws of this drama. I think it can be overly dramatic and prioritize visuals over telling it's story in a more useful way at times. I also think that the pacing of the show could have been better. The 1st through 15th episodes are clearly aware that this story has a time limit and all the events flow evenly… But once we pass that halfway mark the plots take forever to resolve and get more and more choppy. I especially despise the final episode which unnecessarily kills off some characters in the dumbest and most abrupt ways. I didn't care for the drawn out reunion that we don't even really get to see. It's gore and murder and then a flower field and the FL looks into the camera and this hefty 40 episode monstrosity ends… Just. like. that…
I felt that there were so many moments where I wanted something more, something deeper, something intricate to happen and for the writing to be just a little smarter in how all of these characters related to each other.
I didn't care for it…
but the beginning was amazing so I can't rate it that low. I'd recommend it! But this is not on Love Like the Galaxy or Love and Redemption's level. Those stories kept you hooked until the very end and had very satisfying endings that didn't need unneeded shock value for its finale.
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It's a lil cheeeeezzzy, baby.
One of the best romances that I've watched recently. The chemistry was there from the beginning and both of them make for very compelling entertainment. ML states that he is unmanly due to his sensitivity, but his quiet and attentive efforts are some of the most attractively masculine qualities I've seen in a recent ML.His attitude juxtaposed to the FL's performative masculinity (which stems from necessity rather than desire) and how she ends up leaning back into her feminity (cuz she feels safe enough to do so) because of his efforts??? OMG Swoon~ WHAT A MANNNNN. So fun to watch.
The 2nd lead couple was also great, I really liked their conflict.
My only issue with this show is the length. As always it's harder for shorter dramas to stick the landing… I feel like this might have actually needed the full 16 episodes. They lay down A LOT of info for major character arcs in those last few episodes.
Things felt really rushed and a tad unsatisfying.
But I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for something light and easy to chew.
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I'm here for the free food.
One Dollar Lawyer is pretty good. It's got unique cases, some memorable characters and NAM GOONG MIN.I love these types of shows where he's a hero who investigates some corrupt element present in his world… The thing is that ODL allowed NGM to be both a serious investigator and the funniest man on earth all at once. This show is super funny, I couldn't predict everything that would happen so it might surprise you. Definitely a fun watch. Great for passing time between fantasizing about a reality where bad people actually get punishment.
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Omg its really good.
When I first started this show I was a little wary because of the low rating. A 9.3 on Viki usually means a lack of quality, but this show really surpassed my low expectations.This story is a historical costume drama that has a sci-fi based time travel gimmick, and it SLAPS. It's really entertaining.
I watched this right after finishing The Double and a lot of the smarter writing I was craving in The Double was present here. This was a show about politics before anything else. Everyone has a faction and it fighting to get a leg up over every other faction. The constant conflicts and mental battles always make this drama feel fresh. If you liked Cheng Shaoshang's big brain in LLTG then you'll love Li Rong. Zhao Jinmai does an exceptional job (as always) communicating that she's a jaded and cold woman who is just trying to survive and do what she thinks will make everything better.
I also love the ML Pei Wenxuan. Dude has got the sauce. Zhang Linghe has been in the corner on the shelf since I first saw him in Maiden Holmes… but my guy made himself a true heartthrob with this show. His understanding of the FL and being able to anticipate her plans made for some of the most satisfying scenes.
Love all the side characters! The regular villains can be a little hard to take seriously, but the main villian was a total boss who actually felt like a true threat.
My ONLY valid complaint is the fact that this show looks AWFUL. The costumes aren't too bad but the cinematography lacks substance and personality. In rare and heavy moments some scenes are filmed intentionally but that just makes the rest of the drama look even worse. It looks like a cheap morning drama sometimes it's so bland.
It's a complicated story where there isn't an easy path or answer. Great story, acting and music. Will definitely watch again.
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Ah mannnnnn!
Oooo boy!If you have watched Princess Agents then KNOW that this show is nothing like that. It feels like They knew the fans of these leads could not take another sad ass drama with an ending that would make you end up in an asylum.
THIS is the FIRST Chinese Xianxia drama to make me more invested in the immortal/demon realm plot than what had happened on the mortal plane. Usually I'm gagging for that mortal trial trope 10 episodes in but not THIS time. I thought the meet cute was pretty well done and I loved the chemistry between Shen Li and Xing Zhi. I really enjoy it when the FL is the straight man in a relationship. Although Xing Zhi is a wise and elderly deity, he's also the youngest one of his kind. He's capable of being powerful and playful all at once. Shen Li's direct personality and serious nature mingle so well with Xing Zhi's. Her nature doesn't relax until she is with him freely.
It's a star crossed lovers story that works well, the romance is top tier and its progression is very natural and enjoyable. I can totally buy why they can't be together and yet it's so satisfying to see them attempt to do it anyway.
This show has some great side characters who all have their own mini arcs where they grow as people and end the show as better individuals, they also add a lot to the humor because the show is HILARIOUS. The music was so good that I added some tracks to my ost playlist!
The bad thing about this drama are the villains…
Nothing any of them did was particularly compelling to me. Theres a betrayal that was supposed to be surprising… but it wasn't… Nothing relating to villians goals or actions seemed logical and I found myself skipping through their scenes late into the drama. I also didn't enjoy the flash back/ back story… I was curious but that too was kinda meh.
I adored the ending though, it's such a relief to watch my leads be happy AFTER all the melodrama is over. This show is rewatchable… but only for the romance.
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Rare good J-drama
It's a case of the week show with a central story that is very compelling. It's more than just serial killers every episode. There is a wide variety of cases a d it's satisfying to see how they'll be resolved. I love the dynamic between the character and I'm a big fan of the lack of romance.Just really solid in a way that J-dramas struggle with these days…
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Damn good
This show was an insane roller coaster that makes use of sooo many old school tropes all at once.The crazy part is that it works.
This drama is a hilarious and wild ride with an overarching mystery that involves every main and side character. The story makes perfect sense and progresses as logically as it can allow itself to…
I had a lot of fun and will certainly revisit it in the future. OMFG it's so cheesy and satisfying. The action and music are great and it's vibe reminded me of Chief Kim at times. Imagine Nam Goongmin in heels.
That's the show. It's great filler fodder while you wait for something else to update.
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