Nongkram

I'm currently watching Sword Snow Stride a second time to make the wait for the new episodes easier, in case anyone is interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf392nvj2_E&t=6s

The voice fits RuYi masterfully; especially the nuances in her voice when she talks to NYZ.

He is narcissistic, has prisoners tortured to get his point across, is extremely disrespectful and rude to RuYi and tries to kill her protégé and friends. If he continues like this, RuYi will probably kill him, as she has suggested as an option before. But he obviously has his fans...lol.

Lol, obviously only himself...

A pair of lovers with terrific chemistry who continue to mature in character with their relationship and are unconditionally supported by their loyal friends, little feminist sideswipes at the drama genre like clothes shopping with the male lead...and a few dark clouds due to a former protégé who behaves disrespectfully towards the FL and is close to insanity. This drama offers all that and more...

This drama has a feminist undertone from screenwriter Zhang Wei (A Dream of Splendor), who also happens to be a drama teacher. Zhang Wei's male main leads are very idealized and probably tailored to her personal preferences...lol; respectful, caring and successful, not without weaknesses that are balanced out by a strong female lead. Li Tong Guang, on the other hand, is portrayed as being quite charming at times, but incredibly disrespectful narcissist towards the FL and lack of empathy towards her friends as well as portrayed with malicious traits. Zhang Wei seems to have some contempt for possessive, self-centered men who use their charm until they achieve their goal. That's why I'm not entirely confident that this character will develop positively which doesn't mean that this is still possible.

It's a hit with these two actors in their 30s who bring their experience to bear. The leads have great chemistry and a mature, mutually respectful relationship with their loyal friends in the movie, making everyone else who isn't part of this tight-knit bunch seem secondary, including a whiny narcissist who tortures people out of spite and slowly but surely loses his mind (played magnificently by Chang Hua Sen). Liu Shi Shi gave a phenomenal performance as she lost her composure in relief and all the dams broke after the father-to-be of her child got through the worst. So far I really like the drama, there will probably be a bit of angst to endure before the journey to love reaches its destination.

My Dearest is one of the best Asian drama series of all time and Hwang Jin Young is the best female Korean screenwriter out there right now. Many of the episodes I rate a 10, but of course I wish the first memory loss didn't happen and Gil Chae just nursed her Jang Hyun back to health, but I understand that the screenwriter wanted to show that Gil Chae loves her Jang Hyun even if he has a naive and innocent mind, the fingerprint of a female screenwriter...lol. The final episode is quite well done despite the immense time constraints, although one would have liked an epilogue with happy family pictures and their offspring. The acting performances of Ahn Eun Jin and Namkoong Min are phenomenal, along with a slightly feminist and socially critical script and an anti-hero rarely found in Asian dramas, the almost perfect symbiosis. A great drama which I enjoyed very much!

Cui Lin selfishly goes her own way; she wants to see him as crown prince, even though everyone will want to kill him. I already noticed this negative character trait when she was angry with him when he didn't want to save Liu Cheng Feng because he caused the death of many of his men. She and her father, in complete disregard for Li Ni's safety, are responsible for the deaths of many of Li Ni's loyal soldiers. Gu Wan Niang is also no longer to be trusted, a dangerous woman out for revenge, I wouldn't be surprised if she gets involved with Liu Cheng Feng; Cui Lin is at least easy to figure out. The constant kissing between Cui Lin and Li Ni used to be a breath of fresh air; meanwhile, the two are already in the day of marriage like an old married couple constantly nagging each other...lol. Let's see if Li Ni can become as important as many other things in Cui Lin's life.

Admittedly, that was certainly very strange, I expected her to see through it more quickly!

Cui Yi's ultimate move to eliminate Li Ni as son-in-law along with his most loyal men was to propose him as crown prince. It becomes increasingly clear that Li Ni needs Wan Niang and Cui Lin to survive as crown prince. Wan Niang quickly learns to recognize dangers for Li Ni, knows which emotional buttons to push with him and can watch his back at home while he works out the military tactics with Cui Lin.

The human-hunting princess is a psychopath but still important for the character development of our main leads. In this drama, almost nothing happens without meaning behind it. Jang Hyun could make a career in the inner circle of the ruling family of a powerful empire and produce offspring who could claim enormous military power, which is of course why the princess wants him. Jang Hyun and Gil Chae are soul mates and one can well imagine a leading family that can make a whole region flourish with skill and empathy. Gil Chae would nurse her Jang Hyun back to health with all her strength and love, while the Psycho Princess would probably let him die if he had served his purpose. Remember when the military officer Won Moo asked Gil Chae to come home early because they could spend time together and Gil Chae refused. No Won Moo or Yeon Jun could ever hold a candle to her, she just doesn't die of boredom because she can do her business and selflessly gets herself into trouble with her empathy while the two aforementioned stand by and watch the worst injustices.

Gil Chae's dreams about her future husband, exactly, finally someone mentions it and sums it up so nicely. The drama has many subtleties in early episodes which provide information about a possible course of the drama.

Won Moo (military officer) won Gil Chae's sympathy by claiming that her rescue by Jang Hyun was through him, which was already the first deceitful deception from Won Moo's side. Won Moo is guilty of allowing the kidnapping of his wife despite his military power, whom he then half-heartedly searches for and then subjects to rape and slavery by simply giving up, not a husband worthy of the name. In addition, Gil Chae knows about this breach of trust and the abandonment to a cruel fate by her indifferent and narcissistic "husband". The only ones who were cheated are Gil Chae and Jan Hyun, who believed she was safe.

One of the best historical dramas of all time and the MDL rating a mockery. This drama is a potpourri of social criticism, mockery of a patriarchal society with men like Yeon Jun and Won-moo who are cowardly and bigoted, and above all, an extremely intense wartime love story. It probably goes against the grain for some that in this drama, women have to make difficult decisions without the sword to their necks involving family and friends. Jang Hyun constantly encourages Gil Chae to use her skills and doesn't give a damn if Gil Chae has had another man, he takes her as she is on the spot. Looking forward to the next episodes!

Another terrific episode in a thrilling drama; what Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun Jin deliver is absolute master class. The scene when Gil Chae dreamed her husband Jang Hyun was coming to get her...

Screenwriter Hwang Jin Young is a master at transforming her inspiration into one of the best Korean dramas. Of course, Gil Chae cannot abandon her family to fate for selfish reasons; only a psychopath or sociopath could. The female manhunter who kills ruthlessly knows no empathy and would be a poor choice for Jang Hyun the secret leader of the resistance to whom countless people owe their lives. Marrying the lying jerk who sends refugees back to their doom was simply a deal, after some self-doubt Gil Chae of course could not help getting herself into trouble again for reasons of conscience. Gil Chae and Jang Hyun would be a power couple made for each other, but it is a love story spiced with a good dose of reality and in the meantime, unfortunately, there are many dangerous hurdles to their love. You can write a drama so that almost everyone likes it and it gets high ratings; but how bland and boring would it be then. I have not forgotten Namkoong Min's promise for the second part regarding the relationship between Jan Hyun and Gil Chae. I look forward to the next episodes and hope you enjoy!

This wonderful drama picks up right where it left off. Marrying this jerk who sends refugees back to their doom is a deal Gil Chae made to protect her family and friends, and dutifully and unenthusiastically fulfills until, as we know her, after some wrestling with herself, her conscience leads her to stand up for others and endanger herself. Yeon Jun is equally powerless to help the refugees, and as irony would have it, it is the only real man and hero who is despised by society, which unfortunately makes him the anti-hero or hero of the hearts of his rescued refugees, who even stakes his fortune and life for strangers. Looking forward to the next episode!

Gil Chae made understandable decisions. It was already clear from the description in the first part that she would have other men. Lee Jang Hyun is too cool to give up on her because she's no longer a virgin...lol...The love story is between the two of them and not between her and the lying idiot she marries. Looking forward to the first episode.

The Dark Lord (2018)