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Glory: A Love Story That Forgot Its Own Heart
Glory has left a bitter taste, which lingers precisely because its beginning was so exceptionally sweet. The setup promised a feast for the imagination: a story of epic love and intellectual equals set against a refreshingly different world. I’ve let my thoughts settle for days, re-watching key scenes to ensure my feelings are rooted in the story itself, not external factors like production changes. As a romantic, I truly hoped for the grand, fulfilling love story I was initially sold.And what a magnificent setup it was. Shanbao, heir to a 400-year-old matriarchal household, was introduced as smart, ruthless, and in total control of her marriage destiny—a thrilling concept at the time. Lu Jianglai, the cunning and righteous magistrate, was her perfect counterpart, a man of brilliance and brawn. Their first, electric contact—her perceptive gaze meeting his eyes, drawing him in as he took a subtly advancing step—was a masterstroke. It was a starting line on a map of connection, sparking immediate excitement for the journey ahead.
The narrative was genius. Him, amnesiac and rescued by her, living in her household as she chose a husband from a pool of suitors—it was a delicious, spicy dynamic. Watching him climb from stablehand to her right hand and into her heart, using his wit and optimism despite the power imbalance, was utterly captivating. We were promised a tangled, beautiful mess upon the inevitable revelation of his identity, and the story delivered thrillingly up to that midpoint.
Then, it unraveled.
The focus diffused onto side characters, some undeservedly redeemed. More critically, the core dynamic fractured. Shanbao evolved from a brilliant leader into an almost omniscient figure, her scheming losing its connective tissue to Jianglai. She kept him deliberately in the dark, schemed behind his back—sometimes against his interests—and her reactions to his vulnerability turned cold. Where there should have been partnership, there was distance; where there should have been care, there was a smirk. The contrast was stark, especially in moments like when he was drugged and emotionally overexposed—she met his sincere, out-of-character confession with a careless smirk, a far cry from the nurturing relationship the story’s early dynamic had promised.
The most jarring shift came during his captivity. After he starved himself in protest for seven days, her rescue offered a glimmer of hope. Yet, the moment he regained consciousness and showed his love and vulnerability, she shook her head in what seemed like amusement. Even if I misread this reaction, it felt out of place. But what broke my heart most was what was lost in that iconic scene: he had poured his heart out, recounting how he, his brother, and his mother were grievously wronged by the biological father who held him captive—a man forcing him to become an heir to a legacy he never wanted and had spent his life rejecting. He had even refused his father’s name, choosing instead the name of the foster father who raised, educated, and made him the man he was. Yet, despite her promises not to leave, and her portrayal as all-knowing and clever enough to solve any problem, she ultimately left him trapped in the very fate he despised. His profound sincerity appeared uncherished. This echoed earlier betrayals—such as when she seemed to take pleasure in his longing, only to lock him away to force a wedding, rendering his heartfelt promises meaningless and her smile cruel. In the end, despite her purported brilliance, she seemed indifferent to his deep unhappiness at being forced back into his biological family. The passionate woman who once treasured a single magnolia flower on her pillow was gone, replaced by someone who felt calculating and, ultimately, selfish.
The narrative imbalance only deepened this betrayal. The story dedicated some thirty episodes to Shanbao’s world, while Lu Jianglai’s own history and perspective were confined to less than six. Even with so little, his performance was so powerful that I fell hard for his character, rooting for him completely. This made the final disconnect unbearable: he loved her sincerely and consistently, while her actions spoke differently. Her household and legacy were consistently prioritized above their relationship, and the very omnipotence the story gave her made her failure to find a way to save her love from a fate he hated feel like a choice. If she truly loved him, how could she conclude in the last episode that their lives were simply not meant to be together? It was the ultimate narrative contradiction.
The build-up was so strong that the letdown was complete. The final professions of love from Jianglai felt unearned by her and tragically pathetic for him. The show made a promise of an epic, equal, and passionate love story—a promise built on unforgettable introductions, electric chemistry, and an ingenious premise. In the end, that promise was not just broken; it felt like a lie. What could have been a truly great ending was lost, leaving only the bitter aftertaste of squandered potential.
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Why I Love My Roommate is a Gumiho
This is not an ordinary love story. It is between the love of a human and fox against all odds, against nature, against time, against destiny & fate, to have what we humans take for granted, an ordinary future together.I love Dam (Hyeri Lee) and I love Fox's (Jang Ki Yong) each individual characters. But together, together it's so so so much more. I think, right now, for me at least, it is one of the most epic love stories in kdramaland. I love the philosophical and human struggle that is beautifully told here.
A loner 999 years old humane fox, who didn't care much to be human. This premise, pulled me to this show. I care if he wants to be human, I care why he wants to be human. I care how did he want to be human. I care when he wanted to be human.
A young woman who is inexperienced in love but so full of life, maturity, fiercely independent, true to herself, heart on her sleeve, genuine, courageous and spunky. I care whether or not she would be the one to change the fox. I care how she would be the one to make fox see what it is like to be human.
I love how we as an audience get to see how he falls for her. And her for him. I love how we as an audience get to see all the failings and trappings of an intimate relationship, of human love and all that it entails - the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly. All the mistakes he would make, all the struggles they would face together and apart, how deep her love must be to love a fox, how his centuries-lived life was turned on its head by a spunky young woman. I love that both are inexperienced in love. How pure their love is.
Some love this drama for its comedy, some for its light and easy enjoyment, some for it's fantasy, some for it's story, some for the lead couple's characters, some for the second lead couple's characters , some for the side characters and some for the second lead male character and that is the charm of this drama. That is a testament to the cast and crew that they truly care for all the characters in this story. The perfect cast shows it and the powerful performances of the actors elevates it. This drama weaves effortlessly with thoughtful pacing - the funny with the sad, the sweet with the heavy. This can't be overstated that the comedy and sweetness elements when done right, as it does so brilliantly in this drama gives audiences a chance to breathe, to smile, to swoon, to laugh, to feel happiness in the simplest nuances of human nature and culture. Thus, it has launched iconic moments, philosopical moments, meme moments and viral moments of this drama.
It would be a travesty to not mention the dynamic between the male and female in this drama. Eventhough Fox has teleportation powers, can easily accumulate wealth, never ages, forever tall and handsome. However it is Dam, a young woman in university that is all powerful. Time and time again it is Dam who steps up, courageously, who leads the way, who inspires and fights just as hard as a hero in a drama. She is the White Knight that saves the prince and not a damsel in distress. The same can be said about Hye Sun. They both know what they want and have no trouble in bringing it out from their leading men or their friends.
I didn't expect to be given important lessons of human vulnerabilities. It's a thoughtful drama. It also makes this drama so special and different from other dramas of it's kind. Fantasy is just a plot mechanism to show the power of humanity. It has renewed my passion and appreciation to belong to the human race. This drama has inspired me how special it is to be humane, reminds me being a human doesn't mean one is humane, the importance of communication and human connection, the valuable lessons that the ordinary can be extraordinary, the the meaningless can be meaningful and we, humans, unlike animals, are the captains of our destiny. I feel I need this in my life - to realise how important it is to be alive, how special it is to be human. And that we never stop learning to live a well lived-life.
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