2nd Chances Aren't Guaranteed
I did not finish this drama and I want to be completely upfront about that fact before I dive into this review. I want there to be full disclosure on my end, so people can either choose to read this review or not. Either way, I'm writing it and posting it.
Typically, I tend to give dramas a few more episodes before I outright drop them. At least, I TRY to give dramas a lot more chances before I simply throw them away. However, there are certain things that cannot be overlooked and there were a few things in this drama that I feel contributed to my early departure. Plus, life is too short to waste your time on dramas that don't resonate with you. Anyway, the casting is this drama's downfall. Plain and simple.
The female lead was okay; I didn't find myself attached to her in any way but she didn't necessarily bother me. Which probably should have been another red flag now that I'm thinking about it, but my indifference towards her was fairly minute compared to my issue with the male lead. The male lead was a miscast. From the first episode, I immediately felt that way. Now, before the fangirls come out with their pitchforks, a miscast does NOT speak to an actor's acting skill or ability. It simply speaks to whether they're the right fit for a specific role or not, and the male lead in this drama was NOT the right fit for this character.
I didn't believe the actor; I didn't believe his performance. I think the CDrama market has gotten too preoccupied with casting young, pretty-faced idols that they forget that these individuals still have to fit the role. Sure, this has been an issue for the last few years or so but it feels as if it's ramped up a lot lately. Most of the time, these pretty boy actors don't fit the role. This actor, specifically, is too pretty, too polished. He's not gritty enough; there are no rough edges. He doesn't sell the idea of aloof, rude, brusque, selfish male lead. He doesn't. And yes, I've seen this actor in Lighter & Princess. I dropped that one too but his acting wasn't why I dropped that one; the story is why I dropped that one but I digress. This drama had the potential to be something decent but the miscast overshadowed what could have potentially been a compelling story.
You want me to believe this young, pretty boy with the sweetest face is able to strike fear in the hearts of everyone in the land? Yeah, right. The reason why it's such a big deal is because it raises the stakes and it creates tension in the story. If the scary male lead is actually scary, then it's easy to fear his wrath. It's easier to be worried because you don't know what he's going to do next. With this lead, there was never any fear because he looked too soft. The stakes weren't high enough, which ultimately lead to a lot of scenes falling flat and being utterly empty. While his acting wasn't terrible, there wasn't any nuance or complexity to his acting either. His performance didn't give anything different; it was the same one note throughout every episode.
I don't know; maybe I've outgrown CDramas because it's become increasingly more difficult to find decent dramas lately.
Typically, I tend to give dramas a few more episodes before I outright drop them. At least, I TRY to give dramas a lot more chances before I simply throw them away. However, there are certain things that cannot be overlooked and there were a few things in this drama that I feel contributed to my early departure. Plus, life is too short to waste your time on dramas that don't resonate with you. Anyway, the casting is this drama's downfall. Plain and simple.
The female lead was okay; I didn't find myself attached to her in any way but she didn't necessarily bother me. Which probably should have been another red flag now that I'm thinking about it, but my indifference towards her was fairly minute compared to my issue with the male lead. The male lead was a miscast. From the first episode, I immediately felt that way. Now, before the fangirls come out with their pitchforks, a miscast does NOT speak to an actor's acting skill or ability. It simply speaks to whether they're the right fit for a specific role or not, and the male lead in this drama was NOT the right fit for this character.
I didn't believe the actor; I didn't believe his performance. I think the CDrama market has gotten too preoccupied with casting young, pretty-faced idols that they forget that these individuals still have to fit the role. Sure, this has been an issue for the last few years or so but it feels as if it's ramped up a lot lately. Most of the time, these pretty boy actors don't fit the role. This actor, specifically, is too pretty, too polished. He's not gritty enough; there are no rough edges. He doesn't sell the idea of aloof, rude, brusque, selfish male lead. He doesn't. And yes, I've seen this actor in Lighter & Princess. I dropped that one too but his acting wasn't why I dropped that one; the story is why I dropped that one but I digress. This drama had the potential to be something decent but the miscast overshadowed what could have potentially been a compelling story.
You want me to believe this young, pretty boy with the sweetest face is able to strike fear in the hearts of everyone in the land? Yeah, right. The reason why it's such a big deal is because it raises the stakes and it creates tension in the story. If the scary male lead is actually scary, then it's easy to fear his wrath. It's easier to be worried because you don't know what he's going to do next. With this lead, there was never any fear because he looked too soft. The stakes weren't high enough, which ultimately lead to a lot of scenes falling flat and being utterly empty. While his acting wasn't terrible, there wasn't any nuance or complexity to his acting either. His performance didn't give anything different; it was the same one note throughout every episode.
I don't know; maybe I've outgrown CDramas because it's become increasingly more difficult to find decent dramas lately.
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