Aya

So you don't like sad endings? Immortal Samsara isn't really a sad ending if you watch the special episodes. But I do understand it. Sad endings can take a lot out of you. Especially if you have spent hours and hours falling in love with the characters and just wish they'll get a happy ending

Agreed. In dramas you already get visually complete characters, so you don't need to imagine what they look like as it's already presented. On top of it, you get the characterisation the way the actor portrays the character, which makes it even more specific. Sometimes it works out great, but sometimes it doesn't. It really depends on the actor's ability and charisma. In novels, you get a description and no matter how detailed it is or isn't, the appearance you imagine in your mind is subjective. It's coloured by your own taste. Most people who have read a novel before watching a drama or movie usually have an issue with the way some of the characters look, because it's not how they have imagined it and it makes the experience less positive.

Do you prefer to read a novel before watching a drama? Or the other way around? Or do you not read novels at all?

Totally agree. That's always the case when I read the novel after I watch the adaptation. I keep picturing the characters looking the same way as the characters in the drama. Plus, with the love I had for the drama and the way the characters were portrayed, I can't help it. It happens automatically.

Since LBFAD is so different from the novel, it's anybody's guess if this drama will actually follow the novel more closely. So who knows what it's about

Was this filmed in the 90s??

Exactly what I thought. I just think of them as two different stories. It's true that all the characters are completely different too. It's more apparent with the ML and the FL, because we're following their story. DFQC is completely different and all the reasons he is the way he is are too. XLH is also very different. Very few similarities. But I do agree that both are good in their own way and the novel is still interesting to read even after watching the drama and the other way around. The lack of similarities though does make me wonder why they decided to even link the two together. The drama could have been marketed as an original.

I don't think that's always the case. There are dramas that are pretty similar to novels. At the very least, most of the big events are the same. It's not the case here. Nothing is the same. I don't really see the point of even referring to the novel as inspiration. They could have just used different names for the characters and call it a new story. I do agree that this is definitely not the first time. There are plenty of examples where movies and dramas deviate so much that it's a whole new story.

Agreed. There were many great episodes and the way they presented sensitive issues was done really well. I'm glad someone else shared my opinion about the patriotism part.

I totally agree with your complaint about "turf wars". I think that the writers in their attempt to villify Japan just because Koreans hate them made a tasteless and thoughtless choice there. Yes, what the Japanese military did was disgraceful and painful and evil on so many levels and those women have suffered a fate worse than death, but you'd think the afterlife with the supposed infinite wisdom wouldn't be ruled by the wars and happenings in life. Making Japanese Grim Reapers despicable and the Korean Grim Reapers cool wasn't a good choice. Another thing was that supposedly in the past only nobles could become grim reapers???? Really???? The drama endorses the idea of reincarnation. So what does that mean? That nobility is always reborn as nobility and poor people are destined to be poor for eternity? That hardly makes sense.

I loved this drama do much, but there were some things I had to disagree with

I was literally shouting at the screen.

Give it a chance. Personally, I really liked it, but it's always best to see for yourself.

Just started watching this one and right from the start I feel like everyone in the drama seems to have misunderstood that the ML is emotionless. He doesn't feel sensations like touch, smell, taste, ..., but he does seem to have feelings. Maybe they're not as varied as a normal persons and he doesn't know how to express them, but they are there.

Some differences, sure. But the novel is completely different. There are almost no similarities at all.

Have you read the novel?

Don't misunderstand me, I loved the drama. That was the reason why I wanted to read the novel before rewatching, because I wanted to know more about the characters and the story.

I also like the novel, so far.

However, I decided to treat the two as two separate and different things, because as I said, I hardly see any similarities between the novel and the drama.

As much as I loved Song Joong Ki and Kim Ji Won in season 1, I can't be mad about the casting of Lee Joon Gi. He's an amazing actor and I know he will do a great job. Shin Se Kyung is a bit of a 'hit or miss' in my opinion. She does great in some roles and not that well in others, so I'm not going to judge before we actually get to see what she does with the role.

This was definitely a drama of the cute, light and funny variety.

Going into this drama you have to be prepared for the mandatory despicable second female lead and a bunch of misunderstandings due to lack of communication, but all in all neither do any actual damage.

There were some things that frustrated me. One was definitely the length of the fake pregnancy. There were so many opportunities to end the lie, but they kept it up until it escalated. The actions of some of the characters were so stupid that I couldn't help shouting at the screen.

That being said, there are plenty of funny and cute moments. The drama is relatively short, so you know that the misunderstandings are not going to last. The plot is light and simple enough to keep you entertained, if that's what you're looking for.

Not sure how I came across this one, but I was in the mood for something cute and funny and gave it a shot. I have watched 6 episodes so far and I love it. Nothing too complicated and so far it's definitely the cute and funny I was looking for.

I decided to read the novel before rewatching the drama when all episodes are made available on Netflix, but I can't get over how different it is. It's a completely different storyline down to the interactions between XLH and DFQC. Well, so far that is, I'm only on chapter 14.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable drama. There are plenty of light and funny moments and it's filled with lovable characters. I liked the FL. She's brave and kind and even though her rudeness in the face of royalty is not very realistic, it's refreshing to see a female character in a historical drama being straightforward and doing things her way. The ML was a good partner for her and keeps her in balance as the more cautious one to pair with her rash personality. I absolutely loved her family. Her grandmother, her parents and her brother were an absolute delight to watch. It's a close and supportive family and their interactions definitely made this drama more enjoyable. Her two maids were also a fun addition to the family.

One thing that would have made this drama better would have been a more focused plot. Some things felt repetitive, especially in the second half of the drama. The two Shi sisters and their actions for example. One of them would have been enough. I feel like two of them was too much of a bad thing. Also, the ML was so defined by his quest for revenge in the beginning of the drama, but it somehow ended up being not that important. Having a more focused plot would have eliminated repetitions and would have given the ML's revenge a bit more of a punch.

All in all, I'm glad I gave this drama a chance. It made me laugh and I fell in love with some of the characters.

the book is funny and emotional, so I'm really looking forward to how they adapted it into a drama

Lol true. Xianxia dramas usually have a lot of suffering. Don't mistunderstand though, I really enjoyed this drama, just that some parts were dragged out beyond necessity. Time that could have been spent elsewhere.