atleeing

Not a coincidence

Summary: This short but loveably sweet mini series captures the heart with unshakable devotion between the two main characters. I like that the storyline was straightforward (with easily solved misunderstandings), tying the past to the present in a way that builds retention for the audience. Love the soundtrack as well. And surprisingly, no blatant ads? Amazing. An easy re-watch, if you want some simple entertainment.

Something that irked me though is that the Viki synopsis is totally off; it was not a heartbroken crush for the female lead as was described. In fact, it was the other way around.

Details: Let’s just be clear. The real reason Lee Hong Ju was “deeply skeptical when it comes to everything love-related” wasn’t because Kang Hu Yeong, it was because of someone else. I wished that was captured in the synopsis because it changes the color and expectations of the story. That aside, I found this drama an enjoyable mini series, which I’m starting to think all Asian dramas should be (like eight episodes or less, lol).

There were funny bits like Lee Hong Ju’s heroic stance on fighting for global warming vs. her own love llfe; and when she forced Kang Hu Yeong to do ancient Korean dynasty cosplay dress-up, with her as the king and him as the servant. Lol. Also, the plot development reminds me of that classic Hallmark formula in which their fates are tied together wherever they go - nothing is a coincidence. XD

I got a bit antsy at the last episode because they literally left less than 10 minutes to resolve a plot twist. But they did it, and they even had time to fill in more of the backstory as well. Impressive. I’m happy with this show. :)

Side Notes:
- Episode 1: I was annoyed by the unrealistic dialogue between Kang Hu Yeong and his friend who was harassing him about “dumping” a blind date. It was one date and it’s HIS life to make those kind of decisions.
- Episode 1: I found it strange and cringy when all the other supporting characters spoke better English than the main character, who supposedly lived in the U.S. for several years. It irks me when filmmakers create a storyline but don’t use people with matching skills for the scenarios. Why even write that type of scenario then? They could have faked it much better with him having gone off to some other country (like Singapore or something).
- Backstory throughout: The way that Lee Hong Ju came at Kang Hu Yeong in high school was straight up harassment and bullying. I get that she was simply protecting her friend but he totally had the right to ignore the situation rather than give an answer, if that’s what he preferred. He shouldn’t have to be humiliated while doing P.E. or attending class or trying to do research in the library or…
- End of Episode 8: Realistically, if someone broke their foot, wouldn’t they be on the ground in excruciating pain instead of being able to walk away? I’m surprised Kang Hu Yeong didn’t even make a face, and that Lee Hong Ju didn’t try to help him but just stood there.

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An Easy Binge Despite Its Length

Summary: I really LOVE this incredibly romantic fantasy period love story! Although the series was 36 episodes long, I easily gobbled up this true romance (like it was half that length), which provided a generous helping of hilarious, touching, and edge-of-seat moments with an epic, bittersweet soundtrack in the background. Despite the classic protagonist-in-peril scenes in almost every other episode, there was always an interesting storyline or plot twist or visual until the very end except for some strange story holes (explained below) and the last episode left me disappointed. I still give it a 10 and would definitely watch again. Also, the illustrations in both opening/closing credits are STUNNING (wish I could find where to buy a poster).

Details: Only through a Viki viewer recommendation was I introduced to this amazing drama (watched on Netflix to avoid commercials). I was pleasantly surprised to find that the story creator Jiulu Feixiang also inspired “The Legend of Shen Li,” another drama I liked, and she’s easily becoming one of my favorite story makers. I’ve also seen Dylan Wang and Esther Yu separately in other shows and really enjoy each actor’s work, so it was no surprise that I’d love this show as well. Dylan Wang and Esther Yu did amazing jobs playing contradicting good/evil characters with some cringe-inducing scenes.

You can feel the natural sparks between the leads with such cute/sweet interactions like cooking for each other and coming to the other’s rescue. One of my favorite scenes (among many) is when Dongfang Qingcang put his hand around Orchid’s waist and commands everyone to stop messing with HIS woman! And Orchid's nicknames for Dongfang Qingcang are so adorable.

Some critiques I do have are:
- the fact that they introduced a new concept towards the very end and then dropped it like a bad habit, a power called glazed fire; I would have loved to see how that tied into the storyline and connected the main characters to their real destiny
- the episodes toward the end dragged out and were overly dramatic, leaving little time for a solid ending in the last episode
- the last episode felt rushed and empty, and a bit inconsistent with previous scenes in the beginning and middle of the show; for example…
- the strange, contradicting dialogue between Orchid and Xunfeng in which Orchid doesn’t think Qingcang will return but asks whether Xunfeng believed in miracles
- why it took 500 years for Orchid to have to see Qingcang again when it seemed like he only had to wait a few months for her return; the filmmakers could have given them an actual 500 years of marriage instead and expounded on those scenes, like showing Dongfang Qingcang / Orchid teaching their children the power and legend of glazed fire (which I’d also like to learn about :D)
- when they were reunited, Orchid’s reaction seemed out of character; I was hoping Qingcang would put the two-finger smile on her but the scene was so anti-climactic

I did check out the epilogue which was also disappointing, unless you like montages of past scenes in a show. I was hoping for some new material.

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