kathleentheturtle

Rewatching this won't change my mind on how I feel about the tone of the drama and my interpretations. Though I appreciate the examples you shared, because I did see all this when I watched, the storyline just didn't sit well with me at the end. I do however appreciate your time and thoughts on how you saw the drama.

I agree. I feel given the tone of this drama, the sad ending suddenly didn't fit to me. At the same time, it felt very much propaganda, because the characters went from being tired of politics and wanting to retire, to suddenly dying for the country...

Ohh, you be right about Ji Chang Wook and Lee Dong Wook. I don't know Kim Seon Ho, but will be looking him up. Also, I meant to say I wish they didn't reveal to us right away who the monster was. Like why not keep the audience guessing. It was frustrating that they practically fed everything to the audience.

What frustrated me was the way they also reveal who the monster is. Why did they disclose everything so early? It would have been so much stronger if they didn't feed the information to the audience and let the fans speculate and have theories.

I'm so curious who your chosen actors would have been for Tae Sang.

I felt the same as you! I had high hopes too, thought all the chosen actors did their part, but couldn't feel the chemistry between the leads, even though both are great in their own right ( I love PSJ and I know HSH is good too). And the story had issues that weren't consistent, pacing was a problem for me, and the buildup to many things were missing. Then the ending was so confusing, with so many people asking what happened, vs being able to discuss theories...even if it was meant for a season 2. I hate this recent trend in K dramas with split seasons, and even in this case, split first season. I think it affects the quality of storytelling, and sadly, this was such a disappointment for me.

Yes! HAHAHA I wish when commenting, it could be spelled out first, and then if in the same context or thread, we can abbreviate it. But at least these one, we are able to put a title to them :)

you're welcome :) I struggle with acronyms when people use them too if I am not even familiar with them to begin with.

LOCH is Legend of the Condor Heroes, DGSD is Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, and XLFD is Xiaoli Feido aka Little Li's Flying Dagger

I echo what @hnsky has said, because it's totally worth a beautiful drama until the last 6 eps. I think if you choose to end it at the end of ep. 34, you technically would be okay enjoying it. The latter parts is where it does feel as if we shifted into a different tone of the storytelling and drama. Honestly the end of 34-ish could have been the solid ending if done well since they wrapped their mission in a way to me. But the last 6 eps felt like a sudden switch in tone of the drama and story. It was like they (whoever decided and went through to execute it) decided to just add everything odd and propaganda-like at the last minute into the ending and then go through a domino massacre of the characters. I feel so angry that I can't even rate this drama properly. Like how do I rate the first 34 eps that were so good to meat a 9.5/10, and then the last 6 eps a 2/10 (2 for the cinematography only).

I'm trying to dig more on this to understand 😭

Aww, thank you for the kind response, friend. I think this happens to me often with dramas where it's really good, that we're so invested in them, that when they're gone, it's like losing a friend. Sometimes certain dramas definitely leave an imprint in me, and then when it's over, I am still lingering and lost in their world. I have not made it to the end because I am nervous and anxious how it will pan out despite reading some of the spoilers to prepare myself. Thank you though so much for the kind reminder. I also appreciate your review on AJTL and appreciated what you pointed out about the pros and cons, and I cracked up at your metaphor of Alen Feng being the Sean Bean of C-dramas. LOL! Thank you for this lighthearted comment too!

Sending you a hug. I have not even watched the last episodes because of all the discussion I read and don't know if my heart can take this. Because I think lots of the grief can hit close when we become invested. I hope you take care and watch a good, light hearted one. I felt this drama, AJTL, was set up to be fun and all, and then somewhere along the way, I didn't see it coming in a way, or maybe I am just in denial how the drama just felt like it changed tune.

ahaha really? I haven't gotten to the birthday here yet, so I guess I'll find out soon.

YASS. Each progression of the story has been so compelling to me. I am curious to find out what is next, and there are literally moments where I was anxious to find out how Ruyi and the gang would execute a plan.

I am on the opposite camp. I felt there were filler moments in SOKP that was not necessary. Such as the birthday celebration scene for Xuening. It was pointless to me and many of the parts there dragged where they could have utilized it to make SOKP stronger to me. But I agree that the dramas of course are different. AJTL I feel utilized their foreshadowing and pacing quite well to unfold the story and characters.

Yea, they are amazing together and have such a lovely bromance. Their chemistry is hard to come by with a group of side characters like this! I am so impressed.

adding to this that I feel the romance is infinitely better than SOKP because it's very mature in the way the characters communicate. No one is volatile/toxic. And they develop feelings early on with the entire crew of characters shipping them.

Samee!!! If anything, I find the writing and characters in AJTL so much stronger and with tighter writing compared to SOKP.

Aww, friend. I think after having finished the drama, I love ZZ the most too. I don't feel Ning deserves him. His story is definitely a great one someone can take and write and make into a drama. In another place and time, his love interest, if she's like Ning, would help him learn to grow like I had mentioned. He would grow into a really wise, just, noble, and still loyal official who weighs the black and white and sees the gray to delve justice and uphold the laws as needed. Oh, Zhang Zhe! He has a wonderful back story that I feel could truly be made into a drama. Imagine, a poor young man who worked hard to take the exam to become an official. Lost his first love to some obsessive, volatile strategist (LOL). He does everything to try to do right in the world, but continues to grow in his story despite the challenges he faces in court, such as knowing more how to read the room and when to pull back and save the chess pieces in his sleeves. He would be the hero of his story... And maybe the headstrong princess takes notice of him or something 😂. Now we have a headstrong princess and an upright official... They have so much potential for his story!

I think in another place in time, ZZ would be the hero of the story, and XW would be the toxic, obsessive villain who goes after the female-lead at all cost. But because the story is written for JXN and XW, so here we are. I think ZZ would be a wonderful hero of his own story with alot of character growth of going from what is black and white, to how life is grey and colored with simply being human. Sending you a hug, friend. I think ZZ is a lovely character.