A visual feast and a very compelling second-male lead
Visually and aesthetically, this drama is gorgeous. Every song, the costumes, the special effects - a feast for the senses. At first, I was a little intimidated by the length, but the story is very captivating from start to finish and focused (for the most part) on the main narrative (unlike other dramas that tend to veer off course and introduce too many secondary characters that act mostly as filler).Don't be fooled into thinking this is a fluffy rom-com with fantasy elements because at the halfway mark, viewers are bombarded with emotionally impactful and often harrowing scenes that are tear-inducing. The entire cast is brilliant, though I have to mention Luo Yun Xi's performance as Night Immortal / Run Yu. He was SO impressive at depicting his characters' complex, multidimensional, and nuanced layers. In many ways, he is the star of the whole drama, despite his status as second male lead.
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Fantastic drama, but a torture to get through at times
The visual effects and costumes are gorgeous in this drama, and the fantasy elements do not disappoint! In particular, I appreciate that the story doesn't offer stereotypical images of gods and demons (as exclusive symbols of good and evil, respectively). In addition, I love that it explores a variety of current themes using mythological filters (racism, interracial relationships, gender issues, same-sex relationships, etc.)The cast in this drama is fabulous! First, kudos to actor Cheng Yi for portraying the overly self-sacrificing Si Feng with such finesse. He was such a captivating presence and so incredibly expressive, especially in the scenes that conveyed his character’s physical and spiritual suffering! Also, the assortment of villains in this drama is absolutely fantastic! Most of them have interesting layers and motivations, giving the main themes more dimension.
My only criticism is that the storyline tends to be repetitive, especially in the second half. Whoever wrote it must have been a sadist! That is, the romance is centered on continuously torturing and pounding on Sifeng (the male lead), whose commitment to the female lead verges on dangerously toxic. The relationship is fraught with misunderstandings and omissions, to the point it becomes almost unbearable to watch. A side effect, unfortunately, is that the female lead ends up being portrayed as naive, manipulable, and even unintelligent. At times, I found this aspect of the characters’ dynamic to be emotionally draining and vexing.
Still, despite these shortcomings, this drama IS a solid 10 out of 10 (for its great entertainment value), though I do want to mention that personally, I don’t think I could stand to put myself through it a second time.
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Full of intrigue and court politics
This drama is full of intrigue and court politics. While watching it, I had to adjust my expectations a bit. Firstly, it is a slow-paced story, with very little romance, and it has a narrow focus on court politics. As a result, characters spend most of their time dialoguing, developing all kinds of complicated schemes, and fighting to seize or shift power. The story is solid, but there are a few inconsistencies along the way that defy logic and make the viewing experience frustrating at times. This type of drama cannot be watched mindlessly, as you have to pay attention to every detail, which is a plus, in my view.Regarding the actors, Cheng Yi's acting is subtle but still very good and nuanced, although his character is quite static and emotionally flat. Xuan Lu's multifaceted performance as Yanzhi and Mickey He's quirky interpretation of the villainous, power-hungry eunuch (Qiu Ziliang) were both impressive. Zhang Yuxi has a nice presence overall and is quite expressive, but her character is a bit difficult to like, reinforcing a long-standing tradition in Chinese dramas to portray the female lead as unintelligent and naive.
While I generally prefer the Xianxia genre, I do enjoy a good, intriguing political drama from time to time, especially one that doesn't simplify the plot for the viewers. Overall, I would recommend this drama to anyone who enjoys a complex, thought-provoking storyline.
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Great drama overall, but anticlimactic, unsatisfactory ending
I loved the premise of this drama, and it was a no brainer I would watch it religiously, considering the amazingly talented cast. As a big Seo In Guk fan, I can say his performance here was perfect (He just excels at playing darker characters!). BUT the star of this show is undoubtedly Park Bo Young. I mean, what a phenomenal, versatile actress! I was blown away by her delivery in many scenes, and this is coming from someone who wasn’t too fond of her most famous drama (Strong Woman Do Bong Soon). Her chemistry with SIG is very palpable and even electric at times! I really enjoyed seeing their characters’ dynamic from start to finish.However, I do think the drama has some shortcomings. First, I was a little disappointed that it didn’t deliver a cohesive narrative. My pet peeve when watching fantasy / supernatural dramas is writers conveniently forgetting elements of the story just to push for a specific ending. Doom’s role in the universe and his relationship with God are treated more as an afterthought (so this part of the story lacks depth, IMO).
Secondly, the ending is slightly anticlimactic, forced, and predictable. It's quite unsatisfactory, mostly because it leaves many questions unanswered. And finally, I thought the story places way too much emphasis on the romantic triangle. Na Ji Na’s back-and-forths with the two SMLs are often given more screen time than ML and FL. I admit fast forwarding through some of their scenes because they were so repetitive.
Dawon's performance as Dong Kyung's little brother was perfection!
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An Underrated Gem
Kill My Sins really took me by surprise. It’s honestly such an underrated gem!The focus is on a group of women who come together to uncover the repulsive crimes committed by a group of high-ranking male officials (We're talking SA, human trafficking, etc.) Each of them is a victim in her own way, and they join forces to fight back against the unthinkable. I found their backstories so heartbreaking, and their sisterhood is honestly one of the most touching parts of the whole drama. The way they lean on each other, the way their strength builds together... it really got to me. The actresses did an amazing job, and their chemistry made so many scenes memorable.
The ML was a nice addition. I’ll be honest, I’m not necessarily a big fan of the actor, but this role suited him well. He’s more of a sidekick here, which I liked; sharp, sly, and always supporting the FL from the shadows. There’s barely any romance between them, but the subtle moments? So good. Like when he gently holds her hand or silently holds her after she loses one of her friends; those little things really made my heart flutter.
This isn’t a light, happy story. But it’s worth it. KMS is one of the best female-centered wuxia dramas I’ve seen, and I absolutely loved it!
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NOT THE TYPICAL C-DRAMA FEMALE LEAD
This drama really flips the script on the usual toxic relationship dynamic. The ML is so irritating. Some of his insults are so over the top they almost feel like comedy. But this kind of dysfunctional premise is too common in c-dramas. The boss is always a Grinch who treats the FL like trash, only to turn into a big softie by the end.The difference here is that the FL isn’t having it. She’s strong, vocal, and completely independent. She refuses to let the ML walk all over her. It almost feels like the writers made him unbearable just to show how great she is. That’s what really hooked me, the FL’s journey to success and autonomy. It’s so refreshing to see a female lead who stands up for herself instead of just taking the abuse.
If you’re tired of the same old passive FLs, this one is definitely worth a watch!
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SURPRISINGLY GOOD - Worth watching!
I didn’t expect to enjoy this drama as much as I did. While it is entertaining and fluffy/light for the most part, it also has parts that reveal deeper themes. The entire cast is quite nice. I am not Dylan Wang’s biggest fan, but he definitely shined in this drama; it was surprising to see he can show a bit more depth and acting versatility than his previous roles. The only criticism I have is that as a viewer, I needed some time to get used to the female lead, as she is whiny, childish, and the quintessential damsel in distress. The actors had great chemistry, however, and played their roles really well (including the secondary characters).The setting and costumes are great, and so is the soundtrack. Worth watching!
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Great chemistry and cast!
This drama really surprised me! I started watching it after reading glowing recommendations on Reddit and because I wanted to see what the fuss is about. Phenomenal performances and chemistry between the leads! Park Bo Gum is simply wow! He can really emote with his eyes and his character is both funny and intense. In fact, the entire cast in this drama is quite impressive!Bo Gum's dynamic with the female lead (Kim Yoo Jung) is so beautiful and moving. I'm a sucker for gender bender dramas, though I admit I had to suspend my disbelief A LOT while watching because the female lead DOES NOT pass as a male in any shape or form. She's very feminine in speech and mannerisms, so it's silly that the other characters in the drama are fooled by her disguise. It bothered me at first, but the actress is so expressive that I simply stopped thinking of the gender bender as an important element of the plot.
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By far one of the best sageuks!
This is by far one the best sageuks ever made! I was intimidated by its length at first, and I expected the story to drag, but I was very impressed with how tight the writing is and how well all narrative threads are developed and come together by the end.The entire cast is phenomenal, but most importantly, this is a drama that avoids most clichees. Its female characters are not the typical wimpy, submissive women we often see in historical dramas. Yang (brialliantly played by Ji-Won) is self-sufficient and outshines almost every male character in the story! I was also pleasantly surprised by Chang Wook's versatility; he plays the weak-willed (but also possessive) emperor amazingly! And finally, Joo Jin-Mo was born to play the King of Goryeo!
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A drama you do not want to miss!
I loved Flower of Evil, and as a Joon Gi fan, I can say this is the best role he’s ever played (His versatility is so impressive; his eye acting is superb here). This is a very suspenseful drama with plenty of twists and turns to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The writing is exceptional, without irritating loopholes or contrived moments.One thing I will say, however, is that I wasn't too fond of the ending; I found the amnesia sub-plot to be unnecessary, not to mention it invalidates the main characters' journey and development. Regardless, Joon Gi and Chae Won have such wonderful chemistry and worked so well together, especially in the gut-wrenching scenes.
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