My Liberation Notes

Oh, you are most welcome and I hope you enjoy all them as much as I did.

My pleasure. As I mentioned in my post, Dangerous Liaisons with Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung is one of the finest adaptations of the story. What makes it so compelling is how something that begins as a frivolous, almost childish bet gradually spirals into a devastating tragedy that catches everyone involved completely off guard.

Zhang Ziyi's performance is the film's emotional heart. She brings such dignity, sincerity, and quiet strength to a character who never realizes she is being used as a pawn in someone else's game. Her vulnerability makes the eventual fallout all the more heartbreaking because she represents the one person who enters the story with genuine intentions. Come to think of it, I think I will write a review of this film.

Thank you :)

I am excited for this one; I know I have watched so many different iterations of this book: several American movies, French, South Korean, and Chinese. The one that stood out to me was the Chinese/South Korean Co-Production Dangerous Liaisons (2012 Film). This was the best I have seen so far; mind you, I really liked the American Dangerous Liaisons (1988 Film). Michelle Pfeiffer was brilliant. But back to the prominent Chinese adaptation, it was actually a major Chinese-Korean co-production. Acclaimed South Korean director Hur Jin-ho directed it, starring top South Korean actor Jang Dong-gun alongside Chinese superstars Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung. The film uniquely reset the story in the glamorous, politically chaotic world of 1930s Shanghai right before World War II.

South Korea has also done multiple versions, three separate times, with this being the fourth, shifting it across historical eras, modern settings, and premium streaming formats. The first one I remember watching was the Untold Scandal (2003 Film). It translates the story into the strict, aristocratic world of 18th-century Joseon Dynasty Korea. By replacing French high-society rules with rigid Confucian moral codes, the stakes of the sexual bets and the ruin of a widow's reputation became incredibly intense and scandalous.

The next one was Tempted/The Great Seducer (2018 TV Series): A contemporary K-drama take that moves the core plot into wealthy, modern-day Seoul college-student heirs and elite high society, reminiscent of a Korean Cruel Intentions (another American adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons). Note: I think I am going to really like Ji Chang-wook in this one; from what I have seen so far, I am invested.

I am in love with Satoh Takeru, and I loved Marry My Husband Japan so much more than the Korean version. He was brilliant in An Incurable Case of Love and even better in First Love. I hear he is fantastic in Glass Heart, on my list to watch next.

https://kisskh.at/712913-rikon-shiyou-yo -- released 2023

Be that as it may, commenting with "you retarded," is uncalled for, disagreeing with a media take is fine; using slurs or personal insults over a TV drama is not.

Sorry :). I haven't watched yet either

My comment about her touching her cousin and aunt was really just a joke but thank you for the comment

Calm down its just a show

She isn't a serial killer; she is an assassin. There is a difference. She is a highly skilled sniper working for a secret organization, targeting dangerous criminals who have escaped justice. She carries out assigned missions rather than randomly hunting victims. I guess you can see her as a bad person because of her job, but personally, I'd call her a morally gray antihero rather than a villain. She may have good intentions, but she's still choosing violence and taking lives, which is exactly what makes the character interesting.

I miss the ghosts—the past few episodes completely left them out, and they're the best part of the show. I really don't get why the writers did not use Yeo Ri's ability to get rid of the cousin and her mom. I would touch them every time they started acting up, torture them for a month with the worst ghosts ever. That would end their stupidity quickly. I would have my hands all over them, I swear, especially the cousin; she annoys me to no end.

You are very welcome, I enjoyed it as well :)

The title of this drama is eerily similar to the 2023 J-Drama Let's Get Divorced, even though the premise is quite different. Interesting.

Calling one actor a "swan" and another a "frog" says less about their looks and more about you. Attraction is subjective. Plenty of viewers find Jung Jun Won attractive, just as plenty don't, and that is perfectly okay. What's not okay is presenting your personal preference as an objective measure of someone's worth or suitability as a lead actor. Speak for yourself, by all means, but not for the rest of the audience.

Exactly, it is crazy that plastic surgery is the beauty standard.... insane

Not many out there similar to it, but check out Mercy for None, Narco-Saints, Agent Kim Reactivated, The Worst of Evil, Gangnam B-Side, The Tyrant, Vagabond, Kill It -- not all are equal, but close

Well the actress has been acting since 2010 at least that is what is on MDL -- dramas since 2010 and movies since 2012 -- long list of her work under her name https://kisskh.at/people/15756-lee-hyun-ri

Same here. I can understand why Q doesn't see it right away. She's blinded by overwhelming grief, and it's human nature to latch onto the first explanation that seems to fit when you're hurting. From her perspective, it's easy to see why she'd jump to conclusions. That said, knowing the type of person Jin is, I really hope she gets a grip on the situation soon before more damage is done to the wrong people.

The bigger issue for me is Jin. I feel like we're supposed to see her as this master villain, cunning and calculated, the classic wolf-in-sheep's-clothing type, but she just doesn't come across that way to me. Instead of being intimidating or calculating, I find her more annoying than threatening. The random screaming outbursts and little moments like running into her room, flipping her shoes, going back to straighten them, then flopping onto the bed to order room service- her obsession with food, I mean, feels more weird and irritating than menacing. Maybe that's what the director/writer are going for, but it's just not landing for me. I don't hate her because she's a good villain. I dislike her because I genuinely don't enjoy watching the character.

Have these netizens not seen any of his other work? I first noticed Jung Jun Won in VIP, and my immediate thought was, what a handsome actor. Attraction is subjective, which is exactly why I find this backlash so strange.

At this point, some of the criticism feels less like constructive feedback and more like a reflection of people's preconceived ideas about what a male lead is supposed to look like. Korean drama history is full of talented lead actors who did not fit every conventional beauty standard, yet audiences embraced them because of their talent, charisma, and screen presence.

What I find especially disappointing is how much of the discussion has focused on his appearance rather than his acting. If people want to critique his performance, that's fair. Acting can and should be discussed. But reducing an actor's worth to whether he meets someone's standard of attractiveness is unfair.

We are all imperfect. Not everyone needs to look flawlessly sculpted to be compelling, desirable, or worthy of leading a romantic story. In fact, I often find overly perfected appearances less relatable because real people are not perfect. What makes someone attractive goes far beyond looks alone. Personality, presence, talent, confidence, and authenticity matter too.

So by all means, critique the acting if you must. But bullying a man because he doesn't fit a perceived idea of what a leading actor should look like says far more about the critics than it does about him. This article made me want to watch and highly rate each and every drama he's been in to date.