I Feel You Linger in the Air: Uncut Version
7 people found this review helpful
Best BL of 2023
Production quality, acting, script is all top notch! This is such a beautiful story and they did not only focus on giving the main characters purpose and reason, they also took their time to shape the side characters. It felt so real. Although the time travel concept is nothing new, they did use their own twists and overlapping tricks which made it all look more well-rounded.I was confused at the ending. But since I found out there will be a second season, I will give it the benefit of the doubt that this is just part of the bigger picture, since the rest of the show was so well thought-out. The only reason I didn't give it a full 10, is because I generally don't enjoy dramas as much in the time he travelled to. I am looking forward to the second season and I can only recommend this show to anyone interested in a heartfelt Bl romance.
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Boring Mess
It was a boring mess. I never warmed up to the ML and I preferred Si Yeol much over him. The mystery part was way over the top in the first half of the drama. It was obvious what the writers wanted you to believe - so many obvious (and weird) red herrings. The FL was bland with no other characteristics than being kind.For the first half, it felt like the writers added the romance as an afterthought while in the second half, they completely threw any mystery out of the window. Even with the mystery it was bland but without it, there was nothing to it anymore.
While it was very mid and hollow throughout, I was hoping that at least the ending would be satisfying but it was disappointing. Important motives were changed, characters blamed other characters for stuff that doesn't make sense and in the end, I had the feeling they could've just completely left ML out of the story and it would've had the same outcome.
I'm really disappointed in the story writing but the soundtrack, colours and production quality was really good. Wish they would've casted actors with more chemistry and hired better scriptwriters. Missed opportunity because the idea has potential.
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A bit of a feverdream
First things first: production and writing of this show is a mess. The first 3/4 of this show are nothing like the last part, it's like they are separate shows. And although I'm usually bored by court intrigues, I would've preferred that over this fantasy attempt that made my brain cells rot. Literally nothing made sense (I mean logic-wise, not the fantasy aspect) and at some points, the show felt like a fever dream. FL's actress was also quite bad. She is the kind of actress who needs to look pretty - she did not really cry but did this aesthetic crying which is so cringy to watch.But in the beginning, I won't lie, this show had me hooked like meth for some reason. I could not stop watching and I liked that the relationship felt like how a married couple would behave. They did love each other and all misunderstandings were resolved quite fast, so you didn't have to suffer for too long.
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Way too long
The best part of this whole drama was Gwi and the 2nd FL. Both of them were so interesting and I wish, WISH they would've explored Gwi's backstory more because he was by far the most interesting character. While FL was already quite mid in the beginning, she quickly became annoying with her being constantly useless and a burden. At some point I couldn't stand her face anymore which always looked like she is about to cry and skipped most of her scenes - even the romance scenes. It says a lot when the lead couple are the least likeable characters in a show because they are just so damn weak and annoying. Gwi really saved the show for me - admittedly also because his visuals were just on fire.The story itself was fine, it was just dragged for way too long. This whole drama would've worked with half as many episodes. Unlike other people have said, I don't think the show looks cheap. It has its moments but otherwise it's fine honestly. The bigger issue is by far the drama length and main leads.
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Not a very special drama
Cliché amnesia and cross-dressing plot line. The only thing that made this drama stand out somewhat is that FL is actually very smart and she had some really badass moments that I really enjoyed.Otherwise, it was nothing really special. The actress of the villain was not good, her scenes annoyed me. Not because her character was annoying (this as well) but because her acting was not great. And I originally really didn't want to comment on this, but I had to look at the lipfillers of ML the whole time, it was quite distracting... And there was some serious second lead syndrome for me. He was just so non-toxic and charming, it was quite refreshing.
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Painful experience
No drama ever stressed me out as much as this one. Not because it was so beautifully written or the characters who I liked were going through hardships - no. The exact opposite. It started out okay, with the FL being your typical 2010ish lead (bubbly, oblivious and dumb - bordering on mental retardation) and ML being this ice-cold guy. And although ML was extremely unlikeable in the beginning, he got better. But every other character - oh god, I find no words. Literally every character made me mad because they were so stupid, hypocritical, greedy and unlikeable. By the way, I have no idea how people developed second lead syndrome here, his whole nice guy attitude made my blood boil so much. If you intent to watch it and not almost cry out of disbelief at the stupidity and out of frustration, I recommend to completely skip episode 22. By the way, whoever decided to make this show 24 episodes long needs to go to prison.Actually, the show was quite okay and in my opinion a much better show than Boys over Flowers (they kind of have a similar vibe) until the last few episodes when they, for whatever reason, decided to torture the watcher. When ML didn't even become king in the end, I almost threw something at my laptop. Like man - what did I even watch this whole fight for the crown bs for? The romance of the main couple was very cute and the only thing that kept me watching.
Overall, this review mainly serves the selfish attempt at self-therapy after this stressful experience I went through.
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Strong start, disappointing rest
The idea is similar to Scarlet Heart Ryeo (which is intentional) but is not even close to be on the same level. The worst mistake this drama made is disappointing me. It started out very promising; the FL was (relatively) smart, the romance between the leads was cute and funny, and the story had its own twist.But then, the FL just started to get dumber and dumber. For some reason the three main princes were obsessed with her until the end, the "conflicts" oftentimes didn't make any sense and the characters were so easily manipulated for people who should be used to court intrigues. Even the characters who were smart in the beginning and were able to look through manipulation just went dumb and hollow towards the middle/end.
The main leads disappointed me so much as well. There was so much chemistry and romance in the beginning but they started to give second lead vibes in the middle part and it only got worse. In the end, I think the writers realised who their story even was about and tried to save it again but no chance. They felt like support roles in their own love story. Even the extremely annoying and morally disgusting side couple got more character development than them.
But I'll give the second lead actress that I really hated her character with a passion. Great acting from her part.
Overall, quite disappointing, especially with such a promising start. And also quite vain, if I'm being honest, it just ran around in circles.
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Better with each episode
The strongest point of this drama is by far the acting of the lead actors, especially Lee Joon Gi. When he broke down and whenever it got emotional, he aced those scenes and they were the best of all. I would argue that those scenes are what made the drama as successful. Because although the plot had some individual twists, the idea itself is nothing new. This is why it started a bit bland and mid but got better with each episode. But sometimes it was a bit slow. I also think that the whole memory loss plot line of the last episode could've been cut out. I can kind of understand why it was there, but it dragged the drama for another episode, which it did not need. But I loved the last scene and it was what I was looking forward to. The music was also great, especially during intense scenes, I could really feel the character's emotions.Was this review helpful to you?
A fun, bad show
This show was a mess on so many levels, I would be talking forever just listing them. Inexperienced actors, low-budget, no chemistry between the "lead" couple and horrendous story writing would summarise it all pretty well.Although it was a weird ride and I was loosing brain cells during the process, I can't say that I wasn't entertained. The bad quality often made me laugh and although I know that it probably wasn't intended, it added more comedic value than the intended funny scenes.
It was a bad show, but a fun bad show.
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Very 2015
It's more comedy than the premise lets on. While it also embraces deep aspects of trauma beautifully, it took a while to get there. The first 7 episodes were a chore to watch and I'm just glad I stuck through that. The FL screamed a lot and her acting was generally really annoying. Except for some scenes, I was not a fan. The ML on the other hand did a great job of acting out multiple personalities and the emotional scenes were amazing!One part of the story that really bothered me, was the strong pseudo-incestrous touch between FL and her brother and also ML. It was really not necessary and made me cringe a lot at times.
I loved how in the end, everything came together and the plot twist of the show was great. I really did not see it coming.
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Objectively a 10
It's really nice to watch something so different and get a peak into the life and mind of people with autism. I can see all the research that has gone into this drama and the actress did a phenomenal job! I was awed at her mannerisms with her whole body - from the way her eyes avoided eye contact to the way she carried herself. Other than that, the drama addressed different problems in a very tactful manner: from prejudice against people with mental disorders to corruption in the legal system. All the while, I could not really hate any character. Every character had their own twist and I honestly love that there was no "big bad evil villainess" character, because I honestly get tired of that. The whale/dolphin animations were also really well made and it was fun to learn some off-topic whale facts.The only reason I did not give a full 10 is because although the drama itself is great, it is not completely my taste. But I would argue that objectively, it would be a 10.
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Amazing story with show stealing male lead!
This is a great drama! It gives you well-paced romance and doesn't start stalling unnecessarily. I even loved the side couple - something that is really rare for me. Also, this show managed to get me emotionally invested (also rare for me).The male lead was definitely the show stealer. His acting was amazing (doesn't hurt that he's also very handsome) and I loved every scene he was in.
However, the female lead always stuck out like a sore thumb for me. She definitely has talent, but she looked and acted too childlike for my taste. But I did like that the character was quite smart in the beginning (it was her novel after all). As a couple, I loved the trust between them and every scene of them together was amazing.
I'm just a bit disappointed by how one character's behaviour shifted unexpectedly near the end. It left a bit of a sour taste. But since the rest of the show is great, I wouldn't advice anyone to get deterred by it from watching.
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A Drama of Contrasts
I have many feelings about this drama, but I'll try to keep it simple. In short: it's a drama of many contrasts. The things it's doing well, it's doing really good. But the things it's doing bad, are really bad. It's low-budget and the plot is very weak: Is a true love's kiss really needed to get the pearl? What is the motivation of the villain? How does the pearl actually work? These are the main most blatant unanswered questions (trying not to get too deep into spoilers). One big pet peeve of mine was also here: explaining the story. Especially the villain kept explaining everything, which is just lazy writing. At least incorporate it better or just show it.However, the biggest blunder was the love story. There were no real nuances. She went from feeling meh about him to unconditional love. And her escape attempts and scheming were stretched over the limit. She was still scheming, even 2/3 through the drama. It was entertaining but it got really tiring.
All that being sad, it also had really strong points. The leads had good chemistry and especially the female lead was incredibly funny. I love these kinds of female leads. Also a main reason why I could bear to watch her constant planning. The beginning of the drama was incredibly strong, I wish they would've kept up the pace and didn't start stalling. The male lead was also cute and I actually liked him being hooded (although I'm aware that the hood was just a plot device to keep up the secret identity).
All in all, a very funny drama (I love those) but with plot holes. It's obvious that they wanted a werewolf story and tried to fit everything else around it.
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The Journey is What Makes It Good
I really enjoyed this show. I binge-watched it over just a few days. Especially the male lead had really funny moments and he was a joy to watch. I also loved the friendship between the characters. No unnecessary love triangles or frustrating misunderstandings. It also gave me Romance between Tiger and Rose vibes all the way (funny, since they have the same male lead) and I since I really liked that drama, that kept me hooked.That being said, I do have some criticism. In the beginning, the show dumps all the information on you (although cdramas like doing that) and I barely remembered any of it. I also think this introduction was rather unnecessary and confusing than helpful, since most of it will get addressed in the drama. A more well-integrated explanation (or better yet - showing) of the backstory would've been sufficient.
On the same note, the ending lost me a bit. Not that I don't like it, it is just confusing and I still think that it makes not much sense.
Completely aside from the plot, the acting was mostly fine (male lead being really good, second leads a little bland and stiff). What really bothered me was the female lead. Too babyish acting for my taste and quite annoying at times. It got better along the story, but it did bother me. I feel like this is just a general problem I have with most of Esther Yu's acting though (one of the main reasons why I still haven't finished Love Between Fairy and Devil). A shame really, because she can act serious and it's good.
All in all, a funny good drama. And I think for this drama, the journey is what makes it good.
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Taiwanese hit
Generally speaking, Taiwanese dramas are usually either a big hit or miss for me. And this one was a hit. Unfortunately, the drama's title does not serve it justice, as it suggests some very superficial and cheap comedy content. Although it does give a lot of comedic moments, it is blended well together with the mystery aspect. You never feel like it currently is too lighthearted or too heavy, since it finds the perfect timing for both. I loved the bromance between ML and the medical student. Perhaps I'm a bit biased, but I would've loved or at least encouraged some BL here :p But even "just" as friends, they give you a lot of cute and funny moments and they are a joy to watch.The only downside, but that's just a personal preference, I would've preferred some romance somewhere. But as I said, it also works well with only friendship and still is a really nice experience.
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