Hyperborea

There is a certain vagueness, and it is intentional, precisely to create a sense of estrangement in the viewer. Isn’t it natural that the kiss happens in episode 10 in Icheon, on the seafront where Hong Hui wanted to go in the early episodes, and that she sees them kissing precisely there?

Hong Hui tells Jae Pil that it is obvious he is fragile and will fall apart if he keeps pretending to be strong, and that is exactly what happens to her in the second half. As for her relationship with Yeong Sik, some people have interpreted it as a romance, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there is one.

It is a kind of projective writing. Those of us who may have had a fake-saint friend in our lives see a subtle duplicity in Yeong Rye’s intentions; those who haven’t had that experience identify with her instead.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that the writers deliberately didn’t have the courage to go all the way and actually say: we think female friendship isn’t truly possible; we think that any sacrifice creates an emotional debt; we think that even good people are deeply selfish in their feelings; we think mature love is based on presence; we think that in Korea love isn’t like it is in K-dramas, but that there are also lazy people, people who simply don’t make a move when they want something — assuming they actually want it in the first place (Yeong Sik).

Thank you for replying to me. I’ll send you the link to my review in a private message; you can translate it using Google Chrome. I’d really like to understand how your perspective differs from mine, and whether I helped you find some of the messages of the series. In the end, I did manage to find a few of them.
P.S. In the end, I also gave it a 7.18. I honestly didn’t think I would give it such a low score, but as I went through the episodes, I kept finding more and more writing problems, especially in the last two episodes. And the ending is painfully cringe — the three of them running on the beach together… an unsettling geometry that brings the triangle back all over again.

temporeggio da un anno, mi ispira anche se lei mi sembra poco calzante in un ruolo che doveva appartenere ad una "bellissima" ma evidentemente avevano finito il cachet pagando lui. Sono sicura che i 9,8 regalati siano TROPPO! DIFFIDO DAI LAVORI osannati all'unanimità, la tua recensione ha puntualizzato cosa aspettarmi e ti ringrazio per questo.
Ps. ovviamente la maggior parte del rating è legato alla generosità delle scene fisiche tra loro, che ho letto essere parecchie (secondo me, ormai conosco i miei polli).

The second half is where the writing starts to frustrate me. After the seven-year time jump, the balance between the two women feels increasingly one-sided. Young Rye is constantly rewarded by the narrative: Jae Pil falls in love with her, another man openly pursues her, she is given the Miss Korea storyline, and even Papa Long Legs is generous with scenes that reinforce her charm and worth. The script seems determined to make sure we understand that she is desirable, admirable and worthy of being chosen.

Jong Hui, on the other hand, is progressively stripped of the qualities that made her so compelling in the first half. The confident, outspoken, dazzling young woman becomes insecure, lonely, emotionally fragile and increasingly desperate for Jae Pil's attention. Even worse, the formation of the Jae Pil–Young Rye couple receives far more narrative investment than the relationship between Jong Hui and Young Sik, which is barely developed at all. And there you have the explanation for why Young Rye goes to Miss Korea, for those who were wondering: the writing shows how one woman progressively gains agency while the other gradually loses it. The series wants to teach you that you have the right to pursue your own happiness, that sacrifices come at a cost and can weigh heavily on you, and that, in the end, the one who stays wins. And it shows all of this in an almost infuriatingly heavy-handed way.

I still give the drama an 8, but these later episodes have become frustrating and, at times, genuinely boring for me. What initially felt like a story about two complementary women increasingly feels like a story determined to crown one of them while diminishing the other.

I completely understand your frustration, because in many ways it is mine too. I’m watching it as well and, at some point, I found myself feeling lost and even getting angry with Yeong Rae for no real reason. And yes: I was also rooting for Jeong Hui and Yeong Sik and, paradoxically, I also reached the point where I felt that Yeong Rae’s happiness was almost “unfair,” even though I knew perfectly well that it wasn’t her fault.

In fact, Yeong Rae is probably, hands down, the morally best character in the entire series. And that is precisely what I find interesting: if a script can make me resent a character whom I rationally know has done the least wrong, then it is playing with something more complex than simply creating a good female lead and a tragic best friend.

I’ll be writing my own review soon, because I interpreted some elements differently from you. I think my reading is somewhere between yours—which I agree with on many points—and what I believe are the director’s intentions. Because yes, something didn’t work. The time jump in particular is genuinely disorienting, and the relationship between Jae Pil and Yeong Rae is told in such an elliptical way that it becomes difficult to emotionally invest in the couple.

However, I can’t say that the writing is simply bad. To me, it is more a very ambiguous script, one that deliberately leaves quite a lot off-screen and forces the viewer to reconstruct relationships through details, glances and omissions. The problem is that this kind of choice can work or not work: in my case, some things worked, while others definitely didn’t.

And honestly, I can’t give a 7 to a work that has such a carefully crafted soundtrack, solid directing, coherent color grading, almost excellent performances, and above all, a story that actually has something to say, even if it doesn’t always manage to say it in the best possible way. I’m quite strict with ratings: if you look at my reviews, out of around 170 dramas I’ve watched, I’ve given only two 10s. A 7, for me, is a work with major limitations, not a drama that has writing problems but also so many other things going for it.

I’ll tell you something that might explain why I reacted a little differently from you. I don’t know where you live, and I don’t know whether you’re familiar with Elena Ferrante, but have you ever watched "My Brilliant Friend"? It’s a series based on her novels and follows the friendship between two women from childhood into old age. One of them is exceptionally intelligent but is born without the means to continue her education; the other is much less gifted, but she is hardworking, studious, and gradually builds her own identity partly by modeling herself on the other woman. Their friendship is incredibly deep, but it is also marked by a fierce competitiveness, often unconscious, and their lives end up being deeply damaged by this dynamic. At one point, they even compete for the same man, and one of them eeaves his hubby and children for him.

Maybe because I had already watched a story built around that kind of relationship, A Hundred Memories*felt, all things considered, almost tame to me. 😅

I actually see a broader discussion about female rivalry here, one that doesn’t necessarily depend on there being a man between them. As if the drama were suggesting that two women can love each other deeply, be willing to give their lives for one another, and at the same time compete, compare themselves to each other, and hurt each other without even fully realizing it.

There are details that, to me, point in exactly that direction: one of them giggling when people call her ugly; the other somehow pushing her away just when she becomes the “queen bee” of the dorm and the group of friends. Is it protection? Jealousy? Unconscious competition? The script never completely settles the question. And I think that ambiguity is precisely what makes both interpretations possible.

Jae Pil is another example. I agree with you: we are not shown the journey that should lead him to fall in love with Jeong Hui, and the final montage is far too little to fill that gap. But there are some elements that could explain why he noticed her: he meets a beautiful girl who seems to actually see him, defends him, and gives him a kind of attention he apparently doesn’t receive elsewhere. For a teenage boy, that might be enough to trigger a huge crush. What the drama fails to build is the transition from teenage fascination to adult love. And honestly, I didn’t care much about Jae Pil and Yeong Rae either.

What I find even more interesting is Yeong Sik.

Because the writing is ambiguous with him too. He is caring, attentive, kind, always there. But in the first half, he never seems genuinely determined to pursue Yeong Rae. When he sees her, he is clearly a little flustered, but that’s about it. He doesn’t really ask about her, doesn’t seem to make any concrete moves and, most importantly, when he realizes that Jae Pil has a crush on her, his behavior doesn’t change for her.
And yet the camera shows us the disappointment when, “Long-Legged Daddy” realizes that Yeong Rae is interested in someone else but not for Yeong Sik.
And this is where I think the drama may be saying something different from simply “there isn’t enough romantic development.”
Maybe the theme is precisely that life passes us by while we are busy doing other things.
Almost nobody actually does anything to obtain the relationship they truly want. Yeong Rae is the one who, in a way, tries to pursue what she wants, while everyone else hesitates, gives up, protects, sacrifices, or convinces themselves that things are better this way. And in the process, they lose exactly what they should have held on to.
Jeong Hui loses Jae Pil.
Yeong Sik loses Jeong Hui.
“Long-Legged Daddy” loses Yeong Rae.
And Jae Pil, paradoxically, ends up with a relationship that perhaps doesn’t even come from great passion, but from something much more concrete, stable and reliable.
It is almost a series of missed opportunities.
That is why, even though I share many of your criticisms, I still can’t dismiss the drama as a failure of writing. I think it is trying to say something quite specific about choice, sacrifice, friendship, and especially how dangerous it can be to make decisions for other people while believing you are protecting them.
The problem is that sometimes it tells us all of this so far off-screen that we are left staring at the screen thinking: “Okay, but… WHEN exactly did all of this happen?” 😂
And that, in my opinion, is a completely legitimate criticism.

Tuttavia man mano che procedono gli episodi mi rendo conto che il drama di pochi episodi copre più di 7 anni di vita dei personaggi,così c'è un brusco stacco a metà drama che riprende mostrandoci la vita di questi che è totalmente mutata senza mostrarci come, è come vedere due lavori diversi , poco integrati, e questo purtroppo è vero.

Nulla da eccepire rispetto a quanto hai scritto, mi riferivo al voto globale di 10, io quell’opera l’ho vista, tempo fa ed ha un finale “terribile”.
Per me 10 é un voto che si da ai capolavori, solo a 2 lavori l’ho dato personalmente.
Poi ripeto ognuno faccia come vuole ☺️.

Ovviamente ognuno è libero di valutare come preferisce, ma personalmente ritengo che, quando si esprime una valutazione, sarebbe opportuno attenersi il più possibile all'obiettività. Le emozioni che un'opera suscita sono inevitabilmente soggettive: ciò che coinvolge profondamente una persona non è detto che produca lo stesso effetto su un'altra.
Per questo, credo che il contributo più utile e concreto che possiamo dare al gruppo sia quello di fornire elementi tecnici, oggettivamente riscontrabili e condivisibili. Questo, naturalmente, non significa sminuire le emozioni provate: quelle restano assolutamente legittime e personali. Semplicemente, non possono costituire l'unico parametro attraverso cui valutare un'opera.

Tristezza

fammi sapere come va, lui è un bravo attore secondo me, ma anche l'altro di blossom of power anche se mi ricorda troppo Neo Hu.

non è tra i miei preferiti in effetti, l'ho visto molto tempo fa quando ancora non scrivevo recensioni e infatti non. ricordo manco se l'ho finito o meno, ricordo che però lui mi lasciò quell'impressione.

Lui puoi vederlo in Doona , dove il sospetto che bae suzy gli piacesse da morire era venuto sul serio ma questo succede spesso con Suzy , anche Nam Ji Hyuk mi aveva dato queste vibes .
Lo metto in lista 😏

di entrambi trovi le recensioni, basta andare su google e scrivere i titoli e poi my drama list, dovrei uscirti in prima pagina, se hai bisogno ti mando i link in privato.

* chiarisco che è my dearest nemesis a copiare una scenografia di when i fly towards to you, e non viceversa, come sembrava da come avevo scritto.

when i fly towards to you però io non lo consiglio, spacciato per capolavoro è una visione di propaganda sull'adolescenza, filtrata dai "desiderata" cinesi. A breve scriverò la mia recensione, quando lo finisco, è un lavoro da 7 eh, non è un brutto drama però rappresenta una visione adolescenziale depurata, sterilizzata di una fase di vita che sembra solo studio e primo amore rimandato dopo la realizzazione professionale, a livello tecnico inoltre presenta qualche difetto. Mentre a dream of splendor te lo consiglio di cuore!

non solo ma in merito proprio al drama che citi, sticky love, ho letto che inizia a esserci un malcontento per la fisicità stitica dei drama, non plausibile per uomini di 30 anni andare in crisi per un bacio a stampo a denti serrati. E la macchina da presa non riesce , manco con l'eye candy, a far sembrare quel bacio qualcosa di travolgente. Finirà che quelle che guardano drama da 10 anni faranno rewatch e feroce selezione delle nuove uscite e questi nuovi drama serviranno a chi si accosta al mondo dell'intrattenimento asiatico. Io, al momento, sto vedendo when i fly towards to you e ci sono certe scenografie riprese uguali precise da my dearest nemesis (quando mancano le idee), oppure alcune scene di Blossom , cdrama, sono copiate dal drama molto poco conosciuto , a dream of splendor, sottovalutato ma un piccolo gioiellino, che ti consiglio. Poi se hai tempo e vedi The story of ming lang , ti renderai conto che è la madre di molti drama cinesi a sfondo storico. In bocca al lupo per i tuoi libri.

ma c'è sempre LEI! Gulp!

Lui mi piace molto, sin dai tempi di true beauty, è stato l'unico in 160 drama a farmi venire il dubbio su quale dei due fosse migliore scegliere. Lei non mi dice proprio nulla, zero preciso. Con lui è meglio vedere family by choice, questo non l'ho messo neanche in lista, a prescindere dalla tua recensione che conferma un po' il trend di quest'anno. L'industria è satura e non si sa più cosa inventare e produrre, i tempi sono ristretti e la velocità incide sulla qualità, vedrai tra 10 anni , sia qui che in cina che tracollo mostruoso che ci sarà.

Carissima è il primo drama a sfondo storico che vedi? Te ne posso indicare altri dove ci sono persino polveri e mosse con le mani stile balera della romagna, per gli amanti degli anni '80.

Nel 2025 sono usciti lavori molto buoni soprattutto coreani piu che cinesi ma qualche storico cinese del 2025 tipo legend of zang hai o altri due sono usciti, ti do ragione mentre se consideri love has fireworks, questo, overdo che é diventato un caso e diversi altri con voti bassi capisci che sto 2026 sta sfornando più orrori che lavori.

anche se nelle recensioni leggi i motivi per cui non ti sono piaciuti? Io grazie a questo sito mi sono evitata moltissime "sole". La protagonista non è una pessima attrice, mi sta anche simpatica ma se vedi altre lavori non differenzia il personaggio, è sempre la stessa, per questo motivo ho tolto dalla lista veil of shadow, dove c'è pure un'altra che è sempre uguale: chen du ling, ed è un peccato perchè gli attori maschili sono bravi e li ho apprezzati in altri lavori. Questo lavoro è del 2023, ho letto che la FL ha avuto problemi con l'agenzia e quindi l'uscita è stata ritardata al seguente anno, hanno anche tagliato 7 episodi, forse per questa diatriba burocratica che c'è stata, e questo è il risultato. Finora è il terzo lavoro che vedo, uscito quest'anno, e sono tutti pessimi, penso che forse questo è l'anno nero dei drama. Pure i coreani di quest'anno non sono splendidi a livello di scrittura. Molto meglio il 2025 come produzione.