latteholic

if you stay a little bit after the credit, it confirms your suspicion

I think she called her aboeji? And the netflix subtitle also said Father
Btw, I edited my previous comment to say that I don't think the woman in the sketch shown in the earlier episode is Myeong-Jae

the older of the sleuths is Chae-Ok's father and the woman who turned into the creature is most likely her mother (the one they've been looking for for 10 years)
Also I don't think the woman in the sketch shown earlier in the episode is Myeong Jae. The sketch looks too different

yup, it's just small portion and it doesn't detract from the main plot. I won't say it complement the vibe of the drama (actually I'm a bit confused about the tone, because there's a lot of tonal shifts between dark, intense moments and comedic moments), but I will say that it add the lighthearted moments...

I finally finished all 7 episodes and quite enjoyed them. However, the show starts a bit slow, especially the first 3 episodes, feeling somewhat dragging as each episode unfolds without much notable progression. Plot conveniences also take away the suspense at times. I think the character development is a bit lacking, with the main characters failing to undergo significant changes or reveal intriguing details, making them less interesting.

However, around episode 4 or 5, as the narrative unfolds and gradually reveals more layers and characters' backstories, along with the stakes getting higher, it transforms the initially slow experience into an engaging watch.

Also, I don't think the romance is as bad or forced as many have commented. It's more like a minor plot, doesn't detract much from the main story, and adds some lighthearted moments. The chemistry might be a bit lacking because HSH's character is naturally cold and doesn't show many emotions. However, I thought that PSJ's unseriousness balanced that pretty well.

It's 7/10 for me so far, but I won't rate the drama until I see the last 3 episodes.

Should have done that earlier! But I have this weird thing where I have to figure out where I've seen an actor just from memory. Opening the cast list is like admitting defeat 😄

But you asked for the "perfect site" to watch drama? 🤔
Anyway, because of licensing I don't think there's a perfect site, you have to subscribe to several to watch most of the k-dramas. If you stream via non legal sites, most of them are either don't have the high enough quality (720p is not really 720p), too much ads, prone to viruses, low website security, etc.

Took me 6 episodes to realize that the Korean Japanese soldier is Rang Eum...😅

I've only watched up to episode 3, and so far, I think the writing is fine. I haven't noticed any major plot holes. The story hasn't revealed much, and maybe that's why it feels a bit slow. I also find the characters less interesting compared to Kingdom, but that might be because less has been revealed about them. By the end of episode 2 of Kingdom, I already cared a lot about the prince, his bodyguard, the nurse, the gunman, and some random old guy. I can't say I feel the same about the characters here (but this is just my feeling by episode 3).

I might add that starting the series by revealing events several months after the main plot might not work to its advantage. It gives me an idea of how big the danger is, and it kind of reduces the suspense and anticipation for how the story will unfold. I also felt it was a bit jarring because it kind of reveals much at the beginning (still without context, so what I thought about the beginning might be different when we finally get there), taking away some of the mystery of the story.

King Mok Jong of Goryeo is portrayed as an openly gay king and he was shown to be very affectionate with one of his male subordinate. But again this is KBS drama so it's not explicit.

Thoroughly enjoying this one so far! It scratches the itch that classic old sageuks left me with its awesome war battles and political conflicts. Also, I'm so excited to see the return of the OG sageuk (grand)daddy Choi Soo Jong!!

Also some of the characters in guest role should have been in the support role at the very least considering they have more screen time than some of the main characters😅

While it's not as good as Season 1, I could somewhat enjoy watching this season. It's just that I don't feel like the story has a clear direction or theme, and there's not even some kind of closure to the subplots of the season. Echoing @Saitama, it felt like a long build-up to Season 3. I hope Season 3 will answer many of the remaining questions and serve as the season finale because I don't think stretching this story for more seasons will do it any good.

some of the actors in my dearest switch side in this one😬

Kkeut Sae playing Kkeut Sae... I need more RTWSTP references!

After mulling over this for a week, I'd rate this season a 7/10. I still absolutely love the world-building, the story, and how it ties up loose ends from season 1. I mean, I eagerly awaited the second season for a whole four years! The first half was thoroughly enjoyable, but the latter half got a bit wonky imo. We encountered a bunch of distracting subplots and plot twists, which, when taken individually, were intriguing. However, they didn't significantly enhance the overall narrative.

Character development was somewhat lacking, with one of the main characters feeling like a mere plot device, and another one behaving pretty out of character purely for shock value. On top of that, the ending felt rushed, and there was an overuse of plot conveniences and plot armor that made the story feel less organic and the characters less challenged. All of this combined to somewhat dampen my enjoyment of the show and my emotional connection to the characters and plot, leaving me feeling underwhelmed about the finale.

However, I still have a soft spot for Arthdal Chronicles, and I'd tune in for a season 3 if it ever happens. But I must admit that my excitement for it isn't quite as sky-high as it used to be.

Oh yes, I also miss the Chaeeun from season 1. She really shone, even with her limited screen time. I also liked how her eyes effectively conveyed a range of emotions.

But the one actor I truly miss is Kim Sung Cheol as Ipsaeng (because I really didn't know that he was recast as well and spent a good amount of the first 10 minutes of episode 1 trying to spot him). He added depth and nuance to his character, seamlessly shifting between mischief and annoyance. He betrayed Eunsom so many times and yet, I found myself rooting for him (to be redeemed), and he managed to make Ipsaeng a genuinely sympathetic character. And he was able to do all that with such ease, almost as if he was not acting at all.

And yeah, I typically lower my expectations for acting in any drama SSK is involved in and I usually enjoyed them. However, considering that I had already seen Kim Ji Won's exceptional ability to convey Tanya as a character and her subtle portrayal of emotions through facial expressions, it made me wish SSK could emote more.

The forensic doctor mentioned that Dr. Choi had many children participate in his research project, which, iirc, involved intelligence tests. However, only 2 children served as his experiment subjects. I assume one is Hye-eun, and the other is MJ. She did say MJ is the first "candidate," so it is still ambiguous whether he's merely a candidate or not. However, one thing that makes me 90% sure that he was experimented on and something went wrong are:
1. He returned two days after he was adopted (according to the forensic doctor). From the flashback, it appears they conducted the intelligence test on the same day he was picked up, leaving approximately 1 day unexplained, which suggests that Dr. Choi could have performed the experiment during that unexplained period.
2. He's experiencing difficulty retaining memories, which can be connected to the hippocampus. Also, the size and health of the hippocampus can affect memory function where a smaller or damaged hippocampus can result in memory deficits.

I think this is supposed to be the final season.

I think it's more like he saw her tied up at the gate in his dream because that was what Eunsom saw