A bit different romance
I found this a bit refreshing, as in a bit different romantic drama.Very brief synopsis:
The FL protagonist escaped a violent upbringing with her little brother, and raised him on her own. She is now building a career, and has been in a relationship with her junior colleague for over a year. It turns out he is the younger son of the chaebol family owning the company they work for.
The ML's mother approaches her with money to break up. As FL doesn't believe in fairy tale endings, she takes the money and promises to break up with him.
To brake up turns out to be harder than she thought, especially because he loves her dearly. Will he manage to keep her in his life?
What I found a bit different with this story, was that it took a well-known trope about being paid to break up, and gave it what for some might seem like a more realistic spin. It is easy to say "love should be more important", but is it really? I found the scriptwriters gave a plausible reasoning for her to accept the money, and at the same time showing that love is a strong emotion.
The sidestory with ML's brother felt a bit unnecessary. I kind of got the feeling that it was done for the writers to justify arranged marriage to balance the narrative.
The acting was OK. I think maybe Yoon Park as the brother gives the most memorable performance.
Watch it if you want a rather light, easy romantic drama that stands out a little bit.
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A story of strength, resilience and values
I would say this is a story revolving around peoples' strengths, their resilience and humanistic values.First of all, I have to give a "disclaimer" to my review:
I had long been looking forward to watching this, but it has not been available on any streaming services in my region. So, during a trip to South-East Asia I found this appearing on my Netflix, leading to me binging all episodes in something like 48 hours while travelling back home, all downloaded on my phone that was kept in flight mode to not loose access! So - I did become a bit sleep deprived (would have been anyways), which might affect my memory a bit writing this review now some days later.
The story:
I find the historical dramas depicting class hierarchy and societal norms interesting, and this was no exception. The story tackles both slavery, women's standings, and to some degree LGBTQ.
The main protagonist is our FL Ok Tae Yeong / Koo Deok I, an intelligent, kind and strong minded slave who is being abused by her owner. After an escape brought forward by unforeseen events, she ends up being adopted into a noble family, and then taking over the identity of the daughter who died (Lady Ok). Koo Deok I vows to live up to Lady Ok's dream about being a legal advocate especially to the less fortunate people.
The story has twists and turns, and a good pace. There are some romance, but it is not the main aspect.
The cast:
I found the performances to be convincing and strong.
Kim So Hye in the role as Koo Deok I's owner made you really dislike her, and Choo Young Woo pulled off his double role quite well as the ML. The character as the legal husband was the lesser one, and not as likeable.
Im Ji Yeon as the FL had great energy and screen presence.
The supporting cast, especially some of the characters around the FL, was well portrayed, building strong connections to them.
Overall, I did enjoy this, but maybe not quite as much as I had been anticipating. It is a bit difficult to pinpoint exactly what lessened my impression - I think it might be because some of the events seemed a little too grandieuse, and I found the story a bit weak when it came to the doppelganger part of the ML.
The OST I don't really remember - for me that means it was OK. Not leaving a bad impression, but not adding much either.
Was it worth for me binging this and not taking my phone off flight mode until several hours after returning home? Yes. But: If I had known for certain this would become available in my region in the not so distant future, I would probably have waited.
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Strong story and acting
I ended up binging this; the story is well-written and strong, and the acting is brilliant.The synopsis here on MDL is very weak and a bit misleading, though, in my opinion.
So, brief synopsis from my POV:
Ning Yue was a lawyer with a successful career ahead of her, but after marriage, childbirth and other life obstacles she has been out of the workforce for several years. Her husband is the CEO of a company about to go public. He is extremely devoted to her and their son, and in everyone's eyes, the perfect husband. When Ning Yue wants to enter the workforce and re-establish her career as a lawyer, she finds that her husband might not be so supportive of this. As she fights for equality in their marriage and independence to make her own choices, will it be possible to change her husband's mindset and maintain the marriage, or will divorce be her only option? And if so - will he let her go?
The cast:
Feng Shao Feng as the ML Hu Cheng delivered a very strong performance - how he managed to switch from having a tender, loving look, to absolute scary the next moment, was impressive.
Elvira Cai who portrayed the FL Ning Yue was also good. I felt her struggle with conflicting emotions.
I kind of felt the 2nd ML Qin Can played by Xing Zhao Lin was a bit in the background, and disappeared too much.
The story:
I found this to be very well-written. The characters were well-developed and had depth; there were no character that was pure evil/villainous - we got glimpses into their backgrounds or other sides of them. The FL was not flawless either, even if she was "the victim".
The flow was good - it kept me wanting to continue watching. It was a bit intense at times, but also gave you some breathers. There were small drops and hints that made you think you knew what might happen later, but did it?
I also believe it is an important topic; that abuse can also be in a non-physical way. The way they also showed the generational gap/differences was well done. The episode(s) where ML's dad was left on his own: Brilliant!
As for the ending, it was kind of non-conclusive. I wouldn't call it exactly for an open ending either though, but if you absolutely detest open endings this might disappoint you.
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Strangely addictive even if a bit annoying and dated
This is another one of those K-dramas that feels like a "must see" even if it is 20 years old (at time of review).Parts of the story is "too crazy" - like how is it possible to sell her house without her knowing? And exactly HOW naive, gullible and shortsighted is it possible to be? And who in their right mind would stay in contact with friends like that?
Their constant bickering is also kind of over the top - I can't imagine many actually taking it for so long.
Main storyline is OK, except beforementioned weaknesses. It could probably have been stronger, but then it would probably feel even less original?
In the later episodes I thought the flashbacks at times were a bit too many/long.
Even so, I found it difficult to stop watching – although some of it on faster speed, LOL.
The acting of the two ML and the FL (Rain, KSS and SHK) were good. I was not as convinced by second FL (HDG).
Music was quite fitting.
By today's standard I probably wouldn't rate it as high as I have (7), but I am taking age into account. Rewatch value is a bit lower though. This is more of a "see once as kind of a classic", but not such a classic you see more times.
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Sweet show, mostly feelgood
This is a really sweet show around growing up, friendship, family, and love.A bit slowpaced, without big conflicts or "villains", mostly feelgood.
There are some very heartwarming scenes, like between Guang Feng (?) and his grandma, and the small gestures from Rangrang showing us how he cares about her.
The ML's role is kind of similar to that in "You are desire" and the same of his friend (Gu Ran). I like both of their acting - suitable roles.
FL is very sweet, although I do find the female characters in Cdramas often to be a bit overly childish.
I can see myself recommending this as something to watch for a mum (/parents) and teenage (daughter) together.
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Don't watch in public (but do watch it!)
I often watch Kdramas on my commute. This drama is one I recommend you watch in a comfortable place, with easy access to tissues, as it gets quite emotional and will most likely tug hard at your heart strings.Don't be fooled with the "chaebol cold guy, sympathetic poor girl" synopsis, as this story is so much more than that. Or, should I say - it adds a whole new layer to this kind of plot. You still have the typical characters of controling parent, love rival and so, and although kind of cliché, it adds to the main story revolving around the FL and ML.
Main reason to watch is the performances of the two main leads.
Especially the FL does an exceptional job I think, in portraying and displaying all kinds of emotions; despair, wishfullnes, disbelief, resolutness, love ...
ML is also delivering a strong performance. I like this character's development, and also how he handles it; we can see the changes he goes through in his expressions and body language.
To be honest I don't really remember the soundtrack. It kind of makes sense the music took a backseat in this, but at the same time I have watched other series where the soundtrack still can evoke emotions, so they might have missed an opportunity here as well.
When I had watched around half of the episodes I ended up binging the rest, as I wanted to finish it before my vacation was over.
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Starts as captivating tristesse, shows us the healing power of love
I binged the 10 first available episodes on Netflix, and then I was eagerly awaiting and watching as the next episodes became available. I have now finished all episodes, and have added to my initial review.These are my first thoughts and impressions from the ten first episodes:
…wow…this just captivated me straight away. The whole feel of it is so complete; the acting, the dialogues, the music, the lighting and videography … it sets this melancholic, tristesse feeling.
The story is (so far) also very well written, slowly, bit by bit, uncovering the causes of the FL’s emotional wounds.
Up to ep. 20:
Glimmers of light in the grey.
The character of Wen Yi Fan is very well written, and to follow her development and how she gradually, tiny stone by stone, takes down the wall she has built around herself, is creating a strong connection to her.
As for Sang Yan, he is just such a sweetheart. How he, without knowing exactly the underlying reasons, seems to understand she is carrying some sort of emotional burden, and manages to gently push through her barricades with care and patience.
The rest of the episode/ total series:
I absolutely loved this as a whole; it is very well-made, and especially FL’s character development is so beautifully portrayed. This must be one of her strongest performances so far.
ML is also very suitable for this role, but his character didn’t give him as much room to show diversity in his acting I think. He was a bit more “two-dimensional”; loving or stone-faced.
The supporting couple’s side story didn’t add that much to the story, besides showing another kind of healing love. If that sidetrack was removed, I don’t think I would feel anything missing.
Her change of mindset (Hong Kong) felt a little abrupt; I think maybe the “trigger” could have been a bit stronger or clearer.
I think this hit me stronger than Hidden Love, especially the first episodes.
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Gripping story and strong acting. Recommended (with a warning).
This is one of the dramas that have left a very strong impression on me, together with shows like My Dearest and Mr Sunshine.Oh, how I cried ...!
Weeks after finishing this show I still got emotional thinking about it. This series will sit with me for a long, long time.
Brilliant performances - the emotions portrayed, whether frustration, anger, love, sadness or joy, was just exeptional.
Costumes, for someone like me with no specific knowledge about this, seemed fine.
Locations and filmography were good too.
Note: After I originally wrote this review I learned the series is based on historical persons.
It also felt more "realistic" than most of the other historical dramas I've seen. Not "over-the-top" with clichés and such (as I remember).
The only thing I guess is holding me back from giving a full score, is that I felt the story skipped a bit much in the end.
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Strong start, then the need for schemes took over
I got hooked, and really enjoyed the first 6 episodes.The story was strong, and the acting was superb.
Then, the crazy plots kind of took over, and what could have been a really good, gripping drama became a more “run of the mill melodrama” with mischevious people and one plot after the other.
The acting of both the FL and the 1st ML did impress me, which was one of the main reasons why I didn’t drop this. The other reason was that I was curious what kind of ending they would give the story.
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Decent historical drama, that could have been better
So this was a decent historical drama - not very original, but good enough. It could have been better, though.When I first saw a promotion for this I was excited, but then I have been postponing actually watching it. It didn't disappoint me, but it didn't "wow" me either.
First of all: You have to manage to overlook the ridiculousness that no one really suspected her appearances as a man.
The story follows our FL Kang Hui Su / Kang Mong U, who is a very skilled baduk (go) player. She goes out in male disguise to raise money to pay towards freeing Joseon people taken by the Qin dynasty.
She, in disguise, happens to cross paths with Grand Prince Jin Han, who has come back to Joseon from being held "ransom" by the Qins. He is also a very skilled baduk player, and they connect over a game.
Royal power struggles are ongoing, and when the King dies, Jin Han takes the throne. In doing so, he has to sacrifice Mong U; sentencing her to 3 year labor camp (still thinking she is a man). She escapes, and 3 years later she returns with a plan of revenge. She manages to get close to the King, who does suspect her motives, but their connection and attraction is still strong, even though they both have conflicting feelings. And don't forget: The King still believes she is a man! Will she get her revenge, and is the King as cold-hearted as she thinks?
For me, the story was OK. It contains a lot of the rather typical historical drama elements and characters (power hungry scheming royal court members/Queen family, power-protecting Queen Dowager...), with the added element of baduk games. This is the link to the underlying events in the story; both the FL and the ML (the king) are strong strategists, looking and planning far ahead.
The FL was a bit weak and disappointing for me though. Her portrayal doesn't always match well with the type of character I imagined her to be. She seems too insecure and indecisive sometimes? I understand it could be an attempt at displaying conflicting emotions, but I guess it was a bit too much or "at the wrong times"...? Example: I did notice she flickers her eyes a lot, and I see several other reviewers mentioning this as well.
ML (the King) was good: This character had depth, different sides to him, and a good development. Strong acting here by Jo Jung Suk, who was very convincing in his role.
There is a lot of veteran actors here, all delivering good performances.
Should you watch it? If you normally enjoy the historical dramas, I would say "yes".
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Gripping, but not permanently etched in my memory
So I know this is highly rated by many. And I think it was good. But, for me, it did not leave as strong and long-lasting impression as for example "My Dearest", "The Red Sleeve", "Moon embracing the sun" or "Empress Ki". OK, they are not exactly the same genre, as the other ones I mentioned are more purely historical, and not time-/dimension-travel. But still ... trying to remember back to watching "ML: SHR" it doesn't really trigger anything special for me, like the above-mentioned ones do. It's more just like I remember I enjoyed watching it, and was engrossed while doing so.It is a while since I watched this, but discovered I hadn't written a review.
Very brief synopsis from my memory and POV:
Modern girl gets transported back in time, ends up entangled with several of the dynasty's princes. There are of course palace intrigues and fight for the succession of the throne, and as more than one prince develops feelings for her, she also becomes a pawn for those pulling strings and scheming for power. Will she find love and happiness, or will she manage to travel back to her own time?
As for the story, it was well written. There are quite a lot of characters, so I am glad I had the opportunity to almost binge-watch this.
The story has good drive as far as I remember.
As for the cast, most of them were convincing in their roles. I remember Lee Joon Gi as Wang So (the 4th Prince) the best though.
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Entertaining, although not very original
This was entertaining to watch; the acting was quite strong, the story had a quite nice pace, and the overall production is good.The main story isn’t very original though; successful but rather aloof young rich male CEO, female employee who is positive and sweet, business faces some obstacles, love rivalry and some family intrigues…
The side stories are quite well written. I especially liked He Yu and his character development.
The reappearance of the ex in the last few episodes was a bit unnecessary - the story arch didn’t need it; the other elements were enough on their own.
FL is convincing in her role as “Lucky”. I like that her character stands up for herself.
ML also plays his part well, but his looks is almost a bit too polished for my liking. What I like about his character is how he is steadfast in his love after he finally realises it.
Watch this if you want something that is easy to watch.
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Slow and beautiful
This is one of those dramas that has left me with a lasting impression. It is slow paced, lovely, sad, and has a very fitting soundtrack. The overall feel I would say is "sensual" and soft; from the lightning to the music and the looks and dialogue.The acting is good, especially both of the main leads, the cinematography is beautiful, and the locations are scenic and nice.
Brief synopsis as per my memory:
The female protagonist has an illness that makes her mum overly protective of her. On an outing from her house, she gets smitten by a male hairdresser's voice when he washed her hair. She seeks him out again, and although he is hesitant, they do start to form a bond and a relationship.
Warning:
If you like conclusive endings, this is not for you.
I saw in discussions for this series on Viki to watch it til the end of the credits, but Viki kept cutting me off, so I wasn't able to do that.
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Opposite age-gap, careers and love
I kind of liked this, but I also mix it up with another C-drama of career woman and opposite age-gap relationship at work ("The Rational Life"?).The synopsis here on MDL is a bit confusing, tbh.
What the story does well is depicting how societal norms and pressure influence us, and can make it hard to follow your instincts – and your heart!
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A fun take on historical fantasy romance
Watch it if you like historical fantasy with a twist - this is a story that doesn't take itself too seriously.Brief synopsis:
The female protagonist is a screenwriter who gets transported into her story as a side character who gets killed early on. Since she knows how the story is supposed to unfold, she does her best to change the events to stay alive so she can get back to her reality. It turns out it isn't that easy to control events, and when real feelings start to develop, how will that affect her actions?
This is a fun take on the historical fantasy genre where modern day persons travel to historical times. The FL is a refreshing character, and the ML does a good job of switching between devious and "puppy-eyed loveable".
All in all, this was an enjoyable viewing experience.
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