Damn. Who is this actor and how is he not famous? These types of roles/stories can come off super cringe but he carries himself with such natural ease that there's no room for that. He is so effortlessly fine. The intimate scenes are some of the best I've ever seen in a drama; it's sexy and flirty and sweet and in spite of the format that's in, you can really get lost in the drama. Bravo.
Though I enjoyed it, I felt this season lacked the emotional punch and rawness rooted in bleak reality of the first. The beginning and ending felt stronger than the middle. But overall, entertaining show and Park Ji Hoon is outstanding as usual and I'm happy to see both seasons being recognized.
This drama is like fan service to make up for us fans who absolutely loved but also suffered immensely because of Princess Agents. That being said, I also think it's the kind of drama anyone can end up liking. It took me about 5 episodes to really get into it, but boy, do they look amazing together. There's a reason why Zhao Li Ying is my favorite cdrama actress. She is just as beautiful and fierce as I remember and she continues to deliver. Lin Geng Xin looks like a typical cold, aloof ancient god character, but then he says the funniest things in that soft, mild manner voice. It's so unexpected from a man of his caliber that he had me literally laughing out loud every time. When the romance gets dialed up, the scenes are so beautiful and felt so natural (that fireworks scene was just *heart eyes*). It's not the most exciting drama plot wise but I couldn't escape from the draw of these two and kept watching here and there and finished it. Also, I like the actors who played Mo Fang and Fu Rong respectively. I would love to see each in their own dramas as leads!
What a striking poster. The way he looks stern and determined, and she, softer and inquisitive as his fingers hover over her lips. Makes me want to watch it but also wishing it were a period drama.
What a smart, funny, utterly romantic drama. Fantastic to see the unconventional, reverse power dynamics here, with the female CEO and the male secretary. I was rolling my eyes when the ladies were fawning over Lee Jun Hyuk's character in the beginning and then I found myself doing the same as the story progressed lol. So sweet and amiable and competent and such a good dad and a total hottie. Love his chemistry with Han Ji Min. She's great as usual, very convincing as a capable no nonsense CEO without coming across sterile. Also, it's refreshing to see kind coworkers who actually work together and get along instead of used as plot device or be just plain terrible people that one often sees in office settings in kdramas. Almost everyone in the drama feels like real, thoughtful people. This drama was so heartwarming, it gave me such a cozy feeling. And, love the OST!
Rewatching this series in order and now almost done with this one. As someone who is at a crossroads in her career, the conversation between Master Kim and Cha Eun Jae in episode 16 really resonated with me and had me crying. His life lessons feel universal, even for me who is not in the medical field. And Han Seok Kyu as Master Kim feels so much like a real person; such gravitas when he speaks that he just commands instant respect. Such an outstanding actor.
I am completely shocked by this news. Her dramas like Meteor Garden and Mars were shows that helped foster my love for dramas that continues to this day. Very sad news.
Rewatching this drama after I was reminded of it through recent dramas and it is still just as good as ever. Baby faced Yu Yeon Seok! That scene where he breaks down after finally picking up his mother's call following a particularly tough day at work... and his mom, without needing a word of explanation, comforting him with silent understanding... gets me every time.
As a fan of the Dr. Romantic series I have been disappointed with other medical dramas, that is, until now. This was a lot of fun. A fantastic mix of silly and serious. Wish it were longer but it still gave us a multilayered story packed with entertaining twists and turns that somehow flowed seamlessly. Looking forward to a 2nd season.
Saw it was added on Netflix so had to rewatch and I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time. So hilariously quirky. When we witness Fukuyama Masaharu's Yukawa character light bulb moment in cracking the case and the music comes on and he starts writing out random equations lol, it just cracks me up endlessly. And this wouldn't have been as much fun to watch without his chemistry with Shibasaki Ko as Utsumi. I find her very likable and genuine and it's so funny how frustrating and confused she gets around him. Which is why I couldn't get into the sequel. Just not the same without her. The conversation during lunch in ep 1 and the last major scene in ep 10 are my favorite scenes of the drama and why I like it so much.
Such an unexpectedly addictive show! Very entertaining. Loved the contestants, the judges, the challenges. My favorite chefs are Triple Star, Chef Edward Lee and Cooking Maniac. Disappointed with the winner but other than that, great!
This is one of the best web dramas I've ever seen. If this had been a full length drama with big name leads, it would have been a hit I think. Definitely deserves a higher rating, but I do get it since the story is very, very dark. When he starts to show hints of his true colors around episode 9 was when I thought things started to get really interesting. Yan Zi Xian is an outstanding actor. I've noticed that since Taking Love as a Contract. And his descent into obsession, madness and cruelty as the 7th prince is excellently portrayed here. The female lead is great as well.
I went in as a fan of Zhang Wan Yi, but the female lead sure surprised me. What a sweetheart. Classy, elegant, whip smart. I really loved the leads together. They both have that calming effect on me. I first felt it watching Zhang Wan Yi in Lost You Forever, where he was my favorite character. I do have to say, as much as I like his character here, I think this is just a portion of what he can truly deliver as an actor and you can see glimpses of that in certain scenes, especially the ones with Ziyu, where he won't take any nonsense from anyone, not even the emperor. As far as his character here, he is definitely a man of his time with some of his thought process in handling the female lead in the beginning that made me want to hit him upside the head at times. But he is also really sweet to her and in spite of the facade he's cooked up, there's no doubt he loves her and dotes on her. These are the scenes I enjoyed the most, naturally. And I liked the comedy; it's subtle but effective. His conversations with his friend/cousin are a delightful watch. I'll admit at certain turning points in the story, I would have wanted the show to be a bit more dramatic. But the tone stayed consistently lighthearted throughout, and I was all for it. Trust me, I love me some intense romance with a lot of tension, but their sweet interactions were equally captivating here. I can watch their marital bliss all day.
Thank you for such an insightful post. I didn't know as a character that Duke Su likes theater. Now it makes sense why his enemies attempted to kill him at a theater event, which was one of my favorite scenes. I also appreciate the details you've shared on the metaphors, symbolism and the like in the drama. I was in such a rush watching it as it was such an exciting drama that I missed some of the details you highlighted, which improved my understanding of the story and enhanced my like for it.
I don't know. Maybe because the Doublets are just loving people? Heh heh. We all come back here to chat, esp.…
I couldn't get into NIF 1 but absolutely loved NIF 2. I was struck by how heartfelt the family dynamic was in the story. Great drama; one of my all time favorites.
I went in blind so I was expecting much more romance than what I got and I still want more because the leads were just oozing with chemistry. I loved their flirty banter. And they made us wait the entire drama but it was worth the wait.
As for the drama itself, I thought the first half was better than the 2nd half. As outrageous as the story is, it makes sense in a strange way and I was invested in where the drama was taking me. But later on, I felt myself losing interest with some of the plot. I also want to note that I was impressed by Joe Chen as the evil step mother. She portrayed one of the best villains (along with her sidekick) I've seen in a while and I was looking forward to her downfall, only to be disappointed because her comeuppance was so anticlimactic. I just didn't find it convincing how she went crazy.
But overall, still a riveting watch, thanks to excellent acting from the leads to the villains (e.g., the princess, what an actress), delicious revenge plot, gorgeous cinematography, and pulsing soundtrack.
I enjoyed the drama overall but felt some parts were sorely lacking. And the romance felt off, and this comes from someone who loves romance and will try anything with romance in it. It didn't work for me. The standout performance of the drama was Kim Soo Hyeon as Lady Maeda. Everytime she's on screen, she just transforms the scene into something so riveting. I felt like she had more chemistry with Park Seo Jun than the FL. That being said, I liked it enough to try Season 2.
My very first drama crush. I recall watching bits and pieces of Autumn Tale and I didn't know what I was watching but I knew I liked it. Now, over 400 shows and almost 25 years later, I still think about him sometimes. That's the power of Won Bin.
As for the drama itself, I thought the first half was better than the 2nd half. As outrageous as the story is, it makes sense in a strange way and I was invested in where the drama was taking me. But later on, I felt myself losing interest with some of the plot. I also want to note that I was impressed by Joe Chen as the evil step mother. She portrayed one of the best villains (along with her sidekick) I've seen in a while and I was looking forward to her downfall, only to be disappointed because her comeuppance was so anticlimactic. I just didn't find it convincing how she went crazy.
But overall, still a riveting watch, thanks to excellent acting from the leads to the villains (e.g., the princess, what an actress), delicious revenge plot, gorgeous cinematography, and pulsing soundtrack.