mycloverformrdarcy

Branding is everything!

A guide on how to leave a legacy; when legend becomes myth.

I quite enjoyed the chapter-like episodes, and how the story unfolded slowly. This was a very intriguing show, and I especially liked Shin Hae Sun’s acting, which can never be faulted to be honest. She just plays every character with nuance, and is a pure delight on my screen. The detective’s character was very shallow, and I think that Lee Jun Hyuk was let down by lack of characterization. The scriptwriter really wasted his talents as an actor in my opinion.

While I enjoyed the cinematography and acting, the show as a whole is just okay. Sarah can “read” people so well, and yet it took her half a year to realize that Mi Jeong conned her? Hm, I’m not sure about that, considering how protective Sarah is of her brand (both Boudoir and her persona). There is just something about the show that didn’t fully click; it was good for a one-time watch, but I wouldn’t watch it again, and I kind of hope the leads reunite (again) for a better drama (and maybe a romance?😁)!

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To be loved is to be seen and understood

What a show! The cinematography alone was breathtakingly beautiful, at times the show resembled a painting. A true visual feast!

I really enjoyed the story, and the complexities of the characters, how each layer unfolded, and how the leads learned to understand each other beyond language. Hiro asked Ho Jin if things had gone differently, if it wasn’t for the language barrier between him and Mu Hee. But, as Ho Jin points out, even though Ho Jin and Mu Hee speak the same language, they didn’t quite understand each other at times. Despite learning Korean, I don’t think Hiro understood Mu Hee as a person; her fears, her anxiety, her self-sabotaging ways throughout the show (which sometimes felt too relatable). She needed reassurance, a pillar, stability, someone who understands *her*, who looks beyond what she says to understand what she *needs*,*wants*, *means*. She needed someone to read in between the lines, and despite his initial frustration, Ho Jin did exactly that. He looked beyond her words and saw her person.

That is not to say that he didn’t need reassurance too; they both had attachment/abandonment issues. But I just loved Mu Hee’s earnestness in her pursuit of the male lead; she was endearing, awkward, and daring in the best way. Ho Jin, on the other hand, was gigatron-master-yearner 3000, and Kim Seon Ho bodied the character so well—but he does romance so well anyway, so no one’s surprised!

The second couple … was kind of just there. Their development was weird, and the chemistry lowkey non-existent. I don’t see why they had to become a couple, but it was nice that Ji Sun and Ho Jin got their closure; it was also nice to see the manager-actor relationship between Yong U and Mu Hee! They felt like siblings, which I liked. Mu Hee meeting her mother happened off-screen, which is a bit of a bummer… I would have liked to see how she faces her, and finally frees herself from her past, but the fact that she finally found the courage to face it in the first place was nice enough! This seems to be unpopular, since everyone wants a show of its own for this character, but I never warmed up to Hiro. Despite its meaning changing over time, I didn’t like how he kept referring to Mu Hee as “Zombie”, and he was weirdly mean to her in the beginning of their partnership for the reality show. I also found it hilarious how none of them ever thought about using a translation app while communicating… they really lowkey did not care to understand each other lol.

The show took so long to see the light of day, and here I am finishing it in a couple of days … I had a great time watching it; the leads had great chemistry, I was constantly rooting for them; the cinematography was fantastic, and so was the music.

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Good!

Solid second season! I found the beginning a little slow, but still entertaining and intriguing – and soon enough I was watching the cases unfold with delight! Had a lot of fun as the different stories were diverse and entertaining, if not sometimes frightening (the (Burning) Black Sun case…!). The last 2 episodes were not my favorites to be honest because I found them a little boring and draggy for some reason. I also don’t like how Kim Do Gi’s trauma is nothing more than a plot device. Here, it served as a temporary setback before the last big fight, I was a bit disappointed. His trauma is usually not really explored, and when it is, it’s to create scenarios such as this one in which he’s disadvantaged before coming back stronger … whatever, I guess. Will watch S3 for sure, and can’t wait!

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Banger

This was so, so good! I did not expect to love this drama as much as I do now, but this was such a great family drama (although the initial plot is a bit … questionable, lol). I wish that misunderstanding could have been cleared earlier for the sake of the romance. Shen Yuan’s love was palpable, but the development of Yi Ning’s feelings going from sisterly to actual love was so quick…! However, I absolutely loved how they were onto each other in the beginning😈 It was so much fun to see how she knows and how he knows that she knows. Their loyalty and care, their tacit understanding of the other was done so well! Another thing I loved was Yi Ning’s relationship to Madam Lin and her grandmother! I saw the latter in “The Sword and the Brocade” earlier this year and I was lowkey so scared she was going to be the same kind of nightmare character🫣, but instead she turned out to be such a lovely grandma! Madam Lin was such a mama bear to Yi Ning, truly the mother that stepped up!

Now … the second pest – ah, male lead. What a PEST. That man kept harassing and stalking Yi Ning, using his status as Marquis to appear everywhere uninvited and unwanted. He was so annoying, it was pathetic. Like, at one point you’ll have to choose your ego and let it go!! Yi Ning rejected him repeatedly, and he just kept going, like have some DIGNITY my guy!

Anyway, I grew totally attached to the leads, their families and their stories that I had happy tears in my eyes at times, lmao. Such a good show… I’m sad to let it go now. Also, I lowkey hallucinated a scene in which Yi Ning is sleeping/unconscious in bed, and Shen Yuan is sitting by her side, crying… Did I imagine this scene, because I thought I saw it in a TikTok and for some reason it didn’t appear in the show, unless I didn’t watch attentively… lol. Well, this a GOOD time I spent with this drama!🌟💚💚 Also, Ren Min had pretty princess syndrome throughout the whole show, whatever you say pretty doe-eyed princess….!!

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Worthy sequel in my opinion!

This was such a worthy sequel in my opinion! I am lucky to have started this right after the first season, that way I was still in the story and just as emotionally invested in the characters. And even though the beginning felt a lot like jumping from one tragedy/obstacle to the next, I really enjoyed the plot anyway. I loved seeing how the leads’ relationship slowly progressed, however, I agree that their development was frustrating. Not too much to irritate me, but … well. S1 did a good job establishing Mu Dan’s and Jiang Chang Yan’s communication skills as well as their tacit understanding of the other. Yet in S2 we see misunderstandings happening that result in lack of/miscommunication, which felt like a cheap trick to force tension and conflict. Did the romance still pay off for me? Yes, but the forced back and forth sure was concerning.

I must command Yang Zi here, of course, because she was such a standout this season again. Her delivery in emotional scenes was insane, and she instantly held my attention🤩. A scene could be tense, and as soon as she opens her mouth, I’d have tears running down my cheeks (looking at episode 19/20👀). Also, the scene in episode 21 when Mu Dan is drunk, dreaming about Jiang Chang Yan, and wondering why she can touch him. What a gut punch… Zhang Ya Qin also pulled her weight even though she disappeared in the middle (?? Where the hell was she), but the confrontation scene in episode 6 with Liu Chang, and her desperation and anger at his relentless pursuit of Mu Dan, was so well done emotionally.

Overall, this season was really nice, and I enjoyed it a lot. It made me smile, laugh, and especially cry! Also, appreciation for She Yan, my fallen lowkey random side character I have some emotional connection to… 🥹💖

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I love women!

What a show … finally finished a Yang Zi drama, and I am glad it’s this one. Wonderful show about female resilience and innovation; I loved the flower business as well as Mu Dan’s endless ideas to expand her business! The cinematography was to die for, and so was the styling. The acting was amazing; I was especially very happy to see Wei Zhe Ming play a more complex character as I am used to his green-flag good guy characters. Yang Zi… when she cries, I cry with her, what an actress. And Li Xian’s eye-acting is just unparalleled to be honest. He brings so much warmth to a single glance, it’s amazing.

Here’s a link to my small Sheng Yi character “analysis” : https://www.reddit.com/r/cdramasfans/comments/1m76otq/flourished_peony_sheng_yi/

Now moving on to S2!💖

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Great concept!

I really liked this drama, it was conceptually and visually impressive and unique, which I really appreciated since the premise isn’t all that new. Song Zu Er is an absolute gift that keeps on giving, she nailed every emotional scene - when she cries, I cry with her! The romance wasn’t my cup of tea to be honest, simply because the chemistry between the leads felt more platonic than romantic, however, I still enjoyed their dynamic! My favorite arcs were probably the puppet demon and the painting arc! The acting during the puppet arc was so well done, and I loved seeing Ban Xia kick ass while they were trapped in the painting! A nice switch-up since she usually physically depended on Xuan Ye to be protected. I understand why it ended the way it did, but the very last scene could have been different lol. Other than that, the show was decent, I just wish the storylines had been a little shorter as the show felt a little too drawn out! The OST was so beautiful as well btw!

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Shameless cat??

I am in shambles. Cried too many tears, it’s not okay. I think it took me a bit long to watch the first ten episodes, but once I reached episode 10/11, I just inhaled the show. It had me hooked and anticipating it the same way “Eternal Love” did earlier this year!!🤭🤣 I was just always looking forward to watching more!

I loved the OST (so sad that it’s STILL not on Spotify 💔) and the styling in this show! Although, Wei Zhao’s assassin’s wig was … not my favorite to be honest!! But everyone looked so, so dashing⚔️🥹, and I really enjoyed the scheming and plotting throughout the show. If you’re into scheming plots, political/internal power struggles with a pinch of heartbreaking romance, then this show is great! Also, Li Landi’s acting was so good, I need to watch more of her shows! RJL was great as expected and Jeremy Tsui had a very impressive and intense screen presence as well; everyone acted amazingly in this show!!

My favorite episode was probably the one during this Winter party when our leads were dressed in red, both looked so good (and HAPPY and WELL). Anyway, I have a headache now🤣💗 Ren Jia Lun, I deserve compensation after this and “One and Only”!!!!!💰

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Meh

This started out intriguingly and had my attention for a good while, but after episode 25 I was so done with the show. It was too long in my opinion, and the last episodes had too much filler content that made it boring. I am also disappointed how we didn’t see more of YCW’s autopsy skills as it was barely relevant. The romance was underwhelming to me because the chemistry between the leads was only so-so. To me, the male lead created better tension with the female lead than the other way round. Also, what … was that ending? What was the reason for the last 2 minutes?? 🧐🤚🏻 Could have lived without that. The settings were very pretty as were the costumes! I also liked the music a lot – specifically the instrumentals! The actuals songs were okay, but not outstanding or memorable to me. I feel like the show was overall a whole of … bland after a while because they just dragged out the ending, and I found the revelation of the bad guy kind of random because we literally meet him so late in the show🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Opinions on the acting. While I agree that JJY’s acting/interpretation of YCW is different than the other actress’, I find it a bit harsh to only criticize her. She is not solely responsible for the characterization and development of said character. That is actually the writer’s as well as the director’s job to lead her along the way. Of course, as an actress, she could do a better job (and I only say that because other actresses voice their opinions on how to interpret the character, an example would be Zhao Lu Si, I don’t know how involved JJY really is), but in my opinion, YCW as SGZ is just written differently than the YCW we were introduced with. Sometimes, her actions and behavior don’t align with the character we met in the first two episodes, but again, JJY didn't write the script, so I don’t really understand why she gets flamed so much🧐

It was okay, but it is not a must watch – to ME. 🧚🏻‍♀️🌺

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A gem!!

This was really good and fun! Not too creepy or scary at all, and had an amazing pace to be honest. I feel like it has been a good while since I watched a show that did not drag like crazy after episode 10; this one was genuinely fun until the end. I liked the acting – especially Jang Na Ra, she was stellar! I loved her deadpan expression and her deep, husky voice as well as the vulnerability she brought to her character. A real treat! Hated the villain’s acting though, he pissed me off, it felt forced… Overall, really nice – I am pleasantly surprised by this one, it’s a little gem💎.

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Comforting

Ah, this was such a nice drama. I really liked the visual representation of the different mental illnesses: how panic disorder can feel like drowning, or social anxiety making you feel watched and trapped in a box at the same time. How depression can feel dark and lonely, and like you’re moving in quicksand, slowly drowning. I loved Go Yoon’s patience and overall sweet and goofy personality a lot, but also Da Eun’s friendship with Yu Chan. The bond shared by the nurses was also so heartwarming, it was really nice to see how they have each other’s back without prejudice. It was also super interesting to see Da Eun becoming a patient herself, being in denial about her illness, but also getting back on her feet thanks to her strong support system. The show felt very comforting despite the heavy subject matter, I had a great time watching it!🌞🌞

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Cute show!

This was a fun and light-hearted, not too serious show – I really liked it. I liked how the female lead matured over the show, but she didn’t entirely lose her playful side either. KYD has proven again that his comedic timing is really good, he also plays the infatuated simp really well. Deeper, more emotional scenes are sometimes a little eh from his part, but I enjoyed the overall chemistry he had with the female lead as well as his general performance in the drama. The ending was also super satisfying – the bad guys were sufficiently punished and the main couple got to be happy! All in all, cute watch with the right length!🎉

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Okay, but nothing more

This was okay. I wish romcoms were still romcoms though. Who thought it was a good idea to add TWO unnecessary antagonist sub-plots into the show? So dumb, to be honest – I just skipped them🤭😪. The old lady had one-sided beef because the male lead didn’t want her to be his sugar mommy?? And the other dude was some anti-fan?? Don’t even ask, I skipped all that. The secondary couples, and romance in general, were super cute though. In my opinion, Kim Young Dae shined well in this show. He had good comedic timing and his chemistry with Lee Sung Kyung was also great. He was a lot more expressive here than he was in “Moon in the Day” (granted, those shows have … nothing in common really lmao). We could have all lived without the Africa storyline though… right? They represented a CONTINENT as some kind of entity (country) that needs saving as a whole from… a South Korean actor?? Weird. This was really… not needed at all (also, what was that yellow filter😭😭 that’s like American shows putting a yellow filter to show that they’re in Mexico… who told the director/editors that this was the way to go?🫣). The romance and comedy were cute enough, but I’m sure that there are better (and more consistent) shows out there.🤗

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Cute!

Giving this show a cute 7 stars because Ying Luo made me cry at the end. She didn't want to let go of her daughter😭😭 Anyway, this was not as sharp as the parent story, and the plot and characters felt quite juvenile - no surprise since the characters are younger -, but this was nonetheless nice. I think I enjoyed this even more because I loved SOYP so much, it's literally my Roman Empire; saying goodbye to Ying Luo and co for a second time is just cruel. Her scenes ate as always, she literally mothered. I loved that we got to see her playful and scheming side, and how she let Zhao Hua do her own things after gently getting her on the right track. The story itself is honestly kind of crazy (ha!), but it's a cute little 6-episode show that won't hurt you. It's nothing extraordinary, but it delivers nice sets, costumes, decent acting, nice music and a dash of madness. Overall, cute show with some of my favorite characters💞.

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