For the most part, I ended up liking this one. It had more fun in it than trauma, which is rare for all these Joseon Tales. I kept the review very spoiler free or spoiler light. No specific plot points are revealed, though there are some broad strokes and allusions to what is in store for a watcher.
I am trying to hold it in. I have gotten all the way to episode 13 (Ep. 7 if watching 1 hr version) but I just…
On ep 18 (9 of the 1 hr version) now.
Is Cha Tae Hyun this annoying in all his roles? This is my first drama with him in it, and I see he has one hell of a long list. He annoys me so much here. Maybe it is just the role, because I can not stand this character for the life of me. But Tae Hyun makes him grating to watch. Not only do I not like what the character is doing in the show, I do not like his acting decisions in portraying that character....it makes me dislike all of it even more.
I am trying to hold it in. I have gotten all the way to episode 13 (Ep. 7 if watching 1 hr version) but I just can't bite my tongue anymore.
Lee Gwang Jae is an effing awful character, and I really can't stand any moment he is on screen. The actor Cha Tae Hyun playing him doesn't help matters. Tae Hyun is an attractive man with a nice face and I am sure was a bit of a heartbreaker in his youth, but here he plays the role with puckered lips and golly shucks darn annoyance. It is a stock character, I get it, but can he make it original at all?
Gwang Jae stock character is honestly one of the worst in story writing. The whole point of his character is to create all the conflict while being a good guy. He is sold to us as a nice man. He is friendly. He "helps" everyone. He takes on responsibilities that aren't his. He is cute and lovable.
But in truth he is just a spineless, weak, ineffective liar. He lies to his lovelorn wanna be wife about a comeback. He lies to his old man about the situation of the family. He lies to everyone about Hyun Jae. He lies to his "son" about who Hyun Jae really is to him. He has lied about his feelings for Bo Hee for over 20 years.
He then tells no one that the bank has foreclosed on where they live, even though it will affect all of them, and he won't be able to hide it when they are being forced onto the street. He won't tell Ji Hoon that the very man who runs the company that he is training at is trying to destroy the family and all of their livelihoods. He then tells no one about Ji Hoons secret training after he finds out and instead pretends nothing is happening.
He refuses help from anyone regarding any situation even as the situations get worse and worse. He will not be honest with Ji Hoon over why even though he runs an entertainment company is in love with and living with a once pop sensation, he won't let him become a star, and thus further fuels the fire of Ji Hoon going elsewhere and to his own father's and families competitor for training and stardom. And even though he knows about ALL of this, and how bad the situation is, he STILL just gets up everyday doing the same things over and over again unchanged and telling nothing to no one. I mean at least if he was trying to find ways to solve the problems....but he doesn't he just tells those willing to help him that he has it under control and then just does the same thing he did yesterday as if everything is going to right itself.....
It is effing awful, and frustrating, annoying, and anger inducing to watch him smile and be friendly and everyone like him when he is the reason everything is so wrong, out-of-control, and messed up. It really is ALL his fault.
He is the enemy to everyone on screen.
Even worse Jo Hoon has apparently learned this behavior as his whole storyline has been about lying to everyone. Lying to his family about training. Lying to his family about people living with him. Lying to the female lead about his true feelings for her. lying to his family about going to school. Lying to the school about who is in classes in his place (Which is a HUGE academic crime and would get both of them thrown out of school with marks on their transcripts making it hard for them to ever get into any other accredited institution if this was the US). Lies...lies...lies...lies....and again, Ji Hoon is fed to us as a good, moral, nice guy. But he is also just a liar who is self serving.......
I am on episode 3 (5/6 of the 30 minute version).While, I am not a fan of the whole King/throne plot-line with…
Each Passing episode I like Officer Min less and less. Or maybe I shouldn't say like. I respect him less and less. He comes off stoic, stern, and detached. But, he honestly is just a huge coward, who follows rules to a fault, and has lost his own moral code. Like he seems to notice things are wrong, bad, and broken but he just accepts whatever it is anyway and goes about his business. Even when he discovers a historian is leaking information and being a spy, he just goes about his day after.
BTW, My Country New Age, Flower Crew, and now this all have the son of the main big bad as a morally ambiguous character of which I am guessing we will not, cough cough shrug, know how they will align until near the end of the series. Is anything in any of these Joseon stories original at all? Seriously, they all are just repeats with different casts. Or is it just these three that share this common plot point and I just happened to watch all three of them? I honestly cannot stress to anyone how much I am really over the whole control over the throne power struggle storylines.
And what is the main FL probelm. Why would she cry like that? Compared to what she has put up with already why is this the scene that breaks her? Why would she act like that while working? Why did it last for and entire song ballad? How out-of-character was this moment?
Oh well.
Weirdly even though I am complaining about this stuff, I do actually like the story when its dealing with the relationships of the characters instead of the whole power story. People keep attacking the main male lead here, and yeah his range isn't the widest for his character, but when he wants to be cute and charming he shows up in spades. I enjoy him with the female lead mostly. I have fun watching at leas.
While, I am not a fan of the whole King/throne plot-line with the evil councilors once again having more power and control than the royals they serve...the whole effing trope just needs to get the f out...I'm so sick of it....
The show, when it is not dealing with this tired, boring, dull, not-in-the-least bit thrilling, power grab story line is actually quite enjoyable. I wish they would just cut it out and let me enjoy a Joseon story without it.
However, I hate all the historians except the young apprentice of Officer Min. I hated them before it got to them being sexist jerks, and now the sexist jerk crap just makes them trolls. I know, I am supposed to not like this and there is going to be a whole journey, I am sure, where most, if not all of them will end up on the girls side at some point.....but I'm bothered that I still have to watch them be like this. Why couldn't they be the office that were refreshing and surprised the audience using their "more" educated brains to be open minded and welcoming. Willing to give it all a fair shake and good ol college try with the female additions. Because of course the girls are going to be looked down around everywhere else anyway, it would have been unexpected and refreshing of the writers if they would have chosen this route instead.
They are said to be the smartest of the bunch, that they must score the highest on the exam, and that even most Public service personal are not eligible for their role. Yet, they all act like fools. They are weak and spineless, and the bulk follow around 1 simpleton jerk spreading gossip between them like they are the royal palace's TMZ.
Even Officer Min blindly follows every decree and is caught off guard by someone question the system he is a part. He keeps his head bowed, remains silent, and watches the ridiculousness of everyone around him. I get it, science, they are historians, they record they do not interfere. How convenient as coups and suffering are spread across the land..,,and now he is doing "friendly" hazing. Eye roll.
Why am I more angry at the younger historians. I always expect too much out of newer generations in stories. Like they will be the ones with more open minds, larger ideas of acceptance, and fresh thoughts. But they are just stupid versions of the older generations. Doing exaclty what is taught to them and following the examples of those older. It makes me hate them more.
Except the 1 that I like. 1 out of the whole office...though I am sure at least Officer Min will end up on my good side at some point too.
If you find that your friend boyfriend is cheating on you... what will you do?? You will help her by exposing…
No, standing between a door and refusing to let someone pass of their own free will is never the right call, especially when its a situation that you have created for that person. It was wrong.
The whole rumor mill, is an excuse. There were only 5 people present. 3 of which were directly involved in the relationship. Thus, the only way there would have been rumors is if they themselves spread them.....
As the show progressed anyways, it was worse for her. She was outed by the wife in the lobby of the building in which our male lead had to protect her yet again. She was pulled into office meetings by the director of the company to talk about the relationship while at work. She had to lie to get out of being on the Europe team, and she had to deal with the rumors of her being a mistress anyway from strangers around the company....in-which everyone on her team helped defend her against. She also had to put up with working along side the BM for a decent amount of time and her and our male lead being subjected to his power and anger over their budding relationship to the point of even being separated.
Thus this whole rumor mill scenario you are using to excuse his actions was not averted at all by his actions and control of her, and actually added to their being more drama later with larger greater accusing outburst in actual public spaces in front of strangers. And in these scenarios she is put in the place of the accused instead of her being the one to do the accusing which is how her role would have been at the bridal shop, as well as a swath of additional problems.
Again, to restate, taking someone else's agency away because YOU have decided the best option for THEIR LIFE in situations you should NOT be a part....is inexcusable.
Getting through episode 2 was almost impossible. The design of the story is so poorly done.Episode 1, a taste…
This is so incredibly laughable.
This entire Mad Dog bunch are complete losers. I mean they have hospital workers, police officers, retired firemen, and a forensic professor all helping them out on the down low and many times illegally. The group itself is made up of an apparent tech wiz kid hacker with a 15 screen mad scientist computer set-up. An ex-con, loan shark collector. A seasoned investigator/private eye female quasi-spy who can do really lame rooftop jumps. And then the main character himself, which seems not to add anything to the group except lots of overwrought emotions and a cell phone earpiece.....
And yet, one stand alone guy with a stolen cell phone is the rival and match for all of them as a group. Just finished episode 5 and for, I know, the second bet, and at least the 3rd time in total, our lone wolf character got to the prize, figured pout the puzzle, and beat them at their own game. It is ridiculous.
"Lets make a bet," says the lone wolf. "You never gunna win," says the Mad Dog Gang.
Exit Loan Wolf
"Boss you really gunna do another bet?" Mad Dog team member questions. "We won't let him beat us. We can win against him. Anyone have any doubts?" Says Boss......
20 minutes later Lone Wolf is already there.......Mad Dog Gang is playing phone tag with each other and standing around.....
And then let's repeat this scene over and over again as a plot. Every time, let's even have the old ex-con jump to his feet in the middle and make some 3 Stooges sounds with his mouth as he flails his arms and pretends to kick the Lone Wolf out of anger......"Why I oughtta"........
ON REPEAT......
I just wanna pop in and say guys, you pretty much suck and need to stop making the bets because your skills are shit and the lone wolf wins every-time just by sitting in his lair and smirking. Ya Chumps. Ya basic, sit down or go play with that stupid insurance investigator at your alls old job. Somehow you all always win against him....so go make yourselves feel good cause he must be effing miserable!!
Even the serial killer dude gets to everyone before the Mad Dog Team.
How?
I mean really.....the lone wolf stole a phone and switched the sim cards while disappearing at a moments notice (Though still had the time to put white sheets over everything....who does this?) and is untraceable by all the electronic standards the show has shown us so far leaving the Mad Dog team at a loss.
Yet, a serial killer is there on the scene knowing everything and getting a double kill bonus when the boss he works with just found out any of these people we alive and needing a good killing in the literal previous scene of the show...unless a series of days passed between scenes it wasn't like serial killer had been staking anyone out.
The Mad Dog team is just really that damn bad, err at least the script to this show is.
Can someone turn off the always on music? The violins and drum set are non-stop. The most overly dramatic, end-of-the-world, everything is about to explode orchestrations constantly pounding my ear drums.
She found a sim card not the cure for cancer. A sim card. He is standing on the side of the road starring and talking into his earpiece. The ex con made a bad joke......
WHY DOES THE SOUNDTRACK SOUND LIKE DOWNTOWN SEOUL JUST WENT NUCLEAR?
Whew....man...Hoo Do-Hwan won an award for this too.....gulp. I mean I guess all things considered, he is by far is the best thing about this show, so reward him for it I suppose.
If you put his acting up against the main lead dude Yoo Ji Tae, then Do-Hwan looks like flippin Anthony Hopkins or Daniel Day Lewis. Ji Tae might just be from an old school class of actors and how kdramas once were, I dunno...but he is overacting like hes hungry for a Raspberry award. I mean overly dramatic much? I just say dude, calm your role.
Getting through episode 2 was almost impossible. The design of the story is so poorly done.
Episode 1, a taste of the current timeline and where the show will actually be. Designed entirely to sell the premise promised in commercials, and of course had us meet all the characters.
Episode 2, then comes along and is a flashback of exposition on how everything got to the point it is now for the ENTIRE episodes duration. It is long winded, boring, and overly dramatic. What sucks is that there is some truly tragic events that happen here, but the show decides to ride at level 15 in melodrama out of a 1-10 scale. Thus, everything is soooo over-the-top, soooo dramatic, soooo staged and showy, sooo false, (Really they are mostly untouched of carnage but still dead on a cot together in each other's arms after the crash..face palm) that it doesn't stir any emotion especially since we just literally met everyone involved and are not heavily tied to or emotionally invested in any of them.
If there would have been restraint and craft put into this. If the story would have weaved the tale into the main action instead of wielding it like a blunt instrument bludgeoning all the characters and viewers with a single episode completely outside the story-line just filled to the brim with tragic events. If the actors allowed their characters true raw emotions and glimpses of truly destroyed people instead of scenes that come off as all them ready for their close-up and creating their award show clips. It was shockingly amateurish, like they literally created those scenes of flailing, wailing, shaking their palms at the sky actors that are used in comedy spoof skits when making fun of dramatic turns, except they mean it to be affecting and serious.
The whole thing I just wanted over and I found myself huffing while rolling my eyes as I had to, yet again, deal with another person wailing uncontrollably, another person dying, another bad guy getting their money.......
It's been a while since I felt so incredibly detached from what was happening. And then the whole reveal at the end with the du dun dahhhhhh semi- cliffhanger ending and queued up music.....
This show, so far, does not know the meaning of understated on any level.
I guess we will find out why this even makes sense for them to be at odds with each other, because all I learned from this is that they should probably be best friends and working together.....so I'm lost.....why our new guy is trying to take the Mad Dog crew down seems superficially redundant and using some very skewed logic.
Doesn't everyone already know who the big bad is? It seems pretty obvious.
The inventory tally was to keep ML and FL separate and so that he will get a chance to talk to FL at the store.…
Also want to add, America, which currently houses the overall largest wealth pool in the world, considers you in the 96% if you earn 250k a year or more anuually. The highest tax bracket in the country and arguably the world putting those that earn this in the top 1% of income for the entire world.
The average cost of an entire home in the US is 265k dollars. So he basically had a 4 bedroom 2 bath US home worth of money sitting there ready to be used.
I also worked in finance for nearly 10 years. The amount of households that have 250k sitting in an account is Private Banking level clientele. It is not average, easy to come by, or normal.
Citi Bank's, one of the largest banks in the world, premier banking package is a 50,000 Balance in combined deposits and yes 250k is what gets you into their private banking sector. And most likely they would try to get you to invest it instead of keeping it liquid.
So the idea that he readily has the US equivalent of 250k worth of money available at the drop of a hat, is quite substantial, not at all common, and is suspect. In a country where it takes over 1,100 ratio to 1 us dollar, means he makes an incredible amount of money at his job. Which, him being a sales team manager seems off, at least by US pay standards. Now again, I have stated I do not know what a BM stands for, (I guessed Business Manager) but still, the show has many people in this position, which means it doesn't seem to be above the middle management threshold.
The inventory tally was to keep ML and FL separate and so that he will get a chance to talk to FL at the store.…
Yeah, if you read my review, I cover this and what we find out. These were thoughts while I was watching and reactions and emotions as they happened as if we were sitting together and talking as we watched. The review deals with the complete picture once all is known and done.
If you find that your friend boyfriend is cheating on you... what will you do?? You will help her by exposing…
While what you are saying might be logical, and I understand your point, it isn't right. Again, while I ended up loving him as a character and mostly liking the series overall...I still hold steadfast to this reaction here.
Whether are not it is sensible it is still not his right. At all. Period.
He made the decision of how she would find out, when she would find out, and then controlled her her reaction to what he made her learn. He controlled her against her will and forced the situation to play out how he wanted.
He had an end goal in mind...to have her. To win her. He as much confessed it on the way to the bridal shop in the car. He worked the situation to his benefit, he wanted her to leave the BM but didn't want her to leave the job. The job was his connection to her. Thus, he refused to allow her own agency and decisions in the situation completely.
Again, if she lost the job, that is her right to do so. She earned it her self and can lose it her self. She needed to do what healed her, and pleased her, and comforted her. It was her life, her relationship, her job, her choice.
He took all of it away and decided everything for her and planned it according to his decisions for her.
Who knows what would have happened. We can say she would have lost the job. But maybe not. We don't know. She could have at least gotten a huge hush money severance and gone to a competitor and been even better off. The family could have fired the BM and kept her our of spite. There are many ways it could have played out...we do not know because again.....
He made it HIS way, when it HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM.
It does give spoilers, though I try to keep them vague, however if you haven't watched be warned because you will easily catch on to certain plot points when they start happening, and I hate ruining stories for people. But I go pretty in-depth, so get some popcorn, it is not a nice affair.
I'm trying to laugh now. Just finished episode 20 or (10 if you're watching the 1hr version) and at this point in this series there is nothing for it to offer unless I turn it into some masochistic comedy.
I know people will say just drop it if you hate it that much, but I can't. I now have to see how horrible this script will go. How bad the acting is going to get from our female lead. How destroyed and and pilfered they will make this adaptation...........
This is a monstrosity. A car wreck in slow motion with no brakes. A series that should have killed careers. I will not lie, I am actually rethinking my support of some of the actors that I was loving before watching this. How could they read this script and think they should be a part of this? Whew....this might take the award for worst Kdrama I have yet seen.
I really need to laugh at it, because every passing moment makes me angry as I watch.......
I have never hated a hair style so much. Kim Min Jae, how unfortunate for you that the world will forever be able…
The sweeping violins and peppy piano music intermixed with happy sweet kpop is grating and manipulative as hell. How angry do I have to get before I stop watching this? Yes, he just outright lied to her face and then degraded her behind her back, but he smiled at her so lets hit the happy love swooning play button....
There should literally be crying violins, horror music, and menacing electro cyber punk playing as we watch him manipulate, coerce, and subdue her. Nothing happening here is sweet. Stop trying to sell it as such.
Pierre Choderlos-de-Laclos must be weeping in his grave that this trash stole his concept and produced the most watered down, derivative, poorly plotted, character assassinating drivel complete with horrible dialogue. Thank God this description says "Loosely based" on his work.
I hate how people only like Tae Hee because of Joy, I'm not a Joy fan but I loved her here. Soo Ji is a bitch.…
And Shi Hyun's life is miserable because he is a horrible person. The absolute disgust that is smeared and caked on him is his own making, his own decisions, his own crimes.
That he decides to fall in love and be someone else is great and fantastic. But he has to pay for his past sins. He doesn't get to just be good, and be in love, and walk away pretending he hasn't created chaos and destroyed people. Soo Ji chains him to the monster he has been for years and keeps a mirror to his face forcing him to look at his heinous and horrendous acts. She is his karma and his temptress.
That you want to give him his happiness free and clear and ship the romance with no repercussions and forgive him at the drop of a hat is a HUGE problem...everyone here in the message boards says this has a happy ending.....without putting it under spoiler tags, which I think is why I am getting more and more angry.
In the original novel everyone dies or becomes mutilated and ostracized for the rest of their days. The author knew the horrible characters he had drawn. It was supposed to show the grotesque nature of humans and wealth in society. In the end he punishes them and makes them all face the repercussions of being these decadent grotesque creatures.
Apparently that will not be the case here. Knowing that is making it hard to press play. None of these characters deserve happiness. Why is this show going to give it to them?
I hate how people only like Tae Hee because of Joy, I'm not a Joy fan but I loved her here. Soo Ji is a bitch.…
Okay I officially do not like the female lead Tae Hee at all. Sorry Lulu, I hadn't gotten far enough in the series to see how horribly written she really is. Not only the stuff that I said already but more and more keeps piling up. Our lead lies to her, is rude to her, outright mean to her, disrespectful, and humiliating but she only cares for like 0.1 seconds and then accepts anything he says to her. She literally gives an angry face turns and leaves and then he says wait and she stops and then is in his arms....its sicking. Watching her be so indecisive, weak, and swayed is starting to actually make me angry. I keep having to stop the program.
She has now witnessed and been told some pretty ridiculous things and just....whatever. What is her personality? How would you describe her to someone?
Why did she even bother leaving the house in the woods on her own. The moment he shows up its smiles, insta photos, and piggy back rides.
Sorry, everything that is coming her way, is her problem now. I'm more angry that I have to watch her be like this then watch all of them be despicable people.....
I hate how people only like Tae Hee because of Joy, I'm not a Joy fan but I loved her here. Soo Ji is a bitch.…
I get why people do not like Tae Hee though. I mean I am not a fan of Soo Ji and will not defend her at all, she is a pretty horrible human being. But Tae Hee is a push-over who hasn't stuck to a single thing she says. She is easily duped. I just finished episode 6 (30 Min) or the equivalent of of episode 3 for an hour drama. And she has already fallen for the guy.
She tells her friend she will have nothing to do with him, and then goes to lunch with him. She says love means nothing to her and then she is weak at the knees for a guy she knows made out with her friend's mom at a nightclub. He almost hit her with his car and then blames her for it and leaves her on the road. Her best friend finds out he made out with her mom and collapses on the street and he runs away, while she watches it all....Yet, she answers his phone calls and talks to him when he shows up, and plays along with everything he does.....and has already had an over-the-phone cooking date....
Its all absurd.
In the Original, the female lead is stern and steadfast in her absolution for not being with him. She holds him at bay and calls him out for the games he plays. Until he falls for her after he is forced to work harder than he ever had to before and put in so much time just to get to know her, she finally relents, but by this point he is smitten and in love and she has changed him. It is Beauty and Her Beast.....
But here, we are 3 episodes in and shes a lost cause and he plays her like any other girl.
I also don't like how the show is already working hard to give us back stories to forgive the male leads. Dead and comatose mothers with cold abusive fathers. Boohoo...they act out because they're rich elite lives are so hard. When they finally fall in love we can forgive them for being absolutely despicable, horrible, heinous, and bankrupt individuals, they didn't have mommies.
Meanwhile, the female in the story will always just be hated as a bitch while everyone forgives the men.....its abhorrent.
BTW the main male lead literally paid someone to sexually assault the female lead....... Not going to touch that with a 10 foot pole, and that has never happened in any of the other Dangerous Liaisons adaptations I've seen....
I have never hated a hair style so much. Kim Min Jae, how unfortunate for you that the world will forever be able to see you looking like this.
Should I be comparing this to the original 1782 French novel? The original French film adaption from 1959? The American film adaptation from 1988? The American high school adaptation with Sarah Michelle Gellar in 1999 ? Or the Chinese version from 2012?
There are still more adaptations...but.....
I'm guessing the American Teen Cruel Intentions version will have to be the benchmark here as this has taken the same rich kids elite school approach.......
There is nothing Historical here except for the way people are dressed and they don't carry cell phones.
Just because at some point something was funny, or someone did something funny, or there is a soundtrack of gag sounds and meowing cats...does not make this a comedy. This is very, very, very, very, far from being a comedy. Calling this a comedy is like saying Braveheart is a feel good romp. Titanic is laughs-a-plenty swimming lesson. The Fault of our Stars is light hearted fun that will leave you in stitches.
Romance does happen. Though the side couple ship is pretty disappointing to watch and makes you really dislike a central player since he is willing to basically ignore the monstrous stuff his love interest does throughout.
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https://kisskh.at/profile/soundinfinite/reviews/178427
For the most part, I ended up liking this one. It had more fun in it than trauma, which is rare for all these Joseon Tales. I kept the review very spoiler free or spoiler light. No specific plot points are revealed, though there are some broad strokes and allusions to what is in store for a watcher.
Is Cha Tae Hyun this annoying in all his roles? This is my first drama with him in it, and I see he has one hell of a long list. He annoys me so much here. Maybe it is just the role, because I can not stand this character for the life of me. But Tae Hyun makes him grating to watch. Not only do I not like what the character is doing in the show, I do not like his acting decisions in portraying that character....it makes me dislike all of it even more.
Lee Gwang Jae is an effing awful character, and I really can't stand any moment he is on screen. The actor Cha Tae Hyun playing him doesn't help matters. Tae Hyun is an attractive man with a nice face and I am sure was a bit of a heartbreaker in his youth, but here he plays the role with puckered lips and golly shucks darn annoyance. It is a stock character, I get it, but can he make it original at all?
Gwang Jae stock character is honestly one of the worst in story writing. The whole point of his character is to create all the conflict while being a good guy. He is sold to us as a nice man. He is friendly. He "helps" everyone. He takes on responsibilities that aren't his. He is cute and lovable.
But in truth he is just a spineless, weak, ineffective liar. He lies to his lovelorn wanna be wife about a comeback. He lies to his old man about the situation of the family. He lies to everyone about Hyun Jae. He lies to his "son" about who Hyun Jae really is to him. He has lied about his feelings for Bo Hee for over 20 years.
He then tells no one that the bank has foreclosed on where they live, even though it will affect all of them, and he won't be able to hide it when they are being forced onto the street. He won't tell Ji Hoon that the very man who runs the company that he is training at is trying to destroy the family and all of their livelihoods. He then tells no one about Ji Hoons secret training after he finds out and instead pretends nothing is happening.
He refuses help from anyone regarding any situation even as the situations get worse and worse. He will not be honest with Ji Hoon over why even though he runs an entertainment company is in love with and living with a once pop sensation, he won't let him become a star, and thus further fuels the fire of Ji Hoon going elsewhere and to his own father's and families competitor for training and stardom. And even though he knows about ALL of this, and how bad the situation is, he STILL just gets up everyday doing the same things over and over again unchanged and telling nothing to no one. I mean at least if he was trying to find ways to solve the problems....but he doesn't he just tells those willing to help him that he has it under control and then just does the same thing he did yesterday as if everything is going to right itself.....
It is effing awful, and frustrating, annoying, and anger inducing to watch him smile and be friendly and everyone like him when he is the reason everything is so wrong, out-of-control, and messed up. It really is ALL his fault.
He is the enemy to everyone on screen.
Even worse Jo Hoon has apparently learned this behavior as his whole storyline has been about lying to everyone. Lying to his family about training. Lying to his family about people living with him. Lying to the female lead about his true feelings for her. lying to his family about going to school. Lying to the school about who is in classes in his place (Which is a HUGE academic crime and would get both of them thrown out of school with marks on their transcripts making it hard for them to ever get into any other accredited institution if this was the US). Lies...lies...lies...lies....and again, Ji Hoon is fed to us as a good, moral, nice guy. But he is also just a liar who is self serving.......
BTW, My Country New Age, Flower Crew, and now this all have the son of the main big bad as a morally ambiguous character of which I am guessing we will not, cough cough shrug, know how they will align until near the end of the series. Is anything in any of these Joseon stories original at all? Seriously, they all are just repeats with different casts. Or is it just these three that share this common plot point and I just happened to watch all three of them? I honestly cannot stress to anyone how much I am really over the whole control over the throne power struggle storylines.
And what is the main FL probelm. Why would she cry like that? Compared to what she has put up with already why is this the scene that breaks her? Why would she act like that while working? Why did it last for and entire song ballad? How out-of-character was this moment?
Oh well.
Weirdly even though I am complaining about this stuff, I do actually like the story when its dealing with the relationships of the characters instead of the whole power story. People keep attacking the main male lead here, and yeah his range isn't the widest for his character, but when he wants to be cute and charming he shows up in spades. I enjoy him with the female lead mostly. I have fun watching at leas.
While, I am not a fan of the whole King/throne plot-line with the evil councilors once again having more power and control than the royals they serve...the whole effing trope just needs to get the f out...I'm so sick of it....
The show, when it is not dealing with this tired, boring, dull, not-in-the-least bit thrilling, power grab story line is actually quite enjoyable. I wish they would just cut it out and let me enjoy a Joseon story without it.
However, I hate all the historians except the young apprentice of Officer Min. I hated them before it got to them being sexist jerks, and now the sexist jerk crap just makes them trolls. I know, I am supposed to not like this and there is going to be a whole journey, I am sure, where most, if not all of them will end up on the girls side at some point.....but I'm bothered that I still have to watch them be like this. Why couldn't they be the office that were refreshing and surprised the audience using their "more" educated brains to be open minded and welcoming. Willing to give it all a fair shake and good ol college try with the female additions. Because of course the girls are going to be looked down around everywhere else anyway, it would have been unexpected and refreshing of the writers if they would have chosen this route instead.
They are said to be the smartest of the bunch, that they must score the highest on the exam, and that even most Public service personal are not eligible for their role. Yet, they all act like fools. They are weak and spineless, and the bulk follow around 1 simpleton jerk spreading gossip between them like they are the royal palace's TMZ.
Even Officer Min blindly follows every decree and is caught off guard by someone question the system he is a part. He keeps his head bowed, remains silent, and watches the ridiculousness of everyone around him. I get it, science, they are historians, they record they do not interfere. How convenient as coups and suffering are spread across the land..,,and now he is doing "friendly" hazing. Eye roll.
Why am I more angry at the younger historians. I always expect too much out of newer generations in stories. Like they will be the ones with more open minds, larger ideas of acceptance, and fresh thoughts. But they are just stupid versions of the older generations. Doing exaclty what is taught to them and following the examples of those older. It makes me hate them more.
Except the 1 that I like. 1 out of the whole office...though I am sure at least Officer Min will end up on my good side at some point too.
The whole rumor mill, is an excuse. There were only 5 people present. 3 of which were directly involved in the relationship. Thus, the only way there would have been rumors is if they themselves spread them.....
As the show progressed anyways, it was worse for her. She was outed by the wife in the lobby of the building in which our male lead had to protect her yet again. She was pulled into office meetings by the director of the company to talk about the relationship while at work. She had to lie to get out of being on the Europe team, and she had to deal with the rumors of her being a mistress anyway from strangers around the company....in-which everyone on her team helped defend her against. She also had to put up with working along side the BM for a decent amount of time and her and our male lead being subjected to his power and anger over their budding relationship to the point of even being separated.
Thus this whole rumor mill scenario you are using to excuse his actions was not averted at all by his actions and control of her, and actually added to their being more drama later with larger greater accusing outburst in actual public spaces in front of strangers. And in these scenarios she is put in the place of the accused instead of her being the one to do the accusing which is how her role would have been at the bridal shop, as well as a swath of additional problems.
Again, to restate, taking someone else's agency away because YOU have decided the best option for THEIR LIFE in situations you should NOT be a part....is inexcusable.
This entire Mad Dog bunch are complete losers. I mean they have hospital workers, police officers, retired firemen, and a forensic professor all helping them out on the down low and many times illegally. The group itself is made up of an apparent tech wiz kid hacker with a 15 screen mad scientist computer set-up. An ex-con, loan shark collector. A seasoned investigator/private eye female quasi-spy who can do really lame rooftop jumps. And then the main character himself, which seems not to add anything to the group except lots of overwrought emotions and a cell phone earpiece.....
And yet, one stand alone guy with a stolen cell phone is the rival and match for all of them as a group. Just finished episode 5 and for, I know, the second bet, and at least the 3rd time in total, our lone wolf character got to the prize, figured pout the puzzle, and beat them at their own game. It is ridiculous.
"Lets make a bet," says the lone wolf.
"You never gunna win," says the Mad Dog Gang.
Exit Loan Wolf
"Boss you really gunna do another bet?" Mad Dog team member questions.
"We won't let him beat us. We can win against him. Anyone have any doubts?" Says Boss......
20 minutes later Lone Wolf is already there.......Mad Dog Gang is playing phone tag with each other and standing around.....
And then let's repeat this scene over and over again as a plot. Every time, let's even have the old ex-con jump to his feet in the middle and make some 3 Stooges sounds with his mouth as he flails his arms and pretends to kick the Lone Wolf out of anger......"Why I oughtta"........
ON REPEAT......
I just wanna pop in and say guys, you pretty much suck and need to stop making the bets because your skills are shit and the lone wolf wins every-time just by sitting in his lair and smirking. Ya Chumps. Ya basic, sit down or go play with that stupid insurance investigator at your alls old job. Somehow you all always win against him....so go make yourselves feel good cause he must be effing miserable!!
Even the serial killer dude gets to everyone before the Mad Dog Team.
How?
I mean really.....the lone wolf stole a phone and switched the sim cards while disappearing at a moments notice (Though still had the time to put white sheets over everything....who does this?) and is untraceable by all the electronic standards the show has shown us so far leaving the Mad Dog team at a loss.
Yet, a serial killer is there on the scene knowing everything and getting a double kill bonus when the boss he works with just found out any of these people we alive and needing a good killing in the literal previous scene of the show...unless a series of days passed between scenes it wasn't like serial killer had been staking anyone out.
The Mad Dog team is just really that damn bad, err at least the script to this show is.
Can someone turn off the always on music? The violins and drum set are non-stop. The most overly dramatic, end-of-the-world, everything is about to explode orchestrations constantly pounding my ear drums.
She found a sim card not the cure for cancer. A sim card. He is standing on the side of the road starring and talking into his earpiece. The ex con made a bad joke......
WHY DOES THE SOUNDTRACK SOUND LIKE DOWNTOWN SEOUL JUST WENT NUCLEAR?
Whew....man...Hoo Do-Hwan won an award for this too.....gulp.
I mean I guess all things considered, he is by far is the best thing about this show, so reward him for it I suppose.
If you put his acting up against the main lead dude Yoo Ji Tae, then Do-Hwan looks like flippin Anthony Hopkins or Daniel Day Lewis. Ji Tae might just be from an old school class of actors and how kdramas once were, I dunno...but he is overacting like hes hungry for a Raspberry award. I mean overly dramatic much? I just say dude, calm your role.
Episode 1, a taste of the current timeline and where the show will actually be. Designed entirely to sell the premise promised in commercials, and of course had us meet all the characters.
Episode 2, then comes along and is a flashback of exposition on how everything got to the point it is now for the ENTIRE episodes duration. It is long winded, boring, and overly dramatic. What sucks is that there is some truly tragic events that happen here, but the show decides to ride at level 15 in melodrama out of a 1-10 scale. Thus, everything is soooo over-the-top, soooo dramatic, soooo staged and showy, sooo false, (Really they are mostly untouched of carnage but still dead on a cot together in each other's arms after the crash..face palm) that it doesn't stir any emotion especially since we just literally met everyone involved and are not heavily tied to or emotionally invested in any of them.
If there would have been restraint and craft put into this. If the story would have weaved the tale into the main action instead of wielding it like a blunt instrument bludgeoning all the characters and viewers with a single episode completely outside the story-line just filled to the brim with tragic events. If the actors allowed their characters true raw emotions and glimpses of truly destroyed people instead of scenes that come off as all them ready for their close-up and creating their award show clips. It was shockingly amateurish, like they literally created those scenes of flailing, wailing, shaking their palms at the sky actors that are used in comedy spoof skits when making fun of dramatic turns, except they mean it to be affecting and serious.
The whole thing I just wanted over and I found myself huffing while rolling my eyes as I had to, yet again, deal with another person wailing uncontrollably, another person dying, another bad guy getting their money.......
It's been a while since I felt so incredibly detached from what was happening. And then the whole reveal at the end with the du dun dahhhhhh semi- cliffhanger ending and queued up music.....
This show, so far, does not know the meaning of understated on any level.
I guess we will find out why this even makes sense for them to be at odds with each other, because all I learned from this is that they should probably be best friends and working together.....so I'm lost.....why our new guy is trying to take the Mad Dog crew down seems superficially redundant and using some very skewed logic.
Doesn't everyone already know who the big bad is? It seems pretty obvious.
Anyway on to episode 3.
The average cost of an entire home in the US is 265k dollars. So he basically had a 4 bedroom 2 bath US home worth of money sitting there ready to be used.
I also worked in finance for nearly 10 years. The amount of households that have 250k sitting in an account is Private Banking level clientele. It is not average, easy to come by, or normal.
Citi Bank's, one of the largest banks in the world, premier banking package is a 50,000 Balance in combined deposits and yes 250k is what gets you into their private banking sector. And most likely they would try to get you to invest it instead of keeping it liquid.
So the idea that he readily has the US equivalent of 250k worth of money available at the drop of a hat, is quite substantial, not at all common, and is suspect. In a country where it takes over 1,100 ratio to 1 us dollar, means he makes an incredible amount of money at his job. Which, him being a sales team manager seems off, at least by US pay standards. Now again, I have stated I do not know what a BM stands for, (I guessed Business Manager) but still, the show has many people in this position, which means it doesn't seem to be above the middle management threshold.
Whether are not it is sensible it is still not his right. At all. Period.
He made the decision of how she would find out, when she would find out, and then controlled her her reaction to what he made her learn. He controlled her against her will and forced the situation to play out how he wanted.
He had an end goal in mind...to have her. To win her. He as much confessed it on the way to the bridal shop in the car. He worked the situation to his benefit, he wanted her to leave the BM but didn't want her to leave the job. The job was his connection to her. Thus, he refused to allow her own agency and decisions in the situation completely.
Again, if she lost the job, that is her right to do so. She earned it her self and can lose it her self. She needed to do what healed her, and pleased her, and comforted her. It was her life, her relationship, her job, her choice.
He took all of it away and decided everything for her and planned it according to his decisions for her.
Who knows what would have happened. We can say she would have lost the job. But maybe not. We don't know. She could have at least gotten a huge hush money severance and gone to a competitor and been even better off. The family could have fired the BM and kept her our of spite. There are many ways it could have played out...we do not know because again.....
He made it HIS way, when it HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM.
https://kisskh.at/profile/soundinfinite/reviews/177461
It does give spoilers, though I try to keep them vague, however if you haven't watched be warned because you will easily catch on to certain plot points when they start happening, and I hate ruining stories for people. But I go pretty in-depth, so get some popcorn, it is not a nice affair.
I know people will say just drop it if you hate it that much, but I can't. I now have to see how horrible this script will go. How bad the acting is going to get from our female lead. How destroyed and and pilfered they will make this adaptation...........
This is a monstrosity. A car wreck in slow motion with no brakes. A series that should have killed careers. I will not lie, I am actually rethinking my support of some of the actors that I was loving before watching this. How could they read this script and think they should be a part of this? Whew....this might take the award for worst Kdrama I have yet seen.
I really need to laugh at it, because every passing moment makes me angry as I watch.......
There should literally be crying violins, horror music, and menacing electro cyber punk playing as we watch him manipulate, coerce, and subdue her. Nothing happening here is sweet. Stop trying to sell it as such.
Pierre Choderlos-de-Laclos must be weeping in his grave that this trash stole his concept and produced the most watered down, derivative, poorly plotted, character assassinating drivel complete with horrible dialogue. Thank God this description says "Loosely based" on his work.
That he decides to fall in love and be someone else is great and fantastic. But he has to pay for his past sins. He doesn't get to just be good, and be in love, and walk away pretending he hasn't created chaos and destroyed people. Soo Ji chains him to the monster he has been for years and keeps a mirror to his face forcing him to look at his heinous and horrendous acts. She is his karma and his temptress.
That you want to give him his happiness free and clear and ship the romance with no repercussions and forgive him at the drop of a hat is a HUGE problem...everyone here in the message boards says this has a happy ending.....without putting it under spoiler tags, which I think is why I am getting more and more angry.
In the original novel everyone dies or becomes mutilated and ostracized for the rest of their days. The author knew the horrible characters he had drawn. It was supposed to show the grotesque nature of humans and wealth in society. In the end he punishes them and makes them all face the repercussions of being these decadent grotesque creatures.
Apparently that will not be the case here. Knowing that is making it hard to press play. None of these characters deserve happiness. Why is this show going to give it to them?
She has now witnessed and been told some pretty ridiculous things and just....whatever. What is her personality? How would you describe her to someone?
Why did she even bother leaving the house in the woods on her own. The moment he shows up its smiles, insta photos, and piggy back rides.
Sorry, everything that is coming her way, is her problem now. I'm more angry that I have to watch her be like this then watch all of them be despicable people.....
She tells her friend she will have nothing to do with him, and then goes to lunch with him. She says love means nothing to her and then she is weak at the knees for a guy she knows made out with her friend's mom at a nightclub. He almost hit her with his car and then blames her for it and leaves her on the road. Her best friend finds out he made out with her mom and collapses on the street and he runs away, while she watches it all....Yet, she answers his phone calls and talks to him when he shows up, and plays along with everything he does.....and has already had an over-the-phone cooking date....
Its all absurd.
In the Original, the female lead is stern and steadfast in her absolution for not being with him. She holds him at bay and calls him out for the games he plays. Until he falls for her after he is forced to work harder than he ever had to before and put in so much time just to get to know her, she finally relents, but by this point he is smitten and in love and she has changed him. It is Beauty and Her Beast.....
But here, we are 3 episodes in and shes a lost cause and he plays her like any other girl.
I also don't like how the show is already working hard to give us back stories to forgive the male leads. Dead and comatose mothers with cold abusive fathers. Boohoo...they act out because they're rich elite lives are so hard. When they finally fall in love we can forgive them for being absolutely despicable, horrible, heinous, and bankrupt individuals, they didn't have mommies.
Meanwhile, the female in the story will always just be hated as a bitch while everyone forgives the men.....its abhorrent.
BTW the main male lead literally paid someone to sexually assault the female lead.......
Not going to touch that with a 10 foot pole, and that has never happened in any of the other Dangerous Liaisons adaptations I've seen....
Should I be comparing this to the original 1782 French novel? The original French film adaption from 1959? The American film adaptation from 1988? The American high school adaptation with Sarah Michelle Gellar in 1999 ? Or the Chinese version from 2012?
There are still more adaptations...but.....
I'm guessing the American Teen Cruel Intentions version will have to be the benchmark here as this has taken the same rich kids elite school approach.......
There is nothing Historical here except for the way people are dressed and they don't carry cell phones.
Just because at some point something was funny, or someone did something funny, or there is a soundtrack of gag sounds and meowing cats...does not make this a comedy. This is very, very, very, very, far from being a comedy. Calling this a comedy is like saying Braveheart is a feel good romp. Titanic is laughs-a-plenty swimming lesson. The Fault of our Stars is light hearted fun that will leave you in stitches.
Romance does happen. Though the side couple ship is pretty disappointing to watch and makes you really dislike a central player since he is willing to basically ignore the monstrous stuff his love interest does throughout.
Here is my final overview and review:
https://kisskh.at/profile/soundinfinite/reviews/177129