Ah, so I have mixed feelings about this one. I just binged watched 20 running hours and felt like I was on a bad roller coaster ride:
Originally I wasn't going to watch this drama as it felt a bit too much like exploiting the flowerboy theme w/o much plot to recommend it. But since I am still waiting for the next ep of Chicago Typewriter I needed something that has already finished to eliviate the suspense sickness. (Yes I just created that term)
Though the plot is as crude as expected and half the time what is happening makes no sense (or feels awfully forced) they manage to establish the characters and their roles and it all comes together with the Hwarang. Their little elite school is quite fun to watch - playing on all the school tropes: dorms, fractions, competitions etc.
Though, I have still no idea what our fem lead was doing in the drama. She was random, did not contribute to the plot and generally was a bit of a pushover.
So safe to say I could have spent 20 episodes watching our 2 male leads getting into scrapes and fighting their way out again. But somewhere in the middle the writers decided to take the only thing that made this whole thing watchable and tear it apart. And from then on the dream team is only developed alongside each other not together. And the rest of the affair is spent waiting for them to come together again. And once you realise this the ending is no longer surprising, if rather short and underwhelming.
So big cheers for Do Ji Han, who should have had much more screen time (bc his internal conflict was actually interesting)!
Unsure about what I think about the semi-modern setting. It seemed deliberate but with what intention?
And now I realise my comment is long enough to be a review. Oh well. Sorry about that.
It picked up a lot after the initial episodes. But the subplot about his family is just a bit too artifical.
Two thumbs up for Yoo Ah In & Go Kyung Pyo - they act really well together.
Amazing how there are almost none of the usual tropes you'd expect in a drama with a story this chliché. Totally love that! This is also def one of the best drama kisses I've seen in a while. Cute & normal and not at all as if dead fish were involved. These 2 have amazing chemistry, totally binge watching now!
I was just about to deduct a star bc of that ending but now I think I'll deduct 2 stars bc there was simply no reason to do this drama with kids. The story would not have suffered if they'd put in actors who are at least old enough to be allowed to drive a car in some countries.
Really I do appreciate that she's young and did an amazing job for her age, but that was really unneccessary.
Currently rewatching and damn this guy needs to learn about consequences. Running 60miles is not going to avoid the almost war he just caused... It's like watching F***tard daily. I wish somebody WOULD shoot him- the spoiled brat.
Wow I really needed to say that. Feeling much better. Now, thank the lords I know how this continues... and I can resume watching in peace.
Progressively loosing interest here. Kim Yoo Jung just can't keep up with Park Bo Gum acting wise. Totally mismatched those two. I don't know if it is bc she is so young but they have zero chemistry.
Great drama. The plot was highly enjoyable and I adored all the scenes of in-game play. And that they slowly moved the focus from the games to the real word instead of dropping the game scnes as soon sa they met in real life.
In any case I wish they had spent more time delveloping BWW career and interests. We don't get to know if she has a field within comp sci at which she is particularly good or by which she can contribute to the later company.
Bottom line: great cheesy romance drama
I can just about guess why this has received low ratings. It is a poor retelling of the Chinese original. It falls…
Hard to say actually. I know that Palace is less popular, but it was the first adaptation I saw so it has a special place in my heart :D
No I have not seen it, do you recommend it?
*edit* actually, the more I think about it - I liked the fem lead character in Palace better, bc she enters the court as a servant not some obscure fem relative and she is not so chummy with the royals. And it gives an interesting perspective of court life.
But I preferred the princes and the intrigue in Scarlet Heart.
I can just about guess why this has received low ratings. It is a poor retelling of the Chinese original. It falls…
This is the 3rd version of the story I've seen and it has too much to live up to for me. It is good that they have tried to make subtle changes and not make an exact copy of the Chinese version, but I really think the comedic relief is making it too trope-ish. :/ Okay I give you the hair factor. That took some getting used to.
It is only very short (by comparison) and I wonder which aspects they are going to toss in favour of brevity: character developement, political intrigue...?
If we are lucky they skip the ridiculous doppelgaenger episode... :P
I can just about guess why this has received low ratings. It is a poor retelling of the Chinese original. It falls short on just about every level. But mainly it fails to deliver the same level of dignity. This is just a generic love triangle story and the plot basis has as much realism as a wet towel. Sorry, nice male torsos to hook you but thereafter unfortunately nothing special
So, all good dramas start out with plenty of well-shaped naked male torsos....: check!
In order to avoid confusion if the male charakter headcount exceeds two: all men must be colour-coded: check!
Originally I wasn't going to watch this drama as it felt a bit too much like exploiting the flowerboy theme w/o much plot to recommend it. But since I am still waiting for the next ep of Chicago Typewriter I needed something that has already finished to eliviate the suspense sickness. (Yes I just created that term)
Though the plot is as crude as expected and half the time what is happening makes no sense (or feels awfully forced) they manage to establish the characters and their roles and it all comes together with the Hwarang. Their little elite school is quite fun to watch - playing on all the school tropes: dorms, fractions, competitions etc.
Though, I have still no idea what our fem lead was doing in the drama. She was random, did not contribute to the plot and generally was a bit of a pushover.
So safe to say I could have spent 20 episodes watching our 2 male leads getting into scrapes and fighting their way out again. But somewhere in the middle the writers decided to take the only thing that made this whole thing watchable and tear it apart. And from then on the dream team is only developed alongside each other not together. And the rest of the affair is spent waiting for them to come together again. And once you realise this the ending is no longer surprising, if rather short and underwhelming.
So big cheers for Do Ji Han, who should have had much more screen time (bc his internal conflict was actually interesting)!
Unsure about what I think about the semi-modern setting. It seemed deliberate but with what intention?
And now I realise my comment is long enough to be a review. Oh well. Sorry about that.
Two thumbs up for Yoo Ah In & Go Kyung Pyo - they act really well together.
Hm :/
Wth happened towards the end there???
Surprisingly sensible and funny.
Really I do appreciate that she's young and did an amazing job for her age, but that was really unneccessary.
Wow I really needed to say that. Feeling much better. Now, thank the lords I know how this continues... and I can resume watching in peace.
In any case I wish they had spent more time delveloping BWW career and interests. We don't get to know if she has a field within comp sci at which she is particularly good or by which she can contribute to the later company.
Bottom line: great cheesy romance drama
No I have not seen it, do you recommend it?
*edit* actually, the more I think about it - I liked the fem lead character in Palace better, bc she enters the court as a servant not some obscure fem relative and she is not so chummy with the royals. And it gives an interesting perspective of court life.
But I preferred the princes and the intrigue in Scarlet Heart.
http://mydramalist.com/1480-palace-the-lock-heart-jade
&
http://mydramalist.com/2969-scarlet-heart
It is only very short (by comparison) and I wonder which aspects they are going to toss in favour of brevity: character developement, political intrigue...?
If we are lucky they skip the ridiculous doppelgaenger episode... :P
In order to avoid confusion if the male charakter headcount exceeds two: all men must be colour-coded: check!