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Parenting, plotting, palace intrigue—Queen Im multitasks better than your Wi-Fi
Though historical Chinese dramas often share similarities, and I enjoy them anyway, this Korean drama thankfully avoids being a mere clone of Mr. Queen.From the acting, to the production, to the delivery, to the cast, to the cinematography, to the music, everything was chef’s kiss. Starting with the Titular character, Kim Hye Soo is brilliant as Queen Im Hwa Ryung who literally runs around the courtyard, trying to hasten her children, those who need the discipline, while trying to cover up for her children, those who need protection. Despite this, she finds the energy to foil plots hatched by numerous concubines and the formidable Queen Dowager. Kim Hye Soo’s micro-expressions and voice modulation at different times were entertaining to watch. I was impressed by her strength as a ruler, compassion as a mother, and her capacity for forgiveness.
The rest of the cast, her children, the king, the concubines and the Queen Dowager were all great in their performances. Despite their flaws, the characters were portrayed with complexity and multi-dimensionality, the nuances of their performances giving them meaning.
Although the many wives and children of the King initially made it hard to follow, the story’s intricate interwoven plots are not overly confusing. A character chart that I googled came in handy at this point. However, the complexity of the plot was warranted; the mysteries and adventures kept me on my toes.
If you are expecting a grand romance, it’s not really the focus of the drama. Though it has romantic elements, it was only on the surface level, just an addendum to some of the story line, but could also be unnecessary.
One thing that surprised me about this drama is that it tackled the sensitive topic of gender dysphoria. I did not imagine a character who is transgendered to be written in a historical work. My point isn’t that trans people were absent then, but rather, their existence was seldom or never addressed. The Queen’s handling of this situation was bittersweet, to say the least.
Despite the difficulty of drawing present-day applicable lessons from this drama, it’s still worth watching. We should see the Queen from her perspective, not as a member of the royal family, or anyone with countless sister-in-laws (unless you’re into polyamory), but as a mother to her children, a wife to her husband, who would go through great lengths to protect the people she loves.
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Loss doesn’t mean forgetting—it means remembering with love
Where to begin with this short but gut-wrenching drama? Maybe the premise will help, as we already know from the get-go that one of the main characters is dead. So it’s not like we didn’t expect a sad backstory to color the mood.In the beginning, we learn that the female lead was engaged in an adulterous relationship, although I did not see any need for the drama to include such a minute detail. But this incident spurs Konno Mei to move back to her hometown, where the actual story begins. We know her aversion to that place is mainly because of the abundance of memories she had with her childhood friend, who passed away tragically at a young age. But the prospect of the cherry-blossom tree where they had promised to meet, being cut down, was also weighing on her thoughts.
Once there, she meets her supposedly dead friend who’s stuck at 17. Setting aside the how’s and why’s Kota mysteriously re-appearing after years of his demise; we see Mei being conflicted. Happy that she can see him again once more, but also sad knowing what actually happened to him. She couldn’t seem to grasp the reality of his death, nor could she move on. She distanced herself from her friends and became far from being her happy-go-lucky young self.
Mei also became awkward upon meeting her friends again. I understand that death will do this to certain people, where they drift away from each other, not knowing what to do. However, this drama shows that life doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom once someone passes away. Kota’s reappearance stresses the importance of leaning on each other for support and is pivotal in bringing old friendships back together.
While we see justice being served late, with the real perpetrator of Kota’s unfortunate accident brought to justice, I place less emphasis on this revelation. For me, what struck the most is that time CAN heal wounds, if you let it, and it makes you appreciate the value of time with family and friends, no matter how short it is, and that expressing your feelings will help you with the worries and doubts if you rely on the surrounding support.
All the actors did a great job of making this point across, but also the production team, from the director to the writers, did a commendable job of bringing this drama to life. I also loved the appearance of the old man and his own story about his dead wife. It makes the impact of love and loss more powerful, even though told in this super-natural tale. But the emotions are all still there, and we should not be afraid of them.
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Story: Two boys catch up about old times while playing badminton at night. They talk about girls, who they hooked up with, what's their ideal type, etc, etc, as they walk around the city.Acting: Okay enough for some randos.
Music: Well, if two guys can dance to it without looking like crazy lunatics, I guess that's decent enough.
Rewatch Value: Yeah, I get it the first time.
Overall Impression: The single thought I had in this film: "Are they or aren't they.........going to clean that vape?"
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The drama is mostly light-hearted, but it has its emotional moments, like when Ling Chao is dealing with his absentee father or when Juan Juan was coping with her relationship woes. But the gang of misfits provided comic relief, and Miao Yi certainly proved herself to be a natural. While there are some cringe moments, it is easy to overlook them. I love how this drama does not take itself seriously, and it is such a fun watch.
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How to rate a drama where the first part had me at the edge of my seat, while the second part almost lulled me to sleep? Hence my dilemma with Alchemy of Souls. I wasn’t sure where part two went wrong, or was it because part one was so amazing, it was hard to replicate the same excitement when I watched it?The good of Part 1:
- The chemistry between Lee Jae Wook and Jung So Min is chef’s kiss. The banter between Master and Disciple, or Master and servant in some cases, showcased expert choreography and finesse in the performance.
- The cinematography, especially during the fighting scenes, was executed with remarkable precision.
- The plot, although sometimes over-complicated, was intricate and kept me on my toes.
- The supporting characters were not one-dimensional and had depth in the roles.
- The show explained the supernatural elements later, despite them being sometimes difficult to keep up with.
- The humor is quite refreshing and quirky
- The swoon-worthy music supported the emotional journey of the characters
Part 1 Verdict: Off to an amazing start!
Combined score: 9 out of 10.
Overall impression: Should have stopped at Part 1.
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Story: Two friends on a motorbike because one is jobless and the other left his things at his ex-girlfriend’s place. With this plot, I really do not expect much of a story. Acting/Cast: Middling as this was supposed to be an LGBTQ story but the way the two actors portray it, they could just be friends. I could not even feel the pining.
Music: Bland at best.
Rewatch Value: Nah.
Overall: This short film tries to be artistic and profound but fails in execution. Although we are supposed to believe that one MC is in love with the other who is oblivious to his friend’s feelings, but the portrayal leaves so much to be desired. All we see is one trudging up a mountain just following whatever the other says, and coming down without accomplishing anything. It’s like taking a trip to the department store but coming up empty-handed.
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Story: It was confusing at first until it became even more confusing. I wasn’t sure whether I was seeing flashbacks of a person’s past or watching two separate lives of people on parallel universes, until I realize later that I was watching a combination of both. Old man Xue Ping reminisces about his past love Ding, who happens to be student A Hong’s doppelganger. So old man follows young man around town, not aware he is coming across as a creepy stalker. Acting/Cast: I’ve seen Chin Shih Chieh and Ray Chang around in other works, and they are decent, working with what they could of a sub-par script.
Music: Nothing to right home about.
Rewatch Value: No thanks.
Overall: The story of the old man’s past is more interesting than that of the student, which really doesn’t serve any purpose except for reminding Xue Ping that his lover is not coming back from the dead.
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Sure it didn't have the annoyingly repetitive soundtrack of the Korean version, but it also didn't have the same nostalgia as the original. The Korean version at least tried to get a pluvious motif running, although sluggishly executed. I couldn't connect to the characters that are mostly one-dimensional, and there's not enough meat in the story for me to rate this higher. It seemed to me that the insertion of many plot arcs are just fillers, with no real contribution to the drama except for hitting the 30 episode quota they set for themselves.
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This drama is such a fresh take on villain protagonists. Song Joong Ki is perfect as the badass consigliere who takes justice in his own hands. Vincenzo has one rule: do not punish the innocent. Contrary to this rule are the corporate vile monsters who won't stop at nothing (even stoop to murder) to reach their goals. The acting is phenomenal, especially by Taec Yeon as the psychotic genius behind Babel. Not many Korean crime dramas infuse it with dark humor, although yes, sometimes it can be over-the-top and cringey. The funny scenes, I believe, try to give some humanity in a drama that showcases evil, nefarious deeds. The juxtaposition of comedy and cruelty works well in this case, the comedic relief mostly provided Vincenzo's oddball crew, namely the tenants of Geungnam Plaza, who have different quirks that may look ridiculous in most instances but their heart in protecting their building and their earnestness in helping other victims of corporate greed are endearing.
There's not much to be said about Vincenzo in the romance department though, as Song Joong Ki seemed to have more chemistry and more skinship moments with the other male actors than with Jeon Yeo Been. Even Inagzhi the pigeon has more chemistry with Joong Ki so if you are looking for romance, this isn't the right show for you, But if you want to see hotness in the form of a Mafia kickass-master flicking a lighter in every episode, then this is a must-see if you try to overlook some loopholes.
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The mystery wasn’t the crime—it was the script
I know I’m in the minority here, but this is just my opinion.After trying to watch a couple of episodes of this drama, it ended up frustrating me, and it’s no fault of the actors.
First of all, I can’t comprehend why anyone, especially someone who is supposed to uphold justice, would jeopardize an investigation by tipping off the suspect, so that the latter could escape, just because she didn’t get to handle the case. I know Ayako is sour about her not getting the credit for her hard work, but this being selfish on her part. She prioritized her feelings first and not being objective in the matter.
Secondly, I’m not denying the existence of misogyny, particularly in a patriarchal society, but the way she was treated by her colleagues and superiors was infuriating.
Thirdly, Am I supposed to believe that after swapping their bodies, that somehow their personalities also changed? What happened to the non-nonsense attitude that Ayako had? It seems that she lost her bravado once she lost her body. Granted, anybody in that situation will probably be fearful of the sticky situation she found herself in.
Fourthly, the way Ayako’s “partner-in-crime” quickly figured out that she swapped bodies with Haruto, as if this is an everyday occurrence, is beyond me. I know I have to suspend some disbelief in a supernatural drama, but even then, I can’t ignore all the loopholes. Sorry, dropped.
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Apparently, seeing a guy for five seconds is true love now
I really should look at the tags more carefully and ran when “Female Chases Male First” popped up. The high rating blinded me and my friends’ suggestions swayed me into giving this one a try. After watching the first episode, I was ready to drop it, but I didn’t since I did like the FL in “Exclusive Fairytale.” But as the story progressed, the more I got pissed because it gave me a serious case of ISWAK vibes, and I seriously dislike people (not just females) who don’t have the dignity and follow a guy around just because you saw him for like five seconds and decide that he is your forever after.On top of all that, I hate the disparity of a clueless, clingy female chasing an apparently good-looking, smart guy who thinks he’s too cool to be with regular folks. Dropped, as this ain’t for me.
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More like “Wandered-Land of Love"
The drama opens with a spark that immediately pulls you in—the banter between Li Ni and Cui Lin is sharp, witty, and exhilarating. Their battle of wits sets the tone for a promising start, and I found myself leaning forward, eager to see who would outmaneuver the other. The dynamic between them is one of the strongest aspects of the show. And look, I’ll admit it — I was probably a little biased. I found myself rooting for Li Ni more than I should’ve, even though half the time I wanted to smack Cui Lin for torpedoing his plans. But to be fair, she wasn’t wrong. Their clash stems from different goals, and that tension is what makes their early interactions so compelling.Unfortunately, about a third of the way in, the momentum falters. Li Ni’s choices start to feel questionable, driven more by emotion than strategy. I get it — he was never the “conquer the world” type and didn’t have that ruthless drive—but when you’ve got an entire faction depending on you, a little more grit would’ve been nice. His lackadaisical approach becomes frustrating. The fatigue set in for me here, as the narrative lost the sharp edge it had in the beginning.
What really pushed my patience, though, was his father, the ultimate poster child for ungrateful dead weight. Li Ni literally risks everything to save this useless man, only for dear old dad to turn around and shower affection on his incompetent, shameless sons instead. That was the moment my eyebrows permanently migrated north.
By the time the drama heavily leaned into its romantic subplot, I was done. The lovey-dovey couple moments were so cloying they felt like toothaches, and I couldn’t push through the cringe. Despite a strong start and flashes of brilliance in the character dynamics, Wonderland of Love ultimately lost me before the finish line.
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My patience got possessed — I exorcised myself.
I started this drama out of curiosity, expecting gothic mystery with possession drama. Instead, the pacing wandered like a ghost without a haunting plan. The cursed-palace premise had bite, but the story kept circling without consequences. It wasn’t bad enough to rage-quit, but it wasn’t compelling enough to fight for.Atmosphere-wise, it flirted with my scare ceiling. The eerie framing worked — until they dropped a girl-in-the-well scare straight out of Ringu. I spent months as a kid unable to sleep because of that movie. I did not sign up for discount Sadako flashbacks. My nervous system demanded a drop.
Character-wise, Gang Cheol was the one thing holding me together. He carried the emotional weight the plot kept hinting at, and without him, I would’ve quit sooner. Meanwhile, Yeo Ri (no shade to Bo Na) was written way too subdued to keep up with all the bleeding walls and generational guilt.
So yes, I bailed. Not out of hate — but out of self-preservation. Creepy enough to linger, slow enough to yawn.
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