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별-똥-별 - quite a fitting description of the quality of this show.
Fun, entertaining, sometimes clever elements, with a crappy core.What’s good? What are the reasons I somehow finished watching it? Everything except for the love story of Han Byul and Tae Sung, and both plot lines surrounding male lead. None of these 3 things work well - poorly written, with ridiculous resolution and out of the blue miracle ways out of the problems.
The convoluted way they tried to tell us the story of Han Byul and Tae Sung was some next level of bad presentation. Rom-coms are not thrillers, you do not need 10 different plot twists to make it exciting. The worst part of it was the fact, this type of non-linear storytelling made it close to impossible to understand the characters at the beginning, which led to me simply not caring about them at all.
The three semi-mystery plot lines, with two being part of a larger picture? Extremely unnecessary. The setting was all that needed to happen for the show to be interesting. Everyone wants to know what the behind the scenes looks like. What type of problems the actors face. How much of that glamorous life is try? What about the ugly side? The “mundane” celebrities life is interesting enough, no need to add over the top plotlines.
Not to mention, they were simply not well integrated in the story. Instead of showing bits and pieces of it throughout the show, they dropped larger portions here and there and it messed up the pacing. I don’t even want to talk about that Disney resolution, or lack of any closure for some.
That said, I did enjoy the main couple when they interacted with other characters. Han Byul and her gossip time with Ho Yeong and Gi Peum? Fun. Her friendship and working relationship with Yoo Sung? Interesting. Tae Sung with his manager? Adorable. Him bickering with Soo Hyuk? Some of the best comedy bits of the show. It amazes me how well these two worked with everyone except each other.
I just feel like their relationship was too juvenile. They presented some middle school type of behavior I just did not connect with. And it’s not like it’s impossible to show a sweet, cute romance - they did it with the side couple. Yes, it was over the top cute, but that’s who the characters were from the start - adorable, so it fitted the overall picture.
They also showed a more mature and chill approach with another side couple - a lot better paced even though they had 1/10th of the screen time compared to the mains. All the supporting plots showed me there is a skill and good writing hidden in the show, but somehow they failed to use it for the most important aspects.
I definitely enjoyed the few small commentary bits on the entertainment industry. Some were presented in a more serious manner, some leaned towards comedy. Sh**ting Stars has also one of the best “breaking the 4th wall” scenes I have seen in dramas for ages. I replied that one scene many times - perfectly executed if you ask me.
Performance wise, it varies depending on the actor. Probably one of the worst performances in Lee Sung Kyung’s career. She delivered close to nothing. The lines felt flat, the crying scenes evoke zero emotions. She presented little to no variety in her facial expression. And I know for a fact she can do better, she did in her other dramas. She is not an amazing actress, but should be capable of leading a rom-com.
Kim Young Dae did fine. I enjoyed his more emotional scenes, he did a good job portraying the vulnerability of Tae Sung. At the same time Tae Sung was just a poorly written character, so it’s not easy to judge the performance of the actor.
Most characters did not have enough depth for the cast to truly showcase the skills they might have. Yes, Yoon Jong Hoon delivered the sweet hard working senior, Kim Yoon Hye was the cute and innocent junior, Park So Jin did an amazing job as a journalist with some internal conflicts and Lee Jung Shin was able to make the arrogant and distant lawyer more approachable and fun. But that’s it. The characters don’t really serve more than these short descriptions.
The production value was nice. Quite a number of scenes had an aesthetic appeal that supported whatever was happening on screen. Talking about the production, we cannot ignore the initial wave of criticism surrounding the uneducated and ignorant depiction of Africa. I still believe this just shows how lazy the writers are (honestly, the same problem happens in all countries, and is not limited to Korea). 15 minutes of google search is too much work for them. Finding a more appropriate way to present a specific plot line? Why waste time, when you can apologize later if it gathers some bad press.
Overall, it was painfully mediocre. I enjoyed following some side relationships (be it romantic or platonic) and plot lines, but close to nothing concerning the main two characters was good. They just put random events and ideas together, and did not spend enough time to figure out how to present them in a cohesive way. The show just did not flow well.
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You’re never too old to enjoy life.
Allowing yourself to feel happiness, enjoy small things and create a deeper connection to other people at times might feel like either a luxury, unobtainable pleasure or inappropriate whim. Old Fashion Cupcake shows you how we all deserve happiness in our lives, and how growing older doesn't mean you need to put it aside.Have to say, even though the romance was quite a treat, and the mutual pining was a blast to watch, the “anti-aging” plot was the one that grabbed my attention the most. Following Nozue on his journey to discovering himself again - outside of his daily routine and work, was fascinating and extremely heartwarming.
Togawa's low-key chase after Nozue gave me all the best feels and just enough angst at times to make me fall for the couple hard. I appreciated how he not only wanted to be with Nozue, but he was also truly trying hard to help him enjoy life, enjoy his work, and enjoy all the small things he was too afraid to try in the past.
Both main actors aced the roles. The passive attitude Nozue had for a lot of things, how he just tried to survive each day, how he fell into the routine and forgot how fun life can be - I could see that all in the performance. Kimura Tatsunari perfectly acted the small possessive and jealous moments, Togawa striving to help Nozue come out of his shell, the care and admiration - all and more.
Honestly speaking, it was just a fun, enjoyable short watch with some uplifting messages and moments that most adults (and younger folks) would appreciate to hear.
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Daonuea? Cute, chill, awkward. Somehow have like 3 guys after him, go figure. At the same time, I hated him. He claimed to care for people and their feelings while also acting like a coward leading people for whom he obviously has no feelings. It’s not like he was truly an awful character, he had his moments and overall I enjoy his interaction, sadly only with people that had no romantic links to him.
Then we have Khabkhluen… I don’t even know where to start. His whole story? Ain’t buying it. This level of lack of communication, but also ONLY when it involves Daonuea? Ain’t buying it. The “progression” of his feelings? Ain’t buying it. He was just poorly written, that’s that. While it was fun to watch his silent moody demeanor at first, as the drama progressed I simply got tired with it, since the guy had like -10000 initiation levels. He just did not do anything.
I don’t care enough about the side characters to write about them. Some had some random not well executed last minute stories presented, but who cares? Not me.
I think my biggest issue was how they built the conflict, or rather dropped it out of nowhere. What it felt like - they obviously did not have enough plot for 8 episodes, so they had to invent some random issues that had no place to exist and be part of the show, that’s how ridiculous they were.
The acting was… mediocre? I was fine with most scenes, but the cast failed me with anything involving deeper emotions.
Overall, damn this was disappointing. It had a decent start with the first two or three episodes, and went DOWNHILL from there.
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Strong beginning, mediocre middle, lackluster ending.
Not gonna lie, I thought it’s going to be more comedy based with focus on Kaneda being a massive fanboy and trying to deal with working alongside, and later dating his idol. It was not. While it still had some scenes here and there focusing on that aspect, it was mostly just an office romance, with not that much romance.It worked so well at first. Kaneda was sweet and in the constant panic mode because of any most basic interaction with Yanase. Yanase was a nice and helpful mentor, who slowly started to see how adorable Kaneda is. And then they moved to the most basic rom-com stuff one has seen and all the spark was gone - still enjoyable, but ain’t special.
Sadly, they apparently wanted to finish with something more emotionally charged? The artificial, overexaggerated identity crisis Yanse has at some point just seemed so not fitting and out of place, I wish it was never included.
That said, the most frustrating aspect must have been the last two episodes - the fillers. This is the stuff writers add in their 16 episodes dramas when they run out of ideas. It was a completely unnecessary new chapter added at the end of the show. If they truly wanted to dive into the change of dynamics and unsureness in their current situation, it could have been quite a nice short second season - why add it at the end of this one?
Still, I did enjoy the characters a lot. Yanse was such a sweetheart and such a good boy, it was hard not to love him. He was smart, caring, trusting and hardworking. Kaneda gave me some good comedy bits that made me laugh. Sadly… the side characters were extremely forgetful. There were two female co-workers with questionable hobbies. That one guy who complained how he is not valued at work, while also not doing his work well. There was that white/half-white dude who showed up just to cause some emotional trouble. They filled the space, but that’s it.
Production wise, it was really nice. Good camera work, good set design and smooth editing. The transition between the scenes was decent and it never felt like they were completely jumping from topic to topic without caring for cohesiveness.
What was great? The outro. Expanding it after each episode was a great idea, so - to people who are about to watch - don’t skip it, watch till the end.
No complaints about the acting. I was honestly quite impressed with Seto Toshiki - he delivered both the over the top, and more subtle performance, and they both felt natural.
Overall, it’s a nice show with some fun scenes and good chemistry. Better as a binge watch.
Random side note: it had quite a few questionable falls with questionable physics.
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This review may contain spoilers
Beautiful moments surrounded by nothing.
Here’s the thing - I liked the show when it started airing. I knew few people thought this type of plot might not work out with a drama format, but I was still full of hope. At some point, though, I had to admit they were right and I was wrong.This show should be 12 episodes long at best. Preferable 6 to 10. It should focus on exactly 3 plotlines: Da Jung and Dae Young, Dae Young and his kids, and Da Jung’s job/dream. They should fill the episodes with school drama, as a lot of interactions were happening there. You can even keep the bullying and teen romance. But why, oh why do we need a love triangle? Why do we need a 2nd couple/romance? Why do we need all the scenes and interactions between Deok Jin and Ae Rin? Why do we need that Il Kwon mess? Or what was the point of this mystery photographer guy? There is so much going on in this show, and yet it feels like nothing is happening. All the most memorable moments that were truly meaningful were the family interactions. We do not need that many filler plots.
The last two episodes were some whole new level of cliche and stereotypes. When you have 2 cars of doom for the price of one, you know you've hit the jackpot. The back story about Ji Hoon's brother being connected to Dae Young was unnecessary and presented in the worst possible way. Such an emotional scene and yet, I could not stop laughing when the 2nd car came out of nowhere.
I don't even want to talk about the last minute "I'm breaking up with you for your own good" plot, because that trope just needs to die, or at least take a few years break from appearing on screen.
The highlights? All the scenes between Dae Young and his kids, both in the past and present. The slow realization he had about mistakes he made, the gradual learning that Dae Young actually cared a lot for Shi Ah and Shi Woo. These are the scenes I will remember after the show ends, and these are the ones that moved my heart the most. These were the gems that made me cry so many times, and if the show focused more on the actually important parts (relationships between main characters), chances are it might have gotten a 10 out of me.
For the acting, Lee Do Hyun aced the role. There are quite a few shows with the “younger actor playing an older character after body switch”, but none of the actors were as believable as Do Hyun. I trust this guy with my life. What do I see? Bright future ahead of him. His talent will lead him to some great roles and amazing projects.
Overall, the acting was on point. The emotional scenes were emotional, happy and funny scenes were just that: happy and funny. No areas of complaint here. Some people might dislike a few overacting moments from Lee Mi Do, Kim Kang Hyun and Kim Yoo Ri, but it was clearly a stylistic choice that has nothing to do with the acting skills of the actors themselves.
Usually I don’t pay that much attention to the soundtrack, unless it’s truly outstanding. Here, I liked quite a few songs, especially Sohyang’s Hello, which truly elevated the emotional scenes to a new level. Not to mention Sondia, who became one of my favorite ost singers, with an amazingly sweet and warm voice.
Overall, nice show, but skippable. I stayed for the parents and kids relationship and Lee Do Hyun’s acting. Even though I am massively disappointed by the obvious ending and last two episodes, the scenes between the family still made me tear up a bit and it shows how amazing this drama could have been if it was not for the unnecessary sub-plots.
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It gave me “30 minutes google search” vibes.
Maybe my expectations were too high since everyone and their mother hyped this drama - how amazing the romance was, the serious topics about idol lives, the acting and production. But why do I feel like it was all so basic?Was the romance extremely cute? Yes. The chemistry between William and Est was undeniable. It followed quite a few cliches, but executed in such a good way, I didn't even mind. And yet, there was something missing, and that something was the well developed conflict. I rather have them being this fluff from beginning till the end pairing, than see them go through ridiculous, underdeveloped conflict in the second half.
Then we have all the “idol” issues. While they opened up discussion about many problems and restrictions they might face, they were so not serious about being cohesive in the presentation, the whole writing started to fall apart. They talk about how idols are basically stalked and cannot even date in public, but in the same episode the leads are walking around in public hugging and holding hands like there is no tomorrow. Or how CEOs just see idols as products, but also have them out of the blue grow a heart by the end for no good reason. There were many contradictory moments that just annoyed me.
The plot was unrealistic, the resolutions of conflicts and issues were beyond magical and Disney. Everything was introduced, nothing was developed. I don't even want to talk about Earn, because why did this character even exist and why was he not gone for good?
What I did like a lot though was Jun - easily the best character from the whole show. I was actually getting more excited about his scenes than the main couple. He was quite unpredictable, fun, refreshing, cheeky and just slightly annoying.
The acting was surprisingly good for rookies. Here’s the thing though, and that’s something I see in majority of Thai BLs, the romantic scenes are usually better acted than any other scenes in the show. I feel like during their workshop they focus just slightly too much on them, and giving some of that time to practice other scenes would actually improve the overall quality of the drama.
Production was fine. Everything about the idol aspect was mediocre, but even Koreans who are leading in the idol department, also suck with idol dramas in terms of the songs, music videos, choreographies - they just do to match the real quality of the production we see in the industry.
That said, the drama was prettier than most other Thai BLs. There were quite a few scenes I had to take screenshots off, which does not happen that often for me with this genre for this country.
Overall, I had fun, but only a few days passed since I finished it and yet I already do not remember the majority of what I have seen.
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Downhill we roll, as the quality drops with each episode.
Here’s the thing - I was extremely vocal on feeds and while talking to my friends about how this will be my favorite adaptation of the story and how much they improved with making it more realistic and less over the top toxic. And then, slowly, with every episode my enthusiasm started to drop. A show I started with genuine love, I finished as a hate watch. I cried watching the last episode, cried from laughing so bad.Rich guy with family issues falls for a poor girl with financial issues - we all know the stories like that, most of us watched at least one adaptation of F4. Was this a fresh and groundbreaking take on this cliche plot? No. It started really well with a more realistic approach to the characters - Gorya was less in your face superhero bully fighter and Thyme, while still rude and cruel, had some type of limits to how far he is willing to go. I truly enjoyed how it was more grounded in reality - they managed to make me like the female lead more, and hate the male lead less. Then it lost that spark as it played into all the toxic over the top semi-makjang ideas.
Honestly speaking, the biggest issue was Thyme. To people saying he got amazing character development, where? There was one episode left for the drama to end and he still needed his friends to tell him what is good and moral and what is not. Dude literally threw a chair in Gorya’s direction when he was angry. How was I supposed to root for him, when I saw close to zero improvement in his behavior - every time things got tough or he got angry, he went back to his old abusive and impulsive ways.
Saying it’s realistic that he did not change so easily would make sense if the drama was realistic as a whole - it was not. They clearly did not care about realism, so why try to excuse the character with that logic?
Gorya was fine during all scenes, except the ones with Thyme. They both used violence against each other and sometimes it was played as a fun little comedy bit. On the other hand, she strived for better and grew as a person when she was with Ren.
And here we face the biggest issue - they made Ren too good to be true. Yes, he made one mistake and acted rather toxic towards Gorya with the misguided actions based on his good intentions, but he learned from that and never did that again. He was so fine. That’s that.
Then we have that completely useless and not developed romance between Kavin and Kaning. I am not going to lie, the side couple was my favorite part of the Korean version - the story was interesting, the conflicts were well built, the resolution was satisfying. Here, we’ve got none of that. They made zero effort to convince me why Kavin was hesitant to start things with her. They were just in the background, occasionally being cute.
I don’t even want to talk about M.J. getting his plot thanks for KFC commercials at the end.
I did enjoy the friendship of F4 a lot. Their scenes, excluding the bullying ones, were fun to watch. They always had each other’s back and tried to solve issues as a team - well, the 3 of them tried to solve Thyme’s issues while he acted like a moody toddler either turning them down or running away.
Putting characters aside, the show did attempt and made some good remarks about the social differences, the responsibilities and struggles people might have depending on their social status. I appreciated how it was not all black and white - rich people have all the privileges and no real issues, and poor people are the only ones struggling.
Acting wise I don’t really have complaints. I’m not the biggest fan of Bright’s acting, but he was truly born to play this role. Thyme was rather dumb of a character, and the faces this guy was making just elevated it, making me crack a smile quite a few times. Tu did an amazing job as Gorya - I bought everything she was selling on screen. I would say, the only performance that was questionable was Win as Kavin - his delivery was a bit on one note and the lines just did not sound natural at times.
Production wise though, probably one of the best quality we have seen from Thailand for some time. The show was simply beautiful. It was impossible to watch even one episode without taking countless screenshots. They played with angles, depth and light and I appreciated that alot.
Music was fine? I honestly cannot remember one song from it. They were not that memorable, but if they were bad, I would for sure remember them not fitting the scenes.
Overall, what a journey it was. By the end I was rooting for Thyme’s mother to keep them apart. What a badass she was. Might be evil, but with a class. The most terrifying mother of all the adaptations.
I don’t regret watching, I enjoyed it a lot during the first half, and had fun making fun of it during the second half. It’s like, slightly better than Boys Over Flowers? In some aspects… but not all.
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Overly dramatic considering the actual content.
I sadly have to say, the only things I enjoyed about this short BL were Kim Yoo Hwan’s performance and the set design for the café.From the strong jealousy that can mess up a friendship that lasted 15 years, through the magical speed of learning how to cook, to uncomfortable skinship Ji Soo was doing, I am just confused. The overreaction on the character’s parts did not correspond well with what was truly happening on screen too.
Even though Cha Woo Min's acting was lacking, the chemistry between Hae Won and Eun Gyu was quite nice - the problem was the lack of development. They presented it as quite a strong connection and love, while they barely knew each other. Considering they are all adults, the scale of the problems that Hae Won’s pretty face brought to the café was ridiculous.
This whole “lost dad” story came out of nowhere, and felt like an afterthought. Even the dynamics between Ji Soo and Eun Gyu were simply confusing.
Truly felt blessed by Kim Yoo Hwan - he delivered the internal struggle so well, it was easily visible on the screen even without any dialogues.
Overall, I don’t really have thoughts. It’s just one of the shows that happened, I saw and then moved on. I feel like it could have been a really nice short BL if they toned down the dramatic aspects - it was not that deep.
Will be paying attention to Yoo Hwan’s future projects since he impressed me a lot.
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The lost spark?
I have to sadly admit, this season was not that great. While it had amazing and fun moments, I was actually bored at times. While season 2 was also a bit disappointing in terms of the places they went to, the dynamics of the cast saved it. Here, the lack of So Min as a regular member could be felt and it was just not the same experience.The guests were also the issue - some had little chemistry with regular members, some barely got any screen time since they barely interacted with others (Chan Young, I really like you, but during the whole episode you said like 3 lines…). I also feel like the regular members were a bit too focused on themselves and did not include the guests in the conversations enough. What’s the point of inviting people, when you end up just chatting and arguing among yourself?
I also do not understand why they cut down the number of games, when they were always one of the most entertaining parts of the show. With how most of the members are rather bad in them, it was fun to watch them try so hard while getting poor results. I’d take more games and less mukbang screen time anytime.
That said, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. There were some moments I replied a number of times - the debate game in episode 2 being one of them. Still love the cast and their interactions and chemistry, but I think it’s time to say goodbye to the show. The format starts to get boring, they have too many food related places.
PS. They get bonus points for using Woodz’s music more than once as a background song.
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THE GOOD
Dare I say this had one of the best set of supporting characters I have ever seen? They all were competent in their areas of expertise, but flawed in other departments, which made them more realistic and relatable. They had their own side stories that were simple enough not to overshadow the main plot, but engaging enough for me not to skip any scenes. The number of badass ladies this drama has is also amazing. I would be confident in saying this show was run by the girls.
The romance. I know a lot of people complain it was not this epic love story, but that's exactly what I loved about it. The romance felt natural and slow paced. The characters had so many important issues to deal with, the fact we didn't spend too much time on them being lovey dovey made sense. It made me appreciate the small moments between them more, as they all felt special.
The main characters and cast. Good stuff guys. I want to compliment Angela Yuen especially, seeing as it was her first main role in a drama. She made me hate Ming He so much, but also enjoy each and every scene with her. All the actors and actresses did a phenomenal job portraying their characters. Few Crystal Yuan scenes felt slightly off, but not to the point it made me annoyed or frustrated. Her performance was still quite solid.
The storytelling. Exactly my type. We had the main plot slowly unfold as we followed the main characters dealing with side plots. And these side plots were quite entertaining. With each story we were introduced to a new side character, that later on had an impact on the main plot. Nice! Not to mention the progression from revenge to justice leading to the well being of others that main characters wanted to achieve. The moral dilemmas they had to face and the choices they had to make were interesting to watch.
The fighting scenes and aesthetics. This show is simply beautiful. The fight in the rain between Yi Qing and Ah Jing was probably the most beautiful scene I have ever seen. The set design, camera angles, editing - it all contributed to this visual feast.
My boi Bi Luo.
THE BAD
The last episode felt... flat? Especially with how intense the few leading to it were. Quite anticlimactic. They were building up to something epic, but they did not deliver. It wasn't bad, not even that disappointing. I was just expecting something more.
Qing Lan reasoning in the last few episodes. Maybe I am dumb, but the lack of logic behind his actions was amazing. I think they have wasted a little bit of potential this character had.
Slight lack of consistency with the skill sets of few characters by the end of the show. For the sake of the plot progression, some characters that were known to be amazing fighters suddenly weren't that strong anymore. It wasn't that easily noticeable, but since I paid a lot of attention to them, it did make me sigh with a bit of frustration.
Too much poisoning, not enough death caused by it.
THE "SO BAD IT'S GOOD"
GLORIOUS UNDERWATER SCENES! The thing is, in all shows I hate bad CGI, but somehow in wuxia, I love it. The whole show is amazing and beautiful and perfection, but then the underwater scenes and CGI used there was so bad I loved it. Had the same experience with The Untamed - the bad CGI was one of the reasons I loved the show so much.
Yi Qing's coughing... slowly... I started laughing about it and appreciated it more.
Overall, if you want a show that focuses heavily on romance, this is not for you. While the romance is ever present, it's not slammed into your face every second. For me it was a perfect combination of nicely done characters, interesting plot lines, great production value and pure entertainment.
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The whole show was based on the lack of communication.
If they actually started talking to each other even a little bit, the show would be half of the length if not less. One could think this will be a rivals to lovers type of a drama, but it ain’t it. It ain’t anything.The plot had potential, but they should have established the initial conflict a bit more. They “warmed up” to each other too fast, but to keep the story interesting we got some random miscommunications. If you want to make your show a full on cliche entertainment - fine with me, but lean into it. It was just too basic. It was not realistic in any aspect to appeal as a slice of life, but it was also not bold and fun enough as a mindless entertainment. It’s half baked fluff.
There was also one side plot that simply made me feel uncomfortable and it's worse the more I think about it.
The leads had a mild and mediocre chemistry and while the acting was decent, no one wowed me, but I also did not feel offended by the performances. Yes, the “nsfw” scenes were cringe and funny, but I blame the directing, not the actors themselves. The way they tried to frame it as sensual, but delivered full on awkwardness…
The production was the biggest clownery. I mean, I was more discreet about recording lectures at university than them acting as reporters. They could have done a better job with props and framing to make it a little bit less ridiculous.
Overall, it’s a show I’ll forget I’ve watched in two days, but I don’t regret watching it. It weirdly grows on you as you watch it. Watching it every Friday became my afterwork routine.
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That said, it’s not all rules and cold politics. We get to know an amazing variety of characters, with different motivations, behaviors and ways of dealing with problems, and as we watch, we learn that at times there is no good nor bad decision, but rather a variety of different choices and all of them have some pros and cons to them. The few interactions between teachers and students are truly meaningful and add to the emotional depth this drama presents.
I assume many people may not like Go Ha Neul since she at times acts really cute, unsure and innocent, but in my eyes she is actually a really strong character. With everyone saying she should not get involved or rebel against the system, she fights her battles and proves everyone wrong countless times. There is nothing wrong with being cute and strong at the same time. She wants to stay true to her beliefs, do what’s best for students and survive in a new environment. She makes mistakes but is quick to admit to them and learn from them.
The whole drama revolves around the daily struggles of realistic and complex characters with many flaws but even more good qualities. There are no really bad characters, just different people dealing with problems in different ways. While we might agree with some more than others, it's not hard to see the logic behind them all.
This was truly an emotional ride, which made me laugh and cry many times. By the end, I loved so many characters I disliked at the beginning, and it was all possible because of the amazing writing. We either got fantastic character development or a deep dive into their perspective, which helped us understand their reasoning. While the plot was not the most complex and thrilling, the relationships built between the characters were all we needed to fall for this drama's charm.
For whom: people who like complex and realistic characters, slow paced dramas that truly show problems from different perspectives, character driven dramas, beautiful cinematography.
Who may not enjoy it: people enjoying a lot of action, overdramatic style of filming and dealing with problems, high school dramas that center around students and not teachers, people that get bored with politics and behind the scenes of a workplace, romance driven dramas.
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This review may contain spoilers
The mundane pain that just makes sense.
Realistically speaking, I would not say it was as charming as season 1, yet the story itself was for sure more compelling. Yes, the delivery of the characters’ struggles had some misses, but I appreciate the realism of this season.One thing I appreciated about it was the fact, it in fact had a plot. While many people wanted more fluff and the pair being all cute, I truly dislike the empty fanservice type of sequels. This was rather raw and I loved it. Seeing these characters struggle as individuals was great. A couple is not just a pair, they are also individuals. Some issues are personal, and while they might affect the dynamics between two people, the source of them is found somewhere else.
I also believe it was a smart choice to start the plot after the break up, without actually showing all the details of when it happened. Yes, seeing the in depth portrayal of how it affected Seo Joon would be great, it would also mean less time to see Ji Woo’s side of the story - and we truly got barely anything here anyway (more on that later).
Strangely, I liked the reasoning behind the break up too. I can imagine many people were disappointed. I know many people were disappointed, I was reading the comments as the drama aired. For me though, it all made sense. That's kind of how life goes. You don't always end a relationship because you have no feelings for the other person - sometimes it's one or a few bullshit reasons that at that specific moment of your life make sense, even though it does not for anyone else.
On the characters - Kang Seo Joon was as much of a loyal puppy as he was in season 1. It’s impossible not to love him. At the same time, I found his character miserably helpless and it was so amazingly human of him. The way he could not move on after a year, how he desperately tried to find any reason and opportunity to still make the relationship work, to be close to Ji Woo. How he did not take a “no” as an answer, how he came back after each emotional kick. It was obviously not a healthy approach, but being weak when faced with someone or something you love and care about is extremely relatable.
On the other hand, I agree with many that Ji Woo was not a likable character in most of the episodes. I hated his actions, but I also understood where he was coming from and how he ended up in such an emotionally exhausting and empty state. Being scared of being happy. Running away, because it’s easier to handle. Hiding your feelings and not knowing how to express your insecurities. He tried to be strong, but at some point it just all crumbled down and he decided to run away instead of facing the issues he had. I found his selfish behavior quite realistic and relatable.
That said, I wish some hints of his inner struggles were introduced as the show progressed, instead of dropping it all closer to the end. The show focused so much on Seo Joon’s pain in the first half, it was hard to relate and root for Ji Woo. I’m not surprised some viewers even wished the couple would not end up together by the end. We’ve got the answers for his behavior too late for some people to find the strength to care for his happiness. At some point, some viewers got tired of waiting and just gave up on him.
As for the other characters, I know the show faced a lot of criticism because of the inclusion of “useless female characters”, but I couldn't agree less with that. Not keeping your characters in a social bubble, where they only interact with each other is a good thing. People have other people in their lives than just their romantic partners. For me, adding more characters, be it female or male, is a good thing. It adds depth and layers to the main ones. They interact differently with different people, we learn more about them thanks to these conversations. They say things they would not say to each other, that are important to understand their inner struggles and thoughts.
If I had to complain about any characters, I would say Ho Min’s trainee/idol aspect came a bit out of nowhere and was not necessary - adding nothing to the plot. Seemed more like an afterthought than a planned plot point.
Now, to talk about one of my favorite aspects of the show - the shots. The scenery was just so beautiful and well placed as the transition scenes, it made the flow of the scene so much better than just faded to black. Production wise, it’s an obvious improvement compared to season 1, which itself was already really good for a smaller production like that.
The OST, ladies and gentlemen - what calming bops we've got. How perfectly they fitted the whole mood of the show. Not to mention, having the lead actors sing one of the songs was a perfect choice to make the delivery of the message and emotions even more hard hitting.
Acting wise - it was good. By now I’m a big fan of Son Woo Hyun. Can’t wait to see where his career will lead him. Kim Kang Min has improved a lot since the previous season. His delivery was more expressive and natural. Yes, we still got “crying with no tears, trying to squeeze a few drops like a lemon” scene, but overall, the performance was quite stable and good.
Overall, while I do prefer season 1 as a whole, I like the story of season 2 more. If I’ve got a bit more steady pacing for the characters and a few more hints about their motivations earlier on, I could possibly like it more than the previous installment.
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This should have been a special episode only…
Let’s be real, they could have just put the last arc in a special episode and it would work way better. Most of the episodes were nonsensical and Minato was just frustrating on a whole next level. Why did he feel even more shy and teen panic after they got together than in season 1?Season 2 does not really give you many sweet scenes to feed your fluff desires, nor does it develop characters in any meaningful way. Everything important happens in the last 2 and half episodes, so what’s the point of all the rest? I thought I suck at romance, but Minato is a whole new level of failure and if it was not for Shin’s undying patience, this relationship would fail hard. Realistically speaking, I just mostly felt bad for Shin in the first 10 episodes.
The second couple was way too similar in their dynamics to Minato and Shin, I quickly lost interest… Misunderstanding and lack of communication is a clear indicator the writer did not really have any solid idea what to do with them, they existed to fill the screen time.
The acting was great, just as it was in season 1. At least from Kusakawa Takuya and Nishigaki Sho. Quite a few scenes that were surprisingly touching, a number of scenes that worked only because they did their best to deliver, even if the script itself was lacking.
Overall, it’s more or less skip worthy.
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Constant state of pain and agony, washed with the holy waves of never-ending angst…
and yet, somehow… Part two made me feel far less than part one did. By the end of the drama I felt like the writer loved their story and all the characters too much to give some aspects up. Too many things were not set up and developed enough, too many plotlines felt rushed, luckily the closure was solid.Don’t get me wrong though, I still enjoyed the show a lot, but the progression of the story and the lack of focus just lost me a bit. The politics and war were mostly the context in which the characters operated and explored their beliefs, personalities, morality and relationships in part one. It was great. We had many powerful scenes showing the contract between the royal family and the common people. Not knowing any real details was not an issue, because these royal idiots were never main characters in the first place.
Sadly, this whole royal drama gets more attention in part 2. It takes away precious time from the main characters. Where even was Eun Ae? Why did most of Yeon Jun's character development happen between the scenes? He took a couple of 180 in terms of his morality, but we never got enough reason for it to even happen. And it's not like the screen time they took away from these characters was even enough to truly develop and explore the palace storyline. It felt like I needed to do a lot of work myself to fill the gaps of the plot in my mind based on vague ideas and shallow set ups. It's like they tried to turn a character driven show into a plot driven one half way through...
All that said, the drama is still dear to my heart and even if I enjoyed part two less, I still enjoyed it a lot. We've got more of the exploration of different themes relating to morality, justice, duty, honor. Many scenes connecting to events in part one in a smooth and eye opening manner - adding to already intriguing commentary on social standards and gender roles.
Undoubtedly, the best gem, the true treasure of My Dearest was Gil Chae. Easily my favorite female character in 2023, probably top 3 from all the dramas I have ever seen. The masterfully crafted character development, the realistic flaws, the strength that was inspiring. The depth of emotional performance given by Ahn Eun Jin. There are no words that can truly describe how much I adore this character. The drama shows, you can have a female lead that is feminine, compassionate and good, without making her a stupid pushover. Gil Chae was smart, cunning, witty, and resourceful, but also stubborn. At times shortsighted and blind by her perception and understanding of the situation. Her character was beautifully complex and for her existence I am grateful.
Did I love Jang Hyun while watching? Of course I did. Do I want one in my life? Yes. Did I think he was not as developed as Gil Chae and I wished they explored his character more? Also yes. Since the past story did not really lead to anything significant and it felt more like a cheat and easy fix for some plot developments, I could not stop myself from feeling disappointed. The set up for the mystery of his background was perfect, the conclusion answered all the questions, but the overall picture created by that opening and ending felt a bit lacking. With little to no background for the character in part one, I thought they would explore him more in part two, but this did not really happen. From start to finish he was badass, smart, driven, caring (even if he kept denying it) and madly in love with Gil Chae.
What’s more to love? A strong set of diverse supporting characters that felt so real and humane with their, at times questionable ideas and actions. Ryang Eum with whom I went from friends, to lovers, to enemies to lovers trope, with how my feelings changed towards him. Jong Jong who was a loyal friend and support for Gil Chae, even if on the surface it felt like it was mostly Gil Chae protecting her. Gu Jam who always provided a solid dose of entertainment with his sharp comments and badass actions. Yang Chun, who truly shows that good people can have backwards ideas. Even Prince So Hyun and Crown Princess Kang’s scenes had many meaningful and touching moments.
Still adore the production and the attention to details in terms of how the characters are presented. You know how in many historical shows, as long as the female character is part of the main cast, they will have make up worthy of the royal family, looking like Crown Princesses themselves? Not here. From episode 1 till the end of episode 21 of the whole series, there was a lot of care put into making the looks realistic and fitting the context and hardships the characters went through.
Overall, I loved it, but maybe I loved it a bit too much, so it made me expect more. I wish the whole story was more simple, with less side characters and plot lines. Wished the plot focused on the common people more and kept the palace drama and the war as the context and background the story is happening in, rather than the focus of the plot. From the start, I loved this drama for its characters and countless social commentaries and powerful scenes, and it was never truly about the plot for me. While the conclusion was amazing, giving proper closure to it all, I wished the journey itself was either more detailed, or more simple…
That said, once you sell your soul to this drama, there is no coming back, so while I might have had some complaints, they were delivered through tears of both sadness and happiness, and complete devotion I had to the main characters and their journey.
Review for pt1: https://kisskh.at/profile/Shini/review/300809
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