3
10
1
1
In the beginning I wasn't sure whether I would like it. The trailer was promising, but the first few minutes somewhat put me off. I didn't like the FL's story character's hairstyle and costume and the acting of both ML and FL was missing something as well. But I stuck with the story in hopes it would get better. And it did.
As you get to know the characters more, you actually start to care for them and get invested in their stories. The acting became more enjoyable as well. I started to like a lot of the side characters! I liked the servants of both leads, I liked the secondary couple with the first sister and their weird overly melodramatic scenes, I was quite impressed with the FL's mother and her strong and leading stance (such a beauty, btw!) and had fun with the ML's parents. The ML's perfomance started weak but got better quickly. Though, sometimes I had wished for a more matured behaviour than giving me the silly boy attitude that definitely doesn't belong to the son of a city ruler. The FL's acting was constantly good, convincing and never let down.
The story of the annoying SML started off well but pissed me off during the further story because he shifted sides so often and could never let go.
I think the most interesting development had the second sister. Starting off as the good doting second sister turning into a cunning, jealous and hateful villain. The unfolding of her character throughout the story, the step by step changes were one of the highlights of the drama. Now, you could say the cause for that was the change in the FL's (third sister, btw) attitude when she entered her own character's body. But in my humble opinion the second sister had always been like that and only appeared to be the good samaritan because the original third sister was bad mannered and disliked by everyone.
The humor was great, subtle, never exaggerated and always well placed. I enjoyed the constant murder attempts and the FL's script changes to escape those. I was also very pleased that, even though you knew, that the light and funny and fluffy atmosphere would turn into conflict and sorrow at some point, it was never devastating and resolved quite fast.
I was actually very satisfied with one moment when the heroic FL decided to put an end to the act to save her man (and I'm not talking about the finale of the drama but a turning point way earlier). That part was very well written and very well acted by both sides.
Overall a decent watch, enjoyable and entertaining with a good main and supporting cast. The plot was well done, logical, and had a well balanced suspense arc. And the side treat with the city being ruled by woman? How fun was that.
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The sceneries looked quite fake here and there and the lighting felt wrong. CGI was well done sometimes, and bad other times.
For a postapocalyptic environment they displayed not enough desperation of the people.
Without getting into too much detail, the backstory was too short (there was just too less explanation of everything), the introduction of the characters was almost nonexistent, which made it quite hard to get their motivations - just a bunch of stereotypes colliding - and the action scenes were all over the place. There were too many action scenes and even though the fighting itself looked good, the shaky cameras and blood/body parts flying everywhere turned it into a bad rollercoaster. A lot of "deaths" were totally exaggerated.
If they made the movie a bit longer, put more effort into the backstory and its characters and created a more logical rescue mission, this could have been an enjoyable movie.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but don't waste your time on this, guys.
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It's one of those dramas that lives from its characters as there were many multi-layered ones who drove the story forward and whose cast did really good in portraying them. It's rare that I don't look for flaws in at least one or two actors/actresses. I just enjoyed all of them, the leads, the second leads, the side characters, the villains.
I often have concerns when it comes to characters pretending to be the other gender. And even though I started doubtfully, Park Eun Bin convinced me otherwise. She did really well in portraying someone that had to hide her gender for years, starting to feel more comfortable in men's clothes and acting way tougher than one would expect, so that it would lead to a natural rough behavior. In the end I found it somewhat funny but totally fitting that in her developing relationship with the ML, she was the strong one while Jung Ji Woon was the softer counterpart. She took the initiatives while he followed. And he definitely cried more than her, lol. BUT he never felt unmanly or something. Rowon achieved a good balance between his character's soft side and his strong/brave moments. And he was a good equivalent to Park Eun Bin.
At some point in earlier episodes I started to wonder why she continued to pretend to be someone else, since it was such a toll on her. But later on I realized that everyone just wants to live. And don't always need an answer to everything. Sometimes things are just like that without any deep reason.
One thing I'd complain about would be the part where people from Ming were visiting. They hinted so much to another back story that I actually expected them to make use of that in later episodes but they never did, which is quite sad. I would have loved to see as to what that part might have led.
And the music... In my humble opinion, I thought it was too weak and didn't support important scenes well enough. But that's just me.
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A Pool of Delicacies
I think this was one of the most comfortable watches I've ever had.It was a pleasure watching all the characters interact with each other. Everyone was unique. They differ so much from your usual drama stereotypes, that I was always excited to see what they were doing next. I never got frustrated about things and there was not one boring moment. Why? Because every character had an interesting approach towards their acting partners, whether it was the ML with the FL, or the ML with the SML, or the FL with the SFL or the SML with the SFL. Or with everyone else who showed up, for example, the FL's best friend/colleague or the secretary of the SFL. I was able to sit back and relax and wait for new fun moments.
Especially Ki Seon Gyeom. Im Shi Wan gave him such a special touch, that it feels difficult to see anyone else doing it. He's always so pure and looks innocent, but when it comes to face serious situations, he shows an unknown backbone and strength.
Shin Se Kyung. I know she's an either hate or love actress for many people. Well, let me tell you that she was lovely in this. Her acting was harmonious and well balanced with Im Shi Wan.
My secret favorite though was Kang Tae Oh (SML). Damn, that man. I'm in love. I've never seen someone as charming as him. I can't even describe how much I looked forward to his scenes. Whether it was with his love interest or Im Shi Wan or... well, anyone else. He was the light in every scene.
The sole a*** in this, the only one, you could possibly get angry with was the ML's father. Well, someone had to play the devil, right?
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Having an airport as the main stage is a nice change of scenery. It felt refreshing to see how life of those workers looks like. Though the focus changed in the second half of the drama.
They tried to cover a lot of backstories with only small dialogues here and there which I liked that way. You don't always need a multi-paged essay about everyone and every connection/relationship people have. Sometimes dropping some words on the sidetrack will also inform you about the whole thing, so you don't have to complain about distractions.
I also appreciated that they displayed 3-dimensional side characters with the help of small side-stories which again were kept short. It made those characters more likable and got those actors some small time to shine as well.
The love story was really sweet and got even quite heartbreaking towards the end. The development was well done, it felt real and pure. And Chae Soo Bin and Lee Je Hoon... oh well, they nailed it. There was chemistry, there was magic between those two. Their intimate moments felt natural. That special charm between them made me so damn emotional at the end.
It was also nice to see familiar faces in smaller roles, for example Choi Won Young (I Remember You), Nam Da Reum (SFD and many more, this boy has just too many "younger version" roles, lol) and Park Hyuk Kwon (the make up and swords master of SFD :p).
Lee Dong Gun's role was the one I despised the most. I wanted to punch him so many times, my knuckles were itching all the time. Of course, k-dramaland had to give him some excuses for his behavior. But it didn't change the fact that Seo In Woo was one detestable fellow for me. But I guess he doesn't care much about my opinion.
As for the secret of the male lead... During earlier episodes I thought that it wasn't necessary to make it extra special for the drama because the normal version would have served enough story already and I didn't see the purpose behind the way they put it. But right after finishing I had to look that part up and get a bit smarter about it (I also misunderstood parts of that secret in the beginning). I came to the conclusion that it's alright. How they told that part of the story, why they chose to do it that way and that there is indeed not exactly a "normal" version of it in real life either. There are similar things but nothing would have worked for the path the writers had in their minds. Although I have to say that they shouldn't have bothered with that action finale. It was too much and the story would still have worked out fine. They did follow that certain thread right from the beginning, so it wouldn't alienate in the end. It was still unnecessary.
So, yeah, quite an enjoyable drama that tells its story slowly but without getting boring.
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I think that would be quite accurate.
This was such a lovely, heartwarming and captivating story. The poster doesn't give away a serious vibe. But when you get to know the story, it actually fits perfectly. It captures the tragic theme and still remains somewhat happy. The further you watch, the heavier it gets, and yet it doesn't weigh you down. Even though it makes your heart ache, it keeps its joyful atmosphere and spark of hope. The tragic that lies beneath only seeps in with small drops, and only at the end you feel its heavy scope while it wrenches your heart.
Amnesia is one of the most hated tropes in dramas, but Devilish Joy made it its main force. I'm not that much against memory loss in stories, but I admit that I was skeptical in the beginning. They tried to explain how it worked for the main lead, yet I didn't completely understood. And since I work in the medical field, it shreds my heart into pieces when they use words like "atrophy". It's as if you cross the ocean with a small boat and forget your paddles at the beach. Later on I could somewhat grasp a rough sketch of the big invisible "monster" without getting too many details that would might have confused me eventually. In the end though, it doesn't even matter if you know the smallest cogwheel because other more important things come to the fore.
So, despite my initial doubts, the story cast a spell over me. So much that I desperately wished for a wonder to come. The cast lashed out and comforted me at the same time. Most of it a big hug though.
The music, the side characters and most of all the main leads played a big harmonic part in the story and turned the drama into something precious. I'm glad the focus stayed on that one important relationship facing that illness. The leads were plain great here. Their acting felt very natural and nonchalant, their relationship felt mature and sensual, yet fragile.
Who would have thought that this drama became one of my absolute favorites. One of the better surprises in a long time. For the sake of a composed and touching story, it made me overlook tiny irregularities and small makjang elements.
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I mean this was such a great story, almost perfect. There actually didn't "happen" that much, if you look closely at it, but the interactions between each person were enough to keep you glued to the screen. I mean, every single character had a grounding of their own which let you connect with and like them to bits. I loved every single story. Gang Doo's sister and Moon Soo's boss kinda annoyed me though.
Of course, the most endearing and compelling part was Moon Soo's and Gang Doo's growth and their struggles to overcome their past. And how they completed each other, eventually. The actors were just... magnificent, especially Jun Ho (and I'm glad they never changed his hair style in this drama like they do in other ones, because.... damn his messy curls~).
I preferred the first part over the second one. The characters were steadier in their decisions and actions, and never budged. In the later episodes there were some things that looked like the writers didn't know how to push the story forward, so that they started to use old standard methods.
And this is also why I only gave a 9. Because the final plot twist rubbed me up the wrong way. It was totally unnecessary and felt like an emergency solution because (again) the writers had no idea how to wrap up the drama with a smooth and deserving ending. I mean I didn't even ask for an explosive finale at all. I would have been completely satisfied with a calm one, too, instead of this... dispensable add-on. Or they could have at least changed the reason for the last event.
The drama still deserves the 9 because of its many strengths, a well put together atmosphere, strong characters with noticeable development, and a significant background music, which all put together create a heart wrenching but also warm story. It's one of those dramas that will touch your heart in a special way and stay with you for a long time.
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The rating was pretty easy on this one even though I thought about giving this a 9 even. But there were still some things that bothered me, so 8.5 is pretty alright for this drama. Also, my rating is partially biased by enjoyment. It would be way lower if I were only judging in regards to writing, cleverness etc...
I think the best way to describe this drama would be "average makjang"...
Imagine reading your favorite fanfiction packed with your favorite clichés. All the things that are happening in the story have the only purpose of entertaining you and keep your excitement up. You don't even care whether all those incidents make sense or are possible in reality. One convenience/coincidence is hunting the other and timing of certain twists doesn't add up either.
But because you like it anyway, you won't nitpick. That's how I felt about the story. The whole story was all over the place, started many twists in the beginning and worked through them one by one. Because it didn't really follow realism, everything was possible and every character seemed to be capable of whatever was needed - because neither of them had a conscience (and because the story needed them to act that way).
Even though I had temporary hair loss in the first half because the female lead kept making me angry with her trance-like attitude and visible discomfort regarding the situation she was in (if you agree to play a role, you should play a role and don't make it obvious/show your real emotions on your face), she got alot better during the second half (even though her change was a one-eighty, as if she had switched personalities). It still made me happy because her scenes got more enjoyable and I loved listening to her conversations with the male lead throughout the drama.
Therefore half of my whole enjoyment were indeed the leads. I've never seen either of them before but they grew on me. Their acting had a warm aura and made me feel comfortable. They also had really good chemistry between each other. I loved their skinship. It was not exposing but it was nice to watch, it delivered the right feelings and was very sensitive <3 (But dramas already get me with a caressing gesture or a tight hug anyway :P)
Especially Jo Ji Hoon (the male lead) got me quite good during this show (probably his deep, relaxing voice played a part as well... seriously, it was such a pleasant sound~). I don't think he's one of the prettiest guys out there but I liked his acting very much, it was warm and made me feel at home in the drama. He also had some really interesting, subtle nuances in his facial expressions that made his scenes very touching and unique. And his role was the most intriguing one. From all flawed characters, he was probably the most authentic one.
The second leads had a quite dysfunctional relationship that was bad from the beginning and just got worse (I mean that in a positive and enjoyable way). I didn't really get their change of hearts in the last episodes, but well... The drama didn't care much for explainable developments from the start. I was also a bit disappointed that everything constantly resolved to whoever had the better evidence to blackmail and constant threatening (or the evil ones had a sudden enlightenment). I was also a little sad that they didn't clear another lose end that was mentioned in the early episodes...
But overall:
Pure satisfactory, superficial entertainment that I enjoyed a lot nonetheless~
The charm of the older dramas, the simpler cinematographic touch, the development of the romance, and even those ridiculous twists and turns.
And did I say that there were also many scenes that surprised me because I didn't think they would get me in a certain way? Throughout the drama, there were always some pretty... striking moments regarding mood and other things.
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From bad boy to predestined evil child to remorseful yet selfish good guy
Do you guys also feel like you've lived half of a lifetime after finishing a Xianxia? There's always so much happening over such a long time that I hardly remember certain details from the beginning when I reach the last quarter. I definitely felt that way with this one.So, here are my thoughts about this gem~
The synopsis sounded quite good and when I started this one I just hoped that it wouldn't disappoint me. I was worried, because the introduction of the FL felt weird. Weird as in "not likeable". But thank god, it didn't turn out like that at all. She was actually likeable, even more so her reincarnation, while I liked the ML right from the beginning. Esp. his hair, lol. Man, I was overwhelmed when it turned white the first time (I'm getting weak over white hair these days... they manage to make it look amazing in these newer Xianxias).
But for real, I enjoyed the character's development alot. Starting from bad boy to predestined evil child to remorseful yet selfish good guy. The actor performed that transition quite impressively, and every time a turning point occured, I got goosebumps because he delivered so well.
As for the main actress, it's funny... or let's say astonishing how well she managed to display two somewhat different characters despite having the same facial expressions. As I already said I liked the reincarnated disciple version even more than the master's one. And I totally enjoyed the reversed roles between ML and FL.
Though this one got 40 episodes, I got fully rewarded with lots of sweet and fun and exciting interactions between the main couple, lots of adventures they experience, lots of lovely sceneries, impressive fighting scenes, stunning CGI, beautiful costumes and interesting (though quite long) side stories of the supporting cast. I was especially impressed with the Crown Prince's story and development. Having just watched the actor in "Feud", he now demonstrated such a complex character and showed even more what he's capable of than in "Feud". I wouldn't mind seeing him as a ML in another Xianxia.
I'm also glad that they didn't make the sects' elders as annoying as I've seen it in other shows.
The music seems to be the only "complaint" if I would even call it that. It was so so, nothing you would call long lasting.
Nevertheless I can highly recommend this Xianxia to anyone who looks for something with many episodes, a bunch of likeable characters, long-lasting character development, a fun couple, really good acting and well made cinematography.
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First of all: The acting performance was a feast.
Second: I never thought I would actually say this but: I so much prefer the white hair over the black version of the ML in this!! Probably one of the reasons why I didn't like the mortal trial.
As I said before, this one had beautiful settings, CGI was well used here. They were even able to keep the obvious fake plants somewhat in the background, so it wouldn't diminish the optical look/value.
I really liked the beginning, a not so good cultivatress happens to marry a deity. The whole concept, including the deity's suspicion and his obvious discontent while she is trying to convince him of her sincerity. I really hoped that it would work out somehow for both of them and that the deity was wrong about his suspicion. I was actually a bit disappointed, when it turned out otherwise.
The next part, the mortal trial felt a bit long-winded and I liked it the least. But once this part was over the story became more interesting again, even though I kinda hated the FL for a long time after the outcome of the story's beginning, since there was a never a real explanation for her actions, and the ML seemed way more sincere, yet somewhat aloof. This is actually funny having those not so good feelings about both leads at the same time. But I still loved watching their interactions, always hoping both of them would give in and reconsile.
Overall it was a pleasure to watch this. Especially after getting to know all the background stories. I also liked some of the side characters' stories, while a disliked other side characters equally.
And here's the thing about the music. There were really good songs and there were some mediocre ones, esp. in the beginning. I usually love most of the music of a xianxia, but here it was actually 50/50. But that's probably a personal thing.
Overall a great xianxia and definitely recommended to watch.
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As expected I didn't quite get all the details after having that forced break from part I. But I remembered enough to get into the story again. Thank god.
And I still love the whole story. The concept, the storytelling, everything was well planned, well written and played out almost perfectly. I loved the methods the FL used to get her revenge, the people she approached, the way she made them dance at her tune and how everything was slowly unraveled. The characters were well crafted and every actor/actress did a great job with their performing, because it made the story so much more enjoyable.
I don't know why but the husband got some special attention from me. I just wanted to hug him all the time. At the same time he had a strong demeanour which attracted me quite alot, and it only slowly crumbled piece by piece. I really liked his encounters with the FL and it's a pity, that he didn't get more screentime. The only thing I couldn't agree with was his last act. That just didn't fit his character and would have been better to be left out.
The ML was also some interesting character. Being the headsman of the FL worked well despite his bright personality most of the time. Though I do think that the actor could have put some more darkness into his ego, make him more branded. The one thing I couldn't comprehend at all was the love story. It felt forced, I didn't feel the passion. Every bit of intimacy felt out of place, even though I liked the concept of them supporting and using each other.
Definitely something worth re-watching.
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What I liked esp. in the beginning was that despite the story not being really deep or heavy, it does have basic approaches to trigger thoughts like what does it mean being "human"? How can you compare these things? Where stops the logic and where starts the "heart"? When can you call something an object and when a person (with that the character Seo Ye Na became quite the annoyance which lasted till the end). Is it right to treat something that looks, acts and "kind of feels" like a person, still like an object (is it right to treat it any way you want to)? What does it mean to love it? It's makes you think of those people that marry their dolls or cars or... whatever they feel bonded with. Who is the crazy one?
For a while the story follows a similar path as the movie "Bicentennial Man". So, you might get a clue of what will await you. The approach of a robot to understand human emotions? Trying to feel them, too? Nah, it's nothing new, but still a luring treat, right?
Just awhile ago, I wanted to say that Shin felt a bit too human sometimes. But then I remembered James Cameron's "Aliens" and the android character in it. Everyone thought he was human until... well, until it was accidentally revealed. Seo Kang Joon did a good job with portraying his character. Repeating certain habits that made you recognize him right away, i.e. the subtly awkward blinking or that stiff smile.
What I thought was scarier than a robot imitating a human, were the company projects. I mean with every new thing that is being developed for humans' safety and longer living and eventually avoiding death... Call me cruel, but I'm always thinking about global overpopulation and further consequences.
Even though this drama has a mainstream plot, it's still an enjoyable ride. I'm thankful that it stayed consistently good and didn't change between good and bad periods. The plot was predictable like certain details you anticipate to see on screen. It even surprises you sometimes. Most of characters' motivations are relatable and if they are not clear enough, it's due to the actor's good performance and his ability to stay grey until the right time comes. Yes, I'm talking about Lee Joon Hyuk. No matter the role, he keeps impressing me.
I'm a bit sad that they didn't explore the relationship between the real Shin and his secretary a bit more. There was so much telling within their acting in those rare moments, that it made me wish to know more about their past. And in the same breath it's a shame that they didn't show more of the real Shin's growing-up either.
Towards the end when a certain step within the story was reached, it became a bit TOO predictable and I kind of wished for another ending. The funny part is now, I actually wished for this ending regarding the basic concept. But because of HOW it happened, I would have been much happier about a different path. It just became TOO k-drama-like for my taste. The grand finale was well done regardless and a real tear-jerker. The characters grew on me so much that they turned me into a crybaby after all.
Yet there's one crucial point to be mentioned: The finale is constructed on a major plot hole. It makes me wonder if I'm the only one who noticed it or if it was just because I marathoned the drama and therefore didn't miss it.
The OST is really nice listening to, and fits the story well. And as being one of the newer dramas out there, this one also gets a place in the "visually beautiful" row.
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First of all, Kim Soo Hyun upstaged all of them. He was the brightest actor among them all, his acting was matchless and the awards he got for this are damn well deserved. Yeah, the other leads were good, too (esp. since I really like Gong Hyo Jin), but not as much as him. Following KSH, IU was the second one I was really impressed with. I totally loved her character and IU acted her out pretty well.
I laughed off my butt through every episode. Seriously, Kim Soo Hyun's character was so loveable from the beginning to the end, esp. his drunken state (and his family! was great). The actors and their characters went very well together. They harmonized pretty nicely, you could feel it.
The unusual way of handling the camera, the scenes, editing, interviewing and everything else was refreshing and fit into it (well, this drama WAS all about 'producing'). It took on so many clichés and exaggerated them so hilariously, that it clearly made my day (well, many days, to be exact).
There were two things I was disappointed about. First, the romance part. It started nice, I was full of expectations, but the way it turned out left me quite unsatisfied. Why start something like that, develop it so nicely and then...? I don't want to spoil the outcome though, maybe I'm the only one who felt that way and others were satisfied with it. Idk.
The second one specifies the "2Days, 1Night" scenes. I would have loved to see more scenes from the show that was aired within the drama. They shot the scenes and talked about the editing and the airing, but showed too little exact scenes from it. Every time I got so damn curious and was left empty.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the drama and I did gave it a 9.0 rating because I laughed so hard so many times that I won't forget about it for a long time. It even got me to cry in full scale in one scene.
Rewatch value only 5.o because although it was good, I don't think I will watch it again, in reagrd to my 'plan to watch'-list. It didn't get to the point where I would rewatch it when there are so many other dramas prior.
Music was nice, nothing remarkable though.
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