“I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once”.
For me, this sums up most of this drama. It is watching two people slowly and then passionately fall in love with one another. The doubting if the other feels the same, the awkwardness of new love, the heart fluttering moments, and everything in between. The realism, chemistry, and gradual buildup of the relationship in the story was unlike anything I have ever experienced. It was reminiscent of the director, Ahn Pan Seok’s, previous work Secret Love Affair. Except this is less about two lost souls finding one another and more of a story of realizing the right person was someone you knew all along. Brilliant in its subtleties, this was a true example of a slow-paced romantic melodrama.
However, despite this drama’s strong beginnings, the middle could best be described as lukewarm. Muddled with repetitive plot scenarios that take far too long to resolve, around episode 9 this drama started to feel almost like a chore to watch. The chemistry was still there but the spark was missing, making what could have been my favorite romance of all time, one that I found myself barely making it to its conclusion. But despite its faults, this drama still deserves a solid 8, because it’s first 6 to7 episodes literally had ME feeling butterflies. I even wanted to tell random passersbys to watch this drama if they want to FEEEEEL what it is like for two people to fall in love. I did not think it was possible for me to feel so strongly about a drama, and for this it deserves the 8.
Overall, I recommend it, but mostly the first nine episodes. After that, you could probably skip to the finale and be just as satisfied.
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I came for Jung Hae In, and I stayed for the issues
This is just beautiful, like a walk in to some pretty cold waters from a beautiful beach, slowly getting deeper, and deeper, while the winds rise up to the perfect storm....If you are looking for a comedy this is not the place to look, even if it does use quite a bit of humour this is certainly a drama dealing with some pretty heavy issues and will probably make you feel a whole lot of anger, sorrow and may even make you cry. The early episodes will probably make you laugh too but the further you get the deeper the issues and by the fifth episode you will have been close to tears, kept on your toes and angry at the world.
What I love about this drama, besides the obvious presence of Jung Hae In, is that they dare to show the complexity to the characters, how one thing leads to another and tackle important issues such as bullying, suicide, group mentality, domestic violence, poverty and the all important bystanders in a beautiful way by using all means available. Music, cinematography, lighting all work perfectly to set the mood and are just up my alley. So I rated it with ten stars. However you should know this is my type of drama and I am extremely bias towards Jung Hae In. But if you like me enjoy issues, dark humor and Jung Hae In this drama will leave you hoping for a second season, and thinking it was way to short , they should have given it at least 10 episodes instead of the short 6.
For fellow Jung Hae In fans his character here (as well as the drama ) are more like Prison playbook than the flirty guy in Something in the rain, and yes he does this role perfectly (like always)
All in all I definitely recommend this to those who are not afraid to dip in to some dark deep waters...
P.s I laughed every time Jun Ho repeated his name and rank... I hope you will too
Edit: make sure to stay all the way, the epilog in the end is really important and worth watching (even though jhi is not present)
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Enjoy the crazy ride.
This drama is just like it's title "Mystic". Never have I ever watched any drama which could actually play with parallel worlds!Honestly speaking, I started watching this drama beacuse of Hwang Jung Eum and my love for Fantasy genre. I wasn't a huge fan of Yook Sung Jae nor Choi Won Young since I hadn't watched any of their dramas before. So, I was a bit skeptical.
The story was all about a pricky woman who operates a food tent at night so anyone (dead or living) can visit and grab a drink with the owner and then she can appease their grudges through entering their minds by giving them a special drink.
As the story progressed, it got me hooked everytime! I literally craved for the next episode. It soon became a story about some extraordinary people with some extraordinary capabilities trying to help out both ordinary and mystic beings. The characters were so diverse and well played by each and every actors/resses.
Hwang Jung Eum playing Weol-ju (the main character) was so different from her other characters she has ever played. Her character was written in so depth, we could actually feel those emotions. More matured, understanding, comedic, lively, passionate, etc! Being a spirit aged 500 yrs, under a grave punishment in the human world, the pop-up bar was set up as a place to help spirits let go of their problems and solve their grudges patiently to fill her quota to solve up to 100,000 grudges in order complete her mission.
I actually love that I came with an expectation of a bit weird love story between a supernatural woman and a younger guy. But NO, this was truly an Exception! Instead, I got two crazy spirits who are practically married but denying their feelings, and an adorably awkward part timer who's spiritual visions are widened! They together really made a hilarious little family.
Every episode is fun, and there’s a lesson we takeaway each time we watch it. Almost always we become jealous of people who have more capabilities than us, but this shows that knowing and having that much can get very lonely too. I had never expected the story to be so deep and at the same time so heart-warming and touching!
Each and every episode holds a mystery which unfolds just nicely. It totally delivers the heart wrenching and heart warming stories in a not over dramatic way. I actually liked that they didn't focus much on romance but human life itself which is perfect for what is going on in this world today. I cried and laughed every single episode!
The growth of attachment between the trio which eventually strengthened was so sweet to watch. How quickly did Kang Bae got attached to Weol-Ju and Chief Gwi? Kang Bae being upset and distracted awaiting their return even when he was with his girl was just priceless!
Best Things I loved in this drama:
● The first thing I got very attached to in the beginning of this drama was it's Music. The OST "Dive" totally has those 'Mystic' vibes. The orchestra Background score and the sound effects in each episode is so Amazing!
● HWANG JUNG EUM LOOKING GORGEOUS than ever! How amazing does she looks in that hanbok (Korean traditional dress)?
She looks so pretty. Her costumes were killing! Her transformation has indeed surprised me this time.
● YOOK SUNG JAE TURNING CUTE TO SEXY IN NO TIME! His expressions were priceless!
● CHOI WON YOUNG'S AMAZING ACTING!
● Hwang Jung Eum and Choi Won Young's ENGLISH.
● Yook Sung Jae's adorable side.
☆Overall - This drama is something I needed desperately! It's full of magic, love and laughter.
*This maybe not a drama which everyone will like, but it was perfect for me!
The only disappointment is that the drama is too short. Anyways, a complete enjoyable drama which is fun to watch. I would definitely re-watch it someday :)
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This review may contain spoilers
I wanted to love this drama. My friend got me to watch and told me it was cute and adorable and a lot of fun. I believed her. The first 10 episodes were great and I was honestly enjoying it. Then the big plot twist happened in episode 11 and from that point on, the drama was honestly ruined for me.***SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER****
STORY:
This was really the only problem I had with this drama because I actually liked the acting and the chemistry between characters was great.
It started off fairly cliche - ???? - Cruel, harsh boss and the ??? cute, young, innocent girl are thrown together. Contract marriage, eventually fall in love for real. All great. I actually really appreciated that this time around, the male lead wasn't an ass to her the whole time before he realized his feelings, but he was very respectful of her, treated her well, was super cute to her. Great start!
The first episode I thought it was gonna be super melodramatic what with the boyfriend cheating, the sickness diagnosis, etc. It seemed like this was gonna be a downer drama. I was wrong. It was bubbly and romantic and cute. Everything continued on - relationship was cute, they kept getting closer, they finally fall in love.
AND THEN THE BIG PLOT TWIST. and this is where it went downhill for me.
***SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER****
***SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER****
***SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER****
***SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER****
You find out that NOT ONLY was the female lead NEVER sick with Leukemia, but that the male lead knew about it from the beginning. What could be worse than that? THE MALE LEAD WAS BEHIND THE WHOLE THING. From day one, he was the one who manipulated the female lead, the doctors, down to keeping her holed up in some private facility for two months while she "recovers" (which they conveniently skipped over in the drama and they go straight from getting married to her being fully recovered in under 2 mins). It was ALL a ploy by the male lead to get the female lead to fall in love with him.
The drama continues to try and make it seem like he did it all for a noble cause - cause he really fell in love with her over the past two years when he was at his worst and she was the bright star that made him happy to live and whatnot. That's all great and that's a great love story. BUT THE FACT THAT HE ESSENTIALLY STALKED HER FOR TWO YEARS, FAKED HER ILLNESS AND FRAUDED HER INTO MARRIAGE MAKES ALL OF THIS JUST CREEPY AND NOT OK.
I know that the drama was trying to make it seem innocent, and she of course forgives him for all of this, but honestly I couldn't get over that plot point. It was too creepy and too stalkerish. If this was real life, there was no shot in hell that she would forgive him and continue their relationship.
Legit if they had kept everything the same - him falling for her prior to really meeting her, but actually had her be sick and have him donate his bone marrow, and all the subsequent story points - MINUS THE PART WHERE HE FRAUDED HER - I would be perfectly fine and I would have been able to enjoy the second half of this drama. But honestly, I can't believe they romanticized a legit stalker and manipulator and tried to make him seem noble. I can't.
Ugh.
ACTING:
I think the actors were all really good. I loved the leads (at first) and thought their relationship was surprisingly refreshing for a Chinese drama (where most of the time it ends up being the same plot lines). I was super into the male lead and thought he had a good suave personality, as well as being caring and thoughtful.
REWATCH:
Absolutely not. Knowing that one plot twist really I just can't with this drama. They try to make it cute and relatable, but it's just not for me. It's creepy and stalkerish.
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This review may contain spoilers
In Love With Mr. Queen!
This drama really exceeded my expectations. As a person of being choosy regarding comedy genre who would have thought this drama had so much potential! Surprisingly I enjoyed It throughout. But the results are soaring with high ratings making it the 5th highest rated TVN drama and 7th highest rated cable drama. Can't be happier!South Korean chef Jung Bong Hwan finds himself transported into Kim So Yong, the queen of Joseon era. While Joseon is beset with corruption Cheol Jong is a king for namesake. Queen Dowager Sun Won and brother Kim Jwa Geon are the main power holders and the root of corruption. But things are not as they seem. King Cheol Jong is a capable king but in disguise.
After the soul transfer, the antics of the queen will surely entertain you. The twist and turns are so satisfying. The intriguing struggle to gain power gives another dash of emotion. The plot itself is interesting.
The cast did a brilliant job. The King and Queen were adorable. I loved how they portrayed the friendship between the queen, courtlady Choi, Hong Yeon & another trio Prince Yeongpeong, Hong Byul Gam, Kim Hwan. Courtlady and Royal Chef Man Bok's romance was another thing. The ending was good. At least it did not have a sad ending like the parent story "Go Princess Go!". Although I felt sad for Kim Beong In, he loved & protected the queen till his last breath.
The OST's deserve separate appreciation. I personally loved Xiumin's "To My One & Only". It was so soothing. Others including Kim Jong Hyun's tracks were also good. They captured the essence.
I can't get enough of this drama. The lines of Jang Bong Hwan "You can make a change in the world by changing yourself" was adept. I'm gonna now keep myself busy in the spinoff. Hope 2021 gives us more dramas to binge.
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The story had me hooked right from the beginning. The moment I read the synopsis I knew I wanted to watch the show, but again the generally high ratings were turning me off a little, as I didn't want to start the show with unrealistic expectations. I began it nonetheless and to be honest I should have lowered my expectations a little and I might have enjoyed it more, much more than what I felt this time. The execution and direction was praiseworthy. The horror element could have easily become pitiable and downright miserable, but the writers kept a good balance between spooky and funny. The pace of the show is.. good. I wouldn't say it is perfect since it gets a little draggy in the middle, but that usually happens in almost all the dramas, even the really good ones, so it's not really something you should base your decision on, just giving you a heads up.
The actors. Wow. Impeccable work. Su Ji Sub was a pure delight to watch on the screen. His persona and charm as Joong Won was impressive. I could easily connect with the character because of him. Same goes for Hyo Jin. I'm currently watching another work of her's (It's Okay It's Love) and she's simply marvelous. I loved the work of each actor in this show. Each and everyone. I'm definitely going to try other works by these actors.
The OST of this drama was really likable. The songs were beautiful and catchy, and put forth the emotions well. The melody of the tracks especially, was quite soothing.
Despite the fact that there is so much I like in this show, there are things that stopped me from giving it a perfect overall 10 rating. It's definitely one of the shows I could rewatch again without much hesitation. But there was still the slight glitch that I faced towards the later part of the show. Too much push-pull tactic going on between the lead pair for my taste. Granted it's not unreasonable and foolish, there's a good solid reasoning behind it, but for me, it went on a little too long. But the writers need to be commended for giving a good and proper ending to the show. I was really happy with the finale. Almost so much that I forgot about the way it was dragged :P
Either way, don't let anything stop you from trying out this show. It's absolutely worth the watch. All the genres that the drama incorporates (Horror, Romance, Mystery, Comedy), everything is in a perfect blend and nothing overpowers the other. A really well crafted show. Don't miss it!
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Poignant gay film with BL elements
As I live in Taiwan, I eagerly awaited the release of this film, and watched it the day it was released. Because there aren't too many LGBT films released in theaters (especially in Asia), my expectations weren't that high; I was just excited to be able to see a gay (BL?) movie on the big screen. But this movie did not disappoint at all. The story invites you to the time when martial law has just been lifted, and times are clearly changing. After living in Taiwan for over two years, this was a welcome glimpse into a fascinating part of Taiwanese history.The pacing of the relationship was a little different than your typical BL, and the acting was on point. There are a few different reasons why I wouldn't consider this a BL, the most prominent being the absence of clear seme/uke (masculine/feminine) roles. The two lead characters are well-crafted, and the emotional complexity of their relationship far transcends most BL story lines. I would even consider going back to the theater just for one particular scene; which, although technically a sex scene, accomplishes everything without showing anything. I've been thinking about the passion and emotion of that scene all day.
I feel like this film includes all the great elements of a BL series, but removes the saccharine and adds a plaintive historical setting. The music includes a classic Taiwanese pop song as well as a new song, which includes the film's title. The inclusion of both neatly represents the time jump of the story. This film is a must-watch, and I hope it gets the international attention that it deserves. Both BL and cinema fans alike will enjoy it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Rookie Historian really has it all: gorgeous costumes, sweeping romance, laugh-out-loud moments as well as cry-your-eyes-out ones, and - most importantly to me - complex female characters who actively engage with the plot and confront social issues that are just as relevant today as they were in the Late Joseon Era.You may have your issues with Shin Sekyung, or you may have heard Cha Eunwoo is a bad actor, but neither of those things matter here. The former crafts the best performance of her career with a career so vibrant that it seems to have been designed for her, and the latter rises to the occasion and improves HIS craft as the story delves deeper into his character and explores his personal growth. I personally loved their chemistry and the pacing of their romance, and I find their resolution to be entirely fitting.
As for the rest of the cast? Top-notch acting and well-fleshed out characters all around. There are various arcs, both on the political and personal front, which bring a great deal of satisfaction without resorting to a bunch of extra beta ships that go nowhere. Park Kiwoong as the Crown Prince, Lee Jihoon as Officer Min, and the three other female historians played by Park Jihyun, Lee Yerim, and Jang Yubin are all noteworthy. The last group are especially great because we get to see a strong female friendship play out throughout the show, but Rim (Eunwoo) also gets his own set of friends who are equally adorable to watch.
There are times when the introduction of Catholicism can seem a bit heavy-handed, but overall the theme of a changing world and the impact of globalization is really well-executed and very unique compared to any saeguk (or even modern drama) I've seen. It's obvious the writer and her team did their research, and the story is engaging even if there are one or two over-indulgent episodes.
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Some might argue this, and that's fine, but as I watched ASC, I admired what I felt was a tightly-written narrative about three women who decided to take a stand in a world that would otherwise tell them to sit down, shut up, keep up appearances, and melt in with the masses. Thus, while ASG is a comedy (and it is incredibly funny), it is also a wonderful social commentary about sticking one's head out, taking a risk, and bringing down corruption.
I can't say enough about the cast, in particular, our three women protagonists, played by Lee Yo Won, Ra Mi Ran, and Myung Se Bin. Their sisterly chemistry is off the charts, and it truly shows in how they interact with each other despite being from different backgrounds. In fact, that might be one of my favorite aspects of this ensemble--the fact that three women of three distinct backgrounds were able (in drama transcript) to rally together. It's something not often seen in dramas. Lee Yo Won as Kim Jung Hye is incredible; one might find her a slight bit rough around the edges at first, but later, she shows amazing gusto with effortless poise. Ra Mi Ran is great as the neighborhood ahjumma with great charisma and an even greater heart; her bond with the two younger women is beautiful. Myung Se Bin does well with her character as well, and her observable growth in the show is great.
Revenge is sweet, of course, and is always better when accompanied by nice background music that adds details to every plan and playful mischievousness to every new revenge-filled venture. In this, the ASC OST shined.
I'm definitely going to watch this again, even if it's just to hear Jung Hye say, "You son of a b****~" once again.
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A LOT More than just Gut Wrenching Comedy
This is my Initial review of the show after watching 3 episodes. I will try to update my review as the show goes on or when it ends. Sometimes some shows start out well, but then falls apart, hope that doesn't happen to this show. (I've actually edited my review along the way by now, scroll down to see them if you would like, SPOILER: It kept getting better and better with time and finished off well, but if you want to get some context look at the Edits below)First, anyone who has just watched the trailer for the show, will obviously think this is a funny comical show, which it is, sometimes to the point it feels like I am gonna squeeze and burst my gut out with laughter. The dialogues are funny , well written and translated, but the context of the scenes are even funnier. The comedy is subtle, not forced, very fluid, something a lot of Korean shows miss in my opinion.
However, There is a lot more to this show than just pure hilarious comedy. If you watch at least the first 3 episodes, you will definitely understand what I am talking about, the things that the main two characters are going through, can happen to a lot of us, to anyone of us to be honest. The struggles of these two characters, felt very real to me. Misfortunes happen, they hurt us, scar us, throw our lives into chaos. People misunderstand us, we misunderstand them, which leads us to think we are better off without people. We can't control our anger, our wrath, our obsession with paranoia, our rage towards the fact that we got sucked into the injustice that we never deserved, neither ever planned for.
The casting is good, Obviously. The acting is very good, to the point. The characters have their own charms, the male and female lead are very well played by these two actors. I gave this show a very high Re-Watch value, cause it deserves it. I personally have Re-watched the 3 episodes quite a few times myself.
Now, each episodes are just around 30 mins, which may sound like too small, but quite a lot of things happen in between just those 30 mins. And that's also the great part about this show thus far, it's not too fast, not too slow, and definitely NOT boring at all. If you think you have 30 min time to spare in between your busy schedule, then Definitely go for it. So far, it's Definitely WORTH it.
Edit 1: I've watched till the 6th episode now. It's going very well, and getting rather interesting. I would highly recommend anyone watching up until now, keep watching. We are at a crossroad where the ML and FL will have to intersect into one another's life for the story to progress in the desired/one of the desired directions. One thing to note about this drama, is that the cliffhangers are really done well, it makes you want to watch the next episode like there is no tomorrow, supplemented also by the fact that each episodes are just 30 min long.
Edit 2: I've watched till the 9th episode now. The show is going in a good direction, with just 4 episodes left we needed some new tension and some dosage of emotional vulnerability for the characters to build something real between them in between these episodes, which we got. This show kinda depicts one of the major issues in South Korea, the cyber crimes of sexual assault and such and the aftermath, with all the judgements and bullying and finding and utilizing the loopholes of law to De-humanize the victims to the general people's eyes. Overall, this show doesn't really water down the impacts, neither do they exaggerate to any unrealistic extent.
Although some K-drama-ly aspects are found in the show like a "Too animated with their movements and Talks way too much with too cute voices", it's not really overdone, which is more than you can say for some other romantic K-drama with ultra popular stars. So far, I can say that this show has been a treat to watch.
Edit 3: I've watch till the 11th episode now, and well, things have gotten interesting. The evil aren't really far away, and the main story is getting more focus. Both the ML and FL will have to face their demons, have to fight it, and it will test that relationship they have formed, that's the way the story is progressing it seems. Personally, This is one of the most UNDERRATED gem of a show I've seen in quite a while. At first I wasn't really all that impressed with the Music of the show, I gave it 8.5 because it was decent, however, along the way the music have improved, or rather, they have actually shown all their cards with the music, the first 4-5 episodes they didn't really explore that part much. Now, I am upgrading the Music to a Solid 9. I am also upgrading the Re-Watch value to solid 10, cause, I feel you would love to come back and see many of the episodes again and again, cause I personally have, and probably will in the future. The 30 min per episode sometimes feel very cruel, especially to us, who are watching them immediately when they release, and wait until they release the next one. However, because the episodes are just 30 mins, the show doesn't drag on, it feels dynamic yet serene, funny yet serious in the most crucial elements. Hats off to the Directors and Show-Makers for being able to create such tension in just mere 30 min episodes, while not making it too much on the nose and keeping it grounded.
Edit 4: Finished watching episode 12. This episode was, hands down, The BEST EPISODE up until now. The way the story progressed, was, EXCELLENT. With this kind of relationship, the misunderstanding and the impulsive and emotional decisions that took place in this episode, was bound to happen. People who have been Seriously Abused in a relationship, people who have been hurt by previous relationship not working out, being abandoned in their worst times, have a seriously hard time to really trust themselves with the new relationship. They hardly believe themselves, hate themselves, blame themselves for those misfortunes. This episode, honestly felt very real, and they pulled it off in just 30 min. GREAT ACTING, PERIOD by both these two actors. I am giving the acting an absolute 10. The Music, wow, it now keeps getting better and better every episode it seems. Whatever happens in the last episode, whether we get the ending we deserve or not, either way, I will suggest anyone reading this review, to Really, GIVE THIS SHOW A GO.
Edit 5 (Final): Finished the Finale, ep 13. It was Good, quite a few things happened in just 30 min. Everything came to a conclusion, It was pretty much the best ending you could ask for in a 30 min episode. And that's one thing that I didn't like, they had so much to do in just 39 min, and that they did, but missed out on some details, the gaps to fill, purely because of not having enough time. If this episode was just even 50-55 min long, they could have checked all the tick marks, they could have slowed some developments down a notch and could really sort out things in a steady pace from beginning to end. But nonetheless, it did very well for it's time and gave us all the necessary closure that we needed.
Final Thoughts: WATCH THIS DRAMA, it will be worth your time, and you will remember this drama, honestly. I will call this drama "SEVERELY UNDERRATED". If this drama was casted by IU, Hyun Bin , Park Shin Hye, Suzy Bae, or some ultra popular stars, even with a very mediocre acting, the ratings and popularity would have soared through the sky. Point is, It's a Great show. And Rather than focusing solely/mostly on the cast, which is a problem with Drama-watchers of Kdrama or even any Asian drama, if you are one who is willing to focus more on the story and acting and execution and all those stuff that truly should matter, then watch it. GIVE THIS SHOW A PROPER TRY, that would be my heartfelt suggestion. That's all.
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Best romantic couple
Totally in love with this couple … must watch loved it so much already watched it three times … xing fei is beautiful, her & hu yi tian acting is so real and pure … love from India 😍😇 must must watch … its toally worth it… lots of emotions are involved … will going to watch it again as i am so in love with this couple …. Hope to see them again in season 2 or in any new drama … they are so so good in this one 😇 hope and praying that hello mr sharpshooter do well and it became super hit as i really want to see season 2 of it… beautiful portrayed story between these two …. Other cast is also amazing … everything about this drama is so prefect from my side its super hit …..Was this review helpful to you?
Enemies to lovers! Best drama in this trope for 2025 so far
Enemies to lovers genre is my favourite, this is how I stumbled upon this best new drama 2025. The moment I watched the first episode I was hooked and binged watched till 20th episode.I'm enthralled by this drama's undeniable captivating, engaging and intriguing story line. I'm thoroughly impressed by main actors' flawless and impeccable acting. I have always loved SZE's dramas, but in this drama my respect for her has sky rocketed. She has portrayed her character perfectly. Furthermore, I have watched some amazing dramas of LYN, but in this drama his acting has gotten better phenomenally. It's like this role was especially made for him. I adore their love and hate relationship.
I'm particularly impressed that the fl, QM is not at all a beauty in distress but instead an incredibly smart, wise, quick witted, sharp tongued, courageous, refined, elegant, poised and well educated diplomat who knows how to wade smoothly through political and personal trials and challenges while always keeping the safety, happiness and prosperity of the general people at the top of her priorities. She is prudent and resourceful, only plots and plans when required to protect her husband, family or country and for the people she cares about but knows when to give way and listen to advice. I'm surprised at her resilience even when she is treated unfairly she thinks logically not always emotionally to counter the challenges. She never takes any injustice lying down even when in disadvantageous position. Putting political life aside, she never slacks off in her duties to her family, her husband and her in laws. When realising where her heart lies, she is not afraid to wear it on her sleeves and even bravely pursue a person who she knows is wary of her for fair reasons and reluctant to accept her heart.
The ml is playing his role incredibly well too. WS is undefeated charming hero with years of expertise, wisdom and knowledge of how to run a country and conquer territories. He is smart, clever, brave, patriarchal, responsible leader and has flail piety yet he lacks emotional intelligence and deeper understanding of people's heart. He is plagued by revenge and blood thirst is embedded in him due to events that took in past. However, he is principled enough to learn to become more open minded, forgiving and soft hearted. He tries to learn to let go of grudges for greater good's sake and for his grand mother's sake. He wins every territory with his smart wits and courage but in contrast its super cute when he is unable to win against his wife's arguments, antics and runs away everytime. Its very satisfying how this tsundere man starts off completely rejecting her and insulting her due to his grudges and prejudice against the fl and her clan but slowly he sees and acknowledges all the great things about her. He learns to acknowledge her righteous heart and meticulous care for him and starts to give her benefit of a doubt in most perilous situations caused by outsiders or insiders intentionally or unintentionally. Understandably, he struggled to accept her heart and admit his own due to many personal and political reasons. His originally cold and hard heart melted in to warm, benevolent and magnanimous one influenced by fl who always flows like water.
The story is working very closely around "enemies to lovers" genre, both main leads were antagonistic initially due to significant conflicts imposed on them from past generations' problems and then developed a romantic relationship as they navigated their differences, insecurities and misconceptions. They found their shared goal, sometimes they were forced to cooperate with each other which led them to interact with each other then form trust and as they interacted, eventually they learned to overcome internal and external obstacles, which in turn led them to form deeper emotional connections and romantic feelings. I particularly love this trope because its known for its tension and attraction, we can see that the ml and fl are constantly battling their feelings and the external pressures against their relationship.
Unique to this story, every time the couple faced challenge/misunderstandings/unexpected trials they grew closer. Fortunately, both main leads had the decency to reflect on their mistakes, apologize wholeheartedly and mend their old ways to become a devoted, honest and sincere couple. Through arduous journey together, both learned that they have to act as one, be transparent to each other and be each others' confidant and protector to defeat the odds.
Side characters are doing excellent work in performing their roles to the highest of standards. They are very dynamic and have smooth chemistry with each other and the main characters. My personal favourites are the generals and the advisor. Its incredibly hilarious how ml casually decides to visit advisor's wife whenever he is trying to avoid his wife. Then comes the WLx XT couple who played vital part in bringing the main couple together. They are very cute and funny, there is never a dull moment with them around. WY's character development is beautifully executed, his character is very intriguing and amusing too. He starts off with very bad reputation and scheming behaviour and makes many mistakes. However, unlike the villains who arrogantly continued making wicked and selfish decisions, WY turned the tide by having remorse, correcting himself, valuing his family's love, sincerity and care for him then returning it ten fold with his talent, loyalty, courageous and selfless acts.
Overall I'm absolutely in love with this master piece. The OSTs, cinematography, settings and historical clothes are magnificent. I highly recommend this drama, every second of it is worth the watch. It has become one of my all time favourite dramas. I'm glad the main leads have got the ending they hard-earned. ☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
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Song Ji Eun is cute as the shy and repressed Yoo Mi, and Sung Hoon is perfect as the "sexy and he knows it" typical spoiled chaebol's son Cha Jin Wook. Of course their paths keep crossing in the expected ways, and their chemistry goes from annoyance to playfulness and then escalating quickly... VERY quickly. I think that's what initially got me hooked. Still, it was obvious pretty early on that there wouldn't be much to this story. As cute as they were as a couple this love story got repetitive pretty quickly, and towards the end was so unrealistic and overly cheesy that I stopped being interested in them at all. Their inner monologues tried so hard to be deep but they seemed really shallow, and the stakes just didn't seem as high as their reactions made them out to be. The more dramatic it got the worst their acting got.
I think the drama did have some entertaining supporting characters. I enjoyed the mom, even if she was a frustrating mess, and Nam Ki Ae is always good at playing a mess of a mother. I liked the second lead, although he didn't have much of a story to work with. My favorite was the Secretary, who's suits made him an instant scene stealer, and his boo in the kitchen staff. The supporting cast helped to make some of the most repetitive moments easier to sit through.
Even though this drama is shorter than most, I still think it was too long. It could have easily been 10 episodes, or maybe even less. I still found myself eager to watch more moments between the two characters, but in the last episodes it was like they just gave up and started to rely on flashbacks! Ugh! The flashback abuse in this drama is pretty epic. Not only does every episode end with recaps that were super literal, extra cheesy, and felt completely unnecessary, but the final episodes almost seemed like music videos strung together with fan compilations of all the cutest scenes. The last 4 episodes are almost unwatchable because it was mostly everything I already saw. They repeated scenes so much that they lost all of their previous charm, including the kiss scenes.
The music is also super cheesy, which matched the show well, but it was driving me a little nutty. There was even a moment where Yoo Mi sings for so long I though it was turning into a musical. So I give the music a 4 for simply not being my taste. Not to mention the damn sound effects. Someone got a little too happy with the sound effects machine!
Would I watch this again? Maybe. I would probably skip the last episodes 10-12, but it's entertaining enough to watch if I need another quick romcom fix. The ending is such a let down, so I'd really have to have run out of other things to watch.
Overall this is a quick romcom you can easily binge watch, but I say keep your finger on the fast forward button for those repetitive flashbacks. If the idea of literally falling into someone's arms sounds too corny, or if a boss using abuse of power to flirt with an employee sounds like a reason to visit HR not a premise for a love story, then maybe you should watch a different kind of drama instead. I really wish they would have put more effort into the story, but for what it was, I was entertained enough to keep watching. For those not scared away by these mediocre reviews I'd say lower your expectations, and enjoy this cheesy romcom snack. (get it... she makes food :( sorry! )
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STORY: 8/10
I will agree with most people that the story was much better in the first half of the drama than in the final arcs. Overall, I think the progression of the story seemed steady and flowed fairly well, albeit having a few less exciting parts at various times. Watching Fu Yao really grow as a person from the young, bubbly and bit stubborn slave girl to growing her martial arts and becoming more powerful for herself to finding out her true origins and setting everything back to the way it should have been - it felt like a very natural progression for her and you really get to see her change and grow as a person - not just being told from the get go that she's a badass for whatever reasons.
The Xuan Yuan Sect arc began a bit slow, but overall I think it was a great opener to meeting these main characters. I think this was the area where I most enjoyed Fu Yao and Wu Ji's relationship because it was the most playful part. They had a somewhat common bottom line when it came to morality and making decisions, but overall they had their own views on things and were able to help each other out along the way. LOFY did a very good job in my opinion on setting up and progressing the relationship between the main couple because you really understood why they came to love each other as much as they do, whereas many dramas it just feels like they're together because someone wrote it that way, and you don't really understand how they got to that level of relationship.
Tai Yuan arc was probably the most entertaining for me - and most people as I've read. My favorite genre for C-dramas is more imperial settings, so having that in combination with the background story of Fu Yao just made things more entertaining. At this point, the only thing that really bothered me was Yan Jing Chen and Pei Yuan story line. I could tell from the beginning that Pei Yuan was going to be one of the enemies, which is fine, but it got a bit stereotypical for me at times - blaming everything on the main girl just because the guy she likes has feelings for the other person/everything is the main lead's fault/etc. Sam with Yan Jing Chen, he made his decision over and over, but obviously regretted it every time, though still had no issues betraying Fu Yao and making the wrong choices. Everything else was great for me though. The story did well tying in the other side characters and giving them a place in the overall story.
Tian Quan arc was pretty short, so not too much bad here. The introduction of Fo Lian took me by surprise honestly, and then the crazy amazing episode with Fu Yao and Zhang Sun Ping Rong (you know which one I'm talking about). Even ? of the way into the story, there was still a good amount of rollercoastering for me - super exciting scenes and a few more subdued ones.
Tian Sha arc is probably my least favorite (and I figured it would be honestly). This was the arc where I knew that the main leads would be more support characters, but I still think that it wasn't as bad as people are making it seem. There were still important bits happening, and the relationship development for more side characters.
Xuan Ji arc brought the story full circle at this point. I think at this point it was fairly predictable what was going to happen, but at the same time, it was still fun seeing how the female run kingdom worked and bringing Fu Yao into the next high point in her life.
Final arc (Tian Quan/Qiong Sang) - I will admit that it kind of amazes me that with 66 episodes, there were still parts of the ending that felt a bit rushed. I wouldn't necessarily say it needed to be longer, but just that they needed to balance out the story a bit more. So much is going on by the final few episodes that it feels a bit like a whirlwind. But again, I'm not an expert on screenwriting so I honestly don't know which parts of the overall show they should've cut down to make things seem more balanced.
ACTING:9/10
Yang Mi - for those who've read my other reviews of Yang Mi's acting, I think she's a very hit or miss actress. TMOPB I think she excelled probably because the writing of her character was good, but still overall there were times when Bai Qian felt kind of one note to me. I think Yang Mi's portrayal of Fu Yao outshined her character in TMOPB and others - if only for the fact you get to see more personality out of her and you really see this overarching journey of Fu Yao's life. YM pulled of the mischievous, young slave at Xuan Yuan, to the more matured concubine at Tai Yuan, to really coming into her own character by the end of the first half of the drama. Overall good job.
Ethan Ruan - Normally I'd say that these types of dramas, unless the male character is the ACTUAL lead lead character, they normally get overshadowed by the female. LOFY was NOT that case. I hadn't seen anything from Ethan Ruan since Fated to Love You, but I remember loving his acting from there, so I had fairly good expectations. Ethan Ruan knocked this out of the park for me. From his first introduction, I was hooked. He was playful and flirty, but mischievous and mysterious. His character was strong and powerful, merciless when he wanted to, but kind and loving when he needed to. I'd honestly say that I'd wish he had some kind of fault to him because his character was overall too perfect in that sense (being supposedly ruthless could be a downfall, but I don't think they really showed that side of him as much as they just talked about it). But overall I think that Ethan Ruan definitely outshined Yang Mi. He had good comedic timing, he wasn't afraid to get ugly when he was angry or sad. Legit he was so into it that there are times when Fu Yao and Wu Ji are having emotional scenes, and you can see a tear drop from his face (even when the camera is just filming from behind him). I'm honestly hoping that LOFY opens up some more doorways for him in mainland China because I really wanna watch more stuff from him ASAP.
Everyone else - this review is already super long, so just quickly, overall everyone else was very good. Qi Zhen (Liu Yi Jun) was definitely a standout bad guy, just as he was in Nirvana in Fire. Superb acting and super believable villainous qualities.
OVERALL/REWATCH: 9/10
I honestly loved this drama. It's not perfect by any means, but it was memorable and exciting for the most part. It's definitely one of my new top favorite dramas. It had just enough relationship storylines along with political plots and general human growth stories. It's definitely going to be one I watch again and again. I really never got bored with it to the point of wanting to drop it. The storyline made much more sense and had much better flow than others of its type (looking at you Princess Agents) and I think that the directing and cinematography was great. Acting overall was a huge plus - especially with such a large cast, but I think everyone did a pretty solid job overall.
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Drama Special Series Season 1: White Christmas
70 people found this review helpful
First, I will say that if you like Kdramas, this one is absolutely unique in the entire genre. I've seen over 100 and nothing even seems to have been made on the same planet as this. So it definitely has the uniqueness factor - check.
Secondly, because it was a special rather than a full drama, it has a nice short run time of only 8 episodes, so it is great for those with ADHD or who like Kdramas but not the fact that they tend to be so long. Actually, my only real complaint about this drama is that there isn't more of it!
Of course, the first two positive things I've said about this drama are just shallow fluff and not really the reasons I called it a masterpiece. But they are good reasons that I think this is the ultimate drama for introducing noobs to Kdramas (particularly American noobs as those are the kind I know best).
But now on to the real meat of the matter -- why is this a masterpiece, and not just a Korean masterpiece, but possibly a masterpiece of television, period?
1. VISUALS! Did I say visuals? Oh, and visuals. This is one of the most singularly beautiful (and eerie) things I've ever watched. The PD is Kim Yong Soo and going foward I will watch anything he directs (he directed Equator Man, which while it has its plot flaws, no one can deny its cinematography is stunning). Every camera shot is perfectly framed for maximum visual and emotional impact. At times it felt more like watching a series of paintings or artistic photographs pass by rather than film. The visual harmony between the stark modern architecture, the snow, the shadows and even the physical characteristics of the actors themselves and how they are framed in each and every shot demonstrates tremendous forethought and superior aesthetic awareness. I could have watched this drama with the sound and subs off and still enjoyed it; that's how beautiful it is.
2. Acting. Considering the youth of this cast, the acting was quite good, and this drama could not have been pulled off without their sublime efforts because the claustrophobic, character-driven nature of this drama requires great acting. I read on Dramabeans that when the kids were cast that the writer cared more about physical type (because the visuals and theme were that important to her) than acting ability and that most of the actors were considered relatively inexperienced at the time; although, we know most of them very well now (Woo Bin and Sung Joon, for example). I found this revelation startling in light of the brilliance of their acting in White Christmas.
3. Music. Much like the visuals, the music was also all perfectly thought out at every moment to achieve maximum emotional effect. And for we English speakers, there is deft use of some popular tunes like AC/DC's Back in Black, Arcade Fire's Wake Up and Massive Attack's Teardrop (aka the theme song from House), just to name a few. This actually is my favorite soundtrack of any Kdrama I've seen because much of the music was recognizable and that just added to the overall impact of how well it was used to increase the emotional impact of the scenes and theme, rather than just as background music like so many soundtracks. The soundtrack in this drama practically takes on a life of its own and White Christmas would not be the same without it.
4. Theme & Writing. No bones about it, this is a DARK drama and not for the faint of heart. But once again, what makes it great is that it is not dark in the usual twisted crazy parent, birth secret, killing for money, insane makjang way of most dark Kdramas. This is dark because of the theme and the theme is a very simple and universal one relatable to anyone anywhere (that I am not going to go into here because I don't want to give anything away). Much like with the visuals and the music, the writing was also very focused in this drama, without any of the meandering, unfocused, repetitiveness that plagues the live shoot portion of so many Kdramas. Sure it was only 8 episodes, but every scene, every word, of those 8 episodes was perfectly thought out to elucidate the main theme with nothing extraneous and nothing left out either. EXCEPT....
There was one flaw in this otherwise perfect drama and it's a pretty major plot hole that occurs in the last episode that sent my bulls*** radar pinging. And despite my great love of this drama I refuse to let the writer off. If you've seen it, you probably know what I mean. However, I understand why the writer had to do what she did for the overall structure and theme of the drama, and, therefore, I forgive her. Because, in the wake of this glorious tour de force, I am willing to let a little final-hour-what-the-f**ckery slide.
In summation, watch this drama! You will NOT be disappointed. And if by same crazy miracle you are, there is a scene in episode 6 where all the guys take their shirts off, so hold on until there at least!
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