Reviews

THE HYPE FOR THIS DRAMA IS ALL TRUE!

AWESOME IN ALL CATEGORIES!
The HYPE for this drama is all TRUE!

No doubt, Now, this is One of My All Time Favs!! :)

The Plot is Good and the Characters are Well Written. Every Character is Lovable.
Direction, Production, Cinematography, Visual effects, Acting, OST/BGM, Pacing, EVERYTHING IS DONE VERY WELL AND RIGHT TO THE POINT!

OST is the BEST.

Both the Couples are Lovely.
The Bromance of Kim Shin & Grim reaper is Cool .
These two along with Deok Hwa, the Trio is Funny 😂

But at times, it's just Repetitive or a Content filler, prolonging the number of episodes mindlessly.
(It's like an unnecessary REVISION to the Viewer, haha).
Without those repetitions, Could have wrapped up very well in 16 hours instead of 20+ hours.

***
Overall, THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE! 👌🏻

My RATING is 9.5/10.
Without those so called revisions, it's 10/10 ! :)

P.S.1: That content filler repetitions KILLED ME but this OST HEALED ME! 😂
P.S.2: I can still hear the OST song , ringing in my head and hum, while writing this review, even after many years of watching this drama (BTW, it's my phone ringtone now :) )

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All I can say is dear goodness. This series was excruciating for me to watch. Yes I said excruciating OK. I need you all to understand that my review is based on my perception as an adult. I believe that the younger and I mean much younger population would enjoy this I however did not. This series was about high school students with a crush. You know the kind where you keep a diary and draw hearts in but never say I like. This kind. These kids go on to college and their behavior mirrors that of high schoolers, literally.
I don’t honestly dislike it because the cast was immature, I disliked it because for me to see a person change their life goals to follow someone is not great or to see someone so infatuated with someone that they completely ignore the realities in front of them, it’s toxic and it’s scary to me. There was no real plot, no major events. Just a bunch of immature people infatuated with each other. Sadly it took about 25 episodes for our crushers to acknowledge their feelings. This is tooo long for a 32 episode series. So what we got was our female lead being pursued by those who wanted to be with her and her disregarding them to be with someone who hasn’t acknowledged or shown a love interest in her. This went on for many many episodes.

The positive is that....the acting was good.

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script sat in the sun too long

Overall: The number of times I screamed "what is going on?" might have been a record. I was both bored and confused. Beautiful location and great actors were wasted with this nonsense plot. Watched on iQIYI.

Content Warnings: suicidal ideation played as comedy, dub con kissing, held against will, manipulation, slap, drugging

What I Liked
- beautiful ocean side location/beach town
- cute intro but on the long side (3 minutes)
- Boun & Prem!!! It was fun to see actors from several different BL series together in this series
- the end of the boxing match was bizarre but cute
- the dads discussing love is love
- the outro with the behind the scenes footage

Room For Improvement
- too many couples, there were (I think) 4 and maybe one or two love triangles. This was just too many for six episodes.
- boring, 1/3 of episode 3 was getting down from a mountain, 5 full minutes of cleaning in episode 4
- confusing, there were several times where I just did not understand what on earth was going on, things just happened and we didn't get enough explanation. The most clear plot was the two boxers and they had about a minute per episode of screen time.
- nonsense things i.e. what was the dad's "plan"?, who leaves their (expensive) adult stuff lying all over a bedroom?, Arthid's elaborate plan instead of just...talking to him?
- some choppiness
- the comedy fell flat for me, the comedy sound effects didn't help
- that suicidal ideation was played as comedy
- the two trans/effeminate male characters played as slapstick comedy characters
- the red/orange hair and glasses weren't my favorite style (would have preferred tattoos/lip ring/etc) but I didn't take off points for it
- subtitle errors, but I didn't deduct points for them

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When I was younger, there were these cartoons that I used to watch known as ‘Dora The explorer’. In these cartoons Dora used to go around on her kiddy-sized expeditions (mainly in her backyard or the neighborhood park) and discover new things.

However, despite being known as an excellent kid explorer, Dora wasn’t the brightest bulb in the closet. Every episode went something quite like this; Dora would stand in front of, say, an apple tree and the treasure that she sought after would be an apple. So in order to find that apple, Dora would first cluelessly look to one side then the other, then she’d look all over all the while conveniently missing the tree located right behind her. After a good ten minutes of looking, when Dora still wouldn’t find the darned apple, the creators of the show would decide to give her a hint.

The hint went something like this: “Dora, if you look exactly behind yourself, you’ll find something. Now, we are not telling what it is, since this is only a hint but I think you should look behind you and see what you find.” For further help, a huge green arrow would point towards the apple on the tree. That was when Dora would finally have a light bulb moment and discover the goal of her expedition. Feeling mighty proud of her feat, she would then ask the viewers whether they too were able to find the apple or not.

Even as a child, I was about ready to combust at this point, for I had found the mighty apple the moment the tree came into the view. However, despite all its flaws it was still one of my favorite cartoons because it made me feel so clever. I was smarter than Dora. The world was a good place. What could possibly go wrong?

Except, when the same Dora-style execution is done in Contemporary Crime Shows, things do actually go wrong. This is exactly one of the reasons why people love “Stranger” so much. Stranger doesn’t come with the usual BS. It doesn’t assume that its viewers are mentally impaired baboons who can’t put two and two together. It actually respects the audience by considering them smart enough to follow the plot. There is no spoon feeding here, nor does a big ass green arrow point towards every idiotic discovery ever made. Instead, it’s a drama with an intelligent script that demands your full attention.

Every scene and every character has a reason for existing. With brilliant direction and almost no plot-holes the drama not only succeeds in captivating the audience, rather it also gives them space to really think about all that is happening.

For a lot of actors a “cold and emotionless” role is the gateway for slacking. They leave all their acting skills in the backseat and decide that posing like a cringey af model throughout the show is the way to go. Jo Seung Woo with his “Prosecutor Hwang Shi Mwok” explains that kids, it is indeed not the way to go.

For a character that is supposed to be expressionless and indifferent to everything and anything, Seung Woo sure did put out the acting of the century. While his face remains carefully blank at all times, there are slight nuances in his expression that highlight the emotional development Shi Mwok experiences throughout the episodes. A slight twitch of the brow to show frustration, relaxation of the facial muscles to show ease and the gorgeous, beautiful and rare smile to show happiness. Simply put, Shi Mwok is a delight to watch. Without showing, he still shows so much that by the first half of the drama, the viewers have already formed a deep connection with him.

A lot of people thought that the whole “brain surgery” plot-line was unnecessary, however, I think it was wholly essential in order for Shi Mwok to become who he was. He was a prosecutor who was able to observe every crime scene with a cold detachment that is unachievable for a normal person. And the show facilitated the fact by backing it up with a genuine reason instead of feeding the viewers some bogus and over-dramatic crap.For all those people who have seen God’s Gift, I know that Seung Woo shocked your pants off. The utter versatility of the actor cannot be described in words. He was a completely different person in this show, simply unrecognizable and for that, he has all of my respect.

I think one of the most endearing characters in the show was our female lead Han Yeo Jin. Bae Do Na held her own in terms of acting and the amount of chill that her character had was unlimited. She was such a genuinely cool person. Relentless, strong and quirky. Even though she won against bad people numerous of times, there was never any pomposity in her, for to her, even the wins felt like failures because they were against her own people. You can see how her heart hurt at the name of injustice and how fully determined she was to stand against it. No matter the consequences. She was the kind of fearless cop that is every ordinary citizen’s dream and every corrupt person in power’s nightmare.

So considering how exquisite these two were individually, it’s no surprise that they were unbeatable together. Lieutenant Han and Prosecutor Hwang: The ultimate dynamic duo that made the baddies shiver in their boots. The chemistry between them was excellent; easily topping many romances. They were the kind of comrades that can lean on each other in time of need, rely on the other in time of action and above all, understand each other all the time. As weird Shi Mwok was, Lieutenant Han just seemed to get him and he in turn respected and shared his secrets with her.
With best friends like these, who needs romance?

All of the other side characters came with their own quirks. They had their own story, their own motives behind actions that appeared to be ruthless and their own flaws and weaknesses. Nobody was completely good or completely bad; rather they were all wholly mortal.

Like other crime shows, the show did not make use of convenient plot-lines or shock value. There weren’t any WTF moments or nerve-wracking cliff hangers, rather there was a constant under-current of gravity that kept the viewers rooted to their spot.

This is the kind of drama that will warm your heart, fill you with sadness at the world’s corruption and leave you with the sweet hope that not all people are wicked, that there is still some good left and that little bit of goodness might just be able to overcome the evil.

I know that I should just end this review here but I need to be completely honest. As as you can clearly see, I have nothing but good things to say about this show. However, it doesn't mean that I am going to give it a perfect rating like many others because despite all of its beauty there were times where I wanted something more. I wanted to know why Mwok Shi was so relentless on eradicating all corruption. If he couldn't feel anything, where did all his righteousness sprout from? I wanted to know more about Lieutenant Han's background. Why was she always so alone?

Even though the whole drama came with a certain amount of simplicity and subtle intelligence, the last few episodes did at moments take on a fairy-tale touch. The conclusion was everything that you could've wanted, it was the perfect ending. However, considering the somber tone of the show, personally I expected something more gritty and raw.

So while this was one of the more amazing shows I have watched, I will not claim that "This was the best Korean drama ever made".

That being said, with some of the best dialogues and a spot-less execution, this drama is definitely not one to be missed. Which is why I wholeheartedly recommend it to every crime/thriller fan out there.Enjoy!

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needed to see more Nail Him (watch suggestions)

Overall: started off strong but there were a ton of pointless flashbacks/stretching the thin plot to 12 episodes. I'm going with NailHim because that's the best ship name ever :P I can see how people would rate this lower, but I enjoyed the black nail polish in ep 12, NSFW scenes, and some things were so bad they were entertaining. Aired 12 episodes about 35 minutes uncut on iQIYI. Later re-aired on Y. Entertainment's YouTube channel but they cut out NSFW scenes. Y.Entertainment also created Unforgotten Night. Note that towards the end of the original airing, several actors posted on social media about non/delayed payment and harassment.

Watch Suggestions
- watch eps 1-3
- episode 4 watch the beginning to 12 minutes and then 33-34:30 minutes
- episode 5 watch 30-32 minutes for the side couple kissing
- skip episode 6
- episode 7 stop at 8 minutes, then pick it back up at 28 minutes
- episode 8 start at 32 minutes with the mom (note major content warnings if you watch the first 8 minutes)
- episode 9 watch the beginning to 6 minutes, then 14:20 to the end
- episode 10 watch 10-24 minutes
- episode 11 skip from when the credits start to 25 minutes
- watch episode 12
(if this watch order makes zero sense, know that watching everything likely still won't make a ton of sense)

Content Warnings: suicide (beginning of ep 8), self harm, violence, parental abuse/slap, homophobia, manhandling, mental health struggles, harassment, fight, non con picture taking

What I Liked
- Nail was awesome (especially at the beginning), he was assertive, sassy, intelligent, flirty, honest, he knew what he wanted and went for it, he tried to give Him space to talk to him when he was comfortable
- Nail's accessories and black nail polish (ep 12)
- cute moments
- NSFW scenes were pretty well done (except for eyes open during kissing and a flash of underwear where they shouldn't have been any)
- Nail mentioned having mental health struggles, sought medical help and continued to got to doctor appointments (thankful we didn't have a 'love cures mental health' trope)
- Nail's supportive mom
- the girl squad
- the het couple
- (neutral) comedy sound effects

Room For Improvement
- the start was confusing (it was a flash forward)
- choppy editing, a ton of flashbacks (scenes jumped from one to another in non-logical sequences at times)
- the 2nd m/m couple due to not nice relationship games and the other character's clinging/harassment
- it was odd that a certain character was all lovey-dovey and then the next minute went scorched earth and then the next day he apologized, pick a lane dude
- continuity errors such as ever changing root length and a character who gets a tattoo but no tattoo is shown
- nonsense actions like Him asked Nail to go somewhere where his friends were and he knew they would ask questions
- slow pacing starting in episode 4, should have been 6-8 episodes instead of 12
- lack of consequences for absolutely awful and abusive parents
- the extremely long behind the scenes to pad episode length
- Te was obsessed and then suddenly did a 180, all was well and he instantly got a new love interest?
- resolving extremely important things off screen and characters just saying what happened
- teasing NSFW scenes in episode 11 but not showing anything

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Fight for human rights. A story written with the blood of latest Joseon history. Highly valuable.

Definitely worthwile! "Nokdu Flower" offers a historically remarkable epic with a strong performance. The KDrama excels sort of. It almost seems as if the entire team was all too aware of the ambitious challenge to adequately capturing this short but crucial sequence of Korean history.

In the second half of the 19th century, exploitation, famine, a corrupt, incompetent government and weak kings had eroded almost all belief in the existing system, in aristocracy and administration. Then there was the opening of the country to world politics and trades, for which the corrupt Joseon also proved to be profitable. In this historical KDrama it's not so much about the political intrigues around the palace, but about the landowners, administrative offices and Yangban in the provinces as well as the rebellion of the desperate rural people, who simply can't take it anymore.

The struggle for democracy in Korean history, like elsewhere in the world, has been quite bloody. That was last in May 1980 in Gwangju, when the democratic aspirations of the people were brutally crushed by the military. This was so during the student independence movement in 1929 in the fight against Japanese oppression. And that happened in connection with the Donghak movement, too, which had caused quite a stir throughout the country between 1860 and 1894. "Nokdu Flower" is deliberately very close to the front lines of those uprisings for democratic reforms, which then had been for the first time organized on this scale. This forms the perfect background for dramatically intertwined relationship dynamics of two half-brothers, (whose father is one of the particularly exploitative provincial officials who bleed the people dry), as well as the daughter of a merchant, who is used to deal with anybody, even the Japanese, for high profit.

The road to democracy on the Korean Peninsula is definitely rocky. To this day, the reactionary forces are still strong. "Nokdu Flower", however, represents a powerful, unforgettable symbol for the spirited struggle for freedom. The Donghak movement is often seen as the first patriotic Korean movement, since it was also about counteracting the increasing e. g. Japanese influence. But more than a patriotic struggle, initially the Donghak movement was actually about an idea that is bigger than family of origin or nation: It's about ​​basic human rights. (An idea that, not too long before that, had also stirred up the European continent)

Matter follows spirit. And this spirit was shaken up in the rural population of Joseon by a new religious movement: Choe Je-u (1824–1864) created a new faith in 1860: Donghak, which roughly means "Eastern Wisdom". Drawing from Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and Shamanism, it sees the divine spirit at work in human beings - in ALL human beings, without distinguishing between class or gender. Additionally, it sees the world as moving in cycles - with a whole new world just waiting ahead.

Nevertheless, it is blood that paves the path to a new era. Eventually, the results of the first Donghak peasant rebellion included a treaty. The "Gabo Reform" recognized the new religion, and among other things, the lowest classes were freed, widows were granted the right to remarry, and penalties for corruption and abuse of office were introduced. Unfortunately, there followed a second peasant rebellion...

This is a story written with the blood of latest Joseon history, sort of.
Overall, a highly valuable production.







--------------- BY THE WAY... ----------------------

...the traditional Korean national dish BIBIMBAP is closely linked to Jeonju and to the Donghak uprising. The heart of the rebellion was in Jeolla province with Joenju being the provincial capital. Among farmers who did not have the time to prepare countless side dishes, it was common to simply mix whatever there was with rice and spices. This food proved its worth, especially when it came to feeding the rebels in their brave fight for new values ​​and a more just future.

... the TITLE TRACK is actually a popular folk song that goes straight back to the peasant uprising. "Nokdu Flower" actually means 'blossom of the mung beans', but here it refers to the nickname of Jeon Bong-jun, leader of the peasant rebellion.

"Bird, bird, blue bird,
bird, bird, blue bird,
Don't sit in the mung bean fields.
When the blossom falls
the farmer goes to cry.

Bird, bird, blue bird,
Jeonju Gobu Nokdu bird,
why don't you fly away
The pines and bamboos are green.
We thought it was summer
yet it's bitterly cold and snowy."

The blue bird refers to the Japanese - they shouldn´t have any business in Joseon and should go away. Joenju and Gobu are legendary places of the uprising. Nokdu refers to Jeon Bong-jun´s nickname and the riot. However, Nokdu, the mung bean, also refers to an important agricultural product and food. Falling blossoms indicate a bad harvest. The 'summer' stands for the first uprising, the 'cold winter' for the second. The song was probably born during the execution of the leader Jeon Bong-jun and has since become a nationwide folk song in several different versions.

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Renascence Means Revival

There is a reason for this show to be titled Renascence. It’s about vengeance fulfilled, doomed love revived..... and bad editing redeemed (at the very end).

Renascence is adapted from the graphic novel, “The Cry of the Phoenix that Reached Ninth Heaven”, but deviates somewhat from the original plot, according to a number of readers. This is a serious historical drama with sombre themes, intense acting, and a largely experienced cast and crew. Director Liu Hai Bo helmed the exceptional The Rise of Phoenixes while the supporting cast comprises some notable veterans. Even the leads like Chen Zhe Yuan had performed so well in Handsome Siblings. I don’t know much about Li Mo Zhi but looking at her filmography, she seems experienced enough leading dramas, so I had a really high expectation on this one.

In most historical C-dramas, we dread the tragic or open endings while constantly hoping for a happier and positive outcome. Here, we were continuously worried that the conclusion, in any form, would not even be given to us.

What went wrong?
The EDITING, primarily. The show was cut from the originally planned and filmed 70 episodes to 36 episodes. We know why it needed to be cut (new industry regulations, I would think rather than censorship reasons), but why 34 EPISODES CUT, only heaven knows. This affected the entire storytelling and pacing, as well as creating plot holes large enough to inspire viewers to glean invaluable answers from various BTS footage. There were scenes that didn’t make sense, characters that appeared from nowhere and story arcs that suddenly concluded without warning (or concluded too quickly without much satisfaction gained).

There were some acting and casting issues with various characters but that would be nitpicking so I’ll leave it at that.

What went right?
The ending, obviously. Fortunately the producers didn’t destroy the one thing left for viewers to hang on to – a happily ever after ending that mostly ties up the loose ends, which thankfully wasn’t edited out. There were real fears that we would only be shown 30 seconds of that, if at all. Although the final episode did feel somewhat rushed, it’s the closure that counts, and what an end it was!

Chen Zhe Yuan is another redeeming factor for this show. His acting was on point, and he delivered a totally different character in Prince Su here as compared to his previous effort – he was restrained and stoic in comparison with his more carefree and laidback character in Handsome Siblings, and that’s due to his versatility and range. His emotional scenes were convincing, and there were many. Although he doesn’t come close to Cheng Yi - who does anyway? - he did deliver a commendable depiction of the tormented lover who had to see the love of his life abandon him to marry his own brother. Twice.

Initially I wasn’t too convinced with Li Mo Zhi as the FL. I felt Eva Cheng was better suited to lead but, she proved me wrong by gradually growing into her role and showcased such remarkable character development as the show progressed. At exactly the halfway mark (ep. 18, 24:05), she dramatically and majestically turned into an epic badass, giving off serious Zhao Yao, Shen Lige, Chu Qiao, Fu Yao vibes in the process. This was truly the pivotal moment where our completely transformed FL was finally unleashed. It’s interesting to note that Li Mo Zhi bears such an uncanny resemblance to Chen Chiao En (Joe Chen). At times I felt like I was watching the Taiwanese drama queen on screen.

The many plot twists were major talking points throughout the show. New conspiracies and machinations kept coming while numerous villainous characters were introduced and deliciously evolved at frightening frequency. The remarkably fast pacing was no doubt a result of the reduced episodes and lack of fillers, which isn’t entirely a bad thing if only they hadn’t cut the important details out as well. Even till the final stretch of episodes, still the screenwriters kept cramming as many new side plots as possible. This drama truly never ceases to amaze at nearly every turn.

The OST here is outstanding. I’m glad the music wasn’t affected by the editing in the show. The opening theme, in particular, is very good. Track list as follows:

1.叶倾君 - 金润吉 (Ye Qingjun-Jin Runji)
2.涅槃 - 陈哲远 & 李墨之 (Nirvana-Chen Zheyuan & Li Mozhi)
3.春知 - 刘美麟 (Chun Zhi-Liu Meilin)
4. 一诺 - 晏紫东 (Yinuo-Yan Zidong)

It’s worth mentioning how captivating the Emperor’s voice has been in this drama. As commented in the discussion board, he was voiced by a notable voice actor, Bian Jiang (边江) who also dubbed Wang Yi Bo in The Untamed.

Confusing elements?
Concerns and confusion were regularly voiced out by viewers regarding the “soul switching” and usage/ abuse of the bodies in question. The horrendous editing and resultant plot holes, as well as the inclusion of an amnesia arc, all added to the uncertainty of what exactly is going on and WHO the FL actually is. With the plot of the drama deviating significantly from the novel, it was left to the screenwriters to then devise an alternative outcome to the story.

My take on this is that from Day One, it had always been Mo Xin who took over Mo Wan’s body. She did lose her memories at one point, but it was still the amnesiac Mo Xin in Mowan’s body. The person whom Prince Su was attracted to and fell in love with (again) had always been Mo Xin in the guise of Mo Wan. And so it proved, right to the devastating end…although I wished it could have played out a little differently without that tragic sacrifice…

Overall
Regardless of the problems this drama faced, and the confusion it caused because of the poor editing, I still enjoyed Renascence very much. The unpredictable twists and turns in the plot kept things interesting, and because everyone was informed of the impending happy outcome at the end, it balanced out the (minor) angst and frustrations from certain events in the show. I would recommend that you give this show a chance, enjoy it for what it is and really suspend disbelief for as long as you can (hopefully till the end).

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Cotton Candy Romance

In Chinese, the terms 妹妹 (mei mei) and 哥哥 (ge ge) have double meanings - one refers to a sibling, the other can mean a lover. It is the mix up in the understanding and usage of the terms that has caused the hilarious misunderstanding of our naive characters that drives the plot. The love of one's sibling (platonic) and a romantic love can be confusing for someone who has never seen an opposite sex, let alone having a sister. This purity together with naivety leads to confusion and hilarious conclusions.

For the Chinese, it is very common for an admirer calling the admired "ge ge" or "mei mei". Using such terms helps to reduce the embarrassment of being too blatant in a relationship especially if it's hidden, as well as reducing the barrier in the name of familial relationship. In this drama, these two terms are repeatedly and interchangeably used and construed by various characters for different meanings.

This story is a fusion of the modern world with the ancient xianxia world. Our Female Lead Shi Xia (Wu Qianying) has accidentally travelled to the xianxia world while searching for her brother Shi Dong (Dai Yunfan). There in the xianxia world she meets the immortal Hou Chi (Zhao Yingbo) and falls in love with him. Hou Chi has never seen an opposite sex, nor heard of the term “mei mei”, and has no clue what a “sister” is, for Hou Chi is the purest of the pure and has been trained for 200 years to take over the role of the united ruler of the universe. But adopting Shi Xia as his “mei mei” to love and to protect changes his life because he also falls in love with her.

I really like Zhao Yingbo’s portrayal of the Hou Chi character. Hou Chi does look like a piece of wood, drained of emotions on his face, lack of understanding of any worldly matters and human relationship. Though slow in his motion, he is not stiff, and he is intelligent and loyal. Therefore when he eventually gives the viewers a slight smile, we know he is truly in love. The actor has an untainted look as pure as a baby’s face, with his innocent mind asking adult questions, it is really a joy to watch.

Coming from a modern world, Shi Xia is as astute as any of today’s young adults. Wu Qianying’s acting here is not bad as a sometimes-rebellious little sister, and can be rather sweet and cute at times. She and Zhao Yingbo make a very adorable pair with great chemistry. I love Dai Yunfan as Shi Xia’s protective big brother. The dynamics he has with his little sister and her boy friend, Hou Chi, are funny and warm, and the confusing interchanging use of the terms “mei mei” and “ge ge” is hilarious.

My Verdict

This drama is silly but absolutely adorable. At first, I wanted to drop at episode 1. But I was like licking a cotton candy that I couldn't throw away because it's too cute and fluffy. There’s not so much of a plot here. Basically, Shi Xia tries to find a way back to her modern world and Hou Chi tries to become the ruler of the universe so that he can help send her back. Then there is a couple of not-so-evil antagonists who suffer mental illness because of their wrongful perception, and perish eventually. The OSTs are very pretty and calming, just like our Hou Chi character and his relationship with the first girl he has ever seen in his life. Despite all the flaws and stuff, I was rather enjoying it.

Entertaining! Great watch!

P/S Though this drama is listed as having 35 episodes, there is an extra episode that tells the modern life of our love birds. Don't miss it. It super funny, and cute.

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A different kind of pandemic

Much like how we’re all wearing our face masks to curb covid-infections these days, the folks in Dark Hole are doing the same but for a different outbreak - the kind that turns human beings into mindless zombies/ monsters/ mutants, though with varying effects for each person. So what makes this drama different from other similar stories and should you really be watching it? Let’s find out...

What is it about?

On the surface, it’s another zombie/ monster apocalypse story that draws parallels with the likes of Kingdom, Sweet Home, Rampant, Train to Busan, and even Joseon Exorcist. I haven’t seen #Alive and Peninsula but based on the synopsis and trailers, they appear to share a very similar premise).

But where Dark Hole differs from the rest lie in 3 aspects:
- The original source of the infection is extra-terrestrial
- The method of transmission is via a rather ominous black smoke (as well as bites/ scratches, apparently)
- The intended purpose of all this, which I won’t spoil here (to be honest, I’m not completely sure myself)

It’s an inventive spin on a well-loved and long-established genre. South Koreans sure love their zombies.

The Plot

Far-fetched with seemingly endless sub-plots and countless characters. As far as apocalypse stories are concerned, this one infuses far more elements than I’ve noticed in other dramas. It’s set in modern-day South Korea in the small town of Muji. The scope of the story covers the entire town and in addition to the overarching mystery, we have mini character arcs, of which there are plenty. The notable action takes place at 5 main locations - the forest where the titular chasm lies, the local high school, the hypermarket, the municipal hospital, and one more which I won’t reveal to keep the suspense alive.

Speaking of story arcs, we have plotlines relating to a female police detective with a tragic past who is in pursuit of a serial killer who caused said tragedy; a “disgraced” former police constable with a sad family tragedy of his own which inadvertently resulted in his expulsion from the police force; a scorned female shaman who rediscovers her spiritual powers including the gift of precognition; a high school senior who is a victim of conspiratorial cover up pertaining to her father’s fatal accident, in addition to being bullied by her schoolmates led by a high school dropout who constantly harasses her. It doesn’t end there. Many more secondary characters with their respective mini arcs are featured throughout. The one thing most of them have in common, is their respective tragic backstories.

This drama is certainly not uneventful - the many characters and side stories make sure of that. The screenwriter is trying to interweave all these stories into the main plot but I think somewhere along the way, the overarching story very nearly got completely overshadowed. After a rather promising start with much potential, I found myself getting a little restless around the halfway mark. Having introduced the new characters into the story, their side stories eventually fizzle out without the slightest connotation of how they are connected to the situation at present.

For the most part, the script and characters are adequately written, with the main issue being that too many elements are included. Even for a 12-episode drama, it does feel a little dragged out with too many unnecessary sub-plots and characters. 8 to 10 episodes would have sufficed and probably 3 or 4 characters and their story arcs should have been left out. In the end they amounted to nothing anyway and I found myself hard-pressed to develop much, if any, emotional attachments to.

The Production

Dark Hole is an OCN production and billed as the fifth entry to its Dramatic Cinema Project, which is an initiative by the broadcast network to showcase the essence of well-made genres via productions that combine the format of movies and dramas. I think what this basically means is dramas that are the crème de la crème of OCN productions. I’m not exactly sure if this drama is deserving of that billing but for context, the first four entries to this project are Trap, Hell is Other People, Team Bulldog and Search.

The first ever drama directed by Kim Bong Joo, the screenplay is written by Jung Yi Do. Those familiar with his works would be aware that highly rated dramas Save Me and Strangers from Hell were written by him.

In general this is a decent production with regards to the technical aspects. The down-to-earth action sequences appear realistic while the use of visual effects in particular for “that thing” is appropriately utilized. The production design and use of multiple filming locations are seemingly well rendered. However, there isn’t much of a soundtrack or musical score of note to write home about. The stock music and sound effects used are serviceable for their intended purposes.

The Acting

One of the main reasons I watched Dark Hole, aside from the fact that I love this genre and to ease my bitter disappointment from seeing Joseon Exorcist being cancelled, is Kim Ok Bin. It’s my first time seeing her drama in its entirety. Having caught glimpses of her in The Villainess and other productions, I’m aware of her reputation and credentials as well as recognition of her previous efforts for which she has received a great many acting honours. For this drama, being the FL Detective Lee Hwa Sun of the Seoul Regional Investigation Unit, I have absolutely no complaints with her performance. Understated, nuanced, and charismatic, she is good value for her portrayal and I’m a new fan.

Lee Joon Hyuk is an interesting choice for the role of ML Yoo Tae Han, although at times his character feels more like a supporting role than the lead. I’m more used to seeing him in suits after Stranger 1 and 2, but he was convincing as a decorated soldier in Designated Survivor as well. He gives a satisfactory portrayal of his role here, where he does carry the persona of a likeable character who would be great in a leadership role during times of crisis.

The rest of the cast, including the child actors, give a decent account of themselves. Special mention goes to Oh Yu Jin who plays the schoolgirl Han Dong Rim. My first time seeing this 21 year-old actress, I thought she did a remarkable job in projecting the chilling aura of mystery and eeriness surrounding her troubled and complicated character, which is one of the few in the show that I truly relished.

Overall

In my humble opinion, Dark Hole is not the best in the genre. But if you’re a fan of zombie apocalypse stories or any of the cast or even an OCN follower, this drama might appeal to you despite its flaws. It doesn’t end in a cliffhanger and I doubt there would be a sequel or continuation to the story, therefore providing viewers with a closure where everything is neatly wrapped up.

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FAILED

A good attempt that failed miserably. If you havent seen this just stay away, otherwise youd be watching "The Sandee Show".

The good:
1. Good actors - Enzo and Darwin are good as Ken and Shake, Keijiee was also convincing as Heaven, even John as Romeo. I also love Yayo's subtle strong single mother acting (more on Yayo later);
2. There is a number 2?

The bad:
1. Sandee. BIG PERIOD;
2. The crying Yayo;
3. The deaths and that ghost-seeing character;
4. The second half of the story;
5. That horrible horrible Ken hospital makeup;
6. The title. How the hell did that title connect to this series? What was so extraordinary???

The moment it was implied that one character can see ghosts and then really saw one at the theater, i knew immediately that something was off with this show, and that things will turn sour. I was hoping i was wrong but damn, they had to go there and it immediately went downhill.

Tropes and my snide remarks aside, the truth is this series had so much potential in the beginning. The first few episodes can actually be considered good - the characters, the acting, the script, and specially the non-Covid plot ( Covid-related fictional stories from the Philippines is just so overused now). Remove the girl best friend and i would gladly give this show 9 gold stars out of 10. Why the heck then do i think the show failed?

It is because of the second half- when the two gay lead characters became extras and the two female characters became the leads. The first episode promised a well produced series with its two gay characters at the center of the story, not as villains, and not as a source of comedic and idiotic relief - something we havent seen in a normal Philippine primetime tv show. What they delivered instead was a confusing mess, and an attempt to give the veteran Yayo the heavy lifting in acting. The story shifted from a love story into a preachy information campaign - "End Homophobia Now" or your child or your friend could die.

The show would also like us to believe that the love between Ken and Shake is so EXTRAORDINARY, that heaven and earth will move just to bring them together even in the afterlife- something that wasnt even established enough before their demise . What little time they got in the first half is a beginning of a love story, at best, they're not even officially a couple yet. They could have spent a couple more episodes to make us believe that what they have is real love.

Also, this series became a semi-supernatural show with a cheap attempt to copy that "Sixth Sense" twist that you can see from miles away. Then they gave extended screentime for the wailing mother, and that best friend who is actually a selfish insecure b*tch. If i was the mother and after realizing what i did, i would have beaten that pretend angel into a pulp. That character lacked remorse and would forever be etched in my mind as one of the worst characters ever.

Overall im giving it a 5.5 just because of the good first half. Should you watch it? No you shouldnt. Will i rewatch? Hell no! Oh, did i mention i hate Sandee?

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The 1 Litre of Tears special takes place after the actual drama events have taken place. Aya has now passed away and everybody is doing their best to live on with their own lives.
I'll be writing a spoilerless review..

Mitsuki is a girl diagnosed with the same disease as Aya, the biggest difference between her and Mitsuki would be how Aya tried full out believing she could beat her illness.. Mitsuki is only 15 years old herself, Yet she refuses to accept any shape of treatment from the doctors, This main doctor being Asou Haruto. She is given a book, Or a motivational diary moreover by one of her rehabilitation friends. This mysterious diary, As she starts to read inside of this diary she find herself becoming more and more dragged into the feelings of this girl from the book. This Ikeuchi Aya-san, Who was she?
Interested in knowing she starts asking around and finds out that Asou has had relations with her before..

Through this special you will find this being a summary of the drama in itself, along with how you'll be presented with a few new people and a better ending to the story. How did family and friends live on after Aya's passing?

I pretty much liked the special. They managed to do it pretty well, And it has by my opinions a better ending than the actual drama had even though I liked the other ending to...

This special was just as sad as the actual drama. It had me crying under almost the full out special. The musical score was pretty good. Mostly the same music as it originally was in the Drama though with a few new songs added.

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When i first saw the cover picture of this movie, I was thinking "oh man another cliche testosterone military driven movie", how silly i was!

This is a wonderfully crafted masterpiece that evokes the strongest emotions in a person's heart. The movie is set in the DMZ of two Koreas and portrays how different people can set asides their differences and be able to see each other in the purest form, that we are the same, brothers and sisters.

I found myself on a roller coaster ride of emotions, laughing one minute, in with tears in another. All the actors and actress have done a superb job in this one. The most emotionally powerful scene was the last scene. Only a photograph but conveys so much meaning and emotions.

Definitely a must watch movie, no matter where you're from, you will be enchanted and inspired by this movie's magic, and understand a bit more about what it means to be a person.

Did I mention The master Park Chan Wook who later directed the infamous "Vengeance series" one of which - Old boy went on to win the Grand-prize of Jury at the Cannes, directed this one?

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Hard to watch, but more than worth it

I went into this hoping for a light, fun watch. It's about a teddy bear! Cute and fun times await, right? Little did I know I would be frustrated beyond belief for the first few episodes, only to be won over and eventually more attached to these characters than half of my real life peers.
It's hard to watch to begin with, but not in the way a devastating true story might be. No, it's just genuinely difficult to get through the first few episodes when the characters seem to be such awful people, and when it's frustrating and weird. Talking furniture with horrifying CG eyes? I was very upset to look at them!
The central characters are one dimensional from first impressions, and then as the show progresses it has some of the best character development I've ever seen. The reasoning behind peoples actions, especially Nut's, is fleshed out in a way that completely blindsided me over and over. He seems like an unreasonable, selfish person but with time and context, he becomes incredibly sympathetic. But he's not painted to be a perfect person, and he has to work through his issues. But that's addressed! So many times, things that I see other shows gloss over and ignore are addressed and worked through. I didn't expect so much depth and heft to come from what I thought was to be a goofy show.
The issues that are touched upon are heavy, but they're done with a lot of care. I've not really seen another show call out the same things that this one does in such depth and precision, and I am a bit sad because I feel like some viewers might not be as resilient as I tend to be with watching unenjoyable things. The first episodes might turn a lot of people off, understandably, but oh my god to not watch it would be such a loss.
It's also long, essentially you're watching 16 movies, so there's a lot to unpack. It would be a disservice for me to unpack the plot here, even though every part of me wants to do so. I have thousands of things to say about this series, but I'll do that elsewhere.
I will be gushing about this show whilst condemning it for awhile to come. The ending, without spoiling too much, was very hard to bear but it still managed to be a happy one in its own way. Endings are very difficult, and I know some might not be happy with this one, but when watching how everything plays out it's what makes the most sense.
I doubt I'll ever rewatch the series in full, but I'll definitely go back and watch my favorite scenes, which there are a lot of.
I can't say I recommend this to everyone, even though it's probably one of my new favorites I can admit it took a lot of patience. But for the people who do watch it, I really hope it can touch them the way it did me.
Also, it feels so ridiculous to be talking so seriously about a show call The Miracle of Teddy Bear which features absurd sentient furniture, but it's one of the most serious and uniquely beautiful shows I've seen. Obviously it's got its moments, but at it's core it's a fantastic story that made me experience every conceivable human emotion to such extreme degrees that I'm going to need genuine recovery time.

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Although ´makjang´ was taking it almost over the edge of the bearable, I had to stick with it

A classic among KDramas. The dramaturgical moves may sometimes be predictable - the evil stepmother and such... However, there is this passionate play of truly dedicated actors . ...and a groovy interpretation of Ave Maria, that burns mercilessly into your heart and ear. Although makjang (Mean! Bitchy! Malicicious!) was taking it almost over the edge of the bearable, I had to stick with it. Some scenes still have an impact on me years later.

Human abysses are presented in abundance. In addition, dealing with different facets of true love. An unforgettable piece of KDrama, for those who can never get enough drama. Here you can emotionally let off steam on the backs of the protagonists. For everyone else it might be a bit too much in some places.

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Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Was only interested in this drama for Vengo Gao, first time seeing him in an officer role and he didn't disappoint. This drama was modern military meets SWAT type of outfit and it definitely brought interesting things to the table.

Pros: Loved the team dynamic! Once they really learned how to trust each other, they were indispensable to each other. Yes, NM was not only the leader but the literal glue of the entire squad. I liked how she started at the bottom with maybe 2 friends and the captain wanting to boot her out for her own safety (really wanted to smack him for the amount of times he tried that), and each of the women who were against her, she wore them down with her intellect, honesty, and kindness. The men were a lot easier to deal with; once she beat most of them, they loved her lol.

The captain (VG) himself did very well as the gruff around the edges commander but one who was willing to protect his soldiers especially NM with his own life. Though what started originally as just him making a promise to her fallen brother and mom, ended up as legit feelings that grew between the two of them. This wasn't a military romance, but it was dispersed subtly which was just fine. The ending scenes in the hospital were too funny for words as literally everyone knew by then that the leads cared deeply for each other, so were willing to bust their chops a bit.

All the supporting cast of Blue Lightening Commandos were wonderful and when watching the BTS, they were really all about helping each other succeed even getting hurt in real life doing the stuff they had to do; not to mention acting like total goofballs, which always makes for fun scenes. There wasn't a character that I felt didn't belong from the team or the instructors or even the lead commanders as annoying as their speeches were sometimes. The OSTs were great and powerful for the series and fit just right. I hope this cast gets to work together again on something different, they had terrific chemistry.

Cons: The largest problem were the antagonists, if you can call them that. These buffoons couldn't make a plan stick if it was glued to them. The desert scene, the million other botched attempts. I really got the feeling that the writer had no real idea how to write bad people well especially terrorists. It honestly wouldn't have mattered if they made them invisible and just created a series out of high functioning drills. And what made it even more ridiculous was that the boss lady was the biggest badass; she had nearly immortal strength to take on both leads in high heels (and Vengo Gao is 6'3) and still manage to get the upper hand multiple times, flinging them around the room and shooting and stabbing them. I was legit laughing throughout that whole play by play because of just how unrealistic it was. You got two of the top notch people who's heads you broke bricks over, no problem, but a woman with high heels used them as rag dolls.

The propaganda was through the roof in this one and there were times that it just didn't make sense in many scenes; like when someone was on the verge of dying to get to their core strength, think about the flag and country. Or even for the original handling of NM's PTSD, if she thought about the flag and country, she'll be miraculously cured. Nope, not how it works. The zillion lectures by the commanders that always painted their country as the best in the world, made you roll your eyes. There's a time and place for everything and when you overdo it in scenes that require finesse instead, it takes away from the gravitas of the scene.

Pretty much everyone has mentioned the whole brick breaking over the head thing. And maybe it is done but not suddenly and probably not a dozen in one go. No human skull can withstand that kind of punishment without detrimental consequences and long term ones. The whole trying to portray these human beings as robotic super soldiers, didn't favor the series. Was very unrealistic and unbelievable. Also wish they started bringing in people who could speak English better as foreigners because they get over-dubbed anyway and many times how their lips moved didn't match what was being said. A bunch of loopholes were left untouched and unexplained, I'm guessing the audience was just supposed to forget them.

Would I recommend? If you like great teamwork, real friendships, are a fan of Vengo Gao (he's great in this series), and are into military/SWAT dramas, then this one is for you. Just be aware that the antagonists suck and the WETV app subs are auto-generated so some concentration to understand what's being said is required.

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