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The Starry Love
131 people found this review helpful
Mar 11, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 8.5

A Xianxia filled with love, friendship, disaster, and most importantly, comedy.

If you, like me, did not have your eye on this drama but decided to watch it on a whim, you will be pleasantly surprised by The Starry Love. And understandably so, because the past few years of Xianxias have exposed us to the ‘overuse’ of familiar Xianxia tropes. Fortunately, director Chu Yuibun (朱锐斌) seems to have realized this and decided to add a unique comedic spice to The Starry Love that significantly differentiates this drama from the rest of the modern Xianxia genre. Overall, The Starry Drama is a story of the love between two main couples as well as their adventures with friends, and what it means for the world to love or hate you.

The Starry Love (星落凝成糖) is adapted from the Xianxia novel of the same name by Yi Du Jun Hua (一度君华), and is the last installment of the Honey Trilogy, three romance dramas directed by Chu Yuibun. Therefore, you might notice the vast similarities between color selection, setting appearance, and costume design between The Starry Love and Ashes of Love. The Starry Love also has several actors that also played major roles in Skate Into Love, and its catchy OSTs are once again sung by the talented Sa Dingding and Mao Buyi, as well as Liu Yuning and Shuang Sheng. Here's another thing that may motivate you to watch The Starry Love: the leads voice their own characters, with the exception of Chao Feng. (no need to be worried about the high FL voice this round!)

Once again, the story is established with many of the usual Xianxia tropes. The world is composed of Four Realms, the Immortal, Demon, Mortal, and Beast. However, the Mortal Realm is fully aware of the other realms and works with the other leaders to maintain world peace. The Immortal Realm is again the ‘good’ realm, the Demon Realm is the ‘bad’, the Mortal is the ‘weak’, and the Beast is basically the ‘extra’. The main female leads, Ye Tan and Qing Kui are twins with a sealed fate, which they don’t learn about until later in their lives. Qing Kui is the hailed princess, the girl living everyone else’s dream. She is the destined Heavenly Consort, the future wife of Heavenly Deity Shao Dian You Qin. On the other hand, younger sister Ye Tan is not as fortunate. She was deemed a ‘bad luck star’ from birth, never having experienced the warmth and love from her father and servants. Destined to marry the future king of the Demon Realm, she vows to be a powerful evil being to defeat those who have always down on her. However, the sisters’ wedding carriages are swapped, and they end up in the wrong realms.

As you can see, we’re presented with a pretty unoriginal premise, so what makes this drama so interesting and keeps us on our toes? Well, to say this in the simplest way possible, it’s the way comedic scenes are inserted into the drama at the most surprising of times that makes The Starry Love such a fresh breath of air. One minute, you might be sad or even crying because of a certain scene, and a few seconds later, you are laughing so hard you might even be clenching your stomach. I personally really enjoy this unique addition, as I’ve certainly never seen this before in Xianxias and loved the comedic aspect.

The Starry Love is 40 episodes long, as with many of the new dramas after the maximum 40 episode rule. (in which some dramas divided the series in two parts to bypass this new Chinese law) The drama is well-paced, without many, or perhaps even any, filler scenes, unlike a few of the long dramas. I really enjoyed how there was understandable time spent on each You Qin arc, and how each couple was given enough time per episode to bond and give us the sugar we deserve.

Onto the acting. The acting here was PHENOMENAL, especially when it comes to Chen Xingxu. This man here had to act five totally different personalities. In the usual Xianxias we may get one or two reincarnations, but Shao Dian You Qin here went on a total personality-changing spree. From the cold You Qin, he was also the cute and heartwarming La Mu, greedy but caring Mei You Qing, elegant womanizer Wen Ren, and of course, the You Qin at the end, all of his previous personalities melded into one. Chen Xingxu pulled off his roles perfectly, effectively showing the great contrasts between each personality and making them seem like totally different people. (fun fact: (Mei You Qin) 没有情 means Emotionless)

As I was watching a drama with Li Landi for the first time, I loved her acting and her role as Li Guang Ye Tan. The changes her character experienced were phenomenal, and Landi displayed this through her acting, especially in the eyes. Not only is The Starry Love about the strong love between lovers, but between friends and family as well. Ye Tan and Qing Kui’s sisterly love is a strong relationship that not many others can compete with. The contrast between the two sisters’ personalities was also a sweet treat. Although Qing Kui always received the love that Ye Tan never had in her first 18 years, Ye Tan never blamed her older sister for it. Instead, they were always worrying about the other. While Ye Tan is a girl afraid of nothing, Qing Kui’s pure kindness guided her younger sister to the path of happiness.

The chemistry between both couples was just right. You will be gushing for not one, but two extremely compatible couples. As I was rooting for the Heavenly Couple, I was also squealing for the love story that was blossoming in the Demon Realm. As they say, you’ll always find each other if you’re destined to be together. It’s amazing how each of the characters influenced others to change and become better versions of themselves.

Of course, a Xianxia drama would not be complete without both loveable and hateable characters. Ye Tan, who had never received much care and love in her life, felt so fortunate to have become friends with not only Man Man and Di Lan Jue, but with Qing Heng, Zi Wu, the three senior immortals, and even with her future brother-in-law, Chao Feng. It was so heartwarming to see everyone warm up to this princess, who had always longed for a happy life. On the other hand, we have the power-hungry Immortal and Demon Emperors who put their own power before their family’s happiness. The Heavenly Empress demonstrated her true love for her children before any noble title or riches, while the Demon Empress’s power-hungry eyes not only showed her pure-evil heart but her universal love for her only son. The side couples were all very cute and fun to watch.

Production-wise, The Starry Love did a phenomenal job. The special effects for magical spells in all realms complimented their respective backgrounds and were all natural to the look. Like previous Xianxias, the Immortal Realm is given an almost-whitewashed look, while the Demon Realm is a land of darkness. However, the fireworks and magical trees were gorgeous to look at, to name a few magical elements of the drama.

Like Ashes of Love, the OST for The Starry Love includes songs sung by Mao Buyi and Sa Dingding, as well as Liu Yuning and Shuang Sheng, and were epic as always. Sa Dingding once again awes us with her amazingly high vocals managed with immaculate precision, while Mao Buyi and Liu Yuning sing with longing emotion. Shuang Sheng once again displays her lovely voice with a sweet tone. The soundtrack is as follows:

[Theme Song] “The Starry Love” (星落凝成糖) - Sa Dingding
[Opening Song] “Speak with You” (与子成说) - Liu Yuning
[Ending Song] “Flawless World” (天地无瑕) - Mao Buyi (with another version sung by Sa Dingding)
[Additional Song] “Twin Flowers” (双花儿) - Shuang Sheng

If The Starry Love is not THE Xianxia drama 2023, it is one of the best. Although it includes many Xianxia elements used in previous Xianxia dramas, the comedic aspect of this series differentiates it from the rest of the group and will certainly brighten up your day. The emphasis on strong sisterly love is also something that is not to be missed. (there’s eye candy too!)

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Completed
Perfect Family
44 people found this review helpful
Sep 20, 2024
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.0

Offbeat! Complex! Intriguing! Not for every taste. Nevertheless, consistent in itself

“Perfect Family” presents itself in the now almost impenetrably dense jungle of the KDrama orbit with an idiosyncratic selectivity. The production, which is carefully selected down to the last detail, contributes to this, as the mimes, music and story are perfectly coordinated and prepared as a splendidly distinctive thriller soufflé. And it is rising so well! Perfect.




(I could actually leave it at these words. But for all those for whom that isn't enough...)

The Perfect Family? Does that exist at all? Or isn't that concept made up of a highly controlled lie? Doesn't the control issue inherent in (whatsoever) perfection rob family life of its air to breathe? There are those pretty clean and distinguished in pole position for life. And then there are the ones with the 'loser' card, rather daring and lost, provocatively repulsive. And yet, if you look closely, both are just human beings, with light and dark - neither just saints nor devils.

“Perfect Family” also juggles themes such as friendship and betrayal. (And then there's more to it - but especially with this KDrama, a spoiler would be downright fatal.) In its consistently calm pacing the 12 episodes stroll along by leading us on one wrong track after the other, thus keeping us hooked with our open questions.

Ultimately, the story revolves around what follows a sudden death. At the beginning, together with the young protagonist, we are stumbling from one nightmare of conflicting feelings and confusion into the next. Over time, the confusion seems to clear up. The conflicting feelings, however, remain.

All of this is musically framed by a selected mix of classic classics and plenty of cello, piano, etc. - on top of that there are a few enchantingly soothing songs as a tasty acoustic icing on the cake.

Offbeat! Complex! Intriguing until the end!
In terms of pacing and style ultimately not for every taste, though.
Nevertheless, consistent in itself!


PS:
With a progressive message about the correlation between perfection, family life and authenticity... rounded by the exemplary reflection of when it comes to one's own accountability...

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Completed
The End of the World with You
44 people found this review helpful
Feb 2, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 8.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.5

The end of the world can even change my taste in man?!

In a normal situation I would have hated Ritsu so much that I could not have enjoyed the drama. But with this set-up, I have to say, while I still don't really agree with how it turned out, it makes sense! They have found a reason to live, regardless of the end of the world, now it's up to them to make this reason flourish


Overall:
The HISTORY is super interesting! Especially the little details about the characters that are revealed in each episode. And Yuuma ... I won't say anything because it is a spoiler but I loved Yuuma's part in this story, I found him strange, magical but kind of lovely

The CAST was not bad at all! I read the manga before watching the drama and I think their interpretation was quite good.

I loved the MUSIC, especially the last song! I think the music reflected the melancholy but bright world they lived in.

A little note, I didn't like masumi's comment about meguru's clothes, but it's a very small scene and he kind of redeemed himself later on

In general I recommend it! It's not the usual highschool drama, some of the themes can be a bit heavy but the execution of the plot was done well in my opinion and FOUND FAMILY VIBES!! If you like this theme you must watch it✨

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Completed
Meet Yourself
44 people found this review helpful
Feb 6, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Genius screenwriters – My absolute Favourite Cdrama !

After watching nearly 100 Cdramas and an equal number of Kdramas, I finally decide to write my first review because I’ve found my favourite Cdrama (Meet Yourself = You Feng De Di Fang). I am not sure why this English title since it is not a literal translation, but I think it is quite appropriate. I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey with the Yunmiao village people. How I wish it was a real place we could travel to and stay there. There are beautiful sceneries in China but here the landscape, farms, houses, markets, narrow alleys, seaside views, and mostly the people captivate our hearts. The vision of sustainable village development resonates with me who was born on a very small island still struggling to earn income from tourism.

The relationship development between the lead couple was a model of maturity, wisdom, good communication, realistic understanding of each other’s needs, mutual time and space giving, selfless love but keeping the childish playfulness, humour, and hot romance. The stories of each person were all real-life situations. I love the characters with their beautiful personalities as well as their weirdness and weaknesses. Xie nainai is indeed my heroine, I regret I have no grannies.

I have no words for the script writing. I have also watched Go Ahead another favourite Cdrama from the same screenwriters. The writers are amazing geniuses to come up with such wholesome conversations as some have said, chicken soup for the soul. I can rewatch, which I don’t usually do, just to enjoy the script so beautifully and simply worded. No frills or make believe. It was all so sincere and touching. There is no need for plots in such setting.

The actors were all top-notch. I have not watched any of their previous work, but I will follow them from now on. They made me feel part of their conversations and stories. Their acting does not feel like acting at all. They felt like real people and performed so naturally. Crystal Liu’s voice is really soothing.

The OST’s music and lyrics matched the script perfectly.

Someone said she will recommend this masterpiece drama for the rest of her life. I will do same. It is not exaggerated to say that I may have to wait for some time to get this one dethroned as my absolute favourite! I count on you dear screenwriters 😊

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Completed
A Moment to Remember
44 people found this review helpful
Mar 5, 2012
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 10
My Mini Back-Story:

I watched A Moment to Remember for the third time yesterday. The first time I stumbled across it was by accident. The second time I told my parents that they should watch this, since I thought it was incredible. And now for the third time, I watched it with them again after 4 years.

Storyline:

The storyline is quite simple, yet the amount of emotion it magnifies is beyond words. I'm afraid I won't do it justice. I'll just dive right into what you should be looking out for when watching this movie.

a) Definitely pathos driven. Compare our OTP's meeting from the first 20 minutes to the scenes near the end. I felt so bittersweet at the end. It's no sarcasm. I love how they transmit such raw emotions.

b) Pay attention to details. I really loved how they incorporated scenes that happened at the beginning to the latter part of the movie. There's a lot of foreshadowing too.

c) Unique couple. It's a wonder how such a man can love his woman this dearly (I sound so pessimistic about reality haha). They share a lot of tender moments with moments of struggles that you can't help, but root for them. I loved the baseball scenes.

d) Simple, yet gorgeous. I've already said how this story is simple, but the way it touches upon such a hard topic such as "Alzheimer" and make it interesting is flawless.

e) Major tearjerker. Don't say that I didn't warn you. I usually don't cry or even shed a tear for movies/tv series, but this one, I just couldn't hold back. I didn't cry for the main couple, but I rather cried for Su-Jin's situation.


Acting/Casting:

If you've ever read my other review, you'll see that I'm a huge fan of Jung Woo-Sung and it definitely sprung from this performance of his. He always plays his role sublimely without hesitation. In other words, he never makes the scenes feel uncomfortable for the audience. It really shows in the way how his co-stars seem genuinely comfortable with him.

I love how he transitions from an aggressive/troubled lad to a heart-warming and forgiving man. He has a lot of facial expressions which proves that he's one of the higher/experienced actors.

Moving on...

Even though it was just a film and not a mini-series, I thought Jung Woo-Sung and Son Ye Jin had a lot of chemistry on their limited time. Well doesn't he have chemistry with all of his female counterparts, anyway haha?

Son Ye Jin's role, Su-Jin, reminds me of Ji Na from Padam Padam a bit. I think it's just me watching one melodrama after another haha. Though, Woo-Sung's character, Cheol-Su, also reminds me of Kang Chil from Padam Padam. Perhaps, it's due to him being an architect in both melodramas or how he's aggressive with everyone except to his woman (Yes, we can all swoon)?

Anyway, Ye Jin looks so young here. She's definitely a natural beauty. Aside from that, I thought she was also on par with Woo-Sung. Loved how her character didn't hesitate to make the first moves. They truly complement each other through their differences.

I'm sure the men who watched AMTR want a woman like Su-Jin similarly to how the women who watched AMTR want a man like Cheol-Su.

On another note, I also liked how they added family members and friends from both sides. Even though they didn't appear all the time, they gave more character backgrounds/information on our OTP. In this case, not developing their characters worked perfectly, since the movie clearly focuses on Su-Jin and Cheol-Su's lives.

Music:

The music worked well with the scenes. Though, not my type/cup of tea. I don't think I'll ever remember the songs played in the movie. But it did give a good feel in the moment I was watching.

Bonus:

Beautiful cinematography. I loved the details in the scenery, such as the one where they were strolling in the sunset (I believe it was sunset?). I won't mention others in case I ruin anything, but you'll know what I mean after giving it a shot (you should if you still haven't!).

Overall:

Even though this movie was released in 2004, it feels rather fresh and new.

What more should I say? It's not a mini-series, so there are no excuses on time limitation.

I have watched this three times, so shouldn't that summarize my entire review already?

A Moment to Remember is without a doubt my favorite Korean movie. I just wish they would make more movies like this!


Overall rating for review: 10/10

Purely for entertainment: 9.5/10 (Why not 10/10? I'm not always in the mood to cry when watching anything, be it movies or dramas.)

My Dramalist rating (avg): 9.75/10

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Completed
Legend of Yun Xi
44 people found this review helpful
Nov 3, 2018
48 of 48 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
The most underrated series by far. I am deeply touched by the plot and even entirely attached to love between Han Yun Xi and Long Fei Yi. Unlike other love-triangle series, the third wheel (Gu Qi Shao) is not bad as well. I laughed and cried throughout the series, and love this series, though I feel like it would be a lot better with more romance scenes between the two leads. Though the ending is a little twisted, it doesn’t matter that much.

Cheers to the production team for being able to produce such an phenomenal series.

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Completed
Playful Kiss
44 people found this review helpful
May 7, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 7.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

AVERAGE yet CUTE & SWEET

This drama could be an average old-styled RomCom Korean Drama, but for many, including me, it holds a really really special place in our hearts. YES, you gussed it right! It's my first Kdrama, that brought me to this precious world; the thing that I love the most.

The story was actually amazing in the time period it was released and every other Kdrama fan including knetz were crazy for such stories and screenplay. It was just beautiful.

Plot was cool and even cast did their job properly. It was a perfect balance between romance & comedy. Baek Seung Jo (Kim Hyun Joong) won over everyone with his charismatic look. Oh Ha Ni (Jung So Min) too impressed us with her cuteness.

Some people might call it a cliche and cringey but comparing to the time period and the demand for such stories at that time, it was so niceeeee.

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Ongoing 38/38
Unrequited Love
44 people found this review helpful
by Luna
Jan 21, 2021
38 of 38 episodes seen
Ongoing 2
Overall 8.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Not cringey or cliche

What I love about this show is the fact that the female lead is a very composed woman and despite having a crush on the male lead for many years, she is not the typical silly and dependent girl that we often see in a drama who goes after a man in a cringe or foolish way.
Instead, she is rather honest and says what’s on her mind when she has conversations with the male lead. She has her own valued opinions and backbone which is what I admired about her.

I know many dramas where the male leads finds the female lead annoying but this is a whole different case. The ML(Hu Yi Tian) has huge respect and interest towards FML as both of them are in the liberal arts field.

Going back to the female lead, despite having a calm appearance, she sometimes showcased her anxiousness as she pounders and struggles on her love towards the ML.

In conclusion, the characters are not annoying and this is definitely a step away from the usual cliche modern live dramas that we watch.
It is a mature and lighthearted drama as it really highlights the reality of university love.


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Completed
Reunited Worlds
44 people found this review helpful
Sep 23, 2017
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
Story

The story is sad (from start to finish), ~keep that in your mind if you're watch~ and not very complex. The key point of the plot is: The Hae Sung returns after 12 years (back from where? From beyond, I don't know, you don't know, he just wakes up again in school), discovers that he was accused of a crime he didn't commit and that his family and friends suffered a lot because of it (Jung Won blames himself for Hae Sung's death, because she had him get his wallet at school on the day of the accident and his brothers practically broke up after the death of Hae Sung). Then, Hae Sung will try to prove his innocence (next to his friend and now detective, Ho Bang - fantastic character) so that everyone can rest and be happy again.

Now think with me, it's 40 episodes of 35 minutes for Hae Sung to try to find out the real delinquent and clear his name, so he can rest in peace. It's a long time just for this, right? And yes, that's all. If you watch or anyone who has watched you must have realized that in many episodes, simply, nothing happens, precisely because of the main plot that's, although very different, limited.

Acting/Cast

 But in fact, there're many good points that led me to end this drama. First, Yeo Jin Goo. Since I watched Circle I decided that I would follow the career of Yeo Jin Goo because his acting is astonishing and flawless. He's wonderful and didn't disappoint in Reunited Worlds too. The Hae Sung is super altruistic, because he only thinks of helping his brothers and friends, almost doesn't think of himself and also very charismatic. In fact, I believe that was why he came back from beyond, his soul must not have rested while his brothers and friends suffered so much. Good theory, huh?

Second, the secondary couple: Ho Bang and Jin Joo. Wow, I laughed a lot with them and I had different and funny moments. The story was supposed to be a melodrama of those very tearful, but the thing that stood out to me most of the plot was the comedy that these two were together.

I loved Hae Sung's brothers too, especially Hae Chul. He's so lovable!

The friendship between the 6 friends (Hae Sung, Jung Won, Tae Hoon, Ho Bang, Jin Joo and Moon Shik) is hearty and sweet. Moon Shik and his random comments were funny too.

Lee Yun Hee acting... I didn't think of the worst as I saw people commenting, but had several situations that didn't favor their performance. I felt that she couldn't demonstrate some feelings and expressions very well. But I also didn't watch some of her most famous dramas such as Ghost (2012) and Miss Korea (2013), so I presume it may have been due to difficulty fitting into the personality of the protagonist, Jung Won.

And they certainly didn't exploit Ahn Jae Hyun's performance, although they have had a certain commitment to the psychological of their character, chef Cha, mainly, and that of Jung Won and Hae Sung.

The friendship between Chef Cha (he's the chef of the restaurant that Jung Won worked and in love for her) and Hae Sung is really really beautiful (I forgot to comment).

Music

The OST appears at right times and is very exciting and sad. I liked it!

Rewatch Value

The plot have some surprises, but it's true that most of the time it dragged on, was predictable and a little exhausting. The option to watch only half an hour a day helped a lot.

As you may have noticed, I can't come here and just criticize this drama because I (very particularly) ended up holding on and simpatized (but why? Just to suffer crying a lot). Do the positives stand out from the negatives? I guess yes, but it depends on your point of view after reading all this (we all have different opinions, right?) In fact, I don't regret having accompanied because I had good times, happy and exciting, but overall I don't recommend that you leave Reunited Worlds as a priority on your list.

If you still have doubts, watch the first episodes and see if it's worth it, because the plot follows the same rhythm until the end.

~ Reunited Worlds is a good drama that you need to be open-hearted to be captivated and embraced by the plot (to later cry cry cry a lot), if you aren't captivated really isn't worth ending with hoping to see something very surprising (since there aren't surprises at this level).

~ The romance is very slow, but early on we realize that Jong Won loves Hae Sung unconditionally and reciprocally.

~ sorry for my English.

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Completed
Ai no Kotodama
44 people found this review helpful
Jul 12, 2012
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This movie was so short that it's hard to say much about it, but I want it to have a review.
So basically I loved everything about it - The story, the characters, the acting, the ending.
The only thing that annoyed me a little were Shinya's hair and really, that wasn't tragic. ;)
I loved how it switched between friendship and love and how important the relationships between the characters were. I loved Shinya's narrating, too (he does have a great voice) and the overall dreamy feeling this movie had.
I'm surprised it's not popular. Go watch it.
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Completed
Friend, Our Legend
44 people found this review helpful
May 25, 2011
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This is the first time ever I drop a drama because it is too good. It sounds like a paradox, so I'll do my best to clarify my reasons.



As I said, this is an amazing drama. It's based upon a true story, which explains why I find it hard to rate the plot. The way it is narrated is quite unique: it uses the technique of flash forwards, making the viewer aware from the very beginning of the destiny of basically each character. This style can be very confusing at the beginning, to the point viewers may think they are watching the wrong episode; once established, though, it becomes highly intriguing, and one of the strong points of this drama.

Instead of depriving the viewer of the thrill to know what's going to happen, this method excite the curiosity to find out HOW it happened, and why.

If there were a separate rate for direction and editing, I would give them both a 10 without hesitation.



The acting is stellar. I'd go as far as to say that it's more suitable to an essay movie than a television drama. As a matter of fact, this is by the same director of the 2001 movie.

The cast is so convincing and the acting so intense, one truly believes to be watching the real story, instead of a screen revisitation of it. Characters' changes are portrayed subtly and slowly, giving the viewer time to understand and empathize.

I found myself talking to the screen more than once, praying one or the other of the characters would not make that choice which, I knew, would change the course of their lives forever.



The music is poignant and moving. Combined with the beautiful photography and the outstanding acting, it brought me more than once to the brink of tears - and I don't cry easily, if ever.



So why did I drop it?

Because I was empathizing too much, and it pained me. By the middle I was so involved in this story I would feel restless and anxious. Mind you, the show has got many sweet, touching and funny moments. I just couldn't take all the emotions anymore.

It is my intention to go back to this drama in future, maybe after a strong dose of surreal/hilarious/ridiculous shows, like a camel storing water before a long journey.



Hence the very high re-watch value.

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Prince of Lan Ling
44 people found this review helpful
by Emily
Feb 9, 2014
46 of 46 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
I just positively had to write a review on this drama. Had to.
If you're thinking of watching this drama but being put off by the 46 episodes, as I initially was, I have to say- don't worry! The episodes aren't as long as those you'll find in some dramas, and you'll find yourself flying through them.

With those 46 episodes in mind, I guess it's obvious to say that a lot happens in this drama. The story is a classic one of fighting the good fight for the good of the people, with a thrilling and beautiful romance (and love triangle!) to spice it up. I almost want to say that the romance is a bit too much, considering it feels like the center of our love triangle becomes a plot point more than anything, but it's definitely excusable.

There are several different arcs that we see our characters go through, and the characters also naturally develop with the story. By the time each character reaches their peak in the show, you've basically had a complete rundown about why they are the way they are, why they're doing what they're doing, and what your opinion is on them. This drama has much better developed characters than most in the sense that there are literally no characters I can think of (besides one that becomes irrelevant fairly early on) that I hate COMPLETELY. Of course there are moments of frustration, but even then you can definitely understand where they're coming from. This is a far cry from the usual drama antagonist, the ones that raise hell for no other purpose besides raising hell. It was refreshing.
Now, I'm complimenting the characters and their development, so you might be wondering why I didn't give a '10' to the Acting/Cast... well, that's honestly for no other purpose besides some brutal overacting in occasional places. But thankfully enough, those expressions that were overacted were at least fairly accurate!

The music was flawless. Nothing else needs to be said about that. Trust me.
Side note as well- this was a very... well... simply put, it was a very pretty drama. Besides the occasional questionable CGI sequence (that I'm fairly positive would only bother a perfectionist like me), the aesthetic qualities of this drama are worth being noted. Both in scenery and in people's faces. The Prince of Lan Ling isn't exactly unpleasant to look at if you know what I mean. And the clothes! The costumes! They were gorgeous, I feel like the people who made the clothes were having the time of their lives designing those clothes. Don't even get me started on the hair, which was almost* completely flawless. (* I think one of the actors had the occasional allergic reaction to the wig glue or something, I don't know man.) Basically, it was a very pleasing drama to look at.
Rewatch value is only a 9 for length, but the depth of the story, characters and romance will no doubt make for an engaging, interesting watch every time.

Ugh. This was just such a satisfying drama! Just watch it! I no doubt have more to say but it isn't occurring to me right now.

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Completed
The Sun from Another Star
44 people found this review helpful
Apr 15, 2026
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Woahhhh I'm literally so attached , they just broke the cute-o-meter ( a cheek pinch or ...) .....

I'm literally so done with this level of sweetness , Opps ! there's a lot of ants around me .
Let's start with the very first episode :
Honestly, it was very boring ( just talking about the first episode ) , Well somehow I
lost my interest in it after I watched it cause dao was so damn rude and the ghosts were so annoying , literally how can you let your future husband sleep in a bathtub ?????
I just felt like I'm so done with itt (no hopes) and almost missed all the episodes till ep 5 . I saw a reel about Arthit in love and danggggg I was suddenly so excited and decided to watch it even if I was bored .
Well I kinda liked the 2nd ep cause things were so much better between my sweethearts , not just that gotta learn about dao's powerss that's unique uk ...
After they solved that murder case I was so glad when dao finally agreed to help Arthit , I found it quite interesting cuzzz that little guy was opening up ..
Some parts were funny , I just had to control my laughter with people around .

~ The best thing was the relationship between Direk and Arthit so chaotic and narakkk
•I've to give them the best paaa son duoo awardd fr 🤟🏻
•North's my boyyy I like his reactions mann , funniest guyy ever and waitt don't forget about his overprotective lover .

Wait a minute :::: Where are you going it's just the trailer.
So noww whattt from where should I start !?

Okkkayyy , it was so adorable when dao cried for thit , listen to his voice awwww .
Arthit look at this guy he fell for dao just like that , suddenly caring bout him thinking about him , most funniest decision getting over himmm loll . Can you see how mad he is bout his first love . I literally love to see thit in love the most .
So concerned , so obsessed with dao I can't believe that thit used to hate him naaahhh ...
He turned into a lover boyy isn't it ?
The journey FROM Dao's guard dog TO Dao's puppy .

Those scenes were so sweet : Dao patting thit's head , pinching his cheeks , I wanted to scream out louddd
I was so hot after the car kiss part I can't stop blushing even when I'm just thinking .
I remember : Don't you think Arthit is so aggressively impressive , he was so stunned by just looking at dao wearing shorts , I don't actually like that part cuz I wanted him to respect dao as he looked so uncomfortable
but thit's face was to weirdly funny too .
I honestly like the calm ( outside ) , flirty and gentle Arthit more than the agressive one .
The fight part ep 7 after car race made me even more and more curious about the last episode , I was waiting for the whole time.

Honestly , I changed my mind it's not boring but unpredictably accurate . Believe me just go through the first ep and you're going to love the next episodes for sure remember don't bail after the first one like me , I'm regretting. .

*** Overly recommended by me it's even more beautiful than whatever I just wrote about...
I'm not so good at expressing , but from my opinion I quite like the way I express myself by writing , please don't mind me ...

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Completed
Kill Bok Soon
44 people found this review helpful
Mar 31, 2023
Completed 2
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Good not great

It's a good movie to pass the time and you certainly won't be bored watching it but the ending leaves more to be desired. It doesn't quite feel complete. There were certain aspects that I thought would be explored but weren't. It only explores the relationship between a mother, Kill Bok Soon and her daughter.

The action sequences were enjoyable but it's not the best female action sequences I've seen. It's good. There's plenty of action in fact. Just nothing mindblowing.

The movie has some comedy and lots of blood.

One thing to note is there is a sex scene. Nothing is shown.

There were a few characters and appearances that I really enjoyed.
Esom as Cha Min Hee, the company CEO's annoying sister. I last saw her in Taxi Driver and loved the contrast in the characters. I was quite amused.
Lee Jae Wook as the young CEO. It's a short role but put a bright smile on my face. This is the first other project I'm seeing of his after Alchemy Of Souls.

EXTRA SCENE
Just after the credits first start, there is a small extra scene so don't forget to catch that.

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Completed
Light Chaser Rescue
44 people found this review helpful
by JulesL
Oct 22, 2022
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Flawed Characters You Will Learn to Appreciate (Updated Review after Finale)

Most dramas start off with the notion of a perfect lead, with a personality and qualities that the viewers can admire. Well, not this truly underrated show.

Centered around civilians who were part of a volunteer rescue squad, Light Chaser Rescue focused on character depth instead of likability, which made it much more interesting for me.

One of the show's strongest points is the way it executed the stunts, the rescue scenes and the cinematography. The camerawork created the realism that drew me in completely and I cannot help but be immersed in the moments. It was indeed an emotional roller coaster ride with the different types of rescues and most had me watching with trepidation!

Add to that the unexpected plot twists, when revealed, were simply shocking, the result was a story that kept me engaged from start to finish. Throughout the series, I have already stressed, cried and rejoiced so much with the characters.

The show scored points with dynamic realistic characters who were shades of gray, who at times struggled with their actions and made bad decisions in the heat of the moment. Depending on whose viewpoints, it was not always clear if they were doing the right thing or what the right thing even is.

The main leads came off as confident powerhouses at work, Luo Ben as a brilliant lawyer and Zhan Yan, a gifted doctor. However, as their lives collided, we quickly recognize that both characters were flawed. Their internal struggles became obvious as the story delved further into their past, the tragic events that shaped a fundamental level of their personalities.

In addition, other characters with their own demons to face, and romance between different couples added flavor to the story. Romance-wise, there was the calm, restrained and mature love between the main leads. The comfortable steady kind of relationship that I appreciated. There was the second couple that delighted many with how they overcome challenges to stay together and a third couple who did nothing but irritated me with their rash, impulsive, entitled spoilt love. That said, there were viewers who liked them too.

As the show moved forward, it also built the viewers’ empathy for our two leads. The more we find out why they were the way they were, the more we understood them including their arrogance and aloofness that put us off at first. Still, many viewers would find both characters frustrating at different points of the story, especially in their interactions with their families and with each other.

However, the beauty of having such multi-dimensional characters was that the show engaged different viewers with various opinions. Along with many commentors, I was often torn between ranting against our main couple and feeling empathy for them. Ultimately though, Luo Ben's character development was the most well-written and he very quickly became a ML that impressed many. As for our FL, even though I felt that Zhan Yan's emotional development could have been better, the character was very consistent. I liked her but at the same time felt that she could have shown less restraint and be more human-like. Towards the end of the show, she became quite flat, too passive.

Acting-wise, I have nothing but praises for the leads. Both Luo Yun Xi and Janice Wu impressed with their quiet intensity and ability to emote so much with the smallest expressions. I first watched them together in “My Sunshine” and even then, they had great chemistry. They have certainly earned their reputations as excellent actors and in this show, they truly become their characters. Luo Yun Xi is amazing and I still cannot get over the fact that he did almost all of his stunts. Dramas come and dramas go but his performance was above and beyond.

To top it off, I love Liu Yu Ning’s Chasing the Light, the ending song. It has been instrumental in shaping some of the memorable scenes for me. The opening song, sung by Liu Duan Duan is also good and reflects the hopeful aspiring tone of the underlying heroic theme throughout the show.

Overall
I do recommend that you try this drama out and see for yourself.

The show did a great job showcasing the layers of different relationships.Thematically for me, it is a show that encapsulated life in many aspects and topics. It touched upon self-identity and personal growth, love (romantic and familial), respect and loyalty (to self, family, friends, and principles), societal pressures and opinions, friendship, and more.

Those looking for good romance between the main leads will likely be left wanting for more by the lack-lustre ending but for me, I did enjoy their complex yet enduring love and prefer to imagine a bright future ahead of them.

OST
追光 (Chasing the Light) - 刘宇宁 (Liu Yu Ning)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1U-mGyjmdE
https://open.spotify.com/track/70fYAAt5GK2nVdSb593FmE?si=0b77ce6952f64a3d

星空 (Starry Sky) - 刘端端 (Liu Duanduan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9QB7jd1SaY
https://open.spotify.com/track/1frmPu6bc0I8HkLtTfh9mt?si=ca7ac126ede94d38

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