After some consideration, I finally decided to watch this drama. I was quite happy when they said a drama would be made. I'm a huge fan of the webtoon and this is one of the hardest reviews I've ever done. God, I don't even know where to start. Haha~
STORY~
Even though I knew what would happen in the drama before I watched it, I still wanted to see how things would turn out. Now I understood what some of you guys meant when you thought about whether you had want to continue or not. The drama started out strong but it watered down somehow towards the end. I was not surprised by how it ended. I thought it would bother me, but it didn't. The most interesting thing–to me about this drama, is not the plot or the the romance between the character, but the characters themselves and I think that overrided the story of the entire drama.. well, that how I saw it.
ACTING~
This drama is relatable to some people IRL, myself included seeing that I'm a college student. You're surrounded by a bunch of people you don't know and you don't know whom you can trust and you don't know who will betray your trust. It was like that with the characters, but it was on a whole other level–psychologically. I can't say I hate the drama, because I do like it and I was captured by how they characters were portrayed (even though the vibe is different in the webtoon). Each of them had flaws. They're not perfect and it's what makes them human. The acting was amazing. I've never seen Kim Go Eun before and my first impression of her is spectacular. I love the way she portrayed Seol. Very down to earth but also not perfect with flaws of her own.
The most interesting characters to me were Jung and Seol, mostly Jung and it's not because they were the main characters. Park Hae Jin played his role as Jung really well. I wonder if it was difficult for him to play a role so complex. I think he did good. How Jung responds to his surroundings is quite intriguing. He's very deceptive and calculating, yet I can't seem to blame his actions or think of him as weird. Things he experienced as a child led him to have no empathy. He's also observant and manipulative of others and even though he knew what people's real intentions were when they approached him, he just went with it and used it to his advantage. He was taught to control his anger and hold it in. That can take a toll on one especially as a child. I think being around In Ha (played by Lee Sung Kyung–she was amazing, btw) and In Ho made things worse. He came to trust In Ho but his trust was broken and that made him snap. I can't really blame In Ho still, cos it's who In Ho and his personality is quite rough around the edges which leads him to say things sometimes that might offend others and he could care less. Same could be said about In Ha. All the little things from their past left them with many scars. To be honest, I think Seol is a perfect match for Jung and it's not because I think they're cute as a couple but I think it's Seol who pulls him back when he's standing on the edge and reminds him that if he wants to, he can be different and kind. And he can be. Just look at the way he smiles/laughs when he's around Seol... when he hugs her, when he holds her hands, when she gave him presents–whenever they're together. He seems more sweet and child-like. He even voiced his dislikes and got angry. It's as if as a child he couldn't experience certain things and when he's with Seol, his childish side comes out and it's cute AF! I think Seol and Jung are alike in some aspects and that's one of the reasons why somehow they're drawn to each other. Whenever Jung moves, so does she.
I do loved me some Bora x Eun Taek! (played by Min Ji and Joo Hyuk) OMG! They were cute too.
All the actors did extremely well.
MUSIC~
I liked the OST. Very mellow and soothing to listen to. Some of the songs were just perfect for some of the scenes. ^^
OVERALL~
Overall, it wasn't that bad but this drama is definitely not for everyone. Still, I enjoyed the ride and I'd watch it again but disregard the ending. Lol~ I feel like because the webtoon is still ongoing, they felt like they couldn't exactly end the drama a certain way, so they left it sort of 'realistically' open, but I would have loved to seen something with the main characters. I dunno. This drama feels very rare to me and I wish it ended some other way. I guess it all depends on the person who watches it. You may or may not like it. ~
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This drama is the BEST drama i have ever seen, and I'm seriously not exaggerating, the plot, the music and the cast...every thing was just perfect!the first episodes may not be the best thing i have ever seen, i really wanted to drop it but because my friend who recommended this drama to me kept nagging on me...i did, and now i know that i shouldn't judge dramas from the first episodes.
In many dramas wither its comedy, drama, thriller or any other Genres
u can know the plot of the story without watching u can know what is going to happen next, because simply it wasn't hard to figure out the next move, but i really couldn't read any thing in this one! i don't know if it was because i was really into the drama or because i was just stupid :)
anyway i really recommend this drama for all the revenge lovers! u will totally enjoy it! have fun!!!!! :)
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This review may contain spoilers
Cupid's Skippable Kitchen
**Spoilers are at the bottom**This is a Food drama with a pinch of comedy and a very little sprinkle of romance. If you are looking for food then this is the right drama for you. If you’re looking for romance then look elsewhere. This just isn’t it.
For The Good, For the Bad…
For the Good:
1. Colorful Cutscenes - They only did a few of these non-food-related colorful cutscenes but they were absolutely beautiful. I was really hoping to see more of them but we only got 2 of these and nothing more.
2. High-Quality Food Cutscenes - There are a lot of these and although I enjoyed them, they didn’t feel as satisfying as the ones in Dating In The Kitchen. They felt sort of lacking even though they were high-quality and beautifully shot.
3. The Leads - Both are really good actors. I really enjoyed watching them. If not for them I’m not sure I would have watched all 40 episodes.
4. The OST is very nice and different from most other modern c-dramas.
For The Bad:
1. Slow-paced - It's very slow-paced and the side stories make it even slower. Other than the first 5 and the last 5 episodes, I found this drama pretty boring.
2. Huge Lack of Heart-Flutters - Where’s the intimacy? I’m not even talking about kisses. Just moments that make you feel like the leads are falling in love. I certainly felt that they cared for each other but there seemed to be a huge lack of romance.
3. Boring side-stories - Honestly, I wound up skipping through most of the side stories because they were just so boring, and other than the character knowing the leads, their stories really didn’t affect them or the plot in any real way.
5. Evil/Bad Character overload - Honestly who isn’t a bad character other than the leads and a few others. However, none of them were as bad as the 2FL who clearly needs mental help. The method she used to try to stay with the ML is one of the most psychotic I’ve ever seen. She’s a basket case and the worst part is that she’s surrounded by enablers. (More on her in the spoilers below)
6. The 2FL’s Dubbing - Everyone else in the drama is fine but for some reason, her dubbing is not only obvious but it doesn’t match her mouth movement at all. For all the beautiful production they have in this drama, they very obviously dropped the ball on her dubbing.
***Spoilers Below***
I really disliked the way the ML took out his frustrations on the FL. I know he is going through something pretty rough but why did he need to yell at her the way he did and more than once. I know he’s devastated over losing his sense of taste but that’s not the FL’s fault.
In fact, it’s the 2FL’s fault and for some reason instead of thoroughly investigating her, even when she’s suspiciously asking him if he could forgive the person who poisoned him, he completely overlooks her. The ML even fires his longtime live-in cleaning lady, someone who was like family to him, but he keeps the creepy 2FL around. Furthermore, when he does find out it was her, he completely lets her off the hook!! Like what?!!!
Another thing that really annoyed me was the ML’s doctor friend who not only hides the fact that the 2FL poisoned the ML into losing his tastebuds and at risk of losing the rest of his senses, but he also enabled her and helped her hide it from being exposed. He deserves to lose his license to practice medicine and go to jail along with the 2FL. I have no sympathy for him no matter how much he likes the 2FL.
It annoys me that no one got in any sort of real trouble for their bad behavior. Everything is sunshine and rainbows at the end.
The cutest thing in this romance drama is probably the husky puppy in the last episode…
Would Not Recommend
Would Not Re-Watch
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1This review may contain spoilers
What the hell am I watching and why do I keep clicking for the next episode
I pressed play purely for Ryan Ren, thinking I’d get some normal Republican-era angst. Instead, I got… whatever this sizzling carnival ride is. This mini drama isn’t a meal; it’s the chaotic street food you know will upset your stomach but somehow you need another bite.Republican minis are already a wildcard species, but this one said “hold my tea” and sprinted into pure unhinged territory. We have:
• People catching headshots like they’re collecting Pokémon.
• A heroine who gets choked like she accidentally respawned in a drama where oxygen is a side quest.
• Logic? Not only missing—never hired. Not even on payroll.
• A revenge-driven FL with a swapped face and supposedly high IQ who still manages to speedrun stupidity until the ML drags her out of danger. My eyeballs got a full workout from the constant eyerolls.
But chaos aside… it’s actually fun in that “I should not enjoy this, but here I am” way.
• Ryan Ren being tragically, dramatically down bad for his girl? Inject it.
• The OST slaps, even though I swear I’ve heard it in twelve other dramas and maybe on a toaster.
• The love-hate dynamic is messy, toxic-adjacent, morally questionable, and yet I watched it like it was high art.
Shockingly, the spice was on low heat. A simmer. A polite sizzle. Definitely not RR’s usual “burn your eyebrows off” energy.
In the end, this drama is a paradox: simultaneously absurd, entertaining, and brain-cell-destroying. You’re not meant to think. You’re meant to vibe. To cackle. To surrender to the nonsense. Recommended for days when your IQ is on vacation and you just want fast-paced chaos with a side of Ryan Ren being hopeless for his girl, and yes, a happy ending for the leads ;)
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This review may contain spoilers
Three Is Not Always Better Than Two
When it was announced Penthouse would have 2 more seasons, I was extremely excited since I loved the drama. Even though I stopped watching lots of western tv shows due to the drag with multiple seasons, I was happy for Penthouse to get more seasons... but now I don't think that was the best idea.I don't want to spoil this season, but it's so hard to state how I truly feel without doing so, so major spoilers will be towards the end with possible small spoilers throughout my review.
Story:
With season 2 ending, I was extremely excited with season 3... but then that excitement turned into frustration. Slowly I realized that season 3 was erasing things that season 2 brought. For example, they all get arrested in the final episode of season 2, but then in the first episode of season 3, they are all roaming free. Why would you make them all arrested only for them to freely get out? I don't need this drama to make full-on sense- I mean, the way they got out just doesn't anyway, but I'm fine with that- but I don't understand what was the point of getting them arrested at the end of season 2 if it means nothing? I can't believe I didn't even worry when that happened. Of course, there are other problems, some I skipped over so, I don't even want to mention them, but the last thing I will mention is that it feels like more things happened in this season than the last 2. I think season 2 should've had 3 more episodes and wrap up the whole drama then since Season 3 added some things that I feel could've been left out. But regardless, I still enjoyed how hectic it was since that's Penthouse's signature style; over the top dramatic!
Characters:
One thing that I will always agree with between all 3 seasons is the acting was off the charts. Every actor did a fantastic job with the material given to them. Now, for the characters in general... Joo Dan Tae was the same crazy man who wanted revenge, and Cheon Seo Jin... I'll mention that in my spoil segment. I enjoyed the other characters and their "character development," except Joo Seok Kyung. I thought that she was finally getting that well-needed character development at the end of season 2, but the beginning of season 3 just erased that and made her a straight-up villain. I'm glad she was able to come to her senses at the end, even if it took shocking news for that to happen. I liked Ro Na this season and thought she was one of the best characters in this whole drama, including Shim Su Ryeon and Joo Seok Hoon. As I said in my previous reviews, no other actors can portray these characters, and I stand by that after this season.
Others:
I still think SBS should've had Penthouse air on Friday and Saturdays instead of just Fridays. I understand, in a way, why they would make it air once a week. The suspense kills, and it looks like SBS thought that season 3 will be their biggest and most successful, but they were wrong. The few OST's we got were good, but just like the last 2 seasons, I wish we got more.
Now, for my spoil segment:
I don't mind when the main character dies, but only if it makes sense with the plot. Oh Yoon Hee dying just makes 0 sense, and for it being Cheon Seo Jin? In season 1, sure, Cheon Seo Jin would push her off the edge without hesitation, but she went through season 2. This is another evidence of "season 2 erasure" that I mentioned earlier. Oh, Yoon Hee saved Eun Byul's life, and to thank her, Cheon Seo Jin kills her. When Logan Lee became the 3rd character to be brought back from the dead, I got even more upset with her death because I knew that there was no way they would do 2 fake deaths in one season, and her body being shown was proof of that.
And finally, the ending... 48 episodes... for that? Shim Su Ryeon did not deserve to die! I'm glad everything finally got resolved, character development was given to characters that deserved it (ex. Ma Ri), but killing the whole trio was too much for me and, in my opinion, not a good ending. You don't always need the main heroine to survive, but in Penthouse's case, it would have been a sense of victory. Even though she got victory regardless, her living was the biggest one of all because she would outlive those who had killed her child and ruined her life. It's rare for a drama to have such a perfect ending these days, but Penthouse was so close to achieving that.
Final thoughts:
If I were to watch this drama again, which I might since I did enjoy it, I think maybe I'll just stop a few minutes before season 2 ends. If you stop the last episode of season 2 after they all get arrested, season 3 isn't (exactly) necessary to watch. I still think this is one of the best makjangs out there and am glad I watched this drama since day 1. Even though I became frustrated with some things, I will miss this drama greatly, since It's been with me for almost a whole year.
Penthouse is not perfect, as it has its flaws, especially in season 3, but in my eyes, it is still a masterpiece, and forever will be.
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Parallel universe and angsty love story that will make you cry a river
Time and space are illusions. Everything exists at the same time. But this story is about time travel. It's about the heroine who got to go back to her past. At first, she didn't know about the reason for multiple time travel. As soon as she realised, it's a tradegy. However, no matter what Lin beixing did, nothing's changed. The ending is different but the outcomes are same.I love the way this story developed the logical but beautiful plot though it's a sci-fi. It might be typical school love story which genius quiet boy and sloppy cute girl chasing each other, but I love the friendships that Lin beixing had whenever she travel to her past. Every story is different when every character is same. I'm cheering for Lin beixing and Zhang wansen's true love.
If you love angsty love with a very light romance and cute friendship, this is for you. But if time travel is not your alley, you can pass by this drama. This is romance drama but i promise that you will drain your eyes.
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TFM aired along with AOS, and I have to say it was a great choice as the two dramas compliment each other wonderfully. If AOS is intense and nerve wracking, TFM feels like a calming and soothing balm, and by itself is a leisure watch you can enjoy in a binge or one at a time.
The plot is pretty much focused and centered at one important thing: the forbidden marriage. It expands from there, and the characters built themselves around it. Their backstories are simple and the drama arcs are not so complicated.
And what's funny to me is that the next episode teaser is pretty much a whole episode summarized with bullet points! This is the perfect drama for anxious people (me) ♡
Sometimes I feel like the main casts kind of holding back (?) like the acting could be toned up a bit, but overall it's still good and enjoyable. The tension is burning, the romance and easy companionship between the leads are very sweet. The drama is good enough to keep you on your seat, but will not make you agitated and stressed out for days.
Also Kim Minju!! is so pretty!!
Overall, I would recommend this if you are looking for a simple historical romance with a slash of drama
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Chaotic and Fun Rom Com
I was really excited to watch this movie and was lucky that it was showing near me with eng subs and it did not disappoint. The first half of the movie you see the couple bickering and describing how much they hate each other. It was so chaotic and funny, especially the way kang ha neul and jung so min deliver their lines. Jung so min's character could be a lot harsher and at times, I was like why is she so mean, but I could also understand her character. The second half was just as enjoyable as you watch them try not to fall back in love with each other.I think the way the story unfolded was really well done. You could see how this once happily married couple got to the point of hating each other by allowing all the bad memories overtake their good ones.
If you enjoy rom coms, you will love this one. The acting as you all already know delivered because it's kang ha neul and jung so min. Even the supporting actors were great. I thought the one who played jung so min's sister did a great job, I had only seen her in Duty After School as I think she's still a relatively new actress but she was funny. I laughed out loud so many times as did the audience in the theater. It was a rom com in it's true form.
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Steady story with a simple plot; not bad.
To be very honest, I assumed Imitation would be a musical Kdrama just because I saw that the major cast are all singers, but to my utter disappointment it turned out to be a drama on the life of kpop idols which casts real kpop idols. But anyways, judging as a drama, IMITATION is not a bad drama and I actually liked it even though it had nothing much to offer. I mean the plot, story and screenplay are in fact not something very new to the industry of Kdramas.STORY & PLOT:
As the synopsis says, Imitation is all about the life of Kpop idols, on individual levels as well as a group, the kpop industry, it's management and also the kpop fandom culture. The major plot involves 2 kpop groups: "SHAX", a 6yo boy group of 5 members who are well established and considered the best kpop band AND "Tea Party" a rookie girl group of 3 members who go through back to back mishaps to debut and struggle in the huge ocean-like industry of kpop. They have some past, separately and together and they help each other grow while facing odds from the management, industry happenings, media and their fans. While the 2 lead characters fall in love and go forward in their relationship secretly, they also find unsaid truth about their pasts and with the help of their fellow teammates, try to resolve it through music.
CAST & ACTING:
Well, I am not sure about others but I honestly did not expect much in regards of acting since the people casted for the major characters are either rookie actors or are with less experience in the industry. So judging from that pov, they've actually done an moderately average job playing their respective roles. SF9 Chani despite playing small roles in many dramas has actually improved a lot and I loved him the most in the drama. After him was Park Ji Yeon noona (T-ara) who is somewhat experienced
also did good in her supporting role. I have seen Jung Ji So in some other dramas and I actually like her acting. Lee Jun Young (U-kiss) and Jung Yun Ho (Ateez) as main characters were good if not more.
I think Danny Ahn (Ji Hak) is the most experienced actor in this drama but he had very less scope to perform. I was a simp for this drama because. Additional character actors like Choi Jong Ho (Ateez), Im Na Yong (IOI), Hwi Young (SF9), Kim Min Seo, Ahn Jung Hun, Park Seong Hwa (Ateez), Lee Soo Woong (Boys Republic), Choi San (Ateez), Park Yu Ri, had very less role to play and they were not actually bad but I won't judge their acting, haha.
I night actually look funny while mentioning all these names but I am a kpop hardcore multifan as well and this drama is like an eye candy for me, particularly because of my love for ATEEZ (cries under the blanket).
DIRECTION:
Not sure whether I can tell much about it but I think it was moderately average because there was no scope in the story to begin with. It's not bad but as a Kdrama fan I can't say it's something very good as well. It could have been unique if it were a musical Kdrama and they had that chance because of this huge kpop idol starcast but I think they somehow failed to utilize the resources well. But for the screenplay editing, I'd say it's okay-okay and not flawed. One episode in between (don't remember which one now) felt a bit off, like slow development but manageable.
OST and Edits:
Ummm, yeah! OSTs are good; some are catchy, some are heart touching and some are melodious but again, not something I can call very great. I am happy with the SHAX tracks though and I have grown fond of "If We Were". The bg score and OST edits in the drama are good and have been done properly. Screenplay edits and organization are okay too.
CONCLUSION:
I actually don't know what else to say because it didn't have much content either. It is a 12 episode drama with almost nothing new or unique to offer but It was at least a good watch. I won't come to rewatch it ever but it's definitely worth a one time watch. I started because of the kpop idol full starcast and thinking it would be a fun musical which it actually wasn't hence the disappointment but go ahead and watch it if you're into Ateez or a hardcore multi. At least this ended well and didn't feel rushed.
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Acting/Cast: Loooove the cast. Godfrey Gao is hot but his acting is not as matured as the rest of the cast. The chemistries between Godfrey and Joe and between Joe and Zhang Han were VERY good. I honestly believe that this drama is as successful as it is now mostly due to the chemistry between the leads. Will you be in team Godfrey or team Zhang Han? Which man will you cheer on?
Music: Good enough but not something I will get excited over.
Rewatch value: Minus the boring and draggy bits in between where the office and business politics kind of took over, there are parts of the drama that I would gladly rewatch anytime simply for watching the chemistry between the leads. This drama makes me a Zhang Han fan. I never thought much of him from "Let's go watch meteor shower" which was the chinese version of Hana Yori Dango. It was a complete flop. But in The Queen of SOP, he shone! Now, I want to watch more dramas with him in it! And Godfrey Gao... even though there is much he needs to learn about acting, the man is a walking hunk of yumminess. I seriously do not know how Joe Chen could ever choose between the two of them!
Overall: Good entertainment and eye-candy value but most importantly for a romance drama, the chemistry between the leads are oh-so-yummy!
Conclusion: Yes, I am raving like a young fool over some good looking blokes....but anyone who knows me know that I do not give looks that much credit in a drama anyways. My brownie points go to the chemistry between the leads. Being yummy is a bonus! Which team am I in? I'm in team Zhang Han. I always like to champion the guy who is your best friend and who had always supported you all the way. I reckon the best relationships stem from such invaluable friendship.
My advice: Watch it, but feel free to fast forward the middle parts with all the office and business politics. Enjoy!
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The drama that never was. A fiery and promising start that died out too quickly.
This drama was absolutely brilliant in the first three episodes but lost its spark with each one, and after episode 24, it completely went to the trash bin. We were promised: a red-flag male lead, a badass assassin female lead, enemies-to-lovers, bloody revenge, and intricate politics. What we got: fail, fail, fail. This drama turned out to be a typical historical story about domestic love, sibling rivalry, and simple court politics.POSITIVES:
- The main leads. They had amazing on-screen presence and brilliant acting.
- Enjoyable OST. At least that one sad song stayed stuck in my head.
- Story wise, an ok watch till episode 24.
NEGATIVES:
- The male lead starts off as a badass, unhinged red flag Gege but after episode 4, he’s reduced to a green flag, vulnerable, broken Gege. Worse, by the end, he’s mostly just a moping, lovesick boy, with the only charming quality felt being his handsome face.
- The female lead is supposedly a deadly assassin who’s spent ten years training for her revenge, and yet she never actually takes it. Worse, she’s off-screen when it finally happens! Aside from a few cool fight scenes, she’s basically reduced to a damsel in distress.
- Enemies-to-what-now. The sexy fire between the leads dies down quickly and their village arc is mostly domestic fluff.
- Village arc. Pure filler for me, It added next to nothing as the leads were interacting almost the same way as they did at the start (after episode 4, since episodes 1-3 feel like a fever dream).
- Meh side characters. A bunch of nothingness really. Ain’t nobody cared about the second love interest (the Prince). The Princess was cute but her getting pregnant by the Grandfather was totally disgusting and literally nobody wanted to see that. The second male lead was just there, doing his best but ultimately forgettable. The second female lead was the epitome of expressionless, and her metamorphosis of being in love with the male lead to suddenly loving the second lead was bizarre.
- Plot. Nothing groundbreaking aside from the plot holes that were definitely there. It was a simple revenge with zero plot twists or surprises. The biggest fail for me is that the writers decide to literally reveal everything, including all the mysteries, in the first three episodes. The main focus was the love story, which felt boring. There were some nice parts where you could see the main leads were healing their traumas together but the domestic and cutesy romance fluff never really hit me.
- The ending. For me, the story ended at episode 24 when the main conflict was resolved and the villain defeated. Everything afterwards was a total waste with a ridiculous breakup and pointless love triangle. I literally ff/skipped through the last eight episodes and still understood the whole story.
- The true ending. Episode 32’s ending was surprisingly well done, emotional and thoughtful. It actually touched me, considering that I didn’t care much about the characters or the story at that point.
OVERALL:
The premise and trailer promised murderous, sexy and angsty vibes with sickly, scheming prince + his vindictive female assassin, and yet the drama delivered NOTHING. It’s like the writers had this grandiose idea, wrote the script for the first three episodes and then scratched it and decided it was ‘better’ to continue with a typical historical cdrama about domestic love, sibling rivalry and simple court politics. Kill Me Love Me? More like Kill Me Snooze Me (to death).
FAVOURITE QUOTE:
"Once a dead chess piece becomes alive, the game has changed."
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A Riveting Werewolf Game
My Journey to You is a 24-episode original script drama written and directed by Guo Jingming. It narrates the story of Yun Weishan, who infiltrates the Gong family for a mission. Amidst the mission, she encounter love, friendship and gradually discovers herself, what her heart wants. Each episode is around 1 hour long, although it might seems a little bit too long for a drama, but the drama manages to masterfully blends elements of espionage, intrigue, martial arts with romance as the sub-plot.Set against the backdrop of the jianghu (martial arts world) with Gong Family and Wu Feng as the prominent player, My Journey to You mainly revolves around conspiracies, hidden agendas, and a game of wits that will keep you guessing until the very end. However, these suspenseful moments are perfectly balanced with comedic heart-warming interactions and thought-provoking dialogues, making it a series that is as emotionally engaging as it is intellectually stimulating.
🔗 Introduction to My Journey To You character summary: https://twitter.com/afterrnoont/status/1698267612042641644?s=20
What My Journey to You apart is it’s intricate and fast well-paced storytelling (initially). In the beginning, each episode unfolds like a carefully orchestrated symphony, revealing layers of deception. Each episode also packs a punch, leaving viewers on the edge of the seat from the beginning till the end!! Every character in the drama is also very intriguing. Each character feels like a fully fleshed-out individual with their own unique personality, motivations, and backstory. The drama have skilfully crafted a tapestry of lives that intersect and collide in compelling ways!! Yun Weishan and Shangguan Qian are morally grey, smart and calculating. their dynamic is so interesting to watch because on one hand they have this protective camaraderie between them, but it also feels tense, just like you’re waiting for the impending betrayal. Meanwhile each Gong siblings are also very unique, each of them has their own motive, but overall it's still for Gong's family interest and good!
Another aspect that sets My Journey to You apart is its high-quality production. This is a big budget and high-quality production that features exemplary cinematography, elaborately authentic sets, exquisite costumes, well-executed action choreography, as well as beautifully shot natural landscapes. In addition, the editing, scene transitions and sequencing of the narrative progression appear cohesive and relatively seamless. The colour palette of this drama is also beautiful and eye pleasing!! The colour palette is sparse and dark toned with a dash of white, gold, and red sometimes.
At the heart of this drama is an ensemble cast that delivers remarkable performances. My Journey to You has a stellar cast, that delivers a profoundly compelling performance from the main role to the supporting role. Each actor nuanced portrayal of their characters adds depth and authenticity to the story. Yu Shuxin and Lu Yuxiao performance in the drama are really commendable! Yu Shuxin manages to show a different side of her, she provides us with further glimpses of her versatility and range with a vastly different and never-seen-before side – she can not only play a cheerful innocent character, like Xiao Lanhua, but she can also pull off a serious character with many layers. Lu Yuxiao also delivers a strong performance; her micro expressions and eye glances makes her character more fleshed out and rich! Another commendable actor is Tian Jiarui, although this is his first drama, but he has managed to show how good of an actor he is!! We can definitely look forward to his future works!!
However, there are also some aspects that made the drama fall short. Personally, I find that the drama becomes a little bit dull midway. The drama still progresses, it seems like it's moving but to nowhere. The drama make you keep on guessing and guessing but little answer is revealed. Another aspect that mainly turns me off the the male lead weak characterization (not to the actor), which is a speciality of Guo Jingming's drama whereas he tend to make the second leads of his drama stand out more than the main leads. Also another huge disappointment of the drama is that it has a dissatisfactory ending with unanswered questions. Although there are some answers, but the main answer remains to be a question. It feels disappointing and frustrating - you spend almost 24 hours watching the drama only to be left with more questions.
Drawbacks aside, All in all, My Journey to You is a is a remarkable drama with an engrossing plot, impressive cinematography, and art direction. If you love mystery suspense with a blend of wuxia drama, this is a good watch!
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This review may contain spoilers
Born again started as a crime thriller and ended up as a revenge story. I stopped watching it at the middle when I felt like there will be no redemption story and there will only be past repeats itself. However, the story-telling changed right after I stopped watching it. So, I continued watching it out of curiosity. I like all the redemption arcs. KSH becomes a lawyer for people wrongly accused for murders. He apologized for all the wrong doings before. CJB becomes a human and not a monster. This is with the help of JSB. His story kinda reminds me of Joker film (2019). In which, a mentally-ill man was misunderstood and was judged by the society. Only, in this kdrama, there is 1 person (or 2) who tried to understand him and also loved him. Thus, the proper ending for him. (Because you know, in the Joker film, if only Joker had that 1 person who tried to understand him, he would’ve not snapped and became batman’s ultimate villain.)
As for JSB, the character was annoying and hate-able for many. I also felt the same way as I watched the series. She cannot make up her mind between the two men. But, I remember this is a LOVE TRIANGLE. A story in which a character will be confused who he/she likes between two other characters.
On the 1980’s story, Ha Eun was clearly in love with Hyung Bin. This love made her confused of JSB’s feelings with KSH in the present because, they are reincarnation of the two lovers. In the present, JSB was drawn with CJB’s personality. He was broken and misunderstood and JSB empathized with him. These made her confused between the two men. Once, she was able to separate her feelings in the past from the present, she sorted out her feelings and chose CJB.
In the end, the story has a very good premise but, the writers was not able to follow up on it. I also think the story will be a better without the LOVE TRIANGLE arc it had. This made watchers hate the show. It has good osts. Is it rewatch-able? Depends. if you want to go back to digest each scene.
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A wasted premise
[UPDATED] As a Jang Seung-jo fan, I was desperate for "Strangers Again" to work. I ignored all the misfires and the lapses in logic and stayed with it until the 12th episode. But when the ending rolled in, I realized that there was a basic flaw in the character development of the leads.I don't mind flawed characters. I especially love flawed characters who grow stronger in the broken places. The male lead started out well enough as a divorced divorce lawyer whose life is a mess. His ex-wife is also a divorce lawyer who seems to have come out feistier and richer. All the ironies were in place.
But no, after laying a solid foundation for what could have been a smart commentary on life, love and career, "Strangers Again" proceeds to self-destruct.
Jang Seung-jo's Eun-beom is so badly drawn, I suspect he was written as a plot device for Ha-ra's journey. His characterization is utterly illogical: a formidable intellect in court, he doesn't make sense in everyday life. He loves Ha-ra but concocts a hare-brained scheme to break-up his marriage, sets up his ex with his best friend so he stops paying alimony, never told her about his childhood traumas while she was his wife, and turns out to be a serial relationship killer. His redemption is a short footnote in the last episode via a Google search and a trip to the therapist's office. The writer was not interested in his evolution – only the havoc he creates.
Kang So-ra's character Ha-ra is better fleshed-out and is obviously the real center of the series: she may be cut-throat in court but she's not unscrupulous, she genuinely wants to help her clients, and in turn learns life's valuable lessons from them. She not only gets the best lines in terms of self-discovery, she also gets the best meltdowns.
The second leads' story trajectory is hands down the better romance in this series. From irritating characters, the liberated noona and the political conservative blossom into relatable characters as they learn to own up to their mistakes, communicate, and compromise.
Hyperrealism is no excuse for bad storytelling. I want characters with depth whose motivations are well-established. I want a plot that makes sense, even if it is imitating life.
Law practice, love, and divorce are potent ingredients that could've given us an unforgettable series – that's the wasted premise. I was expecting a Matryoshka doll with layers of meanings. Instead I got Barbie and Ken in power suits who are trapped in their own drama.
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Ruined itself trying to be clever
0/10 do NOT recommend. I spite-watched it until the end just so I could write a review and save others from losing 30 episodes worth of their lives.This drama was a solid good fluffy silly rom/com set in historical period until about half way through and then it devolved into constant plots, tons of lying, lots of schemes and just bs...by the 20th episode I wanted to strangle the writers and by the end of this I want to say they absolutely took a great idea for a drama and DESTROYED everything good about it and left nothing but a mess.
By the end of the drama I didn't want the leads to end up together, they do not have a healthy relationship and ML continues with his lies (the thing she hates above all else) right up until the final moments of the drama.
Dear writers, manipulation isn't romantic please leave this toxic trait in the garbage can!!
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