The characters shine. The plot... not so much.
This drama’s rating is high purely because of the characters. Song Ah x Joon Young are two of the softest, politest, most introverted leads I’ve ever watched. I fell in love with them from the start and I never fell out despite my declining interest in the drama. PEB & KMJ play them to perfection.The second leads are both great too. Hyeon Ho is easy to love - the smiling, puppy in love. Jung Kyung is more complex. Struggling with her fallen star & complicated feelings, she’s still clever and kind and I don’t care what anyone says, I loved her. I’ll be adding her to my pantheon of second female leads who deserved better. (It’s a really great club btw I’ll make a list of them all one day)
Cha Young In (the noona from the kyunghoo foundation) was also a quiet favourite of mine. Unlike the many immature & selfish professors from the university, she’s grown wise with time & dispenses advice and knowledge freely without judging or looking down on anyone. Everyone is lucky to have her as their senior in life tbh. I’d love an older female friend like her.
So yes. 6.5 stars purely because they all live bright in my heart and the first third or half was really good.
The plot lets it down. At some point past act 1 it becomes this endless slog of misery and miscommunication (from a couple that thrived on being open with one another no less!)
I didn’t mind it being slow because it felt like a healing drama and for a while it was. It soon devolved into a melodramatic mess however and the neat bow-wrapped ending isn’t enough to save it.
Just another drama of what-could-have been to join the many already littering the LOST POTENTIAL graveyard.
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The story is just a big WTF! to me, really... and it doesn't always make sense. But incredibly it is still a catchy story lol, this is what BOF is, it somehow hooks you up, but deep inside of you, you know that what you're watching is not good at all.
The acting is just BLEH! although I love Lee Min Ho and now is one of my favorite actors, in BOF he wasn't as good as he is now... it wasn't a terrible acting but it wasn't a good one either... Same for Koo Hye Sun, she's good at dramatic scenes and crying and suffering but she lacks emotion in other scenes like kisses or funny moments and etc...
F4: oh boy! the eyecandy in this story has a 10/10 these four Asian boys doing whatever they want with your feelings and looking hot while they're destroying your heart haha it's just asdfghjk...
And probably what makes this drama a "must see" and a famous one is Yoon Ji Hoo (Kim Hyun Joong) BOF probably has the worst and saddest second lead syndrome ever! REALLY... even if you don't ship JanDi with JiHoo the drama still makes you feel terribly sad about JiHoo's life (a terrible and lonely one) omg! my heart still aches when I remember...
Despite of all that BOF is a very rewatchable story... if you want to cheer up, or cry like crazy or just remember or see hot Asian boys gathered in one drama, just go to BOF. :)
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Her Name is Fury
Fight Club meets Infernal Affairs with a dash of La Femme Nikita, Anna, Atomic Blonde, Kill Bill and Villainess, among others. That’s how I would describe this drama in a sentence.My Name is an utterly visceral tale of one woman’s odyssey of vengeance through the deepest pits of Seoul’s dark underbelly and vicious criminal underworld that is seeped in brutality and cruelty. This drama is not for the faint-hearted for its many scenes of pure, unadulterated violence and bloodshed will most certainly induce much consternation indeed.
Based on an original screenplay, this production is helmed by Kim Jin Min, whose previous works include Extracurricular and Lawless Lawyer, and headlined by Han So Hee, of The World of the Married and Nevertheless fame. The Grand Bell Award-winning composer, Hwang Sang Jun, serves as music director.
The narrative is not groundbreaking, for those acquainted with the genre. However, when the re-telling of a similar concept is executed well, it can be an absolute joy to behold and may open doors to new fans of this dark thriller and suspense genre. My Name certainly accomplishes this, in my humble opinion, through a fascinating take on the classic revenge and betrayal plot with a focus on gritty storytelling infused with incredible cast performances and which does not shy away from highly graphic and explicit visual language. For the most part I’m quite pleased with the direction and tempo of the story development which manages to sustain the momentum of the intensity, tension and suspense. I have no major complaints over the design of certain plot devices and twists as well as the final outcome. The fact that there is absolutely zero comedic absurdity and contrived humour is a major boon for me as well.
Over the course of only 8 episodes at 50 minutes each, I did not lose interest or feel a smidgen of boredom. The action is breathlessly high-octane featuring countless fight scenes ranging from mass brawls to hand-to-hand combats involving the use of a variety of weapons. Despite composing a major proportion of the entire drama, some of the quieter and more poignant moments are interspersed throughout, including an extremely brief romantic interlude in the very last episode.
Likewise, as far as the production quality is concerned, there are no discernible major issues. The high production value is reflected in the art direction while technical execution is outstanding. I love the fact that the cinematography perfectly captures the action sequences because oftentimes these scenes are ruined by shoddy camerawork or poor post-production editing and visual effects, which is not the case here. Credit goes to the relentless efforts of the action choreographer and the cast themselves in performing the rather complicated and dangerous stunts. In particular the varied fight scenes involving mixed martial arts movements and knife fights in open spaces as well as cramped indoor settings.
The biggest praise is reserved for the cast themselves, and none more so than the lead actress, Han So Hee. My Name is a character-driven story where the failure or success is fully dependent on the depiction of the main character in question. Thankfully it is the latter because Han So Hee has unreservedly dispelled the doubts surrounding her ability to tackle this lead role which she does so magnificently with aplomb. Sometimes a role does not suit the performer, which seems to be the massive feedback from her previous performance in Nevertheless, but the characterization of Yoon Ji Woo, the FL here, is such a perfect fit for she truly embodies the persona in totality. The believability in her portrayal of sheer agony and torment, single-minded determination and strong will as well as the physical exertions inflicted from the challenges and ordeals that she faces in her pursuit of retribution. It is certainly not an exaggeration to declare unequivocally that Han So Hee thoroughly slayed this role.
Park Hee Soon deserves praise for his portrayal of Choi Moo Jin. This man oozes class, charisma and screen presence as the mafia leader of Dongcheon gang. Together with the hugely experienced and recognisable Kim Sang Ho as police detective Cha Gi Ho, both these men provide excellent support to Han So Hee’s main character that elevates this production to greater heights.
An aspect worth mentioning is the music. I love the retro beats of synthwave which complements the more contemporary rock element in a captivating combo that makes up the score by Hwang Sang Jun, who additionally composed two tracks out of the 3 OSTs in the drama.
My Name featuring Swervy and JEMINN
Mediocre Life featuring Pre-Holiday
A Thought is Haunting Me by Raphael Lake & Royal Baggs
All things considered, it’s been quite a while since I was last invested in a compellingly raw and savage journey of vengeance by a ferocious female character in an Asian drama. I’ve been dying for a bona fide strong FL in every sense of the word. Not a poser or a pretender but an actual badass who literally kicks ass. This has been an incredibly worthwhile viewing experience. Bravo!
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It was okay, until it wasn't
Be prepared to watch this only for the ML (who is not only handsome, but also really kind as well), because the FL is nothing but an annoying, selfish, self-centered jerk who should have no business being married to ANYONE, let alone this dude.There's being independent and working for your dreams, and then there's trampling over everyone and sacrificing every single person in your life to get there.
But all that aside, EP 22 in particular was the one that dropped this rating from a 6 to a 4.5. If you can't see how spending a night in the hotel room with another man - and then defending your poor choices to your husband - could be detrimental to your marriage, then you don't deserve to be in one.
I truly wish the ML ended up divorcing her, but we all know how this stuff works. They always do forgive after a one (barely sincere) apology, don't they?
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TAKE ALL MY MONEY
This is such a gem!!!! This is hands down the best GL that I’ve watched. The acting is top tier and the natural chemistry between Faye and Yoko is untouched. The acting feels very comfortable and nonscripted. I am really enjoying these little details with the directing as well!The delivery of the script is so good. I fear that I won’t be able to move on from this drama. Anueng
must be protected at all cost!!!!!
And the side couple as well is chefs kiss. Also not to mention the plot is giving very soap opera and I’m eating it up lol. You should definitely watch!
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Cast is quite young but excellent acting and great directing. Some scenes could have rushed to improve the rewatch value but didn’t bother me.
Like the plot and script as it was very logical and reasonable. No silly dramas due to lack of communication. Really like the way the story flows between the two mothers. Very realistic.
Really enjoyed watching it.
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Equal Parts Scared and Excited
This drama… Oh, this drama. I don’t even know why I started this as I rarely watch present-day Chinese dramas, minis or otherwise, and most I do watch are because they have an actor I like. But I have to say, what a ride this has been. I would categorize this drama as a dark romance. The story has another one of those troupes where the male lead is basically screaming through his actions “I’m giving you trauma because I love you and want to protect you”. But this one had an added spiciness to it. A lot of it. Every time I read the title, I wondered if it was an analogy for us viewers to embrace the darkness of the show. This one definitely kept me wondering about my own moral compass…The male lead becomes more and more unhinged as the story moves forward. The word psycho kept popping up in my head every time he did something. I’ll be honest, this man both scared and excited me. I never thought WX, the female lead, was the brightest crayon in the box, but I didn’t think she was a dumbass either. That is until around episode 10, I changed my mind then. Her actions had become particularly sloppy and it was clear she was winging it. This is not a situation where you just “wing it”. The male lead kept having to save her. Although, he was also working against her. If he had communicated with her, she probably wouldn’t have done some many things without thinking them through. Am I giving her too much credit? I am. Their dynamic mostly screamed of abusive relationship and even for me, some things were hard to watch.
The acting… Okay, so the actress portraying the female lead was terrible. She had mostly one expression throughout the whole show and that was scared bunny. She was also very stiff. All of the characters, villains included, were cartoonish versions of what a well depicted character of their type would be. This includes the main leads, although the main lead actor did act really well in a few scenes. Ling Yuan, the “second male lead”, if he can even be called that, was also unhinged. He was also as obsessed with our male lead as I was. In one scene, he laments he has to buy his own chocolates, as if he went through a break up with Xu Zhe Qing. Which to be honest, he kind of did. You can have break ups with friends also and these break ups sometimes hurt more than one with a partner. Should that have been as funny as I found it? Probably not, but I was dying from laughter. Also, the OST was perfectly chosen for this show. The songs echoed possession and being possessed and of danger lurking in every corner. I enjoyed that very much as I felt it was fitting. The show also ends in what can be considered a cliffhanger, but it can also be considered as a "their adventures continue" and I don't need to actually see, but am happy to imagine it.
Did I think this was a masterpiece? Not at all. Was it entertaining? Yes. Also, Did I mention it was spaaaicy? Because it was. If you try to make sense of how things happen in this drama, you will get a headache. However, if you watch it for what it is, mindless fun, you'll be wheezing from laughing so much.
Note: If you have a hard time watching abusive relationships and possessive male leads on screen, it would be best to skip this one.
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Uncanny, but in a fluffy way with some important lessons.
First of all, I have to say this had some of the best castings I’ve seen. Lee Jae Bin and Kim Seong Hyuk both embodied the animals they were acting as. Especially Seong Hyuk. He was acting more like a cat than my actual cat does.That said, I think they did so well with showcasing the traits said animals have, it was actually hard for me to get into the romance side of it. Especially with Choco - he was both acting too much like a dog, and was treated too much like a dog for me to ship him with anyone. It just did not sit right with me… The casting was so good, I think it was too good, however weird it might sound. Still, they were able to charm me by the end, I left my brain outside of my room as I was watching, and just enjoyed the sweet moments.
Plot wise, I enjoyed it a lot. That’s a story on crack for sure. I had to stop myself from thinking about my animals being human, because the cringe was too strong. I appreciated this fluffy way of dealing with the topic of loss and acceptance of it. How different characters showed different ways of dealing with it - be it acceptance, denial or a hopeful outlook or just postponing it a little bit to enjoy the company for as long as possible. Not to mention the importance of chasing after things that bring you happiness.
Acting was good. Lee Jae Bin and Kim Seong Hyuk for sure did the best job. I bought everything they sold and have no complaints.
Production wise, initially I did have one complaint - the show felt empty. Few people pointed out how there was never anyone in the café in the beginning episodes. Small things like that take away from the show, as the story does not feel real. Luckily, that “emptiness” became a part of the plot the moment characters addressed it, so the issue was solved in my eyes. Except for that, it was a really good production for a short show like this.
Overall, it was enjoyable. Probably better as a binge watch, like many shorter dramas - would be a good movie. Waiting for that last episode was truly painful.
Milk was my favorite and I wanted to see more of him. Give him a nice short spin-off pretty please!
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Not since Dalja’s Spring have I felt that characters other than the main couple received as much loving attention as they did in Miss Korea. And, Miss Korea surpasses Dalja’s Spring at that (Miss Korea now has my favorite secondary couple in the history of Kdrama). But Miss Korea has so much more going for it than the characters, even if they are the best feature. Acting, writing, directing, cinematography, costumes, soundtrack, attention to detail and research – Miss Korea excels in all of these areas. Miss Korea might be, nay, IS the first Kdrama that I can say has no flaws. I wouldn’t change a thing – not one thing – not even the ending, and, as all us Kdrama lovers know, endings are usually the pitfall of every Kdrama no matter how good it is. But Miss Korea’s last episode is as perfect as its first and all the episodes in between.
In fact, there is only one problem with Miss Korea (I know I said it has no flaws, but hear me out)…
…NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE WATCHED IT! It is a travesty that this drama has not been more viewed domestically and abroad. Sure it was going up against the juggernaut of You Who Came from the Stars (or whatever translation you want to use), and that is a good drama, a very entertaining drama, but it’s not perfect (although Jun Ji Hyun is). But in the age of Internet and DVR, that’s no excuse! I wish more people in SK had watched this drama because I want more dramas like it, many more!
I want more Kdramas that feel this organic, with real characters going about their real lives and no makjang craziness! I want a rich, full universe that feels lived in with characters I love who have simple and beautiful hopes and dreams and are capable of achieving them using their own minds and effort rather than ridiculous dues ex machina and unrealistic plot twists. I want soundtracks that rock my world and perfectly match every mood and moment of the drama. I want good actors acting great and previously bad actors going above and beyond our wildest expectations. I want empowered women who are business owners and scientists. I want heroines that blow my mind with their personal strength and honesty and courage. I want OTPs that are honest with each other and even when one tries noble idiocy the other calls b.s. and there are no misunderstandings – EVER! I want careful attention to details and good research into plot devices.
I WANT MORE DRAMAS LIKE MISS KOREA! Watch it and you will too!
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This review may contain spoilers
So far, its the best bl of 2023
I don't know where even to begin. They both are damn cute. Those small touches, talks, kisses. This is everything I want in a drama. Usually, I wouldn't say I like many bls because of too many explicit scenes and not enough actual development or a proper story. but this one exceeded my expectations. The chemistry is damn amazing between these two. and the acting is stellar. Seriously, others should take a look at this and see how to write a show. The plot is insanely simple. but the execution is the thing that matters. They did a really good job with it. and the game at the end was too cute. Seriously cute. Like those choices and finally Wan chose to not run away. The chemistry is amazing. So amazing. Like seriously amazing that you are left with butterflies every time they interact.On to the story. Each episode was better than the previous one. It is so amazing to see both their chemistry expanding as both of them kept on interacting. and yes as I have mentioned in the above, the story was really simple. But the way both of them portrayed the characters and the visuals of the show was damn amazing. It was aesthetically pleasing and the editing was damn good. I liked it. and I would say the ending game at the end of episodes was so damn good. It was like we get to see how their highschool years went on without us having to go deep into flashbacks
Now I wish the run time was longer and the episodes too. but honestly i liked what they did with this. and honestly looking forward to the future projects of the actors. The show mostly focuses on the main leads so we don't get to see much of the side characters. They don't stick out much other than those funny office moments. but I can't ask for more with the given amount of time and am really happy with this. The music was fine. Nothing special but it wasn't jarring too. It was enjoyable.
Overall, I would suggest this drama to every rom com fanatics. This was a really damn good watch. I don't want this to end because this was my most favorite drama that was airing. I am also glad the eighth sense started and I feel like that is going to be a great watch too.
I would totally rewatch this drama again and again. This could totally be one of my comfort dramas because whenever they two share the screen together, I just feel so damn happy for them and couldn't stop smiling.
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want to see the actors in something else
Overall: the leads' excellent chemistry couldn't save Twins' poor writing. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3782/twins-2023-e01 ; re-aired on Lovemedia Thailand YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIFuZIdAgzTjbXN2ypTCNBGNY0PQQTgxG&si=TmjC1-YF7k_mWZTdWatch Suggestions (unless you enjoy slow pacing, stupid decision-making and poor communication)
- read the synopsis/watch the trailer and skip episodes 1-3
- episode 4 watch up to 10 minutes, then 29 and then at 36 minutes
- episode 5 start at 17 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 6 watch 18-20 and 23-24 minutes
- episode 7 start at 18 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 8 start at 10 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 9 watch 24-25 and 29-31 minutes
- episode 10 watch 15-30 minutes
- episode 11 watch 12:20-15:20 side couple
- episode 12 watch entire episode
Content Warnings: violence/fight/beaten up, manipulation, non con picture taking/sharing, cyberbullying
What I Liked
- a sports based BL
- good chemistry with the main couple
- a side couple grew on me
Room For Improvement
- needed the twins to be better differentiated similar to Not Me, even if one was dressed like the other, the voice and mannerism should have immediately signaled to the audience who it was, there were a few times I wasn't sure who was supposed to be who in a scene
- slow pacing, entire first episode was set up, watched most of the series on 2x speed
- Sprite needed to say something way earlier, his brother Zee was a nonredeemable jerk and all the characters shared 3 brain cells
- way too many side characters introduced quickly, took awhile to figure out who was who and then several plot threads weren't developed well
- toilet humor at the end of episode 3
- for one couple, the pursuer was a bit too aggressive and the pursuee was a bit too reluctant for too long
- choppy editing
- in episode 10 the fictional 'so drunk can't remember in the morning what happened but was an active participant during' cliche
- final episode rushed several character endings
- terrible characters that didn't get any consequences, just the "leave us alone/don't do this again or else...."
- plot holes/nonsense writing
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Seriously don't watch this one. I was happy to find this drama out since it looked like a GL so I was happy that Viki is getting wlw relationships some spotlight as well. But damn I was wrong, I can't believe I survived watching all the 8 episodes. The only pros are that both the female leads acted quite good and that I liked the OST but that's all.
The characters are awful, manipulative and cheating. All the relationships (romantic or friendship) are so toxic it hurts.
I'm not even sure if this can be considered GL since the female leads were always like "we're just best friends" and they had friendship rings and each of them got a boyfriend at the end of the drama. Like what?!
Lesbians and wlw in general deserve much better representation than this sh*t.
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To My Star Season 2: Our Untold Stories
128 people found this review helpful
Painful but beautiful season two that outshines season one.
This second season is a bit like revisiting a restaurant you once liked just to find out the chef got even better... The food got more depth, stronger flavours and even prettier plating....As this second season may not be a feel good season but it didd make me feel a whole lot of emotions, mostly pain, but in a good way, as well timed flashbacks, music and lighting make up this well balanced story of love, regret, growth and loss done right. As they do a really good job showing the happily but not the ever after that followed the first season.
This season has kept most of the old cast but introduces a whole bunch of new very lovable characters, that truly add some sugar to soften the pain of the story.
The leads have gown a lot, they are still lovable, slightly broken (very) and perfect opposites that may attract but also need a lot of work. So if you are looking for some feel good fluff, back away and watch something else this is more of a Our Beloved Summer meets Touch your heart lind of deal, but much shorter.
Easy to binge, easy to feel and easy to fall in love... A joy for the eye, some scenes may make you hungry, some will have your heart fluttering, others will make you laugh but I am willing to say that most of the drama is spent with an ever growing lump in the chest.
I think that most people who liked season one just a little bit may feel a tad ( a lot) of heart break in season two but will undoubtedly see its greatness... for those who have seen neither, go see season one so you can watch season two.
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The Love Story of a "Wolf Pup" and a Spoiled Princess
EDITED 12/02/20Summed up for lazy readers:
-Wuxia Romance involving some politics and obviously, the concept of wolves.
-Not exactly tragic, but you will probably cry.
-Misunderstandings that some would call "stupid" or "unnecessary", but show the purest love. (just don't watch it for you can't bear misunderstandings)
-All main leads and seconds leads mature throughout the drama.
-Not the best CGI, but not the worst either.
-Not for people who dislike darkness and war.
This drama is simply...how would I say it...majestic. You may not be a big fan of wolves and darkness, but one thing is for sure: the moment you click that play button on episode 1, you are sucked into this mesmerizing world in which you cannot escape from. I ensure you, this drama will result in your panda eyes for the next few days.
(this review is kind of long. The main parts are in the first two or so paragraphs in every section)
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Story: 9.0
The Wolf is a romance drama in which their story starts with an unbreakable bond of friendship. We have "Lang Zai", or Wolf Pup, the nickname given to him from Xing'er, our female lead. He was abandoned at birth, but miraculously saved and then raised by a wolf pack. They become his family, and he learns the way of the wolves. He is a "wild man", but he has the purest and kindest heart inside, and will protect his family and friends at all costs. After he meets Ma Zhaixing, the pampered and doted daughter of the city master, he starts to learn that he is a person, not a wolf, and they become the best of friends. It also includes the concept of political power; Prince Bo must learn to avoid the devious plot of others and gain the emperor's full trust. And with this, he must obey the evil emperor, even if it means sacrificing his purest love. At times, these scenes bored me, because I'm not particularly a fan of politics in dramas, but it was satisfying when the evil are exposed.
Why would I call this drama majestic? The story simply reminds me of mountains, of peaks that soar into the sky. First of all, the CGI in my opinion, is quite breathtaking. The animals created by computers may seem simple to make, but they include such intricate detail that their interactions with Wolf Pup, the later Prince Bo makes it hard to believe that wolves would have such kind hearts to take in a baby boy, a human, a wolf's greatest enemy. They truly do give us that feeling of familial love, the warmth, the affection, how much they care for each other. And when Wolf Pup's family members sacrifice themselves without any hesitation to save him, the tears start falling like an endless waterfall, they really do.
Xing'er starts out as this spoiled girl, the "jun zhu", or princess, of the city. Even though she is just the daughter of a concubine, she is most doted on by her father, and they have a very strong father-daughter bond. She is a playful and adventurous girl, always giving off happy bouncy vibes. After she meets Wolf Pup, she begins to go to the mountain to visit him regularly, and she eventually even persuades and encourages him to go down the mountain to see the world of humans, and that not everywhere is as evil as he thinks.
(SPOILER ALERT) We meet our next box of tissues when they have to separate. (I will not say much in case I spoil it too much) In every drama, sacrifices must be made, and unlike many other ones, this one was certainly not "childish" or "stupid". The female lead had a very good reason to leave our dear Wolf Pup, even if it was too heartbreaking for some of us to handle. The separation lasts 8 years. Xing'er still refuses to marry, as she can't let go of her love for Wolf Pup. Meanwhile, Wolf Pup has been adopted by the emperor and is made the third prince, Prince Bo. He is strong and powerful, but it hasn't occurred to him that his survival was just for the emperor to manipulate him for more power. After a tragic event, our princess meets this cold and ignorant prince, who keeps denying his true identity. Their relationship starts out on a bad note, but they become closer and closer over time. But as we progress further into the story, we meet our doom: a misunderstanding that causes even more heartbreak. Unlike the first sacrifice, this one seemed a little stupid and cliche. Chu Youwen breaks Xing'er's heart on purpose to "protect her" and although this is pretty necessary, his way of overcoming this situation was not the very best. Misunderstandings lead the drama for quite a long time, but we, the audience, could definitely learn a few life lessons as well as enjoy the bitter romance. At first, I thought that explanation would've been better, but I was wrong: The silent sacrifices that both of them made for each was true love. Some people say that it was dumb and that they could've just told each other everything, but would you be able to tell your love that you betrayed them? Most likely, no.
But the few misunderstandings doesn't stop us from loving this drama and following the couples as they experience love, hate, trust and doubt. It is truly an adventure. As for the ending, if you want to be spoiled, it will be at the very bottom.
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Acting/cast: 9.0
CHU YOUWEN- Darren Wang's wild side is truly wild. (and sexy!) He starts off as that "wolf" who is oblivious about everything, but after he experiences the terrible heartbreak from the person he was closest to and becomes a royal prince, Chu Youwen. That cold air around him is so cold that it makes me literally shiver. He still loves Xing'er, but thinking that she despises him, tries hard to let go of his past. (which, obviously, he fails at) We can see the desperation in his eyes when Xing'er is in danger, and he always saves her in that moment of terror. Xing'er's hero. And when he's cruel to the enemy, he is truly c-r-u-e-l. If anyone hurts his Xing'er, they're basically doomed. Prince Bo is not just a royal prince, he's also a wild wolf, loyal to the ones he love, but merciless to the ones he hate.
MA ZHAIXING- Personally, Li Qin's acting at the beginning was not the best, but the emotions she showed eventually were so top-notch that (you guessed it!) my tears start falling every few minutes or so. I wouldn't consider myself someone who cried often, but I'm just a few episodes in and my eyes are strawberry red. Xing'er's love for Wolf Pup is just so pure that you sometimes wonder why she won't simply just go explain to him why she said those terrible words to him. The tragic event causes a personality change in Ma Zhaixing, and although she is still bright and relatively talkative, we don't really see that spoiled princess anymore. Xing'er is intelligent, and undoubtedly kind. She will sacrifice almost anything for the people she loves, including her life, if she has to.
When I said that they were made for their roles, it also included chemistry. Their chemistry is one of the very best. When the main leads get close to each other, we also feel the excitement and the butterflies in our stomach. Their expressions show everything. Even if they try to be cold to each other, the coldness is only temporary.
As of the supporting roles, we have quite a few talents, including the subordinates of Prince Bo and Ma Qing, Zhaixing's friend. They are servants, but they are the most loyal and most caring. The evil characters were unlike the ones we see in other dramas. They are purely evil, evil to the point that they could manipulate people so easily that they wouldn't be discovered for years. We also have two other supporting characters that really gained my love: Ji Chong and Bao Na.
JI CHONG- Ji Chong, played by Xiao Zhan, is the second lead that will give you second lead syndrome. (unfortunately) He's there when the female lead needs him, and loves her as much as the male lead, but he just doesn't get the chance to show how much he loves her, because the female lead only sees him as a friend. He married Zhaixing, kissed her, hugged her, but failed to gain her affection. It has quite heartbreaking for me, because Ji Chong is a talented, caring and intelligent man, and he's no worse than Chu Youwen. He stayed with Ma Zhaixing for quite a long time, and helped her a tremendous amount, but no matter what he did, it simply wasn't enough. He met her later and that was the main disadvantage. Xiao Zhan's acting was especially nice (but it could also be because I'm a fan of him). As Ji Chong, he showed he care and desperation for Ma Zhaixing clearly, and I felt him tremendous pain when he knew that they weren't meant to be together. So yes, we have the ill-fated love triangle.
BAO NA- Bao Na is another character that I love. She starts out as the bratty princess who thinks that she will get everything she wants. She was "deeply in love" with Prince Bo at the beginning, and was terribly annoying. I was afraid that she would be a second female lead, but she actually isn't. She realizes her mistakes and after seeing Ma Zhaixing also die to protect her, becomes great friends with her. She also grows into an intelligent and brave young woman, very different from the whiny and bossy princess she started as.
YAO JI- She starts off as the archenemy of Chu Youwen because of certain reasons, and we hate her from the very start. I mean, even her look is 100% evil! She is skilled in astronomy and poison, and is very skilled in scheming. She is that most hateful character at the start, but she's unlike Bao Na, who just pesters Prince Bo. She's more of his competitor, but it always seems like she wants to kill him. But...that's not the case. As we move further into the story and she reveals more of her personality, it is clear that she cares deeply for Prince Bo, but she simply can't express her feelings. She has helped Prince Bo go through multiple hardships, and in the end, they become great friends, the kind of friend that will stick together no matter what. Bravo, Xin Zhi lei, for showing us that someone may look evil, but are the most caring inside.
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Music: 10
There are only a few songs (7 to be exact), but I simply love the OST. While they may seem repetitive at times, the songs are presented to us in quite a few ways: Normal singing, different instrumental backgrounds, and the change in speed and pitch. The singing is beautiful, the background instrumental music matches perfectly and the lyrics are like the ripples of a river, moving the story along slowly. The songs clearly show us the longing the two main leads feel for each other, and the unsaid words they just need to say. There is also some rap incorporated into one of the songs, which takes the music up another notch.
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Rewatch value: 8.5
I do not think that I will ever get tired of this drama. The amazing scenery alone is enough for me to stare at the screen for hours. And with the interaction of the main leads and second leads, oh, how would I not want to rewatch it?
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Overall: 9.0
This beautifully written and majestic story is one rarely seen in C-dramas. We do start with a spoiled princess, but she meets the wild boy, and learns that some people have the evilest hearts. Even if you wanted to go take a break, I don't think you could, because this drama is certainly not merciful in terms of allowing you to get out of your seat. There are a few misunderstandings that seem a little unreasonable, but they all work out in the end. We are presented with the occasional comical scene to give us a short break from the next situation. Oh, and prepare the tissues and the explanation to your friends and family about why your eyes are so swollen and red.
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Best thing I did that month.Because I didn't knew anything about the drama, I didn't had much expectation but that was a good thing. Because it blew me away. It completely took me by surprise.
Though I really really enjoyed it, it might not be every-ones cup of tea. It's heavy on the crime part of the plot and there are some jaggersons or technical words- which are hard to understand. But once you get past that part it's all gold.
The story. It's a crime story. The good guys taking on the bad. There are some plot holes - like every other stories. But beauty of this drama is that you can never guess what's gonna happen next. Every time I thought 'oh, i know whats gonna happen next' nothing like that happen. Sometimes I had no idea what was going on, until ten minute later.
And it doesn't resolve around the good guys. It shows the 'evil' peoples side too, their reasoning, their plan. A side to their story. I really like that.
This isn't heavy on the romance which I was ok with it, because it isn't a romance story, the lack of that romance tag says it all. But Min Joon and Ha Ri's chemistry was a bit to ....hot. I was screaming ship, ship from the moment I saw them. Another slow romance couple is in there but I'm not going to spoil it. Same is the bromance. It's more on to the brotherly-love bromance and that goes perfect with the story line. Makes more sense.And I really really really liked the ending.
The cast is amazing. There is no point on saying how great they were, because we all know that. I am not going to take a single person apart and talk about them, because I liked all of them. I loved how Woo Do Hwan played Min Joon. I liked Jang ha Ri and Ryu Hwa Young's attitude just made her ten times more sassy. I liked Yoo Ji Tea playing Choi Kang Woo, he brings a different set of emotion to the table. This is also the first time I saw him and I am going to check on his other dramas. Then there is Jo Jea Yun playing soft hearted, ex-gangster cheetah-shi and Kim Hye Sung playing Noo Ri. And Cho Won Young playing JH. He is a really versatile actor. I really liked his last scene.
There are three songs in this drama. All of them are so so good! NiiHwa's song is my jam!!
Totally gonna re-watch it. Have to.
Again I am not gonna tell you that you have to watch it. But if you give it a try it will win you over on its own. So do try it!
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