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The story revolves around the Dugu Clan, specifically the three sisters: Dugu Banruo (eldest), Dugu Mantuo (second oldest) and Dugu Jialuo (Youngest).
Initially I did not expect much sisterly love between any of the sisters because most sisters in traditional dramas hate each other for no reason. However, Banruo loves the youngest, Jialuo dearly because she practically raised her.It was so touching to see her do anything she can to save her sister. I loved their relationship the most. Banruo is played by one of my top favorite Taiwanese actress, Ady An. She did a WONDERFUL job with her role. Although her role was obsessed with having her "Dugu tian xia" - so obsessed to the point that she's betrays someone quite close to her. Unlike Mantuo, she puts her family safety above all others. Until the end, she knew which side to be on and what really mattered.
Second sister, Mantuo, is the antagonist of this drama. She's VERY VERY VERY annoying. She's also OBSESSED with the Dugu Tian Xia legend but she thinks everyone is against her when really its the other way around. She's willing to betray and back stab (and kill) her family. She fake cries to get her way around and get what she wants. Mantuo may be smart but she doesn't know that everyone else is even smarter and that those people knows who she really is and what she's up to. Yet, she continues to bat her eyelashes as if she's innocent in her wrongdoings. It's hialrious and irritating at the same time. I hate that the actress keeps pouting her lips, its ridiculous. In the end, she was still a pain in the ass. I still can't tell if the actress is good at her role or not because the pouting, baby talking, innocent act were very irritating to me. Like I wanted to slap her. :]
Youngest Jialuo was very carefree and did not let anyone boss her around.. She knows what she wants and its not "Dugu Tian Xia." She, like Banruo, holds her family above anything else. Which means she is willing to follow her father's orders despite protest against marrying ..someone. She and Mantuo is always fighting because Mantuo is a B****. Banruo is always on Jialuo side because she knows how cunning Mantuo is.
Main couple: Jialuo and Yang Jian were very cute once they warmed up to each other. I grew to love them when Yang Jian finally figured out Mantuo was a lying piece of ****..:]
Overall story is all about lies, betrayal, sisterhood, fight for the throne and high ranks in the palace, friendship, family, and love.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is the best executed C-drama that I have watched in the last 2 1/2 years. The production values are excellent, with an excellent cast, director, film editor, scriptwriter, music supervisor, wardrobe supervisor, stage design supervisor, location supervisor and all the diligent crew members. The caterers might have been excellent as well.Bai Yu is the best C-detective, Lou Fei, who is charismatic, upper class, and well-dressed, and he possesses a sharp intellect and an analytical mind. Una You as Xiao Man is the perfect assisting police detective, with fighting skills and a sharp mind to complement Lou Fei's. Jeffrey Ji as Ben Jie Ming is the very handsome and tall coroner with a sharp mind and excellent inter-communication skills. Captain Savoy is the perfect boss and team leader, who leads, supports and respects his staff members. Their loyalty to him is shown in the final episode, when the police officers stand with him, against the raging director of the municipality.
Acting: 9.5
Directing: 9
Casting 9
Editing 9
Music 10
Costumes 9
Sets 10
Script 8.5
This is the first Chinese drama that I am willing to rewatch. The 24-episode length and the tight scripts are perfect for viewers with a short attention span.
ATTENTION: This drama contains NONE of the following drama flaws to disrupt the viewer's concentration;
(a) flashback and repetitive flashback filler,
(b) story filler,
(c) useless flashbacking,
(d) pattern-mad or garish wardrobe,
(e) obtrusive loud singing and loud incidental music score overlapping the characters' dialogs and scenes.
Final episode comment; The ending is the beginning.
From the structure and pace of the cases, the ending was designed to continue in a second season. Bai Yu and Una You comprise the best detective team, Lou Fei and Qin Xiao Man, since Inspector Earl Lynley and Detective Havers, Sherlock and Watson, Morse and Lewis. If Detective L had been launched as a 50 episode drama, we would have been bombarded with fillers and flashbacks, loud, repetitive singing and draggy incidental music.
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perfect symbiosis of hot and hilarious
this little spin-off was made for me, and despite wanting to see a full-length one, i'll take it. i said it before, and i'll say it again: the story of ja-yeon and gyu-hyun deserves the best treatment in the world.spice up our love is a light enhancement to the parent drama, and to be completely honest, even if i didn't watch no gain, no love (thank god i did; such a wholesome romcom), i would've devoured this purely for han ji-hyun and lee sang-yi whose agents should get to work and get them main lead parts in a full-length drama because their joint slay needs to be studied further for obvious scientific purposes.
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I have a lot of mixed feelings about this drama and even months after finishing it, I'm not sure where I stand in terms of liking or hating the plot twist. Yes, the message is beautiful and all, and yes, that last episode had me crying, but I can't say whether that's because of the writing or my feelings towards Alzheimer's after experiencing it through my grandmother.And, while the message is important, I would have cared so much more if I knew going into this drama what it was about. Sure there are some people who would choose not to watch it because it is a heavy topic that affects many people in real life. When someone has Alzheimer's, its effects radiate. It affects their family, their friends. It even showed as much in the drama. But the choice of whether or not to watch it should be theirs to make. For some people, dramas are an escape from the hardships of the day. They go into dramas wanting to forget real life and to instead invest in characters that they get to slowly learn and care for. So if they go in wanting an escape, it could be considered cruel to throw away the story they developed over 10 episodes for a topic that hits close to home for many. At the same time, I do understand what they were trying to do and respect that. I'm just not sure I agree with the implementation of it.
If the show was honest from the start, I may have loved it. But it wasn't. It feels like those 10 episodes weren't needed if this was the story they were going to tell. All of those story threads and all of that time invested to get to that point were just thrown away in favour of a slice of life melodrama. The show made me care about the delusion of Joon Ha, and I just didn't care at all for the real him because of it. The fake versions of the main couple were a lot more compelling to watch, and I really did care about them, no matter how absurd the story around them was. It's a kdrama, I'm used to the absurd. But the reality of them just made me numb to it all. When I should have felt the most and been hit the hardest, I didn't feel it. A part of me regrets watching it.
And yet, at the same time, I respect the premise. I think that Alzheimer's should be talked about and discussed more often, especially since early intervention is very important for treatment. But I don't think this story pulled that off as well as it could have. Judging from the polarizing reaction to it, while some appreciated the message, a lot are just upset at wasting their time.
So I'm torn on whether to recommend this or not. I do feel that the surprise is unnecessary, and that going into it understanding what you're going to find at the end is the best approach. You can't be disappointed if you know what's coming, so go into it with an open mind and steel your heart.
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Sunny Happiness is one of these rare t-dramas, 25 episodes and NOTHING exploded. the last 4 or 5 episodes do get a little "one life to live" but it fits with the plot, which is very entertaining, so it's cool. another thing that really grabbed me was that this is probably the ONLY believeable reason i've ever seen for a contract relationship. there was good reason to pretend and good reason to actually make a contract, so that was refreshing.
Mike and Janine turn in really impressive performances for this type of story. they are emotional w/out being over the top and they are believeable. the supporting cast, like yong yong's family tend to be relegated to traditional t-drama antics and they do thier fair amt of wailing, but it never quite reaches the epicness of say fated to love you or hi my sweet heart.
the one thing (or more specifically four things) that i really just never got into were the two other couples that got a surprising amt of screen time. Wang Lan and her producer were dull to watch. there didnt seem to be any emotion in it and the same for the brother and his chick. little bro is cute as a button, but he just never gets off the ground. it's like he's groggy throughout. in all honesty i'd give their sceenes a minute or two to grab my interest and when it didnt i would fast forward.
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The guilt we carry
I love the 37 and 17 year old Ha Nis. I canbonly imagine the older Ha Ni feels, the guilt that made her punish herself that completely changed her core. The contrast between the younger Ha Ni and the older Ha Ni is so vast that when the two characters start merging into older Ha Nis character it is an event to look forever to.I enjo watching this drama and patiently wait for 2 episodes a week on Netflix. The change in both Anthony and Yu Hyeon is also amazing. I love Yu Hyeons dad, he is a better character than the dad in Protect the Boss whch also stars Choi Kang Hee (Ha Ni). I like Ha Nis mom too and although Ha Nis nephew is still not as good as young Ha Nis acting, I find him cute
Characters I don't like and almost hate are Ha Nis sister and high school friend. I hate the Auntie aka sister in law of the dad. I also don't like the grandmother but can understand her
The ending is a bit rushed but still good. Happy Ending as the 37 Ha Ni finally moved on
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My thoughts on the Heart Killers:
The Heart Killers was an unexpected gem! Initially, I started watching because I was a fan of FirstKhaotung, but I quickly found myself captivated by both couples, especially Dunk. I was genuinely surprised by how much I ended up liking him in this series. At first, I wasn’t sure how well he’d fit the role, but he truly nailed it. Dunk was perfect for his character, and honestly, he quickly became one of my favorites.One of the things I loved about the series was how we saw the characters grow throughout the story. Take Fadel (Joong), for example. He starts off as someone who keeps everyone at arm's length, scared to love because he’s afraid of losing those he lets in due to his painful past. You could really see the emotional toll this had on him, but over the course of the series, we watched him grow, open up, and become more vulnerable. It was a beautiful character arc that added depth to the story.
The chemistry between the couples was undeniable, and the devotion they had for each other was so heartwarming. They literally went to prison for each other😆🤭. The series was truly a rollercoaster of emotions, and it will definitely be missed.
I also have to give a special shoutout to Dunk – you can really see how much his acting has improved. He’s grown so much, and it’s exciting to see how much potential he has for future roles.
Overall, I loved The Heart Killers, and I would recommend watching it. It’s a series filled with great performances, emotional depth, and unforgettable moments. Definitely worth the watch!
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When a sociopath falls in love...
I normally don't like Kdramas, I'll just throw that out there. Most are too melodramatic and Disney level cheesy for my taste. So, there are very few that I can finish, but I couldn't stop watching this one. Maybe I was a cheese in a trap, because I found the male lead, Yoo Jung, one of the most interesting characters I've seen in a Kdrama. He wasn't there as just some good-looking hood ornament that has blinders on for no one else but the fl. No, this male lead had depth and was sinister. There was clearly something wrong with him from the beginning, an inner anger bubbling just beneath the surface, and only the fl, Hong Seol, could see it. How intriguing...If you're like me and usually root for the villian in a movie and find them far more entertaining than the vanilla hero, than "Cheese in the trap" might be for you. It had a psychological aspect that I loved, where the show could have easily been a thriller. It's dark in various places and really explores why we as humans act/react to certain situations and the people around us. I got a kick at the mind games Yoo Jung would play on various characters and the ultimate chaos that would ensue. This dude fought with his cunning mind and not his fists. (Actually, he did get in a physical fight once lol). Now I know you're probably saying, but there are several male leads in dramas that are cold, insufferable douches, so what makes Yoo Jung's character any different? Well, in short, Yoo Jung I strongly believe is a sociopath and it's more or less implied several times in the show. He isn't a misogynist jerk like we've seen time and again in other romance dramas, he's actually quite a gentleman to Hong Seol and treats her well. But lord help you if you try to get between these two love birds. I believe Jung's flawed character worked in Cheese in the trap because he never intentionally tried to hurt Seol while they were dating, and the characters he did try to harm let's be honest had it coming.
I also really liked the female lead in this drama. Hong Seol is not the typical wimpy, weak, dumb fl that is so often found in romance shows. She's smart and hard working. She doesn't need saving, hallelujah for that! How many dramas have I seen now that had cringy soapy situations happen for the sole reason to have a fl need saving by a man. I've even seen several shows where the fl can't seem to walk upright without tripping every 5 seconds. It's tiring! So seeing a capable lead like Seol is refreshing. She commutes for hours on train, she works, she studies, and she can walk in a straight line without crashing into the ml like some kind of cartoon character. Aaahhh..and best of all she's likable and real! Her character did seem to dissapear a bit though toward the middle of this show, but no biggie. I also, had little issue with 2nd ml. He was a good guy but not boring and was given enough screen time for viewers to care about him. He seemed to be a real contender to win over the fl. I also loved his off the rails gold digging sister. She provided a lot of comedic moments and was a pretty good villain in her own right. Even with all the crap she pulled, I still wanted her to have a good ending and I'm glad she did.
Now I love lists, so here I will list the things I normally hate in Kdramas and how "Cheese in the Trap" measures up:
1.) Horrific sound effects used way too often. Usually barn yard animal sounds like a goat etc. Very distracting..
(Cheese in the trap): None. Happily there are no annoying sound effects.
2.)Toilet humor
(Cheese in trap): None
3.)Repeated too often songs from OST that are below average and by the end of 16 episodes make you want to pull your hair out.
(Cheese in the Trap): Great diverse OST. Each song fits scenes well and wasn't repeated too much.
4.) Too much yelling. Most Kdramas I've watched had every character barking/shouting out their lines.
(Cheese in the trap): Some yelling by side characters including elders but not too much to give you a headache.
5.) Love triangle
(Cheese In the trap): Yes, however it didn't bother me for some reason maybe this is due to good writing..
6.) Hiding/over hearing convos a character wasn't supppose to know about.
(Cheese in the Trap): This happens a lot and no one ever notices the person eavesdropping.
7.) Annoying side characters.
(Cheese in the Trap): Most of the characters are likable.
8.)Great start..draggy middle..wtf ending!
(Cheese In the trap): Great start, a bit draggy middle, pretty realistic ending. Many romantics would probably hate the kinda open ended ending this show had, but I didn't. Jung really hurt a lot of people. The man destroyed lives, he couldn't simply walk hand in hand into the sunset with Seol lol. There relationship was far more complicated than that.
Overall 9.5/10.
It cracks me up that this show's been labeled "the worst drama in history" and it's the one Kdrama I really loved. Haha go figure.
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This review may contain spoilers
It was an emotional, beautiful, natural, playful, hilarious and a very sweet drama. I thoroughly enjoyed being with the main leads in their journey, sipping my cuppa leisurely, without skipping a single scene., thereby appreciating the little nuances and details which I would have otherwise missed. It was calming and healing for me.The dialogues, OST, visuals, bgm everything fitted nicely with the story.
The second couple were good too. I'm so pleased that they had a good ending too.
Li Shi Can! As much as I felt annoyed with him in those few episodes in Shenao, in the latter episodes I began to warm up to him😭😭. In fact I enjoyed the comedy he provided with Xu Huaisong.
Editor Chen was a surprise 😂
The cute highschoolers, the Ruan family, Xu family, the lawyer colleagues, Sun Miaohan and the rest of the supporting cast 💖
This drama is simple and delivers what it is supposed to, that is, mutual secret crush transitioning to mutual love through deep understanding , trust, shared vulnerabilities, communication.
No less than 10/10
Will definitely be in my rewatch list and the place to go to when I need that extra tlc
Recommended for romance drama lovers.
Not for people who like intense stories, complicated plots, multiple plot twists, toxic relationships.
Definitely not for those who critically appraise C dramas like a research paper 🤣🤣
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This review may contain spoilers
Would recommend this drama!!! Starts really good. The male lead is a person who seeks for precious gems. He gets into. a car accident and accidentally meets the female lead who is a tribe leader. She takes him in and takes care of him. He finds out she has a precious gem and he wants to take it for himself, so he needs to gain the trust of the female lead. The female lead promise to give it to him only if they get married. He basically teaches her about how to use a phone, eat instant noodle, and take selfies. She has a really good memory. Female lead is a naive, innocent, simple minded girl. The male lead is more dark, cold and mysterious ( he wanted to only use her at first.... but then you know ,... they fall in love) He basically drugs them the night of the wedding and he escapes. ( lol thats the background)
The female lead tries to find him in the city, there she meets the second male lead. lol he wants her to be in a live stream with him( thats his job) The male lead is trying to find the cave were there is a lot of precious gem. Also the evil characters in the show want to find it for themselves. In the process the male lead finds an elder who once had connections about finding the cave/ he had a secret box that he kept with him. They keep trying to open that box to see whats the secret behind it all.
I really liked the male lead's relationship with his two childhood friends. One is a computer genius and the other is knowledgable in gems, they all help to try to open the locked box.
Some parts in the middle was kind of draggy/ a little slow, like the plot was developing it pick up closer to the end. ( dont want to spoil too much )
What really sold me was the female lead. She is so cute, gulliable, innocent but at the same time smart, brave and honest, speaks her mind. She is the ray of sunshine that melts/ heals the male lead's scar.She brings positivity and genuineness. The chemistry between them is alright. I felt the female liked the male more lol , therefore some of the kissing scenes to me didn't strike my heartstrings as much as some in other drama, but in the end i felt the feelings ( lol watch for yourselves). I also liked how each character was able to get some romantic character development. The story was well rounded and had a happy ending. So please go watch :)
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The story line is very unique, both in subject matter and tone. We follow a group of normal people following the dream of orchestral performance together, under the direction of a conductor who is as rude and arrogant as he is famous and talented. The experience and accompanying tribulations change their lives, as you might expect, but the difference can be genuinely felt. There may be unbelievable circumstances that bring these people together, but the way they progress and transform is realistic and subtle. Some may complain the final episodes are bittersweet and somewhat open-ended, but I feel they composed the perfect ending for a story such as this. Any other result would have felt too saccharine, especially with the heavy emotions this drama evoked. We pursued a dream with these characters, but it's really not the result that matters...it's the path we took and what we choose to do after.
This is also the first drama where I've felt I would actually miss the characters after completion--in particular, abrasive conductor Kang Mae as played by Kim Myung Min. His acting really is as outstanding as everyone says it is. It's a rare gift to see a character spring to life as vibrantly as this; he felt like a real person separate from the actor, no doubt thanks to his extensive preparation. I mean, Myung Min was actually even able to conduct an actual orchestra at a press conference for this drama...something he'd learned how to do in five months. Another favorable mention must go to Jang Geun Suk, who was still in the early stages of rising fame (and looked nothing like he does now). I'm not sure he's played a part like this since, but I'm hoping he will soon. His Gun Woo was an earnest, hardworking, genuinely good kid...but with very human failings and no sob story to excuse them. Geun Suk was a joy to watch too, and stood competently alongside the great Myung Min as his foil.
As to music, as one might expect, there's a ton of classical used in Beethoven Virus. The performance sequences utilize elegant and meaningful pieces, looking as good as they sound. Other works serve to fit scenes as background tracks, and add a delicious feeling of high drama without also becoming cheesy. Fans of instrumental music and classic in general will love it, while others might find a spark of interest growing in them after watching! Vocal tracks are also great, with Insooni's inspirational number "A Goose's Dream" basically summing up everything Beethoven Virus stands for.
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Need to love and feel loved - A bitter reality
Honestly, I was not sure if I should watch this drama or not, as the provided summary doesn't appropriately describe the true plot of this series.CHARACTERS
In the drama we are following the story of 5 woman that seem to be related in a way. Yuki (portrayed by Yoshikawa Ai) is a 19 year old university student who is working as a Rental Girlfriend in order to make ends meet. When she is working and meeting with clients, she seems like a sweet, cheerful, and kind girlfriend; however, we get to know that in reality she has been through a lot and she carries a secret from her childhood that holds her back. Rina (played by Yokota Mayuu), who is Yuki's university friend, is a colourful, smiley, and cheerful girl that everyone likes and wants to be with her. In addition to her cheerful outside looks, Rina is a rather lonely girl that seeks attention and confirmation from people around her.
Ayano (played by Ugaki Misato) is working with Yuki at the same agency as a Rental Girlfriend and is mainly focusing on the outside looks of the people around her. This obsession with looks came from her bitter past when the people around her made fun of her due to her outside looks. The fourth protagonist is Moe Maya (played by Yanai Yumena) who is classmate with Rina, with low self-esteem and self-confidence. People around her call her ugly and she can't seem to belong anywhere, even though she is trying. Lastly, Yua (played by Saito Nagisa) is a cute girl that is a regular in a host club and is only visiting a specific host. Later on, Yua takes Moe to the host club that she is regularly going.
PLOT
The main plot of this series is to show how every person needs to feel loved and appreciated, in any way, from their peers. However, for me, the plot focuses not only the need to feel loved by others and love other people, but how important it is to love themselves. It is a rather bitter series which shows how shallow our society is, what are the expectations for women, and how easily women can be manipulated into doing things they don't want in order to fulfil the needs of their partners.
For example, in order Yua to help her favourite host (Haruki) in the host club, she is working in the adult world and she is meeting with clients that she can't refuse. She does that in order to help her favourite to rise through the rank and keep his sales high. Moe follows a similar story. Moe was a full time university student who after she started talking with a host she decided to drop out from her university, and in order to request for the host (Kaede) during her visits, she decides to also enter the adult world and do things that she doesn't want to.
MY OPINION
Honestly, this is a drama that is worth watching. Just a heads up: this is not a typical Romance series. Don't expect to find cute and colourful moments among the couples. This is a close to reality type of series. Unfortunately, there are many people who belittle other people's feelings and take advantage of them, and there are other people that are trying to survive in this world with noone beside them. I don't understand why the rating is relatively low. The rating here is not representative of how good the drama is (in my opinion!).
As an individual, I related mostly with Moe, as she and I share some common things. Since the moment that she answered Kaede's phone call, I knew that this is not going to have a happy ending. I was really routing for Kaede's feelings to be true towards her, but as we show in the end Moe was just a client to him. Even though, seeing her being depressed over him was sad, I was clad that in the end she was able to overcome her obsession and she took her life back to her hands.
Anyway, this is a good drama to watch, SO WATCH IT! BYE!
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Story:
The story is about 5 teenagers and their family problems and addiction. Each character is very complex and had difficult backgrounds. It amazes me how detailed each storyline was. I don't think there were any plot holes. This series is one of those series that shows the reality of life and examples of a dysfunctional and unhappy family. It also really shows the effects of unhealthy addictions and drugs.
The series is straightforward but so complex at the same time. I'm not too sure how to explain it. In my eyes how the series played out from start to end was written so realistically. I don't want to say the ending is a happy ending, but I really liked how it ended off.
Cast:
The casting was absolute perfection. If you have never seen any of the main characters before, you have been living under a rock. Like always, their acting just blows you away. If you have seen any of the cast's past works, you'll understand what I mean. Plus I feel like most people came here for Fluke, but I came because of Ploy. I just love her acting.
Overall:
This drama is different from all the ones right now. This drama got me coming back for more because it was so good. I'm not sure if it's just me, but I have some type of connection to the characters of this series. Maybe because I relate or know people that have been through similar situations. If you think you can handle it, I REALLY recommend this series, but I will give you a trigger warning. I give it a 10/10.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Summary of Seasons 1 and 2, as well as the 2 movies!
For those who are incredibly confused about the difference between Season 1 and 2, as well as the 2 movies in-between, let me lay it out.In Season 1, a student named Liang Weiwei accidentally transmigrates into a historical drama starring an idol named Jing Qing. In that drama, her character is doomed to die within the first three episodes as a result of assassination. Throughout the season, she finds ways to avoid death, and eventually overturns the Emperor Jing Qing’s mistrust of her. They then end up in a happy marriage, which was cut short because she’s suddenly brought back to her own time where she meets a version of Jing Qing who seems to remember her from within the drama because they immediately embrace once they set eyes on each other. I don't know if this is the idol Jing Qing, but I suppose it has to be.
In Season 2, we realise that following the end of Season 1, she started dating Jing Qing back in her time. We are also led to believe that Jing Qing actually remembered her from when they were both in some alternate universe within the drama from Season 1. However, one fine day, Jing Qing just vanishes into thin air, and so Liang Weiwei finds her way back into the drama to meet him again, and ends up in another story where the characters are all largely the same, but the plot is different. This time, Liang Weiwei is the daughter of the previous Emperor and is now a villainous Empress destined to be usurped by her General Jing Qing. This General Jing Qing isn't the same as the Emperor from Season 1, but eventually, he does regain his memories of her in Season 1, and also falls in love with her anew in this new storyline. In the end, the General Jing Qing takes on the role of the villain in the story so Liang Weiwei can be spared countless deaths. When he dies, she vanishes and is transported back to her own universe. Compared to Season 1, I felt that this story was less exciting, although thanks to the ML and FL's good acting, I did shed tears when it came time for them to part again. The ending was left open, with the timeline fast-forwarding to 1 year on, when Liang Weiwei finds herself transmigrated into the same drama again, this time, slightly earlier in the storyline, as a princess while her father the Emperor is still alive. Presumably, this will then lead to a Season 3, which will hopefully be more exciting than Season 2.
The 2 movies in-between are actually just 1 movie split into 2 parts. It somewhat continues on from Season 1, but with a slightly different premise, so the entire continuity arc can be confusing. Just know that technically, it occurs in an alternate universe from Seasons 1 and 2. For the movie, a novelist named Liang Weiwei is dating an up-and-coming actor named Jing Qing. However, because she's always neglecting him in favour of writing, he eventually breaks up with her. While she's busy being devastated by the break-up, she gets forcefully pulled into a historical drama with a premise similar to Season 1, except this time, she isn't the Empress, just someone who looks exactly like the Empress Liang Weiluo, who is a woman scorned and has set her eyes on the throne. The Emperor here is the Jing Qing from Season 1, who has been searching all this time for his Empress Liang Weiwei. However, it's important to note that the Liang Weiwei from Season 1 is different from the one in the movie, so while she has some affection towards the Emperor because he looks like her ex-boyfriend Jing Qing, she doesn't love him. Because the main attraction of the entire series is the romance, I felt that the movie wasn't as much of a draw as Season 1 because it's almost like a one-sided love between Season 1's Emperor Jing Qing and the movie's Liang Weiwei. When the movie's Liang Weiwei returns to her own universe, she finds that the novel has written itself, and the Emperor Jing Qing never fell in love with anyone else for all 56 years of the rest of his life, as he promised her. To prevent that from happening, she rewrites the story and reunites Emperor Jing Qing with Empress Liang Weiwei starting from the day of their wedding. As for the novelist Liang Weiwei, she goes to find her actor ex-boyfriend Jing Qing, who welcomes her back with open arms.
So that's about it! I love how tiny and adorable the FL is, and the ML's acting isn't shabby either even though he isn't quite as eye-catching as the FL. Would definitely recommend a watch especially because the episodes are all so short. Hopefully a version with English and other subs will appear on YouTube's MGTV channel soon. Enjoy!
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I didn't go into this movie with a lot of expectations because other than Han Hyo Joo, I'm not really interested in much of the cast. (I know I'm wretched). The premise interested me but what kept me watching was the absolutely magnetic performance of Lee Byung Hun.
He is beyond talented and he deserves all the praise he gets for being a great actor and if you don't believe me or really wonder why Korea thinks he's 'all that' watch this movie. It will clear up all the doubts you ever had of him. Just within the premise of the story he plays two physical characters (Ha Su and Gwanghae) but Ha Su himself goes through so much to change that the range that Lee Byung Hun delivers believably is great. The transitions of his character are seamless.
The story moves quickly and is enjoyable from the start, you get to literally see things that you would never expect in a historical drama but maybe like me have always wondered. There's a human aspect to this story that doesn't come across as well in other historical dramas I find because the king is a man who is from the palace. In Gwanghae, it's the opposite as the position of king is given to someone who is absolutely not from the palace.
I didn't particularly notice the music >< (my bad!) I would definitely rewatch this movie but not right away cause dear god I have way too much to actually watch (and right now I'm going to rewatch Coffee Prince ^.^)
But overall, love Gwanghae...if you're looking for a good historical WITH AMAZING acting, watch Gwanghae. It didn't just win big at award shows for nothing :)
P.S. (the other actors in this film do really well too even though I just mentioned Lee Byung Hun cause he blew me away. In particular I really liked the Eunuch :))
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