All that glitters is not gold.
"Beautiful and splendid show window... It's open for everyone to see, but once the spotlights go out and the curtains are drawn, no one can ever know what's going on inside." ~ A minor character from the drama said this.In a world where people care about the vaunting virtue more than one's inner beauty, we have developed ways to showcase what we wish to swank about. But what happens behind the walls, is always more than the alluring self, which most of us don't bother to care about. Show window is one of the most effective way in that regards but little do we know about the camouflaged matters that can either ruin us or shape us for good.
As you already know, this is a makjang, undoubtedly with toxic elements and nerve-racking characters in it. The question should be, "is this worth checking out?" . Well, yes, in my opinion, I would send you a positive nod. It's not something sort of a must watch but if you're fond of the genre, it surely is an enjoyable watch.
I will tell you a simple plotline, differently from the synopsis given everywhere. There is a happy family of four people and one day the husband is caught cheating on the wife. The wife scared of hurting her children by separating from her husband, pushes herself to save the family and simultaneously tries to get rid of the third person. The husband with high ambitions to own his mother-in-law's company doesn't wanna leave his family, nor does he want to abandon his extramarital lover. The story leads towards the unveiling the husband's true self and establish harmony.
This sounds very simple and typical, right? Well because, it is an usual Kdrama makjang storyline with cliché elements but not to spoil the actual plot, the way of occurrence, screenplay and execution are different from what you'll be able to perceive from the above paragraph. And that's why it's a good watch and to mention, it's for those who are into mild makjang stories accompanied by corporate thrillers, i. e. fight for power and hierarchy.
Song Yoon Ah as Han Sun Joo is considered the Queen who has achieved perfection from every aspect and is ideal to many women; born into a wealthy family, she can pull on anything and marries to a capable & devoted man, now having a loving family. Lee Sung Jae as Shin Myung Seop is a highly ambitious man who with his dedication plus wife's support has been able to climb the hierarchial ladder in Lahen group that belongs to his mother in law. Jeon So Min as Yoon Mi Ra is a lady deprived of love and seeks constant attention from the one she loves. She falls for Myung Sup and they immediately get into a mutually reciprocating relationship. Hwang Chan Sung as Han Jung Won is a warm-hearted guy who loves his sister Sun Joo and despite being slow-witted, knows how to deal with situations.
Some other good actors in major roles are: Moon Hee Kyung (Kim Kang Im) as Sun Joo's mother & Lahen's chairperson, Kim Sung Soo (Cha Young Hoon) as Sun Joo's close friend, Kim Byung Ok (Kim Dae Wook) as the Chief Detective. Shin Yi Joon (Shin Tae Hee) and Park Sang Hoon (Shin Tae Yong) play the children of Sun Joo and Myung Sup.
Only the above mentioned 9 characters are of essence while some others in major characters didn't show any sort of notable acting, in fact, many of the characters, to me, felt very unnecessary fillers. They weren't required for the story; especially all of the residents of the town residency complex who were there to just gossip and even so, the amount of gossiping was absolutely useless for a drama.
I have mixed opinions about the plot development of this drama; it is both good and bad, not both at the same, obviously. The first episode, as an introductory wasn't that impressive but as usual, I decided not to judge it that soon. But what I was already loving was the way initial base of the story was being established as the episodes furthered. The screenplay is gripping, intensively appealing and definitely something catchy. But then there's a leap which is not distinctly shown but yeah, things somehow change and there starts another mood of the drama. It becomes even more interesting and makes you expect, which lasts for about next 2 episodes. And that's when the show starts going downhill.
Well, it doesn't really turn bad or suddenly becomes uninteresting but they start attempting to exaggerate the plot to an extent and while doing that, they include some awfully unnecessary elements and morever, they repeat some of them which was clearly visible. What saved it from a probable backlash was the fact that tbe quality starts degrading much later the interval, which in my opinion is a key time period to evaluate a show, hence, I've tried to reflect it through my ratings.
I am very surprised to have come to know that the makers of the drama are both rookies. Not sure if they've worked as assistants before but this definitely seems to be their creation as frontline director and writer and they've undoubtedly done a very commendable job given their experiences. The drama isn't something very wowish but it was surely a decent watch even when you're not into makjangs. The direction was up to par, starting from screenplay management, synchronising various time scales, screen-editing were taken care of very well. The pacing wasn't consistent after 10th episode, still manageable. The cinematography was surely good; the dark yet flashy pallettes with momentary yellow as well as natural delineations were persuading. The writing was lacking, it was a good plot but progression was not well executed. But given that both the director and writer have debuted through this, this is quite well-delivered, no?
OSTs are composed by Kim Jong Chun and I must say all of them are catchy and captivating at the same time. There are total 7 tracks. My most favourite is "Hello' by Hickee which is the main theme song and is very intriguing. It followed by "Heaven Made" by Elsie Bay which was soothing and tragic at the same time, demanding escape towards happiness. The vocals of Ha Domg Qn in "Cry me a river" gave me goosebumps. "Fallin' by HARU, "just myself" by Kim Dong Hee, "Why i cry" Sin Ye Young and "Tears" by Onestar are the other ones which are quite likable and beautifully written as well as composed.
What I liked...
# Despite having a typical story, the screenplay was engaging and entertaining.
# The performance from the main cast was stupendous as they're old and immensely experienced, except Chan Sung and So Min. Well, they weren't that good but did a decent delivery.
# The drama not being a complete makjang. The simultaneous power fight was intriguing tho that plot went downhill and became repetitive in the 2nd half
# The kids not being typical makjang stupidass spoiled brats.
# The portrayal of present scenario in the beginning and ending of each episode and using it to unfold the past through detailed storytelling.
What I didn't like...
# So many unnecessary supporting characters as fillers and their extended scenes just to fill the 16 eps quota.
# The decent plot development that goes downhill starting from 10th episode. The pacing was still okay yet repetitive. They had many instances to finish the drama with a clear-cut ending, but duh!
# Underutilization of Chan Sung and Seung Soo. Their characters didn't have the impressive dynamics that I was expecting. Chang Sung is improving with dramas but Seung Soo is more than just skilled.
# Not to spoil, the thing involving both Jungwon and Mira could have lasted longer with some stirring outcomes but it felt like there was no need if it were gonna be that simple.
# So many kisses, haha. I'm not genophobic or against inclusion of explicit contents but the first half of the show has so many unnecessary making out scenes.
Final remarks.... Show Window 2021-22 isn't really a good show with intriguing plot, star-studded cast and amazing execution but given it's genre, for me, it was an enjoyable and entertaining watch with fabulous performance though the final delivery was average and wasn't pleasing. A fair one time watch.
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Beautiful Visuals, Empty Story: A Drama That Falls Flat
When I saw the poster and everything, I had pretty high expectations. The visuals were great, but the acting, on the other hand, was a mess.The female lead was just an empty character. She barely did anything throughout the show and mostly just stared at everyone with teary eyes.
The male lead’s acting was over the top, almost as if he was trying to make up for the female lead’s lack of personality, but it didn’t work well at all.
The show seemed like it would be about music and artistic themes, but it ended up being focused almost entirely on solving the murder case of Bom’s mother. The main “villains” were supposedly trying to keep the leads apart to stop the truth from coming out, but it was so poorly executed and felt completely unnecessary.
The romance was practically nonexistent, maybe a little in episode 4, but later on they just forgot about it. Also, they had no chemistry. Like, none at all.
And the ending? A total mess. What do you mean you see someone after two years, kiss them, and that’s it, happy ending, yay 😀? It was beyond unrealistic.
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Story: 10/10 The story is one that will motivate you while tears stream down your eyes. It has themes of "High School" romance mixed in with following your dreams to the very end.
Cast/Acting 10/10 I couldn't ask for a better cast. They truly did a flawless job.
Music: 10/10 I still listen to the theme song by Yui (who also acted in this movie) two weeks after I watched the movie. The only "downside" about this movie is that you get addicted to the wonderful music by Yui.
Rewatch Value: 9/10 This is such a beautiful movie that I would definitely rewatch.
Overall 10/10 (i'd give it a 15/10 if I could!). Definitely watch this movie. You won't regret it.
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The drama did start out slow and I think a lot of people from then on had their mind set that TKEM was a flop. Then proceeded to watch the rest of the drama basically searching for aspects to criticize. And I think that is one way to approach dramas by analyzing and scrutinizing anything and everything. But personally, I think that with that kind of mindset, you limited yourself to only a couple of shows that you actually like. I am not trying to discredit anyone and how they felt towards the show, however, I think a lot of the discussions centered around how bad the drama, actually deters a lot of people who would actually really enjoy the show.
Story-wise, the parallel world concept was fascinating and refreshing. I found it pretty easy to follow, but with any concept messing with time and space, it's bound to have cracks. There were plot holes(most of which I didn't even know were plot holes until I read discussion posts--so just don't read those and you will probably be better off) and areas where I wish the show would have done more in-depth. I also do think that in some episodes the story was stagnant and it wasn't doing a lot to move the plot forward, a missed opportunity to further develop the world/clarify some side stories. But if you don't focus on those aspects, they aren't bothersome and the main plot is interesting and at least for me, something new/different.
Acting: I liked KGE and LMH together, and I think that they did well with the roles. I'm definitely no expert, but I think I have around the normal person's ability to tell if the acting is stale, so for me, their portrayals were convincing and I really felt for and became invested in their characters. KKN & WDH also really delivered! I mean Jo Eun Seob and Jo Yeong were perfectly portrayed, props to WDH, I can't wait to see him in another drama. Not really a point on acting, but worth mentioning, the main thing that bugged me with the characters (not the actor's portrayal) was Tae Eul sudden switch from showing no interest and annoyance for Lee Gon and then suddenly her tough/snobby demeanor was gone. I think the writer could have made her feelings for Lee Gon melt away a lot more smoothly. Although, I don't agree with the criticism on why Lee Gon was in love with Tae Eul from the get-go. I can picture 8-year-old Lee Gon spending hours and hours holding onto the badge thinking of this mysterious savior, and pretty much becoming infatuated with the mystery girl (also, when do the falling in love process ever really "make sense" in dramas, I just enjoy the love story without questions! >∀ <)
Most of the OST playlist is still stuck in my head and while it's not the iconic Goblin OST, it's still great.
The cinematography and production is probably the least debated area because, well the millions of dollars backing the project went somewhere! Seriously, the scenes were beautiful, especially in the moments of the time stops. If anything, watch it for the visual appeals!
I never write my opinions/reviews on dramas so please forgive me if this is not super helpful/insightful, but I really wanted to do this because I hope someone will read it as realize that go into it without preformulated negativity around it, watch it and enjoy it for what it gives.
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The Heart Will Go On
Ye Li is summoned from the elite Lishan Academy to prepare for her wedding to Mo Xiuyao, a crippled and unfavored prince. Her younger sister Ye Ying is now engaged to her former fiancé, Prince Mo Jingli. Ye Li is unfazed by the groom swap and blithely oblivious to her new husband's frosty glowers and suspicious side-eyes. True to Xiuyao's suspicions, there is more to Ye Li than meets the eye. She has secrets and has returned to the capital with a higher purpose than marriage—one focused on righting injustices against the former Prince Ding and Lishan Academy. As it turns out, both Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao were collateral damage in a power play at the highest level of imperial authority. Their common cause draws them together, but in order to truly work together, they must confront the past and put it behind them.Though set in the fictional dynasty of Dachu, the setting for The First Jasmine is clearly inspired by Wu Zetian's controversial ascent, and the costumes, political dynamics, and social structures are distinctly Tang dynasty. While the political plot is not particularly special, the past intrigue is revealed in a way that draws you in, like pieces of a puzzle gradually falling into place. Everyone is an unreliable narrator, divulging their own role in the multiple betrayals eight years ago from their own point of view. The plot does not bother to fully explain itself, leaving the audience to speculate on and eventually piece together what happened with a growing sense of dread.
The problem is that the drama reaches its emotional peak a little too early, and after that, there is a sense of anticlimax heading into the finale. The final plot arc is rushed and fails to deliver a sense that justice was served or that the country is in better hands.
That said, this is a very solid character-driven story about healing. Both Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao are deeply damaged by past trauma, and the way their relationship evolves makes sense given what they endured. Ye Li is a deeply traumatized and complicated protagonist who appears functional only because of the coping mechanisms she relies upon to get through her difficulties. As a character, perhaps Ye Li is too capable, but she embodies the ethos of the elite Lishan Academy, and through her, the heart will go on. That said, the Lishan backstory unveil took too long and left me emotionally exhausted.
While Bai Lu pulls off a memorable and heartbreaking portrayal of Ye Li's trauma, her final showdown lacked sufficient impact. Her cold, resting-death-face missed the mark, and I felt that Xiuyao—no less a victim—deserved to be in on the final confrontation. I am fine with sidelining the male lead in the finale of female-centric storylines, but the actress has to be able to rise to the moment. That didn't happen here.
There were many interesting character arcs that didn't play out. I expected Han Mingxi to play a more consequential role and saw potential in his hilarious interactions with Ye Ying. But to me, Mo Jingli was the biggest missed opportunity. He is a cunning and layered character who pursued a just cause via questionable means. I did not like how the narrative diminished his cause, his motivations, and his intelligence heading into the finale.
Ultimately, this drama tries to combine too many themes. It is difficult to mix romance into a heavy revenge story, so I didn't mind so much that they didn't really try. Where it falls down most for me is how the main revenge plot failed to deliver closure or transformation. The story introduces so many interesting characters who seem to have agency and free will, only to have them go down the path of tired tropes. Screenwriter Zhao Na strikes again - her dramas always start well on the inspiration from borrowed works but she is really building a track record in not knowing how to end her plot arcs properly.
This starts out as an 8.5-level drama, but with the ending, it only earns an 8.0+. Still, it has enough unique aspects to make it an enjoyable and recommended watch.
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sweet fun romance
I initially started this one on a whim since I was looking for fluffy romance dramas to indulge in and decided to give this one a try, and thank goodness I did. Dear Herbal Lord is a fun little drama (24 half hour episodes split into 2 seasons, 12 eps per season) following herb fairy Song Lan as she tries to woo the king of medicine Chu Zhimo into marrying her, fulfilling the wish of Jiang Qingyun, the host of the body that she now resides in.Like I said before, this drama is fairly short compared to other normal dramas (25+ eps with each episode averaging an hour) so the story is very fast paced, which is a good thing since there's no room for filler and unnecessary drama. There will be scenes that are a little confusing at first but they're quickly explained afterwards. Again, it's a short drama focused on romance so I'm not too critical of the story's logic.
The crux of the drama, the romance, is tooth rottingly sweet. Song Lan has an innocent air to her (mostly because as an herb fairy, she's never interacted with humans before inhabiting Jiang Qingyun's body), so she is very blunt and bold about showing Chu Zhimo her affections. Pair the unintentionally flirty Song Lan with cold-faced Chu Zhimo who is terrible with women, this is a hilarious pair and I have squealed at (and replayed) their scenes too many times to count. Special mention to Yan Xi for showing us that a cold and standoffish male lead doesn't mean being expressionless and being angry all the time!
To move the story forward, there will be angst, just to warn anybody who only wanted the fluff. To be precise, it's more of a dash of angst, a splash of noble stupidity but a truckload of dramatic irony (the audience knows everything but the characters do not). You will want to grab your screen and scream at characters that they're making a mistake, but you can't even hate them because from their perspective... they actually have a point. It does end happily, I can guarantee you that, so just trust the process ;)
Leaving a small blurb about my favourite character, Xiao Ziming. Add him to the ever-growing list of Second Leads That Deserve Better because he is so sweet and devoted to our female lead. Even though Song Lan/Jiang Qingyun is infatuated with Chu Zhimo, he still stays by her side and cheers her up when she's sad. Where can I find my Xiao Ziming in real life??
To end this off, I definitely recommend Dear Herbal Lord if you're looking for a light and sweet romance drama. Nothing convoluted, just Fluff (also the kiss scenes called me single in 520 different languages ;_; ).
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This review may contain spoilers
Great show with great casts from great director but I feel like something's lacking
I was having high hopes for this show because the casts are my favorites and the director is famous for his gory and violent scenes. I enjoyed watching the show because of excellent acting from my favorite actors and great cinematography.Jung Hae In proves he is acting genius and master of genre, expressing various levels of pain realistically and perfectly acting with only one eye. Go Kyung Pyo’s acting as serial killer is refreshing and Kim Hye Jun facial acting is great but her action scenes are kinda lagging in some scenes.
But what I feel most lacking is maybe suspense/ tension/ story development? I didn't feel so much excited to know what would happen next (maybe because I got spoilers from behind the scenes videos that Disney+ released in advance before the drama's premier).
OST is nice with Haein’s sweet voice but using the same song repeatedly for many times (although it's necessary for the plot) made me bored.
CGI and VFX are great especially the tentacles used for regeneration.
The gory and bloody scenes are not that disturbing to me.
The chemistry between the casts is great but felt the kissing scene between DongSoo and Yirang is too early Lol.
At the moment of writing this review, people are making noise about the rear nudity of the actors which is nothing strange in acting field but it feels like they used stunt doubles for those scenes.
[Edited - Jung Hae In confirms that he used stand-in (body double) for nudity scene in an interview.
https://youtu.be/nAEMUGOsz4o]
The sex scene was unexpected haha but didn't expose too much.
The last fighting scene between DongSoo and JinSeop didn't help me to maintain suspense and the ending scene hinting for another season is unexpected.
Overall I enjoyed watching the great performance from my favorite actors but sense of satisfaction was not that much and probably I won't rewatch this show within a short period of time. However if there'll be season 2, I'll definitely tune in to explore their so-called new Connect World.
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This review may contain spoilers
Not nice to watch but definitely worth seeing. Superbly done in many ways. Powerful. Resonating.
Prolog:The conclusion for the protagonist in his late 30s is rather tragic: he´s getting the urge to go back. He wants the life of his late youth back. He cannot continue with who he is today. For him, there is only one option remaining – a shortcut to the exit.
However, for the audience, the end is actually the beginning. The journey goes backwards in seven chapters. And when we finally reach the start, it actually makes sense to look at the ending again... (in movie-terms: its beginning...)
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“Peppermint Candy” was one of the top ten movies in 2000. The international awards it collected are respectable. And even in 2022, “The Guardian” has it listed in 12th place among South Korean film classics. Meaning: It was topical back then and still hasn’t lost its impact. It´s cult. It can be considered particularly valuable. However, it´s not particularly nice, though. Rather particularly powerful and ferociously intense.
"Peppermint Candy" dates from 1999. It tells the story of the previous two decades of South Korean history using the example of an arbitrary, inconspicuous individual. For audience who isn´t firm in recent South Korean history, the KMovie may be reduced to the protagonist as an individual - to his very personal story and his tragic ending. For all those who know something about the historical, social background (see the side note below if you like), the KMovie becomes a memorial on screen that commemorates all those in society who were probably thus affected in one way or another, too, and may have had a similar experience. And there were quite a few.
In 1999, South Korea looked back on two extremely eventful decades. Two decades that were endured, sustained, borne by the people... Two decades that, in addition to democracy, turbo-capitalism and material prosperity, also produced a whole series of psychological cripples.
I actually don't like the word 'cripple', but somehow it seems appropriate in this case, here in the sense of: people who were maltreated by others or 'by life´s circumstances' to the point of psychic unconsciousness (even if perhaps they themselves were involved as perpetrators, too). People who were broken by their fate and trauma, not being allowed to and/or able to talk about it. People who fell, lost themselves, could no longer get back on their feet, feeling helpless. Completely bent. People who could not find peace with their shame and guilt. In their inability to communicate about it and get help, they became a total human failure for those around them.
In reverse "Peppermint Candy" portrays the career of such a psychological (and physical) 'cripple' in intense scenes. We may acknowledge the individual fate. Even without historical background and regardless of socialization, we acknowledge a broken soul, of which all that is left to the outside world is actually an 'asshole'. Once a poetic, delicate, sensitive spirit... it´s hard to believe. Actor Sol Kyung-gu expands the entire range of his skills, convincingly and uncompromisingly drawing the audience into each of his divers crucial, rather unpleasant emotional life situations.
“Peppermint Candy” is superbly done in many ways. Not too much, not too little. Ruthless. And in pointed, symbolic imagery, the scenes gain in emotional power and meaningfulness as they progress - even after we have travelled a few sequences further (back) - to the extent that the puzzle of drastic life events accumulated are coherently put together into a pile of shards.
The protagonist in "Peppermint Candy" is experiencing the significant historic events of his generation at the forefront. His psychical downward spiral cannot be stopped. But this protagonist is no exception. Countless people in their late thirties in South Korea in 1999 could have told such or similar stories. During those traumatizing two decades the public was carelessly left alone to individually deal with what had happened. What a person experienced emotionally, what a person had to process and couldn't, the decisions made, the guilt, the shame, the pain – the answer to that was mainly psychological repression and silence about it. The consequences in everyday life: Outbursts of acting up and/or apathy. Sometimes the old wound hurts again. The old wound makes man fall to the ground, by its pain that he cannot escape. But it is also a phantom pain - the desperate suffering over an essential piece of 'who I am' that was taken away once and for all...
The protagonist in "Peppermint Candy" suffers on behalf of an entire generation of anonymous young people who were quietly worn down, deeply psychologically shattered and finally by the two decades of the 80s and 90s, the time of transition from military dictatorship to modern capitalism existentially bankrupt. The KMovie reaches out to all those who may have had a similar experience and/or were able to sympathize. Where communication had been lacking for decades, the KMovie, with its sometimes disturbing insights, tries to build a bridge: with understanding that may even extend to empathy. "Peppermint Candy" manages to connect the South Korean people through the fate of this one fictional man and his personal environment. (Additionally, it may even touch the rest of the world). Yongho, who could be 'anyone', and with him the women in his life, his friends (?), his colleagues and his victims who had crossed his path, who could also be 'anyone'…
Not nice to watch. But definitely worth seeing.
Powerful. Resonating. A convincingly empathetic work.
A work of passion.
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SIDE NOTE: --- Brief overview of the historical background of South Korea - regarding May 1980 in Gwangju, the 1980s under repressive police violence, and the years of economic miracle up to the Asian crisis of 1997-1999. ---
May 1980 in Gwangju, South Korea, featured a bloody massacre that the police and military were ordered to carry out on their own people. Yet, that massacre of Gwangju remained an official taboo for almost two decades. What happened in Gwangju back then was kept secret from the rest of the country. Then, the city was deliberately cordoned off. The enemy was officially called 'communism' (especially in student circles, supposedly under the infiltrated influence of North Korea.)
Those who survived May 1980 in Gwangju and perhaps could or would have wanted to talk about it were pressured, persecuted, tortured and put in camps. The others who preferred to remain silent had to figure out by themselves how to emotionally digest what had happend.
President Chun Do-hwan, who succeeded his predecessor Park Chung-hee in the aftermath of the bloody spring of 1980, did not create any less autocratic structures for the common people than before with his dictatorship. On the contrary. With him, brutal torture was carried out in the spirit of a systematic cleansing. The years of Chun Do-hwan's rule were some of the worst for South Korea in terms of political repression. His mission: The country should use all its might to present itself to the rest of the world as dazzling and up-and-coming until the Olympic Games. Whatever/whoever was bothersome was put away. However, the autocratic rule of the dictator and his brutal power apparatus with police and secret service ended in 1987 as a result of unbridled, enormous public pressure. The people's longing for democracy was finally able to prevail.
Parallel to the repression under Chun Do-hwan, the 1980s and following years were characterized by the years of economic miracle. The market became increasingly liberalized and it was all about exports. Yet, on a large scale growth and prosperity were built on credit: direct investments from abroad, credit cards for the people in the country, loan sharks for all those smaller companies that couldn't get the money from the banks. But the bubble of the expansive credit economy of the 1990s burst in 1997 with the Asian crisis. The credit boom was followed by a crash, an enormous fall in the value of the won, a series of bankruptcies, unemployment all over the place and poverty for the many.
Even though South Korea got back on its feet astonishingly quickly in the course of the subsequent years of the so called IMF Economic Crisis, the path was marked by countless fates of bankruptcies and many families suffering from for a long time since.
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You Are My Glory: Living up to the name
'You are already the rabbit who has seen most stars'The love story between a celebrity and a normal person isn't anything new for dramaland. But YAMG is any different? Let's found out.
This is going to be a super long review... if you aren't interested in reading my very long essay, I'll sum up some important points.
↠Great acting from both leads with sizzling chemistry
↠No external problems, stupid misunderstandings, conflicts, the portrayal of a very healthy relationship.
↠The story and characterization are realistic with witty dialogues.
↠Inspirational story giving some important life lessons! but we aren't missing humor too ;D
↠Focused on leads, so screentime doesn't get distributed on supporting roles or any side couple.
↠No overdubbing, actors using their own voices.
↠So many sweet and heart-fluttering moments.
↠No annoying, and unrealistic, over-the-top characters. Very likable leads. But not perfectionists.
↠Many gaming-related scenes in the start and aerospace-related scenes in the middle part of the drama. (in case if you aren't interested in both of them)
↠The flow of the story is very slow in the initial episodes, and it can be boring for someone.
↠And Yang Yang just looks so fine with glasses on, this wasn't really necessary but I wanted to say it lol xD
If I've to use my food analogy again... I would compare it to wine, which needs some ripening to get the perfect taste and treat for all taste buds, a little bitterness in the start is natural but then you experience sweetness that lefts in your mouth at the end, and with time it gets better and better.
Though it seems like that cast is the best part of the show, it's not. The importance lies in the story, dialogue, and execution. I'm a Books-Over-Screen adaptations person (only Hobbit and LOTR would be exceptions), but this would the one of the best adaptations I've seen so far in dramaland. Having the book writer as a screenwriter ensures that writing quality would be par as the novel. In the initial episodes, the pace is slow... not much romantic development between leads: a slow burn. It's natural and realistic, they don't fall for each other out of anywhere for no good reason, through the slow process of getting to know each other with time. The story itself isn't exciting or even grand but it's presented but how it's presented that matters, it doesn't follow any tropes or cliches. Even being 32 episodes nothing feels unnecessary. I loved the fact it doesn't show any external conflict or cause that creates problems but in the start problems are, real, internal struggle, and valid.
Who says it's not exciting so it doesn't have surprises... in the second half its pace changed by 180°... so many heart-fluttering, butterflies moments ahead. The serious ride when becoming full fluff you never get you to know. Prepare yourself for soo much sweetness. Be careful about pain in the muscle of cheeks, I found myself grinning all time ;D
The dialogues are meaningful, and witty too! cherished the small detailing in the bits. For example, when Yu Tu and Jingjing go to watch the movie, they watch 'Coco' and Yu Tu's situation is quite similar to the lead of that movie 'struggle for chasing their dream and what they really want from life.'
When Yu Tu was eating in the canteen, he had conversation with Jingjing that time she said.. she wants to eat at their canteen and when you see Jingjing visiting his research center for first time.. he says we can't go to canteen coz as we don't have much time, I mean see the details.
Yu Tu's name has a special meaning behind it Yutu (玉兔) literal meaning: Jade Rabbit, it was a robotic lunar rover that formed part of the Chinese Chang'e 3 mission to the Moon it had an expected lifespan of 3 months but managed to operate for 31 months on the moon. . So when Jingjing states that he had already seen most stars, it is a reference to this... as Yu Tu having an expected lifespan of 3 months managed to operate for 31 months on the moon.
What to say about the cast, top-tier actors of the industry with their heavenly looks. We've got Yang Yang, Dilraba... Liu Yu Ning oh sorry he isn't there. No actually, he's there coz the drama starts with his voice. The opening song Fireworks and Stars 煙火星辰 is sung by him (ah this guy is everywhere lol).
Oops, I got distracted we're talking about the cast, right? Dilraba looks stunning, beautiful as always.. she always adds that spunk, and charisma in every character she plays that's what makes it special. The only problem would be that her makeup is a bit off :') She did a great job portraying Jingjing as always. Maybe even better as Jingjing is more like she in her real life.
But this time for me Yang Yang outshined or it was Yu Tu... maybe both, due to the complexity of his character, the wide range of emotions and experiences he had to go through. Out of the all works of Yang Yang it's best to date, I wasn't really satisfied by his acting skills yet aside from the great looks he got, but this time he impressed me, his eyes talk a lot... there's no need for words for some emotional scenes, just take look at his eyes and you know what's going on in his mind. Playing as Yu Tu is challenging as he goes through a drastic change throughout the whole process and with every stage, he has to make it visible with his expressions and his acting.. and Yang Yang did it beautifully.
Having extra love for astrophysics and space-related stuff I didn't skip anything related to Yu Tu's profession but you might find yourself skipping those parts as they can be considered boring. The same goes with the gaming scenes, the first few episodes heavily contain them, it was the medium that bought them together after all. I didn't like how Jingjing tricked Yu Tu by calling him to her house, Tbh these are the only problems I found in the drama.. and actually, they aren't really problems as it depends on your preference.
The characters... I love them!
Honestly, when I saw Jingjing first, I got worried oh no not again a cute, innocent female lead. But she proved me wrong. Yes, she is very cute and adorable but quick-witted, smart, a high-spirited person not to forget she has a high EQ (as anyone should have in the entertainment industry). She knows how to talk, how to behave. And she's aware of what exactly she wants. Loved how understanding and considerate she was to Yu Tu.
Again writer surprised me, what was I expecting Yu Tu to be? a successful aerospace engineer living a picture-perfect life. Who would have thought we'll get a struggling male lead.. with low confidence, self-esteem, confuse between a better job opportunity or a dream. It also shows a bitter truth... getting good grades, having a high IQ, great education doesn't mean you can live whatever life you want. Everyone has to struggle for their dreams, desires and on the way to do that reality hits hard, very hard. I would prefer Yu Tu over any perfect CEO lead as he seems so real (Not talking about his looks lol coz that's surreal) I found his struggle, his internal conflicts very relatable. His personal development is the key point of his character, how he starts to believe in his dreams again, belief in himself again. Wait this isn't it... just have some patience and see a new Yu Tu, in a new light. You might argue with yourself is he the one I know before. He's a completely new person, I don't know him anymore xD
Normally for me, when a couple gets together I lose interest, then drama starts to get boring for me but it's just contradicted my belief as it gets more interesting with time. Yu Tu and Jingjing make a perfect couple together with the sizzling chemistry, not just that they look so good but their personalities compliment each other very well (High IQ+High EQ) and both know how to flirt very well, what we need more ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯... they live in two different worlds but it has 0 effects on their relationship, that's what I love, nor external problems, neither silly misunderstandings. Even their small fights are so cute. Most important they behave like they are adults who are in a relationship, not people in their 30s but still behaving like teens lol.
I wasn't sure if the drama will manage to show the professionalism of leads, as their jobs are very busy, time-consuming. What a smart way to use time skips.. without even making it feel as they don't have anything to do other than dating with giving a lot of their moments together.. while doing their job properly. It covers a wide range of emotions. With some very emotional, heartbreaking scenes. I shed tears in Yu Tu's conversation with Zhai Liang 'I made mistake, that's why she's gone. She's a good person.' But then it has some peak comedy moments that'll make your stomach hurt. Bitter-sour-sweet-spicey we get a whole set of flavors. Good deal, right?
This is S+ production, so great aesthetics, pretty clothes (maybe this isn't fully), beautiful cinematography, the color palette is as expected. But I'm not fond of the opening sequence I found it a bit cartoonish and in need of good editing, but it doesn't cut any points as it's nothing to do with drama. Not really fond of music. Other than the opening song that's also used as bgm any other ost doesn't really stand out for me as it's the only song used till the 16th episode (so if you are a little sensitive about music, point to be noted)
The opening song: Fireworks and Stars (煙火星辰) - By Liu Yu Ning, I've mentioned it before but it feels like ages now :')
Time Monologue (光阴独白) - By Lala Hsu
Fall in Love (陷入爱情) - By Curley Gao & Mika
Speak To You (说给你听) - By Aska Yang
Born To Be An Eagle (生来是鹰) - By Chen Xue Ran
This definitely a re-watchable drama, you won't get satisfied watching some episodes only one time. And it's binge-worthy!
In the conclusion, I'll say... You Are My Glory is soothing, refreshing, thought-provoking drama. But not everyone's cup of tea/coffee is hit or miss. But if you are liking it from the start.. you'll end up falling in love with it ;) The heck, I did again 9.5 to a rom-com? But not regretting it.
Whoa, anyone reached here!?
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BEST THAI BL 2023
Did GMMTV save the best series for the last months this year cos Last Twilight is realllyy giiivvviiinnggg.If Last Twilight can be this good, then I have no doubt Cherry Magic Th and Cooking Crush will also be good.
This drama has restored all hope that I had already lost from GMMTV this year.
A soft drama with no complex plot and story. Every emotion is being felt down to the soul. The story, the acting, the ost, everything is just so on point. The chemistry between Mhok and Day is just too real to be ignored.
I am so glad I get to watch this and if you’re thinking about watching it, think no further, just start. It’s sooo good
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1This review may contain spoilers
This was a waste of time
If this show taught me anything, it’s that you shouldn’t let ratings tell you what to watch.Idk how it’s rated 8.1 on MDL but that convinced me to give it a try, along with the cast-I’m also from legend of yunxi so I like both actors, but I wish I had never started this drama.
First of all, the synopsis is all wrong. This show is not about a girl who sees the future. That lasted the first 2 episodes and deteriorated into something entirely useless and incoherent.
Second, this is the worst female lead I have ever encountered. I usually always give the Fl the benefit of the doubt and find the good despite all the bad but in this show, the bad farrrr outweighed the good. Not once did she trust the ML. She kept repeating the same bad behavior with the same consequences or results throughout to show-even till the last couple of episodes. How do you write a character like that? No growth at all. She talked so much about trust and the truth, but she didn’t trust her teacher/master and she didn’t trust her husband despite him repeatedly reassuring her of his innocence on numerous occasions. Also, her always spending so much time with the second male lead, in public and privately, especially after the male lead expressed discomfort about it repeatedly to her annoyed me. Like you are married-a little bit of respect towards your husband won’t kill you. There was also the issue of the blind faith/trust she had in the SML due to them knowing each other for like 5 secs when they were kids that she doesn't extend to the ML, who is...her husband. I didn’t even care if she lived or died-in fact, on some occasions, I wanted them to truly get divorced and he married the princess. Put simply, the female lead sucks, she’s awful. Her character belongs in a trash can.
The second male lead is even worse. He decides to go on this entire evil crusade based off secondhand info about a 10-year-old incident without verifying or questioning a single thing. Who does that? Who formulates an entire revenge plan that involves the betrayal and murder of so many innocent people without first verifying your reason? Even if he was right and that incident was what caused his mother's death, the male lead was a child then??? You're telling me the writer decided that his main villain is going to be someone who can't distinguish between a mistake made by a child and malicious murder? You will betray and murder someone who calls you uncle and has done nothing but trust you because he knocked over a candle when he was like 10?? Also, the actor’s acting was pretty bad. Maybe this role doesn’t suit him or something idk, this is my first show of his, but he portrayed zero emotions and he tried to act without moving his lips and that just annoyed me. And his obsession with the female lead due to their 5 sec childhood interaction grew tiresome really quick. Also, the way his story ended was the absolute WORST! We watched this lunatic run around for 39.5 episodes killing people in an attempt to kill the male lead over the stupidest misunderstanding, all for him to die before fully understanding how wrong he was and what he had done. Like what was that?!
The secondary couple, although cute, became annoying and repetitive promptly after because they refused to actually do anything about their relationship or make it official. This is a historical drama, how many episodes of flirting and almost kisses can there be before you freaking ask for the girl’s hand in marriage? The whole show with them flirting and fighting and no marriage. It was the same thing over and over.
And then there's the ex-friend of the female lead who became her enemy after misunderstanding the female lead's part in her father's execution. It was literally the simplest misunderstanding that could have and should've been easily resolved but it dragged the entire drama and the friend tried to murder her and it never gets resolved. Why not clear it up at the end-even if it's to make the ex-friend feel guilt and remorse for her actions? They left that unresolved.
The only character that had any growth was the annoying princess and that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever written. She grew from the most annoying person on the show, to still annoying but sorta like-able and caring.
I stayed through the drama for the male lead. While he was the typical cold ml, every so often he’d smile, smirk, or make the funniest, most ridiculous faces that just made your heart melt. He also turned into a total sugar ball around the female lead.
This show sucked. The plot was awful-I’m not even sure that there even was a solid plot to follow. The villain is so crappy that you’re more annoyed than scared of him. Every episode is a repeat of “how can we make the people in the male lead’s life not trust or believe him today about issues that are clear cut until he almost dies proving himself to them”. This is what you will be watching for 40 episodes.
I couldn’t wait for the special episodes but now that I’ve finished the show, I don’t even want to watch it cause just looking at the female lead is going to piss me off. Also, my idea of a happy ending for this show does not include the female lead. He could do so much better and be so much happier with a person who loves and trusts him. He loves her with everything, but she abuses that. My perfect ending would have been if he fell in love with someone, one of the times they were separated, and she cares about and trusted him as much he does her.
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Story: Although you can watch Season 2 without watching Season 1, you'll get a much better understanding of what's happening if you'd watched Season 1. The story continues with where it ended in Season 1 with Tian Jingzhi finding herself pregnant with Xue Ling Qiao's baby. You'll still get the quirky interactions and conversations between Tiang Jingzhi and the people around her, though in Season 2, you'll get to better understand Tian Jingzhi and her motivations. On the outside, she may come across as a happy-go-lucky, devil-may-care character, but in many circumstances, she'd thought deeply on matters and like any other woman, had her reservations and worries about her relationship with Xue Ling Qiao. On another hand, while Xue Ling Qiao was portrayed as being somewhat detached in Season 1 because he didn't want to involve Tiang Jingzhi overly much in his matters in order to keep her safe, in Season 2, you'll get to see a more involved Xue Ling Qiao as he finally realised he could not live apart from Tiang Jingzhi. In Season 2, you'll get introduced to a few more characters and side-couples. I am sure you'll ship at least one of the side-couples. Overall, the story maintained its fidelity from Season 1 and ended nicely. Though we can now close the chapter to the story of Xue Ling Qiao and Tian Jingzhi, I will not say no if the producer and director decide to further this franchise and tell the story of their son in Season 3.
Acting/Cast: Initially, the change in lead actress threw me off a bit. Esther Yu as Tian Jingzhi has big shoes to fill as her predecessor, Janice Wu, did an excellent job in portraying the quirky, sometimes annoying but surprisingly lovable Tian Jingzhi. In fact, Janice Wu pretty much carried most of the weight of the drama from Season 1 on her shoulders as her acting shone in it. It took me somewhere around 10 episodes before I could watch Season 2 without the bias of comparing Esther Yu's Tian Jingzhi to Janice Wu's Tian Jingzhi. All things considered, Esther did a good job but I couldn't shake the feeling that she's simply emulating Janice Wu on the character. She was a good copycat, and that is in no way something bad because it takes good fundamental acting skills to perfectly emulate another person's acting. For a relatively newish actress, she did well. Hopefully as she grows in her acting career, she'll one day be able to interpret and act out a character entirely based on her own acting style.
As for the male lead, I wasn't very keen on Kim Tae Hwan in Season 1. In my opinion, the man cannot act to save his life (apologies to his fans!) and his only selling point was because he's Korean and nowadays, anything Korean pretty much sells ("The Oppa Trend"). I was actually glad they changed the lead actor to Mike Angelo who is better looking and can act (at least he's a better actor than Kim Tae Hwan!). Also, Mike can speak Mandarin pretty well and although his voice was dubbed, you can tell that he'd spoken his script in Mandarin throughout from how his mouthing of the words matched the dubbing. This is a great improvement from watching Kim Tae Hwan act in Korean but dubbed into Mandarin. I 'll award Mike an extra star for his extra effort in learning Mandarin so he could act in Mandarin dramas. At the back of my mind, I cannot help thinking...if only Mike Angelo was in Season 1 with Janice Wu and they maintain this pairing to Season 2, that would be perfect! Both Mike and Janice are more seasoned actors and I am sure the chemistry would be better too.
Casting for the supporting characters was spot on. Young newbie actor Li Ge Yang as the playful but loyal Zhen Yi Jiao was a lovable character. Mature actor Liu Guang Xiang was perfect as the well-meaning but ambitious and highly principled Qiu Yue Bai/ Lion. Kudos to the ladies too - Yang Zhi Ying as Bai Lu and Tian Yi Tong as Ye Mei Xiao. Of course, we must not forget returning actors from Season 1 - Fu Jia as Li Yan Zhi and Yang Yi Fei as Feng Dong Dong reprised their roles to perfection.
Music: Initially, I wasn't keen on the OST but after a while, it grew on me.
Re watch value: Decent re-watch value as it's an easy and relaxing watch with minimal repetitions and good story pacing.
Overall: A good drama to fill your time, but do not expect this to be a 10/10 or a phenomenal hit. It's light on the viewing and if you'd watched Season 1 and wondered how Tiang Jingzhi and Xue Ling Qiao's romance progresses from Season 1, watching Season 2 will answer your curiosity and give a nice end to their story. Enjoy!
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The plot description released by NHK got me at first sight (or more like at first read). I thought this drama seems intriguing and without second thoughts I started downloading it. Not long after that, I started watching it and finished the whole thing even without subtitles. It was certainly worth the while.
Platonic’s plot, characters and events’ flowing is very similar to the way Japanese used to do dramas back in the late 90’s to the beginning of the millennium. I surely had a nostalgic moment while watching this. That factor amongst others helped this drama to stabilize an interesting watch until the very last end. It wasn’t mind-blowing but it was attention-grabbing. I dislike tearjerkers and everything that falls under that category. Fortunately, Platonic didn’t take that “I am going to die but I love you *cries* *cries*” turn. Instead, the drama took reality’s turn and made feelings and sentiments sound so genuine despite their simplicity. It excels at throwing every surreal sensation and exchanging it with more down to earth and believable emotions
On the other hand, this drama was somewhat slow in depicting some developments. The wait made me impatient and eager to see the whole thing through. Furthermore, the ending didn’t surprise me a bit. I really hate it when the exact same thing I predict happens. However, everything was logical and real enough.
Nakyama Miho was a good fit for the role of a mother who stopped being a woman, this is the first time I see her in recent times since I was used to her performance in older dramas. She was a mature actress and she still maintains that quality very well. Her co-star Domoto Tsuyoshi was quite good for this type of role. Although their chemistry didn’t strike me, they were a possible nice match. I also didn’t mind the age gap that much.
Some other characters added spirit to this drama; they were an undeniable presence just like few of them were a waste of space. I can say that I liked the supporting set as a whole.
This drama’s Music was English, the type that I don’t usually hear but color me surprised! It was such a great fit for the drama, I won’t listen to it again but when watching the drama, you can feel the OST penetrating into you.
Watch this if:
-You like Slice of Life Japanese dramas.
-You like the older Japanese way of doing dramas because this is quite similar.
-You like some unusual terminal diseases’ dramas.
Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for a tearjerker, despite the feel of it; this is not one.
-You dislike Slice of life dramas.
-You’re looking for something dazzling.
Platonic is a slow-sailing drama that goes into the depth of many human emotions. It’s not a tearjerker although it may sound like one at first.
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This is not what you think it is!
This drama is not what you think it is. Is it a taboo romance between a student and teacher that, if real, would be unacceptable in every possible way? Absolutely yes. But, again, this drama is not what you think it is.In the first 5 eps, we are set up to believe that the story is nothing more than an icky romance. In episode 6, your jaw will drop, as the plot takes a total twist and the story becomes so much more. This story is part thriller, mystery, and melodrama.
The main leads have sizzling chemistry and both are sympathetic characters. At first, the ML is beyond insufferable, but if you give it a couple episodes, you'll see a big transformation in his behavior.
This is a series where the second half is way better than the first half. Don't stop after the first episode.
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“I have not broken your heart - you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine.” I think this quote fits the whole story perfectly.
The reason that I love fiction is due to stories like Summer's Desire. I haven't read the manga, but as a story/plot for a drama this one is one of the best- especially among Taiwanese productions.
Ironically I had dropped this drama quite some time back. I had been in a slump then and I realized it had been a wrong time to start watching it. I finished it now and I did love it as much as I originally thought I would. It has to be one of the best written love triangles in dramas till date.
The story makes you think of all the been-there-done-that elements from Asian dramas. In fact, the whole plot was filled with cliches which otherwise make me gag but I surprisingly didn't mind them in this drama! The whole plot is AMAZING. It was close to perfection minus some melodrama which bored me towards the end which makes me dock off a point.
The characterizations are solid. The main three leads are all crazy and screwed up. Had it been real, all the three characters would have been in therapy. Well, since this is an Asian drama the only therapy one gets here is love or friendship. Luckily love came to the rescue here.
I loved both guys but Ou Chen really hit me hard. He was a borderline psycho with stalkerish tendencies who would probably get a restraining order in real life. In spite of his shortcomings, I LOVED the guy. His character was three dimensional with real depth. He seemed like he felt truck loads of emotions. His possessiveness and the ability to self-destruct reminded me of tragic literary heroes.
Xia Mao is the most complicated heroine I've encountered in any drama yet. She's an almost anti-heroine with very little likable things about her. I loved the fact that she was not moping around just because her life sucked. She was a person who never revealed her emotions and that is so rare in dramas! It gave me a good break from annoying drama females who sit and cry in every episode. She is selfish, manipulative and thinks about herself and what she wants first. I think a great deal of analysis can be done on her character. Her character also grew in good ways but I wish Barbie Hsu's acting had been better.
Luo Xi was also good. He kind of paled in comparison to the other two but I thought he was good enough. His many sides were good and I thought his character was quite unpredictable. I love it when characters make me think.
Now- as for the ending. They incorporated some cheesy cliches but it was all good. I love the fact that many situations and the heroine's decisions were written in such a way that we could second guess her true intentions. A lots of things which happened were debatable. Or I think it was due to Barbie Hsu's lack of acting skills. I suppose we were supposed to see a difference in Xia Mao when she was with both guys but I saw next to none. The other acts were all fine.
I think the OST was pretty great. I loved all the songs they played in the beginning, end or in between.
I recommend this drama to melodrama lovers or those who love mature dramas and like analyzing stuff.
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