I read from many places that this is kind of remake and ispired by korean drama 'you who came from the stars' even though this is really based on chinese novel series.
I admit, story sounds similar and female lead has similar traits with Cheong Song Yi's character but that's where the resemblance ends. And I'm actually glad that this was different from 'you who came from the stars'.
So we have self-confident actress Tian Jing Zhi (played by Wu Qian) who in the beginning is in distraught by getting dumbed by her childhood sweetheart boyfriend after proposing him. While venting her anger she gets into car crash and accidentally revives immortal Xue Ling Qiao (played by Kim Tae Hwan). Jing Zhi almost died but Ling Qiao with his abilities payed back the favor by healing her.
Ling Qiao, being lived in the earth for 500-something-years and being 'asleep' for 100 years he didn't know anyone and didn't have anywhere to go. The only person he could think of was Jing Zhi and thus he kind of forced himself as Jing Zhi's roommate.
This is where all the fun began, Jing Zhi being her bubbly and hyper self and Ling Qiao being serious and quiet.
I enjoyed the side characters Zhang Xuan Xuan (Shen Meng Shen), Li Yan Zhi (Fu Jia), Ye Chen (Xu Ke). I really wanted writers to concentrate on these characters more but I guess episode duration would have been too long. They were important to the story and all actors did great job representing them. This drama made me a fan of Xu Ke and I hope I will see him in more dramas in the future.
At first I felt in couple first episodes that plot isn't going anywhere. But those couple episodes was full of funny moments because Jing Zhi's character is kind of comical so I enjoyed it. Then plot started to take place soon and I was so into watching this. A little dissappointment was Kim Tae Hwan's performance, who as a novice actor didn't quite convey enough emotions for the viewer to feel it properly.
If you're awaiting some mind blowing romance from the start, you will be dissappointed. Scenes between Ling Qiao and Jing Zhi were sweet but romance evolved kind of slowly.
Main bad guy in this drama you can guess if you have good instinct and have watched this kind of dramas before. For me, I guessed who the bad guy was pretty quickly. But nevertheless, I was enjoying watching this. I felt like there weren't any extra character put there like an accessory but everyone had their own meaningful place in the story.
Only thing that was major disappointment for me was one plot turn happening in later episodes. All except that, I can say I am quite happy with 'My amazing boyfriend' and I hope they will make season 2!
Oh, and music was good too! I think I will go looking for OST ;) And I'm even interested to read My amazing boyfriend novel series if I ever find it translated it in english somewhere.
Overall; if you're a fan of fantasy and romance, this is definetly your drama.
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As If You Whisper tells the story of Bom Soo, an aspiring singer that is stuck doing vocal guides despite his talents as a musician. Then he meets Hyun Woo, a man that's been watching him for awhile. Though the story doesn't focus solely on the romance, I think the happy ending combined with Bom Soo's self realizations is such a wholesome completion. It'd be easy to make this a sad ending, but they didn't.
The music is also great, and the actor worked hard to record it himself. All together it's just a really solid, inspiring production.
I bought this on Vimeo for $6.99USD and I really recommend you do the same if you can. Please try to avoid watching this on YouTube. It's a small production company specializing in queer Korean films (which is a country already lacking in high-quality LGBTQ content). I really think they deserve the support so that they can make more amazing films and dramas like this one. I'm so glad I watched it, and I'll definitely rewatch it.
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This review may contain spoilers
No more moons please!
Well, this is getting repetitive...You would think that after giving us Kimmon and Copter and the 15 insufferable characters that Bas has played since he was the original Wayo in the first edition of "2Moons", this company would have said... "ok enough... we did well enough, let's move on". Sadly, season 2 became a chaotic mess when all the original cast left and they had to re-cast, sending fans into distress because some couldn't accept the idea of not having Kimmon and Copter playing Ming and Kit or couldn't accept the idea of having inexperienced newcomers replacing them.
But, we got "2Moons2", with a whole new cast and wasting the first 4 episodes with a reminder of what happened in the original series. This series was not perfect but we got Earth (now called Din) doing a decent job as the new Wayo, Joong who seems to be the most successful of the bunch moving to GMMTV, Nine who now seems to focus on his singing career after being on a Chinese singing competition, and Phoom who was quite subdued in the very mediocre "Coffee Melody". That season ended with Wayo suffering from his picture being placed all over the university by the guy who likes him but gets rejected and then seeks revenge. He runs away to his home and while Pha is kicking the other guy's ass, Joong (Ming) comes and tells everyone that he knows where Wayo is, at home with his father.
Even a this point, season 3 seemed inevitable, focusing on Wayo-Pha and their crisis and also on a secondary character called Suthee (played by Green) who was going to be "The Ambassador" in season 3. But, Mello Thailand/Motive Village (whatever the name is now) messed it up, again... first by creating a music group with all the guys from "2Moons2", except Din... which created an incredible uproar by the fans. Then, more controversies with their contracts and between the company and director Anusorn (who directed the second part), ended up with the whole cast quitting again. Instead of ending the project, Motive Village decided to re-cast for the third time and we ended up with this mediocre series as the third season of an already mediocre project.
Some of the bad things:
1. The plot/storyline: No clue, really... the main character of the this season is Lom, who is Pha's cousin and his "enemies to lovers" story with Tatch. They both argue about being the candidate for the university's Ambassador competition and decide that, whoever has more IG followers by certain date, will be the faculty's representative. Lom lives in a self-pitying world as he always says he is not good looking enough, especially when compared to Tatch, but he has way more followers than him, so he is always trying to make Tatch more popular and in the process, falls in love with him. That part of the plot seems clear... but then we have the other couples from the previous two seasons and we see them quite scarcely throughout the episodes... the Wayo issue from the end of season 2 should have been the starting point for this season but, instead, gets pushed I think until episode 5 or 6 (don't even remember now) when Pha tells Lom how the problem was solved as a 3-minute flashback during the episode.
Kit and Ming, Pha and Wayo and Forth and Beam do not advance their relationships and, instead, we get the usual jealousy, fighting, arguing and tears in the usual BL tropes wasting whatever momentum the couples from part 2 left for the new couples in this season. I mean, we even have Pha and Wayo still arguing in the last episode and suddenly solving things with a kiss and a hug. It seems the director and the writer were set on focusing so much on Lom-Tatch, that the rest of the guys were just a side note during the series... if you watched carefully (unless you fell asleep from the boredom or you quit the show before the end), each couple (Wayo-Pha, Forth-Beam and Ming-Kit) had their "big" argument, their jealousy moment, and their NC scene with some very awkward kissing making it the same dull formula for all the couples all the time. Lom and Tatch being the focus of this season, had way more screen time, way more kissing scenes (a bit less awkward than the other couples), so we got to see the perfectly waxed armpits from Danny many many times. Plus, we even got an extra couple with Toon and Tong (Lom's friends) kissing in episode 12 without much development for their couple.
2. The acting: Yes, I am aware the actors are brand new and QUITE inexperienced... but it was painful to watch. No emotions in sad scenes or angry scenes or any scene whatsoever, no chemistry between them, some of the characters really don't match these actors, and yes, I also know I shouldn't compare, for example, the acting and character development by Nine vs.the acting and character development by Toey (both played Kit) or the cute, naive acting done by Din vs. the cute, naive acting done by Park (both played Wayo), but the chemistry between the couples in "2Moons2" felt a bit more natural than with these couples. Plus, with the reduced screen time that the 3 original couples got, meant we barely had any chance of really getting to watch how each actor portrayed their character... just to see if they brought anything original to the table. Instead, we end up getting Danny (playing Tatch) and Mark (playing Lom) for 85% of the episodes and very few glimpses of the rest. It is a shame that the company did not prepare these guys better for what was definitely a pressure-cooker because fans already had 2 different casts to compare and to choose from.
3. Side characters: If we barely saw the main couples, we had even less side characters with Lom's friends being the ones who got most airtime and the cartoon-like villain we got this season (Panon), that actually has a good twin as well (Parak)... evil twin-good twin, how original! But the bad guy is in love with Lom and tries to get him to break up with Tatch ... so in this Thai BL we got the crazy male character instead of the usual crazy female character. We also have a girl who likes Tatch and is a friend of Lom... she thinks Tatch will ask her out but he never does and then feels betrayed by Lom when Tatch tells her he is in love with him and not her. At least we didn't see the plot get any crazier by having her do something "evil", so we settled with the crazy male character doing all the bad things, then get beat up with his own twin and miss the Ambassador competition.
Good things? I'm not sure... some of the actors had cute moments but good luck finding something else.
In the end, for the third time, this series has been wasted due to poor management, poor writing, poor directing and mediocre acting. I truly hope this is the last season of the "2Moons" franchise because the original was not exactly a masterpiece and the other 2 have gone down in quality ever since.
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SIDE NOTE: Been watching the English Sub, YouTube, 1080p, approx 30 minutes per episode, translated by Yzd_International_Fanclub, thanks guys!
ACTING/CAST: This is quite an attractive cast, and they play their parts very well.
MUSIC: Very good throughout the series.
REWATCH VALUE: Yup.
OVERALL: I'm am AMAZED at the production value of this! The set design and costume design are A+. It's a gorgeous production. I can't wait to watch more!
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A little stretched but fine.
As you're already aware of, Undercover is a remake of the popular UK series of the same name, the makers have also done immense changes in many plots giving extra essence to the major characters. This is rather a political thriller that feels like a tragedy throughout the entire thing and makes you feel sad. Absuse of power, authoritative ruling, corruption, dirty politics, etc. without the consideration of how it affects a common man's life and people's emotions are parts of this drama.Undercover is set up in a premise where a familyman tries to save his lovale family from getting ruined by his own tragic past that he has been hiding all his life out of insecurity that the revelation can break his dear ones apart. To save your time here I suggest you read the plot in the synopsis so that I can jump to my review, haha.
Have you watched the Lee Joon Gi starrer tragic thriller drama Flower of Evil: FoE (2020) which even got multiple nominations at the 57th Baeksang? Well then, Undercover is established on somewhat similar (I would say 30%) premise. Only difference is that the given situations in both the dramas are different but also lead to a tragic result where there seems no door to get out of.
Undercover is emotionally stirring and the brewing conflict between the leads even when they're unware of eacg other's flaws, is what you call the main attraction of the drama. The emotions and beliefs of the leads will leave you worried about the fate to befall on them and their happy family. The greatest message it gives is, even in a regular and perfectly normal relationshp, situation of discovering inadvertent lies, is something hard to overcome and reconcile.
Talking about acting and cast, the cast felt so good though I personally think it could have been better; the children of the lead couple and some people at the NIS as well as in the police force and the Blue House could be better actors. But the lead duo Ji Jin Hee and Kim Hyun Joo were so powerful throughout the series and their chemistry was remarkable though it's the second time playing a couple but it was different given that the characters were intense. Ji Jin Hee has always proved his versatility by playing a number of challenging characters but in my opinion this role is the most difficult. I felt the same when he played the same character in "Move to Heaven" even though he was there in a guest role.
The core concept of this drama is the same as Flower of Evil, sometimes it felt a bit slow but manageable. Back to back tragedies are a bit triggering which might make you angry; at a point everything goes wrong back to back things happening lose the way back to their places that makes one suffocating.
There was a huge character development for both the lead characters and the way it was presented by intertwining and connecting the present time with their individual as well as united pasts. That is one job that intrigued me tbh. The story has been well written and the direction and screenplay has been done nice but let me tell you that you shouldn't expect a lot from it for we have seen similar plots before and all the political tragedies are not new to us either. It's just a story with different elements and a different way of execution that makes it interesting and kept me going.
Overally, it's not a bad show but worth a one time watch. Please give it a watch before you judge. Scoring a gravitating pitch, UNDERCOVER vaunted a solid narrative right off the bat. Coupled with a good cast, it invites you to brace yourselves for the parade of confrontations, betrayals, and conspiracies spicing up its initial displayed story.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Sweetly Delicious and Heartwarming Drama
This drama held my attention from the very first episode; so many deliciously sweet moments that you just could not stop yourself from smiling while watching.The ML (WinWin aka Yan Yue) was perfectly cast. This is the first drama that I have seen him in. I am now looking forward to seeing him in "The Shadow" his next drama. That smile and dimples, everyone will be crushing over him because he is just so handsome. The FL (He Hong Shan aka An Ran) complimented him so well. She was funny, bright, pretty and she did not overly act like she knew everything being that she was older.
The drama was about An Ran who became an entrepreneur for a start-up company she started called "Sweet Games." She was always looking for investors. And you know the saying, "robbing Peter to pay Paul and robbing Paul to pay Peter back?" Well, that was An Ran. She was always short of money, but she somehow would make it work. Enter Yan Yue who was a successful voice actor that had known her when they both went to the same university. He had a secret crush on her, but he never would step to her.
Fast forward and we have An Ran renting the apartment next door to him. Yan Yue knew who she was, but she didn't remember him. So, the day that she rents the apartment she heads to a reunion at the university (as does Yan Yue) and while there she tries to get investors. It does not work out and to make matters even worse, she trips, and everyone sees the tags still on her clothes. Yan Yue was making his way to help An Ran, but her best friend Bei Meng Yao interceded before he could get to her. She helps An Ran to go the restroom where she basically tells her she is fine and that she can go. But you know she wasn't. She gets drunk at none other than a convenience store. Yan Yue comes and helps her home. She shares a kiss with him when she falls and wakes up the next morning in his bed. Yan Yue leads her to believe that something happened because he comes out in his robe.
We also have the ex-boyfriend from her university days that left her but now he tries to come back to get her. You know his situation with the girl he left her for didn't work out, so he is coming back to An Ran. An Ran is smart enough to know and doesn't want to have anything to do with him. At this point, I was a little ticked off by her bestie because she was trying to get them back together and dissing Yan Yue saying he was too young, and she didn't feel that he was the right person for her. He basically told her that it was none of her business what their relationship was and left her sitting at the table by herself. (I was high fiving him for that!)
Both parents of An Ran and Yan Yue did have similar thoughts regarding their relationship. But I was happy to see that the parents were not that forceful in trying to break them up due to the age difference. They both spoke to their parents in a way that they understood that it was no longer up to them to interfere, and they won them over.
Her game does become a success but you she did have those that tried to take it from her by planting a spy in her office and they did a cyber-attack before it was release because people were only using the beta version. Then Yan Yue was taken out of doing voice acting due to doing an audio for a book that the company was not given permission to do. There was a lot of drama here and he basically made a statement that put not only the company but An Ran's company and their relationship out for everyone to bash on the internet. Yan Yue leaves and retires from voice acting. This crushes An Ran but she waited patiently for him to return, which he did. Everything did work out with her company's game, and he got back to doing voice acting again.
The most beautiful part I felt, and my heart was just filled with such love is when I saw him doing the voice over for a book for the children who were blind. It was wonderful to see this incorporated into the drama. To see the smiles and when the one boy asks him if he could touch his face...oh, it just melted your heart. That whole part of the drama is performed so well. Kudos to the writers for these exceptional moments.
The wedding was one which was exactly how you would envision, with their closest friends and colleagues. But the wedding vows of Yan Yue were too much.
Here are the vows of Yan Yue to An Ran:
An Ran, before I met you, my life couldn't be without music. When disputes occurred, I could only choose to escape, I was used to being shackled in my own world by a pair of headphones. I thought I was living happily, free, and fulfilled. Until one day I realized that after falling in love with someone, all those noisy sounds will disappear. And the most beautiful sounds will form melodies. The perfection you gave me is a shore I can't reach by myself. Meeting you and knowing you again, I found I still have the butterflies in my stomach when I first met you. You seem to be the goddess of my campus days. So sunny, so beautiful. Thank you. Thank you for constantly blocking those unpleasant things for me. Thank you for dragging the boy hidden in the headphone cave into the sunlight. In the future, I want to grow old with you, I want to embrace your body, your heart, your dreams, your past, present, and future. An Ran, would you let me stand by your side?
Here are An Ran's vows to Yan Yue:
Yes, I would. Of course, I do. I never thought that I could become someone's strength, I always thought that life is a battle one fights alone. Yan Yue, thank you for resolutely walking towards me. There is a kind of heroism in this world knowing that marriage is hard, yet still longing for it. Now I finally understand this heroism because of you. Because of your love and tolerance, I finally have this courage. Whether our future is dark or bright, I am willing to forge ahead with you. Mr. Yan, would you exchange our missed youth for a lifetime of championship?
Of course, he said I do.
I highly, highly recommend this drama because it is just the stuff that we are all looking for so get yourself a nice piece of sweet chocolate that leaves a lasting taste in your mouth just like this drama will. It is so good!
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Being right next to the person you genuinely love is all that matters.
i came across this on netflix and i thought it would just be like any other movie. you know, those you just watch to pass time. But it’s 2am now and i’m bawling my eyes out & my nose is blocked af. i didn’t realise i’ve been tearing up painfully while watching the movie.As y’all know, the male lead is a gangster and i was really irritated watching his scenes at the start. He was violent, aggressive & vulgar. However, my heart softened when i realised he had a heart of gold. I wondered if he saved or harmed the universe in his past life, to be trapped with an ill-fated life & at the same time, blessed with a kind, pure & genuine soul. A guy who sacrificed without yearning for any acknowledgement or rewards. Really, the world doesn’t deserve him. Ahhhh Roy chiu acted really well and his emotions really brought me with him in the movie. He’s really really good.
The female lead expressed herself so well too, i could precisely feel the way her heart melted at every touching moment she witnessed & feel the same way her heart crashed at every painful moment she suffered. It made me feel that the female character was so strong for even….. existing. ❤️
This love between them was passionate, fiery, yet, f*king painful. It’s so beautiful, i can’t get my eyes off them. I yearn for a love as beautiful as theirs.
Anyway, y’all really need to watch to understand those feels. & will i watch again? yea, when i need a good cry.
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The Confusing/Boring Solution (interesting premise let down by poor writing/editing)
Overall: although episode 6 finally explained things, they ruined Ryou/Mai. It could have been a masterpiece with solid writing but I regret watching this. Aired uncut on GagaOOLala (1st episode was 1hr11min), cut on YouTube PTG Entertainment channel (1st episode was 45min). September 2024 they released the uncut version on their YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLwO0HIPrzVqg8pOveOEbzGzubh0XVs7D&si=YWn1lSeK9Yv-oWbn I watched the uncut version.Important Plot Points to Know
- the very first scene is a flashback, there are flashbacks several times but they don't indicate they are flashbacks, the woman in the flashback is a character in the present
- the sandwich dude is playing two characters, himself in the present and his dad in the past
- the world building is explained in the final episode
Content Warnings: non con touching/attempted rape, punch, bullying, manhandling, non con turned consensual, slap, manipulation
What I Liked
- an established couple with realistic relationship issues
- decent solo NSFW scene (only in uncut version)
- camerawork where everyone else moves at a faster speed but the main character doesn't, to show how he's stuck
- the high school storyline up until the 2nd half of episode 5
Room For Improvement
- the way it started was confusing (note, this is a flashback)
- scenes jump with no explanation of how a character got there/when, for example, when/why/how did he get that business card? they never show the one guy being locked in the locker room? (explained in ep 6) why does Patis get a key from that nurse? why didn't they actually show the wish asking scenes in more detail (explained in ep 6)
- they needed to do more world building/hints prior to episode 6, they should not have included that grocery store scene
- episode 6 ruined Mai/Ryou, Mai should have stopped right away, also Ryou's wish was so awful, so we don't even know if the love was real or just because of the wish
- I don't want Thana and Patis together for many reasons
- I'm not sold on that level of tame kissing with an established couple and then how Patis is reluctant many times
- stupid wishes, why ask for a job when you can ask for a trillion dollars???
- cliche female character
- the pink transition effect was distracting
- open ending
- confused why they age restricted their youtube episode themselves as the cut version doesn't have anything in it that warrants being age restricted
- episodes are odd/out of order on their youtube channel
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A masterfully done crime thriller, mercilessly progressing offside the beaten track
Fabulous! "Your Honor" is a masterfully done crime thriller, mercilessly progressing offside the beaten track – with an upright protagonist maneuvering himself deeper and deeper into a hopeless fiasco.Right and wrong, black and white – they turn out to be impractical templates. Almost everything and everyone will be turned upside down at some point, and the entanglements will become more and more devastating.
In "Your Honor" suspense isn´t exactly associated with an arc. It is rather smoothly taking one loop after the other. When it comes to the protagonists: it is emotionally intense, yet at the same time controlled to the extreme, calm on the surface, though concentrated to the max. And yes, it is cruel and merciless at (most) times, too. In a dark vesture and at the same time with disarming grace this KDrama is fathoming personal boundaries of what is bearable and often enough even exceeding them.
PS:
“Your Honor” is based on the original series Kvodo by Shlomo Mashiach, for which several international remakes have since been produced.
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A Short but Sweet Reunion of Hee Tae & Myung Hee in 2021
I was so excited when I heard that Lee Dohyun and Go Minsi would be reuniting for a mini-drama, so I was a bit disappointed that it turned out to be a 6-minute long episode (if you can call it that). However, I am still very happy to see them reunite for this small project even if it is so short and an ad for something. It's so nice to see a happy ending for Hee Tae and Myung Hee even if it's in this way. I missed this couple so much so it made me really happy. It is also very nice that there were small indirect and direct references to Youth of May so it was fun noticing them as I watched. The storyline for this short "drama" was also written well to be interesting and funny despite it being only 6 minutes long. And, Lee Dohyun and Go Minsi's acting of course did not disappoint in this, even though it was a short "drama". Lee Dohyun is also adorable in this as he is with his other projects. Besides it being too short, this reunion was sweet and what I was looking for in their reunion. So, even though this is a very short reunion, I enjoyed it and it was fun to watch them in the modern day. But I really hope that Lee Dohyun and Go Minsi can reunite for a full-length drama or webdrama next time though!Was this review helpful to you?
It’s so basic, but so good.
There is exactly nothing innovative about this show. Typical exaggeration of the unfair social structures currently existing in the world, typical villain with selfish motivations, typical hero with personal story. And yet, I had so much fun watching.I would agree that the world buildup and storytelling is rather vague - lacks the details on how the society truly works, what are the motivations of all the characters and groups. Some do things because they are good people, some because they are selfish or desperate, some scared, sometimes (most of the time) it’s personal story or revenge, but we don’t really get a proper and more elaborate exploration and explanation - neither about the past, present nor the future.
I might be in the minority here, but it honestly did not bother me at all. I think with post-apocalyptic stories, I actually prefer when a lot of things are left with a question mark that I have to think about and find the answers for myself. For me, the process of filling the gaps with my own ideas is actually a part of the entertainment. All that consider, I can see how others might view it as a rather big flaw.
The performances were great. Do I think they will be remembered for a long time? No, since the characters were not exactly that complex and well written. That said, the actors did a phenomenal job with delivering performances that made the characters seem real and cohesive, even if the writing was rather imprecise. The brotherhood between 5-8 and Sa Wol was both entertaining and low key heartwarming - all thanks to good on screen chemistry between Kim Woo Bin and Kang Yoo Seok.
Being a fan of Song Seung Heon, it was rather disappointing how little acting this man had to do. Probably one of the weakest aspects of the show performances wise, and it’s all on the character’s writing and not the actor himself. Since the character was rather boring, I honestly don’t think anyone could make him stand out more.
Directing wise, everyone should look at this drama as a great example on how to end episodes - these were true cliffhangers that made you curious! I honestly could not stop watching. Binge watched all 6 episodes with just pee breaks.
What’s more, the pacing is great. They don’t focus unnecessarily on unimportant bits, highlighting the scenes that matter the most. Sadly, the final confrontation was a let down. It ended before I could even register what’s going on and I was left with the thought: that’s it? Well, that’s anticlimactic.
As for the production - I loved the set design. You know what is one of the most ridiculous things in post-apocalyptic and sci-fi shows? The over the top complex designs. The world is shattered, people would lean towards the simplicity that would be cost efficient, except for the rich elites who would try to pretend the reality is either the same it was in the past, or not as bad as it truly is. We got just that here - simplicity for the poor, trying to maintain the idea of normal life for the rich.
For the negatives - the show is really dark during some scenes. Yes, in context it makes sense, but you still need to think about your audience and not just the realism of the situation. Watching just a black screen is not entertaining. If you make it impossible to see, you can as well just make it into an audio book. That problem mostly existed in the first two episodes and lighting got a lot better later on. There were a few scenes that managed to create a beautiful picture just with the right lighting in the right spot.
A small bit that got me laughing - truly questionable blood splashes during the fight scenes. The gun wounds were fine, but the poorly animated CGI blood during fist fights was just comical.
Overall, I had a blast watching. It can be both: brainless entertainment and a start for some conversations and reflections about social issues and structures as it reflects our reality rather well.
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Let's Go Home For Dinner
“Let's go home for dinner” can even be an appropriate alternative title for this drama. For 48 episodes, the home scene of eating dinner together as one big family perhaps occurs the most times and in every episode. This scene is also the most endearing scene for me as I value family time having meals together as the most enjoyable event in life.This drama is an investigative story with the three main leads working together from different angles to solve crimes and uncover conspiracies. They investigate government corruptions, punish the guilty, exonerate the innocents and save the kingdom. Though they have totally different personalities, they all have one common goal, that is to protect the Ming Kingdom from all dangers within and without, and to stay loyal to the Emperor throughout.
Tang Fan (Chen Kuan Hong or Darren Chen) is a low-level government official with a magnanimous heart. Though poor with a low income, he’s altruistic and generous to people around him. He has a mind of a genius but can be silly all the times, and that’s the fun part watching him getting into trouble, but somehow manages to come out in one piece. Darren Chen has a very beautiful face with delicate feminine features. Together with a slender body, he makes the most beautiful she-man I’ve ever seen. His acting with a bashful smile and puppy looking eyes catches many viewers’ hearts – he’s adorable.
Sui Zhou (Fu Meng Bo) is a calm, firm, forthright and upstanding man. Though cold, he has a warm heart. Time and time again, he covers Tang Fan’s back while Tang Fan helps him solve his investigations. He’s a good fighter and his fighting scenes are so good. A great cook perhaps in real life, Fu Meng Bo’s kitchen skill is applaudable.
I love the eunuch Wang Zhi (Liu Yao Yuan) who is perhaps the most cunning of all. Ruthless and with his enormous power, he’s also the one who helps both Tang Fan and Sui Zhou in every difficult situation they encounter. Liu Yao Yuan has a boyish face and his acting as a talented young eunuch doing all the dirty work for the Emperor and Consort Zhang, Liu Yao Yuan delivers this role convincingly. He’s perfect!
Despite their differences in personalities, all three work seamlessly together. I love the silent relationship they have with each other. Bromance or not, this friendship is utmost precious.
The supporting cast has done a most marvelous job in their respective roles. I love watching that little girl Dong’er (Huang Yang Tian Tian) who is also the adult in the room keeping the boys together in harmony. It is fun to watch how she outsmarts the boys and the disbelieved look on their faces when they are beaten. It is also fun to watch Consort Wan dresses in armor leading a team of girl soldiers to protect the Emperor.
The flashback showing how the three have met doesn’t occur until Episode 35. In this episode, it explains what has happened to their respective lives and how each gets to the current positions they are holding.
Overall, the drama has a very Jackie-Chan style. After all, he’s the director. It is fast moving, funny at times, silly dialogues, and misfortunate coincidences. There are a lot of chasing and fighting scenes, Jackie Chan’s stunts and moves. I like the great martial arts scenes with incredible sword fighting but dislike the background music during those fights. Although there are some minor plot holes, script writing and editing flaws here and there, this drama overall is a great watch. The ending is nicely done with proper closure for all characters and events. As how the final scene ends, I’m not surprised they are hinting for a season 2.
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I actually don't know how to summarize this one, I just believe everyone that can watch it should watch it. I haven't read the webtoon so I don't know how fans of the original material will react but, judging it on its own two feet, it far surpasses any expectations I had.
STORY
Honestly, this story almost felt like two, in the best way possible. Going into it I had this expectation of what would occur and what kind of avenues the story would take based on the teaser, but it proved me wrong. Weak Hero isn't just brilliant action, it's a deep dive into how interpersonal violence and bullying can affect and harm people long after the physical threat has disappeared. It's a case where I found every episode better than the last. The script and directing use foreshadowing masterfully, there are parallels that provoke so much thought and every moment feels deliberate. There are parallels everywhere, and the use of foreshadowing is deliberate and beautiful. Thought-provoking isn't even enough to cover it. Of course, there are issues with the script, some things are glossed over to fit the runtime, and the theme came off as confusing to some (not me) but overall I enjoyed the story it told immensely. The character motivations and progression all felt natural and understandable. It's a complete and interesting story that doesn't require additional knowledge from the webtoon to fill in the blanks and its end, though open for a second season, is satisfying and will leave you wishing you had more time with this world.
ACTING
I don't usually go to action flicks for character studies and heartbreaking emotions but the cast delivered on both and on stellar fight sequences that hurt just to watch.
So little disclaimer I am a Jihoon fan, but I will try not to be biased. Park Jihoon acting as Yeon Sieun was amazing. In the story put to screen it would've been very easy for Sieun to be one note, but Jihoons acting and eyes brought him to life.
Hong Kyung gave me the most compelling performance of the entire year. You have to watch it to know.
Choi Hyunwook brought a lovely levity to the story and his well-known ability to charm his way through the screen is at full display.
The entire supporting cast really showed out for this drama, the viciousness and vulnerability of boyhood were on full display. Special shoutout to Kim Sugyeom whose venom playing Youngbin almost burned through the screen.
MUSIC
The OSTs and music choices throughout the show helped evoke teenage listlessness and despair beautifully.
REWATCH VALUE
I considered placing this at a lower mark because some of the scenes are very hard to watch. Watching this drama inflicts a lot of emotional turmoil, but I honestly think it could only get better on rewatch. The point of the twists and turns is not to shock you, they're natural and understandable consequences of the violent world that bred them. Every choice makes sense, and the hunt for parallels in the script and directing upon rewatching would make it all the more worthwhile.
This easily falls into the top 5 dramas of the year for me. I would recommend any day! Also if you want to discuss it shoot me a friend request and a message I have so much to say.
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What was the point?
Well this was a bit of a mess and I spent every episode asking what's the point, what's the point of all these new characters and all these different plot threads that are introduced but not resolved? It felt like the show was working so hard to set up season 3 that they forgot they were actually supposed to make season 2 and so what we got was this hastily cobbled together collection of episodes. In expanding the world outside the apartment complex of season 1, the writers also focused too much on adding new characters without giving us a reason to care about them, and even the core group of survivors from season 1 felt harder to connect with this time around because we kept jumping from one character to the next without really getting to spend much time with anyone. The CGI continues to be pure nightmare fuel but on the bright side, at least they didn't play that Imagine Dragons song 20 times every episode.Was this review helpful to you?
