Seo Kang Joon Carries This Drama (And We Let Him)
You know those dramas that make zero sense if you think too hard, but somehow, you’re still entertained? Yeah, Undercover High School is exactly that. It throws logic out the window, packs in a little bit of everything—action, mystery, comedy, school drama, romance—and hopes you just roll with it. And honestly? For the most part, I did.The biggest reason this drama works (or at least stays watchable) is Seo Kang Joon. He completely steals the show, bringing so much charisma and depth to a character that could have easily been just another over-the-top "cool undercover agent" trope.
Now, about the plot... Well, let’s just say realism was not invited to this party. It feels like the writers grabbed a bunch of random drama clichés—childhood connection, undercover operation, high school bullying, a missing treasure (??), and a cartoonishly obsessed villain—and mashed them all together. There were moments where I was genuinely invested, but also moments where I just had to sigh and accept the nonsense.
The romance? It was sweet but definitely felt secondary. Jin Ki Joo was cute in it, and her chemistry with Seo Kang Joon felt natural, but her character was underdeveloped. She had her own motivations and backstory, yet they didn’t explore them enough. Instead, the drama focused more on the school setting, which—while important—took up too much time, leaving other elements underdeveloped.
Kim Shin Rok’s acting was great in this—she brought intensity to every scene.
Speaking of which, the central conflict… sigh. They started off promising, but by the end, their actions were so ridiculous that it was hard to take them seriously.
That said, I did love the dynamic between the ML and his team. Their friendship and teamwork brought some of the most enjoyable moments. The action-comedy balance was a hit-or-miss, but when it hit, it was really fun.
Final Thoughts:
If you’re watching this for a strong, well-structured plot—this is not the one. But if you want something light, entertaining, and filled with Seo Kang Joon moments, then go for it. It’s the kind of drama where you don’t think too much, just sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s a fun, chaotic watch—flaws and all.
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Not like other romance dramas...MUST WATCH
Holy shit the amount of plot twists!! I thought that this would be a super fluffy and light hearted romance drama between the actual person behind the “virtual idol” and our FL but that’s not the case at all. The story is very different from the current Chinese romance dramas and I’m so glad that I started this! Super interesting with lots of twists and extremely addicting once you get started...10/10 recommend please watch if you aren’t sure whether you want to watch or not!I mainly started watching this because of R1SE He Luo Luo. I also have seen Dai Lu Wa in “The Plough Department of Song Dynasty” and “Please Classmate” so I was really interested in seeing the two together.
I think that people should really give this show a chance if you like romance with a hint of action and comedy. The story may seem serious at times but it’s also packed with comedic scenes so the antagonists aren’t necessarily super evil (like you can’t take them seriously all the time).
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This review may contain spoilers
I had to sleep on this one before writing this review (as I'm sure anyone who's seen this has). I'll come right out and say that I don't love this drama. It's not a genre I particularly care for. It's not especially exciting. It's not very pretty to look at except of course for the 4 leads themselves, who are blindingly beautiful. Watching it made me feel kind of squicky and dirty. And by the end I don't care so much about the characters except in a "Hey, look at that horrible train wreck. I wonder how mangled the bodies are" kinda way.BUT, and it's a BIG BUT, this was one of the most unique, compelling and batcrap crazy Kdrama joyrides I've ever been on, and I can't recommend it enough to those who aren't afraid to feel dirty, take a walk on the darkside, and see something they've never seen before in a Kdrama. Because this drama turns everything you know about Kdramas on its head and it did so 9 years ago, which makes me wonder why hasn't anyone else done it since? *(More on that at the bottom.)
Some of the common Kdrama tropes that get turned on their heads are the Cinderella story, the Candy/Mary Sue female lead, the spoiled chaebol son, and most notably the OTP concept.
Without trying to spoil anything, I will just say that even to the end I never really knew who loved whom, and how much and whether any of it was love at all. The truth behind all the lovelines in this drama was so well hidden behind the directing, the very good writing, and the fantastic acting, that even at the end the lovelines were still a confusing mess. And I loved that about this drama because it was so much more realistic. Contrary to Kdramaland, in real life, people can be conflicted about whom they truly love. A person really can love two people at the same time and love is icky and messy. That this drama embraced this fact was so refreshing.
In fact, not only was the romance totally unpredictable but the show itself was, which is why I say it is so compelling. Even someone like me who usually needs either action or humor to keep watching a drama, absolutely could not take my eyes off of this train wreck. This show is ultimate drama-crack, and I owe all of that to the writing and the acting. How many times have you watched a drama only to be pretty sure by about episode 4 how everything is going to play out? Well, not with WHIB. I had some guesses, but they were really just wild guesses and I wasn't confident about any of them. It was that uncertainty that kept me glued to the computer all day yesterday to marathon the last half of this drama.
WHIB is best known, probably, for its ending, so if you want to watch this drama, whatever you do, don't spoil yourself. It was hard for me not to because I am a bit of a spoiler addict, but I avoided it and was the happier for it. Some people, I've read, hate the ending, and some people love it. I LOVE IT! The more I thought about it the more I realized that it was not only totally earned, it was also perfectly fitting. It made sense in every possible way, and that is a rare bird for Kdramas because if there is one major complaint I have about most Kdramas it's that the endings are usually dissatisfying at best and just plain crappy at worst.
Finally, I'll just say that if you do decide to watch this drama, be prepared for a wild and sick ride. Starting WHIB is like going down the rabbit hole. As I said before, this drama made me feel dirty. But it also was exhilarating, with each episode heaping tension upon tension and crazy upon crazy until I couldn't tell which way was up or right from wrong. There is no black and white here, only many shades of dirty gray. If you choose to watch WHIB, enter at your own risk, but I don't think you'll be disappointed.
*(In truth, I think that the abomination that was Fashion King was trying to achieve something like WHIB, but failed miserably on every level but shock value. I chock it up to terrible writing, awful characterization, and mostly to not having a clear idea of what kind of drama they really wanted to make. One of the best things about WHIB that I neglected to mention earlier is how unapologetic it is about being purely character driven. Every event occurs just to put the characters where they need to be, making the choices they need to make, in order to up the tension and tangle the lovelines a little bit more. Normally this kind of artificial maneuvering is a flaw, but because WHIB has no doubt about what kind of drama it is, it works. Characters and the decisions they make are all that matter in this drama. Everything else is irrelevant.)
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Hands up for the Best Lakorn of 2020
First of all I never expected it'd be that good because of that very toxic trailer.It keep saying that hate the FL but I ended up pitying her and her Character Development is realistic. I love her
STORY (☞ ಠ_ಠ)☞ It was all about Paeng an spoiled girl who's desperately looking for the Sunshine on her life. She found it on Arthit a Nice man that treat her like his own Sister. Paeng doesn't allow it and causes Arthit on the accident that changes his life and personality. When the time goes by Paeng changed herself for a better and new person. But everyone around her didn't believe that she really changed especially Arthit.
ACTING / CAST (☞ ಠ_ಠ)☞ Mark and Kao's Acting is so On-point. And their Chemistry is perfectly fantastic it was very sweet but kinda toxic.I love the way when Arthit is jealous and possessive but sometimes he's too much. I like the Second Couple which is Ling and Non they're very cute. I hate every character who doesn't like Paeng especially that Nang She doesn't even deserve Kot to be honest.
MUSIC (☞ ಠ_ಠ)☞ Absolutely Nice to ears from Intro and Ending OST. I even downloaded it on my phone. I'm more in love with the Ending OST (Male Version).
REWATCH VALUE (☞ ಠ_ಠ)☞ I will definitely Rewatch it but I will start from Episode 5 and I will definitely skipped Khun Mark not Prin scenes cause it was very annoying.
OVERALL (☞ ಠ_ಠ)☞ It went up and down,It was sweet and toxic,It was pleasing and annoying,It was happy and sad. It was a very good Drama with great Romance and average comedy.
You will not just liked it but you will love it for sure.
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As viewers are often reminded by the stylish introduction to each episode, Detective Ishikawa Ango walks the “border” between life and death. A mistake on the job lands him with a bullet lodged in his brain and a difficult decision to make: have surgery or leave it? BORDER begins when Ishikawa puts off the decision and returns to work. Each episode covers a different case, complete with a unique death and its matching ghost. Our hero interacts with the spirits and lines up what they have to say with the facts; oftentimes, the victim is even able to tell him who has done what. Though one might worry this takes away from the mystery, enough twists and turns are thrown in to keep things interesting.
Like with most procedurals, not all crimes are created equal. Some episodes are stronger than others, with the most uneven occurring smack dab in the middle. I did like that not every victim was likable or even a particularly good person; it allowed the story to go in different directions than expected. There was also a double-meaning in the word “border,” which factors in as added complexity to the theme.
BORDER struggles most because of its predilection for exposition. Even at the start, we zip right through the “how” of Ishikawa’s powers came to be. Only a few moments pass before he’s tossed into his first case. Case denouements come across as spoon-feeding at times, or like a snippet from a script outline. A good example can be seen in an entire character: our female coroner. She is described rather than developed, tending to speak in sentences full of exposition. When the narrative stands on its own legs with a bit more subtlety (as in the seventh case) this drama watches much better. Plus, the ending simply screams for a sequel which might be good or bad depending on the viewer.
Perhaps the greatest strength of BORDER rests in its solid atmosphere. Cold colors and dark lighting work to build a flawless mood which goes unshaken for the duration of the series. Famous composer Kawai Kenji lends his talents to the soundtrack, resulting in many instances of eeriness and memorability. There are few vocals as expected, but what we get is great (such as the theme evils fall by MAN WITH A MISSION). I particularly enjoyed the creepy choral theme which plays from time to time. However, the scope of music is a touch limited—it might get repetitive for some viewers.
Unfortunately, few cast members are of note. We have Oguri Shun who is gripping as Ishikawa, despite how stoic and lifeless the character ought to be. In one early scene, the character describes his life as waiting for the next big case—with little else worth mentioning. As time goes on and Ishikawa develops more, this talented actor gets more room to stretch his wings. He is particularly impressive in the last few episodes, where more range is necessary. The other performances are forgettable, with the exception of certain guest stars and those strange little hackers (Nomaguchi Toru and Hamano Kenta).
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Fluffy Illogical Romance with a Cheesy and Adorable CP
The Legend of Jinyan is a lighthearted, fluffy historical romcom, with lots of sweet scenes between the main couple (CP), and a lower focus on plot and political scheming. Most criticisms generally focus towards the characters in the show, especially Kabby Hui’s acting as the FL and Chen Jingke’s portrayal of the ML. I admit both have A LOT of romantic scenes together, and so if you do not like them as characters, I would NOT recommend this as a series that you would enjoy. There are also a lot of logical issues with the story and characters, and the series is full of extended misunderstandings. However, this drama suited a lot of my own personal tastes, and so if you want something that is completely focused on romance, is an easy watch, and has a CP with lots of chemistry, then this might be something you are interested in!I'd highly recommend having a watch if you like these tropes:
♡ A Bickering Couple that is Stupidly Cute Together: Jinyan and Xiao Yu are so adorable together. They have a couple dynamic where on the outside they constantly argue, but on the inside they are both always looking out and caring for each other. They are both childish and naive in love, but also are incredibly loyal to one another, despite the fact that they are hiding their true identities. Considering this is one of Chen Jingke’s first ML roles, he did a great job portraying a young king who could sometimes be temperamental and easily angered, but also cared about his people and treasures Jinyan deeply. Kabby Hui was adorable as Jinyan, who is stubborn and often gets herself in trouble, but is willing to work hard and even sacrifice her own safety to protect King Yu and her own family.
♡ Fluff Everywhere: The best thing about this show for those of you who love romance is that literally every episode has at least 75% of scenes completely focused on the main couple. This isn’t a drama that is heavy on the plot with only sprinklings of romance — instead, it reverses this, and there are so many adorable moments between our main couple that will definitely make you satisfied. Their relationship development is also very well done, especially from being attracted to each other as strangers, to slowly relying on and learning more about love through each other. Kabby Hui and Chen Jingke also have so much chemistry together, and you will not be disappointed by how passionate their kiss scenes are!
♡ Loveable and Endearing Side Cast: I absolutely loved so many of the side characters, from the eunuchs to even one of King Yu’s consorts who supported the main CP. While many of them did not receive as much screen time, they often played important roles in the drama, from helping the main CP grow closer, to caring about the main characters when they were frustrated or going through struggles. Props to Zhou Yiran, who did an amazing job as King Yu's right-hand man Zhong Li. The brotherhood between him and Xiao Yu played an important role in the drama, and I loved how the drama emphasizes how the side characters contribute to the character development of the lead cast.
♡ Relatively Good Pacing and No Draggy Scenes: I barely skipped anything in the drama, because of how I think pacing was quite well done. Again, this drama has a lot of romance, which is what always kept me watching. I never tired from seeing all of the "sugar" between the main CP. I also liked the way that there is some but not too much politics interspersed in the series, with the main conflict involving the battle for power between the two brothers, King Yu and Xiao Qi. I think I also liked how the “Evil Second Lead Female” is Wen Suyu, who actually is in love with Xiao Qi and not King Yu instead, which makes the overall drama a bit less predictable.
♡ Beautiful Production Value: While this is a lower-budget drama, I think the backgrounds and the pastel colouring was beautiful. The costumes and outfits were very nice, and the OST (especially the title track) is amazing. I think some of the most memorable scenes were very beautifully shot, and I really liked the cinematography of this drama. Many of the symbols, from the cherry blossoms to the wine cellar, were very nicely portrayed, and even though this show did not have a high budget it is clear that the sets were very well done.
However, there are also some things you might not like about the drama:
♥ Acting Issues and Directing Choices: There is a lot of overacting, especially in trying to be “cute,” by Kabby Hui, which is ironic considering how adorable her appearance already is. In many ways, I think viewers may have been less harsh on her acting if the production team had chosen to tone down her expressions. Many have dropped the show solely because of the FL, and I think going into this show with low expectations will help. I also emphasize that while there are many situations in which Jinyan gets into trouble and King Yu rescues her, she also helps King Yu to grow and balances his personal limitations. Jinyan protects the ML and sometimes even solves the ML’s interpersonal problems and relationships. Her best qualities are her efforts and the way she tries to help the people around her, even if sometimes she may stumble or she may get into trouble for doing so. If you can sit through some of the acting, then I think deep down Jinyan’s characterization is in fact quite brave, and she takes a lot of agency for the things that she does.
♥ Lack of Plot: This is not a drama that is focused on political schemes, and it is not a political thriller or an intricate plot where you have multiple people trying to take down the main CP. Most of the plot gets addressed in the last 8 episodes, with much of it crammed into the last 5. Ironically, I found the ending to be much less sweeter compared to all of the cute scenes that we had in the rest of the drama. That just goes to show how this is really a drama that's primarily for the romance, so if you’re looking for something with depth and political background, this is not a good pick. If you want something that is light on the plot, and you are invested in the main CP, then this might be something you are interested in.
♥ You Must Like the Main CP to Enjoy This Show: Because this show is so dominated by the romance, if you don’t like either one of the characters in the CP, or if you don’t like the actors, then you will likely have a hard time watching this. Most of the enjoyment of this series is really in the chemistry between the CP, and the many heart-melting scenes between both of them.
This was my crack drama of 2020, because of just how fluffy, adorable, unrealistic, cheesy, and sweet that this series was. If there is any drama that could literally give you diabetes, or a drama that is made for us "single dogs," I would definitely say that this is it. I absolutely loved the precious romance between the main CP, and how enjoyable and easy to watch that this drama was. While not all elements of the show may work for all watchers, if you're into a niche for something light and sweet, then I would highly recommend you give this show a try!
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1
1BL to Thriller or Vice Versa?
At first, my fujoshi heart was all aflutter for some fresh BL content, but six episodes down the line, I found myself spiraling into a rabbit hole of thrills and chills instead.Not a moment of fast-forward was needed through the saga: it's a wild ride through the eerie and the unknown, with narratives that grip you, suspense that keeps you on the edge, and a raw delve into the realm of mental health. It's a murder mystery adorned with a rich blend of folkloric whimsy and literary allegory, each scene more captivating than the last. This series is where the tender allure of BL meets the pulse-racing thrill of a mystery, all wrapped up in a cloak of cultural and literary elegance.
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This review may contain spoilers
A good cute story
First things first, a warning about this drama is that there is a lack of attention to detail. Just small things like, ‘how is he not wet after being in the rain’ or ‘what happened to those cuts from five minutes ago’. There are also parts where some actions lack explanation for example, ‘how does bunny’s dad have people that beat people up. what is his occupation’.Also there is a situation where solo is drugged and almost raped by a woman and it’s just ignored. I didn’t like that but as far as I’m concerned it’s because she ran out of the building and got hit by a bus....
SoloGui:
I know people love the side couple, but SoloGui where definitely my favourite. They have a relationship built on mutual respect and honesty so they appear to be perfect, but no relationship is perfect and the flaw of their relationship I’d say is transparency. To explain, when Solo fall in love with Guitar, he falls hard. Gui was his entire happiness, all that mattered was Gui and because of this he doesn’t really think about much else and by that I mean his fiancé. He honestly never loved her because he loves Gui but he just didn’t say anything about it. He should have at least warned Gui about her. Same with when he just disappeared. However I liked that Solo never actually lied to Gui.
PhuKao:
This relationship was fifty shades of pure fluff. it was just really wholesome and cute. At first the bunny thing was pretty weird and cheesy to watch, but it eventually grew on me and I enjoyed it a lot. As they where a side couple they never had any real conflict with each other, so I wasn't that emotionally invested in them. So, when we learn that Phu needs to go to England I didn't expect it to hurt that much lol. but it did.
Kao was also the most supportive friend even when he was missing Phu, which I find so amazing. He is really the perfect friend.
PetchKhimPerthKhem (ugh):
This whole love square thing was an absolute mess. It really made no sense .
Dr. Perch has THE MOST punchable face I’ve ever seen OMG I’ve never been so frustrated. He has got to be the most useless excuse for a doctor how this idiot got a medicine degree is beyond me. He hurts and lies to so many people without even realising how much harm he’s done.
At the start I really didn’t like Khim because she didn’t know how to respect peoples boundaries and would invaded people's space, which I hope was the production mocking the fans that behave like this in real life. I think there was some development in her character, because at the end she seemed to have changed.
Initially the acting of the main couple felt quite awkward, but as the story progressed their acting, as well as their chemistry improved greatly.
I loved the ending of this drama so bloody much. Solo finally fixes his relationship with his father, and he is finally with Gui and their stepson*insert giggle*.
In the last episode, where Solo came to the farewell party and Gui kissed him on the cheek and ran away.... that was by far my favourite moment of the drama. The smile on GUI’s face was so authentic and it felt so real .
Lastly what I love of this series is the OST and sound effects. I don’t know if it’s just me but I love being surrounded by music like I can’t even sleep without listening to music so I really liked that and the intro was perfect. I literally never skipped it .
To conclude if you just want a ‘lightly sweetened’ series with many fluffy cute moments I definitely recommend this one. But be warned!! If you stay to the end it gets stressful as the main drama happens from about ep 10 before then it’s literally all the calm before the storm.
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You Taught Me All the Precious Things
41 people found this review helpful
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Unnatural features a skilled cast depicting intriguing characters with complex backstories and motives portrayed by Ishihara Satomi, Iura Arata and Kubota Masataka. This drama marks a reunion of Ishihara Satomi and Iura Arata. They were last in a drama together in 2012’s Rich Man, Poor Woman. It is remarkable the transformation Iura has made from the two roles. I only realized it was him after reading through the cast. Iura is such a skilled actor with amazing range. I will have to seek out more of his works.
I binged this drama in a couple days before the last episode aired and this drama is quite a ride. This drama is extremely well balanced and keeps its audience engaged from episode to episode. This drama does a very good job in introducing its characters backstories and delving into what makes them tick. While each episode typically offers a new case, it’s the overarching focus on its characters that kept me so engaged throughout. I’m typically pretty cautious when it comes to procedural dramas, but this drama is the perfect mix. If you are like me and hesitate about starting this drama, Don’t Be! Take the plunge! Trust me, you won’t regret it! Here’s to hoping there is a second season!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
Strong Start But Then Became A Downhill Runaway Train
This series had a ton of potential. A show about a psychologist counseling patients with various problems and in depth look at just how each session progressed. Her own life and the life of her friends, family, and romantic interest as well the antagonist were all very strongly introduced. Each main plot and subplot were going well until about episode 29, around that time this smooth moving train lost its conductor and started to go downhill at top speed.The subplots started to obscure the main plot, the characters behavior didn't align with what they had previously done and many useless characters were brought in without a proper explanation to cause trouble only to completely vanish later in the same way they appeared. Or scenes that were shown in opening and closing credits, never actually happened. The guess is that after the first review and cut in episodes, the editing was done extremely poorly.
The main antagonist aka el creepo or YJH was forgiven or given a slap on the wrist judgment for really horrendous things. His character development was a constant tug of war between evil and some version of good. Though he was hell bent on revenge, it seemed his revenge was aimed at the wrong people and totally misguided by his adoptive father who was the real criminal in the entire plot.
The mega scandal promised in the synopsis that would evoke HD's sleep walking problem; didn't and wasn't that huge. It was also left for the final 11 episodes to sort out. HD's father was thrown into the mix and neither that relationship nor problem was solved in the end. Many of these main plots were left hanging. I'm all for a cliffhanger as I've written my share of them, but you need to tie some of the loose ends up and leave just one hanging to really grab the audience, not 36 of them. Which could speak to a season 2 but considering how poorly written and executed the second half of the drama was, do people really want to see season 2? And will season 2 have the same cast because a whole new cast would make this a disaster. Plus c-ent has a tendency to do sequels up to 5 years after the fact and at that point everyone has lost interest.
Lilli's change in men was like a whiplash, because from rich, snotty, and "cute", in a span of one full episode she fell for an average Joe cop. It was as if, the writers really had no time to develop Lilli's evolution as a woman and wrote the polar opposite of what she fell for before like an epiphany of sorts and hoped the viewers wouldn't notice.
Instead of properly closing out this series, the writers threw in another couple for HD to help cure in 2 episodes. And the ending went from el creepo crying over his mom after she tried to kill herself, to an ambulance, to suddenly out of nowhere a monologue of HD talking about her work and the patients she's helped. The last episode honestly looked like it belonged to a completely different show. There were so many inconsistencies and inaccuracies, towards the end that I'm sure I missed explaining a lot here.
I commend all of the actors on their terrific acting but only that and the OSTs were what remained of a really great and strong show at the beginning. I was very much looking forward to this series and I'm really disappointed. Would I recommend? Depends. It certainly has its strong beginning, but a very weak and inconsistent second half and ending. Judge for yourselves if you choose to.
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2) Storyline/Plot : This drama has the closest adaptation of the manga; it followed it literally without much change. It was faithful which made it enjoyable.
3) Acting/Cast : Like I said before this was my first Tw-drama so back then I wasn't familiar with the cast but i loved the acting plus supporting roles were extremly awesome along with all the side stories.
4) Music : I don't actually remember the music clearly but I think it was nice.
5) Rewatch value : one of the fewest dramas that I check out sometimes. If you do rewatch dramas you will definitely rewatch this.
6) The ending : It was extremly good the kind that everyone wants to see while watching a drama but I wouldn't consider it an "End" since there's a second season.
7) Overall : I am so not into chinese languages but while watching this drama I totally forgot my dislike and focused on the story.
Basically, if you're Itazura na kiss's fan you must watch this.
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Daring, Romantic, Beautiful
After CQL (“The Untamed”), many viewers called for more dramas like it, and are pleasantly rewarded with this drama. “Word of Honor” (WoH) is unexpectedly daring, romantic and visually beautiful. Adapted from a BL novel, “The Wanderers” by Priest, this drama was expected to have the BL elements toned down, if not totally eliminated, to pass censorship, To the surprise of many, here, the show of love is blatant and unabashed; according to readers, the adaptation is faithful and they are delighted.Story
One is guilt ridden, and seeks to redeem.
One is revenge ridden, and vows to avenge.
One is young with no skills, and promises to become better.
They all have one thing in common - they’ve lost everything. When they meet, they become a family, watching out for each other. Life becomes meaningful again.
Many viewers ask the question how this drama is compared to CQL (“The Untamed”). Though of different genre, CQL is xianxia and WoH is wuxia, there are many similar parts, such as the search for some relics that everyone kills to possess, the monsters/zombies, music therapy (to heal, Wen Ke Xing plays the flute, Lan Zhan plays the guqin), herd mentality, dark can be light, and white can be black etc. They even use the same composer Lin Hai to compose the music. The visual effect of both dramas is very beautiful with amazingly good-looking actors.
“Word of Honor” is a very typical wuxia story with various sects and alliances, emphasizing on chivalry, altruism and compassion as virtues. Compared with “The Untamed”, the relationship in this drama is more explicit. Within the first episode, one would know it's more than platonic - there're more skin-to-skin contacts, and admiration words are flying everywhere. Having said that by episode 22, the BL elements become more subdue and the dynamics somehow shift to more brotherly. Nonetheless, the undertone is still the vow of “till death we part”. There is not so much of the actual plot, but this drama dwells deep into the inner feelings of the main characters – their fears, their hatred, their guilt – and how they try to redeem themselves. A lot of feelings are channeled in an unspoken way, leaving room for interpretation.
With Wen Ke Xing (Gong Jun aka Simon Gong), Zhou Zi Shu (Zhang Zhe Han) is understanding and benevolent. He has great respect and patience for Wen Ke Xing who is a broken man. Wen Ke Xing continues to use flamboyant words to cover his own pains and feelings, and constantly test Zhou Zi Shu with unanswered questions to determine if the latter can understand him truly. They become each other's soul mate, and accompany each other wherever they may go; their constant bantering and teasing is fun to watch, and their CP chemistry is undeniable. Many of the dialogues have deep meaning using analogies and idioms. The use of poems in expressing love and admiration for the other is lavishly done, making the declaration direct and yet classy and meaningful.
Acting
The overall acting is good, in particular for Gong Jun (Simon Gong) as many viewers have pointed out. He has a playful and at the same time a devilish mysterious look which helps him fit perfectly as the gray Wen Ke Xing character. His ability to change from a dark side with devious hatred in his eyes instantly into a bright, cheeky and flirtatious character, or vice versa, is commendable. All this is done aesthetically and convincingly. I particularly love all his fighting scenes, beautifully executed.
I am normally critical of Zhang Zhe Han's acting, but here, he nails it, either as the dark face rugged looking Zhou Xu or the handsome somber Zhou Zi Shu.
As many emotions are expressed through few words but with the actors’ eyes, both main leads have given a rich performance here.
OSTs
As mentioned earlier, the OSTs are composed by Lin Hai who has also composed the OSTs for CQL (“The Untamed”). For me, the OSTs here are less memorable though I have enjoyed listening to the title theme song.
WoH or CQL
I’m not trying to compare apple to apple of the two dramas. I’m just trying to answer some questions new viewers may have. When viewers express that BL not their cup-of-tea, they are being labeled as homophobes and attacked en masse by fans. But attacking others doesn’t make one less bigot.
The Chinese title for WoH is Shan He Ling, which makes me think, just because Chen Qing Ling (CQL) is successful, did they also try to copy the naming style of the title to give WoH a similar feel for the Chinese audience? Shan He in this case has less relevancy than Chen Qing in CQL (The Untamed).
For me, WoH has not touched me as much as CQL has. I have been almost in control, apart from some burst out laughter, throughout the whole drama whereas CQL has made me cry a river. I like the lighting and colors here, and the CGIs are probably done better here too. The fighting scenes here are very beautifully executed, especially with Gong Jun’s scenes (I know I’m repeating, but his fighting scenes are really very good). But the story is not as rich as CQL, the super villains are not as mysterious, and the pains not as intense. The BL elements though are very explicit which may turn some viewers away whereas in CQL, they are very subtle, expressed in thousands of symbolisms, songs, and minute actions. Some viewers even find the relationship platonic in CQL.
My Verdict
There is great character contrast - one is active and the other passive. Both characters have unbeatable fighting skills. The lavish use of poems to describe feelings is brilliant and sophisticated. Great cinematography and great fighting scenes. Visually, like CQL (“The Untamed”), this drama is beautiful. There is a lot of actions, and at the same time, the drama spends a lot of time exploring the inner feelings of the characters.
If you love watching men ogling each other openly, this drama is for you. Else skip the first 20 episodes, but then there's nothing much left to watch and you may not follow the story. Of course, all this boils down to personal taste. Some people didn't like CQL but love WoH. Likewise for viewers who have loved CQL and found WoH not measuring up. And some love both, like myself.
Though there are flaws, I must applaud the courage in producing such a work of art that does not conform. Overall, I have enjoyed this drama.
Great watch!
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My Golden Life
41 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
Weekend family drama, progressively challenging the concept of becoming/living as an ´adult´
“My Golden Life” is one of those KDramas that have been writing drama-history in South Korea. It is considered a 'national' series – popularity increased rapidly, the number of viewers doubled during the broadcast and towards the end, almost half of all nationwide TV audience during the weekends, while “My Golden Life” was broadcast, watched this series."My Golden Life" is a family drama, that doesn't just get lost in family clichés, Makjang and RomCom, but instead explicitly addresses some critical contemporary issues. Additionally, given attitudes and convictions are boldly deconstructed along the way. Thus, "My Golden Life" is a rather progressive family drama, involving also the 'quite new' concept of making personal life decisions despite (and in opposition to) family interests. In addition, more than one protagonist is questioning his/her life decisions or is forced to dealing with 'failure' (up to 'depression' as a result of learned helplessness), which is also quite progressive. Whether rich or poor, such issues likewise hit any income classes - in “My Golden Life”, too. In addition, there are current long-running topics such as the (lack of) work-life balance, discrimination because of social status, and the shame of divorce, as well as the increasingly sensitive issue of 'age'.
Ultimately “My Golden Life” is progressively challenging the concept of maturing in the sense of making my own, accountable decisions and thus becoming/living as an ´adult´. What does it mean, what does it need to be an 'adult'? ´Adult´ in the sense of having grown out of the familiar nest and being able to fly with my own wings? In the sense of being challenged to apply what I have learned in my own, individual manner? Is it allowed? Actually desired? Even wanted?
Notably gratifying and astonishing: Throughout the series, practically all of the divers family members go through their personal maturing processes against the background of various contemporary social issues. Many dramaturgical motifs may be familiar, but you can be sure that sooner or later everyone will be challenged with their attitudes and decisions being on trial. “My Golden Life” is not about stumbling through life with a social reptilian brain in obvious stimulus-response pattern. And it is not about by all means controlling the environment with the arrogant mindset of absolutist power fantasies. "My Golden Life" is intelligently and systematically deconstructing the usual set screws for critical life decisions (and dramaturgical plot developments.) In the end, almost every protagonist gets challenged and in the long run actually they all come to their individual, sometimes astonishingly mature, honest and even wise reassessments and re-decisions. This is (at least in this KDrama) possible, permitted, actually prerequisite.
Strikingly symbolic to deconstruction processes of social and individual assumptions throughout the story, ´gold´ is a metaphor for the estimation and valuation of an individual life. Its meaning and value is changing throughout the KDrama, parallel to the transformation processes of the protagonists... Most of the characters initially have the conviction that money (and associated with it: status) is the prerequisite or guarantee for happiness and a worthwhile, precious life... (as on the other hand the lack or loss of money is the reason or the cause of unhappiness and equivalent to a nugatory life.) However, most of them realize over the course of story that a ´golden´ life is not necessarily one that is successful, prosperous and meaningful because of a lot of money. In fact, an elitist, privileged life - being born with a ´golden spoon´ in the mouth - eventually comes with a ´golden cage´, too... Rather, a ´golden´ life is cordial, substantial and radiant with accountability and authenticity.
Within turbulent relationship dynamics (including a bit of Makjang-style topping when it comes to plot development) the 'impoverished middle class' and the 'dirty rich Jaebeol clan' are cleverly juxtaposed against each other, thus almost offensively confronting with the exaggeration of social class-affiliation and questioning traditional mindsets; additionally, full of wit contrasting submissive obedience and self-confident rebellion. Meanwhile, a dubious, arrogantly patronizing 'Noblesse oblige' virtue is craftily criticized, too.
“My Golden Life” is sometimes funny, sometimes intelligent, sometimes outrageously provocative, sometimes infuriating, sometimes emotionally serious, sometimes touching and sometimes downright grotesque. Being set as a family weekend drama, it is supposed to be easy to digest… yet, at the same time, the KDrama is consistently keeping its unabashed finger (gently, yet persistently) on the social scrapes, quirks and deep wounds, too. An astonishingly felicitous, ambitious balancing act. Overall, “My Golden Life” isn´t long-winded, even with 52 episodes. You may as well give it a try.
P.S.:
'Reassessment' seems to be the greater moral of the story.
Meaning: Traditional structures, rules, proven patterns and given orders may be all well and good. They may give orientation and set a direction in life. They provide a certain range of tools and know-how on how you can meet the challenges of life. But ultimately, in each individual case, it is still indispensable to carefully consider the appropriate application and decide for yourself what actually should be and could be accomplished. What is it, that I want? What is it, that I can do? What is it that I think is right? And what is it, that I am willing to supply?
At the end of education and apprenticeship usually there is a form of diploma or master's degree – not for mere copying, but for suitable, at best innovative application and enhancements. And in "My Golden Life" there are quite a few characters truly having earned their award... each in their own way. Eventually, it won´t do to simply adopt what others suggest, would have done or did before. It is all about individual solutions. Traditional lifestyles and attitudes are put to the test and are systematically deconstructed - voluntarily or involuntarily. In the end, the individually appropriate reassessment and authentically fitting solution does not necessarily have to lead to an easy or obvious decision...
"My Golden Life" is thus also giving a lesson in emancipation, too - in the original Latin and also in the more modern sense. Initially, Latin “emancipatio” was the “release of the son from paternal power”. In a broader sense: the child has grown or the student has been educated, so they can hold themselves accountable for their own life tasks and work obligations and thus take responsibility and reflect on their achievements accordingly. Additionally, in a modern, more general sense, emancipation is freedom from discrimination based on group, sex or class membership…
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The Virtuous Husband.
In this witty satire, a modern business man finds himself in ancient China where he is Ning Yi, a soon to be zhui xu/赘婿 or matrilocal husband to Su Tan'er, the heiress of a wealthy cloth merchant. Using modern business methods, he hilariously wins his Tan'er's heart and mind as they take down internal and external rivals together and he proves his worth beyond being a useless kept man.The wicked role reversals as Ning Yi and Tan'er navigate their marriage made my shoulders quiver with laughter, especially the darned Academy of Male Virtue. I love the way Ning Yi is written in this drama - he is cunning, compassionate, innovative, ruthless and far from the virtuous husband, he is the academy's most farcically subversive element. Guo Qilin and Song Yi sparkled together, transitioning seamlessly between brilliant comic timing and repartee, heart stopping action and moving emotional moments. The colorful ensemble characters, friend and foe alike are well dimensioned and written and acted with verve and audacity. The humble Guard Geng with a big heart and big dreams is my favorite supporting character.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of this drama, which is easily a 9.0+, the second half is noticeably loses its mojo and is at best a 7.5/8.0. The decision to back burner both Tan'er and Guard Geng would have been fine if comparable new characters stepped up to fill the void. Unfortunately while Xigua starts out as a powerful and interesting character, she becomes pathetic. It does not help that while she is lovely and likable, the actress Jiang Yiyi is miscast here - she not funny and has little chemistry with Ning Yi/Guo Qilin. Ditto for his shifu and the creepy Lou Shuwan; I didn't really see the point of either character. The drama only picks up again when Guard Geng and Tan'er re-emerge and our power couple is reunited. This makes it obvious that despite Guo Qilin's undeniable talent, he cannot pull off these uproarious moments when he is not lined up with the right team.
Similarly, the antagonists in the first arc are very comical but in the bandit arc, the villains were mostly trying too hard to be humorous caricatures. The attempts at comedy are also often at odds with the heavily political and increasingly complicated plot line, one that leaves scarce room for Ning Yi the maverick to save the day. The story also takes a darker and more cynical turn and even though Guo Qilin impresses with his ability to make me feel the weight of his loss and cry alongside him, the drama ends in a way that does not leave me thirsty for the heavily hinted season 2.
Overall I rate this a 8.0. I would recommend dropping after completing the much more outstanding first arc.
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