Reviews

Sons of a tyrant.

Wuershan's Creation of Gods trilogy is the culmination of an eight year labor of love that is the most ambitious and grand scale adaptation of Chinese classic Investiture of Gods ever. This Homeric, often chaotic tale of gods, demons and men that blends speculative history with myth and legend is probably the most widely adapted ancient Chinese vernacular novel. This grandiouse, exhilarating, action packed, and painstakingly crafted production is a visual triumph and an immersive adventure that is best experienced on an IMAX screen.

Kingdom of Storms is the first instalment that focuses on the origin story of the King Zhou of Shang and how he incurred the wrath of the heavens to the extent the gods intervened. In a departure from canon, this adaptation does not lay the moral decay of King Zhou solely at the door of the hedonistic, fox jezebel Su Daji. This version holds King Zhou accountable, clearly asserting that his ambition and moral flexibility already put him on the dark path from the get go. This is a more layered and manipulative King Zhou, who adopts all of his noble hostages including Ji Fa as foster "sons". He ruthlessly indoctrinates his own son Yin Jiao as well as his hostage sons into choosing to be sons of a tyrant over their own fathers. All of the sons are pushed to decide whose son they really are and what kind of man they wish to become. This recurring theme of conflict between father and son and right and wrong adroitly weaves most of the sub-plots together.

Kris Phillips with his magnificent build and his imposing, quietly menacing , almost mesmeric screen aura is impeccably cast as King Zhou. He so much looks and breathes the part that it is easy to ignore his at times bizarre Mandarin and the occasionally stiff acting. Although the stunningly gorgeous Naran is bewitching as Daji, the role lacks complexity. She doesn't get to do much more than alternate between a sensuous seductress and a cunning and feral animal spirit when cornered. This debouched couple lights up the screen with their dark chemistry but I could have done with a bit less of their wanton cavorting that comes off as too unsubtle Hollywood. Beyond their honed physiques and stunning atheleticism, both Yu Shi's Ji Fa and Chen Muchi's Yin Jiao won my heart with their brotherhood and their portrayal of initially bewildered and disillusioned sons who grow up to become fearless and resolved men. They stand out among the dazzling number of up and coming young actors who managed to make an impression in this whirlwind production as does Ci Sha's not so hot headed Yang Jian. The deities don't feature as prominently in this first chapter but I much enjoyed this first glimpse of the diabolically mischevious Nezha.

For those unfamiliar with the chaotic original works, the storytelling may seem cluttered with vignettes at the cost of plot advancement as this largely sets the stage for what culminates in the battle of all battles between good and evil. Beyond an almost gratuitous amount of wildly, intense action scenes, the narrative pays homage to key features of the original works from Ji Chang's meat pies to Bi Gan's seven chamber heart. It culminates in Ji Fa's hair rising escape from the Shang capital Zhaoge. Keep watching after the credits roll as the following epilogue sets up the next instalment where hopefully we see a lot more plot movement. This is a very difficult and messy novel to adapt but so far, I am very impressed with how cogently and fittingly everything ties together. This promises to be the best adaptation by a long mile of this well loved novel, the first part of which warrants a highly enthusiastic 8.5/10.0 from me.

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Lighthearted romantic comedy centered in convenience store

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2020 South Korean comedy romance with 16, 70 minute episodes.

Choi Dae-hyun (Ji Chang-wook) encounters a gang of female high school students after suffering a setback in a relationship. The leader of girl toughs, Jung Saet-byul (Kim Yoo-jung), Saet-byul tries to bully Dae-hyun Into buying cigarettes but instead steals a kiss from him. She was immediately attracted to the handsome young man who made a sweet gesture of flowers and a stuffy to a girlfriend who obviously did not appreciate it.

Three years later, Dae-hyun has resigned from the corporate world and is running a family owned convenience store. A chance encounter brings Saet-Byul back into Dae-hyun’s life and when she notices he is looking for a part timer she persistently seeks the job to be closer to the man she likes. Da-Hyun is two years into a relationship with another girl who does not see his worth. Saet-byul is determined to show she is no longer the troubled young girl Dae-hyun first met and steal his heart in the process.

Spoiler alert! I really loved the female lead character Saet-byul she is basically a street toughened kid in the beginning. Being poor is hard wherever you live and it was admirable how she sacrificed herself to give her sister a stable teen age life and start on adult hood. The sister acted just as expected when she was young but showed great character growth when she expressed to Saet-byul that she knew and appreciated what she had done for her. I liked that the younger sister was able to be successful as an idol. I liked all of both of their friends and it added a lot of interest with the things that happened in the multiple relationships. Choi Dae-hyun was perfectly sweet as the male lead character. He was responsible, stable and noble. The second guy was a gorgeous idol who was hopelessly in love with the beautiful Saet-byul he credited her deceased father for the foundation of his success and felt responsible to watch over the two girls. I did get a little bit of second guy syndrome. I loved how Choi Dae-hyun‘s family took Saet-byul in when she had nowhere to go and even later took in her little sister. It was something my parents would have done so I could identify. The love story was sweet and the two looked amazing together. Kim Yoo-jung is so pretty that she was an incredibly believable pair with handsome Ji Chang-Wook. I highly recommend this as a light hearted feel good romantic comedy.

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no regrets

This was a very intriguing sci-fi series that presents a lot to think about. I personally loved this. The story is based on the premise that that brain can survive for 4 minutes without oxygen before permanent damage occurs. What happens to our consciousness in that time period? "4Minutes" explores this idea, and I thought it was really cool. The series isn't without its flaws and holes, but it was still thrilling. I was kept intrigued until the very end.

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● SHORT REVIEW
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[ --LIKES-- ]

✔ Piecing together the timeline. It was intriguing to see what happened in reality and what's altered history.

✔ Our main characters are very grey characters and that made them interesting.

✔ I like the way the story is told. We get different pieces of the story through different characters' perspectives.

✔ There's a certain realism to the story that I liked. We're powerless to change the past, but we can take responsibility for it, learn from it, and move forward. The consequences of the characters' actions aren't magically erased.

✔ There were some really nicely done scenes. One scene I liked was when Dome was coming home to Tonkla from the hospital. It transitioned from Great's dream to Tonkla's reality. It could also be seen as a representation of Tonkla missing his brother. I also really liked the scene when Great is lying unconscious in the hospital, Tyme is asking for forgiveness and saying he'll take Great out for a meal. I think this corresponds with the scene in Great's dreamworld early on where Tyme gives him the Thai tea and ask him for a meal afterwards. (Great saw flashes of the stickynote from Tyme asking for forgiveness). It shows that Great could hear Tyme's words and it influenced Great's dreamscape.

✔ CATS! Idk, I just liked cats, even Tonkla's instigating ghost black cat.


[ --DISLIKES-- ]

✖ Some characters were introduced that didn't feel very significant. For example, Tyme's ex-girlfriend Nutcha. Yes, I know the scene wit her shows the change in his character, but ultimately, that could be achieved without needing to insert her character.

✖ The romances in the story felt under-developed. Romantic chemistry is not the same as sexual chemistry. I originally watch the version without all the sex, but I went back to watch those scenes just to see if it changes how I felt about the chemistry between all the couples. While the sex scenes were steamy, it didn't add much romance-wise. I'm not saying there is zero chemistry, just not enough for the romance to leave an impact on me or to justify some of the actions/events. Were they sexy as heck, though? Yes.


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● IN-DEPTH REVIEW
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[ --STORY/PLOT-- ]

Some may argue the "it was all a dream" trope as bad in that nothing that happened mattered, but it mattered to me. It doesn't change reality or the things that happened, but it changes the character and our perspective of the characters. That, to me, is important. Great is actually that not great of person in reality previously. He made a lot of mistakes, but what makes him redeemable is that he regrets them. This is why the first five episodes are important. If we only saw reality as it was, I don't think I would like Great as much. However, because I saw his attempt to change things in his dream, I know there is a good person there. A little over the first half of the series takes place in Great's mind, but it's still an experience that he and the viewers can learn and draw from.

I really like the idea in the series that we are powerless to change the past. It feels real. The sad truth is that Great was not able to save any of the people he wanted to. As disappointing as that may be, it's a reality he must face and deal with. Our regrets should be a learning experience to do better and be better. Fear can impact our decision making. It can cause good people make bad choices, many that we cannot take back. What matters afterwards is that we ultimately take responsibility for it, and we see Great doing that in the end.

I think the sci-fi aspects of this series was fun. However, the series still has it flaws. Most of it, however, has to do with the romance aspects. For me, I just wasn't really feeling the intensity of the love of either of the main couples. I'm not saying it was bad, it was just ok. Steamy sexy scenes aside, there were also some cute moments here and there, but the romantic aspect and chemistry never really made me feel strongly any type of way. It didn't make my heart flutter. It didn't feel intense or epic enough to justify some of the actions and events that happened. Did Korn really love Tonkla so much that he was willing to kill himself for his secret lover's death? Plus, he also learned that Tonkla cheated on him and also shot his brother. Was Tonkla, to him, really worth dying for? Apparently, the answer is yes, but his behavior never really convinced me, and I wish we could see more of Korn's feelings in action outside of just sex.

I have the same feelings about Tyme and Great. Was their love really so powerful that Tyme was about to call out from his dreamworld into Great's dreamworld to get the latter to wake up? In the real world, they didn't have many sweet or good interactions. In fact, most of their nicer moments that left an impression on me were all in Great's or Tyme's 4 minute dreams. So maybe, they both fell deeply in love over these made-up interactions and scenarios in their respective dreams? But if ignore all the dreamworld stuff, and just look at the events of reality, there really isn't much foundation for their relationship. I guess, sometimes there is an invisible spark and we just feel the way we feel. However, for me, as a viewer, I just wasn't seeing or feeling it. With all that said about the romance and chemistry, I want to reiterate that it wasn't bad. It just didn't seem strong enough to justify some of the events or characters' actions. It was just ok.


[ --ACTING/CAST-- ]

I can't remember off the top of my head if I have seen anything with Jes. I know I have some things I plan to watch with him in it, but not sure if I haven seen anything yet with him before this. Bible, I have seen him in "KinnPorshe" and I loved him as Vegas. I like him as Great, too. Great isn't as deep or impactful was Vegas was, though. Bas and Aiz's characters are listed as supporting roles, but to me, they were also main characters. Korn and Tonkla's story were very pivatol to the whole plot, so not sure why they are only listed as supporting characters. Also, Tonkla's character, I think, had the most depth out of the the four. His acting also left the most impression on me.


[ --MUSIC/OST-- ]

The opening theme is nice. There were also some nice scores. The series even has it own cover version of "Why Don't You Stay" originally from Jeff Satur. I don't think there was anything that wowed me or that I had to look up for my playlist though.

[ --REWATCH VALUE-- ]

I will definitely be rewatching this at some point. As with any series that deal with time manipulation in any aspects, there's usually details that could easily be overlooked or missed. Plus, this was very interesting to watch. Maybe I will find more holes or questions. Maybe I'll watch the Sultry version as a whole. I watched the cut version this time and only went back at the end to see those sex scenes seeparately to see if those added anything to the chemistry/romance, but maybe I'll rewatch the sultry version all the way through. Maybe I'll feel differently about the romantic chemistry. Even if I don't gain more insights or answers, it will still be a fun watch again.

[ --FINAL THOUGHTS-- ]

The action and sci-fi mystery aspects of the series definitely kept me hooked. It was a lot of fun while also having depth and things to think about. The big lesson we can draw from this series is that we just have to face reality, however bleak it may be. The world is going to be stained by our mistakes and regretful choices. We can't go back and change th past, but going forward, we can only aim to make the least regrettable choices. And for me, this series is one of those least regrettable choices.


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● NOTE
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I'll always conclude my review by saying that ratings and reviews is not really a indicator of whether you may like or dislike something. We all have different tastes and standards. Don't let a bad rating, review, or comment discourage you from watching something. My advice will always be to give something a chance if the premise interests you, and only use the ratings/reviews to determine priority if you already have a list of other things to watch or if deciding if you want to continue it after a few episodes. Also thanks reading my review!

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"Tobi (tonbi) ga taka wo umu," translates literally as "a kite begetting a hawk." This Japanese expression is where the drama title originates, and such imagery is deeply ingrained in the story. But what do these words refer to ultimately? In simpler terms, "even common parents can give birth to an amazing child." This exactly what Tonbi approaches with the Sato Takeru character, but it is as much the story of the "kite," as the hawk. And if we apply the expression once more, even a simple story may give rise to a fine drama. Here, it does.

Viewers fresh from home or even on the cusp of building their own families may relate most to the tale dictated by Tonbi. The same might be said for those who, already having experienced much of life, are adjusting to empty nests. This drama builds an effectively nostalgic hometown backdrop, complete with unique landmarks and quirky, over-exaggerated denizens. With such a setting, themes and happenings are explored which remain universal despite whichever specific focus is placed on them. The result is a warm, emotional ride which is rather easy to connect with.

Several aspects struck me as slightly uneven nonetheless. The plot relies on various coincidences and, while I can allow for the fact that life sometimes hands out beautiful symmetry, there are too many to shrug. Many point out that Japan stumbles often with romantic love. As expected, few romantic relationships in Tonbi (including one which later becomes a major plot point) felt honestly loving. Because the true focus centers on bonds between parent and child, this is relatively forgivable. Lastly, much of the story is told by son Akira, either through flashbacks or as stories told to others. For the most part this works just fine, but these sequences frequently show characters from their own perspective. While it would be nice to have that level of insight in real life, this staggers somewhat strange. Even for a community of people as open as these, we rarely know everything others experience alone (especially our parents).

Near the start of Tonbi, I spent a reasonable amount of time deciding whether Uchino Masaaki was performing well. His Yasuo is larger than life, initially more like a dumb but lovable hound unable to control itself when excited than an actual person. Yet when all parts of his portrayal are placed together, brilliance flows forth. My favorite bits were his emotional revelations, becoming acquainted with the vulnerability and loneliness of the character. Sato Takeru improves every time I encounter him. His scenes often feel quite natural lately. While his Akira does not induce the same level of interest as Yasuo, the chemistry with Uchino-san makes this drama. A true degree of familial love seems to pass between them, whether they are sharing warm moments or standing in conflict.

Instrumental pieces in Tonbi are light and subtle. There are various gentle themes which play at pivotal moments, particularly those when a character is reminiscing or about to experience change. Overall suitable, the tender and unobtrusive way they are presented is simply wonderful. Fukuyama Masaharu provides the gorgeous theme ("Tanjobi ni wa Mashiro na Yuri wo"), with a voice that croons nostalgia with every syllable. Whenever it played during the final moments of an episode, my heart swelled.

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Two outsiders. One equation: trust + time = transformation.

Some films shout. Others whisper — yet linger in your mind long after the credits roll. In Our Prime belongs to the latter.

An older man hides his brilliance behind a janitor's uniform. A young student, adrift among numbers and expectations. Two people, like distant islands — until they start to truly hear each other. What follows isn’t a grand gesture or dramatic spectacle. It’s something far rarer: a genuine connection.

Mathematics here is more than curriculum. It’s a space for thought, a shared language, even a kind of comfort. The film doesn’t promise glittering careers or textbook triumphs. Instead, it shows what can unfold when someone believes in you — not to solve the problem for you, but to walk the path with you.

There’s no melodrama, no inflated conflict. Just quiet gazes, thoughtful words, and a camera that respects its characters enough to let them breathe. In Our Prime finds dignity in the act of thinking and tenderness - in the simple gesture of someone offering a pencil, not to provide answers, but to begin the search.

With quiet sensitivity, "In Our Prime" tells a story of marginalization and a sense of belonging, of the silent power of recognition — how subtle forms of acceptance can reshape a life.

Gentle and empathetic. Uplifting and sincere.

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Let me start by saying that I didn't know these girls before watching this, I'm not a fan of the group/subgroup, so my review isn't influenced by that and it's solely based on the drama itself.

That being said, I don't think it was that bad. It isn't the most groundbraking suspense drama you'll find, it isn't the best written thing you'll see, but for the lack of experience these girls seem to have, the fact that it's "one of those idol dramas", the budget and the amount of episodes, I've seen much worse. To be honest, it's a very binge-watchable drama and it keeps the tension more or less throughout, so I don't regret watching it.

The plot starts in medias res, which I really appreciate in a suspense story, and I wish it had kept the focus it had on the beginning throughout the entire thing because, as the episodes advance, it gets unecessarily complicated for a story that didn't need so many unconnected twists and turns. And, for what I've seen in some comment threads, I'm not the only one left with more questions than answers when it's all said and done. I wish there had been one big focus instead of small things that have a common thread, kind of, if you squint.

Still, for all its complicated messes with the plot and its unanswered questions, it did leave me wanting to discuss it to try figuring out what just happened, and I consider that a good thing; I had left complicated dramas wanting to never look back in the past, but this is not one of those, at least. It's a mess but it's an interesting mess. And hey, I commend these girls for starting out with a suspense/horror/mystery drama rather than a typical school drama which would have probably hidden their inexperience a lot better but it would have been a lot less interesting to watch.

If you're looking for suspense with minimum to no gore, a sort of idol version of SAW, which will keep you wanting to know more, even if it's to try figuring out what on earth you just watched, and don't mind very inexperienced performances and some clear fanservice-y moments attempted to be disguised as representation (that's the idol industry for you, though, it's a general recurring problem), give this one a shot. And then DM me and tell me what you think just happened.

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A Series with Heart and Soul

One of the main aspects that stands out about Japanese drama is their way of including a heartfelt and inspirational message in their stories. I came across Cherry Magic on MDL two months before its official airing date. The plot summary and casting choices intrigued me. I had recognised both of the main leads, Akaso and Machida-san from their previous works, Nee Sensei, Shiranai no? (2020) and Joshi-teki Seikatsu (2018). Since Ossan’s love (2018), Japan has become more open to exploring BL/LGBT genre and well-known actors and actresses featuring in the genre. Considering those points, I had gone ahead and read the first two volumes of the original manga by Toyota-san’s Cherry Magic. The manga’s direction was lighter than other shounen-ai works, and I appreciate Toyota-san writing the characters in a likeable manner.

The story could have taken many different directions; however, I appreciate the staff and crew’s mindsets on the drama structure's focus. Having read the manga (Vol 1~4), and watched the drama series, I could sense the amount of thought that went into making the show fitting for a live-action adaptation while bringing heart and soul to these characters.

Most Asian dramas tend to over sexualise and romanticise unhealthy relationships, especially within the BL and LGBT genre. Therefore, the direction of Cherry Magic proves that none of those portrayals is necessary to create an exciting and engaging show. The show features a fair focus on realistic obstacles, including workplace struggles, the risk of striving for your dream goals and self-acceptance.

Acting:

The acting was top-notch; I could feel the character’s emotions, including the scenes without any dialogue. I loved how the main and some of the supporting casts were given a chance to show their range. It helped me become more invested in their characters. Setting the characters in a genre with both slice of life and a supernatural element could be quite challenging. Therefore, I believe the writers did an excellent job writing the main and supporting characters in a relatable and somewhat realistic approach.

Setting:

It was refreshing to see a drama set in a workplace setting with the given genre. It brought more opportunities to explore some realistic obstacles and a sense of relatability towards a mature target audience.
Much analysis has been made on the drama’s setting, placement of props and editing by fans. Although the production value is relatively standard, the staff considers all the mentioned elements, therefore, reflecting the character’s emotions with their given surroundings. I appreciate the setting being viewed more than a stage or an aesthetic; it made me rethink the use of colour palettes (e.g. Blue for gloomy mood by Kurosawa).

Music:

I fell in love with both the opening and ending songs featured in the show. The lyrics had much depth and connection with our two main characters. I found it interesting the opening represents Adachi’s internal feelings while the ending represents Kurosawa’s perspective. Both songs complement each other, and the visuals fit the songs melody. The soundtrack is both amusing and emotionally moving. From my perspective, I did not feel any of the ost or songs were out of place.

Last thoughts:

If you are used to seeing skinship and rapid development featured in romantic relationships, the show may not be your forte; however, I recommend you give the series a watch.. While watching the show; it reminded me that falling in love can be a wonderful thing in life despite the depressing and heartwrenching moments.

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This drama is really worth sinking your teeth into it -it's so good! It is inherently an investigative procedural with a supernatural twist that doesn't make you cringe because you may have a what the heck was those fx effects for. With each episodes the writers peels away layers of the story to ultimately reveal motives of the human heart. Our leading man Yun Jung Hoon in the role of prosecutor Min Tae Yeon uses his Vampiric prowess to solve violent crimes and I have to say that his portrayal his just perfect if you can look away of the eyeliner that in my opinion is just put a little to excess. The truth is in the blood--a taste of a victim's blood shows him glimpses of the last moments before death. Thrilling, sympathetic and so fresh--this show is a pleasure to watch. The biggest mystery surrounds Prosecutor Min Tae Yoon, tragic past in tow, who was turned into a Vampire under murky circumstances by an unknown sire. We're given juicy tidbits of clues along the way, and episodes are getting more interesting as characters continue to develop and the story gains depth. Top ratings for this innovative new drama--one of the best I've seen. A big reveal in EP 11...what a twist! And season 2 is being strongly considered right now. My only complaint and just because of that I did not give the drama a 10 is Lee Young Ah as Yoo Jung In the daughter of a mafia leader ( reveal in ep 10) who to escape her upbringing decided to live for the law. I don't really know how to get along with her characters , her acting seems force and her action rash, it seems to me like the writers don't really know what to do with her characters. Other than that nothing much to say now.

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First drama I watched that combined superb mind games that were actually unpredictable to some extent between the leads. I loved the interactions between Jasper's character (You Qian) and Jet's character (Yan Ze); both of them fighting to win with high stakes really pulled me in as the audience. The first 7 episodes or so didn't pull me in though; it was pretty cliche and the main female lead, Mandy's character (An Xi) was pretty annoying and too naive. Nevertheless, unlike many other dramas, this drama started badly but ended really well! The story became more intense and interesting to watch towards the second half of the drama. The chemistry between You Qian and An Xi got much better with each episode as well.

The cast was really awesome! I saw some of my favorite stars from previous dramas and some new faces as well! All of them portrayed their parts well, and Jasper has really improved in his emotional scenes (from Pleasantly Surprised). Jet and Jasper's character both had fantastic character development and were characters with a lot of layers/depth. Both of their characters were what made me continue watching because it was just so fascinating to understand both of them more. Of course, the OTP was cute too. Mandy and Jasper had more chemistry the second half! The side characters were great too. They were consistent with their character and it seemed like all of them had a story underneath their exterior, which was consistent with the title of this drama, When I See You Again. I liked how the director was detailed enough to give many of the characters time to tell us their story too, adding to the overall depth of the drama!

Music was very catchy so no complaints there! Not my favorite OST of all time but good enough!

Re-watch isn't that high because their were a lot of surprise elements in this drama. Thus, I think that it wouldn't be as good the second time around. However, as usual, I would go back and watch my favorite cute scenes between the leads! All in all, I recommend this drama to everyone who likes a good romantic drama and some "politics" mixed in. Of course, if you're a Jasper fan you cannot miss this drama! (9/8.5)

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I was kind of surprised with the special, if you're Hana Kimi's fan you'd feel a little disappointed. I believe we all agree that they should've made the special about the school's trip to California in order to visit Mizuki but that wasn't the case.
Anyway, the special was fair enough we get to see more of great moments specially hilarious ones. I totally love Nakatsu he's the best ever! It's true that Hana Kimi's cast was outstanding but every time I think about this drama, Nakatsu jumps into my mind with his weird yet funny and cool thoughts.
Maybe some people didn't like the special or thought of it as unfair but believe me the fact of seeing Hana Kimi's cast and events all over again is worth wasting your time on it.

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The stories in this drama are surprisingly controversial. That's what makes it so intriguing. Some stories will shock you, some will disgust you, some will sadden you, some will scare you and some will frustrate you. A drama that leaves such an impression on you and makes you feel these emotions, however, is one that I think highly of and therefore would recommend.

Admittedly you don't see a lot of Aaron Yan at first, which may disappoint you, but that doesn't mean you won't fall in love with the other characters, each individually trying to overcome their own troubles. Aaron's appearances are short but sweet and later when he gets more air time, I fell in love with his sweet, loving character even more. His relationship with the Death Girl, Du may leave something to be desired but is in no way shallow. I felt every emotion in this drama. A must watch!

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Man made goddess.

This fantasy drama is set in Sichuan, a world that is being torn apart by internal strife, corruption and disillusionment after the people are abandoned by their goddess. The young ruler Yuan Yi sets out to restore faith, peace and prosperity to his land by seeking the return of the goddess. This brings him to a remote village that is occupied by a tribe whose sacred duty is to contain the deadly earth fires from erupting and engulfing their world. There he encounters Linglong, a young girl with inexplicable powers and her father Huotu Xin. They are semi-outcasts in the village as Linglong's mother was an outsider who disappears as mysteriously as she appeared. Is Linglong the key to bringing back the goddess to Sichuan?

I have to give top marks for how mythically gorgeous this fantasy world looks - especially the fabulous flying fish ships. This drama's premise around this magical fantasy land and its man made goddess is very interesting and I really enjoy how the world building takes place slowly as the mysteries of the past and the origins of the goddess are revealed. The problem is that the plot peaks at that point, meanders around before limping to an unimpressive and dissatisfying ending.

I really enjoyed Yuan Hong's performance as Linglong's father in this drama and find it to be the drama's most memorable and enjoyable relationship. His heart warming, comical rapport with Zhao Jinmai's Linglong regularly had me grinning away and made me continue even after the plot lost momentum. This is one of the best portrayed father-daughter relationships I have seen in c-drama. I am so glad I watched this because I really needed to wipe the (not good) images I had of Yuan Hong after Rebel Princess. He is an incredible and smoking hot actor and I wish the drama was written around his character Huotu Xin, who is much more interesting than the titular character Linglong. That is one of my main gripes - the titular character Linglong is not that interesting and her relationship with Yuan Yi is sweet but does not make a lasting impression. Sadly the China market is idol-focused and there is limited room for actors like Yuan Hong who are ageing out of lead roles.

I love realistically written, opaque and intriguing characters with conflicting agendas, which is how many of the other main characters are written. That makes them so much more interesting than the OTP that I care a lot more about them and am dismayed at how callously they are dealt with. Even Li Sha and Yin Xiao are much more interesting both in terms of their personalities and abilities than the OTP. Not only was I rooting for both Wu Yuan and Yin Zhuang at the same time, I was also rooting for Wei Shengyan and Huotu Xin at the same time! It is incredible that this drama manages to resolve such win-win triangles in a way that manages to disappoint someone who is rooting for both angles. Wei Shengyan is a smart and curiously likeable protagonist who suddenly does stupid, self destructive things to force the plot towards the ending the writers wanted. I don't want to spoil the end so I will just leave it at lots of stuff happens, there are many sacrifices but Sichuan is not necessarily a better place and I don't care that much about the winners.

I enjoyed many aspects of this fantasy drama and can recommend it as a decent filler drama to watch with low expectations. I rate it 7.0.

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I'm really not even sure where to start... Since my first foray into Korean Dramas back in April of 2014 I have see many dramas that I wholeheartedly enjoyed, a few I found lacking somewhat but still fun and entertaining, and very small few that I just didn't care for. The Three Musketeers doesn't really fall into any of these categories because it transcends them all.

I literally cannot count the amount of times I cheered, laughed out loud, cried-mostly tears of joy but a couple times were for sad or simply melancholy reasons, cursed at whomever I detested or disrespected, clapped my hands, or was most profoundly stunned into absolute silence with my mouth agape and my eyes blinking ever so slowly.

This drama offered me everything I could ever desire in an amazing viewing experience. Bromances, romances, betrayals, action and adventure, revenge, loyalty, self awareness, self sacrifice.... None of them done in an over tired or cliched way, as so many dramas are wont to do. Even the villains in this were not evil for the sake of being evil. They were layered and deep and had understandable reasons for their treachery. Even if their actions seemed extreme to the other characters they interacted with, or us as the viewing audience, you could see how, from their point of view, everything they did had purpose.

While watching this drama I only ever had one negative criticism in my mind about one single character. I immensely disliked the Crown Princess, and was ready to deduct half a point from my overall rating of The Three Musketeers which caused a lot of inner turmoil. However, I am so very glad I followed the guidelines for reviewing and waited as, in the end, her character fleshed out and became one that I look forward to seeing develop in the future.

That being said I can say without any doubt there was nothing I didn't love about this drama. It was a wonderful adaptation of Alexander Dumas' Novel. I was thrilled at the ending and also saddened that I had no more episodes to look forward to... at least not today. Whenever they decide to air season 2 it will be like Christmas and my Birthday wrapped into one and I will count the days until this epic adventure continues.

All For One, and One For All !!!!!

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