The acting was just lush Yoo Ah In is by far the BEST KING, every Monday and Tuesday i waited to see him, he will melt your heart. Kim Tee Hee also did an amazing job. However the story dragged on a bit for like 4ep but it picked up right away that's why its (1 point away from a 10)
Please, please, please please do not hesitate to watch this drama give it a chance you will love it as much me and the other hundreds who watched it.
THE BEST DRAMA FOR 2013 FOR ME :)
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This review may contain spoilers
Just finished this drama, and the ending is pretty good. Of the three dramas that deal with returning to Kanxi's reign that I watched, Scarlet Heart, Palace, and this one, I think this one fits right in the middle in terms of a "happy ending," because Yinxiang was not able to travel to her time, but she meets his reincarnation, who has no memory of her. The story is well-written but not as well as the other two in my opinion. Everyone got good endings, even the evil sister, which is a surprise. When the drama ended, I didn't feel the need to watch a season 2, whereas for Palace and Scarlet Heart, I really wanted to watch a season 2. The characters with the most character development were Yinti and Minghui. They actually changed their personalities at the end of the drama. So people who rooted for them and wanted to watch them instead shouldn't feel bad at all.
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Mainly because I read the manga and wanted to see the drama's adaptation. Then, I found out that Okada Masaki is the lead actor so I became more excited to watch it.
2) Storyline/Plot:
Honestly speaking, the storyline is kind of silly but it wasn't boring or unattractive, it was surprisingly enjoyable.
Positive Points:
*This drama is one of the nicest manga adaptations that I've seen so far.
*Main Genres:
--->Humor: I remember laughing several times during this drama, mostly in the third or the fourth episode. There were some hilarious moments in here that I had to pause in order to continue my laughter.
The style of Japanese comedy has always proved its way in making any drama lighter and enjoyable.
The comedy scenes weren't randomly present, it was nicely calculated in order to bring laughter when it's needed; that concept was highly appreciated.
--->School: This drama can also be considered as a school drama since it had all the elements that indicates so. The school side was the most hilarious part with a teacher like Hanazawa Yumeko who was really fun to see around, also the kendo teacher (Ryo's father) and all the classmates that made this part enjoyable.
*Another positive point that I should mention; it was really fun to see Asuka's Otomen friends and their ways of hiding their true self; it was very hilarious at many points.
*The imaginations moments that the characters had were always great and enjoyable.
Negative Points:
--->Romance: the romantic concept wasn't appreciated, I would like to think about this drama as a funny school drama rather than a rom-com; it's really better to think about it that way because romance hasn't deliverd much that can make you watch the drama because of it.
The romance was the annoying light type sometimes, it wasn't completely hateful but I can't possibly mention it in the positive points column.
Story: 8/10
3)Acting/Cast :
*Okada Masaki:
I like him as an actor , I've seen many of his dramas and appreciated most of them. Here, he had the most adorable role ever as a very "cute" role. He didn't fail my expectations; he's always a great actor so I was right for watching this drama because of him.
The character wasn't very different from the one in the manga, actuallly, it was more appealing. I always focus on characters when I watch a manga/anime adaptation in order to see their potency in portraying the orginal ones. Here, I must say that I liked Asuka's character; the way he was trying to hide his love for girly cute things while being the tough kendo captin that everyone loves and finding friends that share his Otomen self in the meantime: It was more than satisfying as a live character adaptation.
*Kaho:
I only saw her in "Tokyo Girl" but I don't judge an actor/actress over a film so let's say that I am not very familiar with her before this drama. Here, I believe that her role was nicely done although I believe that her acting skills are lacking something.
The character didn't attract me, at least, not the way Asuka's character did. I loved the times where Ryo was saving Asuka; those where some great moments.
Ryo's character can be clueless while being on a tough girl mode. It's true that I didn't fall for her character but as a manga adaptation it was an acceptable character.
*Other Cast: I loved the remaining cast, every character in this drama had a unique concept plus there were funny characters everywhere!
*Appreciated Character: Tonomine was a very appreciated character all the way through the drama whether he was Asuka's rival or tough mainly man; he always had interesting scenes.
*Relationships:
--->Romance: I can't possibly speak about romantic chemistry because romance wasn't heavily present. Instead, I will mention that Asuka and Ryo's relationship was really cool to watch.
--->Friendship: Asuka's relationship with the kendo members, Tachibana, Ariake and especially Tonomine was literally mesmerizing.
Cast: 7.5/10
Acting: 8.5/10
4) The ending:
The closer scene was one of the nicest dramas closures. Overall, the ending was cute and adorable.
The ending: 8.5/10
5) My impresion (How did it affect me):
* I really enjoyed this drama, I think I enjoyed it a little too much.
*Laughter moments were very present so there weren't any chance to get bored.
*I really appreciated the characters in this drama and the adaptation overall.
*Is this drama memorable: Yes, it is. I still remember its event (especially the funny moments) even though I watched it a long time ago.
My impression: 8/10
6) Overall:
*If you read the manga then you would appreciate this drama's adaptation.
*If you like funny dramas then you would enjoy this.
*If you're looking for a romatic drama, you shouldn't expect much from this.
*If you like Okada Masaki, you need to watch this because it will give you another image aboout this actor.
Overall: 7.5/10.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is a life nobody deserved!
Love JinYoung! His acting is amazing, but this drama was so frustrating.Timing, short conversations, not opening up, years go by and still in the same place. As adults time keeps going by and everything is the same, so much love to live in angst, sadness, waiting, yearning, remembering and nothing changes. How can a relationship of love hold this? When two can decide breaking up or get together and try to be happy while it’s there. So many years wasted, when he could have moved on or have a life with her and even after all this they will wait for each other!
Life is much more than this!! Move on!
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Arthdal Chronicles Part 3: The Prelude to All Legends
35 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
My Absolute best out of the three parts. Everyone was just so spirited!!!I legit found myself hailing tagon!! and then at the end hailing inaishigi!! The next season is gonna be so hot cause i find it hard to pick sides as i just love everybody.The music was alright, they still repeat the same music so......
The whole drama is actually realllllllyyy quite sloooowww and very few things were accomplished or nothing was Lol. However it's a pretty lonng story with two more seasons of 18 episodes so I get it!!
Lets give a hand to song joong ki as Saya for being so smart to connect all the dots. This guy is also the craziest character in this series but he's so lovable that I just don't care about all the evil things he does or thinks of.
And tagon is just one step ahead of everyone, this guy actually knows what he's doing(lol) I support him as king but i'd be a lot happier if he wasn't a dictator LOL
I love how the characters are ever evolving and you just can't even predict what who is going to do next. Even the newly introduced characters are awesome!!Tagon has become a whole new person. Taelha has finally opened her eyes. Tanya has actually brought her A game!!from timid to brazen. Eunseom is no longer naive...that guy is cooking up an army!
Will Taelha and Tagon still love each other deeply? Tanya has the hearts of arthdal(LOVE), Tagon has the hearts of arthdal(FEAR), Eunseom has the hearts of the ago tribe. Like who will win!!?? Igutu Vs Igutu!! What will happen when the sword, mirror and bell meet? I can't wait to see the look on saya's face.... fam!!......At this point my brain is now fried!!
I recommend this to EVERYONE from anywhere. It gives you a break from a lot of cliche stuff we all watch. It's super interesting and fun!!
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Beautiful Short Series
This was really something special, with a really unique plot, relatively sensitive depiction of mental illness, top-rate acting, beautiful cinematography, and one of the best OSTs I've encountered for a BL.I was dubious they could stuff all this into four episodes, and while they don't quite accomplish it, it's done better than I expected. This is a series that respects its audience and doesn't load most of the run time with flashbacks. The actors really committed to this, inhabited their characters, and weren't afraid to demonstrate love and affection - it feels real.
It did need one more episode or so to fill in a couple of gaps - there's one in particular that really needed a better resolution - but a budget is a budget and you have to do what you can. More happened in this than the majority of series with 12 50-min eps, so I can't really complain.
This has the best soundtrack I've heard in a BL in a long, long time. The endcredit theme is perfect.
Anyway, I highly recommend this - you have to pay attention though - it's not something you can watch while doing anything else.
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Subtle yet deep romance with a thrilling plot
This drama has something very subtle yet beautiful about it. There has been a few dramas like that that I can think of. For example, Doctor John, Goblin, Nine: Nine Times Time Travel - that underlaying melancholy and pain of the characters, the steadily growing plot and the subtle but deep connection between the two leads.The story started out in a rather subtle way. We got hints of the plot elements there and there but the context wasn't fully there. With time, the drama goes deeper and deeper and all the connections between people hold so much more weight. The leads' romance was a slow burn but they're adorable together. Life is really tough for them, somehow there are a lot of enemies surrounding them, but their connection is genuine and beautiful. It is equal amounts of cute, fluffy and mature, deep. Thinking about our reserved yet polite and kind male lead, Jeong Hoon, and his sweet, tender smiles that just lights up the whole screen, makes me giggle and roll in the sheets. I love him. He deserves all the best things and more.
It's a SLOW BURN, okay, but oh how delightful it is to be the witness of that. If you're into that.
It surprised me how much...mystery/thriller elements this drama has, but somehow it has a perfect balance with the surrounding smaller plotlines and the main romance. Also, despite hating a great amount of characters, we also get to love even a greater amount. What's even better is that the characters are not one-dimensional, they actually have complex sides to them. We actually get to KNOW a variety of characters. Basically there are little to no characters that are thrown just for the sake of filling up space.
Doesn't mean this drama has no flaws at all, though. More than flaws, it's the use of kdrama cliches. It doesn't make the drama bad, we love kdramas despite seeing a repetition of things over and over again, it's just a bit frustrating to see this otherwise fascinating drama take on a kdrama cliche approach. It felt original in its strong execution, cast and plot but sadly it still got stuck in some of the 'kdrama rules' that this wonderful story could have lived without.
Has this drama used its full potential? Well, no. Does it have some superb, never seen before ending? No again. But at the end of the day I don't regret the time spent watching it and am still helplessly in love with its characters.
I guess my advice for the future viewers would be to watch it for the tone (melancholy, slow burn, melodrama) and cute romance while enjoying the surrounding thrilling mystery, but not get too deep into thinking everything has to makes sense in the drama. Best way to dive into this is by toning down your expectations a liiiittle bit to not be disappointed.
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SOKP: Where Royal Intrigues Are More Complicated Than Your Ex's New Relationship Status
HOLD ON TO YOUR IMPERIAL HATS, DRAMA ENTHUSIASTS!!!Because "Story of Kunning Palace" is the kind of show thats more addictive than a caffeine IV drip. SOKP is not your typical tea-sipping romance-infused drama, its a captivating enigma wrapped in a historical conundrum, with more plot twists than a labyrinth. Its a tale where reverse harem meets mystery, and every character is so swoon worthy, even the palace walls are blushing <3
Bai Lu, our badass heroine, here as Jiang Xue Ning isnt just conquering hearts; shes slaying political foes and looking fabulous doing it💋There r 2 handsome dudes Zhang Zhe and Yan Lin, both vying for her attention like contestants in a royal reality show. Its a reverse harem showdown & jiang xue ning is the unwitting queen bee, swatting away admirers like theyr pesky palace mosquitoes. Jiang xue nings heart is like a rubiks cube & the poor guys—Yan Lin, Zhang Zhe, and Xie Wei are all trying to crack the code. Basically its a love triangle turned hexagon.
Now our man Zhang Ling He as Xie Wei; handsome as a greek god and jaw sharper than a ninja throwing star (HAD TO MENTION THAT LMFAO) isnt just part of the harem circus. Hes the unsung hero, & a guardian angel silently dropping nuggets of wisdom and occasionally facepalming at the chaos around him. Hes the guy secretly supporting jiang xue ning like a lovestruck ninja in the shadows. Beneath his sarcastic remarks & harsh words, lies a love so deep it makes Titanics jack and rose look like they had a casual fling. It felt as if watching a superhero show where the hero doesnt realize hes the hero, and the audience is collectively screaming, "Dude, shess right thereee!!!!!!"
The Xie wei mens trio, they are real comedy gem in this drama. The hilarious sidekicks, the MVPs of comedic relief, and the reason you'll be snorting your tea while trying to keep up with palace politics.
But lets talk plot, Jiang xue ning, after a bad ending in her past life, is back in the same palace, courtesy of fates twisted sense of humor, i guess. As if someone hit the "replay" button (quite literally) on her royal misadventures, and shes trying to navigate the maze of intrigue on her own.
Xie wei, our handsome badass, is so oblivious to his own feeling, he doesnt even realize hes fallen in love. Jiang xue ning is the oblivious queen, zhang zhe & yan lin are the competing court jesters, and xie wei is the dashing main character with a heart so hidden even he cant find it. Jiang xue ning remains blissfully unaware of the love vibes radiating from him & xie wei himself is probably wondering why his heart does the cha cha cha every time shes in the room ✨😝
Theres another baddie xue shu, the queen of making you simultaneously root against her. Shes got more schemes than a bond villain. Is she the villain?? the antihero?? or just a girl boss ahead of her time?? The plot is so mysterious and intriguing that an award winning storywriter would be taking notes.
Now, lets talk about the cast; stellar performances that could make a stone statue emote. Its like watching a masterclass in acting, with every eyebrow raise and dramatic pause deserving an award.
"Story of Kunning Palace" isnt just a drama; its a royal rollercoaster of emotions, a comedy of errors & a mystery that'll have u yelling. Seriouslyy. the chemistry is so palpable m surprised the screen hasnt caught fire yet. This drama isnt just good; its SO good its suspicious. its almost like finding a four leaf clover in a field of dandelions.. rare and borderline unbelievable.
As the grand tradition of slow burns, 'Story Of Kunning Palace' leaves us with a burning desire for more, more romance, more drama, and definitely more zhang ling he & bai lu moments that have us reaching for fire extinguishers. If ur not watching this drama, ur missing out on a hilarious, heartthrobbing, and mysteriously addictive masterpiece. I had alottt of fun watching this drama so i bet u will have too!!!! so GRAB ur popcorns & prepare for a journey so entertaining, even shakespeare wouldve been jealous ;D
Signing off
Thanks for reading the review <3
Yours, Angel
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1
1Bow down for love.
I finally finished it. I ended up taking a lot of time pausing and trying to make this drama last longer. I was reluctant to say goodbye.Song Zuer captivates with a natural charm that blends playfulness, wit, and vibrant energy. Xiao Qiao, in contrast, embodies quiet strength and intelligence. She faces adversity with deliberate care and unwavering courage, always thinking ahead. Her deep understanding of Wei Shao guides her every move, and she stands by his side as an equal—never idle, never reckless.
Rather than allowing him to face danger alone, she shares the burden, fiercely protecting him, herself, and those she loves. She gently challenges him to see the Qiaos in a different light—an idea he struggles to accept at first. Yet she holds no resentment. Aware of the wounds he carries, she responds with patience and empathy, slowly helping him release the past and find peace—to truly bury the hatchet.
Liu Yuning’s Wei Shao commands attention without a word—his presence alone shifts the air. With sharp features and a cool, unreadable expression, he doesn’t chase the spotlight; he is the spotlight. He’s not the man you run to, but the one you instinctively follow—back straight, breath held. Yet beneath the warlord’s cold exterior lies a flicker of warmth. When he breaks down before Xiao Qiao, the depth of his love, pride, and pain bleeds through every glance.
Liu Yuning delivers a performance both fierce and tender, capturing a rare duality—dominant yet vulnerable, righteous yet enigmatic. His understated intensity, commanding voice, and raw martial edge give him a wolf-like energy that’s magnetic and nearly impossible to imitate.
These two demeanors create this electric “wolf and fox” dynamic. Both characters are written to extremes, and these two actors push those extremes in a way that makes their chemistry almost untouchable. Their on-screen connection feels fated.
The Wei brothers were an absolute delight to watch, each bringing unique personalities that lit up every scene. They truly embodied the Wei clan’s reputation for strength and spirit.
At first, I wasn’t particularly fond of Wei Yan, but over time, he grew on me. His personal journey—coming to terms with his past and striving to become better—added depth to his character. He played a key role in strengthening the bond between the wolf and the fox, acting as a catalyst for their relationship. Over time, he proved himself to be a sharp-witted companion and a dependable ally during the final conflict. I gained a newfound respect for him; he’s undeniably flawed, but he owns those flaws and integrates them into who he is.
Of course, can’t leave out Wei Liang and Xiao Tao, who were an absolutely charming pair. Their relationship started off with playful bickering, which quickly became their unique love language. As the story progressed, that lighthearted banter blossomed into one of the most heartwarming romances in the entire drama.
What made their dynamic so endearing was how effortlessly they matched each other's energy. By the end, they had become a couple you couldn’t help but root for—sweet, sincere, and impossible not to smile at.
The women of the Wei family—Wei Shao’s mother and grandmother—were standouts during the final conflict. Both displayed remarkable strength and resilience. While Wei Shao’s mother initially clashed with the main couple, she eventually transformed into one of their strongest allies. She is not an amazing character, but she changed for the better.
In contrast, his grandmother was a steady force from the beginning. She was the voice of reason and the key figure without whom the relationship might never have been possible. Wise and composed, she never boasted about her insights, yet she approached every serious matter with gravity. Most importantly, she supported Xiao Qiao from the very start, despite her ties to the rival clan.
I found the power struggle within the Qiao family interesting, particularly between the leader and Xiao Qiao's father, who was one of my favorite characters. He reminded me in some ways of Wei Shao's grandmother.
Da Qiao and Bi Zhi’s story is parallel to that of Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao. I really enjoyed their dynamic, although some of Bi Zhi’s choices sometimes felt off to me. Da Qiao was almost always supportive of him. While Bi Zhi might have become a general, deep down he was just trying to give the woman he loved a peaceful life. They were also one of the couples that demonstrated the most mutual understanding and care for each other.
As for the villains, they were strong but came off as a little too easy to win against at times.
The story’s pacing is sharp and well-balanced, with both narrative arcs—political drama and romance—equally engaging and never overshadowing one another.
The plot unfolds in the aftermath of a devastating betrayal between two once-allied clans. Wei Shao, who witnessed the tragic loss of his loved ones at a young age, harbors deep hatred toward the Qiao clan. However, fate takes an unexpected turn when he finds himself falling for Xiao Qiao, a member of the Qiao family. She enters the Wei clan through a political marriage intended to halt an impending revenge plot and initiate peace talks.
The heart of the story lies in their romance. What begins as mutual hostility and manipulation gradually transforms into a deep bond rooted in trust and empathy. Their growing connection becomes a challenge for the main antagonists, as Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao develop an unwavering understanding of each other. Remarkably, they never blame one another for the actions of their families. Wei Shao is able to see Xiao Qiao as an individual, separate from the clan he despises, choosing not to project his anger onto her. In turn, Xiao Qiao respects his role as a leader and forgives the difficult decisions he must make under the weight of his responsibilities.
The romance in this story blossoms at a gentle, unhurried pace, skillfully weaving together light-hearted humor, tender exchanges, and a powerful, slow-burning chemistry that draws you in. It’s not a tale driven by a consistent trope of a relentlessly toxic or overbearing male lead. If you’re looking for a drama built around emotional manipulation or cold indifference disguised as passion, this is not it.
At its heart, it is Wei Shao’s deeply personal and emotional journey. He begins as a proud, battle-hardened leader, defined by his authority, sharp instincts, and the weight of past grievances. But as the story unfolds, we witness the transformation of a man long guarded by resentment and power. Slowly, he begins to dismantle the emotional walls he has spent years building.
This isn’t just a love story—it’s a quiet surrender. Wei Shao doesn’t simply fall in love; he bows to it. Not in defeat, but in reverence. He lays down the armor forged from pain and pride and kneels at the altar of love—not out of weakness, but out of strength and trust. In Xiao Qiao, he finds not just a partner but a safe haven, someone worthy of seeing his vulnerability. And in doing so, he chooses tenderness over vengeance, devotion over pride. His submission to love becomes the most courageous act of all.
Now, about the visuals—I absolutely loved the artistic direction they took with the drama. The color palette and gradients used in the sets and costumes, especially the wedding attire, were stunning. The title card shots for each state were also beautifully done, showing just how much attention to detail went into maintaining visual consistency throughout. It was a visually captivating experience with fantastic cinematography. While there weren't many large battle scenes, that didn’t matter much, as they were never the central focus of the story.
I also really enjoyed the background music during the emotional scenes—it added a lot of depth. The opening theme, sung by Liu Yuning, was excellent, and overall, the entire soundtrack was well-chosen and perfectly fitting.
Overall, this was one of the most put-together and well-written dramas of this year so far. I know it has its flaws, but it is a story I enjoyed, with moments that vary from touching to laughter-inducing. It's a drama that I could easily see myself rewatching in the future.
"Dripping water wears through stone; with a beauty by my side, sorrow and hatred dissolve.
With gentle affection and tender grace, even a noble man bends his will for true love."
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The storyline of EXO Next Door is mediocre and nothing special to put it bluntly, you could probably find a similar story visualizing fan fiction. 99% of us watched it for the members (including myself) and the cast was what really made it so popular.
This drama has an exceptionally close concept with boys over flowers with the asshole main lead and the nice friend who we all know gets friend-zoned by the female lead.
I will say though i enjoyed the scenes between Sehun and Kwangsoo and found their relationship really funny and entertaining.
For the cast acting Ga young was good as the female lead and really portrayed her character well. I find Kyungsoo to be the most natural and least awkward among the group (and i'm not only saying that because he's my bias). Sehun on the other hand... I have no comments. Kwangsoo was really entertaining to watch and really was a unique and adorable character to watch I got happy every time I saw him, I'll give the directors props for Kwangsoo.
For the music in EXO Next Door the one that stood out was the slow song sung by Baekhyun which I liked a lot.
BOTTOM LINE, if you are an exo fan you will really enjoy this, but story wise... it's really just exo fan-service, which i'm sure a lot of people don't have a problem with. In watching this drama you will laugh a lot and get overly excited and fangirly over a lot of scenes. Treat this as a light hearted fun show don't expect really deep feeling.
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Psychological thriller? Yes, please!
A perfectly written psychological thriller that talks about human behavior under unique circumstances. I have to say, I went into this TV series with high expectations, but unlike others who craved blood and death games, I kind of guessed from the trailers that this wouldn't be bloody and would be more like a human experiment on behavioral issues, which I was right about.I recommend this series to everyone who wants to see the thrill of miserable people craving money without the death or blood factor. I don't think we need blood and death games to make something interesting, because the human psyche is interesting without them as well.
The main characters are very different people, so as you are watching, you will probably have your favorite, which you're going to cheer for. I don't think the series showed us unrealistic characters; I would say they chose a big spectrum of people that represent broad humanity. They showed the bad, the good, and the middle, and they also included disabilities and special skills. In other words, there were only 8 players, but they kind of represented a much bigger group of people.
I love how the production style was very artsy and the background music was classical music.
My biggest positive point is that they managed to wrap the story in just eight episodes, and honestly, they wrapped it so well that season two isn't needed in my opinion, which is rare with Netflix shows.
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This review may contain spoilers
Beautiful but ultimately hollow symbolism
I have finished watching MR SUNSHINE, and there was so much that I loved about this prestige kdrama. The writing of the heroine was SO good in how it discussed and defied some of the worse kdrama-heroine tropes. There was amazingly trenchant and deeply nuanced social criticism, gorgeous cinematography, lots of fascinating history, the warmest and most positive depiction of Christianity I've ever seen in a kdrama, men who drink respect women juice, the beautiful and angsty Gu Dong-Mae, FABULOUS period clothing, and rivals in love learning to put aside their differences in favour of shooting imperialists.But the show has a major flaw - a flaw that was particularly interesting to me, because it's the precise sort of flaw that I would be most prone to. The screenwriter, who does such brilliant work in so many other ways, is clearly most fascinated by the themes and symbolism she keeps bubbling away in the story's subtext. The problem is that these themes and symbolism - which delightfully clever - are not actually supported by the storytelling, and particularly by the characterisation.
And it's a really fun, rich, resonant bit of symbolism: Ae-Sin is not just a character in the story, she's the living embodiment of Joseon Korea. She's beautiful, desirable, noble, privileged, gradually awakening to a life of hardship and struggle and resistance. Each of the three male leads in the story has a different complicated relationship with her. Eugene has run away from Korea, but returning as an adult cannot help falling in love with the land and the people in defiance of the nobility who mistreated him as a boy. Gu Dong-mae was horribly oppressed by his homeland but cannot help loving it anyway; the Korea which oppressed both men also saved their lives through small acts of kindness. And finally, Hee-Sung, Korea's richest son, is her approved betrothed, but past injustices committed by his family against the people Ae-Sin cares about stand between them. The three men fall in love, not with Ae-Sin, but with their homeland. They express their love for the woman by sacrificing themselves for the homeland; in dedicating themselves to her, they cannot help dedicating themselves to the fight for freedom.
This is why the story had to have a sad ending. None of these men can espouse the whole country; they can only die for her, while Ae-Sin - Korea itself - lives on, alone and victorious, even in exile.
This symbolism is itself delightfully rich, deftly painted, and rewarding to think back upon once you see it. There's only one problem: it doesn't. make. sense.
From the very start of the show, I felt a little impatient with the writing because the relationships between the heroine and her three suitors are so poorly developed. The feelings come out of nowhere. Take Gu Dong-Mae, for instance: he last met this woman when she saved his life as children. Now, it just takes a brush of her dress across his fingers to get him pining madly for her. Hee-Sung, after avoiding her for the best part of a decade, gets one glimpse of Ae-Sin at the washing-line and just like that conceives an undying passion for her. The central relationship, between Ae-Sin and Eugene, doesn't fare much better. The problem is that the story demands each of the male leads to sacrifice himself for Ae-Sin by the end of the show, and I simply couldn't understand why they should. They all have multiple other women pining for them, and Ae-Sin doesn't give two of them the slightest encouragement to hope. I wanted them so badly to find happiness with one of the other women, and they never did.
What MR SUNSHINE needed was not primarily rich and complex symbolism - it was believable characterisation and relationship development. As it was, the lack of substance to the relationships cheapened the grand historical tragedy which was being told. When at the climactic moment the last of the three leads sacrifices himself for the heroine, it felt cheesy and unintentionally funny, rather than tragic.
I loved so much about this story, but the heart of it never clicked for me, and it's a crying shame that with all that budget and talent, it wasn't better written. And that, for me, will be the central tragedy of MR SUNSHINE.
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‘Fishbowl Wives’ ; A Worthwhile Watch, Or A Waste Of Precious Time?
‘ Kingyo Tsuma’ ( alternatively known as ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ or ‘ 金魚妻’) is adapted from the eponymous psychological work by Kurosawa R . A mature and a surprisingly dark insight at times into the world of marriage, affairs and domestic abuse, ‘ Kingyo Tsuma’ is an intriguing if somewhat unrelieved portrayal into the fishbowl-like environment of main female lead Sakura Hiraga ( Shinohara Ryoko).
Hiraga is seemingly living the dream. She’s married to affluent hair stylist Hiraga Takuya( Ando Masanobu), she lives in an opulent penthouse apartment and she is envied by almost everyone that she knows.However as the saying goes: the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Unbeknownst to others, the seemingly perfect Sakura Hiraga is an abuse-victim. Attacked physically and verbally by her husband on a regular basis, Hiraga likens herself to a goldfish stuck in a fishbowl; trapped in an inescapable situation with no way out.
It is due to her fascination with goldfish that Hiraga ends up encountering Toyoda Haruto ( Iwata Takanori). Toyoda is a kindhearted and younger man who owns a pet shop. After becoming enamoured by Hiraga, the female lead begins to question whether Todoya could be the key for her escaping from her megalomaniacal husband.
Screenwriter Tsubota Fumi has numerous works accredited under her name. Previously having worked upon ‘ Will I Be Single Forever ?’ (2021), Ojisan wa Kawaii Mono ga Osuki’ (2020) and ‘ Colorful Love: Genderless Danshi ni Aisareteimasu’ (2021), Fumi has notably had previous experience with adapting or writing somewhat “ avant garde” or unconventional screenplays.
This isn’t to entirely critique Fumi’s screenplay or the leadership of directors Matsuyama Hiroaki ( ‘ Mystery To Iunakare’, ‘ Switched’, ‘ Nobunaga Concerto’ ) and Namiki Michiko ( ‘ Mirai Nikki’, ‘Soredemo, Ikite Yuku’, ‘ Ichikei no Karasu’). The series did an excellent job through the writing reigns of Fumi and Hiroaki and Michiko’s lens perspective of making viewers feel uncomfortable during key moments. The topics exploited onscreen particularly revolving around infidelity, debauchery and domestic abuse could often purposefully make the viewer feel almost voyeuristic.
In addition to this it was apparent that ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ offered some wry and witty attempts at comic relief- a droll comic exchange or setup evidently drawing attention away from tense or angst-ridden moments in the series. However where ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ could admittedly feel somewhat limited was through the direction of writing .
The performances given by the main cast are certainly solid, with Shinohara Ryoko and Iwata Takanori particularly stealing the spotlight during tense or tour de force moments.
On the other hand whilst both leading actors’ idiosyncratic performances were certainly good, the onscreen chemistry between Ryoko and Takanori was admittedly somewhat stunted and inconsistent in parts .
Perhaps this isn’t entirely the fault of the actors. Whilst there is supposed to be an awkward barrier between their onscreen characters due to their respected age gap, it was often hard for viewers to truly engage with this “ developing” relationship due to the characters rarely having a lot of personal drive. ( Particularly with Sakura Hiraga. Although the female lead does develop and does make some life-changing decisions, there were many elements surrounding her seeming “ disregarded” dreams, her first meeting with Takuya as well as trauma which were often widely disregarded and limited opportunities in order to flesh out her character.)
Naturally this also had a knock-on effect with the plot. One of the focal and major drives of ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ narrative came through Hiraga and Haruto trying to find happiness. Whilst we did see opportunities as viewers towards Haruto and Hiraga’s feelings for one another blossoming and the impact of their relationship upon plot, the somewhat lukewarm venture into the characters’ mutual growth and chemistry with one another did restrict dynamic engagement with the audience.
As for the progression of the narrative, ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ is truly a trial of patience. Even for an eight episode miniseries the plot could feel somewhat tedious in parts and slightly dragged out. Admittedly the series did attempt to offer some distributed screen time upon the subplots revolving around Hiraga’s acquaintances, but due to limited screen time, these storylines felt somewhat rushed and sporadically placed.
The delivered ending is admittedly dependent on viewers’ expectations; some possible enjoying the bittersweet note and imagery, whilst others feeling somewhat disappointed by the lack of a concise conclusion.
Under the directing reigns of Hiroaki and Michiko, ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ is notably an assortment of bright palette schemes, symbols and motifs. ( One of the most reoccurring motifs throughout the series evidently being the goldfish; an important plot device for the main characters, as well as a symbol of irony and foreshadowing). In addition to this the OST is notably subtle yet synchronic with key scenes; somewhat generic in parts, but helping to heighten certain scenes also.
‘ Fishbowl Wives’ offered viewers with aesthetically pleasing scenes and decent performances by the cast. However whilst the series did offer viewers with an intriguing plot premise, ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ slowly began to meet its cataclysmic downfall as the series progressed. The ending of the series will certainly differ for audiences dependent on expectations, but helped to reinforce the assertion that ‘ Fishbowl Wives’ struggled at times to escape its own bubble of writing limitations also.
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From the very first moment I saw the description of Memories of Murder I was sure I was going to at least like this film. Why? Let’s begin with genre: I’m a sucker for things related with serial murders; creepy, I know, but I love this dark, eerie atmosphere that’s usually present in such films. After deciding that this movie is worth watching I’ve done a little research about it… and the things I’ve discovered made me even more certain that this movie is just perfect for me. Not only it is based on real events, but the culprit of this crime was never found! Another thing: I’ve read somewhere that Quentin Tarantino said that this movie is among his Top 20 favorite movies since 1992 – well, that’s a sufficient recommendation for me.
This movie has amazing acting - every single actor made his role alive and believable. The most outstanding one was Song Kang Ho, who plays a role of a stupid local detective, good only at forcing testimonies out of (usually innocent) people with a use of brutal force; evidences are not important to him, the only thing he needs is his intuition. So… yeah, you guess right, he’s not what we call a good cop. He has his sidekick, and boy, this guy is even more stupid and brutal than his hyung – it’s usually him who does dirty work (hanging people upside down, kicking them in the face with combat boots, digging a grave for them etc). So how can such detectives resolve as complicated case as serial murders? Fortunately for them, there’s this guy from Seoul who comes to help them in an investigation - and he is the exact opposite of our country bumpkins.
What I liked about this movie was that it wasn’t only about finding a murderer; it also showed us a believable development of characters. Park Doo Man discovers there are other ways to find a culprit than forcing a testimony out of suspects and Seo Tae Yoon starts to doubt his own, "good" methods. It all combined with great acting, thrilling action and a bit of humor creates an amazing movie. So, if you like thrillers and you’re not put off by violence, then Memories of Murder is just for you.
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This review may contain spoilers
An (erotic) melodrama whose melodramatics were brilliantly captured
"Obsessed" is an erotic movie about a passionate affair in South Korea around 1969. It is a melodrama whose melodramatics were brilliantly captured - with a Song Seung-heon, who absorbs the drama in his particular passionate manner. What is new in that context, is how he is allowed to act almost shamelessly here.However, "Obsessed" is also an exciting KMovie as it touches on a not so well known chapter in recent South Korean history: the time of Vietnam War.
------------------------- SIDE NOTE: --- South Korea and the Vietnam War ---
It is always the USA that come to mind. But South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and the Philippines also fought in Vietnam. South Korea was the country most involved after the USA. Between 1964 and 1973, around 48.000 Korean soldiers were each year drafted into this war. They had all volunteered, not least because their monthly wages brought in almost twice as much as a normal annual salary would have at the time. However, the South Korean army has gained a dubious reputation with a few massacres (including among civilians) in this war - a chapter from the time of the military dictatorship that has not been fully processed by now. The KMovie gives at least some space/thinking to this aspect - in connection with the consequences of the post-traumatic disorders, including the protagonist.
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"Obsessed" conveys some impressions about those 1960s/70s. The already strictly authoritarian context of South Korean every day life becomes even more so during dictatorship at that time, let alone in military itself. Thus every spark of vitality is nipped in the bud by the stiff corset of an immaculate facade. With the affair, an erotic tension is built up that one is not used to from the KDrama orbit. For the protagonists, however, this tension opens up a forbidden, yet addictive space to breathe, love and feel alive - and this precious moment of feeling alive has more value for the distressed male protagonist than anything else - as he has already seen and brought way too much death into this world...
Provoking. Gloomy. Beautifully done.
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