Watch for the plot, not the romance
A lighthearted easy to watch drama with the main focus being the dating show.I had very high expectations for this drama after watching the first two episodes, it was right up my alley (providing an old kdrama vibe). However, it slowly lost that charm. Don't get me wrong, it's still a reasonable drama, I really like the dating show concept, it kind of feels like watching one, the only difference is being able to see the behind the scenes chemistry of the cast and how it's all put together. But just a heads up before jumping into this, the first half and second half are quite different due to its shift from focussing on the mains relationship to only mostly focussing on the dating show.
As much as I absolutely adored them in the early episodes, towards the second half of the drama, I began to lose interest in Yu Reum and Jae Hoon's relationship. I was worried this would affect my overall view of LIFS as waiting for their romantic relationship to actually develop was tiring. However, I chose to focus on their individual stories, rather than their romantic ones and I think, with that mentality, I was able to stick with this longer and enjoy the drama more. And for that, I recommend starting LIFS for the plot and less for the romance between the main leads, because, even 11 episodes in, there is little to no romance between the two. The title 'Love Is for Suckers' summarises this drama pretty well.
Lee Da Hee and Choi Si Won are an amazing kdrama couple (perfectly casted in my opinion), but they sadly just couldn't thrive the way they were meant to with a plot like this... They had so much potential, but the writing was lazy, giving no tension or hook.
There is a love triangle, but the second female lead is sweet and likeable, no overly rude and annoying SFL's in this drama - just means viewers might root for her happiness more.
Overall, it's cheesy but not to the point of being unbearable and cringe to watch, the acting is pretty good and most of the characters are likeable in their own quirky way. The plots rather simple (and slow paced), but it's reasonably interesting despite being a bit messy and occasionally going backwards rather than forwards in the development of characters. Also, the actual story doesn't start until episode 5; the first 4 are more just an introduction to the characters and their backstories.
The writer did one thing right - giving a good character development to John Jang. I was so much more invested in his story, he’s surprisingly a really likeable character as the story progresses. Park Ji Wan too! Those two are lowkey my favourite characters. ^^
If you read my review and still think you'll watch it, why not - go for it! Despite its flaws, it's still worth checking out.
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Has a Lakorn vibe (Thai Drama)..
If you are fun of watching Lakorn or Thai dramas then I think you might like this one cause it was somewhat the same vibes with it; it has revenge, male lead is domineering, there’s a slap and a mother that is evil hahahaha.. it’s fun to watch, it’s just that to sad it’s just a very short series like wanting for more after one episode...l have enjoyed this drama so much wishing it could have been longer...The costumes and the setting is nice not lame even the cinematography it’s just fine as well...
The male lead is damn hawttt hahaha , and Dawn is still pretty and cute, first time to watch her in republican drama...
all in all this drama is just great for me specially for a short series because l seldom watch short series cause l find them too simple or not trilling somewhat like that.._ but as for this short series its very different, l just really love it so much, its very entertaining..
_...one things for sure in this drama the male lead will not disappoint you hahaha especially when his shirtless hahaha... sorry got a little bit naughty here hahaha..
l recommend that you give this drama a shot if you haven't watched it, just don't listen to the comments good or bad, or to the ratings because whether a project is good or bad we netizens or watchers have a different say to it...so just go and dig in ...
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This review may contain spoilers
A Lot to Unpack - An Honest Review
I only watched this because Xiao Zhan is one of the people I follow and also for seeing what the military genre holds in their country, as it's the first time I watched a military cdrama. And while everyone knows the general issues production had, I did find out recently that it was because of censorship and multiple reviews, that this drama lost 13 episodes and therefore explains the haphazard editing and much of the disconnection and inconsistencies. Let's unpack this series.Pros: I loved Gu Yiye from the beginning. The character wasn't perfect in the slightest but was always determined to make himself better no matter how much hard work it took. Every step he took, every emotion he displayed made it in effect seem like a docuseries and not just a fictional drama. No matter how many people frowned upon him, he was determined to show his hard work and take his own path to the top. XZ filmed this series during the most difficult time in his career and life and still put 110% into it and it shone through in dividends. His explosion of emotions or even basic army tactics spoke volumes about how much he was invested in his character.
A-Xiu was literally the perfect match for GYY. Though their relationship began out of responsibility, it blossomed into real genuine love. The way she always had his back no matter what. She helped break the PTSD cycle, she ran around searching for doctors for his arm, she was ready to beat up anyone that ever bullied GYY and was the solid foundation that essentially GYY never had in his life. To her, he was the brightest star in the entire world. Both Jiang Nan Zheng (JNZ) and Hu Yang (HY) couldn't provide the simple things GYY needed and that really all he ever needed was understanding and support.
My other favorite characters were many of the support like Zhang Fei, papa Gu, and the rest of their comrades in arms. Each one came with their unique personalities and flaws. If a character is too perfect, it won't be remotely realistic. Just like if the opposite happens and the character is awful, it won't lead credence to the portrayal either. The couples whether they stayed together or not still were properly evolved and had their closure at the end.
I loved the special effects during the big battles or whether they actually used real military equipment or CGI I don't know but all the blasts and the combat scenes were really nice. Be they real war or drills; when actual fighting was involved or strategies explained, it was nice to see how the mind worked to help move on to the next step. The OSTs were also appropriate and made the proper impression whether in the credits or in the scenes. Also liked the fact that this series ran low on propaganda which is a very good thing as these military dramas tend to overdo that aspect in large quantities.
Cons: I will be completely honest here and I'm not hating on him in the slightest but Johnny's performance for more then half of the series was underwhelming. I have been told for a long time that this genre was his niche so I was very excited to see him and XZ in this great drama but his performance fell flat for being the ML; I've got nothing against him at all; this is just my own personal experience and opinion as a viewer.
Gao Liang until he went to study at the school was essentially riding the coattails of nepotism which was quite unseemly and with the sob story about him being an orphan and his dead brother; also weird that the story kept changing to fit whatever was going on in the drama. I kept wondering why no one was calling it out but perhaps that's how their military ran in those days.
JNZ started off as a smart young woman but then they dumbed her down into this whining, crying female lead that had literally no concept of being affected by the battle that took so many lives. It felt like the battle the rest of the cast fought and the one she was in were completely different situations. The "turn your frown upside down" in regards to the trauma GYY was going through, her attitude was rather lame and that's the other thing that made GYY start to distance himself from her.
The amount of random time lapses and inconsistencies were staggering. A few examples; JNZ hated her father the chief and then in the next episode when she finds out he's fighting for his life, she was practically ready to change his diapers in the hospital for him. One episode she calls GL her brother, in the very next episode she's madly in love with him. The romance between GYY and AX would also have been good to see.
The fact that this series tried desperately to turn GL into Robocop, making him single-handedly take out very butch and heavily armed terrorists or that last drill that dragged for far too long and him zipping around the island with literally a propeller in his butt and 17 pairs of eyes being able to spot a singular intruder on his own and then go chase him down. It was beyond unbelievable even for a fictional military drama. That can't be excused by the cut in episodes, but I would like to ask what the writer was thinking. The fact that he was able to scuba dive with explosives without any real training was very inconsistent and pretty ridiculous; just like GYY and his soldiers being able to essentially turn into paratroopers with zilch experience also made little sense.
There were many more but I'll mention a last one and that's the tug of war of JNZ and GL and their marriage. When GYY is dating JNZ, GL is always there getting in between them like an annoying mosquito they can't swat. But as soon as JNZ is single, GL seems interested and then quickly backs off; giving her a zillion excuses. Did he ever really love her? Or was she like a trophy to win in a competition? Yes they got hitched in the last episode but it seemed it was such an afterthought and added a musical to the mix. When she didn't look at him, he was super clingy but when she starts being the epitome of gorilla glue, he runs in the other direction. And her solution to every one of their problems was marriage. Her showing up in the 21st century wedding dress and heavy bling (that didn't make sense as she had a military salary) at the hospital where he was unconscious looked completely misplaced in a military drama. Many moments like that make you scratch your head in confusion.
Would I recommend it? If you're a military drama fan and like Xiao Zhan as well as well done supporting characters and great action, then yes I would. But I do warn about a lot of inconsistencies that might make you very confused.
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“Your job needs to be something more than just a source of income”. Ok Da Jung.
Don’t let the cover picture nor the description fool you! This is no rom-com and I actually mean that in a good way. I have missed the old typical rom-com K dramas, which had meaning and had strong message to carry on. I was almost losing hope in finding good quality typical K drama BUT I finally found Ms. Temper & Nam Jung-Gi! At first it may give you the impression that it’s just a silly, funny, shallow typical k drama with lots of clichés and predictable plot. Yes, it is to some point predictable I’m not going to say it isn’t BUT is it typical? No, in my opinion it isn’t. First of all, take any rom-com drama out there (especially work related ones) and take out the “romance” element or the “comedy” element what are you left with? Basically nothing impressive, this drama on the other hand has so much more to offer you other than just romance or comedy.
The story took path where we as viewers couldn’t predict; it wasn’t really focused on one certain element but all elements and all characters equally. I loved how the work environment is the most essential element here and loved the way it was presented. They took something real and serious and presented it in a funny and humeral way at the same time kept it realistic. Therefore, you as a viewer not only will you have fun and great amount of laughter while watching but also you will appreciate/understand the message behind each and every episode here.
Ms. Temper & Nam Jung-Gi as a drama has given importance for the side characters just as much for the main characters and that is something isn’t often seen in drama land if you ask me. The story allows you to slowly understand the characters each and every one of them and takes you along with them so you will be able to understand their actions or why they decided to live their lives the way they do. In opinion what makes this drama special isn’t the story as much as the well-written characters. I wonder how the writers were able to make them so interesting and fun to watch at the same time kept them down to earth real. No perfection, no bad or evil characters here just different perspectives and different way of looking at things. Life is hard enough, we fight constant battles each day to survive we don’t have the luxury to worry about others so how far are we willing to go in order to survive? Does that make us bad/selfish people or timid spineless people? Or does it just simply make us people?
I will take a moment here and appreciate one of K drama’s best female character ever created and a true role model Ok Da Jung (Lee Yo Won). She is a strong, righteous and great person who knows exactly how to stand up for herself and wouldn’t fight using dirty methods no matter what. She may seem harsh and too blunt but she isn’t a bully and she cares mostly for the company and staff. You could learn so much from Ok Da Jung and you will probably wish you had such a great boss to work for in real life.
I think Lee Yo Won did great accepting this project, at first I was surprised because I am used to watching her in melodramas or more dark serious plots and entirely different characters than ODJ so I wondered why would an A-list actress go for cable project and with such unknown cast but I still trusted her judgment and as her fan I respect her for taking this risk. This is her first rom-com project and I’m happy she decided to explore her talent, she was wonderful as Ok Da Jung it will be almost impossible for you not to love her. The rest of the cast did splendidly especially Yoon Sang Hyun as the timid nice angel Nam Jung Gi and Hwang Chan Sung as the boy who has still yet to learn to grow into a man who can handle responsibility. It is fair to say that even the guest actors (Lee Jung Jin & Yeon Jung Hoon) did an amazing job for short appearance; I was delighted to have them on the show.
I generally do not rewatch dramas but I do have few ones that I'd rewatch. However I think this drama can easily be rewatchable material for anyone who would rewatch dramas in general because I do believe it will be just as much fun as it was the first time and frankly you never get enough of Ok Da Jung & Woo Joo's scenes.
Overall
I can see this drama will be one of the underrated dramas here on MDL and will go unnoticed. I don’t know if my review has helped or not but if you are looking for your typical fluffy romance then let me tell you this isn’t it. This drama does not focus on the romance in fact you can barely see it but you most certainly can feel it. The thing is "romance" in here is presented in mature manner but that's also has its beauty so don't let this stop you from giving the drama a chance. Ms. Temper & Nam Jung-Gi has so much more than just comedy and romance; this is a fun enjoyable ride if you are willing to appreciate what this drama has to offer. After all as Nam Jung Gi says, “Does a relationship between a man and woman have to be melo or lovely dovey fairytale? Why do people expect that?”.
Also Ok Da Jung and Woo Joo make the cutest most adorable couple ever don't miss out on that :')
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This review may contain spoilers
The Road To Revenge Is Full Of Plotholes
THIS HALF-RANT IS FULL OF SPOILERS and is written by one in need of vengeance against these scriptwriters who don't communicate with each other about what the drama they're writing is about.***
Come here, sit down and have a cup of the lovely Undying Flower Soup while I rant a wee bit.
Kill Me Love Me is touted as a revenge drama. The novel had a Blackest Flag male lead and an abused female lead who loved him in spite of being treated like dirt by him, and anyone who read this story knew there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell C-Dramaland was going to have the real version show up in their adaptation. Nonetheless, the first five episodes of Kill Me Love Me delivered an exciting promise of a different kind of male lead--one who was a bit depressed (about his loss of self and reputation), plenty angry (about his condition, the betrayal of his brother) and quite, quite ruthless in his ten -year plan to exact revenge.
Liu Xue Ye delivered Murong JingHe as he should have been THROUGHOUT the book in these five episodes and got many, many viewers hooked. He handpicked and trained an assassin in a secret assassin school, spending years making sure she was one tough nut, to be a tool in his plan. This assassin was a victim of a city siege fire that MRJH had been framed for setting, killing 100000 citizens in its wake, so this woman, who willingly underwent very brutal training would attempt to assassinate HIM, MRJH. This woman was Mei Lin, who had lost her parents, who hated MRJH, the General of the WeiBei army, so much for the death of her parents and friends, that she swore to kill him. The fascinating angle to this whole buildup to the revenge was Mei Lin having no idea that her Master Trainer/Lord was MRJH himself, who always appeared as a shadowy figure.
The set up was Gothic, full of darkness and ravens, of people screaming at an indolent and uncaring MRJH in his wheelchair, of the watchful hate in Mei Lin's eyes as she got nearer to her target. It was akin to the Madhatter's Party in Alice in Wonderland, where every character was questionably insane, yet all the colors were pretty and there were pretty cakes and silly rhymes and we the viewers were getting highly entertained by the push and pull of the sexual tension between our leads as they confronted each other in the flesh.
Then POOF, Alice in Wonderland took a pill and became tiny. The Gothic story disappeared and our ride became bumpy with the first set of plotholes before we were suddenly plunged into a ROMCOM world of happy village people living the idyllic life of happy unaffected people, and our two leads were suddenly in couple clothes and doing very romantic things. Which was all fine and dandy, except, without any transition from the danger of almost dying a few days agp from hunger and cold, of almost being killed by the evil brother, we were left scratching our heads with these three or four episodes of Happy Couple, tralalala-ing in the fields.
Then POOF. Alice in Wonderland took a pill and we were back in the Palace of Intrigue. The stakes were high and our leads' revenge was nigh. We were so ready for it because this was what it was all about--the truth would come out and the Evil Brother would die a good bloody death, etc. etc. Oh wait, Plothole ahead. Bump Bump. And I'm at a loss at how to explain what happened next.
The revenge? A whimper. The Evil Brother's death? Kinda peaceful, in the arms of the woman he freaking lied to and seduced, no less. And the ten-year plan? Long gone, actually--it disappeared in the first five episodes because Mei Lin already found out MRJH wasn't the one who ordered the fire. We were led to this point where we'd expected the PAY OFF--these two would face Evil Brother TOGETHER and get their vengeance. That's what a revenge drama is all about!
And Poof! Poor Alice. Small again. Our ML went and did the "noble savior" act and denied the assassin HE trained any of the revenge action! My head about exploded here. Mei Lin was sent off as Princess in marriage. WTF? What the loving frack?! The plothole here cannot even be filled in. Yes, yes, the noble savior trope was the cement bridging the next segment of this sad story, but can we get back to the Mad Hatter Murong Jinghe? This man, our slightly crazy hero of those first episodes, who wore vengeance with a casual sexy ruthlessness, had turned into the emo-child of some grunge festival, crying about angsty self-hatred. And Mei Lin, the amazing assassin we've grown to love was no better. She was suddenly some regal lady of the court, with the mannerisms of nobility, speaking of "different paths" and changing her focus to saving another man, her sudden betrothed.
What? WHAT? I get it. She was mad about the Big Sekrit of who had trained her. I get the angst. But shouldn't she be angrier about NOT BEING INCLUDED in their revenge? What was this about her agreeing to be saved? She was Mei Lin! She didn't need saving! She was the one saving everyone, remember? This essential change in her character gave me the second whiplash. Because...Plothole. Where were the other assassins who had trained with her? Why would she just meekly go off when she had never done so before? And if she was so clever in the beginning at figuring out that MRJH wasn't all bad, why was she not clever in figuring out that her betrothed, the Xiyan Green Tea Prince, wasn't all good?
(I know you're wondering what gave me the first whiplash. I wish I have time to include other character plotholes. But the first whiplash belonged to a secondary character, who was almost (ALMOST, if only the darn writers could decide together) the 2FL. One moment she was hankering after our ML for 13 years and then she took a whiff of sexy incense, and she was in love with Evil Bro. Y'all just have to hatewatch the drama to see what I mean)
And you know what? Alice never got big again throughout the drama. Mei Lin remained weak. MRJH said (and rightly so) that he was to be blamed for killing her. But dude, you had the cure. Why let that Other Guy take the credit?
The rest of the plot after the revenge was added on for lovers' angst, which was fine. I admit, I enjoyed MRJH's anguish because Liu Xue Yi was hella sexy when he suddenly turned Heathcliff and ran off digging up the "dead" Mei Lin. Now, THAT was a memorable scene. Where did we ever see a ML carrying a "corpse" around, drinking wine and trying to feed her medicine? THAT was the MRJH from the first few episodes--a man unafraid of the darkness within him--but this Gothic Self was merely bookends to the drama. In the middle was some other persona.
The romance was sexy at first, then turned rom-com sweet, then went all angsty. The loss of sexual tension really hurt the push and pull of these characters. They just jumped from one segment of episodes to another segment like they were in different dramas. I love the actors' chemistry, and boy, did they hard-carry this show, but many, many balls were dropped while we traversed this road full of plotholes.
Did I enjoy the drama? Yes, mostly. It had many entertaining scenes. But these stitched up scenes lacked coherence. So many things had to be explained away, until we all got a bit silly and started asking silly questions, like Where did the pet dog go? Or, how did the village people change our couple's clothes while they were unconscious and when Mei Lin wouldn't let go of Jing He's hand for days? Or, shouldn't rigor mortis have set in--why was her "corpse" so malleable?
So, yes, I was entertained, even at the "ending of repeated deaths." They should have titled the drama Kill Me Kill Me Again And Again. Just ignore the Plotholes. And the writers' attempt at making ironic symbolism like the Undying flower for the couple.
It's more 7.2 than 7.5. I'm kinda torn. I want to avenge MRJH and Mei Lin for what the writers did to them.
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A well-structured but boring watch
PLOT: Starts entertaining, but sizzles out pretty darn fast--------------------------------------------------------------
Jun Ji Hoon (the ML) is an Interpol undercover agent working on a case that involves his Ah Reum's (his ex-wife's) close friend. When the job goes south, Ji Hoon is forced to keep a close eye on Ah Reum (the FL), reigniting his feelings for her in the process.
In the wake of a tragedy, Ah Reum decides to unofficially investigate the suspicious circumstances of her friend's death. The trail leads her to reconnect with Ji Hoon, her ex-husband, and then later to suspect Derek Hyun, her current husband, of being involved in her friend's death.
If you go by the summary, one would imagine this show to be Male-centric, since we know right off the bat that the Male Lead and Second Male Lead are both secret agents on opposing sides. And to a certain extent, the story begins with them. Yet Kang Ah Reum's character becomes the best thing about this show and the heart of the story until we cross into the second half.
Unfortunately, there's nothing memorable about this drama aside from the depiction of a consistently strong Female Lead, who just so happens to also be kind of boring and a bit self-centered.
While we could blame the incorporation of comedy as one of the weakest points, it's the bland characters that hurt this drama the most.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Simple, dull, and unengaging
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Kang Ah Reum:
An ambitious wedding dress designer who works hard to keep her business afloat, Ah Reum is not only smart, charming, and hardworking; but she's also stubborn, uncompromising, and committed to a cause. For a Female Lead, Ah Reum is always actively involved in the plot and, one could even say; she one-ups both Male Leads on multiple occasions. Credit where credit is due, the writer managed to keep Ah Reum from becoming the "victim" of the male leads' deceitfulness. That doesn't mean she doesn't feel hurt when she figures out both men lied to her, but rather that she isn't defined by that pain. Unfortunately, after a while, her character just falls flat and becomes boring. Her wishy-washy attitude towards the male leads certainly doesn't help. And she starts to showcase some flaws as we cross into the second half, during which she's shown to be self-centered, petty, and judgemental.
Jun Ji Hoon:
An undercover Interpol agent who's introduced as the ace of his team and Ah Reum's ex-husband. Unlike your typical Male Lead, Ji Hoon has been written with enough flaws to balance his strengths. He's a master of combat, smart, and loyal; but he's also emotionally-driven, ridden with guilt, and lonely due to his sacrificial nature. Outside of his love for Ah Reum, however, there's nothing of substance to his character. And let's just say there are even a few occasions where I wondered if he was referred to as the "ace" in a sarcastic way. Don't get me wrong, he's always a sweet character, but he's ultimately the most boring.
Derek Hyun:
He's Ah Reum's current husband and a corporate spy working for an underground group who's wanted by Interpol. He's a master of disguise; charming and sweet, who has been groomed from a very young age in the art of deceit. And it's precisely how easy that smile lights his face that makes him a dangerous spy. For one never knows if he'll offer a hug one second and stab you in the back with the next. Out of all the characters, he was the most interesting but also the less explored.
Although the three of them may read quite impressive on paper, they failed to be fleshed out properly. Like I've mentioned, Derek comes closest to an intriguing protagonist, especially on those few occasions when he narrates his thoughts and exposes his contradicting feelings. But being locked in the wretched love triangle hurts his story; as his identity crisis (being a loving husband vs being a cold-blooded spy) is never dealt with properly. Especially because the drama reminds us constantly that he's the second male lead and we all know what that means, right?
With leads me to talk about the weakest part of the drama...
PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Uncommitted & boggled down by the Love Triangle
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If you're not tolerant of a love triangle that drags throughout most of the story, then this one will test your patience. Add to that the fact that it's never made clear who Ah Reum loves from the two men (up until the very end), and this draggy mess of a romance becomes boring fast.
Ah Reum is certainly loyal to Derek, but at some point, it felt more of a commitment of the mind than of the heart. Long before certain events took place, it was clear she felt like she was "stuck" with Derek rather than she wanted to be with him. Which was a disservice to both characters and their relationship.
On the other hand, Ah Reum's feelings of guilt towards Ji Hoon, whom she felt she discarded when their relationship got too hard, makes her constantly gravitate to him more organically. And because Ji Hoon is still in love with her, their relationship felt like infidelity in progress --which is a hard sell for someone intolerant to cheating portrayed as romantic.
It's clear that reconnecting with Ji Hoon and finding out the real reason they broke up shook Ah Reum's heart enough to tempt her. Which caused her relationship with Derek to feel like a settlement of responsibility rather than actual love.
It doesn't help that the love triangle feels forced and unfair towards both male leads; who lose their identity by becoming little more than love interests.
The desire of the writer to keep both prospects equals in terms of pain also meant that most of the emotional aspect of Derek's story was left unexplored. Even worst, Ji Hoon got an uncompelling, watered-down version of Derek's story to keep him in the "running" for the audience's sympathy.
Needless to say, I didn't enjoy the romance at all, which is a problem since that's a big part of the dull plot.
SUPPORT CHARACTERS: Unmemorable
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There's not much to say about them except that they provided a few comedic moments. Ultimately, though, they were unremarkable.
ANTAGONISTS: Predictable & riddled with clichés
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The drama had too many antagonists and, as a result, they all felt shallow, cliched, and uninspired in their execution. None of them stood out or left an impression. How could they? There were so many, there was simply no time to make them unique or even slightly interesting, for that matter.
The only one who was mildly interesting because of his eccentricity was Jang Doo Bong, who showed Hyun Joon has some great acting chops.
OVERALL: Draggy and forgettable
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I think the drama struggled to create a good enough story for me to recommend it. This feels more character-driven than plot-driven, yet the characters themselves lack complexity or at least something interesting to make them stand out. The bland story, coupled with the uninteresting characters, made this drama a difficult one to muscle through. The pacing slowed and dragged even more once it crossed into the second half. So if this drama doesn't pique your interest during the first four episodes, chances are you won't enjoy the rest.
Perhaps The Spies Who Loved Me needed to have fewer characters to properly flesh out the important ones? Or maybe they could've gotten rid of the whole love triangle business sooner, so we could focus on the plot and the "twist" (I'm being generous by calling it that)?
Though Derek's story was the only interesting aspect, it wasn't original. Episode 15 may have touched lightly upon identity crisis, but it was never fully delved into. It's a shame because that aspect showed potential for an enjoyable watch. But the fact that he wasn't the Male Lead also meant his airtime was limited in service of giving Ji Hoon (a much less interesting character) more screentime.
While Ah Reum was certainly a strong female character, ultimately she was just as uninteresting as her male counterpart. I never felt emotionally invested in any of their stories. Even when the characters were in pain, the portrayal of hurt seemed superficial and irrelevant. There were also a TON of cringy moments when it came to the bromance; a relationship that seemed built for kicks & comedy at best, and queer-baiting at worst. Although the last few episodes did show a sweeter relationship between the guys.
All in all, I can't recommend this drama if you're looking for an interesting plot. But if you enjoy love-triangles and don't mind a bland story, this one might strike your fancy.
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Simply because this is an action drama, I just love watching action dramas and IRIS seemed to be the right choice at the time.
2) Storyline/Plot:
The general storyline was written in a good way, there were a lot of interesting cliffhangers all over the drama, action-suspense packed with romance thrown every once in awhile.
Postive Points:
*Being an action drama that's full of suspense isn't something new yet to see this type of drama in the Korean industry is rare that's why it would feel appealing.
*Main Genres:
--->Action: Considering the fact that this is an action drama, it contained many fighting scenes which were attracting to watch. The action element was set in a way that would make the viewers anxious about the next fighting development. Well, martial arts scenes were practically absent, only guns and free wrestling yet it felt right for this kind of drama plus fighting all over the drama was cool to follow.
--->Suspense: The suspense element wasn't very interesting like the action element yet that doesn't deny the fact that it had an important effect through the drama and the story's development. It's true that it wasn't present ever since the beginning but the fact that it got extended every episode was a smart move to make the audience wonder about what will happen next.
--->Romance: I wouldn't say it's fully a positive point but it was the right amount for an intense drama because in action-suspense dramas, too much romance would ruin the whole plot. Here, romance participated in the story's development by making it more captivating.
Negative Points:
*The negative points that I can think of are related to the suspense element; it's true that I previously mentioned it in the positive points column and it's true that suspense made this drama more interesting yet when there is suspgense and mystery there should be "truth revealing" at/near the end but that wasn't the case here. Yes, we get to know many things but it was left open in an annoying way.
Story: 9/10.
3) Acting/Cast:
*Lee Byung Hun:
I am not very familiar with him as an actor so I wondered if he could pull off an intense role, I also kept questioning his ability in delivering emotions through his acting and the answer was: Good action actor, I liked his skills whether in action or in the dramatical scenes (even though there weren't many).
Kim Hyun Jun was an ordinary action lead male character, I can't think of something special about his character since I've seen it many times before yet it wasn't boring nor usual to watch. I enjoyed his scenes especially his action scenes because he had some respectable action moves.
*Kim Tae Hee:
I like this actress but I believe that her previous roles weren't that interesting therefore I was happy to find her in an action drama with a an intense role. I wanted to confirm her skills and I am satisfied; her perfomance was good enough to make me like her even more.
Choi Seung Hee was an acceptable character, it's true that her action scenes weren't that special and I wanted her to be more strong yet it was good enough to keep the entertainment.
*Other Cast:
As for other main roles, I believe that they were satisfying as actors and characters. Supporting roles were good, I have no complains about them. I specially liked the second lead female as an actress and as a character.
*Relationships:
--->Friendship: I liked the realationship between Hyun Jun and Sa Won all the way through the drama whether it was bromance or conflicts. The friendship between Hyun Jun and Kim Sun Hwa was good too, it's one of the fewest times that I liked the relationship between the lead male and the second lead female.
--->Romance: There was great chemistry between the main roles, the romantic scenes between Hyun Jun and Seung Hee were always good to watch.
--->The Triangle: It was different and much better from other usual boring Korean triangles.
Cast: 8.5/10
Acting: 9/10.
4) The ending:
Don't expect too much from the ending, it's one of the storyline's flaws since it doesn't answer the suspense questions yet it's expected for this intense drama. The ending will leave with lots of questions, it could be considered as an open ending or maybe they're preparing questions for a second season or a film, in that case I wouldn't consider it as an ending.
The ending's rating 7/10.
5) My impression (How did it affect me):
*Usually, an action drama is always interesting for me but this drama had great bonuses: Romance and suspense, which means that I fully enjoyed it from the beginning till the end.
*There's no chance that you will get bored while watching this drama. You can consider it as a thrilling ride that will take you through amazing events and awesome action scenes.
*Is this drama memorable: Yes it is, the fact that it is one of the fewest Korean action dramas, I think it worth a spot in my "unforgettable dramas list" and I am still hoping for a second season, I think it would be good.
My impression: 9/10
6) Overall:
*If you like action-suspense dramas then you need to watch this.
*If you like action dramas with romance thrown in it then IRIS will fit your taste.
*IRIS is a drama that you need to watch when you're looking for a respectable action story with lots of mystery and suspense and let's not forget that it has great main roles.
Overall: 9/10.
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A sparking marble in the grass
The first couple of episodes, while charming, had me fearing mediocrity. But over time, I grew to see a surprising level of quiet depth and maturity in the leads. These young men have been hurt and are still dealing with hurt. One is more naive and hopeful, though, while the other is disillusioned with reality and terrified.Takara's fight to not fall into the same depths as his mother and fear of himself the moment he mirrors her behaviors, even slightly, in particular, stood out to me.
"If I want something, I must have it."
What it must be like to fear your own wants and feel the need to push your desires aside in case you just might take a treasure into your hands, keep it from the world, and unwillingly crush it.
I would like others to see what I did, but I understand if you don't. Regardless, I found this a precious watch that I almost want to keep to myself. My own "treasure."
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2
1It's TayNew Magic
I always write my reviews with parting positive , negative points but there is no negative thing so I have to write my review in a paragraph . I have seen Tay and Newwie's acting before so I am not surprised right now . There are no words to describe how outstanding this drama is . Although this is not a BL but you don't need romance if there is Tay and Newwiee . Every scenes of this drama is chaotic , funny and awesome . If you are feeling bore then must watch this series . The cinematography , music ., visuals , story and the side characters are just perfect . And most likable thing is Tay and Newwie are doing different types of drama apart from BLs .Overall a solid 10 /10 for me .
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A must watch Cdrama in 2023!
"Here We Meet Again" is a captivating romantic Cdrama that left me thoroughly impressed with its amazing chemistry between the main leads. What truly sets this series apart is its portrayal of a strong, independent female lead and a male lead from a challenging background. The contrast between their lives adds depth to the story, making it all the more intriguing.One of the standout aspects of the show is the exceptional character development. As the story unfolds, we witness the gradual unraveling of misunderstandings and the building of trust between the main characters. The script beautifully captures the complexities of their circumstances, showcasing how burdens can hinder communication and create obstacles to their relationship.
The series effortlessly balances comedy and romance, providing plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. The natural progression from friendship to a loving relationship is depicted in a way that feels authentic and heartwarming. The palpable chemistry between the male and female leads adds an extra layer of depth, keeping viewers engaged and rooting for their relationship.
I particularly appreciate the healthy jealousy displayed by the main leads. It adds an element of realism to the story, as they navigate their feelings while still maintaining respect for one another. This aspect adds complexity to their relationship, making it all the more compelling to watch.
Prepare to have your heart racing and your cheeks flushed as the male lead makes his grand entrance. That particular scene, where he appears and utters the words, "Do you really want him to see you like this?" is a game-changer. The chemistry between the main characters reaches its peak, and it's impossible not to be swept away by the sheer passion and emotion on screen.
I have to admit, I lost myself in that moment. The intensity of their connection, the raw emotions conveyed through their expressions and words, it all culminates in a scene that will make even the most composed viewer blush. It's a testament to the exceptional acting skills of the cast, who bring these characters to life in such a captivating manner.
"Here We Meet Again" has already secured a spot among my top romantic Cdramas. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a captivating love story with well-developed characters, engaging plotlines, and chemistry that will keep you hooked until the very end.
Note: This review is written by me, edited by ChatGPT for readability.
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This review may contain spoilers
I will remember you, will you remember me?
This is a heart warming, unabashedly tropey love story about how true love conquers all. The OTP face a daunting obstacle: Feng Mianwan's (Chen Yuqi) mother is blamed for Jing Ci's (Yu Menglong) mother's demise. Nonetheless Jing Ci shields her from his revenge driven aunt and raises her as his companion/maid. They are childhood sweethearts but when he can no longer protect her, he finds a doppelganger, arranges for them to swap identities and doses her with an amnesia drug to forget him and their past. In her new identity Mianwan/Ah Yuan evades her (doppleganger's) engagement to the noble Mu Beiyan, dresses as a man and goes to work as a fledgling constable. In her new life, she grows into her own person and finds meaning in her existence. Her guardian angel Jing Ci joins her in a new identity as a county official and together they investigate criminal cases. They eventually stumble upon a larger conspiracy with ties to both their identities and extends to the highest levels of the empire.While this is mostly a lighthearted and fun love story, there is a sad undertone as Jing Ci's health is failing and he struggles to conceal his feelings for Ah Yuan. She does not remember him but falls in love with him all over again. His intention is to selflessly see her happily settled with someone who can expect to live a normal lifespan and who can protect her but who is he kidding? Love is never ultimately that self-less! Both characters are strong and intelligent and have an enjoyable rapport with the other couples; confidantes and allies who help them unmask their enemies and reveal the secrets of their past. I particularly liked the princess who is a fantastic and loyal friend with her own rather charming love story.
There is broad consensus that Yu Menglong's Jing Ci deserves an award for best characterization ever of a plank. Although the character is supposed to be unwell, in pain and stoic, he impressively took being plank-like to a whole new level. He has this amazingly eerie ability to seem deathly still and expressionless while speaking or in motion. Given the excoriating feedback, I feel a bit bad for the actor who clearly over-intrepretred the character and was also probably camera shy the way his eyes avoided the lens the whole time. To be fair, there were the rare one or two scenes when Jing Ci's feelings for Ah Yuan overcame him that were well acted though far from squeal-worthy. The one saving grace is he and Chen Yuqi make for a very stunning and romantic looking couple. Am a big fan of Yuqi who has really honed her acting skills and was convincing as a smart and independent minded character who knows what she wants and is not fooled or daunted by Jing Ci's seeming indifference. I really appreciate this smart and strong female lead character who is not obnoxious or dislike-able, which is more than I can say for several similarly themed 2020 releases. She is a total delight from her remarkable ability to absolutely adore her plank to her subtly comical eye rolls at Mu Beiyan's ridiculous overtures. And no, I never shipped her with Mu Beiyan - her Ah Yuan is way too capable for a dilettante and (nice) dufus like that. While Mu Beiyan is a well written, likable and much better acted character, I still find it impossible to ship a love rival who is better made up and coiffed than the female lead!
The story overall is not terribly original but the cases are interesting enough. You will not win armchair detective of the year if you spot the bad guys early on or unravel the conspiracy on your own. Some of the plot twists are a bit lazy but the characters are quite colorful and stop short of being too archetypal. The ending was well done, wraps up most loose ends and delivers a final and very satisfying coup de grace. It won't rock your world but you won't have to retreat into the fetal position to get over a gigantic slump after it ends either. I would have rated this higher (7.5/8.0 ) if Yu Menglong's performance managed to improve towards the end.
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Amazing concept
I will keep it very brief. This show is a rare concept in korean dramas, but should be much more common. With a story set in 1980s touching a important issue in a very comedical way. I couldn't get enough of it and wished there were atleast 9 more seasons. The awsome comedic style combined with the 1980s feeling made me wish it would never end. The casted actors are amazing and they lifted the show with their acting. You do not want to miss this, if you want a feel good show with some plot this show is perfect.Was this review helpful to you?
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A merciless play with people's fears. Witch-hunt revisited. Gloomy. Upsetting. Horror with no escape
"The Netflix production "Hellbound" started even more successfully on the global streaming platform in November 2021 than "Squid Game". Dystopias (stories about gloomy visions of the future) these days obviously hit a sore spot in the global mass consciousness - the fear of what still is to come, considering that nothing will be the way it used to be....Accordingly, "Hellbound" generally plays with people's fears. The characters in the story also play with people's fears - here in the face of a hell on earth that is spreading inexorably, flanked by a modern form of witch hunts and establishing a new order in which there is little room for hope and light. Because even as a reward for a righteous life, only death awaits in the end. At best, you don´t have to be ashamed and getting ridiculed of it.
The focus for the 'not righteous' is a heavenly or better hellish special commando, which arrives from the afterlife in the form of huge hell gorillas and stages a small earthly hellfire from human bones. No less shocking is the moment that meticulously announces the day and hour of this death in advance.
Rarely have there been so many crazy, delusional people in KDrama (here namely in the realm of the sect). The number of truly honest people can be counted on one hand. And in between there is the vast majority of the terrified masses, blinded and tamed by the New Truth Society's threats sold as hope...
The prospects are really daunting. Not just unearthly prophecy and execution of the death sentence for the shameful, despicable sinners. Even more actually what this scenario does to the people. There is the group of the "arrowhead" who, already sort of detached from any aspect humanity. Their members receive the carte blanche from the ordained sect priests to use the brute force and terror in order to carry out a multimedia-fuelled new edition of witch hunts. They are allowed to live out their wildest violent fantasies . And then there are the would-be ´gentlemen´ (and ´ladies´), CEOs and high priests of the New Truth Society, who submit their new 'commandments' to the people, and the VIPs who solemnly attend the celestial court processes live and in the first row...
Eventually, it can´t get any worse than that. "Hellbound" effortlessly catapulted humanity back into the deepest Middle Ages - yet in the midst of the modern, high-tech 21st century. Business with sin is very popular there. From now on it is no longer about the hope of eternal life (in the hereafter), but merely about not to unnecessarily embarrass yourself as a sinner in the face of the inevitable earthly death...
For me, "Hellbound" is highly ambivalent. It's done great again. Ecellent actors. Exciting story. Upsetting, because maybe not so absurd in terms of social dynamics... But do you really want to/do you have to look at it? There's practically nothing positive coming out of it. Even the hopeful spark at the end remains under a hood of fear and horror and somehow doesn't really find its way back to the light... (A 2nd season is in discussion... maybe then? Or just more fear and horror from which there is no escape?)
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Buckle up for a zany joyride
When you read the synopsis of this show, you would assume it to be a cheaply made, quickly produced filler to slot into a gap in the schedule. It could have been such a show, but it is so much more!The show is a Chinese costume drama set in a mythical past where the country was divided in a number of warring states. Two particular city states have been at war for years due to some misunderstandings. I won’t bore you with the details as it is quite convoluted and contrived.
On the surface, the plot sounds like the usual palace intrigue, fight for power trope with a dose of romance. What I didn’t expect is a cheeky farce that works like a treat. It is over-the-top, manic, chaotic and racy. The narrative just has this devil-may-care attitude. Time and again I would think “they can’t do this” or even WTF but that’s exactly what happens. A lot of the times, it is for laughs but sometimes it is for the shock value as well. You can’t predict how far the show will push a particular line.
Is it a perfect script? Not by a long shot. There are tropey and confusing subplots as well as its fair share of plot holes. What saves the show is its internal core logic. There is a solid narrative thread that runs through the whole show that is unwavering so that the behaviour of main characters are consistent even though some of the split second action/reaction can be kooky and unpredictable.
Even as I wrote this, my mind is in turmoil. I would recall a cringey moments that made me facepalm and then a LOL gag would pop into my head only to be replaced by a really sweet, swoon-y moment. By all that is holy in dramaland, this show should not work but it does. It buoys you along with its manic pace and you are all in or you are out.
Another surprise is the company of young actors. They are not well known but the ensemble certainly made up for that with a great deal of commitment, solid acting abilities and decent comedic timing. By the halfway mark, you are so used to their antics that you just accept what they do as the norm, warts and all. The standout here is the FL, Zhang Yue Nan. She was the focus of many threads, and she shines while playing a variety of roles. The SFL, Fan Wei, is good as well. She plays the villain, twice and to good effect. Consider she is in her 20’s and only had a handful of support roles, this is not a bad effort. The ML’s are good and handsome, especially Yan Zi Xian. He can anchor a scene with his presence. However, a lot of the time, they play second fiddle to the strong FL’s. There are rough edges with some acting and overacting is to be expected in a comedy. It is all part of the bigger picture, and you have to cut them some slacks.
The various CP’s have good chemistry and they don’t shy away from skinship. Nothing more than kisses and hugs but they did it with some passion.
Another positive is the lush settings. The court set is of high standards and costumes (generic era/locale) are certainly a cut above average. Overall, it is a solid production. The minor negative is the dubbing. I’m not sure if the whole show is dubbed or if some of the actors dubbed themselves. The sound is patchy in the beginning but got better towards the end. It is a minor issue, but you notice improvements as the show progresses.
The ending is very good and consistent. We are rewarded with some fan service and most of the threads are closed satisfactorily. It doesn’t feel rushed while leaving its fans in a happy place.
I won’t say that it was love at first viewing, but it definitely grew on me. I can recommend this show and with a run of 24 x 30 mins episodes, it is not a huge time investment.
Sadly, this show will probably disappear into the Great Web Void soon as it won't be heavily promoted. That will be a shame.
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The story doesn't have much to it,trying to transform a "ugly" girl that it's already pretty but y'know,kdrama logic. Put some makeup on her,take her glasses off and add a dress and she goes from ugly to a model in a sec. And there were many random scenes that made me cringe like crazy.
But overall for being a product placement drama,it was pretty cute.
I recommend it if you have 8-15 minutes to spare, but don't expect too much.
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