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2A fun romance wrapped in a transmigration costume drama shell
Gemini is the gift that keeps on giving. I went in with typically low expectations for quality and high expectations for entertainment, as is my typical approach to costume mini-dramas. Gemini delivered on both fronts!— The romance —
I’m all kinds of happy with the development of the main couple, which hits many of my favorite tropes, including role reversal with a self-possessed, powerful, stabby heroine and a down-bad ML. It was a little too fast-burn for my tastes, because I typically tend to lose interest after the leads get together, but not here.
— Zhou Jun Wei as our hero —
What can I say? Zhou Jun Wei delivered. His expressions, his presence, his little side-smirks… ahhhh I just love him. He absolutely killed it. It’s a crime that he hasn’t been the lead in more dramas, especially full-length dramas.
His character is a classic Wuxia hero in many ways. Badass, devoted, determined, a beast in battle. When with the people he loves, he becomes playful, earnest, and genuinely funny in some moments.
The ML’s inability to feel physical pain, due to some MacGuffin he swallowed in his childhood, makes him into a fascinating character. First off, because it turns him into something like a rabid dog in battle, willing to take hit after hit and keep moving. The villain character comments at one point that, when his sect leader (the FL) is not there to keep him in check, he is little more than a madman. Second, his lack of physical pain makes him feel emotional pain all the more acutely. Consistently, he is a man driven by grief and love, making everything else in his life secondary.
Could the writers have dug deeper into the juiciest parts of his character? Absolutely. Though this is a mini-drama, there was enough space to explore, and they didn’t always capitalize on the time they had to do proper character growth.
— Zhu Li Lan as our heroine —
It was my first time seeing her in a drama. The first few episodes, I had trouble focusing on what her character was up to because, um, she is SO beautiful. I was too busy staring at her face 🤣
She begins as the clueless wife of a villainous prince and, in a sequence of transmigration loosely reminiscent of A Familiar Stranger, becomes a duplicitous and violent woman bent on revenge. ZLL plays both roles well but I very much preferred her in the “villainess” role.
— The plot —
The plot relies on well-worn tropes such as body-switching and revenge, but not so heavily that things get boring. Crucially, when things seemed to slow down, the writers threw in a wonderful twist regarding the villain which brought me right back to full investment in the story.
— Overall —
A gem. No filler, beautiful actors, fun twisty plot, doesn’t take itself seriously except when it counts.
— TROPES —
- ML falls first (a “loved you all along” kind of arrangement)
- badass anti-heroine
- master/disciple
- childhood friends to lovers
- reincarnation, body switching, revenge plot
- medium burn (?) with several instances of spice throughout
- arranged marriage, royal family politics
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History enthusiasts should not miss this
As the old adage goes, save the best for last. How appropriate, as this is the final drama that I’ve completed before 2020 draws to a close. Personally for me, I consider Qin Dynasty Epic as the best historical non-fiction C-drama production of the year. Aside from being extremely well made, there is simply no other similar non-fiction historical produced this year capable of competing with this drama. Hopefully this brief review provides potential viewers a general idea of what to expect.This is a big budget production and it really shows. The high quality cinematic colour grading, exceptional cinematography and camerawork, elaborately constructed sets, lavish costumes, well-executed action choreography and battle scenes, as well as beautiful vast landscapes, among various other aspects. Principal photography took place at Hengdian World Studio along with gorgeous locales such as Nalati, Sailimu Lake, Changji, Wuerhe, Xiangshan, Duyun, and Xianju. It had been reported in Chinese entertainment news outlets that over 11,000 sets of costumes as well as 4,000 sets of armour were produced for this show alone. Everything looks visually stunning on a very grand scale.
This drama, the fourth and final series in the Qin Dynasty franchise, chronicles the humble beginnings of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, up to the point of unification and establishment of the first imperial dynasty of China, the Qin Dynasty (around 259 BC to 221 BC). The plot follows very closely the Records of the Grand Historian, written by Sima Qian, as I understand from more knowledgeable viewers on the subject matter. How certain events truly transpired, no one will ever know. But, at the very least, the major events recorded are generally covered, with some degree of dramatization as expected of a drama. It’s worth mentioning here that unlike the first 3 series which are based on the novel, The Qin Empire by author Sun Haohui, critics noted that the script for this latest instalment is not adapted from the novel.
The performance of the ensemble cast is nothing short of remarkable. Aside from Zhu Zhu, whom I’ve come across in American productions, I’ve never seen the rest of the main cast previously but their acting in this drama is testament to their immense talent indeed. The trio of Zhang Lu Yi, Duan Yi Hong, and Li Nai Wen are outstanding in their portrayal of the central characters of Ying Zheng, Lv Bu Wei and Li Si. For me, those three actors carried the entire show. In particular, Duan Yi Hong’s unique version of the complex character Lv Bu Wei deserves much praise. The huge supporting cast, especially the veterans, also deliver an impressive depiction of their respective characters.
The screenplay involving the numerous convoluted political power plays and complicated stratagems used in court machinations and on the battlefields is very cleverly written and deftly executed throughout the entire show. Nothing is ever as it seems and no character is above the use of tactical maneuverings to gain any sort of advantage.
However, the drama is not without flaws, the major issue being the casting of a 40-year old man as a 13-year old boy. I don’t think I need to elaborate more here. For a big budget production, this falls short of the required standard and therefore, a deduction of points for this glaring error of judgment.
In addition to that, certain dramatization of major events, particularly the story arc concerning the infamous pseudo-eunuch and the Queen Dowager, lasts longer than is perhaps necessary. As a result, other more meaningful historical events are not fully fleshed out or shown in greater detail.
Although 78 episodes represent a massive investment of viewing hours, Qin Dynasty Epic presents an utterly compelling insight and in-depth exploration into the origins of China's first imperial dynasty and the long and arduous journey to unification of the many splintered ancient kingdoms and vassal states. For enthusiasts of history, particularly ancient Chinese history, this is an opportunity not to be missed. Being the final installment of the highly successful Qin Dynasty franchise which started back in 2009, it might be a very long while before another epic historical production based on the warring states era gets commissioned, if ever again.
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Sore wa, Totsuzen, Arashi no you ni..
25 people found this review helpful
Despite the premises though, there is something about this drama which made it into one of my favourites in its genre.
Perhaps because on further analysis it doesn't deal with falling in love with someone, but with learning to love oneself and appreciate the little, daily things one gives for granted.
Esumi Makiko is so beautiful here, one soon forgets the age gap. The story revolves around her, her internal struggle, her doubts, her self-esteem. Yamashita Tomohisa plays his part very well too, portraying a young man in that fragile phase between adolescence and adulthood in a very believable way.
Overall, a delightful, suave drama.
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I went in for the theme. The idea of having time for your own, to do things alone and enjoy that time fully. It is something that is important to me, and here they exploit it perfectly. The way prof Jin enjoyed his *drinking solo* felt like he was my kindred spirit.
I think the best thing about this drama is that screen presence was evened out among the cast. It isn't just the main love story and those that surrounds it. We have a setting, and we explore the different lives and experiences of those involved there. The setting is an institution that gives classes for people who want to pass the civil exam and be employed by the government. The drama tells us two different stories in that setting, that of the teachers there (pretty similar to typical romcoms) and that of the students and the things they do cause by the pressure.
I won't rehash what everyone is saying, but I agree the trio were hilarious. First time I watch Key in a drama, but really he was effortlessly the heart of it. My favourite was Kim Dong Yeong, I could relate to him the most. He felt the most realistic person there, naturally down to earth, and a total sweetheart. I gotta add I totally enjoyed all the scenes of the impersonator, he was pure fun. As for the other teacher, she wasn't bad, but too petty for an extended period of time. The director was hilarious as well. I actually wished for him to divorce since he seems so miserable with his current life.
For me it lost points on
-Inefficiency: Not only were the episodes long, but there were many dragged out scenes or events that are there to fill the time with no purpose of advancing the story. I think the drama would've benefitted being cut to 12 episodes
-The last 2 episodes: I do hate Noble Idiocy, but the was it was done here was the most nonsensical, to the point I didn't want the couple back together. And I actually was very forgiving of the lead, and maybe one of the few that found him cute while dating. Also the secondary couple were left out too last minutes. In the end they were cute, but it would've been better to explore the relationship better.
Despite my remarks on the pacing and the ending, I'd say it's still worth checking out for the laughs, as well as the heartfelt moments here.
p.s. I do wonder though is it normal for women to be this irresponsible when drinking outside this often?
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Too high expectations leads to disappointment
The story is about a Prince who is trying to make reform to government and is meeting constant objections from the ministers who are not happy with him changing the status quo. His only option is to align himself with the Shen family and get their massive military power as his backing. Good thing for this is the previous Emperor has left an edict bestowing marriage between the 4th Prince and the daughter of the Shen family.The FL (Li Ge) is an orphan raised by a wondering Shifu. She, her sisters, and brothers were raised and trained as assassins that go after Lords and ministers who ignore the blight of the common people and enrich themselves. To this object, their biggest target, and the worst of the of them all, the one born into privilege and power but is weak and corrupt, who only knows how to protect these ministers, is a Prince. To be more precise it is the 4th Prince Peng Cheng.
Hence the drama starts with our assassins, acting as a dance group, get themselves invited to said Prince’s place for the Consort Dowager’s birthday. Here is where my problem starts, the lead assassin Li Ge(Li Qin) is on the roof behind where the Royal family is sitting, the rest of the female assassins are on stage performing. You’d expect, for someone who has been preparing to kill this target for well over a year, would take this opportunity when they were distracted watching the dance and everyone is relaxed to jump down from the roof and shoot him straight. No- what happened was while she is up on the roof, the female dancers threw away their costumes and shot arrows toward the stage the Royal Family was sitting at. What happens when something like this happens? Obviously, everyone comes to attention, guards rushed in and surrounded the Royals, and this is when the FL decided to jump off the roof and shoot her arrow. It is so illogical, I caught myself screaming “why didn’t you shoot from the roof?!” at my unsuspecting screen. I was upset to have met such an outrageous thing in the first episode. But I will say this, if you leave common sense out the door, the entire assassination performance was eye catching. As you may have guessed, the year-long planned assassination went south real fast. We see a lot of fighting scenes here; I am a sucker for those, and they were pretty good.
Anyway, after the failed assassination a lot more story went on and I met my second problem. FL was trying to ambush and kill a minister that has killed one of her sisters in front of her in that faithful night, and while she is at it she runs into, you guessed it, 4th Prince in disguise. I should point out that said disguise is a mustache. Not a full-blown beard but a thin mustache. And FL did not recognize him. They made such a big show in the first episode about how they planned this assassination for a year and our lead assassin did not recognize her target because he had a mustache. [Sigh] May I ask how they had planned this assassination? Did they not do any recon? Were they told to shoot at the one sitting in the middle? How the bloody hell do you not know what the person you are supposed to kill looks like?
You will consistently run into illogical plots/scenes like the ones I point out above throughout the drama. Once or twice may be annoying but it’s forgivable if there are other exceptional stories to make up for it. But this drama neither had the sense to limit its flaws nor did it have the solid interesting plot to fall back on.
You might say I’m nitpicking, but I assure you I’m not. This drama, which is studded with talent, suffered from truly poor script. Honestly, it devolved fast with its regurgitated plot, the never-ending cycle of set-up, getting caught, getting free, getting set up again, crying, getting free, getting set up again. The plot became unoriginal, the dialogue unimaginative, the scenes draggy and the whole drama became riddled with clichés. I at one point even watched a few of the episodes without subtitles, since I was confident, I would not miss anything important. To add to this, one of the major antagonist was a “love rival”. Imagine writing in a harem drama in this setting. There are a million dramas with this same plot already, why would you bring such cliched story to a drama that should have focused more on the politics and the reforms and basically anything else especially since the FL was supposed to be a badass.
The top acting could not save this drama. I mean what can these actors do with such truly abysmal writing. They are actors not miracle workers - to be fair I count it as a miracle I watched it this far and it’s all credit to their performance.
Another issue is the palace design. This created a great disconnect with me. Don’t get me wrong, it was beautifully designed. It had pools in the rooms, huge sculptures, and I would have been impressed with it if it was a wuxia drama. However, for something that is supposed to be a historical, this did not have the beauty and authenticity of ancient Chinese architecture. I like the feeling of ancient palace designs, the aura, and the mood it sets - this one did not do that for me.
As for music, they had one. There was one song that played on a loop through the entire drama. Nice song, but it was just that one. They may have thrown in another one in there, but I did not notice.
As if I didn’t have my share of issues with this drama, they went a step further and added split screens (side-by-side shots) like a music video. If they had done a fade-out shot, I would have thought I transmigrated back to the early 2000s.
I had such a huge expectation for this drama and what a letdown it was.
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The best thing to come out from 2020
I haven't felt the need to talk about a LGBTQ+ movie/drama so much since "Prayers for Bobby," and that was in 2009 sis, so this already speaks levels for me.For the past couple of years Thailand, and now South Korea, have given us an unexpected (yet amazing) amount of "Boys Love" dramas and movies that, to be honest, have helped me surviving this pandemic mess we are living in today. However, despite all the fun and heartwarming stories I have seen portrayed in these dramas, none, I repeat: NONE can compare to the work of art this movie turned out to be.
I do not want to label this as a BL because I think the term doesn't necessarily match the theme correctly. Instead, I want to label it as an LGBTQ+ work. Simple and clear. As a gay man, I've been madly in love with watching BLs; despite that, I did notice the big level of unrealism they have. They are mostly just fanservice to get the juices flowing period. That, I said it, don't @ me cause I still love them.
"His" turned out to be a surprisingly realistic movie that showcased some of the struggles of being homosexual in society, especially Japan's conservative society, unlike any other work I've previously seen. The characters were allowed to struggle, learn, and take a step forward to their growth as humans. We also were given different perspectives of the same situations that helped build the world the movie wants to portray for the viewers' empathy. I found myself falling in love with the male leads and female lead (wife) because they reminded me of myself and things that I've been through. Needless to say, I have been reflecting on myself thanks to this.
Let's give credit were credit is due: the acting. I do not consider myself a fan of Japanese acting because I find it too forced and fake, but I am glad that they are finally understanding how things are done, and it shows! I loved seeing how their emotions were building up on their faces and the delivery felt natural.
This is definitely a movie I will save and rewatch in the future, and I could not recommend it enough. Please, do yourself a favor and watch this beautiful story. It's not the typical drama that you're probably used to but I assure you it will leave an impression in your heart.
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This review may contain spoilers
Well, at first, I didn't expect much from this drama and watching it just to kill the time. But unexpectedly I enjoyed it, a lot. The male lead, I watched him for the first time in One and Only and even I don't like his role a the crown prince, but I like his acting. And I was so shocked when I knew he's only 19. Omo!! He's going to be big someday I bet. And I hooked with his role as Mo Qing Chen, the 2nd Prince who exiled himself from the palace because of his inability to feel or to taste anything. And I love the FL also. Instead damsel in distress formula that almost every drama follow, Lin Chi is a clever and witty girl. And I love love love the ML and FL interaction, their chemistry is over flowing. You would never know there's quite an age gap between them (ML 19 and FL 27). They're sooooo lovey dovey. But I kind of sorry to Prince Rui. Yes, he is bad, but he is kind of lonely also. And (I forgot his name) the one who play the role of Prince Rui, I watched 3 of his drama and his role is always like this.
Overall, this drama is worth to watch. And yes, it's a happy ending drama. I myself replayed a few scenes of Mo Qing Chen and Lin Chi. Love this couple.
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This review may contain spoilers
Rebirth, Romance & a Hint of Existential Crisis
Ok y’all, this one’s… tough to review. Full disclosure: I pressed play purely for Quan Yi Lun, because my man has been stealing scenes (and my heart) ever since Blossom and Moonlight Mystique. The man’s got main lead energy, and I was ready to witness the glow-up era he rightfully deserves.Now, Echoes of the Self is sitting right there in my love/hate zone. You know that feeling when all the ingredients are right but somehow the cake still tastes like “hmm”? Yeah. That’s this drama for me.
🌸 What I liked (aka the reasons I didn’t rage-quit)
- Fresh spin on the rebirth trope — loved the concept of this a lot.
- Visually blessed cast. I mean… Quan Yi Lun. Enough said.
- Leads’ chemistry — starts off awkward like two coworkers forced to slow dance at the office party, but gradually evolves into genuine sparks.
- Crown Prince redemption arc — I live for a “former murderer turned ally” storyline. Therapy works, apparently.
⚠️ What made me yell at the screen (lovingly)
- Performances that lack dimension — the acting isn’t bad, but it often feels like something vital got lost between “action” and “cut.” It’s visually appealing yet emotionally hollow, like a beautifully wrapped gift box filled with air.
- Direction that forgot its own depth — the story wants to be textured and moving, but the execution feels oddly flat. Perhaps a symptom of its short runtime, perhaps a lack of directorial conviction.
- The rebirth logic gone astray — the FL’s “reborn self” spends the entire time trying to change fate yet barely acknowledges her younger self, effectively undoing the emotional purpose of her journey. The ML, meanwhile, seems mildly allergic to the concept of temporal continuity — sir, that is your wife, just… younger. Let’s connect the dots and don't treat her like the plague...
- The villain — underwhelming doesn’t even begin to describe it. That man got more screentime than emotional depth.
🌀 The Ending
Will it annoy people? Probably.
Did it annoy me? Not really — it’s a happy-ish ending, which in C-drama land is already a win.
💭 Final Verdict
8/10 — Cozy, romantic, and conceptually strong, but emotionally… echoing a bit too softly.
If you want something light, watchable, and sprinkled with a few swoon-worthy moments, go for it. Just don’t expect a masterpiece, but that is solely my own take on this and most probably because I had much higher expectations....
And Quan Yi Lun, if you’re reading this (you’re not, but still): you carried. As always. 🫶
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Romantic, poetic, emotional, mesmerizing, unforgettable.
Encounter is a visually stunning andemotionally deep romance drama that follows the love story between Cha Soo Hyun (Song Hye Kyo), a wealthy but lonely hotel CEO, and Kim Jin Hyuk (Park Bo Gum), a free-spirited young man who finds joy in life’s little moments. Their chance meeting in Cuba sets the stage for a heartfelt romance that faces numerous challenges due to social expectations, family pressures, and personal struggles.
Kyo delivers a nuanced performance as Cha Soo Hyun, a woman trapped in a world of expectations. Her portrayal of quiet strength and deep sadness makes the character both compelling and relatable. Unlike more expressive roles, her performance relies on subtle emotions, making every glance and silence meaningful. She beautifully conveys the inner turmoil of a woman who yearns for freedom and love but is constantly held back by her past and responsibilities.
The chemistry between Song Hye Kyo and Park Bo Gum is delicate and heartfelt. Their relationship unfolds gently, with moments of warmth and understanding rather than dramatic passion. Park Bo Gum’s portrayal of Jin Hyuk as an optimistic, kind-hearted man complements Soo Hyun’s reserved nature, creating a dynamic where he brings light into her dark world. Their love story feels sincere and bittersweet, making the audience root for their happiness despite the obstacles.
The cinematography in Encounter is stunning, from the vibrant streets of Cuba to the elegant hotel settings. The color palette enhances the emotional tone of the story. The OST also plays a significant role, featuring soft, melodious tracks that elevate the drama’s romantic and melancholic atmosphere
Encounter is a drama that beautifully explores love, freedom, and personal growth. It’s not a typical rom-com, but rather a slow-burning, heartfelt story that focuses on emotions and character depth.
Slow burn romance is so heartwarming and beautiful to watch and Encounter is a perfect example of that✨🪄 For me this is my most favourite and comfort kdrama 🤍
So If you enjoy slow-burn, mature romance with deep emotions, Encounter is worth watching☺️
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The thing that I love about this drama is the superb cast. The actress who played Banshu is not a very popular actress but I must say, she exceeded by expectations! Banshu is a very rash and cheerful girl, and the actress played the character really well. Really love it. The actor who played Wei Ying is also not a popular actor but I am charmed but him. He has the looks, the charisma...and his daily outfit in the drama is a white robe (prince charming), I am not surprise that his character managed to charm so many female characters in the show coz I am here being separated by a screen and could still get charmed. His acting skills are just bonuses.
Banshu's character can be a little rash at times and her actions are often exaggerated but I love her so much! She doesn't really know the palace etiquette and doesn't act like the normal gentle female teacher (????teacher who tutors the female students), but this is what make her special. She often does not care abt her image and behaves how she wants to behave. But what makes her so likeable is that she is so selfless. She cares a lot abt Wei Ying although he always reprimand her, places people before herself, saves her students' lives more than once despite them not liking her, and so on. Although she is very strict with her students and punishes them even though they are all daughters of high ranking officials, she is actually doing them good. For example, she makes them run around the court yard after seeing them all skinny and frail and she even gave the child emperor a good beating after the males students from ?? (an imperial all boys school)played a prank on her. It's very heartening to see her managing to earn the utmost respect of all students in the end.
The empress dowager in the story is not your typical evil old lady. She is actually quite young. She's the one who instructed Banshu to tutor the female students and gave her the permission to change the way the girls behave. After that, she ordered Banshu to teach the males form ?? coz she's disappointed that only 2 students signed up for the imperial exams and that all professors in charge of teaching the male students are all on sick leave (including Wei Ying) because of the palace fire. She sent Banshu coz she knows that Banshu fears nothing, not even high ranking officials' sons or daughters, and Banshu's duty is not only to teach poems blabla, but also instill the students of both schools good moral values.
Wei Ying is a ??? teaching the students of ??? He is very loyal to Liu Xuan (??, his lover whom he could not save. Hence, he is always stuck in the past and could not forget abt Liu Xuan. He even waters the plants that Liu Xuan had planted for 3 years straight without fail. In the end, he realizes that his love for Xuan has reduced to friendship and the one he loves is actually Banshu.
There are some characters who are there for some comedic effect, such as Huo Heng and Yao Juan. Yao Juan is another female teacher who is always taken advantage of by the students coz she is short-sighted and timid. She often walks into things because of her bad eyesight but that's okay, she's also very loveable.
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Everglow
25 people found this review helpful
Radiant indeed! Honest. Real. Powerful. Intense. Soulful. As is the life of the Haenyeo.
Remarkable. Exceptional. A Shining Star in KMovieHeaven."Everglow" is radiant indeed. Honest. Real. Powerful. Told in few words only, but with wonderful pictures and profound scenes with soulful encounters. Full of love for the island, the Haenyeo, the sea, the landscape, life and love - in whatever form it chooses to show itself.
Go Doo-shim has surpassed herself many times in her long career as an actress and has set an unforgettable monument to many a female archetype. But in this life-affirming chamber piece that breathes pure nature, she surpasses herself a bit more: in the role of one of the comparatively few remaining, unique Haenyeo divers on Yejudo's coasts: Grumpy, dismissive, plain, robust, simple, strong, tireless, helpful, sensitive, profound, motherly, grandmotherly, friendly, old wise woman as well as tender, vulnerable, radiantly in love. With a great pain and a big heart - but she keeps both hidden deep inside of her. "Life makes life go on." Deeply connected and yet alone. Al(l)One with everything, while diving in the sea.
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The Haenyeo...
...are at home in the silence of the sea. Every day for up to 7 hours, in and under water, while holding their breath for more than 3 minutes. Breaking the surface, in stages they loudly blow out the air they are holding, while breathing in fresh oxygen, too. "Sumbisori" is the name of the peculiar whistling sound, for which each haenyeo finds its own variation. When they have deposited their prey in the net and their breathing has returned to normal, they launch again and dive back down into stillness. This is a world unto itself. Mentally focused on the now. Physically hardened by sun, wind and salt water. Depending on the time of year, tide and weather, several hours in the sea are followed by long breaks in order to warm up by the fire, together with the other haenyeo. Haeneyo is what women do. Haenyeo shapes the women of the island, makes them self-confident, independent and firmly connected in matriarchal community. After warming up, it's back into the water for several hours. It is an intense, existential, essential life in total surrender to the sea.
"Everglow" honors the life and tradition of the sea women or daughters of the sea in two respects, in that the story of the story has just such a monument and legacy as its subject: A documentary about the Haenyeo, which is to be broadcast on television.
Girl power and Haenyeo go hand in hand on Jejudo. Life on the island follows different rules and rhythms than on the mainland. Diving for valuable seafood of all kinds off the coasts of the volcanic island has traditionally been a woman's job. A lucrative one at that. The seabed is like extended farmland. The Haenyeo and its contribution to the cultural life on the island is undisputed and has even been included in the UNESCO list of intangible world heritage sites since 2016. Since 2017, the Haenyeo have also been officially recognized as an intangible cultural asset of South Korea. A culture that is dying out. Hardly any of the professional divers today are under 50, most are over 60. The technical equipment is almost the same as at the beginning of their career, which begins for most at about 8 years - with plenty of swimming and diving training in shallow water. From about 15 they are then considered "Baby Haenyeos". Experience and training are everything, because it's about nothing less than daily survival using enormous lung capacity, robust physicality for high resistance to the cold and a lot of practice in equalizing pressure. Once you are a daughter of the sea, you rarely get away from it. There is no retirement age. After bathing suits became neoprene suits, the time in the water between breaks could be significantly increased. Some swim out from shore, others take boats, and still others engage in some form of island hopping. Each has their sea farm, which they reap almost daily.
And each has a tremendous knowledge of nature, the sea, the wind and the tides. The women always work in community, take breaks in community and support each other in community. Haenyeo are environmentally conscious marine experts from the very beginning and pioneers of an emancipated life. (Significantly, Jin Ok is given the suffix or title 'Uncle' - as the eldest of her group, she is both a person of respect and, as the binding matriarchal head of the community, equal to any man who would otherwise hold this position in Confucian tradition.)
----------------- SIDE NOTE: --- Uprising 1948/49 ---
Since "Everglow" deals with the simple life of the now mostly old Haenyeos on Jejudo, the memories of the 72-year-old protagonist inevitably also touches on a lesser-known event in recent history that shook the island deeply: an uprising against an anti-communist government campaign. Between April 1948 and May 1949, the resistance cost around 30,000 people (about 10 percent of Jejudo's residents) their lives.
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The Story was great and Unique. Acting/Cast is AWESOME cause Stephen Chow is here. Music is fine and serves as it's purpose.
Overall - 100% out of 100% shooting stars hahaha :))
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I'll start with the three leads, who match the chemistry and talent I loved in "Jealousy Incarnate" (by the same writer), while still having their own unique flavor. The trio of main characters is strong and I loved them all in previous dramas. Jung Ryeo Won as Dan Sae Woo brings everything I loved about her in Witch's Court. She is randomly funny and far from a timid lead, which makes her the kind of leading lady I adore. Then there's Lee Jun Ho as Seo Poong, who impressed me so much in Just Between Lovers, that I should not have been surprised that he would hold his own with his much older cast mates. Then lastly there's Jang Hyuk as Doo Chil Seong, who is always amazing. Money Flower and Fated to Love You are two more of my favorites, and this drama is no exception. All three played the comedy and emotional moments extremely well. They became characters I really cared about, and even when the story seemed all over the place, I was hooked from the moment they all met.
As for the story, I'm glad I didn't read about the plot ahead of time, because I enjoyed not quite knowing what in the world was going on. The beginning of this drama is very random, but eventually, things come together and make much more sense. This really is a standard rom com in a lot of ways, so romance fans should not get scared off by the gangster elements, or the revenge part of the story. This is still a very lighthearted drama, without any moments that are too heavy. There are plenty of palpably cute and swoon-worthy moments between Poong and Sae Woo. Even with their age gap they were extremely well matched, and their chemistry was amazing. I honestly loved the relationship dynamic between the three of them so much, because of how real it all felt, instead of just playing up their rivalry, or adding unecessary melodrama.
I feel like the whole cast performed as if they had fun making this drama, and that made me have fun watching them. I know that many of the cast members have been in dramas together before, and it really felt like an all-star cast. The minor characters may not have had strong storylines, but they did each have their own individual charm that made me care about all of them... except two (but it's not their fault). The only character I absolutely couldn't stand was played by Lee Mi Sook. She does take on double duty in this drama, playing two characters, but one of those characters became such a nuisance, that I began hating every moment she appeared on the screen. Maybe that speaks to how great of an actress she is, but it also speaks to what an unlikable one-dimensional character the writer created. The other character was played by Cha Joo Young, who although she is a large part of the plot she was barely around or involved, so she was very forgettable.
Is the actual plot original? no. Are there cliché moments? Definitely. Are there gluttonous food scenes, and are you likely to get really hungry while watching? Absolutely. There are definitely food porn moments that are almost as gratuitous as in Let's Eat. Anyone watching while on a diet should be warned. I'm also impressed by the kitchen scenes, and how interesting they made cooking look (which I have no interest in). I also liked some of the creative choices the director made with some scenes, including the random horse moments.
There are moments towards the end that felt repetitive and extra annoying, but the character's charm kept me from getting bored. I just wish they didn't rely on such a standard and annoying obstacle.
I also forgive the gratuitous Kia and Subway product placement.
Would I watch this again? This is the kind of drama I could see myself watching repeatedly. I already miss many of the characters, and the bad and slow moments were overshadowed by how much I enjoyed the rest of it.
Overall, this is a drama that satisfied my craving for a fun romance, with addictive episodes. It may not suit everyone's taste, but if you are a fan of anyone in this cast I would definitely recommend watching. I would say this drama is less of a meal, and more like a sweet dessert. I happen to have a sweet tooth, so I thought it was delicious.
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