The movie opens up with this declaration, uttered in background narration by the main character while he's scorned and targeted by a players-filled basketball court. And it isn't only the rival team watching him with contempt: his own teammates are shouting the loudest.
"This is my love story", repeats Sugihara while he escapes from the police or is beaten by his father.
The contrast between the narration and the scene shown on screen gives us the key to the reading of the whole film, which is about finding ones place between love and hate, belonging and distancing, caring and detachment.
It's the story of a young man who has to show the world he doesn't give a dime while inside he's yearning for a sense of belonging.
GO is a wonderfully dramatic movie, one that deals with a cruel reality of discrimination. It's the journey of a guy who struggles to find his place on the planet. But don't be fooled by the surface: the director highlights the Japanese prejudices and the Korean stubborn obtuseness in equal measure. To each their own share.
And in the middle of this, there's Sugihara, who looks like a Japanese, talks like a Japanese, was born in Japan and is not recognized as one. His part is superbly acted: Yosuke Kubozuka is so convincing one can't help falling for him despite his murderous glances and his rebellious spirit.
So how is this a love story?
It is such on multiple levels: there's love for the friends, love for a father shown with fists, love for a country - or 2 - and love for a girl.
The music fits the pace beautifully, never overpowering the scenes.
Overall an emotion-filled movie, superb in acting, direction, plot and photography.
To be avoided if you're looking for a light watch. A must if you like thought-provoking films.
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Well yes and no at the same time.
The plot and story is clichè. We have already seen rich man poor woman stories, ML having some dark and traumatic past, everyone falling for the female lead. STOP. It's only until here that it's clichè. The drama actually presents these typical plots in refreshing ways. There is so much more story than just the plot and layer by layer the story unfolds.
-The drama has nice comedy (believe me I don't laugh easily)
-A puppy romance (ML here is not your cold rich male lead giving our girl a hard time but a cute puppy like boy who is so happy that he found her from the very start and he cherishes her!) ML is like a kid and responsible at the same time.
-Female lead is independent. Even after she has people to depend on she never tries to burden them nor she is a saint. She is someone who follows her dream.
-Side characters are as interesting as the main characters and there are no real evil people. The drama has captured the highs and lows of people and shows mistakes, misunderstandings, misconceptions, remorse and reflection.
-The show revolves around the entertainment industry so it becomes more interesting how it portrays the lives of people in the entertainment business.
-As far as acting is concerned I think all of them did justice to their characters. It was nice to see them play it.
-The chemistry between the leads is so beautiful and cute. You will definitely enjoy it plus no unecessary drama before confession.
-Music is good and suits the moments.
The drama is definitely a good watch on a day you want to relax and take a break from everything.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy the drama! Happy watching!
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I must note that while there is a loveline in the story, I think it's horribly written, so if the family angle doesn't capture you, I don't recommend watching this for romance, because the romance nearly ruined the drama for me. Although it doesn't show up much (comes in around episode 8?), so I guess regardless, one shouldn't watch this for romance.
Hu Ge as Ming Tai is probably what draws most people to this drama. His character here is a spoilt 20 something who would have spent his days horsing around with his friends, picking up girls if he didn't meet Wang Tian Feng. He's immature, impulsive and thinks he knows the best, he does have some sort of character development but not by much. Don't get me wrong, he's very likable, his interaction with his sister, Ming Jing is adorable, and he does look very cool in various outfits; but he's fairly simple compared to other characters.
Jin Dong as Ming Lou is the other main character in this drama. It's him that I love despite this drama's many many faults. He's spectacularly layered as a double agent and he oozes charm. He is basically living in a web of lies and setting up more lies. To convince the audience that he's a double agent, he'd have to have microexpression or looks or something to show that he's not really working for the puppet government. On the other hand, these can't be too obvious or they would easily be caught by characters in the drama and he'd be expose. To begin with, his loyalty was already questionable, it's just he's one of the very few people who can do this and who are willing to.
Even though it wasn't meant to, his relationship with Wang Man Chun is the only romance that interested me in this drama. They were once an item, but Ming Jing broke them up (for reasons that you'll find out). It's almost the plot of Romeo and Juliet except they both changed and have adopted vastly different ideals. His relationship with Ming Cheng, Ah Cheng, is even more fun. I'm struggling to find words to describe it, it's almost mentor-like, since Min Lou is older and more experienced; it's also a schemer/executioner relationship on top of sibling affection and friendship. Regardless, it's a relationship with 100% trust in each other, and this is rather difficult to have in a spy drama.
Wang Kai as Ming Cheng, or Ah Cheng. To the outside world, he's an assistant, almost like a very competent butler. He's actually very much part of the family though. Like Ming Lou, he bears a lot of pressure working for the puppet government, but he wears even more masks because of his peculiar position in the Ming family. Liu Min Tao as Ming Jing, probably the most clueless one in the family, but she's a very capable lady who managed their family business since she was 17. She's graceful and fiercely protective of Ming Tai because he's the youngest and she felt more like a parent than a sister to him.
There are many many characters that I love, like the ruthless Wang Man Chun (played by the gorgeous Wang Ou, I need more drama with you in it please), the adorable Liang Zhong Chun who just want to live his life peacefully in times of turmoil even though his position really wouldn't have let him. The strict and almost cruel teacher, Wang Tian Feng, or the frail looking but actually fierce as hell Yu Man Li (Song Yi! you don't even have a profile on here ;A; <3), I should probably stop before I list all of the characters.
So, how's the story? I like the premise and I really do love the family angle. It's refreshing and their interactions are a lot of fun. The action scenes are pretty well done, even if sometimes, it seems things are done for the sake of looking cool. The schemes near the end seems confusing and might need rewatching, but I don't recommend looking too closely to it. Since all kinds of question and plot hole will pop up. I just accepted what the drama told me and called it a day.
Now I need to complain about my biggest gripes with this show, setting aside plot holes and unrealistic action scenes. Its goddamn stupid romance. I repeat, if there's ever a cut without the romance (if you can understand Mandarin, I recommend bilibili), watch that version instead because it's so so so much better.
I actually didn't have a lot of problems with the love interest to begin with, aside from its cliche situation and cliche lines, it's disappointing that we don't see anything new, but it make sense for the character (wealthy young man). I just can't deal with it when love interest nearly ruin an operation, putting everyone in danger because...because...I don't even know, some kind of upstanding morals? That's not the first nor the last time a character does stupid thing in a drama but it still infuriates me. Not sure if it infuriates me more because I ship some other ship that won't happen.
I never quite bought the love between the two characters and that's weird because I bought the friendship, the familial relationship and even bygone romance, but when it comes to the very visible ongoing romance, I never cared about. I have no idea is it the chemistry or is it the actress' acting ability (because I haven't seen her in anything else).
Side note, I must bring up the fact she was injured during the course of filming and therefore had to use a lot of doubles (5 different people I think?), close up shots while she was clearly in pain. I really respect that she tried her best to film despite being in severe pain and not wanting to delay filming or straight up change actress. But a lot of c-netizens are wondering maybe the drama would have been better if she was swapped out. She had fair amount of scenes but latter parts had to be re-written, her close up shots/acting were terrible and in the end the product was subpar.
Anyways, I've rambled long enough. My 8 honest goes to all the characters I loved in this drama, the amazing Jin Dong and spectacular team behind this drama, it sure has been a ride. Now I'm off to catch up 20 years of c-drama. WHY MUST YOU BE SO LONG c-drama.
This is my first review so if you have any constructive criticism or want to flail about dramas with me, feel free to message/comment.
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"Give us the power and courage to swim safely throughout this life"
It's the way everyone knew since the very first ep that Myunghee would be gone and Heetae would be left alone exactly like it was portrayed, YET we still kept watching till the end... Masochism. I don't know what broke me the most but I know I had been crying since the second half of ep 9.When older Heetae took off his watch and his scars showed, when he tried to drown himself... Wow. I don't think there are many dramas that portray failed suicide attempts in such a subtle, respectful and realistic way without romanticizing it.
I projected a lot on this show since my country has been in protests similar to Gwangju Uprisings, although ti a lower extent. But still, police and military abuse is shown. So seeing Sooryeon being so eager to help even though she knew that her individual actions wouldn't change much... It's so inspiring. When she said "even though we can't change what's happening, there are things that we can do." Those small actions save lives. Even if they don't change the future or the current situation, there still will be at least one life saved. And that will make it worth it.
When Soochan said he felt ashamed that he was released because of connections, that he felt comfortable in his cozy and warm bed while he didn't even know if the people arrested with him were alive or not and that made him take the decision on his hands and serve and help the wounded... I'm so glad both of them survived.
Towards the end when Heetae sees the posters attributing the protests to North spies... I can't imagine how much things like that hurt the people that suffered through the protests, those who lost loved ones in the hands of their own army.
Also, when Myungsoo's immediate reaction to seeing soldiers hurting their own people was, "the North has invaded us" and wondering, "why would our own army hurt our people?" Such a realistic way of showing how the government turns against all logic and harms their own people they sore to protect.
This was such an incredibly beautiful story, and it had the perfect length to finish it in an amazing way without including unnecessary or filler scenes.
They approached so many sides of the Uprising, so many victims in their own jobs/labors/activities, so many people helping each other to believe in a better future.
"In the face of the storm, the only thing we could do was hold each other's hands so that we won't lose each other."
I really cried my eyes out to this.
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In terms of the story, it is nothing like I had seen before. It revolves around switching bodies where the personalities and minds remains the same. However, even though it is a plot that was used many times already in media, Switched is one of those stories which will certainly grip you and keep you glued to the screen the whole time, anticipating what would happen next and wondering whether they're actually going to solve the problem in the end. I like the fact that there is a whole back story in terms of Switching and that it is a global supernatural phenomenon that had affected quite a lot of people which goes to show that the world is not as black and white as it seems but rather corrupted because people have these desires such as desiring a life much different than their own. The creators and author used this occurring device and twisted it into their own way to make a suspenseful and mysterious storyline.
However, what I can say though is that I felt like the last episode was particularly rushed. Because the series only had 6 episodes, I felt like a lot of the things that happened were all squashed to fit in one single episode. This includes the solving of the conflict and the aftermath of the events. It gave me the impression that the whole conflict was in a rush to be solved before the end of the episode which I thought had the potential to be extended and explored if we had more episodes. Needless to say, I'm not particularly complaining since it is not the first time that Dramas had executed rushed and less fluidity as opposed to the rest of its episodes, but overall, I was glad that Switched had graced us with the ending I'm sure we wanted to happen and I'm really happy for that. Not to mention, I was a bit sad that it only has 6 episodes and that it is too short to my liking; we need more of these wonderful goodness ;; However, if it did get extended and it had more episodes, I would have liked to see more exploration about the Red Moon, the history behind the Switching and also the psychological effects of people who had experienced it especially Ayumi and Umine's situation.
Furthermore, I don't know about you guys but the acting was remarkable to me. It was simply fantastic. The feelings that were expressed did resonate to me as an audience and man did it impacted me quite a lot. I wouldn't have cried a few times whilst watching the series if it weren't for the powerful acting that was demonstrated consistently throughout the show. Each of the four teenagers made an impact to me in their way and man, can I say I love Kaga to death - he is such a pure angel <3 Umine had shown an outstanding performance presenting someone who had lived a horrible life and was corrupted and driven by hate and greed, someone who was unwanted in the society and was treated nothing worse than scum but then realised how to be a strong person and to tackle her problems with a positive attitude. As for Ayumi, she was someone who emphasised and sympathised with Umine after being switched to her body and developed to this caring and aware person as opposed to her naivety before. And Koushirou...he's just a whole enigma lol. You just won't expect what he would do next; quite a good manipulator as well.
Anyway, moving on, I wouldn't have enjoyed the whole series experience without the amazing soundtrack like honestly, it's wonderful to listen to. I've always been a music person so the Ost affects my viewing experience as a whole when watching a show, so when watching Switched, it just added more of the depth and atmosphere that is needed to support the acting and it made it more enjoyable to me. This reminded me of Devilman Crybaby's soundtrack actually because it pulls at your heartstrings yet some are upbeat and pleasurable to the ears. Switched has one of the soundtracks that I would listen to in a playlist and download.
To conclude, I really enjoyed watching the series. I love the themes that was explored because I feel like it is something that has the importance to be addressed especially in a society like ours. The way it was portrayed was just enthralling to the point that I was even in tears. So yes definitely would rewatch it again at some point in the future because I haven't really watched a series with that kind of approach in a while and the fact that it is quite different to the other usual Dramas out there. I may be exaggerating in some areas lolol but it just goes to show how much I've grown to be attached to it because it is something I relate to in many levels. Plus the soundtrack is worth listening to as well.
I may have loved it but it may not always be the same case for everyone but all I can say is that it is definitely worth the watch. Totally recommending it if you are looking for a series that has mature, supernatural and psychological themes :D
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Time-travel with an enchanting encounter between traditional medicine & modern medical technology
Because "Live up to your Name" chooses time travel as the starting point for the action, the KDrama is able to contrast traditional medicine as well as modern surgery and medical technology in two historical time zones. This sprinkles a lot of color over the topic and opens up a perspective that does not have to polarize. This rapprochement is rounded off by the enchanting development of the relationship between the protagonists - the modern day surgeon in modern Seoul and Heo-im from Joseon days, who get emotionally involved over the course of the story, although their personalities could not be more different."Live up to your name" juxtaposes modern surgery & medical technology as well as traditional Korean medicine, which is recently becoming more and more popular in the increasing medical tourism in South Korea. In this context, the audience is introduced to a luminary of traditional Korean medicine who made a considerable contribution to acupuncture in his time (16th century) - Heo-im. The KDrama guarantees an entertaining and lively excursion into some background knowledge about attitude, methods and possibilities of traditional medicine.
Just seeing Kim Nam-gil as Heo-im is worth watching this KDrama. He does an excellent job of portraying the ambivalent personality: there is the simple man from a poor background, whom he would like to escape at any price, and there is the ingenious healer with almost spiritual talent. Sometimes it's quite funny and then again heartwarming and profoundly serious with confident lightness.
In addition, there are the traditional healing methods, the virtuosity in handling the acupuncture needles and the feeling for the flow of energy... this can not only be experienced with the example of Heo-im, but also with the other representatives of traditional Korean medicine. There is also room for dealing with those for whom traditional medicine is mainly a business today - a service that can be sold very well in South Korea these days, especially with a VIP upgrade as a trendy, exotic treatment method in the context of medical tourism. There are the VENDORS of traditional Korean medicine and there are the HEALERS of traditional methods. And then there is modern medicine and the growing market of the health industry. Eventually, what makes the difference (and also offers the common ground between paradigms) are the attitude, dedication and mission when it comes to healing...
------ SIDE NOTE: --- Historical Heo-im (1570-1647)---
His reputation as an acupuncturist preceded the historical Heo-im of his time - not only in the Joseon Dynasty itself, but as far away as China and Japan. Originally he was of humble origin, but due to his incredible achievements in medicine he became the personal physician at the royal court and a government official at the age of 30. During the Japan War, he was able to further expand his reputation through his gifted achievements in acupuncture. However, the nobles rejected him as their equal and excluded him, so that he returned to his village at the age of about 50 and practiced his healing art on the common people there until he died at the age of 77. In recent years he has written a large, well-regarded work, the ChimGuGyungHumBang (book on acupuncture and moxibustion). In it he describes his methods of pain management and procedures in which acupuncture points are not (only) stimulated by needle sticks, but also by heat.
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1Missing... something.
Oh, man, how do I even describe this?I went into this with no expectations and I think that helped my enjoyment of it. I was curious as to the main characters' backstories and why they were the way they are now, and that kept me watching. I actually did enjoy watching this and kept wondering what Yeon Woo would do next to woo (no pun intended) Woo Jae.
However, I do think this show ran into a few classic K-BL problems. The plot, while enough to keep me interested, wasn't the most satisfying. Yeon Woo did everything to get Woo Jae back, but Woo Jae honestly didn't do too much to reciprocate. I wonder if we'd had more of their past (where it was implied Woo Jae was the... pursuer for lack of a better word, though not in the traditional sense) it might have been better, but I'm not sure it would be. I felt like it was missing one of those "I realized I messed up and am now going to run to him" scenes.
Second, the actors were very much lacking chemistry. It wasn't super noticeable in earlier scenes, but towards the end where they were meant to be closer romantically, I felt like they were just actors trying to act in a BL instead of the characters who missed the other and wanted to be with their partner. The kisses were the stereotypical dead fish kiss and I very much got a "let's press our lips together because the script says it but no homo" vibe. I could easily see them as friends but struggled to see them as a couple. I am begging K-BLs to do chemistry workshops, please.
While I do think this show ran into a low-budget, low-episode-count problem, I also feel like the plot was all over the place and didn't do the best it could have. We got hints of their earlier relationship, we got hints of their current relationship changing, but unfortunately it wasn't fleshed out enough either way to give us any satisfaction.
It's a fun, fast binge for those who are looking to kill time, but I recommend you lower those expectations and just go with the flow for this one.
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Sageuk of the year 2021.
A quote from Oscar Wilde goes like, "Women have a much better time than men in this world; there are far more things forbidden to them." Indeed the women of the world have been chained with rules created by bigoted individuals, for which they're made to sacrifice their wills, rights and aspirations. This drama, too, is based on the story of a woman who, till the very end, did her best not to fall into the patriarchal system's confinement.In Joseon era, the court ladies chosen for the palace to serve the King, his family as well as to carry out different matters, were more like slaves. Bound to stay single until death, once chosen, they had to wear clothes with crimson red coloured sleeves. This red sleeve was more like a handcuff to hold back them from leaving the palace as well to remind them of their limitations. So the drama is based the love story of a King and his court lady turned royal concubine and it truly lives upto it's title throughout.
"The Sleeve's Red Cuff" (옷소매 붉은 끝동) is a live-action adaption of the famous Korean novel with the same title, by Kang Mi Kang (강미강). With a fictional script, the drama is the true love story of King Jeongjo, the 22nd monarch of Joseon dynasty and his royal concubine Sung Ui Bin. Some historical facts about major events found later is also included in the drama to maintain the most possible accuracy.
To simply put the plotline, the drama is set in the Joseon premise of history from mid to late 1700s (18th century), with only 1st episode taking place in 1764 and the rest after a couple of decades, with flash backs from both 1762 and 1764. The basic story is about Yisan (Lee Jun Ho), the Crown Prince of the kingdom trying to persue his handmaiden, court lady Sung Deok Im (Lee Se Young) to become his royal concubine. Although they're in love with each other, circumstances stand in their way to unison and this what the story is about.
Yisan is the Crown Prince of Joseon, very intelligent and aware of his duties and responsibilities, he strives to be a better ruler than his grandfather, the King. Deok Im is a quick-witted, strong-willed and free-spirited girl who has progressive mindset and believes in living an independent life; she's a medieval feminist. Both the characters are stupendous in their own places and their arcs are beautifully drawn by the writer; couldn't help but fall for them. Romance? Well, I won't call it romance. To me, it felt like an amazing chemistry buildup, growth of mutual understanding and blooming of untold emotions. Even though they were not together as couples for most part of the story, but whatever amount of togetherness we witnessed, it sufficed my heart bcs I had been savoring myself with the bonding throughout.
Lee Se Young is already a proved actress who has won us over through her skills for years in different roles, and she, as Deok Im in here has done very well in bringing out the truest essence of it. This is not her first Sageuk so I'm sure the experience has helped. Junho came back after his enlistment with this and I can say with confidence this'll be a turning point in his acting career. Even with less than 10 dramas, he was a decent actor but his acting graph went really really high in here and I am very happy about it. Lee Duk Hwa who played King Yeongjo (Yisan's grandfather) was a show stealer for me; being the one with most experience, his performance was so powerful that it has left a tremendous impression, what an actor! Kang Hoon as Hong Duk Ro (Yisan's closest aide) struggled in accommodating at first but improved in the later part. Honestly, I thought he was not enough skilled yet to play a major role like this but at least he learnt a lot. Park Ji Young as Head Court Lady Cho served as a prominent antagonist though I was expecting more of her character; she's an amazing actress nevertheless.
Jang Hye Jin as Court Lady Seo (Deok Im's mentor) was the simplest and easygoing character and very likable. Jang Hee Jin as Queen Consort Jung Soon (King's Concubine) and Kang Mal Geum as Consort Hong (Yisan's mother) were of moderate importances in the drama and they're already praised for their acting skills. There are many other familiar faces in supporting characters, who did well too.
Plot development is very fabulous, I must admit, it's been a while I witnessed such prominent and solid development in plot along with each of it's individual elements and possible side stories. The introductory episode is the background story involving the early childhood days of Yisan and Deokim. And then a leap of about 2 decades where the characters grow up. There starts the gradual progession that includes the individual lives of the leads and the supporting characters around them. 3/5th of the show is mainly about dealing with the conspiracies against the Crown Prince, within the royal family as well as in the palace. This is also accompanied with the simultaneous and unhurried buildup between the leads. The rest 2/5th is concentrated on the unison of Yisan and Deok-im with almost similar importance to crime revelations.
The connecting plots of past and present, the twists, the revelations and the storytelling method are awfully good. There are several peaks and very few slopes; it was somewhere around 8th and 9th, in which nothing major happens but it was still interesting. The last 4 episodes were ofty intensed and highly vehement. There are comedy elements incorporated here and there but 4/5th of the show is of serious tone. The single word narration of the drama's mood is melancholia; oweing to the already known sad story of history, it was bound to be sad and miserable.
Talking about episodic progression, in short it's fantastic. I've already mentioned about the perfect pacing for a major portion of the show; there is no part it feels boring. The last 4 episodes visibly get rushed but it's not that fast-paced to be bothered about. It could have obviously been avoided but anyways, it was fine for me.
Jung Ji In PDnim is one of the powerful female directors in Korea though she's produced less than 10 dramas over a decade with no significant piece but her graph of direction went really high with this one and I'm sure it's a big turning point in her career. The quality of the drama really speaks about her skills which we also saw in the BTS videos. The screenplay, the screenediting, pacing and execution is definitely praiseworthy though the pacing became a little fast in the last 4 episodes, but anyways, it was manageable. The cinematography was spectacular giving out the red&blue aura of a perfect sageuk premise. Most of the drama takes place inside the palace and whatever scene involved the nature, both in and out of the palace, were worth the enjoyment.
Honestly, I didn't know the screenwriter Jung Hae Ri jakkanim before this but I must say that she has done a commendable job. Even though the drama is an adaptation from a novel, turning a literature based book into a movie or show script is not really that easy. And given her least experience, she has done the work with a up to par quality. The immense research to create sets with historical accuracy and the efforts to retain the preserved facts, is clearly visible.
On that note, I must also applaud for the author of the Original novel, Kang Mi Kang jakkanim for this story of majestic essence, putting forth the importance of court ladies, their roles in royal as well as political affairs, the life of red sleev cuffed concubines, the heart of a King and several other lesser-told stories from the history, etc in a very beautiful manner. I haven't read the novel but from the drama, I am sure it's something very great, bcs books are better than their adaptations you know.
Execution of sageuk elements is another plus point and notable aspect of the drama, which is worth the mention. I don't really mind the dilution of cultural aspects in periodic dramas or inaccurate representations but you know what, accurate and realistic approaches serve as a huge advantage. The royal palace complex premise consisting of several residencesfor different members as well as different departments including the court maid residence, are well photographed. The costumes, the rituals, the architectural elements, the laws and regulations, the royal court proceeding methods, the literature, the natural scenrios, the city and rural setups, etc. etc. were perfectly delineated in accordance with real fettle of the period in which the story takes place. The execution, thus, is beyond perfect; I don't remember watching such in a while, probably not since Scarlet Hearts.
Noh Hyung Woo is an old yet lesser experienced in comparison to the other contemporary composers but I've quite liked his work in other dramas and so did I like here. He was able to compose pieces that perfectly suit the story, giving perfect sageuk OST vibes, and the substance it wanted to convey. The background scoes are up to par, as well. It has 8 OSTs. "Starlight Heart" by BEN is my most favourite among them, her vocals are so majestically heart touching. "I'll Leave You" by my all time fav Lee Sun Hee ahjumma is unfortunately a melancholic track released for the last 2 episodes. "I'll be with you everyday" by NU'EST Minhyun is a confessional romantic track and so beautiful. Jung Sang Keun's notes are that of an old classical Kdrama OST in "Every step you take" so are of XIA in "I'm still" whose passage stretches wrench your heart.
Things I loved the most
# The progression of the show was lovely, likable, enjoyable and entertaining with good dramatic values; I had a very good time. Especially the elements are what make it eventful and engaging.
# The chemistry between the leads and the coupled development in characters and relationship is alluring, even the romance is subtle for most part and real romance lasts for a small while.
# The portrayal of importance of Court Ladies in Palace is not new for sageuk Kdramas, but this drama does a better job in projecting extra focus since the FL is a Court Lady and not from any Noble Family. It reminded me of my first Kdrama Dwe Jang Geum (Jewel in the Palace,2003).
# The true nature, character, duties and responsibilities of a real Korean King has been very well illustrated which is actually very intriguing and impressive.
# In history, King Yeongjo was a ruthless King and a remorseless father but I somehow felt in love with the character in the drama, may be because of Lee Duk Hwa and acting, but yeah! He truly felt like an emperor and his majestic acting, oof!
# There was no exaggeration, neither of plot, nor it's elments; everything is in a perfect dosage. Unlike most of the sageuks this year, it didn't drag an empty plot to make it a proper cable drama. The drama didn't run out of substances at any moment.
# There was no deviation from history, the basic story and the historical facts were not changed which is in fact a big plus point.
The ending, well, yes! It's a sad one and it was, in fact, announced earlier. The real story on which the novel is written ended like that, so does the novel and hence does the drama. This was to retain the historical accuracy of facts. Some of the audience might hesitate to go till the finale or some other might not want to even start it because of that, but trust me, it's WORTH IT. Each and every second of the show is that good to give you beautiful experience and in my opinion, no one should miss it. In the end, I wanna say that I have cried a lot, A LOT. And I will never forget how much i did. I think I will comd back to my own review to cry.
My only complaint about this drama is, it not being a 20 episode show. I mean I am also a lil disappointed about the pacing in last 4 episodes, but they could have easily extend it upto 20. The makers themselves were aware of this and hence they extended the originally planned 16 episodes to 17 episodes, which can also be cited as a production flaw. So they should have planned this ahead of the casting and finalized in order to avoid the occurrence of such a situation. But anyways, its over now.
Final remarks... "The Red Sleeve Cuff" is the sageuk of the year without any doubt. Direction, production, screenwriting, execution, casting, acting, cinematography, music, etc.... all these aspects havs been taken care of very well and I can't praise much about how much I loved this drama as a whole. The only problem of lil rushed pacing in the last 4 episodes is totally avoidable, given the quality of the show. I was more than willing to give it a 9.5 but that only issue made me deduct 0.5 and i believe that's only fair.
If you're wary about watching bcs of the sad ending, let me state that "sad endings are not bad endings"; even if it's a sad one, the journey and the content are worth everything. Let's assume it ended with 16th and we got a happy ending though the reality is something else. It's definitely a must watch and also worth coming back for. Please do watch this bcs this needs more attention than this. This is the best historical as well as one of the best set of dramas this year.
P. S. Let me know in case of any mistake.
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This review may contain spoilers
I was originally going to write a review by episode but instead, I am going to do a review on a grand scale and by certain issues either addressed by the show itself or issues people had with the show. I, first of all, have to say that it was possibly the worst ending I have seen if any show I have watched (including Game of Thrones and GOT is the worst ending for me up until this), I am never watching anything that the writer is in charge of ever in my life, I mean I will personally be checking who the writer is because of her. Like I was wondering what nonsense of an ending that was. Like I hate the fact people try to cover it up by saying it is real life or realistic (and I would be addressing it in my review).
The show started a fun, I mean Xiang and his dumb ass friends being the cool and popular kids, then the nerd that the coolest kid in school falls for but then the story is very not cliché.
Starting this out, I know everyone first had an issue with Sun Bo and his behavior (stalking and assault) but I would like to remind people that he is kind of meant to be a dumb, naïve and impulsive teenager who is kind of falling in love for the first time and doesn't know what to with himself. I am not saying what he did was all right by any standard but understand that this was the first point being driven.
Also, still on Sun Bo, the next thing people highlighted a lot was the age difference and being in high school. Now I am quite happy that everyone is taking Pedophilia more seriously but at the same time, we should realize that countries differ and laws in those countries are not the same as what it is in our countries. Now, I was rubbed the wrong way but when I checked and I saw that the age of consent and majority in Taiwan is 16, I couldn't do anything more about it but move on, this is their country and these are their norms.
Now moving on, things I loved about the show in generality
1. The true representation of LGBT acceptance: Hao Ting Parents, The Gang, and Finally Lu Zhi's family. The showed different reactions to LGBT youth around the world as it happens. Some people just naturally accept LGBT youth especially because of their humanity and personhood and that was represented in the gang, others don't accept it but rather tolerate it for one reason or the other and that was Hao Ting's parents and the last class per se are those that are straight-up homophobic and cut LGBT people out of their lives that was Lu Zhi's granddad. I loved the fact that they represented all these in the show, which is more than a lot of them BLs give us.
2. That age gap should not be a determinant in a relationship (when the people involved are off legal age). Our societies tend to treat age gap as something that should be almost non-existent and that one party is taking advantage of the other but I love that MODC showed that sometimes, real love doesn't care about age as far as you are meant to be together, you would work out.
3. I loved the fact that they didn't revolve the story around Hao Ting struggling to accept that he was in love with a guy (although I didn't particularly like the I am not gay just in love with him trope we often see but whatever). Like it was very straight forward, he suspected he had feelings for Xi Gu and rather than fighting it as we often see, he accepted them and moved forward on and most importantly, he didn't cheat on his girlfriend per se, he broke up with her before properly chasing Xi Gu.
4. I love that consent wasn't forgotten per se in the terms of Xi Gu and Hao Ting. I was scared at several points that with the type of temper Hao had, he would overstep boundaries with Xi but he was honestly patient and surprised me a lot.
5. Sex scenes, now I get a lot of people did not particularly like this, but I like the realism to the sex scenes because most BLs tend to was to Fetishize gay people but they didn't do that here, plus I mean they are high school students, sex tends to be on their minds a lot.
6. The acting and production value were all phenomenal, I hated Hao when he made Xi miss the exam, I cried with Xi when he lost the scholarship, I felt all of the naivety of Sun and his jealousy, like the actors delivered and the quality was insane, to say the least bit. I felt everything, rejoiced with them, laughed with them…. That is what acting is meant to do emote properly, I even felt the ending particularly because of Wayne
7. The portrayed the mistake we have all made as high school students properly, from cruelty, meanness, etc.
8. Character development was great and natural compared to other shows
9. I loved Hao Ting and Sun Bo's friendship, it was beautiful to the end
Things I hated
1. The ending and the writer
2. The fact that they did not properly develop some stories, which I guess was to keep the focus on the main story but still at least resolve them. Like the twin that appeared he had feelings for Xi Gu, we did not get the foundation of the feelings of what connection there was or how did it end up? Another was the guy that made the fake picture of Xi Gu to spite Hao Ting, like what happened to him or even the ex-girlfriend? Then the way they just threw away the Fujoshi?
Now to the controversial ending if you want to portray a real-life relationship or a realistic relationship, then break them up. I am not saying people do not die in relationships, they go off course, but in a world where people always try to tell LGBT people they can't have happy endings, this just drives the narrative because Xi Gu's death was pointless except for shock value and nothing else just break the couple up. I mean, what's more common - breaking up or being killed by a car (or a white truck of doom, for all we know)? Yes, way too many people die in accidents every year, but still... that's not what usually happens, fortunately. So, for me, the "that's life/that's a realistic portrait of life" argument falls a bit flat. My impression is that they didn't necessarily want to portray a "real life" situation, rather they wanted to shock and manipulate their audience, they wanted to present a "clever" twist, maybe because someone, someday, came up with the idea that tragedy equals depth and artistry. Then, secondly - do you know what hurts me the most? I realized it's not, contrary to my expectations, YSG's pointless death. It's how miserable XHT still is even 6 years after the tragedy. Even if he says "Yes, I'm over it", even if he has survived and tried to get on with his life (did he get a girlfriend, or am I wrong? I was in a daze for most of the episode, trying not to cry too much, so there are parts I'm not 100% sure about), even if he says he's ready to hike the Himalayas. He's still so deeply grieving that you just have to look at him to know he's living an unhappy life - he seems to be living only halfheartedly, only half-conscious... and that's heartbreaking, and that's what made me so devastated. I don't see much hope in this ending. It hurts so much because I cannot help but thinking that I would be just as lost in a similar situation. Finding love is so rare, and when you lose it like that... Thirdly, poor YSG. He drew the short end of the stick, didn't he? Was his purpose as a character just to tug at our heartstrings? Was his death just a cliched plot device contrived to squeeze out our tears (and how many of them!)? He, as a character, deserved better! Also, the doppelganger: was his purpose just to trick us in the preview of the last episode with a face that looked like a future YSG? So that people, seeing him, would think "No worries, here he is with a different hairstyle, so he's obviously still alive, maybe they just separated for a few years", just to be then shocked at the revelation? I can't help but feel that my emotions were being manipulated. And lastly - I'm kind of low-key angry with myself for letting myself being so emotionally involved in this drama. It's so silly to be this upset (feeling depressed, feeling there's no hope in this world, feeling like dark clouds are weighing heavy on my heart, crying!) because of a work of fiction.
I know I won't be able to go back to it - and what's worse than that for a drama? Even the forgettable ones are sometimes revisited. And even the soundtrack, that I loved, will be off-limits for the foreseeable future.
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One of the best bls ever.
This bl is one of the best out there and I would 100% recommend to watch it.No absurd drama, no same sluggish plot, no irresponsible male leads... This series has everything to look for.
The pace is steady, not too slow or fast and every character play their part beautifully in depicting every emotion around. You will find many cute and heartfelt scenes which will make you to blush. The heartbreak part was gorgeously depicted. The acting was fabulous. I'm greedily looking for the last two episodes cause the wait is torturing me.
After reading the manhwa I was confused as how they will show it , but damn they have included all the main parts and even those heart fluttering moments....gosh I already want to watch it again.
Moreover, if you are a hugger or loves hugging, this bl is for you. There are several hug scenes and felt so intimate that make you want more in your life.
The osts are good and I already love them. The main leads are the one who sang it and I was so surprised to hear that.
I'm not gonna criticise anyone here but truly, I found many reviews which are not giving justice to this drama and that's very sad.
Well, I'm gonna say it again, ULS is already among the top 5 bls.
PS : ULS gained #2 spot on TV-OTT overall drama ranking list in Korea, literally fighting with popular kdramas !!!!! while Gongchan and Seowon got #2 and #1 in SNS category, omg this is soooo huge !!!!
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A rich tapestry of Song dynasty life
From the writers that brought Battle of Changsha, you can expect a tightly-woven, authentic slice of life story. Each character and plot line, even the minor ones, have been written with so much raw detail that you feel every undercurrent of emotion simmering within. It is for viewers to sip and savour like fine wine - the longer it takes to ferment, the more intoxicating the fragrance. The subtle nuances, layered plot lines and complex characters...they all come together to paint a picture of quiet beauty, like our MC Ming Lan. Some viewers complain the pace is slow, but you'll be surprised how quickly you get drunk.The acting is top-notch, delivered by a superb cast of veterans and not just pretty faces, lending justice to the well-written characters. These are not characters to fawn over, but you can imagine every flawed individual in the flesh, because that's how good and how real the acting is. There are no caricatures of stereotypical villains or dumb self-sacrificial heroes. The covert glances, slight hand gestures, undulating voices and variable facial expressions are all on point to hit right in the feels. Even the maids and servants can have their own unique charisma.
Not to mention, other aspects like the music is simple but sophisticated without the usual lyrical overtures of historical dramas. The instrumental scores are effective in supporting rather than outshining the storyline. The costumes and sets are a feast for the eyes. The cinematography is exquisite. I personally love the soft sepia tones created by lots of warm natural light. There is a lot of effort spent on shooting every scene to maximize the visual impact.
Ming Lan is the definite, must-watch family drama! Watch it if you love period dramas of depth and complexity.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is a LONG review. I know there are currently two other e-sports dramas airing but I ended up picking this one and loved it. Initially I was also watching Go Go Squid but ultimately dropped that one because I was hoping to see the female lead there pursue her own career. That’s another story for another time.
So, GGS didn't speak to me in that aspect but Qiu Ying (played by Wang Zixuan) in Gank Your Heart did. She isn’t into gaming at first but ultimately finds her calling as a commentator for e-sports. It’s motivating to see her start from being a newbie in the e-sports world to someone who advances to the final championships as one of the main hosts. She is a hard worker, fiercely independent, and knows how to strategically move herself up the ladder in the gaming world without pulling any dirty tricks. She makes no excuses and can be a doormat at certain times, but she isn’t afraid to step up to challenges and obstacles. She can be very loyal to people she loves. On the flip side, I wish she was a more aggressive and confident in herself because she runs away (literally and figuratively) at the first chance she gets when it comes to romance. The male lead chases, of course, but our girl eventually learns to step up to the plate too.
When we meet the male lead Ji Xiangkong (played by Wang Yibo), he is already somewhat of a successful pro player. His reputation slowly tarnishes as he is accused by beating up an opponent, switches teams (not by his own doing), gets entangled in a love triangle with Qiu Ying and his ex-girlfriend Miya, and is accused of divulging game plans prior to a tournament. He goes through multiple challenges but never forgets where he came from and his aspirations. While he’s a top player, he isn’t arrogant and is considered a loyal friend. He’s the type to put friends first so we see him make sacrifices throughout the series. He sounds like the perfect male lead, and sometimes I think he is, until we get to see him handling his relationships with Qiu Ying and Miya (played by Hanna). He’s obviously in love with the former but before he gets the chance to tell her, he refers to her as his girlfriend in front of Miya who still has strong and lingering feelings for him. Of course that doesn’t sit well with our girl Qiu Ying. Here’s where I give her all the credit because she flat out says she doesn’t want to be involved in whatever is between them. So yes, he may be a very good strategist when it comes to gaming but not so great in the romance department.
But what I like about this couple is that they grow together but also separately in their careers. They make a pact to reach the top of the (gaming) world together and they fulfill that.
As for the supporting characters, I will say that they were memorable in their own ways and never once did I felt like I had to skip their parts. Even all the "villains" are worth watching to see what other schemes they have up their sleeves. Each of them has their own purpose and they help shape the main characters’ personal growth and development so that’s why I enjoy them. I also don’t think anyone is actually a true villain here because most of them are jealous of the "winners". In a way, I find it to be realistic because we all have choices to make when we come across people we see as threats. We either choose to let our jealousy take over or we humbly learn from others to better ourselves. I think this drama does a good job in showing both ends of the spectrum.
Now, if you ask me who my favorite supporting character is, I’d probably say Pei Xi (played by Jerry Yan Yuhao) n a heartbeat. In any other drama, his character would have been the second male lead who’s romantically in love with our female lead. In this series though, he’s actually the male lead’s number one fanboy (the other would be Ding Guansen’s Lin Yixuan who is clearly the comic relief character here) and is willing to pretend to be Qiu Ying’s boyfriend so that JXK could focus on gaming instead of getting targeted online for his love triangle mess. PX is perceived as arrogant when he first appears, but the more we see him, the more we realize he’s just saying “senpai look at me” to JXK in a quite endearing way. JXK’s sharp words and rejection is really what PX needs in order to grow up and learn to be a team player. And I have to say, I’m honestly glad they didn’t give him a romance story. He is just way too focused on gaming.
I don’t know if they accurately portrayed the e-sports world since I’m not someone who plays games. There were some criticism from actual gamers, but the counterargument is that it’s an enjoyable and motivational series that might lead some general audience members to develop an interest in the industry. Personally, the gaming scenes really got me fired up. They are intense and actually made me grip the edge of my seat at some points.
Acting-wise, let’s just say that I have little to no expectations when I’m watching a cast of new faces. I initially started this for Wang Yibo (The Untamed makes me do things I normally wouldn’t lol) but was really drawn into the story by the rest of the cast. I can’t say they’re award-worthy performances but they didn’t hurt to watch. The acting is natural and the cast delivered the right amount of emotions expected of their characters and circumstances.
Will I watch this again? I most likely will because I really do like the main couple and the last 7-8 episodes of gaming were really enjoyable.
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Of course, the romantic comedy elements are all there. The love triangle is killer. You will definitely have a second lead syndrome, even if it's only for a few fleeting seconds. But at the same time, you will never stop loving the male lead. The story also makes you laugh plenty. I haven't laughed like this while watching a drama in a long time. The writers didn't take even a minute for granted and the whole thing is an absolute joyride.
Another awesome thing about the story is how they covered a whole range of issues in a lighthearted and optimistic manner. We have the issues of male breast cancer, asexuality, live-in, two-timing, workforce rat-race, not-so-typical families explored beautifully in a way that only a Korean drama can pull off. The romance is top-notch. I love the chemistry between the two leads and between all characters in general. The comic timing is great.
Among the characters, I was absolutely invested in Hwa Shin's character. He is not perfect but the kind of growth the character showed from the very first episode all the way till the end, and the way Jo Jung Suk portrayed Hwa Shin's struggle in love and life, it was amazing. He absolutely killed it! I have watched everything Jo Jung Suk has starred in and this is my favorite of his works (so far). Gong Hyo Jin was her usual best. I love her in these naive roles that she plays. Both second leads were great. Jung Won was more perfect but Hwa Shin was more interesting.
Pal Gang's moms were hilarious and their interactions were something I always looked forward to. The company had an interesting setting. I loved Pinocchio and this time, it was nice to see a drama from an anchor's perspective instead of reporters. Pyo Na Ri's struggle to switch from a forecaster to an anchor was inspiring and something that was relate-able.
I am definitely rewatching this. Some scenes are so memorable and the chemistry is unforgettable. The music is great. My favorite song from the OST is "Yes! Love". I waited for it to release for a long time. Overall, it is going down as one of my favorites. And Jo Jung Suk has almost made it to my favorite actors list. Highly highly recommended for all kinds of moods!
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Low on angst, high on fluff (Just the way I like it)
I'm not going to write a full blown review for this, I just want to point out why I like this drama so much since it has mixed reviews. I rate this drama so high because it's low on angst, and high on fluff. We don't have the cliche plot with a love triangle, and we don't have the overly controlling parents. On top of that the female lead is smart, driven, quick witted, and loveable. The leads also have great chemistry. If you're someone who doesn't enjoy a lot of conflict, and likes more self/ relationship growth, this is the drama for you.Was this review helpful to you?
One of the best
If you're looking for a simple, sweet story with a cast full of cute boys and the best soundtracks I can think of, then this has to be the show for you.It's well made with humour, emotion and good performances but is let down by being too short meaning that it can jump about, missing things out not letting the story develop fully - it would have been even better if it was a few episodes longer.
2022 is proving to be a great year for Taiwan BL's with Plus and Minus/Be Loved in House: I Do plus this so I can't wait to find out what comes next!
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