This is the first time I'm writing a review, I'm not good at wording my thoughts out but I wanted to give this a try because I just really want to praise this drama, if I could give it a 100/10 score I certainly would. It raises the bar too high for all k-dramas and TV shows in general for me. GO WATCH IT NOW! You surely won't regret it.
Plot: it's a remake of the U.K. TV show going by the same name, I haven't watched it myself so I had no prior idea of how the plot would go. I have to say it's outstanding. I personally love crime and suspense dramas so this was definitely my cup of tea and it exceeded my expectations by a lot. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of humour in the drama, despite the heavy cases they had to work on the writers managed to incorporate light-hearted moments and it made the experience even more amazing, nothing seemed out of place. I have noticed that in a lot of k-dramas the plot starts dragging out gradually and they tend to get a little boring in the middle especially but this one had impressive build-ups, there was not one dull moment and each episode keeps you on your toes. The surprises keep coming all the time and you can't seem to predict what will happen next. The cases were well-thought out and there weren't any plot holes. The ending was so emotional and a little open for interpretation, it was bittersweet, but I loved it for the way it was.
Cast/Characters: I was blown away by Jung Kyung Ho's acting, he gave life to his character and this impressive screenplay. The female lead I have to say is one of the most impressive and well-done female characters I've ever seen, this is female empowerment done right, she can kick ass, is not depicted stereotypically, is thoughtful, smart af and level-headed. The chemistry between the five main characters was out of this world, they gave off this warm feeling even if some of them didn't particularly start off on good terms, the fact that the friendship that flourished between them was gradual and not rushed off made it seem more believable. I really couldn't have picked better actors for this show.
OST: I loved the old songs they incorporated in the drama, it made me feel the 80s even more, the songs were chosen really well and put exactly where they're needed without them being too much in your face.
Cinematography: It was AMAZING, it's obvious that a lot of effort and probably budget went into the shooting of the drama and it's well worth it, the scenes and perspectives were really well thought out. This is the kind of cinematography a drama with such good plot and cast deserves.
Overall: it's a masterpiece, 100/10, it was a whole journey I'm glad I took and I can even watch it again which means a lot because I usually don't re-watch things I've already seen. If you wonder what to watch next give this drama a chance.
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This review may contain spoilers
Sweet drama with no melodramatic scenes and in-law problem
This drama is really cheesy type. The acting and cast is superb. The music seems to be sweet (I don't really understand the OST lyrics as there are no eng subs for them). If you're searching for "no melodramatic rom-com" with "no -in laws problem" then this is indeed worth watching. Their love progress is not very slow but not too quick. It developed as they lived under the same roof (in hospital, his family house and then his house). Their chemistry is toooo sweet to handle. The amazing part is when the Jinbei chases Shiyun and how the romantic moment progress graph goes to 100 and suddenly drops to zero with a joke in the beginning episodes. Ryan perfectly carved the personality of Zhou Shiyun, a cold man with warm heart whereas Yuxi's cute act is irrestible. Whenever a drama have 24 episodes, the leads confess and start dating by 16 but in this drama they start official dating in 10 only. Their kisses are indeed extremely steamy and we can hardly distinguish which one was the best but the most emotional one is in 15, "The Mud Kiss" and there's a "coffee bean shower" instead of flower shower.Was this review helpful to you?
1This review may contain spoilers
A Historic Milestone in BL Drama - China’s Mastery of Historical BL
After waiting so long for our first uncensored historical BL drama, I can confidently say it did not disappoint. Across a vast land torn by war, you’re the only freedom for me! perfectly captures the heart of this story.The plot is gripping, following a prince and an assassin who fall in love as their kingdom collapses. To secure Xiao Shu He’s rise, Duan Ziang kills the crown prince, shattering their bond, only to return years later as emperor.
The scenery and cinematography are breathtaking,, and the snow scene paired with its moving score was simply unforgettable. The costumes, along with the stunning and handsome cast, were all top notch. The acting shines in every moment, and the music and OST heighten every emotion. The fight choreography and martial arts are executed beautifully, keeping me hooked from start to finish.
And can we talk about that flying scene? The two leads soaring through the air, clinging to each other with such intensity, it completely took my breath away. After watching over 350 BLs, this is the very first time I’ve seen two male leads in such a classic wuxia-style moment, protecting and hiding each other with eyes full of unspoken emotion. We’ve seen it countless times in straight dramas, but to finally witness it in a BL felt groundbreaking. I was literally screaming, because flying scenes like this only ever happen in historical dramas.
Duan ZiAng’s love for ShuHe is so consuming, so absolute, that he would rather drink poison than cause a single wound to the man he loves. For five long years he carried this weight, sacrificing everything, even killing his own father, all so he could fight for a future with ShuHe.
He created an entire identity, the Six Prince residence, not for ambition, not for glory, but as a gift, a sanctuary built with his own blood and sweat, solely for his lover. Two kingdoms waged endless war, millions of soldiers were sacrificed, and yet at the heart of it all was not conquest, but love, one man’s unshakable devotion to another.
If this is not love, then what is? A love that defies reason, a love that bends morality, a love so fierce it chooses the beloved over the world itself.
My heart tells me Duan ZiAng will die from the poison. And that thought crushes me, because what could be more tragic than a love between two emperors, eternal in devotion but doomed by destiny.
Their story is not just romance. It is sacrifice. It is pain. It is love written in blood, carved into history, and drowned in tears.
I truly hope China 🇨🇳 lifts its BL ban one day, because when it comes to potential, Thailand 🇹🇭, South Korea 🇰🇷, Japan 🇯🇵 and Taiwan 🇹🇼 cannot compare. China dominates in so many areas: cinematography, acting, storytelling, chemistry. And when we talk about historical costume dramas, horseback riding sequences, and martial arts fight scenes, China operates on another level entirely. The scale, elegance, precision, and sheer intensity are unmatched. Kill To You proves once again that no one does it like China.
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I was so much enjoyed watching this drama, the plot is nothing new, it’s about to pursue your first love to become yours.
It’s nice, funny, and you won’t find someone really cunning in this drama.
Every episode ends well, you will excited to watch how the story goes on.
I love watching how good the chemistry between the casts Takeru and Mone.
I am also impressed with the relationship of doctors, nurses and patients in Japan as well as their technology in medic.
You will love to see the cities of Tokyo and Osaka in this drama.
Nurse Sakura is a hopeless romantic.
From the beginning she declares to the whole world that she loves doctor Tendo.
She may looks naive and irrationally in love to him, but her love towards him is pure, strong and sincere.
She works so hard to become a good nurse. She is clumsy, kindhearted to patients, and cheerful. She likes to fantasize dating with doctor Tendo, and like a Warrior - she never gives up on her love to him. She remains optimistic that someday he will love her even he seems ignorant and cold to her.
The two opposite characters of this couple are the main attraction of this romantic drama.
Since a million years he knew that she doesn’t suit him, she is not as smart as him, but still he starts falling for her.
It’s so sweet to see how doctor Tendo's love for nurse Sakura develops slowly and in the end he loves her as much as she loves him.
Believe me, you will not regret watching this drama. Highly recommended!
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Simplicity Still Wins
In a time of explicit scenes, and uncut episodes ( which isn't a bad thing ) This series showed us that simple sweet moments can still make a story feels real and so enjoyable to watch. Moments that we rarely see in bls anymore. Communication, Cheek kisses, Holding hands, The excitement of saying each other's name, Sharing hopes and dreams, and talking about your flaws. This is what falling in love is all about. It's realistic, mature and relatable. It's impossible to watch it without feeling their love and having a big smile on your face. This series is easily became one of my top favorite that I'll enjoy watching again for years to come. The acting and chemistry were great. They chose the perfect actors for their roles. I'm very excited about the director I think he'll give us amazing bls in the future.Was this review helpful to you?
What they will miss at first glance is this most amazing story told by this amazing group of actors.
It is beautifully written and produced. It gives really good feelings for the heart to experience.
The story is different. It isn't the typical family drama we see. It has a unique story line to it. And from the very first episode it has you hooked, lined and your done. It's funny, it's relatable, it's super sweet and romantic (ah my heart). When I watched this I kept on thinking this is how families should be, siblings should be and relations. This drama shows how much the little things means when your with the people you love. It doesn't only resolved around the family but the people around it. We see this different age of people from the grandmom to Min Ha (high schooler) and couples, parents, siblings, in-law's with their struggles and how they over comes it. It's a story that's written for everyone to enjoy. And the ending was so beautiful!
The actors are amazing. All of them deserves a round of applause. I love them all and they did such an amazing job with their respected roles. But my special call goes to the amazing actress Lee Yoo Ri who was just damn right AWESOME. I love her! I love her! She was great. She is great. I love others too (Lee Joon - God he is so cute!) they were all awesome and to the point with their acting. I can't even think those character's being played by others.
The music is so so sweet. Love them all!
Totally going to re-watch it. More then once. I have to because I miss them already!
It's an amazing drama. Don't let the "52 episodes and family drama" stop you. Because at the end of it you will wish it had 100 or more episodes. Because at this moment I do and I know you will too.. So please give this a try!
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You have got to be kidding me!
Warning: Don’t watch it while eating or drinking, you might get choked by laughing.Curious about the heading of review? Let's discuss it later.
Very cliche story with many tropes, no brainer as you just have to turn off your brain and not use logic, there are many moments I was having second-hand embarrassment, and drama failed miserably in the portrayal of the lead’s professionalism. But at the end of the day, it is just a rom-com that only focuses on the romantic relationship between leads. It doesn’t mean it’s not entertaining coz it’s super fun and extremely hilarious. I guarantee that you won't get bored even for a single episode.
The acting is the best thing, it's phenomenal. Steven Zhang and Liang Je nailed it, I mean it feels so real that body swap happened, as change is visible.. from facial expression, body language, the way of talking, and even very small gestures. Here Steven Zhang stands out as his character after the body swap is more colorful, energetic. But Liang Je did great too. It's not easy to play a stone-faced, aloof character. Plus leads have great chemistry, not just that, they look very good as a pair it's easy to imagine them as a couple as their visuals match with each other very well.
With being so funny, it's written very well and not draggy. Another thing I would like to point out as the whole story only revolves around leads they don't even try to focus on anything other. Especially like the story execution and its development that feels so natural. How leads start with bickering but with time they find trust, found comfort, and start to like each other... It is realistic and pleasing to see, not an abrupt change in the whole process, with lots of little details.
Not in just story-execution-acting vise, it's good, technically too! It has really good cinematography, particularly liked the choice of the color palette. It's not super bright but good for the eyes haha, definitely it's a good quality production. It's my first time giving re-watch this much score, but let me tell you it's a rewatchable drama lol.. perfect when you are feeling down to refresh the mood... Actually, I've already re-watched some initial episodes with my mom coz I wanted her to watch the drama :')
Soundtrack and effects
It's a rare thing for me to mention sound effects in review, but it is so necessary here because they have a really big role. I mean without all those sound effects I couldn't have enjoyed it this much, for some, they might be annoying but for me the reason to laugh more. So there's one scene where we think it's going to be a confession so kinda romantic BGM starts to play.. but that seemed to be a confession that turns out to be different and how they literally made it off tune and it's sooo funny, I died laughing there. It has many wonderful OSTs. They are refreshing, and soothing at the same time.
Fun fact: Two OSTs are sung by our Liang Je (Whisper) and Steven Zhang (My Soul), to be honest, I had no idea they can sing very well. So it was a pleasant surprise to me.
Now here comes the conclusion of the title, WHAT? they did, the story was consistently good. I mean let us live in the fantasy, I don't want something real to happen. They messed up so hard.. initially, it was the best rating possible from me 9.5 but as you can see it's not anymore. I wish the writer didn't try to become super creative in the end and let us have what we really wanted.
Though one thing really bothered me, I can of course let it slide by the fun I had with watching it I'm being so generous about the rating (that rarely happens). So watch it and have a good laugh ;D
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A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
I started this out of curiousity, seeing the story was something I haven't seen in c drama you can say I wanted a saviour....from all the repetitive cliche plots and thank goodness I decided to watch this ❤️ This tells a story of a girl whose suffering from an illness and has been restricted by it, she yearns too explore and through that exploration she crosses paths with a man who also seems distant and hurt together they get to know eachother get in a whirlwind romance and heal eachother from all their pain.WHY SHOULD YOU WATCH THIS?
1.THE PLOT
The plot regardless of seeming usual with the illness and all is perfectly paced in a way that the writers remained consistent to what they wanted to tell the viewers, giving much screen time to the main leads in the first half, allowing us to get to know them interact with their characters and give us a chance to view their story in more light, I loved it since it felt like I was watching someone's life story and just giggling, crying along the way🤍
2.THE ACTOR AND ACTRESS ( JERRY YAN AND XU ROUHAN.
He ran was the female lead of the series and I felt like this role was made just for her, loved how she potrayed her emotions well more so love how they made her character independent despite being seek she wanted to lead a free life, she was keen about what she wanted and made sure she got it and on top of that not being vulnerable but cheerful smart and strong.
Xiao Han potrayed by Jerry Yan was also done so well aside from being hot 🔥, he really knew how to act with his eyes, his smirks and micro expressions could help you understand exactly how he felt, he wasn't your typical cold guy character he was a mature warm cautious and understanding man in my opinion.
The supports too did a great job, the mom of the female lead Zhang yiquan and many more, Hanyu played by Kido ma was a breath of fresh air in the series with his innocence and clumsy nature he won my heart.
3.THE CHEMISTRY AND SENSUAL TENSION BETWEEN THE LEADS.
I must say I was impressed these guys have a real life 20 years age difference but iam suprised with how comfortable they are with each other, they had that spark that gave me butterflies every time they held hands hugged kissed or even just stared at eachother, yah there we re cut scenes ( I'll neve forgive you wetv) but still these two delivered that firefly chemistry I have been longing for❤️
4. OSTS
I loved how every song that played in the background of the scene matched the scene, like the music score was selected and was soo in sync with what's happening, I really can't choose my best ost as yet as they are all soo nice but I have to applaud who ever made the music selection 🤍 also was shocked to here the English version of lucid dreams which was one of the osts in a k drama while you were sleeping.
5.CINEMATOGRAPHY
The shooting sight was pleasing, the sceneries were soo healing and beautiful at the same time, it gave me those countryside beachy vibes I totally loved it❤️
6. BECAUSE ITS THAT GOOD
Now this drama isn't for everyone, no offense but if you going to make a big deal about the age difference then that's gonna hinder your view on the series, it's pacing is a normal life sort of pacing which might feel slow for some people...any ways this deserves all my praises I was moved from get go and I appreciate every one who joined hands to bring this to us thank you for the give of an awesome drama
7. THE ENDING..
The ending was how you interpret it as a viewer, she calls out his name he turns around with a bright smile and hugs her, is it a fantasy or reality love how it was beautifully potrayed I'll definitely on my side take it as a happy ending...you can choose what you call it as well❣️
I really sincerely with all my heart thank whoever was involved in bringing this story to life, I looked forward to it every single day spend hours listening and mumming to the osts, ive been level A addicted to this and it's left this memory in my head and heart that's to last decades 🥺❤️ I usually rate dramas from a scale of 10 where ten is the top mark but for this I'll add a 0.5 to be fair🌝😌
The forbidden flower 🤍
Personal rating: 10.5
Rewatch value: 10
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The mystery kept me on my edge till the end and the performances of the actors felt fitted to their roles. Kim Dong Wook proved himself as a good actor in other works before and his and the other's acting felt good and compelling. It's not easy to act something that doesn't have a real reference in life.
Those characters were humans with all their flaws and mistake and while one might judge some of their choices, this makes the characters feel more human in the end. The budding friendship and the bond of the three main characters was nice to watch and I'm so glad they drama stayed true to the characters by not forcing a conventional drama love line into it.
One of the reason that made this drama so good is also the music that contributed to the eery atmosphere and also gave a conflicted feeling of desperate and also hope at the same time. The songs were not overused and I never got tired of hearing them.
The drama was great and I would consider rewatching it in the future to let the story unfold in front of my eyes once again.
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Story: The story is quite common and seen a lot but contract marriages have always been my soft spot and this is one done correctly. As said in the synopsis, they met on a dating site. Haruta Ami wanted to get over her ex-boyfriend of five years and Miura Manatsu was looking for a wife. Can love prevail in these circumstances?
The way they met was just plain destiny, let me tell you. It starts off fluffy and cute and it ends fluffy and cute. This whole drama was super, super cute.
Acting/Cast: The chemistry between the MLs were off the charts. Goodness gracious, I almost died from their chemistry. It was absolutely splendid. The acting was amazing too! They each had their own charm. Haruta Ami's smile was so contagious that the whole drama I was smiling like a ninny. Same goes for Miura Manatsu.
I didn't watch episodes 5, 6, 7 with subs because I simply couldn't wait to see more. Even without subs though, I could tell how great and romantic their interactions were with each other.
A short drama that won't take too much of your time and you can watch it in one sitting.
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--All the characters are likeable:
I always have a problem with the lead female character of any kdrama. I find them very annoying or clumsy or
childish -That's why I stopped watching "The Healer". Here, the female is perfect. On the other hand, I've always loved the cliche personality of the the lead male character - very cold and unsmiling. In "kill it", the protagonist plays this role on another level.
Note: You can definitely feel the chemistry between characters. That's better that kissing and hugging scenes.
The other characters are sweet and funny, but they don't lose the drama's tone.
--Fast development of the story: Unlike other people, I found the story very fluent. Everthing was revealed at the right point of the story, and the fact it was only 12 episodes long makes it easy to watch.
The OST: I haven't listened to a good OST since "The K2". It's excellent. It's the first time I like all the songs. Even though my native language is Spanish, I am trying to learn the lyrics. Then, if you don't want to watch "Kill it" because you have read negative reviews about it, at least listen to the OST. You won't regret it.
SUBTLE SPOILER:
--Right ending: The ending suits the story. Even though, it is not what we hope, it is what we expect.
Note: For our hopes, there is an extra scene that makes us feel satisfied and to some extend pleased with the drama.
My wish: I would love to watch another season even though I know it will be irrational to fix the ending. However, I won't be mad if they do it.
ADVICE:
If you are so used to romantic comedy. Then, I would recommend not to watch it, but please listen to the OST.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is the story that everyone deserves to see
Alright, so now I can finally write my real review of Gaya Sa Pelikula, when I first saw the trailer of Gaya, I knew I had to watch this series cause the trailer had so much packed into it but I was skeptical because I have seen so many series with like great trailers and the series would turn out to be absolute trash but that’s not what Gaya Sa Pelikula was.IF YOU ARE READING THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH THE ENDING QUOTE OF GAYA
‘LIBERATING LOVE AND EQUAL RIGHTS, TO EVERYONE OF US, THE REAL FIGHT IS ON THE OUTSIDE. WE WILL WELCOME YOU WHEN YOU ARE READY’. This is the most important message of the series and what I want you to carry away with you
GENERAL REVIEW
Gaya is what I consider a real-life series, where it reflects actual real-life series. I am so glad it didn’t have any of the tropes you see in a lot of Thai series [I pointed out Thai because I have seen Taiwan doesn’t do this as much even Pinoy series don’t], like the ‘I am straight bro, but I just love you because mystical forces in the galaxy fell in the right places’, no, they gave me real gay characters, they gave me some hard truths about the coming out process, how some people saying the word ‘GAY’ or treat it like a taboo sometimes, they showed most of the fear and emotions that accompany coming, they didn’t paint it like this rosy path and all love, the internal conflict so many people face to come out and be themselves. Gaya was not another annoying jealousy storyline [eyes tharntype 2], it was a series that actually kept its cast small and made sure that no character was left undeveloped and they actually had a story to tell, one which they executed perfectly.
Gaya Sa Pelikula is the life story of you or someone you know; it feels really right from the get-go and everything done in it has a purpose and is very relatable. The story, cast, soundtrack, and acting are a heavenly match and have easily stepped up to become my best BL of 2020, in fact, I stopped characterizing this as a BL but a story about two people meeting and falling in love with each other, it almost emphasizes the fact that their story can be yours too.
Don’t get me wrong when I say I classify the story as a normal story, that’s not to take away from it as bl because they did definitely handle the theme of discovering one’s sexuality and oneself but it felt real to me. I almost don’t know how to explain. The cast members each had a story to tell, a different struggle to tell, a different perspective and it explored different backgrounds meeting and interacting with each other. Like the person who struggles with an identity crisis and a feeling of inadequacy [sometimes linked to their sexuality], the protective family member who sometimes oversteps certain boundaries to protect the one they love, the person with the happy smile all the time but comes from pain and struggle and how that influences their action, they might make you mad, they might have made you tear up a little, they may have made you happy or disagree with their actions but there was no wasted character, each had a purpose and honestly watching this while my day the series was like a balance, I didn’t have to deal with illogical jealousy from stupid exes kidnapping dogs for no absolute reason or trying to murder someone and everyone hugs it out at the end, no each character had a purpose and I loved that about them, that they felt real, they felt like actual people not some weird fantasy of some random person of what a BL feels likes.
CHARACTERS AND DIALOGUES
I feel the dialogues amongst the characters gave a lot of background to the characters and made them somewhat ‘real’ to me. So I would review the characters because of the dialogue they had, especially keywords or parts they said that had a lot of impact on me.
The lead characters, Karl and Vlad have such insane and beautiful chemistry, its mind-blowing, their flow is just so natural, they did not feel forced, which brought a lot to the story. To talk about the characters I would intertwine it with some key sentences and I would actually refer to this person on YouTube that made the best reviews after each episode [ if you check the comment section you would get what I mean]
Vlad is gay and open about it, he is outgoing, quite stubborn sometimes, and gives you this first impression of a rebel, but we come to see that he is this soft, cute loving guy, who is quite vulnerable and has been hurt before. Karl is someone who grew up with expectations and dreams of another placed on him, so he has never gotten the chance to be a person of his own and he is very reluctant to shake the status quo but, shortly after meeting Vlad, he becomes more courageous about his own person.
Here are some lines that I found remarkably interesting and telling of the series
1. ‘I will not be the plot device to trigger someone else’s identity crisis’
This line could honestly easily one of the most powerful lines in the series and one of the scenes that Gaya started to pull away from other series which give us this usual trope of, ‘YOU ARE DIFFERENT’ ‘YOU MAKE ME FEEL THINGS I CAN’T EXPLAIN’ ‘It is JUST YOU AND NO ONE ELSE EVER’, now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying there aren’t people that have only been with one person of the same gender, I mean my friend is an example but the fact that we have been overfed this trope in almost every series makes it tiring and annoying, SOTUS, Dark Blue Kiss, Water boy, Theory of Love, name the series, it is just like a back to back-feeding of being gay is not normal, a once in a living thing. I first loved the fact that Vlad was openly gay and proud of it. This line just held a lot of meaning to me. This line also showed me a little bit of Vlad’s history with the infamous ex that starts all his pain in the first place.
2. Do not be scared of the word, you can say it, it is not an insult, I do not mind
This line could easily be my most memorable line of the series, like if I could forget every single part of this series, I do not think I could forget those words ever in my life. This is basically I think what the LGBT community does not do on our own part sometimes, we do not educate and communicate and that was what Vlad did for Karl [I would focus more on this role in my review of my last few dialogues]. Communication and trust are the most key things in every relationship, and I appreciated how calm a reasonable Vlad was with Karl especially allowing/guiding him to come to terms ‘on his own terms’. This line kind of debunks how homophobia has changed the view of the word ‘gay’ or anything associated with it, as almost taboo, but this line presents Vlad has someone who has gone through it all and has arrived at a position that he loves, a representation that I loved.
3. I never said I was a perfect ally. I am still learning through this [I am actually not sure if this was the perfect quote but it was something along this line]
I know a lot of people were not fans of Judith, but I think she represented two important things, family as well as being an ally. Let me start with the ally part, I actually argued with someone about Judith’s role during the dinner and being an ally, but I linked it back to her statement in the past, now I am not excusing Judith for putting Karl on the spot, she crossed the line but at that moment, she was not being an ally but a sister rather, a sister who for the love of her brother wanted to protect him from heartbreak. What she right, we can debate that, but the truth is that is what a lot of family members would do, not just for their gay family member but for any family member. At the ending of everything she was a sibling first before an ally and the truth is that sometimes we are too quick to ‘cancel’ people for not being the perfect ally but honestly, I do not think we have a single perfect ally in the world, every ally is just learning at their own pace and the conditions that surround a particular ally of the community definitely impacts their behavior both past and present, Judith represents that, her change from someone that bullied Vlad with her words when she was younger and naïve to someone ready to protect him shows how a lot of families really process in real life. I feel she was a very necessary character to tie this together. Because Judith shows the potential of people to grow and for their mindsets to change, as well as what a single conversation can change
4. “I don’t know if I’m like you. I don’t even know who I am”
This statement perfectly represents Karl and so many people in the world, when we first meet Karl we understand that his image in the eyes of his parents is very important and we come to learn along the line, his parents stopped differentiating between him and his dead brother. He grew up carrying the burdens of living his brother’s life to make his parents, from a young age he never got to know who KARL FEDRICK ALMASEN was and this is representative of so many people, basically empty shells working around. I mean I was a law student, I have had the pleasure of having parents that have supported me through and through everything but I know so many friends in law school who were just there because their parents were judges or owned powerful law firms and the mere thought of disappointing their parents seemed like an impossible scenario. Many people in life don’t actually know who they really which made Karl’s struggle more real, cause he represented so many people who never got to know themselves, discover what they actually wanted, but the truth is that we need to all face those scary truths, at our own time but eventually we do and if we are forced to face them before it’s the right time, a lot of people will shut off to the world.
I think it was great that Karl was actually given the time to face what he needed to face at his own time [like I said I would treat their contrasts in the review of the last episode dialogues]. The truth is that it is scary to face the truth and we got showed that so many times in Gaya, but what is most important is that we move our own pace, we shouldn’t be forced to rush.
5. I don’t know if I can point to a specific quote to Anna and her child but I felt the need to mention, I think I would probably discuss it with Santi [contrasting Santi with Karl and Vlad]
Anna represents when a change comes into your life, how to accommodate that new change but at the same time not lose yourself, trying to balance out the new change to your entire life while maintaining you, cause sometimes, when you lose yourself, you start to hate that thing or person who changed you. Anna wasn’t abandoning her child with her getaway but making sure she was intact herself, that she was complete as a human, because how do you raise a child if there are parts of you that are fundamentally missing a part, you cannot give what you do not have, hence her actions would impact her child more than mere words [as we see is the pattern with so many families, kids tend to pick up the traits of their parents whether intentionally] and honestly I think every human deserves that tiny bit of greediness and self-love.
For Santi, he mentioned something about not growing up with love in the finale and it reminds me of the privilege that LGBT youth like myself that is in their 20s or younger enjoy. Things were not always like this, we genuinely need to appreciate that people fought to get to where we are and that’s why it bothers me a lot when my generation wants to throw away the work the older generation has done to get to where we are, I know they aren’t perfect, they have messed up majorly but we must also respect and recognize that people before us got us what we have not. I think that’s the problem we face majorly.
I genuinely loved that they didn’t waste any character, each character portrayed a lesson to me.
6. I am going to merge a bunch of statements from the finale
a. I know I am not doing anything wrong but why am I still afraid – Karl
b. I’m gay but I still can’t tell papa, I love Vlad but I am not as brave as him – Karl and Santi replied – Soon
c. I don’t want to be silent about my love, I want to be out there, I deserve it just like you deserve to take your time inside – Vlad.
d. Can we just stay here forever – Karl, I want to take you everywhere – Vlad
I think these statements basically carry the most basic story of the entire series and maybe the most important, everyone deserves to move on their own time and I think that is what made me love Vlad in the end realizing that Karl deserves to move at his pace while he himself didn’t have to give up what he deserved to fit someone else. I know a lot of people were a little disappointed by that ending but I think it was a beautiful ending because it appeared to me that both parties actually loved the other person but they truly were not on the same wavelength in terms of growth, the both realized they both had to make a compromise, not necessarily to the other person but to themselves. Karl listened to Anna to be out there, not ‘OUT’ but we get to appreciate that he is making an effort on his own term to be out there. This symbolizes he is taking baby steps until he’s ready to be out there.
Vlad on the other end also understood her deserved not to be someone’s secret [that is genuinely damaging sometimes, speaking from experience] but the most important thing was that he did not force Karl either, he chose to look out for him and be with him, not necessarily in a relationship but being there gave Karl the right support and strength to push forward and for me, that is what love actually is.
As I said, I love Gaya because it didn’t just give me two handsome guys and a lot of skinship, but everything was so well planned, I don’t know if there was a second of the series that was ‘irrelevant’ to the overall story and experience, everything came full circle [or is it cycle] at its own time, no story was rushed, no action was left unexplained, no scene was accidental or without purpose, which I think goes to show great writing on the side of the script. To be able to masterfully explore your script to its full extent and make sure, every single part was explained, the audience wasn’t left hanging on why a specific character acted a specific way, like Judith trying so hard to be there for Vlad because she was lowkey terrible to him as a child, the fact Vlad hated his hair being touched, honestly, I was just as surprised when they explained that it was because it was the last thing his dad did to him before she permanently left which made him feel like he had failed his purpose of saving a marriage, I WAS KUDOS TO THE WRITER, THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST WRITING POSSIBLE. As I said, no character, scene, or moment was wasted
They perfectly complement each other in the cast and characters, they somehow all just felt like the perfect balance, and the fact they never really left that single Unit/building is another mind-blowing thing, like, minus the car scene with Judith, I don’t think they left the building.
OST
I have never been someone that really cares about OST, I am rarely big on OSTs, they don’t really move me, but Gaya’s OST is the first series asides UMWA, history 3, where your eyes linger and the effect, where the OST perfectly fits every part of the series, it makes you feel their joy, pain, and every emotion... Like even if the series was utter trash, which it isn’t, the OST would carry it for me, like 5 songs from the OST made my top 200 songs of 2020, that’s how good it is. Several times I found myself just sobbing or in tears listening to the OST.
The people in charge of the music department were as brilliant as the actors, directors, producers
This was a series that was made with a purpose and they executed perfectly I am so grateful to everyone who was a part of this movement because you truly took us on a beautiful journey, one I would never forget, you made me care for people, made me happy, made me laugh, cry with someone in their pain if that is not arts at its best I don’t know what is. Thank you for bringing this to the world in a year as dark as 2020
IF YOU ARE READ THIS FAR, I WOULD LIKE TO END WITH THE ENDING QUOTE OF GAYA AGAIN
‘LIBERATING LOVE AND EQUAL RIGHTS, TO EVERYONE OF US, THE REAL FIGHT IS ON THE OUTSIDE. WE WILL WELCOME YOU WHEN YOU ARE READY’.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE REVIEW AS MUCH AS I LOVED WRITING IT
BYE FOR NOW
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The drama is special in the sense that the gab is our heroine and the eul is our hero, which is refreshing in the kdrama world. Naturally, the main draw of the drama is the female lead Ok Da-jung. Ok Da-jung is a fast-rising employee at Gold Chemicals and this led to her being the subject of many malicious rumours. In reality, she's a righteous person who does not stand for things such as the abuse of power. She's extremely principled, and believes in having pride in her own work. On the flip-side, our hero Nam Jung-gi, who is a timid employee at a small company, avoids responsibility like it's the plague. The contrast between their characters makes for a very interesting (and comedic) watch.
Ok Da-jung is such a great character that it's impossible to not love her. Lee Yo-won is perfect as the immaculately dressed heroine. It's almost as if the role was tailor made for her! She was spectacular in all of her scenes (the stoic ones, the emotional ones, and even the downright ridiculous ones). Yoon Sang-hyun turned in an incredible performance with his spot-on comedic timing as Nam Jung-gi. In fact, all of the cast delivered splendid performances. The only exception is Hwang Bora, whose crying scenes appear forced and unnatural at times.
Ok Da-jung's relationship with Nam Woojoo (Nam Jung-gi's son) is also something to look out for. Cute would be a serious understatement. Their chemistry is off the charts. Some may even argue that they are the OTP in the series.
The directing and writing of Ms. Temper are all good. The key point being that the drama maintained a consistent pace throughout the 16 episodes, meaning that it does not suffer from the same problems most kdramas do - waning after the mid-point. This is really impressive for a rookie writer. The use of CGI and various sound effects in the drama also adds to its hilarity.
On the other hand, the drama is not flawless. One criticism would be that there are some overly simplistic plot points. Ok Da-jung seems omnipotent in the series, always coming to the rescue when there is trouble. And the Lovely employees always manage to get into trouble. Some may also be bothered about how unrealistic it is that she's had three husbands, and all of them want a reconciliation. That being said, we can hardly complain since that put Lee Jung-jin and Yeon Jung-hoon on our screens.
Overall, this is an enjoyable drama which should appeal to anyone who's looking for dramas centered around a strong female character. However, if you're looking for a drama with more realism with respect to the business side of things, this is not it. In fact, most dramas don't do business correctly. The good thing about this drama, to quote a knetz, is that there is a right blend of realism (the issues that they tackle) and fantasy elements (how everything gets resolved, albeit a little too easily). Also, the bribery and cajoling may not be something that happens in your society, but it is something more relatable to the Korean viewers. So do take that into account when complaining about how unrealistic this drama is.
DISCLAIMER: My unusually high ratings for this drama is because I rate dramas base on the rating given by MDL. In the sense that if I think a drama is underrated, I'm going to give higher ratings for it. A more objective rating would be an 8. But there are tons of shitty dramas getting 8 here and I don't think that gives enough credit to Ms. Temper.
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this had everything:
+ a slow natural "friends to lover" relationship.
+ no cliches, or better yet realistic twists to the cliches (like the girl "rivalry")
+ a normal 2nd ml that didn't secretly love the fl
+ a cute friendship
+ female power
+ dimples everywhere!
+ a male lead that apologized and didn't over step his boundaries, ie a real "nice" male lead
+ girls taking care of their own "problems"
+ and the best part, the nice healing plot development~
I kinda wish it was longer though ;(
the ost highlighted the strong female characters well, and I rarely rewatch things so it's either 1 or 10 ;p
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If there is only one word that could describe this drama perfectly. That is 'Awesomazing'. From the A to the Z it is the most funny, dramatic and almost realistic drama I saw.
The most funniest drama I had seen ever. Ever.
Don't believe me? Let me tell you why you should.
The cast is Perfect. I don't think anyone could had done those characters more justice then people who played them. Though I am not familiar with any of the cast members but I am glad that I still tried it. Because they were perfect.
Nam Gung Min is the funniest actor, I know. Then there is Lee Jun Ho with him. And it's just perfection on it's own.
There are lot's of other people too. And You are going to like each of them for their characters. You just have to.
The story is amazing. I'm not going to say anything about it, except that you will love every single second of it. You will love, scream and cry (for all the good reason). In the end you will just wish if there was more, more and more.
Funny & crazy lead. Smart women characters. An antagonist that you will love. A corruption story told with the right balance of comedy. And with a few lessons for life (Don't do corruption!).
There isn't a bucket load of romance in it. But there is this one couple that you will be shipping from the first episode. *hint* hint* And if you are me, then there will be two or more.
The bromance...
You are probably hearing a lot about the Chief Kim & Director Seo's bromance. And none of the things you heard is a lie. If you thought Goblin & Grim Reaper's (From "Goblin" ) bromance was epic. Then this one is just a step farther. It is funnier, cuter and seriously has that felling that just makes you go 'aww' at them. TQ's Psycho & Gluttonous Sociopath, they are just to CUTE to resist.
Every time they were together, there was Bang bang bang. Every line, every scene, every time their eyes meet...there was Bang.
This is the most romance I have ever seen in a bromance. And there are kisses. Yes, kiss but in plural!
The music. The songs are amazing. Beautiful and light goes perfectly with the story and the scenes. You will be humming them all the time.
Rewatch - 10/10. I am so going to re-watch this. Actually I'm already re-watching it now.
So if you think 'Ah, it doesn't has romance in it. It probably isn't good.' Then I will like to tell you, "You are so wrong. It does has romance in it. Just not a bucket full of it. The story, cast, music, the bromance, comedy everything else makes up for it. When you reach the end of the first episode you won't even care about the romance anymore"
It's an amazing drama not to mention a hilarious one. One of the best of 2017.
I'm hoping for a 2nd season.
For all of you my advice is, "Watch it! Watch it! Watch it!"
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