There were moments where i could feel my heart break. Even now, 20 minutes after i ended this movie, i can still feel tears in my eyes. I have never ever cried like this while watching a movie. At the end, there was this moment where i cried so much i thought i was going to break down.
I'd love to watch it again but i don't think i can. I already have a headache because of crying so much.
10 points out of 10.
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Drama about dreams and youth
When I first watched the trailer of this drama, I didn't expect that this drama would be so different than what they promised, but in a good wayThe trailer only show us that this drama is about esports with a little bit of time travel element in it. But what this drama never tell you is that it has a mystery element, strong friendship element, even with a bit a dash of romance which is so satisfying
You started the drama by meeting the two male leads, Xiao Feng and Lu Xiaobei, who seemed to live in different timeline. But you soon enough realize that they're connected through the game called Cross Fire, where it allows them to sort of communicate with each other. Their story started to unravel from there, which reveal the story about chasing dreams, being youths, and also about friendship
Good things about this drama:
1. Strong characters. There are many times I get mad at the drama because they just don't treat their characters right. But for Cross Fire, all the characters are strong in their own way. Xiao Feng's team and Xiaobei's team both have their own shortcomings and also their own problems, but you will definitely come to love them. I was prepared to roll my eyes if they treated their female characters like a trash, like many dramas usually do, but in this drama the female leads are very headstrong. They're capable of standing on their own two feet without having the support of the male leads. I fell in love with the 3 powerful female leads who are strong and capable in their own way. Even Xiaobei's mother is also very good
2. Mystery plotline. Like I said, this drama is not only about esports and time travel. There's also a mystery that's hinted since the beginning of the drama until the end. There's this one bad guy and you are led to hate him, but at the end, I felt some sympathy to him because his life ended in a way that's just so pathetic. And the mystery is actually very intriguing, even though a little predictable, and it will keep you on edge each episode
3. Engaging storyline and clever editing. The plot of this drama is very tight, very good, and also very engaging. Believe me that chasing this drama one episode per day almost make me go insane because my fragile heart can't handle all the cliffhanger they throw us. It feels like they're playing with our hearts with each episode and you would end up screaming in frustration because the drama is just so good that way
4. Realistic gaming sequence. This might be one of the things that make me stay watching this drama. It's so good that it prompted me to actually watch CF championship (it's so fun!) and wanted to try the game myself. But my laptop is too slow and not designed for gaming, so I have to forget this desire
Bad things about this drama:
1. This drama has the time travel element, so somehow, this part itself is not really realistic. I think there are many times when we have to fill in the blank ourselves since it's not explicitly being explained. The VR part is a bit ridiculous as well, and even though it brings the plot moving forward, I still think that it's a bit weird and a little bit of a stretch
2. Episode count. Of course, being 36eps, there are some parts that could be considered as filler, especially the love triangle that come out of nowhere. You might be confused with some of the storyline as it didn't even make sense (like how XIaobei could get better)
Overall, I think that this drama is worth to be watched and worth you wasting your time for it. I wish everyone would have the courage to actually pick it up and sit through it, and I'm sure you'll love the drama as much as I do. This drama will be my favorite in 2020. Even though the drama is not too logical and there are some parts that make you just feel that it's silly, I'm sure you'll end up loving all the characters and would cheer for their success at the end
Score: 8.5/10
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chachiba who is greiving and loved her father so much would do anything to have this last part of him agrees. Wee begins Raping her, stalking her freaking out whenever she is close to another guy.
He plans to get revenge using her as her father is dead and she is his blood. One part of this show really made me laugh when Chachiba comes home from running one morning and Wee grabs her because she is wearing shorts and basically running clothes and accuses her of seducing men. And she tells him he is the only creep around basically. Chachiba is no weak willed lily she really gives it back to people when they treat her poorly I loved Kwan as Chachiba she nailed this role. The weak damsel role never really suited her. Tui is good as the rugged Mysterious Millionaire his sick fiance had me waiting for her to die.
Watch this if you want to see some hard core slap kiss
This is not for the light hearten but it is really well acted out
the story is not anything new but kwan and Tui bring a freshness to their respective roles
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1Short but impactfull, best Korean BL of 2022
Eventhough it is a short series / web drama but this Korean BL did a justice for viewers. Good story, awesome cinematography, heart whelming music and proper acting. The actors did a great job to portray the characters. I can feel their chemistry and emotion especially between Jungwoo and Choco.The themes about being left by someone you love is common in drama. But the story about unconditional love from someone used to be your pet who have died years ago and suddenly appear as human at your front door is uncommon in drama.
Overall I really enjoy this short series. I want to thanks and appreciate all the actors and crews who did great job. I hope many more people watch this series becuse it is so good.
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Watch it!! - no regrets :)
I absolutely adored!! It had it had cuteness. It had romance. It had drama. It had mystery thriller. It had tension. It basically had everything!!I love a series that pulls together and has a nice balance of everything and that’s exactly what this series had not only that but it also brought a light. The fact of truth that K-pop stars have to go through. Hopefully fans have watched this and they’re gonna reflect on their behaviour and be more like the fans at the end respecting privacy and protect protecting the idols privacy 👀👏🙏
I’d kind of figured out that it was the ex she just got so suspicious by the end but at the same time I’m so glad it wasn’t someone unexpected that you’d grown to love! The music was addicting and the way the main characters grew together was so wholesome and cute!! I’m definitely going to look at series with these actors and actresses in because they were all great and I would definitely watch a drama from this director again!
There was found family there was tension there were suspicion. I’d like to know whether the mum went to the concert. I’m hoping she did but I feel like she solved the ticket… and the ex manager/owner of golden boys the way he was almost like a father figure and he apologised for his behaviour so reflection tick tick! (I do love the actor who played the manager/owner of Golden boys I’ve seen him in quite a few things and he’s acting is incredible! Same goes for the male lead apart from that I don’t think I recognised many in this series but I will be looking them up for recommendations of other ones to watch now!
Overall, an amazing series really enjoyable really captivating and fun to watch!
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Birds of a feather.
The second part of Love Like the Galaxy 月升沧海 (The Moon Rises over the Ocean) is shades darker as Cheng Shaoshang struggles to open her heart and mind while Ling Buyi's secrets and inner demons are revealed. Their romance plays out in the bosom of the royal family, where Shaoshang blossoms under Empress Xuan's affection and tutelage. This subjects our golden couple to much envy and political intrigue.Shaoshang of Part 1 is disappointingly over empathetic and likeable. Shaoshang of Part 2 is immature and frustrating to the point of being dislikeable, This is exactly how she is meant to be depicted and the portrayal I was waiting for. So I must applaud Zhao Lusi for so daringly rendering Shaoshang as a difficult, often petty, unforgiving, vengeful child woman who wallows most unbecomingly in self pity. As an unloved child, Shaoshang is terrified of love. While she tries to figure out what she wants in a partner, she puts up all kinds of walls and clings to any excuse to not allow Ling Buyi in. She is her own worst enemy, fighting happiness every step of the way. Ling Buyi's infinite patience and indulgence of her is so hot anyone else would have succumbed to raging hormones in short order. Not Shaoshang though. She knows her worth and digs in her heels to demand to be an equal partner in every sense and meaning of that term. While highly usual for a woman of that time, it resonates with modern audiences for obvious reasons.
There aren't really good villains in this drama. That is because Ling Buyi is such a chilling character that he is already as close to a villain as can be. He is a man with a secret, one whose entire raison détre is to uncover the master mind behind the Gu City massacre and to avenge the Huo clan. He did not expect to fall for anyone and certainly not Shaoshang. He meant it when he said they were on different paths. On many occasions he merely eases her way with the intent of letting her go but never quite succeeds. He loves her selflessly and indulges her worst instincts, especially her vengefulness. Hence Yuan Shen's blinding epiphany that Buyi and Shaoshang are birds of a feather. They are rebellious and vengeful eye for an eye kind of people who can't tell the difference between a chicken and a duck. They are also at surface cold, unforgiving even selfish but in truth feel deeply. I find Wu Lei's acting in Part 2 more natural and compelling. He is such a patient, warm and tender person but only for Shaoshang. This is utterly different from the cold-hearted, calculating general who is a borderline psychopathic killer to his enemies. Wu Lei's combat scenes are simply the best. The aesthetic camera angles and gorgeous choreography brilliantly captures his stunning athleticism and graphic, muscular, ferocity that is capable of mowing down an entire battalion.
For me, Empress Xuan is the true hero of this story. As much as I enjoyed Buyi and Shaoshang's journey, it is her story and that of Wen-di and Consort Yue that I find so much more complex and moving. Told with epigrammatic dark humor that dulls the edges of their pain and sacrifice, they are nonetheless imprisoned by values that are bigger than themselves. While Consort Yue lashes out with wit and acerbity, Empress Xuan suffers in dignified silence. Do not be angry with Shaoshang for finding it so difficult to forgive Buyi. Although his cause is just and the outcome serves the greater good, it cost Empress Xuan everything. Shaoshang's first unselfish, grown up act is to accompany her, to atone for what Buyi did and for how she unknowingly helped him. That is what devastates her as much as Buyi reneging on his promise to her. Buyi knows and understands this. Without Empress Xuan's forgiveness and generosity of spirit, they may not have found a way to forgive themselves and each other. Her love is truly like the galaxy in its vastness and selflessness. The galaxy owes it to her to make sure she and Wen-di do not meet again.
In terms of storytelling, very much like Part 1, Part 2 wastes too much time on too many delusional love sick women who conspire against the lovers. This comes at the cost of the storytelling. which towards the end suffers from heavy cuts and sloppy editing. As a result, characters like Lou Ben and Tian Shuo are not properly fleshed out and I did not feel that invested in either the Peng Kun or Guo Village arcs, which feel rushed. When they could have simply omitted both the Fifth Princess and Luo Ji Tong's arcs which were superfluous to the plot. It also underscores how nasty, dumb and divorced from reality the vast majority of the women in this drama are. I really do not like this type of misogynistic and cynical depiction of womenkind. Even though the ending is very satisfying, especially when it comes to the character stories, the unfolding of the plot which we waited way too long for is not well done. Considering the stunning production values, it is a shame if they do not go back and re-edit it with some of the cut footage into a Director's Cut.
All things considered, I enjoyed this beautifully written drama immensely. I find Part 2 slightly better than Part 1 and am pleased to rate the drama in its entirety and Part 2 on a standalone basis a 9.0, better than my 8.5 rating for Part 1 by itself.
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I need to watch a cute rom com after this...
slowly the writers turned this into a "how can we drag the hostage situation and make every character miserable as the episodes continue?" the first two episodes were my favorite you got to see the different dynamics between the characters and their banter with each other. they were having fun and it was a treat to watch them interact, laugh, cry, be shy, etc. the beginning of the hostage play was intense and cool but to drag it out till the end got tiring. now at this point i have seen episode after episode with the characters portraying the same emotions of sadness, anger, betrayal and repeat that i as a viewer have become frustrated and it got to a point where the dramas tone was centered on these emotions and the writers refused to make the characters feel anything else, which in my opinion desensitized the story. I have seen many unsatisfactory tragic endings in kdramas (god's gift, cruel city, etc) but this one has by far left a bitter taste in my mouth. perhaps maybe it's because of the script that caused the dynamic range of emotions to remain far from balanced 95% of the show was a stagnant sad fest simply put, that being said, i do hope to see jisoo and haein act together in another drama their chemistry deserves justice.Was this review helpful to you?
An “ Extraordinary” Waste of Time..
It’s fair to say that sometimes certain dramas can be incredibly overrated.Although this isn’t an entirely groundbreaking commentary upon dramas, it’s important to remember that sometimes a lot of these shows are “glorified “ by fans in favour of the “casting” or “ chemistry” between the leading actors or chosen cast of the drama, and Extraordinary You is no exception.
Naturally it is of course wrong to truly say that the actual show didn’t have any good features; it played satirically upon the youth romantic comedy genre with its own parody of the F4 ( “ A3”) from Hana Yori Dango/ Boys Over Flowers, the concept itself of a teenage girl ( Kim Hye Yoon) coming to find her own sense of freedom and control where she is written as an extra in a webtoon ( not an entirely “ brand new” concept when compared to older dramas such as “ W; Two Worlds”) was intriguing and the mystery behind Ha-ru ( Ro Woon) for at least the first couple of episodes added to some early advantages of the show as well.
Yet when taking a greater step back by comparing the overall storyline , character performance and characterisation of the drama, there’s no sugarcoating that Extraordinary You was quite simply a “hot mess” .
Whilst Hye Yoon must be praised for several heartfelt moments through her performance , the irony is not lost that for a show playing upon romantic cliches by screenwriters In Ji Hye and Song Ha Young, Eun Da Oh was the epitome of a “ stock” and restricted female lead with little actual character depth, interests outside of her obsession with “ Ha-ru” or actual intrigue for viewers at all over the whole of the drama. Whilst of course there’s nothing wrong with a female lead making a decision over her own love interest ( in particular with the concept of the show), her apparent declaration to defy fate and become independent through actual character progression apart from obsessions and boys, was tossed out the window after this scene early on in the drama.
Additionally whilst Ro Woon brought a mysterious air of composure to his portrayal as the leading man, Ha-ru, his performance sometimes felt a little lacklustre and wooden at times within the show. Naturally this also partially the fault of the screenwriters as well from transitioning Ha-ru as an actual figure of intrigue and an individual early on in the drama ( parallel to Lee Jae Wook’s character, Baek Gyung) to an overrused plot device. It seemed evident that not even before the halfway point of the drama Extraordinary You became too obsessed with its own cliches and repeating the same cliches over and over not as a statement or joke against romance mangas/ manwhas, but ironically as actual plot line.
This consequently lead the show down a really slippery slope of gradually worse characterisation even with fairly intriguing and comical characters such as “ Dry Squid Fairy” ( Lee Tae Ri) to reverted plot devices and lacking originality by the ending of the drama. Overall whilst Extraordinary You isn’t an unbearable or dire drama to watch, however, after the halfway point, the actual intrigue and devotion towards the drama becomes minimal and by the ending of the drama, there’s that awful lingering relief that it has ended your suffering by finishing it. Certainly a waste of time if you’re looking for something with genuine originality and intrigue .
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Just watch it.
You know a drama is good when it has the comment section discussing the characters temper, personality and relationships as if they’re actually real people.Where do I begin. This drama is: gorgeous, precious and will probably leave a hole in your heart when it ends. Not because it sad but because you’ll be immersed and involved in their daily lives.
I’ve watched a lot of dramas in the last 13 years and very few were this pleasurable. The characters are written so well, they’re layered, real and lovable. The pacing is delectable, not too action heavy, sometimes purposely mundane but always keeping your attention. The direction, cinematography, set design, clothes are tasteful, this is truly what they call the female gaze. YangYang just proved everyone that women just do it better and has set the bar to a new high.
The romance. THE ROMANCE. Mature, trusting, kind, understanding, realistic. This is the kind of drama where you can see the leads falling for each other just by the way they look at each other. The tension is unbearable at times, it made me scream with envy in my pillow.
This drama is VERY rich in human relationships. Father x son, sisterhood, womanhood, brotherhood, teen x mentor figure, teenage puppy love, motherhood and more. There’s something for everyone.
To me, this is without a doubt THE best historical romance drama I have watched. Not because this is the best most complex impeccable story ever written but because this drama will bring excitement back and get rid of you loneliness. The focal point of this drama is not the intrigue it’s the people and their personal hardships. I can’t wait to forget it so I can watch it again.
So just watch it, give it a go, at least 3 episodes. If you don’t like it, it’s probably just not your cup of tea, because objectively, quality wise this checks all the boxes. Great work.
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This review may contain spoilers
NO WATCH, YOUR LOSS!
What a pleasant surprise, one of the best of the year!I would say Im a little bias going in to the show. Shin Min Ah is one of the few Korean actresses that i reallly really adore so I am predetermined to love this just for that reason. Casting the very good looking Kim Young Dae is just an icing to the cake. At first it seems like an off-pairing because of the age gap, but they worked that in the story seemlessly and i didn't think, not even once did the age gap seemed apparent because they jived so well together -it's all thanks to the strong performances of both leads.
The story is a little bit off-putting at the beginning. A seemingly modern liberated woman engaging the services of a man to be her fake husband to survive in a corporate environment. HaeYoung seems to be a big red flag at first that will do everything to move ahead of her career. It was done in the guise of light and fluffy early episodes. As the episodes go by we discovered the layers to the characters, with the last couple of episodes being so emotional, gut wrenching and heart harming at the same time.
What sets it apart from some of the other May-December affair specially the one which aired almost at the same time (Im not saying it's Cinderrella at 2AM) is how each episode of this series seems important. They developed the characters and cliffhangers in a way that you'll keep coming back for more each week. What's more, the second couple and even the third couple, for that matter, were all engaging to watch.
I just hoped they didnt end it at 12 episodes cause i feel like there's still so much more to tell and i would love to see more of Hae Young and Ji-Uk together. I know they are adding 2 special episodes for the Gyu Hun and Ja Yeon fans and will also be first in line to watch it but i still wanna see more of the main couple and the other characters.
For me, one proof of very good writing is when you wanna see and know more of each characters - and that is very evident here even up to the support casts. I would have loved to see more of the male secretary Ha Jun cause he was being initially primed as the 3rd party to GyuHun and Ja Yeon's love story plus his character has very strong personality. Manager Jang and GyuHun's parent's stories also seemed unfinished (and what an underuse of the actor Choi JIn Ho). And should i also dare to mention the non-closure of UJae and I Rin's characters (with I RIn not even showing up at the the last episode).
So will i recommend? Yes, what are you waiting for?! Definitely one of the best K dramas of the year!
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for mentally ill
this drama is filled with every possible emotion that you can imagine and that's why i like it so much. it's like writer was taking me on a roller coaster ride with two messed up people. also, casting director knew what he was doing while casting these leads. WDH and LYM's chemistry carries this drama.Was this review helpful to you?
The world-building that lacks the necessary detail.
I knew what I would get, but I honestly wanted to love it. I adored the first two episodes and thought they were as strong as an introduction can get. And then it led to nowhere.The idea was there, it just lacked the necessary detail to make it truly engaging for me. Too many questions were left hanging, the folklore was barely touched, the backgrounds of the characters were shallow, the motivations were not set up that well. I don’t even want to talk about the villain on the human side, because that was some next level of clownery.
Loved the “first act” - the introduction to the characters, the initial set up for the story, the questions that were asked that we were supposed to get the answers for as the drama progressed. All that got me curious - I wanted to know more. The variety of the characters was perfection - we had the hardworking and strong female lead who just tried to survive, the scholar that tried to solved the decades long mystery and the sceptic detective who tried to make sense of all the unexplainable. And behind it all an evil force that seems untouchable and always one step ahead.
Sadly, the second act was just too damn long and not written well enough. Some stories were just dropped without proper explanation, how the ghosts work and what can be done with them was not explained either. A 30 second google search can give me more information about all the types of ghosts that were introduced. They just never explored any ideas they introduced.
What's more, I was just too frustrated with the characters. It took them too long to learn from their mistakes and their actions often were simply stupid. Hae Sang was unnecessarily cryptic refusing to explain anything to anyone until it was too late, San Young was all over the place it’s actually hard to even describe her character, and while Hong Sae was fun to watch, for 80% of the show he seemed out of place for the story written - his bits felt more like crime rom-com than supernatural thriller.
For a story like that to work, you need one of the two: rich and interesting folklore or great teamwork. Revenant had none of these. As I already said, the whole world buildup was weak. As for the scooby gang - we had to wait way too long for them to actually start working together, and when they did… the drama ended.
All that said, I adored the casting for the leads. It was refreshing. Oh Jung Se in a serious and stoic role is what we needed. I'm far more used to seeing him in more animated and exaggerated characters, so this was a fun new take.
Hong Kyung going from Oh Beom Seok to Lee Hong Sae is something I thought I would struggle with, but surprisingly, I had no issue putting my hate behind me and enjoying his character in Revenant.
Park Ji Young as a "weak" character was also so weird, but so good! Kim Tae Ri's role was not surprising since her career is short enough to not be type cast yet. She was also smart enough to take roles that are rather different from each other since day one. Loved the duality of her performances even if I was not obsessed with how Gu San Young was written. Kim Tae Ri just simply never dissapoints with her acting.
The production was great. Can we all collectively appreciate the lack of black eyes as the indicator someone is possessed? No cheap snapchat filters for ghosts. Amazing use of light and shadows, good special effects - it never felt like they overused them. Even the supernatural events felt realistic and grounded in the presented picture.
I guess I just have a love-hate relationship with Kim Eun Hee’s writing. I am obsessed with how creative her ideas are, but I’m also pissed at how she cannot truly execute them in a correct way. I feel like she needs someone who will ask her questions about her stories. How does it work? Why did the character act this way? What was the origin of that issue? How does this premise work into the world you built? Answers that will fill the framework of the idea she has.
Overall, was it a fun watch? Sure. Did it have a lot of issues I just cannot see passed? Yes. I knew the directing would be my style based on the people behind it, I knew I would have specific issues with the writing based on the past works of the writer. I knew I would love the acting and I knew I would overall enjoy it, but I would not be amazed. And that’s exactly what I’ve got.
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An Ode to Mount Jiri and the forest rangers.
In a world of vast oceans and far-reaching land, it is important to not just remain a mere spectator and record the history, rather to penetrate the depth of it and capture the mystery confined within. Again, the possession of knowledge doesn't kill the the curiosity and mystery, instead creates more.Jirisan is a drama that started in mystery and ended in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful truth lies in between. The great production value plus the extraordinarily amazing cast, are what made us look forward to the drama. By the end of it I can say that, I thoroughly enjoyed and engulfed those 2 elements though the entire thing couldn't totally lived up to my expectations of becoming something excellent.
"Jirisan" is set up in the premise of majestic Mount Jiri, the tallest mountain of the mainland Korea present in the Sobaek mountain ranges, on the southern regions of the country. It was made into Jirisan National Park in the year 1967 and has been serving as a major tourist spot ever since.
Jirisan, the drama, is a story of a group of rangers who have dedicated themselves to prorect and preserve the mountain as well the people associated with it. The major plot about the drama is the horrifying deaths caused by accidents that happen back to back in the premise, leading to investigation by the rangers who can't help but worry. Along with it what we see are, realistic events that takes place on mountain ranges at different timelines of a year. That includes, natural disasters affecting the mountain, maintenance of law & order on the mountain, life of people living or relying on the mountain, etc. They have also portrayed the legends & myths related to Mount Jiri,
special attractions of the nature, different religious as well as memorial spots and mysteries of the montain.
Note: Jirisan is semi-supernatural and also involves mystery, investigative thriller, violence a lil amount of dystopia. It has in fact lived upto the mystery genre and I am very much impressed with how they kept the mystery buried till the finale week. Actually, the writer throws enormous hints since 10th ep so that we can pinpoint the real culprit behind the entire tragedy but it also keeps diverting from one to other, a lot, thereby confusing the audience a great deal. Although one person becomes the primary focus, attracting all the suspicions towards themselves but not until the finale week you are answered the questions. So the writer has done a very good job in that regard, no wonder she's a legend.
One of the main elements used in Jirisan is immense time shuffling. Not that they're spontaneously continuous, but there are chances you might get irritated by it. Personally I wasn't bcs It didn't confuse me at all. So to explain you briefly, the present timeline in the drama is the early Summer in 2020, which is about 40% of the drama's runtime. The major scenario with a share of about 50% takes place from late summer of 2017 till the mid winter or the end of 2019. The rest 10% goes to the backstory of the characters, involving unfortunate events, that takes place in different timelines between 1991- 2010.
Seo Yi Gang (Jun Ji Hyun) is the best amont the Jirisan rangers and capable of everything to a extent that she's considered a legend. She has always wanted to run away from the mountain but always found her back. Kang Hyun Joo (Joo Ji Hoon), is an ex-Lieutenant at military who left the army after a sad incident on the mountain and decided to protect the mountain. Now he's a rookie ranger. Yi Gang and Hyun Joo are partners and with their abilities they brings the best out of their job.
Captain Jo De Jin (Sung Dong Il) is the chief of Haedong Branch Office who has been working there since his rookie days. Jung Gu Young (Oh Jung Se) is also a ranger at Haedong and a close friend to Yi Gang. Park Il Hae (Jo Han Chul) is the team leader of rangers and recruited at Bidam shelter. Lee Yang Sun (Joo Min Kyung) is the office control room head. Kim Woong Soon (Jung Suk Ho) is the in-charge at Jirisan sub-police station. The major cast consists of these characters who are the parts of all the above mentioned timelines. Another major character is Lee Da Won (Go Min Si) who is only there in 2020 as a rookie ranger.
Some good actors in other minor characters are: Lee Moon Ok (Kim Young Ok) as Yi Gang's grandmother, Kim Sol (Lee Ga Sub) as the Culture Centre researcher, Lee Sae Wook (Yoon Ji On) as Yang Sun's cousin, Kim Kye Hee (Joo Jin Moo) as the National Chief of Mountain Rangers and Dr. Yoon Su Jin (Kim Gook Hee) as the conservation centre researcher.
The production value of Jirisan is on another level and that's obviously because the PD-Jakka duo are highly skilled. Not just because they're the makers of several highly acclaimed dramas, the quality of this drama in terms of the technical aspects speaks very loud of it, I can assure you that. Kim Eun Hee jakkanim with her experience in the field of both dystopian supernaturals and investigative mystery thrillers, has done an amazing job in writing the entire script as well as incorporating several essentially intriguing elements into the story. The plot development was quite pleasing, if not something wow-ish. Lee Eung Bok PDnim is a very familiar name and has experiences of working in all kinds of dramas, so that clearly shows here. I'm sure the extensive time shuffling would have been difficult for the screenplay but he has managed it well.
Cinematography is an area which was stupendously managed in the drama. In fact, the immensely beautiful premise of Mount Jiri provided the team enormous scope to work on and bring the best out of it. Loved the different Kind of habitats, waterfalls, major cliffs of Mt. Jiri., the hiking routes, dense forests as well as meadows and also the frictional manmade visiting spots. The colour palettes were also well executed. For a matter of fact, they've also used both CGI and VFX in many scenes, because obviously it's not that easy to shoot thr entire thing on mountain. The VFX is literally a brownie point to the dramas quality, whereas, the CGI is a bit shabby which is quite visible, but I won't say it's that bad to cut points from the drama, so yeah!
Despite everything, I somehow find myself a bit disappointed with the music of the drama; not that they're bad but the OSTs must be able to match with the moods & vibes of a drama, which didn't happen in this case, ngl. I, however, like them as individual tracks but 60% of the entire album didn't feel like they were composed for this drama. Gaemi is a master composer and known to be one of the best music director of Korea but his skills didn't work somehow. (Note: this entire paragraph is a personal opinion so can't really say whether someone else thinks the otherwise.)
Anyways, my favs are
"Always with You" by Paul Kim
"Destiny" by Kim Feel
"Yours" by Jin (BTS)
"Stay" by O3ohn
"Little Garden| by Taeyeon (SNSD)
The sound production for the screenplay, however, is accurately done to give off the proper vibes at respective scenarios; especially for the thrilling suspense scenes plus the scenes showing Mt. Jiri's beautiful premise.
What I loved the most about Jirisan is the portrayal of the life of rangers through picturization. Their dedication towards the well-being of the mountain, while helping the people who visit the mountain for different purposes as well as preserving the natural resources that belong to it. They have accurately addressed all kinds of problems that the rangers face during work. One of those is forest fire and the ways to tackle it as well as the after effects. Another one is flood induced by heavy rain, rescue work during it and the destruction is also shown. I loved how these 2 things were thoroughly studied and picturized well by giving them appropriate runtimes
Overally, Jirisan is a good drama though it had some flaws (that is why 7.5). It was anticipated to becone one of the best because of the star-studded cast and the makers, which it couldn't be. Despite that, it's wrong it say that it's a failure. Given the production value, acting and cinematograph y, this is a fair one time watch.
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The opening (ikenai taiyou - orange range) and ending (peach - otsuka ai) songs are really catchy as well, and if you hear those songs for the first time while watching this show, then here either song afterwards...you'll think back and feel like watching an episode.
Overall it's a great watch, it was my first and still favourite drama and really raised the bars for others IMAO. ENJOY. :)
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From promising to waste, barely romantic
Zhou Yiran and Sabrina's acting was the only thing good on this show, but from what's promising to be on par with one of best dramas in 2023 along with Hidden Love, When I Fly Towards You, Road Home, Meet Yourself, and The Love that You Gave Me. This suddenly break it's momentum from doing great to being time waster.When I heard this show was giving Forever Love vibe, I had to watched it, and considering I was definitely impressed by Zhou Yiran, with Sabrina as female lead, I was excited that I had binge watch first 9 episodes, I get so excited waiting for new episode then second half of the show happens, and it all went down the drain. I have excuse the poor editing as I was enjoying the characters, but plot turn 180 and I was suddenly questioning why I even started this.
Don't even compare this to Forever Love because that was a gem, a treasure you can find in the midst of underrated show, this was being hype so much that I cannot believe the sparked from this couple had dim so fast, this couple was only good pre-confession, they are another couple that lost it's shine after, and was barely romantic to each other.
I kept hoping it would picked up till last minute, I kept hoping and it DID NOT DELIVER.
Such a waste of potential.
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