Love is a many splendored thing.
A Dream of Splendor has rocked the staid, tired, cliché infested Chinese period drama world. It is an alluring adult romance that has set the internet on fire. It is a powerful and exhilarating story about downtrodden women who work together to stand up against feudal society. Written and directed by women, it is a story about how women survive, thrive, bond and love. The production values are astonishing, with meticulous attention to detail and appreciation for history and culture.This story is about the plight of fallen women or jian ji 贱籍 during Northern Song Dynasty. Jian ji are pariahs or outcasts; people who exist outside of the four social classes of scholars, farmers, workers and merchants and are practically slaves, beggars, prostitutes, actors, musicians or fallen people below commoner status. This status is passed from generation to generation and cannot be easily changed and the women are not considered suitable for marriage into gentry other than as concubines. Promising beauties like Zhao Pan'er and Song Yinzhang are trained from a young age in the fine arts and performance to potentially become renown entertainers to the imperial court. Too often, like Zhang Haohao they become courtesans who flourish at the most elite levels of society and are almost indistinguishable from upper class women. Many hope to marry their patrons and leave this existence behind them. This explains both Pan'er and Yinzhang's insecurities and their strong desire to shed the taint of the jian ji 贱籍 status.
The drama was mocked for its preoccupation with chastity which does not fit in with the societal norms of the day. In Guan Hanqing's famous original zaju 杂剧 or Yuan opera 赵盼儿风月救风尘 (Zhao Pan'er Flirts to Save A Harlot), both Panér and Yinzhang are courtesans. Guan Hanqing's works are known for championing the oppressed and courtesans were historically viewed sympathetically. The grace, beauty and education of legendary courtesans is often celebrated in Chinese vernacular literature. The production decided however, that Chinese audiences would not be receptive to a Song dynasty version of Pretty Woman. While some may feel this does not respect the original works, it is not important. The drama adaptation in its entirety is far from prudish and remains faithful to the spirit of the play in its criticism of the hypocrisy of traditional morality. That is all that really matters.
After crushing personal setbacks, Zhao Pan'er, Sun Sanniang and Song Yinzhang make a fresh start in the capital Kaifeng. They are bonded by the hardships they endure due to their low social status. They are realistic characters with flaws aplenty who make mistakes with consequences. They don't always agree and when they fight, they can be woman style mean to each other. Pan'er is a talented performer and a connoisseur of tea, tea art and famous paintings. Despite her serene demeanor, she has her own insecurities but is determined to leave her painful past to become an independent and capable business woman. She won't be bullied, is vengeful and does not hesitate to seek legal redress for injustices.
Pan'er is overprotective of the immature and temperamental Yinzhang, a rare and talented pipa player whose ability is only exceeded by her arrogance and desperation to escape her low status. Together with the feisty and loyal Sanniang, a fantastic cook and pastry chef, the three friends start a teahouse with their pooled resources and combined abilities. On the way to Kaifeng, Pan'er clashes with the Living Devil Gu Qianfan, commander of the powerful and secretive Capital Security Office and all kinds of sparks fly. Liu Yifei and Chen Xiao are the stars of the show with their thrilling, combustive chemistry and screen presence. Both actors have matured considerably and it is fair to say Zhao Pan'er and Gu Qianfan are their best roles to date respectively. Even though Yinzhang is the character that shows the most growth, Lin Yun's portrayal lacks complexity and is not empathetic. It is the weakest link among the main cast. Liu Yan's Sanniang saves the day as the best friend everyone needs with her wonderful mixture of comedic belligerence, endurance and wisdom.
This drama's greatest attraction and also its greatest drawback is the incomparable romance between Zhao Panér and Gu Qianfan. The fervent, ardent chemistry between Liu Yifei and Chen Xiao has me grinning like a giddy, lovesick fool every time they light up the screen. I love how Chen Xiao communicates passion with heat in his eyes and how his expression can suddenly turn from guarded to vulnerable to hopelessly smitten. I leapt up from my sofa and yelled "liar, LIAR" at him in the very first episode when Gu Qianfan claimed not to find Panér beautiful even as his eyes oozed with pure male appreciation. Liu Yifei's Panér is such an exquisite and feminine foil for his masculinity that it is just entrancing to watch their courtship as it evolves subtly from friction to unwelcome attraction as she slowly beguiles him with her grace, independence and soft-spoken sincerity. Yang Yang is a phenomenal director whose gorgeous and intimate camera angles enhances the thrill of their budding romance and build up in passion to the point there are moments I feel like I am invading their privacy. The drawback of course is that the story is much bigger than the love story which is too engrossing and spectacular. All the other plot threads pale in comparison.
At the point I am in serious danger of diabetes from the sugar highs, Pan'er's and Qianfan's romance gets put on ice for a number of episodes for a flimsily crafted misunderstanding. I am less dismayed than most by it, because I like to see a relationship tested for duration by challenges. While their conflict could be better conceived, the writer has fewer degrees of freedom to work with because the plot is embedded within true events and historical figures of the day. This won the praise of many history buffs who got a huge kick out of deciphering who's who and which events, as was analyzed in detail by other viewers such as @CloudA. Panér's heartbroken but enlightened insight that her father fully knew well the consequences of his actions but chose to do so anyway is a resonating fresh twist out of a tired trope. Despite their hiccup, the couple remains honest with each other about their fears and have realistic expectations that it may not be smooth sailing all the way. Du Changfeng and Sanniang's story is charming and heart warming while Chen Lian and Zhaodi's is more youthful and high spirited. I have high hopes that both Yinzhang and Chi Pan will find happiness down the road.
The digression from the main romance plot makes way for the women's story to be properly told, for their bond to mature and for them rescue each other and themselves; to be mistresses of their own destiny. The debut of their fabulous Yong'an Restaurant showcases their combined business sense, artistry and ability to innovate and is for me is the highlight of the drama. Pan'er's riveting tea art performance at the beginning is eclipsed by the extravagant and absolutely decadent dinner performance where famous paintings came vividly to life. I love how spectacularly it involves most of the supporting cast. Both the cheeky He Si and Chi Pan made me laugh and the women looked stunning. It is analogous to how this production breathes life into the famous historical works of art and literature that inspired this story.
For me, the comedy mostly misses the mark. I find Guan Yunping's (Chen Lian) more subtly hilarious brand of humor more appealing than Dai Xu's (Chi Pan) more slapstick and exaggerated approach. The actor tones it down nicely in the second half and manages make me laugh and impresses me with his acting but unfortunately that is where the plot loses momentum. This is somewhat forgivable since it is more of a character story but nonetheless they should have kept things simpler. The political aspects of the conspiracy to disgrace the empress becomes overly convoluted and leaves loose threads. Even though Ouyang Xu's final confrontation with Pan'er is well acted and satisfying, he becomes the embodiment of too many bad men and love to hate stereotypes. The interpretation of Empress Liu-E, a brilliant and powerful historical figure as a woman pushed to try to conceal her humble origins is fascinating and aligns well with the dramas feminist theme. It is well known the Emperor was aware of her background and did not care. Theirs was surely another splendid love story for the ages.
Pan'er and Qianfan's addictive chemistry and their story convinces that love is a many splendored thing. They are certainly bound for the Drama Couple Hall of Fame. Despite the disappointment in plot, which is at best worth an 8.5, I am compelled to rate this a 9.0 for the romance and for getting the important things right including the empowering themes, the originality and the director's magnificent and distinctive visual composition style.
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A delightful gem worth savouring
Every year without fail, at least one C-drama historical that’s underrated and under-the-radar but utterly deserving of praise, would somehow make its appearance in dramaland. This year’s gem, undoubtedly for me, is The Imperial Coroner.If you love the detective genre in ancient historical settings, you’d love this. This drama bears a close resemblance to Miss Truth, Maiden Holmes, Ancient Detective and Young Blood, among the recent productions of this genre. Furthermore, there are other compelling reasons I’ve enjoyed this show immensely.
Why I Love It
The Tang Dynasty in which the drama is set in. Among all the ancient dynasties, this one is my favoured time period, particularly during the early to mid-Tang, because of the vibrant and thriving era of peace and economic prosperity, along with the burgeoning appreciation for fine arts and fashion. This is reflected in the bustling cosmopolitan city of Chang’an with the integration of myriads of cultures, when international trade was at its peak. This year seems to be the season of Tang with a number of dramas set in this timeline already released, notably The Long Ballad, Court Lady and Weaving a Tale of Love.
The production values of this drama. Although reportedly being low on budget, the overall quality isn’t hampered and it shows, because the money is spent on all the right places. Sometimes a drama is big budget because of the fees involved in casting big name stars. There are no A-list superstars involved here, which is just as well because what we get in return are decent cinematography, art direction, set designs (courtesy of Hengdian World Studios), action choreography, engaging direction and brisk pacing of the storytelling, as well as the blossoming talents of a young cast.
Speaking of the cast, for fans of Young Blood we get to see Su Xiao Tong again, this time in the lead role of the titular character. This young woman is worthy of top billing for this show because we get to see her showcase her expanding range in carrying this show through her character of Chu Chu. The rest of the cast are equally promising, with Wang Zi Qi’s characterization of the male lead Xiao Jin Yu particularly convincing. The supporting cast comprising Zhao Yao Ke, Yang Ting Dong, and Wang Yan Bin provide a very respectable account of their respective portrayals as members of the band of friends and team of investigators.
One of the more pleasing aspects of this production is the projection of visual designs and art. Its opening title sequence is one of the few I’ve seen that does not spoil any scenes from the show. It uses two versions, all of which feature conceptual art with a dramatic original score (as opposed to having an opening theme song). Throughout the drama, scenes of medical examination are accompanied by visual aid in the form of diagrams and title cards that provide concise explanation of the technical terms. Additionally, numerous visual representations of crime scene reenactment are added for the benefit of viewers.
The captivating plot about a gifted female coroner who works for the Imperial court in solving crimes is quite cleverly conceived. Based on the novel The Story of the Imperial Gift (御赐小仵作) by Qingxian Ya Tou (清闲丫头), the story fuses factual history with fiction, alongside some rather serious fictional dramatization. Real-life characters such as Emperor Xuanzong and the infamously powerful Eunuch faction, in addition to the Tang administrative system of the Judicial Ministry and the Censorate all form part of the overarching conspiracy that drives the story of this drama.
In comparison with some of the previously mentioned productions that are similar in nature, I honestly do think The Imperial Coroner is slightly better in terms of the execution and the storytelling. The chemistry and interactions between the various characters are more organic and positive, as opposed to some of the toxicity present in the messy love triangle and the rather “misogynistic” traits portrayed by the ML, in Miss Truth. The story progression here is much more engaging while the plotline is considerably more elaborate, in addition to the consistent writing of the FL character, when compared to Maiden Holmes. The depiction of the camaraderie between the main characters are a joy to watch and reminiscent of the gang in Young Blood and Ancient Detective.
Overall
The Imperial Coroner truly is a delightful watch that has pleasantly surprised not only me but many viewers as well, for most of the reasons mentioned earlier and perhaps some others as well. It may not be an epic masterpiece but it certainly holds its own against some of the big budget and highly anticipated C-historical productions that have been released this year. With only 36 episodes, it won’t take too much viewing time to savour this drama.
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Primarily a dialogue drama that is relatively slow-paced. I wouldn't recommend it for viewers who are impatient and want a lighthearted watch. The show focuses on business, politics, and societal issues in South Korea. Having lived in Korea, Life is so real that it hurts sometimes. If you liked Stranger, chances are you will love Life.
Following her first megahit drama, Stranger, writer Lee Soo Yeon brings us a refreshing drama that touches on societal problems while bringing to question how one's life should be lived and valued. This drama is entirely business, political and psychological, with surprisingly minimal medical scenes despite taking place within a university hospital. Unlike Stranger, there is moderate romance involved but it is definitely woven into the story without ruining the dark bureaucratic atmosphere. Moreover, rather than focusing on mysterious deaths (which is the opening scene), Life depicts the struggles of just your average-day life from numerous different perspectives.
I tend to stay away from medical dramas where nothing much really happens besides some overreaction with a patient dying and the heroes coming to say the day. Medical dramas are boring to me. But Life is completely different and kept me captivated the entire ride without a single moment of boredom. You know when you have snacks to eat when you watch a show, and by the time the drama ends you ate it all without realizing? Well when I watched Life, all my snacks were left untouched because I had to give the drama my undivided attention.
What makes one Life one of the best dramas I have ever seen is how they portray a certain situation or community problem from angles. Most dramas have a clear villain, a clear hero protagonist who will save the day, and the thin line between good and evil is easily distinguishable. Life shines all characters in a favorable and negative light at the exact same time. In the beginning, from one perspective, it's easy to characterize a person as "bad" for reasons such as "greedy" or "heartless." But then when you look at it from their perspective, there is no true right decision or wrong decision. Life really makes you confused and hating a character yet understanding and loving the same character at the same time. And I'm not talking about the bullshit kdrama "oh this handsome serial killer was neglected as a child so it's totally understandable for him to torture and murder people" type of understanding.
The beginning of Life starts out slow, especially in the first episode. But the beginning episodes lay out the political and business foundation that the rest of the story will revolve around. It's important to really comprehend what the problem at hand is in the beginning or else the characters and the ending will be pretty damn confusing. The story is brilliantly written and all the mysteries are woven together with little to no plot-holes left behind. The characters are well-drawn out, and the complexity of each person's position brings to light the different pains people have in their daily lives. Even if you're not a doctor, I think the daily struggles that these doctors have generalize to everyone who feels like life can be hard and distressing at times. The ending of the drama... Oh my god the ending. It's one of the best endings I have ever seen.
If you want to get pretentiously deep, Life does debate a lot of moral themes. Some themes I observed were:
What makes one person's life more meaningful or successful than another persons?
What makes one person a "good" person, and another a "bad person." What's the criteria of judgement?
Should all people be treated equal? Or should discretion based on circumstances rule (individual bias good or bad)?
Legality or Morality? Should we follow all procedures by the law or use our own moral judgement?
What's more important, the discovery of the truth or resolution of conflict?
Acting was phenomenal 10/10. I must say, the cast was one of the most stacked casts I have ever seen.
Yes, Lee Dong Wook was a bit underwhelming, but that's okay. I think he played his character well (his character wasn't a charismatic character, not much he can do).
Cho Seung Woo is a phenomenal actor and I felt like was clearly the main character of Life over Lee Dong Wook. I personally don't think Korean actors are the best at acting, but Cho Seung Woo is just brilliant. His acting in Life may very well have exceeded his acting in Stranger which is saying something!
It's time for Yoo Jae Myung to get a main character role. He has proven his brilliant acting again and again.
Lee Kyu Hyung takes on such interesting roles in all his dramas (Haerong in Prison Playbook) and Life was no different. You'll love him in this drama. He actually plays two characters, you'll see what I mean.
The rest of the cast, Moon So Ri, Cheon Ho Jin, Moon Sung Geun... just stacked I tell you. The acting matched the loftly quality of the drama.
Honestly the worst thing about this drama was the music, and the music was pretty good too. Just nothing that stood out that much to me other than that obnoxious loud "epic" boom soundtrack when the end of the episode draws near. I suppose Han Dong Geun's OST 1 "Home" was really good but it never really played during the show. Now that I think of it, because this drama was mostly a dialogue show, there wasn't as much music that played between scenes compared to other kdramas.
This is one of the rare dramas where I give the re-watch value a 10/10 because the mysterious death isn't the important point in this drama. It's about problems in society (particularly in the bureaucratic Korean society) and how different people, given their different positions, have different perspectives on how to solve the problem. In the process, how people view themselves as right and good, while viewing others with different opinions as wrong and bad. I think a lot can be learned about psychologically or at least thought about by watching Life. I think this drama would be just as interesting the second time around. It was a complex drama for sure, so watching it again would also clarify a lot of things for me.
Masterpiece! Thank you to everyone who produced this enlightening drama!
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Drama That Transcends Its Genre
Until We Meet Again is unique drama in its genre in many ways: it has unique story, exceptional acting and tackles some very hard, but important, subjects like homophobia, domestic violence and suicide, but also love, friendship and forgiveness. What this drama does not offer is instant gratification.The only reason I rated the story 7.5 and not higher is not actually the story itself but rather the execution in some parts. Some moments were stretched too long and that time could have been used on some other moments which were cut too short. I didn't mind the pacing which seems to be a major complaint about this show. I actually liked to feel live I was living with these characters.
In spite of major fantastical element (reincarnation), the biggest plus for this drama is that it depicts a healthy, positive, loving, realistic gay relationship (two if you include In and Korn, in spite of their ending, three if you include Win and Team). Nothing is sensationalized or fetishized, there are no toxic tendencies, . On the other hand, homophobia and, especially, suicide are treated seriously and respectfully . Their consequences are serious, horrifying and lasting, the entire families devastated.
The other strength of UWMA is its spectacular cast. From the main actors (Fluke especially) to the people with barely two lines, from novices to veterans, every role was filled by someone who cared, someone who did their best. And I don't think production team slouched either. Their efforts are visible on the screen.
I could write much more about this drama, but I know I would inevitably stray into spoiler territory and I don't want to do that to those who still haven't seen this gem. I just know that this show will be re-watched and re-watched and re-watched in the months and years to come. I am jealous of those who have yet to discover it.
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3There are so many things that I loved here, but what made the drama that enjoying were definitely our main leads Sung Deok Mi and Ryan Gold. Not only their characters were perfect for each other, but Park Min Young and Kim Jae Wook's chemistry was the best. It was so natural that somewhere towards the end, it felt as if they weren't even acting anymore. I love how mature their relationship was which can't be seen very often in other rom-coms... unfortunately. The thing I loved the most about their relationship was how honest they were with each other - they cleared all misunderstanding just by talking, no pointless drama here. I loved the fact that Deok Mi was so considerate of Ryan and that was since the very beginning. And of course, Ryan was the same. Everything about their relationship was perfect and kudos to the writer for writing such a beautiful love story!
I was happy to see that fangirling was shown as a completely normal thing here. Deok Mi and Seon Joo are both in their 30s, but they are fangirls. Why not? There is nothing strange about it and I'm glad that the writer chose to show a different side of fangirling. As I fangirl myself, I'm very thankful for this. Seon Joo and Deok Mi were friendship goals honestly. Seon Joo is my favourite character here and I loved their relationship with her husband. And their child was sooo cute!
I think Eun Gi and Cindy were pretty pointless here, especially Cindy. At first, she seemed to be the antagonist, but then she became just a random character who had some funny scenes here and there. As for Eun Gi, he was sometimes annoying and his presence didn't really affect the story. I guess the writer just needed a second lead, because what is a rom-com without a second lead? And Ryan's friend was also annoying. I don't even remember her name, I couldn't get the point of her existence in the drama.
I didn't like the last two episodes. They were very boring, although there were some sweet moments with the main leads. I couldn't believe and I still can't that we had to see the same trope again..., why? Everything was good enough, so why would you ruin it? Eh, anyway, I was satisfied with the ending nevertheless.
So overall, despite being slightly disappointed by the last two episodes, I do recommed Her Private Life to all of you. It is not your usual rom-com and I believe you'll enjoy it. Oh, and while you are watching or after you finish it, don't forget to check out the bts videos that tvN uploaded, they will make you love the drama even more!
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This review may contain spoilers
I freely admit that I watched this Kdrama for Cha Eunwoo, first and foremost. I’m a fan, sue me. But it was also a very good drama. It started as a funny rom-com but soon it became so much more. It told the story of how Christianity first came to Korea, of vaccination and female emancipation… Very intriguing themes that you rarely see in historical Kdramas.The relationship that I loved best was the romance between Prince Yi Rim and the female historian Goo Hae Ryung. He was 20, she was 26. He was romantic, she was realistic, even cynical. They both wanted to be free but where for her it meant being able to work and having a career, not just marrying and having kids, for him it meant literally getting out of the palace where he’s been held almost a prisoner his whole life long. It was so interesting!
And the second relationship that pushed all my buttons was the one between Prince Yi Rim and the Crown Prince, Yi Jin. Yi Jin was the closest family Yi Rim had. And for Yi Jin, his little brother was the only person in the whole world that he could really trust. He adored Yi Rim. I would go as far as saying that Yi Rim was the only person Yi Jin actually loved. And because of that, the twist with Yi Rim’s true identity hit Yi Jin so hard…
This is a really great drama that’s mainly about the meaning of family, how far you’re willing to go to protect your loved ones and how much you’re willing to sacrifice for your ambition. Both thumbs up from me!
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Crash Landing on My Heart.
“If you give up on waiting, the pain of loss will kill you. That’s why I wait.” —Captain Ri.Most people who have watched the entire series love CLOY, which is one of KDrama’s finest, especially for its fascinating strong woman lead and the equally strong, gentle man who loves and protects her. But also for some of the following points:
1. The writer, Park Ji-eun, who also gave us “You Who Came from the Stars,” is one of the best, knowing how to balance drama, comedy, themes, and closure while keeping her audience intrigued and in love with her characters. The director, Lee Jeong-hyo, who has worked on many series and movies, kept everything focused and carefully paced so that the series steadily evolved each week.
2. The cast is one of the best I’ve seen with immensely beautiful and talented leads, warm, hilarious village ajummas, and Capt. Ri’s delightful squad, dubbed “the ducklings”—all of whom became a family for one another and for the viewers.
3. Themes varying from the pain of losing family, being abandoned and becoming a street orphan, all the way to the belief in a Zen appreciation for patience and waiting; also kindness, protection, sacrifice, and unconditional love. The themes drive the plot, and the cast brings everything to life, making us impatient for each weekend to finally roll around so we can see what happens next to our beloved characters—whether love, laughter, danger, and heartbreak, we got on that train with them.
4. A great story that keeps the reader interested, a love story whose premise was there from the beginning and revealed brilliantly in the steady epilogues. But also the comedy of the sidekicks—and the horror of the bad guy consumed with envy and jealousy that destroys innocence and beauty, making this the classical struggle between good and evil embraced by every generation since time.
5. The touching, beautiful OST, which many fans have downloaded. The piano piece “Song for My Brother” leaves me in tears every time.
6. A wealthy, beautiful but hurt SK woman who learns to love herself as well as others, who can be hilarious and sassy, yet who finds strength in loving and protecting the most amazing man—Capt. Ri.
7. A beautiful man, a pianist who becomes a NK army officer, a quiet philosopher and tomato plant caretaker with a “low voice”—the kindest man I believe I’ve ever seen in any narrative—who adores the hurt woman, knows who she is, finds her, protects her, and loves her no matter what evil, what danger threatens them. Yes, he sounds too good to be true. . . . .but he’s not. The whole world is in love with Capt. Ri because Hyun Bin developed him and made us believe that such a man can exist.
8. Talented Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin, who wanted to work together again after “The Negotiation” and gave us “the gift” of “Crash Landing on You.” Thank you from our hearts. And congratulations on the many awards the CLOY team have won and for the love you found in one another. You blessed those of us who love you and this series.
—A J McAninch
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I guess if you're the type to prefer fluffy, lovey dovey, Kdrama cliche type of dramas, then this won't be for you. My Mister is completely different in terms of the "Kdrama formula."
After watching each episode, it's fulfilling, yet you are (extremely) hungry for more. This drama gave me the biggest comfort whenever I feel down. Ironically, the drama itself, is depressing, gloomy, and melancholy. You know how whenever you feel sad you want to see things like rainbows, and puppies, or eat good food in order to make you feel happier, yet none of that truly comforts you; or sometimes it might even irritate someone even more. My Mister is that person that would sit by your side, cry with you, hug you, and allow you to release your emotions so you truly feel comfort. It's not a stress reliever, it's something that makes you embrace those emotions and let you move on from them.
I've never seen a drama that portrays depression as realistically as My Mister, heck, I've never seen a drama that actually has depressed leads. Between each and every character, there is a special bond that is strong and meaningful. The relationship between PDH and LJA is not family love, nor romance, nor friendship. It's a different form of love that it's hard to wrap the head around, but the best way to describe it is human love. Human emotions, comfort, and acceptance. Personally, my favorite parts are the interactions between Lee Ji An and her grandmother. I cry in every single scene because it's so beautiful.
Honestly, during the painful scenes, you cry. The touching scenes, you cry. The silent scenes, you cry. And the happy ones, you cry. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive when I'm watching this drama... It's painful but heartwarming.
I think many people who don't like this drama probably thinks: the brothers are annoying or the drama is too slow. You can't really fully immerse into the drama unless you learn to appreciate the brothers, and what they symbolize. Although it feels slow paced in the beginning, trust me, 1 hour 20 minutes feel like 30 minutes.
The cinematography is stunning. Just like how many people said, it's like you are watching a movie within each episode. It's stunning in a way that is effective to convey the story and mood, and the beauty of each character. There is not one character I dislike, not even the bad ones, because they are all so compelling.
Edit:
For anyone who aren't feeling up to expectations, a little disclaimer. Don't dive into the drama expecting to be blown away or be on the edge of your seats the entire time. I watched it week by week, so the drama itself felt like it was very well paced. If you try to binge watch the beginning episodes, it might feel very very slow, eventually losing interest. But the best way to experience the high expectations, is for sure you really need to immerse yourself in small details, and focus on every single aspect in each scene. Sometimes it might even get a bit mentally intensive. As for me, watching it week by week allowed some breaks in between before fully going into analyzing mode. It's kind of like you have to critically analyze every detail in order for the viewer to meet its expectations. If all else fails, then it might just not be your taste and that's all okay :)
Edit Oct 2021:
I think what kept me coming back to stalking this drama is because somehow they were able to make the most depressing and mundane of things feel exciting and alive again. It's something that not many shows I've seen can do, which is why this show still has a special place in my heart.
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In the first two episodes alone there was cute singing, face slapping, sexy times, and a hit and run that turned into a murder. The crazy doesn’t end there though…it just keeps going and going. At one point a character does a work out montage and emerges as…a whole different actor. No wonder no one recognizes him. People die…but then turn out to have faked their death or have been put in a mental institution. It is just a bucket full of delightful craziness.
The very best part of this drama though, is the Emperor. Shin Sung Rok is a remarkable actor. I came to this drama for Jang Na Ra and Choi Jin Hyuk together again. I loved them in Fated to Love You and was so excited to see them both as leads in the same drama. But to be honest, I can understand why some people are not loving them in this drama. Choi Jin Hyuk’s character is as dry as burnt toast. But I really don’t think the actor is to blame for that. However, the Emperor could have easily been a horrible character if it had been played by anyone else. If you were just blindly reading the script, you would hate his character. But because of Shin Sung Rok’s skills and his facial expressions, you come to care for this admittedly horrible murderer. Like he has murdered multiple people and doesn’t even think he was wrong in doing it, and still you find yourself saying…he isn’t THAT bad… To be fair at least two of the people he murdered weren’t entirely his fault, nor was he the only murderer in those cases. And there I go defending the guy! You see what a good job Shin Sung Rok has done to convince me of this?!
In conclusion, I say you should definitely give this drama a try. If you aren’t mildly addicted by episode 2, then this probably isn’t the drama for you. Personally, I watched the first 17 episodes in one sitting before I realized I had spent the whole day watching kdramas. Not that I have any regrets about that. I have loved every second of this crazy crack drama. If you are looking for a serious, revenge drama…this is NOT the drama for you. Go watch City Hunter or maybe The Lookout. This drama is silly even when it is being serious. So come here if you are looking for your next dose of crazy!
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Eternal Yesterday
145 people found this review helpful
1This review may contain spoilers
it was not a love story
How shall I put it?Everyone who has ever experienced grief in their life will relate to Mitchan narration. Main characters will take you through all the grief phases again. From the desire to spend a little bit more time together with your loved one who is not here anymore, when even one extra minute would be a the most desirable gift during your grieving journey; to being angry with the person who left, why they did it to you, how could they leave and let you be here all by yourself. But Mitchan got extremely lucky. He had a chance to experience parts of his grief, denial, huge love, hate together with the one who had to leave - Koichi. Does it make you jealous too?
Why we got so involved in such unrealistic story?
We all know - death is a final stop. But all of us secretly hope to be mistaken. And Eternal Yesterday gives us such opportunity to have a hope. Maybe one day it’s all gonna be a lie, and our loved ones will be here with us even though their hearts don’t work anymore. Eventually, it’s a beautiful metaphor - people you love aren’t truly dead until they are alive in your memory.
Name:
Eternal Yesterday - that’s how it feels to be disconnected from the real world after loosing the one you loved the most. Now you live only in the past when they were here with you. The smell of their perfume on the passing by stranger now feels like a knife directly in your heart. Their old t-shirt that you accidentally found in your wardrobe can bring all the memories back, and here you are sitting and reminiscing about old days on the floor in your bedroom again. You are re-living your yesterday, because tomorrow isn’t promising anymore without them.
Actors:
Fantastic fantastic fantastic cast. Both main actors did incredible job! Mitchan character grew and developed so well. And separate kudos for Koichi’s perspective in the end. All his actions and all his “sorry-s” made sense. Actors truly lived Mitchan’s and Koichi’s lifes.
Summary:
It was not a love story, it was one very special story about grief and precious time. Even though grief is inseparable from love.
I will definitely re-watch those series again and again. They are so heartbreaking, but yet so heartwarming. Our life is this special because it has an end, and Eternal Yesterday is our friendly reminder. Kiss, love, hug, express your feelings right now, because your perfect time may never come and unfortunately you won’t be given the same gift as Mitchan got.
And for all in grief - your pain will never go away, nor time will heal it. You will learn to co-exist with it and will learn to smile and love again. It was a beautiful message in the end.
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ACTING/CAST: These guys were quite cute and they did a good job.
MUSIC: After watching this again, the music is very good.
REWATCH VALUE: Yes. I already rewatched it with a friend. So hilarious.
OVERALL: Want something funny to watch? This is great. I hope they continue this series.
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Fifty shades of cliche.
This drama is a dark, melodramatic blast from the past. It is fifty shades of the worst outdated bodice ripper romance cliches imaginable. Dong Tingyao is the sole survivor of her family's massacre. She suspects warlord Fang Tianyi to be the culprit and finds herself a maid in his household. The villain is obvious from the beginning but sadly our voluptuous heroine has more guts than brains and finds herself in one dicey situation after another. Fang Tianyi is the kind of alpha male hero that struts around flaunting his magnificent chest while he uses very coercive methods to seduce Tingyao. Yes, exactly the kind of story that has all but been eviscerated since the advent of feminism and political correctness decades ago. And yes, I unabashedly sucked up every ridiculous, outrageously hot but ahem,I mean totally unacceptable moment of it!The bottom line is you won't enjoy this drama if you think about it. But the leads sizzling chemistry and Fang Tianyi's hot, searing gaze and the heavy lidded way he eyeballs Tingyao is enough to make me forget to breathe, much less think. Despite the cheesy lines and some iffy costumes, the acting, especially by Dai Gaozheng is mesmerising. The melodramatic plot allowed both actors to demonstrate their ability to convey the gamut of intense emotions - love, hate, forbidden desire, fear, frustration and passion, lots and lots of passion. For the first time I really understand why these kinds of characterisations used to be so hugely popular in the past. It is a strong testament to the actors chemistry and skills that can make me look past all these out of favour tropes. Honestly if anyone in real life tries to pull a Fang Tianyi on me, he'd get a kick in the nuts that causes permanent damage. But as a fantasy guilty pleasure of a short drama (10 minute episodes), I enjoyed this immensely.
The ending was terrible but then so were so, so many other parts. Nonetheless I am peeved about it enough to give it a 7.5 instead of an 8.0. Yes I am petty that way. Still, this is a fantastic way to indulge in the occasional smoking hot guilty pleasure.
Final comment: consider stopping at ep 29 for best viewing experience.
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There are some dramas that makes you remember them forever and Reply 1988 is definitely one of them. It's simply remarkable. If I could give a 100, I'd gladly do that with the full heart. Because it freaking deserves it.
I've been always been bound to 70's and 80's, because it's a time of my parents, their youth, happy days, their life and exciting stories and I've always listened them with a whole heart and a glowing eyes when they talked about their days. So, as this drama brings nostalgic feeling that's probably why I even LOVE it more. The lives of five teenagers, their parents and siblings are shown to the perfection that I wished I was with them there, sharing happiness and sadness together. That's how much influence this drama had and still has on me.
Out of all Reply series this is the BEST one for me. I loved how this drama showed problems our families face every day, where everything is not only black and white, yet grey, where we need to make a decision between what is right and what we want. The caring and loving of a family is the biggest gift we have, because no one will love you as your family do, especially your mom. Oh yes, since I'm on a mom theme, this drama the nearest shows how our mothers sacrifices everything for us, our happiness. That notion stroke me right into my heart, because my mom is the big victim for me and my brother. And that's probably why I got into this drama characters and stories. Another facinating thing is that great friendship we have only once in our lifetime. No matter how tough and hard it gets, besides your family, your friends are always there to give you support and to consule you. That was the case in this drama too. All five characters showed a true and pure picture of friendship. Five characters with different personalities, interests and thinking are together since childhood and became inseparable since then. Together they were stronger, together they were braver and together they loved more. I'm getting goosebumps just writing these words.
Characters are everything to this drama. Every single of them is written with a much thought that you really wanted to know all of their stories. I liked Deok Seon. She is funny, caring, loved by everyone and she's the only girl in their group. So, I wanted to be her with all those gorgeous and funny men. Ryu Joon Yeol, that man is a pure hotness. His character, Jung Hwan, stole my attention, I have to admit. His character is perfect, a man every girl wants. On the outside you think he doesn't care about anything, but in fact he's very caring and loveable. He doesn't know to express himself and as he said himself, he always misses timing and that's why he was always late for some stuffs. However, his heart is pure, honest, his smile very alluring and that's why he won me over. I experienced Choi Taek (Park Bo Gum) as someone who needs protection, clumsy, but very intelligent man, but through the whole drama I felt him like their dongsaeng, they cared and prepared everything to him, like a baby. He is the cutest one. Then, it comes Sun Woo, the man which I love dearly. He's such a cool character. Sun Woo is smart, the only man in his family he protects his mother and little sister, but also a man who needs love and attention. As the drama goes, his story becomes very interesting, so I can say that he's my favorite right after Jung Hwan. And last but not least is Dong Ryong. Oh man, I laughed so hard whenever he's on screen. His awesome sense for humor, charm, care is just to be wished for. A man every person needs for a friend. The ace of a group. ;)
However, what gives charm to this drama is parents and supporting characters. The family which I adored the most is definitely Jung Hwan's and his mom so much reminded my of my mom and I guess that's why I felt his family more than others. Ra Mi Ran is mom to be proud of, just like Jung Hwan and his brother are, a wife to love and respect forever and a friend on who can always lean on. Gosh, I love that woman from the bottom of my heart. Along with her, Bo Ra is my second favorite character. She resembles so much of me in every single way. Do I need to say more? :P Every character is written in its own way, with faults and virtues, but together they try to overcome it and be happy.
Music is brilliant. Those old music has always been dearest to me, innocent, pure and brings nostalgic feeling. With so many great soundtracks, famous singers from that period they really tried to find them use them all at the right scene and moment. I've been listening the whole playlist all day, that's how much I loved it.
Reply 1988 became my top 5 drama. The whole drama exudes strongly, leaves the feeling of love and happiness and you just feel complete after watching every single episode. I simply lived with this drama.
“The reason I miss that time and that street isn’t only because I miss my younger self. It is because my parents’ youth, my friends’ youth – the youth of everything I loved was in that place. I regret not bidding a final farewell to the surrounding of my youth that can never be brought back together again. To the things that’ve already gone, to the time I can’t return to… I bid my belated farewell. Goodbye, my youth. Goodbye, Ssangmun-dong” -Deok Sun-
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No need to worry if you don't like heavy drama, it won't be that of a heavy drama at all, the overall cozy ambiance compensates for its heavy subject matter. This is a slice of life/food drama after all, so you can just chill, watch and enjoy. This is very similar to the Japanese movie "Little Forrest", they will show you how they cook the food then proceed to story, but unlike "Little Forrest" where it is 70% cooking 30% story, this drama is 80% story, so it has more plot and you won't lost into the story.
If you think it's already a big deal when Ossan's love uses mainstream actors to a gay drama, then this is more big deal than that. They not only have mainstream actors but established A-list actors. To give you an idea Hidetoshi Nishijima has a reputation of a tough guy in Japan, similar to Jason Statham in Hollywood. I also think it's a genius idea to cast him as the closet gay, his demeanor matches the character very well. Uchino Masaki (Tonbi, Jin), another A-list actor, portrays the more feminine character. Among the two I considered him the better and the more versatile actor, and this character he portrayed just added up to the vast range of characters in his resume. The chemistry of them both is phenomenal, they argue and makeup like a real couple. They also made decisions that even straight couples will be able to relate.
One of the highlights of this drama is when Kakei's mom told him "tell your co-workers you're gay, there is nothing wrong with being gay", and the actress who said this savage line is none other than Meiko Kaji, famous for Lady Snowblood series, the granddaddy of revenge movies which inspired Tarantino when he made Kill Bill. If you just realize what Lady Snowblood represents that time, and how it connects to what this drama represents this time you would also say the casting for this drama is really something, it's freaking genius.
Watch it not because it's a gay drama, watch it because it a very good story portraying a couple having struggles in our society and how they overcome those hurdles to become happy. This is a little gem here my friends.
FULL REVIEW
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/2019/07/drama-what-did-you-eat-yesterday.html
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This review may contain spoilers
BL that manages to be more than BL in some ways
In a nutshell:The story is interesting though some may bemoan the way the series doesn’t seem to have a major conflict or point of tension for quite a few episodes. However, the series never feels slow or boring to me. There is a lot to love about this series because it doesn’t always tell the story in an in-your-face manner. But this could well be its weakness too. For example, if it had emphasized how one of the main characters’ (Pharm) incomplete recollection of his previous life early could pose a problem to their relationship, the tension and suspense built could have maintained the interest of more viewers.
In a coconut shell:
The series starts with the tragic double suicide of Korn/In, certainly not the lighthearted schoolboys-fall-in-love stuff that is so common in BL (though the characters are students). The double suicide is the result of parental objections to their relationship because of their sexual orientation, a rather serious consequence compared to popular BL series that treat the topic of objecting parents less seriously (e.g. Together with Me: The Next Chapter in which the parents change their minds, and Dark Blue Kiss in which the parents are surprisingly open-minded). The seriousness in tone, though not all that persistent, makes it different from a lot of BL that focus on the couples’ relationship without such a strong regard for the society in which the story is set). Where the Dean/Pharm story is concerned, the use of common BL tropes (like a “straight” guy falling in love with another guy) is rather sparing. This may be a good thing, but the side couple (WinTeam) may appeal to BL fans more and may be more conventionally BL.
In the parts of the story that use common BL tropes, the series does become more like BL and somewhat less realistic. The inclusion of a BL fangirl of sorts (Manaow) and the way Dean’s swimming team do not seem to bat an eyelid when their captain brings his boyfriend with him on a team outing are where BL fans find themselves in familiar terrain, though we can guess how often that happens in real life in Thailand. Interestingly, these elements seem to be used to contrast past and present, making a point about how increased openness towards homosexuality in society makes a huge difference for same-sex couples and even the two fathers who live in regret after their sons’ deaths. The society in the Dean/Pharm parts of the story feels much less oppressive that the atmosphere in the Korn/In story. We can see this from the minor characters’ behaviours: whereas Pharm’s friends accept and encourage his relationship with Dean, In’s good friend only quietly feels happy for him when he sees In together with Korn. Such subtle touches make the story rather interesting and worth re-watching.
There doesn’t seem to be a rush to bring the plot to new heights of tension. There is neither an excessive preoccupation with kissing and sex scenes nor an aversion to them. Although a number of viewers seem to find UWMA to be rather slow-moving or that it’s not clear where the story is going, I have a different opinion. In fact, the story is fairly well-paced, with the flashbacks seldom being unnatural as they show the parallels between the previous lives and the present lives. I suppose one thing that frustrates some viewers is the way the Dean/Pharm storyline doesn’t seem to have any obvious conflict for a large part of the series, which may give the impression that it is going nowhere. However, I like the way events are foreshadowed and how the characters slowly recall and come to terms with their past lives. As I watched each episode on a YouTube playlist, I get to the last part before I know it (it’s quite a different experience when it comes to series like I Am Your King Season 2).
Another aspect of the series that I like is how Dean and Pharm have different personalities from their past lives. The differences are more subtle in Dean, who seems calmer but also more determined to make his relationship work out than Korn. As for Pharm, while he’s clearly attracted to and in love with Dean, he does not rush into the relationship. As a really good cook, Pharm is set apart from In who cannot cook to save his life. This difference isn’t merely superficial for the patience and skill with which he cooks indicates a different personality. Both Dean and Pharm seem to have “learnt” something from their previous lives. The dynamics of their relationship are somewhat different too. While we see more passion between Korn and In, we see more tenderness between Dean and Pharm. The interplay between the parallels and differences indirectly creates suspense: will the couple finally have a happy ending, or will history repeat itself? Most of the time, the story seems geared towards a happy ending but there is foreshadowing of a problem to come, especially in a scene where a monk reminds the couple of the importance of forgiveness. In the end, we see that Dean/Pharm must reconcile with the people in their past lives and settle their unfinished business before moving on as themselves in their present lives. It seems paradoxical in the end, but it makes sense: Dean and Pharm have acquired new identities and cannot be living in the shadows of Korn and In forever, so while accepting that they are reincarnations of Korn and In, they must still be able detach themselves from their past lives. (An interesting scene in the last episode with Dean and Pharm dreaming of Korn and In as third parties and not as themselves for once shows that they have finally managed to move on as Dean and Pharm, not reincarnations of Korn and In.)
I also love WinTeam in this series although it often looks like the WinTeam scenes are a teaser/test for a possible Season 2 which will focus on them. I would love to watch a Season 2 with WinTeam as the focus though even with the same production team, I believe a Season 2 with WinTeam will be enjoyable in a rather different way. If this series doesn’t appeal to you, you could still give Season 2 a chance if it is made.
Edit: After considering why I've been feeling that something is a little lacking in this series despite my love for it, I realize that there isn't that much on how the characters fall in love. For Dean and Pharm, each immediately feels like the other is the one on first sight because of their past lives, so we can only look to Korn and In. But while we can see the depth of Korn and In's love, we don't see enough of what makes their love so strong. Our involvement in their story would be stronger if there had been a bit more showing Korn and In's love for each other.
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