When I started Secret Garden, I really didn't read the description. And, maybe that's a good thing. I might not have given it a fair shot. Because of that, the twists and turns that I experienced (especially after episode 5 or so) had such a big impact. My train of thought when things started to get interesting: "Wait, did they...did that really...did she just grab her own boobs? Wait a minute, did they just switch bodies? What? WTF? What just happened here?!" In all honesty, I should start watching everything now without reading descriptions. So much more emotional build-up and surprise. But, anyway, I digress.
With very few exceptions, Secret Garden did everything right. An unexpected plot journey, a phenomenal cast (even down to the supporting actors - Lee Jong Suk isn't just brilliant as a main lead in dramas...), beautiful settings, an evocative and unique soundtrack, heaps of awkward comedy, tear-jerking drama, and more. It was (and still is) everything I could ask for in a show.
Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won are simply incredible. Their chemistry is immediate, and it becomes an excellent foundation for the remainder of the story. Honestly, though, while I have a certifiable girl crush on Ha Ji Won, Hyun Bin truly made this drama. Completely. From the comedy of the body switching to the drama of the later episodes, he NAILS IT. The growth and changes that his character experiences are so fun to watch.
If you are unfamiliar with kdramas and would like to start, give Secret Garden a try. It's a great example of when things are done right. Even if you are a kdrama veteran and still have not managed to see it, I would still recommend it. There's a reason why so many dramas include bits from it.
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An Eternal Nightmare
After watching Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms when it first streamed, I was very excited to watch Eternal Love of Dream despite the change in story. However, I was very disappointed in it and found it hard to watch. It took me several months to get through it which rarely happens.Pros:
- Bringing back Vengo Gao and Dilraba Dilmurat was the best part of the show and frankly the only reason I persisted through it till the end. Their chemistry, as before, was flawless and their acting was on point. No complaints there!
- The cinematography was lovely and I found the sets to overall be more realistic than in TMOPB.
- As always the OST was beautiful.
- Costuming, again, was perfect. I appreciated how each tribe had their own general but unique style without all looking the same.
Cons:
-This may seem minor or petty, but I was not fond of some of the recasts, Cheng Yu in particular. The new actress appears significantly younger and some of her scenes with Lian Song just didn't work for me with the obvious age difference, she just seems too young for him. The actress in TMOPB seemed to be a more comparable age and the two actors played off each other much better, in my opinion.
-The plot positively dragged for me. The constant misunderstandings between Feng Jiu and Dong Hua from the very beginning to quite literally the very end got exhausting after a while. The fact that neither seemed to learn from past mistakes was also frustrating and that more than a few of their misunderstandings seemed very forced, that if they had just used some common sense there wouldn't even be an issue, just compounded the issue. A'Lanruo's Dream was a particular challenge to get through. There were aspects that were not explained well and it got confusing at times with what was going on and who was who and what their relationships were. Most of it got ironed out in the end, but in the moment it was confusing and frustrating. I also never got a very clear picture of why A'Lanruo was hated so much by everyone or why she was abandoned as a child. There were hints, but nothing definitive so the blanks within her life were another source of frustration.
- I very much liked Feng Jiu in TMOPB, but I realized very soon after starting this drama that part of that was because she was seen in small doses overall. With her as the lead in this drama, I definitely found her to be a little more over the top and annoying at times. When she's a fox towards the beginning was particularly cringy and a challenge to watch. I would have really liked to see her character develop and mature and mellow from the childishness to a more measured level.
- The side characters were a mixed bunch. Ji Heng in particular annoyed the crap out of me. She was a basically pointless character whose only purpose was to sow discord between Feng Jiu and Dong Hua. Xiao Yan deserved so much better than her whininess. Xiao Yan on the other hand was a lot of fun and I enjoyed seeing Lian Song and Si Ming back. Chong Li was a welcome addition as was Qing Ti. As a side note, I found the dismissal of the deaths of Meng Shao and his family more than a little irritating. I came to really like Meng Shao and appreciate his character development so the fact that his death was barely mentioned and even then just in passing as part of the royal family was off-putting. He wasn't a main character, but he had enough of a part to deserve a little more recognition.
-The villains were okay but not particularly impressive. Miao Luo's obnoxious evil laugh got old real fast and I never found her to be particularly threatening or interesting. It could be that I'm just forgetting, but I didn't get a real sense for why she was evil or what her motivation was other than because of how she was created. At least with Nie Chuyin his motivation was clearly power and the desire to rule. I honestly would have found it more interesting to have him as the main villain as he was far more compelling and interesting to watch.
- As with pretty much every drama I've watched, the CGI definitely leaves more than a little to be desired. The episodes with Feng Jiu in her fox form were a bit painful to watch, in more ways than one. The bad effects and her behavior combined made those some tough episodes to get through.
-A relatively minor issue, but I always get frustrated with these fantasy dramas and how unclear they make the passage of time. You watch a few episodes and think a few days or months have gone by only to find out that nope, its been a few hundred years. I feel like they could make that a little more clear.
In the end, did I hate it? No. Did I love it? Also no. It wasn't a bad drama, but it wasn't a particularly good one either. It pales hugely in comparison to TMOPB in pretty much all aspects. It's certainly not one that I'll ever have the desire to rewatch but I also don't necessarily regret watching it either. It simply wasn't quite my cup of tea.
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“Tree” took a while to pull me in, but once the writers found their groove and the verbal fireworks began, it was riveting. Against the backdrop of a violent era, it asks if the brush can ever be mightier than the sword. If there is power in writing, and if so, who deserves to use it. If literacy is liberation or a different kind of slavery. Characters wield speech like blades in philosophical duels where systems of government and social orders hang in the balance. This is argument as blood sport – spectacular, visceral and deadly.
The cast tackles their paragraphs of text with gusto, and the director keeps the camera moving and the tension high. The final episodes falter a bit, veering away from ideas and more towards traditional action, with an ending that felt yanked from a summer blockbuster instead of developing organically from the drama's themes. Perhaps this was designed to appease nervous studio execs desperate to get to away from all the talking. It’s a small price to pay though for a show that is otherwise so smart, unconventional, and emotionally engaged as it teases out the limits and possibilities of language.
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It was a fun ride, but...
Another airing drama that I followed ending! Honestly, I have mixed feelings with this one, so I feel like this gonna be a lengthy review lol so bear with me :)What I love:
–Pi, I love Pi's character as a whole. Honestly, I would say I love him as much as I love Tian from ATOTS if not less. Him, his insecurities, his weakness, his determination, I love how he is flawed and it made him such a complex character, and he feels real. His story was so sad if we actually think about it, and every action he made honestly really understandable considering how hard it has been for him all these while. (and honestly? the portrayal of him as someone ugly before he change is just BS lol, he is pretty from the beginning!)
–Nan!! Of course I'm gonna mention the character that made me start this from the beginning. I understand why Pi was so attracted to him, hes like all the good things in this world put in a person. I wish he wouldve had more screen time (which he couldve had if this series didnt give so much screentime for the loud annoying shippers lol) because most of his scene was wise and just calming to watch lol
–Duean & Meen! Honestly, I love them to the coreeee omg I never feel THIS much love for a 2nd couple but their scene never fails to made my day, and honestly i find their final confession scene more adorable than the main couple! I'm gonna miss Duean's lack of braincell and Meen's bubbly personality so badly
What I dislike:
–Lemme just drop the bomb and say, I dont like Mork :D Well hear me out, I dont HATE him, just a lil dislike towards some of his action on Pi, especially when he kinda force himself to Pi and almost not respecting Pi's space. Honestly, even in ep 11 when he said he respect Pi's decision to keep their relationship a secret, yet his action shows otherwise lol! He also didnt know how to keep his boundary when crushing on Pi and truth be told, I feel like Pi deserve someone better lol BUT he actually came thru for the last bit especially on the final confession scene so okay yeah he is acceptable or whatev lol
–For the nnth time, i freaking HATE the shippers, theyre straight up a creepy obsessive stalker who didnt know how to keep their nose away from others' business! Like do these folks dont have a life??? They didnt even respect Pi's privacy! Pi was literally scared shitless knowing they wanted to take photo of his house like thats just too much!
–That fake girlfriend character i forgot her name but all of her scenes cringe me to the core and honestly i wasnt even surprised when it turns out she was the one who revealed Pi's photos, she was sus from the start
–The pacing in this series is way too off! The first part feels like it can actually be sum up in less than 9 eps, then everything happened so fast after that which I feel couldve been lengthen into few more episodes instead. The pacing was slow at first and then BAM BAM so much thing happenend towards the end, you know what I mean? lol
LMAO i knew this gonna be lengthy at the dislike part 🤣 But nevertheless, it ends! I especially love the part after the two years past, its adorable seeing how Pi suddenly become clingy after Mork is no longer by his side all the time lol, I feel like I will remember how complex and unique Pi's character is for awhile, gonna miss him and Duean Meen now
7.2/10
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- This drama has so many things to offer to the viewers, and amongst all those things, one is the heartwarming friendship. This drama has one of the most wonderful portrayal of frienships that I've seen, and not just between the prisonmates. They might be at that place for different reasons, but they learn to lean on, rely and look out for each other.
- One of the most enticing things to look forward to in dramas (I guess this comes under the 'friendship' point mentioned above, but I have to mention this separately)- Bromance! This drama has plenty of it. Not just between the two 'main' characters, but between every single character in the drama.The bromance moments aren't just that'll make you laugh, although those are present. But also, there are bromance moments that'll make your heart feel like it's brimming over with feels.
- This drama has some serious #SQUAD-GOALS. The 2B6 wing is freaking awesome!!
- The comedy in the drama is top-notch. It's more subtle in it's approach, but that doesn't negate it's effect. Infact that fact alone makes those comic scene laugh-out-loud worthy. Those humour scenes mostly result from Je Hyeok's various interactions in prison. As he himself likes to put it, he's a bit 'stupid' when it comes to things other than baseball, which leads to some hilarious situations. Ofcourse, other character too, more than contribute the comedy in the drama.
- This drama is about each and every character, not just the main lead(s). It focuses on every single character, whether they are inmates, correction officers, or their families. And that's what makes the viewers fall in love with the characters here. It's hard to find a drama where you love (almost) all the charaters, whether they have minor or major role. I loved so many characters here, I think it's even hard to pick a favorite. But Lieutenant Paeng does come really close.
- Every character has a story. Of who they are. Of how they got here. Of what they dream of. Of what are their hopes for the future. Their story gives us insight into their personalities, and is one of the many things, that makes the viewer close to them.
- Aside from the individual acting of all the actors, which ofcourse is truly commendable, the chemistry between the characters here is crazy good! From Je Hyeok & Joon Ho, Joon Ho & his brother to Looney & Kaist, every character interaction will have you craving for more!
- For the romance lovers, there is romance. It's a bit subtle and can't be considered a main genre. But it is a sub-genre, and it's more than enough, believe me.
- Let's be honest for a second, and admit that there's a lot of prejudice attached with the word 'prison' alone. And there's a reaso for it. Whether they are rightly or wrongly convicted, for the law, and henceforth for the 'general public' they're still criminals, whatever their crimes may be. Hence the prejudice. But in this drama, the writer tries, and is successful, in breaking our preconceptions about those matters. The writer, through this beautiful drama, stresses on the fact that the convicts are, before anything else, human. And just like everyone else, they are also trying to live their life. Some are trying to make the best of their situations, trying to learn from their past mistakes, and are hoping for a better future. At the same time, there are also those who have despaired, and given up on their future. The writer beautifully captures both these types of inmates,
- Have to mention the OST, ofcourse. The songs were good and fitting with the series. I specially liked the songs the 'theme song' "OK', ", 'Bravo My Life' by Eric Nam, Would Be Better' by Heize & 'Like A Dream' by Park Boram
- If you're hesitating because of the run-time of the episode, or if by any chance, you find the first few episodes 'slow', my advice for you would be to keep watching. With this drama, you just need to find your rhythm and pretty soon you won't even notice how long the episodes are. Of course, you could always love the drama right from the start!
Well, that's about it for the review. I hope you give this one a chance, because otherwise you'll be missing out on a wonderful drama.
Happy Watching!!
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Just Say No.
This is not an easy drama to watch. It shines an unflinching spotlight on the unchecked, oppressive soft power of the uber rich and how society and by extension the legal system holds victims to an impossible standard of perfection. The narrative opens with a married, high powered CEO Cheng Gong caught in flagrante delicto with his assistant Zhao Xun, after an inebriated night of corporate entertainment. The media is at the scene and a full blown scandal ensues with dire consequences for both parties. Cheng Gong's team of fixers led by his relentless public relations executive Li Yi and a sharp lawyer Lin Kan swoop in immediately to understand and contain the situation.As the facts emerge, it becomes clear that Cheng Gong and Zhao Xun remember the night very differently and the situation devolves quickly into "he said she said". Zhao Xun is a mass of contradictions who struggles to understand her own version of the truth, which obviously does not square with Cheng Gong's. Both parties are victims that are damaged by the fallout and they each believe in their own version of the truth, which the drama explores in a very balanced way. The key question is does silence mean consent? This should be straightforward - she can just say no. She could have and should have done just that. Lin Yun delivers a heartbreakingly convincing articulation of just how difficult, near impossible it is for someone in Zhao Xun's position to do that in the face of the massively uneven power dynamics between herself and Cheng Gong. Her downfall was foreshadowed long before her failure to speak up at the point of no return. She was doomed from the moment he saw her, wanted her and tempted her with fast advancement, the material trappings of wealth and the heady mix of the power of the executive suite. She was complicit and she loathed herself for it. Yet I felt real sorry for her and I understood why she felt wronged. While most praise Zhou Xun's portrayal of Lin Kan, for me Lin Yun as Zhao Xun was the outstanding performance. She made me deeply empathise with this young, flawed, inconsistent, movingly vulnerable and imperfectly human character that struggles to find her voice.
Even though Liu Yijun always delivers, he takes it to the next level with his mesmerising portrayal of a sociopathic like Cheng Gong who believes that everyone has a price and how ruthlessly and manipulatively he wields his power to get his way. His sense of entitlement, utter lack of self awareness and inability to grasp how disconnected he is from common humanity and decency is scary and pathetic. As for Zhou Xun, her Lin Kan is a shark with a bottom line. Her skilled probing questions delivered with a sharp, liquid and searching gaze and her calm, dispassionate and and incisive legal analysis enunciated in her deep, rich and deliberate voice is superb. Her mature, confident beauty and elegant and nuanced empathic line delivery has taken viewers by storm. Only a phenomenal veteran cast like this can deliver such convincing, multi-faceted and realistic portrayals.
The drama's strongest arc is the opening - it made me very sad and very, very angry at pretty much every main character. This kind of story however is difficult to end in a good and realistic way. I think this would be a better if it were shorter as the drama's core message that women need to find their voice and that an imperfect victim is still a victim hits home early on. I didn't think Lin Kan's "Me Too" arc is necessary and it doesn't quite come off the right way how a stronger character succumbs to the same temptations yet manages to emerge largely unscathed albeit scarred nonetheless. I also don't like how Lin Kan is written overall notwithstanding Zhou Xun's charismatic acting. It would have been better if Lin Kan chose sides early in the game and was pitted against Li Yi or her mentor early on rather than making her all things to all people. This results in too many conflicts of interest that are just glossed over. Despite her alleged bottom line, Lin Kan appears unscrupulous in how close she gets to Zhao Xun. It is also not realistic that Zhao Xun never seeks her own legal advice. Finally, the way Lin Kan prevails using information she obtained while acting for the other side is just plain wrong and practically impossible.
The drama literally and figuratively goes off a cliff in a way that makes the last third of it a less convincing watch. It doesn't make sense that a smart and manipulative character like Cheng Gong continues to go persecute Zhao Xun after she becomes so wretched and pitiful. It is just a contrived way to force an ending message that in China, even imperfect victims can find their voice via the justice system. My biggest issue with the story however is that the worst, most vile character is a woman who enabled Cheng Gong and victimised Zhao Xun just as much if not more. She shows no remorse and there are no true consequences for her. This aspect of the ending deeply disappointed me; I needed to see her confronted and at least punched in the face! Despite her superb visual composition style, storytelling wise Yang Yang proves once again her inability to wrap up the narrative while she is ahead. Nonetheless, the first half or so of this drama tackles some heartbreaking and controversial issues masterfully and is worthy of an 8.5. Unfortunately the writing doesn't hold up and it nosedives into an 8.0 towards the end and that is my overall rating. It is still worth watching when you are in the mood for a thought provoking drama that closely resembles a recent real case with all around amazing acting.
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The main reason I got curious about it was all the fuss around MewArt (that I adore so much, as a couple and singles too) and also because of the work of Lazy Subber whose commentary made me laugh like nothing else xD
I will recommend this series if you're into something romantic and intriguing, but at the same time funny and easy (nothing too serious).
Also, this is way more explicit than half of the BL Thai dramas I've seen so far, at least in terms of physical interaction.
The age focus is also different: all the characters are already working and out of school/university.
However...
- the acting is so so. It aches me to say, but some scenes are not believable at all. I love all the cast, but they could have done way better
- the reasoning behind some characters choices is simply stupid and even though I loved the easygoing feeling of the main couple (Pop-Oat), i didn't get some part at all... and it wasn't because of the translation or a cultural barrier... it was just absurd.
- my full and total love goes to some sexy scenes (kisses and stuff), but I agree with some other opinions: it may seems fake. For me it wasn't the case, cause i was really involved and totally enjoying it xD (I sound like a pervert)
- I wish they spent more time on preeBo, analyzing Rambo's behaviour and Pree's one sided love for Pop better (they just threw facts at us, not giving any clear explanation or character analysis)
- I skipped many parts out of boredom (conversations between Pop and Mo)
- I hate Pent so much. I know he's a funny character, but I can't stand it... especially when he's with Rambo.
I must say I loved the bickering between Oat and Pop, and their story is very cute. It made me feel warm and cozy.
I'll not miss season 2, because I really hope the characters would grow and I'm so curious about the 2 couples.
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It wasn’t that bad actually it was pretty good and I recommend it.
This is to convince you that the drama is good but could’ve been perfect
First of all, all the cast fit the role they were given but i found Jin Se Yeon’s character kinda annoying as she kept hugging and embracing the main guy when she was engage with the second lead, kinda annoyed at how she couldn’t choose one and hold onto them both causing all three of them to get hurt and i kinda didnt like her beliefs, in one of the episodes somewhere when she was in the car with second lead she said it doesnt matter if a criminal gets let free and she believes he can change, that annoyed me as she seems to not care about people’s death which i know isn’t true bc in the earlier episode she apparently saved someone. Ugh i dont know her character just seemed flawed, her character here kinda reminds me of her character in doctor stranger, i dont like it.
The thing i liked the most from this drama was jang ki yong’s character, i liked how his character seemed psychopath but you somewhat will want to hug him as he seems to be getting blamed on, like his characters were hella precious. He’s the main guy but yet most of the times the second lead seemed more of a main guy than the actually main guy. It reminds me of this phrase ‘this is supposed to be my drama/ I dreamed this drama/dream’
I’m not sure if he died at the end or not but i think he did, at the last scene the female lead was crying while looking at the main guy (I think that was the main guy) but before that scene she was with the main guy at Old Future smiling.
Please give this drama a chance (; it could’ve been perfect there was only a few flaws and annoying things in this drama
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So if you want something light, fuzzy, hilarious, adorable and mildly steamy, then this is the drama for you. ;)
Also! I recommend you to watch the drama series first, then the movie, since the movie takes place after the drama.
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Excellent acting but slightly weak plot
I'm on holiday in Bangkok when I decided to catch the movie since I'm not sure if it will be shown in Singapore.First thing to note - It's not a BL movie but the chemistry between Mile and Apo is still there.
As someone who is not Thai, it feels weird realising that the dialogue was not in the Thai language that I'm used to with my Thai friends. I think it's in one of the many Thai dialects but got used to it within 15 mins of the movie.
The production is seriously gorgeous. The costumes, the make-up, the backdrop was all so beautiful. It is a visually appealing movie in every way.
Apo's acting improved a lot compared to back in KinnPorsche. Bas was a little bit underuse but the scene between Apo, Mile, Tong & him - Bas completely stole the scene from everyone. I hope people in the industry notice more of his skills. Personal opinion - I feel that Mile's acting was the weakest among the 4 of them. I felt that the other 3 step up their game while Mile's acting was still the same back in KinnPorsche but still love him.
The plot was okay. I felt that something is missing from the storyline but I'm not sure what it is.
Overall, totally worth it for me to catch it at the cinema while on holiday!
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What you get out of this story is a relatively light weight romance, I thought the two leads had great chemistry and I always enjoyed seeing them on screen together. There are scenes where they're playfully teasing each other which were delightful such as when he asks her if she's hungry, she replies that she is, thinking he's inviting her to dinner, and then he suggests that she should eat well with her family then as that's what he's going to do. It's a simple back and forth but in the context of where their relationship is (or isn't) at the time I thought it was a great example of the little teasing they're doing on a number of occasions as they try and figure out what they mean to each other.
There's some mild threat throughout but it's paper thin and generally resolved without too much going on, the threat(s) create the backbone for the start of the story and then serve to advance elements of the romance part of the story, rather than really being much in their own right.
One really interesting question that this drama poses that should cause some debate is about the age of a person who is frozen. If you are 20 when you are frozen, frozen for 20 years and thawed - how old are you? - In a country where age is so important it's no surprise such a question is posed. If you were sunbae when you went in, are you hoobae now?
You will still in your mind and body be a 20 year old, but your birth date says you're 40. Your knowledge of the world is in no way current, your mind set matches that of someone closer to 40 than 20. They don't answer the question (which is good, this is the wrong place to answer the question, but a perfectly good place to ask it) but they do explore some interesting situations such as potential romantic interest with her best friends son (because her friend matches her natural age, and the son matches her "frozen" age). There's other bits that come up, and it's interesting to consider the options.
I was really frustrated towards the start because of the over the top reactions from a couple of the characters, one of them could barely stay upright half the time and both looked like they were having some kind of coronary. I thought it was over the top and in the early stages of the show made me start to think this was trying to be a farce comedy - which it really isn't - and since I really don't like farce I was getting ready to drop it (I really don't drop dramas either, that's how much it was annoying me). I'm glad I didn't, it settles down and the total nuts characters balance out a bit letting the rest of the story develop, some times funny, sometimes upsetting, but I found it always interesting.
Ending was good, but it almost looks like it's going to trip and fall - however it doesn't. Though, seriously, the old-man-cardigan in one of the final scenes, that was a bit over the top :)
This was my first drama with Won Jin-Ah and I am absolutely going to be looking up more of her work, she has such a unique voice and presence and i'm really interested to see how she delivers different types of characters as she certainly seems to have the range.
Ji Chang Wook was good as always, nothing too taxing for his first drama outing since returning from the Army but one that lets him show a sensitive side where previously he's perhaps been doing more of the action-type roles.
It's about as deep as a puddle, but it's light, fun, no stupid breakups, cute scenes with a cute couple as they find their way to romance. Mild threat causes some bumps along the way, more so towards the conclusion, leading to a reasonable ending.
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Secret crush, Supportive romance, friendship, business issues
The review and sypnosis may be alittle misleading. It seems typical fluff C-romance drama BUT the plot isnt that.1. It appears as one sided unrequited love.. but pleasantly its a secret crush too
2. Its pretty romantic FL falls for ML twice.. she just couldnt help herself :p
3. FL is pretty brave from love letters to confessing the 2nd time.
4. ML isnt cold or tsundere as you would expect. First 1/3 was his grudge. He's actually pretty accomodating and sweet.
5. The love triangle is there but does not get irritating or too long to resolve.
6. The drama highlights you are the best looking in the eye of the beholder.. for both ML and FL
7. ML and FL are a vy pleasing CP imo. Good chemistry and vy natural together. They support each other thru the company's struggles.
8. Daddi tang shows his sweeter and kind of goofy appeal. Sun Qian is pretty adorable and girl can pull off coquettish lines too.
9. Plot concentrates (especially last third of the drama) on all members of Voya company. They are both friends and comrades in a small business trying to accomplish their dreams and make it big in the app world
10. I like FL's dad and his story arc too.
11. I really like FL's outfit. Shes beautiful with good built and bodyshape too. ML's styling esp hair really suits him too.
My qualms
1. Trailer markets it as romantic fluff. So i was intially awaiting fluffy scenes.. except there werent much. Ofcourse im glad the "cringey, tripping, fall on your lips" dont exist in this drama.. BUT i felt there were a little stingy on ML-FL romantic moments. Dont expect Put your head on my shoulder type.. that spends alot of episodes purely on ML and FL interaction. Would have benefited with MORE cause Daddi Tang and Sun Qian are good actors with good rapport on screen.
2. The focus on their business struggle may not be for everyone. I respect this part of the story as well as the team spirit but again they probably could have done it better by balancing with more ML-FL solo interactions
3. The ending was good but again i was left wanting.. for a more personal scene between our main couple.
So although i really enjoyed it, i find they MISSED out on making this drama - something special, something much more memorable than what we have.
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I started watching because I saw a clip of Vier helping Love out of the water. Most male actors have a hard time playing a fenale in a male body but this was the exception. Male Love never felt like a guy was the character but it also didn't feel cheesy.Pros: the acting was incredible. When Love is stuck as a boy in ep 4, her/his screams were so painful. Just like when Tangmo died infront of her/him. Tangmo was also a strong actor, you could see him start to fall for love and his heartbreak was subtle but perfect. Vier's guilt was well portayed as well.
The plot was another pro. Rather than take the general route where a guy falls in love with the guy only to find out he was a she and have a happy hetero ending, this had Tangmo like Love as a guy and embrace that and when he found out Love is a she but stuck as a he, he expressed that he didn't care what her body was just that they were them.
There was more than just romantic love expressed as Vier dealt with his fatherly love, Good and Love shared familial love, and friendship was strong.
Cons: The small con I found was that with only 8 episodes I thought it was a poor choice to have Nuclear have a love subplot. It did not add to the show and took time away. The first episode needed better pacing. The last episode was a bit rushed ad well.
Overall the show was a pleasant genderbend and a story that has everything.
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Starts boring, then interesting then boring again??
The first time I watched Episode One, I was bored. Not really bored but just bored, but since EP2 was coming out in two days I said "let's give this drama a chance." And it was amazing! For the first part...The story is suppose to be a life as a idol, or at least that's what I think. Does this drama portrayed that? I'm not an idol so how would I know? But I could say the drama handled it pretty okay? I was thinking the show would put limelight into the idol life and how hard and stressful it is. I mean it did that, but only for some scenes. Most of this turned into a rom-com.
But that's not my main problem. It's just some relationships I don't like and have a problem with.
MA-HA AND RYEOK (Main couple)
I could say they're pretty cute. The only problem I have with them (well really Ryeok) is how Ryeok breaks up with her (Ma-ha) EP9 because he's worried about Shax's. Then literally the NEXT. The NEXT episode, they get back together? I get they're 12 episodes but come on, what the hell was the point of the break up then? For tension? If so, their was barely any. I get the breakup's are suppose to be like a "Oh my gosh NOOO!" for the viewers moments but if they broke up, at least give them 2 episodes to get back together? The romance with them felt kind of force? I did admit they're pretty cute but the first few episodes I couldn't really say 'aww" to a lot of their moments up until EP4 or EP5.
RI AH AND LEE HYUN
I personally can't say much about them, they barely get any screen time soo... They would look cute together though. Don't really love them but don't hate them either.
HYUN JI AND YOO JUN
Oh my gosh does this couple suck. No offense to any of you guys who like this couple nor any disrespect to the actors but I see no chemistry at all. It's obvious Hyun Ji has feelings for Yoo Jun but him? No. It looks like he doesn't even like her romantically. They barely even had interactions together, unless it was just him asking about Ma-ha. I really didn't like these two, by EP9 I was hoping they would get more development as a couple but nope. nope nope nope, did they not.
LA LI MA
I love her so much! Her character AND her actor! At first, you probably think (if you didn't read the webtoon) that Li Ma will be the antagonist/jealous SFL (second female lead) of the show. But it's really not like that!
FLAWS
Only flaw I can find (other than some of the actors acting) is the relationship between Hyun Ji and Yoo Jun. And some more duration time into the episode would've been great for character/relationship development. I mean that's a lot of problems with 12 episode shows, character development.
SHAX'S FANS
Oh my gosh do I hate the main three fan girls. So annoying! But they also do show something, They show a lot of real fans out their of real idols. Some fans actually do stalk their favorite idol and get way to much into their personal lives. As much as I hated the Shax fans, I'm glad they got showed.
EUNJO AND ANNIE
Honestly, yes they have a sad story but their plot reminds me of At a distance, Spring is Green with Yeo Jun's family problems barely being apart of the plot even though there's a lot of flashbacks. The same thing with Eunjo and Annie, their plot is barely brought up and resolved easily by 2 episodes.
Honestly when it starts getting boring is around EP10. Even though their was some REALLY GOOD ost in that episode!
The acting was good! I willingly just watched this because it was an upcoming drama, knowing none of the actors! Some scenes had some average acting, some bad and some good.
The Music. OH. MY. IS IT GOOD! I love ALLL of the ST (sound tracks) played in this show! This is mostly why I'm giving it what I gave it. I’m mostly biased here since I'm a huge k-pop fan.
Am I rewatching? Yes but not all episodes. As I did state I didn't like a lot of the relationships here. I'll rewatch episodes like EP4, EP7 and more.
SUMMARY
In total, the show is about a rising girl group, a popular boy group, and an average boy group all trying to make it bigger and bigger into the industry while obviously having a bit of drama and relationships on the side. I recommend to stay for the music if you hate the relationships as some relationships suck/have no development or are just average and have cute moments.
Anyway. Consider yourself lucky if you didn't watch this while it was airing, the torture of waiting every Friday for 1 episode. ONE.
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