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"If obsession isn't love, then I have never loved before"
The film stars Kim Go eun as Jaehee, a bold and free-spirited woman, and Noh Sang hyun as Heungsoo, a young gay man struggling to accept his identity in conservative Seoul, navigating their unusual and unique friendship.Jaehee, who often misunderstood and misjudged by others, finds comfort in Heung-soo's company, while Heungsoo learns to embrace himself with Jaehee's help. The film beautifully balances heavy themes with lighthearted moments, all thanks to the strong chemistry between the leads.
>>Comparing the movie to the series:
The series showcased ML's bold lifestyle in different stages of life and his journey towards love, heartbreak and acceptance, on the other hand the movie emphasized one of his important part of life i.e his friendship with the FL, we did see a bit part of her in the series. Both versions stayed true to the main storyline but differ in their execution.
Both Lee Soo Kyung/Nam Yoon Su and Kim Go Eun/Noh Sang Hyun are different genre of same kind. Please don't try differentiate between the series and movie as both has its own charm. I enjoyed both of them very much.
Overall, it is a touching tale of friendship, self-discovery, and acceptance, making it a must-watch for fans of heartfelt romances.
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It's about a friendship between seven really different teenage girls that survives throughout time. It's a story about love and loyalty and how sweet memories can taste so that you smile every time you think about them. Everyone of us has those memories.
So this movie is about the real life. About the best times of our lifes. After watching it your heart will feel full, I promise.
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Now that's out of the way,
This movie contains some 'difficult to watch scenes' and explicit, yet realistic portrayals of sex.
''I want to know what women want, what they're thinking. If they could have ANYTHING, what do women really desire?''
When do our desires become perverse, what is perversion?
This movie seeks to explore not only human sexuality, but the disconnection from humanity that so much of today's youth experience.
We don't know how to connect, where to begin.
For some, sexual encounters are the ultimate disconnect we seek, for others it's the single point of connection.
This movie seeks to portray ''meaningless sexual encounters'' in their correct context, it will perhaps help YOU redefine your interpretation of meaningless sex.
Once this movie is finished, take a moment to ponder - what kind of sexual encounter was meaningless to him?
I have my own thoughts on that.
We follow a completely ordinary man, in an extraordinary occupation in which he ultimately finds solace, defeating loneliness by gaining his own version of ''great purpose''.
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I remember I had found out about this drama on YouTube when the trailer had showed up on my feed (https://youtu.be/GUV50QDDR-M). I was about to not click on it, but I'm glad I did. The trailer was soo cute and I really thought that the show was airing already. I immediately shared the trailer with my friend and she was hooked in! We began obsessing over when the show was going to air, and even counting down how many days until the first episode would release (lol). If you were following the drama on it's MDL page, you would know that the airing date was originally said to be November 30, but then it was updated to November 9! I think I've watched the trailer more than ten times now just to fill the time as I wait for new episodes to be released.
This drama is generally about a girl who is the childhood friend of the boy she likes. They go to school together, and eventually mutual feelings develop. While this happens, a new male student is introduced, and happens to become the male lead's rival (there is a female rival too, but she isn't a major part of the story). Although there is a love triangle, nothing overly dramatic or harsh happens between the male characters, except for a little jealousy here and there. This is mainly because they share the same friend circle, and the boys are pretty mature...although...the male lead gets jealous quite a lot XD. Also, the story secretly highlights some real issues people face in life, and that not everything in life goes as smoothly as planned (work, college, relationships). On a side note, the high school portion of the story does take up a majority of the drama (meaning there are more episodes focused on it), but nevertheless it is still a wonderful drama.
I also want to point out some key characteristics of the different people in this drama.
Chen Xiaoxi: She is a very easy-going, cute, innocent, and funny character. Although she isn't the brightest when it comes to her studies, sports, and other things, she shows determination regardless. I personally think she is the friend people wish they had during their childhood.
Jiang Chen: He is very smart, good-looking, and mature for his age. Unlike many other dramas, he does secretly like Xiaoxi back--though we constantly see him trying to pretend to not be interested in Xiaoxi--and isn't afraid to let her know later in the story. I love that his love for Xiaoxi never strays, and in his heart there is no room for anyone else but her.
Wu Bosong: He is a very thoughtful, sweet, and funny person. We often see him running back and forth to get things for Xiaoxi and make sure that she is okay. A lot of the things he does for Xiaoxi he hides it from her, and I especially loved the time where he told the store owner to say that everything was less expensive than it really was, for Xiaoxi. He is the guy that all girls wish they meet. He is honestly just soo caring!
Jing Jing: I absolutely love her, she is such a great friend to Xiaoxi, and stands up for her friends no matter one. She is smart, pretty, and strong as an individual.
Lu Yang: He is so cute and funny. Although he is very childish, he can be a very serious person. He is a person who does not take friendships lightly, and will always help out no matter what.
I personally found this drama very cute, funny, and light-hearted. It has just the right feel and even though it's supposed to be a romance drama, it didn't feel overwhelming. What I mean by that is the drama didn't have one scene after another that was solely focused on the main characters, at least in the beginning when they were still in high school. It didn't shout "ROMANCE" all the time. It was balanced, and focused in on other relationships too and the overall "story", if you get what I mean; which I think is something Chinese dramas excel in. For me, I prefer when dramas develop an exciting plot and not just an exciting romance story. As the story goes on, I noticed that towards the last few episodes where it is focusing on their adulthood, that the pace of the story picked up. Although it did not affect my experience in watching the drama, I wish the drama could have slowed down a little bit and been a little longer. There were multiple times where the story suddenly jumped through a period of time in their life ("one month later").
Overall, I would definitely recommend this drama. This is literally the drama I have been waiting for for my entire life. No other drama can compare. A Love So Beautiful has a simplistic storyline but such a powerful one too, conveying all sorts of emotions.
P.S. If you were wondering how tall Hu Yitian is he's 188cm, and Shen Yue is 160cm.
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1Brilliant Scheming Drama Full of Smart Characters, Equally Matched in Term of Wits & Mind Games.
I always want Ren Jialun in heavy scheme political drama and I finally got my wish with Love of Nirvana. I love how clever and matched everyone is in this games of wit and how everyone literally aware of everyone's scheming and mind games. The steps are either 2 or 3 ahead and you only see it when it happens. Some of the chess moves are really unexpected, surprising and also served as plot twists. I usually can only guess the first step as the 2nd step usually comes later when you see the water repels on the course of the actions.THE PREMISE
At first, you need to understand the premise of this drama on how the ML and FL first met each other. The ML is from Yueluo, a slave nation while the FL is from Liang, the nation that enslaved his people -- so obviously, he only has contempt and hatred towards the Liang people. The point when you watch this drama is see the leads as enemies at war instead of love interest since that is what they truly are -- all they wanted to do is to kill each other, genuinely. The romance only come much later when they finally see each other for who they truly are -- which is the same kind of people of the opposite sites. They did not romanticize it at all which I appreciate. It supposed to be seen as torture and nothing else -- she is a Liang woman assisting a Liang official and mess up his missions again & again -- its as simple as that. If you can get over this part, then you gonna enjoy the ride since this drama is full of twist and surprises.
THE COMPLEX CHARACTERS
All the three leads are characters who is not only complex, but also full of layers with very clear motives. You are not supposed to judge them at first glance since they are all wearing masks intended to misled your first impressions. The 'mask' that Wei Zhou is wearing is a symbol not only used literally to hide his identity but as well as figuratively for the audiences not to judge him and perceived him on the surface -- the cruel assassin mask he put on during his missions, then another façade he is putting when he is in his official robes in front of everyone and his real face -- the look of sadness and helplessness like how everything inside of him is crumbing down when he put the names of his fallen people inside the box after failed missions. The same can be seen with Jiang Ci, our female lead -- on the front she is just this bubbly girl who smile a lot but she is actually one of the cleverest characters on the show. She knew she being used but regardless of that, she wont let anyone used her as can be seen in this drama -- Wei Zhou can used her as a pawn and looks where it got him. Same with Pei Yan trying to control her freedom -- and look how she ended up doing thing exactly where her heart tells her to. Same with Pei Yan -- do not be fooled with his nice and gentle demeanor as he is as manipulative and cunning. Under his good guy persona, he fools everyone to get what he wants. But at the same time, his concern towards Jiang Ci is genuine which add to the weird complexity of his character. Between his loyalty to his country and his filial piety towards his mother who raised him, its all adds up to make him the man that he is.
THE SMART & BRILLIANT SCRIPT FULL OF SYMBOLISMS, METAPHORS, ANALOGIES, HIDDEN MEANINGS, FORESHADOWINGS & THE USAGE OF UNIQUE & CREATIVE STORYTELLING
The scheming and mind games in Love of Nirvana is so well written as it involves really high level chess game moves from both sides. They are all shades of grey which makes everything even more interesting since they basically have no limit. How brilliant is the scheming? It even involves planting a wrong thoughts on innocent person to give misleading impressions towards the enemies. And the drama does a lot of ''show'' instead of ''tell'' so you have to be aware of every clues, smirk, moves and objects as they are used to show the characters motives and actions as well as their thoughts.
The symbolisms used in this drama is really a lot. I love how they show Wei Zhou kept a white bird in a beautiful big cage as the bird represent himself -- the hidden identity of lavish lifestyle with richness and adoration but actually trapped and wanting to get the freedom and justice he longed for his people who being sold as slaves and prostitutes and they humiliation they faced under the Liang's tyranny. Also, the symbolism of Pei Yan repelling the water in a calm pond of fish is the literal things he did to his corrupt family members which turning their peaceful world upside down like he has the hands of God. Aside from that, the use of object to show intention of the character is done marvelously. In one of the scenes, they show Wei Zhou rejected Madam Ronggue's offer of collaboration with tea; 'The tea is quite nice, but it's not to my liking' then the camera proceed with the focus of Madam Ronggue pouring the tea anyway inside his empty cup after he leaves and said 'It's not up to him to decide.' -- thus we knew what is her next chess moves after that.
Also, I love the metaphor of the black orchid seed which being used and described by Jiang Ci -- again, figuratively and literally. The black orchid seed can't be washed no matter how you try to get rid of it which she used on Wei Zhou to track where he goes as evidence. Just like the seed of doubt she planted on Pei Yan or the Emperor (no matter how much Wei Zhou try to wash it later) and these doubts will kept on growing and will crack with times if they managed to read her letter.
Aside from that, the foreshadowing -- there are so much of it all over the drama. From the song lyrics (which has hints of the ending) to all the leads' conversations with each other like the conversation that Jiang Ci had with Pei Yan about the big responsibility or big picture and how admirable Pei Yan is for holding out to that one. No, it wasn't to show where love blooms between them but it is to give us the insight of what's inside her head -- the understanding and admiration she has towards people who fight for what is right which is what Wei Zhou is doing for his people. It wasn't the red flag where he torture her that made she fall for him, but she finally see him beyond the façade he put or the masks he wears -- he might fool other people like the sword dance he did in front of everyone but she truly see him as what he is beyond the act he put in front of her. I thought the directing is great for the particular scene and the point of turn where Jiang Ci finally see Wei Zhou in different light.
The drama also trust you as an audiences to remember the details and make the connections and compare on the actions and behaviors of the characters. For an example, the contrast of actions of the characters of the 2 male leads -- it is done so subtlety to show to the audiences the swift change in state of mind of Jiang Ci. For starter, we all know how free spirited is Jiang Ci -- while Pei Yan clipped her wings, Wei Zhou in the other hands lets her fly and spread her wings. Pei Yan will limit what Jiang Ci wants to do while Wei Zhou will praise her and ask her to show more of her skills and abilities. Also, when Jiang Ci wants to join any investigation, Pei Yan will stop and forbid her while Wei Zhou will open the door for her. And while doing good deeds to the poor people, Wei Zhou did it at the back without anyone knowing while Pei Yan doing it openly and get adored by everyone. Apart from that, when Jiang Ci gave them the food of the poor, Wei Zhou accept and eat it while Pei Yan left it untouched. This all have the same situation but produce different kind of results between these 2 characters. As to why this 2 gives a very different reactions to the same situation? It comes back to their childhood. While both of them are caged birds, Wei Zhou grew up in a loving family during his fundamental childhood development years where he is taught compassion, love and also understanding -- he only caught later and become slave after that. While Pei Yan grew up in a completely toxic environment the whole of his life which build this very obsessive traits inside of him. While Wei Zhou only become ruthless and unhinged when he's in a mask, he is become kinder to everyone once they are in his intimate circle just like what Jiang Ci has becomes. Thats why Jiang Ci is no longer afraid of him since she seen him without the 'mask'. While Pei Yan in the other hand become completely different when someone become closer to him -- he ended up becoming controlling and taking away their agency just like the 'love' he knew from his mother. Thus, this completely different results of the same situation from the two of them.
Also, the use of deceptive storytelling. The fun part of scheming drama is for you to guess the outcome and Love of Nirvana done this part really well. They will show misleading scenes but at the same time giving different clues so you can guess together with the main characters until the truth is revealed. A lot of plot twists are happened this way that totally caught you off guard but once you know it, it made complete sense and how those clues aligned like pieces of puzzles.
Aside from that, the use of poems to convey emotion are done brilliantly. The prime example of this is the Poem Banquet at the Eastern Palace. All of them are speaking in riddles with flowers as the topic but actually sending their personal message to Jiang Ci. And Jiang Ci, the clever girl that she is responding the opposite and burnt them with her replies. The whole scene is like a smart people conversation with each other -- poetic, seemed unharmed exchanged of literature piece to outsiders but laced with poisonous message to those people it directed to. Not to mention the conversations full of riddles. Like the conversation that Wei Zhou have with the Emperor. They are talking in metaphor but both understand each other clearly.
THE THEME OF REVENGE, FREEDOM, HOPE, PREJUDICE & FILIAL PIETY
From how restricting on 'freedom' did to people and the baggage they have to carry and live with -- which can be seen with Jiang Ci's characteristics (a free bird) and both of the MLs' characteristics (caged beautiful birds) and how they turn out to be. Also, the message of 'Hope' is all over the drama -- how the Liangjiu flowers has stopped blooming for 20 years due to the mass grave but has bloomed again. And also the theme of prejudice -- how Wei Zhou is also shedding his prejudice slowly towards the Liang people and also helped them fighting against their corrupt officials.
This drama also deals with really heavy themes, decisions and choices. And the complexity of it makes it a very good watch as they are not sugar-coating it. We see Pei Yan's dilemma when he wants to stop the case only at corruption only at Nanling. Did he made the right decision to cast aside the SA victims? Of course not. But if the case go beyond corruption only, his clan, hundred of people will be annihilated since rebellion is a huge crime. Do you hate him? Of course! But do you understand his reasons? Yes as well. This also can be seen when Wei Zhou has to make the hard decision of opening the city gate or let all the hostages die. Not to mention in the last arc where he need to chose his own wish or the safety of his people. All these difficult decision making are done carefully without taking lightly of subject matters.
But despite this, there so many silver linings in the drama -- like the Lingjiu flowers that blooms again at Yueluo. Or the friendship that Jiang Ci form with all the Yueluo people -- at first they hate her but then they ended up really adore and love her. The hope of message is everywhere. Wei Zhou once told Jiang Ci that she cant change people -- him or anyone else. But we see how untrue is that. The irony of that statement and how its killing him later to make that difficult decision to deceive her. The drama deals with lots of heavy stuffs. It certainly not for everyone but it made sense, you understand the characters and why they are making those choices.
THE ROMANCE
While the romance is really slow burn, the progress of the 2 main leads' relationship was done delicately. Ren Jialun has amazing amazing chemistry with Li Landi. Lots of their scenes together involves staring into each other but instead of it being awkward, all those scenes glows beautifully. I love how she touched him with his childhood swing and tease him with it or how he drew on her face to cheer her up or just their interactions with each other -- it was really wholesome and sweet.
And I love the scene where Wei Zhou is having a nightmare and Jiang Ci pet his hands to calm him down. He was so restrained even when he's in his private time -- he just grip his blanket tightly and still suppressing whatever things that haunt him in his sleep. Then you realized that Wei Zhou as a character is actually very restrained even in his crazy and unhinged phase -- he could make a new wound on Jiang Ci everytime he faces her but instead, he just poking her wound instead to remind her. I love the consistencies in the writing and you can see how its all adds up to the layers of his character.
Also, the depiction on how Wei Zhou slowly wear himself down around Jiang Ci is a joy to see. In the straining of his shoulder scene where she is putting medicine on him, the stare that he gave her is the confident stare -- like he had her on the palm of his hands. But later, all those confident stares are gone -- when she falls down on him or when he saw her washing his face and neck or when he found her hugging him in his sleep, it was 'Oh noes, I'm in deep trouble!' face since now it is him who is at her disposal.
On top of that, I love how even when they are at their angsty part of the relationship but the show still managed to make it healing as well. There is thorn, but there is hope as well. Just like when Wei Zhou was given the poisonous flowers by Jiang Ci, but he gave her back small red flowers that she placed on his hair at Yueluo to show that all flowers will bloom again just like their love. I love how this small red flowers are used as their language of love towards each other as he used the same red flowers later to tell her that he will protect her. I really love all this hidden message that we can get from the subtle storytelling.
Aside from that, I love how many of their scenes together conveyed so many things despite many thing are left unspoken. For an example the scene where Wei Zhou fainted after the war and woke up on the bed and Jiang Ci is feeding him the orange. The way the Director focus on his trembling hands and the way Jiang Ci cries silently beside him -- it is to show that she knew he was poisoned but she didn't say anything since she knew he doesn't want her to know. And him looking guilty but also chose to stay silent since if they actually say it out loud -- it will be too unfair, thus not saying anything at all is the kinder way for them to cope with the tragedy. I'm so marveled at how the writer, director and both Ren Jialun and Li Landi conveyed that scene -- it made the scene more heartbreaking and devastating somehow.
CONCLUSION
The drama is so well written with lots of heavy themes and they were handled brilliantly. I love how it did not shy away to show how all these characters are making really hard decisions and they are not sugar coating or give them the easy way out. And all the scheming and mind games are top level but most of all, the amazing script! The conversations full of riddles, the use of symbolisms, metaphors, analogies, foreshadowing and deceptive storytelling made it such a fun ride.
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The writing/direction/production team all paid close attention to detail and crafted both scenes and sets with clues and forshadowing that make it the perfect sort of show to rewatch.
For anyone who is into story analysis, it struck me in the closing scenes that they wrote a Hero's Journey into a romance plot (not along side it, but literally, the romance IS a hero's journey), which is really something amazing. I can't say I've ever seen it before. So, I feel like it's not hyperbole when people say this is the best show they've ever watched. It's pretty amazing.
(Original review written around episode 8 below):
There's so much going on in this series that I love. The writing is tight, well paced, and presents at the same time a fascinating puzzle of a time travel story; a deep reflection on grieving; a thriller-type murder-mystery; and a double romantic comedy, played out in different timelines. It is genuinely a cross-genre show, so don't go in expecting pure comedy OR pure drama.
The acting is fantastic. I have always thought Alice Ke was an exceptional actress and she's not disappointing here. I liked Greg Hsu in Love Storm, and he's even better in this. The whole cast is great, but these two really shine. Directing. It's brilliant. Together, the writing and directing are letting the mystery of the time travel as well as the murder unfold in a way that raises new questions as it answers old ones. The directing includes so many little details that not only draw us into the mystery of the time travel, but hint at the more overarching explanation of what is happening. There are nice little symbolisms, like the red earbuds that the leads share at times, which creates a red thread linking them. There are also many conversations and dreams that we see early on that take on new meaning as the story unfolds, giving a sense that all the details matter... there's no filler here.
There are some more ambiguous symbols as well. There's some significant representations of enclosure and separation/isolation. These could represent grief and loss, which is a major theme in the drama, but they take on additional potential meaning in terms of what is really happening... that there is loss, grief, and perhaps the potential to heal or even change the past is a given. But what isn't given is that what we see is the actual story; many of the symbols reinforce the sense of fragmented reality that the female lead experiences in both her grief and her early experience of time travel.
For example, the "broken audio/video" shifts between scenes, especially with time travel, play into the fact that in the first few episodes the transition from an ordinary story about living with grief to a supernatural story about time travel/fate is started by the use of technology, once to find a "doppleganger" and the second time to use virtual reality to "reunite" with the lost love. While nothing much is made of this (and as of the 8th episode, it hasn't become a factor), these sorts of hints are beautifully done. They make it harder to guess the overarching explanation while at the same time they work on their own. That is, if it turns out that they were never anything more than a couple of scenes in the first few episodes and had nothing to do with the over-arching story, they still work. They aren't just red-herrings to obscure the truth, they are integral moments in the character development and plot that *could* mean more.
Long story short: it's fabulous, and given how well done it is so far, I'd really be surprised if it stopped being fabulous.
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This is the first time I'm writing a review, I'm not good at wording my thoughts out but I wanted to give this a try because I just really want to praise this drama, if I could give it a 100/10 score I certainly would. It raises the bar too high for all k-dramas and TV shows in general for me. GO WATCH IT NOW! You surely won't regret it.
Plot: it's a remake of the U.K. TV show going by the same name, I haven't watched it myself so I had no prior idea of how the plot would go. I have to say it's outstanding. I personally love crime and suspense dramas so this was definitely my cup of tea and it exceeded my expectations by a lot. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of humour in the drama, despite the heavy cases they had to work on the writers managed to incorporate light-hearted moments and it made the experience even more amazing, nothing seemed out of place. I have noticed that in a lot of k-dramas the plot starts dragging out gradually and they tend to get a little boring in the middle especially but this one had impressive build-ups, there was not one dull moment and each episode keeps you on your toes. The surprises keep coming all the time and you can't seem to predict what will happen next. The cases were well-thought out and there weren't any plot holes. The ending was so emotional and a little open for interpretation, it was bittersweet, but I loved it for the way it was.
Cast/Characters: I was blown away by Jung Kyung Ho's acting, he gave life to his character and this impressive screenplay. The female lead I have to say is one of the most impressive and well-done female characters I've ever seen, this is female empowerment done right, she can kick ass, is not depicted stereotypically, is thoughtful, smart af and level-headed. The chemistry between the five main characters was out of this world, they gave off this warm feeling even if some of them didn't particularly start off on good terms, the fact that the friendship that flourished between them was gradual and not rushed off made it seem more believable. I really couldn't have picked better actors for this show.
OST: I loved the old songs they incorporated in the drama, it made me feel the 80s even more, the songs were chosen really well and put exactly where they're needed without them being too much in your face.
Cinematography: It was AMAZING, it's obvious that a lot of effort and probably budget went into the shooting of the drama and it's well worth it, the scenes and perspectives were really well thought out. This is the kind of cinematography a drama with such good plot and cast deserves.
Overall: it's a masterpiece, 100/10, it was a whole journey I'm glad I took and I can even watch it again which means a lot because I usually don't re-watch things I've already seen. If you wonder what to watch next give this drama a chance.
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Absolute Masterpiece
This is not really a BL. The secondary couple is more "typically" BL, but they serve as a contrast to the main story - more on that below.This is a very complex and layered story - it's not so convoluted that it's incomprehensible, but it will help a viewer to go into it understanding that how people act is not as simple as it first appears. The two leads are not hard to look at, and neither are most of the secondary characters. There is humor in this story, but it's not a comedy and it's certainly not fluff. Keep in mind that it's very consciously framed as a fairy tale - and fairy tales always have a positive message to give, but they also contain a lot of darkness.
As you've probably noticed, the reaction to this is either a "10" or a "1". I feel like it's impossible for this to be a 1, just based on the acting and quality of the production - but I think many people don't understand what they're watching, or were expecting a BL, in which case maybe I can understand, because this contains none of the standard BL formulas. If you're looking for something cute and fluffy, I would recommend against watching this. But it does have one of the most affirming messages you could find in a drama, and is clearly designed for family viewing.
A lot of people have absolutely no mercy for Nut, the main character, extremely well-acted by Job Thuchapon - "toxic, abusive, gaslighting (!) and selfish". It's clear early on that this is someone who as experienced very serious trauma, included sustained emotional and physical abuse - to the point of PTSD. This is a young man who has suffered all that, and has, completely alone, had to support a mentally ill mother since he was a teen. As the story progresses and you grow to understand the true depth of what he's suffered, it's hard for me to believe that so many people can't develop any compassion for him. He's not perfect, and so he's "canceled".
He's one of the first protagonists in a BL-ish story that's complex, realistic, and fully realized - he's not an archetype, and you don't even know if he's a seme or uke - because there's no such thing in real life, so there isn't in a realistic story, either. He's complicated, the product of his life, and flawed, like all of us. And also explicitly and unambiguously identifies as gay, which is rare in BL, but fortunately this is starting to improve.
The secondary couple has a lot of "typical" BL characteristics, including the enemies-to-lovers trope, but this is a conscious choice with a specific purpose. The key to this is their parents. Gen's are wholly and completely supportive, and Song's father is obviously loving, but absent and ambivalent about Song's sexuality - but ultimately this is worry, not lack of acceptance, and his reaction is quite a bit more typical in the experience of lgbtq+ youth than the more ideal parents Song has. (Regretably, Nut's experience is all too common as well.)
The reason for this is to show the contrast between getting love from a healthy family and the horror Nut faced from a monstrously abusive father and a weak and ill mother. Song's relationship with his father is not idyllic, but shows healthy resolution of trauma (the years-ago death of Song's brother) and bridging diffrences through love and understanding.
Nut only receives this through a miracle.
It should be fairly clear fairly early on that you are probably not going to get the ending you would want - but it's the only ending possible. A quick comment on that is below as a spoiler.
The production is first-rate - this must have had a serious budget and so much love was poured into this.
The ending is bittersweet but not sad. The message of this fairy tale is powerful and beautiful: there is no power greater than love, not even death, and there is nothing that it can't overcome.
Story: 10. There are a couple of flaws that I believe are the result of cuts to the length - I understand several hours had to be removed to get it down to 16 90-minute episodes. But the writing is easily the best I've ever seen if you count this as a BL, and among the best of any series of any kind I've ever seen.
Acting: 10. In Sarin is perfect as the innocent teddy bear - innocent but not stupid or weak. Job's role is challenging as the complex and damaged Nut, and he's wonderful. Um Apasiri is powerful in every one of her scenes as Nut's ill mother Na. Tee Thanapon, who was underwhelming in 2Moons, has improved enormously and holds his own with a strong cast. All the minor roles are well-acted, including the annoying female coworker (who will grow on you once she gives up on her hopeless love, and is the character who voices the underlying message of the story).
Music: 9: Just right and ably supports the story, and never drowns it out.
Rewatch: 3: It's rewatchable, and I think anyone would benefit from a second viewing to pick up a lot of the subtleties that might have been missed the first time. However, it's 24 hours long and very heavy, so it's hard to imagine watching it again.
Overall: 10. This is a beautiful and powerful series - it will stay with me, and will always be one of my favorites.
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This review may contain spoilers
My Kind of Drama, No Typical C-Drama Cliché's
Let's see, no break ups or last minute break ups, no misunderstandings, no evil parents, a minor antagonist that tries to cause trouble for our lead couple but her screen time is limited so I'm actually okay with this. There is a love triangle but a tamed and not out of control one. We get rid of the love triangle around the halfway point of the drama.So now that we got all of the usual C-drama worries out of the way, it's your choice if you want to watch this drama or not. Me personally, I adore this drama. The chemistry between our leads is so cute and romantic that I didn't even remember it was a younger male chasing older female. The ML knows what he wants from start while the FL has rough past encounters with love that even the thought of falling for her younger childhood friend had made her hesitant. But eventually she has courage and take a chance on love with her childhood friend. My favorite thing has got to be the amount of support the lead characters have for each other, as each wants to protect the other in their own way. Not only that, they also have tons of support from their boss, their friends, their families, and yes even second leads, which by the way, good amount of growth for the SFL, from being annoying to being very likable.
The osts for this drama is amazing. For me, it was enjoyable to listen to every time the song came on. Fits perfectly with the scenes that occurred.
The story went at a good pace that there were so many episodes left filled with loveable, romantic, and cute scenes. I give major points to the writer for showing that you don't need a break up scene or misunderstandings to make a great drama. Dramas can have conflicts but when you have such understanding, firm, and supportive main couple, you can handle the conflicts that's thrown at them and it's not even as bad as say other C-drama conflicts.
Definitely one of my favorites and a rarity that I give a 10 all the way, especially in a C-drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
There was no rocky start for this story, from the beginning it was interesting and mysterious. Not only was it smartly written and well portrayed, but the questions it begged to ask of humanity were chilling and hard hitting. Did we as people create the monsters of society? Or were they born as twisted as they appear now?The plot line of this drama was suspenseful, as Lee Hyun and Cha Ji An discover the horrifying truths of their pasts and of the murderous entanglements that connect them with the people around them, we also begin to draw the lines between whom is truly a monster and those who were created through the circumstances surrounding them. Each murder they take on helps us see clearer whom is behind the deeds of the past and how a monster can be made. This type of story telling gives an in depth view into the eyes of the psychotic, and into the eyes of the ones whom catch them. Both the love story and sense of brotherhood also add onto this story. They give personal connections to the crimes committed and the feelings of those affected.
The cast was superb. As a person whose never been a fan of Seo In Guk, I have to say I find his acting in this drama to be refreshing and consistently suprising, he has officially gained a new fan, as his portrayal of Lee Hyun blew me away. Jang Na Ra's character Cha Ji An though in the beginning seemingly a dismal obsessive police officer, slowly grew into a deep understanding character whose past pains made her into a strong female character. The second leads, were outstanding. Lee Jun Ho's creepy kindness and oddly eerie vibe throughout the beginning of the drama really set the scene. Throughout every scene he was in I had a huge case of the heebee Jeebies, like, my skin crawled. ***(SPOLIERS)**** (Especailly when he touched his mothers bones in the coroners office. That was just creepy). ****(END OF SPOILERS)*** Min's character was also one of complies creepiness and he was also very attractive, and while I try to stay away from mentioning that in my reviews I felt it just had to be said. Min's character gave us so much undertanding of how children's views and surroundings affect their growth and presence in society. His scenes always stole my attention.
The music in this drama had me consistently singing out loud. Especially "Remember"by Dear Cloud, I have listened to that OST so many times since this drama has aired, especially when left with a giant cliffhanger at the end of an episode when I needed to pine over my feelings through song. The OST's was memorable and lovely.
This drama consistently had me guessing and asking myself bigger questions. The plot line and cast always blew me away. It so rewatchable and just so well done. I cannot reccomend this drama enough.
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Story
Introduction to melodrama. One character is a self-hating guy with mommy and daddy issues who is dying from a terminal illness, one character is seemingly the knight in the shining armor who is a coward and makes the wrong choices for noble reasons, one is a bad raging bitch who things she owns the world, and lastly one is a fighting hero who tries her best to stay sane and survive but fails miserably furthering the overdramatic nature of the whole thing.
The backstory and plot here is probably the best thing this drama has to offer but will probably be appreciated only by the melo fans; others will find it rather stretched and too fake and I won’t say it isn’t. However, in all its greatness it is nothing new. It gathers all the clichés, car crashes, illegitimate children, hit and runs, terminal illnesses, rich vs poor people, and lastly the legendary –at this point- cycle of the leads chasing each other. Female lead wants male lead but he’s a bastard and 5 episodes later male lead wants female lead but she’s a bitch while they love each other like crazy and they have barely any reasons to act this way. This is probably the worst part of the drama imo but then again it takes a special viewer to appreciate it.
The story has nothing new to offer, and the plot gets heavily dragged midway due to the chasing around, but does this mean this is the worst drama ever? No. Does this mean this is totally unwatchable? No. It is just addressed to a certain type of viewer who will love it and its flaws completely. That’s all. If you like usual melodrama you’ll like this, there is no funny side character, there is no comedic relief, there is scarcely any rationality in the writing, and the whole plot is over the top, but to be honest that is melodrama’s charm. Take it or leave it.
Acting
Stellar performances by everyone; however Kim Woo Bin is probably the only memorable actor in this one. His acting was very emotional and he was very pleasant to look at.
Syzy won’t be winning any awards for her performance but her acting was way better than expected and didn’t bring the show down at all.
Recommend/rewatch
We all know what melodrama means. If you like overly emotional and depressing stories, you want to cry and watch a doomed romance then go ahead. This not the best melodrama i've ever watched but it isn’t bad at all, on the contrary i'd say. However if you expect smiles, fluffiness, butterflies and funny cute situations give this a pass. I will never rewatch this.
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This can be considered one of the best, if not the best, Korean BL serries ever setting a very high bar for all other KBLs to follow.
Lets be objective for a minute. The show didnt give us anything new -University themed BL, check! Enemy to lovers, big check! A questionably straight(!) guy suddenly falling for another seemingly straight guy, double check! Is there anything new, big X!
The camera work is your typical Korean - clean with an almost always early morning filter/vibe (you know, its like the main actors are always sparkling) The pacing was a little off for me and after a few episodes, it felt a little repeatitive. I even suspect that the budget is limited and everything was shot within just a few days.
However, despite the unassuming, overused plot, lies an entertaining, panty-dropping, 3 drops of pee and butterfly-in-the-stomach inducing execution that no matter how predictable the show is, you just cant help but long for the next episode. Actually, this may even be the most excited i felt for a Korean BL.
Its greatest strength, and lets also not kid oursleves, is the 2 actors. We stayed because they are absolutely gorgeous, and as cliche as it sounds, their chemistry is electric. Park Seo Ham played Jae Young perfectly and Park Jae Chan's newbie acting worked with what the show needed - his acting was so robotic I half-expected them to reveal that this is infact a scifi BL show and that Sang Woo is an android at the cusp of learning new things. Alas, he wasnt.
I would have liked to see their actual game working, i guess the budget and the time didnt allow for it.
Rewatch value, 9.5stars! It is so addicting ive seen each episode 3 times. Overall, its a 9.5!
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Strong Start, Weak Finish
Contrary to the popular opinion here, I really appreciated the extensive backstories of the characters. It effectively provided justifications for why the participants would engage in such an insane project, which is quite rare for the typical Death Game film (usually, the participants are lazily thrown into their circumstances due to some metaphysical element within the story or deus ex machina reasoning). I also enjoyed the softer social commentaries in the beginning of the film and the fairly realistic and reasonable depictions of the main characters. That is, none of the characters are overly virtuous or exceptionally talented, and they all act or respond appropriately to the situation at hand; I can see these characters in my day-to-day life. Finally, the cinematography and acting (of the main characters) were masterfully executed.Where the series started to go seriously wrong was in the final few episodes when the filmmakers decided to use caricatures for their characters as if they were holding a contest to use as many tropes as possible to fit the bill of the caricature in question; at some point, I was not sure whether the series abruptly became a satire. Not only were these caricatures agonizing to watch, but the decisive shift in narrative presentation really killed the immersive experience evoked by the previous episodes. Additionally, the moral justifications for why the mastermind started the entire project were banal, forced, and unconvincing; the creativity of the "midnight bet," from which he grounds his perspective, is what you would expect from a #SocialExperiment YouTube video, not a Netflix produced K-drama.
All in all, for someone who does not enjoy the typical Death game flick, I found the series very entertaining and well made within the category, but beyond this, it is forgettable. Although the cast, cinematography and music scores were appropriate and exceptional, there was, unfortunately, nothing noteworthy about the screenplay and directing.
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Newyear (the one who interprets Pond, the main character of this series) auditioned for 2 Moons The Series (also a BL thai series) Wayo's role, and was rejected because he's wasn't "manly" enough. 2 Moons The Series director said that all the six gay men characters of 2Moons The Series MUST be interpreted by straight men.
I know maybe this isn't the best BL drama, not the best plot, characters lack in depht, we all know that. But i think it's pretty entertaining to watch, It's a cute boys love story, and although I know it isn't the best thing in the BL world, I can say I absolutely don't hate the 20 minutes per week I spend watching it. So well, that's all: I'm here to support Newyear, and all the others who also are amateur actors, I hope him to be able to get more thai dramas' roles in the future.
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Be the chess player, not the chess piece.
Sword Snow Stride evokes all my best wuxia memories; action, adventure, chivalry, an old murder mystery, political intrigue and a dash of romance and a medley of eccentric surrounding characters with astounding martial arts capabilities.Set in a fantasy world, Xu Fengnian is the son and heir of the fearsome warlord Xu Xiao, king of North Liang, Liyang's largest and most powerful fiefdom. Adapted from 烽火戏诸侯 Feng Huo Xi Zhu Hou's epic 20 volume novel The Snowy Path of the Heroic Blade 雪中悍刀行, this first instalment focuses on the coming of age of main protagonist Xu Fengnian.Anchored by Zhang Ruoyun and adapted by Wang Juan of Joy of Life fame, this was one of 2021's most anticipated dramas and for me, it did not disappoint. The leisurely pace at which the plot unfolds gives the viewer the time to imbibe the rich complexity of the interplay between characters and their relationship dynamics. Wang Juan has taken his writing to a new level, delivering a crisp dialogue that gives the first impression of wit and occasionally irreverent humour that masks profound layers of hidden meaning, wisdom and emotions in conversations within conversations. This is most evident in Fengnian and Jiang Ni's delicious repartees but it also underlies multiple exchanges between Xu Xiao and Fengnian and belie numerous other superficially adversarial relationships. This requires a level of sophistication and nuance in the portrayals that is only done justice by the more experienced actors.This is unfortunate for Li Gengxi whose lack of experience is evident in her immature and shallow rendition of the marvellously atypical Jiang Ni. Despite some endearing moments, she does not "own" the character quite the same way Zhang Ruoyun is Xu Fengnian but he is a tough act to follow and not a fair comparison for a young actress. She warms to the role considerably in the latter half and I would be happy to see her return for the second season.
Do not be deterred by the fact that this drama did not live up to the high expectations of Chinese viewers, whose main issues are with the slow pace, the choice of female lead and the slo mo action scenes. It is true that the direction of some scenes, in particular action scenes could have been better. While the director wanted viewers to appreciate the grace, artistry and difficulty of the actors movements, the end result is the scenes lack the intensity and thrill of imminent peril. This is understandably a dealbreaker for some hard core wuxia action fans but it didn't really bother me. As the drama progresses, there is some speeding up of the fight scenes that are boosted by Marvel universe like CGI. The final encounter is spectacularly ferocious, thrilling and violent enough to satisfy most critics.
The drama opens with the roguish young Xu Fengnian living in the moment while traipsing the world with his groom Old Huang. He is not comfortable with his father's ruthless tactics and eschews his legacy, one that puts him in the crosshairs of those in the highest circles of power. While Fengnian draws inspiration from many mentors, Xu Xiao and Old Huang are by far his most important early influencers. An unconventional thinker, Fengnian refuses to compromise, strives for win win outcomes but does not hesitate to be ruthless when he needs to be. As he steps up into his role, he starts out as a mere chess piece in a high stakes game where his father Xu Xiao is many steps ahead. Along the way, he grows to be the chess player, not the chess piece. He also better understands his father's choices and become more like his father in some aspects. Zhang Ruoyun and Hu Jun have great chemistry and I found their unorthodox banter and relationship hilarious and moving; we really didn't get enough of them together! This must be Zhang Ruoyun's best role, I enjoyed both his portrayal and Xu Fengnian the character even better than his fabulous Fan Xian in Joy of Life.
While Fengnian starts out protected by his father's retainers, he manages to win hearts and minds using his own unique methods and inducements and finds himself surrounded by a formidable entourage of martial artists, retainers and maids with mysterious pasts; leaving a string of alliances and favours owed in his wake. These are classic wuxia archetype characters that make me shiver with delight at their single minded obsession with the quest for supremacy that comes with inevitable sacrifice and regret; who willingly barter their swords and their lives to advance or to honor past promises or debts. While the story revolves around Xu Fengnian, so many of these surrounding master swordsmen captured my heart and imagination with their prowess and their backstories from the laconic and lethal White Fox, Old Huang, Qing Niao and of course Sword God Li Chungang. The many awe inspiring female swordsman makes it hard for Jiang Ni to really shine and leaves the indelible impression that Fengnian is a man with a fleet of many ships.
It is said that a hero is only as good as its villain and in Zhao Kai, Liu Duanduan explores a deeper villain, a riveting opposite character to Xu Fengnian.and pulls off an oddly empathetic antagonist that practically steals the show. They are both scheming and ruthless characters who attempt to escape their destiny but that is where their similarities end. Zhao Kai is utterly lacking in moral fibre and can only win by foul means ,regardless of consequences or how many must die. He is dangerously and humorously self aware of this and stalks Xu Fengnian looking to exploit a moment of weakness. He won my heart with his unabashed appreciation of Xu Fengnian's brilliance and insight; were their goals not in such conflict, Zhao Kai would be Xu Fengnian's greatest fan. It is a great pity Zhao Kai is not an out of box thinker that could have found a way to align his interest with that of Fengnian. Even though Zhao Kai is far from the most powerful antagonist, a big chunk of the season one plot revolves around his pursuit of Xu Fengnian.
Season one draws to a very satisfying conclusion with an epic and very satisfying showdown and major immediate tasks achieved. It leaves me hungering for more but not in that awful cliffhanger kind of way. It will undoubtedly take a few years for season two to materialise but even if it doesn't, we can still think of this as an immensely enjoyable and very satisfying slice of life kind of drama. This is the second 9.5 from me for 2021 that closes the year on the same high note that Word of Honor started it on.
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