1Hilarious and charming, great acting (especially female lead) even with the cliche plot device!
If you read the synopsis, this seems like every other contract-marriage drama but this one does it very well. Although this show might seem like it'll prey on cliche tropes, it actually is one of the most charming cdramas of the year in my opinion.Characters: First off, you have actually supportive parents. They're not the stereotypical "evil" in-laws. Both parents are good-hearted and want the best for their children and just want them to be happy.
You also have interesting side couples. At first glance, you might think a love-triangle will deter the show, but it really doesn't. At first, you might find the SML as a "bad guy" but you realize that he's actually harmless and caring deep down - it doesn't fall into the pithole of an annoying second male lead. He actually cares for the FL and her wants/desires. The love-triangle essentially stops a bit halfway through and SML starts to focus on the SFL, who is one of the cutest "best-friend-character" of the FL. Even the initially annoying Tang Ping stops her bratty nature relatively quickly and becomes a supportive character instead, Overall, the characters are very enjoyable.
The main female lead is a forceful and strong CEO while the male lead is a caring, quiet, and considerate doctor. It's nice to see more strong female leads. Even though she's assertive, Zhou Yutong is SO funny and adorable as well. So many individual cute moments + cute relationship moments. Simon Gong plays his part great as a foil to the FL. There's great character developments and you begin to see a role reversal in the later episodes which makes everything so much more quirky and entertaining. Honestly, the leads + supporting cast are done so well!
Plot: It's nothing too special but I just wanted to say that it's a very funny drama. It's not really external conflict/plot-driven but more character-driven which I enjoyed a lot. There's actually "laugh out loud" moments. The chemistry between all the characters are great (leads with each other, different combinations of lead with supporting, supporting with supporting). Small misunderstandings are resolved relatively quick so it's a nice watch most of the time. The most important thing to note which might be a SPOILER is that there's actually a time-skip which breaks this show out of the mold of a generic contract-marriage drama. I generally don't like giving a "spoiler" but I feel like this one isn't that "important" to keep hidden but it's still important to mention since potential viewers might want to know. I normally hate a plot device like this, but in Begin Again, it's done very well -- reasons are valid, characters change and grow afterwards.
However, one issue I have with the plot is the business politics side. This is the one part of the drama where it feels forced and unnatural. Character motivations are unbelievable. It's not particularly prevalent but whenever it pops up, it just makes me want to fast-forward [but it's very minimal]. Honestly borderlining unwatchable for me; thank god the romcom aspect is done well to keep me locked in.
Conclusion: Watch this for the adorable characters. Strong female lead, nice male lead, character development, likable supporting cast. Even a show that seems to have many cliches, it actually subverts many obvious ones and is a great watch. It veers away from the melodrama tropes and is fresh and refreshing.
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Karma is a Court Lady.
Billed as a love story between a reformed rake Sheng Chumu and a court lady Fu Rou, this is really an opulent tragicomedy about the succession turmoil that plagued the latter years of Li Shimin/Tang Taizong's reign. It is a surprisingly empathetic and riveting portrayal of the greatest Tang emperor's disappointing and much reviled crown prince Li Chengqian. It strikes me that his story is what the writer really set out to tell; all the other parallel sub-plots are much more indifferently written.The way the drama is promoted as Fu Rou and Sheng Chumu's love story is misleading and misinforms audience expectations. Yes, I know how adorable they look together but their story is rather pedestrian and is not the main meal so they end up spending an incredible amount of time apart. Neither character has free will and their romance does not drive the narrative; it is in fact subordinated to and frustrated by the main succession plot. That is necessary as these two main parallel, interlocking plots are related primarily from Fu Rou's perspective as a court lady or official 女官 with close access to the workings of the inner palace and the imperial family's private moments.
Although Fu Rou is the eponymous character with the most screen time, this is a cardboard character that is made worse by Li Yitong's anodyne, colourless portrayal. Fu Rou is pretty much superwoman - an incredibly talented, resourceful and daring fixer who finds herself in the middle of every palace conflict large and small. She comes to the aid of anyone that appeals to her bleeding heart, taking on matters well above her pay grade. She has the temerity to lecture and chastise anyone and everyone from lowly palace servants to the emperor himself! I would have loved this character to death if she had a bit of a dark side, an odd hobby or even some tiny flaw like picking her nose in public or something, anything. But no, Fu Rou is a suffocating paragon of virtue, moral rectitude and forgiveness; who genuinely believes that good deeds begets positive karma that pays off in the long run. But if karma is a bitch, then her title is court lady because there are heinous, irreversible and tragic unintended consequences to Fu Rou's meddling and her indiscriminate assistance to wicked people. Due to editing/censorship issues, we never get see Fu Rou reflect upon the folly and irony of her interventions or experience any sense of remorse or regret. Thus there is no character development and by the end Fu Rou to me is just a vapid, righteous prig of a character that I most resent - poor Chumu is so much better off remaining Changán's most notorious playboy.
In sharp contrast, Xu Kai's Chumu is a much more engaging, funny, relatable and outside of a lapse in the middle; a smart character that undergoes tremendous growth. It is a pity he gets so little screen time because he has a wonderful ability to just casually infuse a moment with comic relief. The comical antics of the gruffly hilarious Sheng Xianjing, Chumu, Chuling (shout out to the very funny Kris Fan), the gamine Princess Xinnan and Prince Han go a long way toward diffusing the dark undertones to the drama. Nothing made me laugh harder than Princess Xinnan balancing those dastardly bowls. Unfortunately the denizens of the inner palace and especially Fu Rou and Prince Zhou are humorlessly written and portrayed, resulting in some stifling and overly angsty inner palace arcs and a notable darkening of the overall mood in the second half.
With five or six couples, there is at surface a lot of romance in this drama but they are mostly flawed, complex and maddening relationships. This is due to the surfeit of unsavory, corrupt and chauvinistic male characters, from stalkers to lechers and murderers who simply cannot take no for an answer and lame brained female characters willing to indulge their flaws. As a result, most of the ships are leaky and not seaworthy enough to survive stormy seas. These messy, disturbing love-hate relationships are not consistently well written and there are arguably too many of them. That said, these characterizations are compatible with the times and the illogical pairings seem to curiously "work". They are certainly far more interesting than the usual lighthearted and fluffy standard fare of secondary romances.
The main appeal of this drama for me is Li Shimin, Tang Taizong's succession story, which I feel is what this drama is really about and it is compellingly portrayed. For a fictionalized account that takes a fair amount of literary license, it captures the essence of the main historical figures and remains astonishingly true to the important events of the day. The one dark stain in Li Shimin's history was the Xuanwu Gate Incident, where he personally killed both his brothers from the same mother and forced his father to abdicate in his favor. He went on to be a benevolent and revered emperor, one of the greatest in history. This drama is set in his twilight years as history appears to be on the brink of repeating itself. It is an intimate, at times a scathing expose on the insufferable privilege of imperialism and at times a compassionate account of how impotent, conflicted and utterly terrified this emperor and his beloved empress must have felt as they watch their sons at each others throats. In all the moments that count within this main arc, the writing holds up although towards the end when everything comes together, it is quite obvious that some scenes were lost to censorship.
The most phenomenal, multi-faceted and evocative performance that stands out among an absolutely fabulous cast is Li Zefeng's portrayal of the crown prince. I find it unfathomable that I have not noticed this actor before. He starts out as the highly regarded crown prince, showing so much promise and closely allied with his brother Prince Han. But he is slowly cracking under the immense pressure of being crown prince under the exacting eye of his father and the court and constantly measured up against his other talented brothers. The acting was so good I could understand why he sought refuge in frivolous pursuits and why he needed Chenji. I was surprised by how openly and sympathetically their taboo relationship is explored. It is the relationship that moved me the most, I grieved with him when it ended and I could see how he unraveled and gave in to his worst instincts. Prince Han is the other well written and well acted role. It is tragically comical how their sibling rivalry blew them up and I love how their bond is depicted with a multitude of emotions and a good dose of irony and humor.
I enjoyed this gorgeous and expensive production quite a bit although the story is quite dark and there are too many distracting sub plots and frustrating characters. Although the writing is at times lazy, fantastic acting by the veteran cast more than makes up for it. But it is definitely not the kind of story most viewers thought they would be watching when they picked this up and it definitely will not appeal to everyone. I enjoyed it enough to give it an 8.0 and would probably rate it quite a bit higher if they had diminished Fu Rou's role.
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This review may contain spoilers
A heartfelt study of sex, love, and relationships
Don’t mistake this for a sex comedy, and please ignore the inadequate plot description above.With full-bodied characters that move beyond cliches, this Taiwanese drama is a bold study of what makes our relationships intimate and meaningful. It’s beautifully made, with an excellent script and cast.
The story is told through one family. Two parents, three children.
The mother and father have allowed resentment to build up in their marriage for reasons that become clear later in the drama. The eldest son, Yu Sen, is a card shark in an unsatisfying open relationship with his boyfriend. The eldest daughter, Chu Wei, yearns for a deeper emotional and sexual connection with her distracted professor husband. And the youngest daughter, Chu Ai, is a wax technician and an influencer. She runs a YouTube channel that offers frank discussions about sex, while maintaining her key argument that love and sex are two separate things.
There’s another main character—the youngest daughter’s regular hookup and friend, Ping Ke, who is wrestling with hangups about dating culture based on his unconventional family history. The actor, Kai Ko, brings this character to life in a way that only he can. He carries the character’s emotional weight with his whole being and you truly feel for him.
Well, what happens?
A heartfelt and unexpected romance unfolds between the son and an uncouth gangster. For BL fans, this part of the story is for you. The eldest daughter and her husband rediscover each other after a challenge to their relationship. And the youngest daughter confronts a past experience that has influenced her opinion of romantic relationships. All of the characters grow.
A central message in the story is that it is harmful to repress our true feelings—whether about our intimate desires and needs or even our anger toward the people closest to us. The message is that our relationships become healthier when we share our inner thoughts.
The script dares to approach so many relevant issues that aren't always talked about; like choosing not to have children, despite pressure from parents; or sexual compatibility issues in gay relationships; or treating STIs without shame. These are just a few. The drama is clever in discussing these issues without being didactic.
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This review may contain spoilers
I love the way this ended! ( I won't give spoilers.) I started watching this one afternoon and found myself going to bed at 7:45 am the next morning having completed it. It is definately a "I'll just watch one more episode" kind of drama. I was unfamiliar with all of the actors, but thery were great. The plot was definately a lot spicier than K-Drama. I would highly recommend this for a rainey Saturday or an all night marathon!! Was this review helpful to you?
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Compelling, grounded in substance, and gratifyingly true-to-life. With a wonderful basic premise
"Missing: The Other Side" seems a bit like a KDrama with a magic hat. The story has the similar effect as the theme of the production: it sort of cavorts in a veiled intermediate world. It could simply be missed out. If you are looking for something in the field of fantasy, the KDrama does not impose itself. It's not fantastic or psychic enough. If you're looking for a thriller, you're more likely to scroll past it. It's not a psychological thriller. It's also not a classic crime thriller. So it seems ... And yet. "Missing: The Other Side" is extremely well done and definitely recommendable. I wouldn´t call the KDrama fantasy or mystery, but rather solid crime genre, in which actually time and space become relative... If only I had known earlier...The KDrama is like an insider tip - although it´s success is not a secret. On the contrary. A second season will come out soon. The story is compelling, grounded in substance, and gratifyingly true-to-life beyond the basic premise. "Missing: The Other Side" doesn't entice viewers with a cast full of dazzling names, but with a fascinating, extraordinary production. A class of its own. The concept thrives on straight simplicity.
There is the radiant simplicity of the brilliant underlying idea: a tribute to the missing. There are actually too many missing people in South Korea - children and women in particular. In more than half of the cases, the missing person is at some point found dead - most of the time several years later. The idea of the KDrama particularly honors those victims by creating a kind of dignified in-between-world for the time during investigation, how long it may ever take. Only then, as their corpse is found, they will part in peace. In the meantime, from the minute the missing person dies until the moment the corpse is found, those souls linger in a beautiful and (mainly) peaceful village among other fellows with similar history. There is a certain charm to respectfully giving such unsolved cases some faces, individual stories, soul, hope & heart - some friendly, reminding space. Even though many missing people´s cases get closed and quite a few may remain unsolved, the KDrama respectfully opens a door to connecting to them.
Granted, the living and the dead share the stage equally. Yet there are no mouldering, half-decayed or slightly moldy ghosts buzzing around. If you like, the idea of "Hotel del Luna" is varied in a less exalted ambience, a little more down-to-earth and less spooky. However, if "Hotel del Luna" was cast with dazzling superstars, "Missing: The Other Side" consistently maintains the simplicity of its concept. Very few KFans will end up following in the footsteps of their 'stars' in this KDrama, they aren't so well known enough outside of South Korea for that. Nevertheless, they all do a splendid job.
Finding the corpses of the missing however requires the living and their down-to-earth investigative work. The knowledge of the deceased can be used. Eventually, there is a catch: it requires living people who happen to be able to SEE and communicate with the dead. The worlds 'here' and 'in between' do overlap in the village of Duon, but only for those with the special gift of perception. A loose team sort of gets thrown together by fate and begins to work more or less jointly to solve some cases that are apparently related in some way. Everyone has to carry some personal luggage, in which missing people play a significant role. One is a crook, his colleague is a hacker, another protagonist works as a detective, another is a widower and father who, even after many years, has not given up the search for his missing daughter.
If you can/want to accept the basic premise of that in-between world, then "Missing: The Other Side" offers an all-round gripping crime thriller. Without any ribbons, but with warm heart. Not highly polished, but atmospheric and impressive. The protagonists are quite three dimensional - no superheroes, but rather ordinary, authentic, tangible. It could be anyone. Lastly, this story would especially happen in South Korea, because in this KDrama the ever so characteristic orphanages and Jaebeol once again got leading roles within the dramaturgical structure.
In case you are not sure, if you should watch, here my advice: Don´t miss "Missing: The Other Side".
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This review may contain spoilers
SPOILER FREE: This is a must for suspense/psychological drama lovers. The plot is quite intriguing and the acting was really good. Masaki Suda was amazing (again) and the plot is full of twists that keeps the viewer on the edge. This series was highly entertaining and it was easy to watch. The death of Reina is a mystery to all and the viewers try to understand what will happen next. It wasn't perfect, but it was still powerful.MAJOR SPOILERS!!!
From the beginning, this series shows the effect that social media have on our society. The drama gives us, each episode, a new clue about the main case and as viewers we try to uncover the crime/suicide of Kageyama Reina. The truth is slowly revealed and as a person who watched the show I expected a great conspiracy or something even if the actual reason is something that is shown -one way or another- in the first episodes.
This show was a message to everyone in a society that can't live without social media. Almost everyone has one account -or more- on sm and it takes away a part of our lives.
The ending was brilliantly filmed as Hiiragi talks on the camera, about who the real killers are pointing to everyone who is watching the series and therefore uses social media. A harmful word -intentional or not- can cause great damage to someone even if that person doesn't know us personally. The anonymity of social media gives everyone the opportunity to give their opinion no matter how harmful that can be. I loved the comments that Hiiragi received while he exposed the truth, as it was the most realistic reaction that could happen. It is not only that some can't accept the truth, but the most terrifying thing is the ones who don't understand that they did something wrong. It was great to show that the purpose wasn't to stop what we call cyber bullying, but being able to change even one person. As someone said if we want to change the world, first we must change ourselves.
To everyone who watched this - including myself - this is a great opportunity to double check before posting anything and thinking before talking, because our words can really be the knife on someone's hand.
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Music Lovers
Just finished the ending of this series on YouTube and I feel the urge to write a review. I’ve mixed feelings, because I’ve been hooked by every episode, but felt some irritation as well.Synopsis
All her life Yang Zhen Zhen (Janice Wu) wants to be a pop artist. She works as a jack-of-all-trades at a major music agency, in the after hours she puts all her energy in talent shows. She never wins, but she decides to aid her former contest opponent Yu Zi Rui (Niu Jun Feng) to become a star one day.
Zhen Zhen is friendly, optimistic, fighting for her beliefs. That’s why her boss entrusts her with the difficult task of being a personal assistant to c-pop artist Zheng Bai Xu (Huang Zitao). Bai Xu is the big star of his agency, but he’s pursued by media scandals due to his unpredictability and unrestrained actions. He gives Zhen Zhen a lot of head aches and anxiety. They bicker non-stop, but are in fact kindred spirits. They both like to live and fight for their music. Bai Xu wants to become his own singer-songwriter but his agency won’t let him, earning money from his career as it is. Question is: will they succeed in living their life the way they want to?
The Good
Don’t expect just another c-pop vehicle for ZTao, this drama has some good side stories, f.e. the relationship with his rich father and siblings, and there's a nice flow in the story telling.
If you’re a fan of Janice Wu, you won’t be disappointed. She really shines. Although her character should have clothing that is plain and simple, her styling is perfect, every episode another outfit. Also ZTao doesn’t look bad when he leaves the swimming pool, and together they have a lot of cute, sweet moments. The supporting cast delivers a good job as well, especially the ideal-son-in-law Niu Jun Feng who plays a darker sort of character for a change.
The Bad
It is almost symptomatic in Chinese series, but there it is…this drama fails to deliver a sound closure. Really, how difficult can it be to portray a struggling artist who becomes a succes in the end, in his own right, without the help of his rich father, or agency? I won’t give any spoilers, you’ll have to see this for yourself.
Another minor thing, the styling of the actors is great, but it pains me to see what they did to ZTao. His lipstick is thicker, pinker than anyone. Combined with his dramatic hair-do and eyeliner he looks more like a drag queen to me. The only time I could believe Zhen Zhen would fall in love with him, was at the pool and on the beach where he was filmed without the heavy makeup.
Thanks to Janice the chemistry with ZTao was on point, but it took a long time before they kissed, and when they did, it was an anti climax for me. Aigoo, I was waiting for a lingering kiss full of intense emotion, not a touch of the lips left in "pause" mode.
Verdict
Still I recommend this c-drama to all romcom/music/boss-secretary lovers. Leave your brain on the shelf and enjoy this classic story about the arrogant male and his female assistant who become of one mind completing each other.
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And yet, it's a little story not easily forgotten, one I fell in love with at first sight and rewatched with equal pleasure. To me, Nao and Hiroto are an assumption, one of those couples I have stored away like a cameo.
The progression of their love story is narrated with sweet candour, acted beautifully and without needless exaggerations. It's the first role I saw Kamenashi Kazuya working in and even though in the meantime he's matured, I still consider this to be his best interpretation. Ayase Haruka is so believable in her whimsical pouting one can't help becoming extremely fond of her too.
And although the plot may seem ordinary, the small details of their interaction, the friendship, Hiroto's narration in first person, their young enthusiasm and depth of emotions are memorable.
The music by Ike Yoshihiro is wonderful. Possibly the best drama original soundtrack ever.
I recommend this dorama to those who still remember their first love and will relate to it, and to those who have forgotten it, as a mean to recall its bitter-sweet flavour.
I have watched this drama... 4 times: no need to explain why I gave it a high re-watch mark.
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This review may contain spoilers
“The song that I madly, deeply wanted to sing... That song should've been mine.”It's been exactly 3 weeks since I completed this movie, and I've made sure that I'm not emotionally attached or blindingly giving full scores. I can't find any fault in this piece, still. I never had such a hard time trying to put my amazement into words. I hate to spoil or guide you to view this film in a certain way, but I believe that the synopsis and the trailer are already a huge spoiler, so here's my attempt to elaborate:
Let me tell you first that this is not a “journey to stardom” kind of music movie or a story about two girls pulling each other's hair and fighting over a guy. Of course it does revolve around the themes of music and jealousy, but there are more to this than just being another love triangle story between musicians.
There is an absolute charm to how its English title accurately describes what this film has to offer. “Love, Lies” speaks for its entire composition: 50% hope and 50% despair, and I don't say that lightly; this film boldly runs for 1 hour telling the story of love, friendship, hope and dreams while building up the tension, then, later at its 50% mark, turns into a story of lies, jealousy, betrayal and broken heart for another hour. It also wraps up with guilt and consequences at the end, leading you to fully sympathize with every decision made by the main character no matter how crooked she’s become.
The setting in 1943-1945, the very end of Japanese occupation era in Korea, was fully utilized here and it intertwined so well with the music theme. It was the last two years that “gisaengs” existed. It was the most modern period of those Japanese backdrops. Also, Korea's liberation at the end of the story plays a good part. Here is where it could become difficult for some people to give this film a high score; the movie does require a little understanding of “musician mindset”.
Music is a form of art, and by art, it means there's no correct answer. It’s very subjective and personal. One may view music as something suitable for high class, but on the other hand it’s never wrong to think that music should belong to people in every social status. This conflict will set lover conflicts in motion in the story. So, think: What if your musician lover prefers someone else’s voice rather than yours? It’s unfavorable, but it’s not wrong, right?
Because the man in question is a musician – a pop music composer, it somewhat allows his unfavorable choices to slip through. It’s quite a given that his mind does not (need to) function entirely logically. He makes choices based on his artistic hunch. When he, according to the synopsis, “falls in love” with his girlfriend’s best friend, I came to fully accept the fact, although I didn’t support his decision either. And that was just one of the many reasons I loved how thoroughly planned the writing for this film was.
The Korean title for this movie “Hae-eo-hwa” is another old term for “gisaeng”, women who received high education in music to perform in front of and entertain men of high social status. “Hwa” means flower, so “haeeohwa” also means “a flower that understands human’s words”. The term represents how women (gisaengs) were treated as social inferior. This “haeeohwa” theme plays a big part in the film more than just suggesting the leads’ profession. One woman is willing to follow the guidance of a man she loves, and another goes against her own beliefs and throws herself at another man to gain power to take back what she loves.
All of these are combined into great storytelling, and in the end, you will see for yourself whether it was the “artistic mindset”, the social derogation of women, a man’s swayed heart, a friend’s betrayal… or it was entirely something else that ruined it all.
“Why did ____ not know back then that it was good enough?”
Also, don’t forget to keep an eye on the minor character Kim Okhyang. She doesn’t appear often, but she’s another character that will leave you with many thoughts in the end.
--
I was stunned by Han Hyojoo’s acting as the sweet yet heartbroken Jung Soyul. Facial expressions were the key to this character’s portrayal, and she was utterly perfect. Casting Chun Woohee as Han Hyojoo’s best friend who needs to look and feel smaller and a bit inferior was also a great decision. Yoo Yeonseok’s laid-back demeanor was definitely suitable for his music composer role. He also deserves compliments for his months of effort in practicing piano just for this movie. Everyone including the supporting cast really made this movie come to life.
As for the music, there are plenty of music movies that fail to deliver an excellent result in the music department. This movie did not just reach my expectation but surpassed it to an exceptional level. Traditional “Jeongga” music and 1940’s trot are not what would appeal to everyone’s ears, but this movie made their music very sweet, easy to listen and memorable. For additional points, the two lead actresses performed every song themselves, and they were spectacular.
Lastly, the artistic department deserves great compliments. Locations, costumes and props were top-notch. Cinematography presented this film in vibrant colors, and the composition was beautiful from the beginning till the end. Everything was grand and aesthetically pleasing here.
I usually don’t rewatch, but I will definitely watch this one many times.
I absolutely recommend this film to everyone.
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Cha Seung Won and Gong Hyo Jin: They are both amazing actors. They are perfectly cast and it shows through every goofy moment and every scene that pulls at your heart.
This story is set in the entertainment world and probably sheds a glaring spotlight on the trappings and "traps" of fame. Each character is fame's satelite planet spinning in orbit around it's shiny tempting sun.
Dokko Jin is a man with a lot of hits under his belt. His image is stellar and it wins him the best CF's and shields him from getting laid low when a movie release isn't quite up to par. He can play the press like a finely tuned piano. He understands his world and he's comfortable there...on top. Everything is image...even love. Gu Ae Jung is a woman who had a taste of fleeting fame in her young 20's and knows exactly what it feels like when you are knocked from that pedestal. She has learned how to work her bad reputation to make a living. She knows what to do, how to act and dress and she's comfortable at the bottom so long as she can keep working. When they meet it throws their perspective worlds into chaos. It is a chaos neither of them are ready for.
Dokko Jin doesn't know what to do with the feelings he has outside of and in spite of, the image he has cultivated. He has lived so long in his fame bubble he is emotionally stunted. What he has come to expect is completely different than what the real world will hand him. We get to watch him open his eyes, watch his dumbfounded, drunken baby steps toward the light. ...And it's funny! It's clumsy and awkward. It's so completely tender and heart wrenching as well.
Gu Ae Jung doesn't know how to handle this mess of a man; who invades her life, pulls her into his bubble and goes after her with all the grace and finesse of a bull in a china shop. She has lived so long understanding that one word taken out of context can flay her and one mistaken step can shove her down to the bottom and cause pain. She knows she has to be careful in this world that drags her into a light which seems warm and friendly at first only to burn her when she dares to step to close. She knows better.
...and yet when the heart starts beating of its own accord and the petals strewn across the path lead to someone you can't stop loving, you have to be brave and make choices.
Gu Ae Jung is our everywoman in this story. She is the one we identify with and root for. She is the reluctant hero. Dokko Jin is our damsel in distress. The charm of this show is that it is so well written and entertaining you don't realize at first and when you do, you realize its genius!
The second leads and side characters are written smartly as well. They aren't just comic relief or one dimensional characters built as foils for the OTP. They have good reasons to be in our main character's lives. Best friends, brothers, agents and managers etc... They serve the narrative of the story rather than break us apart from it as if we need some sort of forced breather from the action or story filler. Smart Hong Sisters!
Yoon Pil Joo: Best second lead ever! I fell in love with him falling in love. Yoon Kye Sang is amazing. Time to go find every other thing he's ever acted in and watch it.
I found this show sublime. 'Crack me up' hilarious and 'Wrench my heart, why don't you?' emotional. Don't miss it. It is extraordinary.
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To me, Radiant Office belongs to the slice-of-life and romance genre. After all, it was made to be an office romance kind of show. Comedy is almost non-existent here, although that does not mean that this show is dark. It is fun, but if you're here expecting slapstick humor kind of fun, you're in the wrong place.
On the outer level, Radiant Office is a bunch of Korean drama clichés packed together. There's a boss-employee relationship, office settings, fatal disease, and some chaebol family problems. However, on the inside, Radiant Office has a very warm and cozy tone – the complete opposite of those dramas that have the same cliché background.
This is built mainly on their warm and cozy characters. I know that the poster and the synopsis can make our lead female character look very extreme, but she's not, as well as the rest of the crew. They're rather very relatable human-beings. They go through problems (that can sometimes be too dramatic, but again, I can totally overlook that for the fact that this is a drama), but the way they tackle these problems and overcome these situations are so human-like.
You will definitely learn a thing or two at every twist and turn here. When you feel like you can relate to their problems, you'll surprisingly feel comforted by their words and actions. I also love how there's no true "evil" in this story. Whenever someone does something bad, the show progresses in the way you can finally understand that supposed "bad" intention and come to accept that flaw. There are times when good characters make bad decisions as well. This show never tries to perfect or sugar-coat things to make the ordinary viewers like me feel ugly or uncomfortable.
The characters here are all built on the same ground. There's no "rich and powerful" and "ugly duckling" kind of combination. Even if there is a rich and powerful person, they all still have good qualities *as much as* their bad ones. The part that makes this fun to watch is that most of their qualities don't overlap each other. Throughout the show, the best quality of one person will fulfill the bad part of another and so on. It makes everyone complete. This is very heartwarming to see. Trust me, you will fall in love even with the small roles that show up only once every 3-4 episodes (like the secretary or the convenience store worker or our main lead's younger brother). The characters in this show are really that lovely.
THE ROMANCE:
Like I said, subtleness is the key here. I swear I enjoyed the tiny reactions between our two main leads so much and found myself blushing at their chemistry way more than when main leads of other dramas hate each other too much before falling in love with each other. The satisfaction when he slightly takes care of her or acknowledges her talents is real. And, no matter how strong her character is, she's still the little girl who likes to be taken care of in front of him. Their love slowly grows on you.
THE CAST:
I started watching this show without ANY expectation because of the cast. I haven't seen some of these actors, but for the ones I've seen, I can say that this is their best drama so far. I've got nothing much to say. They're very well-suited for their roles.
THE MUSIC:
Honestly, they didn't use their OSTs in the way that they receive enough recognition although there are quite some quality ballads. However, I don't remember feeling awkward with the background music while watching. I can only give it a 7/10.
REWATCH VALUE:
I personally rarely rewatch shows. For people who do, I can picture you rewatch it for the life lessons and cozy love story. However, it's less likely to be rewatched and still enjoyable because business talks can be too long in some episodes.
OVERALL:
Still, despite the so-so music, the clichés, and the low rewatch value, I still give it an 8.5/10. I don't care about the low rewatch value; a drama is never made to be watched over and over again anyway. Comparing to very upbeat and sweet romcoms, I give high score to this one for its approach in telling the story. This was never made fancy for the ratings from the start. This was made for people who like to lean back and appreciate things.
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This review may contain spoilers
ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND PAINFUL DRAMA EVER
I knew this drama would have a sad ending from the beginning but WOW.The story is so well written, the acting is SO GOOD and the OSTS are amazing (specially Winter of May). I loved every second of this drama even though I cried my eyes out with the ending.
Go Minsi did a really great job as Myeong Hee, I've never watched a drama with her and she blew my mind! Lee Dohyun also did a really great job as HeeTae and their chemistry was one of the best I've ever seen.
Knowing that Myeong Hee was missing for 30 years and that it took that long to find her body broke my heart. I really hoped that MyeongHee and HeeTae would have their happy ending because they've been through so much to be together.
This show made me you so sad and powerless but at the same time made my heart flutter. I wanted to get inside the screen and protect all of them with all my heart and it hurts so much to know that this was based in a real story and that there are people that are still missing.
I'm really glad I got to watch this drama and I'm really glad I got to know more about the Gwangju Uprising. My condolences to the people of Gwangju that had to get through this event and thanks to "Youth of May" to made us know about it.
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Hard-hitting Psychodrama
This one popped up on my Netflix feed recently and while the premise sounded intriguing, it was the magic words "Toby Lee" that hooked and reeled me in. Toby Lee last seen by me in the historical detective drama Miss Truth isn’t the main character here but he certainly commands a strong presence throughout the storyline. The titular "her" is played by Tiffany Hsu and she gives a sterling performance as the deeply troubled Lin Chenxi, a competent HR recruiter or “headhunter” whose life is thrown into complete disarray on the arrival of a new employee.The show begins with a suspicious death in an aged care facility in a small town. The victim is a former high school physics teacher Xie Zhizhong. The local cops finger a nurse, Yan Shenghua, a former student of his, as the chief suspect. As the show progresses, who done it, however becomes secondary to why it was done. The teacher's death is more or less a MacGuffin to make way for the real story — a terrible destructive secret that sets the stage for family dysfunction, guilt, regret and estrangement.
Lin Chenxi is a busy professional going places in her company. On the surface things seem to be going well for her. But enter Danny (Chris Wu) the cousin of the CEO who is eager to prove himself as the organization’s new rising star. His cocky, glib, overconfident demeanour camouflages a far more sinister persona. Danny, in fact is a sociopathic misogynist and loathes being upstaged, particularly by women. When Chenxi successfully talks a potential recruit into accepting a contract after the arrogant Danny botches the negotiation process, he goes ballistic. He lashes out and deploys the only weapons available to him — sexual harassment which escalates into violence.
These series of events seem to trigger deep seated memories and emotions that seem to set the stage for a mental breakdown. In a state of panic after escaping from the clutches of Danny, Chenxi meets with a road accident and is rendered unconscious.
When Chenxi regains consciousness she finds herself back in the house that she grew up in with her parents and twin brother in their hometown. From then on she exists in a perpetual state of confusion about where she is, who the people around her are and her relationships with them. The folks tell her that she’s been in an accident and seems to be suffering amnesia but why does she have fragmented memories of of a life elsewhere in Taipei with a supportive boyfriend (Toby Lee) who is now nowhere to be found. Much of the show sees her trying to navigate these memories trying to sift the truth from the lies as she becomes embroiled in the investigation of the death of her former teacher and the disappearance of an old classmate. It soon becomes clear that her family and former besties are keeping things from her as she stumbles around in the dark looking for answers.
“Shards” used here is apt as it points to the fragmentary and even unreliable nature of memories. Moreover it also refers to the fragility and brokenness of a soul stuck in a tragic past with no healing in sight. A shattered visage as it were. Furthermore “shards” can also signify the pieces of a puzzle that the audience has to put together as they journey with Chenxi.
As the audience sees events through Chenxi’s lenses, we are inevitably drawn into the same disorientation and speculation. Has she travelled back in time? Has she landed into an alternate universe? Is this all just a really bad dream?
The answers come eventually because the show isn’t just about the sordid past but about the dysfunctional gender dynamics that plague our world today. Sexual harassment opens the door to other unpleasant subjects related to the treatment of women in the workplace, the use of technology to invade women’s most private and intimate spaces. As it exposes the nasty side of cosmopolitan 21st century living, the show doesn’t shy away from taking a broad perspective on how both men and women are complicit in perpetuating such behaviours this side of the sexual revolution.
Despite the hard-hitting subjects covered in these 9 episodes, all of this still manages to arrive at a satisfying and profoundly moving finale. It's no exaggeration to say that this drama probably has the best ending I've seen all year. There’s undeniably an ugly side to humanity that has to be confronted constantly and often it seems to be our default position to do harm even with the best of intentions. In spite of the psychodrama and psychobabble at the end, I don’t find the resolution simplistic. There is an acknowledgement that the past is not so easily expunged and living with mental health issues does take a toll not only on the survivors but also on their loved ones. The goal is healing which will take time and effort.
All in all this is a strong script that’s tightly plotted. The cast as a whole is excellent — young and old. It’s the first Taiwanese drama I’ve watched in a few years because I had more or less given up finding one with a decent script without tons of fillers. I imagine that the format — 9 episodes — helps in keeping this trim and terrific. Regardless of the fact that I found this show engaging and immersive, I can’t see too many wanting to revisit it.
It would be remiss of me to end this review without some kind of warning. This is not a show for the faint-hearted, it’s certainly not for those who will be triggered by images of sexual assault especially if that’s been a feature of their past. Even though I’m someone with a strong stomach for crime shows, I too found those scenes disturbing and confronting.
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Love transcends all
Where do I even start? I mean I just finished it right now and I feel this weird kind of heaviness. This is one of those shows that I am going to feel nostalgic about. Everything about it was so saddening yet beautiful. All actors did an outstanding job especially the main lead (Fandy). The direction, the lines, the ost were totally on point. Despite knowing how the show is going to end right from the very start you still feel this gravitational pull to continue watching it. It has made me feel so empty right now honestly speaking. It just hits you like like a train I mean it is just so painful yet pretty in its own way. How this one love story helped in bringing together so many people and made us question our own love for those whom we love.It teaches you alot about love and humans. Makes you have so many doubts about your own relationships. It actually literally shows you how pure love can be, transcending even death. How love is more bluer than blue itself that it can surpass time amd continue to live in other people's minds, stories and hearts.
The story is about two people in love who can do anything for each other's happiness even if it means hurting your ownself in the process, about the sacrifices they made for each other and how despite everything their love continues to inspire people.
I will recommend watching it because after a very long time I felt like I will remember a show for the months and years to come. It just hits you right on the spot, makes sure that all your intestines get wrecked and still manages to make you want more of it. I hope the two lovers get a happy ending in their next life.
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