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One of the funniest dramas I’ve ever watched!
So many people give this drama low ratings because it focuses too much on comedy and romance and not enough on story depth or action. Well let me tell you something guys, that’s what a true romantic comedy is supposed to do. Romcoms are supposed to be focused on romance and comedy. The backstory, underlying meaning of things, character growth, and plot always takes second place to the romance and comedy in a romcom. That’s not to say the drama doesn’t have any depth or good plot lines, it does. It’s just that it’s not the main focus of the drama.I like that this romcom stays a romcom throughout and never gets too melodramatic or angsty as most dramas do. Yes there are sad parts where I cried, and there was some angst towards the end. But you need a little of that to pull you in and get you invested in the drama. But it never gets too angsty and the comedy is sprinkled throughout the drama to lighten the mood.
One thing about the comedy is that it’s very physical with lots of bathroom humor. It’s not a subtle type of comedy but rather a very silly slapstick style comedy which is not everyone’s cup of tea. You either love it or hate it. I personally found it to be one of the funniest dramas I’ve ever seen. And I’ve watched hundreds of dramas.
I also loved the female leads relationship with her brothers. Her protective big brothers touched my heart and how they all looked out for each other and put each other first was heart warming. But be warned the female lead stands up for herself and is very physical with the people that mess with her. I personally loved her sassiness which she pulled off brilliantly. But some people may not like her strong physical personality.
The male lead is aggressive and tough one minute then a silly little puppy the next minute. Not many actors can play such a diverse character but this guy does it flawlessly.
There is a gay storyline and it’s done very tastefully. I like that neither of the men were portrayed as the typical silly effeminate gay character you see in most dramas. They were very normal everyday guys that were trying to cope with their circumstances. None of the scenes made me feel uncomfortable or awkward. Other dramas could learn a lesson from them. I loved the gay storyline. It was original, sweet, very normal and believable.
If you’re looking for a good romantic comedy then look no further. This is one of the best out there. If you’re usually very focused on depth of plot, action, and want lots of twists and turns then this is not the drama for you.
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Calming and mundane. Wrapped in a thin layer of sadness that gets thicker as you watch.
"People can die of longing. Still, we were diligently making memories that we would be longing for every day."Even with the heartbreaking theme, the show had this peaceful aura about it. While not much was happening (with half of the episodes being cooking scenes with Han Seok Kyu’s narration over it) it just felt right. This show gives you pause to breathe and enjoy the moment while also slowly taking the breath away when you know what’s coming at the end.
It has gracefully balanced between the warm and happy moments and the harsh truth of the reality the family had to face. Recipe for Farewell does not show you the whole journey. It gives you bits and pieces, the moments, but it’s enough to understand the whole process and relate to the characters.
It’s a small story, happening in a small area with a small number of characters, yet it has a big heart and many amazing messages. It’s going to make you smile, laugh, cry. You are going to feel grateful for what you have, appreciating all the small things we usually ignore and take for granted in life. It talks about loss, grief, accepting the inevitable, maturing and putting aside our egocentric nature, reconnecting with people in your life.
All of that was possible thanks to the great writing and directing, but also phenomena acting from the whole cast. I cannot even describe how amazing of the job everyone did in this project.
Is this show for everyone? No. And I don’t mean it in a rude way, as if only “intellectuals” can enjoy it. It’s just truly character driven, truly mundane and truly not focused on the entertainment aspect. As much as I enjoyed it, I can easily see someone else finding it boring.
Overall, it’s a true gem. It’s not a show you watch for entertainment. It’s not something you put as a background while cleaning. It’s something you should enjoy at your own pace, free from external distractions.
Side note at the end, but Yang Su Won is one of the most amazing characters from all 2022 drama. On the other hand, closer to the end I started to strongly dislike Yeo Jin…
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This review may contain spoilers
So first off, this is not a drama for the faint hearted. This is a all in commitment. Initially I was hesitant on the first 3 episodes.. then it started to draw me in and as story unfolded I loved it. It so rare that you get a drama that sucks you in and you are waiting impatiently for the next one finding yourself day dreaming about what’s going to happen next, putting the puzzle pieces together :) it’s an all in fun ride. You really have to pay attention(especially the uncles evil schemes in the beginning) he is ssoooo evil and did it sooo good) and there’s other side stories.. (which do not take away from the main story but add to it.. ) it should have been 17 or 18 episodes but they wrapped it up nicely in 16. Certain people are fundamental to the story and when you get the flow you start to see how deep/good it really is.
I didn’t get the romance at first.. but then I realized; the King saw the FL as his champion at a very vulnerable sad time in his life and as “she” had saved him from death and killed some of the traitors. She was larger than life to him and I’m sure that looking at her picture everyday... after a while he probably felt like he “knew “ her.
So. when he sees her ; It’s like a long lost friend/savior who means so much to him. Also FL is kind of tough. She’s not a damsel in distress (which I love:) , So until she knows him and can trust that he is for real about his story and his feelings toward her. She’s not gonna give him an inch. Obviously she is somewhat interested in him because she spends time with him and listens to his story (at first she thinks he’s nuts and then she starts to research different things that make her question her reality) I loved that she did that and then you see the wheels in her mind turning and things making her REALLY question that lead her to answers .. soon they are thinking out loud together .. so one more thing about this relationship he’s a really smart wise compassionate capable strong good looking man who is not about power..but about justice.. what’s not to love in him:):):D Omo.. also loved loved his horse :) he was beautiful
Let’s face it, there’s a lot to consider and the writers tried to give you an authentic point of view from the characters personalities Sometimes when we watch dramas we take it for granted that everyone accepts the impossible slightly implausible crazy story that two worlds that are similar parallel and exist.
I liked that FL really did her due diligence and she has a smart mind so the gathers her info. When she accepts that he is authentic and honest with her and she realizes that he is what she has been looking for, she commits to the relationship. I liked the romance, it wasn’t a “needy” relationship it was a “i really like you wanna get to know you but I still have a job a family and a life.(aka I’m a King..hehe) .how do we manage that?” Kind of romance.
Then throw in a REALLY evil homicidal uncle who replaces people from each world ( people swapping killer,) close friends/protectors workers/palace people/ and you got a fun ...all out ....what’s gonna happen next story. Also humor was thrown in so it had some really funny moments :)
The FL as a co- and all her people were excellent and the King in his world with all his people were excellent.. to have friends and people like these in your life really made the story about them all:)
Like I said not for the faint of heart. But the story really comes together and you realize the main couple are in love and they’ve never been in love, /so they are finding out not only about each other but they and others are also threatened and have to save/protect/ figure out the next step in the tine line and solve the chaos in the past somehow.
I thought each actor was really good. I love the Main leads and have seen all their dramas. I must say they have matured and I loved them and totally got their relationship, because it’s not easy to date Fall in love, keep in touch and save two worlds. Once she committed she totally committed ..(it was sweet)
The other leads (FL best friend who is in love with her.. Kings right hand man , nice Uncle , Grandmother ) (I totally LOVE the grandmother.she is the icon for all grandmas in k dramas) I thought all were really good.
SPOILER ** The ending was perfect. It showed you how well the leads understood each other/worked well and independently and did what needed to be done ; how things changed and ended up...(a few of them I LOL’d how they changed)
Once the FL got the gist of how things were panning out she was way ahead of the game and started to work out how she needed to proceed (a woman with a tactical mind herself) and the ML respected her ..her job , independence and her intelligence. You just knew they were gonna enjoy life together:)
Soooo.. what I’m saying is the drama is done you can binge watch it and have fun.. if in the first 4-6 episodes you don’t connect... no harm done but I am so happy I watched it and will rewatch some of the episodes again
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Bad, "Baddest" Worst
Ok, I needed to join this community after watching this show because I had to write a review. I read the other reviews and I thought, everyone have their likes and dislikes, so I will give it a go. And boy were you guys correct. Having my toes nail pull would be sooo much more enjoyable. There is so much wrong with this show, that there is not any instances where I can say there was at least one part which was enjoyable. Even the eye candies could not save this. A dumster fire have a better story.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
BLOOD
My Golden Blood is a vampiric BL fantasy that’s campy, sensual, and irresistibly melodramatic—packed with intense chemistry between Joss Way-ar (Mark) and Fluke Gawin Caskey (Tong), layered with supernatural intrigue and just enough humor to lighten the gothic tension.Mark, a 200-year-old vampire heir, discovers Tong—a naive, rare “golden blood” individual whose scent attracts vampires. He protects him from rivals (including cousin Nakan), battling his own bloodlust while their bond deepens. A standout twist: Tong, thought to have hemophilia, learns his blood is coveted—and he becomes strong and confident through Mark’s protection
If you're here for sizzling supernatural romance, dramatic flair, and unapologetic fanservice—My Golden Blood delivers in droves. It’s over-the-top, sexy, and sometimes cheesy, but driven by superb lead performances and heartfelt emotion. Ignore the CGI quibbles (unless you're a perfectionist) and let yourself be swept up in this gothic BL romp.
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That's how an manga adaption should always be...
Once bitten, twice shy - I thought "please let it be at least decent", but compared to GMMTV this show blowed any other thai manga adaptation out of the water. Of course this show is also not perfect with some characters less developed then they should be, but: SmartBoom saved the day. There acting is far ahead of what we often get served nowadays, because the script was good. Their chemistry is excellent and once I wish they end up together 🤣. One show which does not play at an university, one show which is not absurdly cringe or stupid or childish and one show that tells a meaningful story. I have not read the manga, because I don't like spoilers at all, but everything in the story makes sense for me, so I have no need to do so now.If your are sensitive like me, you need a tissue-box for sure, it's an emotional rollercoaster between dreadful sad to happy to enthusiastically overjoyed. And don't forget the honey NC scene, which got even artsy. So even the fangirls get served (I mean the fangirls not caring about a story of course).
Production quality, cinematography was perfect as well. All the other reviews will depict the story for sure, but the only thing which is important is, I hope we get season 2 and season 3 asap. This is also a novum at least in the thai industry, to plan a series for 3 seasons and not compromise on the story-telling.
Overall, this thai series is highly recommanded!
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Great Production, Visuals and Memorable Perormances
Since seeing the promotional material for Whispers of Fate, I've been anticipating this Wuxia-Xianxia series with the male lead as Luo Yun Xi. But after its release, and watching all 40 episodes, I'm struggling to articulate how I really feel about the characters and the story.Okay, first let's talk about the positives:
Production: Great. The sets, the handmade costumes for each character and the makeup are of the highest quality. OSTs and original songs that most of the cast sing fit their characters’ stories are amazing! (Actually, the same studio that produced the international hit
Till the End of the Moon is the same one producing Whispers of Fate. So, I knew it would be great quality in terms of overall production.)
Action scenes and choreography: Good, especially in small-scale and one-on-one duels. The movements are fast and there is not much slow motion (which is a plus, because it disrupts the flow of the scene and it's just annoying!)
VFX and CGI: Decent but not great. For different sets and places within this fantasy world, you can tell they mostly used green screens. But the lighting and the details in each set are very good. On the other hand, when it comes to animating giant moving objects and fantasy creatures, it ranges from average to bad.
And now onto the story and its characters…and this is where it gets a bit complicated. Whispers of Fate is actually an adaptation of a Chinese series of novels featuring a martial artist called Tang Lici and his companions Chi Yun and, later, Shen Long Huan as they traverse Jiangu (the martial arts world) to try to find the culprits behind the deadly and addictive “Nine Hearted Demon Pills,” the mysterious and dangerous organisation of Fengliu Parlour.
This is more or less the overall plot of the novel series. However, the original novel, as of now, is still unfinished. So naturally, for purposes of adaptation, the writers changed parts of the story and created a different ending.
I don't know, but maybe this is why I have mixed feelings about WOF’s story and characters. To me, it felt more like a character-driven story than a plot-driven one. Sure, the plot is very important, and you'll see interesting twists and turns along the way. The world of Jianghu, with its many different characters, is also important. But the main focus in this story always remains on Tang Lici and his personal journey and growth. His origin is quite different in the drama from the one in the novel. But in terms of personality, he shares many aspects of his novel counterpart: Seemingly cold, aloof and even arrogant; suspicious and always plotting ahead and trying to remain one step above others. Yet as we see more, his exterior hides a sensitive, fragile and tormented spirit, one whose nature and motives are mostly misunderstood by others. In a way, Tang Lici is very much like a child who mentally hasn't fully matured into adulthood; he has unhealthy ways of dealing with grief, abandonment and cannot accept loss.
So, watching the drama, I saw it as his personal story and journey of growth, as he faces a myriad of challenges and becomes a better version of himself. However, the ending left me feeling confused and a bit unsatisfied. I won't go into details (because it'll spoil the whole plot). But in terms of character development, I thought it made the whole journey of Tang Lici and his personal struggles moot. It's just my personal opinion, but I think it is this way because the novel is unfinished and the writers had to write the ending themselves. So, of course, some major incongruities in the overall themes of the story will be unavoidable.
But setting my reservation for the story aside, the casting is very good. Luo Yun Xi, as always, dedicates himself to the roles he plays and excels at them! For instance, through his macro facial expressions, tone of voice, eyes and posture, he conveys the character’s inner state very well. The others are fine too. But as I said, the main focus is always Tang Lici. Therefore, when it comes to other characters in this story, I found very few to be interesting.
As for the romance storyline … let's just say you will be disappointed. To be honest, before watching the drama, I knew romance wasn't a main driver of the story and was totally fine with it. But after watching the whole thing, I just wish they had scrapped the whole subplot or whatever it was, because it was very lacklustre to me (and a bit forced?) Yes, I know in the drama, it is part of Tang Lici’s personal journey. But I don't know if it's just me, but I felt no or very little chemistry between our protagonist and his supposed “love interest”, and the story doesn't really take the time to expand on it. So, to me, this subplot was the weakest and the least interesting aspect of the drama. It's nothing against the actors; you can tell they were really trying, but ultimately it comes down to the script and the narrative choices within it. To be fair, the romance isn't spectacular in the novel either, so it's understandable.
With that said, is Whispers of Fate worth watching? Yes, and I think it might improve my opinion and rating with a rewatch. In terms of casting, performance and the overall production quality, it is top-notch, but it is not flawless either.
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Giant caught my attention when I added Salaryman to my list. I watched 5 episodes at that time and I failed to continue. In my second attempt I watched 20 episodes and I had to stop after 20 episodes because of exams. This time I managed to finish it within a week! It was really addictive.
Giant is a period drama set in 70s-90s. It's story of development of Gangnam & Seoul, political environment of Korea Republic at that time. Characters' stories of struggle-rise-fall has a base of revenge & betrayal. Giant has a very detailed business & political plot (not detailed realistically but compared to any motion media there is a good amount of detail). Nice representation of business, money, politics, power & greed. All of it was very dirty (not as dirty as reality). Very smart & unpredictable (mostly).
Other than business & politics another major theme is the sweet family & friendships. Alongside them there are little love stories. However, the love stories are not lovey-dovey but perfect amount for romance lovers.
Every character has depth and reason of their actions & ambitions. Male characters are great but I want to highlight the female characters. Females of Giant are very balanced. They are intelligent in their work & self-assertive in nature...in short they're kickass!
You can't categorise Giant in a genre. It has all kind of content except horror & fantasy. No dull & needless moments. Everything was necessary & strong enough to maintain interest. However, I felt a few episodes in the 40s were a little weak; still weakest episode deserves a 9!
Also it gives a rough idea of political situations and changes of South Korea at that time & construction development of Seoul.
Acting/Casting:
Excellent casting. I watched Salaryman so most of them were familiar. Everyone was great. I especially like Lee Duk-hwa, Lee Ki-young, Lee Mun-shik & Kim Suh-hyung.
Actresses were good. Park Jin-hee was fine & Hwang Jung-eum...well, she felt somewhat like a misfit. Her character was cute & naïve but she overdid it...I think.
Joo Sang-wook was really good but who is my favourite actor choice in Giant? Lee Beom-soo...nope. My favourite actors were Park Sang-min & Jung Bo-suk. At the beginning I was excited because of presence of Beom-soo in the cast and he was great but I didn't like him as much as I liked Park Sang-min & Jung Bo-suk. Beom-soo overacted a few times but Sang-min & Bo-suk both were always natural. Bo-suk was always blossomed; so was Sang-min! But Sang-min was extra special in family scenes.
I wanted to go into the screen and beat Bo-suk's character to the pulp & to hug Sang-min's character.
Music:
Soundtrack & songs used in the whole show were awesome. Soundtracks synchronised well with the situations.
Also in the first 40 episodes you'll frequently listen to some parts of classic Korean songs...I liked most of them.
Who should watch this?
-If you like business & political themes.
-Romance fans
-Everyone except following
Who should avoid this?
-Romance fans (those who want lovey-dovey romance in each & every episode)
-Those who can't handle family conflicts (minor)
-Those who can't handle tension (not depression)
-Those who can't breathe in ahjussi/grandpa/ahjumma galore & want pleasant sceneries of actors/actress to survive.
-Low tolerance of evil. Those who think that 'Boys Over Flowers'/'Secret Garden' moms & 'I Hear Your Voice'/'City Hunter' ahjussis or any other popular evil characters are the most evil then you should think twice before watching Giant....because those mentioned characters are just foetus of evil. In Giant you'll face complete evil.
Re-watch value:
Definitely a re-watch material! Despite being a 60 episode long show; I'll definitely go through this excitement many times in future.
Giant has everything...I laughed, cried, became tense &…....cursed like I never did (I realised that my tongue is dirtier than I thought!).
Giant is best in revenge, business & political category (not just Korea) & my 2nd best Korean show!
I recommend this to everyone, if you're afraid of length then don't be; it's addictive and you'll feel 60 episodes are less.
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A wrinkle in time.
This is a surprisingly enjoyable short love story with a novel premise. He Zhengyu, a hot shot lawyer experiences a series of setbacks that lands him in a modest apartment. Every night, he is "haunted" by rookie reporter Chen Jialan, who occupied the apartment four months ago. A wrinkle in time brings them together each night at 10:06pm for 46 minutes. During this time they must solve a few cases that they were involved in professionally that may have set them on the road to perdition.The initial encounters between Zhengyu and Jialan are hilarious and intriguing as they both scare the hell out of each other. They had me rooting for them from the get go. But as their relationship progresses, I find Jialan remains too sweet, childish and cutesy. I expect to see their chemistry take on a more mature and adult tone later on but this doesn't quite happen. Nonetheless, I stayed invested in their story throughout and kept going even though the whole Jirong saga bored me to tears. I have not seen such bland and monotonous acting in a long time. It is almost criminal to pair up such an insipid actress with such a hot actor as Dai Gaozheng. The cast overall is not strong and it is Yang Xuwen's convincing and charismatic portrayal of Zhengyu and how he is changed by this wrinkle in time that elevates the main relationship and saves the entire drama.
The biggest plot hole in this story is He Zhengyu's lack of curiosity about who Chen Jialan was and why she vacated the apartment he moved into. You would think his first instinct would be to find out everything about her and to try to track her down. But no, he waits till very late in the game to do this. The cases are only mildly interesting and the villains are quite obvious. While the drama does a good job transitioning between the past and the present, the main characters traverse back and forth too often and too inconsequentially. The plot does become slightly convoluted towards the end, with too many twists. Despite some obvious flaws and plot holes, there are enough fresh and engaging moments that make this an entertaining watch. This is a 7.5/10.0 that will nicely tide over a dry spell.
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"I will go outside to see the world. I will fail and I will suffer!...
...I want to see what I can achieve in the end!"There is so much to love about this drama. There is also surprisingly a lot I did not, and it only hit me when I got closer to the end.
It’s safe to say this is a perfect drama for all found family trope fans. Watching Li Jian Jian, Ling Xiao and He Zi Qiu support each other under the caring watch of Li Hai Chao was beautifully heartwarming. What amazed me the most was the fact these relationships were not idealized. All characters struggled with many internal and external issues that were well developed and presented. Themes like being scared of being abandoned, or being forced to abandon people you love. The constant feeling you need to act perfect, be perfect, never complain to be worth the support you are getting. That uncomfortable feeling when people who were close to you in the past feel distant in the present. All of these affected their interactions with each other and made the bond that much more meaningful and strong.
Li Jian Jian was such a force of positivity. I know some people disliked her as a teenager, but personally I loved her in all 3 stages of her life. She was adorable as a kid, fun and expressive as a teenager and mature, but still exciting to watch as an adult. She was the person that could be called “home” by many characters and the bond that kept them together.
Ling Xiao was the one who kept his scars hidden the most and it was painful to watch. At times it truly felt as if he gave up on himself - whatever happens, as long as people he cares about are safe. The most passive in response to trauma, the one that kept it all inside. Finding his salvation in Li Jian Jian.
He Zi Qiu who smiled, even if he was crying inside. Fighting his battles alone, not wanting anyone to help, not wanting anyone to pity him. Trying his best not to be a burden, wanting to protect people around him. So caring, so good, so well-natured with such a bright and radiant personality. He became an older brother to all the characters.
And you know what’s the best? The main characters were not the only ones with depth. All the supporting characters had well-defined personalities and individual struggles that were separate from their connections to the main cast. Ming Yue who was limited by her low self-esteem and overbearing mother, Tang Can who felt like she was stuck in place when everyone around her lived their best and successful lives. I loved how Zhuang Bei did not disappear after the high school timeline, how he truly became part of the friend group. Or how Qin Mei Ying was not just a plot device and accessory to Chen Ting.
And then we have the best father in all drama history: Li Hai Chao. He could be used as a gold standard on how to well-integrate adopted children into an already existing family. He made sure everyone felt welcomed without neglecting his own daughter. Being patient was his biggest strength that made all the kids trust him. Putting happiness and well-being over, often meaningless achievements. Purest form of support we all dream about.
Sadly, that’s the end of the short list of the good parents this drama presented, and one of the main issues I had with the show.
Yes, I did like Ling He Ping, but it’s also true that he was a rather neglectful father. Working a lot, not being at home knowing how bad the situation is. Later putting his son in the care of a neighbor.
Not going into details, at some point I found the level and the number of dysfunctional families in this show exhausting and unrealistic. All families have their problems, that’s true. The thing is, Go Ahead does not present your typical issues, it’s all on the level of: you need therapy, these are not disagreement, this is an abuse.
Then we have the issue of vilification of mothers. This one abandoned her child, another did the same. This one is overcontrolling to the point of abuse, this one uses her child to get money. There was literally only one mother without any major issues, who did not mentally torture her child, and she was a mom of the side character. It’s not like the dads were perfect, but their faults were never highlighted as much.
At the same time, the drama gives a rather painful and unhealthy message - no matter what, you cannot give up on your mother, you have to try and make the relationship work, no matter the abuse and how much you are suffering, because it is your mother. Abandoning your child is “a mistake”, but not helping your mother when she struggles is the biggest sin one can commit. Some scenes just made me feel uncomfortable. I know there are some cultural differences and China puts a lot of importance on family bonds and family relations, but there is a big difference between doing your best to fix a relationship with your parents and just accepting abuse for years.
I also feel like the drama unintentionally stigmatizes mental health issues. In some aspects they did a good job, showing how serious are the consequences of emotional abuse, trauma, neglect, stress, pressure etc. The fact it’s not just - I feel sad. How it can affect your daily life, how it will only get worse if you won’t seek help and try to change the situation you are in. On the other hand though, they did blame a lot of toxic and awful behavior on psychological issues. The sad truth is - some people are simply dicks, and they will act like one whenever they struggle with something or not. Some people are just egocentric and selfish and them getting help won’t change that.
My “favorite” part about mental health presentation? Two characters talking about how you cannot get better in just a few months when you struggle with serious psychological issues, while also showing how serious issues were solved in a short period of time without getting into any details on how. All I could do was laugh.
Going back to the good - PERFORMANCES! Personally I believe Zhang Xin Chen and Tu Song Yan stole the show. The strong and beautiful father-son bond these two were able to present was one of the best aspects of the drama. They also had the best overall chemistry with all their co-stars. Whatever these two characters were going through always hit harder and made me feel more compared to when I watched the other characters.
While I enjoyed Tan Song Yun and Song Wei Long for their individual roles, somehow I did not click with their scenes together as their characters became adults. I feel like they had more chemistry playing teenagers. When the three siblings were together, when they had their separate scenes with Zhang Xin Chen, the on-screen chemistry was great, but when it was just the two of them… something was missing.
I don’t really have that much to say about the production value. It was great, but great is kind of a standard now in the industry.
On the other hand, there is a lot to compliment about the soundtrack! There is not one bad song, not one mismatched track - every tune is in perfect harmony with their corresponding scenes. Every song enhances the moments I witnessed, amplifying the emotions.
Overall, I binge watched the whole drama in 6 days, I think that is a greatest proof Go Ahead is an amazing show. It makes you like and care for the characters from episode one, and with each minute you get more and more attached to them and their journey.
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1Morality and legality do not always go hand in hand.
Surprisingly coherent storytelling that does not go into preachy territories - truly presenting different perspectives on a complex subject of euthanasia. What's even more amazing is the satisfying ending that makes perfect sense. No, it's not a sarcasm. Ending that I find to be the perfect for both the characters themselves and the themes the show presents. Euthanasia is not a simple topic to discuss since it involves so many conflicting moral and legal aspects.Is euthanasia the same as murder? If not, what makes it different? When it's a valid option, and can it even be a valid option for any patient? Should politicians have the right to decide when and how we die? Whose suffering should take priority - patients' or their families? If the family is not ready to part with their loved one, should they have any say in deciding if euthanasia should be performed? How to determine if the patient is capable to make that decision themselves? So many questions, no concrete answers. And that's the beauty of this drama.
While the dialogue heavy moments shined the most, the crime aspect could have been improved. Did it bother me how bad the investigation was? At times, yes. But at the end of the day, it was not a crime detective drama, it was a psychological thriller heavy on drama. Realistically speaking, many things did not make sense, but also realistically speaking, I did not care.
Similarly, the romance came out of nowhere and many times I laughed about the validity of leads feelings. And yet, it still hits hard when it needs to. Maybe if the drama was longer, so they had more time to present the relationship in a more evenly paced way... I guess they did what they could with the time they had.
For the performance, Tor in the last episode? On fire with his acting skills. I had to rewatch a certain scene 3 times because I loved his delivery so much. I do not think there was a weak link in the cast - everyone executed their characters in a perfect manner. Yes, I talk to JJ through screen a few times to "put his eyebrow down", but at some point I just started to see it as his charming point. Maybe I was brainwashed? Still, a heavy subject like euthanasia requires skills to present it in a respectful way, and I do think Spare Me Your Mercy achieved just that.
Overall, a great watch. Both entertaining and inviting some reflection to form our own stance on the subject. It knew when to bring back lighter tone and some cute romance, and when to get serious when the scenes needed.
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The Korean version was the first I encountered and fell in love with the show. The Taiwanese show ( original) was the next to come appear from my searches. It varied the story and how they played the characters and ,except for the final few episodes, I again fell in love. The more recent Thai version again played it slightly different to both previous productions . While I wasn't quite as enthusiastic, it still was quite a good show.
All three had great casts, chemistry between the leads, believable plot, fine production ....actually all the elements required to make an engaging enjoyable show. This most recent version from Japan lacked almost everyone of these elements , except for the female lead. It felt rushed, inexpensive, and amateurish which is not true for many wonderful Japanese shows.
As I watched it felt like there will be no Season 2 to complete the story as the company decided to cut it short because it was just not getting any better. This is of course my opinion. I am now excitedly looking forward to the promised Chinese version due this year starring my favorite couple from The Eternal Love 1 and 2. ( That's the one with the THE in the title)
Please still watch this drama and, if you haven't already, check out the other three, soon to be four!!
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Story:
As a rom-com drama i have to say it was good. The romance between Gong Shim and Ahn Dan Tae was really cute and pleasent to watch. I wish there were more romantic moments between them though and also more kisses, which semeed too unnatural for me. There were a lot (like.. a lot) of funny moments and funny characters and i think these funny moments made me love this drama. What i didn't like in the plot is that there were some moments that seemed too unrealistic, at least to me.
Also everything was really predictable. Even from the beginning you know what's going to happen, you know what the writer's idea is. I don't really mind that though, it was interesting anyway.
Acting/Cast:
I just love the cast! When you see Minah as a main role, you'll probably think that she will ruin the drama with bad acting or something like that because that's what most people think that when they see kpop idol as an actor. But no, Minah IS good at acting. There were moments i just forgot that Gong Shim was actually Minah, she did a great job! But i have to admit, Gong Shim inspired me so much! She is really strong, she never gives up. She acts friendly even with people who hurt her feelings, just because she is too good. And the most important - she knows how to love herself.
It was my first drama with Nam Goong Min and i have to say i'm surprised (in a good way). His acting is really natural and it was just a pleasure to watch him.
Joon Soo is the one who made me smile the most. Ohn Joo Wan really did a good job. His character is really lovable and it's easy to like him.
What to say about Gong Mi though... Yeah, sometimes she was annoying, she was too unnecessary selfish, but i couldn't bring myself to hate her. The actress is pretty and gave me a warm feeling, so i didn't mind Gong Mi most of the time.
I didn't like Bang Eun Hee's acting, her voice were too deep and the way she was talking was so strange that made me cringe.
Music:
I love all the OSTs, especially Coffee Boy's song. It's a song that makes your heart flutter wherever you hear it. Most of the songs are like that - they make you smile like a fool, they make you happy.
Rewatch Value: I will rewatch this for sure. Maybe when I'm sad or maybe when I'm bored, but I'll definitely watch this again.
Overall:
This drama made me happy, it just gave me the warm feeling i needed. It made me believe in my dreams to some extent, so i don't regret watching it. If you love cute couples, even more cute bromances and funny moments this drama is definitely for you. Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed.
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This review may contain spoilers
THE LAST OOOOHH
Yes, please watch the aftercredits of the finale.Quick summary. The Last Oath is a s story of 2 survivors meeting together and finding love in each other in a post-apocalytic zombie world. The end.
Before anything else, It is worth mentioning that I really really liked the series for its entirity and its pretty obvious that the makers and all the actors really put their heart to it.
First the things that i didnt like:
1. Excessive AI usage. The opening credits alone screams I am AI generated. Most of the drone shots/ aerial shots/ nature and environmental stills are clearly made with AI. Why though?
2. The limited budget is extremely obvious considering the span of world building that they were aiming for.
3. Zombies are not scary and the makeup is one of the worst zombie makeup in a series or a movie, I wouldnt give this drama an award for makeup and special effects, but that could also be blamed on the limited budget.
4. Midway in the series they realized they didnt really have a budget anymore so they devised a story arc where they reach a settlement where the need for special effects, makeup and production design has literally gone down to almost 0. From that moment the zombie drama became, well, a regular drama. And i have to be honest that i hated the almost always tantrumning Lin Zai.
5. I loved that this is a story of survival and that the BL part is only part of the story. However, without any discussion or acknowledgement of same sex partnership you can easily change the Li Zai character into a woman and it wont change the story, so i end up wondering why does it have to be BL? Was the BL theme used to click bait watchers?
6. For a zombie show, there were actually very little zombie in it.
7. THe last episode felt rushed. We are led to believe that ALie is working for a big company and from the start we are building up for a major scary standoff/fight climax. What we get in the final fight are cheap pyrotechnics with 11 or 12 masked soldiers and 1 not-so-scary female leader. The finale fight took exactly 5 minutes. Very anticlimatic.
The things that i liked:
1. I loved loved loved that this is not just your regular BL. The story is well thought out and almost all episodes are important. This show is very reminiscent of the first few seasons of the Walking Dead. However, i think episode 14 to 24 could have been squeezed to 4 to 6 episodes to make the story more compact.
2. I did mentioned above that the expansive world exposed the show's limited budget - BUT - if one can overlook the shortcomings and excessive usage of AI imagery, id say they were at least successful in creating a post apocalyptic world that is believable and enjoyable.
3. There are no annoying side characters,
4. At the beginning i hated the Avengers style choreography of the fight scenes complete with the camera going full circle a-la Avengers Age of Ultron and complete with signature superhero poses. However, since Chen Ming Hao has done a terrific job with it as a male Natasha Romanoff copycat anyway, i decided id consider it a good thing. He must have been a superhero of somesort because that man is like superman - faster thana speeding bullet.
5. It is worth mentioning that all the disappointment i felt after watching the finale was all erased when i saw the after credits. At least at the end theyrealized that they are still, after all the drama, a BL series.
SOOOO, will i recommend? YES definitely. Entertaining and watcheable. Will i rewatch? NO, the show is way too long and there is not a lot of re-watcheable parts. Im giving it a very strong 8.5 for the valiant effort of all the involved.
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This movie has an interesting plot and it actually creates the anxiety in you that not every horror movies does. The story is pretty unpredictable, making you wonder what is gonna happen next. The ending was totally unexpected (at least I didn't expect that kind of ending). There is definitely blood and gore- feature of a typical horror movie but I don't think to the extent that will make you go 'Ewwww' and quit the movie.
The cast is fairly good. But I don't remember the music. Did anything really play in the background? I don't know. I was probably too busy watching people die one-by-one that my ears didn't pick the background music.
The reason I gave the rewatch value 8 is because this movie is highly thrilling and even though I will know what's going to happen next when I watch it again, it is fun.
To sum everything up, I would say that if you are a horror buff, then this movie is worth giving a try.
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