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Missed the pocket by a mile
There are mild spoilers in this review, but nothing that will spoil the story.I promise, I gave up on watching romcoms. I really did. But this was a romance drama and I’ve seen some good ones of those. “Lighter and Princess” for instance wasn’t half bad (even though a friend of mine dubbed it lighter and ashtray— you know who you are…) but I’m afraid this one really didn’t make the cut. So if you are going to feel sensitive about a beloved actor, then this review will probably rile you up and is best passed over. Spend your day happily elsewhere. We all have different opinions and I’ve explained my serious reasons, albeit in a somewhat flippant tone.
I’m not a great fan of the standard tsundere type. “We can talk to each other any time if we have anything to say.” Actual quote from Ep 15, albeit in translation. I sort of hope that it lost something in the process there. To me, someone who can’t talk about what they feel is a bit of a red flag. And the way he stared at her at the start was really creepy stalker stuff. Later he makes life changing decisions which he doesn’t discusses with her and she’s the last to know. The character simply wasn’t my type. But putting that aside, Leo Wu did a good job with Lin Yi Yang, and the chemistry was visible in his face right from the start.
But out of what did all this romance spring? There was no witty dialogue going on, no flirtation to lighten the mood. Love seemed to conveniently blossom out of thin air. Followed by a lot on him chasing her, and her pushing him away whilst being pouty petulant. Did the writers actually know why they “fell in love”? It sort of didn’t seem like they did.
Ok, setting the why question aside, and to be fair, I’ve fallen in love for no reason I could explain to myself. To start off with, the romance was pretty cute. It ticked all the standard boxes, as well as all the cliché boxes and all the stating the obvious boxes and a whole bunch of the cringe boxes. It’s really the only reason to watch the drama at all, and you will just about get it in real time, inching inexorably forward, through every tiny nuance. But that’s Chinese romance drama so if I don’t like it, I should just stfu and not watch it! (There, said it for you.) There’s a lot of defensive play nestling up against the cushions and the occasional escaping from an impossible snooker, but they ping around the table and drop the 9-ball without going in off. After about eight episodes I’m kinda over it but I hung in there. Then they really start straying into a sort of toxic, sacrificial relationship dynamic where A (him) relentlessly does everything for B (her), and she takes it all and doesn’t seem to do anything much in return except sleep a lot and cry prettily. Romantic? More Red Flag waving as far as I was concerned.
Which leads me into Yin Guo’s character (Zhao Jin Mai). Take a pound of sugar, some marshmallows and a handful of pink and fluffy with a great big dollop of childish sulky, petulance and a large spoonful of wet weekend; stir constantly for 30 episodes and it should come out pretty much the same as it went in. Really, couldn’t they have written a little bit of an edge in there somewhere. She was supposed to be a competitive sportswoman with an ice queen attitude in her games. I’m afraid that was wishful thinking, ‘cause nowhere did I actually find any believable link between those two supposed sides of her. There’s an internal stillness and concentration that is present in any professional sportsperson, that is born of single-mindedness and dedication, and I just couldn’t see that in Zhao Jin Mai’s eyes or in her character. Leo Wu made a much more convincing job of lining himself up down the cue.
The thing that actually was pretty glacial was the pacing. If you remove the PP from each episode in Helsinki, you’re left with about 5 minutes of real action. I like slow paced dramas but you really have to plumb the character depth to make them work. Unfortunately, here, character exploration was limited to squirming, shyness and ludicrous amounts of hesitancy for at least the first eight episodes. They needed way more variations in dynamics in their relationship to make it interesting and engaging.
There were a lot of characters who just seemed to hang around like loose red balls after the break, getting in the way of a clear view of the black. Not at all enough plot to go round for sooooo many characters. They could have cut the acting budget by half with very little effort and no-one would have noticed. And what is that first rule of writing? — never introduce a character without a well defined and clear purpose. Take Meng Xiao Dong (Wang Xing Yue) for instance and his maybe/maybe-not relationship. It was hinted at and never really explored or resolved so why was it there at all? And it wasn’t like they were short of time.
The lack of any real plot or serious character development meant that the forward momentum was sadly lacking and it became tedious and boring, with each episode pretty much indistinguishable from the previous one.
My final beef is Lin Yi Yang crying poor and it turns out “all” he has is 55,000 US$ and ownership of a billiard hall. Give me strength, I’m lmao at this point. It’s like crying poor because you can’t afford your annual holiday in San Tropez. What planet are people on? Definitely not mine, I’m telling you that. It’s a complete misuse of the word and an absolute insult to a whole world of people who struggle to live their lives and support their families with three less noughts in their bank accounts.
If you enjoyed Road Home, then you will find this a slight step up. The production values in this one were actually reasonable. It was well lit and in focus!
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One of the best things is that until about episode 5 the gender roles are reversed. Instead of the "innocent girl" falling for the "bad boy," You have an innocent boy falling for the girl everyone hates.
The casters did an amazing job with casting Show Luo as the main lead, seeing as he's a giant piece of eye candy. Rainie, who played an innocent girl in "Devil Beside You" did an amazing job with an opposite role. Together the two of them will have you wanting to cry at sad moments and yell at the screen as if they can hear you.
This is my all time favorite drama. I've re-watched several times and will continue to re-watch it. At first I had given up at episode three but curiosity took over and I started watching it again. At first you may seem disappointed, watching a dork when you want to watch a hunk. But it's all worth it.
You won't regret watching this.
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--- The wish is not what you expect, and it is the contrary. But at the end, it worked. And I incorrectly thought of who is the "cupid" here, and it comes as a surprise. You might be too! ---
First of all, drop all what you expect form this series based on the trailer or teaser which ever you want to call it. it is not hard core drama romance, it is more of a romance comedy. Once you have establsihed and keep that in your head, you will enjoy this one, and that is for certain. Especially those Earth-Mix fandom.
If you watch Episode 1 & 4 of Our Sky, it feels the same. But the devil lies in the detail. *wink*
The inheritance issue is just a layer of the entire plot primarily focused on self-assessment and realization. Each leg of the journey adds to this enlightenment.
There will be instances that you want to smack off the face of earth Mix's character as he is out of line. But when you realize where he is coming from, the anger mellows down and be tolerant. There are scenes that Mix seems will not stop talking! And I find it cute when he nags. And watch those antics from Win, truly adorable!
When you get to the PMS episode, that is the most fun in this series. Couldn't help myself laughing and Mix is awesome!
And also, this is a departure of the urban life and travelling the rural areas of Thailand. Buddhism, which highlighted, as the major religion of the country plays an important role as well. The lines coming from the abbots can be easily applied if you are of a different belief system.
Lastly, boy don't forget about the food! Sometimes I am expecting Mark Weins of Migrationology will sunddely join the food fest. LOL Thoser river prawns!
If you are single, which probably you are, you might curse them for not being considerate in the sweet moments. Either you want to be Mix or Korn. Earth and Mix are so natural with each other, and I couldn't say more about that and you will surely notice that. They can definitely do another rom-com and surely I will watch it as well!
ACTING/CAST
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I have to give this Mix as Win. As this his only 2nd main lead role, outright you can see how far he has come. He convey emotions raw, much more with intense and conviction. Being paired up a very common close friend makes their scenes natural and not forced or scripted. Watch Mix's eyes as it where his emotions are coming from. Truly, you'll be mesmerized by it.
Earth as Korn, you wouldn't expect any less from him of course. It is just a bit odd that his support is parter in Theory of Love, White as Doctor Non.
MUSIC
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This is one of the the strenghts of GMMTV productions. They know where to put them to enhance the experience especially in those heartbreaking ones.
REWATCH VALUE
======================================
Like I have said over and over again, I am the type of guy who does not watch after I finished. But, to each his own.
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1A movie definitely not meant for everyone
Ok, so I think all the people who watched this movie were like NANI TF!? And I'm no excuse lol. This review is going to be mainly for the sickos out there like myself who actually really enjoyed the movie and everything in it.THIS MOVIE IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEARTS. If you can't take things like, kidnnaping, rape, BDSM, tons of sex, mature content, suicide and torture, I suggest you stay away from this movie.
In my opinion I really don't understand why this movie got so many critiques and low rating. The synopsis is out there and so is the trailer and the manga. If you watched and you felt offended by this show, the blame is on you.
This movie is a portrait of Stockholm Syndrome and how love can appear in many different forms and places. It is a very heavy movie, I'm not gonna deny it, but at the same time I could find a sence of beauty in it. The movie talks a lot about life, death, love, blame and forgiveness. I think it passes a realy nice message on how you can't always blame yourself for the bad things that happens in life and that death in not always the answer. For me the movie was very well made, the acting was really nice, the soudtrack gave a very dark and heavy tone to the entire show, and the story was actually very well written in my opinion. Overall I really really liked this movie but do not recommend for the people who takes everything at heart.
I think it's important to mention that THIS IS JUST A FILM! It's important to separe reality from fiction!! So stop judging people for actually liking this type of film.
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This Drama Gave Nothing New… and Still Kinda Ate
This one lands right in the middle for me. Not the kind of show that leaves you speechless, but definitely not something I’d call boring either. It’s solid, the kind of drama that doesn’t wow you with big twists or surprises but still keeps you watching all the way through.At first glance, it’s exactly what you’d expect from a revenge drama. The female lead loses everything in an over-the-top conspiracy, disappears, and returns with a plan to take down those who wronged her. You’ve seen this setup before, probably more than once. And this show doesn’t pretend to be different. It embraces the formula completely. That might be a turn-off if you’re tired of the genre’s repetitive structure, but if you’re someone who enjoys these stories even when they’re predictable, like me, then this one is worth checking out.
What really helped my experience was keeping expectations low. I’ve seen flashier revenge dramas with bigger budgets that ended up being directionless messes. This one, though more modest, knew what it wanted to be. The plot follows a straightforward path, with no major surprises, but what stands out is the female lead. From the start, she’s clear about what she wants and never wavers. She doesn’t get emotional to the point of being reckless, and she doesn’t let anyone, not even the male lead, distract her. There’s never a moment where she reverts back to being helpless or confused. Her clarity and focus carry the whole story.
One of the most refreshing elements was the relationship between the leads. I’ll admit I had a bit of bias going in, expecting the usual love-hate chaos, especially since the male lead is from the rival family. But to my surprise, their dynamic was calm and surprisingly grounded. No forced angst, no dramatic blowups just for the sake of tension. Their connection builds gradually and feels natural within the context of the story. Even though the plot isn’t offering anything new, the chemistry between them gives the drama a lot of heart and kept me invested when the rest felt familiar.
As for the male lead himself, I liked how he was written. Yes, it’s a little odd at first when you realize he’s falling for the woman who used to be his dead brother’s wife, but the show doesn’t dwell on that awkwardness. Their past connection feels more like a detail than a major plot point, which makes it easier to move on from. What really works is how he supports her without trying to control the narrative. He helps when she needs it but never tries to take over her mission or become the savior. That balance makes their relationship feel respectful, and honestly, it’s a dynamic I wish we saw more often in this genre.
Where the drama falls short, though, is with the villains. Don’t get me wrong, they do enough to keep the revenge plot moving, and their actions are definitely evil. But they never feel truly menacing. There’s no standout antagonist who makes your skin crawl or really pushes the lead to her limits. They’re just... there. Functional, but forgettable. Luckily, what the story lacks in villain energy, it makes up for with strong visuals. The cast looks incredible from start to finish. Styling, outfits, presence — all very much on point. Even when the tension dips, it still feels fun to watch because of how well everything is presented.
So, would I recommend it? If you're looking for something fresh or unforgettable, this probably won’t hit the mark. But if you're in the mood for a straightforward revenge story with a strong female lead and a well-balanced romance, it’s surprisingly satisfying. It doesn’t waste your time, it doesn’t go off track, and it delivers what it promises. Familiar, yes, but sometimes that’s exactly what works.
[Also, credit where it’s due: Fifty percent of why I kept watching was Wu Jun Ting’s voice. I could listen to him talk all day. Completely hypnotic!]
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Do you want revenge regardless of the price?
Dark, suspenseful, violence and heartbreaking, “My Name” tells a story of a woman who lost her father and then she chose to lose herself in order to take revenge.“My Name” is an action thriller with the revenge trope as a main theme so the story doesn’t have much depth and it’s somehow predictable but overall, the drama is entertaining. It has many good action scenes and the choreographed fights are very well executed. The gore is also very realistic so trigger-warning: “My Name” has extreme violence that may not be suitable for everyone.
The story is also well written and it doesn’t lose its interest. The pace is good, not too slow nor too fast and it can be binged-watched easily. The length of 8 episodes is good enough to tell the whole story without leaving anything untold and without making the viewers bored or tired of it.
What was really likable about the story was the building of the protagonist’s character. Yoon Ji Woo has a powerful spirit within an unpowerful body which she eventually manages to build up after living, or better surviving, in a very brutal environment. She is indeed a very dynamic woman who doesn’t let anything or anyone keep her away from her goal, revenge. Seeing her journey through Han so Hee’s surprisingly good portrayal was satisfying and thrilling.
The relationship dynamics in the drama are also impressive. Yoo Ji Woo’s and Choi Moo Jin’s relationship was very unique and special. Their chemistry was perfect and there was always a tension and a mystery between them. Yoo Ji Woo’s and Jeon Pil Do’s relationship was also good and well written. Their relationship played an important role in Yoon ji Woo’s character’s final set up.
The production is of course decent, as we expected from a Netflix original show. The shots, the sceneries, the camera’s transitions during the action/fight scenes were all very well made and everything was on point. The music was very suitable and gave the right mood to the audience in every scene but personally I think that it wasn’t so memorable. All in all, it’s obvious that the production team and the actors worked very hard for this drama.
“My Name” has a lot of good elements that make it a decent drama. However, as its plot is very common, I can’t say that it was an exceptional drama but it’s good enough if you want to see an action mini-series where the main lead is a strong woman who is willing to sacrifice everything in order to succeed.
Last but not least, the way she is realizing what’s the price she has to pay for her revenge which slowly became the purpose of her life and imprisoned her, was very heartbreaking and, personally speaking, the strongest moment of the drama. Is revenge really what we should be seeking for? Is it worth it?
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Touching, moving, stirring, rousing, exciting: Makjang, yes. And Rom+/-Com. And more. Fabulous.
Truths just want to come out. Thus, sometimes they find quite miraculous ways."I Have a Lover" features Makjang. However, the KDrama also and above all offers an unusual love story over 50 episodes.
It also tells about the creeping drama of marriage after the 'point of no return', when secrets and/or feelings of guilt, disappointment and reproaches have long barricaded the couple's way to each other and marriage has become a stale shell or facade, with hardly any space for dear affection left. Eventually, with all those hidden emotions it becomes increasingly difficult to lovingly respond to each other. At last, it may seem impossible to pave a new way towards renewed trust, closeness and genuine intimacy.
Moreover, "I Have a Lover" tells about the trauma that couples as parents suffer from the loss of their child. This KDrama is about painful emotions not being shared, getting in the way of a trusting, loving, intimate relationship. In the most desperate moments the one you need the most seems the furthest away. Missing a comforting connection makes it even worse. Finally, the insincerity leads towards sadness, anger or even indifference and detachment regarding the hollow relationship.
Drawing human characters with their shadows and radiance, the KDrama tells of the whole range of emotions people have and share in intimate relationships. "I Have a Lover" portrays an extraordinary character development process. Will the couple thus be able to reconnect?
The side plots add to the sophisticatedly composed symphony of complex, conflicting emotional worlds. It's about pain and hope, disappointment and forgiveness, sincere love and betrayal, above all about romantic love, but beyond that about love in all possible facets. Family in its ambivalence as bonding and bondage, as an ambiguous place of trust and obligation, forms a creeping leitmotif that holds all the narrative strings together.
The scenarios effortlessly switch between different living environments. The focus is also on lawyers - those 'footmen' serving the elite big corporations and those 'upright' serving the little folks.
At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted to follow an exhausting relationship between estranged spouses for 50 episodes. But it quickly became apparent that the story and its two perfectly harmonizing leads invite you to depart on a wonderfully refined emotional trek through the human emotional worlds.
"I Have a Lover" is touching, moving, stirring, rousing, exciting. It is Makjang, yes. It is Rom+/-Com, and more. Fabulous.
Ps:
The KDrama (despite the 50 episodes) suits for a rewatch, as many aspects and details might then become even more meaningful...
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If you're looking for flaws in this drama then you're going to find it but as they say when you fall in love with something/someone it becomes perfect to you, I fell in love with this drama so to me I didn't see any flaws.
The acting was really good, Yang Jin Sung actually did a great job, you really love her as Doo Rim and want to strangle her as Yi Kyung so I'd say she was successful in her acting.
Lee Hong Ki was also really good and all the supporting acting was great too.
One of my favourite things about this drama was the character developement, I love Kang Ju's character from the begining but at the end I loved him even more because you can really see how he's changed and opened his heart, another great character developement was Roo Mi, you really dislike her in the begining because she's like every other second lead but as the story progresses she actually becomes pretty awesome ^^
The music was lovely, I really loved Words I Have Yet To Say, and Come Into My Heart was nice too :D
The story was really interesting, I started watching this when only the first 4 episodes had aired so I had to wait every week for the last 12 and it had me crazy waiting till next week so it was really interesting for me, although I will say that over half way through the show when you find out something about the plot it does seem less interesting because that aspect of the drama isn't really there anymore (people who've seen it should know what I mean) but nonetheless it still get's interesting in other ways.
I really loved that it was all the female characters that caused everything in this drama haha, they were the ones playing the males ^^
I'm really going to miss this drama, I just finished it and I already miss it :( I have already watched this show twice (expect the last episode since It just aired) and I actually watched the whole thing without subtitles and was proud of how much I understood :D
Anyway If you haven't watched this, you really should give it a try, it might suprise you, as I said it's like your typical drama but like something really new at the same time. I really can say that I loved and enjoyed it but of course there was moments that annoyed me but that's to be expected, the ending was satisfying, although it could of been better but at least it tied up everything, anyway you should defintiely watch this, for me it's the best drama of 2014! I already miss Kang Ju and Doo Rim! :(
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The game of light, colours, and nature was just brilliant, with a nostalgic note, beautiful sceneries from Norway, and melodic pieces of classical music and piano to paint the perfect picture of an idyllic and tranquil picture. The pace of the drama was equally perfect for the cinematography, as it was calm, with nice notes of drama here and there.
The performances were excellent from all the actors and actresses in the cast as well.
However, the story was messy and confusing. The script offered little to non information about the cryptic gadget that used a person's voice and character to communicate with the loved ones once that person has passed away. The characters were equally mysterious as well, with some background stories coming through from the flashbacks that the drama offered, but, overall, it was difficult to understand them, know them, and, thus, sympathize with them. The message that, I guess, the drama wanted to pass on, that there is some comfort after a loved one dies, was beautiful. However, the romance was boring, as the characters seemed wrapped up in their past and didn't really invest in the relationship.
So, overall, five out of ten.
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This review may contain spoilers
Aparently all is well that ends well since happy music played at the end of this very dark tale.
I'm prepared to not be liked here. From the overall decently high rating on MDL (Currently 8.5) and the sheer volume of "I loved this," or "Best Couple of the Year," remarks on the Dali and the Cocky Prince comments board, saying anything negative is likely going to put me in hot water and get me scolded. Unfortunately, if I have any integrity and aim at all to be honest, I must confess that DATCP is one disappointing outing that is MANY things but NOT anything near what I would call light and fluffy.Yet, these two adjectives, light and fluffy, are probably the MOST used to describe this series by commenters. I've recently been watching a bit heavier, or more serious, content and wanted a break for something fun and easy. I had read positive feedback about DATCP while it was airing and held off so I could binge it once it was done. Thus, here I am writing this review long after the final episode wrapped and I wish I had a better more carefree experience. My hopes were not fulfilled.
The first episode was very enjoyable. I came for cute, funny, and light and it gave me cute, funny, and light. The characters are sketched fast yet sturdily. We open on Jin Moo Hak (Played effectively by Kim Min Jae) as a young wealthy business minded money loving son to a growing empire. Unlike most heirs he isn't out spending his families money but is the driving force behind the family's empiric rise. His greeting is fast paced, funny, and delightful. In the process he angers his father as he jets off to Holland for a business meeting and thus when he lands finds himself financially cut off in a foreign land.
Enter our female lead Kim Da Li (Played effervescently by Park Gyu Young) a wealthy heiress studying art abroad in Holland. She is, in most respects, the opposite of our male. Wealthy but not caring about money. Book smart but lacking most practical understanding. Elegant, kind and refined, Dali lives in the world of the elite while never becoming one of them. When the museum curator she studies under asks her to pick up an art critic for a high-end schmooze fest from the airport, a comedy of errors ensues. With the same last name our male lead thinks she is the poor errand girl sent to fetch him, and Dali not knowing what the art critic looks like is shocked by the arrogant playful attractive man that approaches her.
By the end, the chemistry between these two is a massive blaze. The show is funny, cool, fresh, sexy, and yes fun, and you think, or I thought, yes this is going to be a great ride!
But then tragedy befalls our female lead when her father dies back in Korea, and she must instantly go back from where she came. Our male lead Moo Hak feels rejected and is convinced by his staff that she played him to get his wealth, and the hunt begins to find her.
This is where the fun stops. While the second episode is filled with moments of "Look UP!" she is right there, oh my God I can't wait for them to get back together mishaps....when it finally does happen....it is gross and devastating.
Our male lead to this point has been fun and funny. Arrogant, money grubbing, short sighted, and uneducated yes, but he has still been rather friendly, cute, and kind in his own right. He is fun to watch, and fun to hate. Our female lead has been smart, driven, kind, helpful, and caring.
But episode 3 turns the tables and ruins this set-up. In a single scene that hollowed me, our male lead degrades, berates, demoralizes, and threatens our female lead and turns himself into a monster. She is days out of her father's death, in the midst of mourning, being hunted by family and creditors, the world she has lived crashing upon her and is one step from bankruptcy and losing everything she has ever had. Our male lead knows ALL of this, but to make sure no one thinks he is soft, to show that all he cares about is money, and to prove that he doesn't have any feelings he stands up and screams a diatribe down to our female lead calling her his debtor and that he will sell everything she owns to get the money her father borrowed from him.
The series is not interested in righting this wrong at any point. It is just a plot step to the end. Our female lead accepts being treated as such and never even remotely requires an apology. The next time our leads see each other cute love music plays the entire scene, she trips and falls into his arms, they stare lovingly into each others eyes, and the oh look at how cute they are music swells.
For the next few episodes our male lead will continue down this path tormenting and degrading the female lead. By the middle of the series Dali has become a prop. She makes not a single decisions on her own. She is fully controlled by all the men around her. She is saved left and right just for being the girl everyone wants, and her character comes off stupid and insipid. She sells her entire life to keep a gallery afloat and before the end of the series is physically attacked multiple times.
Our male lead grows and becomes better and by the series end is basically back to how we met him in Holland. But never does he ask Dali's forgiveness and never does he admit his actions were wrong. Near the end, when he is subjected by our "bad guy" to the same demoralizing scene he subjects Dali to in episode 3, our male lead is allowed to get angry, require an apology, and ignore and fight with Dali over it, even though it wasn't her that degraded him. In what is easily the greatest double standard I've seen in programming this year.
He gets so mad that he calls our female lead a whore. Tells her "To have sex to get his 2 million back. If she did she could probably get 20 million ." In what is the lowest point in the series.
It is immediately followed by a kiss by the way. He calls her a whore and then kisses her, and we are supposed to ship it.
Everything outside of our main leads is a wasteland. Besides a woman at Dali's workplace and her childhood best friend/like brother...every other character in the show is a villain. All of them plotting the downfall of the leads. The story lines include family betrayal, government corruption, blackmail, secret killing, drug smuggling, bankruptcy, public slander, disownment, orphan shaming, suicide, forced prostitution, and just if there weren't enough bad guys (the count gets up to 9 I believe) or degrading and depressing plot lines out pops a long lost uncle that reveals a secret adoption and thus we get to degrade and shame adopted children publicly and then try to take everything away from them because they aren't blood.
In short, there was nothing LIGHT or FLUFFY to be found. There is a lot of disgusting, depressing, and abhorrent story lines and characters and there is little value in any of it outside of empty shallow entertainment. The large gulf of cultural divide between the west and Korea is glaringly obvious here.
If you want to watch this with blinders on that is fine. No one can stop you. Yes, there are comedic bits. Yes, there are moments where our leads are adorable and fun to watch and be with. Yes, there are things to like here.
But taking those things and adding them all up will probably net you a total run time of 3-4 episodes. The other 12 episodes are filled with the male lead being a nasty piece of trash, our female lead being a helpless victim, and all the junk awful story lines I just ran through above with massive amounts of time spent with these other horrible characters.
For a brief stent the show seems to be aware of how awful it is, one character having a conversation with the other, "Why would you act like that and do that? Pulling her hair? What is this a soap opera?" and the answer is yes. It is a trashy soap opera that does little more than fill your time.
6.0/C/ 3-Stars Average in every way. You got a 50/50 shot of liking it simply depending on your taste.
At least we had Holland and that first episode of a much much better show.
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A good drama gone terribly wrong
This drama is something i had pretty good expectations for but unfortunately it failed to deliver. I don't know how i can possibly rate the show when the second lead couple was much more interesting than the main couple.When i started this show i thought it was so cute, Academic rivals are definitely something you are likely to experience in school and the idea of meeting your academic rival after many years , as well as the fact that they were both facing struggles of different kinds were also quite amusing to me. I personally really resonated with the fl because a lot of parents tell you to work hard and "everything will work out" but that is not always the case. The ml (although not as relatable) also received very less attention and the only time his parents paid any attention to him was when he got into trouble. Now ill go in depth about the pros and the cons.
Cons:
1) the drama started out strong but i don't know exactly when but i started getting bored of the romance between the leads, I feel like it would have made much more sense if they both just remained friends because the romance was so unnecessary
2) the mystery behind the issue with the ml's medical mishap was way too complicated, i would have preferred if they just kept one suspect from the beginning and limited the mystery to max 8 episodes
3) the comedy was at most times - just cringe, I dont know if it was the acting, the writing or the directing but the comedy was extremely cringe at certain moments
4) I like park hung sik's acting but for this show it was a bit much, I feel like if the actor looks fake while doing a scene it prevents viewers from immersing themself into the show
5) The misunderstandings were drawn out, i feel like the characters did not age a day (mentally) after high school, i feel like they honestly retain the same level of maturity which shows no character development over time
Pros:
1) First and foremost my high rating for the acting goes mostly for the second leads, their acting was so much more realistic and their situations were also much more relatable, The idea of being single parents to kids of the opposite gender (single mom with son and single dad with daughter) while having hectic jobs as medical professionals and having to navigate life with teenagers was also executed well. After a certain point i was watching the show for them.
2) I feel like the mental health aspect was demonstrated pretty well, the idea of parents always pushing you to be successful and how success does not equal happiness was a strong message.
3) Park shin hye definitely improved her kissing skills, she looked like she was being assaulted in majority of the dramas but she definitely fixed it this time round
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Where’s the heat? Disastrous Results of an Uninspired Direction
Unforgotten Night premiered while KinnPorsche, the most r-rated BL series ever produced in Thailand, is still airing. With the same setting of a mafia world and based on an ultra-steamy novel, I am sure the producers are aware that it will be compared to the blockbuster but is most likely willing to ride with the achievements of KP. Hoping that the similarities of UN and KP will boost its ratings and popularity.So it boggles my mind, WHERE IS THE HEAT? Heat in the chosen actors, specially Kamol, and definitely heat in the numerous supposedly steamy scenes?! WHY ARE THE ACTORS SO RELUCTANT TO KISS? Were the actors not warned that they will have open-mouthed kisses and heated exchanges? Why get actors not willing to give the requirements of their characters?
Kamol in the novel is a big muscled, ruthless mafia. He is frustrated with his sex-life coz nobody can endure his preference for extreme bdsm . Why get an actor who is baby-faced, with luminous fair skin, and small framed with not a single abs in his body? So many actors will put this lead into shame in terms of sexiness, willingness to do r-rated scenes, and with better acting skills. Kamol is a big disappointment.
Although in fairness to the main leads, I have a feeling both did not have a solid grasp in what was expected of them. The chemistry between the two improved starting ep.5. Ton as Kim is turning out to be charming with his character falling for Kamol but reluctant to give his all. Now I’m curious if these two were given enough preparation or workshops to make them at ease with their roles and bdsm/love scenes. I wonder if they had a sit down with the director to thoroughly thresh out the characters they’re portraying. Coz the leads’ acting were more on external nuances but lacks in-depth understanding, specially Kamol.
A big miss too is the character of Cherry. Why do some BL resort on this cliche of a jealous vicious woman? Really? Fight for a man who would obviously not be sexually attracted to me?! Even the novel does not have a Cherry, so why put a character like her? It’s an insult to my sensitivity as a female.
Overall production is uninspired. Is the director even interested in doing this? The soundtrack is horrible and the editing sophomoric. And the big elephant in the room, have they even thought out the type of BDSM Kamol prefers? For someone who practices INTENSE erotic play, where professional partners give up on Kamol, the sex between the male leads is too vanilla and bordering to comical..…
The saving grace of this series is that Unforgotten Night is willing to show mafia Kamol and his underlings are hardened and ready to kill or cut off body parts when they are being merciful.. This is a positive difference from KinnPorsche, which romantacized it’s characters; Kinn hardly does the dirty work with most of his time dedicated to flirting with Porsche. But most significantly, the UN screenwriters, with the exception of the addition of the Cherry character, stuck to the original popular novel of the same title. The romance between a heartbroken man and his mafia, his unlikely knight in shining armor, is the major reason why this drama has its loyal audience. Kim’s line, “Help me forget his embrace!” is definitely UNFORGOTTEN.
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In my opinion this drama was more characters driven than plot driven, and the cast did an awesome job in portraying a plot that was unnecessarily over complicated. The writer took us on a very long detour to keep us engaged but at the end he failed to delivery the “twist plot” we all were waiting for.
When you take down one enemy after another, but there are still episodes to air, it is very easy to see, between the suspects, who is still standing.
I really would love to give this an 8 but despite the great acting, the wonderful soundtrack and some thriller/dramatic moments, I didn’t appreciate how the writer play with us.
Plot: unnecessarily complicated, full of thrilling moments strategically placed to grab the viewer, but the overall consistency of the story was lacking, the ending was predictable. Most of the plot focus on the corruption within the police/justice SK society.
Characters: well-written, the story was characters driven, each member of the team has his own story, all of them show the true colors of human kind, the trauma they suffer affected them not only psychologically but also physically, and bring them to make decisions that not always are the rightful one.
Acting: superb, the cast did an awesome job and save a lot this drama.
Soundtrack: wonderful and perfect to give the thriller vibe and dramatic vibe when necessary.
Personal opinion: I am more into pure thriller where the enemy is a psychopath than into corruption plot, but this can definitely be added in the OCN best work.
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Talk !!?? In the this economy ? We don't do that here. We let miscommunication cook and feed on it !
Another K-Bl where the miscommunication trope takes center stage. Unfortunately , I really don't have much to say because honestly not much was meaningfully said , felt and understood in the drama itself. Somehow the conversations and conflict resolution were half baked and even though this was a short drama it still felt unnecessarily stretched.While I understand humans are complex and everyone's brain works differently, here it felt like they made it a point that no logic will back the decisions of both the leads. It felt like everything was going in circles. The characters would start , make progress and in the next week's episode, they would be back at the square one.
Back and forth is not something that usually irks me. I enjoy fun banters and angst but here it did. It was fun till some point but then just became redundant as no real character development happened.
Do Ba Woo was someone who lived in his own shell. Even if you tell him it's night, he will still argue and will refuse to believe because he is too afraid to face his demons and insecurities in the dark. He is relatable but likeable only if this drama were 40 episodes long and we have a clear arc of him going somewhere. Here it felt frustrating. Half the time I was just screaming "Just ask him sir, please!"
Ji Hun was as thick as it gets ( Quoting Henry here) ! He was adorable and kind hearted but seemed to share 1 brain cell with his friends. Still, I don't blame him much because I don't think he ever got clear answers or clarity from Da Ba Woo. His confused stance was kind of justified.
Jung Ha Min was the stirrer. I had a soft spot for him but till the end I didn't get his purpose in the drama.
The chemistry between the leads was lukewarm at its best. It wasn't outright bad but it wasn't convincing either. The drama did try to sell this as deep, emotional connection but vibes were giving more like mild acquaintances.
Honestly,
Did I want Ba woo to end with Ji Hun ? No!
Did I want Ba woo to end with Ha Min? Also, No!
He clearly needed to take a step back and work on his issues before he could question anyone else's feelings.
Acting was good, the production quality also seemed decent but I think everything got weighed down by weak writing.
Overall, this wasn't a masterpiece, more like a pretty poster covering the cracks on the wall. But self discovery and working on yourself aren't trending in KBLs, so we will roll with this recycled trope, swoon over Jihun's smile as if it can solve all their problems and move on.
I will only recommend it if you want to watch a BL that's short and don't mind frustrating characters!
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Just... enough.
This drama was terrible and then at the end they have a woman being whipped through the streets like some kind of mediaeval witch trial while her rapist friend gets off scot free and another woman being treated as an incubator.
I blame everyone who was melting down on Twitter about how romantic this whole thing was and convinced me to watch it when it was deeply problematic, deeply sexist and even normalised homophobia and excused sexual assault and cheating.
Just stop.
Stop.
The end.
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