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IT WAS A MESS
DISCLAIMER: this review contains my thoughts and feelings. You don’t have to agree with me I’m just giving my opinion.Season 1 >>> Season 2
Everyone felt super performative at first. Especially Seo Eun and Seul Ki. Like you could tell they were conscious of the cameras watching them trying to appear sweet and innocent etc. Over time some got better, some got worse so let’s get into it:
Singles inferno could’ve done so much more to improve this season and entertain the contestants. There isn’t enough to do in the inferno and quite frankly paradise should only be for deepening a connection that has already been established. They act like age and career is so pivotal in getting to know someone when to me that is the least. I’m sure the contestants can find other things to talk about and be more engaged and have an interesting conversation without feeling like they have to tiptoe around everything they’re saying in fear that they might give away their age or career. Imo everyone should have an opportunity to go at least once and the show should force people out of their comfort zones and allow everyone to truly get to know everyone. For example, a person shouldn’t be able to pick the same person twice or 2 days in a row and the dates / challenges should be more inclusive. They could also throw in a wild card like if the contestant is not enjoying time with the person they chose then they have the opportunity to switch out partners or something like that.
A major issue I had with the show and the men was how obsessed they were with Seul Ki. She is a positively bland person and I can’t even begin to fathom how she had all three men chasing after her. It’s obvious they only liked her because of her looks (ideal in Korean beauty standards) and because she is rich. Nothing else! It was very sad watching Dong Woo still choose her even after being rejected. And it was insane seeing her develop feelings for Jong Woo overnight just because he gave her the attention Jin Young was unable to express. I still believe Jong Woo is just a replacement for Jin Young. The way she phrased her choosing him as finally choosing the guy who chooses her first instead of going after the guy she likes??? Lmao if I was Jong Woo I would feel so hurt watching that back because I literally cringed. Anyways, I hear they’re still together now so I can only hope it worked out for the best, though I’m sure it’s just for PR and followers so they will break up.
The back and forth with Seul Ki and her feelings which she was unsure about until the night before was so unattractive to me. In my opinion, she is way too grown to be acting so immature and being so indecisive. I wish she and Jin Young didn’t take up the screen time but that’s exactly what happened and what the producers wanted.
Out of all the men the one I hated the most was Yoong Jae… he gave me cocky / narcissistic vibes with the way he treated So E and even Han Bin. Obviously the girl I hated the most was Seul Ki… she filled up the screen time and it wasn’t like she was interesting or had much to say. I’m sure she’s a great person deep down but I do not think dating shows are for her. The second person I found insufferable was Min Su because she stayed choosing Jin Young even though she knew Nadine liked him. Ugh it’s the way Jin young upset me with choosing Seul Ki even though he had the best connection and best vibes with Nadine. Platonic or not they were great and he would’ve been better off choosing her. But no he had to come with his bullsh*t talking about how he knows he likes a girl in 3 seconds and if he feels sparks or what not.
My favorite contestant by far was Nadine. I don’t care if people want to keep saying that she was only there for her Thesis and how she spoke English to try and "flex" on the others. If you watch her YouTube channel you can see what kind of person she really is. I appreciated her genuineness because even though she was nervous and shy at first (especially because she had to speak Korean) you could tell she was a really down to earth person. And even though she didn’t end up with anyone I feel like she grew from the experience and learned to be more vulnerable and stop being afraid of approaching guys first. I love her and I will be rooting for her beyond paradise because she made the show enjoyable and made me want to stick around.
With that said, another person I think deserved so much better was Se Jeong. You could feel the colorism dripping from the screen with each episode lmao. Because she was not paper white like the rest she did not have a chance to go to paradise, make it make sense! She was gorgeous and all of the men overlooked and forgot about her just because she didn’t fit their “ideal” type. I had to ask myself “are they blind?” more the a few times. I got even angry when Jin Young said she was only “girl crush” material indicating that she wasn’t even potential girlfriend or wife material. That comment was so insulting and you’d think that the world was becoming more open and progressive but no. People still judge others by their skin color first calling it preference or “ideal” type. I don’t think Se Jeong had a real chance in the inferno and it was sad to watch her day after day be lonely. I know people are gonna say she doesn’t have a personality and is bland but that isn’t true. People should be blaming the producers and editors for not showing her scenes and overlooking her like the rest. In small moments you could see her efforts in trying to get to know the guys but they just weren’t interested in her the same way. Some of them claim to have picked her on day 1 for ideal type and changed their minds but we don’t know how true that is. I say Se Jeong just had bad luck and was around the wrong group of men.
The only couple I truly enjoyed was Se Jun and So E. So E definitely came a long way since the initial episodes… at first I did not like her and thought she was fake and willing to steal other peoples men. But that wasn’t the case… she was naive and it was upsetting when you’d hear her say stuff like how she’d keep trying for Yoon Jae no matter how many times he rejected her. That in itself infuriated and annoyed me so badly because we were finally seeing her true determined nature however it was like she couldn’t recognize that she deserved better and should stop settling for less. I felt so bad seeing her put herself through all that even though Yoon Jae refused to acknowledge her or give her the time of day. He even tried to let her down easy / reject her but she refused to take a hint.
I was so happy when Se Jun arrived in paradise and finally saw So E. He truly saw her and accepted her for who she was and didn’t even care about her previous connections with any of the other guys before he arrived. He really put her first and took such good care of her. His kindness and compassion towards her warmed my heart. You could really see that he just wanted her to be happy and make the most of the experience. He didn’t want her to feel obligated or pressured into choosing him, he wanted her to explore her options and make decisions of her own free will. In my humble opinion Se Jun was the best guy in paradise.
I’ve watched the reunion episode with them reacting to their clips and I have to say I’m glad the cast members have remained in contact with each other and seem friendly / like friends. That was the only outcome of the show anyways because it’s just so unrealistic for people to “fall in love” in nine (9) days. Plus in eastern culture it takes so much longer for them to trust and have a connection or even get physical. Watching this show is such a let down in comparison to other shows. If I didn’t have anything better to do I probably wouldn’t have watched. The show needs more spice but lmao this is coming from a western viewer — I like shows like too hot to handle, the bachelor / bachelor in paradise, love island etc.
I just feel like the people the show casted are all adults and should be more forthcoming with their feelings especially if they choose to sign up for a dating show that only lasts for 9 days. They’re all grown so it’s so annoying watching them keep up the innocent childish act to preserve their reputation or what not. Like cut the bs. It’s why I have to give the show a 5.5 /10. I literally feel like I wasted my life and those are hours I’ll never get back. My own fault, obviously but I’m glad I got to see persons like Nadine, Se Jun and So E. Watching them made it worth it somehow 😂🤍
Overall, I felt like the show was predictable. If you’ve watched season 1 it’s the same exact thing to expect in season 2. There’s no difference except for the cast and I presume as the seasons go along it will only become more boring because persons want to appear a certain way to the audience watching and don’t really know how to be their true authentic selves. Also parts of the show are scripted like you can’t tell me each season there will be a girl who has 3 men choosing her??? Be fucking fr
Would I recommend this to others? Probably not. Not unless you want to purposely drive yourself insane for 8 out of 10 episodes or you want to stick around for the rare gem of a couple (So E and Se Jun)
Anyway, thanks for reading!
❤️
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This review may contain spoilers
SPOILERS ALERT. Please do not continue reading if you don't want to know the story line.Synopsis:
Jie You (Zhang Xin Yi) is a young, lively and enthusiastic girl who traveled with her group of friends and her teacher as a performance group. Jie You was an orphan and was picked up by her teacher. When she was picked up, she had a piece of jade around her neck. During their travels in the desert, she sets off on her own to look for water sources and meets Weng Gui (Yuan Hong) who was fighting with xiong nu soldiers.
The second time they meet was when she was performing a magic trick and Weng Gui was hiding from the xiong nu soldiers in her performance box. He had been badly injured and Jie You chose to let him stick with them. After she had treated him, Weng Gui lied that he was just a merchant from WuSun. After a series of events, they got closer and together they tried to help Jie You find out about her parents. Weng Gui however was actually on a mission to visit the Han Emperor to raise a marriage between the Han and WuSun for the sake of alliance. He left his dagger with Jie You and told her that no matter where she went, he would find her as long as she kept the dagger close to her. By then they had fallen deeply in love with one another.
However, Jie You discovers that she is actually related to the imperial family. In a twist of fate, she ends up being chosen as the he qin gong zhu of Han and will thus marry the king of Wu Sun, who also happens to be Weng Gui's brother. Throughout the show, many times Jie You has to choose between being the princess of Han to doing what is right for the citizens of WuSun, against her will to be with the love of her life, Weng Gui. Because Jie You helps Kun Mi (King of WuSun) share the burden of managing the country, Kun Mi gradually falls for Jie You.
During her stay in WuSun, Jie You faces many obstacles put infront of her by the princess of Xiong Nu, Hu Gu, out of jealousy for Kun Mi's liking. Jie You sacrifices being with the person she loves for the people of Han and WuSun while Weng Gui sacrifices everything for her, always coming to her rescue when she is in trouble.The plot develops along the lines of 2 people deeply in love who are so close yet so far, and the sacrifices they make for each other.
Acting:
The casts are extremely good as the chemistry between Zhang Xin Yi and Yuan Hong is out of this world! And yes they are dating in real life after acting together in this drama. In this show Yuan Hong is able to pull of the character as one who is a child at heart but becomes a mature man when it comes to the woman he loves. Zhang Xin Yi also portrays the character of Jie You extremely well, being able to show that Jie You is weak at times but able to put up a strong front when it is needed of her. The scenes in which she struggles to make decisions are always well put up, reflecting her psychological torment.
Music:
I love the opening theme song and can't stop listening to it.
Overall:
I would totally watch this drama again. I somehow feel that the romance scenes had a lot of potential to be improved because of the story line. A lot of romance scenes which I saw in the trailers of this show did not seem to have made it to the actual 45 episodes of the show. I hope that there is actually a 46 episode version that includes those scenes. Strongly recommend this drama as I think it is underrated.
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oh....my.
wow...I know I am not alone in feeling incredibly disappointed in how this drama turned out. what started out as a hopeful coming of age story about growing up and finding your place in the world...ended with an hour of "your friendships of youth are meant to be kept in the past...deal with it :)"Twenty-Five, Twenty-One started out (and, honestly, continued to be until about episode 14) as one of the most genuine, engaging, and hopeful dramas I had seen in a long time. the characters were charming, but also human, with flaws and development that really made you feel like you were growing up with them. their friendships were the kind that had struggles, but as they grew up, they learned how to navigate these conflicts. it showed the realities of growing up, young love, and finding your place in the world.
and then it totally crashed and burned.
here's the thing, I actually am all for bittersweet, or even sad, endings. I just did not feel like this one did the story justice. it was such a...non-ending, that it felt like a cheap cop-out to get an emotional reaction, which was in stark contrast to the rest of the drama, where each of the emotional moments was in the story for an obvious developmental reason. I knew from the start that this drama would probably not have a "happy" ending, but nonetheless, I was very disappointed in this.
the ending, which provided no true closure for anyone but Hee-Do (kind of), felt like it was communicating a message that any friendship that happens in your childhood is...intended to be left there? that none of the youthful love or hope you have can follow you into adulthood... this, paired with how melancholy adult Hee-Do seems to feel about her life, was incredibly strange in contrast to the other 14 episodes of character development and hopeful storytelling.
all in all, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I feel like this drama was designed to be watched while it aired, and it created great engagement in the audience due to this fact...and maybe this is why the ending felt short. they kept the "mystery" going for too long, in a way that did not leave them time to truly flesh out the ending. I am not sure. I feel like they could have kept the "open ending" concept, and just tweaked it a bit... showing us that some of the friendship group were still in touch, or something...the fact the drama went to such great lengths to keep all the side couples together, and then threw out not only the main couple's romance but also their very long friendship so abruptly... hm. it just felt incredibly out of place and incredibly disappointing.
perhaps this is all a testament to how lovely the first chunk of the drama was! I highly recommend the first 14 or so episodes...but save yourself and do not watch the finale. it is not worth it.
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Fantastic throughout but slipped in the finale
There could have been no better project than this for Lee Jong Suk to make a comeback through. I wanted to anticipate a lot but I had also in my mind that this could be another regular thriller drama with typical elements and development. However, by the interval (better late than never), I came to realize that this is way above the standard and is actually unique of a script. It might not be a masterpiece but it is admittedly is an excellent piece of thriller.Developed by ‘Studio Dragon’ and Produced by ‘AStory’ & ‘A-Man Project’, “Big Mouth (빅마우스)” is a hardboiled crime cum legal drama. Directed by Oh Choong Hwan and broadcasted on MBC, the drama was written by debutant writer Kim Ha Ram under the guidance of ace scriptwriters Jang Young Chul and Jung Kyung Soon. Made with 30bn won budget, it was also distributed by Disney+.
The drama keeps at center, Park Chang Ho (Lee Jung Suk), an infamous attorney with low success rate, who is known to distribute huge & empty promises, but fails to do anything, hence being named, ‘Big Mouth’ from his school days. Despite being an orphan, he has been lucky enough to have Ko Mi Ho (Im Yoon Ah) in his life, who is a skilled nurse at a famous hospital. One day, he gets a proposal from the Gucheon city mayor Choi Do Ha (Kim Joo Hun) to handle a mysterious murder case, solely because of his incompetence.
However, during his attempt to unveil the truth, he finds himself being framed as the notorious conman ‘Big Mouth’ who has been uncaught after scamming thousands of billion won sum. As every wind turns against him and his life changes overnight, he prepares himself within the Gucheon Penitentiary to fight his best to get out of it, while Miho too pulls strings to help solve the mystery surrounding the case and get to the root of it.
Other familiar actors in the drama playing major roles are: Lee Gi Young, Kwak Dong Yeon, Oh Ui Shik, Yang Kyung Won, Jeon Guk Hwan, Yang Hyung Wook, Ok Ja Yeon, Kim Jung Hyun, Jung Jae Sung, Jang Hyuk Jin, Kim Sun Hwa, Lee Yoo Joon, Oh Ryoong, Yoon Suk Hyun, Park Hoon, Kim Dong Won, Hong Ji Hee, Song Kyung Chul and Yoo Tae Joo.
Plot development is top-notch and the progression is definitely untypical of what ypu usually see in Kdrama thrillers. The pilot episode did a good job in establishing a background of both the story and the protagonist’s history, describing as to why he was called ‘big mouth’. The follow-up was steady and smooth showing how the protagonist tries to convince a mass of people as a part of his grand plan. Introduction of various elements and untwisting many knots further develops and builds immense interest of the show and I guess the ratings and popularity were hiked. There are several twists and peaks in each episode to hold the suspense and there was not a single sequence of events that lost its way. More than once, the show has such turning events that changes the entire dimension of the then situation of the show. The finale sequence would have been a pleasure and if you see it’s not really messed up but there were things that could have been avoided and there were things that could have been done better.
The two creators are pro-gamers in the industry and undoubtedly their tips have worked but in spite, it amazes me to discover that the main writer is a debutant, and this is not even an adaptation from where one can refer to for screenwriting. In short, the new jakka-nim has hit the spot proving their skills. From setting the stage, to enabling smooth and well-paced flow and from nurturing the characters to producing exciting outcomes, the show was thoroughly entertaining. Different plot elements served as a great deal of engagement. The dialogues and the momentary monologue narrations, particularly for the male protagonist, were very striking.
Making his comeback after 2 years, the maker of many popular modern dramas, Oh Choong Hwan PDnim has again been successful in implanting the entertainment factor within the audience. Owing to his directorial talent, this drama was excellent from every aspect. The very execution of screenplay has done wonders in a way that this will definitely be something the Kdrama stans will remember for long. The scenario of the Gucheon Penitentiary was well-planned and the setup meant to give off noir and shady vibes with a sense of darkness suited very well. The screen-editing with different types of sequence organization plus the sound production, made the experience even more thrilling and exhilarating.
Composed by Park Se Joon and written & sung by Justhis, “Brand New” is the one and only OST in this drama which is a rap song that was introduced at the end of the 8th episode, i. e. exactly at the interval, where a major twist takes place. I swear the vibes of the scene with the initial rap-lines were so gripping and rip-roaring that it instantly gave me goosebumps.
A case of mistaken identity escalating to a fight for survival is not new for Kdramas but what makes the drama to stand out is a unique storyline and stupendous execution. To be very honest, the theme and the overall mood of the drama are not that shabby and dark for the noir genre, instead the script is also decorated with lighter elements, which comes as a must for Korean dramas, that includes the individual arcs as well as various relationships between two and among two. I was particularly touched by the bonding between Chang Ho and his father-in law Ko Ki Kwang (Lee Ki Young), who were also co-worker at Changho’s own law firm. We can say that among all the chaos and misery he had to experience inside the prison, those moments worked like strength for him to prepare the road ahead.
Lee Jong Suk has taken up this chance of playing a character than his usual taste to challenge, learn and nurture his skills and he has visibly aced it. The range of dynamics he covers actually takes a lot to carry out: from a witless lawyer and fulsome family-man to a savage leader and wise survivor, who has to choose between life and death. Whereas the drama serves as a vehicle prepared for his comeback and he was not really exceptional, it was still appealing as a whole.
Contrastingly, Miho is lovingly yet perceptive lady who knows her strength and limits and acts with a calculative mind. Yoona is already a splendid actress and she carried out Miho very well. The medical conspiracy subplot that was portrayed through illegal and inhumane research projects done in secret and indulging Miho as the key-rider in unveiling it, was surely interesting but it somehow felt like the medium of giving Yoona more screentime, when it didn’t really relate with the main plot at times and lacked plausibility.
Kim Joo Heon as a main character is an exciting news for me, he has been a favorite actor and once again, he’s proved how fantastic skills he possesses. His firm facial expressions are the best aspect about him and the way he has utilized it throughout the show was compelling.
Yang Kyung Won’s performance as an antagonist was entertaining for sure though I had issues with accepting and adjusting with it in the initial episodes, but he improved quickly. I guess we have been so used to seeing him in the comic roles that it resulted in the awkwardness albeit his fierce negative role in a recent drama.
Romance is limited so expect the least if some of the initial sequences give you the idea that there is a lot of it in the drama. In a way, this fact serves as a strength for the overall development and quality. The love between the leads is limitless though, for the way they communicate and exchange emotions even though they don’t share much time onscreen together.
The antagonist side unlike others is very strong in the sense that, they are not very radical and know their limits and how to work with that. The hierarchy among them has been portrayed accurately with a prey-predator concept, as they are constantly pushed to pursue the leases of one another. The order of unveiling the evil was likable ngl, and then, the shift in influence was quite interesting.
The makers should be applauded for the plot elements, development and execution; all these resulted in building up a good amount of suspense. Given the usual trend in such thriller dramas, the chapter by chapter progression has been sketched in a way that, it was not at all easy to guess few things even by throwing stones into the dark. The kind of myriad twists and turn of events in the latter half of the show, especially the last four episodes, had me at awe; there were times it gave me goosebumps and had my eyes opened.
It was interesting how the drama has adapted innovative approaches in order to tackle simple subjects, by completely turning it around for which the outcomes always look much refined. A lot happened in the first episode, in the finale and in between, as well. The story and the premises entirely grip you before you realize it and the slow & steady transformation in Changho, i. e. his character development is beguiling for sure.
I am particularly upset with the ending because I was manifesting a lot. The elements there were actually caused and rooted in previous episode so we were assuming something like that might happen but when it actually did, I think it did feel a little off. the sequence of events felt rushed for sure and then the huge blow I was expecting didn’t happen at all and the manner in which things took turn were a little underwhelming. I am sure the writer must have thought it through before adding this particular event for a major character but I wish it didn’t happen.
Final Remarks… Big Mouth offers a wide range of ingredients of entertainment ad enjoyment and is actually a good thriller that should be tagged in the must watch list. With high production values and amazing performance, it results into appealing and satisfying outcomes even though there were aspects that could have been avoided from a critical pov. Please go ahead and watch it and you will realize that it has everything that pulls you in and holds you back. It was a easy 9.0 until the finale happened, so yeah!
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1This review may contain spoilers
GARBAGE ON STEROIDS!
***DISCLAIMER: These are just my thoughts on the show as a whole. We don’t have to agree and I’m not here to argue with anyone.***AND THE AWARD FOR WORST KDRAMA OF 2023 GOES TO STRONG GIRL NAM SOON!!!!! (Except nobody is smiling, cheering or clapping and all you hear are crickets)
THIS SHOW IS SOOOOO BAD I WANT TO GIVE IT A ZERO BUT THAT’S NOT POSSIBLE SO I GIVE IT A ONE. It is the definition of unserious. Though this review may come off like I’m hating (which I most definitely am) it’s also plenty of shock and disappointment.
I had high hopes going into this and it just did not meet the mark AT ALL. Let's get into it...
This show lacked depth. The plot made no sense whatsoever and you basically have to turn off your brain to watch it. The focus shifted from Nam Soon to the mother, Geum Ju, and her heroic tendencies / saviorism, and unwavering determination to bring down Pavel and the Korean drug cartel. Even Nam Soon's grandma and her whole love affair got more attention than her. To say this drama did not live up to the hype or potential would be an understatement.
All the characters were unlikeable except for Nam Soon (earlier episodes) and Shi Oh… at least when he was around Nam Soon he didn’t treat her like a 5 year old. I sort of feel like her being childish / silly with him was healing his inner child so I was happy to see him smile and be content with her. I also liked Nam Soon's father... he was so supportive and seemed to genuinely care for his children unlike the mother who was always working / busy and could never see what was going on under the surface or spare five minutes of her time to get to know them better. Geum Ju was a horrible mother and I will not stop saying it. Her over the top emotions and tears coming out whenever her children were in danger and on the verge of death says so much. I don't even want to get into her fat phobic / insensitive comments and how that took a toll on her Nam In's mental health. While this show masked it as humor, it was in poor taste because it just was not funny at all.
It is safe to say I wasted almost 2 months of my life watching this tom foolery. That’s time I will never get back. The last 2 episodes were absolute bullshit and they lost the entire plot. Tell me why Ryu Shi Oh died by suicide within 20-25 mins of episode 16, Bread Song turned out to be Nozh, Grandma was supposed to die and didn’t and Nam Soon who is such a half witted, untrained and reckless girl became a cop? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.
Ugh and don’t get me started on Hee Sik’s gold digging family, Nam Soon’s mom flaunting her wealth and the obvious lack of chemistry between Nam Soon and Hee Sik. That last kiss was an immediate no, no hate to Yoo Mi, but why did she kiss him like she was eating noodles??! Everything about that kiss seemed weird / unnatural and awkward. Anyway I know people who shipped them from the get go would have eaten it up, but it just was so cringe in my opinion.
It's the way they tried to outdo SWDBS and FAILED. Again, you seriously can't outdo the doer and this show is proof of that. The plot was lackluster / sucked big time, the acting was over the top and it seemed like they were putting on a comedy sketch (a seriously bad one) rather than a serious drama / tackling real issues. Except for Ryu Shi Oh, the characters were dull, one-dimensional, and devoid of depth. Nam Soon was even more childish at the end than at the beginning. When she received her award, she acted like an immature hyperactive toddler / a crazy person in serious need of a mental facility. Not to mention her continual lifting up of Hee Sik (bridal style) was another a major turn off. I need someone to me why she was always acting RIDICULOUS?! My goodness, it was like she didn’t have an off switch and was always behaving like damn fool or a deer in the headlights. She appeared to always be on drugs and that’s putting it LIGHTLY. If you told me she snorted 5 lines of COCAINE and also did METH or MDMA I WOULD BELIEVE YOU! In my opinion, Nam Soon doesn't appear mature enough for a relationship, let alone marriage... and when Hee Sik eventually proposed – it was so underwhelming. NEXT!
I could not feel anything for the main couple or root for their happiness because there was no development whatsoever, it felt like they just forced their relationship down my throat. Nam Soon clearly had better angst / chemistry with Shi Oh and it was easier to see their potential because they had so many good moments together. Even Bread Song and the mom had more tension filled interactions – which is saying so much. The way the proposal was at the same cherry blossom tree as in SWDBS was a major eye roll moment. Also, the stupid, overbearing heartfelt moments between the Joong Gan and Jun Hee like? PLEASE SPARE ME. LITERALLY NOBODY WANTED TO SEE THAT. Even in the end, they attempted to build up the suspense and make it appear as if it would be the death of her character after she had used a lot of her power, but they still let her survive. It would have been more dramatic if she had died... and Jun Hee and her ex-husband were obliged to mourn her together.
I still can’t believe Jun Hee was just a bland / flavorless and spineless character (literally such a freaking simp) had no connection to the Russian mafia and didn’t turn out to be a secret bad guy. THAT WAS SUCH A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. The fact that he was just there to be Joong Gan’s sidekick and lover sent me over the edge. The amount of screen time the grandma's whole arc took up just because the writer was trying to live vicariously through her character was so annoying!
Additionally when Nam Soon and her adoptive mom both happened to nearly be killed by bombs was just so predictable. Your telling me the writers couldn’t have come up with a better plot?! Even bringing in this new guy to play adult Bin Bin at the end was strange – he had no connection to the people we previously knew and never popped up in the story before (at least not as an adult), so it was difficult for me to feel pity or anything else for him. Yes, he spared Shi Oh’s life by not betraying him / killing him as ordered and that was the only bonus. Everyone literally thought Bin Bin would have been either Bread Song or the kind man at Opulentia helping Geum Ju out with her investigation. AGAIN, ANOTHER MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
The only thing I liked about this drama was the fact that the girl vagrant took the money back from the male vagrant after he discarded her / threw her to the waste side. I have been praying on his downfall ever since he broke up with her and I’m glad to see he lost everything in the end and ended up penniless and homeless while she was free to live her best life without him. I also liked when Nam Soon's father suggested that all the single males live together. I could definitely see it because they would have started their own "weak men" empire (for lack of a better name) or something like that! Now that is something I'd watch. When Nam In said te refused to live with them out of fear of ending up like them I DIED, he was so real for that!
Needless to say I really HATED this drama and would never watch it again. I would rather kill myself or rip out my eyeballs instead. Even banging my head repeatedly on the wall would be better than rewatching this ridiculous parody. I stuck around for Shi Oh and in the end they gave him the worst possible death, no redemption arc and completely ruined his character. He had so much potential to be a better person and a changed man but the writers destroyed everything. I still refuse to believe he actually tried to kill Nam Soon and her family when he found out her identity. Though, what is enemies to lovers without both parties trying to kill each other? (iykyk) It’s even more sad when you think about the fact that he tried to help his birth father out and even bought an orphanage and turned it into a boxing gym. I won't stop saying it but – RYU SHI OH DESERVED SM BETTER THAN THE HAND HE WAS DEALT!
Anyway, I guess they just couldn’t allow him to live after he spiraled, went off the rails and took so many innocent lives. What gets me is that Geum Ju and Nam Soon believed Hwa Ja was capable and worthy of being saved but they could not extend the same right or courtesy to Shi Oh. I mean seriously? Hwa Ja even tried to murder Nam Soon at one point…. just because she was unsuccessful in her attempt does not make what she did excusable or justifiable. I don’t care what anyone else says but the fact that Nam Soon’s mom forgave her after all that and basically adopted her as a daughter was absolutely insane and I will never understand it. This show proves that Geum Ju's and Nam Soon's empathy is conditional on whether they feel pity for someone's situation or not. Ryu Shi Oh never chose this life and it's unfair because he had gone through so much as a child to just hang on / survive. Literally everything he did was just so he could finally escape / find a way out from Pavel's control. He was a victim or circumstance but the stupid characters in this show could not even see that. It's ironic because when they were starting to realize at the end it was ALREADY TOO LATE.
My favorite character was and always will be Ryu Shi Oh. They could never make me hate him! I understood all his motives and rooted for him endlessly — even when he was on his killing spree. Honestly he was not evil enough in my opinion. I’m not gonna lie, if I lived his life I would’ve been worse. It’s unfortunate Byeon Woo Seok was not enough to save this drama and make me turn a blind eye to how horrible the overall production and acting was. If the writers had gone with an enemies to lovers plot / dark romance, this show would have been so much better. I mean – most people were watching for the villain and rooting for him instead of the ML or even Nam Soon and her family. This drama was way too childish, and it was difficult to find benefits or reasons to stay. Each episode progressively got worse, and I had to force myself to watch for the sake of completion.
I sincerely hope the writer gives up and just ends this TRAIN WRECK / TOILET FIRE IMMEDIATELY. This shit show does not need a part 3 or spin-off. Whatever she writes next she will ruin it even further and it would just be wise of her to stop now.
I could have lived my life without watching this drama or knowing it was a sequel to the original Strong Woman Do Bong Soon. If you are contemplating starting this because you liked SWDBS, I suggest and strongly advise you skip this drama entirely and watch some edits instead. Their five minute screen time is not worth over 18 hours of torture and misery. Please save yourself and quit while you are ahead.
If you think I'm lying / joking then watch this circus act and see for yourself.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you though.
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P.S. No hate to new watchers or persons who enjoyed this drama. I'm happy for you, truly. I'm glad some people were lucky enough to be warned beforehand and able to go into this with very very very LOW expectations.
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(If you actually made it this far ilysm!)
(づ ᴗ _ᴗ)づ♡
As always,
Thanks for reading & happy watching!
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚
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It's not your typical drama with a "Candy" female lead(which the drama was never ashamed of pointing out). Instead we finally get a realistic girl who does not love a man only for himself but also for his money. I know, right? Finally! Yes, those "Candy" girls are amazing creatures, but do they exist? Nope. Of course, there was some disadvantages to this along the way. Such as there was always this risk of disliking the female lead, which is definitely not a good sign. There were moments, when I wanted to throw my angry bunnies at her (which I can't, since apparently, they don't sell it *raises sad bunny*. Heads' up producers!). It's constantly at risk of turning to hate, but every time, the character manages to impress me. Whether from not running away as expected, or turning her boss to school. It was a love-hate thing. But I definitely loved her more times than hate though.
I like that this couple balances each other out. The drama's plot would lead us to believe that he's saving the girl with his money but really, she's helping him differentiate what's real and not. Also, she's helping him mend his broken relationship with his dad.
I considered giving this drama a 9 because of the ending, but when I look at back at some moments, I just scratched my head, so that's what kept me. I disliked how throughout the series, we're basically just waiting for the ball to drop. We know it's gonna happen, and hate that it's going to. It would've been great if they got that out of the way earlier. That way, I wouldn't have to brace for the impact throughout the drama, cowering down in fear of seeing poor Seung Jo hurt. This drama was far from unpredictable. But I do have to commend that there was really no villains, when there was, the conflict created by that villain didn't really drag for long.
There was tons of heartfelt moments, and I think it all added up to the "goods" of the drama, the reason why it far outweighs the "bad". The relationship of Daddy Cha and Seung Jo was just so awkwardly cute. It's the first time I've like an this much in-law in a while. I was actually surprised to care sooo much about the other characters besides the main couple. Despite characters that you could so easily hate, you understand their decisions, that they're just in the wrong path, and want them to come out of that tunnel.
Acting: If we're talking about acting and this drama, Park Shi Hoo should be the first name mentioned. He was all over this drama, all with his dorky self and his "kamsa" (gratitude). Really, I was just wishing for the girl to just throw him a bone here and give him tons of those. He carried most of the comedy by himself. I'm kinda worried for my next drama now, since having a Siwon and a Park Shi Hoo acting all goofy in my last two dramas would set the bar high. Next k-drama hero, you have a huge expectation to up-hold!
I was a bit disappointed with Moon Geun Young. She was good and she made me cry (as usual), but I was expecting a lot more. Throughout her performance, I was seeing shades of the awesome to come or the awesome she did in Cinderella's Sister, but instead I just kept thinking, "MOAR please". Maybe I set the bar too high, since she's that awesome since CS, but, she is capable of better. I was thinking if it was the character. Which, admittedly, was a bit dull, doesn't quite match up to Seung Jo's quirky self. That when they're in a scene together, you literally can see the light coming out of Seung Jo while on Se Kyung's side, it's all gloom. Or whether it's her acting, I can't figure it out. Those loving looks Moon Geun Young gives though, makes me swoon a bit. In this drama, she still didn't fail to bring in the chemistry despite the age gap (which never really occurred to me). Yeah, I'm bettin' it was the role. Maybe I'm biased, but turn around and, "SHHHHH".
I was pleasantly surprised by So Yi Hyun's performance. From watching Heartstrings, she was just 'downer ballerina' to me, who I wanted off my screen ASAP. But here, I totally believe her. When her world was in the midst of crushing down, her fear when realization hit, everything about it, made me root for her. I sincerely wanted her to get her own happy ending. Kim Ji Suk... MY GOD. I didn't like him in PT (didn't really find him that handsome), but wow... he's smart and sexy here. You've made a fan. Now, where's your own drama?
What kept me from giving the acting a ten, was Kim Yoo Ri. She wasn't good, not even near serviceable. She tries to too act cool, and fails, which kept her from giving the character any depth, with 'jealousy' tattooed all over her face. It doesn't help that her character was the epitome of predictable and every other villain we see in dramaland.
Music: I thought it fit the scenes. I gave it a 9 probably because of my bias for the song "Daddy Long Legs" by Baek Ah Yeon. Every single time it plays, I just swoon. And pair that up with a romantic scene, I'm a goner. The fact that the lyrics are subbed as well helps, it's just lovely.
Rewatch Value: There was a lot of cute couple scenes, so maybe rewatching snippets of those would be nice. But I don't really see the point of rewatching the whole thing. With this drama, you just want to know what would happen next, how would the characters turn out, but if you already know those, it would probably be boring.
Overall: Stand-out acting by (most of) the cast. Very surprising lesson at the end, with tons of heartwarming scenes by characters you care about and coupled with an amazing OST, I dearly recommend this drama. Yes, it can be predictable, but that's not really the strength of this drama. It relies on its characters, their reactions, and the acting. I'd gladly raise a happy bunny for this drama. And... PARK SHI HOO PARK SHI HOO PARK SHI HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
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The romance may have been the main part in the previous two installments but this drama overall outdoes everything on every level for me(opinions may differ for all). I can only call this drama a masterpiece because NEVER have I ever seen or read or heard of such a story in my life before. This drama made me think about the beauty of relations and what kind of love is love. It is a story about remembering the past and being grateful for what you possess.
The OST happens to consist of old songs remade and it is another beauty that only enhances the drama. Every single song is jjang and goes with the mood of the drama perfectly.
When it comes to the cast, the casting was perfect. Hyeri was given such hatred in the beginning but I knew she'd be good. But she really exceeded my expectations too. All other cast members were also cute and Jin Joo will always be my favorite kid. <3
The story in spite of being so beautiful, was flawed. Towards the last quarter of the drama the characterizations went bad and some plots drug out too much. Trying not to focus on the romance at all in the drama kind of ruined it in some ways. The romance was cute but the love triangle wasn't executed properly. I think it's okay because whatever the writer wanted was accomplished. I found myself changing ships midway and Deok Sun indeed ended up with the one I wanted her to be.
This drama was a real charm and gave me 10 memorable weeks which I shall never forget. I'll always rewatch this drama and watching it in one go would be a treat, because it was a torture waiting for every week for the subs to come out.
You may or may not like this better than the "best" Reply 1997 but it's surely an improvement over 1994 and leagues apart from the other two combined for me. But- PLEASE do WATCH it.
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This review may contain spoilers
17 Steps Ahead of King Schemey McSteamy
This series surprised the heck out of me because I never even intended on watching it. When it was postponed I never really thought twice. Then I saw ZLH in MJTY and was intrigued plus at the time I hadn't seen BL in anything nor any of the other leads though the supporting cast I was somewhat familiar with. I'm not a fan of palace politics but this series got me curious from all of the excitement it generated once the drop date was announced. I nearly gave it a perfect 10 if it wasn't for the very few cons, I couldn't get past. But it really was the 17 steps ahead of King Schemey McSteamy.Pros: It should be very obvious who the favorite character is; ZLH's acting has improved leaps and bounds. This was his first morally gray protagonist and he absolutely nailed it. He was like a mad scientist in every way. I have no idea how XW's brain worked. It was like he was psychic and planned things as he foresaw them. The story originally started more on the FL's side and she too just knocked her role out of the park. It was her redemption/rebirth story plus reverse harem so our ML had to be the 3rd wheel for a while, something that with his absolutely insane jealousy streak was heart pounding and hysterical at the same time.
YL was Spider-Man; dude had supernatural abilities when fighting in that heavy ass armor that the actor even said was really hard to move in. What made this series really worth watching is that other then our cast which were all absolutely amazing; I can't say anyone screwed up their parts, was that the plot was always rolling along. You kept waiting for what's next. You never had to ffw or you'd miss something vital. Furthermore, the cast filmed during peak summer months and in extreme heat, they were constantly on the verge of heat stroke. I loved every member of the cast the ones mentioned above, ZZ, the princess, JXH, the hilarious and yet awesome guards of XW, fake DF, and everyone else, even the villains sans Lord Pinghead as I think he was used as more of a plot device to get the leads together. I'll speak more about him below.
The leads chemistry especially Ep. 36; people should know what I'm talking about. King McSteamy was born! I was actually surprised how much made it in. Usually after a passionate kiss, it's cut to spotlight and curtains or next scene. Here we saw more and it was great! And so glad that the kisses were real and XW was an absolute panther. I could probably write a whole review on just his love and lust plus jealousy alone. From what I wrote in the comments: That whole “JXN: I want you” bit? Woof! And then of course…Duke asswipe is all “I’m gonna rule the world.” Our boy goes “Hold my Qin. Back up dog, emperor and I got this on lock before I even left!” Who saw that coming?!?
XW, uncle, cousin reveal actually brought a tear to my eyes. It was a brief but beautiful moment. Plus XW's jealousy of his own son liking ZZ was too funny and a totally face-palm moment. JXN needs to nip that in the bud before the son starts picking up dad's negative traits lol. Daughter was too cute too. There were so many great moments in this drama; even the villains did what they had to do and for the most part were intelligent so it wasn't like some trope or cliche.
Costumes, sets, fights, OSTs, were great! I probably will come back to write something I missed or forgot lol. Just too much goodness.
Cons: Very little of these, but the .5 was knocked off for several reasons. Though I wish the modern day wasn't returned to, I understand it was done so because of censorship; I really would have preferred the 7 minute wedding to be in the last episode instead of an extra one plus do it before the scene with kids, instead of her dreaming of XW killing himself per lifetime number one. We're past that, no need to go back. Furthermore, Lord Pinghead's whole arc towards the end felt off to me because, he's supposed to be this murderous insane villain who killed children and destroyed a city but it looked more like just a ploy to get the leads officially together. He really wasn't much of anything. Just a paranoid killer. Duke asswipe had mountains more on him in terms of evil.
Wish they kept ZZ's rebirth arc because otherwise even to the almost end, it seemed he was still pining for her and it felt incomplete. He should have been given his own proper ending. Should have killed loser Xue son as per the novel too. Why was Duke asswipe allowed to stab XW with so many guards around him just because he was staring at JXN? The poor guy was already pin cushioned 6 ways to Sunday. YL and DQ should have finished the job before he even launched himself off the ground. Lastly and this felt the most unnecessary, was the death of FY. They could have killed ZYZ as is, he held her captive and tortured her. Why did she have to grab hold of him and he stab her? He could have just kicked her away and run; he would have been caught regardless and JXN should have delivered the death blow herself like "You think I can't kill you? Watch this, bitch!" FY's death was completely pointless. I don't understand this portion at all.
Would I recommend it? 100% would. It was a gem that I didn't expect to fall in love with but did. The pros way outweighed the cons. The plot was very well handled even the portions that deviated from the book. This is how dramas should be written and done with proper endings. Must watch y'all!
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2The actors played their characters so well , when you watch the movie you’ll get a package of awesomeness from the action thing and you’ll burst your laugh from the comedy. That’s why i said before you’ll get a full package when you watched the movie.
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Execution is all that matters.
Produced by 'Arc Media' and distributed by 'Disney+', "Kiss Sixth Sense (키스 식스 센스) is a semi-fantasy plus office romcom drama adapted from the hit Naver webtoon of the same title authored by Gatnyeo (갓녀). Written by Jeon Yu Ri and directed by Nam Ki Hoon, the drama has 12 episodes in total.The story follows two people who have special abilities of sense, which rooted from a single event, falling in love during the course of time as they work together in the Planning Team 1 of Zeus ad company. Hong Ye Seul (Seo Ji Hye) is an aspiring employee who has made it upto to remarkable positions through her noteworthy work. She has the ability to see the future when her lips touch anyone. Cha Min Hu (Yoon Kye Sang) is chief of the team and Ye Seul’s mentor who is strict and is known for picking on others. He can hear even the quitest voice from distance and has issues with getting intimate with anyone. As their lips meet once accidentally, the story takes to the journey they share to be united and bring happiness in their lives.
Lee Pil Yo (Kim Ji Suk) is an acclaimed Ye Seul’s ex-boyfriend who comes back with the intension of getting back with her. Lee Joo Yeon is a famous actress and Min Hu’s childhood friend who crushes upon him. Other familiar faces in the drama in major roles are: Tae In Ho, Kim Ga Eun, Hwang Bo Ra, Late Kim Mi Soo, Kim Ki Doo, Yoo Jung Ho, Kim Jae Hwa, Kim Hee Jung, Uhm Hyo Sub, Lee Han Hwi. Park Seung Geun and Jo Hee Bong. Also, there are many known popular actors as guest characters in the drama as well.
Plot development is very good. Ngl, the pilot episode and the furtherance in the next were extremely bland, a bit hard to get into, with confusing introductions and unrelatable flashbacks to past. But somehow things started to make sense as soon as the ep3 started with major confrontation events plus the way the advertising tasks kept playing out in a goal-assigning manner. With the beginning of chemistry development followed by romance (not gonna say when), the show became even more interesting and in all that, was paralleled a tiny mystery plot involving the main characters which shares the minimum screentime with not-so-very-deep essence and very well utilized as a subplot. The unveiling of mystery as well as the romance recital were handled smoothly though the former could have better fates but anyways, the final outcomes were beautifully presented. I loved the ending sequence as well and yes, the pacing was near perfect for a 12eps show.
With the experience of only one basic romcom 4 years ago with average reception, Jeon Yu Ri jakka-nim probably made a good choice by opting to adapt the novel as a way of learning. The genre is old, the story is basic and the concept isn’t noteworthy, but the elements are gratifying, the development is refreshing and the execution is amazing, which I must say was unexpected on personal level. The character arcs have been beautifully built up and I loved how the writer has emphasized on untypical possibilities to the ending of relationships (as in by the drama ends).
Having worked in multiple genre dramas on equal levels, Nam Ki Hoon PDnim is a familiar face in the industry known for his good sense of bringing out the best from the most basic scripts. The drama surely doesn’t require very good skills but the fact that the production value of it has resulted in good quality indicates the work of the director.
The scenario set up, being held equally in and out –side of the office was nice. Also, the screen-editing is up to par with sumptuous sound production; not just the OSTs have been well-incorporated but the accessory background scores are well-composed, particularly the continuous whistle tune was alleviating. The cinematography work is not proficient, ngl, but the plain and calm hue of office and the contrasting nature with vivid colours were all pleasant to witness.
There are 8 OSTs in total…
"You're Like Americano” by Yuju
"Even If You Can't Have It” by Zia
"Kiss Sixth Sense" by Lee Jun Hwa
"Fantasy" by Suran
"You Make Me” by Woong San
"Stay With Me" by Grizzly
"Give You Everything" by Na Yoon Kwon
"Here We Are" by Jay Yeon (SWAY)
What I liked…
# Monologues by Ye Seul were both inspiring and thought-provoking; the conflicts she had with her own heart was poured into beautiful and warm words and you can take few notes about dating relationships as well.
# The sensibility to the characters through mistakes and learnings were nice to watch as the characters chose to make themselves freer of whatever was holding them back. The original webtoon writer and the drama screenwriter should be credited for painting and panning out them respectively.
# Seo Ji Hye’s acting was natural in here, the character’s soft yet confident gesture makes her likable. Similarly for Yoon Kye Sang, his firm accent and proficient dialogue delivery clearly speaks of his experience.
# The love story is mature and there is apt amount of romance between the leads as well as the screen-time provided to the 2nd couple. In fact the way the characters handled their relationship and the mandatory accompanying elements were realistic. They have put particular emphasis on transparency.
# Hwang Bo Ra who played Yeonhee (Seul’s bestie in the office) is very suiting for funny comic roles and I am happy to see her again in another office romance drama and also with short hair (again).
# The mystery plot has been given the appropriate exposure and the way it panned out in the series with a a standard ending, I’m quite satisfied. Well, they make it obvious about the culprit with good intentions but the utilization did result well.
# Limited amount of fantasy did eventuated well imo though the basis of the show was fantasy only. I love the fact that they didn’t rely on it much.
# Probably the thing I loved the most was how the makers saw it fit to explain that every relationship, despite of their kind and span of existence, deserve a sorted fate and sufficient time for the good of both the parties. I’m happy they gave this a good amount of exposure.
What I didn’t like…
# I am not really disappointed with the mystery plot ending on a rushed note or felt lacking as it becomes a connecting point for the leads but I somehow feel they could have bring out better results.
# One thing that I would have loved to see was more to the characters of the office staffs. I, in no way, mean that anything was off but it could have been better. But again, the show has only 12 episodes and they have done their best. Admittedly, they successfully showcased the works in an advertising company in detail with apt workplace environment.
Additionally, the factors that I believe the writer was able to portray through the actions of the characters were really something other creators amiss. While confessions and confrontations are important in a relationship, its only demanding to be able to acknowledge your deeds and learn from mistakes. As individuals, thinking and self-reflection could make us better human beings and Ye Seul was a stupendous flag-bearer of that throughout. Mis-predicting future or things going differently from expectations which was made to
Fiinal Remarks… Well, the drama is pretty basic and you won’t be surprised with quite a lot of things but the story is surprisingly well made and awfully sweet and refreshing, at least for viewers like me who crave for cute and straightforward romance once in a while. For me, it was a short and appealing and delightful watch for it an endearing loveline and winsome relationship, decorated with a standard fantasy and good mystery. Will definitely recommend.
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2This review may contain spoilers
An Emotionally Moving Journey, That Is More Than Just Skin Deep
"Fangs of Fortune" or also known by its native title as "Da Meng Gui Li" which translates to "The Big Dream Returns" is a fantasy drama which incorporates Chinese mythology from the 'Classics of Mountains and Seas'. It's an adventure that revolves around mythological creatures ; demons versus mortals. Leading to action packed scenes with visually pleasing CGIs, eye-candy visuals and delicately detailed costumes. Not to forget the banger ost titled 'Unintentional Big Dream' which adds to the excitement as it rings for an eventful scene. This is the first initial impression, but as we dive more into the storyline and if you ask me how I perceive it on a deeper level, here is what I would tell you...Fangs of Fortune is a tale that is more than just skin deep. It's an emotionally evoking journey that touches meaningful themes about life, death, love, hate, friendship, family, growth and dreams. This is definitely not just a mere demon versus mortals story, but it's an intricately woven story about self discovery and what makes one's life worthwhile. The underlying meaning of the title is about the acceptance of fate and the defiance of fate, that concludes to one word: willingness. It tells you how powerful that one word is when faced with life choices or when devoid from having a choice.
STORYLINE₊ ⊹❀
The first half of the story began on a light hearted tone with comedic scenes inserted. Although, this might come as an unexpected surprise for those who thought this drama to be heavily dark theme and gloomy. I thought otherwise, the addition of the comedic aspect didn't add as a mere filler or entertainment, I saw it as another layer that adds to the complexity of the characters. The first half tells more about the coming together of the demon hunting team as they venture out solving one case after another, however, their relationship among each other is still at the state of testing the waters due to the fact that the well-renowned vicious great demon Zhao Yuan Zhou who everyone fears or hates the most ; except for Wen Xiao, turned up to be part of their team.
As the story progresses more, the characters who seemed to be one-dimensional in the beginning have started to have complex layers upon the small revelations that were revealed about them through the use of flashbacks. Slowly, the story had started to touch grey areas that is more than just black and white, or in other words good and bad. The flashbacks weren't thrown in one full blow but instilled into the storyline parts by parts, therefore incorporating a mysterious effect which I found intriguing. The inclusion of backstories for the side characters - demons who were the prime suspects in the cases they were solving, added depth to the storyline. Furthermore, these flashbacks and backstories serves essential as they contain the key details that would play a role in the latter part of the story.
The second half of the story is where a complete tonal shift from the previous part takes a turn, despite the consistency in insertion of a few comedic scenes, the emotional heaviness and angst played a pivotal role here. After the long journey of the demon hunting team, the revelation of the truth took a toll on everyone, but this toll became the fuel that served for the fruition of their newly formed bond. What I like about how their bond was formed is that it wasn't handled in an abrupt way, but rather the complex characters were given time to sit with their own feelings, it allowed them to self-reflect and process acceptance of the truth in their hearts, as a result, it led to a more genuine formation of their bond ; it's realistic and well-thought of.
The romance aspect between Zhao Yuan Zhou and Wen Xiao isn't heavily the focus of this drama, it was rather balanced with the friendship aspect and other themes. Despite this fact, it didn't hinder me from actually feeling the romantic chemistry between the two leads, their romantic story is convincing enough. I truly loved their scenes together and found every moment of theirs heartwarming. The playful banters, the bold flirty remarks, to the heartfelt conversations. The slow burn trope. It was all conveyed well.
The ending of the story (including the special episode) is absolutely phenomenal. While it was all painfully heartbreaking and tragically sad, it was a very meaningful and touching end that does justice for the underlying message of this drama ; the willingness to accept their fate, and the willingness to defy their fate.
The cinematography for this drama is aesthetically pleasing, it is definitely one of the things I love about it. Apart from this, I find the slow-motion effects on the action scenes as a great way to highlight its stunning details and movements, hence making it more impactful. While I didn't really have much problems with these areas, I did notice at least two scenes that were abruptly cut but I found them minor so they didn't really affect me to the extent that made me dislike it.
CHARACTERS & ACTING₊ ⊹❀
Neo Hou as Zhu Yan | Zhao Yuan Zhou
Zhao Yuan Zhou is a heavily misunderstood character in the drama. He had spent his life in seclusion, surrounded with constant loneliness and tormented by guilt. He lived life awaiting his deathbed. Upon seeking for death, he unexpectedly found friendship, love and felt happiness for a while. He's an extremely selfless character that lived up to his name as a great demon, not because he is powerful, but because he has the biggest heart. He is the epitome of willingness, which is why I found the drama centering about him to be touching.
Neo Hou gave a stellar performance in his portrayal of the great demon Zhao Yuanzhou, he brought complete justice to his role. He didn't shine in this drama because of his action scenes alone, his emotionally impactful expressions of all the complex emotions of Zhao Yuanzhou in different intensities, from the light-hearted to heavy scenes made him really stood out. In addition, he nailed the comedic side of his character. I must say that this is his best role to date, this is the first time in a long while that I actually liked a character he played. He truly carried his role here.
Chen Duling as Wen Xiao
Wen Xiao is a mortal who possesses the power of the Baize Goddess but even with such powers, she has been presented to be a physically weak character. Despite her physical weakness, her strength lies in her cleverness, her ability to strategize, her strong determination, and resilience. She's a character that served as a pillar who brings the team of misfits together. In the storyline, she is utilized in a way that adds balance to the demon hunting team, at the same time she served as both a moral compass and a light of hope for those who lived in complete darkness ; ZYZ & ZYC. She might not be an over powering character, but she's an essential character.
Chen Duling proved her versatility as an actress in this drama. Her portrayal of Wen Xiao and the Evil Wen Xiao deserves praise. She's definitely talented and can pull both roles very well. Her crying scenes is heart wrenching, I cried so much whenever she cried. Her character was well-written, and she had her shining moments. I did think she deserved more screen time and wished her character was given a bit more focus in the storyline. However, I still did appreciate Chen Duling's portrayal of Wen Xiao.
Tian Jia Rui as Zhuo Yichen
Zhuo Yichen is a righteous character who lived his life awaiting for the day he could avenge his family. He seemed like an aloof character who is bad at expressing himself at first, but he is actually a very soft hearted character. His character development throughout the drama proved how he is truly the roof of the demon hunting team.
Tian Jia Rui had pulled off his role as Zhuo Yichen really well. He was able to show more of his skills as an actor through this character he played. As much as I loved his Gong Yuanzhi in MJTY, I think it has now been officially replaced by his character here as Zhuo Yichen.
Others
At first, Zhen Xuan's Ying Lei and Lester Lin's Bai Jiu portrayal threw me a bit because of how anime-like they both were, eventually though I did manage to get used them. As for Cheng Xiao's portrayal of Pei Si Jing, I had a bit of a similar experience but in a different aspect, I knew she was written to be a cold and strong character, but I found the first crying scenes of Cheng Xiao lacking, thankfully she did improved in the latter episodes in this aspect. Meanwhile, Yanan's villain role as Li Lun is commendable.
OSTs₊ ⊹❀
The songs that were mixed into this drama were meaningful, as they not only made the whole watching experience better, but each of these songs were perfectly tailored to match each of the characters stories and the casts personally singing them adds as a cherry on top. My favorites are definitely 'Yuanzhou's youth', 'Heaven and Earth Are Unrivaled' and 'Spring Breeze Does Not Ask'.
OVERALL IMPRESSION₊ ⊹❀
This drama has left a lasting impression for me. The overall experience has been an enjoyable little adventure which I will definitely remember. The compelling storyline and well-rounded characters which crafts the underlying message of this drama is certainly what adds color to the dark and gloomy cinematography style. As someone who doesn't mind angst and sad endings, I can say that the whole journey from beginning to end has been of value, all emotions spent regardless whether they were laughters or tears shed definitely didn't go to waste.
The actors hard work and effort put into this drama has certainly paid off. The chemistry between Chen Duling and Neo Hou. The brotherhood between Neo Hou, Tian Jia Rui and Yan An. The formed little family of misfits in the demon hunting bureau. I am surely going to miss all these.
FAVE SCENES₊ ⊹❀
- Zhao Yuan Zhou's big dream revelation at the peach blossom house
- Wen Xiao's 300 years in the sundial
- Wen Xiao and Zhao Yuan Zhou's "one day"
- Wen Xiao and Li Lun's game of questions
- Tian Xiang Pavillion scene
- Lord Bingyi and Yinglong backstory
- Bai Jiu and Ying Lei's almond cheese
- Li Lun, Zhao Yuan Zhou and Zhuo Yichen's collaboration
- Zhao Yuan Zhou's last moment of hesitation
˖ . ݁❀𝜗𝜚❀. ݁₊
"There are thousands of laws in the world but none of them can defeat a single word of willingness" — Qing Geng
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This review may contain spoilers
✨Short Episodes, Fast Feelings, and a Surprisingly Fun Ride✨
Ok besties, I clicked on this fully on a whim and somehow it turned into a pretty solid watch.The visuals are actually cute for the budget, the plot is packed, and the leads are styled nicely.
Most of the cast were new to me, and while the acting sometimes lacks nuance, it does get better.
I liked the FL. Even in her cutesy era, she never crossed into annoying for me (rare). She’s not painfully naive either, and I liked her from the start. That said, my girl truly cannot catch a break — emotionally, physically, spiritually, she is always going through it. Sis needs a nap and a vacation.
The ML was handsomely styled — he looked good (can't say he's my type, but still, no notes).
Some of the dialogue felt rushed and didn’t always land with full emotional impact, but given the 10-ish minute episodes, that kind of comes with the territory. I wasn’t expecting Shakespeare. I wasn’t expecting Homer. I was expecting speedrun romance and that’s exactly what I got. The leads grew on me, though. They’re cute, and I genuinely appreciated how direct their conversations were. No endless circling. No 12-episode misunderstandings. Things happen. Quickly. Efficiently. We love productivity. I also ended up appreciating the ML’s character overall. Bro is down bad pretty fast, and in their angsty era, we do get some lowkey toxic vibes, which added to the emotional messiness in a way that was weirdly entertaining.
The spice is medium for the genre. Some kisses were giving “how does mouth work again?” vibes. I know some of y’all care deeply about that. BUT the relationship is still fun to watch. They’re fairly solid, and the pacing carries.
BUT THEN. After episode 12???? Hello???? Why did we suddenly spin the emotional wheel of misfortune???? Suddenly it’s love-hate roulette, trauma unlocked, emotional damage activated, and I was sitting there like I did not sign the waiver for this ride. I wasn’t a huge fan of the deeply rooted hatred that realistically could’ve been solved with a calm adult conversation, but I cannot lie — the chaos was entertaining. What surprised me, though, was that the resolution ended up being more layered and interesting than I expected. It wasn’t just a quick emotional reset; there was more depth there than the earlier pacing would’ve suggested.
We get a super last-minute happy ending, which felt very surprise! healing! joy! roll credits! but honestly? I’ll take it. Don’t threaten me with a good time.
Overall, this is a very digestible, pancake-type drama with a side of angst. Not gourmet. Not life-altering. But warm, slightly messy, emotionally questionable, and weirdly satisfying. A speedrun costume drama that understood the assignment just enough to keep me watching.
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An intriguing mystery
The storyline is really articulated. From the beginning we understand this has no overly sweet and sappy moments, but it gets darker and darker with each episodes as Fame discovers more and more about the truth. The story is so intriguing that I got obsessed with this and finished it in like one day, plus the next morning. There are plot twists at every corner and those cliffhangers are just too hard to ignore. What starts out as a mystery to be solved ends up in complete tragedy when Fame understands that her sister's death was just the tip of the iceberg.Minor and Kla definitely got the best character development stories. Minor is probably the most despicable character in the bunch, yet she goes completely unnoticed until the last episodes. Kla at first looks like the most harmless character, until we discover that he too has a scandalous secret and in the last scene where the Newtype members officially resign, he really showed how unstable he can be.
I think the best actors in their roles were Ploypailin (Fame) and Cherren (Smile). The others did a splendid job, but these two stood out in particular to me. Smile is such an ambivalent characters, because she behaves one way towards Farn, another way towards Yui and Fame and in a still different way with the core members of the group. That adds a lot of depth to her. Also the relationship with her mother is ambivalent: she is extremely submissive, but as soon as her secret gets exposed, she changes completely and she doesn't even want to talk to her anymore.
Fame is just the perfect character to lead you onto this mystery. She collects each and every evidence she can, she tries to balance her professional and personal lives, but she ends up realising that revenge is not the answer and that Farn killed herself because she too was becoming a monster. She got out of that mess before she could become a monster too.
What I love the most is on how many levels the story can be interpreted. On a more superficial level, it's an intriguing mystery where the innocent characters aren't actually that innocent and the evilest characters don't even realise the amount of suffering they have caused (to Farn in particular, they don't even know she committed suicide).
On a more philosophical level, we can analyse how celebrities are objectified by their fans to the point of being punished for tiny mistakes, like when Minnie got beaten up and raped by Kla. We see how the obsession over those we idolise can compromise our judgement and lead us to unspeakable deeds, but we also see how Minor exploited her fame and manipulated Tun to get what she wanted. I also appreciate how they touched upon the concept of revenge: is it really worth it? Fame realises Farn didn't need revenge, because the monsters she got bullied by also became the victims of Farn's actions, but at the same time revenge was Minor's biggest motivator, it was her only source of satisfaction. We could also analyse how the rules the idols have to follow are actually the source of all the suffering: the idols didn't break the rules for fun, they did it because they wanted to be free to be themselves. This is exemplified by Smile when she says that the ropes she gets tied with in her fetish shows are her source of freedom (or something of that sort). Those rules are so strict, that they prompt the idols to break them.
I think there are some points that could have been explained further. For instance, they didn't dig too much into Kirin's past before the plastic surgery. Also I got the impression Smile's mother used to be an actress, but she couldn't continue her career for whatever reason. I would have loved to know more about these two aspects, but to be honest it didn't ruin the experience for me.
I recommend this to everyone. This is a must-watch. Also the OST is a guilty pleasure.
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The music fits in the scenes and the whole atmosphere of drama is lovable.
?? and the end was epic ?? this drama is on of the best I have seen. worth to watch it !!! recommended 10/10 ^^ ??
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Don't look down on househusbands!
What can I say, this show was pure comedy with Tamaki Hiroshi totally hamming it up on-screen as a yakuza househusband dead-set on establishing a well-run home for his little family. His approach to everything is totally gangster and it's hilarious to see how everyone reacts to his antics as he goes about his business. His facial expressions are just gold!Side characters here are totally comic caricatures with their own quirky theme songs and cartoon personalities, and if you're expecting anything meaningful from either a plot or story or even character development perspective, forget it! Each episode is gag-driven with over-the-top hijinks and in-jokes and parodies meant to bring on the laughs.
This whole drama is like an amusement park - each episode is an individual attraction on its own - so you can either savour the whole show as a day-tripper bingeing on all the rides, or you can take your time and enjoy an episode or two here and there as a mood-lifter or distraction.
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