Reviews

It's not terrible, but kind of sloppy.

For me, the central problem of this series is the character of Prakan. I don't think the actor was up to the job. It felt like he had a very limited set up expressions, although that might have been the fault of the script and directing rather than the actor.

The central conflict of this is that Tuaphee reaps souls, while Prakan is a doctor trying to prevent people from dying. The thing is, though, Tuaphee doesn't kill people, he just escorts their souls to the next world, but every time this happens, Prakan goes nuts, treats Tuaphee like a murderer, and tells him he never wants to see him again. Until he wants to see him again (on account of he's hot). Then the cycle repeats, over and over. This makes him a very unpleasant person who seems unworthy to me of someone as kind and sweet (and hot) as Tuaphee.

The thing is, people are usually capable of fairly mature moral reasoning at around 10 years of age.

For example, if you give small child these two scenarios and ask which is worse:

1. Mary accidentally broke 10 cups while emptying the dishwasher
2. Ann broke one cup by throwing it at Mary's head.

Most children will say #1 is worse because Mary broke 10 times more cups than Ann. by age 10, almost everyone understands the difference between an accident and an act of violence, and that #2 is infinitely worse than #1.

Prakan is probably around 30 or so, and yet he can't figure out something equally basic. I can get deflecting his anguish at being helpless on an available target. Once. And then apologizing - profusely. But not being a total dick on 5 or so different occassions over the same issue.

On another subject, the "rules" of Reapers are silly and seem to be invented to suit plot points and don't really progress in a logical way. For example, what exactly is Tuaphee? He's not a ghost, and he has physical form. So is he a reanimated dead person who can teleport? Does that mean his heart is missing? Or is he a physical recreation of his mortal body in the same form? If he's a reanimated corpse with no heart, what happens if he falls asleep on a park bench and somone checks his pulse? Would he be accidentally cremated?

And why are they invisible except when wearing Hawaiian shirts? Why do they eat and sleep? If's clearly stated more than once that nobody can remember an interaction with a reaper, but everyone does - they all know who Tuaphee is (not what he is), and ask about him when he's not there. And then there are rules that are introduced later, and punishments that make no real sense when those rules are violated, and they are violated constantly.

When a soul is to be reaped, a card appears in the reaper's pocket with the soul's name on it. But a character is apparently mortally wounded (somehow, offscreen), Tuaphee gets the card, and then then that person doesn't die. So what is the ticket for? Just to deliberately waste the Reaper's time?

And an ageless being in a relationship with a mortal who lives to 90, just eww. Come on. I get love transcends all boundaries, blah blah, but it really doesn't. How many 20-year olds do you see dating 90-year olds? Only if one of them is a billionaire and the other knows he's getting a big payout. And why does everyone's soul look exactly like they did when they died except for just one of them?

The acting is fairly strong except for Prakan - all the minor characters are strong. Karn, who plays Tuaphee, is pretty good, but he's so beautiful it's hard to tell.

The secondary couple is underwhelming. I was excited about them, and I really like both actors, but it's just bad. The writing makes very little sense, and there's no buildup to the resolution - it just comes out of nowhere and is dull and anticlimactic.

In the end, the writing is lazy, sloppy, and repetitive, and just dull. It attempts to be profound and meaningful, but it's shallow and doesn't really delve into anything with any depth or insight.

The music is above average (except the coffee commercial) and supports the story well, and expertly sets the mood.

I don't think there's anything I would rewatch, but the thought of rewatching it doesn't give me suicidal impulses like it does for Physical Therapy.

Overall, 6.5. It's not awful, but I don't think I would recommend it. There's some decent eye candy, so if you have nothing better to do you might get some enjoyment out of it.

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When I think of Descendants of the Sun, the first thing that comes to mind is cheese! This show is extra cheesy, and honestly I love cheese! Unfortunately, I am also kinda lactose intolerant, so after eating a certain amount of cheese I am left with regrets, and a stomach ache. That's exactly how I felt after watching the last episode. *Cue the rage of a thousand fans*

I think the biggest problem I had with this show is that it tried to mix in three genres without a coherent plot to bring it all together. It's part rom-com, part military drama, and part hospital sitcom. The love story is probably what makes most people excited about the show, the military scenes are a cool action bonus, and the hospital sitcom keeps things from getting too heavy and depressing. Unfortunately, because the script is so weak, I was too disconnected to keep caring about the show, and it started to become very boring. I kept watching for one reason only Song Joong Ki.

Song Joong Ki is oddly cast in a lot of ways. He has a super baby face, and boyish charm, but still managed to be a believable bad@ss soldier. I would easily rate his character/acting 10. Not only did I develop a 16 episode crush on him, but I really cared about his assignments. The show would have been a million times more enjoyable for me if they just let his story be the center, or rather, the bromance between Shi Jin, and Dae Yeong. Their relationship was my favorite part of the show. Their characters didn't have much depth individually, but their bromance was solid.

There is also great chemistry between Song Joong Ki, and Song Hye Kyo, but not much to their overall story. Every moment with them is exactly the same - they flirt, they separate, she gets mad, he's extra charming, they flirt again. Early on, I really started to dislike Dr. Kang Mo Yeon, which made it hard to sympathize with her anger at him. Eventually I started to like her a little more, but no matter how cute their flirty scenes, or how strangely amusing their brink of death dating was, their story is still repetitive, which gets old quick.

The 2nd leads also had a romance, that had a few more obstacles thrown their way (parents, distance, almost dying), but was just as repetitive - fight, confess, spontaneous affection, fight. It's like each story just filled in the same blanks for each episode. It was actually the older minor characters who had the most interesting love story. I thought Seo Jeong Yeon and Lee Seung Jun were really cute, and deserve an honorable mention.

The supporting cast was pretty good. Some were much better than others, and some were almost completely useless (the head of the hospital... that ditzy doctor... ugh). I had to bring the acting down to an 8 because of that, but the cast is really the only good thing this show has going for it.

What was the point of this drama? At first it seemed like a way to show how hard it can be to date a soldier, but because the show didn't take itself seriously, it was hard for me to take that too seriously, even with that emotionally manipulative 15th episode. The conflicts at the hospital were ridiculous, and mostly filler. The best episodes took place when the medical staff went overseas to Urk, but once that was over, the show seemed to have no clue what to do. Did they run out of travel budget, so they decided to just wing it for the last episodes? Even in Urk, the plot was super predictable, and totally unrealistic, but it was still very entertaining (yummy Cheese!!!). When they returned, my feelings about the show went downhill, and I was no longer excited about watching the next episode. Then suddenly things got very serious out of nowhere, only to end with the silliest (and worst) last episode I've ever seen in any drama (yes THE worst!). I wonder if episode 15 was the original ending, and then it was changed last minute to avoid a backlash. That's the only thing I can think of as an explanation for why it was so bad.

The music? meh. The scenery? epic. The english spoken? decent. The shirtless men running? Daebak.

Would I rewatch? Not unless someone makes an edited version of only scenes with Song Joong Ki.

Overall It's like they rolled a kdrama dice and just threw stuff in at random to get people hooked, then they just focused on all the ways they can successfully incorporate product placement. Maybe that was the real point, to see how many ads they could sneak into a drama.

Even though there were moments I really enjoyed, I can't recommend this drama, especially after sitting through that ending. I wish they cut it down to 10 episodes, removing all the unnecessary fluff, and sneaky ads (subway, hyundai, make up, coffee, snacks, hiking equipments, travel apps... umm... except for the self driving car, because that scene was actually cool ) then maybe it would be a drama worthy of all the hype.

Or maybe you can treat my review like lactaid. Now that you know what to expect, maybe you can better digest all the cheese this show has to offer.

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Glorifies dysfunction, abuse, and harassment.

This was the most dysfunctional, twisted, depressing “romance” that I’ve ever had the displeasure of watching. I should have dropped it but I kept holding out hope that it would improve. It didn’t.

I know I’m in the vast minority but I honestly don’t care. The more I watched this, the more depressed and angry I became. Not a single couple in here had true love. Every single one is going to continue in their dysfunction. The “happy endings” are an illusion. None of those couples are going to stay happy or stay together. It’s impossible given their immense character flaws.

Characters should have flaws, and they can even have horrible ones, but they should improve over the course of the story and none of these characters did. They were all either abusive or abused and fully intended to stay that way. Not one of them knew how to respect the other’s wishes or accept “no” for an answer.

CHARACTERS

Eun Chan
She was immature and selfish. Yes, she worked hard, but she also quit the moment it got emotionally difficult. She got angry over the stupidest “offenses,” and demanded respect that she hadn’t earned. She had no thought for how she made the people around her feel. That’s not carefree - it’s thoughtless and disrespectful.

Childish and child-like are not the same thing. Childish is thinking and behaving like a child. It’s not something an adult should do. She had no filter. That’s childish. She threw tantrums and couldn’t control her emotions. That’s childish. Those are not admirable qualities in an adult. Her perpetual optimism, her innocence, and her ability to take joy from the small things in life - that’s childlike and those are good qualities.

I was fine with gender bending at first but she took it way too far for entirely selfish reasons, but at least the show acknowledged that. I give it points for that. What she did was not okay. But I won’t harp on this since it’s the one thing they got right in the show.

Then she was happy that Han Gyul gave up his dream for her but she was unwilling to return the favor. This sort of reverse sexism is not okay either. There’s absolutely no reason she couldn’t study and become a barista while also getting married. There’s nothing bad about relying on someone else, especially in today’s economy. No, she shouldn’t become a princess and sit back and let him do and pay for everything, but she doesn’t have to be completely independent either. She only wanted to be independent for herself, for her own selfish reasons. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to be a burden to him, it was because she wanted the security of being self-sufficient. She didn’t want to feel scared or guilty again like she did after her father died. Being independent for those reasons wouldn’t be bad except that she did it with no regard for Han Gyul’s feelings.

Her complete cluelessness about sexuality and the sexual desires of men is, unfortunately, a common theme in Asian dramas. Are Asian women really that clueless? Do they really have no idea what they’re doing to men when they refuse a man’s advances so vehemently? Do they really feel no sexual desire themselves? I can’t believe that’s true and I really hate that women are depicted that way in nearly every drama. I can forgive it in the historical dramas but not the modern ones.

Han Gyul
He was abusive - physically and verbally. Only fourth-graders tease and belittle their crushes. Emotionally mature adults don’t. It’s completely inexcusable that he verbally abused her in front of other employees and customers. Not only was it disrespectful toward her, it was a poor example for his employees, and thoughtless toward the customers and how it might make them feel hearing that.

It’s commendable that he was willing to love Eun Chan despite the fact that he thought she was a guy, but if he’s not genuinely gay, then that probably would have lasted only until the clothes came off. Sexuality isn’t something you change just because you decide to. Making it seem like he could is belittling to homosexuals who genuinely struggle with being unable to change their sexuality even if they want to.

That he kept hitting on a girl who was a) taken, and b) had sort of made her feelings clear, was not okay. It was another instance of a character not taking “no” for an answer.

I give him props for not giving into his grandmother’s unreasonable demand that he break up with Eun Chan. I also like that he didn’t act like a typical rich brat-prince. He didn’t understand the value of money to those who don’t have it, but he also didn’t flaunt his wealth or act like poor people were lesser beings. He was clueless about the personal lives of his employees but this is a flaw that he did seem to correct over time. He worked hard at the cafe and didn’t sit back doing nothing just because he was the rich owner.

He probably grew more than any other character in the show.

Yoo Joo
Ugh, what a hot mess. She couldn’t decide wtf she wanted. She walked in the gray with Han Gyul, knowingly toying with both Han Gyul’s and Han Sung’s feelings, and unwittingly with Eun Chan’s. She had left Han Sung for DK, then left DK for Han Sung, but stayed friends with DK despite the obvious insecurity this caused Han Sung. She did only what she wanted with no regard for others’ feelings whatsoever.

She was materialistic and admittedly selfish. She was also childish and annoying. But, she was kind to Eun Chan most of the time, even after Han Sung “cheated” on her with Eun Chan, which was admirable.

But, she stayed confused throughout the entire series. When it seemed she’d figured herself out and proposed to Han Sung, then she started resenting the restrictions of the relationship and the pregnancy, and went on an all-night binge with her friends, again, with no regard for Han Sung’s feelings or the welfare of her unborn child. She made no progress as a character whatsoever.

Han Sung
He was as much a hot mess as his girlfriend and only changed because he was forced to. He didn’t really get over Eun Chan. She rejected him. Threatened with losing Yoo Joo on the heels of losing Eun Chan was too much for him. It wasn’t that he loved Yoo Joo that much, but more than he just couldn’t handle being alone. He couldn’t fully accept Yoo Joo as she was, but couldn’t live without her. That’s not love. That’s codependence.

Min Yeop
He was a doormat that couldn’t take “no” for an answer. He was also manipulative, but that’s because Ha Rim taught him to be that way. “Angel” treated Min Yeop like sh*t and while he stood up for himself briefly, it was only to get her back and then he went back to putting up with her crap.

I don’t like to disparage other cultures but the trend of playing hard-to-get in Asian cultures is detrimental and dangerous. “Angel” made it very clear that Min Yeop’s advances were unwanted but he didn’t stop. Having him succeed in getting her through such methods only perpetuates this harmful trend. Because of this, men don’t know when “no” really means “no.”

Sun Gi
Hot af and I loved that he spoke Japanese when he was angry, but he also didn’t know how to take “no” for an answer to such a stalker degree that he drove his ex into hiding. Twice! That’s restraining order level of harassment. It is not okay.

“Angel”
She was a straight up bratty b*tch and everyone let her be that way. She cared for absolutely no one but herself and saw others for only what they could do for her. She “fell for” Min Yeop only after he stopped pursuing her and once she wrapped him around her finger again, she proceeded to continue to treat him like sh*t. She was a despicable human being.

Grandmother
One of the only characters to have a redemption arc. She started out as a horrible person, despising Eun Chan because of her social status and her appearance. Thankfully, she was able to eventually see past that and respect and like Eun Chan for who she really was.

Eun Chan’s Mother
By far, the most grounded and balanced of the characters. She knew her flaws and worked to fix them. She knew her limitations and stayed with them. She knew her responsibilities and performed them. She kept her priorities straight.

STORY
This is a true slice-of-life series. There was no plot or throughline whatsoever. All the tension came from petty arguments between the characters. It was depressing and infuriating.

OVERALL
Yes, it had a happy ending but it was anticlimactic and for me, unrealistic. Or rather, too realistic. All of these relationships are ones that we often encounter in real life and maybe that’s what most people like about it but it’s precisely what I hate about it. If I wanted the crap of real life, I’d walk out my front door. When I engage in fiction, I want something better than real life. It doesn’t have to be Disney perfect but this was just a futile story. Like I said at the beginning - all of these couples are going to continue to have problems. They’re not going to be happy.

I did not enjoy watching this. I don’t recommend it. It glorifies dysfunction, abuse, and harassment.

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This is really so bad. I wasn't expecting it to be so bad because I had seen the rating here plus it's on so many lists on youtube. But gosh, this is just terrible.
The plot is mediocre. Best friends get drunk and sleep together. One of them has a girlfriend which makes things more complicated. Surprise, surprise the girlfriend is a bitch.
First of all, I would like to mention how much I hate Knock. Even when Korn and Knock slept together, Knock kept acting like Korn raped him or something, dude it was consensual sex, you are to be blamed as much as him, why the fuck are you acting this way? You dumb sorry excuse of a grown ass man. And later on, he doesn't do anything to redeem himself. He remains indecisive, keeps playing with Korn's feelings, and is forever a big of a slut. One would imagine him being nicer to Korn after hearing about how Korn's ex-boyfriend cheated on Korn but noooooooo, he two times and gives him false hope and once even goes as far as to say that he chose his bitch girlfriend but would like their relationship to be the same. Lol fuck off, Knock does not deserve this piece of shit and I stand by my opinion.

The only complain I have with Korn's character is that instead of showing him as a person, we see him more as a person in love. Idk what his personality is.

Yihwa, my girl is the star of this shitty show and the reason why I watched the entire damn thing. Fai is a cutie too.

The doctor is fucking disgusting and Farm is really dumb oh lord.

My head hurt watching this. Proceed with caution.

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Potatoes might save the world but they couldn't save this drama !

I’ve been hyping this show like it’s the second coming of comedy gold - raving about how a drama set in a potato research lab turned into my weekly dose of chaotic fun. But as they say, don’t count your damn potatoes before they sprout.

Turns out, all that initial charm? Just a smokescreen for a half-baked storyline. The strong character sketches we were promised early on quickly dissolved, leaving behind personalities so watered down, they twisted themselves out of shape just to drag the plot along.
The writing has been inconsistent for ages - barely throwing us crumbs of actual plot while drowning in slapstick. And I let it slide because hey, at least I was laughing... until I wasn’t. When the humor dried up, all that was left was a messy script and characters who lost their spark faster than a firework in the rain.

Mikyung? Sis gets mad at Baek Ho but barely flinches when her ex - the walking red flag who trashed her life - shows up. Like, why are we reserving all the cold shoulders for the guy who’s actually on your side, and giving your villain-era ex a free pass? Where’s the wrath? The fire? The “watch me burn your memory to ash” energy?

And the side characters? They were elite as chaotic roommates - a comic relief dream team. But instead of letting them thrive in their lane, the writers decided to toss them into emotional subplots no one asked for. For what? To fill 20 more minutes of runtime? Peak mismanagement. They deserved better. We deserved better!!

As viewers, we got roped into a subplot that actually had depth - convincing, well-executed, promising. Only for it to get tossed aside with the most lazy, nonsensical exit imaginable. It’s like the writers got bored halfway through and hit “wrap it up” with zero remorse.

The ending? Don’t even get me started. It disappointed me in ways I don't have the energy - or desire - to unpack. Just know it felt like betrayal with a smile. And I am mad like very mad !!

In the end, it wasn’t the plot holes or the slapstick that ruined this show - it was the forced friendships and unnecessary reunions that nobody asked for. You had the perfect romcom recipe, and you still managed to burn it. Bravo.

I barely have anything else to say, so I’ll just wrap it up like this:
Watch it for the laughs, the chaos, the absurdity - whatever floats your boat. But don’t make the mistake of hoping for a satisfying payoff. Drop it whenever you feel like it, guilt-free. That’s that.

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Wasted Potential

A good story and captivating start but developed to be an "excessive" tearjerker, TBH it could have been a big hit (Facepalm).

But it didn't.

Why it could have been a big hit?
It got a generally-likeable fantasy genre, a mysterious yet charming immortal male lead, an A-class casting lineup, a great couple chemistry and mostly, a fascinating storyline (in the start).

But why it didn't became one?
Poor arrangement on plots, less impressive production, a let-down on the mysterious characters development, dull climax and mostly, too much unnecessary parting and whining (from the girl who is facing death).

I really enjoyed the start where the female lead signed a contract with "Myeol Mang" (sort of like a destroyer) and thereafter started their ill-fated relationship. I was actually pretty excited when the female lead swore that she was going to make "Myeol Mang" her love of life so he can die for her, so "Korean drama cliche" but I just love it. Of course we all know they will eventually fall in love but "How?" is something we anticipate. Well, it turned out they fell in love before I even noticed, and oddly started with all the emotional parting (again and again) and accepted their fate (again and again). The flow was a bit off for me as I didn't feel their deep-down love and suddenly they are willing to give up their lives for each other, like huh? I don't deny they look pretty good together, but the story development was quite lacking though.

At first, I felt the story was a little complicated, especially the conversation between "Myeol Mang" and the "Deity girl", so I thought they were somehow building up for the climax, hmmm it turns out to be.... nothing. When you are always waiting for something unexpected, it failed your expectation. It's like you are eating a candy floss, the first bite was so great but before you can savour it, it's gone. Yes, the second half of the drama was an empty-shell. There was so much potential in the "Deity girl" character, but she didn't really contribute anything significant to the show and it turns out like destiny has controlled her instead, she gave up and become a Samaritan for the couple LOL

Honestly, it could have been better if they have more plots on how they developed feelings (maybe on how their hate turns into love) instead of just using almost 10 episodes to cry, to escape and to get back together. As for second couple, a so-so to me too, as their love-triangle was pretty draggy too, however I find Cha Joo Ik's role pretty interesting, especially how he uses his poker face for love confession, sarcasm, even when cracking a joke LOL.

Basically, I stayed on to the end mainly for the casts, simply enjoying Seo In Guk's alluring smirk, Park Bo Young's adorable expression and Lee Soo Hyuk's attractive deep voice. That's about it. Wasn't that excited for the storyline as you will be able to figure out the ending on your own by looking at the pace of the story and how it develops, it's like even if you missed out a few episodes you will be able to catch up haha.

These are just my point of view, and I believe people might have different thoughts on the drama, saw the comment area is just flooded with criticism. I don't regretted watching it though, that's why it deserves at least 7.0 for me, a "slightly above-average" piece? Just that we have so much dramas out there to compare with and it just loses out, but not so bad actually, or maybe because I have seen worse.

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I do not like trashy soap opera style BLs....

This series has the same problem as "Love in the Moonlight", with the exception that it was not painful to watch, just cringe. The overdramatized bad guys/gals and the excessive pathos was still the same. And what also obvious, they can't do action right. While it looks nicely coreographed especially in the beginning, you see that the punches do not connect in the slightest. I won't write about the shooting scenes which were just embarrassing.

The only positive I have to say is that DaouOffroad are very good when they act alone or in a serious setting, their chemistry just works. Also the other actors were not bad, but I don't like the overacting and over-dramatization. They could have done this in a serious more thriller-like setting and then the story would have had much more impact, But no, they went the thai way which in this case is bad way.

Spoiler:
The finale was also bad: Pheen has a plan and of course he does not tell his husband. We all know, he can't die, because a BL has to have a happy end (very few exeptions), so he left for a long time, hurting Than again (and again). The reason: Because he needed to change his name, so he can disappear. WTF? Is that, because he don't want to face the consequences of his actions? And he was already married, so he could have taken the name of his husband. And of course everyone dies, so there are no real consquences, no court session to exploit all the bad things the characters did. It's a lazy and cheap way of story-telling.
Edit: Of course the whole inheritance arc did not make any sense, because: if Pheem was decleared dead Than would have inherited the whole company with all the hospitals. Because he was the last legal heir before any uncles and cousins. So Pheem changing his name would not let him get away from his family background because his man would own EVERYTHING. And would be richer than he alone was. And because Than would then be famous Pheem could not be with him. So the writers had no clue what they wrote about and this makes no sense whatsoever.
End of Spoiler

So considering everything, this is not even a medicore show and I know many will hate me because I think so. But that's what I felt when I watched this and sadly this is also one of the shows I will never watch again, because it's a waste of my time.

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Extremely boring

I don't have much to say about this short series aside from the fact that I'm extremely underwhelmed. I had high expectations. Since there was only 4 episodes I figured they had to get things going fast. I also really liked the cast. I'm a fan of both Park Hyung Shik and Han So Hee; so finding out that they were starring together made me excited.

That excitement sadly fizzled out pretty quickly. There is nothing wrong with this drama per se. It's just that nothing much happens. It would be odd to say that a drama that only has 4 episodes was dragged out. But that's how I feel. This should have been a movie. Or better yet. Not have existed at all.

I can't point at any specific thing and say that's bad. In fact, there were several scenes that I actually enjoyed, But there was maybe 1 or 2 such scenes in every episode. Which left about 35-40 minutes each episode that felt wasted. Those 35-40 minutes felt like fillers.

So much of this drama felt unnecessary. This could have easily been wrapped up in 1 episode, and still have been boring.

Now to the acting. I like both Park Hyung Shik and Han So Hee's acting. They are both fantastic actors. Seperately. Together, they just don't have any chemistry. I can barely believe these two are friends, let alone lovers. I think they both would have benefited from a more dynamic drama.

Oh well. That's 176 minutes wasted.

If you are fan of slow dramas, where nothing much happens. This might work for you. But if you're like me and actually want something to happen. You would be wasting your time with this.

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Ugh (ft. slow and boring)

Cheating dramas are problematic. Without genuine reasons of cheating, it would be difficult to convince viewers to stay. This show gives silly reasons for why men cheat their good & hardworking wives and why women would yearn for company of married men.

Without the revenge track, it would be difficult to soothe the fewer viewers who had somehow managed to stay. That's not gonna happen in this one. Nah nah, not in this season, I don't give a rodent's posterior about the revenge, if at all, that happens in next season, if at all, that manages to air.

This show wastes time in talking about random things like golf, oriental medicine, dogs blah blah, in the first half of episodes and glorifying whatever "love"/lust emotions cheaters were feeling in the second half. By the time, it reaches the point of actual cheating, already 10 or 12 episodes are gone. Even good and realistic dialogues are made to lose their charm by saying again and again. Episodes after 5 or 6 can be finished in 15 minutes.

There were one or two things I liked. One, the kids of 50yr couple and 40yr couple. Their words and actions were so mature than their dads' (lol!). Two, the radio station scenes and the ladies' work dinners along with Seo Ban. Both the scenes had interesting dialogues especially Seo Ban's snarky replies.

I can only conclude that the writer has taken her audience for dummies, spoon feeding them; telling them in nagging dialogues instead of showing them with subtlety. She could have written a tighter screenplay excluding all irrelevant scenes. It could have been tiny bit interesting had she not made the mistresses so generic, so predictable.

In final episode, the hurried afterthought of adding new character and "new" links between characters was badly executed cliffhanger. By then, the drama is already an overkill. Although my curiosity is piqued, life is too short and I would rather spend my time watching something amazing.

It's a pity that this was well produced drama oozing extravagance. It's a pity that the music and OST was so good especially, Dead Inside and Memory. It's a pity it had good actors.

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A visually stunning drama with lots of "tea"! (pun intended)

I went into Glory with very high expectations and, as expected, I wasn’t disappointed. Recently, there seems to be a wave of strong dramas with “Glory” in the title, and I was kind of anticipating The Glory, Blossom or even Blossoms in Adversity - type of vibes. Surprisingly, this drama turned out to be very different.

First of all, this drama screams high budget!! The production value alone is impressive: every detail of the setting is beautifully crafted and clearly well thought out. The Ming-dynasty–inspired aesthetics, the costumes, and especially the tea plantations are absolutely stunning. I also really appreciated the historical tea facts shown at the end of the episodes. The OST is gorgeous too and adds a magical touch to many scenes ✨

Despite having noticeable flaws in both the story and the characters, the show somehow managed to put me in a chokehold. It’s addictive enough to keep me watching, constantly wanting to know what happens next. What a pain watching this while it's airing!

But there are also some issues that could have been done better.
The first arc of the story, especially the husband-selection plot and the whole He Xingming/Yang Dingchen storyline, felt unnecessarily long, and I think it could've been shortened. It took up a lot of time of the drama without contributing much to the overall progression. Story-wise it could've been a 10 for me, if this arc and the one in the last 4-6 episodes were excluded.
This is my first drama starring Gülnezer Bextiyar, so I can’t fully judge her acting yet. However, her facial expressions often felt a bit stiff. At times, it was difficult to tell whether her character was quietly scheming or genuinely surprised/upset. Nevertheless, her visuals suit the role 100% - like she's got that sharp and cold “Ice Queen” aura (>o<)
Now on to the characters: Rong Shanbao is a mixed bag for me. I admire how she prioritizes family above all else and refuses to get dragged into internal power struggles. Considering her difficult upbringing, her composure and emotional restraint do make sense. However, I don't agree with how she treats Lu Jianglai. While it’s true that he betrayed her first, he later makes continuous efforts to redeem himself, especially by solving the case etc. Yet she keeps him at arm’s length, barely treating him differently from the earlier husband candidates. Her lack of communication and tendency to keep everything to herself becomes frustrating over time.
As for the sisters, tbh it surprised me that the Rong family managed to survive for so long given how disunited they were in the beginning. I’m glad Rong Yunyin and Rong Yunxi had character development though. Rong Yunyin’s growth felt more believable, while Rong Yunxi’s change felt abrupt, like a jump: how does she suddenly trust Shanbao and even speak up for her?
Also, I'm actually grew even more interested in Yunxi and An Cha's story than Shanbao and Fusheng's... :(
The grandmother is another frustrating, illogical character. Despite her experiencing many setbacks, she sticks to her old mentality - familial piety, strict rules bla bla bla - alwways disregarding her granddaughters’ wishes.

Despite these flaws, there are many more things I genuinely enjoyed.
The story (while sometimes stretched) was engaging because of the constant twists where I expect them the least, especially the 2nd half kept me hooked!
And lastly, Rong Yunwan completely stole my heart. She’s adorable and one of the most lovable characters in the drama.

So imo, Glory is far from perfect, but it’s visually breathtaking and I loved how the story develops, so I rate it 9 despite the few flaws ❤️

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Makes as much sense and is about as entertaining as an 80's song medley

This may start off as a youth romance but pretty fast takes a turn to the kids acting like adults, with adult gangster problems... or is it corruption, murder CEO problems?

Though the drama does have some fluff and a whole lot of cliches, what strikes me the most is the dim beige/grey lighting that ads a slightly depressing filter to the drama... And even though they spend a lot of time at the beach I feel like I keep missing the sun.

The acting could be better, there are some sweet well preformed moments here and there but neither of the leads are very good with facial expressions and emotions. That said both are pretty good at delivering physical scenes as well as action and tension. However the moment they are supposed to feel something it just becomes cringey be it sadness, love (not lust though), anger... It just feels off....

If I were to play a drinking game about finding lines from 80s song, show of abs or the words I will always love you, I would need to get my stomach pumped by the 9th episode or so as the "always", and love confessions come as often as (I will let you use your imagination), only to be disproved over and over again... I love you, I will now leave you, I will always love you... I will run away and if you love me you will not look for me... over and over again or at least that is what it feels like...

That said it is an ok watch, mostly entertaining and fun to watch just make sure to turn off your brain before you start watching it as nothing is consistent, nothing makes sense and the lack of scars as well as the healing power of those young men can put Connect (the drama/webtoon starring Jung Hae In) to shame.

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Mirror of the Witch is a mediocre drama. The story line is interesting and different, but it is written in circles. Some of the story is riveting, while other parts I felt were just more of the same. The production and cinematography is appealing. Also, the age difference between the leads didn't mean a thing. I probably would not have rated it as high if the lead female character was not awesome. She is written so well as smart and strong which is great to see. Although I get why it ended the way it did because it makes since for her character, it was still bitter sweet. I felt like it was a waste considering how much struggle the other characters put into keeping that from happening. I guess I would have rated it higher if the ending had been different also.

The acting is good. Kim Sae Ron is a great little actress and I hope that she can keep that skill into adult hood. I enjoyed her portrayal of Yeon Hee with both vulnerability and strength. Yoon Shi Yoon also did a good job as Heo Jun. He had the most character development and he was a cool character. The other actors were ok also.

The music is good.

I won't rewatch this.

If you like supernatural historical dramas or a Yoon Shi Yoon fan, then this isn't a bad watch.

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