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You are the sum of all your experiences, learn from it and be a better person.
The ultimate question: Did they live happily ever after, as a couple? Or, did they live happily ever after, as friends?Answer: it can go either way, 50-50.
Here's why.
As I mentioned in the previous weeks, this show is a story about love, relationships, break-ups, forgiveness, and moving on. This is not a fantasy romance where we would feel we are in heaven, and dream of Mr. Right and Ms. Perfect. No, none of that.
My first romantic relationship lasted for three (3) years. She was my first, and I was her first. We broke up, we talked, we closed things properly. But, guess what? We both failed to moved on.
In our case, she got married a few years later. It took us 11 more years to have a real closure. We failed to move on because we were not honest with ourselves, and we did not learn to forgive ourselves.
Before we can truly move on, we need to forgive the other party. But, we can not forgive other people if we do not forgive our own self first. To be able to forgive our own self, we need to face the reality and embrace it.
Yes, it is a process. It can take years, or it can take as short as a minute. It does not matter if you understand the process, there are people who can truly move on fast without being aware of the process.
Personally, I have proven that process to myself, when in late 2020, my 15-year relationship ended. When I learned to face reality, when I learned to embrace it. It was only then I was able to forgive myself.
It felt good. The heavy burden in my mind, and on my shoulders, were lifted. I was able to finally breathe. Then, I was able to forgive and thank her, even though I was only talking to the air.
It took me three (3) months, and I also had to put a deadline for myself. What do I mean? I told myself, “after this date, all is over, period”. After that date passed, I moved on. I started to smile.
Once we have truly moved on, that is only the time that healing begins. There is no healing if you can not smile. There is no healing if you can stomach hearing your ex's (or enemy's) name. You are not healing at all if you are still reacting emotionally when you see that other person's shadows, or hear them breath.
All these things are what “The Interest of Love” was telling us.
We all know that love and relationships are complicated, but do we truly understand it?
The 1FL was mostly pessimistic in the entire show. Rightly so, because there are people who are pessimistic. They do exist, and if you have not met at least one pessimistic person, you have not truly lived. The 1FL represents people who are pessimistic.
While the 1ML is a type of person who have a positive outlook in life, who was later crashed because of love. He was that type of person you have probably met once who never had time about love and relationships. But, when their heart was stolen by someone, they had no idea how to act and handle things.
Our pessimist 1FL eventually grew and started to have a positive outlook in life. All because of the 1ML.
At the same time, our 1ML, who had no idea about love and relationships, learned to listen and understand other people. All because of the 1FL.
Are you seeing how these two characters are helping each other grow? That is love and relationship. In episode 16, they even asked, “Were we really in love?” Because their relationship as two individuals was closer than they care to admit.
Let's take a detour.
There is also an important contrast between the 1ML and the 2ML. The 2ML acted badly when he heard the news that the 1FL slept with another man (note: there was no concrete proof if she did or not). The last word he told the 1FL was, “b**ch”.
However, what struck me was the 2ML also grew. Instead of sulking, or trying to find the 1FL and, maybe, force her back into a relationship after apologising, he decided to just call it.
Like what I mentioned earlier, the 2ML faced his reality and embraced it. He was not able to ask for forgiveness in person, but he knew he was forgiven because he learned to forgive himself.
He turned his bad experiences as a source of strength. He focused on his studies, and eventually achieved his dream to become a police officer.
Meanwhile, the 1ML was not giving up. He tried to find the 1FL, and he did, only to lose her again. And for the next four years, he tried to survive, hoping to see her one more time. (We are assuming he chose the branch himself.)
Another detour. The 2FL! Let's not forget her.
What type of character was she? She is that person who will do anything to get what they want. Not necessarily rich and wealthy people, mind you, there are ordinary people who get what they want just because. The 2FL represents those type of persons.
However, when it comes to love and relationships, it's either shallow or one-sided. First, she accepted the fact that the 1ML has eyes for the 1FL, but when he needed a shoulder to cry on, she freely offered herself. This is what we call “rebound relationship”.
For the 2FL, as long as she gets what she wanted, it is fine for her to be the rebound. The bad effect of this is that, the other person (the 1ML in this case) will never be fully into that relationship. They are either still thinking of the other person (the 1FL in this case), or they are only using the rebound relationship to heal (and once they healed, they will more likely leave).
The 1ML, who was growing because of the 1FL, realised this and broke up with her. Three years later, the 2FL returned to Korea, healed. In episode 16, she mentioned that she is fine talking about the 1ML because she (truly) moved on.
They even showed a scene how the 2FL saw the 1ML during the wedding, and it did not bother her. Was it because she found a new boyfriend? No, it wasn't about faithfulness and loyalty to her new boyfriend. In the first place, if she has not truly moved on, she would not be able to have a new boyfriend, that is not her character. Not to mention, she would not show up in the wedding knowing that they may cross paths.
The 2FL grew and learned what it means to love and have a relationship. Not just a romantic relationship, but also a relationship with her father.
Which brings us back to the 1FL and her relationship with her father. Like the 2FL, the 1FL also have a strained relationship with her father, although different, they are both not close to them.
See the contrast and 'relationships'?
And now, we are in episode 16. We have gone full circle when the 1ML and the 1FL started to talk about their “what-ifs”. This is a different kind of “what-ifs”.
Usually, “what-ifs” are regrets. However, in the case of the 1ML and 1FL, it was an intellectual discourse. Would things between them have ended up differently… if…?
There were no regrets when they looked back at their memories. Why? How? Simple. They learned to face and embrace their reality, and have forgiven themselves, and each other.
They moved on from the pain they caused each other. And they used those experiences to grow for the next four years of their lives.
Thus, when they met again, they were simply two ___healed___ individuals reminiscing their time together.
Think of it this way, tabula rasa. Clean slate.
They can choose to become a couple. Or, they can decide to remain as “special” friends.
I personally know married couples who broke up and later met again 4+ years later. They rekindled their love and relationship.
I, myself, went through the latter. Remember the first relationship I shared earlier, which took 11 years before we finally were able to moved on? Whenever our paths cross, after the true closure, there are no more lingering emotions and feelings between us. We can talk about the past normally, as in, just the past.
Some would probably say, “well, she's married and have children”. Sure, that's valid. However, even if she is still single, that part of our lives is long gone. We have reached the point wherein we will never cross our unwritten and undiscussed boundaries. We are just nothing but “special” friends.
I can see it in her eyes, and I am sure she can see it in my eyes, too. The past is the past. It's over between us, permanently. There is nothing to rekindle. We can reminisce, but that's it, nothing to rekindle. Our love for each other changed to something akin to brother and sister.
This is why the ending of “The Interest of Love” was like that.
Here are two individuals, whose lives were entwined when they were younger and innocent. Four years later, having learned from their experiences, and have forgiven themselves in the process, their paths crossed again.
They are representing two types of “couples”.
The first is: those couples who rekindled their love and gotten married later.
The second is: those couples, like me and my first, who will never have a romantic relationship ever again, but remain good friends.
It is up to the audience to decide which path the 1ML and the 2FL will choose. They can remain as friends, having grown and learned from each other. Or, they can rekindle their love and see where it goes this time around.
After all, they did ask and realised, “were we in love then?”
These are what the 1ML, 1FL, 2FL, and the 2ML, all learned in their lives:
You are the sum of your experiences. Learn from it and become a better person. Never harbour hatred and bitterness, rather, listen and understand each other.
All of our relationships are important. Be it romantic, as friends, or with our families. In these personal relationships, let love encompassed it all.
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I was never planning on writing a review until I watch this drama.
This review reflects my opinion only.There are so many positive reviews on this site that I thought I might give this a try to give one among few differing opinions here for those looking for it.
Story:
There is not much logic to be found in this story. As many know already, the e-sport aspect has been butchered by the writer so I'm not gonna pretend to understand the industry and give my two cents.
Too much fluff in the relationship between the leads and any conflict feels superficial. We're not shown why the ML fell for FL, or the process of recognizing his feeling, properly. He just suddenly started to flirt with her for everyone to see.
The plot is very tropey, just like CEO cliché story transplanted to e-sport industry: Genius, super rich male lead with the short tempered girl.
Side characters serve no real purpose other than to react and facilitate the relationship of the main lead couple.
Acting:
Only touching on the leads acting here.
Xu Kai is okay, not great, not too bad either. If he has any brilliance to show, the script wouldn't allow it haha.
Cheng Xiao is very bad at acting, period. She has mostly the same facial expression throughout, wide eye repertoire when she's trying to emote. She even acted the same way after Tong Yao fell off the stairs (can't remember the episode). She's been in a few dramas already, none of which I've watched, and starting with lead character from the beginning. She'll continue to act as leads in the future, but if her performance in this drama is any indication, I wouldn't watch any of them.
IMO, this drama is overhyped on this site.
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Liu Yuning is on the roll!!!
First of all, huge shout out to all the supporting actors. They are absolute gems when it comes to showcasing their prowess of acting in a comedy genre. This show is undeniably hilarious (that laughter of 18th Prince is my favourite) and it is even better when the show itself knows about it and doesn't take itself seriously from the get go. From the first episode you will be glued to the screen and binge watch all the episodes.Li Yitong is simply made for this genre and Liu Yu Ning is in his best. (It is basically his yr.) I just like that guy whatever he does, whatever roles he chooses or whatever song he sings. (Yes, I am totally biased!)
The first ep. explains what the story is all about - a sword triangle *cough* a love triangle that literally raises the storm and the struggle of ML to seize the throne (literally quite a bloody one) and they definitely have a chemistry in this one... literally 'cough'.
Now the best part of it is the music and the lyrics that made me laugh so much which is very unique especially in historical/wuxia dramas. The scenes of FL trying to change the story and repeating the same things over and over again in 2x and 3x speed was really funny (that is some final destination stuff going on with her). I love it how it gets serious when it is required with a perfect blend of comedy that is central to the plot and the production what to say...they have got some big BUDGET. Nothing looks cheap everything is top notch and the fact that they used famous scenes of other popular dramas and reused them in a comedic way is cherry on top. Another commendable thing is the character development of side characters, no matter how small but they tried to evolve all the characters and gave them screentime which I haven't seen in many dramas.
If you are a fan of 'Romance of tiger and rose' and Love game in Eastern Fantasy' and another kdrama 'Extraordinary You' then this show will definitely exceed your expectations because it incorporates everything which the others lacked. Overall it is now one of my favourites of 2025 dramas with a well thought out transmigration plot that I have watched in a while. (Believe me you won't be able to guess the twists and yes it is remarkably done from start to finish so throw your worries of 'rushed ending' out of the window.)
Highly recommended.
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Listening Snow Tower is an interesting story with a plethora of well-performed martial arts moves, giving vibes of Legend of Fuyao. Somehow it seems virtually impossible to go through the drama without mentally imprinting Wuji on Yi Qing and Fuyao on Jing Rong and this is where memory lane goes incredibly right to some viewers or incredibly wrong to others, puffed out from the strenuous exercise of going backwards and forwards between the dramas.For those that have watched and enjoyed Fuyao, Listening Snow Tower is a good drama to pick up to maintain momentum as it can postpone the sad drama withdrawal. Denial isn’t good but the dramas actually are.
For those that have watched but either dropped or immensely disliked Fuyao, then stay away. This is not nor will it be a favourite flavour of tea.
For those that have absolutely no idea who Fuyao is, Listening Snow Tower is a great drama to watch and then once finished, a binge on Fuyao is a good idea. Keep in mind though that Listening Snow Tower has a faster pace, not really suitable for those that enjoy slow-paced dramas with draggy unnecessary scenes.
This drama as the title so aptly explains in three short words is about Listening Snow Tower and one should really listen. The pugilistic world is a mess, with the out-of-favour and out-of-power Snow Tower due to a rift of internal struggles. Betrayal is never done by an enemy and the cliché is proven right once again as if, it actually mattered to the story’s development.
Yi Qing is the heir of Snow Tower that takes over from his deceased father. As a first task, rebuild and restore Snow Tower’s reputation to its former glory asap. The thing is Yi Qing is ill. He has been ill with an incurable disease since childhood which mind you is not a hindrance to his state-of-the-art marital arts skills and his strategic thinking. His illness does not control his life nor does it run it. Yi Qing loves Jing Rong, the orphan daughter of the Blood Demon who also returns his feelings.
Fuyao again. Like Wuiji protects Fuyao, helping her achieve her full potential, Yi Qing protects Jin Rong, helping her become stronger so that she can fight the Moon Sect bent on destroying Snow Tower alongside him.
Jin Rong is filled with guilt when she finds out that her life is fated to bring others misfortune. Fuyao all over again. Then there are the battles for power amidst the sects, nothing out of the ordinary or remotely original but well accomplished.
The performances do not have the star power of Fuyao however the leads and remaing of the characters are well-matched and performed. Nothing exceptional but nothing to be critical about either. Indeed the drama might all appear a bit bland but bland is better than having a salty meal.
Visually Listening Snow Tower is good, not going over the top with weird-looking bright-pallet coloured costumes which have dragged many a good drama down with its fruit salad look. There’s contrast, white, red, black and it works wonderfully for those who like a more manga/comic book look in a drama with a small number of colour variations.
Overall, is a good enjoyable fast-paced drama, a bit hard to stop watching, a bit hard not to binge on it once one gets into it. Rating: 9.5 out of 10.
Should one watch it? Definitely but forget about Fuyao if possible and enjoy the series for what is worth!
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Melodramatic and cliché-ridden
It was honestly difficult to rate this drama. On the one hand acting performances were top tier and the cinematography was wonderful. On the other hand the script and plot devices were frustratingly poor and predictable. So, I'll start with recalling some of the positives about "First Love." I have to give credit to the amazing acting of the female lead actress Mitsushima Hikari. She plays the adult version of the character Yae and I thought her performance was very convincing and well done. She acted with her eyes and facial expressions without needing a word of dialogue to convey what her character was thinking and going through. A highlight is the scene where Yae gives her son away and is crying on the road. That scene broke me and felt so real. Another great acting performance was that of the young Harumichi played by Kido Taisei. I thought the actor stole every scene he was in. He was very charismatic and multifaceted. He brought a teen and young adult Harumichi to life. Another plus, was frankly how this drama was beautiful to look at. The way color, lighting, and scenic details were used made for a pleasing experience to the eyes.Now on to the things that made me rate this drama a 6.5.
To start, I could understand that this drama is based on a ballad "First Love" from 1999 and is clearly inspired by the melodrama romances of that era including Majo no Jouken, which interestingly enough used the song First love as it's theme. Also, I see the Taiwanese drama Autumn's Concerto as a possible influence as well. That's all fine and good, except First love 2022 incorporates all the hair splitting frustrating cliches of that bygone time and combines it into a mess of inconsistencies and plot driven narratives. And like a lot of 90s-00s melodramas, First Love starts off with promise and leaves viewers hooked only to fall flat on its face midway through. Like some reviews already covered, the tired old amnesia cliche is used as a plot device to separate our main leads. We also have the villain parent(s) that purposely keeps the young lovebirds apart, ruining their lives in the process. Very annoying! Yae gets amnesia and conveniently doesn't remember Harumichi at all. Her friend visits and even mentions him to her yet Yae never looks him up or investigates further. Yae's mother sees how her daughter is suffering for years and never tells her the truth. There were several moments that the mom made me want to punch my fist in a wall. The perfect time for Yae's mom to tell her the truth was when Yae gave up her son to her divorced husband. At this point the marriage and rich lifestyle the mother wanted for her daughter had failed so why not confess to Yae about her lost first love? In fact why was anyone keeping Yae's past from her, including the adult Harumichi? All these poor writing choices found in the worst melodramas like this one is to keep the main couple apart for as long as possible and make unnecessary events come between them. It's supposed to make for a powerful epic reunion of the lovers, but often it just results in an anticlimactic ending where viewers like myself forget to care.
Some bonus nit picks and wtfs:
*5th episode sex scene. Graphic and ill fitting for a romantic love story. Ml has sex with a random, has another scene where he gets physical with a gf, and Yae gets no intimate scenes at all. Did she have an immaculate conception or what lol.
*Harumichi's sister randomly tells Yae that her brother breastfed until 3rd grade and was addicted to pornos spending a whopping amount on AV tapes. Later in the timeline, Harumichi offers some of these porno tapes to Yae's 14 yr old son, yikes!
*Episode 8 where Harumichi just up and leaves Yae permanently and moves out of the country. Yae confessed that she loved him and he had already broke up with his fiancee. So wtf. Again, the show threw sense out the window for an "epic" reunion.
*Adult Harumichi cheated with his fiancee by kissing and flirting with Yae. What a swell guy.
*The time line issue. The first past timeline is supposed to be in the late 90s but things don't add up, such as "First love" the album and song came out April 1999. The CD is seen on display at a music store at the end of the first episode as if it's just been released making the year 99. Yet, teen Yae and Harumichi go to the theater to watch Titanic, came out in 1997 or Armageddon, which came out in 1998. I doubt these movies were still playing in Japanese theaters in 1999. Also, the CD player and earbuds used in the show look like a later model than what existed in the late 90s. Several other time period inaccuracies are present if you notice them.
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1This review may contain spoilers
The art of becoming.
It’s a story about how often women have no say in making decisions, but also need to face the consequences of the decisions men made. How not only do they survive, but learn how to thrive in any environment. This is not a story about revenge, but a story about adaptation of oneself to the environment, but also their environment to their own goals. I appreciated how the drama tried to keep some balance and realism to the positive outcomes - you don’t always get all you wanted, but you are satisfied with the result you were able to achieve. At times it was sad to watch how even women use the vulnerability of being a woman against each other, but that also added more interesting layers of depth to analyze. Women are neither good nor bad, as people are neither good nor bad. A person’s nature is complex and has to be judged individually.I think we all agree that Lan Xiang was the heart of the story. She might have been more stoic and reserved, but she was not a stagnant and passive character. She observed her surroundings and acted according to what's best for her survival. She is the person that teaches by example, that stands by her morals. That seeks peace and resolution, not pity fights and revenge.
She was the heart and brains of the story, but what’s more important, she was the storyteller. She was not really a central character, but rather a central storyteller. None of her personal stories are truly explored, but she is there to convey what other people struggle with, bring solutions, and empathize. And most of the things that development wise would be important for her character happen in the "time skips" or are presented with one scene solution. They often showed turning points, but never the actual development. Be it how her relationship with Lin Jin Qi changed after marriage, how she was accepted by Lin elders, how her personal goals and dreams developed. Her role in the drama is not necessarily a bad thing, but because her situation was in fact so complex - both internally and externally, I just crave for more focus on her as an individual.
That said, I do appreciate how consistently she was used throughout the show to convey all these amazing stories. Be it the tragic end of the Shen family, the hardships of the servants, the misguided pride and need for power with noble ladies, the maturity that comes with experiencing hardships. Each character had a specific role in the drama, specific life lesson and, in a sense, advice that was given to the audience. Some of my favorite supporting characters were Lin Xiu Ru, Lin Xiu Wan, Zhao Xing Tang, Ji'er and surprisingly Grandpa Lin.
I think both Xiu Ru and Xiu Wan exceeded any expectations I had. The way their stories were not stereotypical and both had amazing, yet such a distinctively different development was just beautiful. Xiu Ru, who was extremely smart and observant, yet so timid at first, found her voice and confidence. Xiu Wan who was spoiled and did not care for the consequences, learned how to depend on others, but also help them if needed, without losing her spark and want for freedom. I adore how the shy lady was not also this naive wallflower - she had all her strength from the start, she just had to learn how to use them. Or how the silly and free spirited one did not get a complete character change into a mature lady - she was still a bit childish by the end, but also good natured.
Even grandpa Lin was such a surprise. I think many of us were ready to send him to hell for what happened in episode one, but I love how the drama slowly was able to present the events from his perspective. He might have been more strict and seemed cold, but he was also wise and cared deeply for his family. He understood the dangers of politics and the consequences one might face if they get too deeply involved. Truth to be told, I believe he was far more similar to Lan Xiang, than Lan Xiang’s actual father.
Then we have Ji'er. What a journey. I honestly think her arc was the most moving of them all. She was never a bad person, but she was someone who was competitive and felt like they always had to find new opportunities and use them. With lack of experience and young age she was not able to correctly assess risks and that brought her trouble. She was naive and childish in how she viewed the world, and then the world made her mature in drastic circumstances. But she never lost that spark and drive. She just redirected it into more reliable and honest ways.
Even during her maid era, she was spoiled and made many mistakes, but she was never evil. She did think about herself first on many occasions, but in a really honest way.
And then when we witnessed the brothel era - she could easily turn bitter, and even blame Lan Xiang for not stopping her in the past. But she knew it was partially her fault, and instead she was grateful remembering how Lan Xiang actually did try to warn her and cared for her. And now she decided to help her back even if the risks are high.
I also adore how she truly was the only person who treated Lan Xiang exactly the same whenever she was a maid or now Lin madame. She was the only one who did not care for the title and saw the person in front of her.
"Not as a maid of the Lin Residence, not as Young Lady Shuang, not as Concubine Lu. I want to truly live as Lu Ji'er once. (...) From this day forward, the person who will treat me best in this world is myself"
And can we talk about Liu Mei Han? What a performance. I think she stole the show for me. I love every second of her acting and how expressive and raw it was. I cry even thinking about that scene in the brothel.
While I enjoyed all the positive supporting women in the show, I have to say I was completely captivated by Zhao Xing Tang - what a perfect performance with intense and complex writing. She was not a good person, but she was not bad at the core. She was also trapped in her position and wanted freedom. I think making her illiterate was such a brilliant writing choice - the ultimate wall that stopped her from truly being free. Unable to read or write any documents, even if given a way to enrich herself, she would still need to rely on someone for all the paperwork, she would be unable to do it herself. A perfect example of a bird in a golden cage given as a gift to whomever benefited the family the most, abandoned when deemed to bring no value.
For the man, sadly I do not have much to say? Most of them existed as either love interest, or the antagonists against the female characters. Even our male lead does not truly present much complexity. Don’t get me wrong, I really like Lin Jin Qi. I loved how he did have actual flaws, how he was at times extremely selfish and impulsive. How he always wanted to gain first and deal with potential consequences later. That led to realistic and slow paced development with him learning how and when to give up his desires and ideals, how to focus on what truly matters, how to be patient.
I also really liked his dynamics with Jiu Gao and Nan Ke. On the topic, Nan Ke was such an unexpected comedy king. I am curious if he found all the butterflies already.
I am not sure how I feel about romance though. The build up and anticipation was one of the best I have seen in any slow burn romance, but the payoff was just heavily discounted. I am not really mad that I never, not once felt like Lan Xiang truly romantically loved Lin Jin Qi. I think she loved him, but she was not in love with him. She cared for him, she admired his strength, she appreciated his character, but she was never in love with him. On paper I love it, and I find it a realistic and fascinating subject to explore, but in the drama the set up made me anticipate something more grand.
But I also love how smart the big picture of the story is with her family’s fate in the past and how the fate of her, Lin Jin Qi and Scholar Han concluded. By all means the ending mirrors the past - Lin Jin Qi did not care for the grand morals and political integrity, he made choices that let him come back to his family. Scholar Han could not abandon his principals and would rather die, leaving his family alone to deal with the consequences. Isn't that exactly what happened with the Shen and Lin families in the opening of the drama? Isn’t that just amazing writing?
Best romance though? Xiuwan and Xie Zhao.
For the schemes, the focus was on the smaller politics between social classes - on how lower class lives and how the nobles’ decisions impact them. Even if the story dived more into court politics, it was still all mostly contained in how it affects the characters we follow in a local area.
The production had many amazing touches that enhanced the quality of viewing. One aspect I truly loved was how they kept highlighting the contrast between different character’s environments and their current situation. A good example of it was the wedding between Lin Jin Qi and Zhao Xing Tang, while Lan Xiang was suffering alone. Or Lan Xiang leaving Lin’s home with her newly found freedom while Zhao Xing Tang is being shipped to the capital for another unwanted marriage. Mixing scenes that emotionally have contrasting messages was an extremely effective way to emphasize the impact they are supposed to have on the viewer.
I also liked how they didn’t verbalize everything that was happening and every decision that was made by the characters. They showed details and assumed you would get it from the context. Or how they framed the characters with architecture, which made the scenes feel fuller.
And then we have to talk about the acting - almost perfect casting. I had almost no complaints. Almost. We get back to it later, for now let’s just focus on the positives. First of all, Tan Song Yun has a more stoic and grounded character, over the more hype one she often plays, which was an amazing choice for her career development. She shined so much as Lan Xiang. Especially during the “silent suffering” scenes - perfectly capturing the deep pain she felt while trying to control it and keep it inside.
And did Liu Xue Yi graduate from toxic male lead into soft potato? Because that role fits him so much more than anything he has played (or at least anything I watched with him). Give this man more roles when he just has to look at the female lead with soft eyes full of love, let’s skip the glaring and smirking - that can be used for the villains. This man delivers being in love so well, I was left speechless and breathless.
I did have some issues though - not ones that would strongly influence my watching experience and the rating, yet ones worth mentioning.
I heard some sentiments in comments that this drama is anti-men, but for me it’s completely uninterested in men, which might be actually worse writing wise. When a show focuses on showing men in a negative light, they might still write complex and compelling villains with it, but here we got none of that. The men were by all means just props to tell women’s stories and I’m not sure how I feel about it. You can have a drama that centers around womanhood, and still have well written and interesting male characters. Except for male lead, I’d say all the other men had good moments, but in general were just… fine.
I also truly believe Lan Xiang was too perfect of a character. One could say her flaw was the fact she always took the burden of helping others without complaining and asking for help, but I disagree. Not only did she ask for help and cooperate with people around her, she rarely ever truly fixed things herself - she actually knew how to use her support system extremely well. Yes, she was the mastermind for the majority of solutions, but it was a natural course since she was in fact written to be the most intelligent character in the whole series. I think her taking charge was less about her not wanting to ask for help, and more the result of the character’s strength. I truly wished to watch her make at least one major mistake that would lead her to deal with the consequences, whether internal or external. But it never happened. She always made the correct assessment, she always managed to help others.
What’s more, I think they ended the show with the weakest villain out of all they presented throughout the drama. Du Cui Que just ain’t it. She was the most flat in both writing and delivery, her motivations were the most obvious and stereotypical and she did not have the presence to give us the high stakes ending. She did go with the bang at the end though, gotta give her that.
The biggest flaw that was actually infuriating in one of the episodes - time jumps. I am sorry, but the number of time jumps we had, and how ill fitted they were for the flow of the story was crazy. What do you mean you hit me with “6 months later” after a major revelation/confession? What do you mean you won’t show me the actual aftermath of it and how the characters dealt with it? Episode 39 was a whole ass math exercise to keep track of how much time passed.
I think they were a little bit too ambitious with the timeframe of the story. The period of the time they wanted to cover just did not work, whenever we talk about transitions between certain eras, or the casting. I see these young actresses that have baby faces making them look like they are in their teen years, but the characters tell me they are in their mid thirties. Can I ignore reality and what I see to this extent? Not really, no.
For me, the story should have ended when Lan Xiang took over the Lin’s household - a powerful and fitting conclusion. All that followed after seemed unnecessary and did not expand on the story nor the characters at all. I think they were so hyperfocused on that touching ending and showcasing truly the whole life of Lan Xiang, they kind of lost the plot, or rather the idea of how to tell it and how to get that dreamed ending scene and conclusion. I do appreciate the “many years later” at the end, instead of giving us the specific number. No one knows how many years have passed, they knew the math was gone and we were lost good 15 episodes ago.
And honestly, the scene of all the ladies together right after offing Lin Jin Qi kind of did leave a bad taste in my mouth. What I liked about the show were the moments of brotherhood, sisterhood and partnership. I liked the moments when it was focused on being a good person and helping others in need. So this shot after the lead man of the show died, with no man in frame… with Xiuwan standing next to a freaking horse and not her husband? What’s going on? It would be a great scene… but it was so poorly timed I just rolled my eyes. You gotta put something between these two scenes.
Overall, it’s still an amazing watch. Might be a bit overly ambitious and that’s where the majority of the issues come from, but emotionally it had such a strong impact on me, and I was so impressed with how well connected the motivations and events were from different periods of the story, I just cannot care too much about the flaws I saw. Highly recommended for sure.
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A ''product life cycle graph" drama -_-
So basically this kind of graph picks up a lil low but suddenly rises up, goes on stably for a lil while and then again suddenly declines to it's lowest point just to keep up at the same level until the data is over.The first and foremost reason I came to ONE THE WOMAN was Lee Ha Nee. I have loved her acting for a long time and the plot saying the drama is a female centric got me even more excited. I don't watch anything ongoing so what got my attention later was the overwhelming response to this show in Korea for an internationally less talked Kdrama. But I came here to only be disappointed and frustrated.
Lee Ha Nee got a double role character in here playing both Prosecutor Cho Yeon Ju and a conglomerate DIL Kang Mi Na of Hanju, who are lookalikes. Mi Na suddenly disappears from an event on an usual day but in her stead Yeon Ju was found severely injured at the same venue. She loses her memory due to amnesia and everyone takes her as Mi Na. Confused by everything happening around her, Yeon Ju tries to adjust into the completely new environment but unable to control her rough & outspoken behaviour. Han Seung Wook (Lee Sang Yoon), Mi Na's in-law cousin and heir to the largest share at Yumin, comes forward to Mina and tries to protect her bcs she was her first love. Together, they try to resolve the issues in both Yumin & Hanju and also dig into the mysteries of both past & present while unveiling astonishing truths about themselves.
There are in fact many familiar faces in here which is another reason to look forward to this drama though it failed to a great extent. Kim Chang Wan ahjussi as Noh Hak Tae, Hanju's legal head yet great supporters of lead couple, Kim Won Hae as Ryu Seung Duk, the chief prosecutor at Seoul Central District Prosecution, Jun Gook Hwan as Han Young Sik, Hanju's chairman and Mina's FIL, Ye Soo Jung as Dir. Kim, the house manager for Han family, Lee Won Keun as Ahn Yu Jun, Yeon Ju's only friend at prosecution and Mina's older SIL are some major roles. Sorry couldn't help but mention all these names bcs in fact they're good actors.
In other minor characters were, Jung In Ki as Kang Myung Guk, Yeon Ju's father ,Na Young Hee as Seo Young Won, Mina's annoying MIL, Song Won Suk as Han Seung Woon, Mina's husband, Jin Seo Yun as Han Sung Hye, Song Seung Ha as Han Sung Mi, Mina's younger SIL. The 1st 2 are very good but are minor roles here. I am particularly disappointed with Song Won Suk's acting though his outfits were all aesthetically beautiful.
It's visible that the writer is a rookie. I mean there are few jakka who at least deliver a good piece without much to complain about but there are some others who fail from many angels, that's the case here. Even for the most major character of Lee Ha Nee turns one dimensional after first few episodes and started exaggerating her role . She would have been doing more while bearing 2 identities at the same time but rather she sticked to one thing and absurdly ignored the other in an entire sense tsk tsk tsk. I will never complain about the ML's passive character because I always think both ML and FL should have the same essence in a story, but I don't think Lee Sang Yoon's character wasn't at all futile. They made fun of neuroscience in many ways and not to forget, of psychiatric and psychological treatment methods. The middle portion was infact full of illogical elements which can be laughed upon.
The basic plotline isn't anything new; it felt like the writer took inspiration from 80s-2010s Indian movies bcs the storyline is exactly the same as many Indian movies with a taste of Kdramas to it. The plot development is extremely awful in the 2nd half of the show. The first 2 introductory episodes were a bit uninteresting tbh but I hoped they'll do better, which actually happened. The show picked up the perfect acceleration from ep3 and made me look forward to the next. However, it again became slow & boring from the 2nd half of the 7th episode. I was hoping that'd be temporary but it stayed the same till the very end. Now read my first paragraph and you'll realize what I wanted to explain. Well, I got very bored from 8th episode but forced myself into it till 11th and then fast forwarded it at 2x till the end.
There's no consistency in setting up the scenarios in the drama either; the director did a poor job in that regard despite their experience. For first 7 episode it was full of family drama (not on the makjang level tho) then till 11th it was an investigative melo and for last 5 episodes it became a power trip between the chaebols. I would have been a lil more pleased if it were evenly distributed throughout.
The best thing about this drama was the comedy elements and 1st-7th episode is full of that only; may be that's why I wanted to continue with the drama despite the 'not at all new' storyline. Especially, it was Ha Nee and her responses & expressions, my goodness; I enjoyed it so so much, like she could carry the entire drama on her own. I wish it could last till the very end, but alas. In fact Kim Chang Wan ahjussi and his annoyed self was soooo cute plus funny. The family melodrama scenes had me laughing crazy, I swear.
The romance storyline for the drama started off really well. It was interesting and the revelations, tho cliché, were well executed. The gradual development ended somewhere around the interval and I as expecting something nice but it wasn't of any use, other than momentary tease party and kisses. Somehow, it can be an unique way if you see but for a drama meant for entertainment I couldn't find anything out of it.
One thing I can't deny is that the last part issue of revealing all the truth behind the 14yo incident involving all the major characters, were quite well written though the execution could have been better.
Overally, One The Woman can be either a n one time watch with fast forwarding the 2nd half or used for trash watch. I wonder why it was breaking records in Korea but it's not even anywhere near the average ratings for cable dramas, i.e. 7-8% (?). Thankfully there isn't much hype among the international fans and I am not gonna recommend this to anyone. I didn't have much expectation or whatever but given that the possible potential was wasted collectively by thw cast & crew, I have to express my utter disappointment.
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The Episode 30 is so cool but kinda short for me, please give us the season 2
SEASON 2
SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!SEASON 2!
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This review may contain spoilers
*Warning, this review has very vague spoilers.....but I thought I'd warn regardless.*I decided to watch this drama because I absolutely adore Shin Min Ah and So Ji Sub. They are two of my very favorite Korean actors--I'd watch anything that includes them. Even though this drama wasn't really my cup of tea (for reasons I'll get to in a second), that still stands true. I'll watch them in anything--they're great.
Before I get to my problems with the show, I'll first touch on what I liked:
1. A slightly unique k-drama ending. Without giving anything away, the drama pretty much wraps itself up by episode 14. Cue the horror I felt that the next two episodes were just going to be one angst ride of a cliche after another (just to fill the quota of 16 episodes). It builds up to a point where you think it will go in a normal kdrama cliche, but instead veers to a sharp left, avoiding it. It was surprising and appreciated. It made the next two episodes more fun, sweet (ie a certain scarf scene), and cute. I really felt that was needed (because of the previous episodes). So definitely a kudos on that aspect.
2. The mementos and theme. While normally the idea of keeping a band-aid REALLY grosses me out, I thought it was an endearing touch on the theme of 'injured people need time to heal wounds that are sometimes really hard to see.' That theme is brought up often, especially as a personality trait that the main-lead has a weakness for in others. Various people in this show are injured in some way or another and I liked seeing how the show dealt with them overcoming that. Having a band-aid be kind of the OTP's 'thing' was nice, especially with how it all tied in at the end.
3. More realistic(ish) kisses and an actual sexual relationship. It's pretty common place that in a k-drama you're going to get those dead fish kisses (which this drama is not devoid of) and just no mention of sex at all. That's just Korean dramas for you. So whenever a drama breaks that mold, like this one does (slightly) it's a big deal in my book. The side characters got some REAL actual kisses and the show made it clear that the OTP had sex (and there were even some scenes that were really playful with this concept). So that DEFINITELY gets a huge thumbs up for me.
Now onto the problems/things I didn't like about this drama:
1. The BIGGEST problem was the family dynamics across the board. Family dynamics were underutilized and not played to their full potential. They were also SUPER confusing. Especially So Ji Sub's family. He rarely interacted with his father or grandmother--so it was super hard to connect with them or get their impact on what the story was supposed to be. He only interacted with his half-brother ONCE (the end episode)! I also just didn't understand his relationship with his uncle or step-mother--they just never interacted. I just didn't understand why....there was huge potential missed there. You barely get a feel for Shin Min Ah's mother and certainly not her brother, nor do you truly understand the pain she had of losing her father. I just....I don't know, felt hugely let-down by the family dynamics, they just didn't play a role in this drama and I felt that left gaping holes in the plot, storyline, and cohesion/flow of the story. It was sooooo confusing, to the point where at various points it HURT my brain trying to figure out why the writers were purposefully skirting around all the normal issues that would involve family scenes. It was almost as if they were working hard trying to prevent any family scenes from taking place, it was weird. Everything felt really disconnected in that regard.
2. Maybe this is just my own weird thing, but.....I thought all the fat jokes/cliches were, ugh...annoying. They continued, right up to the end. Sure, they were trying to make it a "Oh, being healthy (also on the inside) is a good thing, not just losing weight!" But it was essentially just a story of a girl losing weight and gaining a guy. Sometimes I felt like they went a little overboard to the point where it got a little cheesy and cliched (not to mention annoying). But again, that may just be a preference thing. At least this drama only had one instance of weird K-drama bathroom humor. So I'll count my blessings with that.
3. The convoluted angst. It's true that for the most part, this drama is pretty bubbly and comedic. BUT when it does do angst (particularly the antics that break up the OTP) it did not work for me, at all. This may be a slight spoiler, so *WARNING* but at one point, the So Ji Sub leaves her (for in my opinion, a dumb reason).....and for some reason won't allow her to see him, at all. Also, no texting/calling....nothing. Just a complete up and leaves with no trace. He's supposedly supposed to come back to her at some point, but I just felt it was stupid. I didn't understand why it was so important that he had to cut her off, it made no sense. It felt like they were creating angst for no reason and brought me out of the story. It was just dumb. Also, anything angsty like that, just wasn't handled very well. It didn't flow with the story well.
4. Overuse of flashbacks. When a drama is using enough flashbacks to the point where you say to yourself: "Dang, that's a lot of flashbacks." It's overused. It became a crutch and a pointless time-filler. It was fairly annoying, because these flashbacks weren't just of the far past of these characters (which is fine), but things that happened JUST barely. It became really apparent that they were using it to fill time for episodes, which made it just seem sloppy and overused. It to be honest was a little off-putting.
So overall, just not my cup of tea. Not completely horrible. There are some good reasons to watch this drama, but I fear it's a little overrated because of the actors in it. Just be prepared for some confusion and a little bit of frustration if you decide to watch this drama. I hope your experience will be better than mine was.
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Dont watch it just read the novel or manhwa
The LA changed too many crucial points in the story to the point its just a hollow shell of the novel. Its clear that the director didnt even take a peak at the novel and just created this abomination to their own liking. The actors chosen doesnt fit well with the roles they are assigned to and the non-human characters look nothing like the description in the novel nor the art in the manhwa. The stories of each character and their roles in the story were drastically changed. Kim dokja just became a wanna be hero and a former bully with a loving family when he was the bullied one and came from an abusive household. Yoo sangah went from a skilled assassin to some healer which goes against her character story. Yoo junghyuk the mc of the story dokja read, TWSA, turned into some dumbass side character. In a nutshell, this LA is a piece of shit from the depths of hell. Scrap that. Even Satan would need bleach to cleanse his eyes of this atrocious crap. If you want to give ORV a go, read the novel. If you dont want to read the novel then read the manhwa. Its ongoing and its a great adaptation, something this LA can never be.Was this review helpful to you?
“A Medical Tension That Never Quite Takes Off"
Really wanted to like Doctor on the Edge. With Lee Jae Wook and Shin Ye Eun leading the cast, plus the unique setting of a doctor working on a remote island, it had all the ingredients for a heartwarming medical drama.
The first few episodes were genuinely promising. The island setting was refreshing, the medical cases were interesting enough, and I was curious to see how the characters would grow. Unfortunately, that's where the excitement ended.
After the strong start, the drama quickly loses its momentum. The plot barely moves forward, the conflicts feel repetitive, and the romance lacks the emotional spark needed to keep me invested. By episode 9, watching it had started to feel like a chore rather than something I looked forward to every week.
Lee Jae Wook and Shin Ye Eun do their best with the material they're given, but even their performances can't save a script that feels painfully slow and uneventful. Their chemistry is decent, yet it never reaches the level that makes you root for them.
The cinematography is beautiful, and the peaceful island atmosphere is definitely one of the drama's strongest points. Sadly, gorgeous scenery isn't enough to make up for a story that spends too much time going in circles instead of building meaningful character development or compelling drama.
Overall, Doctor on the Edge is a frustrating watch. It had plenty of potential and started on the right foot, but it gradually became dull and repetitive. I'm still watching out of curiosity, hoping the ending will redeem the journey, but as of episode 9, it hasn't lived up to its promising beginning.
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Taking Away The Romanticism Of The South-Korean Militia…
Military enlistment is a topic which is often swept under the carpet in South-Korean culture, or romanticised in stories near the finale as part of the “ long wait” between lovers at the end of a drama storyline . ( The drama itself presenting a parody of this scene when a young woman causes a scene to promote her “ love” for her boyfriend enrolling only to present a stark contrast in the circumstances afterwards .)
PD and screenwriter Han Jun Hee as well as screenwriter Kim Bo Tong takes an anti-romantic ‘Fullmetal Jacket’ - style approach to the short series ‘ D.P’ The enlisted men alongside Jun Ho are viewed as nothing more that batch coded weapons and those who leave their side are viewed as merely loose-cannons without names or dignity . Yet the drama is unsurprisingly without director Han Jun Hee’s wry sense of comedy either- sardonic and satirical rather than sweet and slapstick, but woven well into the introduction of characters and the narrative.
The cast undeniably helped to make the storyline come to life. Actor Jung Jae In did a brilliant job ( like the rest of the cast) as main lead Jun Ho ( Jung Hae In). A troubled youth who shares his own conflicts and troubles before enlisting in the army and being forced into the military defect arrest team , Jun Ho becomes morally conflicted over the reasons why men leave the army for various personal reasons and the dire corruption of the authorities. From romantic heroism turned tragic to bittersweet realism, the duller and stark cinematography presents a harsher and prominent message to viewers about these stories shown per episode .
On a more critical note the drama isn’t without its flaws either. Whilst the messages are prominent as a criticism against the authorities and corruption ‘ D.P.’ began falling short especially after the 3/4 mark. The acting notably did degrade slightly as well as delivered line deliverances, and the pacing began to struggle Adding to the dilemma was defining more about Jun Ho’s calling of identity from given inferences in more vivid detail to explain his ideologies, as well as during the last few episodes. On the other hand the ending was certainly unexpected-profound and helping to define the key messages of the drama, but will likely leave viewers with their jaws dropping.
Overall a fairly good watch though admittedly not for the faint hearted . The pacing and more definitive character writing were sadly slight letdowns for this drama but ‘ D.P’ does make up for it with a profound and critique about the South-Korean military enlistment scheme, as well as using a catchy OST and moody cinematography to present these messages clearly .
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1) Love Set - Two women get entangled in an intense battle of wills on the tennis court and try to pummel one another, but the stakes are higher than they realise.
Review: I don’t know if it was the plot in general or just my inability to comprehend the message being conveyed but the end left me kind of confused. I’m trying to find a deeper meaning but can’t seem to come to a conclusion. Perhaps there isn’t a deeper meaning behind the plot and what happened at the end, just happened. Other than that, the acting was great.
2) Collector - A befuddled man wants to know why a woman he’s seeing disappeared to go travelling with her male friends - but she demands a gesture of his true love.
Review: This was pretty creepy, a stark contrast to the previous one but I really enjoyed it. This might be my favourite out of all the short films. The plot was different and gripping, the acting was superb and IU is so pretty!
3) Kiss burn - As she listens to her friend’s tale about how the marks on her face are from making out with a guy, the two of them inadvertently cause a mishap.
Review: This one was more light hearted than the other two and even had me chuckling at the end.
4) Walking at Night - A man and a woman take an evening stroll together and ruminate about dreams and their various past moments spent together - as well as death.
Review: I enjoyed the noir style cinematography which added to the eeriness of the film. However, I found myself getting a bit bored halfway through. But the actors again did an amazing job.
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This review may contain spoilers
I found this drama both wonderful and frustrating at the same time. I loved the overall message of 'if you have a dream, you remain young forever'. The fulfilment of broken dreams, even though it didn't happen the way the five SOLO players planned for it to happen, was a very satisfying journey. HSY is a character that had to grow on me. His frowns and shortness seemed so overkill at the start, it was difficult to get behind. But TN, grandpa, his step-mom, the KK team brought out the warmth in him and one couldn't help but smile and laugh with him by the end of the drama.
TN was confusing to me. I kept being told she was this super intelligent girl, but I rarely got to see her high IQ at work. Most of the time, she was just the typical, dazed, female lead that you get in most Chinese dramas. It was disappointing to me that they didn't flesh out her character more and showed her to be more than this girl that keeps giving heart eyes to HSY. I did love her brightness and how she bought HSY out of his shell and wrapped him in her love. I just felt they could have done so much more with her character.
Yang Zi and Li Xian had such an awkward chemistry. Even though I could tell they gave it their best and in a way, it worked to the character's advantage, it felt like hard work to buy into them as a couple. But I did end up loving them as a couple and giggling like a little schoolgirl every time they were just cheeseballs to one another. They were very cute in an awkward way.
Wu Bai was just such an awkward character. It felt a little like HYT's management placed him in this role to punish him or something. He was too big of a star to be in this role that had no depth and his sole purpose is to be the best player on the team. And it was obvious at the end that they couldn't film him with a lot of the big group shots and so they just put in solo cuts of him. He felt completely out of place and as much as I wanted to like him, it was just frustrating to watch.
Mi Shao Fei has to be MY FAVOURITE CHARACTER of this entire drama. And I wish so bad that they spent more time on him and Yaya's story. Their storyline captivated me so much more than HSY and TN's storyline. I felt the chemistry was better between the two actors. When Mi Shao Fei was starving for encouragement, Yaya naturally poured out endless amounts of it for him. He held onto her like a lifeline when he had absolutely nothing.
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Overall
Negatives: I felt that the drama itself is disjointed and inconsistent. It had these wonderful storylines that were rich and full of life, but then they would not be able to bring out its true potential. I also think the cutting of scenes/directing was a little off which was a bit distracting to watch.
Positives: I did end up loving each of the characters. I wanted more of each character and more of these romances in the story. I think the actors did a great job with the material and overall, I laughed, I cried, I cringed and I cheered. I would recommend this drama despite its shortcoming. Mi Xiao Fei and Yaya had my heart.
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