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The REAL selling point (besides CZY's portrayal of XYE) is the relationship/character growth between HWQ and XYE. If you feel like the plot is getting repetitive, know it gets better after the first half, and know that the build up of the last few episodes is incredibly well done and so painful in the right way. If you do not have a sentimental attachment to this story, or if you do not care for familial relationships, I don't think you'd particularly like it. However, if you like wuxia and you like familial relationships, I would power through just for CZY's XYE and for the build up of the last few episodes.
Ok here's the full review:
I don't usually write reviews because I am too lazy, but I felt like I had to write one for this drama. I watched The Proud Twins (2005 HK/TW version called 小魚兒與花無缺) while it was airing, and it has always been one of my favorite shows. I also love Hu Yitian from ALSB, so I was very excited for this drama. When the casting/characters were revealed, however, I was kind of worried because they replaced my favorite villain from TPT which I felt was one of the biggest selling points of TPT. Another thing I felt was incredibly well done in TPT was the tragedy in several relationships, and when I found out that HS did not include those specific tragedies, I was extremely disappointed.
WITH THAT SAID. If you loved TPT, for sentimental reasons, WATCH THIS VERSION.
ACTING/CHARACTER PORTRAYAL:
- Chen Zheyuan does Xiaoyu'er //so// much justice. I don't think they could have casted a better actor for him. I don't even have enough words for how much I love CZY's XYE. He absolutely carried this show. 100% you will fall in love with him. He brings XYE to life just as well as the XYE in TPT, and he showcases how multifaceted XYE is. The dynamics of his principles, what is good/bad to him, what's evil/wrong or right/just, he just does such a good job at expressing his emotions and reactions. The struggle he experiences in terms of who he wants to be, who he thinks he is, who he actually is is just beautifully laid out and his growth is beautiful and makes sense. I will say that BOTH the brothers' character development is visible, realistic, and touching.
- HYT gets better as the drama goes along, and I think he does a good job in playing his two characters differently. His acting and his character improves as the drama goes along. At first, I was kind of thrown off by the difference b/t this HWQ and the one in TPT, and it took awhile for him to grow on me. I would say it wasn't until the second half of the drama that I started to care about HWQ, but once I got there, I really, really appreciated his part in the show. He serves as a wonderful contrast to XYE, and over the course of the show, both brothers learn from each other. The similarities between the two noticeably grow in the second half of the show, and I felt it was very well done.
- In general, there is a lot of room for improvement plot-wise and acting-wise (specifically for Hua Wuque, Tie Xinlan, and Jiang Yulang).
CHARACTER TLDR: XYE is Ironman and HWQ is Captain America.
ROMANCE:
If you're here for the romance, you'll probably be disappointed. There isn't much focus or development on these relationships. There /is/ a love-triangle. If you hate love triangles (I do), don't worry, it works out pretty well, it's never the main point, and I think it creates the right amount of conflict that leads to growth.
PLOT:
If you're familiar with the original plot, it's pretty cool to see this version. It feels a bit messy in the middle 1/3 of the show. It seems like they're constantly going on irrelevant side quests, but the end does (for the most part) tie everything together. It might feel kind of repetitive and annoying after awhile, but I would power through for the ending. The plot could have been improved, but I think the skeleton of it worked and set up for the real selling point of the drama which was the relationship between XYE and HWQ.
SET/VISUALS:
This was beautifully done! The fight scenes were so cool, I love how they were choreographed, mad props to any newbies to wuxia (HYT). The costumes were never over-the-top but were still incredibly appealing, and this is definitely a good looking cast! The landscape/background/everything was just very aesthetic and beautiful. Nothing looked fake or cheap.
SPOILERS/THOUGHTS BELOW:
If you watched TPT, they did SuYing dirty as hell lmao and the XiaoXianNü in TPT is basically SuYing in HS. They should've introduced SuYing way earlier to make the connection more legitimate. I also felt like HS!TieXinLan was super useless and I really missed Fan Bingbing's version. Even though she lost her wugong pretty early on, she just had more of a personality and was more relevant to the plot.
I also thought the way YaoYue unraveled at the end wasn't super well done? I dunno, it seemed pretty obvious that XYE would pull the trick he pulled at the end, and it seemed OOC for no one to expect that. Also, why would YaoYue not even check for herself to see if XYE was really dead??
I also didn't like the way the drama ended. I wish the last scene was between the two brothers and not with the respective love interests. Oh well! The build-up to the final fight was still very well done imo, I was in soooo much pain LOL
Last fun fact - they have the same actor in TPT for Du Sha, one of the 十大惡人, in this version! Anyways I'll go back to crying about this drama now, thanks for reading
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This review may contain spoilers
This is my second review for a Chinese historical drama, I'm glad it's for ''Legend of Lu Zhen" and what's more a drama with my dear Zhao Zanilia, she's absolutely gorgeous and I think I could watch anything with her .The story is pretty good , and it's easy to follow Lu Zhen and Gao Zhan's journey even if it's not all rosy for them as they constantly fight for their love and for being happy like any other couple.
My review will be a bit long , I only wanna say what I think about this drama : the good/ bad points and my opinion about the characters because there are so many good and evil ones here.
1| Good Points :
-The cinematography is absolutely stunning , and I think that everyone would agree with me on that aspect, I love taking Screeshots , and for this drama I had many opportunities to do that and then contemplating those awesome landscapes and gardens in the palace .
-I have nothing to say about the acting , all the actors did their part , the ones that are supposed to be evil are really evil and we hate them so much that we only want to see them dying in atrocious sufferings because that is the only thing they deserve , as for the good ones I wanted to see them rise and stand for themselves ( is not it, Lu Zhen ? ) .
-The show is really addictive between ep 25-54, I was completely glued to my screen and always wanted to watch the next ep , so for that I have no complains even if there are certain things that bothered me .
-The main couple : Oh this Gao Zhan , he is such an admirable man who did everything to show his love for his dear Lu Zhen he was not afraid to claim his love for her , only at the beginning he was hesitant because he was afraid that Lu Zhen's safety would be compromised .
-Lu Zhen , I really admire this girl who was able to climb the ladder very fast ( of course she had many supporters without whom it would not have been possible but she was a smart girl and because of that she succeeded in everything she did ) , my only problem with her is her naiveness , how is it possible to believe everyone and think that from one day to the next they became reliable , I just say No No No !
2| Bad points
-Too many schemes in this palace and always the same who suffer greatly .
-Too many deaths , of course in this kind of drama it is unavoidable but that was so rushed , and it always makes me laugh when a character dies for the sake of friendship , but of course that's only a fiction so we forget about it .
-Characters that are overly obsessed with something that is not their property.
-Music , it was always redundant , come on ! Nothing striking and that's a pity , because in Historical dramas the ost is supposed to have a significant place and makes the scenes more memorable or I would say more captivating but that was not the case here !
-Men are not enough represented in this drama and that was really missing , yes I'm a gurl and of course that bothered me ;D But in counterpart we have 3 adorable and faithful men , so I'm fine with it .
As for characters I'll go to the essential . And be careful it can contain spoilers , I'm not the type who can write a review without spoiling , so I'm warning you !
\\\\\\\\There are so many great characters who made the drama more appealing and interesting , of course I loved the main couple , how they trusted and cared for each other , that was simply great to watch . I was always smiling when they were together because it was full a passion and it felt so real ! But actually there are other characters that were shining and even more than Lu Zhen because they were complex and really well written and the one that comes to my mind right now is none other than the wonderful Huan Yun, she's such a great woman full of hartred at the beginning but she grew up to becoming a beautiful woman with a big heart , she started to understand the man who is next to her since forever and I think that's why she bacame the understanding Empress we got to see at the end . I would lie if I say that I did not hate her but it was only in the beginning when she was crazy and did not wanted to face the reality .
I particularly like the emperor , how he is nothing like his horrible mother , such a gentle man always willing to give a hand to the ones that are worth of his help , he is also the most caring husband I've ever seen in dramas , and for that he goes to my all time favorite supporting actors ! I also loved his friendship with Lu Zhen he was so protective of her , helping her as much as he could because he was aware of her true value.
Of course , Shen Jia Yan was among my favorite characters too , I was happy to see a man like him around Lu Zhen .
So I talked about the 3 main guys , they were all fantastic and I remember the first time I saw Shen Jia Yan I screamed with joy, I was so happy seeing another MAN in this drama full of women , oh my what a relief !
I aslo have to talk about Dan Niang because she's like me , always eating pastry , and talking about it , she only needed to have her daily pastry and there are days I feel like it too , if I have my candies nothing else matters to me ^^
I also have a thought for Wang Xian who was like Huan Yun and became an admirable woman , Du Si Yi the most reasonable woman of all , the Gugu the best confident ever and so on …
For the evil characters I won't say much because I truly hated them , Ah Bi comes first you know in whole dramaland the girl I hate the most is Zheng Er from Lan Ling Wang and Ah Bi is next to her when it comes to harm other without regret . And the other villains are hardly worth mentionning.////////
So This is a drama I will only recommend for those who don't care about watching a drama that shows cruelty in all its different states and who are not looking for some sweet romance , but it's enough to read the synopsis and you'll definitely know if it's for you or not .
Oh and I almost forget to thank my dear friend DragonA. who watched this drama with me ^^
As for rewatching value I would gladly rewatch ep 25 to ep 54 as they were really addicting , according to my opinion .
I just have few words to say about my rating , I hesitated between 8 and 8.5 because I found the drama to be very captivating but there are so many things that seemed very strange at least for my taste so I decided to be 100% objective and give a proper rating .
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STORY - Score: 10 out of 10: Healer is a delightful treat to those who are looking for Romance, Action, Comedy, Drama and Thriller. It has the perfect mix of each genre with just the right amount of sweetness, spice and everything nice. The first episode did not come out strong as I expected but as the story progressed and the characters are built, the thrill heightened and everything stayed on top. No dull scenes.
It is certainly one of the dramas that made my heart skipped a beat. But the best scenes are always the romantic ones. The drama went on with its plot without leaving the romance behind. I love how Healer could get cuddly whenever he's with Chae Yeong Shin. Definitely, the sweetest male lead ever! And the kissing scenes are always epic. They made me melt. (I can't believe that I am still able to write a review with my wobbly fingers)
CASTS - Score: 10 out of 10: : I will not take the actors' looks into consideration for this category, because if I do, Chang-wook will definitely sway my preference and I don't want to be biased *wink*
I do not know a lot of Korean actors/ actresses but I have watched a few Kdramas. Among those who I have watched acting so far, none could have done a better job than Ji Chang-wook and Park Min-young. With the obvious chemistry that almost burned out my screen, these two are one of the perfectly paired couple in the history of Kdrama. Chang-wook on the other hand is so good with action and drama that he could dominate those categories with ease. I particularly liked his athletic moves when he's portraying the character of Healer and his cute and boyish character when he's portraying Park Bong-Soo. As always, Min-young played her role with no difficulty (or at least the way I've seen it). It's like she's was just playing in the set and letting her inner beautiful self shine through.
Even the supporting roles and minor characters deserved to be commended. They all helped together to make this drama a great show.
MUSIC: I honestly never thought of giving the music a 10 score. But after watching half of the series, I found myself singing along with the OST.
REWATCH VALUE 10/10: Again, I don't do rewatch. This is the only kdrama that had me abused the repeat button. The scenes never stopped playing in my mind a million times since I started watching it.
HATE: The only thing I truly hate about this drama is it only has 20 episodes. I am not really satisfied. I want this to have at least a hundred because I love it so much that it's quite hard for me to end it right now (that's too much too ask right? So I guess that should not affect my 10 out of 10 rating)
LOVE: This goes on top of my list, surpassing all the Kdramas I have watched before. And definitely, I have the Healer fever. Ji Chang-wook also goes on top of the list of actors I am crushing on. Awww
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the second season - disapointmet
I was excited for the second season because I loved the first one. Finally, we got our team back, and the new team lead, Joo Hye-ra, is a nice addition. I liked the vibe between her and Jin I-soo —their friction and gradual understanding worked well, and it was fun watching them slowly learn to work together. The new cases were interesting, though some were predictable.I had a great time at first, but it started to drag, and I began losing interest. It would have been better with only 10 episodes. The addition of the Yoo Sung-won case just dragged the whole drama down. What could have been a tight, suspenseful arc became a repetitive slog.
At first I was surprised by the rating, but now I understand. To be honest, I didn't even watch the last three episodes properly—I was more on my phone than paying attention. It's a shame the drama didn't live up to my expectations. The last episode is airing today, and I don't even have the urge to watch it.
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As the title suggests, it tells the story of Nemoto Kahoko (Takahata Mitsuki) who lives an extremely protected life. So, despite being in the senior year of college and in the job hunting phase, it is the furthest thing from being independent. We can say that she has super protective parents, especially her mother (Kuroki Hitomi), who still wakes her up every morning ... And her father (Tokito Saburo) is aware that his wife is being overly protective of her only daughter, but can not have the courage to speak.
Things begin to change when Kahoko meets this great art man, Mugino Hajime (Takeuchi Ryoma), who naturally leads a complete opposite life to hers. Without a father and with a temporary multiple, he is astonished to learn the extreme case of the girl being spoiled by the mother who she is, and how unsatisfactory her future is.
Kahoko is basically a great baby. It's not childish but childish. She does not realize that she is living in a bubble all her life or dependent on her parents. As the drama unfolds high grades one learns from it, and we will see that Kahoko even being spoiled gets to turn around, drama is a lesson of life and wisdom.
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I would waver back and forth on whether or not I liked this. I can admit I was definitely intrigued by the synopsis; I'm a sucker for stuff like this even though I'm often times disappointed. Dramaland is filled with nonsensical things, and this one was no exeption. The sad part is how hard they tried to make it come off as believable when it was plain-as-day nonsensical. To the point where seemingly mundane things are hilarious. Where does she store all those different clothes she wears when she has only one bag???
With the usual love triangle, you end up rooting for the main love interest to end up with of their suitors. There usually is some conflict between which one is the better choice, but this time, it was very clear cut as to which one was better. What the writers did with all that was just terrible and sloppy towards the end. Rather than fleshing it out in a way that followed how they lead up to the peak, things fell flat and listless. Afterward, it just seemed as if they were rushing to tie up loose ends.
I say, if there's an actor in here that you really like, give it a watch. No one gives a disappointing performance. But if you were going to watch this for the story, don't get your hopes up.
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BEST CDRAMA OF 2024! REALLY!!!
I recommend this drama to all of you!You should watch this drama because it's really good.
Don't listen to all the negative reviews about this drama.
watch this based on your preference because it's you who will judge the drama if its good or not.
This drama contains a lot of plot twists, which I really liked because there were no boring episodes.
I love this drama so much!
I like the plot and the characters here.
the casting is so good; they are all visuals!!
I love their bickering and when they roast each other!
I will definitely miss all their chaotic scene
for me, I really liked this drama because I really understood the plot here and I understood all the characters problems and their hard work
Like the male lead, he is really smart and strong, but he is a miserable person that makes me want to take care of him!! The female lead is so smart, lead, pure, and understanding. But I felt bad for her because she witnessed all her loved ones die...
I also liked the second lead here; he is strong, and you can actually learn from him!
I love their friendship here; they are ready to risk it all just to save each other.
The romance is so sweet and calm between the FL and ML, even if their romance is not physical touch. You can feel their love through their gaze and actions. The amount of trust and understanding for each other is so great. I like their romance because there is no unnecessary misunderstanding, unlike other couples in dramas.
I understand why the ending is like that but it still hurt me hhuhu but good thing we got a special episode that save us.
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A rare drama that starts and finishes strong, led by a smart power couple
“Blossom” is actually not on my radar until everyone starts raving about it as the last black horse of 2024. Therefore, I joined the hype as I heard it has the recipe for success: Good Plot + Good Romance. So, is it worth the hype? Mostly, yes. I might not be as in love with it as many others. Surprisingly, the romance is the minor let down.Despite its boring and cookie-cutter drama title, “Blossom” is a pretty well-acted and well-written mid-budget drama. It doesn’t feature top idol actors or big name actors. Instead, two supporting role veterans, Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui, are given the spotlight. I’m happy to say that they did not disappoint when given the opportunity. I just finished watching Li Yun Rui in his other main role in “Go Back Lover”, and I’m glad he’s given a much better script here (just sad that he's dubbed).
I enjoyed Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui’s scenes together in the first half of the drama (before their marriage). The drama started with a bang with exciting introductions of characters and a first episode that sucks you in. I enjoyed the first 10 episodes tremendously. Our main leads grew up to be upstanding individuals even though they had a rough and tragic childhood. They go from enemies-to-comrades-to-lovers in an organic and well-developed way. I enjoy how they try to outsmart each other and also work together.
Even though I do enjoy the mature romance, I was expecting more. It’s either because I had high expectations or I’m just not feeling the sizzling chemistry. Oh, I love the loving and longing looks ML has for FL. Li Yun Rui never disappoints in that regard. It’s just I was expecting sizzling hot chemistry. Instead, I was given a more mature, slow-burn and feeling of ‘content’, not enough cute scenes. All of this is good too, just not what i expected, thus, a minor disappointment. But our leads are the dream power couple. When they are together, no one is smarter than them. In fact, they can be viewed as too perfectly intelligent that you know nothing will go wrong, and they always have a plan B or plan C.
The pace of the middle episodes is a little slower after the initial excitement. This could be a breather or calm before the political storm. The family drama is nothing new and you’ve seen that in so many other historical dramas. I feel that the marriage subplots of who is going to marry who lasted too long. I got a little bored, especially when FL’s sister isn’t such an interesting character.
What comes as a personal surprise is how much I enjoy the political plot in the last 10 episodes. Because we saw what happened in the first episode, it kept me guessing what was going to happen in the end. Will the fate of all individuals be different? Is history going to repeat itself? How are the leads going to survive despite being the top enemies of everyone? I also get to see Ji Yong (Xia Zhi Guang) more in the latter episodes. He’s so mysterious and charismatic. Xia Zhi Guang has such screen presence and great subtle acting that I didn’t know I would miss him on my screen until he shows up again. I was also happy to see that ML’s brother is more than a one-dimensional character and like some of his conflicted scenes.
I would recommend “Blossom” as it’s a pretty well-rounded drama, and a rare one that starts and finishes strong. The acting is good, especially for the veteran supporting cast. There are some minor plotholes that I have to ignore with my rational brain, but not serious enough for me to call them out as a disappointment. I might be just a tad disappointed in the romance of the leads (surprisingly), but I still enjoy watching a mature, supportive, power couple with honest communication and no misunderstanding.
Completed: 12/24/2024 - Review #529
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First off - the story. It was okay, I actually quite liked it. It had its ups and downs, some clichés such as all the friends coming to Tae Oh's house all at once. If I'm being honest, there wasn't much story to it - it was this typical, slice of life drama and without bigger plot twists. Everything just seemed so clear and obvious and they actually talked to each other. It was like watching a real life go by, just a little bit enhanced and nothing cringey. Lead characters just clicked very well with each other. As in real life everyone had their pros and cons and I could sympathize with all the characters.
As for the acting - well there isn't really much to say. It was just brilliant. Ji Soo's acting is never a miss and I just cannot not love Jin Young, it's just not happening. Female cast was also well-done and as it was my first time watching Jung Chae Yeon in a bigger role I must say I was quite afraid of her acting at the beginning but it was unnecessary, she gained my respect. Choi Ri is also an actress I must keep a close eye on because her acting is so quirky and she is just adorable. Hong Jiyoon acting made me hate her but also wonder what is her character really like. She had such an ambiguous role I still can't seem to figure it out. It's just like in life - nothing is really black or white.
As for the music department it wasn't really memorable so I can't say much about it. Though I must say that the way Choi Hoon sang on his musicals was nearly comical. I think it was the first time I've ever seen such terrible lip-sync.
Overall this drama wasn't necessarily the best in the world but it does leave one entertained and in love. All I felt during my marathon was overflowing fluffiness and cuteness but also sincerity and real-life-like characters. I rated re-watch value 6.5 only because I don't really watch any dramas twice but also because I know there will be a lot of dramas like this to watch. It is not unique, contrary, it's very simple, but sometimes simple is all we need.
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This review may contain spoilers
Good movie, just kinda overhyped.
I liked this movie, the plot was really touching and beautiful it just was a little disappointing. I usually don't cry at the movies so I didn't expect to cry on this one. And it didn't happen. I don't know about the japanese version, but this one is just not really that sad, because this whole movie is just about life. Something that can happen to everyone. It's quite iluminating to be honest. It teaches you that you should be happy to remember every moment and enjoy it, because not everyone gets to do it. Also it teaches you that no matter how hard you will try some things you just can't change, because in the end Jaewon dies and Saeyoon only remembers him as a character that was in her life."Scars don't disappear. But the pain doesn't last forever. If everyone is forgetting you little by little then I'll try to remember you little by little." This line is so beautiful, it made me think of other lines in songs that really fit their story for example "If the moon went dark tonight and if it all ended tomorrow, would I be the one on your mind, your mind, your mind? And if it all ended tomorrow, would you be the one on mine?", "Sometimes I just can't believe, You happened.", "And God knows that I am the girl I am because of you, You know I'll always think of you, I'll love you 'til the end of time" and "You're just a stranger I know everything about."
I've never watched anything with Shin Shi-ah, that's why her acting was a nice surprise. I'm really excited for her next projects. She really reminds me of Jisoo and Wonhee when I was looking at her face.
GOOD POINTS
- I really liked Jimin's character, she was really a good friend.
- The scenes before Jaewon's death were really beautiful, even if the movie was happening in the past year it felt really nostalgic.
BAD POINTS
- I don't really like Choo Young-woo's acting, it feels like he always plays the same character. He's good at playing this nonchalant, emotionally closed character because this is the only emotion he can show. Other actors had to work for him to make his emotions visible.
- I feel really disappointed by the fact that we never got to see Saeyoon's past before Jaewon and also how Jaewon's dad felt right after his wife's and his son's death.
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1
1Emotionally powerful masterpiece that captures real, raw human connection at its finest.
Ever since I started watching this drama, I felt like there was a ball of emotion stuck in my throat. It is so real, so without pretense and so utterly soul-stirring that it feels like a balm on all the wounds you may harbor in your heart.This drama is about Miyabi, a gifted neurosurgeon who has lost her memories of the past two years due to a car accident. Unfortunately, it has left her in a state where she forgets everything about her day as soon as she wakes up. So, she has to live day by day, relearning everything she knows from the journal she keeps. She has stopped being the brilliant surgeon she once was and instead, now, acts as an assisting nurse.
✔️ Miyabi has to be one of the most endearing and lovable heroines in Asian drama history. She is such a graceful, full of heart woman that immediately puts you at ease. There is such compassion, empathy and care in her that you can feel it through the screen. She immediately de-stresses people around her and has mastered the art of listening. She makes people feel heard in a way that changes the very fabric of their lives.
✔️ She also has to be one of the strongest women on T.V because of how she faces each day with a spirit that is unbreakable. Sugisaki Hana has put out an acting of a lifetime. It is so nuanced, heartbreaking and authentic that it’s like you can see the very inside of her heart and it’s absolute gold in there. As a result, not only do you wish to have someone like her in your life, you wish to be someone like her.
However, Miyabi, as unwavering as she is, is ultimately living as a shell of her past self. That all changes when one day, a new surgeon, Dr. Sanpei joins her hospital.
✔️Sanpei, for all intents and purposes, is strange. His hair is unruly, he doesn’t talk much, nor does he seem to care about other people's opinions. He is also somewhat of a prickly genius and eats these weird gummy candies every single day. Yet, there is something about the way he looks at her that immediately makes you, as a viewer, feel like he knows her on a soul-deep level. There is so much suppressed feeling and restrained emotion in this man’s eyes that you pause for a second, wondering what it is that has him looking at her that way.
✔️From there, slowly their relationship unravels. The love story in this show is something that’s hard to capture. The majority of the interactions between the characters are so subtle - just everyday words, looks, small gestures - and yet, after 11 episodes, I felt like they were made for each other.
Sanpei feels like a man whose entire heart is in the palm of Miyabi’s hand and the magnitude of trust she feels for him is unconditional and unerasable no matter what happens.
✔️Their love is so vulnerable, boundless and something that is etched in the very cells of their bodies. They only have to look at each other to make you feel what they feel for each other. That’s why when they do interact, even the slightest touch feels monumental.
✔️The drama is powerful in the way it portrays relationships. Every character is significant and plays a role that is important to the story. The cases in each episode are all beautifully explored so they never come off as contrived or repetitive.
✔️Every single person on the show got the memo on how to act. The performances are brilliant across the board so all of these characters are able to impact the story in their own unique way.
✔️The execution and direction of this drama is excellent. The way scenes transition, the way the memories are brought to the front, the way past and present is merged, the way important scenes are highlighted and finally, the way the character journeys are laid out on the screen - it’s simply stunning to watch.
✔️Even the medical aspect of the whole drama is done in a way that appeals to you even if you aren’t usually a fan of the genre. The surgeries that are shown are done in such a way that you can feel both the importance and urgency of it. The atmosphere in the hospital is so relaxing despite the heartbreaking realities the people face every day. Most of all, it just showcases the power of healing and the inherent kindness that lives in the art of saving a person’s life.
✔️There are three major tracks on the show and they are all superb. The piano strokes especially just hit your heart and give you the feeling of both hope and melancholy in equal measure.
✔️Honestly, I have never cried more in a drama and it wasn’t even sappy or trying to manipulate my emotions. It was just so real and phenomenal in its simplicity. The only reason I didn't give it a full score was because I thought that the circumstances surrounding Miyabi's accident could have been better developed but even that titbit wasn't strong enough to make me more critical of this drama, like I usually am.
✔️Overall, watching these lovely characters try their level best to win against the odds that seem impossible and overcome them in the most natural and inspiring way, really fixes something that feels broken inside of you.
It’s truly one of the most powerful dramas I have seen in 2024.
An absolute must-watch.
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I decided to watch King2Hearts because of the 2 leads. Both Ha Ji Won, and Lee Seung Ki, have starred in dramas that are among my all time favorites. I just knew that they would be impressive together, and I was absolutely right. They both do what they are known to do well in this, without creating characters that seem recycled. Lee Seung Ki is used to playing obnoxious/spoiled characters that learn to change their ways/grow up. Jae Ha is no different, but the range, and maturity, of the role really shows what an impressive actor Lee Seung Ki has become. Ha Ji Won knows how to balance sweet with tough, which I loved about her character in Secret Garden. As North Korean Kim Hang Ah, she goes from cartoonishly girly and naive, to fearless and intimidating. I preferred when she was kicking butt, but also loved her vulnerability, and was amused that her biggest challenge was being feminine. Together, they had amazing chemistry from the start. They basically become a living metaphor of the North-South Korean conflict, and their romance is exciting, frustrating, sad, and inspiring to watch. In spite of the grand scale of their relationship, it's still portrayed realistically. During the first episodes, when I wasn't sure If I would like this drama, I already knew I'd at least love watching their love story.
Big fans of romance should know that even the supporting characters have a beautiful love story. Jo Jung Suk and Lee Yoon Ji were so great together, that I cared about them as much as I cared about the main couple. Their characters, their romance, and their specific story arcs, were strong enough to justify their own separate drama. That's the beauty of King2Hearts. There are absolutely no weak storylines, or weaklinks in the cast (except for some questionable english speaking roles, but that's easily overlooked, and normal for K-Drama).
The villains in this drama are the stuff nightmares are made of. In the beginning, I didn't know what to make of Club M's crazy John Mayer, and I was more confused, and amused, than scared. Now I realize that Yoon Je Moon was just slowly laying the foundation for a truly memorable psychopath. It was thrilling watching him go head to head with Jae Ha, and wondering what crazy thing he'd do next. He's certainly one of the best Drama villains I have ever seen. Creepy BonBon also deserves a mention as being the first non-Korean I've seen in a K-Drama who not only didn't suck, but was actually really good. Samanda Daniel plays the perfect twisted side kick, and definitely more than held her own.
The writers, and director, really did an amazing job of creating a realistic modern Korean monarchy, and making an accessible North Korea believable. The overall plot focusses on telling a great story more than doing what fans would want, or expect. I appreciated that, though some viewers may be more upset by certain choices by the writers. The direction is top notch. Not only is it beautifully shot, but the director's choices really added to the emotional impact of many scenes. There's one scene in particular, between Jo Jung Suk and Lee Yoon Ji, that was especially touching because of the direction. The pacing is also just right, knowing when to keep you on the edge of your seat, and when to slow down and take in a moment. The music greatly supports each episode as well.
Rarely do I give dramas a 10, but I couldn't justify anything lower. I look forward to rewatching it now that I know what to expect, and to revisit some of my favorite scenes (I've already rewatched some scenes several times). I think it would still be exciting the 2nd time around, even though I know what's going to happen, because it's all executed so well. I would highly recommend King2Hearts, unless you're specifically looking for something lighthearted, or simple. I'd also recommend being open to an ending that falls a little outside of the traditional 'happily ever after' mold. Even if you're not convinced in the first few episodes, I'd give it a chance, and keep watching. That's exactly what I did, and now I'm adding this drama to my top 5!
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama should have been named “A Stockholm syndrome handbook“.
This drama is a showcase of dissociative identity disorder characters and a demonstration of exemplary Stockholm syndrome case.Plot: 4
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★★★★☆ Main idea:
--> I liked the overall idea, but the idea sadly wasn’t able to save the catastrophe that followed.
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★★☆☆☆ Logic:
--> The drama started of pretty good, introduced characters were intriguing and so was the initial plot. Because of the promising start, it was watchable up to episode 13, but then all the atmosphere and logic were thrown out the window and all the drama was left with were stupidly acting characters and no plot at all.
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★★★☆☆ Pace:
--> I got bored about halfway through.
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★★☆☆☆ Impression:
--> Not much intrigued.
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★★☆☆☆ Skip rate:
--> I skipped a lot in the second half, since the plot and characters has become so chaotic and hystericall, It wasn't worth the time.
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★☆☆☆☆ Annoying factors:
--> The number of irrational twists gradually escalated as the drama progressed, in episodes 13 to 16 the number of nonsensical plots reached its peak and finally ruined the impression from the whole drama.
Characters: 2
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★★★☆☆ Lead 1:
--> The ML is introduced like a dangerous and clever man. But the cleverness of this character fades out immediately once he abducts an art student, expecting her to become an economic mastermind overnight. When she gets scared of not being able to transform to a completely different person with a completely different education, skills and hobbies, instead of I don’t know, maybe help her a little, he just intimidates and chokes her every chance he gets – gee, I wonder why would she be scared, right? But even this intimidating part of this character fades pretty quickly as he turns in a caring and protective fiancé in a matter of literally one day… Hey man, do you have a split personality disorder or something?
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★☆☆☆☆ Lead 2:
--> The FL seems clever herself, but then she gets caught up in danger because of her similarity to other person and for some reason she feels guilty for surviving, agreeing to follow a strange and abusive man, leaving her family behind… Why…? Just why? I don’t call this clever at all, just call the police next time. Things get even funnier, when this intimidated art student with zero experience in management solves an economic crisis in the company - she has a supposedly ultra-clever and powerful man by her side and an army of employees to back her up, yet it’s her idea, what get things done, hooray! Oh, and the fun part continues – this one success leads her to a Stockholm syndrome, falling in love with the very man who abducted her, claiming he is the only one she has left – girl, what about your friends and family then? Oh I get it, you fell in love with him, because he stopped choking you? Yes, that must have been it.
And the first thing after she is allowed to return to her former life and family? A hysteric scene over losing the love of her life – wow, this man abducts her, threatens her, she is forced to near death situations because of the mess he drags her into, he almost kills a man before her eyes, but she’s hysterical over the fact she can’t be with him anymore? Not even mentioning how rude was it towards her family, not explaining a single thing to them, just be hysterical over some stranger. A really serious Stockholm syndrome here, you need a psychiatrist, girl.
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☆☆☆☆☆ Overacting:
--> There was no annoying overacting in the beginning (except for that pretty stupid FL friend), but from episode 13 it was like the drama was infected by some strange overacting disease, because several characters started acting up, stepping totally out of their characters just to throw a tantrum, both FLs decreasing themselves from grow up woman into 15-year-old hysterical fan-girls, who got dumped by their idol on valentine. It has become even worse towards the end, soon every single character in that drama was acting hystericall.
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★★☆☆☆ Acting:
--> I enjoyed the acting of Fan Zhi Xin – although the character he played was a showcase of dumb and dumber, he was able to hold just the right atmosphere for a pretty long time. I considered other actors skilled at first, but as the plot progressed, they just acted more and more hystericall, including Fan Zhi Xin, such a schame.
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☆☆☆☆☆ Annoyance level:
--> The most annoying thing about this drama was the inconsistency of its characters. Many characters were introduced one way, just to flip to a completely different personality in a whim. Clever people turned into clueless, abusive into caring, strong into pitiful, shy into commanding – almost every lead character went through at least one polar opposite transformation.
Background: 9
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★★★★☆ Soundtrack:
--> Liked it.
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★★★★★ Visuals (camera, scenery, visual effects, ...):
--> Absolutely loved it.
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★★★★★ Wardrobe (costumes, hairstyles, makeup, ...):
--> Absolutely loved it.
Rewatch value: 2,5
I assess this value based on impression, skip rate, annoyance level and overall preference.
Final verdict: 4
Despite everything, the drama had a right atmosphere and I pretty enjoyed it up until episode 13. Episodes 13 to 16 were a total cliché catastrophe, every second choice those characters made was worthy of a Darwin award for extreme stupidity. It totally ruined the drama for me. Towards the end all those characters just became more hystericall and those plots made less and less sense. Every episode closer to the end I was lowering my rating even further.
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Finally, the acting was okay, and it did got a bit better, though, I think that Joy didn't fit her character. Maybe I see her more of the younger girl characters, in a more happy concept drama. I really enjoyed Min jae at least. He was a nice delightful surprise.
So, 3 out of 10.
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