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This review may contain spoilers
I love this drama as a spinoff but......I will (probably) never make peace with the ending.
More to how I feel about the ending at the end of my review, if you don't mind ending spoilers, or spoilers in general then read on!Let's start of with the actors, the male lead Vin Zhang (Zhang Binbin), really did an amazing job in featuring four different characters in this story: God of Moon(Yue), Lu Li, Luo Ge and Dark God of Moon(Dark Yue), each have their own distinct personality, and I'm so glad he uses his own voice in this drama!!
This isn't the first time I see Zhang Binbin to be honest, since the first drama I ever watched him in was as Li Zing in Ten Miles Peach Blossom, and I did like his character in there, even when he had made that one mistake that caused his tragic fate at the end. Back then he made an impression for me, enough to still remember him all these years, but my love for his acting and his character portrayal has cemented in this drama(Song of the Moon)! I love how he portrayed his emotions well, and I really, really love him as Luo Ge! I got to say that while I don't like to see pain being inflicted upon Luo Ge, Lu Li or God of Moon, but I will be lying if I say I didn't enjoy his pain-scenes or scenes where he expresses pain/suffering because he is JUST THAT GOOD in acting out those scenes that made it believable!! I love his love for Liu Shao and how he expresses it through his micro expressions (when he's holding back in openly expressing his love for her), so no matter what I never got tired of scenes that have him in it! He can literally carry the show! I love Luo Ge as a character, because he is one of the most reasonable male leads I have seen in a long time! I also love the way he loves the FL (Liu Shao) as well, and I do see chemistry between them!
Also, I just want to touch on the fact that Luo Ge is NOT weak, and it really bothers me how some people don't know how to pay attention to the story at all to be saying this. People need to bear in mind that spiritual powers aren't limitless, if you overuse it, then it can worn you out, and it could also put your life at risk.
It has been stated several times in the story already that Liu Shao's spiritual powers influence Luo Ge, their spiritual powers are both mutually destructive on each other, if they were to use it on each other. Without spoiling too much of the later-story, you can see later what will happen when the extreme Yin energy does to Liu Shao. So this alone, along with what the Immortal Master said to Luo Ge earlier when he(LG) was helping Liu Shao open her Qi Hai to help her cultivate on her immortal path, he got hurt in the process, when the symbol on Liu Shao's forehead (which was God of Sun's divine spirit) activates. Luo Ge got hurt because he withdrew some of his powers in the last minute, so Liu Shao life was save. If not, not even her bracelet would have saved her in the end. She would have died..
So in context of understanding that situation, every time when Liu Shao is hurt/injured, and Luo Ge use his powers to heal/help her, it hurts him in the process, and we can make a conjecture here because Liu Shao is fine each time when Luo Ge heals her or use his powers on her, and only Luo Ge is affected by this, shows that Luo Ge is holding some of his extreme yin energy/powers when he use it on Liu Shao, when he does that you can say that it leaves him defenseless against Liu Shao's extreme yang energy so this hurts him....When he is hurt, just like everyone else, it takes time to recover, and it was pointed out that when Liu Shao is beside Luo Ge, he can't recover back fully (that's why Immortal Master was so against them being together). So what Liu Shao is like to Luo Ge when he's injured is similarly opposite to what Wan Shui is to Liu Shao when she is hurt (after Luo Ge received the three lightning punishment in her place instead). Wan Shui said that him being near her will benefit her recovery quicker because of the medicinal effect of Wan Shui being the 10,000 years king herb. But for Liu Shao, unfortunately that doesn't benefit Luo Ge because of their conflicting spiritual powers of being extreme yin and yang.
Even when he was already injured, he can still cast the formation in the yin-yang cave, that strong formation does not come without great spiritual powers, you need to have enough spiritual powers to be able to use it... So let's refresh our memory here, and put these into step by step, Luo Ge was already injured earlier because of the conflicting powers, then he went and set up the formation in the yin-yang cave.... And then when he returns as he was trying to recover back his spiritual powers, the evil spirit have to continue to throw all these at him where he have to use up (again) most of his spiritual powers to seal them all into the sphere when he was in the Bone Melting Pool.... So honestly, can anyone just cut him a break there... Even Wan Shui said it himself, that he can't continue on like this, because he will eventually die... And again, spiritual powers aren't limitless. People need to understand this... BUT even when that is the case, why don't people ever consider the fact that yeah, Luo Ge wasn't at 100% of his powers, but he can still stand his own against the Evil Spirit and what the Evil Spirit throws at him... Isn't that good enough to prove that he's strong, and NOT weak!
Moving onto the Female Leading actress Xu Lu who portray her character as Liu Shao, this is the first I've seen of her, but I do think that she's not as bad as some people make her out to be, I don't mind her acting cute/having a different side to her where she only shows towards Lu Li/Luo Ge because I see that is a form of affection she has for Luo Ge. Some people don't like her character, but for me, I don't mind it, since I don't think she's weak at all. Strong female characters doesn't necessarily have to be physically strong... Because those who are physically strong but lack the brains and not mentality strong, are female characters I don't really like. What's the point of having physical strength but your heart is weak. I also disagree to how some calls her the weakest female lead in Chinese Drama's like if they really think that then just WOW! They have NOT seen any yet! To me, Liu Shao is 1000x better than the FL to Ashes of Love (Jin Mi). At least Liu Shao actually works hard to cultivate and get stronger to becoming a God, unlike Jin Mi (Ashes of Love), where she just so stupid and takes it for granted and get her cultivation handed to her on silver platter! Jin Mi to me is the WORST FL ever!
Main pairing Luo Ge x Liu Shao is my favorite in this drama, and I have made quite a few MV's on them as the drama was airing, so if you're interested, you can check it out here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/ben-yue/84027-mv-sharing. I love Luo Ge and Liu Shao relationship, because when I think of the main pairing, I picture them as touching and sweet and I really love how they are always supporting each other and that's the kind of relationship that appeals to me and I love Liu Shao strong love for LG and how she always there to support him! They also both have trust in each other, which is an appeal to me as well. This is refreshing to see instead of the usual misunderstanding so I honestly don't know why some people say is boring! When there's no trust in a pairing and there's misunderstanding they complain! When there's trust between a pairing they still complain! Can they just make up their mind and stick to it! Even when the focus was dragging on for the 2nd pairing..... I never get bored of seeing Luo Ge and Liu Shao moments when they come onscreen. During those times, I see them like a married CP almost like this is what their life will be like when they are married! So for me, I will always love the main pairing no matter what! I also love their domestic life during these times almost like they are married and how I pictured them to be like when they are married and protecting the three realms together and Liu Shao is cultivating her powers as we can see. If those actually paid attention to it at all, the main pairing did have their own developments very early on. But I guess we can watch the same drama but feel very different to interpreting the drama. That's all I have to say.
2nd pair A Fu x Luo Ning: To be honest I did started of shipping the second pairing at first and was looking forward to their story, but over time I just got to the point of not seeing a future for them anymore. If I am going to say my feelings on how I describe this pairing is disappointing and unhealthy. Disappointing comes from the fact that A Fu actually fed her the Phoenix tears against her will. This wouldn't have happened if he trusted LN's love for him a little. He should know what Phoenix tears does and in the end he ended up punishing himself for this... Unhealthy because I can't picture a future for them. It got to the point where it felt forced coming from A Fu side because he would rather lock her up and not respect what LN really wants. Yeah they love each other but I don't see it as a healthy relationship and honestly I don't see A Fu genuinely cared for LN and her feelings when he plotted to hurt those she cared for. He was the one who destroyed their future. Did he ever consider how LN would feel when he plotted to kill or hurt those she care for? -_-
This drama has 2 alternate endings, which is according to the choices made by Liu Shao! (Well I know there's a secret ending was filmed but got deleted, and I am still pissed about their decision to delete that perfect ending for me)! T__T
Ending 1(Ep 39) is when Liu Shao decided to sacrifice herself to save Luo Ge from the evil spirits by drawing it all into her, because her being the God of Sun (reincarnation)/that has the Sun Spirit, her powers are Yang, and the Evil Spirit is tied to Yin(which is the power from God of Moon), so when Liu Shao draws the Evil Spirit into her, because of their conflicting opposite powers, they will both in the end die from it. In this ending, Liu Shao made the decision to sacrifice herself to protect Luo Ge and release him of the Evil Energy. This ending is more tied to the Novel ending, although not exactly the same reason, but it's the same where Novel Liu Shao sacrificed herself and God of Moon in the end, was looking all over the world, and with great efforts to find her again, which is similarly to how the ending played out in this episode (Ending 1). In the Novel Extra's it was revealed that God of Moon was able to find Liu Shao again, and they managed to get their happy ending!
In terms of the main pairing ending goes , I felt like ep39 touched me more... I felt more emotional in that one even when it didn't have an on-screen happy ending. Between one of them who have to "die"(sacrifice), I rather that to be Liu Shao not Luo Ge...Lu Li "died" in Liu Shao's arms back then so I felt like ep39 ending where it shows that scene where Liu Shao "died/sacrifice" herself is like a contrast to that part. Tbh, I prefer Liu Shao's choice in ep 39 ending better since that's how I see she would decide on her end especially when she have been saying all along that the person she wants to protect the most is Luo Ge. I still love what she said to Luo Ge that "10,000 years ago, Yao Ling have to painfully kill the one she loves, 10,000 years later, Liu Shao can finally protect you" ~ that's a powerful quote for me that I love. It kinda gives a sense of growth to her character for me since this time it's her turn to protect him instead of the other way around.
I really urge viewers to NOT skip it since you're missing out such an emotional heartfelt episode if you do IMO. Even if Liu Shao "died" in ep39, I didn't have doubt that she will come back, and get their happy ending in the end, just like in the novel. I love Luo Ge so much and seeing him died again just doesn't sit right for me. I just felt episode 39 ending coherently makes sense to me. I much rather they stick to Ep39 ending, where they have Ep40 wrap up to Luo Ge finding Liu Shao again that would be nice since that would tie in similar to Novel!
Ending 2 (Ep40) - This ending is when Liu Shao have no choice but to kill the Evil Spirit (Dark God of Moon), so in the end, Luo Ge have to "die" for that to happen... I'm not saying I don't like some of the scenes in episode 40, I'm just saying I don't like the ending scene in episode 40 since it raises questions for me... If they changed that ending to the ending to the deleted secret ending (will touch on this later) I would say I happily accept that at least it doesn't leave doubt. In this ending, Liu Shao said at the end that she hopes that her dream (which is in context what she wish for) will come true, and she said and implied through what she said is her dream (wish) is for Luo Ge to come back to her and then we see that scene of Luo Ge being back shows her wish has been granted. When it comes to the ending I want it to leave no doubt and this is why I am not happy with how it ended since it's open for interpretation. At first I was confused about this ending, but after watching that final episode several times. I ended up picking some details on my end. GOD, YOU REALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP SUBTLENESS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS DRAMA!!
So when Luo Ge "died", we see that Liu Shao was playing with her Corroding Harp where you see both Luo Ge's Moon Sword and Moon Bell was there. And you know what the effects of Corroding Harp actually does. Then we have Liu Shao was wandering the mortal realm and she saw A Fu and Luo Ning reincarnated, so this signify there's a time skip here (seriously writers, you can't even put in that effort to tell us this?!) And then in that ending scene, we saw Luo Ge using his fan to tap on Liu Shao's shoulder lightly to show that he's back.. And he have his moon bell back with him even when this was kept with Liu Shao in the immortal palace..
I honestly wish the ending to Ep40 was handled better... But after watching that ending scene in Ep40 again a couple of times I do think he's back but can they not exchange a few words or something... I think Luo Ge have his full memories intact and there's a time skip after he "died" before he can form a physical body to return to Liu Shao again. And lastly Luo Ge did promise her that he will return to her... So while this ending scene to Ep40 felt rushed but he did return... So yeah.. while subtle but the hints is there..
Secret Ending - Is coming from this deleted scene, where they did filmed it, but was not included in the Finale. To whoever made the decision to delete this scene, you really make a stupid decision for doing so, because this would have been perfect at the end for ending 2 then what we were given! (Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLCqJyUn4Hc). In this ending, Luo Ge 100% did return to Liu Shao in the immortal palace, and when he returned Liu Shao ran up to him and hugged him and scolded him for why he took so long to come back, I really like this ending and I am still sad why they would delete it....THIS will always be my fav ending!
In terms of story, I enjoyed it, it is fast pace, yes, but it was good enough to make me want to watch each ep after the ep ended. I didn't have a problem understanding the story, and what I love about this drama is when I finished the episode it made me want to watch more! I also love how this story made me want to make guesses and theories about what actually happened, and I like it when some of them I analysed was right! Although I have to admit that I was wrong about my views on Hei Yue (Dark God of Moon). With that being said, I will be lying if I said I don't enjoy Dark Yue scenes when he's being intimate with Liu Shao... For me, I guess this is one of the reasons why I love Vin Zhang, that is, no matter which character he plays as in this story, even if it's the evil God of Moon, he still perfected it to the point that it's hard for me to really hate him you know! LOL
In terms of faithfulness to the Novel? SOTM is NOT faithful at all.. The Story direction, and Character portrayal is completely changed in the Drama. So I can only take this as a spinoff. Which is sad, seeing how I love the Novel on my end. Maybe one faithful part in the Drama was at the end, Luo Ge was searching for Liu Shao again.
Characters I love in SOTM: Luo Ge, YueGuang, YaoLing, Lu Li, Liu shao, He Na. To an extent I love Zhang Binbin portrayal as Dark Yue, and even when he's back as Luo Ge, I love him in that dark costume! I also love Shang Yurong and his Shijie relationship, I am happy they get to be together in the end. Xie Lingqi was a jerk at first, but after learning his back story, I came to like his redemption arc.
Rewatch Value: I will watch this again, but only on the scenes I love/enjoy.
Fast forward scenes for me: A Fu, Baifeng, A Fu and Bai Feng plotting, A Fu x Luo Ning scenes...
Sad that Lan Chi (which he is a Novel Character) did not make it into the Drama, since I love his interactions with God of Moon in the Novel, but then, the Novel and Drama is very different so... Not surprising though...
Editing to the drama side of things, I do agree it went downhill, and honestly, I will never forgive the editors/those who deleted some of my favorite CP scenes that I know it was filmed but never made it to the aired version. It's a huge insult to the actors doing their best to play out their scenes, but in the end, it just went down the drain. It's not the actors fault but those who chose to delete them!
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This review may contain spoilers
Abyss is one of those shows thats premise is full of potential. Unfortunately, throughout episodes one to twelve, this premise is explored nowhere near as much as it should be. The "abyss," which is a magical ball which essentially grants the user power over life, is seldom used, or explained, which is a shame as 45% of the drama's description talks about it and it sets you up for a more heavily paranormal story. In the final 4 more episodes they use it more and in episode 16 (the last episode) its value and relevance literally disappears. The abyss itself is poorly explained as the story goes along and is quite confusing. The information dump in the last few episodes is really jarring.The story as a whole, though not atrocious, is exceedingly meh for a crime drama. One of my main gripes with this show was that though it sets you up for a romance, crime and paranormal story. The paranormal and romance elements are very short, and I understand that it is a crime drama but the long crime scenes that do exist usually only add superfluous information or have seemingly no relevance to evolving the plot.
From episode 1 of the show, as soon as the villain was introduced I was 100% sure that he would be involved in Seyeon (Park Bo Young's) death, and they gave out the name of the secondary villain way too early. I think the show was relying on this imaginary suspense that really wasn't there. I'll admit I don't watch a lot of crime dramas so I don't know if this type of bland story is the norm (or better) than most but for one of my first crime dramas I was unimpressed.
I will wholeheartedly admit I started watching this drama because of my love of Park Bo-Young in her other dramas, even though I had watched other dramas with Ahn Hyo-Seop I had never found his portrayal interesting enough to seek out all of his works. I feel like the role Park Bo Young played in this drama is very similar to a lot of others she has played but that's definitely not a bad thing. She's great at it and she fits the character well (except, I don't really agree with the asessment of her beauty as plain, but that doesn't have much to do with her) and Ahn Hyo-Seop and her had really great chemistry. I was honestly surprised, their relationship was really pure and sweet, and it was interesting to see evidently how long they had both been interested in each other, even though the first few episodes stated otherwise. In the last few episodes especially, their relationship was really wholesome and fluffy, even though I think the timing of some of their relationship moments was an odd juxtaposition to the other events occuring.
The side characters were honestly, at times. a lot better than the mains, probably, because the actual script was written so that they were placed in more extremist situations and experienced a large range of emotions. I thought Han So Hee (Heejin) was really good, and I went through the experience of initially disliking her, to liking her, to disliking her again, to liking her again, like the script writers probably wanted me to feel. I think the strongest of all of them was probably Kwon Soo Hyun (Ji Wook) because I got bad vibes from him from the get-go. He was genuinely convincing in every scene he was in and I think he did a very good job of delivering every inch of the meh script. Personally, I thought the person who did the weakest job was Lee Sung Jae (Young Cheol). I don't know if it was because I found his scenes the most boring out of all of them rather than suspenseful or if it rested more in his blase delivery but I enjoyed him the least. He wasn't bad though and suited the purpose of the show.
The music wasn't very memorable, but it worked well with the show and I found myself nodding along sometimes. My favorites were "Into the Abyss," "Stay" and "Fallin'." Though, I think there could've been overall better music placement it served its purpose well.
In conclusion, I feel like I probably will rewatch this show but not for the best reasons. It's on Netflix, and it's all-round easy to access so I can see myself rewatching the more light-hearted episodes or the last episode. I can also see myself wanting to rewatch the cute romance moments or some of the more heartwarming moments. I don't see myself ever wanting to rewatch the entire show because the mystery aspect isn't the kind where you discover new things and go "aha!" every time you rewatch it but more like you watch it once and there's nothing new to uncover. I would recommend this show if you like Park Bo Young and if you're interested in watching a crime drama for the first time because this is a pretty basic, easy to follow, way to start. However, if you're looking for a show about the paranormal or romance which Abyss promises this really isn't the drama for you.
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WHY???????? JUST FREAKING WHY???????
I OFFICIALLY NAME THIS SERIES AS ''the bane of my existence and object of all my regrets *100000''OMG WHY! I cant stop laughing at this series, I mean I know it has a low budget but still nothing is right in this series. firstly the dialogs are terrible. It has BDSM but why they hell is it like this, like I couldn't stop laughing and others are saying "wow this is was soo good" where???? where???? How?? Like I am like WTF did I watch??!!! LOLLLL
ALSO the tattoo was freaking UGLY WHY?? WHY?? WHY would you put a robe on him then see the tattoo melting why lol. {{{{{The tattoo felt like abnormal hair growth on the back}}}}}}. IT WAS UGLY!!
I truly have to say, I have watched many BL'S some not so good but this honestly takes the cake. Could not even get through the first 5 minutes without cracking up at the horrendous editing and pacing. Fast forwarded through most of the episodes. This one is definitely not for me but great if I wanna have a good laugh AND DIE BY CRINGING.
People are comparing this to #vegaspete but honestly even dubbing it as a "poor man's kinnporsche" would be an insult to KP because it's so much worse, BRUH!! There is no comparison.
I saw it cuz i don't leave any BL's i started incomplete, but trust me guys it was so bad.
No chemistry. No expression. Was like a cheap copy of kinnporsche and 50 shades which was done BADLY. I really couldn't handle it.
People need to listen to criticism. Bro even if their was no Kinnporche to compare this series was bad. REALLY BAD.
Actors don't suit the role. They don't have Chemistry. Okay PLOT LINE???? It is good. MAFIA??? Wtf is that. Low BUDGET?? I know but still bad for the budget. BDSM??? what a joke, that felt like a child play [However, it's oh so proper cringe, childish, eroticism.] TATTOO?? Bro don't talk about it that felt more like 'abnormal hair growth on the back' than something sexy. Dialogues??? Cringe af. THE TAP??? Please people save water and forgodsake close the tap their were atleast 3 to 4 bath and tab scene with water flowing and it pissed me off.
Damn i have never laughed or cringed as much as i did watching that. Bruh this is not only bad but HORRIBLE. People can say what ever the hell they wanna say but this was a goddamnit hilarious and badly done circus.
THAT THREESOME HELLOOOOO???? CAUGHT ME OFFGUARD lololol
That literally caught me off guard. When all three bodyguards started getting action, my mind was like wtf AM I WATCHING>> and guys i am not in AWE i am in that type of disbelief that leaves you in shocked to core>> god I CRINGED THROUGH THAT WHOLE SCENE. Like one moment a bodyguard was taking a shower that other came looked at him got Horny they started making out then the third one came saw them got HORNY once again and they are like 'FUCK IT LETS HAVE CRINGY, UNCOMFORTABLE AND AKWARD THREESOME] GOD save me from that trauma. P.S but sadly god did not save me>>
FRRRRR IT WAS WILD!!! And wtf was that out of context 3some???? never got the ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION>
*AND KIM Constantly calling HIS boyfriend 'Mr Kamol', irrespective of the fact you fuck him, live with him and allegedly are in love.
*Bodyguards threesome, hotter than the main leads sex exploits and indeed kissing.
*Khamol pulled Kim into his lap and Kim did that full 360 spin?? What was that?? with the 360 spin I was like, when did this turn into a Cdrama??? XD>>> THREE whole salsa spins.
*KAMOL SPEAKING ENGLISH. RIP English, save journey to heaven. JUST RIP TO YOU ENGLISH, SORRY WE COULDN'T SAVE YOU>>
AND THE FREAKING NAMES-
*THOSE TIGERS LAMOO- they literally named them 'whipped cream'?????? DO YOU REALLY NEED A REASON TO NOT HINK ITS Ridiculous AFTER THIS
I WANT Whipped Cream TO PUT CREAM ON KIM AND EAT HIM>>> would have been the BEST ENDING EVER but sadly it did not happen>>
*THAT CHILD'S name was 'salmon'??? GUYS at least leave the damn fish and child out of this train wreak>>
a FREAKING TIGER named "whipped cream">
NOW,
a CHILD named salmon???????
what next would have been in the series if it was longer???? a dinosaur named 'POOP'???
"Unforgotten Night" and "Check out" were in a competition for the most ridiculous Thai BL of all time. I'm really not sure which one will win. I think check out won with flying colors but UN is not very far for it>>>
And compare it to KP and 50 SHADES?? Bro are people high on cocaine??? There is nothing to compare. NOTHING.
NEVER AGAIN>>> DULLY NOTED
Fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me>>
READING THIS COMMENT PEOPLE WILL ATTACK ME BUT DAMN DO IT BECOZ I NEEDED TO VENT OUT THE FUSTRATION I WAS FELLING AFTER WATCHING THIS DRAMA FROM 3 MONTHS.
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I can probably guess that most of the viewers of this drama will be major fans of Lee Joon Gi since his popularity seemed to skyrocket after Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo. However for me, I was still trying to find a drama I liked that had Lee Joon Gi as a lead. Don't get me wrong, Lee Joon Gi is a talented actor, but I dropped Scarlet Heart half way through as it just wasn't entertaining enough for me and other dramas such as Arang and the Magistrate were lackluster at best.
Lawless Lawyer was alright. That's the only word I can think of that sums up the drama for me.
The acting was obviously the strongest aspect of the drama. Lee Joon Gi (Bong Sang Pil) had some very intense scenes which is the character arc that suites him best in my opinion, going off the rails and being full to the brim with the need for revenge seems to suite him. Although, I found that the cute, cool dude act that he put on for some of the scenes just didn't sit right with me, to be honest, they made me cringe.
Seo Ye Ji (Ha Jae Yi) is one of the strongest female leads I have ever seen in a drama. I loved her character. She was not afraid to stand up and speak up for what she believed to be right and she batted away all those sexist remarks like a pro baseball player. Unfortunately, I found that her fighting spirit died down a little towards the end, she did still make decisions for herself, but they weren't as well thought out as they had been previously, leading to irritating plot lines.
Lee Hye Young (Cha Moon Sook) played a fantastic villain. She always had the upper hand, unbeknownst to the characters and sometime even the audience. Strong female characters are what I live for and she was the cherry on the cake for me. My only complaint with her was the ending she received but I'll talk about that once I get to the plot.
Choi Min Soo (Ahn Oh Joo). I'm sorry but I hated every second he was on screen. I am aware that if an actor playing a villain makes you hate them, then that probably means they are a good actor. In this drama, I really do not believe that was the case. The way he portrayed his character, with the exaggerated voice and the forced mannerism where he licks the inside of his cheek just distracted me. His acting did not feel natural for me and if it doesn't feel natural, you are reminded that you are watching a drama and that's not what I want.
The other side characters were decent. The one that stood out to me the most was Baek Joo Hee (Noh Hyun Joo). The desperation and fear that she portrayed was outstanding, very well acted.
Now the plot was interesting in the beginning because in the first half of the drama all the information is given to us so we know all the details of the case and who is more likely to win. After the audience knows everything, the drama goes downhill. The second half of the drama is just picking one detail of the case and manipulating it, forging evidence or making up a witness.
The ending felt very rushed as everything was tied together in a pretty messy bow in just one episode. The writers had built up the villain to be extremely powerful but the bullets that shot them down felt like they were made of rubber. I felt the evidence was given in a very vague way that wasn't satisfying enough for the audience who were, by now, seething with rage at the immense influence that the villain held.
To be honest I almost forgot about the romance. It wasn't really necessary. Any "cute" moments they had were set up in a way to promote any of the sponsors that the drama had. Most important of all, I didn't feel the chemistry. I think it would have been better if Bong Sang Pil and Ha Jae Yi were brother and sister that were separated at the origin of revenge. The drama would have benefited from completely replacing the romance arc with a sibling one, that way they wouldn't have to dedicate time, that they don't have, to building chemistry between the leads.
None of the music stood out to me at all.
No, I wouldn't watch it again. It was an alright drama, that's pretty much it. After 16 episodes I'm unfortunately still waiting for a Lee Joon Gi drama that I am wholeheartedly obsessed with. I'm so excited for that drama to come, whenever that may be.
Well done if you've read all of this, I just finished it so I needed to get all of it off my chest.
Thanks for reading!
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This review may contain spoilers
12 More Episodes Of This Family Please..
Family Matters?? No.. It’s Bloody Matters..Family Matters follows a hilariously mismatched family with superpowers/abilities trying to blend into society.. They are unhinged, chaotic and utterly unpredictable.. But somehow they are perfect for each other.. Literally the most unhinged family ever.. It is an action mystery thriller with a unique concept and dark comedy that really hits the spot.. They were so funny without even trying.. And the cast?? they were absolutely perfect..
The twins?? They absolutely nailed their roles.. The way they casually walked into their grandpa dragging a body and gave no absolute care about it.. It was an oddly brilliant scene..
Even the climax.. All of them sitting in one frame.. The mother with a hole in her hand.. Father with multiple holes in his stomach and a missing ear.. Grandpa with a hole in his leg.. And the twins?? Bloody after beating up a couple of punks.. Perfection..
My only gripe?? The background score.. This show deserved way better music..
The ending made it clear that season 2 is a must.. With that revelation and all it is obvious that we barely scratched the surface.. But since its a COUPANG TV original I dont know what to expect..
With all the theories going around.. My view is that its true that Family Matters is Yeong Su's plan.. It is clear that she manipulated her husband and planted the idea of " Chulsu will do anything to protect Yeong Su " in his mind.. This was revealed after the fight with the pastor.. So yeah she might have started it all but got too much involved and forgot her actual purpose.. There is plenty to explore and another season is definitely needed..
Overall.. Family Matters is a wild ride.. Gripping storyline and standout performances left me craving for more.. Here’s hoping season 2 delivers even bigger surprises..
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Story falls in place nicely + extremely likable characters!!!!
I’ve watched a lot of dramas, but this one has definitely become one of my favorites. The characters, the story, and the production suits my taste PERFECTLY!! Here are the main reasons why I love this drama so much.ALL CHARACTERS ARE VERY LIKABLE
- TDK is the first female lead that I can relate to this much. She is someone who suppresses her emotions and pretends to be fine on the outside so she wouldn’t be a burden to her loved ones. Also, little things like the way she acts, the way she talks and reacts is different from many typical female leads. She is very honest, genuine, and sometimes effortlessly funny. She’s extremely likable and I would love to be her friend if it were possible.
- MM’s character development made him extremely likable (more about that below). When MM is in love, he does not force anything or make TDK feel uncomfortable in any way. His love for her is very genuine and that is shown in lots of scenes. Although MM acts cold and sometimes careless towards the deity, he is extremely respecting of her and understands that there is a greater, deeper layer below everything that he may not know about.
- The deity is wise and knows what she is doing. A very respected character which can be seen especially at the end. It’s interesting seeing the way she delivers messages.
LOTS OF REALISTIC CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
- MM starts with emptiness inside but slowly warms up and proceeds to understand the value of life. It’s very fulfilling seeing him grow as a character and realize the purpose of life by experiencing love.
- Throughout life, TDK locked up her emotions inside so that she can look fine in front of the ones she loved. Throughout the drama, she begins to open up more and starts to find the good in letting out emotions and talking to someone about them. She realizes that problems can be solved together.
- The story of the second lead couple showed lots of character development as well (more below).
STORY FALLS INTO PLACE NICELY
- The story unfolds very nicely and naturally
- There is a reason for everything
- When everything falls into place nicely, it’s extremely satisfying and fulfilling
SCRIPT IS WRITTEN VERY NICELY
- The way thoughts and emotions were expressed with words were very comfortable and suited my taste very well.
- Some things were said not too direct so that they required a bit more thought and space to interpret (mostly from the deity and from CJI)
- There is subtle humor throughout the drama making it enjoyable to watch (IT’S LITERALLY MY SENSE OF HUMOR I’M SO HAPPY HAHAH)
NO ANNOYING MISCOMMUNICATIONS
- The characters know how to communicate with each other
- Of course there are some little misunderstandings, but none of these turn into the main conflict of the plot. In general, the characters are quite open with each other and are true to each other. They don’t hide major things from each other and usually always communicate every problem.
- The first lead couple tries to solve problems together. They always have understanding for each other. When there are unexpected/impulsive events, the other character will always understand and be open to help.
NO USELESS FRUSTRATING CLIFFHANGERS
- The episodes end naturally without frustrating cliffhangers but still leave you waiting for the next one.
- Similar for scenes. The scenes come to an end nicely, there is no switching back and forth between two set of events. This allows you to fully focus on one event at a time which I think is important in this type of drama.
NO DRAGGING, NO FILLER SCENES
- Every scene serves its purpose
- I never felt that the drama was boring or dragging in any way
- The story and romance unfolds at a natural and realistic pace
AMAZING ACTING
- Great chemistry between the leads
- Emotions are expressed so well in every scene
- No awkwardness
- Natural and realistic
- It seemed like the actors got quite close during the 6 months of filming (from the behind the scenes videos) which may be why they had great chemistry and were able to act so well together
SECOND LEAD COUPLE
- The way I perceived it, the main purpose of the second lead couple is to show character development. It’s about moving on and letting go of something that has been held onto for too long. Although the outcome is predictable, it’s extremely satisfying seeing the characters grow as a people. For me, this side story was very relatable and understandable. I was able to gain empathy for all three characters involved in the love triangle.
THE OSTS COMPLIMENT THE SCENES
- The OSTs are memorable and add so much emotion to the scenes
- I’m actually listening to the OSTs while writing this review LOL
I hope this review was helpful! I really do recommend this drama!!!
TDK = Tak Dong Kyung (1st Female Lead)
MM = Myeol Mang (Doom) (1st Male Lead)
CJI = Cha Joo Ik (2nd Male Lead)
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This review may contain spoilers
Powerhouse Acting, Fragile Script
The Art of Illusion | "If you can't distinguish fake from real, then is it really fake?"➥ SYNOPSIS: The Art of Sarah follows a woman who reinvents herself through carefully crafted lies, climbing into high society using nothing but intelligence, confidence, and deception. As a murder investigation begins to unravel her world, the drama slowly reveals who Sarah really is - and how far she’s willing to go to protect the life she created. It strongly reminded me of another Netflix show "Inventing Anna", especially in the way it explores identity, ambition, and social climbing through illusion. But that's where the comparison ended.
➥ MESSAGE: The drama critiques society’s obsession with status, luxury, and appearances. It shows how easily people accept illusion as truth when it’s packaged attractively. Prestige only exists because powerful people decide it does. In many ways, the system itself creates someone like Sarah.
➥ PROS: Acting & Visuals/Cinematography
I started this drama because I believe in the acting talent of the mains - Shin Hye Sun and Lee Jun Hyuk. I have seen them since the time they have been support actors & have loved the evolution as being regarded as acting powerhouses. And they both have a visual presence that you simply cannot ignore.
In this drama - Shin Hye-sun completely owns it and rightfully so as this is Sarah’s story. She moves effortlessly between confidence, vulnerability, and manipulation. She shines brighter than the glamour and couture of "Boudoir" bags. Lee Jun-hyuk plays the investigator well. He’s solid and convincing, but I thinks his character was not written well, as I have seen him much stronger before. Still he powers through as he's a talented and actor, and together, they made the cat and mouse chase enjoyable. The cinematography adds to the story as it is sleek and stylish, with luxury settings and fashion that reinforce the theme of illusion without overpowering the story.
➥ CONS: Weak Writing & Unexplained Plot Holes
Despite my genuine affection for the lead actors—and the undeniable talent they bring to their performances, which makes the drama consistently engaging—I can’t overlook the evident weaknesses in the writing. One particularly glaring issue was the unexplained corpse introduced in Episode 4, a plot point that was abruptly abandoned as the story shifted in a different direction. Additionally, the ending felt overly convenient and ultimately unconvincing. While I appreciate the intended message, its delivery seemed rushed and would have benefited from clearer development rather than relying on a convoluted “con-within-a-con” twist. Although the conclusion aligns with the central theme—that certain circumstances can give rise to someone like Sarah, and others like her—the final episodes lacked cohesion and narrative payoff.
➥ OVERALL:
I’d still recommend it as a one-time watch—it’s short, well-acted, visually strong, and offers thoughtful social commentary. While the writing could have been tighter and better developed, it remains a solid effort and an engaging pick for the 2026 drama line-up. If you enjoy stories about con artists, investigations, manipulation, and social themes, you’ll likely appreciate it—just go in with reasonable expectations rather than expecting a masterpiece.
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So why should you watch it?
Because it is one of the only dramas where the relationship between the two leads is realistic, healthy and loving. Their rapport is natural. The small honest gestures of portray true love. And both characters are reasonable. No unnecessary drama, feuding or harsh words. They start of not antagonistic in an unrealistic sense but mostly civil.
It is refreshing to see a leading man whose character is humbled and is genuinely likable. It is refreshing to see a leading woman whose character isn't gratingly annoying but fiercely independent in an understated manner. Not the usually over the top confrontational manner that Asian dramas find sooo 'attractive' in the lead girl. Also best thing about it? Jiro Wang as Mars is respectful, caring and vulnerable playing the usual pretentious trades of the lead guy up for jokes. No alpha male arm pulling, no romantic gestures laced with sexism. MOST IMPORTANTLY! For a romantic comedy, there is no unecessary focus on other characters, sure there is an annoying sister but she serves a purpose. Also, the love triangle is handled in a less than typical manner, the villains are reasonable in all their 'villianly acts' and use of drama OST is great.
See? Refreshing.
My only problem is the low production value of the drama. Imaginative direction is not helped by low budget equipment, bad sound editing and certain awkward scenes. But hey, Taiwanese dramas aren't know for the 'purdy colours' as expensive K-dramas are.
Surprisingly enjoyable with some touching and memorable scenes.
Worth it.
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I have to say, they are backed by two actors who did more than good; Kim Kwon and Kim Da Som perfectly embraced their roles and they grasped the personalities of their characters in a way it makes it easy to jump right into the plot.
So after praising the actors, I should praise the plot right?
Well that's where the drama loses points. Although it was a nicely built story, I was still bothered by some incoherences and the inevitable moments of boredom. The plot revealed too much, too quickly: the multiple flashbacks sure were interesting and nice, but I do believe they weren't exploited to the maximum of their potential. Which leads me to the main point of my critique: suspense fell flat almost all through the drama for me. If you paid enough attention to what was going on, you knew what would happen next, and in my opinion, the writers didn't succeed in building up anticipation and dread, which are vital for that kind of thriller drama.
To sum up, the drama is worth watching, for the original plot as well the skilled actors, but could have been much better plot-wise.
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How Song Kang and Park Min Young’s Latest Drama Failed To Break The Ice…
‘Unsurprisingly from the suggestions given by its title-name, ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’ is one of the few K-dramas in recent memory to cover this subject field of meteorology. With the additional talents of rising star Song Kang ( Navillera’, ‘ Sweet Home’ and ‘ Love Alarm’) as well as A-lister actress Park Min Young ( -‘Healer’, ‘ Her Private Life’ and ‘ What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?’), the sixteen-episode JTBC and Netflix series has gained popular attention for its intriguing plot premise and subject area.
Nevertheless aside from an interesting premise and an impressive cast line-up, it is hard to ignore that ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ has gained an onslaught of mixed-criticism due to its execution, lukewarm chemistry between potential love interests as well as certain screenwriting inconsistencies also.
The narrative is focused upon two polar opposite main leads; Lee Si-Woo (Song Kang) and Jin Ha-Kyung( Park Min Young). Lee Si Woo is a laidback yet prodigal meteorologist obsessed with weather patterns such as the consistency of air flow and sea fog. However, despite Lee Si-Woo’s dedication to his career, the same cannot be said about his relationship with his disengaged girlfriend Chae Yoo-jin (Girl’s Day’s Yura- ‘Secret Angel’, ‘ To The Beautiful You’ and ‘ Radio Romance’).
Meanwhile at Seoul’s headquarters for Korean Meteorological Association, prudent and uptight deputy manager Jin Ha-Kyung, finds herself being caught in a maelstrom of anxiety and stress. An oncoming weather front has proven to be just as unpredictable as her approaching wedding day.
After Ha-Kyung discovers that her fiancé Han Ki-jun (Yoon Park- ‘ Introverted Boss’, ‘ Search’ and ‘ You Are My Spring’) has been having an affair behind her back, she is forced to call off the wedding.
Similarly Si-Woo is heartbroken when Yoo-Jin finally breaks up with him after becoming disinterested with their dates.
Yet after the storm, there is always a glimpse of sunshine and hope. As Ha-Kyung and Si-Woo attempt to juggle between their newfound situations and their careers, they soon find themselves growing closer to one another along the way.
The screenwriting for ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ was arguably one of the most unexpected collaborations in recent years. Kang Eun-kyung (probably best known for her screenplays for productions such as as ‘ Bread, Love and Dreams’, ‘ Dr. Romantic’ and ‘ Where Stars Land’) worked together alongside lesser-known screenwriter Sun Young( ‘Drama Special Season 3: Like a Miracle’) in order to write the screenplay for ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’; a work which for all intents and purposes felt heavily domineered in style and creativity by Eun-Kyung.
Of course, it isn’t out of the question that a collaborated work can often reflect the style and characteristics of screenwriters. In particular due to the fact that Sun Young’s screenplays are respectfully limited ( and as a consequence it becomes harder to notice specific patterns), it does arguably stand to reason that Eun-Kyung’s writing quirks and traits were more noticeable than Sun Young’s.
On the other hand for those fairly familiar with Eun-Kyung’s style , then it is likely that most will notice that ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’ possessed similar flaws and strengths of the screenwriter’s previous projects; light-hearted angst filled with romantic bravado and bubbly setups, but heavily reliant upon screenwriting tropes and bombastic character archetypes. Similar to some of her aforementioned works, ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ felt as though it would often struggle to achieve a successfully consistent and lively tone, often disengaging viewers as a consequence.
This was particularly apparent with the narrative’s constantly changing focal points, especially during early episodes of the series. Rather than
focusing on a few concise points and keeping a level of consistency with the established tone and narrative, ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ often felt uncertain with its main topics.
For example, a drama seemingly established as a heartfelt romance between two mismatched individuals, would suddenly be subverted into a topic-heavy drama surrounding mapping and warning systems, before shifting again in a different scene in order to become a melodrama surrounding heartache, infidelity, breakups and heinous exes.
Despite some respectfully mixed responses surrounding the casting choices of Song Kang and Park Min-Young initially, both main leads offered fairly decent performances throughout.
On the other hand , it is hard to ignore that despite the talents of both main leads, Kang and Park’s onscreen chemistry was often lukewarm.
Admittedly this isn’t entirely the fault of the actors per say. As characters, Si-Woo and Ha-Kyung were often resorted to the equivalent of carte blanches; excuses by the screenwriters in order to be shoehorned into romantic setups, misunderstandings and seemingly allow the audience to root for them from beginning to end.
In particular, main female lead Ha-Kyung has often come under scrutiny by viewers for her impassivity. This is mainly due to the fact that despite being a character who is meticulous and flawed by her uptight nature, there were few opportunities to explore Ha-Kyung as an individual in her own right . Ha-Kyung had a lot of potential to grow or at least mature through her experiences. ( Such as her breakup or her tumultuous experiences with her ex-fiancé. )However rather than giving screen time for Ha-Kyung to be explored as a character and learning self-acceptance , Ha-Kyung was resorted to the equivalent of a plot asset; necessary for driving forwards the contrived love story at the heart of the show, but rarely being presented as a sentient heroine in between.
Admittedly these writing problems were not just applicable to Ha-Kyung. Main male lead Si-Woo was often restricted into a similar role as the “ forlorn male lead”.
Despite Si-Woo being an intelligent individual who struggles to understand empathy at times, the narrative rarely offered opportunities for Si Woo to reflect upon his breakup or actions in the past, or at least attempt to reconciliate and display an element of maturity by trying to understand his ex-girlfriend’s perspectives. ( Even if Chae Yoo-Jin’s motives were often villainous, this would’ve easily presented and allowed opportunities for viewers to comprehend Si-Woo’s struggles and journey as a character.)
Instead although some of Si-Woo’s situations could arguably be justified as being “ caught in the moment”, it seemed out of character and unjustified in a lot of situations for Si Woo to behave in this way or become actively involved in these scenarios without a greater motive. ( Aside from the case of for the “ sake of plot”.)
However this problem was not just limited to our main characters.Park and Yura’s acting was respectfully credible but the same cannot be said about their screen personas.
Indeed one of the main areas of debate with Park and Yura’s onscreen characters came through their “ villainous” roles throughout the duration of the series.
Of course it isn’t always necessarily out of the question to create despicable villains, nor is it always necessary to allow moments of moral redemption either.
However where ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’ often fell short was how the narrative truly wanted to portray these characters. At times, the series could often lean into presenting Ki-Jun and Yoo-Jin as intrinsically hollow individuals with egocentric goals and motives. ( In particular with Ki-Jun’s megalomaniacal tendencies and Yoo-Jin’s manipulative attempts to climb up the social ladder in the workplace.) However. , the series often seemed to lean into some moments of potential “ sentience ” for these characters which while having the potential to be dynamic and meticulously written, often felt conceited. ( For example Ki-Jun’s “ ambivalent” feelings as well as Yoo-Jin’s workplace drama.)
Of course this isn’t to say that as an audience we didn’t see some moments of error or weaknesses for the characters in this series, this was rarely given more reasoning. When Si-Woo or Ha-Kyung were at fault the series would often find excuses to justify this as “ morally right” without necessarily highlighting the faults or flaws at the heart of their issues. Similarly Ki-Jun and Yoo-Jin’s actions and misdeeds were often labelled as purely diabolical or a cause of disgust and shame, without always necessarily digging deeper into the causes or allowing viewers to see a full-side of the picture .
Nevertheless a shoutout must be given to supporting actor Kwon Hae-Hyo’s ( ‘ Revenge and Passion’, ‘ Radiant Office’ and ‘ Undercover’) performance as head of the bureau, Ko Bong-Chan. Arguably one of the most underrated performances in the series, Kwon perfectly embodied an oddly authentic cynical charm to his cantankerous onscreen character.
Due to the previously mentioned flaws of ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’, the knock-on effect of these problems evidently dragged down the narrative’s execution and pacing. Admittedly it is inaccurate to claim that the entire trajectory was calamitous. The series often attempted to create a balance between downplaying key events in order to build-up these obstacles for the main leads, as well as offering pacy climatic moments in order to keep viewers intrigued with forlorn hope.
However due to the extent of misunderstandings and conflicts presented with this method of execution, it could often make ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ feel as though it was tediously slow in parts and tiresomely repetitive as a consequence. This was mainly due also to the format of each episode following a similar pattern; a dilemma would become apparent to the audience (though evidently not to the characters at first), the problem would emerge and then a misunderstanding or conflict would occur before being dragged out, resolved and then repeat.
Perhaps this wouldn’t have been so bad if there had been variation or by the latter-half, viewers had seen opportunities for the characters to gradually overcome their misunderstandings from the first-half. Instead, the predominant focus upon dragging out tense conflicts and misunderstandings had a severe impact upon the seemingly main relationship between Ha-Kyung and Si-Woo; lacking screentime together in addition to ironically spending more time interacting with their exes onscreen, rarely allowing opportunities for viewers to see this relationship reach a concise or healthy resolution.
Under the directing reigns of Cha Young Hoon ( ‘ When The Camellia Blooms’, ‘ Uncontrollably Fond’ and ‘ Gaksital’), it is undeniable that despite some limited camera angles and pan shots at times, ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’ was filled with some sleek and aesthetic shots.
In particular due to the main subject area of the series being upon the field of meteorology and weather, Young Hoon captured some mesmeric moments of weather changes from the rolling tide, to descending fog, dew on the ground and rain.
However, this was also used as an effective narrative device also; pathetic fallacy. (For those unfamiliar with the term, pathetic fallacy refers to the usage of weather in order to display the mood, tone or feelings of a narrative and its characters. )
For ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ this became apparent with the brief yet effective usage of these scenes in order to highlight the emotional conflicts of the characters as well as the main leads’ relationship in different stages over the course of the narrative. (Enforced by particular episode titles helping to hint such as “Signal” , “Localized Heavy Rain”, “Tropical Night” in order to hint at the literal and metaphorical problems of each episode.)
In addition to the filming stylistics of ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’, there is also the important discussion surrounding the drama’s comprised OST of schmaltzy pop songs and love ballads. There is no beating around the bush that some of these tracks weren’t particularly memorable. However renowned singer CHEEZE’s upbeat track ‘Melting (사르르쿵)’, and earnest love ballad ‘ Promise You’ performed by Kyuhyun were arguably some of the best songs found on the soundtrack which remained noteworthy .
Overall impressions of ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ are entirely dependent on expectations. There is a certain unusual attraction to the series’ topic area of meteorology and its visual aesthetics. On the other hand, ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’ could often be caught up in a storm of its own making; inconsistent tonal shifts, character-writing and questionable pacing did little to bring out the best sides of ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’.
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1This review may contain spoilers
" To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die ".. - Thomas Campbell
What should I start with?? I hated most of the characters in this drama.. Except obviously our leads and a few of their friends.. The adults especially were just infuriating.. So much of the pain and damage in this story gets buried under the guise of pride and so called values.. It was frustrating to watch.. I managed to avoid the spoilers for so long so I went in expecting something else but definitely not this..Great leads, great performances.. And Zhang Jing Yi is just the best thing about this drama.. What a career she's been having.. She is an impressive actress and she seems to be on a path to glory.. Zhou Yi Ran was good too but obviously this was Jing Yi’s drama..
Now, about the mother character.. In a drama like this, where emotional acting is key to elevating certain moments, you would expect her to deliver a pretty solid performance.. But honestly she didn’t.. It just didn’t feel real to me.. No offense but maybe someone else would have been better suited for that role..
Love is the brightest element here..
But it's also the start of a disaster..
Just a heads up.. The following might sound harsh but that’s only because of how irritated I felt while watching.. No offense to anyone.. This is just how it came across to me..
I honestly hated the FL’s family and her relatives from the core of my heart.. The father was a spineless worm and the mother was a clueless, dumb woman.. They didn’t deserve their kids.. Just giving birth and working hard to raise them isn’t everything.. They were partly responsible for everything that happened.. Every individual in her life failed Qiao Bei Yu.. Her parents failed her too, especially her mother.. Its so hard to understand this, a girl died, their child, their family and nobody except the FL seemed to care?? It took her mother 14 eps to show some concern for her dead daughter.. To open her mouth and question the people who were also part of the reason for her death.. And it took her close to 20 eps to actually react.. Yeah she was depressed, fine.. But does that really take away the blame?? Qiao Bei Yu literally ran back to them, asking for help, begging them to protect her.. And they still sent her back to those monsters they called relatives.. And oh God, where did they even bury her?? Why couldn’t they at least fight for a better place for her??
" Their love is silent but profound " Is it worth it if they couldn't protect their daughter?? Is it worth it if they couldn't make sure their daughter lived a life without being constantly harassed by people?? And is it still worth it if they couldn't protect her even from their own relatives??
I wasn’t expecting this drama to be so story driven and deep..
I liked the ML and his family’s story.. It was scripted well.. Their issues were nothing compared to the FL’s family, so it was actually nice to get some screentime away from that mess for a while..
Something about the couple.. With all the other irritating parts this one really got to me too.. The FL was way too harsh on Ming Sheng.. The only person who was truly ever there for her, who did so much for her and she called him a burden.. I don’t understand how anyone can think that breaking someone’s heart just to push them away is the right thing to do.. What justifies that?? His mother left him, he is distant with his father, his grandfather died.. And now the person he loved told him she hated him and called him a burden.. How is he supposed to feel?? She chose her family.. Fine, good for her.. But is that how you treat someone who did so much for you??
Now the romance part.. It was obviously minimal.. Well they were teens dealing with issues that would be too much even for adults but, they were sooo good together.. The chemistry was strong.. And Zhou Yi Ran the forever green forest.. He was her Lighthouse.. ( You will get the reference if you have watched the drama.. ) I so badly wanted to see their dating era.. But we didn’t get that.. Still that’s alright.. I just hope we get to see them together in a modern drama soon.. The romantic finale was really good but it ended up feeling a bit too short all things considered.. After everything they went through, I just wanted a little more time with them together..
Overall this drama is excellent.. But I think a lot of the poor reviews and lower ratings come from people expecting something else entirely.. It was never just a romance drama.. It’s heavier, more emotional and painfully real at times.. Just go in with no expectations..
A life unremembered is a life truly lost..
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This review may contain spoilers
How Would You Rate Me Out Of 10?
The Actors:Ha Ji Won's tears: 10/10
Ju Ji Hoon's angry eyes: 9/10
Nana's beauty: 10/10
Nana's underacting: 3/10
Cha Joo Young's beauty: 20/10
Cha Joo Young's overacting: -5/10
The Plot:
ML not having a military backstory (unexpected): 6/10
Using revenge porn not once, but twice as a plot point (without legal consequences ever brought up): -99/10
Killing off through murder the three (I'm counting the movie) WLW relationships (is this some kind of subliminal): -100/10
Pretending sexual assault emotionally only affects women (because apparently men are fine being subject to it if it can advance their career): -50/10
Not ever uttering the word gay or lesbian as if that wasn't a whole dimension of the drama and pretending a full on lesbian movie featuring one of the most prominent actresses as lead in a NSFW sex scene would even see the light of day in SK: 7/10 (added points for the positive wishful thinking)
Encouraging sympathy for the ML when he: sexually assaulted his wife, created and used revenge porn for personal gain, manipulated a poor woman into doing his dirty work and knowgingly let TWO innocent men go to prison: 1/10 (male mediocrity forgiveness in kdrama is getting tiring)
The Music:
Playing the OST everytime anything dramatic ever happens (every 10 minutes): 3/10
The Re-Watch Value:
I'm not even sure there is a watch value there: 0/10
TLDR; If the endless twists and turns of human evil scheming, the unprobable lack of legal consequences for public criminal activity and the tears of pretty women are for you, then watch any thriller kdrama. No, you are not special, Climax.
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Struggles to capture the soul of snowboarding
Lately, Ski into Love (嘘，国王在冬眠) has been circulating in the snowboarding community, so I decided to give it a shot. Snowboarding is my life, and no matter how flawed the content, I will consume it because action sports are so rarely depicted in media - and when they are, it’s often with a misunderstanding that borders on mischaracterization.My approach to this drama was twofold: to assess it both as a story and from a technical and cultural perspective, offering insight into the culture and history of the sport. Initially, I came in with a lot of skepticism, worried about its authenticity. However, as the series progressed, I found myself praying it wouldn’t completely fuck up its depiction of snowboarding. Whether it succeeded or not, I’m still on the fence. While I didn’t learn anything new - and I have plenty of factual errors to nitpick - I had fun identifying the snowboard models, shooting locations, and analyzing tricks.
The Spirit of Snowboarding
Snowboarding, like its action sports counterparts, is more than just a sport; it’s a way of life. It’s a culture deeply rooted in music, fashion, and community - a group bonded by their passion for riding. Fun comes first; talent is secondary. The irony of this drama is that the entire plot feels like it was written by Wei Zhi herself - someone with little understanding of snowboarding but trying her best.
I can overlook the title mistranslation ("Ski into Love", even though the show is about snowboarding). The issue of calling them “ski slopes” and “ski resorts” when snowboarders share the terrain hasn’t been resolved in real life either. In Chinese, both skiing and snowboarding fall under 滑雪 (huáxuě), with the only differentiator being 单板 (single board, snowboarding) and 双板 (dual boards, skiing). Riding into Love might’ve been a more fitting title, but I digress.
Where the drama falls short is in its portrayal of snowboarding’s essence. It offers a mainstream, sanitized version that feels disconnected from the sport’s rebellious roots. Snowboarding emerged from counter-culture, a space for outcasts carving their own path. Every rider, no matter how successful, shares this spirit. But in Ski into Love, the characters feel too clean-cut, too polished. Shan Chong’s personal style, for example, is far removed from how freestyle snowboarders actually dress. Sure, designer clothing at his wealth level makes sense, but not in the way it’s presented here. Snowboarders have a distinct style - baggy hip-hop-inspired outfits, a chill, laid-back demeanor. The characters here feel stiff, missing that effortless cool.
Technical and Cultural Inaccuracies
A major oversight is how the series lumps all snowboarding disciplines together. Shan Chong, a Big Air/Slopestyle specialist, is challenged to a slalom race by his teammate Dai Duo. There is little to no crossover between alpine racing and freestyle; they require vastly different skills and equipment. No elite freestyle snowboarder would suddenly be competent on a racing board. It makes as much sense as a figure skater excelling at speed skating.
Another glaring issue is the depiction of the snowboarding community. This sport thrives on camaraderie - it was built by outcasts creating their own space. Even in professional competition, snowboarders form one of the most close-knit communities in all of sports. Yet by episode 5, factions have formed, going against the sport’s very ethos. While rivalries exist, true snowboarders know the real enemy is always the skiers. (Kidding - kind of.)
China’s snow sports scene is rapidly developing, but its cultural etiquette hasn’t fully caught up with global standards. If this drama wanted to be idealistic, it could have done better research into this aspect.
Duelling it out over a game of In Your Face but with completely made up rules was disappointing. The actual rules are: rock-paper-scissors for first caller. First caller calls a trick for the opponent. If opponent lands, they move on, if they fall, loser gets sprayed in the face. Calling the tricks for the opponent would have been a great opportunity to help casual viewers understand what’s happening, which they missed the mark on.
Shan Chong’s friend Beici insists that you can’t let fate decide in competitive sports. While Beici isn’t wrong, Shan Chong’s agreement to his statement feels out of place. Snowboarding has never been about pure competition - it’s about fun. But as commercialization grows, this ethos is being overshadowed. More athletes now prioritize rigorous training over joy. If the series valued snowboarding’s integrity, it should have acknowledged that while progression matters, fun and camaraderie matter more.
Although the series captures the amateur snowboarders quite accurately, elite athletes are depicted more like athletes of other sports. It’s disconcerting to see traditional, sterile bootcamp-style training gyms that strip away the essence of snowboarding. China has Woodward facilities designed for action sports, yet they’re absent from the drama. Instead of advocating for snowboarding, the series uses it as a plot device.
But one of the best parts? The absolute chaos of the national team. As they should be. These are the elite, yet they all act like overgrown kids - just like real-life snowboarders. Their coach, at least, gives sound advice: Shan Chong shouldn’t expect to return to form immediately. His frustration watching younger riders outperform him is understandable. The new generation has better facilities, training, and role models. The older generation had to figure things out through trial and error; the younger ones have the blueprint handed to them.
The drama focuses heavily on Big Air but omits Slopestyle, even though Olympic-level athletes compete in both. Worse, it downplays the technical difficulty of tricks. When Dai Duo lands a backside 1440 triple cork, his teammates claim no one else on the national team can do it. This is absurd - Su Yiming, China’s big air gold medalist pulled off a 1980 in 2022 at the age of just 17. A full 3 years before the events of this series. Every year, the bar gets raised higher, and since events took place during the 2025-2026 season, every olympic calibre athlete should be able to pull off at least 1800s. At the 2022 Olympics, seven riders landed it cleanly in the finals. At the 2025 X Games, 2160s and 2340s have started to make an appearance.
Characters
Wei Zhi is endearing but utterly hopeless at snowboarding. Even under professional guidance, she makes no progress. She gets flustered when Shan Chong teaches others, yet she has no resilience for a sport that demands patience and suffering. Her best friend Nanfeng was right - paying for lessons just to spend time with him isn't the solution to staying in this relationship long-term.
Shan Chong retired after his sister Shan Shan’s skiing accident resulted in a bilateral transtibial amputation. Coupled with his own near-death experience, he couldn’t justify putting his family through more distress. His actions were noble - saving up to fit his sister with prosthetic legs - but the drama falters in depicting her recovery. This part of the story feels rushed - it acutely oversimplifies the complexities of fitting for prosthetics - no casting, no check socket, no rehab... just straight up delivered to their door, ready to put on and get up and walk. But the prostheses themselves are real. Great CGI on Shan Shan too. They missed a big chance to potentially have her aim for the paralympics as well, I thought the story was developing in that direction when she remarked she was on the national junior team during the arcade scene, and later joining the group on their next adventure.
Wei Zhi’s parents’ judgmental attitude toward Shan Chong stems from class prejudice. They see snowboarding as
不务正业 (not a serious profession), even though he’s a nationally recognized athlete. The irony? He’s more responsible for Wei Zhi than they’ll ever be. Rich people sure have the audacity to look down on those more accomplished than them. If anything, they don’t deserve him. For this reason, it felt like forgiveness felt deeply unsatisfying.
Thematic Direction
Episode 8 captures the contrast between snowboarding’s free-spirited nature and the rigidity of high society. At first, I thought the drama was about breaking free - Wei Zhi from her conservative upbringing, Shan Chong from his guilt. This would have been perfect, given how snowboarding is all about freedom - the feeling of flying as you catch air. But in the end, the theme turned out to be about reconciliation. Reconciliation with family, with the past. A solid theme, but a missed opportunity to showcase snowboarding’s true philosophy.
Final Thoughts
Despite its flaws, Ski into Love grew on me. It may not fully understand snowboarding, but it tries. It’s a surface-level depiction of the sport, but for mainstream audiences, it’s a start. And for someone like me, starved for action sports representation, I’ll take what I can get.
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Pretentious !
Not one of the best for me . Fortunately it only has 9 episodes so it made it easier to watch .It is a bit of a cliché , young bright student leaves his town to come to Seoul to study and falls for a type of " femme fatale " girl who happens to live in the same house .
She has problems and issues , she smokes a lot . He thinks he can help and so they fall for each other . He discovers "love " or rather " sexual attraction " , She distracts him a lot and I wonder when he ever found the time to study ! There was little chemistry between the lead actors . He is sullen , she is exhausted most of the time !
His ex-girlfriend is a nice friendly girl who has feelings for him but he rejects her .
The story goes back and forth , not all the issues are resolved , and whether they are still together at the end or not does not bother me . I am glad not to have to see any of them again .
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Healthy but underwhelming
First off, I just wanted to say that I did like the progression of the romance in the middle of the drama, and overall the relationship between the leads was really healthy and fun to watch. They were both busy with work but understood, trusted, and respected each other.With that being said, I did feel the same criticism I felt for Love O2O, which is that the main characters sometimes just felt too perfect and too loved by everyone. Problems resolved themselves, and overall it just made the plot a little boring sometimes.
I also wish we saw more side characters — It felt like many of them just appeared and disappeared a few episodes later, without explanation. They didn't really have roles or personality aside from their associations with the main leads or just people working in the same industry. I wasn't that interested in their careers that much, though JJ's was a little more interesting to follow than YT.
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