I have been watching k Drama's for long time, mostly in the genre's of action and romance, but I have to tell you this is a must watch drama. honestly I don;t know why people have been saying so bad about it or why it is rated so low but i felt so excited through the drama. Out of the many drama's i watched so far whether it was Korean Japanese or Taiwanese, this was the 14th drama that got me so excited. It might be true that the plot could have been better but where do you see a good plot, compared to the other drama's the plot in this one was very good. I think the actor's were born to act in this drama, they brought out a perfect acting, weather it was in the romance or the action. The music was so well made the music was a main part of the drama, it totally brought out the image it needed to bring out to create the mood the drama it needed out of the audience. I hope people will see this drama, cause they will regret it if they didn't.
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Though 16 episode is daebak I still don't get how it ranked #1 for me it's just a typical and ordinary dramas that I've watched. ( but I still respect the guys who love this drama soooo much)
So let me give you a background.....
The story is about friendship, extreme fan culture and love. Best story of friendship that I've watched and one of the cutest love story.
Rewatch value: not the whole episodes but some of the scenes only ( 13-16, last episode is my most favorite) :)
OST: it was an ok for me
The cast are great actors and actress I like them, there is a presence of chemistry:>.
Though I'm not that hooked, it's not tottaly a bad drama I find the "story cute, nice and refreshing" but not an amazing drama.
I recommend it to those people who are into "fan girl thing" I think they would love this drama and relate themselves with the story.
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A rare instance when the word “legend” in the name of a drama is not just a word
First and foremost, I must praise the cinematography and lighting in this drama. It is the most aesthetically stunning series I’ve seen in recent years, and unquestionably the most visually beautiful Chinese drama I’ve ever encountered. The breathtaking sets, the richly detailed costumes — it all feels so tangible, as though you could reach through the screen and touch it. The use of candles and Rembrandt-style lighting not only creates a painterly visual experience but also deepens the atmosphere and emotional resonance of the story.As for the plot, what fascinated me most about The Legend of Zang Hai is its masterful blending of genres: mystery, revenge thriller, political intrigue, family saga, and even romance. It’s rare for a revenge drama to so deeply explore the psychological toll of vengeance. As a viewer, you’re taken on a visceral emotional journey with the protagonist — moments of burning hatred give way to weariness, as you begin to question whether revenge is worth the weight it demands. The emotional core of the first two-thirds of the drama is Zang Hai’s all-consuming desire for revenge; in the final act, the narrative shifts and poses a profound question: What comes after? What remains of a person once vengeance is fulfilled? What lines have been crossed? What goodness has been lost?
The writing is exceptional. The audience is never condescended to . The story trusts the viewer to piece things together, gradually revealing its secrets until, by the end, you almost see the full picture. Many elements remain open to interpretation, and the drama doesn’t shy away from societal critique. But what resonated most with me personally was a single, piercing truth: the most important thing is to survive. To survive those who harmed you — that, in itself, is a form of victory.
I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say this: given how thoroughly the villain saturated Zang Hai’s life with illusion, it seemed nearly impossible for him to prevail. The truth had been so deeply buried under layers of deception that it felt like the odds were stacked against him. And yet, the way he ultimately triumphs is not only fitting — it’s poetic justice.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the extraordinary cast. Zang Hai, portrayed by Xiao Zhan, is the emotional heart of the story, and we experience most of the narrative through his perspective. It’s been a long time since I was so utterly spellbound by a performance. Every conflicting emotion — the love, the hatred, the grief, the restraint — is rendered so vividly that certain scenes continue to replay in my mind. Every cast member gave their all, including the villains. You may not like them, but you understand them.
A special mention must go to the actor who portrayed Gao Ming, Zang Hai’s master. Their bond becomes a central source of dramatic tension in the final episodes, embodying the contrast between darkness and light in Zang Hai’s life. And while romance isn’t a dominant theme in the story, I found the unconventional relationship between Zang Hai and Antu deeply compelling. Their characters feel like two halves of a whole. She and Gao Ming symbolize all that is still worth living for in Zang Hai’s world. One of my favorite moments is when she drops her sword and embraces him — a gesture of rare emotional clarity and tenderness.
If there’s one thing I would have loved to see more of, it’s the dynamic between Zang Hai and Prince Yong Rong. Their relationship had so much intriguing potential, and I sincerely hope we get to see more of it — perhaps in Season 2? 👀
I also must mention the musical score — especially the haunting ending song and the atmospheric background tracks. I’ll be adding them to my playlist as soon as they become available on streaming platforms. And the scene with the Kunqu Opera? Honestly, one of the most epic moments I’ve ever seen on screen.
The Legend of Zang Hai is my favorite drama in a long time, and without a doubt the Chinese drama for me. I feel as though I’ve witnessed the birth of a modern classic.
To every actor, every crew member who brought this masterpiece to life — thank you.
Hoping for a second season. 🙏
I was wondering what to rate it and ultimately decided that some aspects of the drama are worth more than a 10. So 10 it is.
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BLACK FLAG
My favourite novels out of the all novels are those with a possessive male lead that will do everything for their lover , i'm a big fan of the husky and his white cat shizun and i love moran who is the main character of the novel and the drama version which is called immortality , many people have immortality in their watchlist yet the come here and complain about how possessive hua yong is ,like how they don't know how fiction works and how most chinese novels are full of tragic and black flag characters .some of the most popular danmei's have black flag mls including (svsss,case file compendum , ERHA, the film emperor ....)
so if you are not interested in those characters this series isn't for you like the most chinese novels .
10/10 for me with no doubt and it's a masterpiece .
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This review may contain spoilers
An overrated overhyped drama
This is fully waste of time, not even 30% worthy. Before starting to watch this drama I was little hesitant to start to watch this drama because of the ML, I have watched his few dramas, in most of the drama his character is same that is he is fully obsessed with the FL without self pride without bottom line and he won’t feel ashamed at all whatever may be the extent that the FL may hurt or embarrassed him but he couldn’t feel bad, ashamed or hurt at all. I think this is not love this is just a obsession.The whole drama is total a waste drama, with so many loop holes because the main plot itself is a big blunder.
1. How can a best friend forces him(to ML) to cooperate for video broadcasting or interview with his ex-girlfriend even though he knew how much he suffered and wasted his life after she dumped him in a brutal way without any reason.
2. How can a person still have lingering feelings about someone even after getting dumped four to five times brutally and even after she treated him like a trash. That’s why I mentioned it as obsession not love, because when she was leading her life like nothing happened but the ML keeps on thinking about her.
3. Till 12th or 13th episode he keeps on showing his feelings yet she keeps on pushing him away badly. Literally she didn’t slapped him(you can think of to that extent). In the overall drama I think only once or twice she apologized him for her mistake but not first to say only after he apologized her for nothing (I felt like she did apologized out of pity). Of course it is portrayed in this drama like she is soo selfish, self centered and egoistic but according to me for everything there is a limit who on earth can compromise that much without a bottom line only because he likes her.
4. I felt like she is doing some charity by accepting his feelings each time after he begs her to reconcile. I really didn’t understand on what gut feeling can someone expect a stable relationship even after dumped four times by same person.
5. When ML parents saw FL again got acquainted with ML, they tell her that he was totally devastated when he was dumped and yet they offer to come home to have meals with them. As a normal human beings or parents they will definitely suggest to FL to not to disturb his life again when he had go through and overcome such devastating life.
6. In some scenes they have tried to portray the childishness in ML but I felt like he is mentally retard or having multiple personality disorder because all the time (till the middle of the drama) it is portrayed like he is not at all interested about her but in the same time he is very curious about her and sometimes jealous also.
7. Last but not least, after watching drama what I realized is the director has no idea what to do and what has done in the previous episodes he just directed according to what comes to his mind at that moment of time. You can say it is totally unplanned and unprofessional direction.
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Incredible
its my first time I’m reviewing about a drama in drama . Thank you for this awesome drama.I’m just obsessed with this drama just luv it.One of the best C-Drama in 2023, No words to describe.The whole story is mesmerising. The chemistry between Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan is incredibly beautiful . wish they will get best couple award of this year.Perfect family especially the bonding with her brother so lovely and cute .OST are too soothing to ears especially “Forever star ". I do watch K- Dramas and C- drama a lot most of them are related to love triangle but this is entirely different seems like a normal budget drama and worth the hype with relevant characters .Happy that it got released in Netflix. Im keep on watching all the episodes again and again.Wish for season 2.Was this review helpful to you?
1So, what’s this drama about again?
When you look at the drama pedigree of a writer you get an insight into what to expect. Yoo Young Ah likes to lay on the pressure from the outside and watch her characters squirm. She went from one sparse, filmic idea in “Encounter” to an overabundance of heavy melo themes in “Thirty Nine”, so where is this one going to land?Well, “Attorney Shin” falls somewhere between “Encounter” and “Thirty Nine” which is sort of unfortunate because it fails to find a distinct voice for itself. The heavy melo is pulled right back as it progresses but returns to wallow a little at the end. It all feels too weighty for the context that carries it. Is that just me and my Western preferences? The real problem however, is that there is no obvious driving force for the plot, no real central core idea or theme. The result is that it ambles along with the pacing of at least a 16 part drama if not a 50 part one and I suspect that this is what Yoo Young Ah finds difficult to master in her transition from film to drama.
You have to wait until the end of Episode 6 for any substantial theme to really get going. But what is it? Is it revenge? Is it guilt? Well sort of maybe… Then towards the end it finally emerges from the peep show that it’s been playing with you, but far too late in the piece to compensate you for the wait. If Yoo Young Ah is aiming for the type of territory that Park Hae Young likes to inhabit (My Mister, My Liberation Notes) which is incisive, insightful, slice of life with limited plot, then it’s not quite got the daring that her sunbae so ably plays with. The characters are too close to conformity to really strike the depth and thoughtfulness required and the melo is forced.
In a drama that homes in on believability the antagonist was the least convincing character and needed way more airtime early on to make her motivations and underlying emotions more credible. Because she was the weakest character the quasi revenge plot had no real anchor-point and instead became an untethered buoy tossed about by the waves.
Sorry guys, but I do just have to get something off my chest at this point about the melo. The first episode plunges you right into it and winds on up getting more hysterically tear-fuelled in Episode 2. Then we sail merrily on to the obligatory wringing of hands and instant about-face of a truly obnoxious, self-serving asshole who suddenly sees The-Light-on-the-Road-to-Damascus and falls to their knees as a penitent sinner aspiring to sainthood. Hallelujah! It’s a miracle!! Praise the Lord!!! Such false and hypocritical sentimentality is unfortunately the bain of these dramas and it really hacks me off. Listen up guys, obnoxious, self-serving assholes don’t change overnight if they ever change at all. And yes, I too wish that they did, but really, truly, they don’t.
Okay rant over, let’s find out what I liked.
There’s a beautifully realised vein of humour running throughout that centres around the camaraderie of three middle-aged men. Both the script and the actors bring it to life delightfully and it is the beating heart of the story.
Cho Seung Woo makes a wonderful job of the sincere but bordering-on-dorky lawyer with an execrable taste in trot music that his 100% slather-over-desirable stereo system is (surely) mortified and embarrassed to play. (I think my musical taste would honour you far more sincerely and I am quite happy to pay for shipping costs if you should ever have the desire to re-home yourself.)
Second up is the character actor, Jung Moon Sung, whom I have a soft spot for. He can play anything well, from a gangster to this current incarnation as a clueless but fiercely loyal real-estate agent with a reprehensible taste in shirts.
Finally there is Kim Sun Kyun who warms your cockles by playing the bumbling, oblivious heartthrob in desperate need of a razor.
Unfortunately, Han Hye Jin fails to convince as the embarrassed radio host. She plays the part as though she’s trying to imitate how she imagines someone might act, rather than grabbing the internal reality of it. As a result she looks awkward in all the wrong ways.
It was a pretty nondescript OST. And to whoever did that bloody awful rendition of the Moonlight Sonata (obviously not Lim Yun Chan…) the accent in the first movement, if anywhere, should be on the first note of the triplet not banging away on the last one causing all sorts of rhythmic chaos.
Overall there was enough in this drama to make it watchable and immersive for the viewer. But it was like having a few tasty components in a meal that doesn’t leave you feeling satisfied afterwards.
(For those in the know) Beware! Classic Trebuchet Incident Alert…
What my rating means: 7+ A watchable drama, but nothing exceptional. Good enough to qualify for the race, but finished with the pack. The sort of thing that promises more than it delivers.
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So reading this you probably though "Oh what a cruel drama, I'll rather pass it." Hold on your thoughts, I'm not over yet! I'm gonna ask you a few questions ok? Do you like a slice of life dramas? Do you want to see a real characters where you can even find yourself in one of them and relate? Do you enjoy in a beautiful cinematography, clever and well said dialogues? Do you like inspirational, unique and original dramas? If the answers are yes, drop your previous thoughts and start watching this drama.
"Incomplete life" aka "Misaeng" left a big beautiful impression on me. This drama has something special in it, like none other has. You know when you're baking a cake and then add your own flavor which isn't written in a receipt and because of that it even tastes better? So yes, that's how this drama is for me, unique and original in it's own way and nothing can replace it. Though drama's runtime is one hour and 20 minutes, I never got bored unlike as for other dramas as I'm pretty sure I would. From the very beginning this drama has caught my eye and interest all to the very end. Since I like dramas where the reality is shown in a best way possible you can guess why I like this drama even more right? Also I loved how the friendship of four inters grow stronger and bigger by each episode and how they slowly got respected for their work from the bosses. Briefly, I can describe this drama with a few words: Beautiful, Original, Outstanding. I have only praise and one big respect for a script, directing, acting crew and I want to thank Mr. Yoo Tae Ho who brought this webtoon to a world, cause without it this drama wouldn't exist.
Acting is also a pure 10 from me. They really put a lot of effort to chose the right actors for the right roles and I can say that they didn't chose wrong. I enjoyed in every character's story, laughed, cried, felt angry, felt happy, simply I lived with them and a drama. Let's take a look at our heroes shall we?
Jang Gae Re (Im Shi Wan) is a poor man living with his mother. Once, he wanted to be a professional Baduk played, but since he has lost his chance, through connections he got into a large firm "One International" as an intern. But nothing was on his side there. He felt like a cast-off, ignored from his colleagues, gossiped, lonely and pitied. But, though he was in that situation, he didn't give up. From a help from Mr. Oh, Mr. Kang and 3 other inters he slowly started climbing to the sucess and step by step he got respected and recognised as a worker of "One International."
Oh Sang Shik, Mr. Oh (Lee Sung Min) personally speaking is my favorite character. He's a chef in a Sales Team 3, a team that is poorly recognised in a firm. He's strong, strict, funny, serious, passionate about work. He works in his own way, brings positive spirit and energy in a team. He's the first person who found a qualities in Gae Re, was there in Gae Re's hard times, a person who helped Gae Re to be something in a life. For me, Mr. Oh is a person which every men will love, a person with a strong personality and who stands for himself.
Kim Dong Shik, Mr. Kim (Kim Dae Myung) is also a member of Sales Team 3. He's a great support to Mr. Oh and he became friends with Gae Re. He's innocent, a pure man and he's always there for a help. He gives his everything for a team and keeps team in it's balance.
An Yeong Yi (Kang So Ra) is also an intern. She's 26 year old talented and outstanding woman. She's admired and envied for her competency and presence. She's calm, patient, upright and clever. She has a secret that's staining her smile.
Jang Baek Ki (Kang Ha Neul) controversial man. He's also one of the inters in "One International" and I had hard time reading through his character. Baek Ki can be warm now and cold as ice the next minute. He might defend a person vigorously and attack them the next moment. He's ambitious and wants to succeed quickly. He's judgemental and insecure, but also very intellegent person
Han Suk Yeol ( Byun Yo Han) is the 4th and last intern. How he started I thought that he would my hateful character, but who knew that after 5 episode he'd be one of my favorite characters. He's handsome, goofy, sociable, proud of his family and his work in a field. His character can really make your day, believe me!
Also, to not forget to mention Manager Kang( Oh Min Suk) whom I find very handsome and attractive. He's a boss of Baek Ki, a smart and a strict person. But, I couldn't take my eyes of him whenever he was on a screen.
As for the music I got to say that it's one of the bests this year, actually it's folloed right behind "It's okay that's love." The OSTs where you get inspired such as "Fly" , the OSTs where you simply feel in love such as "Dream", the OSTs where you feel sad such as "Tomorrow" and the list goes on. Does it give you anything if I tell you that I'm listening it every single day? Yes, that's how big is my love for the OSTs.
"Incomplete life" is a show where everyone, I mean everyone can identify with. You feel hope, faith and love while watching it and you can't help but simply fall in love with. Overall, I enjoyed in every second of this drama, it's characters and I can't forget a beautiful, inspirational and a wonderuful feelings this drama gave me. Will rewatch it in a future, cause this drama is worth that.
"A road opens as you tread along it. A road that isn't open isn't a road. Roads are open to everyone...But not everyone can have the roads. This is wrong. Another road has opened...And I am not alone."
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This review may contain spoilers
Yet another highly praised show that failed to resonate with me.
As a piece of entertainment, it is more than decent. But it is unsatisfactory in the messages it is trying to get across. It raised very important problems, such as being driven into a corner by a competitive society and being stuck in a poverty cycle, and feeling oppressed and helpless as a youth. These are extremely prevalent and sensitive issues in SK and other countries. The show offers a message that comes from good intentions, but it is over simplified and maybe even insensitive towards depression and mental illness. Throughout the show, there is no empathy offered to the main character's suffering, but rather a lingering feeling of "your pain is bearable compared to many others who have suffered so much more than you". Which is obviously distasteful and wrong in many ways. It's classic victim blaming, coming from an outsider's POV.Furthermore, it ultimately does not provide any tangible solutions to any of the main character's problems and he will realistically end up in the exact same place. In the end, he's just back to square one with the wounds of living multiple lives and with the guilt of hurting others with his decision. There is no accountability for the further damage to his mental state. I can't help but feel that if that was the route the show was going to take, it shouldn't have presented such severe societal issues through the main character's story in the first place.
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The storyline had so much potential but unfortunately they took too long to even get into it and even when they did it felt like there STILL wasn't a storyline. The fact that the drama also included the fantasy genre was another reason for watching it. The fact that the plot was scattered all over the gaff made it seem like I was watching a web drama, only one that's 45 - 51 mins long. I also still understand the whole thing with the tree and the colours of the auras. I was hooked during the first 3 episodes or so and then after I was just watching it for the cuteness and bromance.
The cast is amazing but even they couldn't save the mess that was the drama. I loved the bromance between Oh Soo and his big brother and also their grandpa who was absolutely loveable. There was no second lead sydrom for me because again the storyline kinda ruined it for me. The chemistry wasn't like bonfires but there were some really cute and funny scenes between the two leads and I couldn't help but notice that whenever Jonghyun smiled it was as if something smelt but maybe it could just be me.
The OST wasn't really "music to my ears" except for maybe just one.
I will never ever rewatch this drama for all the reasons I've mentioned above. Only reason for completing this drama was honestly only to see HOW it ends but overall I feel like the whole thing was just one big waste of time especially with the cliché that was added at the end. Honestly should've clocked on what to expect from the drama after seeing "A Dramafever Original Co-production" at the beginning after their last Dramafever Original web drama but I guess you live and you learn.
Unless you love Jonghyun to the point of just watching anything and everything that he is featured in then I HIGHLY recommend that you absolutely AVOID this drama.
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1This review may contain spoilers
The mundane pain that just makes sense.
Realistically speaking, I would not say it was as charming as season 1, yet the story itself was for sure more compelling. Yes, the delivery of the characters’ struggles had some misses, but I appreciate the realism of this season.One thing I appreciated about it was the fact, it in fact had a plot. While many people wanted more fluff and the pair being all cute, I truly dislike the empty fanservice type of sequels. This was rather raw and I loved it. Seeing these characters struggle as individuals was great. A couple is not just a pair, they are also individuals. Some issues are personal, and while they might affect the dynamics between two people, the source of them is found somewhere else.
I also believe it was a smart choice to start the plot after the break up, without actually showing all the details of when it happened. Yes, seeing the in depth portrayal of how it affected Seo Joon would be great, it would also mean less time to see Ji Woo’s side of the story - and we truly got barely anything here anyway (more on that later).
Strangely, I liked the reasoning behind the break up too. I can imagine many people were disappointed. I know many people were disappointed, I was reading the comments as the drama aired. For me though, it all made sense. That's kind of how life goes. You don't always end a relationship because you have no feelings for the other person - sometimes it's one or a few bullshit reasons that at that specific moment of your life make sense, even though it does not for anyone else.
On the characters - Kang Seo Joon was as much of a loyal puppy as he was in season 1. It’s impossible not to love him. At the same time, I found his character miserably helpless and it was so amazingly human of him. The way he could not move on after a year, how he desperately tried to find any reason and opportunity to still make the relationship work, to be close to Ji Woo. How he did not take a “no” as an answer, how he came back after each emotional kick. It was obviously not a healthy approach, but being weak when faced with someone or something you love and care about is extremely relatable.
On the other hand, I agree with many that Ji Woo was not a likable character in most of the episodes. I hated his actions, but I also understood where he was coming from and how he ended up in such an emotionally exhausting and empty state. Being scared of being happy. Running away, because it’s easier to handle. Hiding your feelings and not knowing how to express your insecurities. He tried to be strong, but at some point it just all crumbled down and he decided to run away instead of facing the issues he had. I found his selfish behavior quite realistic and relatable.
That said, I wish some hints of his inner struggles were introduced as the show progressed, instead of dropping it all closer to the end. The show focused so much on Seo Joon’s pain in the first half, it was hard to relate and root for Ji Woo. I’m not surprised some viewers even wished the couple would not end up together by the end. We’ve got the answers for his behavior too late for some people to find the strength to care for his happiness. At some point, some viewers got tired of waiting and just gave up on him.
As for the other characters, I know the show faced a lot of criticism because of the inclusion of “useless female characters”, but I couldn't agree less with that. Not keeping your characters in a social bubble, where they only interact with each other is a good thing. People have other people in their lives than just their romantic partners. For me, adding more characters, be it female or male, is a good thing. It adds depth and layers to the main ones. They interact differently with different people, we learn more about them thanks to these conversations. They say things they would not say to each other, that are important to understand their inner struggles and thoughts.
If I had to complain about any characters, I would say Ho Min’s trainee/idol aspect came a bit out of nowhere and was not necessary - adding nothing to the plot. Seemed more like an afterthought than a planned plot point.
Now, to talk about one of my favorite aspects of the show - the shots. The scenery was just so beautiful and well placed as the transition scenes, it made the flow of the scene so much better than just faded to black. Production wise, it’s an obvious improvement compared to season 1, which itself was already really good for a smaller production like that.
The OST, ladies and gentlemen - what calming bops we've got. How perfectly they fitted the whole mood of the show. Not to mention, having the lead actors sing one of the songs was a perfect choice to make the delivery of the message and emotions even more hard hitting.
Acting wise - it was good. By now I’m a big fan of Son Woo Hyun. Can’t wait to see where his career will lead him. Kim Kang Min has improved a lot since the previous season. His delivery was more expressive and natural. Yes, we still got “crying with no tears, trying to squeeze a few drops like a lemon” scene, but overall, the performance was quite stable and good.
Overall, while I do prefer season 1 as a whole, I like the story of season 2 more. If I’ve got a bit more steady pacing for the characters and a few more hints about their motivations earlier on, I could possibly like it more than the previous installment.
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The story is a typical shoujo plot and the film follows the manga closely. That may or may not be boring if you have already read the manga. I have but I still ended up enjoying it. It is not a masterpiece nor something that I would rewatch from the beginning to end because there is no depth - I mean, a cute girls falls for a guy, he is already in a relationship that seems more like a friendship and it has become a routine, he falls for her too, there are also some supportive characters and that's it.
The cast is perfect. They are like the manga characters come to life. The acting consists of typical Japanese cute expressions and outbursts which you should have got used to if you have watched enough Japanese films. It's just their thing.
Music is also perfect consisting usually of instrumental piano tracks which fit the romantic school setting perfectly . I cannot stand the cliched sugar pop songs that seem like they are coming from a game machine or sth. I would also like to praise the production because it seems they did put more effort into editing.
The overall impression is - I liked it. I knew what to expect and that is what I got. Would I recommend it? Only to shoujo fans and those who like a light and fluffy story.
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DO NOT WATCH this useless drama
If you’re considering watching Heesu in Class 2, do yourself a favor and SKIP it. This drama is a perfect example of WASTED potential. The dialogue is painfully awkward and unnatural, making even simple conversations feel forced and cringeworthy. The script writing is equally WEAK, filled with clichés and characters who seem to exist only to fill space, without any meaningful development.The storyline is POORLY constructed — it lacks direction, coherence, and emotional depth. Too many UNNECESSARY scenes drag down the pacing, adding nothing to the plot or character arcs. It often feels like the show is trying too hard to be dramatic or quirky without earning those moments.
Overall, watching this drama felt like a WASTE OF TIME. It could have been an interesting coming-of-age or youth romance series, but it fell flat in almost every aspect. There are far better dramas out there that respect viewers’ time and intelligence.
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Things I loved in this drama:
- Lee Junho as Yi San/The King: The first time I took note of Lee Junho was in Good Manager where I loved how intense his character could be, yet hidden behind that mask was a kooky weirdo that just needed to find his people. In Red Sleeve, he did a solid job of portraying an emotionally layered Crown Prince who was raised by an emotionally abusive grandfather (who was responsible for his fathers death if you know the real life story). The amount of trauma that alone would instill in any kid gives you a deeper appreciation for the King he grew to became and an understanding of *why* he was so adamant in following the law and made certain choices. He is by no means a flawless character but I think he did such a great job playing out the various aspects of San's emotions and struggles.
I also think he carried the love story mostly on his back and it was through him that we really saw the depth of emotions in the OTP. We saw his pain, doubt that the FL returned his feelings, his joy when he thought she did and his sadness when she was repeatedly aloof with him. I like that he was a flawed character -- there were times when he was really possessive and that lead me to understand why, in the beginning the FL might have been wary of showing her hand when it came to her feelings for him. I also loved that while he was so very in love, he never lost sight of his larger goal as a King and what he wished for his people. All in all, a character that I walked away liking.
THINGS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
*Writing/Plot and Pacing: I initially thought this was a love story, but after watching the show I felt it was more about following Yi San through his journey from Crown Prince to King, which also included his love for the FL. The writers spent a great deal of time during the middle/late end of the show drawing out the time period where the FL avoided committing to the King which I guess could have worked if they had written her to be a more nuanced character and had given us insight into her inner turmoil, but they pretty much had her repeating the same conversations to her friends or herself with no further insight. It's almost as if when creating her character avatar the writers highlighted "girl King loves who got away and he pines for" as one of her characteristic and forgot to flesh out what about Deok Im justified this almost decade long avoidance of committing to the King. We are given the whole "I want to make a choice in my life" front, but her personality and motivations are never as fully fleshed out the way it is for San and how he became the man he grew to be. So it ultimately felt like she was a female character written in with the express purpose of being the woman that hooked san for the amount of time she did.
I also think the pacing of the show from the midway point to the last episode was confusing and pointless. They again, maximized the period of time they were not together for a longer period than they needed to and then squashed in everything that could have happened into literally 1.5 episodes. Like, they literally timed jumped the shit out of everything that happened when she finally became his concubine and fast forwarded through everything we, as an audience who literally waited to see happen, only to end again with more solo time with San and how he processed everything emotionally. Which is why I would rate this higher if it was written specifically as a biopic that focused on San -- because then it did a pretty good job.
THINGS I'M CONFLICTED ABOUT:
*Sung Deok Im (the character and also maybe the actress? perhaps there could have an actress that could have saved Deok Im's character, I don't know) - Conflicted because in the beginning there was a fair bit of things that I loved about Deok Im's character. It's very rare that we get a FL that thinks quickly, talks back and actually does some saving of her own so I was very much here for it. However as the show progresses, you begin to realize that she herself is a very flawed character (fair, no one is looking for perfection), with a fair bit of ego and self centeredness. Some people like characters like this, so if you do, perhaps she could be your cup of tea.
She's more than comfortable subtly leveraging San's feelings for her to get what she wants, or doing something that would literally get anyone else killed but because of San's feelings for her (that she knew about) she knew she'd be safe. However, you point this out to her -- as Hong Deok Ro did when they were both outside the palace -- and she did the thing that made me start to seriously dislike her. Turned her nose up in the air and proceeded to stick her head in the clouds of self denial. And that's when you get confirmation that yes, this is a flawed character, but it's one that refuses to see her own flaws. In cases like these, I never know if the character was written this way intentionally or if the writer themselves believe what they have the characters saying. I guess we'll never know.
*the OTP: conflicted because I really loved San's half of the OTP but Deok Im was just like. Not it for me. the first half or so maybe, I could have worked with that, but as the show progressed and you got to see it's like. Man. I just feel bad for the guy. I don't think San was every fully sure if she loved him and to be honest, watching the show, you can't blame him. Given everything he went through in his life, it was kind of sad that the one person who could have offered him some sort of safety and security when it came to human connection ... kind of didn't. I mean he kept her around anyways, but it got to a point where he would cut himself off from asking her how she really felt because I think he really didn't want to hear the answer.
All in all, the OTP was lopsided and poorly written on one side. It was given the rating it has mostly because I think Lee Junho delivered on his role and carried the OTP. I'd really like to see him act in another sageuk with a better script and FL. ::crosses fingers::
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Terrible
This series was definitely not what i expected. The only decent part of this series was the ML costumes and his character.The thing that annoyed the most of this series was the FL she was so annoying and highly irritating! I'm all for strong women and independent women, but she was a more nosy character and one that just did whatever she felt like, yes there was parts where she stood for doing the right thing, but as always she would go overboard.
The other thing that was really annoying was that she never seemed to trust her husband and yet he bent over backwards for her. Whenever he asked her to stay in a place she defined him. The scene where she tried to climb a wall during her pregnancy was also another part that was just so wrong, im sure any pregnant woman would never to try and climb a wall or tree in the first trimester of your pregnancy.
Sadly this series was disappointing for me.
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