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WORST ENDING EVER
After watching the 1st episode i thought they might abolish whole spheres and go military basement or something i thought may be some of them may die and i might cry after seeing those moments. actually don't feel a thing even after watching the whole class die .After knowing that CSAT got cancelled the 1st person who got into my mind is yeong soo and after he gone crazy i thought I feel really ba- ,then this assault happened . I thought he may die because of this and their friends may remember him in good way and feel bad for him. but he f**king killed the whole class. I feel bad for those two who left alone .but they should have shown more fighting scenes and more adventurous things than emotional scenes because 90% of part 2 is all about emotions even though this is action drama.lol.I think if the radio didn't break they might've known that CSAT didn't cancelled because those science students already left there group so they didn't know what happened later . 😮💨 I shouldn't have given 10/10 for part 1.
And that ending credit scene 😮💨😮💨 why that song 😮💨 after that shit .
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1Watch it for ML (Chen Zhe Yuan). Light-hearted, goofy, a bit of beauty and the beast vibes.
The plot is Chen Zhe Yuan. Not really but he is phenomenal in this role and the drama is worth the watch for him. If you want to see the most loving, patient, protective, kind, loyal and unconditional loving ML, this drama is for you.PLOT:
Most of the plot is how the ML tries to win over the FL so he can receive her true love kiss and get his pearl back meanwhile the FL keeps making elaborate schemes and crazy plans to escape from him. The backstory is that ML is the King of a hidden place called the Beast City. Every character in that clan has animal characteristics. ML is searching for the Holy Pearl which will help him regain his powers and continue to protect his clan. While escaping his enemies with the newly obtained Holy Pearl he opens a portal to the FL’s world. He accidentally clashes into FL and she absorbs his Holy Pearl. 5 years later, he finds the FL and kidnaps her. And this is where the first episode really starts.
MAIN CHARACTERS:
- ML is playing two roles. A day (handsome version) of Li Xiong that pretends to be a palace guard and protects the FL and a night (beast version) of Kui Mulang that is the King and FL’s kidnapper. His day version is his real look but his night version is his real identity. His character is loyal, endearing and protective. He is a wolf and only loves one person in his life. For the majority of the episodes the FL believes there are two different people. She first falls for his day version and towards the end of the drama for his night version.
- FL is a Princess from a mortal kingdom. Smart and well-spoken, her background also makes her a quirky character. The prequel tells us that her mother was a man that was transported from the modern times to historical. His soul (as a man) went into her mother’s female body, fell in love with a man and had the FL. So FL has a modern outlook on life, speaks english and uses modern terminology. She definitely brings in the comedy aspect in the drama.
POSITIVE:
- Chen Zhe Yuan - honestly, he is the highlight of the drama, his character is so endearing and loving. I’m repeating myself but he is worth the watch.
- Acting is 10/10 for everyone and especially ML as he fantastically plays two different characters and I’m guilty for falling in love with his beast look more.
- Goofy and very light-hearted drama, it doesn't take itself too seriously and I like that. The humour is done well.
- A bit of beauty and the beast retelling vibes which I love.
- Romance is slow burn, playful and cute.
- 4 side couples (which is the most I’ve ever seen in a cdrama) but they are all really cute and don’t take too much screen time.
- The drama has a happy ending for the main leads and a nice conclusion to the story (almost the whole final episode is the epilogue of them being together).
NEGATIVE:
- FL’s plans to escape are hilarious and the highlight of the drama however there is not much plot beyond that. Her trying to escape takes more than half of the drama which makes it a little draggy.
- The reveal of ML being the same person happens towards the end of the drama so I feel the leads don’t get enough opportunities to spend time together as their true selves. I loved his beast look more and I wished FL had more romantic moments with him.
- Villains are very weak and they add nothing to the story. However their screen time is also very short so they don’t really annoy you.
OVERALL:
Watch it if you want to see more of Chen Zhe Yuan as he is a heart candy and if you need a drama to lift up your spirits after a long and stressful day as it will definitely make you laugh and keep you entertained.
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1STOP AI!!!
people have to wake up!!! I don’t care if i’m seen as dramatic but please don’t normalise AI.it’s not just a few minutes scene, it literally replaced actors. humans. and if you let this slide, companies will keep going, AI will be more powerful and we won’t even recognise/spot the difference between the real things or AI things and many people will lose their own jobs. we only will have AI everywhere, it’s already replacing artists, music, creativity, motivation, people’s work..
(i did see 4 eps not 9 i keep changing it to 4 but it won’t submit it at all…)
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Let's stop the bullshit
Initial reception ep 1-8I binged 8 episodes this show in one day. 10 hours chewing a piece of gum with a bottle of water
at my side as i digested the show, I sometimes would watch some scenes more than once just to be clarified on some things to make sure i wasnt seeing things wrong.
I was genuinely intrigued with the premise. A villian that lives as a villian, breathes as a villian, she plots, she schemes, she's wicked and selfish. No remorse. The acting was okay
Her actions as a result of years of betrayal and abuse , That first scene of her in the rain over her mother was cinematic. The visuals were striking and it'd built a good foundation for te story
And as she cut down her adviseries in high school and later in adulthood. I realized she was shaping up to be formidable. But unfortunately the more i watched the more i noticed a key issue.
*cue the violins* -the sympathetic edit
I noticed the way the show was going by episodes 4-5, made it seem like we were supposed to feel sorry for her. Oh poor girl. Gone through so much. Had no choice because life made her this way. PEOPLE made her this way. So we must understand that she's playing the hand she was dealt with...and is doing exactly what she needs to. To survive. Cut the cameras . Lets be deadass fr
THIS IS WHERE I DISAGREE
she is the architect of her own doom. Every action she has taken has what led her to this point. Every time she retailiates the consequences of her actions come back and bites her in the ass. Everytime. Her actions seemingly justified to her are the same actions that have led her to this precipice and she must pay. You can't control the actions of people but you can regulate your reactions. Any fallout from your reactions are your burdens to bear. Your fault.
And this is where the weaknesses of the story show forth. How does a person that feels they're perpetually a victim seek salvation or contentment? If there is a refusal to hold her accoutable for her actions. How is it rationable to blame others for her actions but not blame her for the consequences of her actions on others?
I remembered watching the glory. Lim ji yeon's character was nasty work. Evil to the core. That chain smoking bitch...I crowed when she got hers. But during the show we watched the dynamics with her mother and how her upbringing played a part in her behaviour. Did you people care? Hell naw . BURN THE WITCH. she did evil things because she was evil and must be punished.
Did ah jin physically bully her classmates ? No but was she the architect of doom for 3 characters? yes. So what makes her more sympathetic?....Because she's the protagonist of this show and yall have been hypnotised. WAKE THE FUVK UP.
I will only feel rest once she gets what's coming to her and that is why i will tune in everyweek to pray for her downfall.
Update: Spoilers ahead
i enjoyed her downfall but let's be serious the writers and producers were never really going to punish her. She doesn't feel guilt so her slinking off to the countryside Like an evil spirit permeating the air and crying in the night is as good as we gon get it.
Final reception ep 9-12
The only thing I felt watching this was...men are dumb . But I did have time to ruminate on the story at the end
I've been watching kdramas since 2011. And I'm genuinely amused at the reception to the ending . Any person paying attention had to have known already that this was the way it was always supposed to end. She's never going to be punished
Not really
Jun seo was ready to throw his life away when she was arrested for her father's murder. He's always put her wellbeing over his life. Time and time again . So why we shocked that he felt the only way to sto p her was with his life. But here's the core issue. He's aware she's a sociopath. He's aware she had no human sympathy or kindness so him holding on to her with his last breath is his problem. Frankly I would have done the same...tf after trying to kill her. Did she give you consent that she wanted to visit hellfire with you? Are you mad?
I genuinely enjoyed her husband playing mind games with her. I have no complaints. But I knew the writers were going to
...gasp save her in expense of someone's life. Which continues her cycle of doing bad things. Dodging her consequences and somebody dead or ruined to push her out from issues. Accountability is the real bitch
Lemme rant a bit idgaf
When in gang died and the longstar ceo was after her. She could have left. She hadn't wanted to be an actress in the first place. She signed a contract with moon joo hyuk willingly but still jae oh had to die so she could leave the contract she happily signed. After she ghosted him to marry that hot chaebol. Look at her strutting round his house. Doing All that only for his death to mean nothing in the end.
So in conclusion...men are dumb. They will be willing to do anything for you once you gaslight and manipulate them into falling in love with you and making sure they never have you. Know this and gaslight a dumbass man to achieve your dreams today
Goodnight.
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But I learned my lesson: "Entering a cartoon is no child play!" It's not a messy writer's mission either.
Here's the problem: W aspired to be a lot of things: a mind-blowing, thought-provoking fantasy, a boundary-breaking love story, a thriller and a creeper, and perhaps a journey of finding oneself...
Unfortunately, it failed on most fronts, but I'm not surprised. First and foremost, we have to accredit the writer for tackling such fresh premise and attempting to explore the themes of creator/creation and free-will/predestination in such a creative way. However, unlike her previous works the writer failed to create clear and sound rules governing the travel between these two worlds. You might scream: "But, it's a FANTASY!" Then, I'll scream back: "Even fantasy has to have solid rules; otherwise, it's magical realism or Deus ex Machina conveniently controlling events."
It's hard to highlight this part without giving up the story. One might claim that the rules of entering/leaving the world were clear from the beginning. It's not true, though! We were never told why and how Yoon Joo was going in when the tablet wasn't involved. Then, there's the fact that the rules changed over and over again! They worked only when it was appropriate for the narrative. Many times, major dangers could've been avoided by simply using the rules. In all honesty, I have attempted to rationalize the show's plot more than once; I always ended up with a severe headache. It's either the plot is a collection of holes bridged by Deus ex Machina or I'm too stupid to get it.
But I could've still enjoyed the show, lapses of logic and all, had the writer tried to make her characters realistic. Isn't it ironic that the writer who criticized other drama writers for resorting to cliches to move their stories, didn't bother to give her own characters identities of their own?!
Take Yoon Joo for example. What is she other than the love interest? What do we know about her other than she'll do anything to be with Chul? For the love of God, the girl had cotton candy for brains and I was supposed to believe that she's a surgical intern. Yoon Joo was willing to desert her ENTIRE universe so she can play romance of the day with her fictional crush. How am I supposed to respect her? I'm a fangirl, mind you! But I still can tell the difference between fangirling and falling in love. The writer and Yoon Joo obviously couldn't. If I were to believe that Yoon Joo fell for Chul because he's her forever crush, why did he fall for her (over and over again)? There was a painful lack of buildup for that romance. The show ended and I was still wondering: Why were those two a couple? Why the hell I'm supposed to root for them?
They might've been cute together. But that was all they ever were!
Then, there was Chul. His life, his whole existence was a tragedy but he was a protagonist who had free-will in a predestined world. In his journey of finding himself, Kang Chul was supposed to prove his humanity. Curiously enough, I found his reactions to the world and to everything to be human in the first half of the story. However, the more he approaches the real world, the more he becomes robotic. Ultimately, he became so bland it was dull to watch him, much less to care for him. (again it's hard to explain without spoiling).
The most interesting and the only well-acted character was Oh Song Moon. I want to take a moment to applaud the acting. The levels of darkness and petty he fell into were very well acted. Unfortunately, the depth of this character was never fathomed. He was shoved away in favor of the stupid never-was-romance. His relationship with his daughter, his fears, his failures, his love were all thrown down the drain. He became a walking plot-device himself.
The acting in the show was uneven. Kim Eui Seong did wonders with his characters where Han Hyo Joo moves around with 3 annoying facial expressions (maybe four if you count her sleeping face :P). W certainly uncovered Lee Jong Suk's acting limitations. He fairs well in cute and playboy, but other than some particular scenes, his acting grew cumbersome to watch, even cringe-worthy at the end. Those crying scenes anyone?!
A shout out to Crazy Dog and Soo Bong: those two were my rays of the sunshine in the dark! Crazy Dog spoke my mind and Soo Bong was the only one who played bewilderment and every other shocked emotion well.
In short, visually captivating, definitely mind-boggling and occasionally a bit creepy, W might have started with a promise but ended with a letdown. Watch it if you're a fan of the actors or of twisty-twisted plots that leave you with more questions than answers, but don't expect any character to come off as human.
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Initially I was on the fence about starting this; there was a lot of hype around it and I've never (successfully) watched a Chinese Drama before. But what drew me in was the promise of a beautifully great cast, an exciting story, and some wonderfully superb acting. So you'll know without even reading ahead that The Untamed very well lived up to it's expectations, but why did it?
Let's rewind a little and summarize what it is that makes The Untamed such a rare gem among a multiplicity of other dramas in the same vein. The Untamed is the live action retelling of the Chinese novel The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (Mo Dao Zu Shi), a popular sensation that's only gaining more reader fans as we speak. Though a BL in nature, it's also so much more than that, and though censorship also plays a part where the live action is concerned, the producers of the drama made sure that none of the magic that made the novel so special was lost.
At its helm are two marvellous lead actors, both who manage to bring the characters alive in a way that made them their own. Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo display perfect synergy, in an undeniable chemistry that goes beyond the characters on-screen. It's obvious the series had a lot of thought put into when it came to the casting, as it goes without saying there's nobody else who would be such a perfect fit for these roles.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't struggle to summarize the plot of this epic series, especially without giving away too much context. It's simple on the surface but at the same time possesses a great scale of hidden layers that will continue to surprise and shock you as you progress throughout the series.
The Untamed follows two male characters from two different clans, both with very contrasting personalities; Wei Wuxian, outspoken and playful, and Lan Wang Ji, serious and virtuous. Though different in nature, through Wei Wuxian's persistence, the two slowly start to develop a friendship, one that transcends boundaries. When a new evil arises and threatens the peace of their world, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wang Ji both find themselves at the center of what essentially becomes an all-out war between clans.
Though this may be a theme that remains a central point, the series also manages to explore the consequences of heartache, love and loss, as well as the grey areas of villainy and an exploration in what is considered moral and the catalysts that cause us to sin. It's a compelling story that will grip you from beginning to end and doubtlessly inspire endless discussion and debate for months to come.
I cannot stress how much the plot summary doesn't really do it justice, as The Untamed is certainly an experience you have to be a part of to really get swept away. Because spoilers would make it a hell of a lot less fun to watch, all I can say is that you absolutely won't be disappointed.
I definitely recommend this for people who love cdramas, wuxia, supernatural fantasies, handsome men and beautiful women, epically choreographed battles and fans of Wang Yibo haha.
I also cannot end this without mentioning that the soundtrack is beautifully glorious and is just one of the many reasons I felt emotionally drained by the end of every episode.
Honestly, do yourself a favor and watch 2019's (and possibly of all time's) best drama.
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Today I read a comment on Facebook that said "Life is too short to say you don't like Taylor Swift" and although I don't particularly care for Taylor Swift, that post directly inspired me to write this review. Because life is too short to say you don't like The Heirs (especially when you love it).
When this drama was announced, to say that we were merely excited would be the understatement of the year. We were anxious, ecstatic, overjoyed. The perfect cast. The perfect writer. The perfect synopsis. Everybody would constantly post things on the page, coming up with various scenarios and plot developments (there was one where Woo Bin ends up with Lee Min Ho, my favorite, haha). It even became the highest rated show on MDL BEFORE EVEN AIRING. With each passing day expectations grew bigger and bigger. And then when it finally aired, they crashed. For most people anyways.
I was getting tired waiting for this "epitome of perfection" show and along the way my expectations dropped and I didn't care much for it anymore because of all the hype. But of course I picked it up (Lee Min Ho and the writer of Secret Garden. The most perfect combination). And I LOVED IT.
The story was a bit cliche but the way it is presented is wonderful. On the surface, it's a story of a rich boy falling for a poor girl. To make things more cliche, the girl is the maid's daughter. And then the maid is mute. Throw in high school bullies, ex-best-friend after the girl (also rich), a best friend of the girl who protects her (but is 'poor', so he is not a suitor). CLICHES CLICHES CLICHES. But the way the story is presented is a breath of fresh air. The kind of humor that is used is just awesome. There are so many instances I want to add here but they would spoil. The humor used here is something you have seen in Secret Garden and A Gentleman's Dignity. The writer has written a formulated story but she is true to her style and that made this drama extremely special. It's like she is saying "Let me twist these cliches around and present them with a new point of view". And it worked (for me anyways).
Coming to characters. This is the difficult part. I must confess I have a huge crush on Lee Min Ho (and admit it, you've had it too at some point of your drama-watching career). Kim Tan is someone you would either love or hate. There is seriously no in-between. You would expect him to be someone like Gu Jun Pyo but Kim Tan is a mature version of Jun Pyo. Somebody who has bullied others in the past but now wants to live a more meaningful life. But the similarity is the kind of devotion to his girlfriend that he brings to life again, that would definitely remind you of BOF. Aside from his atrocious wardrobe I loved his character. Park Shin Hye's finest role would always be Pinocchio. But here, she is not half-bad. I mean, sure, she has been given a typical role of a damsel in distress, working hard, being chased by rich guys. But she is good in her role. It is much better than Flower Boy Next Door. Choi Young Do stole the thunder. I loved Woo Bin in School 2013 but I fell in love with him here. I have lost count of the number of times I wanted him to get the girl or have the happiest ending of them all. He was the rough diamond of the show. The biggest surprise. Had all of us gushing and swooning.
The rest of the characters were also awesome. The adults. The relationship between Kim Tan and Eun Sang's moms was endearing and a high note of this show. But I seriously feel the Kim Tan's "on-paper" mom was wasted here. She was unforgettable in Secret Garden. Lee Bo Na was another amazing character (no wonder Krystal landed a main role right after this drama, she was seriously too good here). I loved Secretary Yoon and his son. I had a hard time seeing Min Hyuk as the smartest guy after watching him in heartstrings but he did a great job. Kim Tan's brother was great, I loved their relationship journey. Kim Ji Won held her own. Kang Ha Neul and Im Ju Eun seemed a little wasted on this show. But overall everyone was great.
The music was something that stayed with me for a long time after the show ended. Usually I download a couple of songs from a drama I love but here I downloaded all of them because I was obsessed with the OST. My personal favorite was "Crying Again" by Moon Myung Jin. And of course it was fun to guess whether "Love is the moment" is going to start playing or "love is feeling" in the background. lol.
I have rewatched this show twice already so the rewatch value is a solid ten for me.
In conclusion, I would like to say that this drama tries to give a lighter and realistic feel to the cliches and shows us non-cliche consequences of the cliches. Like the way Eun Sang's mom uses her notebook is hilarious. A typical drama would portray her as a pitiful character but she is funny and strong in her own way and holds her own despite her poverty. This drama is really great if you let go of your expectations. I honestly feel it deserves a higher average rating than it has, but then again it's just my opinion and everyone is entitled to their own. I can only express how this show made me feel and the feeling is really great.
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No female programmers, just coz one messed up hard in the past... now just think of scenario vise-versa if it was a male programmer, then what? no male programmer rule, I don't think so. And I know this mentality sucks.. as the drama.
One might think...'Cute Programmer' is cute, sweet fluff, but other than having a cute programmer there's nothing cute or even much programming. It's rather more frustrating and torture.
The first thing that got me to take interest in drama was cross-dressing and as a fellow fan of the gender bender trope, but it is merely there like 1/5th part of the drama, and it's not the only reason for my disappointment... it is poorly done as if they didn't even put any efforts... this girl with eye-liner (clearly visible) full makeup disguises as a boy... wow I mean just wear short hair wig and baggy clothes there you go, you're a boy! Which company out there recruites employees without any documentation only on the resume? what a lousy management team from an IT company.
Okay she disguises herself as a boy (even when I'M GIRL is written all over her face), and then she takes the advice on how to behave like a boy... from a friend who is the girl (if you have watched plenty of dramas then you, of course, know what kind of 'advice' leads get from their friends lol xD here the problem was supposedly 21-22-year-old girl don't know how boy behave. I mean she doesn't have any encounter with any boy in her life lol... now on this subject, throughout the whole drama it is almost bombarded female programmer is once in blue moon thing, so I assume she must have the majority of male classmates during her college days... and in those 4 years, of course, she doesn't do anything other than studying right? that's why she doesn't know how boys behave.. #dramalogic
The story is pure trash, and definitely not made for 2021... too old, tropey, and torturous, sometimes even challenges morals. The thing is being sooo stupid and illogical, things just don't make sense wasn't the only problem... I've good endurance illogical or bizarre plots but when characters are messed up then... it's a big NO.
Lu Li other than being smart (only book smart lol) and talented in programming she is no different from our female leads in cdramas super naive, gullible, innocent... sometimes even worse. She doesn't even have self-esteem or confidence. The fact that makes me annoyed by her was for-no-good-reason she's head over heels for our male lead (who isn't even likable let lovable aside) not to forget... she loves him for a long time, now taking consideration of out MLS persona, one might thing... he must be saved her life or did something magnificent that made Lu Li blind in love, pff, no there isn't any blockbuster backstory lol, and her love or obsession towards him doesn't make any sense.. honestly shallow as he has no other qualities than being smart and handsome... I want to scream girl get a life! every time I see her lol
Yi Cheng.. ah what can I say, unbearable? his attitude sucks, even after brain wrecking I couldn't find a single thing that I like about him. He is just so childish, stubborn, rude-arrogant for no reason dude... He gets on my nerves every time he appears on the screen. He is so narrow-minded...if you're sensitive then you might get super irritated by his homophobic behavior in prior episodes.
Well, their actions make me want to punch on their face, as both characters are stupider than high school kids. I know there's nothing wrong in having a high IQ with very low EQ or not being street smart even if you are book smart... but at least give them some maturity lol, their mental age and decision-making ability aren't even par to their supposedly high IQ brain.
Where leads were more than enough to annoy me to death... voila! don't forget our bitchy sfl whose life purpose is just to destroy leads relationship, as if she doesn't have any other purpose for her life, not to forget zero consciences. Of course, her action makes you wanna strangle her. Not to forget she gets plenty amount of screen time to make our blood boil.
Even leads are poorly written what can we expect from supporting roles lol, Yi Ming is like stereotype sml flooded with all good qualities.. apart from all the mess I do appreciate the fact they didn't create a love triangle thing with Yi Ming and let him just be a good friend for Lu Li, though I wish him to run away from Zitong every time coz she is just so noisy, annoying and clingy, their story didn't make me interested coz Zitong almost forced herself onto him.
The story sucks, characters suck more... ah now just little expectations from acting. Zhao Lin is a master in such roles coz he's just the same as his past roles before... maybe a little more annoying. So I wouldn't say I've encountered his extraordinary acting skills. Oh gosh it was hard for me to endure Bambi Zhu's acting apart from her silly, poorly written character, she just can't act... even in emotional scenes I can't feel sadness or any kinda feelings from her, I also don't like when she uses weird smile during sad scenes I'm sad inside but wanna show I'm happy scenes, it gives me chills. Acting is on par level... can't save this sinking ship.
In this whole mess who bothers to concentrate on music with being busy in ff lol I didn't even notice any other song other than the intro. The production quality is okayish but the last episode's green screen was meh.
But surprisingly I stuck to it till the end... yeah just for sake of ranting about it, but this ridicules sometimes a bit vibes of makjang, can be entertaining in the purpose of bashing or making fun of it... coz it was a pleasure to write this whole rant xD
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This review may contain spoilers
First of all, I really enjoyed the plot. It's not an ordinary one. In fact, I love how it treats about high technology and the way it effects society. Something that surprised me actually is that this kdrama portrayed homosexuality! South Korea is a pretty conservative country and the fact that the director had insisted on portraying it makes me realize their society is becoming more accepting :) The feeling of anxiety, always being on the lookout, embarrassment, acceptance, denial, excitement were well portrayed by the main leads. I support Kim So hyun haha, she's a very good actress. I've known her since School 2015 and I know her capability. Our rookies here Jung Ga Ram and Song Kang did an excellent job and I'm sure they'll be very successful in their acting career in the future.
Okay now the things i disliked about the character: Sun Oh.
He's very possessive, clingy, creepy and hard to like. I couldn't really stand his character. The moment he went after Jojo, I lost it. Is something wrong with him? He clearly knows that Hyeyeong, his loyal and kind childhood friend liked her and he STILL WENT AFTER HER. It was almost as if he didn't want Hyeyeong to get the girl and started to used his'' charms'' that any girl can fall for to Jojo for which she in fact did fall for. It's so disgusting to the part where Song kang says something like'' Oh you were never by my side all along''. Like *****, first of all, he did let you have the girl and didnt complain about it. Grow up.
Anyways yeah that was my rant about how unbelievably disgusting his character is.
Overally, good show that is binge worthy. We'll see what happens!
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So disappointing.
This series started off reasonably well. It was clear from the start it was't going to be a masterpiece, but it was entertaining. But it quickly bogged down into a really negative and unpleasant mess.Ahtip and Poon have the usual enemies-to-lovers banter and conflict at first, but then they descend into moderately psycho jealousy, misunderstanding, and lashing out to hurt each other constantly. It's not fun, and there's no chemistry between them to compensate - and even if there were there's no opportunity to see it because they're always in a fight, and not the "you didn't put the toilet seat down" type of fight - it's the "you are a controlling psycho" and "you constantly quit your job and break up with me" type of fighting.
There are no less than four villains. 1. The woman who is after Ahtip, who has more screen time than either lead, and she's awful - it's so unpleasant. 2. The handsome chef from a rival restaurant. 3. Teng's weird boyfriend and 4. The OTT evil landlady. Do we need all this? Especially with two surly and unpleasant leads, and two surly and unpleasant secondary couple characters, there is just nothing bright and fun about this series. With the secondary couple, one is in an unhappy LTR but delibrately leads someone on, and that someone is pursuing someone he knows is taken and all three make themselves (and the audience) miserable. TBH, I've never gotten the appeal of BankBonus, and I'd be surprised if you do after this.
Ahtip's friend Tewit is charming, but it's hard to think much of him as he's obsessed with Amy, who is a horrible, selfish snob.
On top of that, the writer appears not to have any experience with day-to-day life, as really basic details are wrong and take you out of the story. A hotel restaurant has nobody but a head chef to clean the kitchen and nobody is ordering ingredients. Except the head chef. Landlords can cancel leases with no notice and kick out tenants, and Ahtip is such a terrible, terrible boss that there's no chance he could have achieved any success. Etc.
Even the cutesy ending fell flat - all these people were practically trying murder each other the whole series, and now they're all best friends. Amy's redemption arc was to stomp all over everyone and then with no effort or reason ends up with the richest and best-looking guy in sight. Even after he had a drunken gay orgy with half the cast, which is weird since Poon won't let Ahtip even kiss him (until he gives him a hugely expensive gift. Nice messaging there).
It feels like punishment to watch this - it's entirely unpleasant with no romance or couple chemisty to keep you going. Honestly, I'd rather watch 45 minutes of people falling into accidental kisses than watch this.
I can't recommend this at all - there are lots of bad BLs, some of which are fun. This is just joyless and dreary. I had really looked forward to this because I love Peter - maybe someday he'll be in something good.
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‘Nevertheless’- The Drama That Failed To Reach Its Full Potential.
It feels as though “ mature” tag romance dramas aren’t often taken seriously in K-dramas, but ‘ Nevertheless’ attempts to present things differently. The webcomic-based drama focuses upon the turbulent relationship between art students Nabi ( Han So Hee) and Jae Uhn ( Song Kang) connected together throughout their infatuation with butterflies. However (controversies aside surrounding the allegation case of actor Kim Min Gwi), whilst ‘ Nevertheless’ soared high at times, the drama could often find itself smacked face into the ground with its own problematic flaws also.
Watching the "relationship" between Nabi and Jae Eon play out is similar to getting stung repeatedly by a swarm of killer bees and then falling in a ditch filled of stinging nettles and vipers. Nabi and Jae Uhn aren’t in an overtly healthy relationship . Nabi is revealed to have been a victim of several abusive relationship in the past, and so projects her anxiety into committing herself again into a long-term relationship by seemingly maintaining only sexual intimacy with Jae Uhn. In the first episode alone, Nabi even admits openly to viewers that ‘I don’t believe in fate or love anymore. But this situation, it’s pretty unrealistic’.( Yet secretly yearns for more .)On the other hand, Jae Uhn’s nature is seemingly “ obscured from view”- one minute he happily pines over Nabi, the next he is chatting another girl up, only to pull out serious red flags when he suddenly appear out of nowhere in front of Nabi to “ save the day” .
Of course this is supposed to be the plot device that keeps the main storyline moving . Jae Eon and Nabi are both flawed people who only bring out the worst in one another. (That’s the point. )However, this is also where the drama failed to utilise this storyline to its full potential also. Director Kim Ga Ram may have seemed to think it was a good idea to bog down 20 minutes of screen-time with brooding eye- exchanges between Nabi and Jae Eon onscreen, but having an episode with only
20-25 minutes of quintessential storyline, 20-25 minutes of moody gazes, saucy scenes and then only a brief checkup on subplots isn’t entirely the best format to follow for every episode . Perhaps it wouldn’t have been so bad if the drama had gradually increased the essential storyline scenes as the series progressed, but soon the drama began to lose a lot of its original intrigue an incessant loop of pretty much the same setup where Nabi or Jae Eon would be lusting over the other, a misunderstanding would occur, they’d ghost one another or make the problem worse ( usually hurting one another or someone else in the process), lengthy scenes of pining gazes would occupy screen time, a cut to one of the subplots and then suddenly Nabi and Jae Eon are on “ reasonable” terms again.
Of course this is nothing to do with the actress behind Nabi .Soo Hee really captivated her role well. The slight uncertainty morphing onto her face and a twitch of her hand with trepidation really helped to animate her onscreen persona to life. However, as a character, Nabi’s was seriously poorly-written . The female lead initially starts off the drama as a sympathetic female lead; we are made aware of her experiences early on, and can see how she is falling hook, line and sinker again into a toxic relationship with Jae Eon as she even voices her own awareness that ‘It feels like something new is about to begin. I’m probably not mistaken’. Although where Nabi ultimately failed as a character wasn’t inherently to do with her conflicted feelings between Jae Eon and the softer option with Doo Hyuk ( Chae Jong Hyeop), but her self-depreciation and lack of self-respect as an individual . Yes, Nabi is a victim of abuse and we cannot forget that. However, it is a really irksome fallacy by screenwriters and writers that someone in Nabi’s vulnerable position” can somehow be fixed from years of emotional trauma by being in a " committed relationship ”. Nabi ( at the end of the day) had serious emotional and psychological issues which needed time and healing, not implicating her in order to keep a poorly enforced plot device working .
This isn’t to entirely drag and degrade the series down. The OST was pretty good, and Ga Ram’s cinematography was really mesmerising also. Two memorable scenes of the drama came through how director Kim Ga Ram inter-played lighting and symbolism here subtly- Jae Uhn in the room of butterflies with the door ajar yet all of them trapped with him, and then the open freedom of the meadow with Doo Hyuk and Nabi sat together enjoying the natural world overtly. The creative juices can only run so far into a series, however, before the problems soon dry them up. For example whilst Song Kang is a good actor, he didn’t feel entirely right as Jae Eon . He did certainly captivate the charismatic ambience of the main male lead , but he was honestly a little lacklustre by rarely radiating prominent vitality as his onscreen Casanova persona.
Of course the subplot characters were fairly intriguing in their own right - cool-headed and punk aesthetically adorned Oh Bit Na ( Yang Hye Ji), a good friend of Nabi, and the taciturn Nam Kyu Hyun had a constant “ will they, won’t they?” dynamic to their relationship. However with the controversial scandal surrounding Min Gwi, the producers made a quick and prompt decision to entirely cut out Kyu Hyun and Bit Na’s relationship scenes( as much as possible) during the last few episodes.Effectively this had a detrimental impact upon an important side couple’s development. However, this problem was also found with Sol ( Lee Ho-Jung) and Sol’s repressed feelings towards her blatantly oblivious best friend Seo Ji Wan ( Yoon Seo Ah) ‘s lacking screen time was diminished even further by the focus on the teachers and their” chemistry” in order to make up for lost screen time between Kyu Hyun and Bit Na.It wasn’t bad per say this couple being focused upon , but there were a myriad of variable storylines which were poorly sketched-out or abandoned throughout the drama which could’ve been explored instead such as the mysterious man that Yoon Soo bumped into, exploring Sol’s sexuality and feelings in more detail ( as well as her possible reasons for liking an unlikely person like Ji Wan), Jae Eon’s interactions with his family possibly providing further indicators into his current mind-frame , exploring Bit Na’s friendships as well as her experiences with trauma and even Jae Eon’s -ex’s story were all beyond wasted potential. The ending only provided this as case and point by failing to tie off loose ends as well as justify Nabi’s chance to heal and gain self respect.
So, is ‘ Nevertheless ’ actually worth watching? The delivered result of ‘ Nevertheless’ will ultimately vary for a lot of drama fans. Many will likely praise the more explorative and daring promiscuous themes in the drama, as well as the art house-style cinematography, the alternative OST and most of the cast. However, it is easy to see where ‘ Nevertheless’ also fails to reach the mark ; the pacing was off even at the best of times, the turbulent relationships ( including the side couples ) rarely met their full-potential and the main characters weren’t given enough opportunities to escape their one-dimensional shells as plot devices. Certainly not a cataclysmic drama, but sadly failing to reach its full potential also.
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While I did find the overall idea behind the story compelling, I’m not so sure about the execution, especially on Ikegami Fumiya's side. He did not tell the truth with hopes it will save the relationship, as they can start over, but then he kept making sure to not cross the line between roommates and potential romantic partners. This behavior was something I did not quite understand. My guy was in a risky business - deciding to hide the past in hopes for a better future, without actually being sure Ritsu will never remember their relationship, and without actually trying to be with Ritsu in the present.
That said, I actually find Ritsu harder to figure out and judge. We know little about him before the accident, and his present self was driven by what he forgot - trying to remember and being confused about his place and life. Because of that, he felt less defined than Fumiya and harder to connect to.
Since this is a relationship and character driven show, I put some effort into trying to understand the characters, and that was the mistake. If you try to dig deeper into what is happening on screen, you start to see a lot of small things that make little sense and at some point it becomes a pile too hard to ignore. I think the best way to watch it is just accept whatever they throw at you without asking too many questions.
Acting wise, it had its ups and downs. For the most part I had no complaints. The slightly dull delivery was clearly the directing choice to fit the overall atmosphere of the drama. That one time Honda Kyoya literally squeezed that one tear out of his eye made me chuckle.
That said, I still think it’s a solid melancholic watch. Some of the editing and the transitions between the scenes might be a bit confusing, but for some strange reason it adds to the charm. In a subtle way it shows how all relationships need work, and without addressing the core issues, you cannot start over and be happy, even if you get to hit the reset button.
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Only two episodes and I'm already obsessed with them.
Oh my God,A masterpiece or A legendary drama or what..?? 🤌 What I just saw man. 😍 I just got mesmerized by this Series. I don't know how this story will turn further, only thing I know that I can't wait for the next episodes to be aired.
Both the main characters is likable and not just only the main but the supporting characters also quite fun to watch. When it comes to main characters chemistry and sexual tension between them that is also super fine. I thoroughly love this series .
Just please don't be a sad series don't know why but i'm getting sad vibes. 🥺
Nothing much for now, I'm just in love with this series ❤️ and waiting for more episodes.
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Absolute garbage. go read the novel instead.
when i heard there was a live action of ORV, i was definitely interested. i had high hopes for it since ORV the novel and the adapted manhwa were both beautiful and i loved them both. However, after learning more about this live action, to say i'm disappointed is a huge understatement. What do you mean Dokja hated TWSA? it saved his life. What do you mean Yoo Sangah is a healer? she was put back in the misogynistic stereotypes she fought so hard against and that entirely ruins her character. What do you mean Dokjas favorite TWSA character was jung heewon? Jung heewon didnt even appear in the original TWSA. Yoo joonghyuk, who plays an incredibly major role in ORV, has been reduced to a more supporting character in this trash live action. dont watch it, i would never recommend it and for it to even share a name with ORV is practically a disgrace to the original omniscient readers viewpoint. if you're interested in the story, i'd highly suggest reading the light novel online, purchasing it in stores, or reading the manhwa adaption on Webtoon or something of the like. either way, it's far better than this terrible live action.Was this review helpful to you?
1) the flashbacks. OMG SO. MANY. FLASHBACKS. I ended up skipping ahead often during last few episodes but I think it didn't detract from my experience as an audience. *happy face*
2) The female lead's screaming tendencies. My friend thought she was comedy gold and loved her hilarious screams, but it personally hurt my ears. I had to turn down the volume every time she looked like she was about to yell or shout---SHE IS HILARIOUS THOUGH I ADMIT.
3) The long kisses. ... Honestly, they just need to kiss already. THEY SPENT 30 SECONDS STARING AT EACH OTHER BEFORE FINALLY TOUCHING LIPS. Wth? But anyways, that's the editor's fault. The male lead Cha Do Hyun is actually an AMAZING kisser---I blushed several times during this drama. kekeke.
4) Episodes 16--20. Let me explain: the first half of the drama were mostly comedy with some sadness hiding behind it, but the melodrama poured through starting in ep. 16. It was lined with sadness after sadness, and I literally cried until I just couldn't shed tears anymore. LUCKILY, there are still quite a bit of comedy relief in those 4 episodes---so I was able to survive and come to love it.
But despite the flaws of Kill Me Heal Me, I loved it for it's sensitivity to D.I.D., and for its array of top notched actors who slayed the drama. *v*
Ji Sung is absolutely amazing in this drama. According to what ppl have said, HE ONLY SLEPT ONE TO TWO HOURS to film this. That's true dedication. Also, you have to understand that it's very hard to portray 7 different characters, but Ji Sung managed to nail the role. The female lead was also amazing. Everybody was amazing, tbh.
I personally loved the melodrama in the end because it was realistic. DID is not meant to be funny. Childhood tragedies are also not meant to be glossed over. I'm glad this drama actually took the time to show how horrible both things are--That alone gives this drama a high score.
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