Reviews

To the Marriage of True Minds....and the Comedy of Wits

The tone of Perfect Match is a mix of comedy with heartwarming moments. Its use of exaggerated humor is typical of satire that aims to make a statement about social problems. From the first day of its release, the labels of "misogynistic" male leads and words such as "sociopath" as in one review were tagged on Perfect Match. The negative comments were to the extreme that either these viewers misunderstood the satirical tone of the drama or were too quick to judge without watching more than a few episodes. Be aware that there are negative reviews that were posted after only 4 episodes were released and deceptively marked as 36 episodes watched. Allow me to clear up some incorrect information in the reviews:

None of the ML cheated on their wives
None of the ML deliberately did anything to hurt his wife or any of the sisters.

Perfect Match tells the story of a widow, Madam Li, who desires perfect matches for her five daughters. The overall tone of the drama makes it interesting so even if one couple might not be as great for you, the drama will still hold your interest. Each couple has its time as the main couple in the drama. The drama has great pacing as it moves its focus from one daugther to the next.

The drama begins with the sisters and Madam Li moving into Bianjing. The second sister, Fuhui is already married at the start of the drama. Her match appears as an immature character, Fan Lianghan, who she describes as too soft-hearted to the point he gives away his money to women who cry to him about their woes. At first, he appears to be ridiculously immature, but his character gains some maturity in a manner he retains his role as comic relief while showing some maturity and wisdom...in rare times :) After the first few episodes, I came to find him adorable, to be honest. I like him!

The focus of the first 10 episodes is on the third sister Kang Ning and her perfect match Chai An. This match is my favorite! Both Chai An and Kang Ning are brilliant strategists and it was entertaining to see them outsmart each other. I was disappointed when I saw less of them after ep 10 when the other stories became the focus. However, I was happy to see them in each sister's story.

Others prefer the next couple. The eldest daughter, Shouhua, is matched with a top-ranking scholar, Du Yang Xi. I didn't enjoy the eldest sister's CP much because the chemistry was bland. However, some have stated it was their favorite, so it is a matter of preference. Du Yang Xi's backstory was interesting, and the introduction of Shen Huishao as magistrate in the court scenes made for a nice transition into the fourth sister's CP.

By the 20th episode, the drama switches its focus to the fourth sister, Haode, and her perfect match, Shen Huishao. Her character growth is interesting as she becomes educated in the laws to help her husband solve cases. But what makes it even more interesting, is the way Haode melts the barriers Shen Huishao set up against falling in love and taking a wife.


The drama's next focus is the youngest and 5th daughter, Leshan, around ep 28. Her "perfect match" is Yang Xian. I have mixed feelings about her story. With her personality, it was not surprising to see Leshan fight back against the bullies in the Yang family. I admire her spirit and courage but her aggressive behavior toward Yang Xian made me uncomfortable in the early part of their story. I knew it was temporary as this drama tends to exaggerate for humor. But it was too much and I didn't find it funny after a while. I found myself feeling bad for Yang Xian. I appreciated her intelligence in standing up to the Yang family for both herself and her husband. It was for this reason, Yang Xian fell in love with her more every day. But even more lovely, was watching Madam Li give Yang Xian the motherly love he lacked in his own home.

Perfect Match is entertaining. I enjoyed the lively family dynamics of Madam Li and her daughters. Their devotion and love for each other is heartwarming. Each of the sisters has unique strengths and characteristics. Madam Li as the mother is depicted as an ambitious mother exaggeratedly at times but at other times there is no doubt that her deepest desire is not for the wealth and status she wants for her daughters but rather for their happiness. The perfect match for her daughters would be a man who would cherish them.

But Perfect Match is not only about the marriages of Madam Li's five daughters. There is an underlying theme of gender and societal expectations. It portrays the treatment of women in the Song Dynasty. Madame Li as a widow lost property and status when her husband died. The court cases address some of the prejudices against women at the time. Each daughter's story depicts the challenges of defying predestined futures. The romance endures misunderstandings and conflicting circumstances. The use of humor and the battle of wits makes this drama a warm bundle of charm.

Perfect Match has a happy ending. However, the final episode would have been better if they had not added more problems to Leshan and Yang Xian's reunion that dragged into episode 36. I hoped they would have given us more of the couples' married life. I especially wanted to see more of Chai An and Kang Ning. I wanted much more than just flashbacks of each couple. But even with my disappointments, I will rewatch Perfect Match. It is still a 10 for me because I came to love the characters and found myself rewatching episodes while I waited for more to air. The plot was interesting and the family dynamic and tone of the drama is unique. The overall feel to Perfect Match will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. I will miss watching these characters daily.

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"Your voice calls to my heart"

Let me briefly explain about ML/FL....

Our Male lead is a good cook, doctor, musician, voice artist…YEP an all in one 😍😎
& Our female lead is a university student who does music for the historical genre. Her dream is to collaborate with her favorite voice dubbing artist our Male lead

♡ Here's the review: (will update after watching every episode)
What you will get to see in this drama? Here 👇

✅️ Male lead is simply awesome, He is a walking green flag <3 introvert & mature guy!! I'm falling in love with him more & more in each & every episode

✅️ He is not trying to hide his feelings for female lead, even though he is a introvert he is trying his best to start a conversation with female lead and creating a comfortable space in between them.

✅️ Female lead is the cutest 😍 her acting is soo reliastic, I never felt cringe about her acting/attitude.

✅️ Both the main characters are very well written and also the environment of this drama is soo positive, FL has a great/awesome family and ML has a awesome friends/fam

✅️ Second lead couple are the cutest

✅️ no rival no jealousy ❤️

✅️ Healthy Communication in between them!! i really really loved how pure their communication is!! she is telling him how exactly she is feeling about something and he was showing his pure intentions, its soo cute soo guys 😭 Sweetness overload..now i can't sleep 😅


This is absolutely my type of romcom ❤️❤️❤️


What you don't get from this drama

❌️ cold male lead vs Attitude Female lead

❌️ Third wheel

❌️ Annoying Characters to rise our blood pressure


Maybe some of you will hate me for talking like this ,but still ..... I never able to watch a cdrama with this much of love!! Either They will drag the story or the couples have unrealistic miscommunication in between them!! But oh my god believe me guys this is not one of them!!

And the harsh truth is I started watching this drama becoz of FL (loved her in yesterday once more movie){becoz most of them r started this becoz of ML} but rn I'm falling in love with our ML, don't misunderstood my words!! I dont like him Just becoz he is a nice guy, he was literally showing our FL how much he values her!! From asking her permission if she is comfortable in adding him to her we chat to asking her if he can give her his mobile number!! DAMN THE RESPECT HE IS GIVING HER, I'M FALLING FOR THAT ...

Just completed the series guys!! I'm in tears 😭 how could everything is soo perfect here?!!? story/acting/supporting characters/osts!! everything is just soo perfect & beautiful to me!! THIS IS MY FAV DRAMA OF 2023 💞😍 THANKYOU Qiang & Sheng for making my evngs beautiful 😍 now tell me what should I do 😭😭 I don't even know why I am crying!! is it because this is ended 😭 or the ending is soo beautiful, I miss you sm everyone 💗 thankyou for making me feel like that 💖

He is giving her butterflies 🦋 she is giving him butterflies 🦋 & they both r making me experience a whole zoo 🤭💘

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An aesthetically pleasing, original fantasy drama

When I saw that IU would be cast in this drama, I felt that I had to give it a shot, and I'm glad to say that for the most part, it did not disappoint. Without a doubt, Hotel Del Luna is my favourite kdrama of 2019. There is plenty to love about this drama, ranging from its stunning cinematography, decent storyline, excellent cast, oh and how could I forget: the most beautiful OST in kdramaland.

Plot/Storyline:
I thought that the writing was pretty solid throughout the drama. It is refreshing to watch a drama that ventures into foreign territory and breaks free of the traditional kdrama tropes and cliches to explore the less commonly visited genres of horror (though I wouldn't really consider this drama to be scary at all) and fantasy + romance. The plot is layered and has some depth, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge. The main character Man Weol's story captivates you right from the get-go, as the show uses flashbacks very well to reveal small snippets of her past at a time, causing you to be curious about her past, and eager to find out more. The generous use of humour also helps to balance out some of the heavier, more emotional scenes, while also allowing the drama to be easy and fun to watch throughout its lengthy episodes. Personally, the ending did not play out exactly how I had hoped it would, but it was fitting to the themes of this drama and very beautiful to watch, as well as very emotional. The drama explores the themes/ideas of 'letting go', 'resentment', 'unselfish love' and 'forgiveness', which are all very meaningful, thought-provoking ideas, not just in the context of this drama, but these themes also have a place in our lives as well.

Elaboration on themes for those that are curious:
For example, the drama shows that it takes a greater act of love to let go than to hang on, which the same can be said about many situations in life. Suppose this: a severely ill person is given a few months to live. His family can choose to convince him to receive the surgery that would extend his lifespan by a significant amount, but which would also drastically reduce his quality of life (place him in a vegetative state), or let him die naturally of his illness. One may argue here that the greater act of love is to let go and allow the man to live out the rest of his days to the fullest, eventually dying a dignified death, rather than trying to desperately hang on and cause the dying man even more pain. Don't quote me on this sketchy analogy, but this is my best effort at trying to explain the themes that the writers explore in this drama.

Cinematography:
the cinematography of this drama is frankly top-notch, and can be compared to the likes of dramas such as Goblin. It is that good. The elements of fantasy were conveyed by great camerawork, skillful use of special effects, and excellent editing. The drama truly bought the supernatural fantasy world of ghosts to life, creating a vivid and charismatic viewing experience. It is difficult to describe in words, but once you see it for yourself I'm sure you'd agree that it is spectacular. The production team also did a phenomenal job of picking out Man Weol's outfits. IU looked absolutely incredible in pretty much all of her scenes, and I've lost count of the number of unique, beautiful outfits that she wore throughout the drama.

Acting:
the cast for this drama is a highlight for me. After watching IU's brilliant performance in 'My Mister', she was one of the main reasons I came across this drama in the first place. The drama is largely centred around her character Man Weol, and she absolutely nails her performance. She plays her character like it is second nature to her, effortlessly conveying emotions through her facial expressions, while also managing to bring out the complexity of her character. Her character is the focus of the drama, and IU does an excellent job in portraying her character's growth arc in the drama, all while making it seem very believable and authentic. And as a bonus, she looks absolutely gorgeous flaunting her giant wardrobe of high-end clothing. Furthermore, this drama exposed me to Yeo Jin Goo, who also delivers a very commendable effort and holds his own against IU. He appears to be much more mature than his age (considering he is only 22 years old), and the scenes of him breaking down emotionally feel raw and sincere. The chemistry between IU and Jin Goo both on and off the screen is also evident, and the relationship they develop seems to be very natural and genuine. The supporting cast also complements our two leads well, providing some comedic relief and some interesting side-story.

Soundtrack:
Although the soundtrack is supposed to complement a drama, Hotel Del Luna's soundtrack is far from ordinary and deserves a shoutout. Not only does the OST include big-name artists including the likes of Taeyeon, Punch and Heize, the tracks also have excellent synergy with the drama. The OST helps to effortlessly set the mood of multiple scenes and makes the emotional scenes even more powerful. There are many excellent tracks in the OST, but the standout for me is the special, unreleased OST by IU that is used at the end of one of the episodes. This track only plays once throughout the drama, but it merges into the emotional scene perfectly and elevates it to another level. (end of ep 12, )

Overall, this drama performs strongly across the board and ticks many of the right boxes for me, other than a few imperfections here and there. Although I wouldn't call this drama perfect, it comes pretty damn close in my books. I think I'm already experiencing withdrawal symptoms having finished the final episode an hour ago. It has been one heck of a ride, and now that it's over I feel like there is an empty void within me that's not going to be easy to fill. But giving credit where credit is due, hats off to the Hotel Del Luna team, as they have created something quite special and unique. Worth a watch, especially if you're an IU fan, as this drama is all about her.

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A cliché done right.

My Unicorn Girl proves how clichés can be entertaining if they are done properly. I started watching the drama with slightly low expectations, I expected it to be another silly and overly cheesy rom-com and guess what, that's exactly what it is. And that's exactly why I loved it so much.

Honestly, the drama is full of clichés - we have prosopagnosia, cross-dressing, fated love, a questionable amount of accidental kisses etc etc. But they somehow made all these clichés work. The drama never pretends to be something brilliant, it is as simple as possible. What saved the show with its mediocre at best plot, was definitely the chemistry and the acting of the two main leads. I didn't know I was into such cheesy romance stories but now I watched this and I started doubting myself. The drama somehow makes you root for the leads, you want them to be together, you wait for each scene of them with excitement, you smile like an idiot whenever they do something cute and you can't help but feel happy when they tease each other. They make your heart flutter with their innocent, playful love interactions. They are your daily dose of happiness.

The main leads, as individual characters, were also very entertaining to watch. Wen Bing is absolutely one of my favourite male leads ever. He is michevious, extra playful, pretends to be cold-hearted but is actually a small ball of fluff inside... he was just too adorable. God bless Darren Chen for accepting this role, it suits him perfectly and I must admit, I kind of fell in love and I don't know how to recover. Sang Tian was a cutie and she actually looked like a boy, but they should have probably made a different decision about her lipstick, it was a bit too obvious, lol.

Overall, My Unicorn Girl is an amazing show especially if you're looking for something more light-hearted. I mean, it's not perfect, it's a bit far from perfect, but it's good enough. The plot not always makes sense, but the chemistry between the leads is worth seeing. I'm not a fan of Chinese rom-coms, but I did enjoy this one a lot and was always excited to watch more episodes. I'm a bit sad that it's over actually.

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The Scent of a Woman

I was sold on this drama the moment I eyeballed the three hot main dudes - I mean what's not to like about a light and funny drama with some serious eye candy? But somehow this morphed from just another fun and light young adult comedy into a hilarious and empowering story of friendship and the shining idealism of youth that made a deeper than expected impression on me.

Xue Wenxi disguises herself as her brother Wenbin to support her family as a talented copywriter and author of illicit romantic fiction. A chance encounter and a series of mishaps leads to her reluctant enrollment at the prestigious Yunshang Academy. There she becomes the glue that bonds the "Yunshang Four" an uncommon friendship between the scholarly and noble Feng Chengjun, the savvy Yu Lexuan and the rebellious Lei Zexin. Together they prevail over many coming of age challenges and overcome past secrets and misdeeds of the previous generation.

In a departure from the acclaimed Korean adaption (which I did not watch), this Chinese version portrays an unmistakably feminine version of Wenbin, from the casting of the very petite and lovely Ju Jingyi as Wenbin to surrounding her with uncommonly tall male leads. If you are unable to suspend disbelief that she is not busted as a girl on day one, then your time is better spent on the earlier version. If you get overly hung up on how she looks, you will not enjoy the witty script and brilliant comedic rapport between the leads nor appreciate the more important themes that this adaptation chooses to focus on instead. The casting visibly illustrates the daunting physical challenges Wenbin faces in an academy that has an equally vigorous physical curriculum. 

What I love most about this drama is that it avoids sending the message that in order succeed in a man's world, a woman must look like a man and act like one too. It points out multiple times throughout the drama that Wenbin is a beautiful and delicate gentleman. It is clearly on the edge of everyone's consciousness that he is a girl because all of the boys are drawn to her like bees to a honeypot and when her gender is revealed no one faints from shock. Indeed one of my favorite early moments is the look on Chengjun's face when he sniffs her and gets his first whiff of the scent of a woman. It is unmistakable, all of those boys sense it but no self respecting dude is going to blurt out the unthinkable and ruin the fun of having a girl on campus! Our Wenbin revels in being herself, a young girl - at times she is annoying as hell - naggy, bitchy, petty, jealous but most of the time she is mischievous, charming, sensitive and comforting. For me, it is much more fun to watch a girl having a blast just being herself at an all-boys school than watching the tired routine of a woman trying to fit in by aping a man. 

The script is very cleverly written and funny and the characters are so lovable and relateable they all give me that magical deja vu of people I know. I am floored by the seamless interactions and comedic timing between the cast as witty banter is conveyed in as much via body language and facial expressions as it is in words. The humor is just my speed - a slightly wicked roasting of all too familiar human emotions, traits and rites of passage. This is a heavily character driven drama with very satisfying character growth. The headmaster is priceless and is the show's true unsung hero. The pacing however gets hijacked by too many (albeit hilarious) comedic sketches without plot advancement to the point it drags slightly in the middle. And then everything happens a bit too quickly at the end as the romance peaks at almost at the same time the conspiracy is revealed. It could be better balanced if Wenbin's reveal happens earlier and without toying with Han Shumin's heart - it is unnecessary angst and a small stain on Chengjun's character and judgment.

Chengjun and Wenbin are smitten with each other from the beginning and their attraction and chemistry grows convincingly into something that hilariously both thrills and terrifies Chengjun. He is not my pick of the three but it is clear that his patience, wisdom and quiet indulgence is the perfect foil for the more high strung, impetuous and sometimes willful Wenbin. And her intelligence, lively and infectious sense of humor and mischief rescues him from being boring. It is a good match. Sadly my personal choice, the clever and diabolically cheeky Lexuan appears subtly more into Zexin than Wenbin. He is by far the most layered, complicated and thus interesting character. Zexin has the most character growth but would never work with Wenbin - they would just bring out the worst of their mutual immaturity, quick temper and impulsiveness. For me, their comaraderie and unflinching support for each other as they find the courage of their own convictions is far more riveting than the romance. My weary old soul is unaccountably moved by the youthful idealism and sense of justice and equality that culminates in a moving Oh Captain My Captain moment. It is also amazing that they got away with student protests, vigilante justice, and even subversive propaganda.

There is at least one hilarious laugh out loud moment in literally every episode of this drama that has men clammoring to follow the scent of a woman to the female version of Yunshang Academy! I haven't enjoyed myself so much in a long time. Sure there are flaws but think about watching this as like having a fling and not till death do us part; no need to over analyze, just go along, get along and enjoy the ride. This is overall a 9.0 for me but on just enjoyment factor alone I would call it a 9.5/10.0.

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Sometimes a show comes along that is so insightful, so unexpectedly profound and so transcendently beautiful that you are left without adequate words to describe it. This is that show.

Lee Sun-kyun plays Park Dong-hoon, a numb middle-aged engineer in a tired marriage who finds himself entangled with Lee Ji-an, a very young, almost unsocialised woman played with an extraordinary subtlety and quiet intensity by IU. Ji-an has been tasked to help get rid of Dong-hoon by the CEO of his company, Do Joon-young (Park Young-min) who is having an affair with Dong-hoon's wife. Ji-an wiretaps Dong-hoon's phone and finds herself identifying with his unhappiness, even as she is drawn to his inherent kindness.

Surrounded by a cast of unhappy and dissatisfied people, this is a show about middle age and about failure but in the end about how our lives are enriched by kindness and community. Ji-an is a damaged young woman who has endured almost unimaginable tragedy but through her relationship with Dong-hoon they are both able to heal and to finally pursue happiness.

The performances of the entire cast are extraordinary but it's the sparse script, off-kilter cinematography and haunting pensive OST that give the show a sensibility that's hypnotic, almost mesmerising. It’s melancholic and a little weird – but in the kind of way that people are a little weird. It’s grim and there’s very little joy in it but the tone and lack of joy is presented in a way that makes it analogous to the disappointments and mindless drudgery of middle-age.

But beyond the themes of failure and the cold darkness of winter as a metaphor for dissatisfaction, this is a show about the triumph of kindness. Portrayed so often as a weakness, it is instead Dong-hoon's kindness that is his greatest strength. It is kindness, community and love that is celebrated and through that celebration this show finds a beauty that transcends mere television.

It is, for now, the best show of 2018.

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A person can get a pretty good idea of the many faces of this show by looking at its many titles. One title is "Female Gangster Hye Jung", which explains its lead female and the dramatic center of the first quarter of the drama. Elsewhere, the show is known as "Doctor Crush", a title that, while cringe-worthy, sells the central idea of medical professionals figuring out how to work a love life into their already busy and dramatic lives.

However, here on MDL, this drama officially goes by its best and most appropriate title "Doctors". If you're looking for a straightforward, romanticized show about what it really means to be a Doctor, this is the show. If you want lots of action, lots of drama, and lots of clichés, you're in the wrong place. While it starts very fast, this is ultimately a very dry, low-key show that bucks typical drama conventions in favor of telling a "more realistic" story. Does that make it less interesting than other popular dramas? Perhaps. But it doesn't make it valueless. There's a lot to like here.


STORY
You're not going to find a kdrama story quite like this one very easily. While it's a romance, they don't drag the will-they-or-won't-they all the way until end. While there's a love triangle, it's a very sharply angled isosceles: one of three arms of the triangle is really short and it's clear from the beginning that it has no chance. While it's a drama, it has no mustache-twirling villains, only complex characters that make serious mistakes and end up hurting others simply because they struggle to face the reality of their wrongdoing.

These things aren't necessarily going to work for everyone, but for this reviewer, they all combine into an enjoyable and, most of all, refreshing experience. The flip side of this is that often times the plot seems to lack teeth; it doesn't grab you and hold on, forcing your heart to come with it. While the first few episodes are action-packed and energetic, the show mellows out immensely toward the latter half, eventually getting to the point where the directing felt almost lazy. This show is largely a leisurely stroll, which can be very pleasant but simply is not the experience we're set up for in the first quarter.

The main romantic pairing quickly becomes the driving force of the show and remains such for the entire 20 episode run. However, it's not your typical kdrama relationship full of peaks and valleys and Noble Idiocy. It's clear the writers wanted to tell a more sensible and realistic romance story, for better or for worse. The combination of almost complete focus on this one relationship while simultaneously making that relationship feel very "normal" definitely results in an end product that lacks dramatic punch and hurts the secondary plot threads. Those secondary threads, however, are delivered with the same understated feeling as the main plot. If you want "larger than life" storytelling, you're not going to get it here at all.

On a random side note: at one point, about halfway through the story, we're teased with a possible side romance with one of the nurses, but that plotline goes literally nowhere and is completely dropped by the end of the show. This kind of sloppy handling of the material makes me wonder how much of the script was being rewritten during filming. It is possible, though, that it was simply a matter of a needed actor/actress suddenly becoming unavailable.


ACTING/CAST
Definitely the strong point of the show and possibly the only reason it's as popular as it is. The four leads all do a great job. PSH is as good as ever, which is kind of surprising since she's never done a role quite like this one. You'd think she'd have some yips or letdowns for her first time branching out into a new character type, but nope. She's lovely and wonderful, and her portrayal (like most of this show) is especially strong in the early episodes.

Kim Rae Won, who plays the first male lead Hong Ji Hong, is one of the most charming actors I've yet to discover in kdrama. A great voice, interesting face, and lovely smile, he performs the first lead here perfectly. I can't imagine another actor playing this odd and unique role, a character who values self-control and communication above all. Imagine that, in a kdrama! Compared to the usual selfish and emotionally infantile male leads we often get in typical romances, the Hong Ji Hong character is a most welcome change.

Yoon Gyun Sang seems to be very popular, even if he perpetually looks like he's had an allergic reaction to something. Although I didn't like him much at all, at first, he won me over by the end. A good performance to go with yet another unusual character. if you ever wanted to know what it's like to be on the losing end of a love triangle IN REAL LIFE, his story is basically that. It's worth seeing.

Last but not least, we have Lee Sung Kyung. Although her character is the trope-iest one (mostly just your typical Mean Girl trope, but with a more sympathetic twist), it really doesn't matter too much because.... well, I'll be honest, Ms. Lee is ridiculously attractive. Seriously. She's surrounded by beautiful women and even among them she stands out. I'd love to see her in a role where she can smile more.

All that being said, the supporting cast here is strong enough on their own to make the show worth trying. My two Honorable Mentions for the Supporting Cast go to:
1. Baek Sung Hyun as Yeong Kook, who I dubbed "Dr. Glasses". He starts as a very odd and (somewhat) forgettable character, but when the writers found an interesting hook for his character, Sung Hyun took it and ran with it. Sung Hyun seems to be particularly skilled at delivering subtext with his eyes.
2. Of course, I have to mention my new crush (I get one almost every show), Pyo Ye Jin, who plays a character I affectionately referred to as "Nurse Cutie Pie". Although her role is very minor, her portrayal was stellar. You'll never tire of her smile. The writers gave one big scene to her character early on and, after she utterly blew it away with her adorableness, they wisely gave her at least one speaking scene in every episode after that. Ye Jin is 24 years young and would be great in a starring role in the future. I may soon watch my first ever Family drama because of her.


MUSIC
Strong but standard kdrama fare here. Lots and lots of vocal themes, so there won't be too much repeating. In fact, they re-use themes here at just the right pace; enough to get the songs in your head, but not so much that they start to annoy you. Special mention to the tracks "It's Love" and "No Way", which are the best of the best here. If music is a deciding factor for you, just listen to those two tracks to get a good sense of the quality of "Doctors" in this category.


REWATCH VALUE
Unfortunately, there's no getting around the fact that there is absolutely very little RWV here, especially the closer you get to the climax. While most kdramas try and build toward a climax that is exciting and satisfying that you want to see over and over, this one does the opposite. Early episodes are full of exciting character moments, culminating in perhaps the most rewatchable scene of the whole show involving a rooftop, a helicopter, and the best romantic character reunion ever.
However, toward the latter quarter of the show, almost every episode can be described thusly: "two or more characters chat about plot with each other, then someone gets a phone call, they answer it, then it cuts to another scene where there is more chat about plot, and then someone gets a phone call, they answer it, and they cut to a new scene where they chat about plot, and then YOU GUESSED IT, someone gets another freaking phone call and the cycle starts over."
All of that does not make for a high RWV score, as it's bad enough to sit through the first time.


BOTTOM LINE
Despite being better than most kdrama in many areas, this only gets a solid 8/10 from me, and no more. It has too many issues to justify anything higher, despite how strong it is in other areas. However, on the flip side of that, it's way too good to be lower than 7.5. If you're looking for a solid 2016 drama with a great cast that delivers lessons about communication, professionalism, and relationships, you won't go wrong here. Just don't expect the plot to blow you away.

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The rom-com is not the point of this drama

The main theme of this drama is not the love story between the main leads, which is why you won't get to see that many heart fluttering moments.
I was pretty bored for the 2 first episodes, I wasn't sure where the drama was going, there was no character development.
If you're looking for a good romcom drama, I found this blend on the romance and comedy aspects, and I felt like the romcom was almost a cover-up for the important part.

In my opinion, the interesting aspect is the second plot hidden behind the mainstream romance.
It's about the impact of new technologies and personal data collection from a woman's point of view and how sexism and girl-shaming can be spread though those technologies even though they're supposed to embody progress within our society. And more generally how new technology can impact negatively our daily life.

The ML is the "good guy" because he's out of this overly connected world, which allows him to question things from an outside point of view.
It also depicts all the subtle injustices women can face in daily-life, like not being recognized properly for their work etc...
And above all, this is a BRILLIANT representation of how some people are not inherently bad people with bad intentions but are still unable to see how scary and invasive their actions are in a relationship, and when confronted with it, they throw back the emotional burden on the other and victimize themselves instead (daily gaslightning at its finest).
It's a form of emotional abuse but a very faint one and above all, a socially accepted one, which leaves victims often unheard.
This drama does an amazing job at depicting how gut-wrenching it can feel and how wrong it actually is. The real victim ends up feeling guilt and shame.

Because the seriousness of this show is at first hidden behind a pretty common kdrama storyline, i would not recommand it to people who just want to enjoy a fun drama since the romcom part is actually almost boring.
However, its a very subtle and well-made story if you digg a little deeper.

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I saw a movie recently where a character said "You like somebody because of things but you love them despite things” and I think that applies to this show.

This is a messy, gleeful and heartwarming tale about a chef, a gangster and an heiress who lose everything but then come together to reclaim it. Chinese masterchef Poong (Joon Ho), reformed gangster Chil-sung (Jang Hyuk) and lonely socialite Sae-woo (Jung Ryeo Won) have nothing in common but their shared calamities: all three hit rock bottom in the first few episodes.

These three characters with different backgrounds and temperaments are the disparate ingredients this show promises to turn into jjajangmyeon - the signature Korean/Chinese fusion dish that Poong is an expert at and that Chil-sung and Sae-woo are perpetually hungry for. While the first few episodes are almost unhinged in the seeming-randomness of their elements, the show makes it clear that Poong is the cook that's going to bring them together in one perfect dish.

For the fist half of its run, this was a show that was about jjajangmyeon but was also jjajangmyeon itself: televisual fusion cuisine. That’s why the show was originally so messy and it’s why I loved that the show was so messy. Because it seemed to be saying that people, relationships and life are a huge mashup of disparate things and it’s not about one being ‘good’ and the other ‘bad’ but about the proportions of each ingredient. Throughout the first half, all our characters were floundering because their life recipes weren’t right yet. If life is a recipe you're constantly refining, then all our characters were still deciding on the menu.

From the beginning, the show was extremely clever - but sometimes too clever. Its brilliant use of metaphors and imagery is a device I personally love but even I thought it was a bit overdone in the beginning. There were episodes where I was so busy tracking its use of hot and cold and the black and white that I missed plot. Nietzsche was thrown in there, first to intrigue us and then to confuse us. Poong was either a Nietzscheism superman or its antithesis; the writers never seemed to be sure. I know a lot of viewers simply couldn't cope with the chaos and dropped out. I stayed in, loving every minute and waiting for the writers to bring it all together in one glorious dish of fusion cuisine.

It's probably not surprising that this did not happen although it's not entirely clear what went wrong. Originally slated for 20 episodes (40) and then cut to 19 (38), maybe the show suffered from losing an episode, maybe it was three episodes too long. The show went on hiatus for two weeks and when it came back it was seemingly a shell of its former self. Characters disappeared, plots were dropped, major plot points were resolved quickly and anti-climactically, and others were dragged down with standard, almost pedestrian, kdrama plotlines. It was almost as though the writer had been instructed to play it more safe and the quirky, surreal magical realism was replaced with the plotline of a standard romcom.

The minor characters often detracted rather than added to the show in the end. The antagonists, which started off suitably hateful and conniving, became one-dimensional villains of little import, if they didn't disappear completely. The Giant Hotel may have loomed over the Hungry Wok like a corporate Goliath but David didn't defeat it so much as replace it and the little restaurant seemed more beset by disloyalty and ingratitude from its employees than by external threats.

Poong and Sae-woo remained adorable and sexy and wonderful and Chil-sung held a kitten every episode so the show is worth watching till the end. No matter how many plots got dropped or how many characters disappeared, the relationship between the three leads was the show's saving grace. The romance between Poong and Sae-woo is passionate and sweet - just the like sweet-and-sour pork that is his other signature dish. The bromance between the two men is loving and supportive. And while there is technically a love triangle here, it's handled with maturity and without unnecessary angst. These three people love each other and watching them come together is the show's best element.

In fact, show ends well. It's just not the affordable gourmet meal we were promised but more like a rushed lunchtime bowl of noodles while we're trying to get back to work.

In the end, I love Greasy Melo despite its flaws and I guess that means my Love Is True. I can dream of a more perfect version of this show where the writers were able to use all the ingredients they prepared to make the perfect meal instead of leaving half of them on the chopping board. But if lasting love is based on acceptance, then I accept. This is the show it is.

9/10

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No Need to be Hypnotized, This Drama is Simply Enchanting

This drama captivated me from beginning till the end. Everything I wanted to see in a romantic comedy is here, and then some! This review is strictly for the drama, not to compare/contrast with the manhwa "Prince, Don't Do This!" (王爷不要啊) written by Dong Man Tang, in which it was loosely adapted from. I am rewriting the synopsis below for clarification without spoiling the plot.

STORY
Princess Aimala (new country name is Ming Yue) from the southern country Xi Yue is forced to marry to Prince Zi (common name is Li Qian), the 9th prince of the northern country Bei Xuan. Both parties disagree but it is for the political alliance. Li Qian already has a marriage arrangement with his childhood friend Lady Qiao (Hui Xin), and Ming Yue has a lover General Yun Ci. Both dislike each other since the beginning they met. Ming Yue who is skilled in horse riding, shooting, and hunting is not a typical feminine lady according to her new country's custom, neither she is beautiful. Even the Emperor (Li Qian's dad) despises her. Li Qian is cold and reserved, and has no clue on women and how to please them. Ming Yue is his first love. Even then he is still unsure if his feeling towards Ming Yue is genuine or fabricated, because his wife has another unique skill: she can hypnotize him and she does it, a lot! The couple needs TONS of guidance on love and sex (yes that's right!) from their friends: the wise Kong Zhen, the playboy Jin Yu, the mischievous Kang Le, and the straightforward Tan Li. The story is not all rosy though, we also get to see inside power struggles and outside rebellions, tragic past unfolds, hatreds and betrayals, revenges and sacrifices, broken hearts and even deaths.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS DRAMA:
(+) It is a well-done medium or big budget show.
(+) No need character or story guidance or anything like that you usually need it for watching Chinese history/palace dramas.
(+) The story has a lot of features for everyone's liking: action-packed, mysterious background, steamy romance, hysterical comedy. It's not boring, it's fast or evenly spaced. I do not skip scenes or conversations though I do a lot with Chinese dramas.
(+) The story is not straight-line, has a lot of facts from the past, dreams, plot twist and surprises.
(+) Satisfactory ending
(+) Good looking cast from the main to the supporting ones (gosh even the musician Lan is stunning and the Empress is elegant)
(+) Adorable acting of Ling Mei-Shi as Ming Yue. Although there are more beautiful Chinese actresses, but the choice to cast this cute young actress as the outspoken, mischievous, and smart foreign royal princess is just right, either in funny, romantic, or sad scenes.
(+) Charming acting of Allen Fang as Lin Qiao. From cold and serious, to confused and suspicious, to romantic and playful, his facial expressions are just right. Also the fighting/martial arts acting. He is also a member of Chinese pop boy band M4M. He sang some songs in this drama (see OST comment below). And he looks better in historical drama than in modern day drama (his other drama is Childhood Sweethearts Pianist but he looks bland there)
(+) Stunning acting of Ni Han Jin as Yun Ci. Though lots of comments do not like him, I feel bad for the Yun Ci role. Though he is abrasive and aggressive but his broken heart and pain look real as a man whose lover is snatched away behind him. He is not only handsome, but has a great body, too! And FYI I do not have Second Lead Syndrome.
(+) Exceptional acting of Zhou Zi Xin as Hui Xin. I saw her in Put Your Head in My Shoulder drama as supporting role who also likes the male lead, but Hui Xin's love here for the prince is dangerous and devastating. The actress is capable to go thru yandere transformation from a gentle, submissive, elegant lady to a conniving, hateful, and dejected villain.
(+) Other supporting actors and actresses are just right playing their respective roles.
(+) Great cinematography. Camera shots and angles were just right.
(+) Breath-taking sceneries. Lots of falling flowers and snow rains. They could be real snowing scenes too because the drama was filmed during the winter months of January to March 2019. The filming location is at Hengdian World Studios, the largest film studio in China or even the world (http://www.hengdianworld.com/en/default.html)
(+) Beautiful OST from the drama opening and in special scenes. The opening song is "Magnificence" by singer Jian Hong Yi (who is also handsome). The main leads Allen Fang and Ling Mei Shi sang "The First Seen Snow". Allen Fang also sang "Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon". A song specifically dedicated to the love of Yun Ci and Ming Yue is "Departure" by Jin Runji with mystical Middle-eastern tone.
(+) Elegant royal costumes, especially for the Princess and Princess. I love especially their outdoor gears and the Turkish/Middle Eastern robes Ming Yue and Yun Ci wear (in the manhwa Aimala is from Uyghur, the ancient Turkey area in Asia)

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Powerful plot. Solid & unique. Four-dimensional. An enrichment on the KDrama crime thriller market

A solid thriller, laid out across time and space. The fourth dimension has a hand in the investigation. There's a bit of magic involved too.

You can expect an suspenseful, opaque story with edgy characters - in particular a cheeky, blustering, stroppy anti-hero as male protagonist. As a writer he is ambitious but probably rather untalented. However, he is also someone who doesn't easily give in and doesn't like to be fooled. And there is this delicate, gifted, mysterious stranger crossing his path…

The criminal act and the perpetrator as such may seem rather familiar, sort of. But pretty much everything knitted around this crime is off the beaten track! With strong characters and powerful plot. An enrichment on the KDrama crime thriller market! With time and space becoming relative...

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Lovely Horribly is a perfect example of a drama that I knew would never get better, yet I still stuck with it till the very end. It started out as an interesting supernatural based romcom, but the story soon became unnecessarily complicated. Instead of being suspenseful and scary, the story was confusing and boring. It's also a drama about the making of a drama, and a struggling writer... I have a feeling this writer was struggling too based on all the arbitrary twists and side plots.

Usually, if the story really sucks I can at least count on the cast, but not in this case. Park Shi Hoo and Song Ji Hyo not only lacked chemistry, but their characters were more annoying than sympathetic, which made them hard to root for. Shi Hoo plays the narcissistic Phillip who spent way too much time whining, or trying to "act cute". There were a few moments where I thought I might start to like his character, but it never lasted for long. I liked Song Ji Hyo as Eul Soon even less. She was so frustratingly stubborn that I eventually lost complete interest in her character. I blame bad writing and a bad performance for that. Since the story literally revolves around these two characters, if you don't like them there's literally no reason to watch!

The only character that I cared about at all was Lee Gi Kwang as Sung Joong. He and his character deserved better.

The rest of the characters are stereotypical and forgettable, so there's a lot of overacting from the supporting cast. Sometimes they tried too hard for laughs, and sometimes they played up villainous and scary moments so much that the attempts at horror and suspense felt more like campy comedy. Then there are random twists in the story that should have made the characters seem more complex, but it just made the story more of a hot mess.

How much of a hot mess? Expect to try to follow multiple ghost stories, murder mysteries that defy logic, a washed-up boy band, an obsessed stalker, and a cursed fate romance that is light on the actual romance and heavy on the series of unfortunate events. All of the major questions do manage to get answered in the end, but that doesn't mean the story made any coherent sense. It's my fault for not dropping it. Sometimes you just gotta let go, of destructive relationships and bad dramas alike.

Overall, I feel pretty comfortable telling people to skip this one. If you want a romcom with ghosts watch "Master's Sun", or "Oh My Ghostess". If you want a romance about a writer that involves ghosts watch "Chicago Typewriter". Want a drama about a jinxed or ill-fated couple? Watch "Lucky Romance" or "Another Miss Oh". I normally don't recommend other dramas in a review this much, but that's how strongly I feel about avoiding this one! I'm starting to think a ghost must have possessed me and made me finish. That's the only logical reason for not dropping this like everyone else.

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Wow, this is one of the best dramas I have seen in a while.
The plot may seem simple, but do not let it fool you! You will be in for a good watch!
The drama touches into deeper aspects of life, and how one should continuously strive for their dreams no matter how impossible it may seem. This drama teaches the audience the importance of working hard for one's success and even if you don't reach your dream goals, you may be able to help others and guide them to the path that will help reach their goals.

While some people are against student-teacher relationships, Junko is very careful in this drama to not be in a relationship with her students while they are her students, so you do not have to worry about that. She does not break any laws or rules here because she is not in any relationship with her students while teaching them. The chemistry between Yuri and Junko is absolutely wonderful, and Yuri is super mature for his age. I would even say he's even more mature than Junko herself and even as mature as the other male competitors in this drama. The character development for Yuri is amazing, and we can really see how much he has grown as a person mentally.

Watching this drama, you can't help but rethink about your own life and values. Just because I didn't reach my dream, should I give up? Is it worth helping others reach the same dream that I myself couldn't do? Do I have confidence in helping others succeed when I myself did not in the past? These are some of the questions that come to mind when I watched this show, and it really made me think about my future.

Overall, I loved both the plot and romance of this drama, and this is must watch if you want something light or fun to watch while still having a deeper story behind it all :)

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