4Flat romance, lacklustre politics & ML reduced to side accessory
I usually start my reviews explaining what the drama is about but this one is misleading as hell. You think you get a second chance romance where the main leads rebirth from their late 30s back to 18, work on repairing their broken relationship and the corrupt court. But the story revolves around the past history and family rivalry between the female lead and the second male lead. If you are a fan of Zhang Linghe or like your male leads to be more than a love puppy support role, you will be massively disappointed with this drama.Even though I very much enjoyed the first 12 episodes, the drama totally lost me afterwards. I was only able to finish it for ZLH, and also because of my NDD + FOMO.
The female lead in terms of her interpersonal relationships is a bully at first and emotionally insensitive to others. Although a smart cookie, confident and authority at court, in matters of the heart, she spends half the drama confused about her feelings. The second male lead has many romantic scenes with the female lead, and the focus is on his tragic first life. The director creates scenarios to make you want to sympathise with him but it all falls short and in fact annoys the audience even more. The male lead’s sole purpose in the drama is to be a love puppy and nothing more.
If the story was actually about the female lead and second male lead, I would have liked it. You have a love-hate relationship, power or love dynamic, family or love themes. I see the potential. But the writers did ZLH dirty by making him a lovesick puppy with no purpose in the plot. The poster of this drama is totally misleading and they should have put the second male lead in there (no hate to the actor, he is super cute) instead of ZLH.
POSITIVE:
- Zhang Linghe (ML). He is hands down the best part of this drama. I loved him in every scene, all his line deliveries were wonderful, he was great at comedy too. His character is a sweet, green flag cutie pie and the actor brings in the sexy factor too.
- Confident and authoritative female lead in terms of court/politics scenes.
- Lighthearted for the most part.
- Flashbacks from previous life are woven well into the story.
- Good comedy for the most part.
- Male lead’s jealousy scenes were 10/10. He cracked me up every time.
- Great acting from the main leads Zhang Linghe and Zhao Jin Mai.
NEGATIVE:
- Second male lead is actually the male lead. First half of the drama he has many romantic moments with the female lead (and even a special OST), and in the second half his story completely takes over the screen time. Giving him screen time is not as much of an issue as the way he was written and portrayed which drove many viewers into angry fits. He became an unwatchable character to the point that a lot of people were skipping his scenes. If the writers wanted to create a tragic villain, they failed.
- Male lead is just a side accessory and has no story arc. His emotional world is never explored. In all the major political plot points, he doesn’t contribute much to anything. His sole purpose is to be a love interest for the female lead. In fact, the female lead treats him badly many times but he still stays madly devoted to her. His mad devotion is never properly explained either which makes his character feel very one dimensional.
- Flat romance. The foundation of the romance is written poorly which didn’t allow me to connect with the couple. The reason their marriage failed in the first life is due to a somewhat silly misunderstanding. Even if I can find reasons why it makes sense, my biggest issue is that in episode 11 the male lead suddenly confesses that he has always loved her. But we aren’t shown why, how or when he fell for her. Aside from 2 second flashbacks where they glance at each other lovingly, we have no substance for this confession. It’s just a fact we are supposed to blindly accept. Throughout the drama he is blindly devoted to her and the writers failed to show me why. So even though the main leads looked good together, even though ZLH delivered beautiful romantic lines, I felt nothing for the couple. On top of that, their one steamy bath scene was abruptly cut, leaving the audience very unsatisfied.
- Love triangle. Usually in cdramas the female lead only has eyes for the male lead so love triangles are not really triangles for me and don’t bother me. But in this case, the female lead has actual confusing feelings for both men and is pondering for many episodes which one to choose. The worst part is that, even at episode 30 the director shows us romantic shots with her and the second male lead. In fact, they even have telepathy scenes where they stare at each other and speak the dialogue in their minds. Total soulmates right. Well, this love triangle could have worked if it was written right. But the fact is that pretty much everyone hated the second male lead and absolutely nobody was rooting for him to get the girl.
- Lacklustre politics. Nothing new I haven’t seen before, very simple and boring at times. In fact, the first life's story has more angst and is definitely a more exciting story to tell than the second life (which is the main plot of the drama).
- No logic. The male lead is the hottest piece of cake walking in and outside the court and the writers tell me that nobody wants a piece of that? (not even his wife for the most part?) #plothole (Ok it’s more of a joke but you know it’s true. It would have been a bit more realistic if he had at least one girl pining over him).
OVERALL:
Even though I didn’t have extremely high expectations I found myself very disappointed and misled by this drama. It’s one thing to highlight a second male lead and deepen the story but it’s unacceptable to reduce the male lead to nothing when he is one of the reasons many people have tuned in to watch. But even without the male lead issue, I found the plot of this drama very forgettable and boring. Nothing much stands out. Considering this is a S++ production (one of Youku’s highest budgeted dramas), this is a fail for me and one of my 2024 biggest disappointments.
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Most people are not ready for this kind of kdrama, but I guess it's time
It is a very unique drama that really needs to be appreciated. It was a big step to produce a full-length drama tackling about different mental health disorders. This drama is very psych-heavy but I guess people need to be aware of these disorders too. They need proper treatment and not judgement. The story is a bit cliche but they really added a unique touch to it. Since this Psych-themed drama shows how their thoughts run in their minds, I love how they portray these thoughts using animation and exaggeration (for differentiation from reality). People with mental health disorders might not be able to distinguish reality from their imaginations, thoughts, or fantasies, but the people around them could. We should show them that we understand them and we care for them (Just like how Gang Tae does it). It's good that they get treatment. I just wish Mun Yeong will also get treated. I know her character will still develop so let's wait for it. However, we must not romanticize her inappropriate actions. She has anti-social personality disorder which makes her unable to distinguish between right and wrong. This must not be tolerated and Gang Tae is doing a great job correcting her. This is still ongoing but it already made us feel different emotions. It's good that people are becoming more aware of different mental health issues and the triggers that can be associated with it. Thank you, It's Okay To Not Be Okay :)Music, animations, acting 100% Seo Yeji's voice? 101%!!
PS. I just hope TVN or Netflix will add trigger warnings. The content can be disturbing to some. Trigger warnings would really help.
UPDATE: IT WILL END SOON AND I DONT KNOW WHAT TO FEEL 😭😭 THE EMOTIONS ARE SO REAL I WANNA HUG THEM :(((
UPDATE: OH JUNG SE FOR BEST ACTOR PLS!!! He really did touch our hearts. I really love his character and how he portrayed it :((( ILY Sang-tae oppa!
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This review may contain spoilers
Give it a try!
**Disclaimer: This is just my opinion, please don't take anything I say personally. We don't have to agree and I'm not here to argue with anyone.***"Destined With You" is one of those dramas that you have to stick with until it gets better. I’m not going to lie it was so hard finding motivation to keep watching but after episode 7 it started to pick up and I have to say I started enjoying the plot twists, mystery and thriller aspect of it. It is seriously so interesting. I especially loved the backstory of Mu Jin and Aeng Cho. Though their love was ill-fated from the start you can see he killed her to ensure they would not dismember her and that she would live on through the curse. The fact that Mu Jin said in another life let them be happy… and this life they want to be happy but were unable to because of the curse and that crazy psychopath of a man (Na Jung-Beom) was so frustrating and unfair.
Rowoon looks so gorgeous in this drama… that was enough to keep me watching haha 😭 Idk but something about him with the slick back hair as the serious / brooding lawyer is. He also was giving a buzz and then when its all combed down he looks like a cute puppy / golden retriever. AHHH I love how he’s giving us rangeeee and I can’t wait to see him in his next projects.
Bo Ah is such a good actress the way she conveys what she’s feeling through her eyes alone is literally a talent.
For once I actually prefer the latter half of a drama rather than the usual trend of the drama falling off / being disappointing the end.
Let’s talk about Rowoon and Bo Ah's chemistry in episodes 13-15, 15 especially – it was off the charts! I'm talking about that kiss, whew! — I can see why shaman lady (Eun Wol) called the next morning and was like Shin Yu and Hong Jo would be conceiving a girl. I mean, I got pregnant just watching that scene haha. Jokes aside, I'm not sure why people were doubting their incredible chemistry, but you know, there will always be haters or people who don't receive media in the same way and have no appreciation for the effort / artistry that goes into it. I think the writers did a good job of neatly wrapping up the ending. Obviously they would have needed more episodes to really delve into the magic and the lore of Hong Jo’s shaman powers / lineage etc… but so far they did well with the little they were able to keep / use.
I also liked the various side characters stories especially between Mr. Gong and Ms. Ma. They were kind of on / and off all the time but I'm happy they worked out their differences and got married in the end. At first I did not like Hong Jo's workers but I warmed to them because they are very funny / silly. I also liked the side story about Shin Yu's mother and father... it seemed like they were always playing cat and mouse with each other, and you thought they were going to divorce - but in the end, they're going to have a baby. To say I was surprised is an understatement. To be honest, I thought the mom was starting to like Shin Yu's lawyer friend and that they'd end up together, but the drama didn't go in that direction at all.
I didn't particularly like Mr. Kwon / Jae Gyeong, but I'm glad he remained a good guy until the end. Life is all about timing, and he completely missed his with Hong Jo, so he can only blame himself. I thought it was a little cheeky of him to tell her that if she doesn't marry Shin Yu within the next six months, she should call him, but whatever - at least it ended amicably.
One aspect of the show that I dislike is their inability to finish the shamanism/curse storyline. They expect me to believe that the curse has been magically broken and Shin Yu is completely healed? Honestly, I was wondering if there was something missing or if there was more to it because the final scene shows Mu Jin, of the past ,walking away with a spell book of the heavens or something? I'm also curious if Hong Jo's near-death experience, which included almost being poisoned and then being resuscitated... is what broke the curse in the end? Little details like this being forgotten / not being explained is what kind of irritated me about the drama and made me take off points.
In my opinion, the ending was very touching and adorable... I was smiling the entire time and was relieved that it didn't end on a sad / bittersweet note with the main characters suffering. Spoiler alert: Hong Jo is not pregnant, but they will get married and live happily ever after. It took them 300 years to get here, but they did it!
The OST they chose is just so beautiful and heartfelt. The songs perfectly complement the story and will stay with you long after you finish watching the drama.
I for one am impressed and proud of myself for not dropping this drama and I guess I would rewatch it for the vibes and cute moments.
If you enjoy light fantasy, mystery, and reincarnation dramas, you should give this one a shot. Hopefully, you will not be disappointed.
With that, I give this drama a resounding 8/10.
Thanks for reading & happy watching!
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚
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If you asked me to describe this show simply, I would probably liken it to a modern version of Nirvana In Fire, which sounds kind of ridiculous since the contents are so different. While the political intrigue is an integral part of both shows, neither forgets to insert some heart and some solid storytelling to weave its magic - and of course, both shows count on some amazing performances from a largely veteran cast.
Story:
The premise of this show is pretty simple - it's about exposing corrupt government officials, and the twisted web that they weave in a fictional city (and province) in modern China. (FYI - in recent years, with the rise of the new GS, the government's been really cracking down on corruption, especially within government officials, which is why they were okay with turning the novel into a drama).
While Prosecutor Hou Liang Ping is technically the main character, this is really a story about many different people, and how their lives are tied together. The main focus, of course, is telling the politics in a modern Chinese city works, and the scriptwriter does a phenomenal job of outlining many of the problems in Chinese society today without making it too black and white. Because too often, there isn't a clear cut answer, but just acknowledging and highlighting the issue is a major win for citizens.
In this same vein, the characters, even the ones who are exposed to be corrupt, are portrayed in an ambiguous light (and I mean that in the best way). One of the biggest issues with a lot of the shows about political intrigue is that the show is too eager to cast judgement on a character for the audience, but here, you can use your own judgement to decide what you think of a character and his or her actions. Almost all the characters are portrayed in a fairly complete light - so you'll have the full picture of what kind of person they are, what they have done, and why they have done it.
The pace is phenomenal - the first few episodes will leave you absolutely reeling as you're thrown right into a case that opens up the rest of the story - but then it slows down to allow us to catch our breath and to learn a little bit more about the situation and the characters. I think there were some unnecessary scenes, but there was obviously a big attempt to balance the dark and heavy with some light, slice of life moments, and I really did enjoy peeking into the lives of the characters.
Beware - there's a lot of low key and high key propaganda in here - I mean, it is a state-backed show - so it might be a little disconcerting if you aren't used to it, but I didn't find that it took too much away from the story, which was mostly very well thought out, as layers are unpeeled and you learn more and more about just how tangled the web really is.
Acting/Cast:
This show featured probably one of the phenomenal casts in recent history, with a slew of talented, well known veteran actors, who took the roles and absolutely made it their own. In particular, Wu Gang and Zhang Zhi Jian, as opposing politicians, gave amazing performances that gave their characters, who were already interesting, even more depth. Hats off to the other established actors as well (there's too many to name, honestly), in particular Hou Yong, who is probably the reason why a lot of people kept watching the show, as he guest starred in the first couple of episodes as a small town politician and gave an absolutely electrifying performance, and Bai Zhi Di as the elderly retired Chen Yan Shi, who was a cynical and jaded ex-prosecutor and totally reminded me of my own grandfather.
I also loved Ding Hai Feng as the playful police commissioner and Ke Lan, who was a smart, sassy, and hilarious female prosecutor - the two of them often stole the scenes that they were in. If someone ever wants to do a spinoff based on these two, I'm definitely in.
Zhang Feng Yi, who I love, was sadly wasted in his role - he did what he could with it, but it really wasn't an interesting character since Sha Rui Jin was probably the most straight laced character in the entire show (aka boring). He is such a talented actor and I really wanted to see him in a more riveting role.
Lu Yi has received a lot of criticism for his acting, some of which is valid, but a lot of it is a bit unfair given how talented his costars are. Lu Yi does more idol dramas than anything else - I mean, he's not going to be amazing. He was fine - not great, not bad - but serviceable. And considering his character really was just meant to be a foil to some of the other characters so there really wasn't much depth there, he didn't need to be amazing.
Ensemble casts are the best when everyone's performances are elevated, and that's how I felt here.
Overall:
I think you have to have some context of what modern Chinese society looks like to be able to really enjoy this show - even though a lot of the main characters are politicians, there's a relatability factor to it that really strikes a chord with the audience as the show touches on various social issues. I am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this show to the point where I'm still discussing it with my parents. For those who dismiss this show as pure propaganda, I feel that's a bit unfair to a well thought out, well acted drama that does have a lot of fantastic social and political commentary. I would definitely recommend it!
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3
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1A love story that transcends time and space.
In a xianxia romance that spans multiple lifetimes and universes, When Destiny Brings the Demon chronicles the journey of Liao Tingyan as she is unwillingly transmigrated into a fantastical realm of immortals and demons. Blindsided by her abrupt displacement, she attempts to carve a quiet and lazy life for herself here — but fate has other plans. Against her wishes, she falls under the mercy of the notorious grandmaster, Sima Jiao, who is said to have a cruel heart and fiery temper. However, through their forced coexistence, she learns that beneath the lord's hotheaded exterior, he is a complex and lonely soul.The initial episodes are weighed down by an influx of info dumping, but bear with it, because your patience will be rewarded with one of the sweetest love stories to emerge from cdramaland this year. Liao Tingyan and Sima Jiao's chemistry needs to be studied. From enemies, to servant and master, to friends, to lovers — their relationship develops fast but believably so. In a world where they are both outcasts and no one is to be trusted, they are drawn to each other. Passionate, angsty, selfless — I find myself gushing over all of their tender moments, and there are so many of them. You will laugh, cry, rage, and fall in love with their love story.
The actors, Wang Ying Lu and Arthur Chen, are sensational in these roles. In less capable hands, Liao Tingyan would have come off as annoying, considering how passive and meek her character started off as. Instead, Wang Ying Lu is able to make Tingyan relatable, funny, and endearing. She effortlessly transitions Tingyan from a damsel in distress into a force to be reckoned with — someone who not only can protect herself but her loved ones as well. Arthur Chen is also perfectly casted as Sima Jiao, brilliantly portraying his loneliness, pain, and rage in a way that brings justice to the character. Watching Sima Jiao's growth from a man who is suspicious of everyone into a man capable of compassion, trust, and forgiveness because of his love for Tingyan is as healing for him as it is for me to watch. The performances of these actors moved me and I have a new profound respect for the both of them.
Aside from the characters, there are also so many other things to love. The cgi is gorgeous and it adds so much vibrancy and personality to this world. The visual impact would not have been as memorable without it. The osts are haunting, marvelously complementing the story and elevating every scene to a new level of enjoyment. I constantly hum the melodies even when I'm not watching the drama and thinking about the music evokes a strong feeling of longing for the characters and their stories. The fight scenes are riveting — it is obvious how much thought and intentions the director and action choreographers put into those sequences.
My two biggest complaints are probably that the plot was secondary to the romance and the pacing was very slow at times. There are moments in the drama where the romance will be developing with ease, but the plot isn't moving at all. The conflicts in the first half of the story are repetitive, stalling the plot. Personally, I feel the drama could have been reduced to fewer episodes to create an even more engaging story. However, I recognize that this will cut back on some of the romantic scenes, and this will be a great loss for the drama since the romance is such an important factor in the story. Therefore, I am able to overlook the drama's weaknesses in this respect.
After finishing When Destiny Brings the Demon, I am only left with positive feelings of love, admiration and satisfaction for the story. Given the genre and the censorship placed on dramas with transmigration, I couldn't have asked for a better ending. The writers neatly conclude the story with no loose ends. It is definitely a love story that transcends time and space, worthy of experiencing, and I highly recommend it for the romance lovers.
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Flawed Storytelling, Redeemed by Amazing Performances
The White Olive Tree is one of those dramas that I watched purely for its talented cast and the themes it aimed to explore. If I’m completely honest, the writing left a lot to be desired—it was riddled with bad dialogue and forced situations, often making me roll my eyes. The English dialogue felt tedious; if a drama intends to incorporate a good amount of a foreign language, it would be worthwhile to invest in someone who can ensure its proper use.However, despite the weak storytelling, there were also highlights, including the romance, the acting, and the OST.
The love story between the two leads was surprisingly engaging, even if some viewers found it too teenage-like. Their initial awkwardness and shy interactions might not be for everyone, but I personally found them endearing. There’s something incredibly sweet about watching two people slowly navigate their feelings, especially when their chemistry is palpable. When they finally got together, it made all the waiting worthwhile.
Another standout element was the acting. Both leads delivered strong performances, and their emotional depth helped elevate the often lackluster script. Chen Zhe Yuan, in particular, was a scene-stealer—not just because of his strong acting but also because he excelled in the most intense, tearful moments. His ability to convey raw emotions made the heavier aspects of the story more compelling.
Liang Jie also delivered a noteworthy performance, providing the perfect balance to Chen Zhe Yuan with her natural charm. While he carried much of the show’s intensity, her portrayal brought a richness that added depth to both her character and the story. Their effortless chemistry made their relationship even more engaging to watch.
Beyond the leads, there were side characters who managed to captivate the audience. Wang Tian Chen as Benjamin and Gu Zi Cheng as Sasin were particularly noteworthy, earning their own dedicated fanbase. They not only complemented their co-stars but also left a lasting impression of their own. Their scenes together provided much-needed moments of levity, which helped balance the drama’s heavier themes. At the same time, their story had many poignant and meaningful moments that brought tears to my eyes.
Speaking of heaviness, The White Olive Tree delves into war and its aftermath, particularly PTSD. The drama focuses on the psychological toll endured by those affected, offering glimpses into the scars and struggles of its characters. While these themes add weight to the story, the execution sometimes feels uneven. Even though there were moments of genuine depth, the storytelling felt superficial, as though the drama was merely skimming the surface of complex issues rather than fully exploring their intricacy and nuance.
Fortunately, the strength of the actors helped bridge this gap. Through their performances, they conveyed the struggles of trauma survivors in a way that the script failed to achieve. Their heartfelt delivery brought authenticity to the characters' pain, making their journeys feel more compelling.
The OST was well-chosen and played a crucial role in enhancing the mood of the scenes, adding an extra layer of emotional depth and immersing the audience further into the story.
Watching this drama was quite a journey—one filled with emotional highs, frustrating lows, and countless tear-jerking moments—but ultimately, it was a rewarding experience. Despite its flaws, the performances and romance kept me invested until the very end. The conclusion was not a fairytale ending, but I was not disappointed. It struck a balance between realism and hope, aligning with my cautiously optimistic wish for the main couple’s fate. It provided enough closure to feel satisfying without being overly idealistic. In a story that explored trauma, love, and resilience, this ending felt appropriate.
Even though the show may not be for everyone, it will likely appeal to those who appreciate excellent performances and its earnest attempt to delve into the lasting repercussions of war. In the end, there was much in the show that I found deeply moving.
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The entire artistic production would receive 9/10 from me for a romcom drama like this. The direction was great; the set and props were outstanding; the cast was full of both eye candy and skills. The cinematography was amazing. It was good to look at. I just wish they gave much more effort into blending their multiple genres together.
THE CAST:
I'm never a fan of any of them, but I believe they did a really great job. The set of 3 leads owned their roles. I even believe that the writers wrote this story with Park Boyoung in their mind. Tiny and cutesy role is definitely for her, and she's a good actress as well. This is only my second drama with her, however, and I believe that the next one with her is gonna start boring me a bit. Her tone and acting is just so *her* like she was in Oh My Ghost. This happened to me with Hwang Jungeum in every single drama she was in as well.
THE STORY:
The story, however, was a strange mix of romance, comedy, supernatural(?), police investigation, and even bloody thriller. How would they mix into a good storyline? There's no way. I believe they needed to take out at least one, or tone down each of them to make everything flow.
The dynamic of this storyline is super strange. It was like an incredibly bumpy road instead of a smooth rollercoaster. The comedy element was almost too forced that it wasn't funny. Some parts were even disgusting that just made me fast-forward throughout the show.
The thriller part started out really strong in the beginning which tipped off the consistent cute and comical tone of the entire Do Bongsoon character. That villain character was just too over-the-top that the entire sub plot around this guy doesn't fit in with the tone of this story at all.
Plus, the entire reason Bongsoon and Hyungshik got together was because *his* case, not the one in her neighborhood. He was being threatened, and that case was solved so easily and quickly. It was definitely just there to bring the two together.
The love story between the two/three leads was nothing special. Nothing really developed or had an impact on any characteristic change. It was just there out of nowhere. I have to admit that they were cute and fluffy together though. They were almost too cheesy together and I usually don't prefer that kind of super cringy stuff, but I believe it helped even out the darker tones regarding the villain. It still isn't the ideal way for such purpose.
But all in all, I wouldn't keep watching until the end if it wasn't entertaining. Like I said, I liked the cinematography and the cast a lot (surprisingly, given that I'm never a fan of any of them). It was something to watch in my free time and I did take my time to finish it. The bad parts weren't soooo bad that it let me down. At least the first episode started off nicely. If you wanna see for yourself, I don't recommend you against it. I have a reputation for dropping series halfway through if the first few episodes are slow and have too much flashback. This one was fine.
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Addictive hot mess but a disservice to mental health
Did I enjoy this drama all the way? YES.Was this a good fictional story in general? YES.
Was Kim Yoo Jung’s performance brilliant? YES.
BUT and here comes,
For a show that introduces the FL as someone with antisocial personality disorder, did this do a good job? NO. Yes Ah Jin has traits present in people with ASPD but is it not a disservice to paint people wjth this disorder as a monster and as evil? Shouldn’t the drama actually delved into her psychology and into understanding how her traumas, her experiences made it difficult for her to connect with others and empathise with others? Having the FL repeat her trauma and act like a victim who has been wronged is mere surface-level characterisation and understanding of ASPD.
If the drama did not want to talk about mental health, why label her as someone with this disorder? What a freaking disservice this was to people who deserve treatment rather than merely being labelled as diabolical / evil / monstrous. Who is Ah Jin beyond the person that is always trying to survive? What are basic likes and dislikes? Who are the people she loves? People with ASPD are capable of loving.. just that they don’t love the same way “normal” humans do.
The documentary framing Ah Jin as a criminal while everyone else became a victim was unfair. What about Ah Jin’s perspective? Again I’m not defending or justifying her actions, but the black and white perspective and one-note characterisations the show re-iterated time and time again was really baffling.
What was the point of the CEO’s character? Was it to merely add some thrill to the show? Till the end I did not understand the purpose he served to the story and to our understanding of Ah Jin’s journey.
Ah Jin used all these men, yes. But she did not put a gun to their heads. If we talk about Ah Jin’s choice in making the horrible decisions she did, we need to talk about Jae Oh and Joon Seo’s choices. Ah Jin never promised them love or flowers. She was clear that she needed them and they willingly stepped in.
Jae Oh’s death made absolute sense. But what about Joon Seo? For someone who “loved” Ah Jin, he never tried to understand her. He always assumed the worst of her, saw her as someone making use of others but never saw her the human. He never saw her as someone who needed support or help. He saw her as someone he wanted to control, someone he hoped would change for him and in the end when she pushed him away, he exposed her to tie her down. His death was no act of martyr. He brought it upon himself. But my question is - why? The writer had the choice to either (1) have Joon Seo walk away as he did 2 episodes prior to the finale or (2) have Joon Seo expose Ah Jin and get her treated. I did not understand his let’s-go-to-hell-together like the writer was trying to spin this into some epic Romeo / Juliet romance. Also what was Jun Seo’s motive in exposing Ah Jin?
And the ending- I am a fan of open endings but this was one of the worst endings the writer could come up with after this journey. Yes she’s alive somewhere and she’ll probably continue to manipulate her way through but humans can’t live their lives on this repeat cycle all the way till the end. There has to be a stop or a change in pattern. In Ah Jin’s case it could have been death, treatment or insanity - either of the three could have been used to conclude her journey but the writer did so in the laziest way.
Also what kind of message does this writer want to give out with Ah Jin surviving while everybody is dead? Again this would have worked as a work of fiction but adding that tag of ASPD did this a huge disservice.
Do I recommend this? Yes. It wasn’t a bad drama per se. The performances were top notch, the score was haunting, the vibe and the dark relationships were different from the usual South Korean dramas. But having said that, this clearly fell shot of being a stellar drama because the complexity of the characters were not fleshed out well enough. In the end, I left this drama not understanding what the CEO, Ah Jin, Jun Seo and Jun Seo’s mum even wanted because they were all just so one-note and didnt feel like actual human beings with a gamut of emotions and a life beyond Ah Jin.
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This review may contain spoilers
The plot had so much potential with the reincarnation trope leading the story, but it was never really used. While I enjoyed the beginning episodes quite a lot, at some point I was questioning myself for watching it. It wanted to be deeper, more dramatic and moving, but used all wrong directing choices to achieve it, and in the end, it did not work for me.CHARACTERS/COUPLES
Truth to be told, I was far more interested in all side/past couples than the main one. I didn’t feel that much chemistry between them. Don’t get me wrong, there were moments when I found them as cute as possible, but I always thought it was more about good directing and not their acting. The romance scenes were simply well written and shot. I still believe Pharm and Dean’s first kiss was filmed in a fantastic way.
I truly loved the fun and entertaining chemistry going on between Team and Win and I wish we could have seen more of them and how they developed feelings for each other. We kind of knew they would end up together… and then they did. Not much of that development was really shown.
Earth and Kao were really good in their roles and I truly did feel the pain and desperation watching their scenes. Wish we could have a prequel telling just their story in greater detail.
Sadly, I felt like Ohm had the same facial expression 90% of the drama, with Fluke showing a bit more diversity: happy grin, shocked grin, massive crying (+ the quite well acted total meltdown in the last episode). While at the beginning I did not mind, at some point I was just bored by their scenes and performance.
Character wise, both Dean and Pharm were nothing special. I mean… Did Dean even have a personality? I did enjoy their relationship though, because, they played off of each other's characteristics well - Pharm being on a shy note and Dean leading the interactions, but as separate characters… they had close to nothing going on.
THAT SAID, I have to applaud the drama for one specific scene. We got some good representation of setting boundaries. When Dean gets a bit too touchy with Pharm, but Pharm quickly puts him back in place, clearly says it was unwanted and it must never happen again. We don’t see scenes like that a lot in BLs.
Also, justice for Manow. Poor girl was literally forgotten at some point of the drama.
DIRECTING
Oh boy. All the long, slow scenes of them doing literally nothing, like… looking at their phone, or cooking but without interacting with each other. The dialogues with way too many pauses. They literally took breaks every 2 or 3 words. There were many scenes that just felt like fillers. Few seconds here, few seconds there… but no content to be found. It made the drama look more aesthetically pleasing, but at the same time, I could not move my finger away from the right arrow on my keyboard, because I was sure there will be more than one occasion I will want to skip the next 5 seconds of them doing nothing.
As I was watching and the story progressed more and more, I could not wait for it to end. It dragged so badly and it was so amazingly slow. Everything was slow. They talked slowly, the shots were slow, the background music was slow, how they moved and walked was slow. I was honestly getting sleepy and tired after watching. The fact that, by an accident, I was able to watch 2 parts of an episode set on 1.5x speed and did not notice says a lot about the directing.
The violin soundtrack started to drive me nuts at some point. It made it seem like every scene was so profound and important and had deeper meaning… most of them did not. The overuse of it made it not an asset, but an annoyance in my eyes (ears?).
WRITING/STORY
I feel like the planning just failed. With the minimum of Team and Win scenes, they should just cut them out completely and make a sequel showing their relationship from the beginning. Focus only on Dean and Pharm and the past story of In and Korn. Show us in more detail how they slowly connected all the dots and accepted their past and current selves.
What’s most important, introduce a conflict AND NOT IN A LAST EPISODE. With the reincarnation trope, there are so many ways to go about it. Giving me Pharm questioning his love for Dean, not being sure if it's real or it's just reminiscence of the relationship In had with Korn, it’s awesome. What’s the point of shoving it in our faces in the last episode? It could have been gradually introduced. The more Pharm knew about the past, the more he would start questioning his feelings for Dean. This way you would have two driving forces for their relationship clashing in an interesting way - them being drawn to each other by the past connection, but also driven away by the fear it’s not real. I guess this isn’t the drama’s fault, since it is based on the novel, but it does not change the fact that there weren’t really any stakes presented. They tried to introduce some struggle by the end, but since the set up was not strong enough, it failed to move me and make me care.
The mental breakdown Pharm had at the end was so ridiculous too. He knew the story, he had flashbacks showing exactly what happened. It’s not like finding the box in the previous episode gave him some new information. He knew it all… And sure, we can argue that the reality of it hit him the moment he saw the photos and the gun, but it still makes no sense pacing wise. Make it happen at least two or three episodes earlier so we can actually feel the pain of then splitting/taking a break. Give me that emotional journey not some cheap emotional thirty second roller coaster with some bullshit “three months later”.
Overall, I guess I was simply not convinced by Fluke and Ohm’s acting so the scenes that might have been sweet, emotional, sad… were, for me, boring. I was not connecting to their feelings so I could not bring myself to care. The moment I started to care, the pace slowed down so painfully, I was getting distracted by the fact nothing was happening. Sad conclusion to the drama I was so excited to watch.
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This review may contain spoilers
A recipe with too many ingredients
It’s a story packed with too many ideas, but the poor execution left me disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, there were definitely good elements, and it was entertaining in the beginning, at least until about halfway through. After that, it went downhill fast. It honestly felt like two different writers worked on the script. The first half was brilliant, while the second half was painfully bad. If I didn’t know the production spent 300 million on this project, I’d have thought it was a low-budget drama. The cinematography was average. The wardrobe was average too (some side characters literally wore one costume for the entire show). They would change XQS's hair in one scene and change again on the next without reason. The editing was sloppy. The saving grace of the show was the fight scenes and fight choreography.There are many more points I could bring up, but I’d have to rewatch episodes to fact-check, and I honestly have no interest in doing that, so I’ll leave those out. Here are the main thoughts that stuck with me:
First, I didn’t like how some of XQS’s greatest achievements, despite him being smart and quick-witted, ended up coming down to sheer luck: swallowing a 60-year power pill, being bitten by a mysterious white snake, receiving power from eight heroes, and so on.
Towards the end, I couldn’t understand why Chief Li knowingly drank the poisoned wine, then went back to the palace again fully aware he’d have to face the same poison and might not survive. He’s supposed to be one of the most powerful figures, yet he came across as utterly defeated. On top of that, the Emperor who gave him the poisoned wine acted surprised and even saddened when he learned of Chief Li’s death. It really makes me question the credibility of the writers.
A lot of questionable choices were made. Characters with strong martial arts skills and big entrances were introduced, only to be taken out by trivial things... Crazy Yan, Chief Li, Rong-er, etc. And just before the final fight between XQS and his second brother, why bother with the sand timer on General Wu instead of just killing him off directly?
The show also hinted at a love triangle between Tang Gege (LSF), Tang Fang, and Red Phoenix, then abandoned it, only to patch it up in the final episodes as if it were an afterthought. Honestly, I started losing interest once the story shifted direction and introduced a new villain, while suddenly making the old villains into “misunderstood good guys.” Their past crimes against the heroes were brushed aside and forgotten. For example, if it weren’t for the Power Gang, the Xiaos wouldn’t have been trapped in the safe house without water and would still be alive. But all was forgiven just because they preserved the bodies (of people they helped kill) as evidence and helped track down the killer. If I were XQS, I’d have held them accountable, maybe made them clean the graves every day for ten years or something.
LSF’s hatred of the Xiao family was so extreme that destroying them consumed his every thought. Yet he never truly got revenge on the person behind the massacre, nor did he apologize to the people he wrongly blamed, especially the Xiaos. He caused a lot of damage, but there was no “I’m sorry.” They just swept it under the rug. And with that, LSF’s purpose was lost. The feud between XQS and LSF disappeared without closure, and LSF ended up as a useless character. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one looking forward to their big showdown.
Another disappointing aspect was the lack of a strong sense of brotherhood. It was there, yes, and their friendship was solid, but within the trio, XQS shone brightly while the other two felt like dim little fireflies, simply existing in the background.
By the time the new villain came around, I had lost focus completely. He felt like just another bad guy I couldn’t care about, and I only kept watching to finish the story. There were still good moments here and there, but overall, the mishandling of the storytelling left me unsatisfied.
And a small rant: whoever invented that drinking cup/saucer design clearly intended half the drink to spill on the ground as an offering to ancestors, because otherwise it’s just a terrible design. The tea cups were perfectly fine. 😅 Okay, don’t come for me on that one, it was a joke.
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Everything about this drama is remarkable!!!
This drama got me hooked since day one, and there are various reasons for it:1) Amazing plot - The plot is completely new,at least for me. The story has developed very well and at also the right pace. It is one of the kinds where you'll probably die out of curiosity trying to imagine what the next episode would be like. I laud the person/people who came with such a story.
2) Remarkable actors - Son Ye Jin was the reason why I started this. But now Hyun Bin has me wrapped around his finger. Seo Ji Hye and Kim Jung Hyun are also brilliant. Everyone's acting is so good, that it feels the roles were written for them.
3) The chemistry between the characters - This is also one of the reasons why I waited for the drama so patiently every week. The chemistry is so good and it makes me ship them way too much.
4) Supporting Cast - The supporting cast has done a splendid job, in fact the entire cast. The scenes involving them have been written really well, you don't wanna skip any scene. Kudos y'all!!!
5) OSTs -I love each and every one of them and I can't help but listen to them all the time. They're all very good!!
All I have to say is, if you're looking a unique story with amazing actors wrapped up together with soothing OSTs, you should most definitely give this a try. :)
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They'll Make You Wish You're in This Kind of Relationship
All the actors and actresses did a good job in acting and chemistry. Story comes with good pacing and relatable situations. Personally for me, the relationship between the female lead with her father, reminds me of my own.But it's not all sad, don't worry. It has tons of comedy too. I guess besides the script, we have to thank the editing for that. Oh my, I laughed so hard, especially at the bar scene in episode 1.
And of course it has romance. Tbh I'm not really into romance as they tend to be cheesy. But here the romance is not boring, it's cute and sweet (that you wish you had this kind of relationship).
Ost are all very good, the lyrics are really sweet, I love them all. Cinematography is well done too. Tbh first I felt weird about the close up shot of the leads from front, because they almost or actually look at the camera, but later I think it gives different nuance, like you can see their face, their eyes clearly and it suddenly feels like you're the one falling in love haha
Must watch, really.
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Pro's and Con's (because many reviews take mostly one side)
The concept of I-Land can be understood without having seen all the episodes. In this review I would like to describe both 'good' and 'bad' aspects of the show, so that I don't tell anyone directly that they should or shouldn't watch the show. There are no major spoilers in this review, just small facts.Pro's:
- their experience definitely helps the trainees of Bighit (the 23 participants)
- once a trainee has been selected to leave the show, he knows what his goal must be to have his debut later on
- they make close friends with different age groups (1998-2006)
- they improve their ability to work in a team
- they broaden their horizons with the help of their team members
- they learn that compatibility is very important ➡️ a dispute MUST be solved with talking to each other, you can't just hope that it will be over sometime without doing anything➡️ they get to know each other better, understand others more, become more selfless / cooperative / supportive to each other
- they learn how much responsibility a leader and the person with the most singing/dancing parts have ("the team is as strong as the weakest member")
- they learn that it can be either harder or easier to reach the goal as a team
- all participants are from different countries (South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Australia etc.)
- the songs are sooooo good!!
- the participants are absolutely good looking... Stunning! !! (just to mention that too)
Con's:
- the show did some of them dirty
- 'uninteresting' members are rarely or not at all shown, which can lead to them getting fewer votes in global voting
- the drama is always shown (there are mainly good moments to be seen, but of course in the middle of it scenes are shown where a participant behaves stupidly and then no good moment is shown by him ➡️ which can lead to less votes)
- it focuses mainly on dancing (they have to sing and rap well when performing, but it doesn't seem as important as dancing and facial expressions
- They have to choose each other out and into the team
- they have to distribute their parts in songs with each other ➡️ they went through all the parts of the song and one of them wanted every part (because he didn't get the last part) every time but never got the part (he probably got the feeling that he is not good enough)
- because of the scoring points (0-100) they get the feeling that they have never given a perfect performance
- they all make friends with each other, but they don't all make their debut together at the end (only 7/23)
- you automatically have a favourite, but you have to hope every episode that he gets further
- they have to solve tasks as a team, but are valued against each other in the evaluation
I think bighit should have done the kind of survival show that Straykids did (a fixed group being tested to see if they have the potential to make their debut). Still, the show contains many beautiful moments that make the audience love the participants.
I hope my review is helpful and my english isn't too bad :)
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This review may contain spoilers
O Romance.. Where Art Thou??
It’s funny how the worst part of a drama titled Fight for Love ironically ends up being the love itself.. I simply didn’t feel at all about the romance.. When I watch a drama that has romance at the center of its plot, I need to feel something, it can be fun and lighthearted or angsty and heavy but whatever the tone is, I want to at least care a bit about the relationship.. Well, it just didn’t happen here.. I didn’t feel anything for them honestly.. Their interactions were fine but that's it, it’s just forgettable..Another issue is that it’s just too long.. 40 episodes is way too much.. And when a story is stretched out like that, it becomes even more important for the narrative to keep moving and to hold your interest the whole way through, but that wasn’t the case here.. The drama has zero narrative momentum.. This should have been a 28–30 episode drama.. There are too many filler stories and way too much time spent on the supporting characters.. We already have the push and pull between the main leads, but then we have to sit through the same thing with the supporting cast as well.. And also an ex who was just there to create unnecessary tension..
It’s such a shame how terribly bland Victoria Song is as the FL, especially when she is paired with a ML like Ding Yuxi.. Her forced expressions, stiff acting and weak fight scenes just made the drama even harder to sit through.. Ding Yuxi is really wasted here and so is his character’s potential.. The issues about his reduced screen time didn’t bother me much, you barely notice it after the initial episodes.. But he is definitely underutilized.. He should have had more fight scenes or at least longer ones.. At least that would have given us something worth watching..
I also wanted to mention a few other things..
Imagine a female general who has killed so many enemy soldiers like they were insects, but when her ex locks her up with him forcefully, she says “What is it that you want?? My body or my love?? If it’s my body, then take it” and then she actually starts to undress herself.. When she could have easily beaten him and walked out without any effort at all.. Does it make any sense??
This one bugged me as well.. The way the story begins.. How does an experienced General march straight into an obvious enemy ambush like that?? With the layout of the land he should have expected it right?? You threw all your sons into one fight, one war, all at the same time.. One wrong move and your whole lineage is gone.. The whole arc honestly felt like it existed just to wipe out the Wei family so that the ML would have a reason to join the FL in her quest for answers and revenge..
The rebirth premise from the original novel felt more promising.. Even though I haven’t read it, I still feel like that version would have been much better.. Why stray so far from it??
Overall, Fight for Love is a drama you can easily skip.. There is nothing here that would make me recommend it to anyone.. The 7 rating is for whatever Ding Yuxi managed to bring to the story.. The team tried way too hard to cram too much into one drama and it just dragged on and on and on..
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This review may contain spoilers
Before any of you die-hard BoF fans rage at me for the ratings, please not that this is my own *personal* opinion, ergo you don't have to read it if you don't like it. II'm not trying to be mean or rude, I'm just saying that everyone has an opinion and you have to accept that.----
"Boys Over Flowers" might have been my first drama ever, but I can't really remember. I do remember that this was the first drama I watched I finished. At the time, I really had no idea what to expect, but seeing how much the friend who introduced it to me loved this drama, I figured it had to be pretty good. So I watched it and wondered how exactly a mess like this got such high ratings.
Story: Speaking from an objective standpoint, BoF is a hot mess. The fans must have been really forgiving to fall in love with characters who drove kids to suicide, and a story that had the main couple breaking up and getting together pretty much every other episode. I like romance and watching the OTP get through conflicts victorious, but I also like having another overlying story arc to keep me interested. In here, was there even something beyond Jan Di's and Jun Pyo's romance? I didn't even ship them.
Acting: Lee Min Ho, despite his mane of shame, is a good actor. I haven't really seen him anywhere else, but he's good here. Kim Bum is outstanding and his chemistry with Kim So Eun was pretty much the only reason I kept watching this. Kim Joon didn't really have that many scenes, but he was good and I'm fairly certain the only reason Kim Hyun Joong is here is because they needed another "flower boy" and were running short. He's really not that great of an actor, but pretty moves mountains. I'm not a hater, since I'm a huge fan of his music, but maybe he can brush up on his acting. Ko Hye Sun, frankly speaking, annoyed me to no end. Not just her character, but her in general. I don't think I'll ever watch a drama with her ever again. She's not a bad actor, but I don't feel like she's particularly good either. Plus, her chemistry with Lee Min Ho felt a bit forced.
Music: I'm still not sure if it was meant to be so funny. "Almost Paradise" killed me no matter what scene it showed up in. The director was really unwieldy in using the music wisely and spacing out the songs, so most of the other music grated on my nerves by episode 15.
Rewatch Value: Ha. No. Never. You would have to pay me to get me to sit through it. This drama may have been other people's favorite, but to me it was tedious and long. The plot spun in circles and the angst shot through the roof and there was still no plot beyond Jan Di and Jun Pyo.
Overall: This drama was so popular for a reason, I guess. Pretty is such a powerful force its nearly sentient. Another reason? If you were sincerely rooting for the main couple and honestly really liked them together, you would watch just for them and for the gratification that came with seeing them together. If you really did not care about the main couple, you would probably throw your computer out a window.
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