Reviews

This is a feminist movie. What kind of image does it conjure up for you?
I can tell you that this isn't a story about a confident, "girl crush" woman. Rather, it follows the story of an ordinary woman and the gender based microaggressions she faces.

This movie isn't an easy watch precisely because it's so real (similar to Misaeng). You could only hope that all of those events don't happen to the same person in real life though.

I knew about the general plot before watching the movie but it still really hit me hard. At the start, I thought it was really fast-paced because it just threw you into the movie. But as the movie progressed, I got used to it and was able to connect with it more.

However, I think reading the book would help you understand the movie better. There was a few scenes that didn't feel resolved in the movie, but I think were explored in the book.
I was also confused if Kim Ji Young's behavior was supposed to be more metaphorical or literal. After reading some reviews of the book, I think I understand what it's trying to say. There was one review in particular that said she didn't have a voice in this society so she had to adopt other personas / mimic other people in her life to say something.

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I often read that this drama was too long, and I can easily understand why. But to me, the length of this drama has its place and its reason. It let the characters evolve slowly in a subtle and almost natural way. We get to perfectly understand the too leads. It also permit for their relationship to be more complicated that a simple "why don't you love me, I love you, even if at first I hated you!".

The story is actually very original, there is place for cuteness, drama, comedy, a great second female lead, and beautiful couple scenes. What's not to love ?

I gave a 9 in acting because I beleive the second male lead lacked nuance on his part, but the two leads are doing an amazing job.

Anyway it's a good drama, so go watch it ^^ lol !

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"Woman of Dignity became one of the highest rated Korean dramas in cable television history"

to be honest when I first read this title it didn't really affect me because I never believed that high ratings = great drama but since I love KHS I thought why not watch at least I'll enjoy KHS beauty & I'm happy I didn't miss this great drama I'll get into details with no spoilers at all so read it with no worries :)

What I liked about this drama:

1- It's not your typical drama in terms of story, acting or even characters. we have two female leads that are the main story in the drama with supporting characters that each have a story of their own just as fun as the main story with everything connected to each other I usually get bored of dramas that focus mainly on the female & male leads so this was such a fun drama for me.

2- It gets better with time, 20 Ep was a scary thing for me since usually the last episodes would get draggy but that wasn't the case with this drama thankfully, it gets better and it's just so fun that you won't be skipping anything.

3- I liked the light comedy that was added to the story mainly by Jung Sang Hoon, the humor was such a breath of fresh air in this somehow tense drama

I feel like if I write more I would end up with spoiler so that's it a small review about Woman of Dignity I hope you enjoyed reading it .

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HIStory stories had quite some pressure on them after the release of Obsessed, so I was very curious how "season 2" would do. I expected to be either utterly disappointed or be full of high praise. Well, fortunately the second one is the case.

Story: Right or Wrong gives us a lovely storyline that does not actually start with a love line but a main "get to know the life of the characters" plotline. Soon though, it picks up the pace and gives you a lot more than you expected. The story gives you some drama, a lot of funny remarks or conversations (at least I sometimes found them quite funny) but mostly it gives you loveliness...RoW is lovely from beginning to end and when you start you don't wanna stop because the characters grow on you rather quickly. Also it gives us a little unusual storyline for BL series and movies, so that's something new and fresh.

Cast: The cast was a little bit awkward at first but after getting to know the characters better, you start loving them and the awkwardness disappears. The acting is good enough, for me to forget that they are actors and for me to want to know what they will act in next. Also the cast managed to give their own flavour to the characters.

Music: The music was great. I love the ending song!!

Rewatch: Oh yes, definitely. Probably right now ^.^

Overall: Overall the story did not disappoint at all and was interesting and refreshing especially for a BL series. The characters were lovely, the cast did a great job, the music is noticeable and nice to listen to and I definitely love this as much as Obsessed. Well, the expectations for the rest of HIStory 2 are rising...

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This movie is so fun! Another thing that solidifies my love for Lee Sun Gyun. It is about an adult comic book artist looking for a writer. He needs to win a contest for the prize money. When they meet their relationship is antagonistic at best. But those sparks turn into something more.

As typical as this set up may sound, it's so well done and enjoyable to watch it doesn't matter. I've actually never seen a movie premise like this. Well that's not true. A few years back there was an American movie about a ghost writer helping an author to pen a book but it was done poorly and there is no comparison.

Remember that they are writing an adult comic. There are a lot of sexual references but it's done very tongue in cheek as the female writer is faking 99% of her sexual experience. Most of the graphic sexual images are in fact, in graphic (comic book) form.

Watching Jung Bae get wise to her act...I loved it! Dae Rim is such a character and Jung Bae finds her tough to take at first. But when he begins to draw...it's her face that appears on paper. As the two leads gravitate toward each other and their feelings grow...it's so cute!

Lee Sun Gyun and Choi Gang Hee make a great pair. Able to be comedic and have you believe when they are sincere.
I recommend this movie highly.

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Antagonists in love?

So, listen here, the story goes like this:
Qiqi is a character in the comic-world, who has always played the female supporting role (antagonist) and thus is very experienced in that. But due to a system error, in the next comic she is sent to, she mistakenly has to play the part of the female lead instead, which she is not familiar with at all. Because of this sudden realization, she accidentally injures the male lead of the comic, making him unconscious for some time. During those days, as the comic-ML is down, the main story of the comic can't start, and is instead changed and dragged out by the comic's supporting female lead chasing the female lead. Qiqi, trying to escape the situation, runs right into the arms of Leng Yehan - the male supporting role (antagonist). She feels safe with him, because she is aware he doesn't have a love-story in the comic, plus she knows his secrets, with which she threatens him to help her during this period of time. With this unplanned connection, a new love-story evolves.

The quality and acting were pretty decent for such a short drama/mini drama. There were also lots of fun scenes that made me laugh out loud, as well as some adorable ones. But I'm most surprised about the very interesting story-line. There are currently lots of short C-Dramas coming out, in which the female lead time travels, or is pulled into a drama-, book- or comic-world. But "Night of Love With You" still felt fresh. I was entertained throughout the whole drama, I binged it within a few hours.

What I also loved are the Main Leads of the drama (Qiqi and Leng Yehan). Qiqi was not cutesy, nor over the top. I actually found her pretty cool. Although she had to abide to the story of her comic character, she let us know her thoughts about those annoying clichés used in dramas/comics, haha. I also loved Yehan. Although he changed after meeting Qiqi, he didn't take a complete 180 degree turn. Some character traits of his stayed through the whole drama, which I'm glad about. Fortunately, Qiqi only had to act FL-like when the comic-ML was around, so with Yehan she could be herself xD I also really love the ending! <3

Don't be scared off by the Love Square tag. It wasn't that bad, plus it's essential for the story. That's what made the story interesting. I also loved how some characters were forced to certain key-events of the comic, and got conscious of it. Pretty cool.

Still, I have lots of questions. Given the short length, they focused on the relationship of the characters most. Otherwise they could have made it a full length series and focused on all aspects here. Like… what is outside the comic-world? Why is Qiqi aware of the comic-world and plays her role in different comics, while other characters don't? What are the rules and tricks in the comic world? They could also have dug deeper into the character's stories, etc etc...

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This is a stunning, well balanced drama that stands alone despite being a remake. A thoughtfully crafted blend of drama, comedy, and subtle sci fi, I was hooked on Life on Mars from the very beginning, and it didn't let me down.

STORY

I love that the story gives you bits and pieces of the puzzle as it goes along, but keeps you guessing in a way that's fun rather than frustrating. The puzzle itself is such an interesting concept, managing to incorporate sci fi elements without getting too gimmicky.

But the very best thing about Life On Mars is the changing relationships between the characters. It's so enjoyable to watch Han Tae Joo unraveling the trauma and isolation of his past, and learning how to connect with these people from whom he's supposed to be literally worlds apart. And the characters themselves are so infused with heart and humor, the perfect antithesis to the coldly rational mindset that he started with. It's so easy to fall in love with this little found family.

ACTING/CAST

Jung Kyung Ho is amazing. He has been amazing, and he will continue to be amazing, and I don't think I could possibly love him more. I saw someone mention in another review that Life On Mars gave him the opportunity to showcase the more subtle sides of his acting skills, and I couldn't agree more. Han Tae Joo's quiet desperation is so palpable and relatable, despite the muted nature of the character. And rooting for him to finally come out of that shell is so fulfilling!

The dynamic between Han Tae Joo and Kang Dong Cheol is definitely a highlight of the show. Park Sung Woong is such a strong actor, and seems just so genuinely FUN. He is able to traverse between the character's comic antics and the more serious moments with such effortlessness. The growing relationship between the two characters is so pure.

Special mention of course for Go Ah Sung as Yoon Na Yeong. I think I might have fallen in love with her a little bit. The character is so different from the roles she's played before, but this soft-spoken tether that anchors Han Tae Joo to his reality (and just kicks ass all around, honestly) is even alone worth the price of admission on this drama, if you ask me.

MUSIC

The score was appropriate and for the most part managed to support the story without drawing too much attention to itself. I loved the 80s songs that were sprinkled in, especially when the characters were rocking out or dancing along to them!

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Thoughtfully done! I don't want to give anything away, but the cinematography clearly reflects what's happening in the story, sometimes in ways that are subtle. And I love that. (Watch for differences in the cinematography, and you can figure out what is signified in the plot.) It shows how much care has gone into even the smallest details that most viewers won't even consciously notice.

REWATCH VALUE

I typically don't rewatch dramas, but this could very likely be an exception. Now that I've seen the end, I want to go back and see which pieces of the puzzle I may have missed the first time around. Not to mention, I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to these characters...

OVERALL

Highly, highly recommend that anyone give this drama a shot. It's not a perfect fit in any single genre, so I would be cautious of letting any genre bias discourage you from watching this. This kind of thoughtful writing and creative storytelling feels so rare!

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Kobayashi’s Seppuku (aka Harakiri) is without doubt one of the best Samurai films ever made and the deepest one I ever saw. It’s also a classic that survived the test of time.

This review will probably be my longest up to date. Bear with me because I have to put this film in its right temporal and spatial frameworks before talking about the film itself. If you’re not interested in history, you can skip the first two paragraphs and get to the film’s specific review.

I am history lover so it’s a given that I studied Japanese history way before I started watching Japanese classics and that knowledge in history helped me a lot when I started exploring the golden Japanese cinema. Seppuku is set at the beginning of the Edo era (17th century), an age of peace that lasted for more than 250 years in Japan where the Samurai class gradually lost the “warrior” side of their positions since there weren’t any wars to fight. As Tokugawa (the general who established his shogunate in Edo) gained complete control over Japan; many Samurai who fought the Sekigahara battle and others were left without clans to serve and were called “Ronin” meaning masterless Samurai. They were usually viewed as bandits whether intentionally or unintentionally, they lived in poverty but they didn’t lose their “samurai nobility” that’s still a higher rank than the peasants’ class. They also never gave up on their honorable ethics and beliefs.

In that era, many Ronin’s started to visit clans to request a “Seppuku” in their clans’ yard, meaning a ritual suicide where the Samurai has to literally disembowel himself using his Shinto (the Samurai in that era has a long Sword Katana and a smaller one Shinto that he always carry around with him, they’re considered as big part of his Samurai honor). The Harakiri (ritual suicide) is in fact an honorable death for a Samurai so it was dishonorable for clans to reject such a noble request from Ronins but they also didn’t want to let them kill themselves on their property so they either hired them as their clans’ Samurai (but that didn’t happen a lot since it’s an era of peace so the clans didn’t need many Samurai considering the fact that there’s no war) or they just gave them money and sent them away. As other Ronin heard about the story, they started to frequently visit clans in order to request a Seppuku but they never actually meant to kill themselves, they just wanted to take the money and leave. And that’s what’s called “Harakiri fraud” which is a cowardly, shameful act from a Samurai even if he’s a Ronin.


The history stops there although the clan that’s mentioned in this film (The Iyi clan) is a real clan that’s known as a very important figure in modern Japanese history. Now, let’s talk about the film itself; one clan (the Iyi clan) decided to stop these Harakiri frauds and made the Samurai who asked to commit seppuku kill himself so that other Ronin won’t dare show up in front of their clan. That’s how the story starts but through flashbacks, we get the overall story of that man, where he came from and why he came. His circumstances, his situation and his life were all told using flashbacks that were amazingly illustrated in order to produce spectacular turns of events.

Seppuku is a human Samurai film that deals with old Japanese codes of honor and ethical Samurai principles. Kobayashi wanted to introduce a somewhat anti-samurai film that deals with the shortcomings of some Samurai beliefs by using quotes such as “After all, this thing we call samurai honor is ultimately nothing but a façade” (said by Tsugumo Hanshiro) but then he comes back to insist on the codes of dignity. Unlike many Kurosawa films’ I saw where he always idolizes the Samurai figure. Don’t get me wrong, Kurosawa’s films are my favorites but what I meant to say is that Kobayashi and Kurosawa’s adaptations of Samurai stories are quite different even if they’re comparable, to each his own genius ideas of making masterpieces.

The film contained the sword fighting but it wasn’t the main focus of this film. The developments were surprising and quite intriguing to follow; in this film you get a taste of suspense, psychology, action, tragedy, revenge and even family. Although the film insists on the Samurai element more than anything else, it also focuses on family relationships, interactions and sacrifices as well as human and more specifically Samurai emotions.

If I keep talking then I won’t stop praising this film’s screenwriting by Shinobu Hashimoto and the original novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi. I appreciated every angle of the story and the way it revealed facts at the most unexpected time. This is not a film that’s set to kill a Samurai through a ritual suicide or show the audience how a Samurai disembowel himself; it’s a film that describes the human emotions and feelings behind that act. However, I do understand if some people found the development a bit slow. As for me, my eyes were glued to the big screen the whole time without a single move or sound. Yes, it had that kind of impact on me.

The acting, oh my! what on earth can I say about that acting? I am not biased or someone who talks with full subjectivity so when I say that Nakadai was marvelous in this, I am not talking with a fangirl’s emotions, I am speaking with full objectivity about a Japanese legend. For me or anyone who knows classic Japan, Nakadai Tatsuya is a legendary star in the Japanese cinema and one hell of a charismatic astounding actor who can grab your intention in a split of a second. Like many of his other roles, Nakadai was amazing in this; his portrayal of Tsugumo Hanshiro’s character was flawless. Enough said or I won’t stop talking about that man’s incredible acting skills.

Other actors were also amazing; I was moved by their acting skills. It’s the golden Japanese era of cinema so it’s a given that only high-class acting exists. The characters were very well written and their relationships were fascinating to follow, I was moved by many characters’ developments in Seppuku.

Now let me talk about that breathtaking cinematography. I like to focus on cinematography while watching films and even though this was produced in 1962 (black and white); I was charmed by the back sceneries and great settings. Kobayachi did an awesome job with those mesmerizing takes that I will never forget.

I have to mention the soundtrack which I believe it’s the best music composure I ever heard in any Japanese classic.

Watch this if:
-You like Japanese classics or want to discover them.
-You enjoy Samurai films but keep in mind that this isn’t an action film.
-You love films with human stories.
-You like Masaki Kobayashi because this is his finest work.
-You like Nakadai Tatsuya because this is one of his best performances.

Do not watch if:
-You dislike Japanese classics.
-You dislike Samurai films.

To end my super long review, I will mention that Harakiri is a crafted masterpiece by Kobayashi and an eternal gem of the Japanese classic cinema that’s bound to take you through a great journey of amazing events and astonishing acting skills.

I will leave you with two quotes by Tsugumo Hanshiro:
“What befalls others today may be your own fate tomorrow.”
“The suspicious mind conjures its own demons.”

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Casino-gangster-crime atmosphere with an exotic ambiance. International style. Takes its time.

"Big Bet" was inspired by the legendary persona of a South Korean casino manager who made it to the top of the multi-billion dollar casino world in the Philippines... until he was framed for murder.
"Big Bet" is another KDrama that has been divided into two halves in streaming provider style. (Unfortunately, this is kind of becoming the new KDrama fad and I'm already bored to express my anger about it.)
Oh yes, and I'll say it in advance: if you're interested in the series because of Son Suk-ku, you'll have to stick with it for quite a few episodes - he doesn't appear until the end of the first season...

The Disney production deliberately presents itself internationally. Nevertheless, one gets some atmospheric, socio-historical milieu impressions from South Korea - especially from the 1970s and 1980s, because the story is repeatedly enriched by flashbacks. (In fact, the first season is almost one great flashback - with flashbacks within that flashback, so to speak.) While the first season is designed primarily as a character study of Cha Mu-sik, the second season arguably has the real crime thriller behind it. Topic: Murdered South Koreans in the Philippines and the associated dynamic between the South Korean-born, now renowned casino manager, who has now become a murder suspect, and the investigator Oh Seung-Hoon, who was sent to the Philippines from South Korea. So the actual "big bet" only really becomes an issue in the second season.

So what does the first season have to offer?
Plenty of impressions of Mu-sik's childhood days, youth (wonderful: Lee Kyu-hyung as a youthful Mu-sik - although eventually Lee Kyu-hyung has meanwhile left his youth behind him...) and of his first professional steps into Casino world as young adult. The protagonist has his own charm and amazing talents and so we experience Mu-sik, although he radiates some sort of unapproachable aura, as an authentic and fascinating man with plenty of heart and mind, with a quick grasp, good intuition, radical consequence and entrepreneurial charisma.

"Big Bet" is a Korean-American production. It is international in its self-image and presents itself as such. It is made by men and it is about men. About smoking men. Sweating men in suits. Men with tattoos, too. The man with the most screen time is “Oldboy” Choi Min-sik (from the acclaimed 2003 K-Movie). He plays his role effortlessly as a 30-year-old and almost 60-year-old alike (thanks to modern filming and image processing technology). For "Big Bet" he is back in top form after a decade-long break. All in all, in this KDrama we slide into a (conservative) world of men and gangsters. Their wives, if there are any, are at home with children and really don't know anything about anything. Exceptions are the wealthy, and due to her wealth influential CEO Ko (with a rather quick appearance but comparatively lasting impression: Lee Hye-young) and the young, by Korean standards sexually quite explicit, self-determined hotel employee Kim So-jung.

In the flashbacks, as I mentioned before, there is South Korea at times. Nonetheless, "Big Bet" is principally based in the Philippines. Filming there took about 3 months. This promises exotic local hue, although the focus is on the casino and hotel world - which in turn could somehow be anywhere. No expenses were spared with the casting either. Even the supporting roles were selected with care.

In short: "Big Bet" (Season 1) is a solid and ambitious character study of Mu-sik. His Story is told in a sophisticated way and staged well worth seeing. However, the series isn't really a KDrama-like KDrama. Anyone who likes a casino-gangster-crime atmosphere with an exotic ambiance will get their money's worth here. However, the story takes it´s time. It remains to be seen what the second half will come up with. I certainly have high expectation that "Big Bet" will even improve, now that Oh Seung-Hoon intrudes into Mu-sik's world with his investigations and thus will add further dynamic.

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Why only 6 episodes?? TT^TT

When I open netflix this morning after sessions of insomnia, I was shocked to find Yanxi Palace on my screen. I was so happy, I thought the original Yanxi Palace has been available on netflix as I rewatch that series quite often. Looking it closer, eh it has additional title; Princess Adventures.

So it's about Imperial Princess Zhaohua! We all know from the original drama, we didn't get to see Wei Yingluo and Emperor's two adorable daughters, so maybe this series was making up for it. I was elated and happy.

The story introduces Zhaohua as a strong-headed character. She's the most favored princess in the kingdom, loved by her aniang, ahma, and taihou. She has coming of age and ready to marry. She already has this fiance, a Mongolian qinwang who has betrothed to her for five years and stayed within the Palace to familiarize with her.

Since the original Yanxi Palace, I was full with the expectations of intrigue, politics, and heavy plot, therefore to start with some engagement story at the beginning was quite upsetting for me. Moreover, Zhaohua's character was very different than the cool-headed and calculating Yingluo. But since I'm curious and just wished to see more of Emperor and Yingluo's interactions, I continue.

The story was simple, with enough twists and strong plot for a short, side story of 6-episodes drama. It's actually quite brilliant and well-managed. The cinematography, costume, make-up, color tone (some people hate the color tone of this drama but I love the aesthetics of it and how it's affected the expression and mood tone of the plot) all are very good production, the same quality as the first.

The acting, especially Zhao Hua's was exceptionally good. Her expressions were amazing, convincing the person she had inside her.

I didn't notice there were only 6 episodes, I thought the rest just hasn't been uploaded, but then I realized they only introduce a handful characters throughout the story except the ones we've had from the original cast.

In the end, all characters didn't disappoint and deliver all the expectations I carried from the original Yanxi Palace. For those of you who haven't watch it, go watch the parent series! They provide you with a lot of satisfying b*tchslapping.

I didn't give them a high score on the music because they use the same one from the original series, so just re-production.

I desperately want more TT^TT I especially like the qinwang.

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From Threads of Lies Comes an Entangled Web of Love

Unexpected Falling definitely lives up to its namesake; I unexpectedly fell hard for its gorgeous cinematography, delicious angst and pacing, and the frustrating yet heady chemistry between Peng Guanying and Cai Wenjing in their second work together after The Confidence (2020). This is a super slow-burn romance, which is mostly about the mystery behind the FL's deceased husband. It's not an intense thriller with bloody crimes; instead the story mostly revolves around large business dealings (i.e. stock trading and manipulation), and the gradual romance between two people who start off as enemies, become reluctant friends, and end as passionate lovers.

I'd highly recommend having a watch for these reasons:

♡ A Chemistry and Romance that Simmers: For those of you who love pining, angst, and seeing our characters slowly fall for each other even knowing they shouldn’t, this drama is chock-full of all of these tropes. Unexpected Falling does an amazing job at showing the gradual change in two people who initially suspect each other, but then slowly begin inviting each other into their lives. This is not a fluffy, sweet, and rosy-tinged romance; instead it is one about two older characters who have undergone trauma, hardships, and have their own regrets and limitations. After the exhausting and tiring experiences in their life, they come together finding solace and comfort in each other. I loved how the drama slowly peels away the layers of our characters; while at first you think Zhenzhen has a very negative personality, and Guo Jun is extremely arrogant and domineering, you slowly realize these are only the surface impressions of our leads who are very flawed characters.

♡ Beautiful Cinematography and Poetic Lines: This drama uses a lot of darker colours and tones, and has a very melancholy atmosphere and feeling across the entirety of the story. I loved the attention to details made through its filmography; for example, certain camera angles are used in order to make you suspect the identities of characters, and also create narrative tension throughout the series. There are also other hints, including character habits (e.g. the drinking of water, the wearing of glasses, certain repeated dialogues, etc.) that are consistent with certain plot reveals throughout the drama. Most of all, I loved how the drama uses a lot of domestic scenes (e.g. taking your lover’s coat, cooking a meal, tying one’s hair) between our main leads that show how much they want to be close to each other yet at the same time must restrain themselves. This is a drama that doesn’t tell things through dialogue; instead it’s one where the visual language — from gazes, expressions, and lots of staring — are used to communicate to the viewer instead.

♡ Refreshing, Adult Characters: Similar to the calm atmosphere and the moody colour palette of the drama, our main characters are very mature and complex personalities. Ruan Zhenzhen is one of my favourite female leads of all time, because of how few Chinese drama FLs are extremely reserved and introverted. She is not a happy or upbeat character, but instead is someone who has few friends, ruminates a lot and experiences depressive episodes, and often keeps to herself. She is hard to get close to and distrusts people easily, but only because of the excessive lengths she goes to when protecting and caring for the people who she loves most. On the other hand, Peng Guanying does an amazing job showing the expressions, struggle, and guilt that he faces as Guo Jun. Not only does he have incredible charisma and presence, but you start off suspecting him and even disliking him, before falling in love for how swoony and protective he is towards Zhenzhen. Both of them play very realistic characters and personalities, and it's quite a nice breather from the recent wave of youth and campus romances.

♡ Interesting Background Plot and Relationships: One thing this drama also demonstrates is relationships, especially with families, friends, and the people who are in your life. There are a lot of characters who become hateful and despicable after Zhenzhen’s husband’s death, for reasons including money, jealousy, and bitterness. There are also others who go above and beyond to show their loyalty and support for Zhenzhen through her pain. Moreover, there is also a central mystery revolving around the financial world; although I didn’t find this as interesting, I appreciated how the drama used all of its characters to show the complicated and tangled relationships surrounding their crimes.

However, there are also some things you might not like about the drama:

♥ The Road to Happiness is Bumpy with Plot Holes: Honestly, much of the angst between characters would have broken down if Zhenzhen simply did a Baidu search about some people’s identities in the beginning. I was much more forgiving of this because I was really here to watch the chemistry between the main characters, but a lot of things are pretty inconsistent. For example, inevitably given the way Gao Jun was trailing after Zhenzhen the whole drama it’s a miracle that nothing serious happened to the both of them within the first ten episodes. I think you definitely need some suspension of disbelief, because honestly the investigations and proceedings of legal cases in this show (while not unrealistic) seem to be a bit sloppy given how smart the criminals are supposed to be.

♥ This is a Relationship and Family Drama, Not Really a Crime One: I don’t think this drama does thriller or tension in plot really well because it tends to lean in towards the slow-burn approach, and there were a lot of things they could have done to make the drama more intense (i.e. giving the sense that lives were really at risk, that someone may have the possibility of being hurt, etc.) At the same time, I realize that this wasn’t the goal of the drama. This isn’t really a drama that is about hunting down financial crimes, but it is really about Zhenzhen’s growth and her navigation of the mystery itself. That being said, those who don’t like slower-paced dramas, or who prefer intense shows with lots of action (there’s honestly not much of that in here) should probably stay away from this one.

♥ A Long and Winded Slow-Burn: This is not a fast-paced drama, despite the fact that there are mysteries that need to be unraveled and crimes that are uncovered. We don’t even get to an actual relationship and more discoveries about the main underlying conflict until episodes in the 30's. You will absolutely need to be patient when watching this show; and I think if you aren’t invested in the relationship between the main characters you may end up feeling bored. There is definitely suspense and tension, but it is drawn out and comes to a slow-burning fire in the culmination of the drama. At its best, this is really a drama that focuses on the process and journey rather than the outcome; at its worst, others may consider there to be lots of filler moments (about relationships) that take away from the crime (the financial and business aspects).

♥ Some Acting Issues: Cai Wenjing is quite bubbly in real life, while Peng Guanying is very good-natured and quite extroverted in interviews. I think both of them did a good job acting as characters that were very complicated and multi-faceted, but sometimes it was clear that some of the supporting cast had more acting depth. In particular, for scenes where the FL is attacked by others or becomes surprised, Cai Wenjing's expressions were sometimes a little out of place or slightly awkward. On the other hand, Peng Guanying sometimes came off as being a little stiff in scenes with anger or frustration. However, these are relatively minor aspects to pick on, as overall I cannot really think of a better casting choice for these characters, and I really enjoyed watching them together once again.

I'd highly recommend this drama for those who want a more mature, adult watch about older lead characters, those who like darker romances (i.e. a "villain" ML even though he is actually kind inside), and a very devoted ML who initially distrusts the FL and then grows to fall in love with her loyalty and kindness to the people around her. It’s not for everyone, given the fact that it seems to market itself as a series about criminal cases and a shady death, but is actually about the relationships that Ruan Zhenzhen builds through her experience with this situation. If you go in with lowered expectations and are a fan of romances between two people marred by the passing of life experiences, then you’ll find this a suspenseful watch with a main couple that leaves you breathless at how beautiful and encompassing their love for each other is.

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This drama had a potential to be good but it was a shame that it ended up being cancelled prematurely. Just when I thought I'd be able to see another drama where Jang Dongyoon playing another prince role.

From the setting of some kind of a demon possession being the reason for the existence of undead people, this drama could have been a fresh take on the zombie genre. Well, since the drama had been permanently taken off-air we would never know how the drama plot could have unfold.

Casting-wise and writing-wise, if one could try to judge from the initial two episode, it does appear that there's a lot of care and detail done to get people to become interested in the drama plot. For one, this is an interesting take on King Taejong as compared to quite a number of dramas that did feature him in the past and there was a lot to be curious about regarding the troupe that ended up coming in contact with the third prince as well as the mystery surrounding this Azazel entity. And drama already was dealing with a situation of dead people coming to life in ancient Joseon. THAT itself was already a fictional setting... so I don't really get to uproar over the 'historical inaccuracies' especially when there are ALOT of other sageuk dramas that already made various interpretations of historical figures that may or may not be accurate anyway. As in there are plenty of sageuk dramas that depicted the same historical figures as BOTH evil and good on different dramas to fit a certain narrative so why now only that people making such a fuss about this for Joseon Exorcist? Why don't they do that for the other sageuk dramas that do this? It's ridiculous, to be honest!

Regardless, even if the writing of the drama was really problematic, considering the drama only just started there shouldn't be much problem to just ask the writer to make adjustments/rewrites to their writing and refilm the rest of the drama. If other productions can do that like with Delayed Justice and River where the Moon Rises where they paused airing and recast and refilm the scenes to remove appearances of problematic actors, the same should be possible for this drama. Banning this drama without allowing the production to make amendments to the drama to fix the problematic scenes/plot was an overreaction. What about all the works that has already been poured into this and Jang Dongyoon even got hurt! It was unfair to everyone who have worked so hard to make this drama only to have almost the entirety of the production scrapped.

While it was understandable that everyone would be wary about how some chinese people trying to claim certain aspects from kdramas as theirs, I hope people wouldn't be too rash in trying to cancel everything recklessly.

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an incredibly great series at the beginning of this lackadaisical year.

04. 03. 21.

A Tale of Thousand Stars is not just about the romance between two boys, it also represents the voices of those people who are forced to be silent; the people who chose to be quiet because of their trepidation, toxic positivity, and/or poor mindset. The issues they presented in this series are still happening today, or to be bamboozled by those who are more privileged than you. It's just sad how some people seem to forget about these kinds of circumstances, reminding us once again that we are living in this unfair world.

After watching the whole series, it made me think about my entire existence and wondered why didn't I realize the things I know now sooner? They were there, giving all their best to fight for what was right and to know that life wasn't just about staying in the shades of yellow. Honestly, there are a lot of things I learned, while also enjoying the gratifying chemistry of the two main characters of the show. It is just incredibly great to watch a series like this at the beginning of this lackadaisical year—not just about a typical sugary boys' love story, but also the untold stories of the people who are unheard.

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