Reviews

Wanted to love it... but really didn't at all.

I really wanted to like this drama and had high hopes during the first several episodes despite the FL's weak backstory/reason for being bullied/her mom disliking her, and her allowing herself to be bullied, etc. I had hoped her character would progress and grow, but that, as it turns out, was the least of my worries.

The entire drama was disjointed and messy plot-wise. Scenes and storylines had nearly no transition phases and it was beyond me why NO ONE was smart enough to figure out she was the phoenix. Seriously though?? Not only that, but the writers/directors didn't give us enough reason to fall in love with the leads or time to really hate the villains.

There were SO many times we were led to believe a BIG pivotal moment was coming (though the build-up actually even lacked) only to get to that "peak" that only turned out to be a huge and utter disappointment. The human world wanting to kill the phoenix was so over the top and underwhelming all at the same time. The 2nd "arch" of their past lives brought nothing new to the drama and it didn't move the plot anywhere... it just felt... MEH. By the time we got back to the present via not-well-shot or thought-out fight scenes, I was already yawning at the next mediocre death scene... annnnnnd the next one!

The 3rd arch I don't even want to talk about. Makes no sense. Hated it and everything about it. What purpose did those episodes even serve? There wasn't even ANGST present to pacify me. Just... nothing. Felt like the entire third arch was a filler arch. And now... two episodes left and I don't care once teeny bit what happens. Why? Because the writers never made me care about the leads, care about their journey, or even despise their enemies. How can they make you even hate the egg??? LOL. But, they somehow did.

Do yourself a favor and skip this one.. give Love and Destiny, The Journey of Flower, or maybe Novoland: Pearl Eclipse a try instead!

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Finished watching this drama. For me, it has been one of the best, is masterpiece category. I understand that the success of the drama is due to the excellent performance of Jun Ji Hyun and Kim Soo Hyun. As main characters, got the all out. She really stole the show. Bears a resemblance to Kim Tae Hee in terms of performance is concerned. Has the ability to rip laughter while makes you mourn in tears. As for him, his character was very complex, keeping the public in the expectation of what was, is and will be, is not easy. At the same time, show that sweetness, extreme intelligence and ingenuity earned him win the best positions. And I find that to be a drama of 21 episodes, actually succeeded. I congratulate you. Now here a little while later, we'll see.

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Chuno is an odd show. It’s gorgeous to look at, if overly self-conscious, full of odd camera angles, exotic fight choreography, half-naked hunks and stylized slow-mo. However, all the pretty is in the service of a story that is essentially an extended chase scene. Jang Hyuk dazzles as Dae-Gil, owning the screen with sly humor and feral intensity. The role itself though is rather underwritten, and in the hands of a lesser actor could easily have become an inscrutable cipher. Speaking of ciphers, the principal antagonist looks fabulous massacring his way across Korea, but there is little sense of internal conflict or even compelling motivation as he instantly transforms from dutiful son to unstoppable killing machine. The female characters are also problematic. Lee Da Hae spends much of the show radiating pristine helplessness, more a walking stereotype of unattainable love than a human being, while Kim Ha Eun starts out spunky and clever, but devolves into obsessed and clingy.

Thematically, there are some interesting ideas thrown around about slavery, class, progress and authority but the writer seems unsure of exactly what he wants to say about them. The show is built around the awfulness of slavery, but it also depicts most of its slave characters as gullible fools, reinforcing the negative stereotypes stamped on them by the powerful. Folks respond to injustice with violence and/or flight, but neither tactic really seems to get anyone anywhere. There is a lot of stunning footage of running and fighting, but little clear sense of how the audience should feel about these choices. Are we supposed to applaud them? Reject them? Realize that the situation is a hopeless mess? And what is a viewer supposed to conclude from the fact that when change does happen, it results from factors almost totally removed from the actions of the central characters?

Good acting and striking visuals keep Chuno entertaining, but the narrative muddle weighs it down. There are some powerful moments, but the script never matches the dangerous, high-flying verve of its knife-wielding leading man.

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I wasn't expecting much of this drama and just started it because I was bored of other dramas I was watching.
And it was amazing!!! This drama captured me from the start and the message it had behind of this all (maybe I made that message up myself) was awesome. About self awareness, about finding yourself, in real life too, once your character develops you start to act a certain way, and sometimes you say things you don't want to and do things you don't want to, while you never do or say things you want to. Slowly loosing yourself in this hectic world and living through your karma without a way to escape. So becoming self aware makes you raise a big question "why the hell do I need to act this way? I want to make my own fate". And then you also start realizing how you can be an extra in someone's life, and even overall. And how hard it is to change the written scenario. How we may have past lives and our actions there may have led to the stuff happening here and all. Also how after becoming self-aware people get separated from normal society as they notice more and they become alone but how friendships here if they come they are much deeper.
Anyway I really liked this strong message at the start and was amazed at this drama and Dan Oh who was trying to change her fate. However the webtoon originally doesn't make dan oh a fate-changer from the start, all she wants is to find first love. In the drama however we get this strong Dan Oh who wants of course first love too but rather she wants to find someone who will change her destiny. That strong Dan Oh quickly changes into cute Dan Oh saying Haru Haru Haru all the time. At fist i loved it!! It was super cute but by the end it got too repetitive for me.
Haru comes into the scene and is like super mysterious. I loved the mystery around him it was very interesting. I loved his interactions with Dan Oh. I loved their love story! They had such a cute chemistry. Again his character became shallow and repetitive at the end. (IN the manhwa story itself extra is always shallow I understand that, and why it could be like that, but that also made many people like the "second lead")
Beak Kyung was an annoying jerk at the start. I loved him because I liked the actor in the WWW search. But here he was likable at the start for me. But at the end he redeems himself and becomes the most interesting character i guess.
The other side characters and the side "lead" characters were amazing. Like Lee Do Hwa and Yo Joo Da <3
However there were this meaningless love triangles, that became repetitive at the end.
The story got around HaruXDan Oh, Bake Kyung watching from afar, and the heart decease... Maybe they made it like that because it will be hard for them to get the mystery of that world BUT it would have been soo great if they gave us answers like "why did they become self aware in the first place? Who is the writer? Why is he drawing the same characters over and over and over again with no creativity at all? What is that hole? Why did other certain characters become aware...? Will they be stuck in this loop forever till the unoriginal writer dies? How did this world become kinda real in the first place? Why is the manhwa found in this world? Why does Haru draw so well? etc etc etc so many questions and all left unanswered.
I think my expectations just got too high because of the amazing start. It was going better and better each week jumping over my expectations even higher and higher. But the in the later part of the drama it all went downhill sadly.

Though the ending is kinda what I expected it to be... the uninteresting expectation lol. At the start everything i thought was wrong and i was sooo excited about it! I love when a drama doesn't go with my expectations but rather it goes higher. It quickly became the only drama i was looking forward each week and the thoughts that it might the best drama of 2019 crossed my mind too. But at the end it just went to the cliche direction.

Now the cast and actors did an amazing job!!! I loved each of them. I met some of the in other dramas and they didn't disappoint!! The characters were really great too!!
The plot had an amazing message and idea at the start, but couldn't execute it well. It went MUCH better than the webtoon but at the end it just returned to the webtoon..

OST was awesome!! I loved the themes I loved the songs!! I loved the love story at the start and was screaming all around xD

Overall:
It was a great drama and one of those that have super promising start and go downhill in the middle, however this one didn't fall as deep as many others do so I still rated it high because the performances and the execution was great. It just went to the kinda cliche and sad direction.

I don't usually rewatch dramas so i put a random number in there.

What I liked:
1.Self awareness message
2. Dan oh who wanted to change her fate
3. Mysterious Haru
4. All the second and side characters
5. Music
6. Idea
7. Love story

What I didn't like:
1. Repetitiveness
2. Dan Oh and Haru at the end
3. Baek Kyung at the start
4. draggy-ness at the end
5. ending
6. unanswered questions!!

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It's not just time travel. It's time travel with flair.

Being transported back in time isn't an unfamiliar fantasy trope, but no one told the past it would have to deal with this much charisma, sass, and scandal quite like this. This isn’t just time travel. It’s time travel with flair. I have read the webtoon and it's bittersweet yet a very beautiful story. There have been quite some drastic changes in the adaptation from the webtoon but despite the changes, I like both the series as well as the webtoon. It's hilariously beautiful.

Warning: Major Spoilers ahead!!

I'm completely smitten by Nut's performance as Prince and later Woradet. The series opens with Prince strutting in heels, wrapped in glamour and blinding charm, belting out "This is Me" with unapologetic pride. It's the perfect introduction to a character who knows exactly who she is and refuses to tone it down for anyone. And I absolutely love it. Then time shifts, Prince becomes Woradet, a name echoing through a world that isn't ready for the sparkle. Prince enters history with her full diva mode saying, "1,2,3... Action". Prince isn't just a character. She's a whole spectacle, and every dramatic entrance, every unapologetic moment, every over the top flourish, and every scandal Prince leaves in her fabulous wake just makes this series even more worth it. The queen served and slayed.

Talking about Ping as Lord Kosol, he is introduced as the rumored lover of Woradet, who allegedly broke Woradet's heart and drove him to the edge, teetering on the brink of despair and poison. But Kosol, ever composed, denies the scandal with the same sharp edge he wields his sword. He's the picture of restrained power: broad shouldered, stoic, devastatingly handsome, and trained to kill with both blade and stare. He walks with the poise of nobility but the intensity of a man who knows secrets that could topple a kingdom. Also, suiting his personality, he's got a tiger named Moo Moo for a pet. Cute, isn't it? XD And let's be honest- if heartbreak looked like him, we might all be tempted to risk it. But beneath all that lethal charm, this man is whipped. Absolutely, helplessly, can't-breathe-without-him level whipped for Woradet and I love them. Case closed.

But the intrigue doesn't stop there.

There's Banjong in his glasses, who grew up together with Woradet and is harboring feelings for him but he has his own secrets. While helping Woradet escape, under the cover of night, in a boat gliding across moonlit waters, he begins to recite a poem, words drenched in longing, spoken so gently they might as well be a confession. That's not all, the boat rocks slightly and so do they. Lips meet just for a moment. Accidental but no doubt a Scandal.

The triangle between Kosol, Woradet, and Bajong is pure comedy gold. I never thought I'd enjoy a love triangle this much, but here I am, laughing till my cheeks hurt. These three are serving chaos, laughs, and tension in equal measure. Their jail scene with Jade thrown in the mix had me in stitches; I was wiping away tears from the nonstop laughter. Also, the moment where the three of them sleep together- well, more like Bajong showering Woradet with heartfelt poetry while Kosol burning behind his back-absolutely hilarious.

And oh, Bajong. Those lines. Those lines. You're a poetic soul through and through. But darling, let's be honest some things you've done are unforgivable. And even without that, Kosol still takes the win.

Then there's Chaiyachet, the little king who has the softest spot for his brother Kosol and he is so cute. He wants his brother by his side but his brother seems to have other plans. Drama, more drama. Yet beneath it all, I really love the bond between the brothers. They are protecting each other in their own way and it's beautiful, even though sometimes it's tension filled and sometimes hilarious to watch. I especially loved the dramatic apology scene of Kosol to his little brother where he drops on his knees and goes all "Oii....." while Prince, Jade and Bajong feed him the corniest lines and he actually says them. Absolutely hilarious.

And let's not forget Jade, the fiercely loyal servant to Woradet- steadfast, utterly devoted and I absolutely adore him. I swear, I can see a tiny, twinkling spark between him and the little king, and I find them absolutely adorable together. Every time Chaiyachet teases Jade, I melt a little. Honestly, I just want them to be happy.

Also, there's Bajong's younger sister, Pandao. If Bajong is all poetry and longing, Pandao is the exact opposite- sharp eyed, suspicious, and absolutely intolerant of Woradet. She doesn't just dislike him; she detests him, her every glance brimming with distrust. Her hostility adds another layer of tension to the story.

Honestly, the entire cast is phenomenal; every single one of them has nailed their roles perfectly.

Here, we have royal drama, emotional devastation, palace politics, heartfelt poems, brotherly bonds, betrayals, time travel and scandals- some intentional, some accidental -each guaranteed to spark chaos. This isn't just a story, it's a glittering storm of emotion, comedy, and fabulous disruption. The finale episode did feel a bit rushed but I would say it wrapped up fairly okay. I wasn't really fan of how Somdet got released and there are a lot of unanswered questions. But that aside, I am for once happy that the leads got their happy ending in the setting I got to know them in. Honestly, I would take this ending any day over the Webtoon's Season 2 ending.

P.S.: The webtoon's Season 3 actually starts with them in the modern world.

If elegance were a weapon, the count would be armed to the teeth.
If drama were a currency, the count would be the richest alive.
And if you're not watching, you're seriously missing the most extra and hilarious history lesson of your life.
Highly Recommended!!

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oooh this pissed me off

I normally try to find the good in most dramas and movies that I watch as I give ratings, because I know the actors and crew worked incredibly hard to create the story but this one was difficult.

What was the point of it all?

This movie takes you through the insufferable journey of two self-absorbed psychopaths-one who is filled with greed and a need for power to validate his past wrongdoings and the other who utilizes an innocent person to punish herself and the aforementioned greedy man. Lastly, the poor tool in their narcissism, masochism and self-hate: Hong Yi. A child brought into this world and manipulated her entire life to commit what can only be described as the worst sin.

This movie will keep you asking “why” and when you’re done watching it, you’re left with the same question, along with feelings of anger and pity for the girl.

When I first read the synopsis, I thought this was going to be an interesting albeit predictable revenge plot, where a child is raised by her master to avenge her parent’s death only to discover that her master was her target all along, but it turned into a perverted story of two ex-lovers trying to see who can cause the other the most pain using said child.

The mother is a psychopath. If she truly wanted to serve penance for her wrongdoings and she felt the only way to do so is through her life, she could have killed herself or asked anybody else in the world to do so. She could have killed her ex when she had a literal knife to his throat or before he grew in power. She could have served her penance by living a life devoid of “worldly pleasures” and becoming a nun or a devout teacher. I don’t know but she could have done anything other than what she did, and it would have made more sense. Her actions did not absolve her of past sins, it only created another and left a bigger sin on her child.

The ex should have died the day of the betrayal by those he betrayed his people for-it would have been the most fitting as it would have shown him that they would never see a low-born as one of their own and he would have suffered immediate justice for what he had done. What came after that day made absolutely no sense for a movie set in an era that values social standing above all else-especially considering he was a part of a nearly successful commoner rebellion.

I was not a fan of the ending (and not only because of how they died) but because they got to die in each other’s arms while leaving Hong Yi to face a life with the knowledge of what she had done. It was like Cersei and Jamie’s death scene in GOT-wholly unsatisfactory.

Do not watch this if you like dramas with likeable characters as there are only 2.5 likeable characters in the entire movie.

Don’t watch this if you like happy endings because although the girl is alive in the end, it is not a happy ending.

Don’t watch this if you like rational characters as the mother is definitely not.

Don’t watch this if you like good plots.

Watch this if you enjoy beautiful cinematography.

Watch this if you enjoy beautifully shot fight scenes as the final fight is wonderful to watch.

Watch this if you enjoy Kim Go Eun’s acting and works.

Watch this if you enjoy well done acting.

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I haven't written a review in a while so take what I say with a grain of salt. I truly believe Black Knight deserve one to serve as a buffer of sort to all the negatives comments in the comments sections.  
I have been watching dramas for over a decade now and I can fairly say that Black Knight is one of those Love it or Hate it drama. Personally I like it, it  wasn't spectacular enough to take me to the love level but it was warm enough to bring me to like.
So if you find yourself  looking for a drama were you know that there is 99% of chance that the plot and story progression will go nowhere, then you have found yourself at the right stop. Because that is exactly what you will get plotwise here :" NOWHWERE". But don't let the nowhereness of the plot deter you from 20 hours of free cheese and well place laughter if you know how to turn off your overthinking cap.
Let's  give props where there are due.
Go into this drama with zero expectations of wow moments and you will be the happiest person on earth. Go into this drama with a mind set that is ready to jump at every plot whole and expecting (a+b)=c moment and you are going to be the most miserable person on earth.

I came into this drama for Kim Rae Won and I was not disappointed, he showed that yes he is a veteran actor and he can work with whatever is thrown at him. And let's thanks this drama for giving female viewers out there a somewhat healthy male model,  Soo Hoo was kind, hard working and mature. He acted like a gentleman from the moment we met him and showed us that it is possible to want to attain childish dream while being an adult about it.  Something that we have to admit K-drama don't always show us.  So if you want to just chill and watched KRW do his thing then watch this.  

Jang Mi Hee another veteran actress also shined in the mastery of her craft. She portray reformer Baek Hee with class.  Making us laugh at her eccentricity at the right moment and cheering for her to attain the absolution she so wanted. Go in at least just to check in Beak Hee moments even if you have to skip through the drama.

Seo Ji Hye  truly surprised me with her portrayal of Sharon. I'm not going to be singing her acting prowess because to me she more of  a hit or miss actress. But  I have to say that she nailed Sharon essence.  If what we wanted from Sharon was a emotion spot holder than an actress with better control of her facial expressions and mastery of acting would have been better.  But for what the drama came to give us of Sharon SJH  was a good choice.  She has that entitled feel to her.   If you have to check this out well at least check some of Sharon clip, she was at least funny in her eccentricity. Yet also delivered the right amount at annoyance at the mastery of the lack of development her character went through ( which I personally  think was intentional.) It occurred to me that maybe the point that the writer was trying to make with Sharon lay in her lack of moral or personal growth.
 
Acting wise these three are the only one that stood out for me. While it was quite cute watching Shin Se Kyung and Kim Rae Won be cheesy and cute together. Shin Se Kyung once again failed to invest me in her character, she seemed to be a simple place holder around which everyone else gravitated in order to be positioned right.  
  Reading this I can see yourself asking what I'm trying to get at and what the point of these long review that doesn't really say much.  Well I what I truly want to say is, ignore the nagging people and the eternal discontent. Grab a bag of popcorn on a rainy and watch this, even as a place holder to cure that itch that you have for waiting for the other drama that you really wanna watch.  It would not be a wasted 20 hours.  It would just be  20 hours that you spent enjoying some nice cinematography, you will have some decent music and some visually attractive people to watch for about 20 hours.  Then you will move on with your life.

Don't come in with expectations and enjoy the laugh and MOST OF ALL: DON'T OVERTHINK THINGS.

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Rebel, as its title suggests, seethes with righteous indignation at the Joseon era’s brutal caste system, and it does a better job than most dramas of showing the ways that people internalize and reinforce their own oppression. Caught up in the way things are, characters are often believably slow to grasp the way things could be and to fight back against the structures that constrain them. The show also features a strong ensemble cast, with exceptional performances by Kim Ji Suk as the unstable King Yeonsangun and Honey Lee as Jang Nok Su, and stirring recreations of traditional Korean music and dance. Viewed as a cultural celebration and social manifesto, it’s compelling.

The plot mechanics, on the other hand, are less effective. There are tons of intriguing set-ups that never pay off in meaningful ways, and the story takes an awfully long time to build to anything approaching actual rebellion. It also introduces a supernatural element that’s too literal to be read as symbolic but too underdeveloped to serve as a unifying mythology. It ends up feeling like a distraction from the very real issues that the characters confront – an easy way to get the characters out of trouble (hey look, super powers!) without serving any broader thematic purpose. In the end, the show is solid, but I wish its dramatic revelations were as engaging as its revolutionary ideas.

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Very bad story line and draggy.

This has to be one of the worst dramas I’ve watched in recent years. The storyline is weak, full of holes, and at times just downright ridiculous. So many scenes lacked basic logic, and the decisions made by the main leads left me speechless — in a bad way. I honestly don’t know how the writers came up with such nonsense and thought it made sense.

To be fair, the first few episodes actually started off decently. There was some potential in the beginning. The pacing was okay, the setup seemed promising, and I thought maybe this would be a hidden gem. But by episode 5 or 6, things started spiraling downhill — and fast. By episode 9, it felt like the entire drama had lost its direction. The plot became a mess, and the characters just got dumber and dumber. It was frustrating to watch the male lead and female lead act in ways that were completely out of character or simply idiotic. They kept making the same mistakes over and over again, and it was exhausting.

I only continued watching because my roommate was watching it too, and we decided to see it through together. But honestly, it turned into more of a hate-watch than anything else. From episode 9 onwards, we found ourselves yelling at the screen, complaining about nearly every scene. We were both constantly cursing at how bad the writing had become. Watching it turned into a bonding activity where we just roasted the drama nonstop.

Unless you enjoy being annoyed, I wouldn’t recommend this show to anyone. Total waste of time and potential. I finished it purely out of obligation — and regret.

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This is not a pretty story, this will let your heart sink.

This movie amazed me, the trailer looked good and the movie delivered it! The story isn't unique but they worked it out greatly. It kept my attention from start untill finish and I was blown away. Every minute in this movie will make your heart sink deeper.
The acting was amazing, the mother (kim hye soo) delivered it and acted top notch! She convinced me and did a splendid job. Also the rest of the cast were brilliant.
The music was perfect and fitted every scene.
I would rewatch this movie with friends, I really enjoyed it

Watch this if you like action, a good storyline and great acting.
Skip this if you want romance and don't like blood.

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I wanted to wait as long as possible before writing a review on this... I needed time to collect my feels and push away my biased opinions.

Want a short, general idea? Go down to the bottom. *no specific spoilers*

Music: It was great music. I loved listening to it and downloaded the OST's. It seemed to match the mood perfectly (it brought tears to my eyes more than once) and I don't think I will be forgetting the music anytime soon.

Rewatch: I've already rewatched numerous scenes from Gu Family Book, either to refresh my memory on what had happened previously, or to further appreciate the beautifully heartbreaking scenes (which seemed to dominate the beginning and end of this drama). However, as an entire drama, I do not think I will be rewatching it anytime soon for two reasons: I don't think my heart can take much more heartbreaking scenes, and there were some slow parts that I am hesitant to put myself through again.

Acting/Cast: My gosh were they amazing. This was almost an entirely new cast to me, and I only saw a few familiar faces, but I was definitely taken aback by their acting ability. Yes, many of you may swoon for Lee Seung Gi and Suzy, but you will find yourself adoring the supporting cast as well. The entire cast was delightful to watch (esp Gon, the Monk, and Jung Yoon) - I found myself empathizing with them, relating to them, pitying them, loving them, and (for the bad guys) hating them so much I wanted to reach through the screen and put an end to them myself (props to the actors for portraying "evil" and "cruel" so convincingly). The crying was contagious. Once Kang Chi or Wol Ryung started crying, my gosh I just couldn't stop. Magnificent acting. No complaints here.

Story: Here we go.
Beginning: LOVED it. This may be the BEST beginning to a drama that I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot). Forget hooks, this drama was a black hole that immediately sucks you in to the story. You will not be able to stop halfway through the beginning. All the pieces fit perfectly. The romance was there and blossoming, the suspense was escalating, characterization was established, the heartbreaking scenes were present... I honestly don't think there was anything missing. Beautiful. *mwah*

Middle: ... It was so-so. In fact, it was almost disappointing after the perfect introduction. There was a big leap between beginning and middle, which almost made me drop the drama. Why? Everything in the beginning was perfect to the point where it seemed like a mini-drama itself. As a result, when the time skip happened, BAM. All the characters you loved disappeared, the explosion of suspense only left dust in its wake... it was a new beginning. One that I did not want, nor did I like. Where were the characters whom I was crying for? Yearning for? Gone. But it was ok. The hole that was left was quickly repaired by a new story, new characters to love, new romances formed, and more suspense on the way... sort of. There were slow parts, and sometimes it was deadly slow. For me (an action lover), it was frustrating. But the slow parts helped develop the romance between the characters.* A break from all the melodrama and tragedies. However, stay with it and halfway through, the characters from the beginning will come back, completely reborn. Once they did, the story sped up and there was enough action to keep me watching until the...

*speaking of romance, the romance was great in this drama. Great chemistry between all the couples, and unlike many other dramas, the romance was pure. There was no revenge after betrayal, nor doubt about their love. The women were fighters and the men were gentle, forgiving, protective, and endlessly loveable.

End: I don't actually know if I like it or not, which might be an advantage for me writing an unbiased review of the end. Before the end there was a mini end for the characters from the beginning (Wol Ryung, Seo Hwa etc.). That end... was beautifully done. I found myself crying... but I was happy and content. The problems were concluded and everything was "fixed", in a way. But the story moved forward. The actual end... hm. On one hand, all the loose ends were tied up (even the smallest of details), justice was served, and everything was wrapped up into a nice, neat bundle. Goodbyes were made, explanations were given, and things were concluded- wait what?! That was my exact reaction as I watched the last part of the last episode. I was hit in the face with a boulder that said "PSYCH. It's not over yet". I was... very surprised, not expecting the ending at all. Of course I'm not going to give it away, but remember what I said about new beginnings? Well. I'm still in shock from being hit in the face with that boulder. Then again, the end provides a great leeway into a second series (there better be a second series for the sake of my sanity) and a gateway for your imagination to run wild. What. Happened. Next?

General: All in all, it was a great drama. The beginning was a black hole that sucked viewers in, the middle was sort of like floating in space, not really getting anywhere, and the end was like you crash landed on another planet. The cast was perfect in every way, the romance was innocent and forgiving (due to Kang Chi and Wol Ryung's amazing personalities) and the supporting characters were just as interesting to watch as the main cast. Even if you are not interested in the supernatural aspect, you should still watch it because it does not really focus on that part, but more on the difficulties in life aspect.

Not your type of drama? Message me and I may be able to pull out some other recommendations for you ^^

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surprisingly good

Having watched #HiddenLove brought back a lot of youthful memories. I remember having a huge crush on my best friend’s older brother in secret and the giggly feelings .
The story of Hidden Love is so heartwarming and lighthearted at the same time. I love the goodness shown in this drama that when you are well loved you pay it forward too. Moreover I just love the family dynamics as well as how SZ developed into a mature young lady. Both Zhao Lusi and Chen Shueyan delivered their portrayal of their respective role effectively plus Victor Ma wow what a pleasant surprise he did great too!
THE LOVE STORY! What can I say ‘chef’s kiss’ . I wish everybody can have this type of loving and healthy relationship .
I highly recommend this drama and it’s a drama for all ages👌🏻👌🏻

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An imperfect story about imperfect people

This drama is not for everyone, especially if you’re looking for a definitive happy ending. This is a tale of love and love lost. It’s thought provoking and challenges you to question your own willingness to take risks for the sake of love and happiness. It evokes deep emotions and makes you reminisce on all the missed opportunities and what if’s in your own life. The pace of the story is well suited. There’s no timeline on love. If you’re destined to be together, fate will find a way to bring you back to each other.

Kudos to the actors and production team for putting together a piece of work that I’ll continue to enjoy. The ensemble cast was fantastic and their character portrayals were skillfully executed. The OST was perfection and captured every emotion of these flawed characters.

Highly recommend.

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Fun and silly ride with a few potholes that make it bumpy

The first half of this drama I really enjoyed. It was light and silly and the strong willed Yeon Woo was fun to watch. Sa Wol was one of the best characters in the show. She was so funny and lightened every scene she was in but also carried her loyalty and wisdom well.

Overall and nice watch to pass the time. But there are some things about this show that I found reduced the rating for me. First was the future Tae Ha's unbelievable jerk behavior when they first meet. I know that is a trope of the overbearing boss kind but it bothered me here. When he finally lightens up and starts to accept the situation he does become more likeable. Next is how quickly the women adjusted to the changes. It did not feel realistic with how fast they changed the way they dress and act in a time that was so dramatically different than what they lived in. And finally, is the love story. While it was fun to watch them bicker and find their way to each other then the love story gets a little boring. It almost felt like filler to watch them after that and while I love romance I thought that time could have been cut out for me and just moved on with the plot.

Slight spoiler here so be warned but I also could not stand the ending for the Old Joseon Tae Ha. I was annoyed the whole time I was watching it as the character did not deserve it.

Overall the music is quite nice, the production was done well from sets to costumes, and the parts were acted well. A good way to pass the time but I could also recommend several other shows I would find better than this as well.

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Thoughtful and compelling character study...with a few flaws

Definitely a worthwhile series, albeit with flaws. Below, I outline three sharp criticisms where I think the writing stumbled. None of these missteps is fatal to the story or characters. Definitely a case of falling short of potential greatness rather than a series that misfires on every level. Throughout, the acting, directing, and writing (script/diaog) are mostly high quality. These flaws owe to writing (story structure, story choices) that I believe undercut this series' chance to rank among the all-time greats.

Three criticisms:

1. The high school era was more interesting than the adult era.
-- First: Two boys wounded by family, stuck in unpleasant circumstances. Finding their way toward solace by finding their way toward one another. That is a damn good premise for a BL romance. And our young protagonists had a good thing cooking, too. Enough character, story, and emotion introduced in eps 1-2 to sustain a whole series. Instead, the writers chose a time jump prior to working through all that potential. Second: Two adults wounded by their past. Placing obstacles in the way of their own solace. That is a less satisfying premise for any romance, BL or otherwise. And our older protagonists induced this viewer to contemplate in multiple episodes whether these two humans belonged together at all.
--overall, the bipartite storytelling does work. And yet. Because the later episodes prove far less compelling than the earlier episodes, the result is a series where both timelines underperform the potential baked into the characters and story. Again, to reiterate: not fatal flaws! Still a compelling series.

2. That was the most preposterous time jump any BL series has ever foisted off on viewers.
--12 years? Really? To Be clear, the idea that high school sweethearts reconnect in their early 30s is not a problem in itself. Indeed, one could easily build a whole series around that premise as well. But during the intervening decade, the two individuals ought to have lived some life, grown into new people. Even if the reunion rekindled dormant feelings, the vibe should feel like two near-strangers starting fresh--because none of us at 30 is the same person we were at 18. Characters ought to adjust to Who Are We Now? Here, it is as if both characters have been in stasis since high school. Pining away for one another yet not reconnecting. Apparently (and we must surmise, for the writing reveals very little about how the two protagonists spent their decade apart), neither of them moved past the other. No intervening romances to provide the sort of life experience 18 year Olds didnt have. They do not reunite as older, wiser versions of their younger selves but as emotional cripples stunted in growth at 18. No more savvy about love at 30 than as callow teens. I am all for reigniting the lost flames of a youthful passion. But not for wasting the entirety of one's 20's waiting for something that did not work out. And after 12 years apart, trying to pick up where you left off? No no no. So to be clear: my gripe here isn't the exorbitant length of this time jump. It is for the illogical way in which the writing fills in the gaps.

Note 1: The series hired two actors roughly 25 years old to play the same characters at age 18 and age 30. While that tactic of "splitting the difference" does work visually in the sense these actors can believably play either age, it is nonetheless jarring to see "Twelve Years Later" pop up on screen and have the actors look as if no time has passed. (The make up folks dyed Dad's hair gray. Effort!) As much as I admire the performances of these actors, I think a time jump of this magnitude warranted recasting the parts because that would have emphasized the natural growth humans experience in transitioning from impulsive but callow youths to responsible adults. Here, the actors' non-aging just added to my sense that these two characters got stuck in high school.

Note 2: The obvious BL story that comes to mind with a comparable time jump is His The Series and His The Movie (Japan). That production team did re-cast the TV actors for the movie sequel. The film plot also depicts the rekindling of a dormant romance, one also spoiled by one party abandoning the other. But those characters had to work to rebuild trust, with no expectation of resuming where they left off. In that telling, their present-day situations mattered more than the shadows of the past. His (film) is one if the best "gay men overcome obstacles to create family" stories I have seen from any continent or any decade. Playing the time jump effectively is one reason why. The missing and unseen years had an impact on the characters that added depth to that story.

3. The fraud subplot was unnecessary.
--Sometimes writers fall victim to a temptation to layer additional challenges into their story. ("What new horrors can I inflict on these characters to ratchet upthe stakes?") Often, simpler is better; editing, warranted. Here, the fraud adds nothing to the character. His story was already compelling. Indeed, it may have become more poignant if every detail stayed except the fraud. Dreams shriveled (like a raisin in the sun) are a basis for tragedy. Explore that concept without destroying the character's moral character. If his personal demons had driven him to suffer in silence rather than to overt criminality, a compelling emotional journey is still at hand. Criminal fraud, in fact, makes any character less sympathetic even if his motives are well-explained, which these were not. Adequately explained and justified--yes. But "adequate" falls short of "well-", just as I rate Let Free falls short of elite status. The character had many burdens already, and this self-inficted gaffe demeans everything he hoped to do.

In summation, Let Free is a very good series. Certainly, worth one's time to watch. And the ending eventually proves sweet and affirming. Flaws in story structure undercut the bid for greatness, as does the too common penchant to withhold information from the reviewers via editing. Here, flashbacks in the penultimate and finale to the high school timeline fill in missing information help us to understand why each character behaves as he does after the time jump. But honestly, the middle episodes would have been far less frustrating if those details had been in the open earlier. Handled properly, the romantic story would play as a tragedy rather than the stunted, slow-burn mystery tale we got.

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