Reviews

It is without a doubt one of the best historical dramas I've ever seen. I definetely recommend it for those who enjoy a highly political drama. It's certainly not for the romance seeking fellow drama addicts.

When it first aired I dropped it because the introduction was really bad but nothing surprising since I usually don't enjoy introductions in historical dramas (or introdutions in general), but I'm SOOOO glad I decided to give it another try even if it was just because I'd recently became a fan of Jang Hyuk but I skipped the introduction part and suddenly, when Bong Sam becomes a fully grown man, the story becomes really interesting and addicting to the point I never got bored once. It's actually hard to let go of this drama T-T

There are lots of interesting characters in this drama, specially Shin Seok Ju (believe it or not, I love him so much! He's an adorable villain!), Gil So Gae (another adorable villain with so much charisma) and of course Cheon Bong Sam (I love, love love him!). These three made confused as to whom I should cheer for LOL.  

The story is about the merchant class and one merchant who will go through all obstacles following his principles and going against anything and anyone to do what he has to do to survive and also what is right.  For fairness (and to survive), he goes against the powerful head merchant, the nobles and the palace if he has to.

Cheon Bom Sam's journey is definetely worth it. The story has a perfect pace, it's intriguing and keeps you curious through all the 41 episodes and I can't stress enough how amazing acting is.

The only con I can think of (and it is a weak one) is that it should've ended a little sooner so that the ending would've been stronger.

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okay so i just finished this drama, I cant say that it was perfect but the cast certainly were, and the ending left a mark in me ( Usually in the last episode of every drama ends up being rated low as it didn't meet my expectations but not this one, this one hit me deep and made perfect sense to me).

the story in the beginning may seem normal to you and similar to political dramas, but its not really the cast were smart in their movements and the tricks and schemes from all sides were good which makes it very interesting to watch, it didnt drag quite the opposite the number of episodes were pretty good and keeps you attached.

The acting for me was flawless, perfect choice of cast, I mean its Nam Gong Min and he is certainly a top rated actor, nevertheless the rest of the cast was just about right.

The script lines, hidden messages, and quotes hanging on the walls were really good. I would recommend this show to anyone without a second thought.

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A Fun Ride! My first ever Rom-Com to get a 9.5 / 10 Rating from me ;)

Came for the Guest roles / Cameos but found a Very Funny n REFRESHING drama.

Hilarious, Very Sweet, Cute (and Sad during Break ups)!

I can't or usually struggle to watch Lengthy Romance Dramas of 16, 24 or 30+ episodes but this show with 12 eps is right to my taste.
Even the show format -- One Case per Episode, makes it more interesting (n easy on mind, to follow their love that is slowly built, without any toxicity)
Also, all my fav actors of GMMTV are in this, which gives more reason to love this :)

***
The Fresh theme of "Break up and Get Paid" is executed with a Positive & Hilarious Tone!

The concept "Break up Service" - that job -- Separate the couple as per client's request n Get paid by the client, is something New to me.
Though the job description looks morally bad or questionable, it's funny.

( Like Dating apps n matrimonial sites, Break up service is a good business idea, Haha -- Anything n Everything can happen in this modern age but for sure, the owner n the employees will go to Hell, if breaks up a good couple, breaking up a cheating couple is fine, I guess ;) )

Even their competitor, "Destiny" -- Make a couple fall in love as per client's request and Get Paid, looks different and cool.

***
All the cases handled by Break up service n Destiny companies n the main story have compelling storyline.
All the cases are Funny n Interesting, some are Emotional too.

Overall, a Good blend of Comedy + Different theme (break up service or Destiny) + Cute love story (main) + Sad love stories (cases), Everything in right proportions that keeps the viewer interested.

There's no moment of boredom throughout the drama.
It's so good that I can rate it higher than usual rom-coms! :)

*** ACTORS / CHARACTERS:
All Actors (main n supporting cast) performed very well.
Every character is well written.

Not just one or two, entire supporting characters are funny.
Special mention: Godji is hilarious as usual.

All the guest roles in each ep / each case are fun to watch.

The competition between the companies is funny n later the team work after merging of companies is very cool.

A Test to morality for Char Jued (Jorin) (viewer too?). She believes that breaking up any couple, good or bad, by a third party is not correct morally and
A Test to prejudiced faith of Char Boss (Off). He believes that Relationships are Fragile and any third person can affect them. He doesn't believe in strong love until he met Jued.

Boss - Jued moments are very sweet.
Off - Jorin's chemistry is very natural n cute, want them to be paired in future projects too, as Serious Off & Naughty Sweet Jorin!

Jorin (actor) is cute n Jued (char) is funny.
Boss falling for Jued but in denial, initially and later fell hard for her, is funny n sweet.

Off in women attires (female disguises of Boss) in every ep, is not at all Odd, instead Very Pretty & funny!

Usually, Off's comedy tone - Goofy n Chaotic, this is exactly what Jorin does here.
Jorin is like a Mini Version of Off here :)
While Off is all serious n dedicated to break up couples here, is funny.
(He did diverse roles very well in his previous works - comedy to serious).

Off n Tay interactions are sweet n funny.

Boss getting hurt after every Break up project, is funny.
It's like "Instant Punishment" for a sin, haha.

The Only time, he didn't get hurt after a break up is of Jued n her two timing bf (ep 1). So it's a good deed! :)

*** EPISODES / CASES:
Every ep starts funny, especially their investigations n disguises but turns emotional in the end.

***
Ep 1 / case 1: Jued & her bf

Cheating bf - Break up!

Also, Boss broke up his Boss, Chan n his wife.
(So two break ups in this ep)

Jued joined Break up service but is confused between her morals n professional requirements.

Guest role: Title

***
Ep 2 / case 2: The content creator couple

Faking sweetness without respect towards each other - Break up!

Guest role: Force, Jamie

***
Ep 3 / case 3: BL Ship

A BL actor who is shipped with his co-star, is in a secret relationship with another guy, who wants their relationship to be out in open, thereby troubles arise in professional n personal lives. Break up!

(But the essence of the ep is sad - Actors can't date in real life, especially when they are shipped with an on-screen partner (actor or actress). They really have to sacrifice true love sometimes for career or have to maintain a secret relationship, Tiring n SAD! )

Main Guest role: Drake, Aungpao, Prom

***
Ep 4 / case 4: Childhood sweethearts

Broke up once n reconciled but then have different life goals. Break up!

Guest role: Win, Emi

***
Ep 5 / case 5: The secret lovers / love triangle

Very funny, sweet n sad ep.

The secret lovers' bond is strong & Break up service's mission failed!

Here during this case mission, Boss n Jued became soft to each other

Fun moments:
Why is Jued so funny n silly!?
Her investigations about Khao's probable bfs are very hilarious.
Godji n Jorin are funny.

That funny surprised look of lady librarian when she saw her impersonator, "Lady" Boss!

This is their first failed case n so Boss didn't get hurt, haha.

For a moment, thought Kay deviated from his usual bad boy roles, surprised to see him all sweet n innocent initially but in the end, he is back to his usual role, haha.
He totally slays Bad Guy roles!

Guest role: Kay, Piploy n Tee
(Piploy with glasses looks like a cute female version of Mark Jiruntanin)

***
Ep 6 / case 6: Jealous ex gf, in between a sweet couple

The jealous ex gf is the client n Jued is against the company's requirements - opposes breaking her friends' love. But Break up!
So Jued resigns.

Guest role: Jan, Sing, June

***
Ep 7 / case 7: Married couple

Husband suspects his wife, having an affair with a young guy at her office.

"Destiny" is introduced here.

Jued hires "Destiny" to help Sing and Jan from case 6, to reconcile.

Married couple didn't break up.
Wife breaks up with her young lover.

Finally, Boss accepts that he loves Jued but a love rival, Tee (actor Foei) is introduced n so Boss's jealous era has started.

Guest role: Jeeratch.
Kapook and Foei are introduced as supporting cast.

***
Ep 8 / case 8: A gal with her three men

Funniest, Sweetest n Saddest ep!!
All favs in one ep - Namtan, Junior, Pod (n obviously, Tay, Foei, Off n Jorin )

The gal (Namtan's char) is in a polyamorous relationship with three men.
One of them, a rich older married man wants her to marry him, leaving the other two guys and is now a client to "Break up service".
Meanwhile, another guy (Junior's char), a budding author hires "Destiny" to make her his gal.

Sad to see Boss being sad seeing his crush, Jued confessing to Tee :|

For a change, Jued got hurt after the case, which usually happens to Boss :O

Cinematography in this ep is amazing.

Fun moments:
Funny - that surprise plot twist of Art (Pod), "Me too" said by 3 gals n a guy, haha.

Jealous Boss is Sweet.

Guest role: Namtan, Junior, Pod

***
Ep 9:

Case 8 continues. Break up!

Destiny and Break up service get into a tough competition and are working very hard, haha.

Rose (Jingjing) is introduced as Break up service's another team lead n Jued is jealous

Finally, Boss confessed to Jued! :)

Fun moments:
Junior n Namtan as finger licking elites are funny n cute, haha.

***
Ep 10 / case 9: Boss' boss, Chan n his ex wife.

Hilarious ep.

Chan's ex wife is about to marry another guy (fake fiancé or real?)
Both the companies get into competition -- One to break them and another to make the wedding happen.
And the teams within Break up service also get into a tough fight.

Guest role: Bangkok boy

***
Ep 11: Chan's case continues

The Chaos of case 9 continues. Hilarious!
There are big Surprises, Great Plot Twists and the secret about the spy from Destiny in Break up service is revealed.

OMG, the biggest plot twist is Oat! Haha.

Chan n his wife reconciled.

Fun moments:
Boss n Tee, challenging each other to fight, that entire scene is funny.

Chan: "Psycho Stephen Oppa is kidnapped, so no wedding, Aigoo!"
Next moment in the red rose scene, that Surprise look on his face when he saw that Stephen Oppa under the blanket. Aigoo! 🤭

***
Ep 12 / case 10 : Boss & Jued case - Break up to reconcile forever?

Both the companies merged and their first case is their co-workers Boss - Jued.

Lot of chaos!

Oat confessed to Boss but got rejected.
Boss - Oat friendship is strong but sad from Oat's POV.

Finally, Boss n Jued met again at the same place where they met first, like a dreamy romantic event.

Love the way how both the companies (Break up service n Destiny) merged and worked to break them up but later helped them to reconcile! :)

Me Sad, seeing my baby Tay (Oat) getting rejected and heart broken but then New's cameo cheered me up. Aigoo! :)

*** ENDING:
Aigoo, such a Sweet Closure to the Story, to Every Character n to the Drama! :)

Closing dialogues of Jued:
"It's undeniable that Relationships are Fragile. Whether to let it stay broken or choose to fix it, in the end, it is up to us to decide! "👌🏻

Overall, this is a Light-hearted Drama without much toxic characters n doesn't affect the viewer emotionally, though there are many break ups.

OST by Satang is Good.

***
My first ever Rom-Com (hetero couple) to get a 9.5 / 10 Rating from me ;)
Totally, a Fun Ride!

If U are looking for some light-hearted drama to sit back n relax while watching or to pass the time, then Don't Miss to watch this lovely drama!

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too many characters/love rivals - also deja vu???

Overall: though I was excited for a gangster romance, this vertical mini series was a let-down. Originally watched unsubbed on ShortMax (also has Kiss Me With Unspoken Love and My Uncle, My Ex-Boyfriend). 70 episodes under 2 minutes each. Watched May 2025 on Shortime episodes 1-10 free to watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTFqKh1zTrY Upon re-watch, I realized it has several plot similarities to KinnPorsche to the point that if someone had said it was a Korean adaptation, I would have believed them.

Content Warnings: murder/death, blood, sexual assault, non con kiss, beaten up/violence, non con picture taking, blackmail?, past murders, rape?, kidnapping/held against will, torture, victim blaming, manipulation

What I Liked
- the tie pull
- sweet moments
- a few actual okay kisses
- good he didn't kiss him when the other guy was passed out in ep 27
- visuals
- good ending

Room For Improvement
- way too many love triangles/love rivals
- several camera blocked/cut to black kisses
- jumpy between episodes at times
- one character needed to stop drinking


My Watch For Free Plan (updated Feb 2025)
1 friend referral code = 20 (1 time bonus) My invite link is https://playground.shortime.app/en/invite/NKNIWI - the code is NKNIWI (those are all capital letters, that's the capital letter i)

On the Rewards (popcorn bag icon page)
- check in = 5 (increases over 7 days up to 25)
- create a login = 20? (I did create a login because otherwise you only get 1 Always Win box instead of 3 per day, I think this was 20 popcorn)
- do the 3 random popcorn from the daily Always Win box = 30 (I'd normally get 5-15, around 30 in total)
- Watch Ads, watch all 10 ads each day, have to wait 30 seconds in between ads = 110

When you run out of popcorn while watching, you can watch 5 episodes each day with ads

App Information/How to Watch for Free ShortMax
- you don't have to create a login for the app
- daily check ins were between 20-30 coins plus ability to double if I watched an add
- watched 6 ads for 25 coins each (wait time in between) plus 10 bonus for having watched all 6
- watched 10 free episodes per day (if you are out of coins, on the pop up on the lower right there should be an option to watch an ad to watch an episode)
- episodes cost 50 coins, you can't watch out of order, once unlocked they stay unlocked
- I was able to watch about 14 episodes per day, if starting at zero coins, that would take about 5 days

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I'm flexing my drama review muscles again after a brief hiatus. First, I'd like to thank HappySqueak for her recommendation article which led me to this drama. Here goes my review!

Story: I have to be honest here and say reincarnation and time-traveling stories are a dime in a dozen in Chinese dramas to the point the Chinese authorities had to regulate it! Melding modern with ancient Chinese settings is also pretty common. Having deities, ghosts, vampires etc as characters has been done for the umpteenth time!  The strength of the story lies in the love triangle between the three main characters. Love triangle? Yeah - common amongst commons in Asian dramas! But the selling point here is......you can't really tell who's the male lead! In fact, I believe both men in the love triangle are the male leads. They are equally outstanding and equally worth your support as they both fought for the female lead's affections. So, you'll end up as either Team Ya Long or Team Si Yin. And true to Chinese drama, the romance is of tragic nature. That, however, shouldn't deter you from watching this drama because if you're like me in appreciating a good story and good characterization, you'll agree with the ending of this story. The good news is, it's not an open ending and it is one that will give you a sigh. I actually feel that after all the three people had been through, it's a fitting and compassionate ending.

Another nice addition to the drama is how first impressions may not be the right impression. Ya Long was characterized as the evil vampire - indiscriminately killing, possessive, arrogant, looking down on humans as food etc. First impression and even throughout the drama, he played the role of the vampire to a T. Then, he fell in love and didn't know what to do with it! At first, he dealt with it poorly but slowly, you start to see his point of view and before you know it, you are rooting for him! Then, at the end as his past-life story is revealed, you start to have split feelings about whom the female lead should end up with. His character was dealt at least a couple of twists! I also love Si Yin's character. First impression and throughout, he played the character of the nice guy who sacrificed all the time for the female lead. You couldn't help but feel sorry for him when it slowly became clear that his is most likely gonna end as an unrequited love. Then came the twist and you start to question if the female lead actually did feel something for him! She has many touching and loving moments with him. Just as you think you should switch your loyalties, his past-life story revealed a different character and you'll realize that Mr. Gentleman-Good Guy ain't Mr. Gentleman-Good Guy after all! There is a reason why he out of the three of them, got punished in the worst ways throughout all his reincarnations! And lastly, our female lead's character is pretty standard in most Asian dramas - bright, bubbly, innocent, bumbling, sometimes incorrectly street smart....she provided the bulk of the comedy in this drama. However, you'll find out at the end of the drama that where female leads are concerned, you'd prefer not to be in her shoes. Without giving too much away, I can summarize her character by saying she is the comedy and the tragedy of this drama.

There are also clear indications in this drama that the author of this story is influenced by both eastern and western beliefs and culture. Ya Long is very much a western vampire - with his sensitivity to sun, silver and the wooden stake. You will also be treated to some popular western myths re. creation such as the creation of a woman from a man's rib. I will not comment re. the author of this story (Vivibear - she's Chinese-Swedish which explains the western influence) and her fame as the Queen of Plagiarism. I'll just leave my review of the story at this: it's interesting enough to capture your attention and is worthy as a drama marathon material, BUT it is not outstanding! Hence, I rate the story at 8.5/10.

Acting/Cast: It is not often that we are treated to two male characters who are equally deserving as the male lead. Both Ma Ke and Fu Xin Bo shone through the drama. They embraced their characters to perfection! The female lead, Zhou Yu Tong, though not the prettiest and most outstanding female lead, adequately portrayed Ye Yin - a modern 18-year-old at the cusp of womanhood but still very much a little girl at heart. When you watch the drama and realize that the female lead is just 18-year-old, you'll understand why Yu Tong had to switch from being sometimes a girl and sometimes speaking and behaving like a mature woman. She's very much a modern teenager in ancient times! Special mention to Nie Zi Hao as Fei Niao (Ye Yin's senior). For a newcomer, he's doing really well. I hope to see him in a main role soon. The rest of the cast did an excellent job too! Hence, I gave the acting 9.0/10.

Music: The OSTs are worth downloading. My personal favorite is the ending OST by A2A. "....the happiness I once had, has come to the end of the road...your love is too blinding... what I wanted I cannot stop...in the end, there is only loneliness......love becomes a burden...." The lyrics aptly described the story.

Re-watch value: It took me 2 days to marathon this drama. I will not be re-watching it anytime soon but I think there will come a day when I become bored and unmotivated with the currently available dramas (aka Drama Slump) and this drama may serve as an adequate reprieve to that sort of boredom.

Overall: This is a drama worth watching but it is not a 9.0 and above sort of drama (if you get my meaning!). My only beef with this drama in terms of the production is the poor visual effects. I understand that it's not a big production like Eternal Love or Novoland, but the special effects can be better. However, if you can grit your teeth and turn a blind eye to the poor visual effects, the story will shine through. Overall, I rate this drama 8.5/10.

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Thrilling, haunting and beautiful

Kingdom: Ashin of the North is a much worthy Special episode and Sidequel to the original Kingdom series, and is a must watch if you enjoyed the preceding series.

If you haven't yet watched the first two seasons of Kingdom I highly recommend you to do so before watching this one. The seasons only have six episodes each and are easily devoured in a day or two. Watching it will give you everything you need to enjoy this Special episode and its splendour to the fullest.

Compared to the original series this one feels even darker. Together with the beautiful cinematography and excellent storytelling the Kingdom universe truly comes alive in the most chilling way during these 90 minutes.

Jun Ji Hyun is perfect for the role as the mysterious Ashin. With a main character with very few lines she still manages to deliver Ashin to the viewers in such a convincing and raw way. Jun Ji Hyun's potrayal of her makes Ashin feel less of a character in a fictional world filled with horror and monsters, but more like a real person dealing with pain and betrayal in a world filled with darkness.

There is no doubt that Kingdom: Ashin of the North is a well-written high quality production that lives up to the anticipation.

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I honestly loved this movie! Even though it did move a little slow at times (e.g., dialogue and character development), the plot was absolutely superb from beginning to end. The writers did a marvelous job thinking this one through, even down to the small, creative intracacies. The cast's (outstanding) acting was really the icing on the cake, making the story more relatable and believable. The chemistry and personalities expressed throughout this movie are just soo touching!! Perhaps the ending might seem predictable to some people, but the journey there was anything BUT forseeable. What a gem. ^^

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Disappointed but hope to see more from the Leads in the future

This show started decently. I loved the friendship that the main characters Theo & Akk (Book & Force) had, their chemistry was addicting to watch and it was what helped me get through this show. The motivations for the Enchante guys was so flimsy that it was hard to believe anyone would fall for their acts. The fact that Theo let them use him then acted hurt over their actions bothered me a lot. Akk was such a sweetheart the whole time and Theo let these other guys make Akk feel like he wasn't important even though it was all Theo's doing frustrated me. And this storyline wrapped up in episode 8 and focused on a new storyline that was even more frustrating for 2 more episodes.

I understand why Theo was upset since he based all his opinions of love on what he thought his parents had, but how he reacted to the divorce stuff was beyond childish. Taking it out on Akk because as a neighbor he knew they were divorced was uncalled for. It wasn't Akk's responsibility to tell Theo about them, but he was the one who ended up apologizing it was stupid. Also Theo basically not explaining who Sun is to him & not telling Sun that Akk was his boyfriend was unnecessarily hurtful. Why did Akk have to put in all the work to find a way to France make this relationship work is beyond me, Theo was selfish and that made me the most upset.

Overall it's easy to watch and ForceBook are a great on camera couple, but I wouldn't recommend this unless you want to just watch something easy.

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Deserves More Love - A Real Surprise

I'm so glad I saw Egg and Stone through to the end. The first few episodes have some over-the-top and slapstick humor so I did not expect the show to include such well written and serious scenes for the romance and main plot as the show progressed. The over-the-top bits of humor definitely subside as the episodes go on, but still come through in welcome doses. I love how this show was able to blend elements of silliness into a solid story of a woman and her new found friends journeying through the martial arts world. I laughed out loud while watching, appreciated the WTF moments, and experienced a variety of emotions as I watched the characters evolve. I didn't expect to be so touched.

I'm sad to see the ratings for this drama be rather low by MDL standards because I really enjoyed this show. I heard comedy and decided to give it a chance even though the title didn't sound too appealing to me. I had no investment in any of the leads, so I watched purely out of curiosity and for entertainment.

I think Xu Lu and Caesar Wu did an amazing job together. They were committed to their roles and the relationship between their characters was beautiful.

I originally was going to give this show a 9 or 9.5, but when I filled out the stars category and gave everything a 10... well... I'm going to give it a 10 because it deserves better, MDL!!! If you are on the fence about watching, please give it a fair chance.

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This kdrama is not worth your time

This kdrama would’ve been perfect if they just explained the reason on why these people are suffering.. and there are so many unexplained scenes and I literally can’t understand. Especially the way in episode 2 they did not get a tarot card.. and why was there unnecessary inappropriate scenes like they could’ve just portrayed the “cheating” without showing any nudity. The only things I like about this drama was how good the acting was..literally the best. Also the plot twists were insane. Dex episode literally was funny and he slayed the role, the child actors were really good too. I hope they make another season to explain everything because if they did I would give this kdrama 10/10.

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My Strange Hero was a drama that I decided to watch first and foremost for the actors. Before I started it I didn’t have much faith in the story itself, or how the revenge plot would mix in with the rom-com storyline. It managed to prove me wrong. I enjoyed it from the start.

The drama was rather successful in blending these sweeter rom-com elements with a more serious and dramatic plot. There was a fine balance between these two storylines and neither one seemed to take too much time from each other, but rather work together quite well. Some dramas are upper sweet and cute in the beginning, but then it hits you with all the drama and it sucks the life out of the romance. But this show made the drama and the rom-com elements work.

The most memorable and the best thing about the drama was the main couple - as it is supposed to be in such rom-coms - not the revenge plot, even if I did start to really enjoy it towards the end. But I watched this mostly for the characters and the sweet moments and other cute bits. The characters, from the main couple to the side characters were really cute.

The revenge or the more serious plot was a bit too dramatic at times, but at the same time I felt as if it needed a bit more momentum at times to really work. The drama didn’t dive deep enough sometimes I felt, but it didn’t matter much to me, because that wasn’t what I was watching the drama for. But I felt like, in the end, the drama had said all that it wanted or needed to say. So it felt satisfying.

The drama had loads of great characters, but what stood out for me the most was actually the female character, Son Soo Jung, who was completely the hero of this drama and goes the most character journey of them all. It is usually the female character who has the role of making the male hero a better person but doesn’t always change that much as a character, but it seemed to be the opposite of this drama, which was something I really liked.

Soo Jung starts the drama of being kinda guarded against everything and everyone, she does not do well in life and she makes some wrong decisions at the beginning, which she has to pay for later on, but in her relationship with Kang Bok Soo she learns or wants to do better and she opens up more. She got the storyline that the male leads usually get. The drama spends a lot of time on her as a character and her developmental as a person, making her one of the stronger characters in the drama. It’s not all dramas manage that, or do it as well as My Strange Hero did, which was something I really enjoyed.

Out of all the main characters in this drama, Bok Soo, goes through the smallest character journey, but he as a characters does not change as much through the drama. He becomes less focused on revenge and opens up more, but I feel like the main goal of that character was to help some of the other character grow as human beings.

My Strange Hero was a drama I didn’t expect much from but ended up waiting eagerly for the next episode every week. It was so light and fun and overall a rather solid rom-com. At least for me. I haven’t found a drama with Yoo Seung Ho that I enjoyed this much in a long, which I really enjoyed, since I am a big fan of his.

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I don't really know where to begin with this drama review, but here goes. I am not a big fan of historical drama, yet I can't seem to complain about this one. The story begins in the most appropriate manner, with not to many odd junctions, or confusing climax. The very personality of Ok Jung is fill with hope and the King is seen to truly love her only. However this drama may not depict what was written in history it did a great job of filling in the "what if" questions. Plus the actors did a fantastic job at portraying the deep and agonizing emotions each character could have felt at every decision. The music help in veering from one emotional scene to the other; without losing the pace for the drama. In the end every one of the main characters had me in a like and dislike roller coaster ride based on how they dealt with any conflicting issue. Overall I gave this drama so high a score because it really tried to showcase a different point of view to a historical story, without over stretching the facts. So i recommend this drama to anyone interested in the tragic, yet sweet love story of Jang Hee Bin in a different light.

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Why did they try to make second lead main lead? This is not Netflix Start-up.

WOW!!! what an amazing journey. I got to know a lot more about the main leads characters.

Chan Young exerts main lead energy being ignorant to his friend struggle and just think for himself first. His love line with Ji Yu is cute because I got to know how much shallow dating your fav singer is so convenient as studying in the same school and same extra curriculum. Her songs are truly powerful indeed as to convert a misunderstood common interest into definitely love.

Love is such a simple thing that Ji Yu falls in love with a handsome guy who acknowledge her talent and compliment her achievement and most importantly, an act of kindness returning the book she forgot on her desk in front of her which happens to be her song title which is probably why it was allowed to be left on the desk during extra-curriculum class.

I was so annoyed because why did they give Heesu so much screen time when he is a typical support character who helps setting people up. He didn't even help the main leads get together. Why did they show him trying to sabotage the main leads when his gig is being a shy best friend? If he was supposed to be the antagonist then they made his character so weak with weak motive as falling in love with childhood best friend.

Furthermore, why does a support character get a support character? Seung Won literally is non-relevant to the main storyline when he just sit by the side on everything. What was his point even? to be Ji Yu bestie? what did they do together to relate so much? To introduce a jealousy storyline with Chan Young in Ji Yu relationship? they did try and succeed but it concluded so early. He was only introduced as a way to stop Heesu rampage in a non violent way.

Through out the 10 episodes Heesu and Seung Won relationship progress is literally as obstacles for Chan Young and Ji Yu. I get that they wanna be family friendly so maybe they could conclude it with a second lead love line but with a BL twist.

Overall, I am a little disappointed by the direction of the series in progressing the main relationship but I am glad to say that it is another kdrama that I have successfully sat through.

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Unique, bittersweet and touching story about love, grief and friendship.

One thing I've always loved about Japanese dramas is how they come up with crazy concepts like this and somehow make them work. I feel the main reason for this is the balance in their stories. They take a unique premise and make it feel grounded with relatable characters and genuine relationships.

Apart from the quirky setup, the biggest strength of Eien no Kinou are its two main leads. Koichi is the kind of person everyone loves to be friends with. His fun, cheerful and kind personality draws people in. Micchan on the other hand is the calm and collective type, and he seems unapproachable and slightly intimidating to the people around him. However, this doesn't stop Koichi since he's determined to become friends with him. What I really enjoyed about this relationship and their characters is that they slowly and realistically established their bond, despite this show's short length. 

Koichi showcases an admirable inner strength by the way he handles the debilitating situation he's in, being more concerned with how other people feel than allowing himself to grief his own loss. Micchans experiences shaped him into a lonely, introverted person that has a hard time being around other people. He hates himself for being "cold" which he absolutely isn't. His sensitive and deeply moving monologues show that once he has someone in his heart, he's an incredibly caring and loving person. These two polar opposite characters develop a genuine bond and give each other the warmth and love both of them were craving, and it was truly touching to see them feel at home with each other. 

I really enjoyed the performances of Komiya Rio and Inoue Sora. Komiya Rio already won me over as Tanaka in Takara-kun to Amagi-kun which was a drama that I personally didn't really enjoy, however his performance stood out to me in the few scenes he had. While Tanaka is a vastly different character to Koichi they both have an engaging and likable charm in common which I credit the actor for. You're on his side and want him to be happy, so when he does allow himself to show his pain, it hits you hard. Inoue Soras Micchan is gentle, restrained, and yet you can see a whirlwind of emotions behind that facade. He convincingly portrays Micchans calm strength and protective nature, as well as his vulnerable and lonely side. 

While I enjoyed this story, and they were able to move me despite the dramas short length, I can't help but feel the impact would have been even stronger if they had the time to establish the characters and their relationships further. Spending more time with the leads before the accident and developing their other friendships would have given this story another layer, which I would have really appreciated. Some parts of the story felt rather random and disconnected, simply because they lacked the time to explore them. 

I've to quickly mention the amazing OST of this drama. The opening theme Sunshower by Ayumu Imazu is a melancholic yet hopeful song that made me feel emotional after its first few notes. While the hauntingly serene ending theme, Toi Natsu no Hi by Kubo Aoi makes you reminisce the episode once the ending credits start. Both songs are absolutely beautiful, with touching lyrics that add to the meaning of the story. I thought the scenes of the ending credits getting blurrier with each episode was a really nice detail, and so was the changed ending for the final episode.

Eien no Kinou is a poignant story about cherishing the time you have with the people you love. It's a delicate yet powerful drama about love and friendship, told with so much heart it lingers in your thoughts long after you've finished it. 

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