Reviews

When I first heard that the Hong Sister's much-needed redemption would come in the form of a horror rom-com, I was a bit perplexed by the idea. How could these two genre collide in any sort of acceptable way? However, now that I have watched, pined for, and passionately followed Master's Sun, I can see how this crazy combination works(and works well).

Master's Sun has it all: horror, romance, a healthy bit of angst, and a touch of sunlight (or is it a beam?)that rises in the heart and fills the viewer with warm fuzzies and peals of laughter.

One of the greatest strengths of the show was it's acting. Gong Hyo Jin and So Ji Sub absolutely oozed chemistry, appeal, and gave us such balanced but fantastic performances. So Ji Sub made me fall for his acting (and him) by the first episode. Seo In Guk was great as well, and at times, had me falling for both of the leads.

Storywise, I feel that the show did its best to indicate that the ghostly world isn't as scary as it seems, which plays well into the evolution of Gong Shil, Joong Won, and even Kang Woo. However, there were times where I felt that the story forgot earlier elements or threw them away. Nevertheless, the story was fairly solid.

Overall, I really enjoyed Master's Sun. When I say "really enjoyed," I mean that I'm already having separation anxiety from the brightness that was this drama.

I will definitely be watching this again.

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God, why? Just why is this a thing?

I know that you're not supposed to write reviews for shows if you haven't completed them but honestly, I just couldn't contain my bewilderment with this one. I really truly don't understand why anyone in their right mind would watch this. (Especially a non-EXO fan) If you know the answer to that, please enlighten me.

I mean, this is just plain bad. Period. You've got to get high and lose a few brain cells in order to find this shit hilarious. Don't get me wrong, I've got no problem seeing Sehun, Chanyeol, D.O and Bacon do their thing but when you add one hell of a TSTL (too stupid to live) heroine in their midst, it just turns everything sour.

I couldn't handle Ji Yeon Hee's immaturity for a single second and her brother's cute awkwardness wasn't nearly enough to balance it out. She's cringey on a whole other level and it's not adorable in the least. Also, the way she talks with her mum is just awful. I swear the brat needs to sit the fuck down and check her priorities. Funny how, she's always being a snarky ass bish to her family but she can't utter a lone syllable in front of boys. And she's 22. Enough said.

Furthermore, let's not forget how they got Chan to play the brooding, cold, bad boy type. Like, I just can't at this moment. Chan out of all them? Chan, really?
He's like an adorable little puppy at his worst, m8. Why, oh, why must you do this to me?

Obviously, I watched it for plain ol' fanservice and wasn't expecting a plot, good acting or a consistent storyline and fairly enough, it did indeed lack on all those fronts. But what I also didn't expect was the human embodiment of complete and total aggravation that was our female lead.

It is amazing how I even managed to stand 4 episodes of this nightmare. It truly is a fete when a show is so horrible it makes a 15 minute episode feel like an hour. I repeatedly checked how much of it was left and when I realized that I had endured so much suffering and only 5 minutes had passed, I think I decomposed a little inside.

The only good thing that came out of this was that the guys were able to make money off of it. As far as I'm concerned, I'm sorry but I'm just not strong enough to bear this kind of agony.

I am in dire need of an efficient eyewasher and a mental detox after this. I'd try to come back after I heal and watch four more episodes to support the group but surely, recovery from this requires total mental rest for atleast more than 365 days.

For all those people who watched and enjoyed this, I envy you. Really, kudos to you. I don't know how you did it. Fighting!

(At this point this isn't even a review, more like an existential crisis.)

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Pasta would be an overall delightful watch if it weren't for a couple of absolutely annoying, infuriating traits.

I think it's necessary for me to premise that I have first hand experience of how a high level restaurant/kitchen works. This is why I was attracted to it in the first place.

For the most part, what happens in the kitchen of this drama is exactly the same you will find in Michelin-stars kitchen all over the world: the strict hierarchy, the arguments between kitchen chef and restaurant direction, the treatment of women (things are rapidly changing, but high level cuisine has been for a long time a male domain, where women were treated almost like slaves). Even details in this drama are absolutely realistic, from the utensils they use to the allocation of each cooking-partie.
I had a great time watching the whole kimchi debacle, as I know for a fact that this is exactly the kind of problem a chef in such a kitchen would face.

BUT. Like Beca, the female lead annoyed me. Royally. Not so much because she would say Yes Chef every second word - that's actually quite accurate - but because she was ambitious but never showed any sign of having learnt anything. If you want to succeed in the gourmet world and you have the chance to work with a great chef you don't discuss his menu decisions: you learn! She is at the same time too humble and too conceited. She bows her head when she should show pride (grrrrrrr) and fights against the chef when HE is right (double grrrrrrr)!
And please don't get me started on the way she eats spaghetti. I'm Italian and, believe me, I cringed, to say the least. She would grab a handful of oily spaghetti and thrust them in her mouth with her hands, chewing them as if it were pigswill. In front of other people. I was disgusted. I respect different customs from mine, but you don't work in a 3-star (or even a 1 star) Italian restaurant without knowing how to eat spaghetti, for Pete's sake!

Lee Sun Gyun on the other hand is amazing. He is an arrogant jerk, but he is absolutely believable. I would never fall for such a man, but nothing he does or say comes out as unrealistic. Let me be just a little spoilerish here and say that his declaration is a great one! I finished the drama because of him and the rest of the hilarious, spot-on kitchen staff.

I can't remember the music, I'm afraid. Hence the 7.

I'm not sure I'll rewatch this drama. I laughed a lot, it entertained me a lot, but there are parts I'd need to skip entirely if I wanted to go through a second watch.

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I enjoyed watching the series. It captivated me. I was intrigued. I watched it especially for Cheng Yi. Let me tell you, this series wouldn't exist without him. It wouldn't have achieved the ratings. You wouldn't have gotten the score you were hoping for. It was given an 8, which I think is normal, but it would have received a lower score. Let me say that from the outset.

The story is twisted. In my opinion. If you ask why, it doesn't follow a single plot. It gets very complicated. They've taken all the characters from the martial arts world. There are fight scenes with all of them. They're all presented separately, and they've united to form the Power Gang. This gang is initially portrayed as evil, but later we see that it's a very good gang. It works for the national good. So, can such a gang even exist? At least not a gang. He also poisons the men he employs. If he doesn't give them the pills, they die. He keeps his men under his control. So, you figure out the rest.

The real important thing is the relationships between the four siblings. The eldest brother is the heir, the second brother is neutral, the third brother is the daughter and stepbrother, but they're harmonious and affectionate, and they also have a medical background. The fourth character is the most intelligent and beloved. He's his mother's favorite. His father's secret favorite. His father and mother are murdered. This is how the conflict begins.

Now, the dominant character is the older brother; he takes responsibility, saying he knows everything and can do it. He's uncompromising and very narrow-minded, a naive character who can be easily deceived and convinced. He's a very honest person, but he can't stand anyone putting him in his place. The second brother constantly flatters him and says he's on his side. The female character tries to find a middle ground. The younger brother says he'll do it. He says, "Trust me." They don't listen to him, especially the older brother. They act like they're the younger ones, "How can we trust him?"

I tried to establish the characters here. To me, the second son seems implacable, naive, uninformed, and uncouth, far inferior to his brother in martial arts, yet uncertain in comparison. That's what we're shown. However, later, this character transforms into someone who rules the country. I didn't think it was appropriate for someone so naive, uninformed, uncouth, and ineffective in martial arts to be portrayed at this level. Let's say he took on certain things through a mask. Is he taking on the character as well? Is he taking on the mindset? While they're conveying martial arts, are they also conveying the mind? I didn't understand that. I couldn't make sense of it. There were many things I couldn't make sense of, but I'm saying it's clear.

Another issue I'm having trouble with is the Emperor poisoning the Power Gang Leader. Then he asks, "Where is this guy? Let's reward him. Call him. They say he's dead." He's surprised. I don't understand that at all. What's the point of meeting a man he poisoned himself with such shock and sadness? Did I misunderstand? I don't know. It was absurd. Why would the Emperor have his own country crushed and conquered? These were meaningless things. I couldn't understand those things at all. I couldn't grasp them. It didn't work.
Another incident involved the meaningless crowd around Cheng Yi, whom everyone agrees on. They don't contribute to the game. In other words, the casting choices were also flawed. I didn't like them. There could have been much better characters and actors suited to him. Some were simple, some were meaningless. We were torn between laughing and crying while watching. For me, the emotional scenes—the scenes of the mother and father's death, the brother's death, and the sister's death—were incredibly moving. Cheng Yi, with his red eyes, truly did justice to these scenes, crying. Some people wondered why he was crying, but even I was moved by the scenes. Beautifully shot, well-shot, good fight scenes, good production and direction. Good costumes. I liked it.
Cheng Yi carried the series single-handedly. Well done. A great performance. I found it successful. It makes you watch. I'm curious and looking forward to watching his next series. Why did Gulnezar Bextiyar, whom I found meaningless, appear in this series? She seemed to have no role. She was a meaningless character. This actress was unnecessary. I'm talking about Gulnezar. I wouldn't have played her. I liked Elenor Lee. A good performance. Xu Zen Xuan performed very well. Well done. Liu Meng Rui performed very well. Well done. I really liked Ding Xiao Ying. She suits the role very well. Well done. Johnny Zhang put in a lot of effort. He did justice to his role. Well done. Edward Zhang started badly but ended well. He made us feel the villain. He made us feel bad. Besides them, Xiao Yan, Ding Yong Dai, Hu Ke, Lu Yong, Zhang Yi Ge, and Julian Cheung were the actors who stood out to me. I was expecting a much better series. It didn't end well. Everyone died. Would I watch it again? No. Would I watch it if there was a sequel? Maybe.

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It's the same but different at the same time

Wrap up the drama in one sentence: A university student and a video game maker were stuck in a loop to survive in a bus explosion tragedy.

THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL C-DRAMA
There is no unnecessary love triangles, misunderstandings and golden fingers.

WHY SHOULD YOU WATCH THIS DRAMA?
If you like mystery and thriller stories. Who is the culprit? At the first glance, everyone seems to be the culprit. However, when the drama unfolds, the background story of each character in the bus is unfolded. Suddenly, you understand the reason behind their seemingly out-of-place action.

The repetitive scenes. They're the same, yet they're not. Every time the same scene is played, it adds subtle changes, for instance, minor details, if you're a mystery geek, you can actually try to deduce the plot. The producers have made it possible throughout the drama.

Every character is this drama is the main character of their own story. They are living their own life, in real bone and flesh. The drama tells their story so articulately and beautifully that I can put myself in their shoes and feel their happiness and sorrow alongside with them.

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The Chang'an Crate

A Chinese update of Sungkyungkwan Scandal (2010) with a dose of Hwarang (2016), how good is that. Not to mention a flower boy cast and the star from Novoland Castle in The Sky 2.

As soon as I followed the story I discovered my comparison was just a first impression. The Chang'an Youth is stuffed with different story arcs. The heroine is Shen Yiyi ( Wang Yu Wen ) an ordinary girl who gets 'adopted' in her youth by a sweet rich girl. She's treated like family. Unfortunately this rich girl dies, just before her marriage, leaving a mystery behind about her pedigree and heritage. To do some research Shen Yiyi agrees to substitute for her friend in marriage and travels to the girl's intended, Tang Jiu Hua (Xie Bin Bin) in Chang'An. She travels in disguise of a gentleman. On the road she meets Yang Zi'an (Caesar Wu), the son of a magistrate carrying out orders from the King. She also meets the sweet second prince Li Xinyuan (Qi Peixin), and stark swordsman Dugu Muxue (Liu Yichang). This Chang'an Youth Gang is full of personal secrets, but eventually they end up as friends at the local academy. Apart from their exciting school life they learn to work and trust each other, meanwhile facing a mysterious case and corrupt officials.

Acting/Cast

Wang Yu Wen is a good choice for the role as crossdressed Yiyi, she combines a lean, boyish body with strong facial features. She also has great chemistry with Xie Bin Bin, her supposed fiancé Tang Tang. Xie Bin Bin is known for totally different characters, but he's so funny here, I suspect he enjoyed this role himself.
Such a pity Xie Bin Bin isn't the romantic interest, that honor goes to Caesar Wu. Agreed, that guy is Flower Boy- In -The-Flesh, but he's more the kind of flower that's already been pressed between the pages of a book. Doesn't fade, doesn't wrinkle, doesn't impress.
Another failure is the miscast of poor Liu Yichang. He convinces as the good-hearted rascal Zhao Cuo in I've Fallen For You (2020), but he can't hold a candle to Korean actor Yoo Ah In, who played the silent swordsman to a T in Sungkyunkwan Scandal. Put together with robot-like Qi Peixin they didn't float my boat. I also missed the necessary humor, the student twins excluded.

Rewatch Value

What can I say? It started out so well, but I lost interest midway the series. My guess is the writers put too much story lines together making a mess of the plot. This proofs that just combining elements that are based on audience statistics doesn't work. Really, Less is More. If only this could be a love story between totally different characters, or the coming of age story of an ambitious scholar girl in a world dominated by males, but this... ain't it. I won't rewatch this again.

Overall

Tastes differ however. So, if you like your sandwich filled to the brim with every possible ingredient, this is for you. The Chang'an Youth is a crate full of tags, just pick the things you like, and forget the rest.

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I actually enjoyed watching this drama and I was tuned in every week. The story wasn't that strong but the perspective of life was great. Dealing with people, relationships and stuff. A lot of that comes with certain feelings according to certain circumstances, such as love, hate, jealousy, anger and happiness. We can't always get what we want in life and sometimes we just have to accept things the way they are. You can try to change it but if it doesn't work out for the better then it wasn't meant to be.

I was reading comments on DF where everyone was saying how inappropriate the relationship was between PSH and KRW's character, having a student teacher relationship. They were still complaining about it even after the characters grew. I saw nothing wrong with it. It's not like they did anything out of line. Yes, they were really close, more close than a student and teacher would normally be. But so what? I shipped it so hard after they met again, because they seriously had great chemistry.

I'd say this drama could have been cut to 16 episodes but I still watched all 20 episodes without skipping anything. I enjoyed the drama more because of Kim Rae Won. The man is just so incredible. His character was cute and humble. Always smiling and it made me smile all the time. I absolutely love Shin Hye in this drama. I was sick of seeing her with the roles of being a damsel in distress because I knew she could do something even more amazing. It was refreshing to see her doing something new and awesome. It was great to see Ji Soo. He's such a hottie~ >w< I wanted to hug Kim Min Suk and just baby him. He's too precious. I liked his character a lot. He slayed his emotional scene. It was so strong that it made me cry along with him. Lee Sung Kyung is so pretty. I love her eyes. She's good at her job. At first I thought her character was a b*tch but she was just suffering inside with her own family problems as well as dealing with things from her past that affected her presently. Yoon Do's uncle, Lee Sun Ho was just too adorable.

I loved the music. Every song was a perfect setting for the mood. I actually found myself singing along to a few of those songs. ^^

I'd rewatch this again, mostly for Kim Rae Won, just so I can see his cute self smiling so brightly. ^^

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over-rated drama

Just finished all 40 episodes of this drama and must say that I am surprised to see all of the 10/10 and 9/10 ratings it has received.

The drama started off strongly, I really liked the first 15-20 episodes or so. The plot moved along well with a great story line, liked the actors, also some good comedic scenes helped make the first 1/2 of this drama a decent watch.

Then somewhere around episode 25 this drama goes off the rails and just gets worse and worse until the awful ending. The last 15 episodes or so were terrible. Every episode seemed to have a 4-5 minute scene with the male/female leads being all lovey-dovey, sweet-talking each other with the obligatory love song playing in the back-ground. This got tiresome and repetitive. Every character seemed to experience a near death scene and then the other characters help them miraculously pull through. This got tiresome and repetitive. Each episode seemed to have 3 or 4 song interludes, starting to think the producers were either getting royalties or really trying to push the soundtrack. This got tiresome and repetitive. Each time a character died, there would be 7-8 minute montage of flashback scenes with that character, of course, with some song playing in the background. This got repetitive and tiresome as well. In addition, the drama had the worst ending of any C-drama that I have personally watched. It was like the script writers gave up and just wrote some nonsense to get this drama over with.

Gave this drama an overall rating of 2.0 solely based on the 1/2 half of the drama. Re-watch value should be 0 but apparently 1.0 is the minimum value I can assign. It was painful watching this drama once, can't imagine that anyone would go back and re-watch this a second time. This drama won't be showing up on any top 10 best drama lists, but wouldn't be surprised at all to see this drama on a number of top 10 worst drama lists though. Starting to think that the producers must have paid an army of people to give glowing reviews.

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The undatables is an ordinary drama. It follows the cliche story of enemies falling in love, best friend falling for the girl, family objections, mommy issues and a mystery about the character's childhood. I do wish I liked this drama, but it just tried to hard to make everything cute and romantic. Half way through it didn't have anything else to say or to add and it was just a boring story that I forced myself to finish, hoping that maybe the ending will surprise me, but it didn't. It is a shame, because there were many famous and popular actors in this one and the chemistry between the two leads was strong.

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So I picked up this drama FINALLY after hearing and reading many good things about it. Romantic Doctor Kim took me through a roller coaster ride of emotions; some characters I hated up until about episode 15, other characters I truly cared for, and it was THOSE characters that kept me watching this drama. The main reason why I probably continued watching this drama even though the beginning of it was so rough for me was because I have an extremely soft spot for medical dramas. They're my closet passion, so I think deep down I wanted to see what happened all the way to the end.

What made this drama so rough in the first half for me personally was the fact that I found Master Kim to be insufferable for more than the first half of this drama. It wasn't that I disagreed with his reasons for giving such severe "tough love" to the other characters, I just didn't agree with how severe and cut throat he addressed the desired character changes of the younger doctors he was trying to inspire to change. I think there were other ways for Master Kim's character to have been written that would not have made such an extreme impression. The fact that his character was written in such a rough and sharp fashion left me feeling bitter and angry on behalf of the other characters - which some people might say is a "good" thing because the writers got me emotionally involved, but to me, his character was enough to make me want to drop the drama. What actually kept me hooked was the young doctors aspiring to learn and specialize as well as the sick patients that came into the hospital requiring treatment. Which leads me to the acting in this drama.

The acting in RDK was phenomenal. All the actors, ranging from the main cast and supporting cast all the way to the guest roles who only played in one episode were absolutely moving in their roles. I truly cried nearly every episode which I simply attribute to the expertly chosen cast paired with the swelling soundtrack. The main actors did an exceptional job demonstrating raw emotions and character growth, which I found so incredibly awesome.

Honestly, I don't think I'll rewatch this drama. It wasn't that it was bad or that I disliked it as a whole, I just struggled getting through the first half that I'm not sure I can get through it all over again. I *did* enjoy the humorous moments scattered throughout the drama, but I wouldn't call this drama a romantic comedy at all. The drama touches on very serious and emotionally charged topics in every episode that truly break your heart. The first half of this drama is really what brings down the rating of this drama for me with the second half of this drama bringing up the rating significantly.

I think the people who will enjoy this drama are those people who have a severe hankering for medical dramas with melodrama. I would not recommend this drama for someone who wants a light, fluffy, romantic comedy medical drama.
Another drama with similar tones and motifs would be Pinocchio, which I think was much more successful in portraying the moral issues and dilemmas tackled in RDK.


*****UPDATE after completing Romantic Doctor Kim Season 2*****
Season 2 was a huge improvement from season 1 - Dr. Kim was so much more balanced and well-written and the new characters were great! So glad I took a chance on watching season 2 after such a rocky experience with season 1! Definitely has me contemplating whether I should rewatch season 1 and season 2 altogether to see if my overall outlook is changed.

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a travel ad with very explicit scenes (watch suggestions)

Overall: this had very slow pacing and then some of the most explicit NSFW scenes that I have ever seen from Thailand. Note that this has nothing to do with the Taiwanese BL Kiseki Dear To Me and Love in Shimane aired in 2025. Aired on Viu (need to VPN to Thailand) and GagaOOLala. Later re-aired on 9NAA's YouTube channel (cut free to watch, uncut for channel members). The production company 9NAA also made: Venus In The Sky, Check Out, Skinship and I Am Your King.

Watch Suggestions (unless you like a lot of eating, drinking, taking pictures and singing/guitar playing)
- read the synopsis
- skip episode 1
- episode 2 watch 8-12, 16-24, 28-31 and 33:30 to the end
- episode 3 watch 19-25, 40:25-45:40, 50 minutes to the end
- skip episode 4 (unless you want to learn about Japanese bathhouses which is in the 2nd half)
- episode 5 watch 22-24:30 (very NSFW) and 27:50-31 (very NSFW)
- episode 6 watch 22-24 and 27-30:30, could also watch the last few minutes

What I Liked
- centered on 4 characters with an easy to understand premise
- twins as lead characters
- the scene where a character splashed water on his face and pretended to be happy/smile
- the actors did a good job with their explicit scenes, they used some tongue which was realistic

Room For Improvement
- slow pacing, a lot of time spent hugging trees, singing, drinking, eating and taking pictures
- an actor said that they were totally naked in their NSFW scenes which made me worry about how comfortable they were (and apparently the director said he'd go naked to make them comfortable but that sounded more like a threat than being helpful), however, we saw a cord around 1 actor's waist, I'd rather they let the actors wear underwear and use creative angles/shots because the viewer's imagination could fill in the rest; update, the cord might be something religious (let me know if anyone knows more about this)
- wanted them to move from the stairs to a bedroom and I wanted to know what the character was going to say
- toilet humor/scenes
- in episode 3 I wish they hadn't shown a character as extremely drunk before what happened
- they didn't take out the chapter 2 from the title when chapter 1 might never air or if it does it would air after chapter 2

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The Sageuk Returns With Bloodshed, Tragedy And Sociopolitical Themes...

Screenwriter Kim Eun-Hee first introduced us to the webtoon-based“Kingdom” ( the intriguing, bloodthirsty political cutthroat sageuk) back in 2019 , with its zombie-survival storyline and characters in order to keep audiences hooked at the edge of their seats.

Yet similar to all the best offerings in the zombie genre, Kingdom is about much more than mindlessly fighting hordes of the ravening undead. Its initial creator Kim Eun-hee has said her webcomic (as well as the series) Drama) have been inspired by chronicles in “ the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty”—accounting the medieval dynasty that lasted some 500 years (1392-1897), where hundreds of thousands of enigmatic deaths occurred possibly through mismanagement of the authorities.

Consequently, whilst Kingdom’s zombie attack in Season 1 notably highlighted some political suggestions whilst focusing on bloodthirsty scenarios , Season 2 uses the outbreak as a means of exploring broader sociopolitical themes. The general populace suffers from starvation and pestilence as their ignorant or oblivious leaders strive for political power. It is only fitting, then, that the starving commoners become the zombie horde, while the hunger for power of certain leaders results in rash decisions that could mark the end of the Joseon Dynasty.

Of course, this is nothing entirely groundbreaking for South Korean storytelling in general. However, it is refreshingly original and within its universal allegory. Regardless of culture , time or nationality, corruption exists and may (quite literally in the case of Kingdom ) turns the rivers red.

In the opening of Kingdom Season 2 is a fast-paced one but what follows is an intrinsically observant look at a struggle behind the scenes of a kingdom and country torn by bloodthirsty wars and politics. Yet with a notable heavy focus upon the political intrigue or the show, it would seem apparent that viewers can easily become a little bogged down by the heavy subject areas. Strangely, Kingdom Season 2 hits the balance just right between grappling action and driven politics behind a country. Although the subject matter of politics still weighs heavily in some scenes, it is brilliantly counteracted by its coordinated camera angles narrowing onto the swift and brilliant fight scenes of the show, whilst not losing its core to mindless violence as well.

Fortunately, there are just as many (if not more) people able to find the better angels of their nature and rise to the occasion. Whilst Prince Chang ( Ju Ji Hoon) ‘s often felt a little lacklustre in season 1, season 2 helps to solve this issue by deepening his role as the protagonist through his notable interactions and experiences with other characters and memories from the past, with a notably stronger and more intricate moral compass. Similarly, Seo-bi ( Bae Doo-Na)’s character’s transition from a plot device in season 1, becomes notably apparent within her role as an altruistic heroine in Season 2, where the character becomes a driving force within learning more about the disease. Even Yeong-shin’s characterisation since season 1 from a seemingly disdainful character to a complicated hero, is marked by helping Prince Chang complete missions including at risk of his own life in this season.

However, Season 2 also marks notant motivations and transitions from moustache twirling villains, to well-rounded antagonists such as Queen Cho ( Kim Hye Joon). Whilst nonetheless some of her actions cannot be defended by being horrifyingly ruthless , they did help to add intrinsic depth towards Cho’s motives. In addition to this, one particular character that made a strong impression is the traitor among Prince Chang's most trusted allies hinted back in Season 1 . Without any spoilers towards the identity of the turncoat , it is surprising to say that there was a notably empathic reason behind their actions.

Pacing -wise, the drama zips across the actions in double-quick time (though its zombies are definitely way too fast). This makes it perfect for binge-watching which was certainly what we ended up doing. It was nearly impossible to stop watching once you’ve started, with each episode ending on a cliff hanger that’ll make you immediately switch to the next episode for more. Each episode is over an an hour but with how action-packed each episode is, it hardly feels like any time has passed before you find the credits rolling.

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Story: Both Blanc and Noir contain disturbing elements, depicting mostly the ugly world of male prostitution, whether as a host for female customers or as a gay fuck toy for monied clientele. Especially jarring are the numerous instances of sick torture, unreasonable demands, basically shit that the MC and others like him have to go through just to keep themselves alive, and hopefully out of debt.

It is understandable that copious amounts of sex would be involved in a movie about selling your body, but sometimes I don't see why it's necessary the client's backstories are included, like a precursor as to why they seek male companionship in the first place (I especially had problems with the goat story).

It seemed to me the movie is going for shock value with the numerous fucked up scenes, but at least not as mentally disturbing as some other shorts I've seen trying to pass as film noir.

Acting: With their clothes off, they are quite convincing but with their clothes on, not so much

Music: Nothing to write home about

Rewatch: Maybe for only some parts of the movie (just to measure the trajectory of piss-cum), but unless I'm a masochist, then no.

Overall: Watch only if you want to say that you've watched it. Or if there's no good porn left on the net.

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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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