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That being said, this drama does a pretty good job of representing the entertainment industry including the good and the bad. You have the female lead who just happens to get lucky over and over again making her way to the top while her friend has to claw her way up to the top doing a lot of shady things. Some actresses have to fight their way through and continue to fight to maintain their position, while others just genuinely get lucky and their talent is recognized. I also loved how they depicted the complicated relationship of frenemies and business rivals. Another cool thing is that it has some pretty epic celebrity cameos of actors appearing as themselves, including Orlando Bloom. At times, especially in the beginning, it felt like this drama was being used as an outlet for Tencent to advertise/promote its other projects / movies...especially with its star studded celebrity cameos. However, it was still fun to watch because you never knew who would show up.
Another thing I liked is that the male lead is "allergic" to females due to some traumatic past. While I have seen this plot multiple times in other dramas, I liked how the female lead is no exception to the rule. He is allergic to her as well and that is one of the complications of their romance that he has to overcome. The chemistry between the two leads is pretty good and it's fun seeing them go from enemies to lovers. Scenes between these two characters are more romantic comedy, whereas the rest of the drama is more of a melodrama with the female lead pursuing her dreams of becoming a recognized actress.
One of things that hurt the drama is that it is pretty lengthy and the last 10 episodes or so dragged. At the end of the day, I did enjoy this drama and felt like it was worth watching once (especially for Push). I don't plan to rewatch it though.
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gave me video game vibes
I was just looking for something new to watch when I stumbled upon this series. I got curious because the plot literally made me say 'what' because it is confusing.The story was actually nice. It may make you question things especially how fast the progress is and the camera setting. The actors are really good and my favorite is Chang Ryul. His character might come out crazy but he is just desperate to save his father and to get the kidney lol.
They made the ending looked like there is a possibility of season 2 so I am looking out for that. Overall a nice series to watch. 6 eps of about 35 mins each
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I Can Still Hear Ai going... P'YUUU...
Peoples, we got a rapping confession, followed by a guitar scene confession. It was a two-in-one double kill. I almost didn't make it out alive. It was brutal. Also, did anyone want to reach into the screen and shake P-Yu when he was treating his ex-girlfriend like precious cargo right in front of Ai's salad?Well, that ending was super anticlimactic, after all that dreaming that was it? A pull out knife, and a neck brace? Arite then. It was also very criminal how we didn't get a last moment between Yo and Ing, we were robbed and I wanna have words with whoever was in charge of the script.
Anyway, can we talk about how dirty they did Wan. Sure, the dude just couldn't take a hint that Ai wasn't interested, and Yo misguided way to help backfired, but damn, did they have to do my man like that? Screaming on top of your lungs that you don't like him was just wild. Poor dude, he better than me though, still helping Ai, me, I'd have never shown my face to him again.
This show is one of those that grows on you. When it started I was like, meh, really? But along the way it became my comfort show, it was wholesome and I enjoyed watching it. The two pairs had good chemistry, the plot, when the writers remembers their main objective wasn't bad, and I had a few chuckles. Oh, and the parents were really kind, which was refreshing to see.
Listen, the writers had a good plot, however, they did not execute it to its full potential. At some point it felt like they forgot the main plot-line, so they had all those floating dreams to fill the gap. They even forgot how Ai was playing some investigator or another with that closet wall full of drawings and stuff. They could have done so much more with this plot, instead they tiptoed around it to show us a whole episode with Yu's ex, Pan.
No, cuz what in the random arse was them dedicating a whole episode to Yu's ex for? When she returned I was like, 'oh, you still in this show?' then they gave her a whole episode as a result of things that didn't happen on screen. Who even cared about that character? Sure they needed that side-story for that Ice fellow to play a part in the finale, but a whole arse episode for characters no one cares about is wild.
And she only added to my anger. Yes, I felt bad for her, was even rolling my eyes at that annoying Ice and going 'how about you go melt somewhere creep.' but at the same time, let's be honest, she put herself in that situation. She had a good boyfriend, living in a big arse mansion (how they pay for that house? or did their parents leave them stack of paper in the bank?) who loved her, and she broke up with him, so she could go fake date someone and became famous. I felt bad for her, but the whole time when she was there and Yu was treating her like a newborn baby, feeding her and making my blood pressure go up, I was like, yeah, Sharon, you walked into that one yourself.
YU AND AI
These two were cute when they were bickering in the beginning of the show. And their little church scenes. P'Yu always somehow managed to make Ai angry. I did like their friendship, and when they got together as well. I assumed Ai was gonna be passive in the relationship, but he wasn't, episode 10 ending had me going... ooo... so this is where we are at? okaii. I liked how protective of each other they were. I also really love how it seemed like they lived in two houses, just going from one to the other, and the parents were so chill about the whole thing.
However, these two needed to communicate. Ai putting himself in constant danger was not it, all of those could have been avoided if he'd communicated with Yu. Sure he didn't want him to worry by keeping his dreams a secret, still, feels like trusting the one you love is better than keeping secrets that are putting you in harms way.
Yu had me until he decided to be a good guy and help his ex-girlfriend. Yes, yes, I understand, and in reality if an ex needed help, I'd have done the same, but damnnnn that episode made me glare at him over my popcorn and wine. Another place I was glaring was when Ai took all those pills. Child, you cannot be this stupid, sure your friend gave you a bad advice, but surely, Ai knew how dangerous it was, no? And to think nothing happened to him. They shook him a bit and he woke up. #facepalm.
But all in all, cute couple, wholesome-ish, it was nice seeing their friendship grow into love. They did well as leads and had me invested in their story. I really liked how they felt like a happy family with the rest of the cast, all those eating together scene was very heart-warming.
YO AND ING
Now, we were all rooting for them, seeing as anyone with eyes could see that Yo liked Ing back. What I didn't like was Ing's attitude when he confessed and more-or-less got rejected. Yes, it was frustrating to see Yo pretend, but when all was said and done, it felt like Ing somehow forced Yo to accept his feelings? I don't know, he deserved to be angry, but stopping to be his friend, and all that anger was not it. Still I was happy when Yo finally accepted his feelings and they got together. I cringed so hard during that rapping scene, was it cute, perhaps, but I watched it between my fingers out of secondhand embarrassment so...but anyway, glad they figured out their stuff and got together. Cute and whatnot.
All-in-all a nice show. It wasn't the greatest, but it grew on me, and it had its moment. I'll recommend it to anyone looking for something a bit different other than school setting as a main focus. I'll definitely be checking out the future work of the cast.
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Not your cliche fairytale dramas
The drama from the start has been chaotic and funny but at the same time does well with the emotional moments too. The chemistry between the leads isn't fiery and passionate but kept subtle and fluffy. There are many funny moments and twists in every episode but it never overpowers the core of the story. The drama isn't your fairytale ones but a mature approach to such topics.The dynamics between the family be it that of husband - wife or father- daughter are complicated because of their painful past and struggles. Every character be it the family members or other characters have their own inner struggles that slowly comes out and is healed with the help of their loved ones.
Ji Jin Hee nailed it with his role as Mu Jin. Till now I have only seen him in serious roles but he knows how to pull off both emotional and funny moments well. Kim Jee Soo as a mother and wife showed her conflicting emotions really well. Na Eun and Min Ho too have done good with their part, they are not great but not bad too.
It is one good drama if you are looking for something more than the average cute fluffy dramas that are going on right now.
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MASTERPIECE
Wow, how will I ever go back to enjoying mediocre bl series after this masterpiece.I remember seeing the opening scene and thinking what a cliche, cringey scene but then I actually watched episode 5 and the moments and conversation that lead to that dance just made it so beautiful, I thought, oh of course Vlad doesn't want his beautiful head of hair ruffled but the he tells his story and suddenly what seems like a vain quirk becomes so much more, oh there's a random picture of Karl as child so Vlad can gush about how cute he was as a child but no wrong again, this are but just a few instances of how this series turned cliches and tropes on their head and made them meaningful and there was never any wasted actions without reason.
Also this series did something that a lot of LGBTQ series and films fail to do which to not just villify that person not yet ready to come out of the closet or drag him out before he was ready but understand him all without diminishing the strength and bravery of the person who is already proudly out......... and the side characters, Judit who seemed like a caricature until we learn about her past action that are leading her to overcompensate and Anna able to love her child without being an earth mother whose life must end and begin with her child.......the music, the visuals, the story, the acting all 10/10 from me.
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It's always easy to kill off one of the main characters the viewer likes and affect his emotions in such a way. On the other hand, making a beautiful love story with a happy ending, THAT I consider art.
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1I love all the shows done by the director and the writer of Reply 1988: from Reply 1997, Reply 1994, Prison Playbook and Hospital Playlist but Reply 1988 is not only my favorite work of the combo Shin Won Ho/Lee Woo Jung (director-writer) but also my favorite Kdrama of all time.
After watching this for 3 times, the show still has the same impact every time i watch it. You will laugh and cry, laugh some more, and cry some more. This is not just a mystery love story, but it's more about family & friendship. The story sounds simple but you will be amazed how the show was perfectly directed and written. You will finish this series and you will feel that you are part of their story.. that they are your friends and you are their family as if you know all of them. I tell you this show has many characters but you will know each and every character in the series. That's how brilliant the writer is.
You might not be hooked right away just by watching 1 episode. When i recommend this show to my friends, i always tell them to at least watch 5 episodes before deciding to stop or continue. I know a lot of us has this tendency to just watch the pilot episode and decide if we will continue to watch or not. Reply 1988 is a slow paced drama. It is slow but a lot of things are happening in all of the characters. You will not be bored in every episode. There are so much funny and heartwarming scenes. And the more you finish each episode, the more you will get hooked and won't realize that you already finish the entire 20 episodes (some of the episodes even last for 2 hours).
If you want a feel good drama, i strongly recommend this. It is very nostalgic, realistic, heartwarming, funny and romantic. The show does not need major twist and unrealistic villains. It is as real as it gets. It is definitely a CLASSIC and truly a MASTERPIECE.
"A time so warm and pure, that it was painful. Can you hear me? If you can hear me, answer me, my 1988, the days of my youth." – Sung Deok Sun
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Rom Com that Rom Coms
The plot gets a 9.5 from me because it said “rom com” and it delivered romance and comedy. If you’re looking for angst, drama, suspense, historical accuracy, etc this show is not it. It stays light and stress-free; conflicts resolve relatively quickly. A feel-good show if you need a pick me up.I loved the chemistry between the leads. They have a playful chemistry and the battle of wits was entertaining. & Personally for me I loved the FL. She was confident, intelligent, independent, and sassy. And I’m a sucker for MLs who fall in love with their FL’s confidence and strength. I thought they did a great job building on their romance—lots of late night conversations and voiceovers that show you the WHY of them falling in love. Their romance never gets sidelined for secondary characters either.
It’s not a show to make you think hard but it still does a good job with character developments. There’s a running theme of freedom that focuses on the FL and the women in the show; and through the men in her life, you see why she falls for the ML as he’s the one who loves her for who she is and respects her autonomy.
Other pros:
- fun secondary characters
- a solid ending that stayed true to the genre
Cons
- some choppy editing/plots but I’m assuming they had to cut down to 26 eps from the rumored 30. I always give cdramas a pass towards the end lol.
( Edit: Will add that some of the plot at the end may feel out of place but it’s clearly written to reflect the “freedom” theme and how certain people’s perception of love can be confining. The plot towards the end exists to flesh out how much the leads mean to each other even if they’re not always vocal about it. )
Anyway, recommend people giving this one a shot. I think it’s highly underrated and anyone who’s a rom com fan, will likely enjoy it. :)
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I wasn't originally planning on watching this, but I don't regret choosing to. This is the kind of drama that I could repeatedly rewatch multiple times because the story is so sweet and lighthearted.
Although the plots rather simple, I still loved every second of it. It's so visually beautiful, the bright and happy feeling you get when watching this ahh I'm so soft. The relationship between Hong Jo and Kim Sol Ah is so cute and my heart always flutters when they are together! The cast was really good too, I liked all the characters. I also found myself laughing a lot while watching this, the humour is light, it won't make you crack up and wheeze but I still loved it.
The drama overall was so heartwarming and I will definitely rewatch it in the future!
By the way, the cat isn't that creepy. Some people think it is, but it's not that bad. It's kind of cute
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I have watched so many dramas which had a really strong beginning but all went to disappointment. Not this one! It won't dissapoint you until the very end :)
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'Road Home' really shot up to be one of my fave dramas this year.
Let me just say I really enjoy everything about this show especially at the start, the angst and tension I really enjoyed it. This drama is focused on the main leads' romance. It is a mature and intense kind of romance. I felt that the drama did not drag even once they got together.
Hopefully the new watchers give this a try.
Things I love about the drama:
- Enjoyed how this drama didn't focus much on any other characters, but on the relationship of our main leads. There were no love triangle, maybe there were some annoying characters but it didn't put me off since the main leads actually brush them off, and the misunderstandings that happens in the drama get cleared out really quickly. I really love how they didn't drag anything, especially any problems that arises.
- It may be melodramatic, but it's not too heavy to take and once they got back together it became a feel good drama.
- It is a healthy and mature romance. After the main leads got back together, I love how understanding the ML and FL were with one another. And when apart, they were very independent.
- FL did shown some character development. As she became very understanding, especially with the ML's job, it was noticeable when they got back in a relationship.
- I really love the cinematography in this series, especially the views and scenery of 'Qining'. It just makes you want to travel there.
- The chemistry, I absolutely love the chemistry between these two main leads.
- Jing Boran did a wonderful job in portraying Lu Yanchen (ML). His character is complex, from a strict captain of the SWAT team, he also is a man of few words, and mostly he shows affection through actions, and I seriously love the micro expressions he does for his character. His eyes is very expressive: from a longing look, to hurt and tearful, and etc. I really felt butterflies, when it comes to him pulling the FL into a hug, cuddling her, just looking at her, and his kisses (Thank God, JBR is such a great kisser on screen) I absolutely love the final episode, where it shows the POV of his character and it really answered so many questions that came up while watching the series.
-Tan Songyun, really did a great job as Gui Xiao. It is my first time to watch her act, and I love how she brings her character to life. Her character is just so charming and at times childish (especially when she gets spoiled by the ML) Also like Jing Boran, she had the most expressive eyes. I seriously love the tension in the first few episodes with the ML, you know they were really longing for one another and wanted to pick up their relationship again.
Though when it comes to the main leads in a high school, it did felt kind of awkward especially with Jing Boran in a uniform; but that may be just me. But to be honest it didn't really bother me much afterwards.
Overall:
Definitely is in one of my top fave dramas, so hopefully everyone can give this a try. For re-watch value, absolutely going to re-watch this and to be honest while this was ongoing, I was already re-watching several episodes over again and especially the scenes I really like.
At the moment I'm still going through withdrawals with this drama, and may update this review again afterwards if something comes into mind.
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This drama was like an explosion
The time an explosion happens, what you see from afar is impressive, you are shocked, surprised and curious at the same time. You wonder and you come closer, what you finally see is ruins.That was the feeling Shadow Beauty gave me. At first, I was really impressed and shocked about how good, thrilling and well executed the story was. But as the episodes were passing through, this first impression slowly faded away.
Shadow Beauty is a web-drama of 13 episodes. The pace of the drama is pretty fast and the small duration of the episodes make the drama very easy to binge-watch.
Although it’s a psychological thriller, it’s a light-watch drama that can be watched by everyone who likes this genre. The drama is somehow thrilling and it keeps its tension till the end but also, the level of frustration is also growing up little by little as the episodes are passing. Romance is also one of the main genres of the story, but the drama isn’t Romance-centered as the romantical relationships aren’t fully explored.
As far as the technical part of the drama is concerned, both the production team and the majority of actors did a pretty good job. What I especially like about the production was the drama’s direction and montage, combined with on-point music which wasn’t unfortunately something memorable but it works well in the building of the drama's tension.
It has to be mentioned that this was the time Shin Dai Gi played the main lead in a drama and she was stunning, I hope we will see her in more main roles from now on. Shadow Beauty was also the first drama as a main lead for Choi Bo Min and the first time I saw him in general and he left me a good first impression.
~~~The webtoon~~~
Shadow Beauty is based on a webtoon by the same name written by Ahum. The webtoon is completed and it consists of 100 main episodes and 25 special episodes. The English translation is still ongoing and until now (December 29th 2021) 78 episodes have been released. The story is about Koo Ae Jin, a girl who has built a fake social media persona called “Genie” and she is basically living a double life.
As I said before, I was very excited and pleased with the first episodes of the drama. Then a certain thing happened that bothered me so I decided to read the original story. Guess what happened, the thing that disturb me wasn’t part of the original story.
I kept reading as well as watching the drama and now that I have finished both (I’ve read until the last published chapter of English translation), let me say the negative (for me) parts of the drama while doing a comparison with the webtoon at the same time (which is spoiler free so don’t worry).
The coherence
The episodes were very few compared to the episodes of the webtoon. To fill the whole story in only 13 episodes a lot of parts were cut and the story was limited. The original story is about Koo Ae Jin’s life in general and not only her school years which the drama contains.
As the drama only focuses on Koo Ae Jin’s school years, it is only logical for the drama writers to change some things and create their own ending of the story. This for me was a disadvantage because by limiting and editing the story, the storytelling ends up becoming incoherent and rough at some parts.
Also, by changing the story, what the author has in mind and the purpose behind the situations fails to be delivered. The story’s main purpose is the Koo Ae Jin’s secret identity and how she will keep it secret when in the webtoon this isn’t the case.
The characters and their relationships
One of the biggest mistakes was the alteration of the characters but also the alteration of the relations between them. My main problem here was the relationship between Koo Ae Jin and Yang Ha Neul which can be described with one phrase as “a hot mess”. Something quite curious that happened between them isn’t part of the original story so it was just something the drama writers came up with to create more drama in the story. This certain thing though makes Yang Ha Neul twisted to the point that her character’s writing seems weak.
Unlike the webtoon, the drama builds villain/s which Koo Ae Jin conflicts with and that makes the drama another ordinary drama despite the story’s attempts to break the norm. In the webtoon, the characters are mostly gray with their own wounds and mistakes that determine them. During the webtoon’s episodes, you see the characters mature, learn from their mistakes or shrink because of them. The drama didn’t completely fail to show this side of the characters but it didn’t succeed either.
In the webtoon, the main reason why Koo Ae Jin and her backstory are revealed in the early episodes, in the drama this is done at the end of it. This was bad because in the drama, the background of all the other main characters was explored before hers and made somehow the story unfocused on her.
~~~Overall~~~
Generally speaking, Shadow Beauty wasn’t a bad web drama, it was a regular school story with some thrill elements and some quite interesting parts. The finale of the drama is decent and the message that drama wants to get cross is very well delivered. I wish I could have rated this drama higher, but knowing the original story and how it failed to deliver its uniqueness I couldn’t do it.
Shadow Beauty is a story about people who are fighting everyday and conflict with themselves so they can mature, overcome their insecurities and accept themselves. Each character's monologue was a delightful and unique journey. It’s a pity this beautiful side of the story remained in the shadows.
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Much better than shitshows I've seen before
As somebody who watched the love syndrome III first, compared to that this is so much better.i started watching w 0 expections and to get second hand embarrassment from the hardcore nc scenes (I expected nc scenes like forgotten night) but they were pretty good including the acting in those scenes. In my personal opinion the acting of the main leads are better, the budgeting is better because the sets and everything looks put together. But the only downside I thought was the the time limit and how they decided to utilise it this should be so much better as a series. Ig there would be a second part to this movie but I would definitely prefer this as a series w the same cast.Honorable mention: the actor playing itt did an amazing job
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