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As I watched the movie I must say that there is no freaking way in hell to tell that this was based on true story because some characters are exagerrated like as if they were straight from a Manga. Like for example...who the hell in real life is that boner guy and who walks nude in their home. Hahaha
About the movie its a feel good movie no boring moment IMO and the timespan was well done. The main strong points of this movie like I mentioned above was the chemistry between characters and that inspiring ending.
The characters
The main guy, the d*ck arrogant friend, the fat dude, the groin corny guy and lastly my favorite and IMO the most funny of them all, the boner guy. Them together is a fun watch...their antics and their favorite hobby(which is masturbation) makes me LOLed so hard. This movie also have lots of reference to manga like hanamichi sakuragi hairstyle and the Dempsey roll move.
The ending
Good or bad you decide but to me its good because of how inspiring it is and I admit being a guy this ending got me it makes me teary eyed a bit.
I recommend this movie to all guys in the world.
Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/
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In all honesty, I couldn't discern a core theme of this movie, and I suspect that I might have missed many points the movie was trying to get across. But regardless, it was a great experience. Paradise was a culmination of many different themes such as distrust, cruelty, racism, escapism, and isolation. Overall, it's less so a mystery and more so a depiction of how low humans can be. It was everything I did not expect from reading the summary, and I was very pleased with that.
A huge portion of the movie is demonstrating how the cycle of cruelty can affect human communities. As you watch these characters sink deeper, it's eerie how relatable they can be despite their actions. Perhaps that was the creators' intent: to put the audience in the shoes of the characters to demonstrate the evil deeds they too are capable of committing.
Personally, the theme of escapism was the most relatable to me. Often I wonder why people are so naturally sadistic. It's left me questioning that maybe it's the environment I'm in, and maybe if I left things wouldn't be so bad. Perhaps there's a paradise waiting for me elsewhere. I was surprised how well the movie presented these questions that I've asked myself for years. Although, I admittedly still don't know the answers to them even after watching.
The Acting: Absolutely phenomenal. Especially the actor who played Takeshi. None of that Hollywood overdramatic bull shite. The actors seriously did an amazing job making these characters feel real.
The Story: Although not entirely a mystery, the question of the real culprit's identity was seriously leaving me on the edge of my seat. The characters were incredibly well written and down to earth. The realistic feel the characters gave off lended immense credibility to the realism of the character's actions.
Overall: I love it to death, but definitely not for everyone. I would say give it a try but the first chunk of the movie isn't gonna be enough to tell whether or not you'll like the whole thing. If any of the themes I mentioned earlier really click with you, I'm guessing you'll enjoy it
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Is this a quick drama to watch between shows? Maybe. It's okay.
I still wonder if adding a few more episodes (especially with how much they squeezed into the last episode) would have helped with the plot development, and pacing. I'm not saying this was a total waste of time, but I honestly don't know if I'd ever watch it again. I do enjoy Sung Hoon, but it seems he has some bad luck when it comes to the roles he's getting. There were a bunch of fun characters, but Ahn Dan Te and his brother's interactions probably the best parts of this drama, there were times I just burst out in laughter because of the two. The pacing between the leads made sense to me, but I think there needed to be a little more development between the two before they added that ending scene.
What I really disliked, and I mean disliked was Bae Ya Chae. I'm tired of watching these types of characters, aren't drama writers tired of writing them? I mean she has all the making of being a strongly written female character, but nope, she needs to be THAT type of female character.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Love wins all
It's a great romance drama. The leads have great chemistry, and a slow burn and healthy relationship, with good communication, no unnecessary long misunderstandings, temporary breakup, or toxic love triangles. A lot of little details were handled quickly and logically. I enjoyed it so much. I laughed and giggled a lot, and sometimes got emotional as well.After a very long time, "The Prisoner of Beauty" is the second drama that I watched when it was airing, after "The Demon Hunter's Romance", also starring Song Zu Er as the female lead and it just finished airing at the end of April. Both are great dramas that I enjoyed a lot, and both have an ending that left me so empty afterwards.
Everything in this drama was great until the last few episodes. When I reached around episode 30, I got so nervous, as there was so much sweetness until then that made me so worried about what was about to happen towards the end. There were only a few episodes left while there were still a lot of hardships they had to go through. A big war was waiting for them ahead! I got so scared of how everything was wrapped up.
The ending felt so rushed to me. Yes, it's considered a happy ending but it's also heartbreaking at the same time. It's an unsatisfying happy ending. Well, at least our leads have a happy ending ever after. None of them died or got separated. However, our other beloved characters had to die instead, while the endings for the villains are too light. The war happened too fast and ended so abruptly, within only half of an episode. I wish it would last a little bit longer. There should have been at least 1 or 2 more episodes! A lot of things were left unexplained and not clearly resolved.
I grew up watching a lot of old Chinese dramas as a kid and teenager, but I haven’t watched so many new titles, partly because I was scared of their endings. I'm not sure why, maybe due to China's censorship or some cultural reasons or something, do they always have to build up the most lovely character ever just to kill them off at the end, leaving them a miserable half who misses them to death, every single time? I’ve watched quite a few dramas with similar endings. Oh my God! I can never get over Wei Liang's death. He is my only regret in the whole series. And they had to kill him off in the most tragic way, as an innocent lone guy being betrayed and stabbed to death while trying to bring some flowers back home to propose to his girl! That's the most cruel thing ever! His death is so unnecessary too. There’s no need for him to die at all. He deserves the best, and definitely deserves a happy ending with his Xiao Tao. I laughed a lot every time he appeared. His brotherly relationship with Wei Shao and 3 other Wei generals is so beautiful, and his love story with Xiao Tao is literally the cutest thing ever. Poor my girl Xiao Tiao now is left alone in this world with a promising wedding that can never happen. Why? Just why? I really don't understand. There are a lot of ways they can keep him alive. Xiao Tao gifted him a heart-protecting mirror! Why not let that mirror save his life instead? What's the point of Xiao Tao giving that to him when it was never used?
Before I started watching this drama, the fans of the original novel had confirmed that the drama would have a 'super sweet ending for all of the characters', except for the villains obviously. And now it turned out to be a bittersweet happy ending. What's going on with Chinese screenwriters?
By the way, the music in this drama is amazing. Every song suits the scene perfectly, and stirs up my emotions a lot. I especially love the theme song performed by Liu Yuning himself. His voice is beautiful. I've downloaded the OST playlist and keep listening to the songs on repeat for now.
The acting is also great. Song Zuer and Liu Yuning nailed their roles as the leads. Others also did a good job. I didn't enjoy the second male lead's performance much at first, but he did quite well in the second half. I am also very happy to see Liu Xiao Qing here as Wei Shao's grandmother. I literally grew up with her dramas. Seeing her as a gentle loving grandmother feels interesting and a little bit strange to me, as she used to play main badass and wise female leads in my memory. I used to have a nickname that was one of her roles when I was a kid. I enjoyed Ho Yun Tung's cameo role as a scholar a lot too. I also grew up with his dramas. He's a talented actor, and he used to play a lot of badass roles with great material arts skills. Seeing him as a ‘weak’ scholar is way too funny.
I really love the message of this drama about love and marriage. Romance is the focus of this drama and it's done perfectly, as I mentioned above. The leads have a genuinely healthy relationship where they both treat each other with care and respect. There are a lot of lines in this drama that have become my favorites. One of them is the last line, which basically means that both sides need to put efforts in a husband-wife relationship so that it can last. The husband gives in to his wife, while his wife’s heart also only puts on her husband. They both give in to each other for their relationship to work. This message is also implied in the original title of the drama, which I understand as 'give in', instead of 'prisoner', based on my limited knowledge.
Seriously, if only they didn't kill off my beloved Wei Liang and gave him a happy ending with Xiao Tao, "The Prisoner of Beauty" would be 10 out of 10 for me, despite its rushed ending. I absolutely love this drama but just can't let his death slide.
Overall, even though I don't like the ending very much, I have no regrets when watching this drama. It's totally worth watching. I will definitely re-watch it.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Irony of Nirvana is the main theme in this tale of conspiracies chaos and corruption
A curious and carefree Ci ventures out from the safety of her village in the mountains to explore the world below only to literally land in the middle of a political firestorm.Ci’s journey led her to the political home of Pei, where she learned medicine , became an enemy, friend then lover of Wei. She traveled to surrounding villages to bring healing and kindness to the people, and justice for women, landed in the royal palace as a princess, and encountered a couple of wars along the way. Her adventures were nothing short of exciting .
The conspiracies and corruption could at times be convoluted but it was interesting to watch the characters investigate and try and unravel the mess. The show missed an opportunity with the Shadow Sect. Their secrecy and strategy made for an intriguing part of the story but was dropped halfway through the series due to the plot turning more towards war and political wrangling in the palace.
Though Pei started off toxic and controlling towards Ci he evolved nicely into a man who recognized the error of his ways and in turn became a fierce ally of Wei and Yueluo. But like other plots within the series, his political endgame of wanting to raise his status in the court was essentially dropped.
The leads, Wei and Ci, had chemistry and a lot of potential but unfortunately that potential wasn’t fully realized. They had some sweet moments but didn’t become a couple until the last few episodes and even then they barely shared any scenes due to the war. I think they kissed once, finally, in the second to last episode and that was only because they had sex. SMH. There were some missed opportunities for them to be physically closer ie hand holding, kisses, hugs, which would’ve given their romantic bond more credence.
The last few episodes got bogged down with too many war strategy meetings and battle scenes. Sadly, the ending was disappointing but not surprising. My heart broke for Ci. She lost everyone she loved most, which was painful to watch. And though I was not a fan of Pei, I felt so bad for him. For in the end he lost everyone he cared about either due to death or by their choice to leave him. Granted much of that was his own fault but it didn’t make him less sympathetic due to the losses. This was a good series. The acting was good and overall the plot was strong. However, if you’re looking for a romance drama you won’t find it here. It’s mostly a political conspiracy and war drama.
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so bad and I don't mean bad in a good way
Not really sure what to say really UGH!!For me a lot of what was going on made no sense and the story was well I thought all over the place.
A lot of the acting from most of the characters especially the support/side characters was beyond cringe.
Its like they didn't even bother to test people for the roles they got before giving them their parts.
Almost like they grabbed random people they saw on the street and gave them a part or
because the actors that got roles just happen to be signed with the agency. Sorry but acting or singing or any other talent you either have it or you don't.
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STORY: 10/10
The main cast returns from the first season with a few new wonderful additions. The new supporting cast members help reinforce and close open-ended story-lines from the last season which helps launch this season into a whole new direction. Season 2 continues true to form, dealing with similar issues as season one, but also tackling new issues such as family, mixing business with pleasure, monogamy, and issues that same-sex couples have to deal with when starting lives together. This season is longer than the last, having 7 episodes with each one clocking in at almost 49 minutes. The writers of this show make use of the time given to again beautifully develop each character with intelligent writing, relatable scenarios, and thought-provoking dialogue.
ACTING: 10/10
Holy smokes! Some of the most realistic and emotional acting in any BL drama I have ever watched. Arm's character is yet again a standout as this season focuses on fleshing out his character and shows him as more than just a one-nightstand type of guy. Ten (who plays Arm) really gave his character a new profound depth that we saw a hint of in season one, but dives deeper into his past and insecurities. Nat's character stands out for me in this season as well, and I think he may have been my favorite character of the season. In season one, Nat's character was always very calm, patient, and understanding. this time we see Nat pushed to his emotional limits as certain events cause him to become unhinged. It was so fascinating to see that side of his character and he pulls it off well, nothing too extreme or character damaging. I also want to mention the new added actress who plays Satang's friend. She had very little to work with in terms of development and story-line but boy did she work with what she had! She blew me away and I wish there was more screen-time with her character (Here's hoping for season 3).
MUSIC: 9.5/10
The only reason this is getting a 9.5 is because I can't say I remember a lot of the music. Not to say that it was bad because it was great. But there was nothing that I would say I could point out as my favorite.
REWATCH VALUE: 10/10
I would watch this season again ten-times over. This season went above and beyond the first and I truly hope they continue with at least one more season
OVERALL: 10/10
A Masterpiece. I know most of you may think I am giving to much hype and praise for this series, but it truly deserves it, in my personal opinion. This season did a great job of fleshing out all the characters and showing how we sometimes make mistakes, but instead of regretting the past we use it to become better for the future. The ending of season 2 is again open-ended and I hope there will be a season 3. Usually the lifespan for a BL drama is 2 seasons but I hope this show will be an exception. I need at least one more season to curve my withdraws.
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I was first interested in this lakorn because of the early teasers that were released. It looked like it was gonna be really funny. At this point, I hadn’t read the synopsis which I rarely ever do, to begin with.
☆Story☆
At first, I thought the story was off to a good start but then somewhere around the middle it started to get extremely repetitive – seriously like no other! I also think the pregnancy side of things were done extremely badly. Without going into too much detail, I thought the insemination process was done well – though I’m not an expert – but anything else that follows in a “normal, real life” pregnancy I felt was done very badly. There were no follow up appointments unless the female lead had just narrowly escaped yet another attempt on her and unborn baby’s life. If a writer is going to use a plot such as this one, at least try to make it a tiny bit realistic.
At times, I felt like the plot was dragging and next to nothing was happening so they could’ve easily cut the episode down by at least three.
☆Characters☆
I’m not even gonna lie – I disliked/hated most of the characters, except for perhaps two couples. As the story progressed, I started to find more and more characters annoying for one reason or other. Without revealing who is paired up I actually started skipping the third couple pretty early on because I found them extremely boring. I couldn’t force myself to watch them anymore – unless they were talking to other characters I did like.
I thought the male lead was really nice in trying to keep the promise he made to his brother, but I also feel that his methods were somewhat unorthodox. Sometimes it was funny and sometimes it felt kinda creepy. I don’t really know how to describe it. They had great chemistry straight from their first scene together.
I loved the bromance between Kim and his friend (I forgot his name) – the shenanigans were really funny. The sisterhood was probably the best thing because I feel like its not covered as well as other countries who do them – unless I’m not watching the right ones lol. This one was really good cos these girls had each other’s backs like they were biological sisters.
I thought the villain was pretty obvious almost from the beginning although they tried hard to make it seem like it was someone else and for about a minute I almost fell for it but after watching more than enough of these types of plots you kinda start to pick up on certain things. Their motive, actions + reasoning I felt was insane even for a Lakorn.
☆Music☆
Well, it’s a Thai drama so not much by way of music that left a lasting impression, but I liked the one they almost always use in every lakorn and two other ones they played like a broken record.
☆Rewatch Value☆
Overall, I enjoyed watching this, but I wouldn’t rewatch – mostly because I don’t make a habit of rewatching Lakorns unless I liked it a whole lot, like on the levels of Game Sanaeha. Some parts I felt were a little bit too much for my taste so just because you see a pink cover doesn't mean the content will be all soft and cuddly like a teletubbie lol. I didn’t like those darker parts, but I liked that they had a mixture of comedy + dramatics.
If you are someone who enjoys the male protecting the female, constant bickering, fake/hate-love relationships, comedy and romance and nothing I’ve said has swayed you at this point – not that that’s my intention!!! - then you might enjoy this if not just for the cudorable that is Toey.
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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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the silence that moves you
This drama is truly brilliant with its cinematography. Without going too much into the plot, since it’s episode one it isn’t too far deep. But to be so emotional and heartfelt with only one episode, that shows a lot about this drama to me. An hour in and I was had felt a lot of emotions, knowing that this person that our protagonist Aoba cared about so much, had eventually left her without reason.The building up to the moment where she meets Sakura again is paced well. This drama has no action or flashy scenes, it’s just dialogue but it’s not boring. The storytelling with the high school flashbacks aren’t tedious. Every piece of the story falls into place for that final build up moment and I’m so glad there are more episodes to come.
The seller with this drama is the acting. With Meguro Ren , firstly I’ll say he is really good looking. He portrays this restricted feeling so well. The frustration of being unable to communicate, it was so raw and heartbreaking to see him finally reconnect with someone he loved so much. The contrast of who he is now to who he was then makes the frustration even more felt.
Sakura listens to music and bonded with that with Aoba, and Aoba loves his voice. Their relationship wasn’t explored past that with this episode. So Sakura’s reason for his abrupt leave is justified. I don’t want to explain too much because the ending scene of episode one does it so well. There is so much tension within Sakura because of his inability to hear, and to be able to tell that through sign and facial expressions is what really got to me.
This drama is really good. It’s mesmerizing even. The sudden cuts to silence, the score building up. Silence can be lonely, but it holds beauty within it. The portrayal of that beauty I believe will be explored more although there is a lot of pain.
The concept of this show wears itself a bit thin towards the end.. there really ends up to be not much of a story- but I get it. This show has a certain style and genre that I just so happen to get a little bored of. But it is well done with what it does. The only complaints I have are the time skips or cuts, flashbacks, etc. They just get confusing at times to me. Other than that I can’t really say anything is bad about this drama, it’s a very real feeling and it’s paced (although a bit slow). It’s about growth so I get the intended audience probably isn’t like me where I get bored easily. It is very interesting don’t get me wrong, it’s just a lot of the same things per episode. This drama is pretty slow, but I believe that it’s supposed to be.. you’re supposed to be impatient and wanting things to happen- but life isn’t like that. It goes through the characters lives realistically and is a portrayal of losing one’s hearing and how frustrating that is. I get it and enjoyed this show.
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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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Why the mind twist?
Undoubtedly, this would have worked much better as a fantasy. Instead, they tried to fool us into thinking it is and then wildly twisting the plot into making it fit into our ‘reality’ only to fail miserably on all fronts. This series is a complete mess, Painful as it is for me to say this, this story should never have been made. This relationship is based upon two individuals who live in an illusion. One created it while the other wants it. It does not mean necessarily that their love is not real or could learn to be real. But it does mean that the foundation and its development were based on false premises and no amount of ‘feel good’ bedroom scenes can make it real. The real notion is they barely KNOW each other! There is nothing normal and in fact real about this series. If only this series had been a fantasy!Was this review helpful to you?
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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Fewer semantic errors as words really do matter
For those who haven't seen the series it's a KBL, enemies to lovers trope as one student is unable to graduate when the other doesn't put his name on a group project. He seeks revenge and ...I wasn't expecting much from the movie as I'd watched the drama repeatedly but it surpassed expectations. I have to say that, similarly to 'We Best Love' Special Edition, the translation of the dialogues, additional dialogue and the slight changes made a real difference to the flow of the movie and our understanding of both the main and side characters. You actually see how they become their ending more acutely than in the drama. Translations and words really do matter! I think the series suffered from week to week translations so some weren't as accurate but to be fair to the viki volunteers, this also did have more dialogue.
There are a few new moments (I'd hardly call them scenes) as well to give the movie richness
It isn't quite the same as Life: Love on the life (Directors Cut) which had an additional scene from the Manga but as the manhwa for Semantic Error is still ongoing they haven't given us any closure which is great. we are all dying for a second season
Well worth the nearly 3 hours of watching this. Highly recommended
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