I didn't think I'd need my tissues papers for this drama but oh well.....
The first 12 episodes had quite a few flaws but everything after that was chef's kiss! The fight scenes, the acting and more importantly the story got soooooooooooooooooo much better!!! I really really enjoyed it until the last two episodes which made me bawl my eyes outđ. But those two episodes were done so beautifully! I would've given it a 9 but the sad ending just upset me too much so it's an 8 for now.Was this review helpful to you?
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The ship has sunk...
Be Mine Superstar or where the two leads are actually the two bickering managers who are having a senseless feud.In between childish scheming, we got a side actor moonlighting as a stalker who tries hard to get a doctor dude in bed and keeps roughly fucking him whenever he gets the chance. It is important to note that said doctor doesn't want him and drew a line in the sand, but oh well what are boundaries for in dramas?
Now when it comes to the leads, we got some very awkward and cringe-worthy puppy love that is more creepy than cute... when I thought that no one could top Toh from Secret Crush on You. Well, think again because Punn has outdone himself!
I should not forget the gigolo henchman whose abs I have seen way too often. Ken, I chose to remember you as Tum from Lovely Writer because this Bank character... they did you dirty.
I will continue to watch this as I can't seem to look away from this car crash. I thought no one could do worse than La Cuisine or Unforgotten Night, but I guess someone decided to outdo themselves.
If you haven't started this, save yourself the trouble. I know that 2023 hasn't been generous in good BLs but they're still better than this.
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ëł-ë„-ëł - quite a fitting description of the quality of this show.
Fun, entertaining, sometimes clever elements, with a crappy core.Whatâs good? What are the reasons I somehow finished watching it? Everything except for the love story of Han Byul and Tae Sung, and both plot lines surrounding male lead. None of these 3 things work well - poorly written, with ridiculous resolution and out of the blue miracle ways out of the problems.
The convoluted way they tried to tell us the story of Han Byul and Tae Sung was some next level of bad presentation. Rom-coms are not thrillers, you do not need 10 different plot twists to make it exciting. The worst part of it was the fact, this type of non-linear storytelling made it close to impossible to understand the characters at the beginning, which led to me simply not caring about them at all.
The three semi-mystery plot lines, with two being part of a larger picture? Extremely unnecessary. The setting was all that needed to happen for the show to be interesting. Everyone wants to know what the behind the scenes looks like. What type of problems the actors face. How much of that glamorous life is try? What about the ugly side? The âmundaneâ celebrities life is interesting enough, no need to add over the top plotlines.
Not to mention, they were simply not well integrated in the story. Instead of showing bits and pieces of it throughout the show, they dropped larger portions here and there and it messed up the pacing. I donât even want to talk about that Disney resolution, or lack of any closure for some.
That said, I did enjoy the main couple when they interacted with other characters. Han Byul and her gossip time with Ho Yeong and Gi Peum? Fun. Her friendship and working relationship with Yoo Sung? Interesting. Tae Sung with his manager? Adorable. Him bickering with Soo Hyuk? Some of the best comedy bits of the show. It amazes me how well these two worked with everyone except each other.
I just feel like their relationship was too juvenile. They presented some middle school type of behavior I just did not connect with. And itâs not like itâs impossible to show a sweet, cute romance - they did it with the side couple. Yes, it was over the top cute, but thatâs who the characters were from the start - adorable, so it fitted the overall picture.
They also showed a more mature and chill approach with another side couple - a lot better paced even though they had 1/10th of the screen time compared to the mains. All the supporting plots showed me there is a skill and good writing hidden in the show, but somehow they failed to use it for the most important aspects.
I definitely enjoyed the few small commentary bits on the entertainment industry. Some were presented in a more serious manner, some leaned towards comedy. Sh**ting Stars has also one of the best âbreaking the 4th wallâ scenes I have seen in dramas for ages. I replied that one scene many times - perfectly executed if you ask me.
Performance wise, it varies depending on the actor. Probably one of the worst performances in Lee Sung Kyungâs career. She delivered close to nothing. The lines felt flat, the crying scenes evoke zero emotions. She presented little to no variety in her facial expression. And I know for a fact she can do better, she did in her other dramas. She is not an amazing actress, but should be capable of leading a rom-com.
Kim Young Dae did fine. I enjoyed his more emotional scenes, he did a good job portraying the vulnerability of Tae Sung. At the same time Tae Sung was just a poorly written character, so itâs not easy to judge the performance of the actor.
Most characters did not have enough depth for the cast to truly showcase the skills they might have. Yes, Yoon Jong Hoon delivered the sweet hard working senior, Kim Yoon Hye was the cute and innocent junior, Park So Jin did an amazing job as a journalist with some internal conflicts and Lee Jung Shin was able to make the arrogant and distant lawyer more approachable and fun. But thatâs it. The characters donât really serve more than these short descriptions.
The production value was nice. Quite a number of scenes had an aesthetic appeal that supported whatever was happening on screen. Talking about the production, we cannot ignore the initial wave of criticism surrounding the uneducated and ignorant depiction of Africa. I still believe this just shows how lazy the writers are (honestly, the same problem happens in all countries, and is not limited to Korea). 15 minutes of google search is too much work for them. Finding a more appropriate way to present a specific plot line? Why waste time, when you can apologize later if it gathers some bad press.
Overall, it was painfully mediocre. I enjoyed following some side relationships (be it romantic or platonic) and plot lines, but close to nothing concerning the main two characters was good. They just put random events and ideas together, and did not spend enough time to figure out how to present them in a cohesive way. The show just did not flow well.
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âBe it hatred or resentment... learn to live with it. As long as it gives you the will to live."
Yeonmo is a poignant and heart-wrenching story about perseverance, love and sacrifices. It's centered around a little girl whose only fault is being born as a twin into the royal family, an ominous sign at the time. Her existence eventually leads to her twin brother's death. Trapped by the circumstances, she's then forced to secretly assume his identity and grow up under the watchful eyes of her maternal grandfather, the main culprit behind her brother's killing.What immediately drew me to this show is not only the cast and plot but also its gorgeous settings, clothes and OSTs. The child actors also did an incredible job in setting up the narrative, especially Choi Myung Bin playing both the young FL and the twin brother. Her versatility and expressiveness truly remind me of the young Kim Yoo Jung in Moon Embracing the Sun.
Park Eun Bin is giving me major girl crush vibes. One moment she's the handsome and fierce Crown Prince that makes me swoon so badly, then she turns into a gorgeous lake fairy in the next to blow me away. It's a complete makeover from her timid and reticent role in Do You Like Brahms. Eun Bin's androgynous portrayal of Lee Hwi makes the cross-dressing extremely convincing, especially the intense stare and low voice she would use when confronting someone which gives me the chills. But we also get to see the lonely and vulnerable side of Lee Hwi. A young girl who has to put up the facade of an "Ice Crown Prince" to survive the ruthless palace battle. She has to remain distrustful and vigilant of her own family members, who all seem to have a political agenda of their own.
And yes, we can't not mention Rowoon's historical debut. His acting has improved a lot from Extraordinary You and She Would Never Know. I love him as the playful and carefree Ji Woon. It was hilarious watching him falling head over heels for Lee Hwi, I mean who wouldn't? The leads' chemistry is just chef kiss here. The switch in power dynamics is definitely a refreshing twist on the classic gender-bender trope, with how Lee Hwi is put in charge and Jung Ji Woon is tailing along but not without the occasional witty comebacks. However, I do notice that Rowoon sometimes falls short on the more serious and emotional scenes that require a bit more desperation and refined articulations. But overall, I would still give him a solid A for effort.
The second-lead syndrome is real! Lee Hyun is such a sweetheart, I can't believe this is the same Nam Yoon Su who played the bully in Extracurricular. I immediately fell for his cute dimples and duality. He's extremely protective and devoted towards Lee Hwi. It's still a bit weird that they're distant cousins but I guess that's historical royalties for you. I think one of the best things about this drama is the vibrant side characters. We have the dashing yet mysterious bodyguard Kim Ga On, the funny and loyal Enuch Hong, and Court Lady Kim who's like a mother figure to Lee Hwi.
While the show has a very strong start, I feel like the middle part seems to drag a bit. It does pick up a lot near the end, but now they also run out of time to fix up some of the plot holes. I wish they've cut down 2-4 eps and kept the pacing consistent so that the story is more cohesive. It's also unnecessary to have the 2 side female love interests when their characters are not even fully fleshed out, especially when there's already a love triangle between the 3 main leads. It just makes the love line look messy. But that aside, I do like the complex relationships FL and ML have with their fathers. Both the King and Chief Jung deeply care for their children but have to hide it because they're also bound by their duties and political standings. This leads to even more misunderstandings to drift parent and child apart, until they inadvertently end up on opposing sides. It's touching but also bittersweet and somewhat tragic.
It's almost like an Easter egg hunt with the OSTs. We've got Super Junior's Shadow of You and I can already spot our OST queens, Lyn's One and Only in the opening and Baek Ji Young's If I. Plus, we can't miss the sweetness overdose in Hide and Seek by VROMANCE.
Overall, while there are some wasted potentials, it's still a well-made sageuk drama with fairly easy-to-follow plot and lovable characters. I think it has a good balance between romance and palace politics, intense at times but also fluffy when needed. I guess the ratio is really just based on personal preferences. It's a fun and interesting watch, as long as you don't nitpick on the details too much. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the journey.
FAVOURITE QUOTES:
âI have never lived my own life.â Lee Hwi
âOn the day I was born, what did my father say? Did he also agree with those who wanted to terminate my life? That a girl was of no need and should be killed?â Lee Hwi
âI will not die. You know better than anyone what I have endured to come this far.â Lee Hwi
âThe palace can be as dirty as the mud. Lotus flowers bloom in mud, but they can cleanse their surroundings. And the leaves have the ability to shake off murky water. Thereâs no trace of any dirt on them. Just like the lotus flowers that stay virtuous despite its dirty environment, I hope that you will become a strong king." Jung Ji Woon
âLike the good rain that falls when most needed, I will be someone you can count on. Just like you were to me when I needed you the most.â Jung Ji Woon
"Only people like you who are born into noble families had the chance to make decisions. This was the only path I was given. So I merely walked my path. Even if I were to go back, if this is the only path that remains, I would be here again.â Ji Woonâs father
âI got married when I was your [Lee Hwi's] age. I made a family at a young age. So I didnât know how precious it was or how to protect it. So I failed to protect my family. But I didnât want you to make the same mistake." the King (Lee Hwi's father)
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Everyone on this show needed to go outside and touch grass, my GOD
If you're looking for a revenge drama about rich people behaving badly, you'd be better off watching The Glory, which is an altogether more satisfying execution of this story. That said, I do love watching horrible people get their just desserts, so I ate this up regardless.The acting was quite good and Park Gyu Young was especially captivating as A-Ri, which says a lot about her skill as an actress because the script didn't really give her much to work with. It felt like we, the audience, were kept at arms-length from her for the entire show and even after watching all 12 episodes, I don't feel like I really know her as a character at all. The same goes for Si-Hyeon and I wish Lee Chung Ah had gotten a meatier role and a chance to do more than just look wan and melancholy. I do like that they maintained their friendship as I was convinced for the first few episodes that it was gonna be an All About Eve situation. The less said about the romance (if you can even call it that), the better, because what the hell was that? Congrats to this show for having one of the weirdest "romances" I've ever seen, I guess.
As someone who doesn't really care about Instagram or influencers, I found most of the conflict quite petty and hard to take seriously, and even though A-Ri's reputation (and by extension, her livelihood) was on the line, the stakes never really felt that high. I also think there was a huge missed opportunity for the show to say something about privilege, as A-Ri's massive success was not just due to her hard work, but her fashion knowledge from her wealthy upbringing and her industry connections thanks to her father's old company.
Ultimately, this was a fascinating peek into a world that is so outwardly glamorous and a good reminder to get off the internet once in a while, but instead of skewering modern internet/influencer culture, the show fell into its own trap and gave us the filtered, Instagram-ready version instead.
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A captivating tale of love, adventure, and self-discovery.
The Legend of ShenLi is a delightful and captivating series that takes you on an unforgettable journey through ancient Chinese mythology. With its rich world-building, engaging characters, and thrilling plot, it's a must-watch for fans of the fantasy genre.What sets this show apart is its strong and dynamic female lead, Shen Li, who defies stereotypes and stands out as a powerful and capable heroine. The chemistry between Shen Li and the male lead, Xing Yun, is both heartwarming and humorous, making their interactions a highlight of the series.
The stunning visuals and epic fight scenes are a feast for the eyes, while the emotional depth of the story will keep you invested in the characters' fates. Overall, The Legend of ShenLi is a captivating tale of love, adventure, and self-discovery that will leave you wanting more.
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1The river that ran straight and clear
Correct me if I'm wrong, but my geographical knowledge granted - most rivers run neither straight nor clear. This series promised a raging river and instead delivered a silent stream.Instinctually, it's easy to recognise that The Murky Stream is a drama that is solemn, but unfortunately, that may be the only thing that is consistent about it. Because the narrative, the plot, were all scattered around aimlessly, barely managing to come together in the final moments for a lackluster ending.
I do believe this is a story that requires some knowledge on the era it is set in - unfortunately, I walked in knowing none of it, making me unsure if some facts were true and lost on some contexts. As such, I may not have been able to understand or enjoy this piece of work in it's intended or to the full extent - and for the same purpose, I won't focus on the actual details in the series in my review.
The first three episodes of this series had dreamlike writing - the story ebbed and flowed like the titular stream, nothing was quite clear, everyone seemed highly faceted. With the introduction of every main character, I thought I had it figured out! I could tell how the story was going to go, I could plot out all the major conflicts based on the information we were given, and this was going to be an epic struggle for all our characters - for their duty, dreams or dignity.
I, however, wanted to be proved wrong, because my version of events weren't nearly as twisted or mysterious as they needed to be. I was proved wrong, but I now wish I was right.
Because you see, my predictions were coherent and the primary problem here is with the pace of the story - focusing on the plot, all the nitty - gritty details is not a bad thing, but too much focus on that and you lose track of your narrative, you lose your flow. Multiple seasons (or no), you need a setup, you need your events and you need a payoff, especially when the plot is heavily geared towards political and social themes. The story moved forward without any real direction or turbulence, things were plain and simple, yet made no sense.
No episode after the first trio had much to say, every immediate scene introduced a new character or a new conflict or a new chronicle, but none with any substance. All the details presented needed to have been revealed much earlier or in a much more interesting way. I do recognise that the narrative took on a form that was much closer to real life than reel, which eventually ended up bogging down what could have been an interesting tale.
Thankfully, the final two episodes did have an interesting narrative - but I hated them. Majorly because none of those plotlines had a valid setup. The hurried sequences seemed to be connected to actual historical importance based on the emphasis placed on them - but it was too little too late. It came out of the blue and did nothing to complement the setup in the first three episodes, rather, it felt like a brand new story all of a sudden.
It seems like the story, the dialogues, the bonds between all the characters were written down before the characters were even finalized - and when you're stubborn that the story will go one way and one way only, it doesn't matter how much you work on your characters, they will do and say what the script says, even if it means it goes against the very fiber of the core characteristics you've written for them or even if it means they barely have characteristic of significance, something that makes you remember them. This series is afflicted with the second situation.
This is only enhanced by another massive error they made writing this script, ignoring their leads. Most of them at least. You need them all for the most part, but take any one of them out of the equation and the story would still move forward. I don't see that as a good thing, especially when you're marketing the complex ties between all them to be as murky as your river, it is kind of futile to not give any of them the required screentime or character depth. All of them are one - dimensional, can be summed up in a word, or they have no real personality that allows you to ponder upon the bonds they'll create or the actions they will take.
Siyul for example - he's described as hot headed, but you can see he's kind and fair from his screentime. But that's it? How does that play into Chun's honest idealism? What about Eun's prejudice, or Mudeok's cowardice?
And Siyul is the common link here because there's barely any interaction amongst the other leads. It felt like each of them was on their own personal journey, yet occasionally crossed paths with others, in happenchance.
I suppose my main gripe here is that everything was clear as day - none of it was remotely murky. The story and the character's personalities were both set in stone, neither of budged an inch through the course of the nine episodes.
I have no complaints about the acting or the cinematography, but in this context, they pale in comparison to the writing that stuck out like a sore thumb.
Watching it completely did indurate the fact that many events that happened in the series may be reflective of real life, but once again, I am not well versed in the history of the region and era. I will do some research into this, but whether it was historically accurate or not, ultimately, this was my kind of drama, but with bad execution. On a personal note - I hated how little screentime Seoham had, because to be completely honest, I started it for him. But even discounting my personal feelings on it, objectively speaking, they had so much going for them, but instead of running with it, they sat around toying with ideas that went nowhere and settled for an ending out of left field. Let's say they concluded it as well as they could, with an ambiguous ending, but even if there is a second season, I will not be revisiting it.
6.75/10
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This is not a romance. This is a missed opportunity of romance.
This drama is not the love story of people who have feelings for each other, love each other and end up living happily ever after. This is a drama about what people can do to people who love them when they do not return their love feelings. So, the characters are most of the time cowardly, manipulative, pathetic, annoying and gesticulating in wrong situations. This happens in real life too as not all relationships are based on true and sincere love. This is what this drama is about. It has a realistic take on adultsâ relationships. Adults who do not know their own feelings, ignore them, tone them down or pretend to have feelings⊠and make choices with their reason that their heart does not agree with.1/ WHAT I LIKED:
- The story and the trajectory of the 5 main characters. None of them is perfect. They all have qualities and flaws that determine their choices. They are all relatable because they all look like human beings led into wrong choices by their human condition and trying to deal with their wrong choices and not the best way.
- The mature take on sex and love. It is not so common in romance kdramas. This drama is not shy about sex, and it tells that there is a difference between love and sex. Just like in real life.
- The cheating: 30% of women and 40% of men have cheated once in their life. No need to throw an anathema to them and pretend to be so much better. People have their own reasons for doing what they do. I did not want to judge them. I just agreed that in their situation, the cheating would happen, and it did happen like in real life. It was steamy and intense. People who canât stomach cheating as a human emotional state and possible behavior should stay away from this drama.
- The rather realistic depiction of the workplace and colleagues. The friendly ones and the annoying ones who are always gossiping.
- The ending. There are two endings. One with ep15 with a sad unhappy ending but more consistent and logical with what happened during the whole drama. I have not read the novel but I felt like the ending with ep16 was especially cooked to give everyone a great situation like everything was bad that ends well. The two leads have an open ending with this ep but personally, I prefer the ending with ep15.
2/ WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:
- The early episodes were confusing and exhausting with the ML and FL acting unclear towards each other.
- Some draggy parts with too much gloomy faces and long contemplating moments
- The story between the ML and his mom could have been better. The mom looked a strong character, but she was quite underused for me.
3/ CHARACTERS/ACTORS:
- ML: The only one with real unconditional Love feelings. But he lacked courage and that drowned his chance. He grew into a more assured person and took responsibility of his feelings and his no-feelings in the end. Not very fond of the actor but he did a decent job looking gloomy and contrite and unable to bury his one-sided Love.
- FL: Self centered complicated person with sad circumstances and low self-esteem but she used them as an excuse to not face her own feelings and act upon them. This led her to make a wrong choice that she will try to assume despite obvious signs it is wrong. I liked Moon Ga young in this role. Different from what I used to see from her.
- SML: Student from a poor family who wanted to woo noona but when she chose him out of frustration for his kindness and for comfort, he suddenly had nothing more to offer her and became lousy and bland.
- SFL : Manipulative, possessive, scheming to always have gains from others. But I liked her bright, smart, and outgoing character. She was immature regarding Love and failed to be lovable and to love her partner. But she did not take it too badly. Of course, the ML was just a challenge and a trophy partner for her. Loved the actress who displayed lots of emotions.
- TML: Kyung Pil. This snake was a bad boyfriend, a bad friend and a bad person whispering bad ideas into the ears of the ML, SFL and FL based on his own sorry past that he chose himself. A dislikeable and pitiful person who slightly improved. The actor was great looking cunning, bitter, disillusioned and not proud of himself.
3/ OST:
Very good. I liked most of the songs and listened to them apart from the drama.
4/ REWATCHABLE VALUE:
It is slow paced and the story is realistic but sad, so I wonât rewatch it.
5/ OVERALL:
Itâs a good drama if you can accept that humans are weak and make wrong choices and do wrong things that do not improve their situation on the contrary. Because they lack courage and confidence in themselves, their choice of reason is undermined by their heartâs choice, and it leads to messy situations. In the end, they still manage to put things in the right order and move on to a happier life after a time jump. Despite the contemplative and slow parts, I enjoyed watching these people I had pity and hopes for. Not so entertaining but a slice of life drama I enjoyed. 8/10.
Lesson of the drama: "If you have feelings for someone, take the courage to face your feelings honestly and act upon them. "
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5 brilliant episodes
The good:-this is a drama with an important topic and for about 5 episodes it was more than brilliant. Lee You-mi's performance alone was so outstanding as victim of heavy domestic abuse, I really hope she gets every award possible for the role.
-for the first half, the drama managed to capture the fear and emotional extreme situation of victims of domestic violence - and for a change (which was good!) it showed that domestic violence is not only happening in low income, low background areas (how it is depicted most often) but also in high society, where abusers use their power and money to cover up their crimes easily.
-some things were shown very realistically- for example that Cho Eun-su, herself traumatised by a violent father figure in her childhood, could do any sort of artificial self-defence training as much as she wants, when the actual real danger situation occurs with a very violent real attacker, who is much stronger than her, she has no chance to fight him for many reasons. That's an important lesson for women if you want to learn how you might really have a chance defending yourself against a real attack - and it's none of the artificial fight sport trainings, as they are that - artificial, with opponents who only do a certain set of artificial attacks and moves, and stop when it starts hurting.
the bad:
- from episode 5 on many things didn't make any logical sense anymore and logic was thrown out the window for the sake of creating cliffhanger situations and thriller elements by the writers.
-it didn't make any sense that Jang Gang looked exactly ( as in more a clone than a twin) like No Jin Pyo - and on top, he is in the very same area of Seoul AND for a very strange resaon to start with Cho Eun-Su sees this very identical person while trying to retrieve a stolen luxury watch. Propabilities for this are simply zero. As for the character of Jang Gang, they could at least have worked with small prostetics, like changing his (veeeery distinctive!) ear shape and giving him false teeth. A character like Jang Gang with his background does certainly NOT have super white, straight perfect clean Hollywood teeth. As he is shown as a heavy smoker and with a criminal street past, he would not have these perfect teeth at this age in any universe.
-While, as always, Jang Seung-jo delivered an excellent performance in both roles, the figure of Jang Gang didn't make any realistic sense to me. The switch from being a submissive, quiet, stuttering low job worker to full blown, crazy laughing psycho? (And this crazy laughter was stolen from 'my name' genius psycho role Do Kang-jae by the way) Nah, sorry. If that guy had been that kind of uncontrolled psychopath, he wouldn't have worked for a long time for Jin So-beak before and he wouldn't have stayed hidden and low profile in general. Also he really did have a family (wife and child) in Shanghai as can be seen in the airport footage shown, so he comes back to threaten Hui-su and his whole demeanor changed? Nah, someone like that, if he would go back to blackmail her for more money, he would act at least normal to stay low and get the money - like he did before. To act out like a crazy person in the middle of the city doesn't make sense and was just written like that to create a fear and danger situation for the two women.
-Also factual mistakes began to show - when Jang-Gang comes back to threaten Hui-su, while he does have the dead man's phone, why would he suddenly have the door passcode to the appartment? If so, he would also have the pass code to the safe. So again, this situation of Hui-su hearing the beeping code of the door and a man just entering her place was just written to create horror and fear, but without brain, as the guy wouldn't have had the pass code.
-While Jin So-beak was a fantastic character for himself, his connection and will to risk his own life, business, everything for the two women didn't make sense either? Why would he do that? Was he attracted to Eun-su from the start? Well, after a while, honestly, nothing came of it, so in reality, a guy like him would simply have lost interest in her and her situation. The drama never explains his motivation to any degree that would make sense of his actions. The fact that 20 years ago he lost his son (something he and Hui-su have kind of in common but he finds out very late anyways) was not a motivation for all he did then.
-the police sister of the villain - didn't make sense in many situations either. So what position did she actually have as an officer? How is it possible she can spend almost all her work time alone (and not with at least one colleague) doing all the things she does? That wasn't realistic at all.
- my biggest problem comes in the end: so, to give this ( as it is a Netflix production after all) a forced moral message, they ruined the end for me. Both women admit to their crime, give apologetic and 'wise' statements in court - and don't even tell the truth? The truth was, yes, they had PLANNED to kill a man, but, (which was realistic) he found out about that plan, and what actually happened was that HE attacked both women brutally and was about to actually kill Eun-su, when Hui-su, in actual SELF-DEFENSE! - killed him to prevent him from killing her friend. In every normal universe, a defense lawyer would have brought this up and followed on it to reach a not guilty-verdict - and it would have been the truth! Instead they create this Kindergarten-morality, and Hui-su saying she killed her husband?
-And it gets worse! Eun-so has her turn too to tell the jury how 'guilty' she is - and says something I find highly problematic. She actually blames herself in retrospective, as in when she was a very small child and had to endure her violent father beating and abusing her mother- and she says and implies that little children are at fault for reacting with ignoring such situations when they are over? NO! Little children NEVER have ANY fault in howEVER they react to such super traumatic situations! It is a very wrong, and dangerous message to tell any victim of also former domestic abuse, that it was in any way their fault when they were just small children.
Result:
Stellar acting performances, especially by Lee-You-mi, a good start of a storyline with a very important topic.
Sadly for the sake of creating thriller and tension elements, the writers threw logic out of the window in many scenes from episode 5 on.
While this would have had great potential for important messaging to try to enable and encourage victims of domestic abuse to at least try and get help, they ruin this message in the end by letting the two women repent like sinners and give off messaging that is the opposite of encouragement.
And yes, I get it, they can't end such a story on the note that the women get away completely unbothered because they would probably get legal trouble concering encouraging people to kill their violent spouses.
But they would have had a chance to show that even IF the women get to court, they CAN get a good defense lawyer who, in such crass cases of abuse and a killing in self-defense, (maybe even adding temporary insanity due to not only her own life being in acute danger, but also her having to watch her abuser killing her best friend and life anchor) could have reached an acquittal instead of a prison sentence.
Acting and idea 10 - storyline decline and very questionable messaging 3. - I'd still give it a 6 because of the partly very good acting performances.
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1Best things come in pairs⊠and season 3 proves the third time is definitely not the charm!
Season 3 landed, and honestly, it struggled to justify its return. The surface-level spectacle is undeniable...the visuals remain stylish, the action choreography is polished and the CGI is praiseworthy. But once the gloss wears off, what remains is a story that seems desperate to convince that it still has depth, when in reality itâs just circling the same drain with more expensive props.Starting with the positives, I enjoyed most of the games. Following the legacy of the previous two seasons, they were imaginative, tense and shot well. The sets were grand, and the larger-than-life vibes were definitely there. The adrenaline rush was present, reminding me what made AIB unique.
But once that wears off, I found it a bit underwhelming. The main issue was the set up itself especially Usagi's return to the Borderland. The reason wasn't justified enough, plus the idea of dealing with trauma and getting closure was very questionable. She was always this resilient, voice of reason kind of person and grounding force for Arisu, but the writers kind of shoved her emotional arc into the background.
Arisu was still the guy trying to strategise his way out of impossible games and succeeding. He really tries to keep it together, but life keeps dealing him impossible hands and somehow, he still manages to play them like a pro.
In previous seasons, seeing them together gave a humane side to all the chaos and tension. Like an escape for us and them...but this season that bond felt eroded and side-lined. In theory, yes, we did see them together, but it barely translated on screen.
We were also introduced to new characters this season and sadly, most of them didn't leave an impact on me and felt like background noise. Some have tragic backstories, sure, but with barely any screen time, itâs hard to actually care. I still remember deaths from season 1 and not from season 3 that I watched yesterday and it is self-explanatory.
You know how we discard the Joker card while playing most games. I had hoped this season would give the Joker card some real weight, but instead, it turned out to be the weakest leader we had so far.
Ryuji caught my attention as a character but the story never fully allowed him to shine. Whether it was the six-episode format or the uneven pacing, many of his traits and potential arcs felt rushed or underexplored.
And then thereâs the great âmysteryâ of Borderland. I was hoping this would flip the tables for me but why give clear answers when you can always drown us in psychological symbolism that looks fancy at first glance but ultimately is all smoke and mirrors.
By the end, instead of feeling like I had been on a gripping, mind-bending journey, I felt like someone had reheated leftovers from the first two seasons. It technically fed me, but there was no flavour.
Acting-wise, it was good. We have some big names in the cast, and they deliver. It's the writing that held them back. The visuals are really good and polished. Also, Netflix needs to stop milking every golden goose. First Squid Game and now this... *sigh*
So would I recommend it? Honestly, yes and no. If you have already come this far, I am sure it's hard not to give in. It's not unwatchable, but if next to its predecessors, it's pale and weak.
But if you are new and considering starting from season 1...I would recommend to stop at season 2.
Thank you for reading my review! <3
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A Quiet Duel of Legacy and Pride
*The Match* is a compelling drama film based on the real-life relationship between two of South Koreaâs most iconic Go players: Cho Hun-hyun and his protĂ©gĂ©-turned-rival, Lee Chang-ho. Set in the early 1990s, the film traces their journey from a bond of deep respect and trust to a dramatic confrontation on the board that reshapes both their lives.The performances are the heart of this film. Lee Byung-hun is remarkable as Cho Hun-hyun, portraying a man torn between pride in his student and fear of being replaced. Yoo Ah-in brings a quiet intensity to Lee Chang-ho, expressing his characterâs transformation from an obedient disciple into a confident and self-assured challenger. Their dynamic carries the film, grounding its emotional weight in realism and restraint.
The direction is subtle and patient. The film avoids melodrama, opting instead for a slow build of tension through deliberate pacing. The cinematography treats the Go board like a battlefield, using close-ups and careful lighting to give weight to every move.
One of the filmâs strengths lies in its dialogue, which is thoughtful and philosophical. Lines like âA teacher is not someone who gives answers, but someone who opens the wayâ resonate far beyond the context of the game. The screenplay explores the loneliness of mastery, the burden of legacy, and the moment when every student must eventually step out of their teacherâs shadow.
There is also warmth and humor throughout the film, which balances the more intense moments. These touches humanize the characters and make their emotional journey all the more relatable.
It is a meditation on ambition, mentorship, and the bittersweet nature of growth. Itâs a film that lingers because of the quiet, personal truths it reveals in the spaces between each move.
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Not for everyone
Okay, so this is a super unpopular opinion it seems â but I did not enjoy Vincenzo. Yes, Song Joong-Ki is pretty. Yes, the cinematography was beautiful. I even came to like Hong Cha Young's extra behaviour at some point. But the plot??? The side characters???My biggest gripe was with the story. So many parts simply made no sense at all. I understand that the over-the-top ridiculousness was part of the "fun" to some people. Personally, I hated how the show could go from sublime coolness (like the vineyard, ending of ep 4, or even the demise of our Wusang trio... talk about WOW) to bonkers slapstick moments. I can see how this contrast may add levity to a drama that might otherwise be too heavy, but it felt like a lot of bloated filler. It honestly ruined a lot of the immersion for me. The episodes could be so much tighter without so much time spent on the Geumga Plaza crew (who never became endearing to me, unfortunately). How plausible is it that they're all from such crazy athletic backgrounds too, and can take down professional goons so seamlessly? I could've also done completely without all the NIS stuff, zumba, etc. I didn't even like Inzaghi all that much, although I did like the symbolism related to him + Jang Han Seok at the end. At a higher level, I will give points to the broad direction of the story though. I am glad Vincenzo's character did not fundamentally change throughout the story though, and that the ending remained dark but neatly tied up. Vincenzo is an anti-hero through-and-through, and it's good that the writers stuck to their guns there. The "corn salad" joke was fairly endearing. Also, you have to give them some props for the horseback riding fan-service and the callback to it at the end. Hah!
Still, I will commend this show for its social commentary on corrupt structures in Korea and beyond. It does show the interplay between government / corporate / legal realms well. The OST was fitting and gorgeous, and varied enough to not give me PTSD like "We All Lie" from SKY Castle. And you can tell it was a high-budget production with great CGI and cinematography. Oh, and did I mention Song Joong-Ki is pretty yet? Worth reiterating in case you're willing to watch just for that.
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The story is absolutely amazing and you will fall in love with the characters especially Song Sae Byuk's character Kang Pil Sung, who I absolutely adore, and Go Joon Hee's character Hong Seo Jung, who was like a living angel. The chemistry between those two characters will simply make your heart ache and break all at the same time. Song Sae Byuk really caught me of guard, he literally is probably one of my favorite male leads after this, I just can't tell you how much I loved his character. You really felt the love shared by these two characters.
The other characters were fantastic as well, you really became attached to them which made later episodes pretty painful. Even the evil bastard character Hwang Dae Doo was good in the fact that you really really really hate him.
I will give fair warning when watching this, the last four episodes are very painful to watch, I basically just wanted to cry most of the time. With that being said I don't think the ending was a bad one, in fact I really found some hope in it.
I would definitely recommend this drama. The story, characters, production, music, acting, just about everything was top notch! Still fresh off the last episode and really still feeling my heart breaking a bit and I'm sure the characters will be on my mind and in my heart for a while.
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TharnType comes back to annoy us all for a very special episode of ignoring all its real issues. Our main couple declare their undying love for each other over and over again in what is nothing but embarrassing fan service while making sure to emphasise that Type is Definitely Not Gay (while everybody else around them is).
Type's big moments of coming out to his friends, family and Kom happen either offscreen, for laughs or in rushed broad strokes with all the emotions stripped from them. I should probably just be happy the writers dealt with those issues at all. They certainly didn't mention Type's trauma, apart from an impetus to his - apparently ongoing - hatred of Bad Gays.
Speaking of Bad Gays, Lhong wanders through to be forgiven by Tharn's brother in a truly disgusting scene that reminds us that Thorn is fine with San being in his brother's life too and therefore clearly doesn't actually care about him. He may as well hang a shingle on his door saying, "All Tharn's abusers are welcome here".
Essentially this "special" consists of random scenes with no real narrative thread or thematic underpinnings. It's basically "stuff fans might like to see" and I'm sure a lot of fans loved it. Even the weird cat/dog scene I'm scrubbing from my mind as we speak.
I guess if you sat through the first 12 episodes you may as well watch it. It changes nothing and adds nothing, except to my annoyance.
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Writing: the poor actors were forced to say so many unnatural lines that people just don't say in real life that even if they were extraordinary, they wouldn't be able to believably deliver them. Next, the transition of fixation/anger into attraction was hodge-podged together out of weird, pretty stupid plot contrivances, and no deep thought on the characters' parts was seen to be put into the changing feelings. It just wasn't believable. Separately, the plot wanted so badly to be unpredictable that it relied on the most annoying, forced twists delivered in clumsy revelations whose timing make next to zero sense. Finally, THAT'S NOT HOW POLICE WORK WTFFFFF every time something totally unbelievable happened with regards to the police work, I was wrenched entirely out of the story. This is why I say it was a failure of ambition: they wanted to do something other than school setting, which is laudable, but didn't take the time or effort to do it well.
Acting/Editing: I combine these because I wonder if all the peculiar pausing in place was due to editing failures and because I really want to believe the actors had better takes than the ones put into the final product. One particular oddity was that the kisses never developed out of the wooden "one person's eyes stay wide and body stiff in surprise" stage, even after the romance developed to a mutually acknowledged stage. Another instance of bad acting or maybe editing is that in a particularly heated scene I couldn't stop laughing because the main actor looked like he got "petulant child" mixed up with "murderous rage". I'm laughing again as I think of it. The rest of my issues I'm willing to put on the writers hurting the actors with just frankly dumb lines/scenarios.
It would have been cute as a manhua, but the choice to put it to real life actors requires more realism, less lazy writing, and fewer dumb gags.
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