This review may contain spoilers
Without spoilers, this is going to be a hard review to write, but I figured since no other reviews were written for it, I would give it a try. I used to not be a fan of sageuks, but recently I have been proven wrong, and this is one of those that did it. In terms if writing, the story was well written. I kind of kept you guessing, and the cliffhangers were killers. The way the characters were written was brilliant, as well as the way history and fiction were mixed. It kept you coming back for more. Granted there was your typical backstabbing and plot making, but it fit in with the story, so it didn't seem out of place or to be to much.
In terms of acting, brilliant. Each actor portrayed their characters to the point you actually believed they were the character, not an actor playing someone. I have to say I was very impressed by Jang Hyuk, yet again, and after seeing two sageuks of his, I have a hard time picturing him playing any other type of role.
The music, I would have liked to have heard more traditional instruments, but all in all it wasn't bad.
I will definitely be watching this again. I was thinking that with 24 episodes that it would get boring, but never once was I bored. Give it a try.
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A refreshing and original story.
This was a surprise - it went places I couldn't have predicted, and that's a pretty big plus in a genre where everyone can plot out the entire series with 95% accuracy after watching the opening credits. This also has a stronger LGBTQ+ sensibility than usual without leaving the BL genre.The main character, Le, is a sincere and unselfconscious nerd (a very handsome one), who doesn't waste a lot of time agonizing over his sexuality, only his mother's feelings. In fact, there's a twist to the story that reveals he loves someone because of their gender, not despite it, which is a nice reversal of the norm.
The acting overall is good. There are a few times where it was a bit much, but not often, and it's made up for in some very moving scenes which all of the main cast pull off well.
There is a standout side character played by Lin Wei Jie, who is so cute I can't stand it. I really hope we see more him.
This is well worth your time. There are a couple of eps in the middle that lag and where the series appears to abandon its originality and uniqueness, but it gets it back in a major way, so don't give up.
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This review may contain spoilers
Dude , this started with a bang! in the first ep there is already a kissing scene.... But then it kindy went downhill from there... Honestly kinda on the fence as to liking or hating the drama. It's not a bad watch but the story felt kind of choppy. Background/story; Female lead is Mi qi qi, she is from the witch tribe/clan. They are in danger so she gets sent away and her spirit gets into the main lead's empress body ( Chou Qing li ). She is know as the ugly empress. The main lead Lu Ao is the king or the Lord in the story. The male lead was poisoned when he was young as when he moon gets round her becomes a werewolf. He accidentally bits and slashed the chou qing li . After she falls in the water , that is when Mi Qi Qi comes in.
The female lead loses all her witch power so she basically is a normal person. She has a red jade with her. She somehow always ends up getting healed from major injuries. The first 10 episodes is a repeat of the evil people and the male lead trying to put her to the grave. It's kind of painful to watch over and over again , and so sad she gets tortured.
( she later finds. out that those incidents were caused by the male lead, he didnt want her to find out his wolf secret, but gradually he falls in love with her.
then comes ep 10- 20 - basic summary of she finds out that he was behind it all. She gets extremely mad at him and doesn't want to see him, no matter what he does being soft or being hard/harsh. She doesn't cave it. ( lol 10 episode of that is too much)
Chemistry- definitely some chemistry but at the same time I felt it was more of the male lead liking the female. Hence when they were kissing the female lead was kinda lacking emotions ... ( it might just be the portrayal of her character? )
ep 20- 36 revolved around trying to the second male trying to be the king. The evil second female lead trying her ways to get the power from the red jade and the sword. Other characters are introduced too. There is the female lead's brother( not blood related who she grew up with . A princess from some tribe , that the male lead knew when he was young. Female's lead brother and tribe princess also has a romantic development
Towards the end they reveal the female lead actually has another identity and through that identity she regains her with power back. And then you know what happens they get the throne back., and some other stuff . most important happy ending. If you are still ready kudos to you :)
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A worthwhile watch!
Leave behind your judgements for a while and give this series a chance. It is not what you think whatsoever!Zhang Yi Xiang is a 17 going on 18 year old high school student who is known to be a bit of a spoilt brat. Xie Shu Fen is his mother and a helicopter parent. She is also the chairwoman of their school and thus a very influential person when it comes to the school's decision making and manages to get her son out of trouble every time. Chen Meng Yun is her son's teacher and a new hire. Yi Xiang takes a sudden interest for his teacher and creates problems for her by crossing the line however she discovers that he is acting out at school mainly because of his overbearing mother and is actually helpful towards his peers.
There is a lot to love about this drama. Although it appears like an inappropriate relationship, it is not because of the teacher's direct actions. There are a lot of unexpected plot twists and a whole mystery subplot that makes this series a brilliant and exciting watch. The series also deals with relationships of children with their parents and the stress of parents in trying to help their children do their best.
The show has a decent pace that keeps you engaged. Each actor did a wonderful job at portraying their characters. The chemistry between the actors is good too.
One of the best aspects is the ending. Things are not always as they seem.
I hope that more viewers are able to give Lesson In Love a try and you might just discover something unique.
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The show is quite stagey: the major moments of this drama occur when two to four of the main characters are in a room together talking through their issues. I recommend watching through Ep. 8 (the fourth hour) if you wish to test this show out. If Bae Doo Nah's performance in the final scene of that episode does not move you, then this show is not for you.
The characters, performances and writing are uniformly superb throughout this drama. Even though all the characters are pretty difficult people, there are plenty of comedic moments to keep this drama from being a dire examination of failing marriages. There are plenty of surprises along the way, and many happy and light moments in addition to the more hurtful consequences of the failing relationships.
In the end, I preferred this version to the original. Sakamoto's script is more comedic, but Moon Jungmin's additions and changes to the story all tended to clarify and enhance the themes of the original. Furthermore, the supporting cast is definitely better in the Korean version. Moon Sook is radiantly beautiful and luminously wise in the role as the grandmother. And there are a couple of lovely romances going on with the side characters that help provide relief to the two main stories.
Matrimonial Chaos is a sharply observed investigation into the ways that people in relationship can get in the way of each other's happiness. It's a beautiful story of people learning to see each other for the first time all over again. It does not rest on the usual tropes of marriage as a happily-ever-after, but, instead, finds deep wisdom in the ways people still find to like each and learn to be for each other even when it's not easy to do so.
It is great. You should watch it.
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non-boring story line? check
great OST? check (one of the best)
chemistry between actors? check (sizzling in some cases)
hilarious and embarrassing events? check
a beautiful love formation? check
actors acting their butts off? check (especially Shin Dong Wook's butt...um I mean acting butt...um I mean acting chops)
angst but not jump-off-the-cliff angst? check
a totally different way to tell a story (editing etc)? check (I haven't seen a drama do what it does to the story and not make it confusing but actually add to the awesome-ness)
man I love this drama!! definitely a must watch!!
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This review may contain spoilers
Absorbing & intense 500 minute road movie. A taxi ride to a soul´s nowhere. Brilliant from A-Z.
For me, “A Bloody Lucky Day” is one of the KDrama highlights of 2023.It is a psychological thriller. Without makeup. Set in a fairly grounded, solid, authentic everyday world, which gets challenged by a maniac´s incredible psychological logic. Stirring. Brilliant from A-Z.
However, everything revolves around the abysmal work of a psychopath. Accordingly, things get mercilessly brutal at times. The cumbersome police don't come off so well. Common sense, on the other hand, does... when it is in fact emotionally cornered to the extreme, so that it can no longer help but function at full speed, without distraction whatsoever.
One-pointed concentration, already having lost too much, getting your teeth into it and being ready to go to extremes – could that be the recipe to counteract the psychopathic 'monster'? Could... Maybe... Or not... Or is it?
“A Bloody Lucky Day” could be considered an absorbing ca. 500 minutes long road movie - a taxi ride to a soul´s nowhere. For the poor taxi driver a rather involuntary participant observation study on a psychopathic killer...
Emotionally highly explosive. Intense. Acting is first league. As a I mentioned earlier, a brilliant production from A to Z.
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When a young trouble maker -whose parents pretty much run away from home because they cannot stand his bad behavior- finds a baby in his basket, he has to face the realities and hardships of becoming a single parent, with no support, while going to school.
This story made me laugh and cry. It's very cute, light, but not TOO fluffy. This was a very enjoyable movie. The baby is absolutely cute. My newly found love for Jan Jeung Suk continues. He is REALLY pretty to look at. I'm not going to tell you that this is the greatest movie out there, but it was extremely enjoyable from beginning to end. I was not bored at any point of the story and was touched by it. Highly recommend.
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1'Cause I saw the end, before we'd began.
Zhousheng Chen pledged his life to protect the realm with an unbreakable vow to never marry or father children. Cui Shiyi, a peerless beauty 倾国倾城 (qing guo qing cheng) was promised to the Crown Prince from birth. He is her shifu, her master; thus any romantic relationship between them is forbidden. This kind of story never ends well - Zhousheng Chen knew it, Shiyi knew it and I knew it. Yet I fell helplessly down the rabbit hole with them and almost drowned myself with tears. I did not expect to be so moved or so heartbroken 'cause I saw the end, before we'd began. So be warned, this moving, legendary love story between the noble Nanchen wang and Shiyi is sad and unforgettable.This drama's production values are incredible from the movie aspect ratio, stunning sets, gorgeous costumes drenched in a soft palette that accentuates the beauty and ethos of the unspoken, unspeakable emotions that encompasses every loaded moment. The haunting and poignant OSTs are the only times their feelings and promises are verbalized. The lyrics are layered with meaning that compliments the beautiful prose of Mo Bao Fei Bao's popular novel 一生一世美人骨., that is woven seamlessly into the script.
I love how Mo Bao Fei Bao writes - her composition style is simple and profound at the same time and yet I am unable to finish the novel. It is set in the present, with Shiyi flashing back to their past. I simply can't relate to a docile modern woman with such ancient values, whose whole reason for existence is one man. The drama adaptation that starts with the past makes for far better storytelling as Shiyi is a product of her time, a Northern Wei noblewoman raised to dutifully abide by all the social strictures and expectations of the day. Underlying her gentle, serene expression, she is incredibly single minded ("my heart already belongs to someone, it will not change") and the imperceptible flashes of fury in her magnificent eyes says she is far from docile. Bai Lu interprets Shiyi brilliantly and brings her gentle strength and courage to life in a way that vastly exceeds the novel.
As for Ren Jialun, he is truly one of those rare actors who says it best when he says nothing at all. He never has to tell Shiyi how he feels about her, it it is evident in all the small gestures and most of all, it is in his eyes, in the sublimely romantic way he eyes her ever so longingly... and so regretfully. It emanates from the core of his being and breaks free from all of the constraints imposed by duty, responsibility and his toxic oath. With this mature, charismatic and substantive performance, Ren Jialun sheds his more youthful persona and proves his ability to compel in more complex roles that require some heft and gravitas. That said, I wish Zhousheng Chen wasn't quite so restrained; that they had given us at least one moment of temptation, where for once if only briefly, he forgets he is Nanchen wang so that they can be just Chen and Shiyi. If I remember correctly it is hinted heavily that there was one such moment in the novel. Nonetheless the palpable chemistry between the leads convinces that while not in deed, they are lovers in every other sense and meaning of the word. This captivating and shattering performance by both leads underpinned by their remarkable chemistry makes this slow burn, tragic romance a must watch.
Even though the drama adaptation attempts to better flesh out the past, the story's focus remains predominantly on the romance and that is where it shines. The external political plot is designed almost solely to either frustrate or facilitate the romance and thus does not bear close scrutiny. It is clear that political plots are not the screenwriter/novelist's forte although she does a credible job pulling together perhaps too many common tropes - rival clans, power struggles, Wu Tzetian-lite (brainless) and thwarted love rival wrapped up in filicide, murder and betrayal. Although all of the supporting roles including the villains are very well acted, there are many side characters who do not advance the plot and the inter-relationships and rivalries among the main clans and the consequent political dynamics are not well explained. And then there are characters like Yang Shao who conveniently pops up as alternately friend or foe as and when required by the plot. His motives and loyalties are not obvious and for such a poorly developed character, he gets to do some pretty important stuff. Neither villain is that complex and they both seize power without the means to secure the border and thus the empire without Nanchen wang. They are not intelligent or worthy opponents - even when they win, it is by foul means that lead to self destruction. Nonetheless, I watched this with a forgiving eye, mostly because I was too busy emptying my tear ducts to have the emotional energy to be bothered by the logic flaws.
This drama really enraged me at the end. The lovers' fates are well telegraphed from the get go so that is not my issue. My problem is with how Zhousheng Chen the character was mutilated by the writers at the end. The core of what makes Zhousheng Chen noble down to his beautiful bones is the conviction that his sacrifice, their sacrifice is worthy. And it is manifestly not worthy - he makes the same mistake twice of shoring up a ruler who simply cannot hold on to the throne and is bound to be a puppet. What it comes down to is he chose to save his bloodline and a bunch of worthless, doomed ministers at the cost of peace at the border, his beloved Nanchen army and Shiyi; leaving the country defenseless and in the hands of a sociopath. Even though the writers acknowledge they did him dirty when Shiyi piteously comes to the same damning conclusion and it just breaks her, how they wrote themselves into this corner is unforgiveable. It could have been avoided if the external plot were better configured to begin with and if they had the courage to change some aspects of the novel rather than simply writing to back-solve for certain outcomes. In doing so, they made an incredibly compelling case for Zhousheng Chen to just kiss the girl, revolt and seize power or to ride off with her in the sunset and defect to Nanxiao. He would still stay more true to character because that is what would have achieved the greater good instead of simply protecting his brother's legacy at all cost. Thus with regret that oozes from every pore, Zhousheng Chen foolishly forsakes both the common people and his Shiyi for the king and country that forsook him. There is no level on which this is a satisfying outcome and Zhousheng Chen deserves better than that.
Since I am ranting, I would add that I am not in the least consoled by the fact their unfulfilled love even moves the universe to give them another shot in the modern sequel Forever and Ever. First of all, this takes thousands of years. Secondly, if I were Shiyi, I would run, run, run, run, run AWAY from Zhousheng Chen after what he did. And finally, to get my much needed closure, I am really irritated at having to try to watch a darned modern romance, a genre I normally avoid like covid.
I still rate this a 9.0 largely due to mesmerizing performances by both Bail Lu and Ren Jialun, in their rendition of this love story that captured my heart and soul in a stunning depiction of 色授魂与 (se shou hun yu). I don't need to elaborate on what that means, it is there in every glance, every word, every interaction.
Postscript:
For those of you who need closure, there is a very well fan made alternate ending ending produced by industry professionals. I have fan subbed it and hidden it as a spoiler in the comment section of this review.
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Brilliant
I was not expecting for this show to be as great as it is. It has the power struggle story line like most historical dramas do but with a wonderful comedic twist! The writer has a brilliant mind! I have enjoyed every moment of this drama 💗 Thank you 🙏🏼 감사합니다One more episode left! I’m excited and sad at the same time. This is one of those dramas that I wish would just continue.
When I first started watching this show I wasn’t so sure about the cast, however they each played their characters perfectly. Great job everyone, you’ve made so many people happy with this one💞
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1. No overglorification of a single character.
2. Good romance and chemistry between the lead pair(s).
3. Decent CG.
4. Good costumes.
5. A somewhat good ending (All those "see you in the next life" endings are annoying when they pop up without warning)
Story: It is yet another adaptation of Si Da Ming Bu by Wen Rui'an. The title literally means "The Four Great Constables" and chronicles the journey of the Infamous Four of the Divine Deputy Bureau as they try to maintain peace, investigate cases, destroy the great villains and put an end to the devious plans of the Royal Lord An Shi Di.
Characters:
"Cold Blood" Ling Xie: The leader of the Infamous Four. Rude and indifferent on the outside, but it all stems from his tragic past. He is the prince of the wolf tribe who lives for vengeance on those who killed his people. Though his life span is shortened by the wolf poison in his heart, revenge is his sole purpose in life till he meets Chu Ying Xue (as expected?).
"Heartless" Wu Qing: Kind and gentle - in many ways the opposite of Cold Blood, but is eternally suffering due to a tragic love. But is his lover actually dead? Can they be still reunited? Or is she the one actually destined for him? The questions are answered as the story progresses. Keep your napkins ready though.
"Chaser" Zhui Ming: A jolly fellow and also a friend of the princess. Has been in love with the princess, but she is infatuated with Cold Blood.
"Iron Fist"; Tie Shou: Gets his name from the iron gauntlet on his hand and a prodigy as hand-to-hand combat. Has his own romantic interest.
Chu Ying Xue / Chu Li Mo: A seemingly naive girl, who is actually the daughter of the Holy Moon Sect's leader and has the ability to read minds. Her stepparents force her to become a royal concubine, but she escapes and is taken in the Divine Deputy Bureau as a maid. Initially dislikes Cold Blood, but starts caring for him after learning about his past and eventually falls in love with him.
Ji Yao Hua: Member of the Divine Deputy Bureau and grew up with the Infamous Four. Has been in love with Cold Blood despite knowing his secret. In her own words, "When he dies, I wish to die with him." One character we really learn to love and pity in the first half. But does she really give up on Cold Blood? Or is this the beginning of something sinister?
An Shi Di: The primary villain in the series. Wishes to obtain the divine skills and would go to any lengths to do it. But what is his aim? World domination? Or something more?
Others: There are others who might be considered primary characters, but in my opinion, the story revolves around these 7.
The main reason I finished the drama so quickly is Janine. She looks absolutely adorable in traditional Chinese dresses. Her on-screen chemistry with Zhang Han is pretty good as well. Jia Qing did her bit very well. There are so many times one wishes a better future for her - but Janine still comes first :| The four male leads do justice to their roles. Though Zhang Han and Yang Yang get more screen time, the others are not neglected either. A couple of the other female leads are downright irritating, but I guess we just oughta live with it. Loved the costumes on the actresses. Always feels good having multiple romantic threads in the story, with most, if not all, having happy endings.
Music: Fits the story, though nothing great about it.
Rewatch: Yes, it is lengthy and yes, it might get repetitive at times. But nevertheless, it can be watched again and again if you fell in love with the characters (which I did).
PS: I feel this review is kinda lengthy yet inadequate in places. I'll try to edit it later when I have time. Thanks for reading!
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This review may contain spoilers
Aaaaaabsolute Disarseter
This, I imagine, is what the first draft of the script for "A Perfect Match" looked like:Scene 1.
[A wet dream.]
[Morning wood.]
[Lingering shots of Xiao Nan showering. Ummmm…. Aaaaaaaaabs.]
[Lather. Rinse. Repeat.]
[Product placement.]
[Dead parents.]
[Gran sad.]
Scene 2.
[Nan's late for an interview. Saves a girl.]
[Boss bad. Girl his sister.]
[Product placement.]
[Dead parents.]
[Gran sad.]
Scene 3.
Evil woman: Flirt with me. I’m the straight devil.
The Villain: I will, baby. Now fuck off, Nan, you perfect-bodied handsome god, you.
[Note to casting: Make sure the villain is the ugliest member of the cast.]
Xiao Nan mewls.
[Lingering shots of Xiao Nan (and the villain) showering. Ummmm…. Aaaaaaaaabs.]
[Lather. Rinse. Repeat.]
Scene 4.
[Xiao Nan and The Boss meet, get drunk, and talk about...]
[Dead parents.]
[Lingering shots of Xiao Nan showering. Ummmm…. Aaaaaaaaabs.]
[Lather. Rinse. Repeat.]
[Product placement.]
[More product placement.]
[Near kiss. Even more product placement.]
[The little girl is a brat.]
Director’s Note: All very well, but where’s the dialogue in this?
Scene 5.
[Introduce a supportive fujoshi.]
[Product placement.]
[Yes, this whole episode is for product placement. It's called multi-level marketing.]
[Lingering shots of Xiao Nan showering. Ummmm…. Aaaaaaaaabs.]
[Lather. Rinse. Repeat.]
Scene 6.
[Boss and Xiao Nan play tennis.]
[Both take their tops off, for no apparent reason.]
[Ummmm.... Aaaaaaaaabs…. Peeeeeeecs… Niiiipples....]
[Boss has an unexpectedly hot body.]
Xiao Nan's Thirst: That tattoo! Wreck me daddy… Destroy me king…
Xiao Nan: I think I might fall in love with you. So, I'm going to go.
Boss: I like you too, so I'm going to let you go.
[Brat sister screams.]
[The villain wants a second serving of Xiao Nan.]
Everyone: Who doesn’t?
Scene 7.
[Brat sister screams again.]
[Xiao Nan shows he can bitch-slap.]
[The villain wants a rematch with the boss. They play tennis. The boss wins. Obvs.]
[The hotties kiss. Finally.]
[Gran sees.]
[Gran sad.]
[Fujoshi consoles.]
[Product placement.]
Director’s Note: Seriously. Will there be any meaningful dialogue in this show?
Writers: Aaaaaaabs…olutely not.
Scene 8.
[Gran sad because boy loves boys.]
Gran: You a whore?
Xiao Nan: No....
[Cut to Xiao Nan, who's now having rampant, rambunctious sex with Boss.]
[Camera cuts back to Gran again, who’s suddenly happy, for no reason whatsoever.]
[Product placement.]
[Lingering shots of Xiao Nan showering. Ummmm…. Aaaaaaaaabs.]
[Lather. Rinse. Repeat.]
Scene 9.
[Tennis match. Someone wins.]
[The villain creates a conflict. Let’s see, he pretends to be injured so that the boss can be jealous?]
[Boss jealous.]
[Lingering shots of... ]
Writers: Wait. What the fuck? Where's the shower scene? What's going on?
Director's Note: I think we've had enough showering, don't you?
Writers: Aaaaaabs... so.. fucking... not!
Scene 10.
[The leads reconcile.]
[Xiao Nan becomes a wife and a cook.]
[The kid's still a brat.]
[Gran's a bit useless.]
[Beach trip. Shirtless frolicking. Ummmm... Aaaaaaaaabs.]
[Product placement.]
[They all live happily ever after... in a surprisingly tiny flat.]
Note from the Producers: What?!?!? That's it? The final scene is not of the boys showering together? After all this fluffing, you won't even finish us off?
Verdict:
This is one of the worst shows I have ever seen. I loved it.
Reader’s Digest:
DO SAY: sPectacular...
DON’T SAY: exPectorant...
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The only flaw was how much they butchered the English language... wow it was so bad. But I found it kind of entertaining still, I guess they tried their best.
I also really hated Mosheng's wardrobe... I don't think I'm the only one.
Overall I definitely recommend this drama, you will not regret it.
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