Reviews

Shallow

There were things I liked about this: the cast, the colouring, the songs, Jun. Overall, though, the writing and directing left much to be desired. This series struggled with a serious lack of depth and character development. I know more about the characters from the director's tweets than I do from what was illustrated on screen. Each member of Mars, for instance, had an episode for their stories to be told but they provided only a surface-level peak at them. Thame and Po's instant love left me with nothing to anticipate or cling onto and Thame was essentially a Mary Sue. The most interesting I found them was when they were briefly at odds in episode one. By far the character that created the most interest to me was Jun. I would sign on to watch the Jun show.

The most disappointing to me, however, was the clear lack of research done into T-pop. While it was sold as a look behind the curtain at the T-pop industry, the director evidently just pulled from K-pop and maybe an older era of Thai entertainment and gave T-pop fans nothing. The most obvious example is that T-pop artists can and do have relationships, so while I could've accepted the idea that Oner Entertainment in particular didn't allow it, the way it was framed as if the idol path would prohibit it was blatantly inaccurate. Furthermore, T-pop fans have no problem with their idols being in relationships. They shamelessly base an entire episode on the concept of a "perfect all-kill" from K-pop. For some reason, they expect me to believe that Nano, a longtime member of a supposedly top group, would not have been trained in singing before so they start offering him lessons like he's some slow child.

Aside from episode five which I genuinely had a great time watching because of Jun's games, the other episode that impressed me, surprisingly, was the finale. From GMMTV, I had no expectations that they would put the production efforts that they did into the concert, and I would've liked to see even more of it than we did. I think that overall, the show lingered on things that I couldn't get into and skimmed over things I would have most liked to see. Because it's fresh in my mind, from the finale, I would've liked to see Mars establishing their own label or meeting with a company that wanted to empower them. I would've liked to see them rushing around backstage and the little moments of connection on stage rather than a flat depiction no deeper than what the audience in that auditorium would've seen. I would've liked to see Po with Thame in the quiet driving home after his reunion, what raw emotions he would've felt, the relief and excitement from being out together for the first time.

In the end, I like the concept and not the execution. Consider my rating a 5-7. It depends on the last episode I watched

Read More

An amazing journey... which ended up being miserable near the end (ツ)

"Miss Crow with Mr. Lizard" having such a unique and peculiar title was the first thing that made me took interest in the drama, but I was mesmerized by its beautiful cinematography and stunning soundtrack which comes with the very first scene. So I was literally hooked in the first 5 minutes into the show, it proves that it has that perfect first impression. Not just its beauty the way emotions were conveyed, I've never been emotional in the first episode of any modern C-drama but this becomes an exception. It was a roller coaster ride where I enjoyed, laughed, and cried... but there is a big BUT.

Talking about the story. It was really well written and almost perfect regarding characters' personality, their dialogues, the pace and direction of the storyline having all little details. I was impressed from the starting till near the end. Then they messed up... messed up so hard, I almost thought if they changed the writer as the whole setup of the story into a total melodrama. Loving all the way, my wonderful ride becomes rough out of nowhere adding all unnecessary things, cliches on the edge of the finale. Was it really needed?

They did a great job with casting. Allen Ren just nailed it! with all those emotions, being calm, composed, and his subtle smile just WOW! talking about the character Gu Chuan. I really loved the fact that they didn't go with all stereotype CEOs of C-dramas being rude, arrogant, and unreasonable all the time. His character felt like a real person just being cold due to the situation he is going through. Sad and depressed having just one goal to complete, till Xiao Ning came into his life and he got a reason to smile, to come out of his shell and actually live. Fair Xing... is definitely Fair for this role as she can play a bubbly, energetic, adorable character so naturally having that cute smile on the face all time. The chemistry this couple has is amazing and remarkable... one of the reasons why I was enjoying it.

All other things including music, cinematography, very interesting side couple this drama was near perfection to me. And here comes that big BUT it collapsed losing all its momentum in the last 6-7 episodes.. out of the track, almost wrapping ending, wasting much time on the very unnecessary situation and side couple but at the end of the day, we rather get a huge disappointment other than a satisfaction which I was anticipating. How to turn a very cheerful, refreshing, sweet, fluff into melodrama this being a perfect example here. That's how my 9.5 turned into 8.5. (On a side note: I never give high ratings, 9.5 is very rare).

It sure teaches 101 ways how to turn the perfect drama into a messy ride.
I won't say it's not enjoyable it sure was... but don't get your hopes too high.

Read More

bananakim (first review)is trash and false so here is the real info...

"The Wanted Detective" is a captivating Chinese crime drama that blends mystery, action, and emotional depth into an enthralling viewing experience. From the very first episode, the show grips you with its clever storytelling, well-written characters, and a refreshing take on the classic detective genre.

The story revolves around a detective who is not only solving crimes but is also a fugitive himself. This duality makes for a highly engaging narrative. As he solves each case, he is also running from the law, hiding secrets, and trying to uncover a larger conspiracy tied to his own mysterious past. The pacing is tight, with each episode ending on a hook that keeps you coming back for more. The drama does an excellent job balancing episodic crime-solving with an overarching storyline that grows darker and more personal as it unfolds.

What sets "The Wanted Detective" apart is its character development. The lead actor delivers a powerful performance, portraying a man torn between justice and survival. He’s flawed, complex, and entirely human. You can’t help but root for him even when he makes questionable choices. The supporting cast is equally strong. Each character, from the determined police officers chasing him to the civilians caught in the crossfire, is given layers of personality and motivation.

Visually, the series is polished. The cinematography is sharp and atmospheric, often using shadow and lighting to enhance the suspense. Action scenes are well-choreographed without being over-the-top, lending a sense of realism to the drama. The urban setting, often gritty and moody, fits the tone perfectly and helps ground the story in a believable world.

One of the show's biggest strengths is how it explores moral gray areas. It poses important questions: What does it mean to do the right thing? Can a person be both a hero and a criminal? The detective’s journey forces viewers to think beyond black and white justice. It’s this psychological and emotional depth that keeps the show from being just another procedural.

The writing deserves praise too. Dialogue is tight, and each case is thoughtfully constructed. Clues are cleverly planted, and the reveals are satisfying without feeling forced. The show also avoids dragging its plot with unnecessary filler, making every scene feel purposeful.

Another standout element is the soundtrack. The music heightens the tension at just the right moments and adds emotional weight during character-driven scenes. It complements the story without overshadowing it.

In conclusion, "The Wanted Detective" is an excellent Chinese drama that offers much more than standard crime-solving. It’s a mix of thriller, mystery, and emotional storytelling done right. With strong performances, a gripping plot, and thought-provoking themes, this drama is definitely worth watching. Whether you’re a fan of detective stories or just looking for a compelling drama with depth and excitement, "The Wanted Detective" will not disappoint.

Read More

What the Fat!?

Review update: Finally finished!

🫶🏼 What the 떡볶이 !??! 🫶🏼

Only two episodes released so far - here are my thoughts.
This is a lighthearted look at a serious topic.
The show is silly and over the top.
But it is comedy, and entertaining.
At several points I laughed out loud.
I think the characters are quirky and funny!
Can’t wait to watch the rest - hope they keep it on this same trajectory.
There are a myriad of ways to ruin a drama.
So far it looks like they’ll avoid the common pitfalls - fingers crossed!
I appreciated the way family is presented - not perfect!

Update: six episodes in and this is still freaking hilarious!

Final update: Love this!
It is not perfect and I think that is the point.
The message was blatant and also positive.

And for a small spoiler: RosaXRoy is my absolute favorite!

Read More

SHOULD HAVE NEVER WATCHED

(this is my first time writing a review if anyone of you think it's inappropriate just comment anything i will remove it right away)
i should have never watched it atleast not now it's 2 am and idk what to do now... I'm traumatized what type of ending was that? writernim you really did us dirty this wasn't what we expected atleast not that? and what about the sphere nothing makes senses yes i never watched it idk i can't even rate it ik this script was hard to write, was hard to make, everything was hard but what type of ending is that? ughhhhhhhhhhh i can't help but be mad
i don't to talk bad about it as it's hard to make all these but it doesn't even make sense
everyone's death at the end of the episode was useless why did you have to kill everyone it just feels like ending was rushed
The "2 min scene" at the end of the episode what was that for after giving us such ending and about speheres why are they explained? not a fan of this
i will watch this drama everytime i feel like i have never watched some drama with such "good ending" and not rushed ending

thankyou writernim

Read More

sadly a disappointment-rushed and poorly produced

*This is not going to be a plot summary*
So I just wanted to start by saying: no i haven’t read the novel, I’m a big fan of Zhao liying and Wang yibo (so this doesn't mean I dislike them), and I was looking forward to this for a while now.
-for those that are fans of the untamed, the character yibo plays is quite different and was a pleasant change.

I was quite disappointed with this drama. It seemed super rushed and was lousily put together.
Firstly, the production quality was below my expectations. Trash sets and props. The sets looked extremely fake and by that I mean I could tell half the plants were plastic and the rocks were super fake looking. I'd say a good chunk of the drama takes place in a "foresty" setting and every single time a scene is shot in the forest, it looks identical to the previous shots...(I think they used the exact same forest set for each scene...) The snow scenes looked like someone dumped flour all over the actors and the set. The dubbing of the actors/actresses was poorly done. The fighting scenes weren’t all that memorable and seemed a bit below average considering this is a drama centered around a sword fighting FL and sect. There were no blood spurts when people were killed; to me it looked very poorly choreographed and produced coming from someone who watches a lot of martial art dramas. The screenwriting was just terrible and the camera work was poor with way too many close up shots and meh editing.
Secondly, my main issue with the drama is the story and the pacing. all the way even till the very last episode, it was incredibly boring and slow paced. I breezed through the episodes, fast forward the heck out of the last 20 episodes. Yes, there are a couple episodes here and there where there was more suspense and depth in the plot but after that it just quickly fizzled out. I just feel like the screenwriters were trying so hard to come up with content and keep the plot going. To combat this, they introduce new characters every single goddamn episode (i can literally name 40 characters right now). I’m not frustrated that “oh there are so many characters to remember” but it’s more like they are pointlessly trying to drag the story out in all different directions. There are literally 6 different sub-plots happening, not even counting the main couple. In my opinion, I also didn’t really feel much chemistry between the two leads; in my eyes it was more of a good friendship. The female lead, Zhou Fei, is stubborn and doesn't have much character depth....While watching the last couple episodes of the drama I was asking myself “what is the point of all this? What is this going to build up to? Why mention Xie Yun’s identity if it doesn’t contribute much to the story?” I'm just confused. It seemed like there is this one big overarching plot and arc about to happen yet with the introduction of a new character in each episode, I feel like its straying the drama farther and farther away.
The antagonists and side characters are pretty one dimensional. The costumes for the antagonists gave more of a comedic relief than a villainous aura :/ The acting is fine. Not spectacular but not poor. Wang Yibo and Zhao Liying were great as always, but the rest of the cast didn't really stand out to me.
I will probably clean this review up later but sorry, I just see this drama as a flop with way too many flaws. They tried way too hard to keep this story going for 51 episodes and in all the other aspects failed as well.

Read More

This film is powerful. Pure art. I know it's not the sort that most people will get because it's not a guilty pleasure relief or melodrama, you can't 'ship' and expect trivial tropey dialog and sentiments, this is more like watching poetry. But if you do enjoy artistic poignancy and want to watch something with a little more meaning and depth, then please watch this one. The dialog is raw and honest and the love is always sincere and painful. Doesn't matter who you wanted the main character to end up with this film will teach you a great deal about love... and life. I don't like using words like ' literary tour de force ' at the risk of sounding like a paid review on a Dan Brown book jacket but I can't find any other words that fit.

Read More

별-똥-별 - quite a fitting description of the quality of this show.

Fun, entertaining, sometimes clever elements, with a crappy core.

What’s 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 “mundane” 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 don’t 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 it’s not like it’s impossible to show a sweet, cute romance - they did it with the side couple. Yes, it was over the top cute, but that’s 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 “breaking the 4th wall” 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 Kyung’s 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 it’s 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 that’s it. The characters don’t 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.

Read More

Nice guy in a not very nice drama

I believe the reason i didn't really like this drama is because it promises something and gave us another thing, or at least that's not what I expected before starting it.

It's a romance, family, drama, but all we got were gangs war.
Romance was very little to non in the beginning, it's all about the two gang leaders and the animosity between the them, of course Seok Cheol is caught in the crossfire.
The family parts is only about the mess the older sister made and the hopeless dating case of the younger, Seok Cheol had little influence on both, he's just there trying to pick up the broken pieces.

I saw someone comparing this drama to "call it love" because it has the same vibes and I agree, it has the same atmosphere but heavily focused on other things aside from the romance.

I believe if they just cut the romance and advertise it as a gangster drama it would have been much better.

Another thing is the slow boring pace, and I mean in general, it's not a calm healing drama, though it has all the aspects of being so, it is about struggling with things you have no influence on, which makes your heart heavy unnecessarily, I'm of course talking about Seok Cheol in this case and I can't not focus on him because he is the ML.

The FL is lovely and adorable but I don't know what they wanted her character to be, in the very beginning we meet this introverted character with a traumatic past that made her life miserable and had a hard time maintaining a job related to her passion for music, she feels better performing in front of a camera than a few people (her words not mine) then suddenly she is performing on the streets, in bars and in front of the whole republic of Korea.

I think the drama is generally good it's just need some polishing here and there, so if you like family dramas and gangs this one is for you, if you are watching for the romance drama part, I don't think you will be satisfied much ~

Read More

Femme fatale, where?

While I was watching this series many "what if" questions came to my mind. What if the editing was good? What if Park Hee Soon was the male lead? What if the make-up artists could do make-up? But let’s see every aspect separately.

Plot
The plot was obviously full of plot holes, as expected from the genre. The problem is that the series took itself way too seriously to a point that me, as a viewer, expected something better writing-wise. At some points, it was plain stupid.
Let’s take the kids for example that were basically there for décor. When the scriptwriter needed them, she added all those scenes with them, when she didn’t, it was like they didn’t even exist.
When it comes to these series, entertainment is a must. Even though the first half of the series was entertaining to watch, the second half was boring for the most part and all the excitement disappeared.


Directing, Cinematography & Editing
First of all, if someone asked me, when was this series released, I would be confused. The majority of the series looked like a 2016 or a 2015 production, but there were some scenes -not many- that looked visually pleasing, like they were part of a 2021 production. Generally though, it felt cheap.

The lighting was bad, especially in some scenes, like the tango scene in the first episode. I only liked the close-ups in the first few episodes that added to the atmosphere they were trying to create.

The editing was also pretty bad. In one scene the character looks to the right in the other scene, he looks straight ahead.

And then, we have everyone looking fake. Someone told me how it is called, but since I don’t remember it and I can’t find it, I will just use my own words. Everyone’s skin looks fake. It is flawless and not in a "the make-up is great" kind of way. In some scenes, it felt like some characters didn’t have a nose, that’s how bad it was. And to be honest, just why? I had a huge problem with that, especially regarding Seo Yea Ji. She is stunning the way she is, why would you make her look like that? That must be an achievement.


Acting
Oh, Lord. Generally speaking, the acting was mediocre, if I want to be generous, with Yoo Sun as Han So Ra being the only one that I loved watching on screen. She did a great job, portraying her character and I dare say that I would compare her performance with Kim Seo Yeon’s in the Penthouse. Good overacting is not easy to find and she did a magnificent job. Lee Sang Yeob and Park Myung Hoon, Kang Yoon Gyeom's brother, also did a very good job.

Now to the rest of the cast. Seo Yea Ji did an okay job as Lee Ra El. I would say that she needs a bit more work in the sentimental-scenes department. Besides that, at some point, I felt like she gave up. It was like she was trying so hard to make Ra El seem like a good person, to a point that she even made her voice sound thinner.

Now to the actual problems. One of those problems is Park Byung Eun. Even though I didn’t find him as bad as everyone else did, another actor would bring the eroticism and chemistry that it was needed. My biggest problem with his acting was the inconsistency. In a close-up shot he looked shocked, eyes red etc and in the full shot of the same scene he looked like he was just staring at some flowers in the park.

I also didn’t like the acting of Jeon Gook Hwan, the actor that portrayed Han Pan Ro, Han So Ra’s father. I get that he is a veteran, but for me he was ridiculous and I am saying that in the least good way possible. I felt like his acting would suit a series from five years ago. Same with his right hand Kim Jung Cheol, portrayed by Jung Hae Kyun.

Don’t even get me started on the foreign actors and how bad they were. Seo Yea Ji spoke better Spanish than the people that were supposed to be from Argentina.


OST
I like the original soundtrack of the series, with Hold Me Tight by Kim Ye Ji being my favourite. The version of Libertango by Astor Piazzolla with the bandoneon in the tango scene was also fantastic.


Femme Fatal
Undoubtedly, Seo Yea Ji is the perfect actress for these types of roles. Besides her beauty that I personally find quite unique in the Korean industry and her deep voice, she can pull of characters like Lee Ra El. However, no matter how good and gorgeous she is, her character was downgraded by everything else.

Firstly, she is supposed to be mesmerizing when dancing tango and she is just not. The way she dances feels amateurish, cringe to watch and it is definitely not as erotic as they want us to believe. Plus the choreography they created didn’t help at all. It made me laugh at times. That’s where the director should enter and actually do a good job alongside the make-up artists and stylists which gets me to my next point.

As everyone noticed, Seo Yea Ji has lost a lot of weight. Even though we can’t know if it was for the role or because of the scandal, the people responsible for her outfits should be fired. Many of the things that she wore didn’t fit her body type. Not only that, but some of the clothing choices were just bad. Same goes with the makeup.

No, the bad make-up wasn’t intentional, as I have heard many people say. Besides the fact that it felt like they were amateurs and had the same three things to work with -colors, eye-shadows etc-, the majority of their work was awful and I am being very kind. The make-up they used in most scenes looked awful on her, it didn’t fit her outfits nor it was nicely applied. The glittery make-up was just offensive to my eyes. It was bad even in her dreams! Plus, in some shots it looked different than in others and in some scenes they made her look like a ghost.

The same problem occurs with the hairstyles. They weren’t too bad, but when you have Seo Yea Ji you must make her look even more beautiful and not degrade her beauty.

Once again, think of the tango scene. I can’t believe they made her wear that awful dress with that awful make up, when they could have dressed her with a blood red colour dress to make her look like a woman you would give up everything for.


Kang Yoon Gyeom VS Seo Eun Pyung
If you were watching this series, while it was airing, then you know that everyone was arguing about who Ra El should end up with, who is better blah blah blah.

This is my unpopular opinion. First of all, for me, Ra El should end up with no one. Confucius had said "Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves" and that would be the most fitting ending for this type of series.
Now, if I had to choose one, that would be Kang Yoon Gyeom. First of all, I can see why he would love her or obsess over her, take your pick. Also, people seem to forget that Lee Ra El is not a saint. She may have been through a very difficult time, but she is manipulative and uses everyone to achieve her goals, including the kids. So no, I don’t think she would make a good couple with Mr. Perfect Seo Eun Pyung. Her toxic relationship with Kang Yoon Gyeom and their similarities make them the ideal endgame, because that is what fits a series full of morally grey characters.

Read More

takes a shot for every time a character says “captivated” (promptly dies of alcohol poisoning)

It's no secret that sageuks are undoubtedly my favourite genre; the politics, the court intrigue, the pining, yearning, the… female lead pretending to be a man in the most unconvincing way with the perfect eye makeup?

Slay, I guess.

PREMISE:
Kang Hee-Soo (Shin Se-kyung) is a noble lady dressing as a man in order to play baduk so that she can raise money for Joseon citizens who are kept as captives by the Qing empire so that they may return home. Lee In (Jo Jung-suk) is a prince returned home after being kept as collateral by the Qing empire to his loving brother who is… not exactly in a bro-love mood. Surprise! The King is crazy and needs to get a new nail lady because he’s chewing them to the bone.

Lee In loves baduk. Hee-soo also loves baduk. What more do you need for a stable relationship?

Turns out a lot because before long, their shaky friendship is the start of years long power struggle in the court that could mean the end of them both.

OVERARCHING THOUGHTS:
This drama, while marketed as a romance, focuses a lot more on LI and his struggle as a king to maintain control of his fragile power after sort of stealing his nephew’s birthright as king but for good reason. He weaves an intricate web that is years in the making, as he tries to rise above the corruption of the court.

HS… certainly is there.

While a cross-dressing female lead is nothing new, watching Shin Se-kyung, an undeniably beautiful woman, pretend to be a man and have everyone believe she is a man makes viewing this show an out of body experience. Especially when LI experiences true bisexual panic; if that man had a computer, his entire history would be doing buzzfeed “am i gay” quizzes.

SSK gets a lot of flack for her acting abilities, and I’ve always believed some (KEYWORD: SOME) of it is uncalled for. It’s not that she’s bad at acting - it’s just most of her acting is staring wide eyed and mouth slightly agape at another character with silent tears dripping down her face as her gaze is moving back and forth across the other character’s face. Not bad. Just… not particularly amazing. And when put with a veteran actor such as JJS, it becomes PAINFULLY clear just how lacking her acting abilities are. It definitely felt like JJS was having back pains with how he carried this show, in particular the romance, on his shoulders.

THE PLOT:
The plot is nothing spectacular, or anything new, really. You have your king who is in a power struggle with the corrupt (checks notes) uh, Prime Minister? No, the Primark? No. General of Defence? Principal Director? Honestly, I can’t really recall. Just your typical baddie. You got your extremely beautiful female lead who cannot pass for a man to save her life. You got the second male lead who, for once, actually knows he’s the second lead and is like “yeah, nah, not for me, thanks” and ultimately never really acts on his feelings and eventually overcomes them. Sketchy Queen Dowager who literally NEVER LEAVES HER ROOM AND STAYS SITTING IN THE SAME SPOT FOR ALL OF HER SCENES, the king’s loyal bodyguard, untrustworthy court lady - I honestly don’t remember half of their names because they’re very much the stereotypical archetypes of their genre.

The politicians are corrupt. The King and the main baddie fight a cold war with one another over power. The king wants the politicians to stop being corrupted and the politicians are like “nah”. FL swears revenge against ML for his past actions, ends up realising she was wrong all along and he’s actually the good guy and sides with him in the end. And, for some reason, EVERYONE and their mother wants to play baduk with the FL. Like, jeez, HS is more popular than the only person with a working vape at a party.

And the end? Lazy, rushed, dragged, and, not unlike Dixie D’Amlio’s music career, flopped. Somehow, HS just MANAGED to take the right path to the right spot to the right tree at the right time to find LI sitting there waiting for her with a baduk table ready to play.

Love wins, the bad guys are dead, and all the good guys get to live. Yeah. Honestly, that’s it. Anyways.

THE CHARACTERS:
I will say that LI’s character was the main chunk of keeping interest in this show because of the character’s actor and also the writing; while every other character was kept constrained to the roles this genre demands, LI was allowed to grow and show different sides to himself. He’s not afraid to play dirty. He’s not afraid to threaten and do what is necessary. He stole his nephew’s throne for himself, he lied, murdered, and betrayed, he’s the epitome of a grey character; which is such a breath of fresh air for this genre. JJS is a phenomenal actor and he was the main powerhouse of talent in this show.

Again, HS is… there. She has very little personality, and I am unsure if it’s because of how she was written or if it was how SSK decided to portray her, but either way, there’s very little about her that stands out; she’s good at baduk, she’s smart, and somehow everything she does ever always works out in her favour. Her promised revenge against the king was both badly written and portrayed due to the fact that from the start, it is very clear that whatever she has planned to do will never happen; as a result, there is no tension. It is plain bad writing, there’s no other way to put it. Similar to lunch in a school cafeteria: it was sloppy and very undercooked.

Speaking of tension - again, I have to say that the romance between HS and LI felt… lacking to say the least. By EP3, HS is already in love with him. I suppose it can be equated to a girlish love/crush that any woman would have when in the room with a powerful prince who is both handsome and kind to them. However, there isn’t very much that lends credit to the idea reiterated in the show time and time again that HS and LI are madly, deeply in love with one another - oh, sorry, that they are “captivated” by one another. Especially from LI’s side because there’s very little about HS as a person for him to love other than she plays baduk and is also very beautiful. The intimate scenes are very lacklustre, and reminiscent of old-school kdramas where the FL just stands there awkwardly frozen, eyes wide open as the ML is hugging or kissing them. There’s very little chemistry and the only way we know they’re in love with one another is because they say it. A lot.

Once again, I am unsure if it is because of the fault of the writers who are terrified at the idea of a woman being sexually active/attracted to her LI, or if it was a genuine decision by SSK to play HS as a person who barely meets eye contact with the man she’s supposedly in love with and only shows him a display of affection of her own free will, like, once. Even when she does touch or hug him (after he initiates, ofc), it’s like she’s doing so reluctantly and would literally rather touch wet food in the sink than touch the man she is in love with. In truth, the romance was akin to watching a fish flop about in a shallow puddle trying to breathe: somewhat amusing at first, yes, but eventually unbearable to withstand.

JJS did all of the heavy lifting to make this romance even somewhat believable and watchable (even when his co-star decided the most romantic kiss is to press her lips together, remain completely still with her eyes wide open), but it was painful to watch him giving such good performances to a co-star who was either incapable of matching him or was limited by the extremely bad writing of her character.

As such, the romance is not for those who actually wanted a sageuk with romance because there is no romance. Much like trying to find your vape in a bed: it just disappears in a second the moment you try to search for it.

AND ONE MORE THING:
Again, JJS was amazing in this show; he is the only reason the romance was even interesting to watch and he really did have to carry the bulk of the work into making it believable that he and the female lead were in love. Again, I know SSK gets a lot of flack for her acting, and I don’t know if it was because of the writing or if she was given little to work with, but I just honestly don’t have anything to say about it or her. This was JJS’s drama and everyone else was there for a paycheque.


OTHER THOUGHTS:
- The kid actors did extremely well, and the Queen's storyline was the only part of the show that made me weep like a baby.
- I’m sorry, it was so funny to me that to show the three-year time jump, the show decided that EVERYONE needed to grow a beard.
- The set designs were okay. Nothing shabby, but not exactly extravagant like I’ve seen in other historical dramas. The costume department was the same.
- The big bad guy never really got one up on LI. It was like any time he tried something, LI would turn around be like “AHA! YOU FOOL! I'M 15 STEPS AHEAD OF YOU! I ALREADY KNEW YOU WOULD DO THAT WHEN YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU'D DO THAT!”
- Can’t say much on the music, nothing stood out to me, if I’m being honest.
- The “night of intimacy” between LI and HS - you're telling me that they did the dirty and then decided to get completely dressed in their bed robes straight after before going back to sleep? Or did they do it completely clothed, under the sheets with no lights on and in complete silence like a Catholic couple unable to withstand the weight of their sins?

This show was a nice way to fill my time. When I was bored, I would watch as much of the show as I could before switching to something else. It certainly isn’t bad by any means, but if you’re expecting to be blown out of the water, perhaps choose something else to watch.

Read More

Disappointment

Started the series with high expectations given the synopsis and that Ji Sung is part of the cast. While the first half of the series was not without flaws, I believed there was an attempt to build up suspense (albeit slowly), which would be fine with me if the story built up well. Unfortunately, in the second half of the series, some characters seemed to display behaviour that seemed contrary to how they were written at the start, and developments became increasingly unbelievable.

For example, some characters seem to always escape the detection of the security despite acting in an overt manner, or how characters armed with pistols seemed to prefer hand-to-hand combat despite being in life-threatening conditions. This would lead one to wonder how these gaps would be closed as the story passes (hint: it does not).

We reach the rock bottom of the series in the finale, where the ending failed to address any of these plot holes and successfully created more questions on how a good 16 hours was wasted to watch this series. Like what some of the other reviewers pointed out, the acting fails to rescue the disastrous plot.

Read More