There’s really no real need to watch the first series before this one, because it’s kind of a self-contained prequel and the one does not really affect the other. Some of the characters here seem to have the character development and dynamics between each other we had arrived upon after all the events of the first series though.
There is such an inconstant, slightly odd characterization going on sometimes which is is jarring at first, but you quickly learn to ignore it or not think much of it because this series is just made to be fun. It’s for the people who want a light, fun and fluffy drama with Kim Bum and Lee Dong Wook. The story is just made to be very entertaining.
Still, some things in this drama does go against what we’ve learned in the previous series or just ignores it because a lot of the stuff that happened there doesn’t really affect things here all that much, but does explain some things at the same time. It’s wildly inconsistent, Like Lee Rang at the end of this series isn’t really the same character that we meet at the start of the first one. One should not need to use too much brainpower while enjoying this show, because the show is wildly enjoyable.
The story has a strong tendency to go into fan service - just giving the fans what they liked the most in the previous series although does not necessarily serve the story and are serves a bit like a filler for the large cracks in the story itself. But it does also gave us more action, humor and scenes between the brothers that were some of the best parts of the first series. But it does feel a bit like this drama is very style over substance, quantity over quality.
The romance is much more in the background in this series, but I actually enjoyed it a lot more here than in the previous series. Because the characters that the romances are about are just more interesting and they don’t dominate the whole story as much. There is a better buildup to it and it never feels like some overwhelming YA subternatural romance. I found this one more grounded and intense.
And while I could talk about the cast and entertainment value of the shows for a long while, I will always come back to the shows main problem and that is the overall story is pretty weak. It’s not exactly a drama you’re going to watch for the clever, deep or logical writing. You’re just there for the character really. And drama knows and reflects that. It knows it’s audience so well.
The story and the whole atmosphere of the episodes is rather light-hearted. And really, I wish the story had allowed itself a little more depth and darkness within itself. Going a little deeper into all of the characters, reflecting on the past and the present and maybe more contrast between the two, as well as the Japanese occupation within Korean history.
It’s strange to have that as a setting and then try to keep it so light and fun. At times it tries to go a bit deeper, but it still never goes all the way. It just tips the toes in (and one kind of wonders why this period was chosen, because I can’t really see a point to it when it comes to the plot). The only thing that it allowed itself to do more in this historical setting is play around more with the mythology and the lore of the show, which was cool. But I wanted more.
Aside from the romance and the complicated relationship between the brothers and just further character exploration of Lee Rang’s tragic backstory (Kim Bum is the true star of this show and Lee Yeon, the older brothers, takes a bit of a backseat when it comes to story and character development) there isn’t much of an actual story that ties things altogether or let the story end with a particular point or saying too much.
It’s sort of a very slow character-driven story, if you want to look at it that way, with a very loose and meandering plot. It’s almost as if the writers felt like they had already done all the plotting in the previous series so here they just wanted to entertain us with the characters and let the actors do their thing.
Tale of the Nine Tailed was more fun and had more things that I personally liked than the first series. The romance didn’t overpower the whole story and we got more character moments of the people I cared about, there was more myths and lore to everything and the historical period was fun to look at, even if it lacked depth. The main core of the story it wasn’t as solid or well shaped as it could have been. I’m having a bit of a hard time figuring out what Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 is really, truly about. But the entertainment value was there the whole time.
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Definitely the worst BL I've ever seen, and that's saying something.
There is almost nothing positive to say about this, other than that there are good-looking guys in it.It's fine to have a drama with comedic elements, but when you intersperse cruelty and phyical and emotional torture with slapstick ladyboy comedy with truly oppressive sound effects, the tonal dissonance is intensely irritating.
As for the drama, it's so overwrought and melodramatic, with really bleak homophobia and a villainous and irredeemable grandfather (who is of course totally forgiven at the end because he just gives up) and nothing pleasant to balance it. I'm getting tired of being lectured by badly written BLs about how love isn't about gender, blah blah blah. The purpose of a drama is to SHOW us this, not have preachy characters rant on and on about what is already obvious to and accepted by the entire audience or we wouldn't be suffering through this to begin with.
The NC-17 scene is so out of nowhere and strange that I had a hard time understanding what I was looking at.
There are other terrible BLs, but this is the first one where I didn't enjoy anything about it at all.
If you're a Gameplay fan, do not watch this if you want to remain a Gameplay fan. For everyone else, just do not watch this. It's terrible and there's no payoff. I didn't think this group could make anything worse than Love With Benefits, but they succeeded, if for no other reason that LWB was shorter.
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l'ho vista sperando un finale migliore per Ryu Si Oh
sinceramente pensavo di droppare la serie all'episodio 4, l'ho continuata solo per Ryu Si Oh, che nel bene o nel male ha portato avanti da solo la serie, farlo uscire di scena così è stata una stronzata, con il modo giusto avrebbe avuto un glow up migliore..Nam Soon di un imbarazzo totale.. non la commento nemmeno per quanto mi abbia totalmente delusa il suo personaggio, io capisco l'infanzia lontano dalla società, vissuta in campagna con quattro persone in croce, ma non credo che il popolo mongolo sia così stupido come in qualche modo lo rappresenta lei..
la madre? che dire.. pessima.. non solo si sente superiore al resto delle persone perché ha forza e ricchezza.. (no il fatto che si "sdebiti" con chiunque tratti bene la figlia non la giustifica).
uno dei temi trattati, come il delicatissimo tema sull'obesità, fatto passare per una storiella tappa buco..
la storia d'amore della nonna mi sarebbe piaciuta un po di più se il vero villani fosse stato il fidanzato della nonna..
il poliziotto, per quanto carino possa essere l'attore, lho trovato a tratti inutile..
questa serie è un vero FLOP
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This review may contain spoilers
Mystery sageuk falls flat with underbaked story elements
Lee Jae Wook once again returns with a sageuk k-drama but this time not as an heir of a mage family but of a wealthy merchant. One might think this is just a repeat of his role in Alchemy of Souls but that is completely untrue because in Dear Hongrang, he presents himself as the long-lost son of the merchant family or so we thought.It doesn't last long though until we discovered the truth. Kudos to Jae Wook's composed and guarded personality it was truly hard to decipher if he's just a charlatan or the real Hongrang.
The mystery surrounding Hongrang's disappearance got me hooked, however, little did I know the writer failed to put some effort in writing the background story about the child-snatcher creature. I actually expected some fantasy elements to unfold to create a more rich and engaging narrative but it turns out there is barely witchcraft involved? Perhaps I got this wrong because this was not explained clearly at all.
Jo Bo Ah plays the role of Hongrang's stepsister, Sim Jae I, who carries the guilt of her brother's disappearance and never ceases to look for him. Bo-Ah consistently acts out the misery and despair she felt in the household ever since her little brother brother never came back. Her family alienated her especially her stepmom who is distraught as ever and blames her for Hongrang's disappearance.
Jae I thought her sea of sorrow would finally come to an end when Jae Wook's character claims to be as Hongrang. With just one glance, she argues that he's just another fake in contrast with the physical evidences.
Now that I think about, I feel like this Hongrang was not thoroughly assessed at all compared to the previous wannabes. I would just like to think that he certainly pulled some strings to easily match Hongrang's physical attributes.
In the first episode, Jae I was shown running away from thugs and gamblers after tricking them to earn some money to continue looking for Hongrang. However, this aspect was never brought up again and it left me wondering how Jae I deceived these delinquents every single time. This would have added more depth and strength to Jae I's personality. Not that I dislike her fear towards her stepmom and her yearning for her little brother, it's just that I believe her character could be so much more–be the stubborn and headstrong sister than this damsel-in-distress she came to be.
As the largest merchant family in the Joseon era, we also had a glimpse of how influential and powerful Hongrang and Jae I's family is. A tangled web of deceit and betrayal is just a normal day for them. I enjoyed this portion of the show because they made parallels and metaphors about authentic and imitation paintings which feels like a hindsight to Hongrang's true identity.
You can't talk about Dear Hongrang without mentioning the fiery chemistry between Jae Wook and Bo Ah. Though they are step-siblings, some tension is formed between them because as Bo Ah doubts Jae Wook's character. This strong dislike gradually morphs into confusion and attraction. This is a huge dilemma for Bo Ah since the little brother who is very dear to her is now someone she sees as a man. All of Bo Ah's pent-up emotions left her distressed and overwhelmed more than ever. Meanwhile, Jae Wook is the very flame that beckons the moth, kindling the fire in Bo Ah's heart. They were supposed to have a siblings bonding time in the woods but Jae Wook being the horny and flirty man that he is made it more sensual and flirty. This scene was definitely an unforgettable moment in the show.
I was ecstatic for the ending because I would finally learn all the answers and secrets everyone is hiding. However, the resolution is the weakest point of the show. I was expecting they would have connected the plot points effectively but lo and behold everything went down the drain and felt rushed. There were too many loose ends to tie up, too many unanswered questions and too many WTF moments. I'm well aware that some explanations don't need to be spelled out and they are often up for viewer's interpretation. However, how are we supposed to connect the dots when the information that is doled out is inconsistent and ambiguous. It feels like the story never truly addressed the mystery and solely focused on Hongrang and Jae I being star-crossed lovers.
To sum up, what appears to be an intriguing mystery sageuk ultimately falls flat due to underdeveloped story and messy finale. With all that said, I still believe this is worth watching as I once again get to witness Lee Jae Wook's versatile acting and impressive swordmanship and of course, his face card that never declines which erases some of my criticisms about this show.
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Cast: Park Shi Ho (Seung Yu) he's a pretty good lookin' guy to begin with but take his hair down and put dark clothes on him - man you got a stud ;D Seriously, I have a thing for guys dressed like that <3 He starts off as a cheerful playboy type that changes when tragedy strikes his family - he then transforms into this Wildman for a few episodes (seriously, my sister walked in and asked me if I was watching a tarzan movie lol) and after that he goes into serious hottie mode - I can't not fangirl over him right now <3 Moon Chae Won (Se Ryeong) a very strong and brave woman who will risk anything for the man she loves. I loved her character and I applauded her several times (I even cheered once). She is exceptionally beautiful in this drama - her eyes are like does eyes - so pretty and so big and clear ;D Hong Soo Hyun (Princess Kyung Hye) when I started this I honestly wasn't that thrilled to see her after watching her very bad performance on Give Love Away earlier this year - I had put her on my blacklist - but after watching this drama I have to say she redeemed herself in my book and is now going to be removed from my blacklist. I really liked her character on here, I was slightly annoyed with her during a couple of the earlier episodes when her dad was alive but after that I loved her. Song Jong Ho (Shin Myun) - I hated his guts so much >_< I was anticipating his death. I loved Seung Yu's side-kicks from episode 11+ ;D they were a great addition to the show ;D And I adored his little niece - such a cutie <3 I could mention more but I covered the main ;D
Music: I loved all of it, but one song in particular (the very first song played on the very first episode) sounds identical to the Christmas song (Ring Christmas Bells) that half the time I couldn't take it seriously - I liked it but my mind would sing the Christmas song that I know lol - My favorite part's of the OST come by episode 13+ (Perfect songs with the perfect singers) <3
Re-watch Value: 10 - I will definitely re-watch this drama again (I might skip some of the "elder" characters scenes early on though lol)
Highly recommended ;D
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This review may contain spoilers
Waste of potential
Was really excited and hype for this drama when it first came out. Was a fan of zhao lusi so was really disappointed that the storyline really laydown the cast. It was BORING, is all I can say. The storyline is predictable and a copy paste of past drama with the same drama. Nothing new.Their was no chemistry between the leads. The ml acting is stiff and only had one expression for most of the drama, but that maybe because of his character having being a stoic, cold true god???? But because of that I felt no love between them, more like sibling vibes. SO all that tribulation didn't really make me invested in the characters or their journey.
The drama felt draggy and scenes where nothing is happening or it going nowhere. Even if you skipped, you missed nothing. The villian motives are the same old, nothing new, 'jealously'.
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A steaming pile of wasted time
I have no idea how they managed to make a drama this bad. It's the worst drama i have ever finished. Don't waste your time on this.About the only thing I can say is that at least there was revenge but it was sloppy and slow. I hated everyone by the end. The writing was SO bad.
I'm trying to avoid spoilers but the ending was open and made no sense. I had such high hopes, but this devolved into arrant nonsense.
There was no OTP by the way. The relationships in this were a huge mess.
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I have watched 3 times of the kor version and still so much in love with the love story part :P
Story:
same as the synopsis and same as the kor version just a little shortening of the drama and history part, that's all.
oh and there are added leads for the c-version.
heard that this story was bought over and remake in C-version but with a Korean director and team firming.... (read from the internet somewhr)
Cast:
The Cast was ok... tik the female lead acting improved bah but I tik the male lead was quite a looker and will succeed in other drama soon :P
The side leads was good and the story is easy to follow with the historical plot defer from the kor version but still, its easy to unstand and follow on the drama
Music:
was ok - nothing special caught my ears ....
Rewatch Value:
maybe some scenes that you want to see the lovey dovey of the relationship. ^.^
Watch if you like :-
:- Queen in Hyun's man
:- a romance story
:- historical love travel times
its rather short drama so u can surely watch it over the weekend or so. Cheers!
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The Enemies to Lovers trope would have done this wonders.
Mediocre. What a mediocre series. I have so much to say but I'll start with my headline.What a wasted potential. I'm not saying she should have ENDED up with the villain because the way this was written, it would NEVER WORK. In order for it to be a good "Enemies to Lovers", it needed the villain to be the male lead so HE is the focus of the story. Some people will say they didn't like him and that is completely valid because he was written to be UNREDEEMABLE. If he was written to be LIKED, people would have changed their mind about him. All the writer needed to do was make him smarter, make the female lead smarter too in the way she spies on him, slow burn it a little and then build it up from there into his redemption or a anti-hero ending. Then you will have the greatest progression for a love story that is refreshing and not boring. And for people who hate villainous characters, I promise you, one story that doesn't conform to the standard isn't going to make all the usual romance in kdrama fade into oblivion. There is always wholesome drama that airs EVERY season. We are not running out of stock from those to watch. So there is no need to be agitated that people liked a bad guy as if there isn't thousand of dramas with cute good guys characters. There is something for everyone. For this one in specific, the enemies to lovers would have done it WONDERS.
Despite what I said, I have to say, this drama, even without the romance, was TOO MESSY. It started out good. The first 4 episode were pretty enjoyable but the writers decided to half bake everything else. Too many side plotlines that go NOWHERE. The story was BARELY moving forward. So many unlikeable characters taking the spotlight for no reason. I wish the male characters were more well put together. None of the male characters had more to their story than being useless (except the dad) and don't get me mentioned on the brother constant target for fatshaming. It made me roll my eyes. I thought his story would conclude well as a life lesson that if you fatshame your child, you can endanger their life which is a message I don't mind seeing depicted but then they kept showing scenes of him eating or just talking about food as if that's his only trait... it feels like even the writer didn't learn a lesson from their own storytelling.
Also the FL doesn't feel like a FL here. Her mom and grandma took most of the spotlight away from her. It would have been more enjoyable to see both mom and daughter work and plan together but still have the daughter as the MAIN focus. Instead, she got sidelined in her OWN story. She have all these super powers and abilities yet all of it disappeared in the other half of the story. As for the grandma, if she was the character who ALWAYS save the day when her daughter and granddaughter in trouble, she would have be a badass character.
As for the romance, it was BAD. What is the point of watching a romance drama where the male leads already in love by episode 4? Let's say, okay, we like the early romance because some dramas actually do them too... but... there is no build up? No confession leading up to being together? One day, they are together. They just throw a scene with both of them and hope they convince you into liking it. The kiss scenes are all randomly placed and the grandma have MORE of a romance storyline than the FL. People only like the romance because it's the male lead and female lead. Not because it's actually well written.
I gotta give it to Byeon Woo Seok's. His back must hurt from trying to carry this drama. The villain was the only interesting character in the show. I loved the FL at the start but like I said, she got SIDELINED SO HARD, there is nothing to say about her. I've made a character analysis of Ryushio if anyone's interested. https://kisskh.at/729535-strong-woman-kang-nam-soon#comment-15450791
The villain got all the package. Good backstory, goals, ambition and was even soft to watch him when he wasn't being a menace to society. He progressed the story when nothing else was. They made him dumb in not figuring out the FL identity so they can extend this to 16 episodes but that can be forgiven because without it... OOOOOF. Would there be a story??? The villain is the best thing about this show. He brought a good amount of the international watchers. I was never going to watch this show if I didn't come across his edit. My sister also WASN'T going to watch either if it wasn't for these edits. There is too many good dramas airing to be wasting it on a mediocre one like this one.
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This review may contain spoilers
Love Food & My Voice
Had previously seen TJC in two detective type dramas so wanted a totally different genre for him. This fit the bill. This drama I always saved until the end of my drama watching days because it was all fluff and easy on the brain. It was sugar and a bit of spice in the dishes and just about everything nice. You've got to love food and my voice here.Pros: I liked the overall progression of the show and it had a cute premise. The chemistry between the ML and FL was there as were the other two couples. All of the side characters were great support systems for our leads. Your mouth watered when there was a recipe created in front of you like you were at a restaurant. Also a view into the dubbing actors circle was nice. How they had real well paying jobs they loved and then this hidden hobby where they were known by millions through their voices alone but many never disclosed who they were like the leads. ML was a doctor but they never delved much into his real job not to overwhelm the audience but he really was the Jack of all Trades; doctor, voice actor, singer, musician, chef, etc. out of the two he was the nurturer and the one taking on basically most of the responsibilities of the relationship.
The series didn't really have a plot going; it was just the daily lives of voice dubbers and college students who meet and live their lives as romance blossoms. The OSTs and surroundings especially when they took trips were quite beautiful. Also funny that for two "virgins" the leads could kiss quite well; huge plus for the audience!
Cons: While everything was cute and whatnot, after a while I had a bit of a problem with the FL; for a 22 year old young woman (and I get she was an introvert), she acted maybe 10. She barely spoke two words to him or others even when they were very serious with each other. Even he questioned her on why her response to him was just "mhmm". She grew up sheltered and kind of expected people to do things for her because of that. Also, did the actress's stylist hate her? What was up with all of that granny wear? Even the for photos wedding dress; it boggled my mind how anyone would dress a 22 year old--by that time 24 as this happened after the time jump--that old and matronly like she was a ghost from the 1960s. It took me a solid week to realize that her wedding photo shoes were identical to my primary care physician’s and the woman is in her 70s! Plus she’s worn them for at least 3 decades! No young 20 something year old should be seen in that! Yes, she liked old and traditional but that was her "Sheng Sheng Man" persona or was supposed to be. Even after a time jump of 2 years it was like she was light years behind virtually everyone else. There was no evolution of her character at all. All she did was smile and eat. I understand that's how she was in the book too but they could have made her come out of her shell a bit (not asking for a massive change here) and act like a grown up as well as dress her age.
I also wish couple number two was less awkward for so damn long and we didn't even officially see them get together because that happened in the 2 year time jump at the end. Couple number 3 should have gotten together sooner; felt rushed. Also, though I'm personally an extrovert, I felt the friends of the ML were a bit too nosy and loud about the leads especially knowing how shy and awkward the FL was. They could have toned that down a bit; while I enjoy a great crowd, laughs, dirty jokes, and harmless ball busting, when there's an extremely shy person at the center of said jokes, it would make me feel slightly uncomfortable too and I'd probably shove the loud people into another room or out the door altogether lol.
Would I recommend it? Despite the negatives, this is a sweet and fluffy drama to watch when you don't need anything heavy, so yes I would.
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BEST SHORT HISTO ROMANCE !
What new can this drama bring to the K-histo landscape? This is the question I asked myself before launching it, because I know that even if we have fewer historical dramas than modern ones, most of them all look alike, because they belong to history in general.Here, we are fully in a fantasized vision of an uninhibited Joseon. Indeed, the use of a famous book containing very erotic illustrations seems to break the usual rules. It would almost be like in "Bridgerton" Korean version on some aspects. The tone is quickly set: here, we will not talk about politics, but about marriage! And even if often the two go hand in hand, the drama chooses to focus simply on the romantic aspect by exploiting the sexuality (and its discovery) of the women of the Royal Palace. Of course, at first, it's weird, but something keeps us in suspense right away: THE CASTING!
With a cast like this, the acting was superb, both from the point of view of emotions and the chemistry between the couples because of the close ages. Exit just the baby cries of Go Ara I will never get used to it I think lol but otherwise she totally has her place in history, she played so well! Chang RYUL I have no more words... He totally carried the drama with his charisma, his mysterious side; independent and his benevolence!
There is not much to say about this ten-episode drama, because it does not dwell on heavy issues such as wars or politics. We are here immersed in a gentle work, like a bold fairy tale, narrated with delicacy throughout the episodes. The story of the princess and her companions of the Palace is revealed little by little, revealing loves, friendships and deceptions that intertwave with finesse.
The story highlights women who, despite the marital constraints of the time, fight for their rights and independence. It is clear that the drama places the woman at the center of its plot, thus addressing an audience eager for stories that correspond to her. I spent a wonderful time in front of this series, seduced by the richness of each character, each of whom is distinguished by his own interest. The romances, all marked by their singular charm, intertaine while the main relationship is distinguished by a POWERFUL chemistry.
The visuals, on occasion, transport us, especially during memorable scenes, such as the hang gliding walk. In addition, the twists come at the right time, keeping the suspense brilliantly. I highly recommend this drama to those who appreciate light history and wish to take a break with too complex plots.
However: lightness does not mean heavy humor! Here we laugh at the right dose :)
Go for it because you will see what an UNCOMPLEXED and FREE history is!
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too much plot
jack & joker is not even close to being a decent show so far cos—them meeting/their past, joke's jailtime, their reunion enemyship and cohabitation were all sped through and barely had buildup. not bringing jack's lack of character development so far cos it's through joke pov rn. there's too many side plotlines cluttering the main heist of which there are two now? which ig are sorta connected and can be excused but seriously though the ring plot is holding on by a thread not to mention the bs sewercide backstory w jack's parents and joke's helicopter dad. their relationship itself has nothing going on LIKE he hates him why? he got scammed and then he let him live in his house (??) and now they're partners? they're faught what once? thrice? so far and have like 3 scenes worth of interaction between, in the same frame and then side couple? useless. no one cares. naive guy, friends with protag vs guy who works for a crook, hates protag/coworker could be interesting if it wasn't at the cost of main relationship. im actually so pissed jack and joker's relationship seems to be going nowhere can you tell? i get that this is action heavy unlike love mechanics which honed into relationships and interactions but i feel this could've been much better if the writers/directors had tapped into yinwar's incredible microexpressive acting along with all the boom pow over the top scenes. the unnecessary zoom-ins, long lines that literally add nothing new, scene and tone switching, shitty loud ass background music.... all in all this is nawt giving elaborate action-heist comedy it's giving medicorely made slapstick gag.(update) yinwar acting down on the latest j&j episode but what even is the point with this slap things on and see what sticks type of plot :/ not only is too much going on but it's getting repetitive preseries joke betrayal misunderstanding jack forgiving him and now the same shit all over like the theiving plot was fun in of itself and then there's the grandma sickness and jack fake marriage and now the lil girl is in the hospital too? i get that joke's father's a surgeon but sab ko thoosne ke chakar me kuch aur nahi ho raha bas ye character ka struggle phir us character ka struggle with 10+ characters the only screentime of the main couple is when their fighting or fucking which is fun and all but we don't know shit about any of these characters except when vocalised by the other characters which is a WASTE of yinwar's acting talent
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Beautiful yet Pretentious; Great character development but poor plot writing
“Fangs of Fortune” is no doubt the product of director Edward Guo. I enjoyed his other drama “My Journey to Love” so much that I wish I could feel the same about “Fangs of Fortune”. Unfortunately, just having a good-looking cast and beautiful cinematography are not enough for me.What I Like:
1. Characters
The main reason I am not rating this drama lower than 8.0 is because of the characters. I like each of them, main cast, supporting cast and guest roles. Each character’s story is unique and I had a good time getting to know them and following their journey of growth. They are interesting individually and together as a group. “Fangs of Fortune” is able to make me care about each of them and their stories touched me.
2. Acting
I am happy to see a much-improved Neo Hou. He is able to convey more than just a blank pretty face. I am most impressed by Tian Jia Rui. This is only his second drama after “My Journey to You” and he has so much potential. Chen Du Ling is fine. Cheng Xiao improved from her blank look in “Falling into Your Smile”. The rest of the cast also did an admirable job and I don’t really dislike anyone’s acting.
3. Cinematography
Edward Guo’s signature beautiful cinematography and camera angles make every actor and actress look good. Screenshots of this drama flooded the Feeds with many posts throughout the airing and after the completion of the drama. But…..(to be continued below)
4. OST
This drama boasts a huge soundtrack of beautiful songs. I enjoy them all, especially ‘Spring Breeze Does Not Ask’ 春风不问 and ‘Broken-Tailed Bird’《斷尾鳥》. However…. (to be continued below)
5. Production Value
I love everyone’s creative, unique and beautiful hairstyles, costumes and accessories. I also like the use of natural lighting and the realistic sets in the indoor scenes. The fight choreography is unique and the actors did a great job with their wire work and moves. It does a great job in using Chen Xiao’s dance background in giving her excellent moves and she did not disappoint.
What I have Mixed Feelings and Don’t Like:
1. Slowness
This drama is SLLOOOWW. The characters talk slowly, they move slowly and the pace is slow. This could have been a 30-episode drama (instead of 34) if people would just walk and talk at normal speed. The last episode is a waste of time. Everything could be told in 15 minutes. What pisses me off the most (my personal pet peeve) is characters standing around during important battle scenes. The good guys would be talking amongst themselves or crying or staring at each other, and the villains just stood there waiting. I just want to shout at my screen for them to move or do something! So much time is wasted and it doesn’t make sense!
2. Plot Holes
There are so many plot holes in this drama. Actions that don’t always make sense. Why parade a suspected murderer in front of a crowd to be easily recognized and then humiliated? If you knew you were the cause of a pandemic, why not kill yourself sooner? You already knew the solution! There are powerful demons and genius human beings yet you can’t detect someone is hiding around the corner eavesdropping? I thought you could smell their scent from a mile away! Plot logic becomes secondary (or sacrificed) when the drama focuses so much on the characters and making them look good. A good drama must be able to balance both plot and character development. Even if you can’t balance it well, it can’t be so lopsided.
3. Close-up/Camera angles
I complimented on how beautiful this drama is. But if you repeatedly show me a close-up look of a pair of attractive eyes every 5 minutes, it becomes really pretentious and fake. The fight scenes are beautifully choreographed but if you give me the slow-mo version of it, it interrupts the flow and the excitement. I don’t need to see them posing when fighting. This drama also loves the fog and wind machines.
4. Non-stop Music
I also complimented the OST, but gosh, the music is overplayed. Song after song, music after music. It doesn’t allow the viewer to decide how to feel in silence, but manipulates my feelings with the non-stop music. I counted one scene (one conversation between the leads) when 2 songs + 2 more instrumental music were played non-stop! At times, the music is so loud that I could barely hear what the actors are saying. I really don’t need the fight song being played at every single battle, no matter how cool it is.
5. Romance
Disappointing main romance. I enjoy the initial bickering between Zhao Yuan Zhou and Wen Xiao. A battle of wits and sarcasm! But then, not much happened and not enough chemistry or longing looks. It was boring. I had more fun watching the guest roles suffer in their forbidden love than or sad romance than the main leads.
OK, if you are a fan, don’t hate me. Go back and read what I like before throwing stones at me. LOL🤣 I will still recommend "Fangs of Fortune" because it’s a well-acted darker story with a good-looking cast, beautiful cinematography and likable characters. If you are a big fan of character development, you will enjoy this. But if you are like me and can’t stop your brain from noticing plot holes and things you don’t like, you might have a harder time enjoying this.
Completed: 11/27/2024 - Review #521
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Everything is turnt up to 11
Crash Landing on You is absolutely absurd. It has one of the highest cable drama ratings and should be on everyone’s 2020 kdrama watchlist. The drama has you going back and forth from laugh-crying to cry-crying. The cast is flawless. The director comes from Romance is a Bonus Book with the screenwriter of The Legend of the Blue Sea. Hyun Bin and Son Ye-Jin also come from 2018 dramas - Memories of the Alhambra and Something in the Rain, respectively. Loads of quality romcom experience, and it shows.The drawbacks. In an effort to fill major plot holes, conflict escalation and resolution are left vague when convenient, especially for the non-main characters and arc. CLOY also pushes the envelope with its near 90 minute runtime per episode. All-in-all, the drama shoots for the moon but crashes in the stars.
Story:
The premise and story supports the success of Crash Landing on You by spinning a serious current event into an absurd adventure. The North Korea-South Korea conflict immediately adds to the gravitas of the drama, and subverting this expectation results in unforgettable comedy. The over-the-top approach is handled beautifully, and viewer immersion is rarely ruined. Production was even sued for its relatable portrayal of North Korea (It was actually “sued” for glamorizing NK conditions, but I digress).
The drama intertwines the story of four main leads and a large supporting cast, so big that it even has a recap episode. It is entirely understandable why the drama does not fully explain or explore every single plotline. On the other hand, Crash Landing on You has a total runtime equivalent to a 20 episode drama, and it even contains what could be seen as filler scenes. Again, this is being nitpicky with an incredibly entertaining watch.
Acting:
Crash Landing on You actually reunites the two main leads from 2018 movie, The Negotiation, where they are adversaries. In CLOY, their comradery and chemistry is unquestionable. Hyun Bin has received his fair share of criticism in the past, but this character is well suited for his strengths, being good looking and stoic. He earnestly acts each scene with that ridiculous “North Korean” accent, even adding emotions when required (but bloopers, please!). Anyone can appreciate his effort in CLOY, even if it is not winning any acting awards. Son Ye-Jin, on the other hand, I have been a fan of from Something in the Rain. I am most impressed by her expanded comedic role in Crash Landing on You. She is funny in SitR but hilarious in CLOY. Some lines land a little too extra but most hit their timing.
The second leads’ acting also impresses as their roles expand by the end of the drama. Plus, there is too much to say about the large and talented supporting cast. Kim Sun-Young continues to earn her reputation as a talented cast member. The mini-Something in the Rain reunion with Jang So-Yeon is welcome. I give the underrated award to Hwang Woo-Seul-Hye as the lovable/hateable doofus sister-in-law (also, how is she 40 years old!). Even the guest roles amaze, like when my jaws hit the floor seeing Kim Soo-Hyun’s character. Everyone’s buy-in to the premise of CLOY is what creates that special level of immersion that we love about all great kdramas.
Music:
Like many watchers, I am also a fan of kpop, and the musical ensemble for Crash Landing on You delivers on all fronts. IU, one of the hottest kpop stars, sings the final OST, capping off the musical journey of CLOY. Another rising star, Song Ga-In, sings one of the best tracks on the OST. I have also been following Davichi since debut and hearing them in CLOY is a joy. The only knockback is that the music does not push its boundary quite like the story and acting of CLOY.
Rewatch Value:
I plan to rewatch Crash Landing on You as soon as I have the chance. On top of everything said thus far, there are references to other dramas, pop culture, and current events, and I am sure that I have missed many of them. There is so much to enjoy about CLOY for first-time kdrama watchers AND veteran viewers. After my rewatch, I may even revise my final score to a 9 because CLOY sets the bar very high for 2020.
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This review may contain spoilers
Legend of the Blue Sea was the much-awaited show of 2016 as it marked the return of Korean heartthrob, Lee Min Ho to television dramas after almost three years. Moreover, the show had Min Ho paired with Jun Ji Hyun who is one of the most popular and highest paid Korean actresses which meant a big deal. The hype around the show led to high expectations, which the show couldn’t live up to. Legend of the Blue Sea had a lot of things that worked against it including a dull storyline. Its paper-thin plot made the drama suffer and despite Min Ho and Ji Hyun doing their best nothing could help lift the drama beyond a point of stagnancy.Let’s weigh Legend of the Blue Sea on our show beam balance and see what was good about it and what wasn’t.
Good Weights
Funny Moments: With actors like Lee Min Ho and Jun Ji Hyun the one department you can’t go wrong with is, comedy. The two actors have good comic timing, which is evident in the drama. Scenes where Joon Jae is jealous or where he tries to act smart in front of Cheong are too funny. Similarly, when Shim Cheong is new to the city and innocently believes whatever people tell her or when she over thinks about Joon Jae’s actions are too adorable.
Bad Weights
Chemistry: Lee Min Ho and Jun Ji Hyun were good individually but as a couple, they just didn’t click for me. They did not look convincingly in love let alone be soul mates for past several births. It was only towards the end that I got to see some chemistry between them but by then I had lost interest in the show. Lead pair chemistry is pivotal for a romantic drama and when the main ingredient is missing the dish becomes too bland to taste.
Predictable: I wasn’t sold to the whole reincarnation scenario or even the history repeating itself angle. I felt the writers desperately tried to make the story interesting by constantly shifting the role of an antagonist from one person to another. I found the story twists too feeble to feel surprised by it. I could even see through some of the supposed twists that were there only to divert the viewer’s attention when in reality it had no greater purpose in the story. [[Spoiler]] For instance, Nam Doo suddenly seemed to turn evil be siding with the step-brother, Chi Hyun. It was so evident that the angle was added only to take the viewers by surprise. Nam Doo was a positive character all through the show, making him negative in the last few episodes for the sake of a twist would have been too lame.[[Spoiler]]
This drama has a lot of funny moments but sadly it doesn’t touch the highest point of entertainment. Even when it has a lot of things working for it, it still seems like there is nothing alluring about it. The drama wasn’t boring by any means. It just wasn’t enticing or engaging enough for me to want to catch up with every episode. Legend Of The Blue Sea could have reached greater heights with the kind of cast and budget it had. Sadly, the story failed the two actors who did everything they could to save the drama.
Legend Of The Blue Sea is a decent drama with several enjoyable moments. Watch this show only if you are a Lee Min Ho or a Jun Ji Hyun fan because these two are the only reasons to watch the drama.
Originally posted on www.alphagirl.in
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