Reviews

She mastered the only game life offered

FORCED TO OUTWIT FATE ! WHERE SURVIVAL BECOMES AN ART !
So I have this problem with thriller Kdramas where they always screw the story at the end, well this one’s ending wasn’t that bad but as much as I enjoyed the first 4 episodes, I felt like watching a different one in the other last 4 eps, “ The art of Sarah” had such a strong intriguing beginning when you see the female lead as a genius swindler but with a genuine heart and a fixed life goal, we saw her going from bad hardship to total breakdown to levitating herself to success, loved how everytime they were 99% close to catch her they go back to 0% and how hard it was to indentify her. The end justify the means, this is what she was doing, we saw her outsmarting everyone after having a total blast of unluckiness before, her journey kept a realistic aspect, as much as genius she was, we saw her making mistakes almost dying twice (her ex husband gang and the one’s paid by nox ceo), but one thing didn’t change, that is her self worth she knew she had an artist in her both in scamming or building

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A good series with a classic plot (F4) , but skillfully executed.

PLOT: After paying for her grandmother's medical expenses, FL's father asks her to come live with him and his family in Manila. FL is met with hostility, both by this family and at the elite high school she attends (along with her half-sister). Despite the harassment, FL doesn't give in and confronts the school's idol (ML), the captain of the basketball team. Later, they will learn to know each other, to trust each other, and to love each other despite the obstacles (families, returning exes, the investigation into the brother's assault, etc.).

+++ I really like the two leads, Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano. They bring to life complex, strong yet vulnerable and endearing characters.
+++ The supporting actors are good.
+++ The directing is effective, with a good balance of humor, emotion, mystery, and frustration :)
+++ Great OST

=> Cliffhanger ending, so I'm going to watch season 2 (o˘◡˘o)
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Bonne série sur un plot classique mais habilement exploité

PLOT: Après avoir payé les frais de santé de la gd-mère, le père de la FL lui demande de venir habiter avec lui et sa famille à Manille. La FL est mal reçue, ds la famille et ds le lycée pr élites où elle est inscrite (avec sa 1/2 sœur). Malgré le harcèlement, la FL ne cède pas et affronte l'idole du lycée (le ML) capitaine de la Basket Team. Ils vont apprendre à se connaitre, à se faire confiance, et à s'aimer malgré les obstacles (familles, ex de retour, enquête s/ l'agression du frère, etc.).

+++ J'aime bcp les 2 leads, Donny Pangilinan et Belle Mariano. Ils donnent vie à des personnages complexes, forts mais vulnérables et attachants.
+++ Les acteurs de soutien sont bons.
+++ La réalis° est efficace, avec un bon équilibre d'humour, d'émotion, de mystère, et de frustration :)
+++ Bons OSTs

=> Cliffhanger final, je vais donc voir la saison 2 (o˘◡˘o)

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absolutely worth it.

watching this drama made me Patient. I usually watch already aired dramas but this time I had to endure the suffering... it was worth it.

plot: nothing groundbreaking. we saw this plot a million time. modern girl ends up as the character of a novel... and here comes the plot twist.. she in not the only one!

right here we have evidence that you can play with the same old trope but enrich it with some spice.

what should I say?

characters: absolutely adorable.
the main couple has a strong chemistry and their characters make sense. they are also funny and played by exceptional actors.

some honoble mentions: secondary characters were fantastic. I absolutely adored Mr bei the martial art master.

yong'er: girl I despised you as much as I liked you.

the mean prince: the actor did such an amazing job. you really end up hating him.

the cast was stellar overall.

soundtrack: loved it. already added some songs into my playlist.

complaints: I don't have strong ones but I feel something was missing plot wise.
I didn't read the novel so I am basing this analysis entirely on the drama.
some parts where not clear to me.

Yong'er: I don't know where she is from. when talking about their normal life the FL mentions Beijing and yong'er is clearly confused. I deduce she is not from "our world".
I saw some comments mention that she is actually from another book.. I don't know.

the crown prince: he should be the emperor son.. but the timelines don't ally. the drama used the same actor to indicate that the crown prince and the emperor look alike at the same age, but if the crown prince is also fifteen like Zhang San was, he cannot be his son.

Qiang state: we never see this rival state mentioned until the empress dowager dies. weird. tu' Er is the prince of another nation, why not bring the Qiang state into the picture. I don't know.

the final scene: I don't quite get if that was a "what if" scenario or if they really came back.

Zhang er: in the early episodes he mentioned that he was waiting for someone but that someone wasn't our FL. who was it then?

maybe I was too distracted.

overall this "plot holes" are not that important in order to enjoy the story.

the drama is a good mix of romance, comedy and political intrigue.

no filler episodes.

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Amazing from start to finish, but be warned no romance

First I would like to point out for anyone wanting to watch this drama thinking it has ROMANCE that it doesn't.
I kind of started watching it thinking it would have some, even as a subplot but it's not the case. This didn't diminish my enjoyment of the series but I feel the need to point it out here in case anyone only wants to watch a romance because you'll be disappointed in that sense (the drama is very well worth it without it and I totally recommend, but no one likes to feel their expectations were not met after having read the tags here).
Hopefully the tag is removed here as it makes it confusing for prospective watchers.

When it comes to the drama, it's dynamic from start to finish, I wasn't bored even once, the relationships between the women are beautiful to see and the drama in the company was kept entertaining all throughout.
I also liked the male cast and I feel all the characters had their flaws that made them more human but also more approachable and it was easy to sympathise with them. This has to be one of the first kdramas in years if not ever that has made me sympathise and like the chaebol daughter and grandson, even the ex-wife, probably because I haven't seen many if any instances of chaebols so blatantly rejecting their position, status, nepotism and inheritance as in here, almost in a bored way, in a "I have better and more interesting things to do than be here". The couple of lines that were given for their after in the sort of epilogue were great and loved to see it, it fits them perfectly. Both Albert and Nora were cinnamon buns to me (as well as Kim Bom, cutest kid).

The FL is absolutely amazing, even in her obsession for getting the job done, she can't be stopped and I loved to see it.
I think the whole drama is very well balanced as well, there is a bit of everything even though the plot is quite linear, we manage to see her past, background, family, exboyfriend and evolution to a healthy relationship between them. Amazing to see and so rare!!!! I loved the background detail of FL's parents and how they start fighting the baddies at one point, it was so funny and so cool to see.
I liked Ko Bok Hui as a flawed character that has done questionable things in the past, I enjoyed her evolution. My only criticism with her is her epilogue persona. The fact all of a sudden they dressed her like that because she's now a hairdresser? because she has a criminal record? Not sure, but I found it a bit lazy and out of place in my opinion considering how she has been the whole series.

Although there is no romance, and it doesn't need it, not going to lie I would have liked it a bit as a very small subplot. It's not needed! but maybe because I had the expectation given the tags and because at point the drama kind of points towards it, I did miss it a tiny bit. I did enjoy the crushes Albert and Lee Yong Gi had for the FL, it was very cute in a school way, and honestly if they had gone that route either of the two would have worked well for the FL and would have made for a cute very side subplot. But it's ok as it was too (plus yeah, especially with Albert there was an important age gap, not sure what Yong Gi was supposed to be age wise though).

Other characters I very much enjoyed that are more secondary, like Bang Jin Mok, Cha Jeong II, Yun Jae Beom (absolutely hilarious). Generally all characters were great, and I think it's the main reason this drama worked so well for me. The main plot is not that groundbreaking by any means, it has been done before in one way or another, but the characters make up for it big time. You get invested in them and enjoy their relationships, personalities and banter with one another. At moments the drama is funny, at others is sad, but it keeps a balance that simply works and keeps you entertained without tipping that balance too much towards one side or the other and feeling out of place.

Normally I don't pay attention to the music in kdramas because I rarely like it, more often than not it tends to start to annoy me as episodes go, this is one of those rare shows where I actually enjoyed the songs that played in the background to the point I'll be looking some of them up.
Also especial mention to the flashbacks with that retro filter with grainy lines, it was a good choice, not in the way, it wasn't annoying and it made it easy for the audience to recognise it was a flashback (see director of Surely Tomorrow, this is how you do it).

Overall I really recommend this drama, it's an all rounder, enjoyable, entertaining, great characters and very good acting.

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An ode to Wuthering Heights.

I thought it was the perfect moment to shine a light on this highly underrated drama now that the new adaptation of Wuthering Heights is in theaters. And yes, even though this drama isn’t an adaptation, it’s truly a beautiful tribute to Wuthering Heights. The book is central to the story—it’s directly referenced, and the main character is even compared to Heathcliff.

It’s a very complex, dark, and sometimes hard-to-watch drama, but definitely one of the most impressive ones I’ve seen. In the novel there’s a kind of supernatural atmosphere, and here the plot is literally supernatural. The continuity between the two lives is really well thought out, and every character—both main and secondary—fits into the story like pieces on a psychological chessboard, showing different facets of humanity.

So if you like symbolic stories, eerie atmospheres and unforgettable romance (and if you enjoy suffering like I do), go for it.

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I hate how much I love it!

I hate what this did to me. I hate the director, screenwriter and every single actor. They broke me. I hate the 16+ hours of pain that I willingly and eagerly felt for this series. I hate that none will ever come close to this level of storytelling. I hate that I won’t ever watch it again. Like my other favorites Egoist and 180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us, it will live in memory and not rewatched to nitpick after. This is the first series that I've ever happily rated 10. It was perfect.

I loved the cycle of life relived through generations. I loved the enduring love, the late love, the forgiving love and parental love. Every parent loves their children but some may not know how to teach them to fly. I loved the failings of both. It showed their imperfect love. I loved the hedge formed around them and the admiration. I loved their resilience.

I will not lift one performance above another. They all did exceptional work. Even the ones we were supposed to hate. This series deserved all the accolades it received. Beautiful cinematography. This was a very satisfying watch. It brought the emotions out, raw and flowing. Watch with boxes of tissue and bottles of water. You’re going to need it.

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Binge-worthy if you love some cheesy storylines

I will be very honest, I was interested in this drama because Jisoo and Seo In Guk are in this drama and I love both of them.
And they did not disappoint! The premise and storyline is amazing and pretty much in pair with all those AI bot stories where you can date irl now. It expands that idea, creating interesting storyline that might feel relevant in modern times.
Some of those vr scenes were pretty cringeworthy if I'm being honest, but sometimes we like those cheesy tropes in romance genre, so it was okay to see it being present.
Acting was pretty good for me, both from leads and the supporting cast, but you could find some annoying characters or very cliche like that you might not like. Jisoo was amazing in this! I loved her acting cuz it felt more natural with every episode. Seo In Guk was also perfect with some of his little expressions and that sweet, soft smile.
Music wasn't the only part that I enjoyed every time, but it was fitting for the scenes, especially the exaggeration during romantic scenes. I loved that.

I might rewatch it soon because of all the feel-good moments I had while watching it. I enjoyed every second I watched!

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When soft person wants to do revenge

I watched this drama at the day the drama released since there is no interesting drama beside Xu Mengyuan and Zhang Hongming one. If you see romance drama, this drama is not for you. I liked this drama since the logic is still plausible.

For the plot, in first life FL was being domestically abused by ML and lost 4 daughters to human trafficker, she cannot take it anymore and killed her husband and off course she going to jail to repent. She spent her time in jail and got accidently killed by her inmate (she will be crucial person in her second life) and got reborn. In second life, FL got her memory and skill based from what she learn in jail and want to take revenge to her dad, her stepmother, her stepbrother and her scumbag husband in first life.

Her purpose on second life was to living with her grandmother, little girl, and aunt who didn't have long life on her first life. She still got marriage trauma in first life and just want to live her life. ML actually was her ex boyfriend and she break ups with him to marry her scumbag husband. ML actually still loves FL but FL told she cannot get marry in her lifetime. He respect that but still try to get his luck. Her scumbag ex husband was shameless guy and he still got reminisce of his first life since he always wondering if he supposed to marry FL.

Her doubtful thought about her revenge was perfectly pictured and it was my favorite part of this drama. Her grandmother told FL she doesn't need to cost her own life for revenge sake and she needs to enjoy her life when she was doubting herself what kind of revenge she should take for the people who wronged her.

The cons is we never know what kind of ML life after he broke up with FL in first life. Which is kind of potential plot for this drama. ML was positive guy and his actual dream was being lawyer. He supports FL by become FL investor on her bakery shop.

For the villains, the scumbag husband was kind of annoying sociopath person. I liked how FL was play smart when her father and stepmom want to sell FL after her scumbag husband become cripple man. The stepbrother death was quite of heavy blow for stepmother since she always prioritize him more than FL.

Recommended to watch if you want to watch humane revenge drama.

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Showcase of Intelligent FL in A Puzzling Case

What a story! This is what would happen if the leads chose to use 100% of their brain instead of doing stupid things. I really love how they depict Hong Geum Bo, a very tactical and calculative. She knew she was fighting a losing battle, so she needed to be cautious. She always made herself one step ahead of everyone, and always had plans and backups before taking any actions. On the other hand, the Hanmin management was feeling complacent as they had done something similar and was able to get away with it. It was really nice that she trapped Hanmin in a disadvantage by stealing their illegal money. They couldn't report the disappearance of a slush fund, yet they couldn't kill Geum Bo because theyneeded to know where was the money. The plot is fun and all the frictions seemed very organic. I really love the internal political conspiracies, where everyone was plotting their own agenda against each other behind their back. Massive shoutout to the character development of everyone after Mi Suk suicide attempt.

The story seems very heavy on the earlier episode, especially since it involves quite technical financial issues and terms. The first and second episodes are really heavy, but as the story progressing it becomes more fun and lighter. Even there is a lot of comedy in the latter episodes. Outstanding performance of everyone, especially Im Chul Soo, Kim Won Hae, Cho Han Gyeol, Ha Yoon Kyung and of course Park Shin Hye. It looks like she was built for a badass role like this, although I still feel she looks younger with the previous style compared with the look after her sister "transformed" her. Kim Won Hae deserves a main lead title here. They put big names even on the supporting roles, and surely it pays off! Shout out the the wardrobe team to make the setting to be as 90s as possible, not only for the casts but also for the background people.

Up until the end, I still don't understand what benefit would Song Ju Ran get by instating Kang No Ra as the president. It didn't seem like No Ra was going to give any key position for her. I also think the reason for No Ra's childhood abduction attempt was unclear. They also didn't explain how the prosecution service was able to present Bang Jin Mok as a witness. The revenge was served cold, but not for Nam Dong Gi. He was forgotten.

With a heavy topic, it's rare to find something fun and funny like this. Watch this if you're up for a puzzling thriller with an intelligent female lead!

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