Reviews

we need more kdramas like this

this was difficult to watch at times, but im glad i did.

firstly, all the characters were amazing. they were layered and they did things and said things that felt real.

the plot progession was good. i like how selling a product didn't take too less or too much time. also liked how their desperation to make it through just one more day was always on the horizon because of the crisis, it actually never felt like typhoon trading had money.

i cried a lot, and laughed a lot and while many people found this drama unbearably negative, i liked it for that reason. we, as a audience, are so used to watching a hero who can always save the day that a helpless guy like kang tae poong, who knows as much about trading as an average person, felt weak. but that's the real thrill of the show— learning how to fly little by little alongside this guy.

my most important discovery though was lew junho. what an actor, and what a splendid performance. whatever he got paid for this project, it definitely was not enough. from the way dressed himself to the way he talked to the way he glowed and sometimes giggled like a little kid, i just fell in love with him as a character.

ps. i really hope that lee junho colors his hair oreo irl for a 2pm comeback too, it really suited him so well and we lost oreo junho in just a single ep.

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One of the Best GLs but With Some Flaws

I loved the show overall. It's my first show that I completely watched in a long time (I don't really watch shows).

The casting, the talent, the acting, the stories, and even the sexiness and comedy were all great. I liked how they kinda switched up from the Novel and took their take to not make it a full adaptation from the novel, as it'll be predictable. JanJingJing has some of the best acting and chemistry I've seen out of a duo, and I hope they get another series soon.

Now, besides all that, there are some flaws with the show.

Pacing
Episodes 7-9 felt like they were trying to add too much drama. The Korn Trope was unnecessarily too long and could've been resolved within 1-2 episodes; we already got Wine's emotions, trauma, and issues with the company, which are good enough drama. We also didn't do any heroism for it, besides probably Wine stepping up against Korn.

Episode 10 had some flaws as well, but it's still a good episode. I think they tried to cram a lot. Like, I thought it was gonna be a more cutesy love story after the Korn stuff, but they added a completely unnecessary drama arc for half the episode over a small thing. At least they made it comedic to save it in the end. Not enough LalWine moments. Maybe that's why there's a Special Episode. Also, I didn't like the development of Proud and Tangkwa. They basically had little screen time, and yet they wanted them to be girlfriends? I guess they'll learn more about each other as they date

Nitpicks: Color Grading
I'm a video editor, so this does bother me a bit. Some scenes were WAY too blue and moody. Certain office and outdoor scenes could have benefited from brighter, more vibrant colors—especially when the tone was meant to be lighthearted and comedic.

Overall, this is definitely one of the top GL series of the year and should absolutely be on your radar if you’re looking for something new to watch. Don’t let my critiques discourage you—this is just my personal opinion, and the show is still very much worth watching.

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How Dare You!? Fool Me Like That!

I kept putting off How Dare You!? because I simply was not in the mood for another comedy. Then because of Cheng Lei, I finally gave in, fully expecting a lighthearted palate cleanser. Instead, the drama pulled off one of the biggest bait and switches I have seen in a while. It dresses itself in comedy, only to slowly reveal that beneath all the jokes, fourth wall breaks, and ridiculous situations lies a surprisingly tragic story.

The story follows workplace rookie Wang Cui Hua, who suddenly wakes up inside the pages of a novel as the infamous demonic consort Yu Wan Yin. There, she discovers she is not the only transmigrator. Emperor Xia Hou Dan is actually Zhang San, someone from the modern world who has been trapped inside the novel for nearly a decade. Like two chess players who unexpectedly realize they are on the same board, they rely on their knowledge of the story to outwit dangerous enemies, survive ruthless palace politics, and challenge a prophecy that insists only one of them can live to see the peaceful future they are trying to build.

The first episode was pure fun. Watching Cui Hua and Zhang San awkwardly test whether the other was also from the modern world while trying to navigate an unfamiliar fictional setting was endlessly entertaining. I find it brilliant to use “how are you? I’n fine thank you, and you?” to find out who’s a transmigrator. Their modern references, chaotic teamwork, and shameless glances at the camera gave the drama a playful charm. Then came the second and third episodes, and suddenly tragedy barged in without knocking. Characters started dying. Violence became more frequent. The stakes grew heavier. Yet somehow the comedy never disappeared. Instead, it became a coping mechanism. The laughs never erased the pain, but they made the journey easier to carry. Of course, the tragedy itself was obviously intentional. It felt comical and somehow highlights that they are in a novel. As the political conflicts became more serious, the drama balanced its darker themes with enough humor to keep everything surprisingly digestible. I did find some palace politics scenes dragging a little, but they ultimately gave the story much more depth.

Wang Cui Hua was an absolute delight. She was bright, loud, vibrant, and completely unapologetic about bringing her modern personality into a historical world. What I appreciated most was that she never tried to become the person who knew better simply because she came from the future. She embraced living as Yu Wan Yin, sympathized with the people around her, and genuinely wanted to help clean up corruption and endless power struggles. She carried herself with so much personality that even the way she walked became memorable. Her first entrance into the Emperor's chambers with that confident, flirty swagger instantly became iconic. Whether casually sitting with her legs wide open or gracefully walking through the palace in breathtaking costumes, Wang Chu Ran completely owned both Cui Hua and Wan Yin. She balanced flirtiness, humor, determination, vulnerability, and heartbreak effortlessly. It certainly helps that she looked absolutely stunning throughout the entire drama. I lost count of how many screenshots I took of her costumes despite knowing I will never wear them.

Then there is Zhang San, easily one of the most tragic characters in the series. Imagine entering a novel as a teenager, growing up entirely inside its world, and slowly forgetting your real life. After nearly ten years, Zhang San had become Xia Hou Dan in every sense of the word. He mastered court politics, learned to survive endless schemes, and even perfected the act of pretending to be an incompetent puppet emperor just to fool the Empress Dowager and Xia Hou Bo. When Cui Hua finally appeared, he was no longer just relieved to find another transmigrator. He had finally found someone who understood the loneliness of existing between two worlds.

Cheng Lei once again reminded me why I keep watching his dramas. His greatest strength has always been his facial expressions. He can deliver the smallest, softest emotions just as convincingly as explosive anger, grief, or comedy. His performance made Zhang San's internal conflict feel believable. There were moments when he admitted he had deliberately drawn information from Cui Hua to help himself survive, and instead of making him feel manipulative, it made him feel painfully human. Survival had become second nature. Yet despite his own motives, his feelings for Cui Hua never felt dishonest. When he told her, "In you I found home," it became one of the sweetest lines in the entire drama. There was one small detail that felt inconsistent, though. Since he had spent nearly a decade living entirely as Xia Hou Dan, hearing him casually mention needing a CT scan, even when Cui Hua was not around, felt oddly out of character. By that point, modern vocabulary should have come much less naturally.

The chemistry between Cui Hua and Zhang San was one of my favorite parts of the drama. They were lovers, partners, best friends, and fellow survivors all at once. They respected each other, trusted each other, and always found their way back to each other no matter how dangerous things became. Their relationship never relied on possessiveness or misunderstandings for drama. Instead, it was built on quiet support and mutual understanding. Some of my favorite scenes were simply the two of them eating hotpot together. There was something wonderfully hilarious about watching modern souls happily enjoying hotpot while dressed in elaborate historical costumes. Their planning sessions, complete with occasional looks straight into the camera, were equally entertaining. Beneath all the laughter, though, was the bittersweet reality that they were the only two people who truly understood each other's circumstances. They were wandering souls who finally found home in one another.

One of this drama's greatest strengths is how memorable its supporting characters become. Xie Yong Er completely surprised me. At first, I was convinced she was another transmigrator from the modern world. Later, I became convinced she had come from the future. I was wrong twice. The reveal that she was actually a fictional character who had transmigrated into another fictional story genuinely made my brain short circuit. It was such a clever twist. I loved her friendship with Cui Hua, their girls' moments together, and seeing her happily sharing hotpot and dumplings with everyone. That only made her tragic fate hurt even more. I was rooting so hard for her happiness, especially with Xiao Tian Cai.

The tragedy did not stop there. Xu Yao's death came shockingly early and signaled that nobody was safe. Then came the scholars, whose unwavering loyalty to justice turned them into one heartbreaking sacrifice after another. After the first scholar died, I should have realized what the drama was preparing me for, yet every subsequent death still landed. The series did an excellent job developing even its supporting characters enough that losing them genuinely hurt.

The death that broke me the most was Bei Shu's. He was far more than Xia Hou Dan's loyal protector. He became the father figure Zhang San never had during all his years trapped inside the novel. Watching Zhang San lose the one constant source of unconditional support was devastating. Even knowing the narrative reasons behind his sacrifice, I still cannot shake the feeling that it was unnecessary. Seeing him lying inside the casket genuinely broke my heart alongside Zhang San's. Cui Yi and Fan Siu Wong portrayed Bei Shu with so much warmth that his absence left a lasting void.

As for the villains, Xia Hou Bo and the Empress Dowager were thoroughly detestable. Xia Hou Bo had the classic tragic backstory of an abused child growing into a resentful adult, but his suffering never excused his actions. Manipulating Yong Er, using her love, and forcing her into such cruel circumstances made him absolutely disgusting. Tang Xiao Tian played him remarkably well because I spent most of the drama wanting someone to punch him. The Empress Dowager was equally infuriating. Power mattered more to her than anything else. She manipulated Xia Hou Dan, isolated him from everyone he cared about, and remained determined to control him even after he saved her life.

Visually, this drama was absolutely gorgeous. Normally I find overly polished historical dramas a little too artificial, but here the dreamy aesthetic actually worked. The costumes were easily one of the production's biggest strengths. Yu Wan Yin's wardrobe was simply breathtaking, while Xia Hou Dan's elegant robes and hairstyles perfectly complemented both his character and Wang Chu Ran's glamorous appearance. Together they looked like they had stepped straight out of an illustrated fairytale. The soundtrack also grew on me. At first, it barely registered. By the end, the songs had quietly settled into my head and refused to leave.

The ending may not satisfy everyone, but I appreciated what it tried to do. The fictional world wrapped up much like a classic novel with hope after overwhelming hardship, even if a few threads remained unresolved. The sudden return to the modern world happened so quickly that I barely had time to process it, but given the limitations, it was probably the closest thing to a satisfying closure. What I appreciated most was that the drama addressed the exact question I had been asking myself. Were Cui Hua and Zhang San only in love because they happened to be the only two modern people trapped inside the same novel? Would they still choose each other back in the real world? Zhang San's quiet reassurance that they would was enough for me. I may still have my doubts, but sometimes closure does not need certainty. Sometimes hope is enough.

Overall, How Dare You!? turned out to be so much more than I expected. It tells a solid story filled with lovable characters, heartbreaking sacrifices, palace intrigue, beautiful visuals, dreamy costumes, and a soundtrack that slowly sneaks into your playlist. Most importantly, it understands that laughter and grief are not opposites. They often sit at the same table, sharing hotpot while pretending everything will be okay.

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this is easily most heartbreakingly beautiful film i have ever seen in my entire life.

the cinematography was absolutely gorgeous and i loved how the series was just 2 broken people navigating what love and care means. and although they don’t face the exact challenges when it comes to their familial neglect, it doesn’t change the fact that they both experienced abandonment and standards.

i loved how they open haruki was about getting to know jin but still being careful knowing what type of image that might create for him. i love their mutual sacrifice for one another despite knowing the consequences of being involved with each other. i absolutely loved how haruki found meaning in his life through jin and how he dropped habits for him while Jin ended up picking them up. it really shows how strongly they felt for one another and how distance wasn’t going to change that.

i thoroughly enjoyed how after they met again in the timeskip haruki wasn’t afraid to get straight to the point and continue to keep in contact because he didn’t want to lose jin again.

the line, “your sea and my sea must be connected somewhere,” really spoke to me, and so many lines were so beautifully written it makes me forget that films like this even exist.

haruki’s letter to jin especially broke my heart and really showed me the lengths he’d go to change for him. him leaving behind the cd and his letter inside shows his growth to leaving behind his past and starting a new life, the lines in his letter,“if i hadn’t met you, i think i would have lived hating myself forever. being around you made me think i wanted to become a proper person for the first time. you, who are so extremely different from me, are exceedingly special to me. i think you’re amazing. i began to want to be a person who is worthy of that you.” it really characterizes his growth and his willingness to try harder. even just going to school more often because haruki wanted to see jin was progress. and i feel like the story was slightly realistic when haruki really believed he couldn’t change when he got accused for the shoplifting incident. i think it really shows how jin and haruki can’t fix each other entirely, but they can grow towards new versions of themselves together.

there’s a common theme in these type of films where they will use a time skip to emphasize growth and a lot of them are done poorly. however, i think the time skip in our youth is one of the examples of a time skip done properly and executed well. i loved how neither of them were actively seeking each other out and how haruki had proper time to grow and develop into a “better” person before meeting jin again. the time spent apart taught them a lot about themselves and the people they want to become and i think that aspect of the series was beautifully done.

overall, so beautiful and i will never forget the first time i watched this.

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the brother is mvp

jujur ga nyangka nyawanya selemes itu anjir kek kepentok dikit masa ganti aja, but overall i love all the cast character development nya oke banget tertama bang geul sama abangnya and for the sister i forgot your name but i hate you girl so much, i think the one who hurting so much in this drama is the brother i mean imagine having a twins so villain and having a wife that you really looked up to but she’s stabbed you on the back at the same time that’s hurt babe. and im really happy seeing the the sisters husband aka the doctor he’s really caring and girl harusnya dari dulu lu quality time woth your husband ga usah tamak banget pengen jadi chairwoman jadi gila kan sekarang

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Warm "real genuine" kdrama

The only site where I found eng sub had only till ep 17. Well too bad I could not watch anymore, but what I saw, was enough, This is a warm family drama, genuine kdrama, sure it has some soap, but it is very well done. Sure it has lots of plot and happenings and could spend more time on character development. Overall, it is a nice genuine kdrama watch.

ML actor is fascinating, bc he can look anything from really mean nasty gangster all the way to very gentle child. I dont think I saw him anywhere else I started actively watching in 2019.

This was filmed before plastic surgery and dieting to super skinny and bleached hair and pale faces. ML is super handsome and more manly and good looking than any of the the modern metrosexual manicured plasticized dudes. And the houses have a lot brighter colors and a lot more wood. It is FASCINATING to see the REAL Korean drama.

Also, the WARMTH, this is much warmer and "humane" than modern kdramas, which tend to be very bland, with many main characters being poker faced, and family and community not important.

yeah sure in this drama, ML actor is the only really good actor in the kimchi family, but he is so good at acting that he is able to carry the drama.. The only poker faced in the drama are Uncle and Dad, and they are minor characters. The thugs and villains actors are great

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A Powerful Premise That Deserved More Room to Breathe

I wasn't planning to watch Teach You a Lesson until a friend insisted I'd enjoy it. After finishing all ten episodes, I can honestly say it surprised me.

The series takes a bold approach to school violence by combining action, crime, and social commentary. Rather than simply presenting bullies as villains, it examines the failures of parents, schools, government, and society that allow these problems to grow. Its message is clear: actions have consequences, adults must lead by example, and raising children is a shared responsibility.

Watching the ERPB confront bullies, corrupt teachers, abusive parents, and other terrible people is incredibly satisfying. While the show's methods are obviously fictional, there's something cathartic about seeing justice delivered in ways reality often can't provide.

Unfortunately, the series doesn't always live up to its fantastic premise. Many storylines feel rushed, the Bureau's authority often stretches credibility, and several plot developments rely more on convenience than logic. Some supporting characters are underused, and the final episodes sacrifice realism for spectacle.

Even so, I never found myself bored. The action is entertaining, the themes are relevant, and the show isn't afraid to start conversations about difficult issues affecting schools today. It's an imperfect adaptation with plenty of flaws, but its heart and message ultimately outweigh its shortcomings. I genuinely hope it gets another season because there's still so much potential left to explore.

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THIS IS SOOO GOOD CAN I RATE 1M out of 10?

THIS IS THE BEST SERIES I'VE WATCHED THIS YEAR IT'S IN THAT LIST ALRIGHT!

It gave me the same happiness and excitement as Duang With You, Bad Buddy, and My Stand In .

(IT'S THAT GOOD 😍❤️🥰♥️)

Please make more series like these the story is saurrr good like what? it's unpredictable like you can't predict what will happen next like its not like the other series that you can predict what will happen next

This is sooo good all the actors are good in acting like the crying scenes made me feel what they felt brooo 😭😔

CHINESE BLs ARE ON A WHOLE ANOTHER LEVEL LIKE REVENGE LOVE BRO THISS SERIES IS SOOO GOODD 😭😭

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Clear the Game or Di3

Arisu, Chota and Karube walk out of the building only to find the supposedly bustling city being totally empty, devoid of any living beings whatsoever. They find instructions for them to participate in games where clearing it will reward them with visas - basically pass for them to stay alive. If the visa expires before players manage to join a game, a laser will shoot from the sky straight into their heads, which of course ends said life. As they try to clear each game, Arisu comes across an intriguing girl called Usagi, a mountain climber with superior agility and skill at scaling vertical objects, and both end up sticking with each other to find the game master so they could return to the real world.

Coming from a generation that grew up with Battle Royale and the likes, hardly any scene of this show fazes me, despite them being all bloody and gory. The games are somewhat interesting, but the real motivation for me to finish the show is actually to see the real puppeteers behind those games.

Arisu, although comes from a somewhat well-off family, is not the hero type - he can’t fight, he is not stunningly handsome, he generally panics first and think later, and he used to live his life as a loser back in the real world, being frowned upon by his family as hopeless, thus suffers from considerable low self esteem. He wastes his life with video games and hanging out with equally hopeless friends. So yeah, he is not the ideal hero ML. But one thing he possesses is a very perceptive and quickwitted mind that analyzes situations in a more detailed manner than the usual bloke. This is the only thing that gets him through those games in borderland. You dont get to enjoy an ML who could fight off bad guys or protect his female counterparts. Nope! Scratch that expectation off. Arisu instead gets beaten all bloody quite a lot in here, and he doesnt really lift a finger to fight back. He is a total living punching bag, which sometimes frustrates me to watch as I am more inclined towards physically strong roles. But the show must go on, and my curiosity of the game master trumps my getting cringed at how physically weak the ML is.

Although the ML is weak and rather uninteresting, the females roles here have quite a range of interesting characteristics. We have Usagi the mountain climber, Kuina the black belt transgender, Ann the police forensic lady and Mira the mysterious psycho. The show really picked up when they finally arrived at The Beach that supposedly hold all the answers the players needed. Or so it seem.

Anyway, this is a total survival story, don’t go expecting smooching romance or mindblowing fight choreographs. There are lots of blood, gun shoot-out and knife and sword slashings with occasional racy bedscenes among unimportant characters, and head’ss up for rather icky almost r@pe scene, though. So be advised.

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Chaebol Guide for Dummies

Your drama is brought to you by Maserati (long live the rich) and Eggdrop (long live the poor).

How should you perceive this drama?
Are you a K-drama expert who’s had enough of increasingly absurd makjangs? Do you dream of a credible storyline, coherent characters, well-built twists, and a hint of romance? Do you hate being treated like an idiot by a drama? Then you’re in the wrong place: run. Run far away! On the other hand, are you just stepping into the world of K-dramas, unfamiliar with its codes and references? Or do logic and consistency simply not matter to you? Are you ready to switch your brain off for twelve hours and accept whatever the script throws at your face? Then yes, this might actually interest you—and even entertain you. Or maybe you’re like me: you know all the mechanisms by heart, but you still take a perverse pleasure in analyzing everything. Deep down, it’s so ridiculous it becomes funny at times. A bit masochistic on the edges, enjoying watching how far a screenwriter can push your tolerance for nonsense? Then sit back comfortably. Here, we don’t just push the envelope—we launch it into orbit. We’re once again aiming for the stars of mediocrity. You start wondering if the script was written by Bozo the Clown.

Kang Yong-ho (Son Hyun-joo) is the powerful chairman and founder of the massive Choiseong conglomerate. He is a ruthless man, obsessed with control and the success of his empire. On the other side, Hwang Jun-hyeon (Lee Jun-young) is a young football prodigy who has just signed his first professional contract with a first-division club owned by the chaebol. Unfortunately, his fate takes a turn the day he is hit by the boss’s Maserati—but he wasn’t the driver. Miraculously surviving, his career is nonetheless over. Seeking justice inside Choiseong’s headquarters, the two men get caught in an improbable accident. When they wake up, the shock is total: Yong-ho’s soul ends up in Jun-hyeon’s body, while Jun-hyeon lies in a coma inside the chairman’s body. Taking advantage of the fact that everyone believes him to be on the brink of death (and unable to rule), and discovering internal conspiracies led by his own twin children to seize his empire, Chairman Kang decides to strike back from the shadows. Armed with his business genius but trapped in a 20-year-old body, he infiltrates his own company by starting from the bottom as a simple intern (rookie).

This story inevitably brings Reborn Rich to mind. Why? Because it’s written by the same author. One might have hoped for a pleasant surprise. The premise—blending corporate thriller with a soul-swap fantasy—offered a compelling dynamic: the forced immersion of a young footballer into the complex, ruthless world of a family conglomerate. The generational clash, financial stakes, and latent succession war formed an ideal launchpad, supported by a fast pace that immediately hooked the viewer. Unfortunately, this well-oiled machine doesn’t last. After the two-thirds mark, the script abandons whatever little rigor it had and collapses into exaggerated twists and heavy-handed makjang devices. My verdict is clear: the story has absolutely no backbone. Another issue is the relationship that develops, reminiscent of a “Marty McFly syndrome” (Back to the Future), since the romance between Jun-hyeon (inhabited by Yong-ho) and the chaebol’s youngest daughter Kang Bang-geul (Lee Joo-myung) is fundamentally impossible—which, of course, makes sense. One last note: the tone constantly swings between light comedy and heavy drama, but without any nuance.

To wrap up its many plotlines, the script chooses the easy way out, relying on artificial shortcuts. The most basic rules of logic—medical, legal, corporate, or even physical—are regularly ignored just to force the story forward. It completely sacrifices credibility for immediate narrative efficiency. Characters are discarded for the sake of twists that pile up in the final third of the drama and make little to no sense. This lack of rigor inevitably affects character psychology, leading to sudden 180-degree turns with no believable transition. Unlike Reborn Rich, which had a structured narrative, Reborn Rookie treats the viewer like an idiot from start to finish. One key point: no one is even remotely shocked that a simple footballer magically possesses the business and financial knowledge of someone with 30 years of experience.

Between forced redemption arcs and constant plot reversals, restraint simply does not exist in this drama—it would almost be considered a sin. I do have to acknowledge that the main actors do their job well, with a special mention to Jeon Hye-jin, a well-established figure who no longer has anything to prove. She is very convincing as the main antagonist (there are several). Son Hyun-joo appears only briefly (at the beginning and end) and mainly serves as moral justification. Lee Jun-young carries the drama with his usual conviction, even though he is not responsible for the nonsense his character is put through. Most situations are neither realistic nor credible. We are constantly dealing with exaggeration and narrative overreach, because in reality, the “rookies” behind this are actually the director/screenwriter duo. The writer has already delivered a string of underwhelming works, despite her reputation boost from The Penthouse, a reference in makjang drama. And you can clearly see the same tricks being reused here, clumsily. There is rhythm, yes, but only because everything is pushed into an escalation of increasingly ridiculous twists. In terms of tropes and clichés, it’s fully maxed out. For newcomers it might work; for me, I’ve had my fill.

So if you also want to learn how to become a chaebol CEO in six months starting from the bottom—and understand why no one will ever question your suddenly acquired “out-of-nowhere” skills—sit down and take notes. I was originally going to give it a 6, since I did enjoy dissecting all the absurd situations you can see coming from a mile away, especially when everything inevitably falls back into place. But the ending is so stupid, lazy, and predictable that I deduct a point. Of course, expect a moral code that pretends to reward resilience, where everyone gets the punishment they deserve… Just kidding. We’re in chaebol land—where conscience is bought like a luxury car. Nothing truly new under the sun of Korean fiction: this drama recycles overused tropes without ever trying to make them coherent. However, it remains a dynamic series that is easy to watch, especially if taken with a sense of irony as a catalogue of narrative absurdities. A flawed work, but one that still fulfills its entertainment purpose… or not.

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"The past belongs to the past"

I stumbled upon this story on YouTube, but it was hard to follow the episode order. So, I found the complete series on Rakuten.
Like a drug, I watched the entire 41-episode series in just six days. In short: a compelling plot, a great cast, and a wonderful soundtrack.

She is a journalist and he is a doctor; they fall in love, but she leaves him because of her "mother-in-law-to-be." Overcome with sadness, he agrees to move away to work as a doctor elsewhere and dies in an accident. His friend—who is also his cousin—is furious with her for having left him; he gives her a hard time but having promised him to protect her—he ends up saving her on several occasions. That is how they grow closer, and he begins to fall in love with her (he smiles just thinking about her).
This plot surprise me a lot. You think the ultimate couple is the one formed by the journalist and the doctor, but things change.
In any case, I expected the reason for her breakup with the doctor to be more serious—for instance, that the "mother-in-law" had gotten pregnant by her father, making them half-siblings, rather than it just being because she had been abandoned and harbored resentment toward her father (?!)—that way, the sudden and painful split from this poor, lovestruck doctor would have been more plausible.
Episodes 14 and 15 really got on my nerves because of the journalist friend—what an idiot, always just wanting money from her boyfriend, and he’s a fool for not dumping her and finding someone better! (That’s why the rating dropped from a 9 to an 8.)
It’s absolutely insane, the pressure parents put on their kids to get married! And that obligation to toast and drink until you puke is just appalling.
In Episode 19, that couple—her friends—are infuriating. She’s obsessed with the house and is materialistic to the core, while he bends over backwards and gets himself buried in debt for her... what fools! An insufferable couple.
The main pair, on the other hand, are wonderful: she’s now an independent architect, and he’s her serving knight. He’s sharp in business, kind and warm-hearted with family and acquaintances (the islanders), and attentive to her without making a show of it (visiting the island to celebrate her birthday, drumming up clients for her, dropping off a snack without making his presence known, picking her up from the police station with a lawyer in tow, keeping watch at the hospital, paying the restaurant bill...). He has eyes only for her and, after a while, subtly hints at his feelings—never pressuring her, but looking for signs of reciprocation, like when he asks her to come to the airport as he leaves for a business trip; it’s almost a test to see if she cares about him, too.
But it turns out that being too efficient and righteous doesn't spare him from the malice of social climbers and opportunists who get him arrested. It’s all the fault of the assistant (the male half of the couple of friends), who let a secret slip. What an idiot!
Episode 20 features romantic moments between the two. Now it’s her turn to investigate and clear his name. Unfortunately, he ends up sentenced to eight months in prison.
Episode 25: I couldn't wait for him to get out after those eight months and for them to reunite. The truth is, the experience has deeply changed him; he’s also been hurt by his father, who no longer recognizes him due to illness. He feels abandoned. Not to mention that he feels unworthy of her, believing he’s a nobody without his job.
Ep. 27: He acts like a jerk toward her, treating her badly to push her away while he investigates who framed him.
Ep. 28: It’s so sad; this poor guy first lost his best friend, then went to jail; after getting out, his father died; then he discovered from a diary that his estranged mother had passed away; he’s unemployed and has pushed away the woman he loves... *sigh*.
Note: He sets off in an orange car to visit his mother's grave but arrives in a black Lincoln (?!).
His cellmate is a good guy; he helps him figure out who sent him to prison. His relationship with her, however, isn't going well (she doesn't like his circle of friends and feels like a fish out of water).
Poor "Uncle's" daughter. She lost her son because of her husband; she’s unhappy and ignored by everyone—she’s lost weight, is depressed, and even attempted suicide. Thinking back to how bold she was at the start of the series, she’s really in a bad way now.
Just a small point: is there nothing else besides whisky?
Ep. 34: If he keeps trying to protect her by pushing her away, he’s only making her suffer for nothing—and he’ll lose her. She’s already a saint for having waited eight months and never stopped believing in him. Fingers crossed that things work out and they end up together. They are such a BEAUTIFUL couple.
Ep. 39: A joint wedding for these two couples? No thanks.
Her turning him down and making him wait makes perfect sense.
Ep. 40: He resigns and goes to work as her assistant and contrary to what I would have thought, she still doesn't accept him.
Ep. 41: Finally together, after so much heartache.
Perseverance has paid off. The island was a blessing, a sanctuary, and a crucial place for their reflection.
Even a few days after finishing the series, I find myself thinking about it.

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Loved this more than Part 1!

I reviewed Part 1, thinking I was leaving a review for both parts - but feel obligated to leave another since this part seems to be getting such low reviews. I really enjoyed this one! I'd heard that Part 2 was a waste of time but thought I'd give it a try and so glad I did. Jung Uk was ON POINT in this part and I enjoyed this FL a lot more (not necessarily the actress but the character herself). The FL in Part 1 is so wooden.. but in P2 she's a lot more fun. Part 1 had some good laughs mid-way but I laughed a lot more during Part 2 - so much so that I actually scared my cat a couple of times.

Anyway - watch both parts as they are both really good!

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Aligned

Su Jin Yuan (played by Sun Yi Ran) was a great character. Her acting was superb. I wish the older brother was the main male lead instead of the adopted Xie Yun Yan (played by Jerome Deng). Su Jin Yuan was misled by a guy who told her that he had information about her missing younger brother. This boyfriend was so abusive and they ended up killing each other, at the beginning of the drama; they both were reincarnated and she killed the boyfriend quickly. Su Jin Yuan was supposed to have married the older brother, Xiao Yun Xi (played by Ou Jing Xiao). Su Jin Yuan made up for her previous mistake by rescuing the Xiao family. She saved Xie Yun Yan, befriending a prince to tie him to the family, confronting the emperor and taking down the evil emperor who was not supposed to be on the throne. I did not like the main male lead, Xie Yun Yan; he was petty, jealous and he always got in the way of what Su Jin Yuan was trying to accomplish. Xie Yun Yan could not eve tell that the divine doctor Xi Jun Ning (played by Li Sheng Xuan) was a female.

This drama was good in every way, except for the main male character who I could not stand. The older brother was a good character. The divine female doctor was a very good character.

I watched Aligned Reverence twice.

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