Reviews

Korean Drama at it's best

What I liked:

1. I almost missed this marvelous series because–who wants to watch a drama about the daily grind of a bunch of ordinary office workers in a large corporation in Korea? I gave it a try because of the high ratings, and I’m so glad I did. This story is absorbing.

2. It’s hard to single out any one actor because everyone’s work was outstanding. How Ling Sun-min is able to convey a whole world of emotion with his poker face is almost beyond comprehension. Im Si-wan’s acting was also remarkable. His character and confidence level subtly change as the story progresses.

3. The plot was unpredictable, but believable–at least until the ending, which I’ll get to below.

4. Another great feature is that the cast consists (mostly) of characters who look like ordinary people, not glamorous movie stars.

What I didn’t like:

1. Hey guys! Movie makers have an unwritten contract with the audience. If the film starts out as a horror film, it shouldn’t suddenly change into SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS. If it begins as a musical comedy it shouldn’t suddenly turn into a crime drama.

Sure, surprises within certain boundaries are fine, but you don’t undermine the fictional world you’ve set up by pulling the rug out from under the viewers. This series does that.

For some reason, the directors decided to change things up at the last moment. And suddenly we were all watching RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARC.

Next time wait until the credits roll before you move on to the next project. I deducted one star because of episode 20.

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Closure, moving on and still longing

Looking at Go Soo's pretty face with beautiful hair while enjoying a drama with so much depth that it drowns you in it. I loved the first season but it's unusual that I enjoyed the 2nd season even more!

What worked is that this really is a continuation to the first part in the lives of the living characters, but also a whole new story when it came to the other side. Like the first season, the concept of the drama itself is extremely sad but the focus of the drama is about closure. Despite all they face, the characters are very light hearted and won't waste a moment where they can be goofy and happy. The first season built the relationship and trust between characters, and it was shown this season through their bonds and dependence of one another. The cast built even better chemistry and seeing them interact is a lot of fun.

That is why it never felt melodramatic despite its many crying worthy scenes.

Another theme this drama presents is how family bonds aren't determined by blood but by action. And even in the most terrible event you don't have a family anymore, you can still join another one and find reasons to continue living.

The ending was a bit underwhelming but also opened many possibilities.

I highly recommend this drama to everyone, but of course after watching the first season

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May/December Romance with off the charts chemistry!

This mature, slow-burn Republic-era drama isn’t for everyone. But if you want to invest in a love story for the ages, set against the glamorous, treacherous backdrop of mob-controlled Shanghai, then my friend… this is for you. 💙

The chemistry between Jing Tian and Xu Weizhou ( Timmy Xu) have ruined me. 🥵

This isn't sweet fluff; it's slow-burn, heart-pounding, skin-tingling TENSION. He's the younger, reckless military heir with a fierce, masculine intensity. She's the elegant, poised governess 🫣 Together? FIRE.🔥Their glorious May-December dynamic works because his raw passion meets her sophisticated cunning as an equal in every war they wage.

💋 AND THE AESTHETIC. SWOON. The qipaos, the wavy, silky hairstyles, the smoky cabarets and opulent mansions, it’s a visually stunning feast. Jing Tian in those dresses is a goddess. 💋

🎥 The cinematography is award-worthy, painting every frame with palpable atmosphere. It transformed the smoky jazz clubs and the neon glow of Shanghai's streets into living, breathing spaces.

🥺 You could almost smell the astringent cleanliness of the hospital corridors and feel the hazy veil of opium chaining the characters to their inescapable fate.

💕 In the opening sequence, as they danced, the world itself melted away, the universe had no room for anyone but them. ❤️

These elements were so vividly rendered that they became characters in their own right. This is true cinematography, where every set and scene breathes with its own life, its own distinct personality.

🫣 But be warned: if you like your villains purely evil and your heroes perfectly just, look elsewhere. The characters are masterfully crafted in shades of moral grey; you'll find yourself understanding them more than you ever wanted to, which only deepens their compelling stories.

⚠️ This isn't a binge; (although I did) it's a savoring. Get lost in the intricate web of family business and revenge, cheer for a house of formidable women, and scream into a pillow over two people who should be enemies falling in love in a world of danger and deceit.

If you want aesthetic, angst, and atomic-level chemistry… THIS IS IT. My brain is still in 1920s Shanghai. 😭

Bonus it’s streaming in so many platforms…Viki, WeTv, Tencent and Prime

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Loved it!

There is nothing wrong to appreciate a drama I liked!

So, basically a young general is obsessed with a countryside girl, who is pretty young. Though everyone look down on her , she is good at both dance and medicine. Her elegancy is on another level! Some people will find out it as an exaggeration as she has cured those patients who didn't cure even by western medicines. But I think for this it is called a drama because we always want to watch something fantasy through dramas.

It actually has some room of improvements also. This drama's kissing scenes frequency was too much that it actually was losing it's worth unknowingly! It was pissing me off a little bit. This story has a little bit flaw in my opinion . For example, the young general was always trying to convince his brothers fiance to become his women which is okay. But when she asked him that will he marry her he rejected her like did he expect that he will use her? I didn't like this matter much. In the whole drama whenever he was kissing her she was literally crying all the time. Bro, it wasn't consensual at all and there is no way that you are gonna deny that it was a FREAKING sexual harassment!

However, Though it has many flaws, still it is a drama contained with fantasy. So I just enjoyed it and this matters to me the most!

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