MY FAVORITE ROMCOM OF 2023

I'M GOING TO MISS THIS SERIES SOOOO BADLY. ??

The narration is non-linear so each episode was a treat for me. I thoroughly enjoyed analyzing and trying to predict what would happen next, only to be amazed at how things are revealed.

And that was a VERY satisfying and full-packed finale.

Thank you, screenwriter and PD-nim for this masterpiece.

Thank you as well to all the actors and production crew who served their best in every episode.

EVERYONE ACTED SOOOOO WELL IN THIS DRAMA, ESPECIALLY THE MAIN LEADS!!!

Jo Bo Ah, Kim Seok Woo/Rowoon, it was a privilege watching your craft every week. Thank you very much. I love you! ?

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Did not live up to the hype

The whole production was amazing- cinematography, ost, scoring, production design, etc. BUT the love line really did not make sense to me. It felt too pushed for fans’ sake. The writing on the second lead’s ending was too lackluster, it’s like the writer gave up on the character to save Yeo Jin Goo some face, as obviously he got overshadowed by Lee Do Hyeon as a character and as an actor (c’mon, let’s all agree on that).

Plus this drama’s ghost stories as fillers were too obvious as fillers. It’s like watching a variety show with an MC introducing the fillers one by one because it’s THAT obvious. It took a lot of screentime too that you’d eventually realize that the main plot was actually very short and so-so if you take out all the ghost stories.

If you came for the hype, then by all means watch it. The cinematography was definitely astounding. Its novelty was also commendable, I truly learned a lot about Korean folklore, thanks to the characters. BUT don’t expect it to watch a Best Drama contender for Baeksang because that’s definitely not what you’ll get, unlike what the rating promises. Acting was so-so too, a bit disappointing actually since you have Yeo Jin Goo and IU as the main leads. Lee Do Hyeon stole the show.

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Disappointing and wasted potential

This drama started really, REALLY well. It was deserving of all the initial hype. The editing, cinematography, and plot coupled with great scoring were unprecedented. However, everything got thrown away at around ep 12. The writing became too sloppy that the characters seemed liked hypocrites. So much for character development huh. Plus the last 2 episodes? What was that even? It’s like the writer didn’t know how to end things well, so he used his webtoon experience and just whisked whatever plot twists he had in mind, capitalizing on what most fans wanted to see. That in the process it lost coherence, logic, and brilliance. Acting-wise, the actors were stellar. But everything else about this drama was just plain disappointment, especially the romance. It was almost disgusting and seemingly a mere afterthought.

I wanted to appease myself with the fact that it’s the first drama of the screenwriter anyway, but no, he just created a very big damage to the story that it’s beyond forgivable.

I would not recommend this to friends without a big warning. Watch at your own risk.

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And we rose along with the Moon upon the River

River Where the Moon Rises had “news” and “issues” plastered in it since its inception.
Starting from the casting news where both Kang HaNeul and Son YeJin rejected the offer due to schedule conflict but with the former offering to appear for a cameo, the COVID-19 protocols which affected their filming, Hanbok versus Hanfu debacle on social media, the Jisoo controversy, and the drastic casting of Na In Woo which also entailed refilming the entire drama altogether— all of which were apparently key ingredients into making a phenomenal project that proved to everyone how great team work could weather any storm. This production was composed of actors and staff whose main priority is their craft. Their professionalism really transcends and for that, as a viewer, I am very grateful.

This notwithstanding, I would like to convey my opinion about the drama without delving into the above in order to make this as unbiased as possible.

STORY:
As an international viewer, I started the drama without any idea on either the historical figure Princess Pyeonggang or the folktale regarding On Dal the Fool and the Princess of Goguryeo. I also prevented myself from reading the story in the middle of watching the show to maintain the curiosity I have of their story.

With that, I actually liked the story. It was novel to me— a self-proclaimed avid sageuk fan. Goguryeo is an era that I truly want to explore but have few to no materials to begin with. That’s why having this drama around quenched my thirst for that empire.

STORY-TELLING:
The technique that the PD chose was not particularly a breath of fresh air, but impactful nonetheless. Especially with the initial episodes, the introduction of the story was truly enticing that a viewer would certainly get attached to several key characters instantly. It’s not necessarily gripping or suspense-filled, but it has enough pull to let you decide at the onset that you’re in for the ride.

What he missed though, or perhaps, the subbers, was to provide the viewers a bit more insight as to who the characters are on the show or what exactly the issues were in the first place. He might have considered that foreigners who have zero knowledge on korean history are also watching it. The issues tackled were great but it would have been better if more explanation or introduction at least, was given. There were even simple things that could support this, for example, I was already on ep 18 when I found out that “Gochuga” is a royal name for the head of the Gyeru tribe and not just Go Won Pyo’s nickname; or the names of the council members and all other characters could have been introduced as text as well so to guide the viewers instead of relying on Google to search for their characters’ names— may be minor details but worth highlighted on.

I also understand that there were moments that were too somber and could need a help on good scoring to execute the necessary emotions, but the music and timing didn’t fit well (which I would love to tackle more deeply later). Moreover, the quality of the cinematography had to suffer a bit due to budget issues caused by refilming. Although the show’s cinematography DID NOT really suffer per se, the difference between the delivery from the first 6 episodes as compared to the subsequent ones, was almost glaring. You can tell that lesser camera angles were used so they could film more hastily. Again, it did not affect the drama that much but you can still feel the budget cuts.

SCORING:
To have a big scale sageuk, one would naturally expect that the soundtrack would also live up to the standards set. But here, sadly, it did not. Yes, it had a good list of official soundtracks but none of them left a mark on me. None of them was legendary— which is almost a requirement to every korean historical drama.

It made me think that perhaps, this is because of the small number of songs they have available. That the editors were left with little option on which to match the scenes with. Granting that this is true, why would this be so? Why allow your drama to be limited with a short list of songs to choose from? Why allow your drama to have sub-standard scoring?

I say this coming from someone who felt irked in a few scenes, not only did the timing of the songs was not perfect, the song played did not also help to convince me that the Musical Scorer did his best with the task given.

ACTING:
I may have complaints about the musical scoring, but there’s definitely nothing to whine about this show in terms of acting. All of them—- from the main leads down to the supporting roles, even to Dal Gang the dog, did their part very well. Everyone gave justice to the characters and for that, I bow my hat off to everyone.

As much as I would love to discuss the delivery of each character, I would instead focus on the two main characters: Pyeonggang and On Dal.

Pyeonggang:
Kim So Hyun as Princess Pyeonggang and Gajin (and Queen Yeon) just proved to the kdrama land that she is definitely the best actress of her generation. Her professionalism transcends beyond the tv screens. Unknown to some, it was not only the drama that underwent turmoil. So Hyun herself had a lot of things to deal with personally upon starting the show. She did not only have to learn how to play 3 different characters, but she also had to take care of her business by changing agencies in the middle of filming. This means that she had to deal with the legal aspect as a signed actress, as well as having to let go of the staff she had worked for years and build rapport for the new ones assigned to her. She also had to promote two shows back to back— RWTMR and Love Alarm 2. This could also be the very reason why she seemed unfazed when the refilming controversy surfaced and still managed to show up at work in high spirits, like nothing could deter her from finishing this drama beautifully. She’s been through a lot before! Haha

Regarding KSH’s acting though, I understand that she envisioned Pyeonggang as this stoic and determined person, but how I wish she had loosened herself up in some scenes. I could name a few number of scenes where I wished PG would somehow change her facial expression from stoic to something more endearing. However, she really did great overall. The fighting scenes were convincing, powerful, and laudible.

Romance-wise, this drama has been her best so far. Perhaps owing to the fact that Inwoo and her had an unexpected electrifying chemistry that made me appreciate how God managed to remove Jisoo out of the picture to give way for Inwoo. Their fate had proven to be stronger than anything else. They were really born to make their chemistry ooze on the screens. Kudos, KSH for such portrayal.

On Dal:
Jisoo as On Dal was supposedly very good. In fact, I really thought that On Dal was the best character Jisoo had ever played in his entire career. Everything about his portrayal was natural— we had a mischievous, funny, and smitten On Dal before our very eyes. But when In Woo came and showed us his interpretation of On Dal, a rather different interpretation if I may emphasize, our lenses as viewers truly had to adjust to the change, and I for one, really enjoyed and appreciated the adjustments.

In Woo portrayed On Dal as this naive, gentle, soft, emotional, and just purely good-natured human being. Very different from that of Ji Soo’s but the better interpretation in my opinion. Na In Woo singlehandedly took the focus from Pyeonggang (or Go Geon for that matter, Lee Ji Hoon really had a commanding presence) and demanded it be placed unto him. He made the story his own, his character his own, and the loveline his own. Na In Woo, in every sense of the word, did justice to his character, and HE IS ON DAL.

I would also like to emphasize how I’m in awe of his courage to take on a very controversial drama and allow himself to undergo the hurdles laid before him, without ever making others feel that he came unprepared. He did so well, exceeded everyone’s expectations that most of us wished he was casted as On Dal from the very beginning. He truly has a bright future ahead of him and I’m looking forward to see him reach the top.

WRITING:
There were definitely a number of things worth pointing out but I honestly do not mind them that much. Contrary to others’ opinion, the characters were very consistent and I had no qualms in how the writer made it so.
What I have for the writer instead was admiration, that he was flexible and humble enough to assent to the needed change for his story. The PD had graciously shared his gratefulness for the Writer who conceded to the tweaking he asked particularly for the ending, and I commend him for that because the story still wrapped beautifully. In fact, watching the series makes you feel that it did not go through all those things that it went through. Definitely thanks to the Writer and the PD who worked great together.


OVERALL:
This drama is a very good sageuk. All the elements are there to let you remember it for a long time. Rewatch value is also great. Please have a try and watch this masterpiece.

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I'll definitely see you again in this life.

It's been almost a month since this ended so I can finally rate this without bias.

The series started out very great--- with a strong plot, very compelling characters (especially the child actors! ???), nice cinematography, and a realistic portrayal of the 90s. The wealthy truly looked affluent, and the middle class appeared like one.

Despite it being just 12 eps, however, it still felt draggy and long. The pacing in the first half was really good but the middle towards the end were filled with scenes with almost zero dialogue, just the character feeling the moment. The scoring didn't help too (although their OSTs still haunt me till this day).
It felt like the director focused on the start and end of the series but didn't pay much attention from the middle part leading to the finale.

Yes, I found the chemistry of the leads very good (in contrast to some who found it unappealing), but perhaps the screenwriter/webtoon writer wanted to prepare an onion-like of drama, with several layers to be peeled, only to have underwhelming parts as they kept peeling.

The drama had its greatest moments, but also meh moments. Nonetheless, I loved it. I appreciated all the efforts made to create it. And for that I'm grateful. ?
I'll always remember this as that drama whose younger version made me cry a lot (like Missing You in 2012!), and whose older versions taught me how to become a better adult.

To anyone hesitating on watching this, this is your sign to go start that first ep. I hope you also have tissues within reach, just in case. ?

P.S. Grief and loss tags are proper. It's a huge part of the story, so better prepare

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An unexpectedly well-done series

I rode The Last Empress bus thinking that all I’d get is comedy and absurd plot to go with it. But ohhh la la, this series was wayyyy more than that. The series looked so expensive! Every detail screams “high budget!” The props, set, cinematography, color grading, OSTs, and writing definitely weren’t just whisked together purely for fun. That surprisingly, the screenwriters had an an amazing and well-executed plot prepared for all the people who decided to hop on. And the acting? Wow, the leads definitely did not just come to play. They came to slay.

Unlike what the trailers promised, I’ve had my own moments of tears, especially at the finale episode. There were several tear jerkers here and there but surprisingly, only a few comedic scenes actually— and most of them were Shin Sung Rok’s who, I can confidently say, owned the show. Ohh I’ll talk more about him later.

Writing wasn’t perfect but the “WTF” moments can pass as comedic relief or could easily be forgiven for the drama’s fast pacing. The 26 episodes went by so quickly for the writers did not unnecessarily latch on any specific issue. Yes, the central issue loomed over the minor ones but at least the minor details didn’t drag on and end up being pointless like in some dramas.

Despite its facade of a fun drama, the issues they tackled could trigger several emotions especially aiming at personal values. The moral lessons on true love, family, and human dignity were too spot on that they’d keep moving your moral compass. Thankfully, we have a protagonist whose morals are intact and cannot be easily swayed with a little shower of affection, yet knows when and how to forgive. Traits that we could all try to emulate.

There was also no unnecessary romance (although that Hello and Prince Yoon stint somehow came out of nowhere. Definitely needed more build up for their love’s depth to be understandable) but admittedly this drama offered a lot of rooms for debate on who likes who or who truly loves who. However, the writers were smart enough not to dwell on any of those. It’s up to the viewers to read between the lines and to take the depicted scenes with a grain of salt. They just played with ambiguity with a dose that I can tolerate.

And now comes acting:
1. JANG NA RA— Let’s not compare her depiction here with her previous roles for it could spark issues that I refuse to discuss. What matters is that she really brought all her cards to the table in portraying Oh Sunny. Her moods were infectious—- she’s happy, we feel happy too; she’s sad, we feel broken too; she’s ready to wreak havoc, we’re on her boat too. Writing-wise, however, I just felt like her almost seamless adjustment into the Empress role was way too... convenient and unrealistic? Or did I just assume that she’s supposed to have a hard time adjusting considering she lived in poverty and had a regular commoner education?

Well, the thing is, we weren’t shown a Sunny who was struggling to fit in the palace. What we got instead was a ray of sunshine and regal Sunny who seemed to have the palace customs and protocols already ingrained in her system—- a case that we don’t often see in dramas with similar story of a commoner marrying into a royalty. That threw me off several times. She seemed to always know what to do next and is well-versed in surviving in the palace, as if she’s been living there for years. But props to the writer on how Sunny was made to deal with Lee Hyeok’s death. She was neither unnecessarily distraught nor shamelessly apathetic. She’s just sad. She felt the loss of a husband she once held dear and has accepted to have genuinely loved her in his remaining days. She was sad for the what-could-have-beens had he survived to live a much better life... with her.

2. CHOI JIN HYUK—- Gotta be honest, I’ve had the loudest laugh in the entire series at that scene where it panned out from original Na Wang Shik to Chon Woo Bin. Gosh! I did not pay attention to the trailers of who CJH is going to be that that the above-mentioned transition really made me burst out laughing. Writing-wise, there were a looot of unrealistic things brewed into building the character of Chon Woo Bin that I encourage you to no longer process much to avoid headache. Take them as this drama’s offer to the comedy deities. So, don’t dwell on them any longer for your own sake please.

While CJH definitely carried the role well almost seamlessly, his end was totally anticlimactic. It was such a non-deserved exit to the main narrative that I had to look for clues as to why the production did that. I found out that the drama got extended to four more episodes and CJH could not continue filming the extension due to conflicting filming schedules with his other project. While it was a not-so beautiful exit to the hero of the series, well, I must say, the writers did an amazing shift of focus from him to the Emperor that the viewers had no time to protest about Na Wang Shik’s departure style.

And that leaves us with 3. SHIN SUNG ROK—- He started out as the scariest villain and left the series as the beloved Pyeha. If there’s one character in the series that the writer tediously worked on making it greatly developed, then that would be Emperor Lee Hyeok. His childhood scars were shown well to make a clear connection with his personality disorder. And his insecurities were well-written that you’d understand why he’s turned into a monster. All of these could have been overlooked if not for SSR’ brilliant portrayal of the many layers of Emperor Lee Hyeok. He was a psycho when he had to, and was cute as that giant affectionate baby whom we couldn’t help but adore.

Moreover, his effortless power dressing really made us all believe he’s a real Emperor. He just looked sooooo good in the entire series that I began questioning my style in men. Before the show, I did not even consider SSR as my type of handsome but boom! The first episode made me grow a crush on him that gradually blossomed into love as the series finished. Truly, we all came for Choi Jin Hyuk but ended up leaving with a big Shin Sung Rok placard stuck on our foreheads.

4. The rest of the supporting cast did great. Almost everyone was excellent and stayed true to their character. Standouts, however, were Crown Princess Ari, Chief Assistant Min Yura, and also the villainess Empress Dowager Eun Ran who was annoying when needed to be, and funny when the script called for it. I just can’t unsee her stark resemblance though to Kim Sung Kyun [of Reply 1988 (Junghwan’s father) and The Fiery Priest fame].


In conclusion, the series had redefined our standards of dramas “on crack”. This was a rare fast-paced comedic and revenge themed drama with a VERY expensive production. You’re surely in for a treat. Just come with zero expectations and standards so you’ll understand what I mean.

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The show that will satiate your cravings for Action, Crime Mystery, and Drama

What a very clever writing and stellar acting! This, people, is how a drama should be. The amalgamation of all the top ingredients turned this into a masterpiece.

Writing: 10/10
OST: 10/10
Cinematography: 10/10
Filming technique: 10/10
Acting: 100/10!!!

I may have boarded a different romantic ship but the ending satisfied me nonetheless. The FL’s character still doesn’t sit well with me and I kinda feel bad that she ended up with the show’s greatest character.

Overall, what matters is that the issues were all resolved and the story arcs were well-delivered. Makes me question why this drama didn’t receive the hype that it deserved. All thanks to SeonHo’s skyrocketing popularity, this show has been given another chance to prove how well-done it is.

My only concern though was that I did not really get on the love line. I understand that most people with the same situation would naturally create feelings for each other but my personal values did not totally buy the couple that was pushed by the Writer. To me, had it been ended by just a Senior-Junior relationship between the two, I would have understood it way better. However, just when I thought the pairing would leave me more what ifs and questions, the Writer brilliantly included such and portrayed how my worries aren’ worth worrying for afterall. Haha!

Thank you, Writer-nim and PD-nim for this masterpiece. Everyone shone in this series. I even rooted and cried for the bad guys. My heart goes out to everyone introduced and I’d take pieces of them where ever I go. You made me love taking trains even more. Really excited for your next project! Please hurry and come back to us with your next amazing creation.

P.S. To my favorite character, Ma Ri. I am rooting for you! You are not alone, sweetie. You’ve done great and you will continue to prove to everyone your brilliance and competence. Someday, you’ll also find your true love who would trust the depth of your love and loyalty. Someone who would fear to lose and hurt you. Continue kicking ass, Ma Ri-ya!

PPS. I came back to remove a point from my originally 10/10 rating. It didn’t feel right to give it a 10/10 when I disliked the FL’s character so much. The things she did were still unforgivable in my eyes. She’s just lucky she is surrounded by considerate, forgiving, and understanding people who were all charmed by whatever it is that they see in her.

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Painful to watch as a k-celeb fan

Doona gives you a glimpse of the harsh realities that idols and celebrities face as a consequence of fame.
It was really painful, can't help but imagine the idols I've been following in order to keep me happy, are merely treated as pawns and products by their agencies. That in the process, they lose themselves and just tolerate this treatment just to keep them afloat.

The series was sad, real, and somber, but it also plants a seed of hope that everything will be alright as long as you chase happiness.

The relationships depicted were 10/10. Their dialogues, for being so raw and uncurared, 100/10. Chemistry? 1000/10!!!
What a great comeback for both Yang Se Jong and Suzy in the small screen. OST and scoring was also very good. Cinematography and production design was also.veryyy good.

Overall, what a great binge-worthy series. Finished all the 9episodes in one day.



P.S. I thank Suzy for accepting this project. It was a bit hard for a SayA to watch her seemingly reenacting what MissA's relationship was like behind the scenes.

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An underwhelming sequel to a phenomenal predecessor

Love Alarm 2, how should I remember thee?

The execution was okay, the actors were great, but this season felt like a whole different drama. Had this not been introduced as a sequel to THE phenomenal Love Alarm (2019), I would have not set my expectation high, only to be let down big time.

Could it be because the director changed? Perhaps so.
This new guy/girl really had a different take and interpretation of the story from the previous director. Even the filming style, cinematography, and scoring that we really loved during the previous season (which were even considered the catalyst to the success of it), was not followed through properly here.

This sequel just felt so underwhelming in a lot of ways.

Now, regarding the script. I understand that the main author of the webtoon already decided the endgame, but making or watching it in live-action just wasn’t convincing enough. Not even to me who understands Jojo’s plight and the choices she’s made thus far. Here, her relationship with Hyeyoung just felt too contrived and Sunoh was deliberately written to be more rude and emotionally challenged than he was 5 years before. If this was the writer’s intention then he/she nailed it, at the expense of good storytelling.

Moreover, I just wish there’s more depth to Jojo’s love story with Hyeyoung as I honestly enjoyed their quiet and little bubble. Maybe the sudden introduction of them as a couple who is already together for quite some time, has started the disconnect of the audience from the story. In the first season, we were still at the part where Jojo is starting to consider Hyeyoung’s feelings towards her. We’re still AT THE BEGINNING PHASE, and yet here, the two have been clearly together for quite a while which possibly threw most of the audience off. Not everyone is as ecstatic to join the “very sudden” boat as nothing has been laid down yet for people to understand how it all reached such point.

Nonetheless, this is still a pretty enjoyable end to the great Love Alarm story. However, I still definitely prefer the first season more in terms of filming technique. That was really a very good high school drama worth remembering for the great scenes it gifted the drama-land.

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