Low-Key Revenge J-Drama

BURN DOWN THE HOUSE (Mitaraike, Enjou Suru) was an interesting Thriller / Mystery Revenge J-Drama series, but ultimately felt lacking to me. It started out with thrilling promises and a darkly intriguing premise, a mysterious house fire that tore a family a part and a girl seeking revenge and redemption for the life that was stolen from her, by a conniving future stepmother. This series seemed so fascinating but ultimately didn't really live up to the promises it made. It moved slowly and the "thrills" just weren't really there for me.

"Follows Anzu Murata, who— thirteen years after the home of the wealthy Mitarai family was burned in an mysterious and devastating fire— infiltrates the house of the Mitarais as a housekeeper in order to reclaim the house and family that was taken from her."

Overall, it was a cool series, but not quite as interesting as it had initially seemed it would be. I frequently felt distracted and uninterested as the series went on and its slower pacing came unexpected for being advertised as a thriller. The acting, settings and visuals were really good and the main character Anzu Murata was likeable and relatable as well. It was still worth a watch, but just expect something a bit more mild for the thriller genre.

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A Sweet & Funny J-Drama

ONLY JUST MARRIED (Tonin kodoke ni han wo oshita dake desu ga) is a sweet J-Drama Romcom that was worth the watch. Firstly I must say the male lead definitely under preformed here, in my opinion, and was just a huge let down. I don't really know the actor but he almost sunk this love ship. He was very hard to stand, with a few little instances of being "meh-okay" sprinkled throughout. Maybe it's just me? The female lead, however, (Akiha Ohkado, played by Nana Seino) was awesome, totally lovable and really grows on you though, so she definitely stole the show. She made it worth the watch and made it highly memorable. She's definitely an upcoming name to keep an eye out for in future years. Just loved hero much! So fun, quirky and genuinely down to earth.

Even though the male lead frequently grated on my nerves, the show was quite pleasant besides, with an assortment of interesting side characters as well, a few great settings and some cliché, but still enjoyable sub-plots. Overall, a good watch and pretty enjoyable show, mostly for the female lead's sake. The romance was alright in the end. =)

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A Political-Societal Drama about Elites

LOVELY VILLAIN was an interesting slow-burn Taiwanese thriller Drama. It felt like a slower-paced, socio-political drama mashup of "Stepford Wives", "Mean Girls", with commentarial undertones of the Korean movie Parasite. Don't be fooled into thinking it's merely a slice-of-life drama, about family life in a wealthy gated community. This series focuses heavily on inter-social-political relations and elistist power struggles. While the pacing of this did move a bit slowly, it certainly was intriguing and got better with time.

"While posing to be her rich upper class sister, Han Zhenzhen, moves her unhappy poor lower class family into an prestigious high-class community where she can't help but get involved in the power struggle for the position of community Chairman among with her female neighbors."

This series is all about politics, motivations and power. Rich vs. Poor. Upper Class vs. Lower Class. Psychological and political intrigue. The struggle for power and dominance drives this thriller. Alliances, factions, who to trust. The position of power is the "Chairman" or head of the community. The Chairman is given power in government and there is a brutal warring for this position and privilege. Not only power but title, reputation and prestige as well. A heirarchy ladder within the elitist group of wealthy people. Overall, this was a interesting watch and I'm glad I gave it a chance, as the intrigue developed over time and it gave a lot to ponder on.

[NOTE: There are some triggering images and themes, i.e. Suicide. Bullying. Rape/Sexual Assault. etc.

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A Love Triangle Between Two People

FALL IN LOVE was a short and cute romantic Cdrama with an interesting premise and likeable characters. Joey Chua playing Jing Zhi Xia, as Aizhe Hotel Director, was especially cute and memorable and in my opinion easily outshines her romantic love interest, the cold CEO of Fu Group, Fu Ze Yi, played by Kaizhong Xiao, who at times felt a bit (intentionally) bland, especially when in character of Fu Ze Yi, as opposed to Fu Zu Lin "Lin", his sweet musical alter ego. Of course, this was purposeful and I understand the reasoning behind it given the story. However, he eventually grew on me by the end and he did a good job of portraying dual character personalities, I must say.

The underlying story itself, however, was interesting. A love triangle between two people, is not something commonly thought of, but is what makes this series intriguing. While covering some underlining darker themes, (i.e. Trauma, repressed guilt, mental health etc.) the story is fairly light, comical and too often veers into predictable trope territory, which made the show less enjoyable for me. The darker elements were only rarely touched upon, not until the ending segment, while the cheesier trope scenes consist of much overused dramatic moments such as the male lead catching the female mid fall, right before she hits the ground or accidentally falling into a kiss, which to me felt outdated and corny. This series could have easily done without those overwrought scenes. The story concept, however, was brilliant and compelling, even if the handling of it wasn't always done perfectly, though the series definitely got better and more exciting as it progresses. So I recommend patience.

Otherwise, this was a fun little show. Something light hearted to watch between more stressful serious shows. Worth a chance, but nothing overly groundbreaking. The buildup and ending was very satisfying and there definitely were some scenes that were really clever and well imagined.

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MING DYNASTY 1566: Political Court Factions Drama

MING DYNASTY 1566 is a highly political drama of 46 episodes length. Unlike other dramas, this one focuses far less on inter personal relations, family affairs and characters and more so rather on the political stage of the time, the warring of court factions, and all the intricacies of the delicate balancing act of governance.

The story tells of a Ming Dynasty which is ruled by Emperor Jiajing and his court, over a Ming nation that now has an exploding economy and booming culture, but that golden age comes at a cost, and often times at a cost for the people of the country. It heavily focuses on how the Ming Dynasty courtiers and magistrates strive to produce more silk at behest of the Emperor (as well as tea and other high demand goods) for foreign nations, but must weigh the balance of domestic demands as well, navigating obstacles and disasters along the way. This drama might be incredibly slow to some, but is a very valuable work in terms of historical context, political understanding, and methods of governance. Very fascinating if you are into this sort of thing.

I highly recommend this series to those that value history, specifically Ming Dynasty era history, as well as those that have an intellectual interest in politics, court factions and methods of government. This was a series one must pay great attention in order to really grasp its story, but certainly an excellent one. Worth the watch.

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A Teen Body-Swap J-Drama

SWITCHED is a Japanese drama. Although rated M for mature, it did seem more aimed at teenaged audiences. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and I didn't mind the silliness amid the darker subject matter. However, I tend to agree with many reviewers about the offputting techno dance music feeling jarring and out of place in this drama. The sound director really botched this one up. I understand anime's usually fly with this kind of music and this series was inspired by webtoon/manga, not sure if there's an anime yet, so that kind of explains the vibe they we're going for. Even still, it was kind of obnoxious, even for a teen series. It just didn't fit.

Overall, this was a good series, not the greatest due to some predictable, and slightly problematic writing and the aforementioned music choices. Was worth a watch and had some good messages about living in another shoes and what not. It was entertaining, but had a lot of wasted potential, I felt. It only scratched the surface of what it might have achieved, and I'm not sure why it didn't go deeper. Still, it was worth a view. Definitely a well made series.

[NOTE: Kaga rocked!]

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A Compelling Crime Drama

VICTIMS'S GAME is a super compelling Taiwanese crime drama that spans only 8 episodes. I can only hope there will be future seasons coming, as hinted in the series, as this was certainly an exceptionally great drama series and one to remember. The characters were highly memorable and well acted. The plot engrossing and suspenseful. Great story and slow boiling plot that packs hard punches and deals with very painful subject matter, in a very tasteful way, all things considered. Dark and gritty, to be sure.

The main male lead, brilliant Fan Yi-Jen, (remarkably played by Hsiao-chaun Chang) is a forensic detective with ASD (Autism/Aspergers) and is compelled to investigate a specific case of serial killings with a strange connection to someone linked to him. Meanwhile, ambitious journalist Hsu Hai-Yin (playered by the charming Wei-Ning Hsu) is also drawn into to investigated the strange string of murders, at first for her ambitions but then for more compelling motives. The two form an unlikely alliance and this unique relationship a very good boost to the series. They are very likeable characters and gradually grew on me.

Both characters are excellently acted, bringing the two characters to life and cementing them in my mind. I could easily empathize with them, quirky and unique as they were. The character development was very strong and well done in this series. I'd happily watch more of Victim's Game, and Taiwanese Drama in the future. Although this was a really dark series and highly graphic depictions of murder victims, it was also really great, mysterious and compelling. Although a bit slower paced it was definitely worth the watch.

[NOTE: Trigger Warning. Suicide. Abuse. Violence. Gore. Bullying. Cancer. Language. Dark Adult themes. etc.]

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A Slow Burn Mystery

INFLUENCE was a very interesting Japanese mystery drama. Japanese drama's often have a very tasteful, classy and tender sense about them and this one is no exception. An author is contacted by a mysterious woman, in order to share her past story, in hopes of becoming a subject of the author's next novel. The mystery woman tells the story of three girls, one being herself, in their younger years, who were involved with each other at some point in time and ended up committing a string of exchange murders.

This drama was very well done and although slower paced for a mystery thriller title, it was very compelling and really brought you into the characters experiences in a realistic way. It was a very beautiful and moving story that keeps you on edge and ever guessing. Kudos for also being a femme-centric series, as well. Definitely memorable and worth the watch.

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An Entertaining Ride

RISKY was a short Japanese drama that slowly became more of an more intriguing series as it progressed. While not a super fast paced series, it certainly had it's moments of dark suspense and offered a good few twists along the way. The drama was well acted and framed and the story line itself was rather compelling, keeping the viewer on the edge until the ending. The cinematography itself was good as well, adding to the darker atmosphere.

I felt a bit let down with the ending myself, however it wasn't the worst. I just felt it could have been much better. While the acting was all very good and believable, the main female lead grew to be a bit dislikeable, and it was a bit hard to root for her in the end. Otherwise, this was an intriguing series. Great to try if looking for a short Japanese suspense drama. It's only 7 episodes long. Worth a try.

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Anthology of Arthouse Bizarre

PERSONA was a well-made Korean anthology of stories, but due to the one episode length span of each story there is only so much that can be conveyed in terms of character development and depth, and only so much that can take place, per story, so they don't really hit too deep not as other Korean dramas might, but they were still well made and acted, visually stunning and intriguing. In my opinion the writing struggled in these episodes, but do give the viewer pause to think.

Worth the watch mainly for the quality of the production and the acting by Eun-Ji Lee (IU) and Bae Doona, as well as the capable directing and visual effects.

LOVE SET [5/10]
COLLECTOR [7/10]
KISS BURN [8/10]
WALKING AT NIGHT [8/10]

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A Thrilling Crime Drama

COPYCAT KILLER is an excellent Taiwanese crime drama with only 10 episodes so far. Perhaps a second season is coming? This series was exceptionally made, well-written, and well acted as well, with the exception of having a fairly unmemorable main lead. Usually this is a fatal crime for a good drama, but considering all else was top notch and excellent quality, and considering how much enjoyment (engagement) this caused from me, I can't honestly dock it any points. This was a really great show, albeit quite dark and gruesome. The story itself was thrilling and intriguing, with twists and turns to keep viewers ever guessing.

I mainly enjoyed the entire cast except, as many others have said as well, the main lead. For me he just felt underwhelmingly portrayed and very bland, as well as underdeveloped. There were only a few times which one might see glimpses of deeper working of the character. I understand he was intended to be portrayed as detatched and cold for a reason, since work is his life and he grieves a dark past, as well as the loss of a dear relationship. But ultimately the character felt deeply lacking and hard to connect with, and I wasn't very impressive with his portrayal. The remaining cast were all really great, all giving vivid and memorable performances.

I highly recommend to fans of international mystery and crime drama series, especially if you don't mind brutality, murders, violence, sexual assault, gore, and other dark, triggering subject matters. This drama is about serial killers, and graphically depicts deceased women in various twisted forms of death. Very intense, and yet dark series.

[NOTE: Trigger Warning. Murder. Violence. Rape / Sexual Assault. Abuse. Torture. Language. Dark Adult themes. etc.]

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A Republic Era C-Drama

LOST IN 1949 is a Chinese Historical Drama featuring Communist spy rings, espionage, familial bonds, brotherhood, romance, and slice of life in the Chinese Republican Era, year 1948-1949, building up to the day of reckoning for the country's corrupt elite class.

I should first give a warning here, as the topic of Communism can be generally inflammatory subject here in the West. So be warned that this is a very PRO-Communist drama and obviously going to be biased to that end. Hopefully negative reviews won't be written because of that fact alone. However, I personally feel that regardless of your political stance on the topic of Communism as an effective form of governance or not, the series was a completely engrossing and compelling watch and offers reasonable and understandable causes for the drive of the people's movement towards Communism in those days. This drama portrays a highly romanticized, dramatic and somewhat nationalistic take on political tensions, war and Communism in China in the year of 1949.

"On New Year's Day in 1949, female accountant Huang Liwen returns to her hometown Shanghai in order to commemorate her husband and comrade's death. As a newly turned Communist agent, she is ordered to obtain valuable information for the Communist Party and aid them in their quest for liberation. During her mission, Liwen is reunited with her family members, and becomes acquainted with the savy streetwise Qiao Zhicai(Chen Kun) and his younger twin brother Qiao Lijie, who turns out to be a key player in Huang Liwen's mission."

This series contains two of my favorite Chinese Stars, the infinately captivating Chen Kun (Qiao Zhi Cai & Qiao Li Jie) and the wonderful Regina Wan / Wan Qian (Huang Li Wen), both of whom shine here, though the former really steals the show. Chen Kun is a sheer genius and master of his craft and an absolute joy to watch. And per his usual, he was phenomenal. This review will possibly become a rant now...

This series was highly engrossing after a few episodes it really picked up. There is certainly a lot of world and character building, political intrigue and dialogue, family and romantic tensions and relationship conflicts, misunderstandings, etc, but it still kept me hooked, mainly in part by Chen Kun's ever dynamic presence. It's definitely more of a slow burn drama, rather than a thriller as I had been somewhat expecting based on the description and subject matter. The costumes and production were stunning and really capture the Era well, for what one might expect. The entire cast were excellent really.

I've now watched so many of Chen Kun's projects and am ALWAYS, ALWAYS blown away by his performances. He is an absolute force to reckoned with, a literal genius in my personal and humble opinion. He is on a whole next level than many performing actors these days (compared to many actors both in the East and in the West), and never fails to impress, and not simply because of his gorgeous features, dashing charisma and intense presence. He can make a viewer go from laughing to crying easily within seconds, offering up very effective and memorable performances. I honestly can't praise him enough, as this review probably shows...whoops.

Anyways. In LOST IN 1949, Chen Kun plays two characters, the twin brothers Qiao Zhi Cai and Qiao Li Jie, with absolute skill and genius. His vast range as an actor was really put to the test when the two brothers frequently interact with each other and the world around them. You get to see two really different characters played by a single man and honestly it did feel like watching two separate men in their respective parts. Hmmm...Does he have a real life twin? Or a clone? The point being, he's incredibly believable and deliciously entertaining to watch. And did I mention hilarious? While this isn't listed as a comedy, he is incredibly hilarious here, playing both the quirky and lovable, streetwise Qiao Zhi Cai, as well as the cool and awkward physicist, Qiao Li Jie. Many comedic coincidences ensue.

While the first few episodes might move a bit slowly, this series is a rather short drama in the grand scheme of C-Drama's, lasing only 46 episodes. Typical dramas could range around 80-100 eps. And these 46 episodes blew past me in no time and left me wishing for more.

As for qualms, I have very little for this series. One issue would be the writing / handling of Regina Wan's character, Huang Li Wen, towards the later part of the series. She started off very well balanced. Strong and yet hinting at deeper vulnerability and pain. In the later part, she seemed to become very bland and distant and consumed by her vulnerabilities, loosing some of her previously earned wit and strength of character. I have no doubt that has nothing to do with Regina's acting skill, as she is very talented actress indeed, but rather the writing direction chosen for her character. While her circumstances were understandably difficult, I wish she'd been given a bit more time to shine again before the series had ended. Perhaps this series could have been longer? Or perhaps it has been previously edited down and thus some of her character arc was missing.

Overall, finding this gem was a huge win for me. While not perfect, I can't bear to dock it any points. 10 stars because I was kept highly entertained throughout. When not engrossed in the espionage plots and communist tasks, I was kept amused with wonderful characters developing and interacting. Both Romance and Family were key central elements. Hence, I greatly enjoyed almost everything about this series, the story, the portrayal of the Era, the costumes and settings, the atmosphere, the chemistry between characters, all the cast was excellent, even the main theme song was pretty catchy and likeable. Most of all the masterful Chen Kun and intelligent Regina Wan were a sheer delight to watch onscreen with great chemistry. Really loved this drama and super glad I had stumbled across it free and subbed on Youtube.

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Tense, Political Romance

THE REBEL PRINCESS was really such a captivating drama. While the title of this series may be a bit misleading to some, there were so many aspects that I loved about this one, among them being the excellent writing, the steller cast and performances, the accurate and mesmerizing costumes and settings, and wonderful music. I have to say the writing and the characters really made this series for me. The characters were all dynamic and the superb acting made this one just irresistible to watch. For me, binge worthy...

The story is about a naive, somewhat spoiled Princess "Awu" Wang Xuan (Zhang Zi Yi) whose luxurious life is suddenly altered by her arranged marriage to the fearsome yet noble General Xiao Qi (Zhou Yi Wei) a common man of low birth newly conferred as a Prince, with growing power in the world stage through his vast military strength. The series follows the aftermath of this fated union as the world soon goes into chaos, as the noblility increasingly fears the growing power of the commoners, namely their leader, General Xiao Qi.

The story was really compelling and the settings were sometimes gorgeous and other times gritty, yet eye catching and superbly realistic throughout. One of my biggest praises is that the drama never felt that it leaned too heavily into common tropes. Lots of red herrings, as well. There were times when I said to myself "Welp, I know where this is going..." and then, it didn't go there at all, or there was a twist to the scene and it went the complete opposite direction. Really well done. That alone made this series a much needed breath of fresh air.

The relationships between characters was so believable and utterly palpable. The family dynamic is deeply contemplated here with Princess Awu at the center of many conflicts and dangers. The bonds of the Wang Clan were at time deeply touching, while other times, simply terrifying. While not a character of typical strength, whether physical or military strength, Princess Awu is exceedingly strong and gifted in her own manner and she was a very noble, worthy character. Fierce, brave, noble, merciful, loyal and cunning, albeit a bit tender-hearted, which made her character all the more endearing and realistic. Simply a great portrayal.

As for the romance between the main couple, Princess Wang Xuan "Awu" played by the stunning and yet subtle Zhang Zi Yi, and General Xiao Qi played by the brilliant Zhou Yi Wei. Both characters were excellent, and acting great, though it was the character of Xiao Qi that truly shines and stood out. I can't think of a better written or acted "General" character in recent years. He was able to seem both fierce and gentle, both powerful and humble. He commanded both respect and fear from those around him. A truly compelling and enigmatic hero. A brilliant and memorable portrayal. He played such an absolutely great role here and totally blew my expectations out of the water!

I truly loved the main couple and their dynamic relationship. Never did it feel corny, like some romances do. It was a natural realistic relationship with powerful chemistry to back it up, between the actors, as well as the written characters. It could be sensed both in body language (glances, posturing, displays of affection), in dialogue (tenderness, teasing, mutual respect) and in action as well (defense, trust, mutual alliance). The love that developed seemed so natural, and can be felt in almost every shared scene. The romance that bloomed from nothing, truly pulls you in and warms your heart, as well as becomes the cause of much suspense during the twists and turns that follow. And there there are many.

The entire cast was really excellent, all playing realistic imperfect characters, many morally grey and others simply memorable or unpredictable. This drama is highly political and compels the viewer to analyze characters and their individual motivations as well as interpersonal relationships. Morally grey characters abound and some act spontaneous while others plan their schemes years ahead.

Since there are many episodes of court politics, schemes and intrigue, the pacing did feel quite slower towards the middle. So in that way, it was a slow-burn, which might not be appealing to some. And as others have said, the subtitles and translations aren't the greastes, but for me that never gave me pause or slowed me down.

Notable mentions were the characters of Prime Minister Wang Lin (Yu He Wei), Awu's father, who was a deeply shrewd and cunning character, Prince Jianxia Wang Su Yu (Jia Yi Ping) Awu's brother, who was flawed yet understandable, Empress Dowager Wang Haun Xi (Shi Ke) was devious and yet pitable, Crown Prince Ma Zi Long (Guo Jia Ming) who was first despicable then somewhat commendable, Pan Gui (Cao Jun), loyal and clever, Helan Zhen (Yuan Hong) who was vengeful and obsessive, Yu Xiu (Drolma Suijun) sweet and heroic, Hu Lao (Hai Ling) and General Hu Guang Lie (Hou Xiao) who were loyal siblings that served under Xiao Qi, as well as Su Jin Er (Liu Yun), Xie Wan Ru (Zuo Xiao Qing), Prince Ma ZiDan (Tony Yang), General Song Huai En (Liu Duan Duan), and the Emperor (Jiang Kai) who was a very believable Emperor. Aslo, I must say, the baby (multiple babies?) that played Jing'er was really cute!

Overall, this series was a very good find, filled with court politics, love and war. It was an excellent story, with an exceptional cast, playing diverse characters and great writing that made it less predictable than other series out there. The costumes and sets were outlandishly great, though sometimes the story was slower paced, and lower grade subtitles (not great but easily overlooked). While, the title might feel a bit misleading, (don't expect a Mulan/she-warrior/rebel type story here) it certainly didn't disappoint in any way.

This was such a wonderful C-Drama that was deeply complex and memorable, especially if you like to see epic power struggles, plotting and scheming, assassins and military battles, as well as a memorable power couple...with a strong, heroic male lead along with a cunning, strategic main lead female, each supporting one another. Loved this one. <3.

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Three Kingdoms Era, Political Romance

SECRET OF THE THREE KINGDOMS was a really wonderful series. There was so much to enjoy, least of all the maturity of the writing (story, dialogue, characters) that felt like a breath of fresh air. This is a strong drama that easily holds its own amongst the floods of historical dramas, very memorable and compelling. While it does start out interesting, the first few episodes can be a bit slow but act as staging for the rest of the series. Perservere and the drama grows into something more epic. There felt to be a little of everything here. Drama, Politics, Mystery, Romance and even a little Action at times.

Everything was simply amazing, from the story premise, to the beautiful costumes, to the excellent casting, to character chemistry, to the stirring music (in later episodes). The writing throughout always felt fresh and never confined by the usual C-Drama tropes. In fact, there were quite a few unusual aspects or at least less common to dramas such as hero POV being male rather than typical "female heroine get sucked into royal politics" trope, the sensitive male hero also (as seen in Liu Ping / Liu Xie) also isn't very common, especially in historical dramas were the typical "strong man" (as well as the warriors, strategists and politicians) reign supreme. Also, his character personality traits emphasize kindness, honesty, morality, mercy, gentleness, forgiveness, patience, tenderness etc...things not usually portayed as qualities in history dramas (and usually not by men). He is often cited negatively by other characters as having too much "womanly benevolence", but this quality indeed makes him strong throughout the series, an admirable aspect, as well as being trope defying. The power dynamics in the couple are also noteworthy as equals, balanced, with strength and weakness well matched.

Ma Tianyu (Ice Fantasy, Vigilantes in Masks) was brilliant as his (dual) role (Commoner Liu Ping / Emperor Liu Xie) and is really great in this series. He has a genuine boyish kindness and sensitivity that shines through, giving his truly noble character more authenticy and his onscreen chemistry with the fiercely intelligent Empress Fu Shou (played by Regina Wan / Wan Qian) was very believable, not to mention the epic bromance shared between he & and his onscreen foster brother, the ever cunning yet charming and charismatic Sima Yi / Zhong Da (played by Elvis Han).

Also, can I just say? The Empress Fu Shou (Regina Wan / Wan Qian) was one of the most powerful and convincing "Empress" characters I've seen to date, brilliant, fierce, cunning, regal, determined, loyal, ruthless when she needed to be, self-restrained but never subdued, an amazing display of badass feminine power and brilliance. Overall such a well-written and wonderfully acted character! And gorgeous to boot.

Also, the character of Sima Yi / Zhong Da (Elvis Han) must be mentioned because he was also another great character giving much to the show, especially in terms of charm, intelligence, sassiness and sarcasm. Always bold and headstrong, but fiercely loyal and entertaining. He was such a well-written and acted character as well. Loved the brother's dynamic. And he was so hilarious at times. Just a natural charmer to be sure!

The list of characters and their wonderful actors goes on and on, but among them
Commoner Liu Ping / Emoeror Liu Xie (Ma Tian Yu), Empress Fu Shou (Wan Qian), Sima Yi / Zhong Da (Elvis Han), Libationer Guo Jia (played by Sunny Wang), Imperial Consort Tang Ying (played by Dong Jie).

Others that are highly memorable are the characters of Lady Ren Hong Chang (Dong Xuan), Cao Pi (Tan Jian Ci), Yang Xiu (Wang Meng), General Cao Cao (Gardner Tse), Xun Yu (Wang Ren Jun), Cao Jie (Wang Yu Wen), Cao Zhi (Liu Yu Han), and Magistrate Man Chong (Tu Yan) and so many others. Really great casting!

In this series there are a lot of moving pieces, political scheming, strategies, hidden motivations, dynamics between characters. It's very engaging and mentally stimulating to follow along and try to read characters intentions. This series has a very strong story plot and cast. There is something to mention about this series, namely that it doesn't seek to emotionally manipulate it's viewers. For hardcore drama fans, that is an aspect that rarely we can escape from in Dramaland and might feel like a bit of change at first. Sometimes soapy melodramatic shows tend to elicit strong reactions initially but can feel manipulative at times. That's not always a bad thing but can feel tiring and under handed.

Therefore, I really loved how this show is not like that at all. It's telling a story and a very good one at that. It doesn't need to rely on half baked, kneejeek manipulative actions to keep viewers hooked. It does it's story telling well. Aside from that, the casting was really great with so many great actors well suited to their roles. I really loved so many of them. Even many of the "bad guys" were relatable and compelling. Everyone has their own motivations, desires, end game. It was great to watch this one!

Overall I definitely recommend viewers give this one a chance! Especially if you are a fan of slow burn Political, Historical, Three Kingdoms Era, C-Drama's. There's a little bit of everything in this one.

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Started Strong, but Fizzled out.

ANNA, for me, was a missed target. A real let down, to be honest. It really could have been great, but completely missed the mark. Now the confusing thing is there were things about the show that were actually pretty great, for example an intriguing premise with endless possibilities and a lot of room for suspense, and the cinematography and artistic eye behind the camera made the show eye-catching and great to watch. Quality.

Starting the series I felt for sure it would turn out to be a real gem, a wonderful suspensful and dramatic show, full of twists and turns. Why? Because it just looks so good, like you can feel right off the bat that a lot of care went into it. It's quality and has high production value, great visuals, great music, intriguing premise, a big actress starring in it, strong supporting cast. What could go wrong?

First of all, for me this wasn't actually a suspense, mystery, thriller drama. The pacing was almost incredibly slow. And listen, I love a good slow burn mystery drama. Intellectual, political, psychological. Those can be great, some of the greatest really. So I don't even think that the fact the marketing misled me on the genre description as the fault of this show failing in my view...

It's difficult to explain why it missed the mark exactly, except maybe that it was lacking in some key ingredient that make for an excellent drama recipe. Namely character development and character acting. After watching the show, I can honestly say I still didn't really feel any attachment to Lee Yu Mi, the main character, played by Kpop idol Bae Suzy. By no means do I mean to bash on her acting ability, but to me her portrayal of her role felt so bland and dry. Boring, unmemorable and somewhat irritating. Sterile, unemotional, robotic. I don't think this was her best work, though certainly not her wirst either.

I felt like the director maybe should have guided her more, encouraged a better performance or at least a different variety expressions and reactions. Often it felt to me that she was just not invested in her role at all, or maybe she thought the same expression would carry her through the show. And truly that fact itself, that it didn't carry her is saying something too, because she's quite lovely to look at, but that certainly doesn't mean she was suited to the role and in my opinion, she definitely wasn't.

Now, in Bae Suzy's defense, a weak character can also happen in series as short as this one (6-8ep), given much less time to develop onscreen and hence less time to connect with the audience, especially given there are other characters, other moving pieces and plotlines also needing sufficient screen time, so perhaps the short length was partly the reason why. And while I admit, I haven't seen many series with this lead Actress, Bae Suzy, in it, I am certainly well aware of her high status and reknown, especially in Korea. And I'm sure she's great in other shows, and certainly as a singer, which is how she started and gained her popularity and fans. So no hate, truly.

However, this series just didn't endear me to her. I'm not trying to criticize her, personally. I'm sure she's a great actress in other things. I'm thinking the writers here didn't do her character justice or perhaps they encouraged a more subdued, muted performance for whatever reason, which definitely wasn't the course to go. For me, I rarely felt attachment or concern for the characters, but least of all for her, which is definitely not a good thing for a drama. The Main Lead is someone the viewer needs to bond to, connect with, vibe with and root for. The supporting cast made her character appear even weaker, by how strong they all were. Also, another thing of note was that the two younger actors for the same character (both the child and adolescent) were more memorable than she was in their respective roles.

The character of Yoo Mi felt often like a passive doormat and then at random intervals more like a sly manipulator, someone you can pity but not admire or relate to. And there didn't seem to be any given reason for this behavior or growth from it, no redemptive path. It was a pity, because this could have been a stronge feminist character with morally ambiguous motives and vast range of character development. Instead, I felt myself rooting for the moral secondary character, the political journalist, Han Ji Won and more interested in the charasmatic and selfish character of Lee Hyun Joo. At least they both felt more dynamic and more dimensional.

I must also add before closing, the premise was indeed quite intriguing and I admire dramas that offer social commentary and make room for deeper intellectual discourse. This series was definitely good in that way. There is much to be said and to analize here about human behavior, human nature, tendancies that can worsen, the evolution of a lie, how ego and hubris can effect identidy, how one lie can turn to many, and eventually spark an all consuming fire that inevitably destroys. The ripple effect, the consequences of that one lie. The reality that sinks in. Really some good ideas to chew on...

Anyway, all this to say this good show felt weighted down by weaker acting, a weak lead character that never had the chance to develope onscreen, perhaps poor casting choices, poor character development/writing and honestly a pretty weak ending. A beautiful face does not equate to a powerful or skillful actor. A great famous singer does not equate to a great actress. Great acting can be hindered by poor direction and writing. A great show or work of art can be hindered by poor editing. Perhaps this show would have been superb with different circumstances. Overall, this was more of a dissapointing watch for me and didn't live up to what I felt it could have been. Very conflicted about this drama.

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