Reviews

Very good, despite being a Jin Yong story. ;-P

I loved this, most of the time.
I'm not going to talk about how good of an adaptation it is, because I've not read the story and there are other reviews for that.
I'll say though - some people mention that the characters were altered and "wicked" ones were made more sympathetic. That it "dilutes" the story that was originally much more cynical.
Well thanks for that, thank goodness!
It's a Jin Yong story, so you know it's gonna end tragically, and it sure does. But I appreciated that it was made lighter and less depressing throughout.
I will also say that I still hate the everpresent wuxia concept of heroic sacrifice of life/happiness for duty.
OK, wuxia blasphemy over.
Overall thoughts before a list of random stuff: The show is well done and works on almost every level. Its look is quite striking - contrasty and mostly well and interestingly lit. The fights are well choreographed, but sometimes suffer from overly rapid edits and quick cuts, it's disorienting. The truly important moments deliver the impact. Music is actually memorable. The characters are well defined and most of them complex. The actors have great chemistry and even the child actors for Hu Fei and Xiaomei were very good and entertaining. There's some dodgy dubbing, Peter Ho's character for instance and the two little sons. Most main characters sound very good though.
Random thoughts:
- buddhism is fucking dumb and cowardly
- all this love and all of it unfulfilled, almost like that's one of themes. Still salty about it tho.
- poison girl is bae, in every adaptation of these stories I've watched actually. Loved her.
- Hu Fei has a thing for strong girls who tell him what to do. I can relate.
- Qin Jun Jie actually looks like he could fight, an extremely rare thing for a wuxia protagonist lately. Sad, but we take those.

I'll probably rewatch this someday, because it's genuinely good. But man, I might just turn it off a bit before the very end.

Read More

Try it for yourself before making judgments

I went into this show with spoilers. I knew what was going to happen and I knew how it would end.
I'm one of THOSE people.
That being said, after reading multiple reviews about this show I was sad to find that many say "don't watch it". They point out all the flaws and none of the good points. Does it have flaws? Yes; why is she a former athlete? What got her into the funeral gig? Why all the deaths but not a lot of explanation/follow through? None of these questions are really answered. Especially one really sad death involving apparent murder/suicide.

However, I thoroughly enjoyed this drama. The ML /FL were great and the romance was sweet and even though there was an annoying ex involved at one point, it made sense to me that they be there. The side characters were just what they were meant to be, funny or serious, family, friends, shoulders to lean on. This drama showed depression and growth of a character to have a past and move forward out of it. You'll read that the worst episodes are the final 4. Yes, they suck, but if you go into it blind, they suck because of the shock factor. If you pay attention, it all really makes sense. The final death especially. The mission she had to complete had to end. Of course with the death of a beloved character. How else could she move on in her own personal life? While it was incredibly sad, it was perfect in my opinion. The final death makes sense to me. So does the "villian".

Again, maybe because of the shock value people didn't understand......I got it. It absolutely made sense to me who the villian was and why. The acting was on point as well...do all psychopaths seem like psychopaths at first glance? Are they actually crazy or is there an upbringing that contributes to it. Watch the show and see for yourselves. If you do and you still hate it, fine, that's your choice. But please, give it a chance with all I've said kept in mind.

9 out of 10 for a few storyline glitches.

Read More

the beauty of youth

im not really old enough to be reminiscing about the youth yet, im not even the age of the characters in 1999, however i have my perspective on it.

this drama had such a new storyline that i hadn’t seen before and it had really taught me a lot,
the need to treasure this moment in time. (as a carat i have to reference the song ‘ima - if the world ends tomorrow’)

its very realistic (minus the time travelling), just a middle aged couple going through what many have to go through in life. and such a beautiful reconnection.

now i don’t think i have the right to comment on how tearful it is either as i cry at even the least emotional parts of dramas, but this will definitely make you shed a few tears. the relationship between jin joo and her mother made me cry waterfalls. it really made me reflect on how i should treat and carry on treating my parents now, and even after i get married as nothing lasts forever.

time to talk about the casting. long story short, it was perfect. from the main couple to the second lead, even to the support characters, it was amazing.

nam gil was just so perfectly casted but also written. one of the biggest second lead syndromes ever. he wasn’t snobby, wasn’t rude and was always there for jin joo that sometimes u will wish they get together.

i 100% recommend this drama. its refreshing, makes you think a lot, makes you cry a lot but most importantly makes you smile at how incredible it is.

Read More

This is not for me...especially the Main Romance

I don’t usually write a review of a dropped drama, but I figured this could be helpful to others who feel the same way. Is this a horrible drama? No, not really. But it’s not enough to keep me wanting to continue on and there are elements I don’t enjoy that are central to the plot.

Disclaimer:
I am a romance lover. Romance (whether it is a main plot or subplot) can make or break a drama for me. If I love the main romance, I can overlook some flaws.
Not always a fan of noona romance (older woman/younger man). I want to give this drama a chance because of Xiao Zhan. The only other noona romance I can think of that’s similar and I liked is “The Rational Life”. But I watched that years ago, and I might not like it as much if I were to watch it today.

Let’s start with what I Like:

Strong Female Leads - Stories about women in their 30s can be inconsistent. Dramas claim they are independent and mature, but their actions tell a different story. However, Jian Bing (FL) and Liang Shan Shan (2FL) prove to be the minority. Through their actions, thoughts and feelings within the first 18 episodes that I watched, they are truly mature and independent. They don’t rely on men to provide them with happiness. They live for themselves and are professional when at work.

Acting - There’s really nothing for me to pick on in terms of acting. From what I’ve seen so far, the main and supporting cast deliver good performances. I was especially impressed with the veteran performance from ML’s parents when they were having a big argument. I bet that sequence was done in one shot as the way they yell at each other seems so real.

Make-up - It’s lovely to see a drama without white filters, strong backlighting or white thick foundation on the actors' faces. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Xiao Zhao look so ‘real’. Everyone just looks normal and in character.


That’s all I can think of. And now with the negatives and why I can’t continue on.

Main Romance - As I mentioned, the main romance can make or break a drama for me. Unfortunately, this romance is giving me similar vibes as “Go Go Squid 2”, another drama I dropped. Sheng Yan (ML) is a mature 26-year old at work. He was professional and knows enough to keep his mouth shut and to Fake It Till he Makes it (<-- a little plug of another drama who has an excellent romance LOL). However, when it comes to love, he is a little puppy, always following FL around. And because FL is such a mature woman, his puppy eyes stop being cute after the first few episodes. I dropped “Go Go Squid 2” for this same reason. I like an unrequited love, but for that to last so long, when ML is a mature adult at work, seems off to me. I like a slow burn romance, but not when I don’t feel any romantic chemistry between the leads and when they are so different in the stages of their lives. They seem more like sister/brother or mentor/mentee to me. Maybe the romance develops into something beautiful in the second half of the drama, but at ep 18, it is not motivating me to continue on.

Plot - The pace is also quite slow. 36 episodes are way too long. There isn’t much happening in the first 18 episodes, and nothing different. I do appreciate the story of a female (and badass) director. Everything that happened is predictable. I don’t think this is supposed to be a slice-of-life drama, thus, I expect more from the plot. Are there touching moments? Yes. Is it well-acted? Yes. Does it make me hit the “play” button next? No. As a binge watcher, this is a big indicator of when the drama is not for me.


This review is super subjective and I am sure many love this drama. To me, I was expecting more and it didn’t deliver. It’s not a bad drama, just not enough for me to continue on when there are too many other dramas waiting for me.


Completed: 9/30/2023 - Review #360

Read More

LOMON MASTERCLASS ?

I have literally JUST ended this drama rn and am writing this review first thing after finishing the last episode. And truth be told, I'm in AWE and have chills literally even rn.??

WHAT.AN.AMAZING.DRAMA.

Now you all might be thinking why have I not given it a 10 when I'm hailing such high praises for this drama. Well there's a valid reason for that.
The ending.
That 0.5 that I decided to deduct from the overall score is solely cuz of the way they chose to end this series. Just to make it clear, by no means am I saying that it's a "bad" ending. Nah, it's a decent ending. HOWEVER, there could've been a BETTER alternative ending to this show, which I personally believe would have gotten this drama a perfect score from a lot of viewer. Anyways I'll stop talking about the ending now cuz I don't want yall to get the wrong idea and chose not to watch the series cuz of a possibly bad ending. cuz that'll be a big loss on your end tbh.
All in all, this series is a masterpiece. That's all I really am able to say right now. It's the webtoon done right.


Don't sleep on this one guys, trust.

Read More

Jang Bong Hwan fot the Queen!

Altho i did not agree with the ending completely cuz Jang Bong Hwan should have stayed in the body of Kim So Yeong to be forever with the King Cheol Jong, after all he loved him and im my humble opinion they were meant to be, but.. i can understand why it ended/concluded the way it did. The story was very funny, endearing, thought through, entertaining and mostly lingering. I did love it, i shared my laugh and tears. I do not regret watching it but i do regret not savouring it more. The sound effects were funny and music pretty on point. Acting was immaculate and i believed them every line of the script. I was immersed in the story and the characters. Truly spectacular kdrama to watch.

Read More

Standard BL series

Reviews show really high scores (titles read; remarkable, a masterpiece, life changing- -so I watched it...), I'm more critical. I found the show pretty standard, no surprises. I did a lot of fast forwarding through all the food and eating scenes-- there were a lot! I'm glad the directors moved past the trope of viewing girls as 'less than', but I was REALLY disappointed when ML said "I thought you said you didn't like boys" and the other one replied "Because it's you."
The music should have been something more current for a younger audience, I didn't think orchestra matched the mood and sometimes it was louder than the dialog.
I watched it on WeTV

Read More

I don't feel guilty dropping this drama...

I really tried to watch this drama because I enjoy Zhang Han and male-led ensemble series, but after a while it felt like a waste of my time. The initial premise of four male friends is pretty simple, but quickly became boring. I wanted to enjoy the enemies-to-lovers romance between Tong Yu (Zhang Han) and Xu Duo (Wang Xiao Chen), but her pettiness got on my nerves, and the whole group of them were very immature given that they are well into their late 30s. The other male leads weren't that interesting and so their romances dragged on.

The Korean drama, A Gentleman's Dignity, would be the closest comparison and I really enjoyed it years ago. Each of the leads had distinct differences and very different story arcs, but were all similarly successful.

Read More

What a little surprise!

I usually don't watch such short formats.Right or wrong, i always think it will be a waste of time(despite the very short length )because either the budget is limited,or cannot give a satisfactory story.

This one really impressed me.I liked it very much mostly because i like the Era and the Spy theme.
I don't know their budget but definitely nothing seemed cheap.On the contrary.The visuals are really good,the direction was on point,music fitted perfectly.There are some issues with the editing and the acting wasn't for seminar but..ok!

The two eye candies were adorable!I have seen one of them in "The Blood of Youth" but the other is new to me.
Either way,they both wear their suits with such elegance and look so fine in them,i was distracted most of the time and could easily overlook all the flaws,lol.

You can tell,there is a story here.Yes unfortunately it is not detailed enough.We don't get any background and we know nothing about our protagonists past.It is like they were thrown to the present and we follow the story,onwards.So it is better to set your brain in the relax mode and don't ask many questions cause you won't get many answers!
The start is a bit confusing but nothing to give you a hard time.

It has many silly moments.And many funny moments.Few serious and many sweet too!The fight scenes were good,especially those in the last episode were trully amazing.Also the iconic scene from Goblin,which is copied so many times in so many dramas is here too,and is done right.I really enjoyed it.The leads have chemistry and it shows.I spent a very pleasant afternoon.

I know many wondering whether this is a BL or not.This is my opinion.
It is an unquestionable BL in disguise.an untagged Censored Adaptation Of Same-sex,a heavy bromance.Call it what you like.Noone can tell me those two don't have romantic feelings for each other.You can't officially call The Devil Judge a BL.It isn't though??Same here!If this was longer and had few kisses too,it would be a perfect 10!
Give it a try!

Read More

Depressing

"Faithful" serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by women throughout history, from ancient times to the present day. In eras past, when a woman faced violation, the blame often fell squarely on her shoulders, while the perpetrators went unpunished. Though progress has been made in the modern world, women still bear the burden of proof, while powerful individuals can wield influence and wealth to evade accountability, even in the face of multiple accusations. This injustice persists in our society, regardless of cultural or temporal context.

Following the loss of her best friend, Lin Rulan (Hu Yixuan), Meng Wan (Janice Wu) seeks retribution for the wrongs committed by Wu Lian (Qiao Zhenyu) against Lin Rulan, herself, and numerous other girls at the Embroidery Academy. Meng Wan patiently awaits seven years to attain the status necessary to infiltrate the influential circle of individuals crucial to her plan to bring down Wu Lian.

Meng Wan assembles a group of six like-minded individuals, all of whom have crossed paths with Wu Lian and are determined to settle their scores with him. Their collective goal is to ensure that Wu Lian faces justice and to prevent him from causing further harm to young girls. Despite his history of abhorrent behavior, Wu Lian has thus far evaded punishment. Meng Wan is resolute in her mission to hold him accountable, so that he can no longer inflict harm on anyone else.

The story unfolds in a captivating back-and-forth timeline, blending present-day events with pertinent pieces of the past for added depth and context. This approach not only maintains clarity but also infuses an extra layer of intrigue compared to conventional storytelling formats. As the drama approaches its climactic confrontation with the villain, the narrative attempts to provide a rationale for his actions based on his traumatic childhood experiences. While his eventual fate is anticipated, this attempt at justification seems unnecessary to me and, for some viewers, could even be deemed offensive as this is an obvious case of whitewashing.

The Chinese title, "The Nine Virtuous Ones," encompasses the first seven individuals, while the additional two remain less evident, having not initially stood alongside the others. The acting is generally commendable, though certain scenes suffer from lackluster execution. Notably, during a pivotal moment involving a burning of one of the “seven”, the urgency to save her is blatantly missing. Some logical inconsistencies and plot holes are apparent.

The primary story concludes at episode 24, with episode 25 presenting an alternate tale centered on the same characters, exploring a what-if scenario. Everything in this alternate reality hinges on Wu Lian, speculating how events might have unfolded differently had he not experienced a troubled upbringing. The notion that predatory behavior may be attributed to a traumatic childhood is a subject of ongoing debate. Personally, I find such a narrative unconvincing and, at times, chauvinistic.

My Verdict

The story mirrors a present-day "Me Too" scenario, wherein a predator of young women enjoys impunity through collusion with corrupt officials. The powerful evade justice, while the victims are left voiceless, shattered, and even deceased. Sadly, this system still persists in our lives today, where wrongdoers often evade consequences and show no remorse. Due to potentially distressing content, viewer discretion is advised.

Read More

This series is full of magic and love

I adored this series, love the actors and the leads chemistry is great. The storyline fit and showed emotion, ups and downs and good character growth. I wish it had a bit more then one kiss but lots of beautiful touching moments. My only downside was the leads parents, which I found to be very messed up with forcing Tain to do schooling at the end in USA instead of letting him pick where he wanted to go. Sadly the parents were the only downside to the series not allowing him to live his own life. The series is a must watch and look forward to future stories as well, loved it.

Read More

A great drama can go downhill in a second

my journey to you is one example where a superb good drama can slip downhill in a secon. damn this drama starting with a great steps imho. the character was so satisfying, the costumes is feast to eyes, and the most importan is the cinematography! it was amazing.. dark yet aesthetic, even there is time when i think that this one is drama with best cinematography as far as i can remember. so… my mistake to having a high expectation, after some episode the story getting draggy, the weak-mainlead not having character improvements at all, at first i think he was gonna becoming zero-to-hero character, but again despite all that happen in story he becoming more dull, blame the poor plot for that.

Read More

Best so farrrr

This is my first review I've ever written..but I can't keep calm this series is fab.
I'll start with my fav sand and ray omg!!!! Acting 100 chemistry 100 they got everything what this series demand
I'm not big fan of force and book but they were also good ..and they have same typical story line but it's okay there acting made it look good.
I'm not interested in other couples but they are good.
First and khautong I hope they do more projects in future ...they look so good together.....
I'm watching this series only for them and it is worth it
Do watch
I'm gonna watch it back when it ends.

Read More

Irrelevant to the title

When I first heard about this series, I knew I had to add it to my PTW list. I was even more excited when I saw the lineup. However, I can understand why one of the tags for Han River Police is comedy. Initially, I thought the series would focus on various situations that occur at the river, including heartbreaking ones like suicide (as South Korea unfortunately has many such cases, particularly at the Han River). I thought it would be a great idea to explore this beloved place in Seoul, where many people have experienced both interesting and sad events. I believe this could reflect reality and be an excellent way for the writer to incorporate different cases. I was thinking along the lines of First Responders, but with the rescue team being the main focus here.

However, after watching all six episodes, I am quite disappointed with the overall execution of the drama. . It felt more like a movie, and it ended the way I expected a movie to end. I also had trouble connecting with the characters because they were not fleshed out enough. Even though there were only six episodes, there was still enough time to ensure sufficient character arc. Unfortunately, the show focused too much on one particular case involving the main antagonists and some of the protagonists, leaving little room to explore other themes. It felt like watching an action movie, with numerous fights and a drug smuggling organization typical of thriller films. I watched the last few episodes and thought, "This has nothing to do with the Han River lol."

Overall, I enjoyed the show to some extent, and I must give credit to Lee Sang Yi, who played a villain role here. I had never seen him in this kind of role before, and he did an excellent job. I'm used to seeing him play goofy and friendly characters in other dramas, so it was a refreshing experience to see him go full 180 degrees in this one.

Despite my criticisms of this series, if you are a fan of Sang Yi and want to see him play a ruthless man, check this one out!

Read More