Reviews

TRS walks too far down the path of a fantasy rom-com before deciding it does not want to be one

First, some friendly words:
The music was on point (much better than say in The Crowned Clown).
The few fight scenes were fine.
The emotional scenes were well made (except for any deaths). In general, the production staff did a fine job.
Most of the actors were decently chosen for their roles (but all politicians were weak/unremarkable).


The first maybe 40% of the show are a generic Cinderella fantasy rom-com. The little attempted comedy isn't funny too often, but the leads and their chemistry are alright. After that though, there is so much dragging and nonsense, before it eventually culminates in something like a Wikipedia article. In hindsight, I just want my lifetime and sanity back.


== FULL-ON SPOILERS & COMPLAINTS FROM HERE ==

The core issue of the show is that it wants to both be a Love In The Moonlight- or Tale Of Nokdu-esque pure fantasy show, but then at the same time match the tragic real story to get those tear glands going. While it's still a romcom, you not only have the very silly secret Maidumminati organization of moon-sourced court lady villains complete with death temple and ninja girl assassination squads — but most importantly, only while it is a romcom, the FL has agency. The FL does things. The FL makes things happen and is pretty much the center of the story. The FL (of course) is a sassy FL that talks back to her king-to-be, yet at the same time they save each other's lives numerous times (through competence & effort!).
Admittedly there is a bit of puffing about the initial villain having set up the FL with the ML from her childhood on with the hopes of spying on him, as well as using their affection to prove he desires the king's "property", but that goes nowhere.
These characters they show us could just dandily shack up together in some royal arrangement, make babies, and live happily ever after. We don't even have an angry grandmother-dowager opposing this union! There is literally no obstacle to this union besides them opening their mouths to converse about it and ... the plot, its writer, and actual history.

Alas, the historical background to force into this is "this court lady rejected the king twice, and then at some point 15 years down the road she gets pregnant a bunch of times, and even tragically dies while pregnant; the king loved her a lot though".

Supposedly the real historical maid/consort (FL) had reasons like "I can't become your concubine if your actual wife hasn't born any children", but since Junho must stay pure and virginal for his one true love, no actress is even cast as his life-long historical wife. She is mentioned in passing like once or twice, and that's it.

So what do you do as a writer? Obviously, the FL does not want to be his wifey because.. well, dunno? Because she doesn't love him? Unfortunately they already showed that she did, so let's go for the next best thing: pretending not to love him. Even better, make it some grand parable about womens' rights. A poorly-treated palace maid has the freedom to go out to the market once per month, she can leave the palace for a short bit, wow, such independence in-between being forced to do menial jobs and being mistreated by those higher up! Meanwhile, a concubine/consort with maids of her own can't leave the palace at all! The horror! She only has one freedom left:
¯\(°_o)/¯ Loving the king sincerely, but not admitting to it. (⊙_⊙;)
It's one of the dumbestestest things I've ever seen in television.

As the FL refuses a reasonable happily-ever-after for very poorly defined, poorly expressed, and barely if at all comprehensible reasons, the ML is forced to wed the SML's 12 year old sister, but because Junho (ahistorically) does not want to be a pedophile, she (historically) dies of overwhelming sadness, and that makes SML turn into an insane traitor with a private army of ninja man assassination guards. For that stuff he (historically) is not beheaded, even though he really should have been, and not even exiled into far-away thorny shrubs – only so that he can later be an allegedly-not-scheming emo kid lurking around the palace to either get some power back, or have the FL for himself as a form of consolation prize because the ML can't (yet) have her. Ultimately he stays alive for a bit merely to send a truthful letter to the ML about how the FL and not him dutifully saved him a very long time ago. This whole arc is a waste of screen time.

In summary, TRS' FL repeatedly refuses the ML's declaration of love with the following consequences:
– A child she befriended has to marry him and dies unhappy. (Sparking the abuse/torture of other court maids as well.)
– Some mean lady is hired as the next consort, abuses the FL, and tries to get her beheaded.
– She herself presumably dies of pregnancy complications that would have been less likely at a younger age.

Needless to say, I vastly preferred watching the generic romcom Cinderella in the first episodes to the annoying troll that came after.

--

Stuff that just never got cleared up:
– ML/FL never talk about the tattoo FL has.
– ML/FL never have an earnest talk about how the evil head court lady set them up to be together.
– What is the book of Yeong, ML's grandmother, even about?
– In the show, Head Court Lady Jo herself "caused" Sado to become unstable (as explained by the oppressed nearly-dead Court Lady Park), of course intentionally, merely out of jealousy for another woman. So she herself is the architect of the calamity that she claims to warn about. Why does the Maidumminati ninja clan follow her blindly when at least some of them know this? Why do they try to assassinate ML even after her death?
– Early on the show makes a huge deal about the funeral convoy for a royal consort versus the way a maid is evicted from the palace to avoid her even dying there. Given this, we should be shown FL's funeral procession, and the ridiculously long Wikipedia-style episode #17 has more than enough time for this.

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a sweet watch

Cute but a bit dry. Sweet storyline but wish the ML broke out of his shell a bit more. He was inside sweet and did somewhat break out of his shell but I wanted the female lead to see a new side of him. Even see him smile a bit more. I wanted to see him melt for her and be cuddly maybe. Wake up and snuggle with her, or be staring at her and look away a bit shy... I also wanted the female lead to be a bit more confident by the end, to stand up and demand the love she deserves.
I'm also a bit partial to her childhood crush who stood by her side, who gave her comfort when she felt uneasy, who fought for her, and worried over her when people were causing issues.

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With such a high rating I expected better

Usually BL shows with ratings higher than 8 have been really good and worth my time.
This one, I couldn't even finish episode 1.
The plot line is mediocre and everything feels over-acted. Good series like Bad Buddy, the dialogue feels natural with only brief comedic moments that might be overacted.
The only "supposed to be romantic" moment was awkward and forced.
I was almost going to force myself to finish the episode, but then I asked myself "Why am I forcing myself if I'm not enjoying it?"

A show that can't interest me in 30 minutes isn't worth my time, and I've watched a few dozen BL that actually did manage to interest me in that much time or less, so I'm going to pass on this and find something better.
Also going to stop trusting the ratings on MDL. It's a little too weighted if it only reflects users who watched half of the show or more. All the ratings will be higher because very few people will finish a show they dislike.

I'm starting to the think GMMTV is only able to produce so many BL series because they don't worry about quality. They make a formula and plug actors into it, regardless of how boring it might be.

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Disappointing...

Started and held out for the main actors but other than them it was meh.
Lacklustre school setting, boring story and just generally disappointing.
I mean the debate plot was so flat and fake notmany things could've been worse.
Watched 8 episodes, about 5 normally then the rest on 2x speed, got halfway through ep 9 and realised i genuinely didn't care what happened so dropped it.
It was cute and while bad bearable at the beginning it didn't offer alot to warrant sticking around for 12 eps.
Hope the actors can star in something better.
Don't recommend, not even if you like the actors.

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confused by negative reviews..

Beginning this review is somewhat challenging, but I started watching the first season out of mild curiosity. While I didn't feel as emotionally connected to it as some of my favorite shows, I found it enjoyable and would often tune in during my free time. When I embarked on the second season, I was delighted to see one of my favorite actors, Insoo, which played a significant role in my decision to continue. The initial episodes felt a bit slow and somewhat obligatory to watch, but not necessarily in a bad way. However, as I progressed through the season, I unexpectedly became deeply engrossed.

In my opinion, the second season marked a substantial improvement. Around the halfway point, I became so emotionally invested that I developed an almost obsessive urge to keep watching. Now that I've finished, I'm feeling a sense of sadness that it's over, but I truly loved the ending. The character development throughout the many episodes was exceptional, and I have grown fond of the cast. I hold this season in high regard and have a great affection for the show. It's a remarkable watch, and I wish I had taken more time to delve into each episode.

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Refreshing like a watermelon on a hot day

Here is a drama that is about youth, coming of age, with hints of romance. Overall the whole feel to this drama is nostalgic and friendly, tragic sometimes, happy sometimes, it gives a lot with just the first two episodes alone.


The first twenty minutes of this drama is really good. The chronology of events are easy to follow, and I personally love how they had the childhood backstory at the beginning. It is a smart way to get you to know your characters upbringing, and you will understand them better because of this. The child actors are amazing and for the most part none of the actors I have a problem with.

Ryeon gives an amazing performance, and his parents and brother have hearing loss so the communication between all of them is nice to see. I like to see how they adapt to their circumstances, and how it holds them back, etc. Ryeon's character Eun Gyeol has a lot of depth to him, and it is a hard character to fill. He acts as a bridge between hearing and silence, a communicator and a 'trophy' for his family. He is a very good son and doesn't put himself first other than his music. So that right there is a well written character/family.

The pairings and relationships between characters are where this drama shines. I loved all of them and was looking forward to each episode to see how the characters grew. I can tell they had fun filming and everyone really cared for the roles they were in, so when watching it didn’t feel like roles, everything felt natural.


For Seol in Ah and Ryeon The chemistry between the two is so fun and credit to Seol In Ah, she really is good at differentiating her roles here. It’s really fun to see her character develop. She seems at first to be arrogant and not caring about how she affects others around her, but she is actually very perceptive and has tragedies that shape her to who she was, and she also grows as a person through the drama and her journey. I am finding her to be one of my favorites if not my favorite character.
These plot lines of time travel are tricky but very interesting. Because in the end it is about growing and learning about characters, rather than them shaping their own fates. Maybe Gyeol's future will change because of this. The logic is confusing with this, that is ok thought because it is a drama and its just fun.

As the plot developed those stories and characters become more clear, personally I am rooting for the parents to get together (as I’m sure we all are). I love how this drama just gets better and better with each episode.

This drama really was a gem out of all the dramas I have seen this year. The amount of care and learning that went behind the roles particularly amaze me. I enjoyed this a lot and it is one of those I would recommend to anyone honestly.

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very confusing plot line

Starting this review for the show is quite a challenge because it was incredibly intriguing. It managed to captivate me right from the beginning, which is a rarity for me when I start new shows. I particularly loved the initial storyline involving the office worker and her secret streaming hobby; it reminded me of the movie "Cam" that was released a while ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

However, the aspect that left me somewhat perplexed was the feeling of a complete 180-degree shift in the story's plot. If I were to skip ahead a few episodes, I wouldn't have thought it was the same show. Towards the end, it felt like an entirely different narrative. It's not that the new storyline was bad; it remained intriguing. Still, I couldn't help but feel that I missed out on numerous elements, leaving me rather bewildered about how it transitioned from point A to point B. I do believe the show had great potential, but I wish it had delved more deeply into the initial plot because it felt like we rushed through so much in so little time.

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not as good as i expected rrom reading reviews

I find it challenging to express my thoughts on this drama in this review. It's a good show, and I'm a devoted fan of romance K-dramas. However, despite my fondness for slow-burn narratives, I felt that this one was excessively prolonged. I might be biased, but I struggled to connect with the main character, who came across as overly uptight, which was quite frustrating for me. I didn't have any major issues with her, but it became difficult to stay engaged in the story as she maintained the same demeanor throughout most of the series. I want to clarify that I don't consider it a bad show at all. I truly enjoyed the storyline and the sweet romance in the ending. However, when I see all the 10 out of 10 reviews, I feel they might be a bit exaggerated, as I wouldn't label it as the absolute best. I understand that everyone has different opinions, but I wanted to share mine.

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fail

it's really hard these days to find good dramas with an action score. I was looking forward to this as Ji Chang-wook is a long time favourite (although I prefer his non-action roles), and Wi Ha-joon was promising in several roles, I really liked his mysterious criminal vibe in 'little women'

That said, after having watched the three first episodes: what a disappointment. I think the first 25 minutes of the first episode was just really bad fight and brawl scenes. And not much else actually.
I'm afraid it didn't really help that I recently rewatched 'my name' with Park Hee-soon as the most charismatic, evil and attractive drug kingpin EVER, with such authenticity it sent shivers down my spine constantly... so, seeing Wi Ha-joon now trying really hard to be an equal character? No chance. I can see him acting while acting here, maybe even trying to copy several things from 'my name'.

The storyline didn't really grip me, lots of fights, flat characters. Young guy wants to take over the area of the old boss guy, so far, so non-exciting.
Ji Chang-wook... I don't know, he is trying hard too here, but I don't buy his character either. All the cursing seems fake, all the smoking too, just everything.
I also don't like the whole atmosphere and vibe this show has.

If you want to watch a brainy, actually deep, and psychologically interesting and multifacetted story, see amazing aesthetic visuals and brilliant, authentic characters, main and side roles with intelligent action included? Watch 'my name'. If you want 30 minutes non-stop bad blood-spatter action and actually good actors trying really hard to fit roles they are not (yet) up to? Watch 'the worst of evil'.

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super unique and hilarious drama

I notice that many people express negativity toward this, but I genuinely adore it. The humor is fantastic, and the storyline captivates me. Unlike other repetitive dramas, I hold a deep affection for this show and its cast. The criticism it receives in reviews seems unjustified. Additionally, I appreciate the infusion of various genres, including comedy, suspense, and occasional romance. I came across a review that criticized the female main lead having a the buttocks power role, but in a show as unrealistic as this, it shouldn't be a significant concern by any means... In my view, the show is fantastic. It boasts an excellent storyline, compelling characters, and a great sense of humor. I eagerly anticipate watching it every day, and I've already encouraged many of my friends to give it a chance. Please don't judge it before giving it a try!

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It's so beautiful the lowratings are a scam.

Sep 27, 2023

HOLY SHIT. I have been putting this bl in the back burner because the ratings were saying about how boring this show and not great. However, I decided to finally pick it up after months and months of postponing it. First episode hits so damn good.

I already felt hooked to this drama right from the pilot. Every episode was pretty good in my opinion. I have some few critiques with the plot. But damn, I personally think that this drama was critiqued way too harshly. Maybe because it is more on the melodrama side and it is not the typical fluffy BLs out there.

Also, I just want to shout out Fumiya's character because he is such a green flag. He literally climbed by bl green flags list so fast, I need him in my life.

As of today's date, this show has a rating of 7.7 which I believe is too low. This deserves an 8.0 rating at the very least. Jack o frost bl is literally so much better in terms of many aspect in comparison to the highly rated bls for this year js.

I hope you give this show a chance like I did. Cause it definitely deserves a much better recognition !

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Song of Bandits; Ending felt unsatisfying

I was not happy with the ending of the drama. I know there will be a season 2, but I still wanted Nam Hee-shin to end up with Lee Yoon. They had such a great chemistry and they went through so much together. I did not like that Nam Hee-shin had to marry Lee Gwang-il, the Japanese soldier who was Lee Yoon’s enemy. I felt sorry for him, but I did not think he deserved Nam Hee-shin’s love. I hope that in season 2, Nam Hee-shin and Lee Yoon will reunite and be happy.

Overall, I enjoyed Song of the Bandits and I would recommend it to anyone who likes historical dramas with action and romance. It is a well-made and well-acted drama that shows the struggle and courage of the Korean people during a dark time in history. I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

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The producers of this movie seemed to have lost their touch when it came to crafting a captivating storyline. It was almost as if they were solely relying on the hype surrounding the drama, neglecting the crucial elements that make a story truly engaging. While the original drama and novel were both exceptional, this movie left much to be desired. The abundance of plot lines and inconsistencies throughout the film made it feel rushed and ultimately unsatisfying. The emotions that were once evoked within me, such as happiness, jealousy, and envy towards the love shared between Hira and Kiyoi, were replaced with a sense of confusion and disappointment.

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