Reviews

a painful watch and not in a good way

I came for Seven Tan after watching her amazing acting in Go Ahead and I tried not to let the mixed reviews stop me fron watching this drama.

Oh My God was this storyline confusing and I found a lot of the acting awkward between the characters. The timeline skips around from 2008 to 2018 back to 2010 and then to 2020 and by the time I thought I was in real time my mind was blank. It didnt like the flow of the drama and the supporting characters were bouncing in and out (besides maybe the friends son).

Dropped at ep 6 and I dont think I’m coming back.


p.s. I even found a shorted summary version on Youtube and couldnt finish that either.

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This is a very well done romantic comedy set in a historical era. Although it is meant to be a comedy, the dramatic moments were effectively executed. The plot is about the unjustly implementation of a ban on marriage on all young single women and how the characters, main and supporting, get involved in complicated circumstances as a result of this prohibition. The cast did a phenomenal job bringing their characters to life and the relationship between the female lead and the two male leads is as beautiful as heartbreaking to watch. The friendships are steadfast and endearing and truly make this drama very entertaining. Overall, the drama is very well developed in just 12 episodes and offers action, comedy, mystery, and a nice romance. Enjoy it!

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The most pleasant surprise.

[ Original date written: May 31st 2021 ]

I was initially confused by how much I enjoyed this because everyone I've seen talk about it has either said it's boring or bad. But for me it wasn't. Not in the slightest. This is one of the most interesting dramas I’ve ever seen. It’s so different from most K-dramas, as it doesn't follow the usual formula I’ve seen oh so many times.

Obviously the cast is great but the STORY the lead characters and the relationship between them are all incredible. It’s got good humour, an interesting and VERY different romance, AND it executes sad tones very well. For instance we'll be in a romcom environment but then our male lead will travel to the future to see something terrible or sad, instantly raising our interest and investment in seeing what becomes of these two.

I was hooked by episode 3. The scene of him going to his death day for the second time and speaking to his future self on the phone, that was when it got me. I thought to myself "Wow. This is going to be incredible." AND IT WAS.

For flaws literally the only thing I have to say is the last episode isn’t very good, though not in terms of no happy ending just in that it seemed pointless. But I find a lot of K-drama’s have bad last episodes the writers probably just don’t know how to wrap things up well.

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Definitely worth the watch.

[ Original date written: June 4th 2021 ]

So many different (but interesting) characters all connected by messy relationships form an overwhelmingly beautiful drama.

It’s very well written, not only in story but the characters individually. The only character I really disliked was Se Young. The story also followed an unpredictable path which I appreciated.

I feel the musical score must be mentioned as well. At times it was all consuming, the themes that played at the ends of episodes or during tense moments were very well suited.

It’s the perfect show to binge-watch. After I finished each episode I felt the need to keep going.

If I were to go into negatives, (this is more of a nitpick really) I'd say it seemed to normalize slapping your adult children. Both Jung Hyo and Min Soo get slapped by their fathers upon their first in-person confrontations following the news of the pregnancy, and it's never really addressed later they just kind of move on from it. I would also say Min Soo's character development was lacking. He starts out rude and selfish so I was excited to see how he'd grow but he kind of just accepted the pregnancy eventually and became the perfect boyfriend. Where was the change in him? I did like how they showed him always looking at the ultrasound picture and Jung Hyo's mother planner it did present some good visual conflict in him but when it came to actually saying things not much came out.

That’s about it.

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Perhaps the 2nd best K-drama of 2021.

[ Original date written: June 21st 2021 ]

I was very much looking forward to this and had actually been impatiently awaiting it's premiere ever since the cast was announced. The first couple of episodes I did enjoy but as it progressed I found myself loving it more and more.

Oh Yeon Seo is my favourite actress and she did not let me down with this drama comeback of hers. Her performance (as always) was incredible. She brought so much power and emotion to the character of Lee Min Kyung, in a way I think no other actress could.

I loved Jung Woo in Reply 1994 so I was interested in seeing him paired up with my girl and I have to say they exceeded my expectations. At first I wasn't sure how romance would be tied in as the beginning episodes mostly contained hysterical arguments between the two with no suggestion of anything else, but by episode 5 their beautiful development began and not only was their chemistry evident AND outstanding but their story itself was pure warmth for the heart. It’s a perfect romcom, but it also manages to bring characters with tragic pasts together with a healing outcome.

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Tame and Traditional ending

So this was basically the missing ep 8 that the series needed as closure.

We see the couple 2 years later on a trip to Chiang Mai where Lom has a secret plan and everyone is on it but Namnuea. Even the GL couple make an appearance which is nice to see that they're still together after two years.

For those wondering there is no guest appearance from the LITA boys - I know, I was disappointed too. It's also more sweet than hot and heavy. Really out of the honeymoon phase I guess

What is nice is that you see some of the local customs and traditions around Thai ceremonies which isn't seen in other BLs . I still think Marine and Nuea could work on their acting at times but it's better than early on in the series

Would I pay to watch this? No. Is it worth a watch, yes if you are wanting more of the MC. Is there rewatch value? Not really. But, I'm happy we were able to see the ending as often times we don't get to see it.

Enjoy !

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A Diamond In The Rough

Oh but I'm so glad Love Class is back. I was one of the, apparently, few people who really loved season 1 but let me assure you even if you did not like season 1, you might just enjoy this anyway.
This show is tied to the original Love Class by the thinnest of threads, so much so that you won't have to have even read the synopsis of the original to understand this series.

This sequel is also tonally quite different from series 1. It's slightly more grounded and mature, not angstier, just a little quieter.
There is quite a nice soundtrack, but the music mostly takes a backseat and the characters are instead allowed to just exist, sometimes silently, without sound effects, without music telling the audience how to feel. It lends the show an almost whimsical indie feel, but also just a feeling of realism and gravity.

Just like the original Love Class, the highlights of this show are its characters. These six young people are portrayed with care and authenticity and their lives and experiences feel real even when they venture into the slightly contrived.
I specifically loved Lee Hyun and Kim An's roles and found their dynamic compelling and honestly just very sweet.
Kim An's "tragic backstory", for lack of a better term, didn't really work all that well for me, certainly not as well as Yu Na's story arc from season 1, but the writers still managed to tell a believable and touching story about overcoming grief and trauma and fighting tooth and nail for happiness in mundane, every-day ways.
The one draw-back of the cast is that they are all conspicuously male. Unlike Love Class 1, this season doesn't have any important female characters, much less ones central to the plot.
Disappointing as I find this fact, I did find myself quite fond of all six main characters fairly quickly which does somewhat speak to the quality of the writing.

I will admit that this show has its rough spots. The audio is at times incosistent, there even are one or two shots where a boom mic makes a surprise appearance, but personally I thought that just added to the nostalgic indie vibe of the whole thing.
What did bother me was the dreaded "sleeping kiss" cliche which suddenly reared its ugly head when I was least expecting it.

If however, you are willing to overlook these flaws, or quirks perhaps if you're feeling generous, then you will almost certainly find a hidden gem in this lovely little show.
As ever, Love Class stands out as somewhat unique amongst other shows in the genre and for that alone I'd say it's worth a watch.
Maybe you'll fall in love with it along the way, who knows.

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It defends horrible people

The movie starts out funny and takes a dark turn. I typically don't view a lot of Japanese live action media, unlike anime, I just don't like a lot of the humor, so I stepped out and tried it, since it was a movie not a show and I was highly upset at the message at the end of the show, there was nothing that was going to save it. Honestly if you defend the message in this story I would like to see your defense of Weinstein, it's the same thing.

Cinderella did nothing wrong in this story and it's a great to see how many think self defense is "wrong" as if anyone would honestly do anything to men in power who violate women.

The spoilers is that the hair cutting is an allegory for S.A. and Cinderella was a victim who defended herself against a predator leading to his death, but he somehow isn't the bad guy even though everyone knew he was violating women, but as long as he keeps the ruling class looking pretty who cares how many women he violates. Never again. Honestly

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Annoyingly Cute

I love time travel stories. I love stories where characters try to fix issues in their past (like the film The Butterfly Effect). So far, I like this.

This is only the second drama I've seen with Krist. He's still pulling weird, but funny, faces! His character (Kawi) is a bit of a loser who can't seem to get anything right. I feel for him every time he hesitates as it feels so relatable. I feel for him every time he wants to be close to the girl he likes - Pear (Aye) - but doesn't know how to do it. It's relatable because it's hard to put yourself out there and hope you won't feel crushed. He feels utterly crushed.

I find much of this interesting because hindsight is an incredible thing. We assume that if we went back to a particular time or place, we could fix it and it would all be OK. In reality, how could it be? We would only be accounting for our effort and not of other people. There's a domino effect in everything: a slight nudge in a different direction must make everything that follows slightly different...surely?

What I like: Krist's acting. Gawin's character (Pisaeng's cool hotness). Aye's lovely character (Pear)
What I don't like: The whining of Krist's character - act your age and take a chance (but it is relatable!)

I was surprised by the transformation of Krist's character from whining and annoying university student to wise and mature young man. It was a good transformation and beautifully acted by Krist - I believed every version of the character.

I admit that the last episode brought a few tears to my eyes. It was sad, thoughtful and joyful.

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A iovely peak into everyday chinese society

Such a lovely drama. It's interesting to see the daily lives of normal people not just super rich business families like often in modern dramas. I absolutely love Xiao Zhan's gifted expressiveness in acting this character with a litany of different feelings, which he is able to convey so much through his face. Bai Baihe complements him perfectly and she also is an excellent actress. They have a good chemistry between them, absolutely suiting the story and message of the plot. The plot itself is very enjoyable without exaggerated twists and turns but showing real lives and real problems and prejudices. The doubts people live through when they find it in their heart to step outside the social norms and live according to their feelings are very well portrayed. The drama shows us our own limited perceptions while watching from a convenient distance. All the main and supporting characters have been very well depicted. The acting of Liu Xun was flowing so naturally and has improved enormously since earlier performances. For me this will be an absolute rewatch and go-to piece when I want to feel good.

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Wuxia that borderlines on Xianxia; Superb!

I used to watch Wuxia movies before when I was young but as I grow old my orientation to details just can't get past the failures in the props or dragging story.

But was I surprised by this series! The costumes, make up, martial arts, and the use of CGI was almost perfect!

And the story connects from start to finnish. As well as the main drive of the main protagonist.

The political battle was also worth it.

And the ending, God, I love the ending! The wit is still there. It doesn't pretend that to be best or greatest you have to be the God of the Universe or something like that. It's about choice! That's why I love the main MC.

I don't know how much is the budget for this series but it was so well done.

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Chicken Soup for the Soul

Rating this drama based on the central characters Sheng Yang and Jian Bing alone, 10/10. Loved watching them struggle with their feelings, their personal challenges, and their families and professional lives in such a real fashion — and come out better, stronger, and on top. I watched this drama for Xiao Zhan, who once again, did not disappoint.

What made me connect with this drama the most though, was watching Sheng Yang and his parents. Their dialogue with each other (the arguments!) and with him were like watching my own parents/family growing up. Those scenes were heart wrenching, yet priceless to watch, simply because they were not glamorous but absolutely true to life.
Personally, like many other comments and reviews here, I too wish there was much more of Xiao Zhan and Bai Bai He. I wanted to see them develop as a couple as they continued to walk together; instead of seeing so much time spent on side characters.

But I think big stars like XZ and BBH truly understand that the success of a drama doesn’t just depend on the shoulders of the main characters, but on all of the parts and people working together to achieve a deep, rich story. I believe the reasoning for some of the pacing issues — was to allow all facets of this fictional world and their actors — equal billing and time. I also think that if they had been allowed to keep more of the original material in the final edit, it would have helped round out some of the plot gaps a bit better. Doesn’t detract from the fact that this was still a solid, must-watch drama. Well done.

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If its any good.

I will watch anything that features Ji Sung.
To me he is one of the best Korean actors by far. He never ages and still has the looks
to give you heart flutters.. Devil Judge.. Heal me kill me were a joy to watch but in this Series he was still fab but the annoying
part of the series was it focused to much on
Kang Shi Young and her fragilitys. Not that she was a bad actress.. she wasn't but he was a fully fledged doctor and she was a novice but seemed to think she could give him advice when clearly she was the one needing his experience. Her weepy eyes
sad expressions totally got me down.
As for the other cast they were all very professional .. The storyline was great but There should have been more emphasis on ji Sung.. He was the draw.. without a woman popping up every 5 minutes. Maybe I was jealous.. ? rewatch. Value.. 2/5

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An interesting romance drama about a female-dominated society.

Using my personal rating system of "loved," "liked," "meh," & "nah," this is a “liked”.

Things I liked:
That it portrayed a female-dominated society. It made for an interesting twist. I liked the chemistry between the leads—especially Shen Ye towards Shu Cheng (gave me some Ye Hua after he found Bai Qing again vibes). I loved the sis-mance between Murong Wan Qing and Shu Cheng. I liked that the Crown Princess and Shu Cheng worked together in end. I liked that Shu Cheng stood her ground against Shen Ye about what she wanted for her life and refused any other option. I liked that Yuan Hao was the ML in this—its actually why I started watching it b/c of watching The Romance of Hua Rong (though if YH is going to wear a wig, it MUST be a sides-braided one like the one he wore for RHR, because…well, just watch RHR and you’ll know why *fans self, contemplates cold shower *).

Things I disliked:
That it portrayed a female-dominated society as if it would mirror a male-dominated one. As in, the only difference in the portrayal of the society was the gender of who was in charge. I would have liked to see a bit more creativity and critical thought going into what a truly female-dominated society would look like.
The MF little bits of hair in front of the ML lead’s face! OMG! Why do that do that? I spend every second fantasizing about cutting them off. The only thing that saved it (I have literally refused to watch dramas [I’m talking about YOU Novoland Pearl Eclipse!] where they do this to the ML’s wig because it bugs me so much) is that when he was in his role as her husband, his hair was different.
I didn’t like that the two servants always with Shu Cheng were treated like background pieces—in that they had no roles other than to stand there and to obey without question. I get that is how many servants were treated in the historical setting this drama was based upon, but they had so much screen time, it would have been nice for them to have actual personalities and interactions.

Final thoughts:
I ended up watching this twice. The first time on YouTube and then again when it came to Viki. I enjoyed it both times. It’s a good pallet-cleanser. I could put it down when I needed to go do something else, but I never left it on hold for a long time, either. I’m curious to see the four main leads in other things. 

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