Reviews

A bemusing set of contrasts, Castaway Diva will stun you with its premiere episodes outlining a beautifully tragic backstory of crushed adolescent dreams and then launching into a headscratching modern day tale of.... I don't even know.
What was Castaway Diva ultimately about?
Seo Mok Ha (an always class act, Park Eun Bin), is an aspiring singer who longs to follow in the footsteps of Diva, Yoon Ran Joo (Kim Hyo Jin). Running away from an abusive father with the help of fellow classmate Kiho, she ends up stranded on a deserted island for 15 years. Improbable, maybe. But as a metaphor for having your early dreams slip away from you due to tragic, uncontrollable circumstance, it was pretty good. The show had shades of the delightful Thirty But Seventeen.

Fifteen years later, Mok Ha is rescued and tries to revive the career she aspired to while reconnecting with the loyal and generous Kiho.

Except that isn't what Castaway Diva is really about at all. Instead, the show veers off endlessly into the mid-career travails of the fading Ran Joo who isn't as successful as she'd hoped and is struggling with a disloyal agency and nodes. The idea this could somehow equate to 15 years on a deserted island alone after burying your abusive father is outright bonkers. The parallels between these two concepts - the literal and figurative isolation of obscurity for an idol - seems to be what this writer is trying to make and it's frankly gross. Ran Joo comes off as spoilt and entitled and narcissistic and Mok Ha gets dragged into outright fraud in trying to support her idol.

Kiho meanwhile is stranded on his own figurative island (or something) but the connections between these three 'castaway' plotlines is tenuous at best and, in the case of Ran Joo, borderline offensive.

The show is beautiful at several points and the casting is excellent. But the music, like most idol music dramas, is overproduced and often generic. PEB has several laughable moments with her guitar singing solo where the music is so overproduced that you can barely hear her real voice at all. The child actor in comparison had some real moments where you believed she was a raw talent. The rest of the music, apart from a few exceptions, is typically banal.

With an absolutely brilliant opening two episodes and a slow descent into the tedious, Castaway Diva truly is from the sublime to the ridiculous in one show.

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Slowburn Drama's Enemies-to-Lovers Twist Leaves a Lasting Summer Romance Imprint"

The rollercoaster of emotions I experienced while immersed in this drama is beyond words. Initially, the Slowburn pace felt foreign to my preferences, yet it gradually became a source of fascination, especially with the infusion of my beloved enemies-to-lovers trope. The female lead, whom I dismissed at first, transformed into a complex character whose layers I gradually peeled back, coming to appreciate her actions and motivations.

In essence, it felt like a coming-of-age drama, not just for the characters but also for my own appreciation of the narrative. Our beloved summer, portrayed so vividly on screen, transcended the confines of the show and made my own summer wonderfully memorable. The yearning for a love as profound as theirs lingered, becoming a wish to embrace the moment, relish life, and find joy in the simple yet profound experiences. The journey of the characters mirrored my own, leading me to a deeper understanding of the narrative and a newfound appreciation for the beauty of a Slowburn and the complexity of character evolution.

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“I don’t know why I feel like I’m not part of my family.” (Tam)

Let’s be honest, I gave it a shot because of the actors and actresses. The plot seemed interesting enough too, an angsty story about a group of misfits that come from different backgrounds and might not have a lot in common except that they are all middle children. A bit farfetched, but I can understand the appeal and it makes sense that they share certain experiences because of that.

It had a lot of potential, but it all frizzled out the longer the series went on. Instead of focusing on the problems that the Wednesday Club’s members face, we were following the stories of Venus and her political campaign, Top and his relationship with his dad, and Mink and her husband Karn. Not exactly what I signed up for. And while I can understand the plots related to Venus and Top, the whole ordeal with Mink and Karn was unnecessary. I don’t think it brought anything to the table except for taking up time.

Most of the side characters were very unlikeable. They did try to give them tragic backstories for us to sympathize with them. Or they tried to have them turn a new leaf, show them in a different light, etc. but none of that excuses their actions towards the others, including the Wednesday Club’s members. This goes for their family members but also characters like Top, Mink and Karn.

While it looks like they were trying to go for a found family trope, they didn’t necessarily achieve that. That might have been the plan. However, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. All of them are flawed and are dealing with their personal problems. That affects them greatly, it is not something they can just carry around with no consequences. It is expected that it will all come to a boiling point sooner or later.

Kong (Ohm) – He’s honest and reliable. Kong is also very loyal, which is both his strongest and weakest point. His loyalty makes him a friend anyone would want, but it also leaves him vulnerable when those friends turn on him. I think the biggest mistake they made with Kong is that they made him too similar to Ohm’s character in Double Savage. Ohm is incredible in such roles, I get that, but with the two series airing in the same year, it does blur the lines between his two characters.

Pali (Nani) – I don’t think he had any other purpose than being there for Kong when he remembered him. He was involved with the whole Mink thing too, she is his sister after all, but Pali’s relationship with Kanya was not developed enough. There was a lot of potential there, but it was all glossed over and we see very little of the two. Which is a shame.

Tam (Film) – Tam can be described as sweet, innocent, and positive. But she is carrying a lot of hurt with her. She keeps that hidden though. I do like that we get to see her stand up for herself as the series progresses, but I still feel like she was a very passive character most of the time. I was also not a fan of how the whole story with her grandmother ended. It was not a proper conclusion.

May (Piploy) – She is the character I wanted to hate, but I ended up liking a lot. She does appear like someone who doesn’t care about herself, like she gave up on life once her father ended his. She does play games with people around her, trying to make things go her way. I do like her character growth, the way she changes and starts to regard those around her differently. She becomes a real friend to Peem and Tam in particular.

Kul (Phuwin) – Kul might say he would do anything for money, but it’s obvious that he still feels excluded. Just like he did in the past. Yet he tries so hard to belong to what he considers the popular crowd that he often does things that hurt him, deeply, and hurt those around him. I am not excusing his actions, but I can understand where he is coming from and why he is the way he is.

Max (Kay) – It might be just me, but I found Max extremely unlikeable. Sure, he has a sad past, but who doesn’t? He is not someone you can trust, which is proven very early on. He is also very vindictive and can be quite malicious. And I think a lot of what happened to others could be avoided if he was a better person. I still think what happened to him before and during the series is sad, but it doesn’t really excuse his behavior either.

Peem (Satang) – He’s a glass child, someone’s whose life was always based around his brother and his condition. Peem loves his brother but also craves a chance to be himself, to discover who he truly is. He is very caring and protective, as he was taught to be, which is something that can easily be used against him. He is also loyal and doesn’t want to use his friends, that’s not what friendship is to him.

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Chen Zhe yuan and Rosy's Mesmerizing Chemistry Leaves Me Longing for Jiaxu gēgē's Arrival"

The show's brilliance extends beyond mere entertainment – it's a symphony of artistry where every element harmonizes flawlessly. Chen Zhe yuan and Rosy, with their nuanced portrayals, infused the characters with depth and authenticity, making every moment on screen a revelation.

As the plot unfolded, each twist and turn felt like a carefully crafted masterpiece, leaving me yearning for more. The chemistry between the characters added a layer of enchantment, making their interactions a source of joy and intrigue. Now, the longing for a Jiaxu gēgē resonates not just as a desire for a new character, but as a testament to the show's ability to create an immersive and unforgettable world.

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This show literally made me feel like I’m losing my mind. It’s ridiculously campy, frustrating, and the female lead is a total alcoholic people pleaser and complete mess- I love her. When i say this show is insane ITS INSANE. Idk how I feel about this show cause there was a lot I genuinely liked and then a lot that made me lose my mind.

The negatives first- Most of the characters are either extremely irritating or just really boring. The second male lead was just boring and I’m tired of pointless love triangles that make no sense. I actually enjoyed the main couple I didn’t need this boring other guy pining over this psycho woman- like dude I get it I love her too- but it added nothing to the story and I didn’t like them as a ship. The second female lead was also really weird??? She had major baby fever and I also get that but there are many ways to get a baby idk why she was so adamant on having one with the male lead. She was just a boring character who also didn’t add anything. And then there was the female leads ex who was just an annoying prick most of the time.

And now to the negatives- THIS SHOW IS SO FUN AND WACKY LIKE 🤭🤭 it’s actually SOO campy and zany so if that’s not your type of humor you’re probably not going to like this. There’s lots of physical humor and Han Groo commits so fully to all of it like her character is this constantly emotionally involved, really sweet character who’s constantly drinking and trying to get involved with everyone’s business (cause she cares) and she plays into it SO WELL. Jangmi is so INSANE and I love how Han Groo plays her like I adore this psycho so much. And her and the male lead are actually so cute! I love a good old fake relationship and these two play into that trope in such a fun way. It’s your typical, they bicker all the time but the more they hang out with each other they more they understand and empathize with one another and then they fall in love ofc and they’re actually so cute. I love their bickering and chemistry and idk they really made the show I loved watching them fall in love. The male lead is your regular arrogant male lead idiot and I wasn’t crazy about his character but he was a good match for Jangmi and all her chaotic energy as this guy who likes to think he’s got it all together but in actuality he’s just as insane.

But as cute as this show is, my favorite thing about this show is the queen herself Kim Haesook, who plays the male leads mom. She’s knees deep in marital trouble of her own and Jangmi with all her good intentions is always trying to help out while Kim Haesook just stares at her like ok girl 🤨. But as the show goes on ofc the two start to bond and genuinely their relationship is SO SWEET. I loved seeing the two of them grow closer and Kim Haesooks character start to accept Jangmi. Augh, it was just a lot.

Overall, there’s a lot of weak elements to the show, but the leads slay, the romance is cute, and Kim Haesook steals the show as always <33 I had a really fun time with this show but it is REALLY campy so it’s def not for everyone

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I CRIED EVERY EPISODE

This was such a wonderful drama. Much like life it had its wonderful moments and it had its sad ones.
I watched this show for Park Bo-young, who plays the protagonist Jung Daeun, but stayed for the stories and characters
Dr. Dong was a complete goofball and I’m glad they made him a love interest. I hate when great characters like him are only utilized for comedic relief, it pisses me off. So much so, when it was revealed that Daeun’s best friend, Yuchan, also has feelings for her I was displeased. For one, I’m not the biggest fan of love triangles and I think they’re just filler content used to complicate the plot and make the story so dramatic. I literally swore that no matter how much I enjoyed the show, if Daeun ended up with Yuchan the show would lose a whole star on Mydramalist. But thankfully she ended up with Dr. Dong and I could rate the show a full 10 stars.
Besides the romances I really like the patients stories. If you’ve watched the show Tomorrow and enjoyed it, you would like this show too. I really liked how they dived into the patients backstories and showed what led up to their mental health issues, while also explaining what their sicknesses are and how it affects them in their everyday lives. It also talked about prejudice and stigma that lies around mental health issues which I think will really help change people’s minds. I didn’t even think I had any stigma or prejudice until I watched the show. So not only was it entertaining, but also informative.
I cried so much too. I couldn’t help it. The characters were portrayed so well and it just kept making me sad thinking that a lot of people go through things like what appeared in the show and are affected mentally. The show just helped show how ordinary people going through things many people can relate to can get sick. And I liked how there were always connections between the patients and nurses to show that we’re all similar, just some aren’t strong enough mentally to get through it by themselves. Like the working mother case. I didn’t even know pseudo amnesia was a thing! But when the doctor made her write about some important events in her life and how she felt during those times and then highlight all her negative emotions that made me cry. You could really see how she realized what her life has been for a while. She noticed that she’s felt a lot of negative emotions and a lot of it was from balancing being a mother and having a job. After that she saw the similarities in Nurse Song and gave her advice. And it was really nice seeing although she was the patient, she was giving insight into Nurse Song’s life so that she did that end up like her. I think the reasons I cried so much in this show was because it was hard to see ordinary people change so much mentally because of the world around them.
Lastly I want to talk about Kim Seo Hwan. OH HOW I CRIED!! I actually loved this patient so much! I just knew his story would be a big deal seeing as he was Daeun’s favorite patient, I was just dreading it. Thinking back on it I think it only made sense that his character died. Not just because it helped move along the plot and further played into Daeun's plot line, but because it was important. I think it was important to show how not everyone wins the battle. Seo Hwan’s story was a story that I’ve heard/seen in so many South Korean dramas and true stories. I think the feeling this character felt is something a lot of people can relate to, and seeing his death might help someone out there like him. I really liked how they focused on how much his death affected others. It might help someone who’s considering the same path that he did to not make that choice because the people around them might be just as sad. I’m not that good with my words but I think overall this was an amazing show that dealt with some real world topics and can help a lot of people become more familiar with mental illness and those that suffer from it.

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You're going to have to get over the baby voice first

As many other reviewers have noted, the character of Orchid has extreme baby voice. I'd tried and failed to watch this series several times, never making it through the first episode, and ultimately deciding a few months ago just to give up because it made me cringe so very, very hard.

If you're like me and this is a big issue, may I recommend watching the show on mute for the first few episodes. I did this with subtitles until I connected with the story, then I gradually increased the volume (very low, moderately low, low, medium, regular) until I didn't notice the voice as much. I'm REALLY glad I did, because this show was fantastic!

Let me stop here and say this is not a criticism of the lead actress. It's a "me problem." I have a hard time when adult men or women affect a child-like voice. It's like nails on the chalkboard for me, and that's 100% entirely on me. I also don't like mayonnaise. That doesn't mean there's anything inherently wrong with mayo, it's just a personal preference.

ANYWAY, a month ago a friend of mine strongly urged me to watch this CDrama (my first Cdrama) because I'd just finished Alchemy of Souls and wanted another fantasy. She said this was THE BEST fantasy TV show of it's kind and I'd regret it if I didn't watch. She was right.

The story was good. Not fantastic, but good. The relationship, which started antagonistic because he's a serious bad guy without emotions, actually ended up pretty darn healthy. In fact, I'd say it was remarkably healthy given who the characters were and their backgrounds. It was lovely to see how much they respected and cared for each other from episode 20 to the end.

However, and this is really why this show is so high on the re-watch scale, the chemistry between the leads was off the freaking charts. Esther and Dylan portrayed this epic love story perfectly, and I was able to suspend disbelief and lose myself in their story. The production values matched perfectly (even when the CGI wasn't perfect, it was still perfect for the show). And I loved the costumes, make up, hair-- it all added to and heightened the deep fantasy.

I will re-watch this show again, probably several times, and now that I've grown accustomed to the baby voice, I suspect I'll enjoy those early scenes that I'd originally muted.

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There are times when you need someone to stand by you

*** Minor Spoilers***

The series Iteawon Class follows Park Saeroyi (Park Seo Joon), a high schooler with a dream of becoming a police officer. However, after making critical decisions in high school, his life drastically changes. After arriving in Iteawon, a district known for its vibrant nightlife and clubs, Saeroyi and his friends open a small bar called "DanBam" to redeem himself.

As Park Saeroyi's business rival and nemesis Jang Hee (Yoojae Myung) owns Jangga, a fire competitor and the fuel and marker for Saeroyi, Iteawon Class follows an engaging and fast-paced plot that kept me hooked throughout its 16-episode run. Saeroyi's journey from expulsion to leading DanBam is inspiring. The series looks at ordinary individuals' struggles for justice and dreams. All the characters are great, but other than the two main pub leaders, I found Joy Yi Seo (Kim Da Mi), Ma Yi the chef (Lee Joo Young), Jang Geun Won, the bully (Ahn Bo Hyun) and Park Saeroyi's father Park Yul (Sun Hyun Joo) pivotal. They aren't perfect, they are different people from all walks of life. Pick ten random people at your workplace and try to avoid any clashes of personalities.

The cast delivers pretty convincing performances, bringing the characters to life and making things more relatable. Park Seo-Joon performance as Park Saeroyi showed determination, passion, leadership and charisma. He had that presence and strength about him that positively impacted his team and his personal life. Saeroyi was flawed and suppressed at times; however, when you bring enough passion, the right individual will enter your life and assist you on your path to your destiny.

The Iteawon Class is well-shot from a visual point of view. It had effective cinematography and attention to detail to capture the characters' emotions. The series captures the essence of Iteawon, from its bustling streets to its hidden nooks and crannies. The production design helped a lot. Before the series I really didn't know too much about the area until that Halloween disaster in 2022.

Iteawon Class's music and soundtrack are a big part of the experience. Mood and atmosphere were enhanced by the music choices. Overall, Iteawon Class was an engaging and entertaining drama. Themes of justice, redemption, and friendship and love. To this point the series is locked in at #8 for my all-time best Korean dramas. I don't give it ALL 10's but it resonates well with me!

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What a Series to End 2023!

Well peeps its been a long time since I have written a Review, so here goes nothing, ^_^

Story: Starts with a bang, great plot, rhythm and flow is completely in sync. The fact this story is not adapted from somewhere shows how much the script writer and director have genuinely put in the time of day to actually give us a story that is worth watching and repeat in watching.

Acting: Both the ML/FL have a very unique and bonding chemistry which I believe is absolutely phenomenal. I am aware some hate the ML but I do not care not only is he a great singer but I believe he's an amazing Actor as well and I am very glad finally he gets to be a ML in a Wuxia series, suits him well. FL lead is not someone that releases lots of series or movies in a year, certainly not a mainstream Actress according to profile. having said this she's amazing in her own right. What's the saying,. "less is more". Her prowless and the way she controls the forum in every episode makes me want to watch her past series and movies. As for the supporting cast, their chemistry is on par and in sync with the whole team, from companionship to villains, cannot complain about any aspect so far.

Music: Subjective to everyone, however to me the music nails it on certain points where its needed and I love the opening song as well.

Rewatch Value: Absolutely there, 10/10 for a reason and I personally have re-watched every episode approx 2-3 times now, some episodes I have watched over 6 times, however that is because I do not speak Mandarin as native tongue and relying on subs, the series is this good I actually want to make sure I am not missing any important details in the plot and what the actors/actresses are saying, its that good

Overall: For me Best Series of 2023, I just pray there will be a decent ending to this amazing series to set us into 2024. Cannot wait to see and hear one day the ML/FL reprise again in another future series together, they genuinely look good together and adapt very well making the audience feel they have an amazing connection

Updated 19/12/23: After concluding this series, I can say this has been one of the most amazing series's of 2023. I will not lie as I am very fortunate to have watched the whole series before it was due to be fully released by end of this week. However I am also very upset about how this has concluded. Be prepared for tissues, I was really hoping this series will end in a more positive note! Once again another Wuxia cdrama that cannot have a good ending, however I will say the acting and story up to episode 35-36, has been absolute phenomenal. Sorry for the small spoiler all, I could not help it but to at least write it somewhere!

Cheers all, ^_^

Shing

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Very good, waiting for it to be great.

TLDR; An unusual, dark, gritty detective drama with unique and interesting characters and setting but some weird narrative decisions that ultimately take away too much from the drama to be ignored.

Whump meter: ▲▲▲◭△ (plenty).

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SHORT VERSION:

┊┊WHAT I LIKED:
►Amazing actors. Everyone gave it their all, and it shows.
►Unique characters with interesting stories, personalities, quirks, appearances, etc.
►Stellar cinematography. A visual masterpiece.
►Story feels grounded and realistic in a unique setting away from the imperial city/other big city.
►Interesting cases, case-solving, and plot twists.
►Interesting themes and arcs that carry across the drama.

┊┊WHAT I DISLIKED:
►Story shifts focus and POV halfway through, crippling its narrative and intrigue.
►A lot of characters are unfortunately underused.
►An underwhelming amount of women.
►Lackluster conclusion.

┊┊OTHER:
►I'd put this more on the positive end, but there's quite some disability representation.

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【!some SPOILERS below!】

LONG VERSION:

┊┊CHARACTERS:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ When it comes to characters, they went all out. Everyone is unique and feels like a real person with their own story, backstory, personality, traits, quirks, etc. Most characters are quite memorable too, making it a lot easier to follow who is who than in other dramas. Even smaller characters that only appear a handful of times are fleshed out and interesting. This was honestly such a highlight.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ A standout in this regard for me was Song Chen. I haven't often seen characters like him in dramas or shows anywhere. He's not a very common main character, but he works very well.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ That all being said, a lot of characters were unfortunately underused. Because of a narrative shift and the inclusion of two POVs (with a slight preference for the new POV in the second half of the drama), the main cast is rather underused, with some characters even feeling like they didn't have a purpose to be there at all.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Some other minor issues are the following:
►1. An underwhelming amount of women are present in the drama. The cast consists mostly of men (to the point where it feels like the vast majority of people in the entire place are men), and the few women who do exist appear little and don't usually add much. Also, for there being so many men in their 30s+, they're for the most part unmarried, which is strange as well.
►2. Some characters were, in my opinion, not well cast. There are characters that should be in their mid-30s and are portrayed by an actor who at least appears to be quite a bit older. Not sure why this was done, especially since everyone else was so perfectly cast.

┊┊ACTING:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I have only praise to sing for each and every single actor in this drama. The performances blew my mind with how good, thorough, and convincing they were. Especially Ning Li as Song Chen and Yu Yao as Lu Zhi were absolute treats.

┊┊STORY:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ As for the story, it was good—very good, one might even say—but it had a tremendously big issue that ultimately crippled everything that was so great, making it just good. Don't get me wrong, it's still a very good story; however, the narrative shift and the inclusion of the past as a parallel story ended up taking away far more than it added, depriving the audience of the intrigue and mystery it had built up.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Essentially, the drama has two main casts when it doesn't need to (one in the past, one in the present). Instead of taking the logical route of having the past case slowly be uncovered by the main characters in the present day and the audience gets to follow it in real-time with them, they do 'flashbacks' (which take up about half of the drama's runtime, so I'm using the term very loosely here), which explain everything that went on in the past before the cast in the present day get to uncover it. This plummets the stakes, tension, and mystery of the drama and slowly makes it uninteresting to watch. Now, I'm not saying the flashbacks can't be done, but they must be well crafted and shown to us only little by little as the case in the present day progresses. Otherwise, there's not really a whole lot of mystery going around and the investigation ends up lacking.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The cases, however, were quite interesting, keeping you on your toes throughout the run of the drama. The way the antagonist sets up the crimes is also very unique and gritty.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Plot twists for me were somewhat hit or miss. Especially those relating to the overarching plot were rather mediocre in my opinion, but the smaller ones were very well done! This also ties into the conclusion, which is the type of ending that, the more you think about it, the less sense it makes. The final couple of plot twists don't really make a whole lot of sense, are a weird choice, and end up taking away more than they add. They were the type of plot twists that seemed to be there more to prove the audience wrong rather than to actually make narrative sense.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Finally, I'd like to mention that the drama has a big focus on different themes and arcs that carry across its duration, with a special focus on different perspectives on the same theme, idea, concept, and background, which makes for a pleasant and interesting watching experience.

┊┊PRODUCTION:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Stellar cinematography. It's a visual masterpiece; every scene looks beautiful, and they make sure every shot counts and adds to the narrative. Locations are amazing (mostly real from what I could tell), and it pays off so much. They really tried to give off the idea that you, as a viewer, are there as well, and it makes a world of difference. The world feels so well lived-in and real.

┊┊MUSIC:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The music was good; it fit the drama. It didn't stand out to me, but it also didn't stick out, so overall, it was good.

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◇ Was it what I was expecting? Somewhat better than I was expecting, tbh
◆ Did it live up to its potential? Almost
◇ Would I watch it again? Maybe
◆ Would I recommend it to others? Yes

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Interesting story, mediocre execution.

This is a light-hearted xianxa with lots of funny moments, limited angst and overall good acting. The story idea was interesting and different from a lot of other dramas, but the execution was rather conventional and uninspired. The quality of the script changes (drops) throughout the thirty episodes:
The first half is quite entertaining with an interesting story. The next ten episodes feel like several scriptwriters each wanted to pull the drama in different directions and the logic and coherence between what is said one moment and 2hat happens the next goes completely out of the window.
For instance, in one scene we are told the ML/FL needed to hurry back to their sect using their flying skills, only to see them frolicking through the woods without a care in the world and obviously in no hurry at all.
In another scene the ML is supposed to have lost all his magic skills, yet he can still fly…
The last five episodes were dreadfully boring and brim-ful of fillers.
The ending was kind of ok, I’ve seen a lot worse in other xianxia, but I didn’t find it emotionally engaging. Maybe after being so bored by the previous episodes I’ve lost all empathy for the main couple.
The acting by the main cast was quite good and the only reason why I managed to finish this. This type of role seems to suit Alen Feng much more that the stiff characters he usually plays.

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Was Editing and Character Development an Accident?

Oh my...
This series had potential to be a solid weekend watch. However, the choppiness of the character development, chemistry and awareness grew tiring. Why prolong a series that doesn't carry depth to begin with. This could have been cute and unique within the basis of the synopsis, yet it felt as if the writer wanted more in his mind but couldn't convey it within the script. The leads were okay but sometimes absent-minded as to 'discoveries' just a couple of episodes earlier. OST was not memorable but seemed to have more forethought into this drama than the series pacing or scene changes. The leads were okay, but I have seen their talents displayed much better in other works. This would have been better as an extended-mini or a solid 20 episodes.

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Give Me A Bone!!!

This drama had so much potential but lost itself in the melodrama.

I truly loved the potential of this show. The worldbuilding in the first few episodes had a ton of promise, but the show did an awful job developing the lore to keep us invested in the mystery. This writers didn't give their readers anything. Any of the lore came in drips and drabs. I was 28/32 episodes in and I still didn't know why Dan Oh can see into the future, why Haru can see into the past, why Dried Squid Fairy remembers everything from both worlds, who the hell the writer is. A show that hinges on mystery in a supernatural world needs to give its viewers clues to keep the interest going — red herrings would even be appreciated! Otherwise, we’re just padding through the episodes with blindfolds and with no trust that anything will actually make sense in the end.

Given the amount of care the show provided to the lore, as expected, halfway through, it lost steam. The drama got caught up in the melodrama and once Baek Gyeong became self-aware, the show shifted focus from Dan Oh and her mission to survive, to Baek Gyeong vs. Haru and their mission to save her. So disappointing. I didn’t care for Dan Oh, but I’d much rather watch an annoying yet charming girl try to change the world to live than two melodramatic men fighting for her affection, when it’s already very clear who she’s in love with.

It’s all so irritating though that Haru transformed from a quiet, doe-eyed extra to a moody, brooding bummer who instead of trying to make the most of his time with Dan Oh while she’s alive, sits on benches with his head in his hands, runs away from Dan Oh or just cries whenever he looks at her.

I was also very annoyed with how the show tried to romanticize Baek Gyeong. His realization of his feelings for her does not forgive his abysmal attitude towards her in the past. His love declarations weren't moving Dan Oh’s heart, nor were they moving mine.

Also so irritated how Dan Oh’s character was reduced to heart palpitations. Every fifteen minutes, her heart gives and she’s in the nurse’s office or the hospital, where we inevitably see Haru or Baek Gyeong taking care of her. C’mon, stop using the plight of female characters to drive male character development. I’m just so tired of dramas taking so much care of the male lead’s development while giving the female lead scraps. Dan Oh became a shell of the personality she started with.

And that's not to say that I even like Dan Oh to begin with. That baby voice had me cringing the entire show, and then towards the end of the show, her character cried way too much to the point where I liked her better when she was bratty and chaotic in the beginning. She was more interesting.

Her character wasn't really that likeable to begin with. She’s a rich heiress. As much as the drama would like to make the stakes high, they didn't do a good job making me believe that they were, so the only thing I could root for her was her love story and I couldn't see any reason why Ha Ru would like her except for the fact that she gave him his name.

Her unlikeability is evident in her friendship. Her best friend is Sae Mi, who terrorizes the FL (who tbh is such a Mary Sue that I don't even remember her name), but Dan Oh continues to be friends with her. You could chalk it up to the fact that their friendship existed way before Dan Oh became self-aware but Dan Oh still continues to call Sae Mi her best friend. I know Sae Mi is there more for comic relief than anything but I can’t imagine being friends with such a bully.

All in all, I was left with disappointment. Thank God each episode was 30-something minutes. I know, if you do the math, that's basically the same length as a 16 episode kdrama, but it was easier to stomach knowing that the episodes were going by much quicker.

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