Reviews

Too rushed, which made things not very believable

The plot is interesting, I’ll give them that. However, with everything they tried to squeeze into two episodes, they ran out of time for a lot of it. Not only weren’t Jay and Pun given time to develop whatever was going on between the two of them, the flashbacks in the second episode were not necessary. I can understand their point, but with how short the two episodes are, they were really not needed. They didn’t show anything new either. And then the “horror” Pun’s friends went through was anticlimactic and it just took the story in a weird direction.

I know Jay and Pun were not end game (for obvious reasons), but I was very bothered by the lack of chemistry between the actors. If they want us to believe that the two have found themselves in this wild and passionate love affair, I need much more than a hug and a half decent kiss to believe it. Especially if we are to believe that Jay was this obsessed with Pun and for their love affair to end in flames. I do think they were able to portray Jay’s creepiness well though. He made me uncomfortable from the start, but that’s a good thing in this case.

I am not a football expert, but even I know that you need more than four players and an extra to compete. The few additional players in blue did add up to a full team, but everyone treated them like they are not actually part of it. They were not part of the celebrations, the orange jersey players didn’t involve them in anything outside of practice, and there was no communication in the locker room either.

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Master class in storytelling

There are so many arcs about this drama that deserve recognition but first and foremost, an award has to go to the scriptwriter Hwang Jin Young who masterfully created an interwoven piece of fiction with historical events. The flowing narrative of Lee Jang Hyun and Yoo Gil Chae flows within a nation under constant siege.

The acting in this drama is above excellent, especially from Namkoong Min (Lee Jang Hyun), Ahn Eun Jin (Yoo Gil Chae),
Lee Hak Joo (Nam Yeon Jun) and Kim Yoon Woo (Ryang Eum). The romance and stretched ties between Jang Hyan and Gil Chae are neither overdone nor underwhelming. They are a couple drawn to each other, distrustful of one another and yearn for each other throughout. The separation arcs are not contrived but seen as a symptom of the times; those not in the ruling class are at the contrived whims of those that are. There were several times that this drama was put in pause in order to emotionally calm back down.

The secondary parts of Yeon Jun and Ryang Eum are flawlessly portrayed on screen, and I look forward to future roles they are a part of. Yeon Jun is married to Gil Chae's best friend but also secretly attracted to Gil Chae. This character does not act on his attraction, not because of duty or loyalty but because his wife's family could advance his career as a scholar. Ryang Eum was perhaps the most fascinating character because of an illicit longing for the person who saved him from a slave's life: Jang Hyun. He is pitiful, beautiful and selfish and this part in the hands of a lesser actor would have made him an antagonist that left the viewers without thought. Kim Yoon Woo's acting was flawless in the part and deserves recognition for a nuanced and emotional portrayal.

The hardest and most riveting part of this drama was how it handled those captured by enemies and the unflinching pious attitude of elite nobility. A society more concerned with purity, bloodlines and social acclaim than aiding those who were helpless. I've read much about historical Korean standards towards women and most dramas will tell the story but not in a way that involved me emotionally. In this drama, the women, children and elderly who were captured, released and then brutally murdered by a cowardly king and court, shined a spotlight that could not have been brighter on societal hypocrisy. Again, the screenwriter created a beautiful, brutal world that has relevance in modern times. Brilliant and timeless writing by a master.

I've rarely called any drama masterful, but this title is deserved by all involved. If you're undecided if it's worth the time, please push play. You'll never regret it.

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BEST MORDEN URBAN CDRAMA OF 2023

First of all i need to take a moment and appreciate all the casts and staffs realted to rwtw drama. I can see the effort and dedication for their work in this work. Thank you for this beautiful drama!

The story was very solid here! The whole story revolves around Teng Yue, a very old traditional chinese show brand which was owned by female lead (Jiang Hu) dad. But later after her father's dead the company is bought by boaxing company where the male lead (Xu Si) a top investor joins them. As the story develops you will see Jiang Hu saving Teng Yue and Xu Si wanting to buy some shares of it! later the agreement is finalized Xu Si acquires 51% Teng Yue shares and Jiang Hu with 49% mind you these shares plays a huge role in the story and also in fl and ml relationship. In order to save Teng Yue Jiang Hu goes againt the wind to sell (20,000 shoe) and proof its value. She works and asks help to everyone she knows and finally she succeeds in the process Xu Si falls in love with her. He encourages her guide her and make her believe that she can do it. Their love story begins but it ends soon bcs of Xu Si didn't communicate about it to Jiang Hu (not spoiling it but its related to 51% shares) but at the end Xu Si realises how important Teng Yue is to Jiang Hu and he goes against the wind to save Teng Yue and win his beloved Jaing Hu back!

The characters of this story are very mature, strong and imperfect. Our female lead, Jaing Hu (played by Zhong Chuxi) who first appears to be an arrogant and dad's princess at the beginning of the story turns to be the strongest determined and cool person. She's has great leadership quality. In order to save Teng yue she can beg to anyone and ask for help. She's also a very sweet and lovely person. She is very sensitive. loves and trust the people who are around her!
Our male lead, Xu Si (played by Gong Jun) who appeared to us a winner and a strong player is also very sensitive. As an investors he knows how the game works he has a good knowledge of what he is doing and what the other party is interested in. Beside his job he truly loves Jiang Hu too. when he looses himself in the relationship at the end he again makes a strong comeback to save Teng Yue which is worth watching!

Other characters of the drama too not perfect everyone has some flaws in them but as the story comes to an end their characters develop and they work together towards the goal of working with Teng Yue.
All the actors really did an amazing job in portraying the characters emotions you can trust them and their acting skills and continue watching it. The ml and fl are stars for me their chemistry from the first ep was intense and follows till the end too! Their romantic scenes are not at all awkward it feels natural. Even when they break up and see they face each other their tension gets more intense! They got good visuals and great chemistry so its candy to the eyes!

lets not forget the osts! The first ost “stay with me” which plays when Jiang Hu and Xu Si first meet each other is my favorite the song is even special for them cause they play it and dance together. The song choice was really good! The lyrics fits the atmosphere and characters well. The leads have also sang their own songs so itws worth checking out.

Lets talk about the direction of this drama. Its very high quality! The wide detail cinematography shots are so pleasant to eyes. The colour/ filter choice too should be mentioned. You can feel the coldness and warmth in this drama. They balanced it very well! the characters fits too make the drama more beautiful haha. So production and direction wise no complains but i wished they had showed us more romantic scenes of the leads many was cut off.

Overall the drama was worth my time. I went throught roller-coaster emotions with the leads but now they have big place in my heart. The ending couldve been more perfect i wanted to see more of Jiang Hu and Xu Si dynamic but as its a good happy ending i recommend everyone bcs this drama is really one of the high quality urban mordern chinese drama out after a long time!! Give it a try your time will be worth!

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Another milestone of epic love story & a new aspirant for the hall of fame of historical KDramas

Now that another 11 episodes of the second season of “My Dearest” have come to an end, I have a couple of additional thoughts, that I would like to add to season 1.

First.
In my opinion, the mission (I am here referring to the side note of my review for season 1) was a complete success in terms of the haunting dramaturgical interlinking of personal fates, love stories and a historical context, whose traumatic shadows for the national self-image extend to this day. Therefore I consider “My Dearest” as definitely belonging to the hall of fame of historical KDramas. And as a milestone of epic love stories, too.
So, on the one hand, there is the never-ending, tragic roller coaster of this fateful lovers... at times you may even become impatient that this (hopefully!) has to come to a happy ending soon, shouldn´t it? On the other hand, it is precisely because of those two significantly insignificant contemporaries and their personal context that we are cleverly torn ever deeper into the actual historical and political framework of that time. Whether we like it or not. Basically, we are of course primarily concerned with the touching dynamic between the two :-) but, nevertheless, we inevitably get closer to the dilemmas of the people, their problematic king and the political framework of that historical chapter, too... Thus, the emotional intensity of the love story kind of also serves as the cream topping for an audience, who is going all the way through this humiliating (preferably repressed) time for Joseon.

This brings me to the second:
I was positively surprised, how Confucian moral values (based on ruling authority, especially morality and loyalty) are openly pilloried in this production. Actually, the MBC KDrama production “My Dearest” from 2023 takes a pleasingly liberal stand, when it comes to a conclusion. Officially, in the narrative of the story, authoritarian values are upheld, but for the audience, this supposedly unerring path to ´order´ and ´harmony´ is clearly revealed to have failed.
It is said that the fish rots from the head down. Eventually, when it comes to such a stench, the noble, ethical-political teaching of Confucius must fail, too, if authority (embodied by the king, the teacher or the father) is weak, sick and delusional. Loyalty to a delusional king or an almost fanatical adherence to principles obviously borders on stupidity. Thus, it doesn't accomplish anything. On the contrary. Dramaturgically speaking, “My Dearest”´ haunting dynamic is driven by exactly this officially ethically legitimated, but then in fact again personally motivated 'stupidity' of some, who call themselves scholars or nobles. Practically speaking, it is about stranded traditional Confucian values… and therefore, as far as Joseon at that time is concerned, highly self-critical, too. (E.g. it is neither ONLY the Qing, to be blamed, nor ONLY the Joseon king…)

P.S.:
And as a third:
In my opinion, Ahn Eun-jin in the role of Gil-chae has really catapulted herself into a new league of acting over the course of the series - with her increasing presence, depth, authenticity and overall growing charisma. Respect! I'm definitely looking forward to further productions with her as female lead...

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Part 1: ASTOUNDING–Part 2: DRIFTED OFF....

Hands down to the emotional rollercoaster throughout the drama, the actors are stupendous. I'm like so doubtful I even saw emotions through my screen due to the splendid performance from ALL SIDES. Each character had their moments, each actor/actress, whether good or bad, all had their moments of splendor and disgust, which is what makes them all SO. MUCH. MORE. REAL. Unpopular opinion, I personally LOVE the Qing Princess character for being the most complex and well misunderstood/understood character. Her character has the equivalent complexity as the male lead which I find is a great accomplishment to the storyline. I wish script writer would add more characters like hers, it just makes a cliche storyline so much more intriguing and with more plot twists––better yet make a character like her the main character, aka strong FL (omg I would so watch that!).

However, I have to say, with the extremely high expectations from Part 1, Part 2 definitely drifted off. Although not as believable, was still enjoyable to watch. There were points there I find were a bit incredulous, and some things didn't quite make sense or they didn't quite round it off, especially with the character Ryang Eum, but overall the performance of each character was what ultimately made this drama an enjoyable ride.

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A rich seam of rewatch value

I am a big fan of the sageuk (Korean historical drama) genre in general but this is one of my favorite dramas in the genre and, well, of all the Kdramas I have watched. I come back and rewatch it periodically, partly because I am a super fan of Yeo Jin-goo (who plays the dual roles of the king and Ha-seon the clown so adeptly), but also for lots of other reasons. The rest of the cast, the writing, the direction, the production, the soundtrack, everything is very nearly flawless. Except the ending which almost everyone seems to have some issues with.

One of the things that keeps me coming back is that the characters are so well-realized through a combination of writing and acting that knowing more about them gives certain lines and actions more significance on rewatching, so I always pick up on something I didn’t notice before.

Nobody in this drama is one-dimensional. Shin Chi-soo, the Left State Councillor, bears the scars of war, clawed his way to the top, and is just doing what he thinks he needs to do to protect himself, because he’s seen what happens to people without power. The Dowager Queen is doing the only thing she can to get justice for her little son’s unjust murder. The king Ha-seon doubles for and eventually replaces was despised by his own father from the day he was born for something that wasn’t his own fault, then used, manipulated, and addicted to drugs by people who should have been his most trusted advisors - how could he have kept his sanity or stayed a decent person in the face of that? And the Chief Royal Secretary, oh boy. Although Shin Chi-soo is a terrible person, he is absolutely right about the Chief Royal Secretary.

There’s also something uncomfortable inherent in these characters and motivations: the usual sageuk trope of setting everything right by clearing all the bad guys out of positions of power won’t work here. The environment of the palace is bad and corrupting not because there are bad people in it, but because it’s the nature of the palace and the incentives in it. People will lose their morals, lose their humanity, commit terrible acts, and perpetuate a cycle of violence and suffering that engulfs both people in positions of power and, unfortunately, the innocent people they have power over.

Yes, it’s depressing! But it’s not wrong. Hereditady aristocracy and monarchy are a terrible way to run a country.

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Authentic ans simple

That's a type of history that catch you at the first seconds and makes you heart cry for more, it's one most beautiful stories that I watch in 2023, in producion they do a good job that you see they really was engaged and not justing drop a new series, the acting was so good, like at all. All the actors did a good job, the main, the lead, the support every act add a layer to this so well tought out drama. They really makes me interest in read the mangá and for sure I will. The only weak point was the soundtrack, if they add just one strong song I would give a ten. The rewatch value is 10 for sure. I will comeback and I want more.

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Doubtful beginning and amazing ending

First few episodes made me doubtful and I was thinking about dropping this drama, but I'm glad I didn't do that and chose to watch further. The actors were amazing and the soundtrack was strong, it kept me going.
The strong meaning of the main idea was portraid so beautifully and interesting. The relationships between son and father, grandmother and grandson were so important and pure and growing connection between father and daughter made me happy.
Although ending still left so many question, that I tried find the answers online, little details that were shown answered some of them. The last episode made me weep, it was so emotional and strong. This is by far the best Kdrama I had ever seen. I wish I could watch this drama again as new.

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Jang Hyun and Gil Chae - that's who you need to know

This review comes with spoilers - the spoilers are in the second half of this post and I shall mark it in bold letters so you can stop reading at that point if you don't want to be spoiled.

Referring to just part 2, this was literally actually theoretically a not so enjoyable rollercoaster ride. But theory cannot compete with Nam Goong Min and Ahn Eun Jin's acting so it was still very much enjoyable. Perfect man and perfect woman who are perfectly interesting both by themselves and together do not need the best chemistry to make their collaboration a success. That is my conclusion after seeing Jang Hyun and Gil Chae portrayals. They are gems ❤️ who will last a long time.

Pros:
CANNOT emphasize on the whole amazingness of this production enough. It surpassed everything in this show and even many other shows. They've left every other part of this show to play catch up to them, and when it almost seemed like some parts did, it left everything and everyone (except one aspect) in the dust and won the race. That one aspect, the only thing that was at least able to keep relative pace with (behind) the production was NGM & AEJ's acting. It was golden. These people can act. Coupled with those melting OSTs, this duo is pretty much unstoppable.
Coming to another important thing, the story. Despite the tumbles the writing took, the story and context (special praise and mention here - to how well they showed the difficulties of the commoners during a trying period) and plot - felt new, interesting, engaging and thought-provoking and in many places, the characters themselves were swoon-worthy. Forgetting all the flaws for a second, I think this deserves much appreciation.
However the side characters ended up, I cannot deny how I loved so many of them. I enjoyed Gu Jam, Jong Jong, Young Rang, Crown Prince & Princess and even the stupid Yong Gol Dae.
Best was the main couple of course. The characters held so much power and stood on their own so well and together, the pleasure they could give us was always double. So ya, all of that makes this drama a really good watch.

SPOILERS:::::

Cons:
Man, for an ending episode, that I was satisfied with in many ways, especially after the let down of the previous eps, it still left many things to be desired :( I was right, that they did seem to have had some of the ending planned before so it was not a complete mess, but it was still messy. Especially when it comes to Ryang Eum & Eun Ae. Ryang Eum - mainly cause of the ending - totally left him and us hanging there after all the build up in the first scene with the letter and finding the truth and if JH is coming back and all that stuff. Eun Ae - her role in part 1 was genuinely good. I cannot describe it properly but that's clearly how it was and how it felt. And in part 2, it all felt just lacking when it came to her - SO - the downward transition of this role and the character's importance feels like poor planning. As for Yeon Jun, it's a bit confusing - BUT - to me, the show has taken a confusing stand point forever when it comes to Yeon Jun. From part 1 till now, it's like they are unable to make up their minds which part of his personality they want to emphasize on and they're presenting all they can think of for him as it is. To me, that at least seems consistent even though it's a bit frustrating because if I want to call him names, I don't want to have doubts about it. I don't know if that was intended, but I doubt it. Possibly many other ifs and buts and uncrossed t's and undotted i's.

Overall, decided to stay consistent to my part 1 rating of 9 / 10.

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So far, Pit Babe is worth the wait

Just watched the first episode and I must say, i am impressed. The episode introduces this series perfectly without so much spoilers and a hint of suspense to keep you glued. The characters are introduced with as much information as necessary to give you a hint but not so much that you might predict what might happen next. The hint of omegaverse makes this an exciting add to my watchlist as I am a huge fan. Who is the mafia looking businessman at the end of the episode? What does he have against Pit Babe? Is Charlie on Pit Babe's side or is he one of the bad guys? Who did he talk to on the phone at the end of the episode asking for an update on Pit Babe? Sooo many questions needs answers and I can't wait to watch this and hopefully I will get my answers. Highly recommend

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Lack Of Communication

**Brief Synopsis**
B (Student): Third
T (Student): Khai

- Beginning: T and B are students at the same school. T is a player, changing girlfriends quickly. B is in love with T and is used to T's antics and accepting to simply be a friend until T starts prioritizing girls over him, ditching him to go on dates. The first half of the show is B sad over T's actions.

- Middle: After a while, B bad enough and decides to distance himself from T. T realizes this and starts missing B's presence. Just as he thought he was only missing the friendship, he sees B with someone else and feels hurt and jealous. He then knew he liked B in that way. However B isn't that ready to accept him. T perseveres, slowly softening B.

End: Before they could have their happy ending, a misunderstanding undoes everything T has done up to this point to soften B. He tries to explain but B won't listen. Their friends takes B's side. This would have continued if it wasn't for the fact that B finds out that all their friends has ditched T for a trip related to their film project. Feeling bad that no one has told T, he immediately goes to find him, and they talk, explaining the misunderstanding. B finally decides to forgive him. The series ends with them together.

**My Opinion**

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT
- The acting is pretty okay from the main characters and the ensemble cast. It doesn't feel cringey or seem awkward.

WHAY I DIDNT LIKE ABOUT IT
- The plot is predictable and cliche and full of overused BL tropes. The writing is just boring, the whole store simply following a set formula. It's not a fluffy show; it's frustrating and annoying and should have been alot better if the main characters simply talked more invested of simply sitting there in silence with their mouth open. for example the misunderstanding at the end, when B have him the chance to explain clearly, he didn't. B had to hear the explanation from a common friend. It's frustrating seeing them not talking and end up fighting again.
- The characters aren't likable and the main couple shouldn't have gotten together. From what I can see, they don't fit with each other at all, and dating would certainly lead to more heartbreak in the future. T is a jackass and B is afraid to tell anyone how he is truly feeling. Together they will end up fighting again for some other misunderstanding.
- Its way too dramatic for my tastes and it's only drama. There isn't an underlying plot. Everything revolves around romance. Because nothing really happens to the characters, when the romance doesn't attract you, the show simple becomes boring. The drama is also boring and feels useless. Its always the same thing over and over again.

**Conclusion**
A series of angst stemming from a lack of communication. It's a show I won't be revisiting.

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Too much blood.

I remember back in 2021 when everyone was obsessed with this show and at that time i simply couldn’t even hear about it anymore. Two days ago i was scrolling through netflix and decided to give this drama a chance. First of all: NEVER TRUST ANYONE and don’t “fall” in love with any character bc they WILL DIE.
Secondly: there’s away too much dead and blood in this show and that’s something that i personality don’t like. I also didn’t liked the ending to be honest. And the reason why they did this game like honestly fck you. It’s kinda of hard to watch too. Overall it was good bc the actores made it good.

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Best 2023 Modern Drama. Realistic, non-cliche story, slow burn romance & fantastic cinematography

This drama tells the story of a female lead who is a spoiled princess until her father dies and she loses everything, and a male lead who is a ruthless investor but despite all odds, decides to help her revive her father’s old shoe company. The drama shows the realistic side of life and starting a business, with morally grey and flawed characters who make mistakes but learn from them. Both male and female leads go through a major character development, from a spoiled princess the female lead becomes a hard-working business woman and from a ruthless investor the male lead opens up emotionally and becomes more caring and loving towards others, realising that money and making the most profitable deals is not the most important thing in life.

The drama executed fantastically many important life lessons such as never giving up, no matter how much challenges life throws at you, that money is not everything, about selfless love and sticking to your morals and promises no matter what.

POSITIVE:
- Realistic drama about the struggles of life and starting a new business
- Morally grey characters that feel like real human beings (make mistakes and are not perfect).
- Non-cliche/predictable storylines.
- Hot chemistry between the main leads.
- Platonic relationships between men and women are done well (which is very rare to see in cdramas).
- Breathtaking cinematography - the aesthetics from colours to buildings and people’s wardrobe is on point.
- Exceptionally well done directing - when characters are experiencing internal struggles, it's visually represented very well.
- Stella cast with brilliant acting (especially the female lead).
- Slow burn romance.
- Cute dog scenes.
- Great pacing, engaging plot, no filler episodes or boring parts.
- Business talks are part of the plot and meaningful compared to other dramas that feel more like filler scenes.
- Male and female lead that are both strong willed and determined.
- Happy ending for both couples.

NEGATIVE:
- The first 8-10 episodes of the drama are quite heavy on business talks. If you don’t know anything about business you might find it hard to follow. But the talks are done really well and easy to digest. I especially learned a lot from this drama so it's not a hard negative but personal preference.

OVERALL:
This is one of the best modern cdramas that I’ve watched with fantastic cast, meaningful storyline and beautiful cinematography and OST. If you want to watch a realistic drama that feels like a biography, with an engaging and non-cliche/predictable story about reviving a business and a slow burn romance with characters that are human and real, this drama is for you.

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One of my favourite contemporary dramas

Rising With The Wind explicitly presents the reality in both the investment and manufacturing industries, and the unruliness that comes with it. It explores the conflict of interest that arises as two people with different nature collides, and also exhibits the difficulty of keeping business and personal life separately.
 
The script writing is compelling. I thoroughly found the dialogues refreshing, and the variety of flawed (or rather dynamic) characters make for a more interesting viewing. The plot knows its theme well and did not go astray into any unnecessary tropes. It gave perfect balance between the following genre: business, romance, and life. The business aspect was intriguing and got me emotionally invested throughout. I enjoyed the flirty banters that the leads had from the beginning, the friendship that they formed while being business partners, and ultimately their seamless progression into being in a relationship. I like the chemistry between the leads, but I had to admit that their relationship was not ideal given their career situation.
 
What I like most about this show was our heroine (Jiang Hu) and her resiliency. She’s smart, capable, passionate about her work, and true to what she believes in. She’s not someone who puts romance first. She sets her priorities straight and someone who could quickly come back up again after every obstacle. SHE’S A QUEEN!
 
The performance of the cast was exceptional. I had a bit of a prejudice with Gong Jun after watching him in The Love Equations. But this drama made me a big fan!  He nailed his acting as the ruthless investor from BaoXing, while on the other hand giving out the most loving expressions after falling in love with Jiang Hu. The portrayal of Chu Xi as Jiang Hu was also amazing -- her natural acting as a fallen heiress was perfect and made me sympathize with her character throughout.
 
I love the friendships that were interwoven with the main characters. These supporting characters were not just there to take up some of the screen time. You could see how they were used as emotional support in multiple ways. Not often do we see such healthy family/friendship/platonic relationships be presented in dramaland, so yes this is very much appreciated.
 
The production quality was above average, and the only problem I had with it (as always with the censorship) was how certain scenes had to be cut, which eventually resulted into awkward scene transitions.
 
Overall, this has been an addicting watch and 40 episodes seemed like nothing! I could see myself rewatching this again some time in the future.

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The best C-drama in 2023!

It’s a mature romance. Not too sweet, all flirty, with some business talks in most episodes. I like it because it felt realistic. The casts, cinematography, ost, all are perfect.

This is my first time watching Elaine Zhong. And I can say, among all of C actresses, she’s definitely one of my favorite. She doesn’t use that high pitch voice to deliver the script. She got the sass, and she’s very well portraying JH.

Gong Jun also showed some improvement. I’ve seen his other work. And I can say he really performed well portraying XS.

Anyway, it’s really the best c-drama at least for me.

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