Reviews

I started this series with high hopes because the opening scene with Qi Yan and his eunuch adopted father choosing his new emperor's robes was very fascinating, their outwardly smiley expressions and the weird tension in the air was honestly very well done.

But the FL made me drop it. Her characterization makes no sense - grew up in the palace but doesn't know the bare minimum of palace etiquette. She is literally RUDE but somehow the king just lets her get away with it because ??reason?? even very early on and when they're barely acquainted. She's supposed to be the best candidate for king's bodyguard position but has no brains for it at all and also physically doesn't carry herself like one. They could've just cut her role and have the FL be the 2nd FL who is clever and cunning and have her go head to head with the king.

Acting wise I think they were all pretty good, but no matter how good Zhang Yuxi is her acting cannot change characterization. Cheng Yi, as usual shows emotions very well, but he cannot make his character's interaction with the FL make sense.

Overall I still gave the show a 5/10 because I can see a lot of potential in there, but sacrificing logic to make romance happen in a drama is one of my top peeves and I cannot continue watching.

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I have forgotten who i am waiting for... I am your energy charger

I had high hopes for this drama , such a big let down!.
First thing i noticed is the male lead is extremely tall and the female lead very short so they have a really big gap between their height. They have no chemistry whatsoever ! Its like watching a kid and an adult .

This drama has potential with the background of the story, that intrigued me but beside that they didnt further or explain more of the story. It was just really bland and boring, like nothing exciting really comes out. The male lead has been stuck for 1000 s of year in the same house and cant leave waiting for someone to return ( which he forgot) who. The female lead moves into the house and she somehow possess the energy to recharge the male lead. He is like a ghost but not a ghost, He can move freely through the walls and become invisible but cant leave too far from home. The male lead also would sometimes get cold if he used up too much of his energy, resulting in the need of the female lead's touch to recharge. He needs more physical contact with each charge> first just a hand hold, then a kiss on the head even to the point of a kiss, but like afterwards the effect of the kiss is slow... dont really understand....

I ve watch to ep 16 and still the background is a mystery as to why the female lead is the one , who the male lead is waiting for? who is trying to destroy the tree. (the tree is linked to the male lead)

Its like both ends the male and female persona isn't developed well... female lead is a designer but she realizes that she is actually plagiarizing someone else' work. This was due to the male lead having this pouch that can help recall the memory of what the female lead saw.... We know the male lead is waiting for someone.... but who ?

DROP. aint worth your time. really wanted to like it, but no! just no!

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Good plotline, catastrophic execution.

Night has come despite its captivating narrative, ultimately falls short due to subpar execution and lackluster acting, leaving me as watcher with mixed feelings.
The show kicks off with a promising start, weaving a very different concept full of suspens and mystery which kept me at the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, the downfall lies in the execution of this kdrama.
One glaring issue is the TERRIBLE ACTING of the female lead, the most glaring flaw is the repetitive and wooden acting displayed by the actress. While the character is diverse and have the potential for depth, the actress seems trapped in a cycle of limited expressions and monotony. It's disheartening to witness pivotal scenes undermined by a lack of emotional range, as character struggles . Furthermore, as the show came to it's end the anticipation surrounding the ending transforms into disappointement, as the series concludes with a unnecessery plot-twist which left me confused and with too many questions. As for the unresolved plotholes formed through the execution that's another thing to discuss!
Despite these critical flaws, Night has come manages to maintain a curious hold on me. The allure of the overarching mystery keeps me invested, despite the show's evident shortcomings.

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Good Acting but Lacking in Depth

This was well-acted but the story itself was only 6 episodes, and I feel like it lacked some depth and suffered some bc of that. It was not very scary or thrilling, but I was intrigued at where the story was going and it was enough to keep me entertained on a Sunday afternoon. Overall, it was alright but definitely not as good as his other media (Train to Busan, Hellbound, etc.). I just couldn't help but feel that the FL was rather selfish, and it made me hard to sympathize with her. Also, I wish that we had more time & follow up with the two detectives bc their story itself was interesting. Overall giving this an 8/10 bc the cast truly was very good. Would have been much better with more time spent on thrilling twists & character development.

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I can only continue walking forward

Yes it was Great watching it specially the story building and and character building was so good accurate and every single thing in this drama was super good. It make me more sure that one should never think about committing crimes such as killing or suicide. Both can be very dangerous. But the fact they all somehow resolved there 1000 year old beef and tried to be together is so cute. They didn't only focus on main lead but also support lead. I also wanted to see dok hwa getting married or having rebirth with them too. I didn't expected to have such a plot like i was thinking dok hwa is going to be someone bad but it turns out he was not. It was so cute and lovely to have them see together again.

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Good start, wobbly ending without explanation

So basically its a good show if u are not a too much fan of k dramas. Like u haven't watched alot of k dramas before. I have only watched 3,4 kdramas but i was still bored and i realized that it has alot of same old stories and they even copy goblins scenes. Even a child can tell.

So basically fl and ml was hella beautiful. Super classy and cute. Only good thing about drama.

I have alot of questions like why the hell the grannys childs become so evil for no reason and adopted daughter wasn't? Why the hell granny prefers and loves her adopted child more then her 1 and only grandson. I totally agree that she has beef with his son but why with her grandson? His grandson didn't even done anything wrong. And nah don't tell me she hated him for wrong doings but wait she was cold and oblivious to her even in the 1 episode. Her adopted daughter and her grandson was of same age but she keep on acting like he doesn't even exist and fancy fl like what. Granny, aunt and even dohee which were all super powerful, rich, educated, clever and CEOs yet everyone was unable to see all the abuse noh do gyoun go through. That is so unnecessary. I feel so wrong about that kid. He was the youngest of all and yet he has to have such tragic life as well as death too.

So the main villain said he was a sinner even before he committed any crime. We didn't get to explore that part. In the end V get visions of his mother but not his own son which he brutally assaulted and mutilated for no reason. It should have been included.

Now coming to plot like it was same as goblin. He dies to save her then she wished to see him and he appears.

The god was way too comfortable living in human world. Come on god, don't u have anything to do? The sister was way to useless and didn't even contributed to the plots was only there to bring comedy. The assistants was there to give 2nd hand embarrassment with cringe romance. I like how jin star give up being a villain after 1 attempt. The overly protective ju soek hyuen also gives up after 1 attempt. Not even a single crazy plot twist. Even the past lives were unnecessary only bring the issue about Catholic beliefs. like what. They literally showed the villains in the very first episode. And in a well developed, well educated, work orientated country like korea, there is a demon living happily and telling every other person about his identity so easily and everyone is believing him like its very common.

Overall I watched all the drama (skipped some useless romantic scenes) and i was impressed at firt some episodes but then it went 👇. But i completed anyway cause leads were way too handsome and pretty to skip.

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Bluebird and origami

Well this was cute, quick to watch and utterly forgettable. Taiwan can definitely do better than this but I guess they must have somehow lost their touch in 2023 to produce a string of misses and a rare hit. This was a miss!

VIP Only is a love story between a chef and a novelist living above the chef's restaurant. It is wrought with tropes: falling into your arms, accidental kiss, helpful best friends, a third party, childhood connection, a mother-in-law from hell......there is nothing fundamentally wrong with tropes as long as you find a novel way to use it. Here, they just put one after another and called it a series! While I was watching it, I had a weird impression that, originally, the script was for a straight M/F romcom and they just cast a man as FL because his behaviour, his actions, his attitude, the way he talked and the way he was dresses in flowing oversized clothes, all screamed woman! I don't know, maybe the character is trans? Did I miss something? I know, those codes come from mangas! They'd tried and tested and we are fed up! Come up with something new, shake up the genre!!!!

More interesting than the main pair were their friends. They pushed and connived to get the chef and the writer together, and their interactions were funny. I would not mind watching more of them! When the writer's college crush reappears in his life, the chef feels threatened, and the way they bicker over the writer is silly and funny!

The cinematography was all over the place: from scenes that were too sharp and cold to dreamy scenes with lighting obscuring faces (really pretty) to some weird camera angles. The same goes for editing: sometimes smooth and other times jerky. And then there was the omnipresent music, all the time in the background, that boring elevator music not adding anything to the plot, just annoyance! The actors were there, going through the motions, chemistry rather weak but the cringe was minimal. Except for the surprise visit of the couple from a parent drama. The main actor Stan, reminded me so much (doppelgänger) of the ML from Hello Stranger(I have to find his name...), a pinoy bl!

Surprisingly so, I think I might rewatch this when I need something simple and silly to cheer me up.

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Acting like rent was DUE

Title says it all. Every actor brought their A game. To a degree where I couldn’t believe I’d seen them act in other shows because they held so true to their characters. It was bittersweet but life often is. A story about learning to love and be loved and the mortifying ordeal of being seen. I’ve never felt so invested in side characters and quite frankly, only about 2-3 out of the entire cast felt like a true side character. The characters were fleshed out to a “t” and the ups and downs were believable. Your heart ached when they cried and life was unfair. You laughed when they were ridiculous and out of pocket. You felt butterflies when you saw someone be loved for who they were instead of who the world thinks they should be. No notes, just watch it.

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This one wasn't it for me.

I liked the premise. But towards the end I found it to be dragging a bit. It felt like too many murderers were involved in the plot line.

I've come to the conclusion I'm not a Song Kang fan. When I see him interviewed he seems like a nice person, but most of his acting roles I'm not drawn to his character. When he's trying to be whimsical, romantic or silly he seemed so stiff and unnatural. When he was trying to portray being arrogant and aloof that also didn't seem to come naturally. The only times that it felt to me like he was really in character was when he was trying to be the most threatening or bad version of his character.

And I know culturally Korean fashion differs from where I am, but I feel like the costume designer had it out for Song Kang, because so many of his outfits the cut, the color, were so unflattering. That turtleneck in the last episode for instance. And there's one early episode where he's wearing a tan jacket that has a spot of blue tape on the back for quite a few scenes and no one caught it.

I hadn't seen two of the supporting characters in roles before - Lee Sang-Yi and Jo Hye-Joo, and I found myself hoping they would be in more dramas, because they both were a little unusual looking in a way that made them interesting to watch.

I'm not sure why he disintegrated when he did, because he didn't kill anybody. Also he didn't come back as human, so he's just going to hang around while she grows old and dies and he doesn't? That's kind of depressing.

I can't see myself ever rewatching this again in the future, and it's not one that I would recommend.

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cute, angsty, adorable

This will go down in history as one of my all-time favorites. I regret not watching this sooner.

This may not have been my ji Chang Wook awakening, but I love him all the more for it. He is best boyfriend material.

I have to admit: it does take a second to get used to the old style of filming, but I LOVED IT. I wasn’t sure about it at first, BUT IT IS SO GOOD. THIS IS 100% A CLASSIC.

The romance was just everything. It was so good, and I love the Superman hidden identity of Healer. He’s so charismatic. It was just SO GOOD. I got addicted to the OST, and it brings an onslaught of feelings everytime I hear it.

“ITS A BEAUTIFUL FEELING ~”

I will be rewatching this drama every December because it was just so good. It was kind of(?) a slow burn, but that made the angst feel so much more angsty.

Park Min Young was absolutely adorable in this drama. I’ve only been used to her as a kept-together woman, but she was so cute in this. Her acting is so versatile, and I loved her in this. ONE THING THOUGH. They did her bad with the haircut in the second half. Her hair at the beginning was perfect, but they cut it too short later. It’s okay though, because she still rocks it.

Overall, I will keep this drama in my heart as a classic.

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wholesome, heartwarming, tear jerking, adorable

I will never stop saying good things about this drama. I started on a whim and fell in love. Just one more episode turned into let’s binge all of this. Waiting every week for it gave it a certain charm that just made it all the more enjoyable.

The best thing about this drama for me was the characters. They made everyone so damn likeable (except Cheungi, Eun Bi, and Yong Pil dad). Like genuinely, I would’ve watched a whole drama based on anyone of the characters. They’re all so wholesome, and the entire town is so cute. It’s such a close knit family, and they may be nosey at times but it’s because they care.

This was my Ji Chang Wook awakening. I have missed out. Then, I went to watch his other dramas, and I LOVE HIM EVEN MORE. He is so golden retriever coded. Lord bless me with a Cho Yong Pil.

The sisters were all so spectacular in each of their own way. I wish they gave more screen time for the other two sisters because their story was so worth it. THEYRE SO CUTE I SWEAR. The rich guy is such a puppy. He never did anything wrong. Hae-dal and Ha-yul are absolutely adorable. Hayul is a national treasure, and I can’t wait to see how the actress grows up.

The love story. IM DYINGGGGG. I thought I would be annoyed, but they did it so well. They’re very mature about it, and I love them so much. The Power Rangers are iconic, and I wish everyone could have friends like that.

THE MOM. Let me tell you, I love this woman. I love this actress too. I’ve seen here everywhere, and she ATEEEEEE.

This drama made me go through all the feels, and I feel so full from it.

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Suffering from withdrawal after binge watching both seasons

STORY 9.5/10
Alchemy of Souls takes place in the fictional world of Daeho and it blends fantasy, action, drama, political intrigue, comedy, and romance, achieving an amazing balance. The central plot focuses on the male lead's journey in the mage world and as well as how the female lead and male lead become entangled in the political intrigue of Daeho. The male lead's underdog narrative was so compelling to watch and I was rooting for him and the female lead's success the entire way. There were other interesting subplots that intertwined with the central plot well. I loved that romance wasn't the focus, but I also thought it was the weakest aspect of this season. With all the other things going on in the story, the romance felt relatively underdeveloped and I didn't feel any romantic chemistry between the leads.

Pacing was slow at some parts of the story with heavy dialogue, melodrama, and not much story progression. I remedied that by watching at increased speed. Some details felt unexplained or missed. I believe the 20 episode count could've been reduced for better pacing and tighter storytelling.

ACTING/CAST 9/10
While I enjoyed the male and female leads' fun and chaotic dynamic as servant/master and master/pupil, I had a hard time seeing them as potential lovers in this season. I enjoyed Jung So Min playing Mu-deok, but because of how she portrayed her character with her snark and constant annoyance at the male lead as well as her character's attempts to distance herself from him emotionally, it hindered any perceived romantic connection between them. I just didn't feel any romantic chemistry between the lead actors.

I was impressed with the male lead actor, Lee Jae Wook, in this series. Among his cast of young peers, he stood out with his versatile acting, deftly switching between humor and seriousness. He held his ground next to his more veteran peers, including his lead actress, Jung So Min. Lee Jae Wook's performance elevated the series and converted me into his fan.

The leads have a great supporting cast. I especially loved the relationships the male lead had with his father figure, Park Jin, and mother figure, Maidservant Kim. Master Lee Cheol, the deceptively young but sage mage, unexpectedly became my favorite side character.

MUSIC 10/10
The soundtrack complements the series well, offering appropriate and enjoyable music.

REWATCH VALUE 8.5/10
Given the 20 episode count and some pacing and storytelling issues, the rewatch value is slightly lower for me. However, with engaging plots, an entertaining cast, and great production, it could still be a fun rewatch.

OVERALL 9.5/10
This series had great production quality with a stellar cast amid gorgeous sets and landscapes. While it succumbed to some typical tropes and pacing issues, they remain tolerable due to compelling storylines and an entertaining ensemble cast. I binge watched both seasons consecutively and will dearly miss the world of Daeho and this cast.

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Started strong. But didn't finish that way.

The first few episodes I really enjoyed, there was a lot of whimsy with the four cupids and how they went about their job. And I liked the storyline of a Cupid who falls in love with a mortal.

But the serial killer murder mystery attached to it felt a little too serious and dark for how it started. I hadn't seen the FL in any main roles before, I found if she was doing something that required emotion, her eyes go dead, especially when she smiles. I don't know if she has Botox or filler or something but there is no expression happening on that part of her face

And her character made so many bad decisions that it was hard to watch, at one point when she gets beaten up and I didn't feel sorry for her. Every time someone tells her to stay safe and not go outside she continues to go outside. Until the point they want her to evacuate a car, and then she won't and almost dies again. I found that part of the storyline so frustrating.

Maybe because I disliked her character and the way that she portrayed it so much I didn't feel that there was much chemistry between the two of them. At one point he asked to spend the night and I went into it thinking it was platonic until the moment that it obviously wasn't. And even then it seemed odd to see them together.

The ML is easy to like, I think he was cast well. I would have enjoyed it more if they didn't have such a sinister murder storyline tied to it and would have kept it whimsical the way it started. Either that or start it a lot less whimsically and make it have more thriller vibes.

Also the little girls bedroom at the end, that sheep in the teepee is super creepy. And that might have been the strangest thing that has rhymed that I've ever written.

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A lovely, wholesome watch

I really enjoyed this drama. It wasn't perfect, but wholesomeness of the characters, and the superb acting (perfect casting) had me coming back every week for more. I seem to have gotten a lot pickier over the years and it's become hard for me to stick to a drama as it's airing unless I'm enjoying each episode.

There were definitely things that we got too much of - literally no one cared about the second-lead? (I feel like he doesn't even deserve that title) weird one-sided love that lasted wayyyy too long. And then there were things that we wanted way more of like the youngest and oldest sister's stories (past, present, and future).

This drama had some beautifully written characters and development though, and that's what had me crying at some parts when their love and humanity shines through.

Plus, I understand the Korean dramas tend to be focused on the female perspective since that's their audience, but I would have loved to get some more focus on our male lead, Cho Yong-pil, too and see his life and perspectives fleshed out a bit more so that we could see why he fell Sam-dal and why he loves what he loves. I will say that the way Ji Chang-wook was constantly staring with so much love in his eyes, I had no trouble believing it (I just wanted some more backstory about his life).

The chemistry our main couple had was great, and I even wish we had some more scenes with kisses and other gestures of affection, although they are great at staring into each other's eyes affectionately.

The small town ensemble cast was wonderful and they all brought so much energy and fun to the screen, which makes you understand why small towns where everyone knows everyone can be a bit exhausting or frustrating when everyone knows your business, but also that it's a home you can always turn to for support.

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