Reviews

This show has EVERYTHING

I haven't loved a drama this much in a while. I love me a drama that hits on all of my emotions and this is it. Think Hometown Cha Cha Cha with a lil bit of Good Bad Mother, but still different enough from other titles that it feel refreshing.

I typically watch dramas while I do cardio at the gym and let me tell you, I felt foolish to be laughing and then crying a few minutes later. But I wasnt about to stop watching 🤣 It's funny and touching and romantic etc. My favorite aspects are the familial and friendship love and loyalty expressed in the show.

It's really a great watch, I'd suggest it to anyone.

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Cryptic Asia

The reason I prefer cdrama over kdrama is the cryptic factor.i watch shows to be entertained not frustrated Doom at your service is a perfect example starts of great good story, good looking cast with great chemistry and by EP 7 I'm pressing rewind did I miss something why is it getting harder to follow story when I'm watching attentively? Why is doom trying to get away from FL why is God/Omega annoying and wants to stop relationship between couple why? Why? Why? How many why's before frustration takes over! If there are these many unanswered questions how can I enjoy a story I no longer understand how can I invest in characters whose motivation I don't know yes there should be some intrigue and anticipation but not to the point that you actually need to be a detective to follow story too cryptic and non entertaining for me. Why do Korean dramas choose to distance viewers with cryptic plots which get boring tangled frustrating and stupid keep it simple ! Entertainment is the aim not passing an exam at university!!!

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Not worth to watch unless you're a die hard Zhao Lusi fans

This seems to me like a low budget xianxia production. The CGI is meh, story plot is easy to predict, and character background story didn't match with how they portray it in the drama. As some of us know already, this story is a sequel of Ancient Love Poetry, which tell the journey and tribulation of Shanggu and Baijue's son, Dijun/Yuan Qi, with the phoenix queen Feng Yin. If you already watch Ancient Love Poetry like me, you will be disappointed of many things have changed in The Last Immortal. And so many downgrades. In Ancient Love Poetry (ALP), even the supporting roles are very strong with their acting and how consistent they bring their characters on screen. Don't expect that In The Last Immortal.

Unless you are a diehard Zhao Lusi fans, this xianxia isn't worth to watch.

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Not a strong story...

Definitely a hot/cute/handsome ML. The story is everywhere, meaning you will have unanswered questions throughout the 16 episodes. You will need to use some imagination to make sense of the ending. I am really not a fan of the first and second female leads. I don't know exactly why but there just aren't enough strong scenes for me to like both actresses. In other words, it was boring to watch them. I typically can tear up easily whenever there is separation/death but I did not feel much of the last bit of the story. It would have been a better scene if she chose to cut herself and drain her blood to save the ML but nothing. It was a huge disappointment because she practically did not do enough to save him. And again, their time together were not sweet and steamy enough for me to even consider give this a 7/10.

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With Ryeoun, what’s not to love?

Ryeoun is one of the best actors out there. He can do comedy and drama flawlessly. He puts everything into his roles like play the guitar and sword fighting. Everything just seems so natural with him. Plus he’s gorgeous.

This was a great story with a mystery and several twists and turns. You just had to fall in love with all the main characters. But, for me, Kang Hoon was the unexpected star of the show. He was superb with all of the emotions he had to portray in this role. He made me laugh and cry.

Watch this! It may start a little slow but it will be worth it for the second half. So good!

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Casts Switch Did Not Matter

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the first season, I wasn't overly anticipating for a sequel. It is like having a very satisfying meal but not wanting same menu right away.

This sequel was plastered a over, showing tVN's exemplary job in advertising. It piqued my curiosity since I have read of main casts being replaced. Disney, Hulu, and a lot of other major entertainment providers purchased rights to show this sequel that hyped up the interest of many internation viewers. Let us not forget that Netflix has the first one still available in their platform with high viewership.

The concerns of artists changes affecting the overall quality of this series was put to rest after the first episode for many viewers. Lee Joon-Gi replacing Song Joong-ki as Eun Seom did wonderfully if not better in portraying the character.

The location set and production didn't fail, but how can the beauty of Burma's landscaping be any disappointment? It was the perfect location for such a costume series.

I can say that this was a satisfying watch and highly recommended to watch the first kne before watching this sequel. I just wish that aside from tVN, other paid platform will have both available for viewers however, I am finding out that most will only have the first or this second one available and not both.

Enjoy watching!

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Solid execution with "Logical" Ending

There's been multiple promising thrillers with less-than-ideal endings, so I've been holding off on this one (still recovering with WTH endings from other dramas).

Script isn't completely unique, but the execution and pacing was solid. No overly absurd twists and not overly gore.
Short 11 episodes, there won't be any supporting character development and most of the bad characters were just one dimensional. The focus will be entirely on the leads.

Amazing pair up:
Shin Ha Kyun (previously in Beyond Evil) had a similar vibe, but I enjoy his character in this one way better. His character transition from a beat down lawyer to morally twisted vigilante is spot on.

Kim Young Kwang (coming from Somebody) is the perfect choice for Seo Do Young. He's charismatic, psychotic & calculating all at the same time.

A partnership that started out from fear develops into a promising business codependence. There were hints of friendship and trust at times but as the greed & ambition expands, it leads to the ultimate ending.

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It's Dry ...

I watched both seasons for the sake of trying to understand why the heck this was popular enough to get a second season and I don't understand it.

The Story: It had so much potential. it really did. I have not read the webtoon and I don't know if it differs or goes more in depth, but for eight hour and a half episodes, I really expected more substance. There's zero character development. You're just assaulted with characters and their trauma and expected to know who, what, where, when, and why. It makes for a very awkward and dull drama. You don't get a chance to love, hate, learn to love a character.

The acting seems forced and fake. I didn't feel there was any chemistry among any of them.

The music was OK. It seemed a bit out of place to me, but it was decent.

There is zero rewatch value for me. Even as background noise, I'd tune it out.

Overall, I am curious to read the webtoon to see if I'm missing anything that would make the drama make more sense or give me a sense of the character/story. As for the drama, it's not it.

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Excellent Production Quality

Being directed by Lu Yang, I couldn't resist anticipating the release of this series. Director Lu Yang excels in costume and period dramas.
Though this has a plot of tackling an epidemic during the end of Ming Dynasty, this is more of a mix between science fiction and mystery.

I like the way the story unfolded here allowing viewers to use their imagination in deducting clues sporadically given throughout the series. Viewers are captivated by the unraveling mystery, and top quality production.

This show didn't fail my expectation for a mystery series.

I have to also say, Huang Xuan simply did what he had done in Mining Town and Luo Yang - excellent role portrayal. I believe period costume series is really his Forte.
Wu Yea have proven time and time again that his versatility in acting and perfectly handling different roles have made him a top notch actor. Being paired with Huang Xuan, they highlighted each other and made the series



The entire production was marvelous producing top quality set and scenes. Lighting fitted the scenes, wardrobe complimented the timeliness, camera works provided a better understanding of the scenes.

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Bad Fish, Monsters, & Sauron's Eyeball, Oh My! (Last drama of 2023)

So Chinese sci-fi huh? Only have ever seen the ML so know he can carry his own weight. The story started strong and the monsters were convincing; didn't end strong though. I'm glad it was only 12 episodes long and that it had some semblance of a finish though suspension of disbelief was necessary. This really was about bad fish, monsters, and Sauron's eyeball, oh my! Honestly gave it the rating I did purely for entertainment value.

Pros: The storyline had a very promising start. The ML, Shen Rong, and Bo Yan were the strongest characters in the entire series. I do wish they explored more into SR's background and history as well as those of the real origins of the Heng Masters and how the "Lord" aka misty alien thing that was really Sauron's eyeball created them in the first place. It wasn't just the semi-mortal fish; needed to be fleshed out more. The CGI was decent especially when it came to the monsters. I like how there was a mystery that was solved little by little by our characters. Music was good and OST's fit. The historical/post apocalyptic feel was there. The beasties were pretty cool looking though.

Neutral: First time I'm using this section in a review but I feel like the character of Angelica was neither here nor there. The actress is stunning but whether or not she was actually needed; I'm completely neutral about it. Maybe to show a tough woman among a horde of men. Her presence doesn't affect my score at all.

Cons: It's Spanish not Portuguese! Dear lord, even those of us who don't speak either language but have been around either can differentiate between the two. That was a pain in the ass and while Angelica was where she was, the rest of her men and the ship and that storyline was also unnecessary.

There were many unanswered questions like:
1) The meteor arrived 20 years prior but didn’t create a tsunami? Ok suspension of disbelief ✅. 
2) How did Shen Rong get infected? From that water wife gave him to drink? 
3) How much time was SR away from home that the islanders started getting infected? Because clearly not the case for when SC was still a baby. We get a timeline of 20 years since meteor touchdown and then 2 years since SR’s return and villagers already infected and mutating.
4) When did mainlanders start getting infected? 
5) How did CSY get infected; never told us. 
6) When and how was the cult formed? Why was SR's wife chosen to lead them?
7) Again what happened to that HLH kid? He fell into the water and disappeared. Did he drown? Did the Sauron eyeball thing integrate with him too?
I'm sure I'm missing other questions that I can't remember now but who knew Mordor and Sauron were alive and well, off the coast of an island during the Ming Dynasty; that was pretty ridiculous honestly.

Also, I feel that ML was pretty gullible thinking his brother was still alive while being with the "Lord"; yes twins have ESP but it never occurred to him until the last 15 minutes of the final episode that this was all a set up? He's supposedly so smart and that felt off even for him. Whether he really survived at the end as SC claimed, we'll never know but he's now hanging out with Sauron's eyeball whatever that means.

Too many green screens as characters would often stare off at something not there or react in a way that didn't really make sense or there's a delayed reaction to what the audience saw.

Would I recommend it? Only if you like sci-fi and have nothing else to watch. It was entertaining, I'll give it that.

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Yet another highly praised show that failed to resonate with me.

As a piece of entertainment, it is more than decent. But it is unsatisfactory in the messages it is trying to get across. It raised very important problems, such as being driven into a corner by a competitive society and being stuck in a poverty cycle, and feeling oppressed and helpless as a youth. These are extremely prevalent and sensitive issues in SK and other countries. The show offers a message that comes from good intentions, but it is over simplified and maybe even insensitive towards depression and mental illness. Throughout the show, there is no empathy offered to the main character's suffering, but rather a lingering feeling of "your pain is bearable compared to many others who have suffered so much more than you". Which is obviously distasteful and wrong in many ways. It's classic victim blaming, coming from an outsider's POV.

Furthermore, it ultimately does not provide any tangible solutions to any of the main character's problems and he will realistically end up in the exact same place. In the end, he's just back to square one with the wounds of living multiple lives and with the guilt of hurting others with his decision. There is no accountability for the further damage to his mental state. I can't help but feel that if that was the route the show was going to take, it shouldn't have presented such severe societal issues through the main character's story in the first place.

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Nice little short show

Sadly, this must be one of the more boring comedies I’ve seen - at least the middle part. I have seen the cast before, so I know they are good actors, but the comical part is somehow off - or it cannot decide whether to be a comedy or a romance, so it lands in the middle. As a Danish saying goes, it’s neither bird nor fish.
I admit that the last third was pretty good (great twist) so I’m glad I stuck with it and had myself some good laughs every now and then. It also had some nice character developments which is somewhat rare in these short format shows.
Character wise:
FL is a strong but simple (borderline oblivious) woman in search of a certain pill to save her father.
ML is a cunning and calculating thief who wants to rob the place.
Acting wise these are good actors but the directing or storyline lets them down a bit.
Well, if you have some time to burn - and like the cast - this is a nice watch.

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A Simple, Slice of Life, That Truly Captures Life's Hardships

This drama is a true slice of life, meaning it shows life's happy moments, but also the emotional, hard, and lonely moments. There wasn't a single scene I felt bored during. I think this is one of the best dramas that really strips a relationship down to the core, with no extra drama, misunderstandings, random love triangles, and unnecessary storylines. It simply focused on the relationship itself, and how two adults maturely lead a relationship, and how deep the connection of love is. Dilraba and Yang Yang acted perfectly. I was surprised a little at Yang Yang's depth in acting out the true feelings of an aerospace engineer, and how he felt like he was absent for his family, and his troubles with balancing his dream and his want to take care of people in his life. Dilraba did really great as QJJ too, showing how a celebrity can be down to earth and humble.

Story

The story of this drama was great, without many misunderstandings and showing us the cutest and fluffiest moments. I got immersed in a lot of these moments, and felt like I was in the scene too. These scenes and the actors definitely gave me tingles in my stomach just watching them. There was no second lead couple, which I thought was good because it got the main couple more exposure and time to develop their storyline in depth. The side stories about each of their careers were also really nicely thought out, and gave a nice insight into their lives and careers, and how they manage their busy lives.

Music

The OST really fit the mood of the drama. The song that played during the most fragile romantic moments (right before they get together) was so healing to listen to in the background. I think the best song in the soundtrack is Time Monologue by Lala Hsu. But I think the whole album is really good.

Overall

Overall definitely a 9.5 drama. The only reason I would dock points is for not showing us if they had a kid or not. Imagine how cute that would be! Rewatch value is really high, and I highly recommend this drama for anyone looking for something that has a lot of focus on the couple, but also has no unnecessary plot arcs and misunderstandings.

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An unusual plot : no heroes, just the daily life of a rehabilitation departement

PLOT: journey and daily life of FL, physiotherapist in the rehabilitation department at the hospital. She is only contractually employed and aspires to have a permanent contract. A young genius therapist arrives in the department, the ML, and the FL will little by little warm his previously wounded heart.

PROS:
+ A great casting. I really like ML who I would like to see again in other dramas.
+ Story focus on romance and daily life of the service, but quite realistic. The psychological evolution of characters is credible
+ Each episode is punctuated with beautiful poetry.
+ lots of humor
+ Excellent OST

CONS:
- no real storyline, apart from the CL romance and obtaining the permanent contract.

=> Not addictive, but nice to see once.

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PLOT: parcours et vie quotidienne d'une FL, kinésithérapeute dans le service de rééducation à l'höpital. Elle est contractuelle et aspire à avoir un CDI. Un jeune thérapeute de génie arrive dans le service, le ML, et la FL va peu à peu réchauffer son coeur, blessé auparavant.

PROS:
+ TB casting. J'aime beaucoup le ML que j'aimerai revoir dans d'autres dramas.
+ Story focus sur la romance et la vie quotidienne du service, mais assez réaliste. Evolution psychologique des personnages crédible.
+ Chaque épisode est ponctué d'une belle poésie.
+ beaucoup d'humour
+ TB OST

CONS:
- pas vraiment de storyline., hormis la romance du CL et l'obtention du CDI.

=> Pas addictif, mais sympa à voir une fois.

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