Pro:
Gong Hyo Jin is so adorable in this.
Episode 9 was a rollercoaster ride for my heart.
Con:
The ghosts aren't even scary.
I was rooting more for the second leads to get together then the main leads.
Everything started to get better around episode 9.
The story and backstory felt weak and boring to a point I had to take breaks and come back when I was ready to continue.
Overall: it's not rewatchable but at least watch it once.
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Obviously there is a part when things seem to fall apart, the end is not too pink, and along the road you have laughter, sadness, a lot of mixed feelings which make you want to watch more than just one episode per day...
And I can say this is the second korean actor I 'felll for' , So JI Sub is perfect, it's not only his look , his gaze, and his gestures, but his voice, and in this story, he doesn't melt overnight, which makes it more believable...
The other actors complete the leads perfectly, even though some events could have taken place sooner...
Finally the Music is on top too, you will want to listen to it after it ends...
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The Master's Sun is one of those shows that I heard about early on when looking into some dramas I could watch in the future. This show was listed on a multitude of websites and possessed high ratings, along with many reviews, so it was only a matter of time before I picked it up. And having it posses not just romance but a darker type of fantasy was something I can get behind in a blink of an eye.
The plot itself was extremely straightforward and possessed a feeling of something new each episode. There are episodic stories that revolved around individual ghosts, along with an overarching conflict in the background. I'll admit that the "main" conflict wasn't the most entertaining at some points and made you want to skip ahead to more of the ghost-related ones. Albeit, each problem had some effect on the characters and aided in their growth, so although boring sometimes, it provided so many opportunities for the characters and left some lasting impressions.
Oddly enough, the central conflict ended much earlier on compared to other dramas I've watched; so It was so intriguing to see how the writers used the large amount of extra time to focus on other aspects, which made the ending feel so complete and satisfying.
Now for the romance portion. The romance itself was charming, and I couldn't help but fall in love with both the main leads. As mentioned earlier, they each changed in such a natural and positive way due to the impact they had on each other, which was extremely satisfying. Gong-shil and Joong-won start off as the well-known rich man and poor woman duo, both with remarkably different personalities. Gong-shil being the fearful ghost seeing woman and Jong-soon being the coldhearted skeptic, which is most definitely a unique combination. But with their polar opposite personalities, you can see the natural progression both of them have. Not just as a romantic couple but as people in their own right. The main female protagonist even goes out of her way to become someone that doesn't have to rely on her partner, which is extremely heartwarming to see. The dialog between them was also enjoyable to watch. Joong-won having such a hard time when it comes to accepting his feelings for Gong-Shil made for hilarious misunderstandings and moments that just left you wanting to see how things end up. I do wish that there was a bit more weight when it came to them expressing their love. There were the occasional cute kiss scenes and some hand-holding, but that was about it. So a part of me wishes they went a bit deeper, but at the same time, it flowed nicely, so maybe that's just something that needs to be given up.
There was also romance between side characters that was also just as enjoyable. Sure they were much more slow going due to the shows pacing and wanting to focus on the main couple. Some couples were together since the beginning, and some only got together in the end, but none of them felt forced. Little by little, you can see why they got together and how they see each other regardless of the impact of their characters on the main story. They were really well written and provided more of that fuzzy feeling in the end.
When it comes to the characters themselves without their romantic partner, all I can firmly say is that they were so enjoyable. The actors themselves did a fantastic job and matched their roles so well. Even characters that were not in support of the main ones were fun to watch. Joon-won's aunt and uncle being prime examples of people who made me love them even though I was against them. In the end, there were just two characters I wasn't all for. One of them being your average "menacing" female antagonist and the other one being a character that wasn't given a fair shot. Since, although the pacing was good for the majority of the show, there were times that I felt a character should have been brought in earlier since they could have added so much more. Not that this worsened the show in any way, but it just brought a feeling of a missed opportunity.
I'll finally bring to light the ghost aspect of the show. There were a few things that didn't add up when it came to the rules for Gong-shil's ghost vision and interaction. For the most part, it was pretty simple and straightforward, but there were one or two moments that made me question when that became a thing. It seemed like each ghost had its own rules since one could do something while the others couldn't. Not that it bothered me much, but it was easy to see the writers trying their hardest not to leave any plot holes. As for the ghost adventures themselves, I can safely say I enjoyed each one, since it wasn't just a different ghost every episode. Yes, there were temporary ones that only served as symbolism or a helping hand towards character development. But there were also recurring ones that served as comedic relief among other things. But in the end, the fantasy aspect didn't feel out of place and was a tremendous joy to watch.
After all that, I can say that this is an excellent show to watch and I highly recommend it. I'm not saying it's my favorite of all time since there were a few moments that made me lose a bit of interest and can be considered slow. But the show as a whole provided so much enjoyment. There were heartwarming moments and there were heart-wrenching ones too. If you love romance and fantasy, then this is the show for you. Even if your not a big fantasy fan, then I'd still recommend this since the romance in itself is just so sweet and enjoyable.
Just relax and enjoy it! Happy watching - <3
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Now, here are the problems with the show. I already mentioned the weird TGS's role. To me, she acted clingy at the beginning and then irrational and aloof in the end. The change was a bit too much. I also thought that the story kind of fell apart towards the end and. Adding the really annoying plot cliche towards the end was probably unnecessary, although it was handled pretty well for what it was. TGS's choices were fun to watch, but were sometimes very illogical to me. Overall though, I am going to rewatch it just because I really had fun watching it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Eventually watched it, eventually enjoyed it.
I had this drama on my watch list for literally years, and was really very conflicted about whether to watch it at all. I dislike horror, finding most of it fake, and many of the manifestations of spirits very cliched and boring. It is also too often depressingly predictable.When I did decide to watch, I had massive reservations about the premise, but also quite strongly disliked the female lead - an excellent actress, but I have too often seen her play the same long-suffering, passive, devoted, courageous but self-effacing female who has to be abused for too long before she is eventually considered worthy of the attention of a self-aggrandising narcissistic male. That's neither good writing nor a model for good relationships, and frankly it worries me what people think is a good example for minds and emotions to learn from
Because of this, I struggled with this drama in the first few episodes. I simply could not understand Tae Yang, as she whined and simpered, yet she seemed also to find it mindlessly funny. It was annoying, and I would have happily slapped her upside the head to see if we could drill a bit of sense into her. It wasn't that I could not see the situation she was in, or the fear she was battling, but her antics in relation to Jun Won were just awful, and not particularly believable. Believability though is pretty redundant here.
As we trickled through the episodes even her annoying mannerisms and glitches gathered a little charm, and Jung Won's arrogance was tempered. The innocent double-entendres of her need for his body were a small and quiet joy, as were their discussions of her seduction later on. I started to enjoy their company as each of them became more the person they were supposed to be. All the other characters and cast were well rounded and well realised too. I really feel that writers did a good job, painting characters and plot by means of excellent dialog, which was (once people stopped whinging) a delight.
The acting was excellent - from everyone involved. I've tried to think critically and pick a hole somewhere, in any performance, but I can't. When I watch something and find an actor's performance weak or jarring I often have to stand back and consider how well the role was written or directed, because that is often the real weakness. I really enjoy that I never had to even think about that here.
Ghosts do nothing for me - too often under-written and cliched - but it was nice that here the ghosts were in themselves characters, with motivation and pain and tasks they had to finish, and that many of them actually developed and were ready to move on. Those wee sub-plots and stories for the ghosts were all pretty enjoyable and satisfying. I was also very impressed by how this series actually touches on a number of serious issues which in Korean society are taboo, and love that it is done quietly, with little actual drama, but great kindness and acceptance.
The weakest ghost story for me was certainly the main device, that of trying to resolve the mystery of the kidnap and the whereabouts of the ransom. When that was finally settled it was something of a damp squib. The drama needed something a bit more meaty that we could actually care about - by the time this resolution came around it was completely irrelevant and did not change anything for any of the characters, except "Hana" - though that was a bit satisfying - self-satisfied smirk removed from that face at last!
Pacing was good - 17 episodes is an odd length, and thankfully they didn't try to pad it out to make 20 boring or repetitive episodes! 17 good episodes is excellent!
Music plays a massive role - often it gets on my nerves. Here the music wasn't always the awful soupy strings which sometimes make me feel slightly sick and dizzy, imagining all those violinists' elbows working back and forth as if they're stirring a massive bowl of porridge, and some of it was quite pleasant. It even seemed as if some of the songs carried the story of someone's inner processing, but since Netflix doesn't translate lyrics, that is really anybody's guess, and for me they were pretty irrelevant. Might have made 16 episodes without all that. That said, the music was often far too prominent - so that on those occasions when a conversation wasn't set against a "soundtrack" it offered an oasis of clarity and light - what a relief. The soundtrack was at times oppressive - like musac. Sorry. Could have done without most of it.
This became a much better drama than I at first expected, and I did massively enjoy myself, had a great time with all the major and minor characters.
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A ghostly watch with a beautiful love unfolding
Have you watched So Ji Sub drama before. Great than, because he will make you fall in love not instantly but slowly.It's a ghost story and as promised there's scary ghost as well as funny ghost.
What's the difference from other ghost stories, it will show you through the heroine a different phase after death. Some time, the on-off relationship between hero and heroine will tire you. But the crackling chemistry will be there making you wander what the maker wants to do.
Music is not much memorable. There's a second lead in the story. But Seo In Guk as Kang Woo doesn't bring much change in the story. You can rather consider him as a treat to eyes. Popular singer L from Boy band "Infinite" has played a pivotal role. Look forward to it. Gong Hyo Jin, well my first drama with her in the centre and she is such an intriguing performer. She alone can pull the story on her shoulder. That is her charisma.
What are you thinking? Delve into this ghostly journey if haven't yet,!!
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This review may contain spoilers
Loved this show! It was the first kdrama I’ve ever watched and it wasn’t disappointing either. I seen clips on Facebook and always wanted to watch it till I finally gave in. It was worth it. Great chemistry. I’m however I wish they gave us a better ending or came out with a second season about the couple. I really hope they do give it a thought or try. The storyline was perfect and the fact that they didn’t focus too much on the main storyline in each episode was good. They give you other stories within the show that will help lead up to the main point. Watch it you won’t regret it at all! Was this review helpful to you?
The Master's Sun (2013)
Relatively fine.I'm not much into the spooky-based shows, especially with the "I see dead people" twist, but I was pleasantly surprised by The Master's Sun. Although the spook factor is toned down as the show progresses and the show turns a bit into a slice of life-y, pseudo-romance-y, melodrama; take that as you will.
While the ghost story lines are directed pretty well, they are sometimes awkward and logically head-scratching. The cinematography is uncreative and the dialogues are oftentimes stiff. And yes, a lot of the classic K-drama tropes come into play as well:
- dismissive man meets pitiful woman romance
- arrogant woman falling in love with the uncaring man romance
- amnesia plot device
- "bad step-mom" character
- airport scene
The climax of the show where all the "big reveal(s)" happen--- were unexciting. An anticlimactic, awkward ending sequence featuring an unconvincing villain resulting in an endgame that just sorta... happens?
And the show never stops annoyingly beating the proverbial dead horse with the "sun" wordplay. Female lead is the Male lead's sun; big sun, little sun, The Master's Sun; yeah I get it... enough already.
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A very unique love story where romance is not the focus
The last episodes break all the misconception the viewers and even the people inside the drama have about her being a weak candy girl to the male lead. You have to be older to actually understand the push and pull of this drama and why the female lead take certain life decisions. Perhaps because of the language barrier, it wasn't always clear why he takes certain decisions regarding their relationship. The dialogues are actually hilarious and the ML's cynicism is top notch. I love all the side chracters too and I only have the warmest memories no matter how many times I finish this drama. There were many nice life lessons too and the ML also realises how he could have handled things differently and spoken differently, unlike many arrogant rich man poor woman dramas.It will always be one of those dramas that are home to me and I must admire the clever brain who wrote the climax and all the really nice subplots that intertwin to nicely with the journey of the main leads. I still always cry during some of their adventures together and this drama has a very special place in my heart.
The ending was perfect, with a closure and new beginning for everyone.
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