My Dearest

Super

My Dearest stands out for its ability to blend a great love story with a violent, cruel and deeply human historical context. The character of
Jang-hyun is too charming, cultured, ironic. The evolution of the character Yoo Gil-chae, from a vain flirtatious woman, who I didn't like at all, is surprising.
The historical context is not a simple background, but an active protagonist.
The direction is elegant and refined, with photography that enhances the natural landscapes, traditional costumes and the emotion of key moments. The soundtrack, melancholic and sweet.

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The yearning. The longing. The angst.

Someone should have given me a warning before I started this drama. OH LORD. This drama absolutely tore me apart.

Both leads — OMG — they each have their own charm.

Let’s start with the male lead, Jang Hyun.
BOY. I tell you. He is the ultimate walking red-and-green flag combo 😭💔

Green flag: He’s humble, never flashy. He would literally go to war just to save her. The way he talks??? The words he says??? I FOLDED AHAHAHA 💀
He even bought her SO MANY pairs of the flower shoes just because she asked for the prettiest one 🥺 He really, truly likes her.
Red flag: He keeps leaving her… WHY??? He could’ve stayed and fought beside her 😩
Now the female lead — at first, I found her annoying and kinda irritating.
BUT as the episodes went on, you realize her very personality is what saved not just herself, but everyone around her. She’s a keeper.
Yeah, she was blinded by her first crush, and sure, her attitude toward Jang Hyun sometimes made me scream into the void... BUT even after realizing she liked him, she still chose to hurt him 🔪
That said, I get it. She chose her family — a father with dementia and a young brother to care for. Ugh, poor thing 🥲

BUTTTT why didn’t Jang Hyun just ask her to bring the whole family with him???
Why didn't he say that??? I’m confused.
And then Part 1 ends with them separated... and both have new love interests??? WHYYYYYYYY 😭😭

Anyways,
Cinematography? 10/10
OST? 10/10
Quotes? 10/10
The acting? SOLID. Both of them delivered.
This drama has easily become one of my favourites.

Best quote:
“I swear by the moonlight. This time, wherever you are, I will make sure I find you.” 🌙
THIS. QUOTE. RIGHT. HERE. GIRL. I folded when he said that. And the fact that he actually did find her again and again... 😭

Top OST picks:
🎵 “My Star” – Kim Feel
🎵 “Unforgettable Love” – Yang Yo Seop

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Both the parts' review

After watching both parts, I realized that it’s actually a well-written story. In the first part, I was irritated by Kil Chae’s character until the very end. She refused to accept that Yeon Joon loved someone else and kept interfering in his matters while disregarding Lee Jang Hyun’s emotions and sacrifices. In the end, she married another man, which frustrated me a lot.

The second part continued in flashback, just like the first. An old man in jail agreed to tell Jang Hyun’s story but wanted to know what had happened to him first. This led to another series of flashbacks, forming the core of the second season. One thing that confused me was whether the old man was actually narrating the story to someone or just recalling it in his mind. Additionally, I wasn’t sure if the events we, as viewers, watched were his narration or simply the director’s way of showing us the past.

The story seemed to have a happy ending, but it still felt incomplete. I expected it to conclude with the old man, bringing full closure to the narrative.




At the end, I want to conclude by appreciating the outstanding performances of Namkoong Min, Ahn Eun Jin, Lee Hak Joo, Lee Da In, Kim Yoon Woo, Park Kang Sub, and Kim Seo An. While the entire cast did well, they were the best. I also want to mention the actor who played the role of the Crown Prince—his performance was remarkable.

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Trigger warning : You won't be able to stop watching!

What better drama to start writing reviews with than to start with My Dearest!
There 's something about historical dramas that you just can't find in modern ones.
This is by far, the best historical drama I have watched so far. The ones I watched before like 'Love in the Moonlight ', ' Captivating the King', 'Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryoung ' etc were amazing as well, but nothing comes closer to MY DEAREST!
I have rewatched it not once, not twice, but thrice within the same week. So what if it is a slow burn? *sobs*
The acting, the bgm, the osts, *chef's kiss * Specially the ost ' With my heart' sung by Ahn Yun Ji who plays the female lead ' Gil Chae' had me in awe. The acting of both the leads, Namkoong min who plays ' Jang Hyeon' and Ahn Yun Ji was top tier and gosh, the facial control of NKM! I haven’t watched any dramas of NKM before and gosh he is an absolute gem of an actor. Ahn Yun Ji was also admirable, in her previous dramas like 'Hospital Playlist' , ' The Good Bad Mother' her acting was also amazing but in My Dearest, truly it reached new heights. The other actors and actresses did an wonderful job as well.
The Osts fit perfectly with every scenes and you can tell every scene was thought and implemented with much care. The chemistry of the leads made the drama even more enjoyable! I would suggest watching the behind the scenes after finishing the drama to cure the post drama sadness *sobs*
There were some things I was curious about ke the exact timeline of the events and what happens to ryung yeum in the end, and some other side casts like jong jong but I think it was actually meant for the viewers interpretation, and that's fine by me. This drama was an amazing and curious experince and I don't think I will ever forget this experience.

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For all his suffering in Qing, the crown prince did not deserve to die just like that. He survived homesickness, humiliation, and pressure from the Khan's court just to end up dying from poison and a brokenheart. His ungrateful father suspected not just his son but also his daughter in law, the crown princess, of treason? His first signs of madness was when he started to overthink it all. His son bravely faced homesickness and uncertainty by submitting himself as hostage to the Qing and yet the king of Joseon later went unfeeling to all the crown prince's suffering. His poor son's wife has to endure the same treatment. Brandished as a traitor and forced to drink poison, such an ungrateful bastard. The woman who followed her husband all the way to Qing. Who loyally by his side just to be accused of treason. They both suffered all that in Qing only to die on the hands of their own people. The king of Joseon killed his own son.

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Can't have the one you love, love the one you are with.

Generally, the so-called romance stories have little if anything that’s considered romance throughout the show. Here I can finally say we get to actually witness the love growing. It has other side stories that contribute to the plot as well, but nothing takes center stage over their growing love. There is action, family, trauma, wars, and much more. However, it still holds its weight as the main plot.

Is this the best series to date? No, but it's the best script-turn series I have seen in a very long time. I have been watching these dramas as well, for two decades, and I can honestly say it's a gem. I would give it 4.2/5 on a 5-star scale and anything less than that would not be fitting.

I am a romance buff so I am very particular about my love stories. Their unknowing love faces challenges and setbacks like no other. You wouldn’t want to miss this ride.

The leads are great and so are the support actors. No one is overacting or failing to meet the expectations set by the viewers. It's pleasantly heartwarming even in the midst of a war.

You will definitely enjoy this one.

Happy viewing

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Not all that

Overall I’d rate this drama 6.5/10 .
If you’re not really a big fan of political dramas, you’d rate it even lower but I’m trying to be fair .
I appreciate the work everyone put into making this drama . From the cast to the crew . Well done 👍🏾

Personally I don’t think the drama deserves to win best drama or the actor should win best actor . There truly wasn’t any scene that he was in that I genuinely felt touched .

Funny enough I felt more affection towards the crown prince than anybody else in the drama .

This drama is a one time drama . It’s not something that you watch and then you reminisce and you miss the characters . I’m yet to understand why the TikTok community and others swear by this drama . Perhaps if I followed it weekly like them, I might have shared the same feelings and comradeship .

Personally I think Kim soo Hyun should’ve won that best actor role . He showed more diverse emotions in queen of tears than this actor did in my dearest but that might just be my personal preference.

Most of the political stuff was boring and sounded like I was attending a history class .

Surprisingly I didn’t find the fl to be annoying . Her actions were quite rational and thoughtful. It did feel a tiny bit frustrating to see the push and pull in their love life but if you’re a trained historical cdrama member , you’d see that they were just playing 😂💀.
No serious misunderstandings or whatever .

This drama is the type that after a while, you won’t remember what happened. It’d just be one of the many dramas you’ve seen .

Would I recommend this drama to others ? I’m not sure . Except they say they’re looking for historical drama recommendations.

The first 3 episodes were quite boring but the drama truly picked up from episode 4 . The cliff hangers at the end would always want you to download the next episode. You’re better off dropping the drama in the middle of an episode than waiting for it to finish .

I actually binged watched 1-14 before sleeping around 8am to continue by 7pm . It was that engaging . But if you ask me what I can truly remember from all the episodes, it’s quite hazy.

The entire plot is Joseon getting invaded by foreigners, the foreigners taking the crown prince and others as slaves/ captives . The ml falling in love and creating some bitter/sad love triangles.
The delusional and sick king and conniving concubine .

The palace story was nothing new . Usual fight for the throne and fear of rebellion.

Character I hated : that good for nothing self righteous scholar🙂

Thoughts on the main couple: I take back what I said about the ml being very old . He’s quite mature looking but he honestly just looks his age and he has a nice smile . I’d say he’s quite manly and you’d like him if that’s your spec .

The fl is okay too . She’s pretty .

They have nice chemistry . There were some scenes that I was like to love is nice sha but that’s it .

Completing this drama felt like I completed an assignment that I’ve been postponing for a long time.

As kdrama lovers , do you have to watch this drama?
Honestly speaking ? No
It doesn’t add or remove anything from your life . It doesn’t change your views on anything either . I think it’s okay to let it go and don’t be pressured by others to watch it or feel like you’re missing out on something so amazing because you’re not .


Time to finally end this lengthy review .
If you made it this far, Great job 😗
See you in my next review or not…
Hahahaha
Annyeong chingus!

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Conflicting yet Desiring

Period dramas always bring various conflicts that heightens to an uprising or a war. My Dearest may be such a tender title for it gives us the story of two people who had pushed and pulled their feelings for one another, not admitting that they are attracted to each other.

Like any Korean period drama, it depicts the women to be more desirable if one has various talents while the men being scholars or of high-ranking official. There is a caste system which causes the singles to choose only those within their societal levels. But Gil Chae isn't your typical leading lading. In fact, she is not the 'artistic' type and is somewhat mischievous and manipulative. She knows she is beautiful and can attract any man, except the one her eyes delight in. Jang Hyeon, rightfully described in the synopsis is mysterious. No one knows his roots, or his abilities. What people think is that he is a playboy, enjoys the company of women without being married to. Both Gil Chae and Jang Hyeon have already pre-conceived ideas of each other. They may be drawn to each other, but what they say is not what is in their hearts. The circumstances surrounding them, the Qing invasion, the war, the survival, the escape all contributed to the push and pull of their relationship.

My heartaches when Ryang Eum had not been truthful to Gil Chae. Does he not really want her to be with Jang Hyeon? Does he not want to part from him? Is it bias or selfishness? There are unspoken reasons for the actions of Ryang Eum. The timing of their meeting was really bad. And I can feel Jang Hyeon's pain as he heard and saw who the bride is. Gil Chae chose to marry someone else - was it for survival of her family? or was it out of gratitude to save them? or was it to save face as everyone knew already of this engagement? Will there be even a reason for Jang Hyeon to fight the Qing? Will there be any reason for him to hope in reuniting with Gil Chae?

What I love about Gil Chae is her courage that shone when she tried to save her friend. She is ingenuous, and a creative person which made her good in business. She learned that from Jang Hyeon. She does not know how much Jang Hyeon had to go through in order to survive, even to be an instrument to save the king, despite not his aim. She does not know how skillful he is in combat and all along, she thought someone else saved her.

Namkoong Min is right in saying that he does not consider Ahn Eun Jin as a junior but an equal (when he accepted his best actor award). We have seen that Ahn Eun Jin embraced her character and is an equal of Namkoong Min 's character. Their characters unfolded and little by little developed as they continue to find each other.

About the production, this is immense. Locations, costumes, the Korean army and the Qing army may not be the main thing but surely completed the feel of a period drama. The music, especially Ryang Eum's singing is haunting. I wonder if Kim Yoon Woo really sings.

This drama also shows that those who go to war also fear - fear to die and they depicted this especially for the scholars who were never trained in battle. So, we should be reminded to honor those who defended our countrymen in the past for their sacrifices.

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Gone With The Wind Joseon Style

This drama has Gone With The Wind written all over it. That was obvious by the second episode. Lee Jang Hyun is the rakish Rhett Butler, Yoo Gil Chae is the willful and determined Scarlett O'Hara, Nam Yeon Jun is the wavering Ashley Wilkes and Kyung Eun Ae is the trusting and loyal Melanie Wilkes. I'm 6 episodes in so I wonder if they'll do anything to make the story a bit more original. I hope so.

As always Namkoong Min is excellent. I just wish the dialogue was worthy of him. The character is a bit too loquacious for a mysterious man. The dream sequence in episode 1 is one of the most beautifully shot pieces of footage I have ever seen.

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it's a crazy trash and cringe drama, but typical of every Korean production, exploiting actors for success.
Set during the righteous and perfect Qing rule over Korea.
The warning "this story is about fictitious events" always makes me cringe, as it seems like Joseon never existed. Nice respect for history...
Already in the first episode we find something Koreans are very good at, erasing history to make themselves great. The Emperor... historically inaccurate since he was a coward.
Cultural appropriation of Chinese sewing techniques, Chinese hanfu. Phrases said to mock China, its history, its culture and its multi-ethnicity, because Korea is poor.
The story is absolutely ridiculous, out of context and the romance context completely unrelated to the real story. A cast of actors who can't act, the two protagonists too detached and modern compared to the historical context. The story lacks a balance between romance and historical context .
The two protagonists are cringe from episode to episode. Th side characters are ridiculous and lacks depth.
Historical inaccuracies every now and then.
Bad direction and camera, without color balance that make the visuals squalid.
It totally falls after half and the ending is bad and casual

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A great story from 1936

So here's the thing as an enthusiastic reader, nothing annoys me more than plagiarism and part one is a straight 1 for 1 storyline from Gone with the Wind. The only thing that was not plagiarized was the Palace story line which I believe was completely unnecessary in Part One. I assume this was the writers attempt to humanize the King but it just made me hate him more in part 2.
Acting wise, ML was the perfect Rhett Butler and FL was the perfect Scarlett O'Hara and their acting was the most important. Casting director really did their thing for the cast of part 1. It is part 2 where things got funky. I know many people found FL annoying but she is supposed to be. Selfish people survive and Eun Jin was the major reason those ladies survived.
Despite the great story being told, the rewatch value of only part 1 is not as high. it is a very frustrating watch just like Gone with the Wind.

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a review for both part's 1 and 2

"Do you hear that? The sound of flowers blooming"
I was sold. I was seated.
——
I devoured this drama in 2 days and lost my sleep for the beautiful narration it truly was. Mind you i have 3 pending kdramas as of 12/29 but i mindlessly put it on hold just to reserve myself to see this drama through...

I initially came across this drama when MBC released its trailer. it caught my attention but i guess it wasn't enough to get me out of the kdrama slump i was at the time😂 THANKS TO TIKTOK it resurfaced on my fyp and gave this a shot!!

Many say it starts off slow and picks up at 3rd-4th episode however i do not feel the same. From the first episode till the last few minutes of episode 21–i loved every bits of it.

I seldom writing reviews and reserve writing allat for dramas deserving. I can confidently say its well within my #10 all time best kdrama and #1 sageuk drama. Easily Nam Goong Min's and Ahn Eun Jin's best roles portrayals out of their filmographies.

Do i recommend?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Though be prepared for the rollercoaster and tearjerker it will be. If you suvived scarlet heart/moon lovers, then you wont have much trouble going through all the episodes. It is depressing. Sad. Dark.
I came for the romance but also stayed for the history of Joseon. I found myself sympathizing for the plight and the women of Joseon endured. This drama portrays all of the character's story so well—so much depth and well thought and written characters.

I miss my JangChae already☹️❤️
I'm in "i wish i could watch it like the first time" moment🥲

WELL my yapping ends now.
It has been awhile since i felt this empty after watching a kdrama. The void left in me will be hard to fill in.🥴

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