My Dearest Part 2 (2023)

twists, angst,separation,bravery,and somewhat happy conclusion

I am glad that the main couple got a happy end but I felt really bad for Ryan eum, its sad how they left him in that cell still wondering what happened to lee jang hyun.it was so unfair to leave him there without closure.
Also I would not have minded if nam yeon committed sucide, he ended becoming such a useless and irritating character, Gil Chae should be grateful he never chose her.
I do think she has poor taste in men because both nam neon and that her ex-husband were such sorry excuse for men. That's why I felt it was stupid choice to choose him over LJH, it didn't come as a shock to see that he abandoned her when she needed him most he always saw as a beautiful possession and not an actual human being.
I felt sad for the crown prince and crown princess and how they met such a terrible end without even getting justice, worse her son didn't even inherit the throne and the evil concubine just got away with everything's terrible.
I didn't like the unnecessary double amnesia plot and to me it didn't add anything relevant to the storyline.
Also I loved the acting of nam koong min, His ability to make his eyes and face convey so much emotions without even uttering any words was so brilliant.
I felt like part 1 was much stronger than part 2 but overall this was interesting, heartbreaking ,emotional and beautiful story to watch and It was totally worth the journey.

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A review of both part 1 and 2

What both stunned and impressed me the most about the kdrama My Dearest, right at the very start, was how focused it was on the ordinary people and how they deal with war. And what the war does to them. It makes it less of a war epic and more of a human tale of self-preservation and hope at a trying time. which I found to be quite a fresh approach to this kind of historical drama, although many will no doubt find it rather slow and dry in its execution and style.

The story is ruthless in its realism and harshness with how it seems to paint the world. The narrative is very willing to comment on several aspects within society that it tells it’s tale, the nobility and their uselessness, the lack of care that a certain position within society seems to push into you for the people that live around them, as well as society’s attitude towards women in wartimes and just their position in society both outside of that as well. The way it uses these elements to shape itself, the details it shares throughout the story is very tangible, interesting but also poignant. It is incredibly well thought out and effective within the narrative to stir up further emotions both with the characters and the viewers.

These are not the heroes that poems are sung about, but seem to be more everyday heroes of the common folk. Most of their influence is not great within the grand scheme of things, but it is the people who knew them who will always remember them with kindness and love. They are the ones who will tell the stories about them until they disappear from human memory and are forgotten.

At some point, despite their intelligence and strength, as the war and the hardships seem to tighten more and more around them, the characters seem to wear down a bit. But they never lose who they are, their will to fight but how they go about fighting, how they deal with situations changes a little. All that happens very slowly and works very realistically within the story. It’s a really well-handled look at character, as well as how normal people deal with such situations.

The characters do feel sharp and manage to be both a fresh take on the traditional characters that we get in a Korean historical dramas, but at the same time they have quite a bit of the characteristics that we are used to seeing; Jang-hyun may come across as smug and aloof, and Gil-chae may come across as snobbish and somewhat self-interested. But there’s a lot more to them and their flaws are very presant within the story. Overall there are plenty of multi-layered characters that make My Dearest a rather worthwhile and heart-wrenching watch. Everyone has something to say in their own way and all have some point to emphasize within the story. The story touches your heart from beginning to end if people just allow themselves to enter this cruel, realistic world with these characters as a guiding light.

The plot itself goes through its ups and downs, and it does hit a bit of a lull within the second half where the story tends to repeat itself quite often. Characters almost miss each other a few times over the course of few episodes in order to create tension and longing within the viewers, and since the story is already slow by nature it might make some people really struggle. It makes it seem like the story has lost steam and doesn’t really pick up fully until right near the end. But if the characters manage to grab you and make you completely fall for them in the first half of the story, it’s perfectly tolerable.

The story never seems to fall into being too epic or too grandiose in its approach to the narrative, as some costume dramas tend to do to make their heroes seem bigger. Much rather My Dearest seems so focused on being realistic and grounded in reality like it has a bit of an obsession with the human spirit and the lengths to which people will go to survive. It run through the very heart of the series. And the love story, which is really successful on its own, reflects that. It’s very slow and down to earth and it’s quite unusual for a kdrama in lots of ways.

The story takes its time, sometimes excessively so, and repeats itself a bit too often, but even if it takes the story a good while it manages to underline every point that the drama set out to make really well. The story always seemed to know what it wanted to say. And the humanity that this series carries with it and manages to reflect within the narrative does make you cry many times. It’s gorgeous, it’s heartwarming and filled with hope for brighter days that is always enveloped by a little bit of sadness.

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The Chemistry between the leads is the best thing in the show

I will try keeping it Simple and Short :

Watched this show since the first episode of Part 1 dropped and good lord there wasn't a slight moment where i regretted it.
After P1 ended with a huge heartbreak, and P2's date was announced, damn I felt like ML from the show feeling the pain of waiting for P2 to drop.

As for the show you feel all the emotions, happiness, sadness, anger, pain, hatred, thrill, suspense, butterflies, heartbreaks. You will laugh and cry for the characters especially the main leads.

Both the main actors nailed their roles, each and every emotion was shown so beautifully. The story, acting and production value was top notch.

The show is a slowburn and filled with moments of heartbreaks and separations. Till the end you don't know whether there will be a happy or a tragic ending. So if you can handle that then this is the show for you.

(The show and cast deserve all the awards they are getting)

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Lost steam from Part 1, but still a worthy watch

After a heart-breaking finish to Season 1, the story turns once again to the Qing invasion and the atrocities committed in the aftermath on a chaotic, fractured, and helpless Joseon. Only the efforts of officials and people on the ground like Jang Hyun, working with the hostage Crown Prince, are tenuously holding the country together. Despite the horrific suffering of Joseon prisoners of war, Gil Chae manages to rebuild some of the comfortable lifestyle she was accustomed to but is shockingly reminded that class is meaningless in an oppressed state. There are also stark reminders of how women are truly expendible victims. I was waiting to see what choices the characters made when pushed to extremes and this season had some of the most riveting scenes. The tone was lightened at times with romantic tropes (pretending to be sick to get attention) which seemed out of place in a drama of this caliber.

At around Ep15 I suddenly remembered the opening scene of Ep1 which takes place more than 20 years after the 1637 invasion. It was worth a re-watch to find hints at a very tragic conclusion for our heroes. The announcement of an extension came after Ep8 aired and I wondered if there would be a hopeful epilogue. Unfortuately, after Ep20 the Ep1 opening sequence was not yet reached in the story and I was left wondering if the extension had already been inserted. There was no added value to Eps 19&20 and they could easily have been combined into one. Ep1 is recapped in the finale, Ep21.

At times throughout the drama I kept feeling a disconnect between Gil Chae and Jang Hyun's relationship and their surroundings, like I was watching 2 separate shows. Political events deeply affected each of them separately and this was infused into how they dealt with each other during Part 1. However, that influence seemed less evident in Part 2 even though the political pressures never went away. They lived and worked separately for so long that there wasn't much that they actually did for/with each other. It was as if Eps19/20 were there just to make up for their separation, more couple less story, and I felt the show lost momentum at this point as all the other characters got moved to the sidelines. However, the finale felt right once more as loose ends got tied up.

All in all, the acting was among the strongest I've seen in any show (I still think The Red Sleeve's demented king was an acting masterclass). Although Part 2 seemed to run out of steam in the 2nd half, the strong production, story telling, and deep dives into the human psyche makes this show worth watching.

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You see Nam Goong-min, you go in.

My Dearest with all its paraphernalia will, for me, stand at the apex of a period piece adjacent to Kingdom. It is a vision of a lover manque till the very end, until its materialization.
It's not a drama that will induce beatification for most parts, so do not expect that.
It will have you at chokehold with intense tension in between characters and with the circumstances, making you anticipate for what comes next. It's the Joseon's weaving of love and unwavering fidelity in all forms and values amidst royal feud, political uproar, foreign invasion, war and chaos.

When I see Nam Goong-min, rest assured it'll be quality delivered. He defined peak gentleman as Lee Jang-hyun; masculine enough to cut through vile, yet feminine enough to express tenderness through his affectionate gestures and acts of service. Can one really get enough of his acting? He lives in his roles. You think it couldn't be any better, but he'll prove you wrong.

Ahn Eun-jin as Lady Yoo is the most cherishable entity in the drama. Her character development from part 1 to 2 was one of the finest things about this drama. Soft yet strong-willed, cantankerous yet compassionate; she displays those emotions at full range without holding back the force that is Goong-min. I was thoroughly impressed by her spirited portrayal of a cringe-free character.

A tale of passionate yearning, yet not overbearing. The pacing might seem a bit tardigrade at times but will round up substantially.
Resolve if strong enough will not be shaken by any external force, and devotion if deep enough will not be sifted out by any enchantress; nuanced and beautifully intricate.
[mild spoiler alert]
As evidenced by Jang-hyun's last conversation with the princess of Qing Dynasty as she questions "Why do you want to return to your hometown, you will die; is it because of her?"
Hyun softens his gaze as he replies, "She is my hometown. Now I want to return home and take a rest.

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While retaining the poetic beauty of the original, this second half is a painful epilogue . . .

At this point, I'm convinced the writers are sadists, and I can't stand to watch anymore just to see it all come to a bad end one last time. In sum, the random twists and turns that started cropping up in the last episodes of the first season, multiply in the second half. Hurdle, after hurdle, after hurdle. Just nonsensically raising hopes and dashing them. Will there be scenes that stick with me? Yes. Did I vow to stop watch multiple times? Also yes.

The acting, production values, cinematography, and some key pieces of dialogue are excellent. There are some powerful scenes that will linger on - but we're talking all of 10-15 minutes in 8 hrs of viewing. The key theme of the show is to always persist and survive as there could be the best moments of your life just around the corner.

I feel vaguely guilty, therefore, of not persisting to the end of this one, but frustration and dread was growing with every episode, and life is too short. I ended it at a high point, and I don't have strength to see if things fall apart once again. I would still highly recommend watching the first half/season 1 - it stands on its own and is a true gem of a K -Drama.

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A PERIOD DRAMA MASTERPIECE

"My Dearest" is one of the best period k-drama. From Cinematography, story, set up, locations, customs, action, actors and of course the main leads. It is a roller coaster of emotion from episode 1 to episode 21.

I love the character development of the female and male lead. Their love story is a series of love, longing, pain, suffering and dedication. It breaks you and heal you then break you again and heal you over and over again. Lee Jang-hyun unwavering love to Gil-chae is one of the highlight of the story. As a women you will eventually realize you want to experience that kind of love in this lifetime.

You will feel so much emotions in every scene. It was perfectly written and beautifully acted.
Namkoong Min performance as Lee Jang-hyun is exceptional. His smile, his action, his facial expression, his longing face. They deserve all the awards!

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Halfway and I lost interest, too much self-pity and crying

I wasn't loving part 1 as I found the dynamic between the lead is a bit childish and drags. Part 2 comes and first 4 episodes hit me with massive emotional train wreck, so painful yet so beautiful. What stands out to me compared to the previous season is this new dynamic among the hunter woman, Jang Hyun ang Gil Chae. She has so much passion and her motivation is interesting, so she elevate the stake. I'm in for their painful future stories.

Cinematography is just as stunning as the previous part. The shots are very captivating, that you can't help but admired. Trigger warning: the torture scenes realistically gruesome, comparable to few historicals Mr. Sunshine and Empress Ki. I guess it is to highlight the degradation that Joseon went through during this historical time. Great and emotional acting by all cast! Namkoong Min has rightly been receiving praise for his accolade and I enjoyed his chemistry with Lee Chung Ah. Honestly, they look great together in all situations.

Even if it won't happily ever after, at least I hope the struggles of our heroes come to an end soon because all of them goes through so much pain already. Every little hopeful moment counts, even though I don't know how it's going to end.

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Not as good as part 1

While I absolutely loved part 1, part 2 felt disjointed. ML and FL had a lot more interactions but before they did, but the story had way too many useless characters and frustrating plotlines.

There were a lot of scenes where ML and FL almost met but missed each other by a hair. At first, it was ok, but later became very frustrating because the writers overdid it. Some characters and storylines were pointless. What was the deal with the Chinese princess and her unrequited love for Jang Hyun? It didn't move the plot forward, but created unnecessary conflict that was more frustrating than meaningful. The princess got no character development and her arc ended in a very underwhelming way. She was cruel and selfish, and I expected Jang Hyun to deal with her in a smart way. But he told her he was leaving and she accepted it, the end. Gil Chae getting abducted to Qing also felt off. It was a tool for her to meet Jan Hyun, but the plotline felt like a forced cop out, rather than a natural story progression.

It also felt like the writers changed their mind with the direction of the story. They made a big deal about women being abused in one household because of a jealous wife. But Gil Chae spent very little time there, then left, and that was it. The arc with Gil Chae marrying the sergeant was also completely pointless. It was another tool to keep ML and FL apart for a bit longer without serving any other purpose.

The entire part 2 felt like a forced attempt to continue with the story post war, except there was not as much conflict and action. A lot of story arcs felt uninspired and forced. I wish the war plotline wouldn't have ended in part 1. This was when the story was at its best.

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Lacking compared to part1

My review is for the second half of the drama rather than the entire drama. I quite loved the first half (part 1) but this second half (part 2) was so much more weaker.

The first 3 episodes are decent, there are light moments (when you compare to the tragedies of the first part) and hope. But episodes 4 - 9 were such a drag to watch. You get brief moments of happiness and then problems. To the point that it seemed like a never-ending mess. I was prepared for a tragic ending. Apart from that, the story was really moving slowly with not much happening. You can easily watch these episodes on 2x because everyone talks so slowly.

Some of the characters really annoyed me. One being the king. He was so hell bent on retaining power and his position that he lost trust in everyone including his ministers, his son, and his people. To target his own people who already faced so much was simply unforgiveable according to me. What does loyalty mean if the other party unreasonably wants to sentence you to death in order to feel "peace"?

The other character was the scholar who acted all noble and could see that the king's fears are driving him to cruelty and he made the same exact choices by giving into his unreasonable fears. Though it just proved that he was always a cruel man and he never regretted his part mistakes. He would repeat them again without much hesitation.

Finally, it was Officer Gu, who we all knew was not worthy of marrying Gil Chae.

It's easy to blame the "barbarians" for the sufferings of the people of Joseon but this part highlighted that the people of Joseon were far more cruel to their own. They abandoned their own family and wives and sisters and daughters if they deemed them to be "tainted" and were obsessed with keeping Joseon "clean". They were willing to kill their own by labelling them as traitors without proof. They forced women to kill themselves. They humiliated anyone who survived. They truly disgusted me because instead of easing each others suffering and giving each other comfort after all the hardships and sorrows, they rejected and ridiculed them instead. They didn't allow their own people to heal. So the real traitors were the ones who escaped "unscathed". Problem is, I don't know if majority of the audience will understand this because of the way it was presented. Unless you can relate to being "othered" in your own country, it's unlikely that most of the audience will understand this aspect of the story because of the way it is presented. It will probably get sidelined as an aspect of war.

The last two episodes were the best compared to the rest of this part. Though there are again unnecessary hurdles and part of me wanted to know what happened to all the politics that we were forced to suffer through, I am glad we were not forced to suffer more on the leads' story front. If not for the last 2 episodes, I would have certainly scored this part lower just for those middle episodes. The male lead also said and did all the right things and he truly was a blessing for everyone. The growth of the female lead was also nice to see and a good contrast between part 1 and 2.

One aspect they glossed over is what exactly happened to Ryang Eum.

The OST of this show continues to be enjoyable.

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what the fuck was this?

the only thing good about this kdrama was the acting.
the amnesia trope being introduced twice in FIVE episodes.
the fucking second lead blaming HIS WIFE for almost being raped instead of comforting her and then WANTING her back as if he was not a fucking piece of shit?
hating the male lead after he protected his ass so many times during the war, and wanting him dead???
the plot of the war with qing was NOT resolved, the only thing resolved was the romance plot!
ryang eum ending up LOCKED UP for being insane?? when he isn't??? what the fuck is up with that??? him being the only one with grey hair at the end altho he is one of the youngest in the series????

just what the fuck did i watch? i wasted my time for this and i regret watching it. it was not worth it.

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