Great Acting and Story about the Struggles of Refugees

I really like this movie. I think this is the best movie of Song Joong Ki since 2012's Werewolf Boy. He always acts well, but I really appreciated his acting here among his recent works. Choi Sung Eun is also really excellent. she has matured in her acting since I saw her in Sound of Magic way back 2022. Seo Hyun Woo, Kim Sung Ryung, and Jo Han Chul are also memorable. It's a good movie that shows the struggles of refugees trying to survive in a foreign country. I said earlier that SJK is really excellent, that's because he acted really well how a person in really bad conditions should act even though he himself has been always comfortable in life.

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Real Love is Letting Your Girl Pursue Her Dreams

I watched this in 2015 but I never really appreciated this movie until now. Also, watching this in 2024 feels oddly satisfying. I feel like the real relationship of LizQuen is closest to this fictional couple among all the couples they played (second being the couple from Alone Together) as I get the impression that Liza and Enrique are both passionate in filmmaking and making shows and Enrique is selfless in how he loves Liza. They have good chemistry in all their movies, but the chemitry here is just really amazing. The way Enrique looks and speaks to Liza! Both Enrique and Liza portrayed their characters really well. I really enjoyed the love story, glad the girl Audrey chose someone (Ethan) who lets her be who she wants to be and dream what she wanted to do rather than someone who wants her to change. Wih Liza's hollywood career and both her and Enrique insisting they never broke up, I feel like Enrique's love to Liza is similar to the way Ethan loves Audrey in this movie, he encourages the girl to make her dreams come true and loves her for her true self. Plus he's willing to sacrifice his happiness just for the sake of her own. That's true love!
It may seem to some people that Audrey is cheating on Tristan (played by Gerald Anderson) with Ethan here, but I totally understand why she would fall for Ethan, Tristan was a really toxic boyfriend who wants Audrey to change for him and does not love her for who she is (unlike Ethan).

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Liza and Enrique's Performances Make Up for the Movie's Imperfections

This is very enjoyable but not as good as Alone/Together among LizQuen movies. The acting between Liza and Enrique is very convincing. The movie is also an enjoyable watch for a lazy weekend. However, the basic point of the plot, Gio's "cheating", is not very convincing since he didn't really cheat but was only taken advantage of during a night when he was drunk. I understand that girls get hurt if guys lay down with other women even when they were drunk, but Cali breaking up with him and making her a man-hater because of it makes her character less admirable. I wish they made another scenario of how Gio would cheat on Cali (ex: being taken to a bar after a tiring and disappointing day at school or work where he was really tempted to sleep with another girl for comfort because he was really disappointed with what happened at school or work). However, the fact that Cali's dad cheated on her mom did help add to the pain of Cali as well as make her man-hating personality develop more.
I wish the film was less "racist" though. How could a film be filmed in South Korea and then call a Korean character Kimmychi (joke on kimchi food)? While this mistake can be forgivable since Kimmychi maybe just a term of endearment from her boyfriend, using the term "slanted eyes" is just a little bit too much.
3.5 over 5 for Liza and Enrique's performance and for it being an enjoyable film for me to watch. A Korean person might however find this film a bit offensive.

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Love the leads' acting (especially Liza). Characters really relatable to people in their late 20s.

I enjoyed this movie. It's very relatable to someone like me in her late 20s who feels like a failure after college, except that I don't have big dreams except to have money and I don't have a boyfriend. I watched this for Liza Soberano, she's good here. Enrique Gil is good as well but I feel like this is Liza's movie and she was the one given more chances to show her acting prowess. I have the impression that some people find her acting bad because she doesn't put in "big emotions". However I found her acting on point. Her emotions shown in the movie is perfect. It doesn't need to be too loud or too mechanical. She's perfect
Unlike some people, I'm not bothered with the "cheating" here. Raf had already broken up with his girlfriend prior to going to New York and proposing to Tin while Tin can't help returning back Raf's affections as I think her boss boyfriend is too controlling.

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Well Deserved Awards at MMFF 2023

Love this movie, I consider this well made. I love that they gave the most prominent priest role to a less well known actor, proven right since he really acted well in this movie and even won best actor at MMFF awards. Cedric Juan, you really did amazing in this movie. All the other actors are great too. Kudos as well to director Pepe Diokno for the great direction of this movie. Great movie, must watch for all but especially Filipinos.
My only main criticism is the costumes. The ties the men were wearing look like modern neckties and not something from the 19th century.

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Satifactory Ending for a Good Drama

At last we already have an ending!
I'm glad the show is finished. While there are still storylines they can add to this drama if they wanted, I think the story we have right now (season 1 and 2) is already complete enough that it's okay if they leave it at that. Kudos to the whole cast and crew. Lee Joon Gi and Shin Se Kyung did well as Eunseom/Saya and Tanya, despite not playing them from the first season. Jang Dong Gun and Kim Ok Bin continued their amazing acting from season 1. I'm not gonna be surprised if any of the cast members got baeksang nominations next year given their amazing acting, but I won't be surprised either if they didn't seeing they didn't nominated the show for season 1.
Despite cancellations, cast changes , and other problems, I'm at least glad Arthdal ended as a really good show. They ended it in a way that they can add to the story if they wanted to, but the show we have right now can stand on its own as a complete story. Kudos to the casts (both seasons 1 and 2) and crew for making a good and unique drama. (I do really miss the epic music and Saya's pretty costumes from season 1 but it did not deter me from enjoying this season). I highly recommend everyone to check out the other dramas written by this writing team. They also made Queen Seon Deok, 6 Flying Dragons, and Tree with Deep Roots kdramas. Our Tanya in this season Shin Se Kyung played the female lead of the latter 2 dramas I mentioned while she's the childhood version of the female lead's twin sister in the first drama I mentioned. Season 1 Eunseom/Saya Song Joong Ki has a pivotal cameo in Tree with Deep Roots which was also his career turning point (he was known as a flowerboy actor and it was his first known serious role).
PS:
1. I missed the dancing scenes, I was hoping to see Eunseom, Saya and Tanya do it again for this season (I also wanted to see it because I wanted to see Lee Joon Gi and Shin Se Kyung dancing together) but I guess that plot point was only necessary for season 1 in order to get the bell.
2. Genuinely surprised to see Erika Karata. She was the person I least expect from the first season to appear again here but she's back. (Those who were waiting for news for season 2 after season 1 ended should know why she wasn't expected to appear in season 2, even before the main leads were recast).

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Great Plot

PS: I watched this long ago but I'm only reviewing now
This might not be for everyone due to it's horror sageuk genre, but for me, this drama is really good. Except for a few scenes, I don't find this drama scary in a general sense. The effects used may have aged a bit, but I didn't really mind.
I really love how this drama used Korean folklore to create this original story. I also love how the fantastical elements in this story are used to show the themes of this show: mainly about parents' love for their children and the lengths they'll go for their children. This along with Arang and the Magistrate are both good kdramas that used the Korean folklore very well to tell their story. This drama about family. It's also a drama about children and their adventures, rivalries, and early experiences in romantic crushes/love.
The actors are really great. Han Da Gam (known as Han Eun Jung when she made this drama) was amazing as the Gumiho mother. She also has great chemistry with Jang Hyun Sung (actor of her child's rival's father who fell in love with her character) and Seo Jun Young (actor of the young male servant who also fell in love with her character). Kim Yoo Jung and Seo Shin Ae are both amazing in here as the two main children. Kim Yoo Jung's acting as both the sweet human child of her gumiho mother and her scary gumiho version is really great. No wonder she is one of the most well known actresses in Korea today. I still think this is her best acting in all her acting projects that I've watched. Seo Shin Ae is terrific as the wicked and spoiled child of rich parents, you'll really loath her character. Sad she's so underrated, I really believe she deserves more great acting projects. Lee Tae Ri is only in supporting role, but he's great as the teenage Jung Kyu, the young boy in the affections of both Kim Yoo Jung and Seo Shin Ae's characters.

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Very Enjoyable

It was really enjoyable. Yeo Jin Goo was amazing in differentiating his acting for the real king vs the clown vs the clown playing the king. I love Lee Se Young's subtle performance too, she's really fit playing royal women as seen in both here and the Red Sleeve. Kim Sang Kyung and the actors for the villains are also enjoyable.
I think some people who were drawn to watching the drama because of Jin Goo's double role might be disappointed since the real king died in episode 7, but the plot of the drama plus the acting of the actors should be a good reason enough to continue.

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Hauntingly Beautiful

What a great historical drama. I was looking forward to other sageuks at the beginning of 2021 but this one hands down is just so beautifully done. This drama is such a work of art.
Acting: Everyone in the cast is superb. It may be hard for me to remove my bias against idol actors, but Lee Jun Ho's acting here is so good it made me rethink of that bias. In historical dramas, I usually demand strong presence and Jun Ho did not disappoint in that. He has such a wonderful tone and diction. Had he been in the historical dramas as a lead from the late 2000s to the early 2010s, I believe he would be a really lauded and popular actor today. Lee Se Young, I also love her clear diction. She was able to depict the different versions of Deok Im very well, from the young and carefree court lady to the concubine who is limited in her choices. I am so glad that the girl who played the young version of the rival in my first historical drama Jewel in the Palace is rocking her role here as a female lead in her own sageuk drama. The supporting casts all did well to. Special mention to Kang Hoon, Lee Deok Hwa, Jang Hee Jin, Jang Hye Jin, and Park Jin Young. (9.5)
Music: I think the BGM of this drama will go down as one of my favorite BGM's ever. They are so hauntingly beautiful and it serves the purpose well of capturing this great love story. The songs themselves are not so memorable (except Lee Sun Hee's OST) but it really doesn't matter since the BGM's did it's job really well. Plus kudos to not putting any songs that might not befit the theme of this drama (looking at you Moon Lovers). (9.5)
Story: Yi San is one of my favorite historical dramas. I've also seen various actors play King Jeongjo in various dramas (Yi San, Painter of the Wind, Sungkyunkwan Scandal). There's a lot of historical romance dramas I've seen as well. So at first I thought this drama is not unique. Glad to have seen the trailers that made me watch this drama. However this drama's take on the usual sageuk stories is so fresh. It's easy for most to think that becoming a beloved of the king (for a woman of low class position) is something she would want, but kudos to this drama for showing how a woman might not want that kind of life for her (even though she loves the king herself). I also appreciate how they show in this drama that all kinds of women (from high Queen Jeongsun who couldn't even visit her brother's grave to ordinary court lady Myung Hee who died simply because of loving a man) have very limitied choices in the past. This makes us appreciate how we live in the 21st century where a woman is more free. This drama also screams Pride and Prejudice (depicting a woman who tries to have modern sensibilities in a period that does not allow her to) and Titanic (the wonderfully done ending scene) to me. Last thing, even though the drama focuses more on the love story, I still love how this drama portrays well the impact of Yi San being the son of the controversial Sado.
Bonus: I appreciate the level of detail in this drama. The cinematography, the symbolisms (flowers, water, etc). Just so beautiful.

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Main actors are wasted, the villains and victims actors shined in this show

This drama is just not good nor is it for me. Pity. I wanted to like this one since this is Lee Joon Gi and Moon Chae Won together. But the plot's execution is just not good. There are some episodes which are more interesting for me than the others (I find the cases in those episodes more compelling to watch), but this drama just fails for me to connect them with the main characters emotionally. I do appreciate some episodes that show the background and the struggles of some NCI members. Actingwise, as good as Joon Gi and Chae Won are as actors in general, the actors that were really given the chance to shine here are neither them nor the rest of the NCI team, but the actors playing the villains and their victims. At least Joon Gi and Son Hyun Joo (the other super main character NCI member) have some moments where they show their acting moments, I just wish Chae Won is given a heavy scene herself too (I hope people who only seen her in this one call her a bad actress, she has dramas and movies before this one where her acting really shine). I like Lee Sun Bin, Go Yoon and Yoo Sun in their respective roles but I think this drama didn't make them shine in their own way either (I do think Lee Sun Bin has been given more than the other two actors). Giving this drama a 6.5

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I find the plot lacking but still appreciate mythology of the drama.

I like it, I'm giving it an 8.5 despite me feeling a bit let down by the plot since I never found drama boring. Despite being a bit let down, I still like the mythology of this drama. The visuals and the imagery (especially those beautiful paintings and sceneries when Haram and Chungi are dating) are really beautiful. Acting is good by most especially by Kim Yoo Jung and Kwak Si Yang. Ahn Hyo Seob is good, but he really shone in the last 2 episodes (my only complaint against him is he sometimes doesn't act blind). Gong Myung is a bit disappointing (I'm saying this because I feel like an excellent actor with a lot charm could have made his character more memorable), but he was okay in the last 2 or 3 episodes.

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Drama with great pacing and execution plus life lessons learned

Ah! Good Doctor! I'm not really a fan of medical dramas but I decided to watch this one as I like both Moon Chae Won and Joo Won and I did not regret my decision to watch it as it's a really good heartwarming drama.
There are many things that makes this drama great. One is that the pacing and the execution of the drama is perfect, and kudos to the writers. The characters are very well developed too, you have likeable characters and most of the "villains" of this show are also given a good side in this drama (some of them even developed to become good characters). Many heart-warming life lessons as the doctor characters heal and overcome the difficulties their patients face. Among the many characters here, the main character of the autistic servant Park Si On is very important to the developments of many characters plus the life lessons provided in this drama. Let's not forget the acting, for me everyone did amazing. Joo Won as the autistic doctor Park Si On, Moon Chae Won as Park Si On's fellow doctor/future lover Cha Yun Seo, Joo Sang Wook as Kim Do Han, even young Kim Hyun Soo as In Hae did great. I have to give a shout out to Yoo Hae Jung as patient Eun-Ok, she was so amazing especially when her character seems very wild at first.
There's really nothing I can fault with this drama. The only thing though with this drama is I felt that career-wise, Moon Chae Won should not have chosen this drama especially after the successes of The Princess's Man, War of the Arrows, and Innocent Man during the two years before she did this drama. Don't get me wrong, Cha Yun Seo is a great character and I love how understanding and helpful she is of Joo Won's character. It's just that I feel the character doesn't give her the chance to show more of her acting skills unlike the previous works mentioned and I feel like she should have chosen a more female centric role. I have no choice but to respect her script decision though and despite what I said earlier about her character and the acting she had to show for this drama, the drama did show a different side to her acting (this character is more light and warm-hearted then the previous works mentioned). Plus I'm still glad she has a drama like this in her filmography.
Attesting to the greatness of this drama is how this won best drama in 2014 Baeksang and even got a US remake that now has many seasons. So what are you waiting for, watch Good Doctor now!

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Amazing cinematography, plot and acting also very good.

Movie is not perfect but the cinematography is to be praised for. For me, it's one of the best aspects of the movie. I also find the movie's concept of where an ancestor is buried on having an impact to their living descendants' life and fortune
It shouldn't have been a spoiler if you know the real history that Heungseon's son became king, but as I chose to ignore the real history, Heungseon being revealed to be a cunning man planning to take the opposite sides of Kim Jwa Geun and the royal king to fight for his own son to be king is quite a surprise.
Another great plot twist that I didnt expect was the irony of Kim Jwa Geun being buried by his son. Here is a man who would do a lot of evil deeds, like burying his dead dad above royal tombs, for his family's fortune, only to have his own son kill him since son feels a greater fortune for him i achieved if his own living father is buried (dead) in the best place as well.
I watched this since its the last Moon Chae Won historical work I haven't seen, and though her scenes are minimal, she's really good in playing her part as a gisaeng. Indeed, she also excelled in her heavy scenes, especially her death scene. But, of course, the best actors in this drama are Jo Seung Woo and Ji Sung. It's so great to see Baek Yoon Shik as a villain again here, I loved his special appearamce in Tree with Deep Roots. Kim Sung Kyun, Yoo Jae Myung and the rest of the cast are also great.
Music is not memorable but fits well in the movie.
Movie is an 8.5 for me.

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Very Unique

Story:
It is a great story about Joseon minstrels made more interesting in the historical background of this movie. I love how this movie is made to look like we're watching an actual Korean play. I love how the King is being humanized in this movie, showing some moments between him and a character the audience is supposed to care about, Gonggil. A lot of people mention that this movie has homosexual tendencies, and while I do agree, I'm not sure if I see it on Gonggil's side for either the King or his friend Jangsaeng. For sure, I feel Jangsaeng has some sort of feelings for him (we see him getting jealous as the king spends more time with Gonggil) and the king is definitely attracted by Gonggil's physical beauty. I supposed knowing about Gonggil and Jangsaeng's background (like their family, how either of them relate to each other's past), would help us understand whether Gonggil has attraction towards Jangsaeng or even the king, But I still give this story good points despite that since we don't need to know exactly what Gonggil feels, it is enough for the audience to know that he sincerely cares about Jangsaeng at least as a really great friend (and also somehow can understand the king's attraction to him). (9.5/10)
Acting Cast:
I noticed that all the actors seem to act as if they are in a Shakespearean play (maybe because of the way some lines are presented). Everyone is really great. Particular highlights for me are Jung Jin Young as King Yeon San and Lee Joon Gi as Gonggil, but Kam Woo Sung and the rest of the cast also did great (10/10)
Music:
Music is not very much memorable but it really fits well with this film. However, the song "Fate", which is not in the movie but is eventually associated with it, is really good and I really love it. (8.5/10)
Rewatch Value:
I usually don't give higher scores on rewatch value as most films/dramas require people not knowing everything for them to appreciate it, but I'm giving this film a perfect (10/10) for rewatch value because I feel like there are many scenes that can be understood and analyzed more for more interpretation upon rewatch . (10/10)
Overall: (9.5/10)

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Show is quite enjoyable but there are too many imperfections.

I decided to watch this drama because of Moon Chae Won. I had liked her for so long as an actress and my love for her regained after watching Flower of Evil. But I realized except for Princess's Man, Painter of the Wind, Innocent Man, Flower of Evil, Brilliant Legacy, and some clips of her It's Okay Daddy's Girl and My Fair Lady; I haven't seen her other filmograohy. I decided to give Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter a go since Moon Chae Won wears hanbok in this drama, and I love seeing her in hanbok.
I rate the story only a 6.5. The positives of this show is that there is a plot twist that makes this drama interesting, and from the title of the show, the plot twist is not obvious. Seeing the title and short summary of the drama, people would think it's just about a fairy and the show's goal is only for the fairy to find out which of the two guys is her husband from years ago. However, as the story goes on, we discover that the dramas is also about friendship, acceptance, loyalty, and valuing yourself as much as about romance. The character of the professor, I didn't expect at first how his background gave so much twists to the story. An additional plus in the show is that the cute and lighthearted moments between the fairy and either of her two love interests, or the love interests with each other is good and enjoyable to watch. For the negatives however, there are some plotholes. I didn't understand why the fairy has to appear as an old woman to most people. Nor do I understand what kind of relationship should you have with the fairy for someone to see her young. The female professor for example, saw her as old at first then saw her young later (was it because she was getting to know the fairy more since the fairy is becoming more involved with her male professor friend?). I'm also confused as to why the villages in Gyeryong (Kim Geum's mom for example) didn't know the fairy and her fairy friends since it is such a small town and the fairy friends live in that town most of the time. And the most annoying thing is the lack of explanation for fairy's kids. How and why are they reborn as cat and worm/dragon (plus for the dragon/worm I didn't understand how the barista fairy said that all the powers of the world is in the egg of that dragon)? Do they die and live again for the hundreds of years their fairy mom waits for her husband? And last thing I'm wondering is what will happen to the fairy and the husband she chose after they got married? Is he coming back with her to the fairy world or is the fairy and her kids transforming into real humans to stay with him there (how weird is it that the young husband has a 20 year old looking daughter)? There's no rating for visual effects here, but I'm just gonna include it for the story's rating and gosh, the visual effects and CGI are just below average. I could have rated this show lower but since the plot twist of the drama as well as the morals plus lighthearted moments are really good (plus Moon Chae Won in hanbok is just so wonderful to see), so a 6.5 should be the fairest rating I can give to the story.
Actingwise, I give this drama an 8.5. Moon Chae Won as the fairy acted just good enough for her role. Her crying scenes are my most favorite of hers actingwise since she's really good in it. Her character of the fairy does not demand much of her acting skills though, thus despite being her usual good acting self, she doesn't come off as particularly impressive. But she's good enough and she embodied the character of the good hearted beautiful fairy well. Yoon Hyun Min is really impressive. For me at least, his character is the one that requires the most acting skills. His role of professor has such a complicated background and past, it's difficult to express the emotions of a character that had to overcome such difficult past. Fans of Yoon Hyun Min could really enjoy this drama if they want to focus on his acting instead of what happens to his character. Seo Ji Hoon is Kim Geum is also good, he was charming and was able to portray the character well. Rest of the cast is great. Surprised to see Ahn Kil Kang from Queen Seon Deok in here as a funny fairy. Due to his serious character in Queen Seon Deok which has remained in me for so long, it was really hard for me to imagine him in a comic role. But after watching him here and in Iljimae (which I just saw recently), I'm starting to think comedy might be one specialty of his.
The music is good but not particularly memorable, It doesn't affect much my enjoyability of the drama so an 8 should be a good rating.
5 for rewatch value. I don't think I'm gonna rewatch the drama again, but I might watch in the future some of my favorite scenes.
Overall a 6.5 rating for this drama.

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