Nelly
Canada
Very good drama that goes to show just how much good acting and chemistry matter in a series. The story and the scripts are not particularly impressive, but trust me, when you start watching, you couldn't care less. Watch if 1) you're looking for a deep love story, 2) you're looking for serious romantic business (aka skinship and cie), 3) you've had an overdose of comedy and want something different, 4) you're ready for a rollercoster ride of emotions. Don't watch if 1) You have low tolerance for relationship conflicts, 2) You have low tolerance for misunderstanding, 3) You don't like kids.
THE STORY
The premise of the show is nothing innovative and does not peak interest. At least, in my case and many others, you hear about how great the show is and then think about watching it. The few initial episodes seduce you like the best player in the world, but the rest of the show drives you insane until you reach the end and feel like your emotions were mercilessly toyed with...except that you loved it. Honestly, the story is frustrating, but it's 'real', something you can't relate to but you can find coherent, and it has characters you can only like, even if you don't always understand them.
THE ACTING
Pretty cool! I'm still new in the realm of Taiwanese dramas. It looks bad to say it, but to be honest, I started with recent romcoms, and they got me thinking that I would never be able to take Taiwanese shows seriously. The acting was almost cartoony, I'm guessing due to the genre. Autumn's Concerto shattered all my prejudice. The acting is superb. There's so much chemistry between all actors but particularly the main couple. I really believe that it's that, more than the story itself, that sucks the viewer in. The little boy is incredibly good too, which is rare for a child actor of his age.
THE MUSIC
Fab. Maybe the main theme song, I love him (Wo ai ta) by Della Ding, will not do it for you, but you'll have to admit it matches perfectly the mood of the show. And there's plenty of other tracks that you'll be able to obsess over. My personal favorite: I thought (Wo yi wei) by Victor Wang.
REWATCH VALUE
It's a matter of mind over heart. Whenever I'm searching for something to watch, my heart begs me to rewatch it, craving for all the intense emotions that it provoked, but my mind tells me not to, because I just can't deal with it. Conclusion is, I'll probably rewatch it again. More than once.
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What is wrong with Korean melos?
OVERALLThis drama is honestly such a disappointment. Skip, unless you really, REALLY love Park Min Young.
THE STORY
I don't know what is wrong with Korean melodramas. This one is basically a repeat of Now, We Are Breaking Up. It starts out with a promising Female lead, who has a distinct personality and a backstory that is sure to provide character growth. Then it moves into an unconventional relationship starter (aka high skinship/intimacy) that also promises an interesting love story, and then...nothing. NOTHING. No character growth, no relationship growth, not even a story. Just two leads who decide they're madly in love OUT OF NOWHERE and then also decide they can't be together for 16 episodes, only to suddenly decide that, by the end, maybe they can. Nothing makes sense and nothing thrilling or emotional happens either. It's just a waste, really.
There used to be a time when Korea made good melodramas. Those days are gone, it seems. So do yourself a favor and skip.
THE ACTING
Of course it's fine, Park Min Young's in here, my favorite ajumma actress is in here, and the rest of the cast isn't bad either. But they can't make up for the super crappy writing.
THE MUSIC
Now, We are Breaking Up at least had a good OST. This drama doesn't.
REWATCH VALUE
LOL.
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One of the best C-dramas so far!!!!
OVERALLThis drama is SO unlike any other C-drama I've seen so far, it feels like a Hollywood film! Watch it NO MATTER WHAT, you'll be mind-blown by the pace, the suspense, the heartwarming scenes, the occasional humor and slight hint of romance. But if you really, really want a developed love story or if you really, really don't like time-travel loop plotlines, wait until you're bored...then definitely give it a try. It's worth it!
THE STORY
I have to start by saying I'm not a fan of the time-travel loop storylines. Time travelling, yes, but when the characters have to go through the same thing over and over AND OVER again, I usually find it kind of boring...and very unsettling haha STILL, Reset managed to completely shatter my prejudice and I absolutely loved it. Why?
1) Because the mystery of finding out exactly what is going on is actually gripping, and there are a few unexpected twists so that even when you think you've figured it out, there're still surprises.
2) Because you learn to care about the secondary characters since they're given detailed backstories, so you end up hoping the protagonists will succeed.
3) Because even when things feel repetitive, they're actually kind of funny/ironic at the same time? So the repetitiveness of the loop trope doesn't get annoying or tiring.
4) Because the main leads are kind of cute together, and even though romance is really not a major aspect of the drama, there's enough of a hint of romance to satisfy you.
Of course, nothing is perfect and neither is Reset. The biggest flaw, I think, is how all secondary characters get a backstory but not the OTP. By the end, you know the side characters better than the leads, which is weird. But since it doesn't stop you from rooting for the OTP, it's fine. Another big flaw in Reset (there're only two, really) is the way the final mystery is solved, which feels kind of...disappointing? Like it doesn't quite make sense. But maybe it's just me? Anyway, it doesn't take too much away the greatness of the show, and the ending sequence is so nice, it makes up for it!
THE ACTING
Perf, everybody was perf. I need to highlight the performance of lead actress though, she was a.ma.zing!
THE MUSIC
Great for the genre (suspenseful instrumental music), but nothing that stands out.
REWATCH VALUE
Definitely high! Even though some scenes are truly traumatic, the drama is binge worthy and I can watch without skipping any scene (which is so rare nowadays!) so I'll rewatch FOR SURE!
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Flawed but good!
OVERALLAn imperfect drama that still much better than average! Watch it if 1) you want some perfectly balanced romance and palace drama, 2) you like smart and strong female leads. Maybe think twice about it if 1) you can't stand surreal or incoherent plot elements, 2) you're looking for lots of smexy scenes.
THE STORY
The first 20 mins or so of this drama are absolutely horrid. Luckily, it was a good day when I was watching and I decided to skip and keep going. If I hadn't, I would have missed a quite good drama!
The Good
- Female lead is so cool! Of course, we get more and more of these female characters that are smart, pretty, skilled, and everything you could ever wish for. It's almost becoming a cliché. But it's fine by me, I like that!
- Although a historical, this drama is pretty generous with the romantic scenes. Lots of cute, fun and tension-filled scenes here. Sure, most of them aren't realistic because they would never happen at that time, but it's fine by me. I like that!
- The fact that Male lead doesn't know Female lead is his childhood crush means we actually get a "falling in love" storyline and that's great because I hate the "I liked you when I was 10, so let's get married" romance.
- There aren't any hateful characters in this drama. All the characters, villains included, are quite likeable. They're likeable because they're well written, not because they're all nice and you can root for them. But still, it counts!
- Last but not least, this drama is just filled with action. It's one thing after another, which totally makes it binge worthy!
The Bad
- Top of the list is the absolute worst of the drama: the ancient-plastic-surgery plot device. Female lead getting a new face and a new life in that time is weird enough (makes zero sense), add to it 1) the fact that Female lead before and after surgery act like two different people, 2) Female lead honestly struggles too little with the fact that she literally became someone else, which is not realistic, 3) everyone just takes in the news like people wake up with a different voice and body every day, 4) there's just a lot of drama that should have come with this that doesn't and makes the plot device kind of useless?
- The OTP is cute, okay. I actually liked them a lot. But the writers of this drama obviously never heard of "show, don't tell", because once the leads get together, we don't see them in love, we just see them talking about being in love. ALL. THE. TIME. It's not too cool.
- I'm not too much about realism in dramas, I care more about a good storyline and a concern for social issues like gender equality. Still, when there're just too many things that feel unrealistic, things you know would never happen back in the day, it kind of becomes...a bit annoying.
- The ending feels a bit lackluster, in my opinion. Nice, but bland and too easy. The final showdown seems like a cheaper version of Nirvana in Fire's. Which reminds me that many scenes in this drama feel like they were taken from other dramas. Mm...
THE ACTING
Good! I always say there're four kind of performances: amazing/impressive, good/memorable, lackluster/not distracting, terrible/ruining the show. Here I think the two leads fitted the good/memorable category. I liked Female lead more than Male lead, but he was also okay. They had pretty good chemistry, which totally made up for the cringe "I love you" scenes the writers would throw at them. The rest of the cast was good too, especially the king and the 2nd (or is it the 3rd?) love interest of Female lead, LYQ.
THE MUSIC
Also quite memorable! I'm not sure it's playlist material yet, but I was vibing with it!
REWATCH VALUE
Honestly, pretty high. This dramas has all you can ask for when in the mood for rewatching a drama: it has romance, palace drama, war, medical situations, and a whole lot of adventure! I'm sure I'll be rewatching it sooner or later, but skipping the beginning :)
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I don't often give a rating above 8.5/10 but...
OVERALLA drama about psychological healing that successfully combines comedy, drama, mystery and romance. Watch it, no ifs...but I guess keep it for later if you really, REALLY don't like characters with flaws.
THE STORY
I LOVE dramas that normalize mental health issues, so I was really hoping this one would be good. It did not disappoint. It's not really about psychiatric illnesses or psychiatric treatments per say. The drama is about accepting your psychological issues and thriving in live despite them. The Strengths: 1) the grabber in episode 1 is EPIC, probably the best start of a Korean drama I've ever seen, 2) the dip in gothic genre is extremely innovative for Kdramaland, and although the show doesn't completely go gothic, it's still cool, 3) there is literally NO loophole in this drama, it's so well-written everything that happens has a reason to be, 4) the clever use of fairy tales for symbolism and allegory is just AMAZING, 5) the characters have real and coherent character development, without going from 0 to 100 (they are imperfect from beginning to end, but still have improved), 6) the depiction of mental health issues was carefully researched and is appropriate (though not perfect), 7) the romance feels organic and natural (not forced by the plot at all). I feel like many Kdramas could learn from this one.
The Weaknesses: Really, the only thing that bothers me is that for around 2-3 episodes in the second half of the drama, things just feel a bit off. Maybe there's a slight decline in the overall coherence, maybe it's the acting (see below). It's very short-lived though! Another thing that may bother some (but not me): the romance isn't particularly fast-paced and there isn't a whole lot of skinship (aka kisses and more). It's still totally great!
THE ACTING
Great performance by the two leads, SYJ and KSH. I recently got to know Yeji through Save Me, and since then also watched Lawless Lawyer, and I got to say, she delivers every time. In this drama in particular, she blew my mind. She kind of overshadowed KSH's performance, and even the actor playing autistic Sang Tae (who was amazing too!). I think I have a girl crush haha The child actors were amazing (most of them are, don't know what they feed them), and some extras also grabbed my attention. The one downer in terms of acting comes in the second half of the drama. I won't say much more so I won't give anything away, but I feel like one person overacts WAY too much at the end of the drama, which almost ruined these 2-3 episodes for me.
THE MUSIC
Pretty cool, though nothing I felt compelled to add to my playlist by the end of the drama. I want to highlight the creepy tune that came in everytime our female lead did something psychopath-y. I loved it!
REWATCH VALUE
High, but I'm not sure it's very high? I shed too many tears in this drama to feel like watching it any time. It'll probably be for when I'm not too happy but not too sad - the perfect mood for it.
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Excellent drama. Watch it, no ifs. Maybe think twice if 1) You don't like historical dramas, 2) You're looking for something with a detailed, developed love story, 3) You're looking for comedy, 4) You only watch shows with fairy-tale endings. But then still watch it. It will shatter all your prejudices, trust me.
THE STORY
Amazing. Just amazing. This is officially the bittersweet tale of victory over enemies and succession to the throne. A tale that explains just why one person should become king of the nation (being of royal blood is not a good enough reason), and what is the price to pay for it. But it's really so much more. It's the story of two women ahead of their time, the story of two different political perspectives where at times you see right and wrong and at times you don't, the story of personal growth, the story of having to choose between your love and your nation...The script is fabulous, with numerous conversations that make you think about politics, justice and morality, back then and today. The characters are for the most part complex, with flaws, qualities, mannerisms, and the plot is driven by their personalities, character evolution and individual decisions, not by the writer's wish, which means that while there's things you don't like about the story, there's nothing you can't understand, given the characters' way of thinking and doing things. It makes the story coherent and real.
THE ACTING
Perfect. Nothing else to say. Everyone was absolutely perfect in their role, but if I have to choose, I pick three in particular. First, to date, one of my favorite drama characters has been Mishil, Queen Seon Duk's mentor and enemy, and as a consequence, one of my favorite drama actresses has been Go Hyun Jung, who brought her to life with incredible talent. I also must mention Bidam, probably one of the most innovative characters in Kdramaland, both dark and scary and innocent and pure, and the superb rendition of the actor who played him, Kim Nam Gil. Lastly, I was greatly impressed by the young Queen, played by Nam Ji Hyun. Very moving performance, especially in two-three scenes.
THE MUSIC
Great music in this show, that really does a good job accentuating the emotions of each scene. I've downloaded many of the tracks. In terms of the instrumental OST, Mishil's theme is awesome (great Halloween tune), but the main theme and Crystal Glasses are also cool. In terms of songs, IU's Wind Flower is my favorite, but another amazing track, Come, people of god, will give you goose bumps.
REWATCH VALUE
Rewatched. Twice.
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A very good drama that's got everything to please, even if there's a few inconsistencies here and there, a few wrong plot elements there and here. Watch it if you enjoyed I Hear Your Voice or you think you would. If you didn't like it, pass.
THE STORY
It's hard to try to reproduce the success of a drama in a new project without creating a show that you, the production team and the entire world of Kdrama fans know is a replica. So why pretend? Pinocchio is obviously and shamelessly a spinoff of I Hear Your Voice. The essence of the drama, a social critique made of suspense, humor and romance with a touch of supernatural, is similar. The story, heavily consisting of unexpected plot twists that grip viewers from beginning to end, is similar. Although the female lead is original, the male lead is similar in both dramas (and to make things even better, played by the same actor too). Characters of I Hear Your Voice even make cameos. I would be indignated by all of this, but the show is so much fun, the characters are so likable (except the villain, that is), the romance is so sweet, the story is so inspiring, that I couldn't care less. I Hear Your Voice might be better, but Pinocchio stands close behind. That's what I call good project recycling! On the down side, something's off about the ending. I can't pinpoint what it is...maybe too cheesy?
THE ACTING
More than the main leads, I feel like the rest of the cast really shone through Pinocchio; special kudos to the ajuhmma actresses, they were the stars of this show. Park Shin Hye I liked here more than in all her previous dramas, probably because for once she was playing someone with a backbone. Her acting also seemed more convincing, even though there's still room for improvement. Lee Jong Suk was dashing as usual, but he seriously needs to break the mold and play different roles. They made a very nice couple, with good chemistry (how come he has great chemistry with all his co-stars? Can I be one?)
THE MUSIC
Could it feel any more the same as the music of I Hear Your Voice? Anyway, it was fitting for the show, it wasn't bad to the ears, but nothing I feel the urge to google.
REWATCHABLE VALUE
High, very high.
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Bipolar drama, which could have been great, but ended up average. Watch if 1) You're looking for a historical drama with something different (this one happens mostly in China, so the entire décor and environment is different), 2) You like strong female leads, 3) You're satisfied as long as a drama has intrigue from beginning to end. Don't watch if 1) You can't stand when characters or plot elements make no sense, 2) You're vulnerable to the 2nd-lead syndrome, 3) You like fairy-tale endings.
THE STORY
The drama can be divided into two, very distinct, very opposite parts. The first one, roughly 3/4 of the show, is quite good and well written. There's a steady evolution in characters and relationship, and an omnipresent intrigue (at times more prominent than others but always there). Towards the middle of the show an element emerges that begins to make the drama lose credibility, but everything else is great, so it's okay. Then comes the last fourth of the drama, and all hell breaks loose. The plot takes a 180-degree turn, faults and loopholes appear, characters regress or lose coherence, relationships become too ambiguous, unnecessary deaths pile up...in short, you have a very disappointing, overly dramatic show that seems completely disconnected to the rest of the drama except for the enduring intrigue. Expect a rushed and dissatisfying ending.
THE ACTING
The story is one thing, but the acting is a completely different matter. Superb acting from the entire cast, at least from where I'm standing. The one that particularly impressed me was Ji Chang Wook, probably because his challenging role gave more opportunity to see his skills.
THE MUSIC
Good fit with the show and usually appropriate with each scene's mood, but I personally didn't like it. Lots of screaming. Watch out for Ji Chang Wook's song though. It's cute.
REWATCH VALUE
Until around episode 37-38, yes, after that, no.
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Definitely the better half
OVERALLThis review is for the drama overall, though I will say a few things about part 2 specifically. In general, it's well worth the watch, though it's definitely NOT a perfect drama. Watch it if 1) you're looking for cute, PG-rated romance, 2) you like historical dramas with serious vibes but also the occasional fun scenes, 3) you want to see some adventure and political intrigue. Reconsider if 1) you're looking for a mature love story with lots of skinship, 2) you hate draggy and repetitive plot elements.
THE STORY
I honestly feel like Love Like the Galaxy has a bit of an identity crisis. It wants to be a light, fluffy idol romance, but it also wants to be a deep, heavy historical. The result? It ends up failing both and being stuck in between. The romance is okay but not swoon-worthy because the drama does not spend enough time on it so the intensity of the leads' love is unconvincing. The political intrigues and adventures are okay but not super engaging because the drama does not spend enough time on them and most of them feel random. Don't get me wrong, I binged the start of this drama and died weekly as I waited for the remaining episodes. The drama's good. But all the time, I just kind of felt like it could have been better?
The best of Love Like the Galaxy is the cinematography (mature vibes of sets and filters), the super fun and wholesome royal trio (emperor-empress-concubine), and a few attempts at breaking the mold (eg. unconventional second male leads, mother-daughter relationship growth). The main leads have depth, each with traumas to overcome, so it's also easy to like and care for them. Their love story is a slow burn, which is more realistic and totally my style. The conflicts (at least, between the leads) are also real and atypical. And in Part 2, the stakes keep on getting higher, with more danger and more adventures, which makes the plot thrilling.
But...
The drama has too many unnecessary characters and scenes. After watching it all the way to the end, there are SO many parts focusing on secondary characters that I feel could have been cut and replaced by more of the main leads together or more political intrigue (especially in Part 1). The drama also has too many parts that are essentially the same (eg. how many crazy, psychopathic women do you need in one drama? how many times is are the main leads going to struggle over the same problem?). And as if that wasn't enough, Love Like the Galaxy is FILLED with slow-mo, often for no reason haha It gets really frustrating because they could have better used their time. It's just lazy writing, really. Oh, and I also wasn't a fan of the way the romantic scenes were put together in this drama. Many turned out too cringe, it was like watching a Disney film haha
THE ACTING
I will start by saying I like Leo Wu and Zhao Lusi. I do. And now I will say that, in all honesty, I was not impressed by Leo's acting. I still like him though; he's young, he'll probably get better. With Zhao Lusi the opposite happened. I thought she was okay after seeing her in Long Ballad and Romance of Tiger and Rose, but I was surprised by how good she was with emotional scenes in Part 2. I really hope to see her in more strong and serious roles because she definitely has potential for more than the ditsy/funny roles she usually plays. Imo, Leo and Lusi did not have great chemistry together, but I think they did the job nicely. The rest of the cast was good enough, especially the older cast. Loved my royal trio!
THE MUSIC
I loved the instrumental tracks (they sometimes reminded me of Nirvana in Fire and Story of Minglan)! I just hated how cringe the BGM got whenever you had a romantic scene.
REWATCH VALUE
High. I'll rewatch for sure, but with some skipping!
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Frustrating
OVERALLNow, I might be in the minority, but this drama felt like a waste of time to me. Watch it if 1) you like the impossible love trope, 2) you like the main actors, 3) you like slow and uneventful dramas. If that doesn't sound like you, then skip.
THE STORY
So. Let me just say that when I started this drama, I was really hyped. Female Lead was not my cup of tea (she's basically a waif), but I liked the aesthetics of the drama, I LOVED how Male Lead wasn't the typical mean, arrogant and misogynistic guy, and I saw potential between the two. Unfortunately, the drama failed to deliver. To me, it felt like the series was on hold for about 10-15 episodes. It's not like nothing REALLY happens. People come and go, there are wars and conflicts, conversations, confessions. But it's pretty clear that the drama is about Male Lead and Female Lead's romance, and the thing is, after they both realize their feelings for one another, nothing DOES happen between them for episodes on end. It's just them suffering in silence and reiterating again, and again, and AGAIN, how they can't be together. I'm sure it's some people's type of plot. I prefer mine to move along and not stagnate. After episode 20, I skipped ahead to see if it was worth continuing, saw that it wasn't, and gave up.
THE ACTING
Ok.
THE MUSIC
Pretty good!
REWATCH VALUE
Null.
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Good family drama, subpar romance
OVERALLMy opinion may be unpopular, but I find this drama a bit (just a bit) overrated. Still, it definitely feels different from other C-dramas I have seen so far, and the first half is REALLY nice. Watch it if 1) you're looking for a story with great friendship/family ties, 2) you like dramas that follow characters from childhood to adulthood, 3) you don't mind shedding a few tears. Think twice if 1) you are craving a well-developed love story, 2) you have low tolerance for annoying characters, 3) you like mature female leads.
THE STORY
It took me ages to give Go Ahead a try because I felt like it would just make me cry a lot. It didn't. It actually made me laugh a lot more. There is a lot to like about this drama:
- The first half is glorious, of the best I've seen in a C-drama; especially the first five episodes when the main leads are still very young. Serious, dark stuff happen, but it's beautiful and emotional. I just loved it. As the trio begins to age, the drama starts to feel a bit bipolar, like it doesn't know if to have melodrama vibes or comedy vibes and it bothered me sometimes, but it was still fine until about episode 20.
- The parents that take care of the main leads are fabulous. They break all stereotypes and are just so endearing. Definitely my favorite characters of the drama!
- Of course, the dynamic between the three main leads is gold, especially in the first half of the drama. They are family/friends goals!
My problem with Go Ahead is the second half, which feels so sloppy in comparison to the first half. The drama tries to tackle too many storylines at once so it doesn't go deep enough with anything and makes you feel dissatisfied with everything. The romance? Goes from zero to 100. Messed up characters? Also go from bad to good in the blink of an eye. It just doesn't make sense. I also have to say, Female lead is a bit problematic for me. She's just so childish. I'm fine with cute female characters, but mature cute. Age-appropriate cute. Jianjian acts her age like 25% of the time, and the rest feels like she's 10 years younger than the boys. It just...doesn't feel right.
Definitely a good drama, but not as great as it looked like it was going to be.
THE ACTING
Pretty good. I like Seven Tan's acting (regardless of her character) and the older actors were fab. Lil bro was impressive too, but in comparison, Big Bro kind of fell short. Still, nothing to distract you from the plot. I must say though, I felt no chemistry between the leads. Romantic scenes are nothing special too, so really, don't come into this drama for the love story.
THE MUSIC
In general, quite fine. I just like that background instrumental music wasn't super loud and cheap. It was actually fitting. The drama is really a nice production, it's only the script that could be a bit better.
REWATCH VALUE
Not very high. I think it's one of those one-timers.
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Basically McDonalds, but I'm kind of loving it?
OVERALLThis drama is fast food. It's cheap but it also tastes good, so it's an easy watch. Give it a try if 1) you're looking for a cute love story without any of the annoying clichés, 2) you like political intrigues, 3) you like free and capable female leads. If you 1) can't stand huge plot flaws or excessive CGI, 2) hate Chinese fantasy, 3) are in search of sizzling chemistry, then I recommend skipping.
THE STORY
I have to start by saying that I write fiction and I study fiction. That's my job. Some people can watch dramas without caring about the quality of the plot, I can't. Coming in to Who Rules The World with that background, this drama really isn't that great. People die when convenient, don't die when not convenient. People are sick one moment, and standing healthy the next. People want something the whole time, only to give up on it when it suits the plot. The drama is just full of inconsistencies and cheap writing, I couldn't take it seriously. The CGI (special effects) is also excessive and fake-looking, which might not be an issue for some but for me really pulls me out of the story, and the ending is a let down. It's too easy, too convenient, too incoherent.
That being said, I binged the first half of this drama and watched the second half religiously, so it's not THAT bad either. What saves it is a strong and likeable female lead (I just can't with the childish FLs C-dramas throw at us all the time), a nice male lead (I also can't with the misogynistic MLs so he's much appreciated), and the love story between the two that develops slowly and feels natural. I liked the representation of women in general in this drama, which is very progressive. The political intrigue is also quite nice, and I think part of the reason why I pulled through was to see what would happen. I almost wish this had been a historical rather than a wuxia drama, I think it would have helped avoid lots of problems with writing and production.
The bottom line is: watch it...if you can. It's nowhere near my best drama list, but it is definitely a top-tier filler.
THE ACTING
I like Zhao Lusi and Yang Yang. I don't think they're amazing actors, I just like them, so I had no problem with their acting. Not much chemistry between them, but they were still cute together.
THE MUSIC
What music? I guess it wasn't bad haha
REWATCH VALUE
Average. I might rewatch it at some point in the future...or I might prefer rewatching Story of Minglan, Rebel Princess or Nirvana in Fire for the nth time. There're just better dramas out there.
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If you want a show with mystery, some humor and ongoing intrigue, even if it comes with uninteresting characters, boring or confusing plot elements and a lacking love line, watch it. If you’d rather good relationships and character development, then skip.
THE STORY
I’m very torn about this drama. On the one side, the main leads suffer from a serious identity crisis. Dongchi starts out looking like pompous player, and ends up being devoid of any personality. Yeolmoo starts out being, let’s say it as it is, unbearable, then loses all character, then somehow ends up showing a cute side completely at odds with her initial portrait. I get turned off by shows with titles out of nowhere, and let me tell you that there is no pride in this drama; nor is there any prejudice, or any resemblance with Jane Austen’s novel. And the love story, although coherent, lacked fluidity and romance. We don’t know why Yeolmoo likes Dongchi (except that he’s dashing and confesses his interest for her every other day), and instead of gradually giving into her feelings, we just get the impression that her love is a switch and one second it’s off, the next it’s on.
On the other side, Pride and Prejudice is a good example of suspense and mystery gone right. Cases that the characters investigate are all connected, slowly weaving a huge, dark and complex spider web. There’s never-ending plot twists, breaking the assumption that dramas can’t escape some predictability, and the main conflicts that the characters face, namely corruption among the political and legal elite, are both daunting and realistic. The secondary couple is also cute and fun, even though the characters separately are not very likable. So the bottom line is? Although I wasn’t in love with this drama, it still peaked my interest enough to get me to watch it all the way to the end.
THE ACTING
Mmm…I hate to say it, but I feel the same way about Choi Jinhyuk as I did with his character, Dongchi. He’s handsome and might have some good acting skills, but he doesn’t know how to show them, because all the roles I’ve seen him in look similar, not to say identical, and lack some unique character. Baek Jinhee I know can act well, anyone who’s seen her in Empress Ki knows it. Why she would take on such a bland role, I don’t know. Well, I do. I would take it too, if I had to be with Choi Jinhyuk, but you know what I mean. The rest of the cast did quite well though, especially the older generation. And you can expect a Good kiss (notice the capital G) between the leads.
THE MUSIC
Nothing great, but alright in context.
REWATCHABLE VALUE
I’m going to say just average. The intrigues might be interesting, but the drama is not gripping. I wasn’t dying to watch each episode then, and I’m not dying to rewatch the show now.
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Almost perfect
OVERALLWithout being the emotionally investing type of show, this drama ticks all the right boxes, imo. Watch it if 1) you're looking for a well-written romance that's coherent, sweet, and full of sizzling chemistry and skinship, 2) you want interesting side stories that are actually worth watching, 3) you need dramas with very few flaws. Think twice if you're looking for lots of sports drama, because that's really just a background theme here...but then maybe still watch it?
THE STORY
I sometimes complain about Chinese dramas that have too much fluff and not enough drama, and I still believe that for storytelling purposes a good story needs a healthy dose of drama, it can't always be rainbows and unicorns...BUT I think a drama like Falling Into You shows that there are exceptions.
What makes this drama work is the fact that the writing is SO tight, it makes up for the excess fluff. The main leads are adorbs individually (Male Lead is the unconventional crybaby and I LOVED it!), you can't help but care and root for them. Together, they're FIRE (as in CRAZY chemistry), and their love story develops naturally. The drama doesn't do the mistakes we see 90% of the time (either have a good "falling in love" part and a bad "being in love" part or the opposite), both the "falling in love" and the "being in love" parts of the OTP are well-written and given the right amount of screentime. The drama also doesn't ruin everything with annoying secondary leads, useless sequences or overused cliches, has mature vibes (yay!) and although the romance itself doesn't have much drama, the sports drama (which is mild but still there throughout the show) kind of makes up for it. So you see, this drama is almost perfect.
I say ALMOST because there are a few little (very little) things here and there that could have been better. First, I didn't really like Male Lead's mother and how wishy-washy the drama made her. She's not terrible like in many dramas, but she looks fake and kind of...hypocritical? Second (this bothered me a lot less but I know some were triggered), Female Lead is Male Lead's coach for most of the drama, which adds a weird/awkward feel to their relationship (because of the imbalance of power). The show could have easily made her give up the role early to avoid that. Lastly, the ending is not my favorite (it's not bad at all, but the final sequence really doesn't give the rest of the drama justice). Still, for a drama that is basically just a fluffy, watch-to-be-entertained-and-feel-envious-of-what-you'll-never-have type of show, that's very little to complain about. So go ahead and watch!
THE ACTING
Perf! It's my first time seeing Male Lead and I liked him a lot! Female Lead I saw in You're My Glory and some other rom-com (not worth remembering haha), but this drama has got to be the best one I've seen her in so far. The rest of the cast was also quite good, with the exception of maybe one side actor.
THE MUSIC
Not so perf haha I have nothing against using English songs in dramas but make them good. Some of them were cringe! Still, there isn't an excess of music like in many C-dramas here, and for the most part the music fits the scene, so it's fine!
REWATCH VALUE
Super high! I'm thinking much higher than You're My Glory, and I must have watched that one three times! These fluffy dramas are always good to return to when you need a dose of sweetness!
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So good until ep 30, okay afterwards
OVERALLHonestly, this drama is THE one to the go on a binge. Watch it if 1) you're looking for sizzling chemistry, 2) you want some thrilling suspense, 3) you like a bit of action and the Republican setting. Think twice if 1) bad special effects bother you, 2) you're sensitive to small plot holes and inconsistencies, 3) you don't like aloof female leads. I would still give it a shot though!
THE STORY
Maybe I had low expectations, but this drama TOTALLY blew me away until about episode 30. TOTALLY blew me away. I think watched all 30 episodes in about 3 days haha
I am a huge fan of revenge stories so this was right up my alley, but the pacing is also just right, from almost episode 1 there's enough risk to worry about Female lead cover's getting blown. Female lead is another huge positive point in this drama because she's calm, poised and smart. And then there's the intense chemistry between her and Male lead, which you can see from the first episode. And then there're the few (but amazing) couple scenes. And then there's the bit of mystery regarding Female lead's past. There's really a lot to like about this drama, and by episode 30 I was ready to rate it a 9/10...but the last episodes happened, and they just made clearer all the flaws of the series.
On the top of the list, there are very questionable choices in the production of this drama. For some weird reason, we are almost never given the perspective of Female lead (or her thoughts) and she's very aloof, so it's not always clear why she does what she does or how she really feels. That becomes problematic because Male lead is the complete opposite, he's very expressive, so she kind of feels...not as loving as he is (and not as deserving of his love). I liked her and understood her until episode 30, but it was really hard to understand her towards the end. Another thing that I really don't like in this drama is the excessive, bad CGI. I'm already not a fan of CGI, but in some scenes it's so bad it almost made be pull the plug on the show haha And then there are a few things that the drama hints on then never goes back to, things that don't really make sense, and moments (just for 2-3 episodes) when things feel really repetitive.
So the final verdict is, it's not the best drama, but it's definitely a good drama, if not better than average. I recommend to try it, 100%!
THE ACTING
Good! I don't know that was super impressed by anything, but for sure above average, especially for the secondary characters (which is where the acting often fails). Like I said, OTP was FIRE! They do get smexy scenes, although not many, but even when they're just staring at each other *swoon*
THE MUSIC
I LOOOOVED the instrumental OST of this drama. It felt so fitting for the show too. The actual songs weren't that great but still okay. Honestly though, I want to Spotify the instrumental OST so bad!
REWATCH VALUE
I already rewatched the first half as I was waiting for the last few episodes. I don't doubt I will rewatch the drama again (and again!)...but I might just stop at around episode 30.
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