An enjoyable mess with no actual story and no real direction.

This is one of the movies that made me feel that Korean cinema struggles to get an identity. It was historical yet felt very hollywood like. This is the type of movie I'd expect from hollywood. Plot was sacrificed very much for action and flashy sword play. It would be great if more time was spent engaging us with the plot versus giving us a flashy display.

One of the pros though is the acting as the cast is magnificent however, that also makes you a little annoyed because the script writer and director could have done so much with the compelling cast they had gathered.

Cha Seung Won's character plays a rebel who tries to overthrow the current Korean King amidst the invading Japanese army. You can see why evidently there's no plot because why anyone would throw a coup amidst an invading enemy is beyond me. Hence proceeds his quest to now overthrow the king and also battle a freaking invading army.

Amidst all this, they actually managed to squeeze some ill-placed romance. Seriously, it has no place whatsoever being in this movie.

Then the ending came with an "what exactly was that movie about?"

It's aptly named though. It really is about Blades of Blood. After all, lot's of blood but no plot was found in this movie.

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After the sixth episode this was easily on my favorites list not because the plot is relatively original or mind blowing, but it is very well done and something rarely seen in K-dramas. However, Lord of the Flies by William Golding and the japanese manga and anime Monster have done a great job with this concept.

The reason this does not quite get a ten from me is that I'm a tough grader and while it does not have many flaws, it still has some. For one, thrilling moments in this plot are triggered by coincidences or fate. I feel like for such a well done and thrilling drama that seems a little ridiculous. Seven students of the top private school in Korea receive a letter that compels them to stay in school for the holidays. First of all, this school is known for its rigorous and strict rules and you're telling me seven students are going to stay in a school they consider a jail just because they received a letter... Yeah, okay. As a person who went to boarding school can I just attest that no threatening letter would have stopped me from going home.

In the midst of the mysterious letter, an injured stranger appears around the school area seeking help. A person ends up dead and hence starts the mystery. Who has sent the letter and are the deaths connected to the letter? Dun Dun Dun *mysterious music*

Nonetheless, the story is amazing though yes, a point was docked as towards the end, yet another mysterious person appears which honestly was slightly overdone. Furthermore, the fundamental question of this is never quite answered. It somewhat takes a cop out. The question being a nature and nurture type of question. Are monsters born that way or are they made? Well, that is ultimately left to your interpretation. There are moments where this drama feels tangled in it's own philosophy and doesn't quite know where to go. However, despite what seems like a negative review, the characters are absolutely great, the plot very well done and the directing is stellar. The acting is also fantastic and this drama engaged me to no end. I watched episode after episode with little pause. A strong recommendation.

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I'm honestly surprised I made it to the end because I thought when I started I wouldn't be hear till the end. I honestly heard about heirs when it was 14 episodes in. I was told it was bloody awful and I would seriously hate it, but surprise surprise, it is an addictive mess that I might recommend. I think it's my lack of expectations but I enjoyed it. There's a lot of bashing and trolling which I think is based on the fact that a lot of people think this is similar to Boys Over Flowers which was pretty damn awful, but it's not quite.

Indeed, a heck of a lot of first world problems but the story is still interesting. I would love to say the characters are interesting but Kim Tan played by Lee Min Ho, is dull uninteresting and a character we have to take at face value. He lacks any real power or motivation that I am an emotional rock to his pain and even when he's taking action, it just feels very face value. He never in the end has to work hard to make things happen. Eunsang is equally dull and boring and so devoid of power, it's frightening. She almost makes no decision herself. She is dragged around and toyed with everywhere. She is also either bipolar or strange. There are moments she seems genuinely frightened at Young Do to the point of shaking then the next moment she is lecturing him, making us confused. No worries though, should she be in any real trouble there are countless men willing to save her.

The saving grace is Young Do and it's not because I like Kim Woo Bin because I genuinely liked Young Do's character. He's a self aware mess. He's very aware of his flaws but he still makes no attempt to fix them because he's not ready to acknowledge his pain. It makes for a compelling character who's flawed yet to some extent understandable.

The best part of the series are the last three episodes, not because the series ends but the directing is stellar, the acting picks up a notch and the script really delivers. There are very simple and poignant moments that transcend this drama from being a guilty pleasure to genuinely enjoyable.

However, overall, points were docked for my indifference to the two main characters and a lot of this cast. Some nonsensical plot devices and character changes. There was just a lot honestly, that didn't necessarily need to be there. I must also admit, at the end the conflicts were kind of unnecessary and also nonsensical.

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I Hear My Yawn.

This drama was recommended and as I was open to recommendations, I went in with little knowledge of the story other than a brief summary indicating it would revolve around law. After episode six, I desperately appealed to people who have watched this with one simple question "does this ever get good?" I feel people who don't get the rave reviews asked the same question. The whole drama in general has a feel good lackadaisical aspect about it. The law is poorly done, the characters uninteresting and there is little to cling to. I was told the characters are very compelling. Yet, you have a pretty boy highschooler crashing on his "noona" who helped him like 10 years ago, I'm surprised he remembers her. Unsurprisingly, the "noona" happens to be a pretty lawyer who is hired for no reason at all. She is neither qualified nor has taken her job seriously prior to that point. Then is the innocent lawyer Cha who is actually, the only character I felt any affection towards. The acting though is decent, nothing worth raving about. I've seen them all in different dramas before and the feeling is the same.

The selling point could have been the villain, who is the best actor in this alongside the mom. However, he is such a nonsensical villain who up to episode 10 has no backstory hence rendering anyone who can't tolerate this anymore, disinterested. It starts with him committing a murder which is never explained. He then nonsensically wants to kill the girl/later woman who witnessed his murder and testified against him. What makes even less sense is that no preventative measures are taken by this little girl and her family to prevent any future mishaps. I'm just saying if I testified against someone and they yelled they were going to kill me. I would not only expect witness protection but I would appeal to the government and relocate somewhere! Plus, evidently, you can now burst into a courtroom and just testify.

It would have been great if the villain plotted his revenge well, but it's not that any of his actions are done well. It's that the officers and system is so terribly incompetent that I just don't get it. That is unintentionally incompetent. The drama doesn't portray it so but you find yourself wondering why no one is investigating shit or even finding very blatant evidence that I as a viewer could find...

I honestly have so much more I can write about especially in regards to how incompetent they are as lawyers and what a dumb law system that is that seems to pardon people based on reasoning rather than evidence. My 5 is generous.

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This is based on a true story but with some left out details but not enough to detract from the plot but I admit some of those details changed a little how I feel about the main character but not enough to not be inspired and love this movie. I consider myself a stoic person but I start with admitting, I cried hideously during this movie. I was a mess. I actually had to pause this to kind of gather myself a little. It was very hard for me to watch because I tend to be a mess about movies with these types of themes especially when it involves children. However, this particularly hit me hard because of how utterly messed up the system was and the fact that no one was willing to fight this injustice because of how risky it was. Yet, a part of me also examined myself and wondered, if I were in the situation as the teacher would I do the same? Ugh, it was a very good movie because it had a point to make and it also is a criticism of the Korean system. Something, I don't see in a lot of Korean movies. Furthermore, the knowledge that these are real people who were affected did a number on me not to mention the fact that these were deaf children. A little nick here is that I prefer the title Silenced to The Crucible mainly because I'm an Arthur Miller fan (not really I just somewhat respect him) and I see the similarities but not enough for me to care for it. I felt like the title "Silenced" had the double entendre about it that made this more poignant.

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To be honest, this movie is a masterpiece but I still can't find it in me to give it a ten because it's not perfect. It's more a 9.5 in that it is very close to perfection. For one, you have to sit through a lot to get to the meat of the plot and once you do, it will blow your socks off! It's a riveting tale of vengeance unlike any other. Hideously original and captivating and I don't say that loosely. At the end, I was screaming like a little girl telling everyone, you have to watch this. However, the ending is very typical of Park Chan Wook who for some odd reason feels a necessity to over reach. A lot of his movies should end at a certain point but he always unnecessarily drags the ending by adding scenes that have no importance. However, the movie delivered in a way that I hadn't expected.

This movie is hideously raved about and every time, something is raved about like this, I go in with cynicism and even as I tried to resist this, I was sucked in and it has become one of my favorite movies. The great Choi Min Sik starres in this as an "ajeossi" who is randomly imprisoned for fifteen years. He is then freed with a burning curiosity. The need to find out why he was imprisoned for fifteen years. That truly is the plot and of course there's so much more and if I say anymore it becomes a spoiler as this requires you to take on a camera lense view in also trying to find out why. Why did his captor do this? It's what kept me till the end even though some moments dragged and I thought some moments were pointless until the ending. There is a huge twist that is guaranteed to blow your mind.

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Man on Fire alert. Man on Fire is a movie starring Denzel Washington that is a guilty pleasure it has numerous flaws but I love it and I've watched it multiple times hence I enjoyed this movie too because it is kind of a similar plot. Oh who am I kidding it's practically the korean version of it. I did like the action here more and the fighting scenes are incredibly well done. Yes, the plot isn't exactly original and bites from a lot of western films (Taken, Man on Fire, etc) but it's still a great watch with intense fighting scenes. The adonis Won Bin starres in this as a man trying to rescue a little girl. He must battle the villains who kidnapped her in order to rescue her. That's pretty much the plot. The fact that this is an action kind of hinders what the plot can explore in terms of the underground gang business hence it is pretty much an ajeossi rescuing a little girl and in doing so saves the day. However, the selling point is the gritty atmosphere, intense action and overall thrilling moments. I did enjoy it. Yes it gave me crazy Man On Fire feels but that didn't stop me from loving this. I do recommend.

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This drama was horribly ruined by the writers. I mean literally it actually stopped making sense. (So many scenes I want to use as an example but spoilers are not allowed)

Edit: Cause first review needed an adequate explanation.

This drama tells the tale of Baek Dong Soo. A typical boy who fights adversity to become one of the best fighters with the help of the sword saint. That's the plot amidst the back story of the Sword Saint and Choi Min Soo's character whose name bypasses me now though I only liked these two in the whole drama.

The drama sucked a lot yet I finished it. It began well and with very good acting. It starts of with the child actors who set up the story before the grown up cast takes over. Their acting however paled in comparison to the child actors. I have never in my life ranted about the female love interest like this. She is so absolutely terrible, not one person I know liked her. She was incredibly stiff, that I am amazed, they allowed her to act. The veteran cast was phenomenal but the rest paled in comparison.

In terms of script, the writers just took this terribly downhill, that there were scenes that just didn't make sense. Woon is supposed to be the assassin but he never kills anyone! Yet, he spends most of the drama being Mopey Macmoperson about his evil nature. It's ridiculous. The nature of Jin Joo's birth takes quite a portion of this drama but leads to the most laughable and unbelievable plot twist that triggers the deterioration of this drama.

It did not need the twenty eight episodes. A stupid and ill planned revolution is added. A Japanese rival is included for no reason and the drama ends on a sad note as many fuss about the only engaging (who am I kidding, the kid was cute okay, he was cute, his character wasn't engaging, he was cute).

The drama heavily deteriorates after episode 15. It's like it turned into something completely different. The beginning is engaging, fun and had a lot of us tuning in week after week, but after episode 15, it was rant after rant after rant. I've never seen a drama get so progressively worse that it transcends to just being comedic. It became a perve over Woon, laugh at the lead females atrocious acting and script, then call it a day.

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This has almost nothing to do with Korean history or politics at all. It is honestly a melodrama set in an important historical background to sucker anyone looking for something intellectual to watch. However, the plot ultimately revolves around the female lead for no reason other than the two male leads stereotypically loving her. Does she possess any amazing qualities? None whatsoever, she has a faux strength about her in the beginning but spends most of the drama being captured and rescued. She then unsurprisingly falls for Joo Won's character because he is the male lead and such is the way of the Korean drama. There are numerous stupid plot holes like the mindless gun usage. Bullets never hit anyone unless it's convenient. Furthermore, people actually engage in hand to hand command despite having guns. However, ultimately this plot dies at about episode 8 for me when it becomes a matter of gritting my teeth through the repetitive plot and fast forwarding. Japanese imperialism is so down played it is shocking. It starts out political to some extent but then politics simply becomes wall paper. This is most definitely not the drama to learn anything about Japanese Imperialism which is what suckered me to watch this melodrama disguised as a political drama.

Seriously, this is a melodrama. Let's not sugarcoat it. It's a melodrama.

What makes me rage is IT HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL. I had these same feelings when I watched Warrior Baek Dong Soo where as I participated through discussions every week after episodes, it became rants about how to fix the drama verses me actually watching. To the point people started joking I should do a remake because it would be better.

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I had to sit and edit this one, though it's already submitted but to be honest, it was one of the first reviews I ever published which is a review I wrote on another website that had a character limit. Nonetheless, as one of my favorite drama it deserves something better.

I'll delve straight into the base of the story which is about King Sejong attempting to create writing. Perhaps one of the most disinteresting plots you could quite possibly try to explain. However, what seems like a bland dish is actually the meat of the plot. What prevents this from being a flawless drama is that the meat of the plot is overshadowed by interesting looking vegetables. Kind of like a bibimbap.

In this case, sub plots will vie for your attention and lightly take away from what is an earth shattering story. Expect flashy swordplay and flying folk, something I tend to dislike but something that this drama made forgiving. What still makes this incredibly stellar is that the base of the story is so strongly told and so well acted that there are moments of revelation that left me speechless.

As King Sejong tries to create writing, he unfortunately, encounters a foe in Ga Ri On. Ga Ri On, cannot stand for the creation of writing (Hangul) and he will do anything to stop it. However, it becomes clear that he's not the belligerent idiot you encounter in just about every k-drama who makes the protagonist's life a living hell for no reason. He makes such a crucial point forcing the viewer to re-evaluate his/her philosophy.

Nonetheless, as disinteresting as this review makes the plot sound, there are action sequences and moments of fist clenching suspense, that had me very excited. The sublots feature Dol Bok's story, a slave turned soldier who has a strong distaste for the king. As you can see, this sublot just doesn't even feel like it fits in with the story, but it oddly manages to blend itself there and Dol Bok does play a part in whether or not King Sejong can create writing.

What makes this compelling is there are no true villains. Sacrifices are made on both sides and it leaves the viewer to ponder on something the viewer easily take for granted. The finale is a climatic end that I'd like to defend as I liked it. It was that moment in this plot that everything about this drama seemed to settle in and I took a breath as I bid a farewell to what for me is a drama that I can't forget. I think this is one of those dramas where you either "get it" or you don't.

Finalement, Han Suk Kyu, Han Suk Kyu, Han Suk Kyu. Those three words translate to well acted brilliantness that really makes this story come alive. When someone's acting is so riveting that it makes you pause as your marvel over every psychological reaction, every moment of torment coming alive. This man is just brilliant, he just is.

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