When Love Is a Game of Go, the Couple That Schemes Together, Stays Together

Redemption and vengeance meet in this deliciously wicked, sinfully seductive and electric love story between two morally ambiguous characters who come together to create the most formidable power couple of 2023.

Jiang Xue Ning is an evil empress who has schemed her way to the top and destroyed people for her ambitions, only to meet her downfall at the hands of a ruthless usurper who brings her to her death.

In an interesting turn of events, she gets to go back in time, to fix her wrongs, save the two men who were ruined because of her love and hopefully stop the bloodthirsty rebel and his insidious plans.

However, fate cannot always be changed and sometimes the wrong answer is the right one all along. The Story of Kunning Palace is a fast-paced thrilling ride from beginning to end and comes with its share of pros and cons. Let’s get into it.

✔️The sexiest anti-hero of the year award goes to Xie Wei

He chokes. He kills. He plots but most of all, he knows how to kiss his lady love until she sees stars. Xie Wei is an absolute menace. As vicious and ruthless in his planning as he is petty when it comes to love. He is not afraid to get his hands bloody and use everyone and their mamas if it serves his purpose. Forty steps ahead of his enemies and always one with the backup plan, he is the ultimate edge lord. However, all his plans and strategies come to a stop when it comes to one woman: His Ning-er.

Zhang Ling He did a great job giving life to a character that is both terrifying and vulnerable. A man on a path of vengeance even as a part of him remains frozen with his robbed childhood. He is a person of many flavors as he goes from being the most intelligent and devilish man in the room, to a petulant, almost childish boy in love. He is both dangerous and endearing, villainous and heroic, charismatic and insecure, damaged and wholesome and the ultimate bad guy you can’t help but root for.

✔️The powerful heroine who brings the man to his knees.

Jiang Xue Ning is one of the best female leads out there. She is smart, intelligent and practical even as she has a soft heart. She can be as vicious as the best of men and has a penchant for paying back her enemies. She is a woman who never loses sight of her goal and always stays true to herself. She can be soft when the time calls for it and tough as nails when she needs to be. I think this is Bai Lu’s best role yet and she executed some really great scenes with elegance, grace and a lot of heart.

✔️Steamiest C-drama romance to end all romances

I think this is one of the most rewarding love stories I have seen lately. The two are equally matched in every way and understand each other in a way that nobody can. Xie Wei’s absolute mad, crazy, obsessive love for Ning-er is exhilarating to watch. He is unapologetic, fearless and unhinged when it comes to his need for her. She is the person who shares the darkness in his soul and the only woman who can keep up with his brilliant mind.

For her, he is the man who supports her through thick and thin, the only one who doesn’t handle her with kid gloves, the one person she can break down in front of, be herself with and the man who revels in her wildness as much as she does. Their chemistry is unmatched and their love is believable. There’s no question from the first episode that the two are destined for each other and the angst, obstacles and sexual tension just explodes into the most satisfying, passionate romance on-screen that is complimented with some truly sensual kisses.

✔️Friendship, loyalty, camaraderie and lovable side characters

One of the things I loved about this drama was that they were able to create meaningful relationships for both the main leads that seemed authentic. The male lead’s friends and people who love him unconditionally have their reasons for doing so and aren’t lackeys that exist just for the sake of it. Similarly, Ning-er has strong female friendships that are such a breath of fresh air to watch amidst watching palace women mostly fighting each other over a man.

As such, the drama gives birth to some really great characters like the hilarious fake Dingfei, and Yan Lin who has to be the greenest flag on this earth and the only time an FL’s potential love interest wasn’t annoying.

✔️Action scenes + Dialogues + Music + Comedy

The show has some great action scenes that were especially kind to Yan Lin. The dialogues for both Xie Wei and Ning-er were excellent and captured the intensity of their feelings beautifully. I particularly love the instrumental on this and enjoyed the little bits of comedy that is sprinkled all over the show.

So, overall, the drama comes with a lot of great things. Unfortunately, it also has its flaws, for example:

❌Weak antagonists + false sense of danger

Villains in this story are incredibly weak, overshadowed by the protagonists and make dumb decisions. So, the stakes are never really high because you know Xie Wei and Ning-er will somehow always come on top. The only time the good guys actually suffer a major loss is because of their own lapse of judgment which results in an extremely unnecessary and pointless tragedy. It hardly makes an impact and the protagonists remain overpowered throughout.

❌The boring middle arc + Annoying 2nd Male Lead aka Zhang Zhe the Turnip

A big part of the female lead’s redemption arc right from the first episode is the debt she owes to Zhang Zhe - a man she bargains her own life for. So, it’s unavoidable that the show would devote a lot of screen time to this character. Unfortunately, Zhang Zhe is a poorly written, one dimensional character who is so self-righteous, holier than thou and the unwanted paragon of virtue that not only is he boring to watch, he is flat-out irritating. As a result, his love arc with the FL is the most boring part of the entire drama.

❌Petty politics + low production value

I think others have also pointed out that the production value on the show is not the greatest with some truly terrible CGI. While I did enjoy some beautiful shots, I wasn’t happy about the unflattering close-ups and weird angles of characters that made intense scenes look a little comical. Fortunately, they are easy to ignore.

Story-wise, I think the strongest aspect of the drama is the slow burn love story and while it’s exciting to see Xie Wei and Ning-er plot and scheme and brilliantly execute their strategies, considering the antagonists are so one-note and the palace politics are quite petty and simplistic, I won’t lie and say that the drama comes with an impactful plot or masterful writing. Instead, it’s actually a super basic plot with a lot of tropes that’s done so well that it’s enjoyable.

✅Overall, the drama is mad fun to watch and its flaws are nearly not enough to weigh it down. It almost feels like the younger sister of The Rise Of Phoenixes with diabolical characters in love, except it comes with an ending that’s easy on the heart.
Definitely, Jeana approved.

8.5/10

Jiang Xue Ning, run away then. Run to the ends of the world but I am telling you, no matter where you run, I’ll find you.
-Xie Wei

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The stupidest drama award of 2023 goes to … you guessed it right: Arsedal Dumbronicles

Character Consistency? Who. Logical Storytelling? Who. Emotion, heart and substance? Who.
I feel so disappointed, that we have to get into it.

❌ Acting:
I have said it before and I’ll say it again- Lee Joon Gi and I vibe. I think he is a better actor than SJK, does killer action scenes, has a lot of range and knows how to play complex and dynamic characters. That said, he sucked absolute ass playing a dual role in this drama.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, the man acted more than some actors will in their entire careers. He made all the right faces, all the right moves and you could see how hard he was working. Yet, it was like he accidentally brought Moon Lovers’ script with him and played the Fourth Prince for 12 episodes straight and nobody said anything,

Because whatever LJG played was definitely NOT Eun Seom or Saya. He played his own characters that lacked the essence of the ones we saw in the previous three seasons. I mean sure he didn’t have much to work with because the writing of the season was absolute trash but still- his Eun Seom and Saya were the exact same people. There was no difference at all and it was just annoying to watch. They knew it too which was why they just yeeted Saya out of the script and called it a day.

Other than that, we had Shin Se Kyung, I don’t wanna talk much about her cause the thought of her acting makes me wanna stab myself with a chopstick. She’s one of the worst actresses alive and this writer duo keeps giving her strong female characters to play which she effectively dumbs down with a portrayal that mostly consists of her wide eyed and sputtering like a fish outta water. The rest of the actors were good but really, when the two main leads who are constantly stuffed in our faces are so meh, what’s the point?

❌ Writing:
This has to be some of the worst writing done by these usually awesome writers. It’s abnormally bad. The characterization completely goes to shit in this season. Saya, who was arguably the most loved character of the first three seasons, becomes as useless as a doormat and has major side character energy. They completely dumbed him down and made him act like a cowardly weasel who keeps running from his enemies. I was so so so frustrated because it was like they wanted to effectively break all of his fan following so they could champion Eun Seom and make him a convincing hero considering he was Beta as hell in the first three seasons.

Speaking of Eun Seom, they decided to shove him down our throats as this overpowered God who was one-note as fuck, could never lose, was suddenly Machiavelli in a wig, hardened and ruthless as Inaishingi- which as we all know is a complete 360 from what his character was supposed to be. I really came to dislike Eun Seom because I didn’t connect with him at all. They killed his emotions and stuffed him with one dimensional heroism which was boring to watch after a while. All the rest of the characters were on some spectrum of dumb to dumber and lacked basic sense.

The best character was undeniably still Taealha- the vicious, tigress of a queen and mother. She’s the only person interesting to watch. It’s funny to me how the villains had more heart and emotion than the good guys who were just robotically going from one battle to another with surface level feelings.

❌ Lore:
What lore, really? They just made up whatever they wanted to. The prophecy that was driving the whole shitshow came into being with the most underwhelming climax of all. They totally ditched it last minute and added new stuff that frankly, insulted the audience’s intelligence.

❌ Direction:
Let’s be honest, the direction wasn't great as well. The previous director jumped ship and without him they never landed on their feet again. I hated the editing and abrupt cutting in this one and the camera work for a production this big was just average. That’s not to say the cinematography and special effects weren’t good, cause they were - especially with the fight scenes, it is to say that as far as scenic shots are concerned, none of them were good enough to be memorable. They focused too much on the fight and gore to really give a shit about anything else. Also I can’t believe that they decided to put an English song and used it as OST for literally a historical show based on the early civilizations of Korea. Make that make sense.
Every time it dramatically started playing as one ancient warrior slashed another ancient warrior, I stopped taking this shit seriously.

✅ The Good Stuff?
Honestly, there wasn’t much. The hype action scenes were exciting, yes. The strategies and politics were slightly interesting but they dragged way too much. Taealha kicked ass as always and the instrumental was good. It was fun to watch the gorgeous and talented LJG do his thing even if he was completely out of character for the roles he was playing and I sincerely believe his talents got wasted on this script.

❌ Other than that, this was a waste of time. I get that there were a lot of hiccups, I get that the time was short with only 12 episodes and I get that there were new actors but honestly, if you know all of these things, then you should be focusing on a few important themes than just overstuffing the drama with plot lines and hype scenes with no real substance.

I think this is one of those very few shows that had such a big budget and a lead actor that I absolutely love with so many strong female characters and still ended up being a complete basket case.

100% Jeana Disapproved
#JusticeForSaya

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Lies, deceit, murder and two broken women on a mission.

I may spend 360 days out of an year complaining about draggy dramas that are slow paced and bore me to death but when the weather hits just right and the sun goes down and I am in a certain type of mood, I spend the remaining five days seeking slow burn, dark, art house kind of movies and shows that feed my soul.

The thing with dramas like this is though that they bank heavily on two things: atmosphere and characters. It’s less about what is happening and more on why it is and the psyche behind it. If done well, they can give you a delicious little mental workout while thoroughly creeping you out.

“Lies hidden in my garden” absolutely nails the atmosphere. It delivers on the eeriness, the creep under your skin kind of horror and creates a perfectly unsettling and disturbing mood.

I absolutely love the camera work in this show. Some of the shots are truly stunning cause of how beautifully they overstate or understate events in the drama.

My particular favourite is when a character has this great revelation and the camera takes a 180 degree tilt and it’s almost like you can feel the character’s world turning on its axis.

So absolutely gorgeous cinematography coupled with a decent music score that highlights the underlying tension of the show.

Now, come the characters. I don’t know what it says about me that my choice for the best and most dynamic character in The Glory was Lim Ji yeon’s bully. ? I thought she slayed the role and so, it’s no secret that I picked this show up for her.

Her character here, is again not a very likeable one. She is an extremely broken woman, a victim of domestic violence, pregnant, broke with a sick mother and a burdensome brother to deal with, who is as greedy as she is volatile and as helpless as she is tragic.

LJY steals the spotlight as she flits over her various emotions and I think she delivered the complexities of her character fairly well.

The other most promising character is of the husband- the chilling, absolutely terrifying motherfucker who gaslights and lies as a passion. The actor killed the role and proved to be a very promising villain.

Now, here comes the elephant in the room- Kim Tae Hee and her character with an awful lotta screen time. KTH is a talentless and weak actress who has built a career on face value and it shows. My words are harsh but they are true. She is very uninteresting to watch on screen and gives life to a character that’s inconsistent and hard to empathise with because of how dumb she is.

Just because of her existence, the show loses its edge and brings down its standard.

Other than that, the writing of the show is nothing to sing home about. While the suspense element is done pretty well, the twists are hardly things you can’t see coming. Moreover, some plot lines/characters are introduced only to never be properly explored, making scenes with them just pointless and leading nowhere.

It’s like you understand what the writer wanted to achieve but they didn’t do a very good job doing it.

So, overall It’s an okay-ish show that you can enjoy only when you are in a certain mood. Good thing that it caught me at the right time so I did enjoy it but in good conscience cannot praise it for the quality.

Honestly, I think shows like Anna and movies like Burning and Voice of silence are better alternatives for this show. They’ll give you the same mood and take up less time.

So that’s that.

Enjoy!

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Action, pizzazz, bromance and a whole lotta stupidity.

As far as entertainment value is concerned, Bloodhounds does have a lot of it. The drama is full of hot oppas kicking ass and a wholesome bromance between Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sang Yi- who give you both Men in black and dumb and dumber energy at the same time.

WDH shines with his Alpha bunny presence and owns the role. The action scenes are snazzy, the comedy is great, it has a lot of interesting characters, the villain is charismatic, the friendship theme is at an all time high and it’s a very addictive and watchable bite sized show.

That said, the writing is painfully stupid. Like it’s just really fucking bad. The characters do such mindlessly idiotic shit just for the sake of conflict that you can’t take this seriously at all. It’s just 8 episodes of plot holes, meaningless deaths and 0.0001% common sense.

It’s junk food without substance and nothing too deep. However, it did bring me outta a super long slump and I did have fun watching it which is why I am not giving it a 4- which is where I think the writing’s at.

Cause what they are trying to sell you is essentially that a killer who is more or less the underground mafia who has killed samurais, hardened criminals, professional killers, gangsters and has the country’s richest and powerful in the palm of his hand can only be defeated by two goofy millennials who are still wet behind the ears and know how to throw a punch…

It’s hard to buy the BS, you feel me?

Anyway, overall a nice time pass and good for some swoons and giggles.

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Sometimes Justice Comes At The End Of A Fearless Woman’s 6 inch, Red Bottomed High Heel

Queenmaker is a story of two ferocious women on a quest for justice wielding power politics and pantsuits in their own unique ways.

It is a tale of a powerful friendship formed between a ruthless corporate strategist on a path to redemption and an idealistic lawyer who believes in doing good at all costs- together they are phenomenal and a force to be reckoned with.

I am going to be honest, Queenmaker started off slow and tacky for me. Essentially, its premise is one we have seen many times before.

You know, the whole evil Chaebol family VS righteous underdog story that has been done 110 times in every other k drama. In the beginning, it felt dry and over the top like these dramas usually are and even a bit unrealistic.

However, soon enough it built up momentum and succeeded in hooking me in enough that I was easily able to ignore all of these flaws. I have to admit a lot of it had to do with Kim Hee Ae and her glorious power walks, short boss lady hair and the excellent OST that hyped up most of her scenes.

The drama is filled with veteran actors and the acting is spectacular across the board with the two women in the forefront stealing the spotlight.

Kim Hee Ae, 3 time Daesang winner comes through with her badass character out for revenge and justice. Nobody portrays a mix of ferocity and vulnerability quite like her. Her chemistry with Moon So Ri, who holds her own is great on screen and gives birth to one of T.V’s best sismances.

As far as the plot goes, I do think that the viciousness of politics is done quite well. While a bit dry and redundant at first, it gets more riveting as the stakes are raised and the battle of wits between our good guys and the wicked skyrockets.

It’s also nice to see how balanced the two sides are. Our protagonists face real problems and setbacks which makes the victory all the more well-earned and sweet.

The antagonists are also entertaining to watch on screen and despite their overall horridness, the writer tried to give each of them some well needed layers and substance so they weren’t just evil for the sake of being evil.

The fashion, style and music in the show are top notch with some crisp cinematography. The character development is fantastic. So much so, that at the end of the show both our leading ladies have seen significant growth in character.
Overall, the drama feels much longer than 11 episodes and while it does make use of the usual plot devices like “the deadliest of exposers aka tape recorder”, the writing is, on the whole, pretty sound.

This show is undeniably a show about women, with women and for women. However, what I really like about it is that it gives some pretty strong messages about what it’s really like for a woman to rise in power in a man’s world without being preachy or in your face about it.

The drama is definitely a big bowl of feminist soul fuel that touches on the possibility of what could happen if strong women start to back up other strong women.

Definitely worth a watch and 100% Jeana Approved.

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Internalised misogyny 101 and a masterclass in reducing strong women to pure drivel

Alchemy of souls season 1’s downhill trajectory in the second half and that clusterfuck of an ending should have been enough of a hint for us to not continue with season 2.

Oh but most of us did. We so did. And do you know what? S2 actually had a promising start. For what it’s worth, I thought Go Young Jung did a good job with bringing forward a new Naksu who had retained her innocence and wasn’t tainted by all the misery. Jung so Min was a tough act to follow and GYJ did it seamlessly, quickly making us like this cute, sweet, resilient and silently strong woman in love, atleast for a short while.

The usual amnesia, cold man/warm woman angst worked well enough as a guilty pleasure watch in the first, say, three episodes but then… it got real old real fast and you quickly realise:

YOU DON’T WANT A CUTE, SWEET, RESILIENT AND SILENTLY STRONG WOMAN IN LOVE ANY MORE.

No. You want Naksu back. It’s absolutely ridiculous how Hong sisters created this idea of a damaged female assassin with baggage who can be selfish, tough, vulnerable, ruthless and is actually a multi layered character and then spent a season and a half forcing her into the role of a ditzy damsel in distress, constantly in need of saving by oh so strong men.

While her male leads are getting these magnificent and badass grand entrances where they fight a hundred enemies in one go, what does the supposedly powerful female assassin get? A good amount of screen time where she faints, gets hot flashes or enjoys her favourite past time: crying helplessly.

The plot in season 2 is nothing to sing home about. It’s just Jang Uk running circles around the elephant in the room: the identity of Naksu who is traipsing right under his nose.

They just drag and drag and drag that one plot line that by the last episode you really just don’t care at all. The grand reveal is also extremely lacklustre and anti-climatic. It’s like the Hong sisters are making shit up as they go and wing-ing it like their lives depend on it.

The cheap attempts at contrived emotion with the fake deaths, sentimental music and dumb cliffhangers is the height of poor writing.

While the Crown Prince does bring in the comedy and there are a few adorable bromance moments; they are nearly not enough to carry the show on for ten episodes.

I am honestly so offended with the way they dangled the possibility of Naksu owning her skills and showing every one who’s boss in front of me like a carrot and forced me to watch till the end but all I really got was unnecessary pining, a grade school romance, a heroine whose entire purpose is solely to build the hero up and then make herself scarce and Hong sisters displaying how deeply they are entrenched in their own internalised misogyny.

There’s no other way to say it because God forbid, the female lead actually saves the day in even one episode. Blasphemy!

Don’t even get me started on the other potentially powerful female character in the drama “Jin Bu Yeon” who was reduced to little more than an after thought only getting five minutes of mentionable screen time.

So really, going in this show, please don’t expect an actual plot, story line or any sort of meaningful character development because you’ll end up having your intelligence insulted.

Instead, check it out only if you want a mindless watch that serves as a guilty pleasure and is more or less fan fiction in TV form.

Oh and there are some steamy kisses.
Hong sisters really thought they’ll throw in some skin ship as a band aid over the bleeding, torched, infected and full of pus wound that was season 2’s plot.

Make of that what you will.

Enjoy.

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I don’t need a prince to save me, I need an executioner to join the hunt.

Delicious, compelling, manic, obsessive, infuriating and sensual- this drama gives you all the thrill and more. This is Song Hye Ko like you’ve never seen her before.

Yes, her robotic frozen in time acting is still there but this time it suits the role. Gone is the fluffy Mary Sue rom com female lead she always plays and in its place is a revenge driven, blood thirsty anti-heroine who’s taking no prisoners. I think she did a pretty solid job here- equal parts graceful with just enough madness to make her the right kinda crazy.

Throughout the drama, she has this internal monologue going on where she talks so very affectionately with her worst enemy as if it were a dear friend. Her voice is a mix between poetry and a pretty song if they contained thinly veiled promises of retribution and vengeance.

The acting over all is pretty smooth aside from Lee Do Hyun who is just one of those trendy actors that are cast cause of their looks/hype and nothing more. He is a glorified support role so his lack of talent stings less.

The antagonists are an absolute delight to watch. They are gorgeous on the outside and plain rot on the inside and the actors have done a great job showcasing that.

The bullying is visceral and the heroine’s revenge is 100% believable. You want every single one of these muffuckers to pay with their lives.

The best thing is that the drama doesn’t shy away from gore, sex and profanity which gives it the maturity and darkness that it needs to be convincing, all the while balancing it with a blooming sismance that warms the soul.

Beautifully shot, with incredible OST and an excellent take on your typical revenge story, “The Glory” is equal parts compelling and binge able.

Oh and we have a hot daddy in the house as well. I have one solid ship and I’ll sink with it if I have to. ⛴⛴⛴

Overall, it’s definitely Jeana approved.
I am biting my gorgeous fake nails for season 2~

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If Machiavelli knew the future, had a pack of abs and the world's baddest grandfather...

Listen to me. Before reading this review, I need to ask you a question:

Why do you want to watch this drama? Is it because you just want to be entertained by unbelievable but extremely exciting twists at every turn or you want a drama with solid writing, realistic and logical storyline with no plot holes whatsoever?

If your answer is the latter, then our conversation ends here and I would have to regretfully say my goodbyes but if your answer is the former? Then, please. By all means, stay.

Reborn Rich is pure adrenaline rushing, thrill inducing crack of a show that offers you absolute entertainment for all of its 16 episodes.

So let me explain what you’re going to like about this show:

☑️ Song Joong Ki kicking absolute ass:
Song Joong Ki’s character here is this brilliant edge lord who is out for revenge, equipped with the power of the future, an IQ of 600 and skin that’s as smooth as a baby’s butt. While he is not the most well layered character out there with incredible depth or substance, he does excellently deliver your quintessential hot, charismatic and conveniently overpowered oppa character that’s easy to root for and puts on a great show.

☑️ The baddest grandfather alive:
The biggest winning point for me was definitely Lee Sung Min’s grandpa. His character is as vicious as they come. A true anti-hero with the greatest business acumen, greed for expansion and corporate ruthlessness. For all intents and purposes, the grandfather is a character with flaws and yet the one that you will come to love the most. His relationship encompassing love, compassion, respect and at times rivalry with his grandson (Song Joong Ki) is easily the highlight of the entire drama.

☑️ Acting and Music:
The drama is complemented with an emotional and powerful soundtrack that beautifully underscores impactful scenes. Moreover, the acting is excellent across the board which is unsurprising considering the veteran cast. I am not the biggest fan of Song Joong Ki’s work and I do believe he tends to only play certain types of characters he is comfortable with but even I have to admit that he really shines in some of the scenes in Reborn Rich. Acting wise, for me this is his best work yet.

☑️ Storytelling, politics and the battle of wits:
As someone who is doing her MBA and is an Economic major, I absolutely ate up all the business politics and corporate talk. The main lead knows the events of the future and uses that knowledge to play with stocks and investments so it benefits him. His back and forth with his rivals is so entertaining to watch. The politics and scheming aspect is executed quite well and never gets boring or stagnant.

☑️ The controversially out of the box ending:
Ok, so this is something you might not like. The majority of the people hate the ending and I can see why. I, for one, absolutely loved that they attempted to go so out of the box with this one. I wouldn’t in my wildest dreams have been able to predict the way the drama ended. It’s a very brave and ambitious route to take and while it doesn’t have the best execution, it’s still a commendable attempt by the writer.
I loved the way the author was able to run the story of a brilliant, young potential heir of the powerful Sunyang group parallel to the poor, desperate employee working at the same Sunyang and let the two worlds coincide beautifully.

Now, let’s go over the drama’s weak points:

❌ Romance and the female lead:
This is an unfortunate pattern that most female leads in a Soong Joong Ki drama are mere props with not much contribution to the plot. The female lead is the same here and the actress who isn’t given much to work with in the first place, delivers a quite bland and unexciting performance. The couple lacks any substantial chemistry and the romance isn’t believable. This is why it has been a relief for me that throughout the drama the love story was just a sub plot and shelved to the back whenever it mattered.

❌ The Execution:
Like I said, while I understood what the writer was trying to do with this, the execution is choppy at best. You have your favorite truck of doom making quite a few appearances, you have extremely convenient plot devices trying haphazardly to fill up the writing loopholes.

If you consider the way the story flows, it just doesn’t have the best writing out there. Some characters aren’t given proper development, others are introduced just for plot procession, while others are taken out abruptly or change drastically for the same purpose: to move the story forward or fit a particular narrative. Ultimately, this drama is more focused on the next big thing rather than the nitty gritty's or the development of its characters.

✅ Ending Thoughts:
This is the drama that you watch if you just want a good time. It has its emotional moments (especially in the way it masterfully explores the relationship between a prickly grandfather and his overly intelligent grandson), its moments of laughter and lots of scheming and fun twists.

Right from the start, it's obvious that the show requires a lot of suspension of belief and logic because it's just not that deep.
So if you’re willing to take it as an easy entertaining journey, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t be immersing yourself in pure Sunyang madness and hatching your own plot to take over the world!

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This Is Me Worshipping You.

Raw, real, emotionally charged live wire of a drama that feels like home; My Liberation Notes is powerful in its simplicity.

Have you ever felt down and depressed? Like nothing makes sense anymore? Have you ever felt listless or too lazy to make the effort. Have you ever felt giddy with joy? Nervous about a crush? So incredibly weak and out of control? Anxious about the future? Disappointed from life? Happy about the smallest things? Self conscious without reason? Devastated after a breakup? Struggled with your weaknesses?

Basically, have you ever just lived life and experienced all its beautiful, tumultuous, heartbreaking ups and downs? If yes, you’re living this drama because this is about you and me. It’s about us all. It’s about family, love, heartbreak, growth, sorrow, joy and just trying your fucking best to survive.

It’s about people who each carry their own baggage, they lose, they win, they cry, they celebrate, they are broken but so fully human and every single day they wake up and find a reason to live life in all its complexity.

Here are a few reasons why you absolutely need to watch this:

☑️ Wildly atmospheric
This drama is gorgeous. It makes you feel the emotions through beautiful sceneries and stunning shots. Coupled with the excellent cinematography, you get one of the best sound tracks ever. You feel the summer heat, the lonely winter and the dangerous rain. Every scene in this drama is punctuated with feeling and is brimming with emotion.

☑️ Romance Of The Year
While the story showcases multiple lovelines (each bringing their own flavour to the table) our ultimate ship is our prickly Mr. Gu with eccentric Mi Jeong. What starts as a relationship that’s merely a distraction grows into a sizzling, passionate bond between two people who are flawed but are utterly compatible. The chemistry between them is combustible and they have real and intense moments where they are wholly attuned to each other baring their truest form. God, their love is believable and it makes you root for them fully as you watch them grow and evolve both as individuals and together.

☑️ Dialogues, story and writing
The dialogues in this drama are excellent. To the point, that you want to just grab a notebook and jot everything down. The pacing of the show, while slow at the start is oddly captivating as you go on. It has an aura of mystery that hooks you in and doesn’t let you go. Aside from the slightly rushed last few episodes, plot progression and the writing is almost perfect with little to no loopholes. Instead of a single climax scene, the episodes contain numerous small but powerful and highly nuanced moments that somehow make everything that happens important. Like a detail you can’t miss because nothing is filler.

☑️ Acting & Characters
There’s not a single character in this drama that you aren’t fully invested in. The three siblings are each badass in their own wholly human way and are extremely lovable. Every single person in this show comes to their own phenomenally by the end of the drama. The fact that the acting in this is brilliant across the board just brings it full circle.

☑️ Mr. Gu is the sexiest man alive
Oh my God, that man can walk into my life and I’ll gladly lay down my lashes for him to step on. Not only is he handsome as all hell. His personality makes him the tall, dark, just the right amount of toxic and dangerous mystery man that screams trouble for all women.

He is played excellently by SSK who uses his expressions like a masterful puppeteer and strings us along dancing to his tune. You feel Gu’s rage, volatility, his pain and desperation in a way that gives you chills.

☑️ Full of heart and FEELS
Just after a couple of episodes, it’s clear you can’t passive watch this show because you’re already in too deep. You care about everyone in this drama too much. These are your people and you worry for them, hurt for them, laugh with them, cry besides them and cheer them on.

There are hard hitting moments complimented by some top notch comedy, coupled with a sprinkle of action, served with a side of tears and heartbreak, peppered with a lot of love, nostalgia and feeling of home. There is something for everyone.

☑️ Binge Watch or a Weekly Watch?
I binged these episodes when it was halfway out and wanted more. When I ran out of airing episodes, I waited for it with bated breath, every weekend. And every weekend it felt like a comfort blanket that wrapped itself around me until I was right there in Sanpo with these characters that I had come to adore.

However, because the first few episodes do have a lot of vacant stares, depressing quotes and slow buildup, if you can’t binge, it’s okay to take breaks between the episodes. It’s the kind of show that you can always come back to and pick up where you left off.

✅ Final Thoughts:
As someone who usually doesn’t like slow paced, slice of life shows, believe me when I say this drama has the power to change your mind.

A fantastic journey, that brings forth a delicious, immersive blend of both darkness and light- My liberation notes is possibly the most stylishly executed and deeply captivating drama of 2022.

An absolute must watch.

Go ahead and get liberated, I dare you.

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Overpowered Oppa with 768 IQ and ninja skills saves the day once again! I am surprised.

Listen to me. I really wanted to like this drama. I wanted to like this drama so bad that I watched it to the very end just so it could prove me wrong. I was crossing my fingers to the last minute, almost praying for it to get better. I ADORE Lee Je Hoon and Esom and I love the crime/thriller genre so there really was no reason for me to not like this except that... this is just bad. There, I said it. Now, let's get to the list of reasons why:

▪︎Writing▪︎
See, the fact that this drama is based on true cases was something that was like catnip for my True Crime loving heart. It started out strong as well with a few really jarring cases but soon it gave way to sheer monotony. The cases are so dramatized and they all follow the same black and white format: extremely evil villains get caught by a bunch of street smart folks out for vigilante justice.

That's ok, I mean. That's what you expect from an episodic drama what's not okay is the sheer amount of stupidity in literally every episode. The way these cases are solved is just mindnumbingly dumb. They hinge on convenient plot devices, pure luck on the good guys's side and Lee Je Hoon's ultra acting skills. Yes, you can let the ridiculousness slide once but not again and again.

▪︎ Just an example: ▪︎
Our ML wants to teach this criminal lady (who voice phishes people out of money) a lesson. He wants to play the biggest uno reverse card in k drama history and instead rob her out of all her wealth. So, what does he do? He romances her ofcourse. That's okay. Then, he goes along with her to the bank and leaves his duffel bag that is CONVENIENTLY fitted with a microscopic camera and asks her to take care of it. And what do you know, this lady who literally runs a whole voice phishing ring and bosses around quite a few dimwits CONVENIENTLY places that duffel bag on the freaking table where her atm pin machine is and she also CONVENIENTLY angles the bag towards the pin machine so the camera can CONVENIENTLY record her pin and the good guys can then CONVENIENTLY use that to rob her out of her money as revenge.

I mean, come on. Who even puts a gigantic ass duffel bag on the table and not the floor in the first place? And even if they do, how can the good guys know for sure that they will. It's just them counting their blessings instead of using actual smarts.

See, this is just one example because every single episode is filled with ridiculous stuff like this that requires a lot of suspension of belief.

Moreover, the way the Taxi Gang operates is akin to flashing a bright neon sign that says 'Look at us! We exist' so the entire secretive, batman hiding in broad daylight saving the world plotline falls flat hilariously.

There are also a lot of flashbacks, scene repetitions and just lazy writing with the way conflicts are written for the main leads.

▪︎Characters▪︎
This is your typical squad of self righteous goody two shoes united by their shared tragic pasts. The male lead is so over powered. He can fight, is smart, is hot, is basically a wonder boy all around. You know your typical oppa in every run of the mill k drama.

These guys never lose. Everything is just a small hiccup for them. Never mind the people they are trying to catch are seasoned murderers/criminals and have been successfully evading the authorities. No, because this gang of average joes can take them down EASILY.

I mean yes it helps that one is a hacker, one is an engineer, one is a CEO- but really these job descriptions are all just for the sake of moving the plot. These are one dimensional characters you've seen in so many dramas before and while there is definitely camaraderie and warmth between them, there's not enough focus on thorough character development both individually and in terms of the group dynamic for us to truly form a connection.

The serious problems they do face in the last couple of episodes are so tropey, badly written and resultant of their own stupidity complimented with pointless death baiting and trucks of doom that it's hard to sympathize.

The antagonists are screechy and definitely not the smartest bunch themselves so the entire drama is just a bunch of goldfishes fighting against each other.

▪︎Female Lead▪︎
Now this just made me mad. Prosecutor Kang Ha Na has to be one of the worst female leads I have ever seen on screen. Now, I know a lot of people didn't like the fact that she was out to get the group but I didn't have a problem with that. My entire issue was how useless she was. Her contribution to the plot was zero and she was just terrible at her job. I wanted her to have like 10 minutes of relevance and I would have been pacified but no throughout the show she wears these badass business casual suits and power walks to... literally nowhere.

She's the last to arrive at the scene, she solves nothing, saves nobody and basically is just a walking talking product placement there to create this fake and hollow opposition for the Taxi Gang and to justify or question their system of justice.
Cause after a while, even you start thinking that if the Prosecutor with so many resources at her disposal can't even decipher the most basic of clues, it's better to just let this rag tag group do their thing.

The only action the poor girl gets is this random gun firing in the air for like five seconds where she badly tries to assert her barely there authority. It's sad, really.

▪︎Plot Development▪︎
The ending episodes just makes the drama look like it's floundering for direction. For like 12 episodes, it has different cases, then suddenly it just focuses on this one villain and then phew that gets solved and what do we know, they pull out an entire plot line from thin air and just throw it in your face. There's no structure at all to the show and it feels like the writer brainstormed all these ideas and just splattered them all on screen without any elegance whatsoever.

▪︎Acting▪︎
Now, here's why watching this drama really hurt me. The cast is phenomenal. Lee Je Hoon is a chameleon. He is great at completely embodying every role he does. Esom is so charismatic on screen. The rest of the cast is great as well but the plot execution and script is so bad that despite the talented cast, it's just 16 episodes of wasted potential.

▪︎What I Did Like▪︎
The only saving grace for me was the comedic moments in the show cause they made me smile and Lee Je Hoon in his various roles was a delight to watch. There was also a lot of potential love/hate bickering chemistry between Kang Ha Na and Kim Do Ki that was left untapped.
The action sequences while enjoyable are nearly not as sophisticated as some other productions. Some fights look obviously fake and visibly "acted". You see the punch, hear the punch but it's like it never really landed lmao. Still, action with hype music playing in the back is always good.

I also loved Esom's Prosecutor boss but he has a total screentime of like 30 minutes in the entire show so that's awkward.

▪︎Ending thoughts▪︎

In my opinion, this drama is a time waste and massively undeserving of the hype. Better examples of episodics with a gang of underdogs fighting crime with crime can probably be found in Bad Guys and Mad Dog.

So, even though I know that you guys are readying yourself for hate comments and downvotes right now, this drama still gets a solid NO for me. Sorry.

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The Most Formidable Bromance of 2021 that will bring you to your knees

Where do I even begin? This is the best detective thriller drama I have ever watched. There, I said it.

How many of you have grown tired of watching crime shows that just don't feel exciting anymore?

So many times, crime dramas get lost in the 'next big moment' and finding the thrill factor that they stop connecting with the watcher.

Beyond Evil is a beautiful mix of emotion and supense. It's a blend of heartbreakingly slow, full of feeling moments and bone chilling darkness. It's not a super fast show. It takes its time as it unravels, develops and comes to fruition gorgeously- like a well simmered pot of stew.

The drama's biggest strength is its unforgettable characters and the mindblowing acting by the cast.

In the beginning it induces your trust issues in a gut punching manner by introducing its two seemingly morally grey and unreliable protagonists and then slowly but surely brings to light one of the best friendships the Korean cinema has ever seen.

Both the main leads are phenomenal, each holding their own and being a massive force to be reckoned with.

Shin Ha Kyun put out acting worthy of a Daesang. His reckless, passionate, wildly fearless and courageous detective with the biggest smile and eyes full of pain doesn't take long to cement his place in your heart.

Yeo Jin Goo, on the other hand, while young, owned his role phenomenally. His character Han Joo Won, a prickly, seemingly cold catlike man with heart of platinum and a strong sense of justice is extremely easy to fawn over.

Together, these two are a storm- infinitely badass with balls of steel; a dynamic team that you can't help but fall in love in with.

Aside from the two, all the supporting characters bring their own flavour to the screen. While their little self-proclaimed 'Avengers' police team brings instant warmth to your heart, the antagonists are blood boiling-ly good in equal measure.

The music is fantastic- sombre and dark at times; sometimes cheeky and playful and other times enough to wreck you. There are a lot of stunning shots and the drama is both extremely well written and directed.

The character development is amazing and the bonds these characters form among each other is a powerful thing to witness. There's so much nuance in these relationships and it's hard not to catch feelings and let go of your heart when it comes to a show like this.

Honestly, for me a good psychological thriller is hard to come by and this was by far one of the best. I was so invested in it that some of the scenes made me bawl my eyes out, while others made me laugh, giggle, swoon and shout HOLY FUCK at the top of my lungs.

They nailed both the emotion and the 'whodunnit' aspect in a way that's very unique to the genre.

It was a wild, crazy, full of thrill and heart ride that I almost don't want to get off of.

Surely, a must-watch. Highly reccomended for fans of psychological thrillers who like their dramas with a little extra oomph!

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Fun, dramatic and mindnumbingly stupid Season 2 of the Makjangiest Makjang on the block

Even though I enjoyed this A LOT, I have mixed feelings about this show so I'mma break it down into pros and cons. Read till the end before getting triggered.

Cons:

▪︎The first half:

"Can this show get any more ridiculous?" asked my tired brain after it finished yet another episode full of repetitive, pointless misery that was only half as entertaining than what it used to be.

Don't get me wrong. The shock value is still high albeit it gets more and more predictable with every episode. The black comedy is still top notch, I was morbidly laughing my ass off 90% of the time. It's still a fairly easy to watch show. Kinda like junk food, you know it can't possibly be healthy for you but you're still watching. Almost begging for it to get better.

This is a Makjang. So, I trust that if you like those and you've watched season 1 you already expect this to be over the top and exaggerated.

However, despite how OTT it was, season one had a solid direction and the characters were actually built nicely.

Behind all the noise, if you looked, you could find some nuance and thought behind the way characters functioned. So, by all counts it was a well made show and it wasn't a surprise that it became a household name in Korea. That's great but then obviously the drama creators got greedy and they wanted to prolong the victory for two more unnecessary seasons.

By ending the last season the way they did, they found a sure shot way for us to continue. Surely, we were all angered by the triumph of the bad guys and wanted to see justice prevail. Going to watch season 2 was the easiest decision for all of us. Unfortunately, in just a few episodes, the drama writers made me effectively stop giving a shit about everyone in the show.

The writing was just terrible, nonsensical and laughably bad in this one. It's like they ate a bunch of plotlines and then vomited it out on screen. There's no point of this show because things happen just for the sake of happening. During most of the drama, there isn't a single character you can root for and the evil characters that were interesting and charismatic asf in season 1 start to seem hollow and one dimensional in this.

It's the same old thing over and over and over again. Bullying, murder (but not really), revenge (but not really) and Repeat. And we are getting no where. It gets tiresome to watch a repeat of season one with none of the wow factor.

The worst thing is that for most of the show, the protagonist is Yeon Hee who is the single most brainless character to ever appear on tv. She was horrible in season 1 and unfortunately, worse in season 2. She functions on half a braincell and only knows how to whine and scream my ears off. That's it. Not a single ounce of sense in that woman.

There are a few hilariously unfunny plot twists that the writers pulled out of their ass and they stank of bullshit.

Yes, the antagonists did deliver their best. Cheon Seo Jin killed her performance as always. The acting didn't suffer and remained at the top but what's the point when you've stopped giving a fuck about the story and the characters?

It's just a cycle of seeing miserable and mindlessly evil adults and teenagers be pointlessly cruel, greedy and annoying for 13 hours straight.

The direction is still crisp, the drama exudes luxury of the Hera Palace and I love the brilliant music pieces but we already saw all that in season 1.

For a show to function, the good guys need to be on equal footing as the bad ones but here the antagonists >>> protagonists. Even when the bad guys suffer it's mostly because of their own stupidity and infighting. Hardly any badass good guy moments in 70% of the show and at one point, you're just wishing for them all to just kill each other and save you the frustration.

▪︎Pros:

So, I wrote all that and you're like um, is there anything left to say? Yes, there is. The show finally picks up in the second half. Don't get me wrong, the writing is still completely bogus and the plot is very silly and unrealistic BUT you finally get a character you want to root for.

This is the 30% of the show that absolutely makes you want to power through sitting right at the edge of your seat.

I don't want to give spoilers but I'll just say a badass bitch is back in the house and once she comes, watching the show becomes much easier.

Episode 12 is literally one of the most satisfying episodes as slowly but surely our good guys get ready to whoop some major asses.

Throughout the show there are some very touching moments in the way the parent and child relationship is portrayed. Some scenes were really nicely executed and I got some major feels even when overall the drama lacks emotion because of the inconsistency in pace and writing.

The ending is also very satisfying but annoying in equal measures.

Overall, is this drama WACK? Yes.
Is it trying to be anything else? No.
Will I be watching season 3? Fuck yes.

This is the crack I run on. You don't have to use your brain while watching it and it's strangely addicting.

So, keep your expectations low, turn off your brain and enjoy it to the maximum!

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Reasons why you need to drop everything and watch Life right now:

▪︎The baddest of bad, the ultimate, Jo Seung Woo▪︎

JSW's character here is one of the best drama characters I have seen in a long long while. He is such a legend. His acting is nuanced to the core. His character is the very much competent, cutthroat, focused, driven CEO who demands respect and time and time again proves himself to be worthy of the authority he has. Often he  seems quite vicious and a corporate slave through and through as he spoke to the economist in me and tried his best to maximize his profits no. matter. what. And he is hella good at what he does too which basically means he is the resident bad guy.

Everybody hates him as they are powerless to do a thing against him. But under that slick suave bastard exterior, he is compassionate, fair, intelligent, caring and has a heart of gold. Ofcourse that doesn't give way to noble idiocy on his part and just because he can beautifully balance his humane and cunning side, it doesn't mean he isn't a force to be reckoned with.

The drama tried desperately to promote Lee Dong Wook as the main male lead but while he has his moments Life is Gyu Seung Ho's playground. It's his show through and through and I loved him so incredibly much that I can't even explain it.

▪︎Bromance & Friendship▪︎

Half of the show revolves around Lee Dong Wook and his brother and their bond is so adorable, sweet and heartbreaking that it gives you all the feels. But other than that brotherhood the drama is filled with relationships, loyalty, camaraderie and friendship between characters which is so endearing and treasured in such a hostile and brutal environment.

▪︎The tension▪︎

Oof. Like all 3 of Lee Soo Yeon's dramas, there's a lot of politics, philosophical questions and moral debates in this one too. It's less medical and more focused on the power struggle between the doctors and the management. And so I understand why people think it to be slow paced with heavy dialogues but goddamnit for me it was so engaging that I was hung on every word that came out of a character's mouth. I was completely attuned to them, focused and on the edge of my seat. It holds the same gravity and feeling of importance that Stranger 1& 2 had and the epic soudtrack just enhances it.

▪︎The romance▪︎

While not the main focus, it's woven so effortlessly and gorgeously in the storyline and just goes to enhance the personalities of the characters and make them more lovable. I am also extremely happy that my ship sailed hehe.

▪︎The FEELS▪︎

The show appeals to both your mind and your heart. While there is intelligent writing to satisfy the analytical part of your brain with a lot of mental workout there's also enough emotion for you to form a personal connection with the characters. I cried so much and surprisingly every time at small subtle moments, actions and interactions that weren't even tragic or done solely for some big emotional impact. There are no deaths or tragic birth secrets or white trucks of doom or other cheesy bullshit, there are just some extremely real, flawed and well developed characters that you hurt when they hurt and you are happy when they are happy.

▪︎Badass Women▪︎

You know me. You know if the female characters suck, no matter how awesome the male leads are, I am ready to fight. Thankfully all the females in this show are strong, some kick more ass than others but overall they are all extremely likeable.

The only reason I didn't give this show a 10 (tho it was a very very close shot) is because I expected more of the ending. It's very typical of Lee Soo Yeon. Her dramas always progress in such a grim way that you are expecting the worst to happen but then she comes in and hands you a bouquet of flowers with half of them missing.

Which saves your heart from breaking but it's also a bit lacklustre. Parts of it are uncharacteristically idealistic but then parts are extremely realistic as she doesn't try to solve every issue and leaves it up to the audience. It's a little frustrating and makes me not give her a full 10 but that also means I don't dare dock more than half a point 'cause these endings are still very much infused with warmth, hope and love.

It's definitely one of the best dramas out there. The cast is the same in all of her three shows so you know they are extremely gelled in with the writer and the acting is great across the board.

A must watch. Even more so for fans of Stranger 'cause there is a cameo in the last episode that will blow your socks away. ;)

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An excellently written masterpiece that will make you feel intelligent.

Season 2 of Stranger follows the journey of Prosecutor Hwang Shi Mwok and Superintendent Han Yeo Jin in their relentless persuit of the truth even when everyone around them seems hella shady.

If you don't remember season 1 at all, I suggest you give it a rewatch before going into this or else find a friend who is a MASSIVE stranger fan to run you through the past events like I did. Why? Because, even though S2 follows a whole new storyline, the characters are the same. There are no re-introductions as their personalities have already been established in the previous season. And this season deals with the aftermath of a lot of things that went down in the past.

I, for one watched it 3 years after finishing the first season and because of my goldfish memory, I remembered absolutely nothing. Despite that, however, the story hooked me in and kept me with it throughout.

Stranger 2 is less action focused and takes more of a philosophical note for the most part. It's a critique on the system that runs a country. It shows how power is exploited. How the media, the prosecution, the police and the conglomerates influence the very foundation of a nation and yet there is always some conflict of interest between them.

The story starts with a battle between the police and prosecution as they debate over investigative rights. A lot of dirty politics is involved as both the sides try to one up each other. From there on it branches out to multiple plotlines as more and more cases, mysteries and problems come to light. Nothing is handed to you on a plate. The drama gives you a serious mental workout as it forces you to pay attention to everything. Slowly but surely, all the various plotlines come together to meet and punctuate the overall message with multiple punches.

The show, like its predecessor does not bank on thrill or 'the next big moment' instead it takes its time, moving with this undercurrent of tension you can't look away from. All along, you feel like something important is happening and you just can't miss it even when there are no huge developments.

The beauty of it is that nothing that's happening is stupid. This is not a show that is trying to pretend to be complicated and fool viewers into thinking it's smart with lazy writing. It's actually fucking smart with zero plotholes as the story flows smoothly, connecting all dots as episodes progress. And it hits home beautifully as the final episodes approach and the intensity skyrockets.

However, I will say that this is not reccomended for those who like their shows easy to digest. Who don't like heavy dialogues and aren't fans of politics, debates and philosophical questions. 'Cause there is a LOT of that stuff. To the point that I actually felt productive after watching each episode. I felt my mind broaden and working overtime and I absolutely loved every second of it.

Ofcourse, with a show like this the biggest danger is of it going in the direction where it becomes clinical, preachy, dry and boring. And that's where the drama wins by using small but extremely powerful interactions between characters that does wonders to humanize everything and make you emotionally connect with these people.

Shi Mwok, our emotionally stunted prosecuter is so clueless and indifferent about feelings that it's simply hilarious and adorable. Han Yeo Jin, with her quirky personality and chill as fuck persona is extremely endearing.

We saw the camaraderie between them in season 1 and that was one of the major selling points of the show. But, in this one, for the majority of the drama our duo stands on opposite sides confronting each other and you feel rather starved for their interaction. So when it happens, it's all the more impactful.

With incredible small gestures and tiny moments they show how they care for each other. How she's still his best friend. How they are the ultimate team. How she's the only one he feels comfortable around and how they just seem to get each other. And it's absolutely glorious.

These two are badass in a very real sense. There's no posturing or camera effects or cheesy dialogues/action scenes that make their badassery known. It's the effortless good in them and their dogged pursuit of what's right, realization of their own mistakes and unimaginable strength that wins your heart.

It also helps that both the main leads have extremely natural and nuanced acting. Bae Doo Na and Jo Seung Woo just killed it. With the latter blowing your mind with the subtlety of his expressions and the former making you invested by the transparency of her emotions.

The season also explores a plethora of other characters, with their own motivations and personalities that are extremely well developed. Strong women in power. Morally grey characters who come through deliciously. The acting is outstanding across the board and the soundtrack is phenomenal.

You think the OST (an instrumental with no lyrics) is nothing special? Wait till it makes the simple act of two people talking business in an office, the most thrilling thing to ever happen to you. Simply stunning.

The show also has one of the most beautiful endings I have ever seen. It's so full of hope and warmth that it made me cry.

Even as it highlights the never ending corruption, the ugly politics that makes one feel that their country is too far gone to make a change, Stranger comforts and shows what it could be. How, in these murky waters, being true to yourself is the real power because it gives you dignity, confidence and most importantly, peace.

So all in all, I'll say that while Stranger 1 is kinda like everyone's cuppa tea as a crime/thriller, Stranger 2 is definitely an acquired taste. It's still excellent though and completely unique in its genre with masterful execution. Hopefully, some news of a 3rd season will come to save all of our souls soon enough.

So hey, if you wanna leave the mainstream behind, feel a little bit smarter after every episode and question everything you know about the system, then this show is your go-to!

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Do you really know the person you're in love with?

A fast paced, bite your nails, clutch your pearls, sleep with the monster under your bed kinda crime love story that will have you hooked from start to finish.

Cha Ji Won is an excellent cop and a very lucky woman. She has an adorable daughter, a gorgeous husband who cooks, cleans, gives great kisses and is a skilled craftsman. They have a pretty little house and life's pretty good. Except... that her gorgeous husband might actually be a serial killer in the past. Oops.

Flower of evil keeps you on the very edge right from the start. The drama goes to great lengths to write brilliant characters and explore their personalities and relationships with each other and it succeeds for the most part.

Lee Joon Gi (Do Hyun Soo) was phenomenal here. God, his acting often left me speechless. The control he has over his microexpressions is crazy. His acting is so nuanced that it captures you throughout and makes you one with his character. The way Do Hyun Soo flits from this charismatic, doting, loving husband and father to this scary sonovabitch with madness in his eyes and the potential to murder always hit me like whiplash.

Do Hyun Soo is an unreliable protagonist. You're never quite sure of his motivations in the start. He is smart, cunning and manipulative and gives up major red flags. He seems incapable of emotion and you never know whether he is really able to care for anyone or not. But boy, when he comes through, he comes THROUGH. And you can't help but fall in love with him.

I am really proud of Moon Chae Won (Cha Ji Won) for doing this drama. I have disliked some of her work in the past for mostly playing roles that present her as an accessory to the male lead but she really stood on her own here. Her acting was excellent as she portrayed this hard hitting, ball buster cop who is as strong as she is vulnerable.

The drama did a good job with developing a myriad of characters so that all of them feel important. Cha Ji won's police squad, Hyun Soo's sister, the couple's daughter and parents and reporter Moo Jin who is a fan favourite.

This drama is part crime thriller and part romance. On the murder mystery front, I don't think you guys will find anything that's all that new. Yes, the real killer is very deliciously psychotic and smart enough to give our good guys a hard time. Yes, things really frustrate you as we go forward one step to catching the true culprit and are pushed three steps back. But overall the whole investigation and the way things pan out are very kdrama-ish, equipped with predictable plot devices and definitely not unique.

The highlight of the show was for sure the romance. It was just so good. There was no angst and cutesy stuff that comes with new couples. No stupidity or 'he loves me, loves me not' bullshit. They've been married for 14 years and love each other like crazy. It breaks your heart when problems out of their control time and time again stand beetween their relationship and test the trust and love they have for each other. But make no mistake, they are both each other's world and always have the other's back. It's so natural, intense, mature and believable. They have great chemistry and understanding and I loved everything about them. It was amazing for me to see the way they react, deal and feel when they come to certain realizations about each other. It made the show a treat to watch.

However, I definitely have some complaints. I went into the show thinking it will absolutely wreck me. I thought there was no way it will end happily and that it will break my heart. But halfway through, you realize the show is pretty vanilla. And staying true to that, they really cushioned a lot of blows and pulled their punches in the second half.

As a viewer, I was half relieved that my feelings were spared but half unsatisfied because I wasn't hit in my feels as hard as I could have been.

There were also some very cheesy bits and some cliche ridiculousness in the second half as they pulled out the good ol' theatrics. A couple of things were a sob fest that I kept laughing at, instead of taking seriously 'cause of how over the top they went with their crying scenes. I'd go as far as to say that our main leads may have over acted a bit in the last couple of episodes. It was in sheer contrast with the crisply written, full of underlying tension and subtle gravity of the first half.

But overall, it surely kept me invested throughout. I swooned, got teary eyed, impatient, was frustrated, excited and anxious so the feelings were definitely there, to the point that it got me replaying many scenes.

There were plenty of warm moments to compliment the dark ones, steamy kisses and scenes you laugh at- sometimes because it's genuinely funny and sometimes 'cause you find some dark humor in them.

The sound track was great, the pacing was smooth and the acting was excellent across the board.

All in all, a must watch. So what are you waiting for? Go watch it!

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