VIII

Over The Past Ten Hours..

This film is the perfect example of what sets pieces from Japan apart from Westerns, Kdramas, etc. A delicate,heavy story woven by it’s magical Ost, sharp camera language, and effortlessly masterful performances. No where else will you have a similar style in similar executions. The heaviest of topics leading to self reflections that you’re not aware of until it ends.

The Last 10 Years leaves more questions than answers, and not for the film itself. After finishing the film i spent the past 10 hours falling in and out of sleep to the Ost on repeat and tears drawn to the rhythm. Why do such different situations and occurrences hit so close to home? What’s so similar in my own life that has me so empathetic of these characters? Why am I, a grown man, waking up 3 in the morning with puffy eyes over a movie? For fucks sake do i have to check if i wet the bed as well? Are all of these emotions simply the film or realizations from watching it?

I’m usually not a fan of the typical pacing dramas and films from japan, and it’s quite rare to spot one that steps outside of that norm and delivers a deliberate, smooth flow throughout. Especially considering the time restriction of films, taking your time to give more impact towards the climax will always have my upmost respect. Mix that with realistic dialogue,compelling performances, and a subtle melo tone and you got a work from japan at it’s very peak. THIS is what I watch these works for. THIS is what I can’t get anywhere else and feel the same uplifting overtones of a very dark, depressing story.

A slight flaw i find with almost any decent movie, especially ones this good, is that there’s always something more i want to see but not given. Some more fleshed out development instead of the bright, fluffy montages we received of our leads’ bond getting closer would’ve sufficed. Alas, the more you give me and the better it is, the more i want. There’s a very thin line of Perfect between the large margins of “Draggy” and “Not Enough” , this falls in the latter for me.

Films like this, in my opinion, are must watches not only nationally but internationally as well. Such heavy topics delivered in such an impactful way that teaches us things we never considered before needs the recognition. This level of quality is rare to come by. First love is rare to come across. Life itself is such a blessing that is rarely cherished amongst many of us the way it should be. Death is seen too much as this inevitable outcome that some unfortunately succumb to sooner than others. We sometimes empathize for selfish reasons. Some may want to end it all with no concerns of how it effects the people around them. Life can be this seemingly endless journey to a singular destination one wants to rush towards from unfortunate hands dealt, or it could be the journey itself as you cherish a blessing others aren’t given , with those around you through thick and thin that you’ve been lucky to have been dealt.

The Last Ten Years makes use of depressing desires to accentuate the appreciation and beauty of life and finding your own happiness in it. A masterful artwork i hope receives the attention and praise it deserves down the line.

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Huh, so that’s what consistency in a period drama feels like...

Occasionally you’ll come across a series that’s so unique in terms of quality, yet for reasons it shouldn’t be the case. The Wind Blows From Longxi is a comparatively short drama that succeeds in everything it goes for, that most period dramas these days fail to.

Now before i get into a overview for those that are interested in trying the series without spoilers , a forewarning. TWBFL isn’t for those that aren’t a fan of dramas not trying to grip their audience immediately with bright and vibrant colors, doll like characters, straightforward beginnings, or the trendy dynamic pacing that you regularly see in other series. You’re thrown into a gritty, detailed period setting that takes its time to draw in the viewers at a steady pace with its bold narration and realistic characters that are brung to life by both the great cast selection and airtight writing surrounding their background and motivations.


Wind Blows From Longxi doesn’t hold your hand with simplified explanations nor one layered characters. Which may leave some confused given the seemingly large cast you have to get accustomed to within a 24 episode span. Everyone has a purpose, many having 2-3 faces to achieve their true goals that are revealed over time. But fret not! One of the underrated strengths this series has is the very helpful, humorous, yet repetitive recaps at the end of each episode to assist viewers with staying aware of everything that’s going on that are both told and sometimes not easily shown to viewers that aren’t used to the hidden details and agendas. And ofc it’s optional, if you don’t need any clarification or refreshers you’re more than welcome to skip over them with no effects on your viewing experience.

You’re given a spy story that naturally becomes the focus in a relatively short span after being shown the cause of later occurrences in this drama. Keeping you on the edge of your seat with great fight choreographies, thrilling backed into a corner moments where your intelligence and quick thinking is your only friend, hidden agendas, betrayal, along with its fair share of sudden heart wrenching moments.

The gorgeous,dark, very still cinematography is one of the strongest aspects of this drama, buuut can also be one of it’s weak aspects depending on the viewer. Backgrounds rarely bares the light needed for some to see exactly what’s going on at times, which can become quite bothersome depending on the devices used to watch. An aspect i can for sure say is the weakest that this drama bears is the BGM. Not once, but several times over the course of these 24 episodes the BGM is blasting when it isn’t needed, as if they’re trying to distract you from what’s actually going on in front of you, which is weird...because that isn’t the case, yet it’s there, just to be there? Some times not even matching with the tone of the current scenes that are happening. When some scenes are way better off dead silent or subtle, the bgm rumbles. You become used to it over a few episodes, making you unaware of how often they’re constantly slinging tracks behind the scenes that can break your immersion. Luckily, this is the weakest aspect of this drama. Oh, and there’s Angelababy.. uh yeah.

The Wind Blows From Longxi is likely to be a hidden gem as time past from it not catering to what period drama audiences are now used to and favor , causing many to rather be uninterested in trying out or dropping. What i can say is that for those(like me) that still prefer a well written story with a much more serious tone at a realistic steady pace, The Wind Blows from Longxi is a beautifully handled drama that is most certainly a must try at the very least.

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Conflicted Literature

Prologue

My mind never fails to go completely blank right before writing these.It feels somewhat like a line of astounding talents gone ahead before me, and my absent minded ass is up next. No idea what to write, how to portray these thoughts that future me can look back on and feel every word of it as if I’m in front of the television again pressing play for the first time. What do they want to see from this review? How do they feel of this drama? Man, wouldn’t it be so much easier to just be like the rest? Well my dear silent minority, we aren’t like the rest. Our thoughts differ, lights dim out, voices hollow, presence uncertain.

But, every now and then some of us gather the strength to shout our unpopular opinions loud enough for everyone willing to hear. Lights begin to flicker back on as we approach our biggest momentary fear, the stage is ours. Make no mistake, no matter how nor if the audience responds back to you, you’ve done something for us that will always inspire those after. There’s no telling when you’ll feel like this again, nor get the chance to express it.

You then realize those lights that were so intimidating before were never dimmed. At last , a star is born.


Man vs Everything

I’ll get my biggest frustration with this drama out of the way first to make up for the rambling. Jeongnyeon is not a complete drama. In fact, you’ll feel there’s something missing at the very beginning, but it only becomes apparent towards the end. There’s several components to a story, and that one thing you’re having that gut feeling is missing in this one, is conflict.

How so? We’ve seen many antagonists introduced, as well as internal and external struggles made out as obstacles in our leads’ way. Poor upbringings, jealousy, underdogs, loss, scandals, defamation, the list goes on. Well, could you really make these things out to be conflicts when even the characters absolutely refuse to?

First we have our favorite little star Yun Jeong. Dimwitted, until she’s not. Inexperienced, until she’s not. Star of the show, until she’s not. Daring, until she’s not. Determined, until she’s not. Damn near mute with multiple medical professionals’ ruling it as so… until, well.

My surprising favorite that deserved closure and proper writing all around, Yeong Seo. I haven’t seen a single thing from the actress until now with this drama, and i can still tell this is easily the best performance she’s put on without needing to see any other. In fact, i won’t even butcher her character here any more than the writing already had. Just know, she deserved much, MUCH better..

Speaking of deserving better, let’s reel in the last few who deserved worse. Despite my unpopular perspective with the Prince of the stage herself, I’ll admit, Moon Ok Gyeong is hands down the most fascinating character that’s completely open to interpretation. She’s a fan favorite to many, both in and outside the drama. To me? She’s the epitome of toxicity and the most subtle portrayal of an antagonist I’ve seen this year. I know that opens alot of doors for discussion, and to be fair, they’re probably not even opened at all had the webtoon been adapted faithfully enough. But we’re going from the abomination they chose to throw out for us to mindlessly consume, and that being my conclusion.

Now here’s someone i feel for certain couldn’t have been redeemed well enough in the original work to make sense of, Ju Ran. Another popular favorite, but i see no logical reason why outside of some piss poor GL teasing. Her storyline was the sole confirmation that cuts that shouldn’t have even been considered , were made. The heavy censorship behind her relations with everyone was adding gasoline to a forest fire. I see no potential redemption of this character in even the webtoon whenever i decide to pick it up. But hopefully I’m wrong.


To make something clear, this drama is by far Kim Tae Ri’s most innovative and expressive role yet. And it’s clear to me now what she’s been going for all along aren’t good scripts, but challenging roles to take her own acting range another step further. Even her weakest work steps all over 95% of the industry, and that’s no exaggeration. She has been my favorite actress in this drama land since I’ve first came across her, and she’s only reaffirmed my obsession with her work and talented eye for scripts here. If you feel even remotely similar about her, you will enjoy every last bit of this drama as i have, minus the rant after, likely.



Jeongnyeon is a successful, aspiring drama that failed as an adaption. Have i read the original webtoon yet? Not a single word. But i know a cut and rushed mess when i see it, as I’ve seen too many at this point. Want to know what else I’m aware of ? My opinion being the minority , as well as my genuine enjoyment throughout watching this series. I can go longer than this run on sentence about this embarrassment of an adaption as much as i can rave about how even Kim’s worst work is better than your fave’s best and you’d be doing yourself the disservice by not trying this title out as any fan of Kim Tae Ri or even Shin Ye Eun.


I applaud the effort of the impressive cast and remarkable production. Our star has yet to dim, it’s just another was born.

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A powerful theme with unmet expectations in structure.

A bit of a curve from the other raving reviews and comments on this drama. Y’know, i was told beforehand to keep my expectations a bit low when going in on a critical perspective, and from doing that, I’ve been able to enjoy many aspects here and complete the drama with little to no hesitancy. However, the things i found worthy of praise and checking out had also came with about twice the faults I couldn’t turn a blind eye to.

Plot

This drama had the grounds and pacing for a rather outstanding film, this is what both kept me going and disappointed me time and time again.

To relay my frustration here as simple as possible for those who hasn’t watched yet and may have stumbled across this, just picture a plot and it’s characters written from any notable films you’ve watched recently. Quick relation to keep in mind, surely we’ve all had fallen victim to a restaurant rather working with a low quantity in supply of what you’re ordering, or simply being stingy as hell for the sake of it. You order a drink with no ice so they don’t skimp out on the actual drink this time, but they fill the cup up about 2/3rds anyway. You order say a 12” sub today, different from your regular 6-8” order any other time you’ve came. You can’t help but notice that they’re using just about the same amount of toppings, but spread out more to fill the space. That’s what I’ve felt here, the structure of a film stretched out past its 2 hours worth of plot and limited characterizations to fit the 6+ hours to make out as a series.

Many key things are said about the characters, but most of the time you’re not seeing any of it relayed in the actions of said characters. It’s as if there wasn’t enough time to layer out everyone as much as they could have, but enough time for several daily interactions amongst colleagues that have little to no impact on building who these characters are. Not to mention the occasional after work dinners to fluff out the heavier days they made it through.

I found myself spending too much time pandering on “Hm, Miyabi’s capable of derailing something like that? Where is Osako’s intentions leaning more towards? Is Ayano…like blind, deaf, or dumb? Mai, read the letters on the screen, row by row. Tell me which lens is better between the perspective of a simp in distraught or the clueless romantic. Should we just check on Sanpei’s mental health at this point? At any point?” These and many more questions have been lingering throughout the entirety of the drama, my hopes in any of them being shed any light upon diminished the further i progressed.

Future me, i know, we’re missing a lot. I’m sitting on 3 hours of sleep from binging this 6 hour film, add whatever I don’t feel like touching on and edit this out, or just like ,don’t. We’re rambling , on to the highs that were worth my exhaustion.

Production/Casting

Fantastic performances and very well grounded casting choices. You can immediately tell they weren’t trying to fit any typical visual appeal here and went straight for who’s capable of fitting these roles exceptionally enough. A huge props to the supporting cast this time around, specifically the patients and their surreal portrayal of the stories behind them while maintaining similar themes and suturing them well with the main plot and messages.

Direction

To reiterate, this would have been masterclass had this drama simply been a film or more fleshed out to fit the structure and pacing of a series of its length. Regardless, it’s still this drama’s strongest suit for me among the best I’ve seen this year from dramas. It gives just about everything you’d expect from a great jdrama style of directing, muted tension when necessary, strong messages and topics sprinkled throughout, subtle tones and actions giving rewatching alot of value, overall great use of soundtrack(though a bit uncalled for a few times), brilliant use of imagery, and well versed guidance through rather tough scenes and evoked emotions of the characters.

Unmet is another one of the very few series I’ve managed to watch through that reminds me just how great a drama you have more gripes than praises with can be. And how differing opinions can hold different reasons in something being worth your time for. I can’t say that even my lowered expectations in some aspects were met here, but many other surprising aspects has shed light upon the faults, illuminating the hidden gem this drama is behind it all.

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Kim Tae Ri does it yet again..

Hm, i fell for the ole adrenaline rush after completing this drama for the first time. I’ve given this a rewatch recently and.. i was reminded of the many small aspects that didn’t sit well at all with me. This section alone will be an update of my thoughts with a clear head this time as to those bumps in the road i forgotten about. The first episode is,again, without a doubt the worse of this series, may i even say god awful when looked at separately instead of comparatively. Embarrassingly forced interactions(the club),amateur scenes and screenplay that were unbearable to sit through again(after school “brawl”),and underwhelming moments of acting where it could’ve hit the hardest. Pair these disaster moments along with the unfortunate nosedive the last two episodes took and it became very clear that i was too fixated on the highs of this drama and rated it beyond how i regularly would. Welp, that’s about it and some small revisions in my original review. Back to it.

The main cast all served their roles decently enough so don’t get me wrong when i say this, but Kim Tae Ri OWNED this drama, easily her best performance out of all her works for me, and that says alot due to all of her previous works being damn good as well.

The first episode showcases the worst part of the drama , i think most of us can agree on that, because what a HELL OF A 360 the quality took from there. Don’t believe me? Give the very first two episodes a shot and tell me if you can even believe both were even from the same writer.

I’m not somebody that says a show is a must watch, but in my perspective I’ll definitely say that this drama is most certainly a must try, we all have different tastes and preferences, so this series obviously won’t be worth everyone’s time to sit through. The first 2 episodes are enough for a viewer to know rather the show is worth their time or not, anything further than that don’t bother, the quality skyrockets from the second episode and keeps that consistency the rest of the way.

Now there are obviously some hiccups in how they pushed towards the ending, and NO it didn’t showcase realism...In reality people don’t suddenly go blank in their decision making, the problem isn’t the end game despite many thinking so, the problem resided in the lack of effort in resolving and communicating. It didn’t make enough sense for me to believe Yi Jin would’ve taken that offer down New York knowing how hard it was to see Hee Do already, he became inspired in that field in the matter of months, not a childhood dream he longed striving for where he’d immediately put it before anything else. Maybe he thought Yu Rim did it why can’t he? Lol. Hee Do giving up that easily didn’t quite add up with her character consistency either, yes there’s the past conflicts with her mother because of similar issues but that doesn’t mean cut everything without trying to at least accommodate either of their paths to work out for one another. Putting that aside, “ both characters’ reasoning for their actions were clear and understandable, just paced poorly. I agree that it was extremely rushed at that point,still, the Pros far outweighs the cons , and i mean FAR. Undeniably a masterpiece that’ll be that staple slice of life, coming of age drama for alot of us.


It’s been quite the journey.. here’s to my 8 week long adrenaline rush,here’s to first love, here’s to the unforgettable experience. Until next time

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Rise

Fine I’ll admit it, this one took a a few tries for my complete devotion. Legend of Zhen Huan is an extremely slow dose of what later becomes a helpless addiction you can’t put down until the very end. But how? What does this drama deliver so great that warrants binging for seemingly endless hours on end? What puts this series on a pedestal above most historical dramas to date? We’ll get into that, allow me to start off with why this masterful piece in particular is NOT worth everyone’s time.


The Calm Before The Storm

Listen, the several times you’ve dropped a series can reflect one of two things in my opinion. The mood you’re not currently in or your distaste of the piece in general. A slow burn has never been for everyone no matter the quality of it. The subtle audacious tone of the pacing here only attests to why many prefer the opposite. As that may seem appealing in writing, it holds very unappealing factors that entirely depends on how little invested you are. Will you inevitably care for some characters? Sure. Will you care for enough characters and/or anticlimactic events to slog through a character driven drama of this length? There are many dry moments of daily life here, some more impactful than others, some much more exhausting on the viewer yet meaningful nonetheless. The quality of the story being told never drops but personal interest in it may. (Un?)Fortunately for me it occurred towards the very end.


Flowers

How exactly can one make a film entirely focused on life inside the harem interesting let alone a series? Simple, characterize all living fuck out of those living in it. I guarantee anyone who has watched through even a quarter of this has a favorite or two they’re extremely passionate about. The unstable sisterhood,rivalry, and flickering ambitions showcased here is not to be taken lightly. I’m a simple man that favors consistency. While i do have my praises for the FL like everyone else my constant interest and entertainment drove on the overt dominance of one of my favorite antagonists to strut on screen Hua Fei . My heart surprisingly resided with the deteriorated yet dignified Meizhuang from her long, unwavering friendship with Zhen Huan to her stubborn yet prideful ambitions in surviving as a shadow in the harem.

There are several likes and praises beyond those characters of course. The seemingly peaceful yet overly cautious and insecure Lingrong. The refreshing relief of wholesomeness in the harem of our beloved youngest Lady Chun. The constant press of the rewind button when a certain child speaks because my god was every word precious as hell. Huanbi’s under looked complexity and reflective envy of freedom. Clever yet underhanded actions of Cao determined to secure a safe future for her child leading to its inevitable demise. The longed pitiful Consort Duan that warms the heart every visit to her ironically cold palace. Believe me, the list goes on and on. Everyone is brought to life in full here, rather they tick annoyances or peak highlights. Every scheme and act of defense reflects the differences amongst each character in full congruence. Outstanding performance by the unsurprising Betty Sun as her character fall and rises through the ranks through countless tragedies and obstacles. She alone shows just how flawless Jiang Xin was for her role of a snobby, jealous, hilariously direct antagonist to stand out the most for me. A few weak performances , luckily as weak as their characters’ impact on the story.


Pitch

Let this beautiful story sell itself to you on its own. No it’s not an immediate hook and take some patience to become immersed for most. Once this drama does though there’s no going back. Actually, i take that back . There’s so much detail and subtle differences in tones and expressions that well warrants multiple rewatches with more satisfaction than the first time around. Such a strong and passionate execution throughout it’s length making no moments of it empty. Everything it attempts to deliver it executes profoundly through one way or another.


P.S. - If there’s anything this drama has expressed throughout its entirety. It’s watch your step in the palace.. no like literally, everyone’s clumsy as fu-

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A Glass Half Empty

Well, someone has to put on their big boy pants here. If there’s anything I for certain have gotten out of this drama is that I wouldn’t mind if it ended with Ryang Eum taking off h-..

My Dearest, where do i begin? Have i already begun? Hell could i even tell you after a ridiculously long “part 1” that this drama even began yet? I’m sorry , let me get the few praises i have out the way that made me stick through and why anyone contemplating may want to give it a go.

Cast

Yes this is indeed Namkoong Min’s world and we’re just living in it. Emphasis on namkoong min alone, not his character. In fact I’ll get it out the way that there’s not a single character besides one (I’ll get to) that satisfied me on screen. BUT!..but, the casting surprisingly held its own to enhance the mediocrity my now dreary eyes couldn’t get enough of. Namkoong Min is truly a delight no matter what he’s starred in, i can watch the man stare in longing from afar for hours. Actually, should i rewind and start a timer? I think we have already, no? Was at least 10% of this drama not comprised o-. Sigh, pros… pros. The rest were good enough, big ups for the antagonists here.

Cinematography

Watch the trailer. Yeah no just watch the tr-Shut up, turn the trailer on. Want more? Of course you do .

Jack of all Trades, Master of None

Listen, we have a bit of almost everything here that almost every kdrama fan can’t get enough of. Cliche romantic setups, poetic dialogue, BL, stunning settings, censored BL, intense love triangles as confusing as they are everchanging. Hm, anticlimatic cliffhangers keeping us flat on the center of our chairs, oh hey Ryang. Grand action sequences , sleeve tugging, not now Ryang, heart numbing departures, weirdly timed confessions, me too Ryang. Know it all there for it all wingmen. Oh so mysterious and seemingly tragic pasts, singing, fine ,one more Ryang. Damsels in distress, but hey, capable damsels? Trying betrayals, ah, slam him harder against the wall, more passion, t-that’ll show him.

Fyi, i enjoyed all of these and more for some reason. And for that same reason unknown to me, I’m sure anyone contemplating on watching it now would too. Would i say any of these were executed profoundly? No, but I wouldn’t say any of them were done in some piss poor manner either, more so a delicate tinkle.


Character

No not characters, let me introduce the most refreshing female lead to hit the screen in 2023, that I’ve wa-. Yoo Gil Chae is this manipulative, seemingly selfish, obnoxiously stubborn, clueless, hopeless romantic young woman finding herself during a dark time in Neunggun-ri that’s falling down on her quicker and heavier than anyone at that point of time could ever imagine. Forcing this carefree woman to adapt quickly in extremely harsh and boundary pushing surroundings. What once was manipulating others’ infatuation and frustrations for her personal gain in favor, entertainment ,and reputation suddenly had to shift into taking advantage of the cards dealt in front of her in order to survive and protect those she care for. This selfish woman going with almost any means necessary to make it through one more cold insufferable night, day by day. You have the absolute pleasure of witnessing these strengths and weaknesses contrast in several completely different and expansive situations. Sometimes with relieving and maturing results, other times leading to deeper holes and despair. Ladies and gentlemen, Namkoong Min may hold the star power, but there’s no other character here that holds a torch to the ever-growing flame that is Yoo Gil Chae. She alone made this worth my time, she alone may make this worth watching part 2 if i weren’t currently exaggerating my ass off from the temporary fulfillment her character has given me in comparison to the other mediocrity.


Episode 6

I do not care what anyone has said or tells you. This point here is what sold me on this drama’s potential that it later fell flat on. Not the drastic tone change in the beginning episodes, though impressive in contrasting. Hell if you would want to just spring on ahead of the other episodes to see what i mean, I wouldn’t advise otherwise. This was the peak for me, all the way through, what happened before and after this episode? Couldn’t tell you.

I don’t wish to convince anybody to turn away from this series, as there’s some quite impactful stuff here to miss out on. But I wouldn’t consider this a must try either. At moments it has everything going for it. But then there’s the ineptness of the pacing here of what feels like a story meant to be told in it’s entirety within what is made out to be the first half? The extremely questionable actions and senseless confusion from these characters that had me questioning if i’m just not comprehending the full picture drawn out. The sole plot progression tool and absolute bot of a character Eun Ae went out her way to be. The complete abomination of a “part 1” finale that was just all over the place in pacing and writing that terrifies me in even opening a trailer for the inevitable second half around the corner. These are hot takes, simpleminded thoughts to avoid deep dives and heavy spoilers just to take a shit on this drama in full cognition. My single half assed rant amongst the swarming amounts of well thought out reviews treasuring this drama for plenty of valid reasons. I’m currently half awake and pissed at the potential I personally didn’t find this drama coming close to. Constantly sipping away at some cheap wine i know would be empty soon. Admittedly addicting ,but no memorable notes. Now a trade of my time for a bit of yours.

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Eggshells

Forewarning. If you stumbled across this, and you’re unaware of why I review, this one could be a bit jarring. If you wish to continue, by all means, get comfortable.

This is no easy drama to watch through one episode and click next, again, and again. Yet somehow, in the span of 2 days, here I am, wondering what it is exactly i want flushing back into my memory as I revisit this initial takeaway. As always, I have quite the unpopular opinions and perspective to draw on. But, it just so happens the one extremely popular opinion that I do share, is that this drama is nothing short of a masterpiece.

You and Everything Else, hurts, alot. No, not in a good way, but that’s the good part..? I was hesitant on giving it a try on release. Nothing really grabbed my interest through any of the previews, synopsis, and first impressions. Even judging the book by its cover, after finishing, I feel the same way. It’s a miracle I mustered the courage to try it out. Well, its huge success, recent accolades, and raving reviews from credible mutuals helped i guess.

Again, a forewarning. We’re approaching the uncomfortable part. Feel free to skip to my overall thoughts at the end if that’s what you came across the review for. If you’ve seen reviews of mine before, you’re no stranger to my tangents. And without further ado..

How to Boil an Egg

First time? Oh come on, don’t be embarrassed. We’ve all been there. You know, it’s not as easy as people make it out to be. Following a guide on this shouldn’t feel like you’re adjusting a bib. Hold one for me. Do Not Drop It. Who says multiple tries are needed to get it down? Let’s perfect it in one.

Step 1: Cool and place into a pot of water.

-Easy enough, right? I mean, where else do you store them. Take a couple out, Do Not Drop. Get the pot and plop them bad boys in.

Step 2: Bring the water to boiling temperature.

-Now i know, you’ve probably heard a different order. Trust Me, you’ll find letting the eggs in earlier to be simpler. It’s allowing the egg more time for its shell membrane to loosen. Peeling should be less difficult.

Step 3: At boiling point, let them sit for 4-6 minutes a soft boil, 8-10 minutes for hard boil.

-Pretty easy times to remember, go ahead an- NO!! Don’t grab the pot by the edges like that when it’s fucking boiling hot. What are you.. first time what? Encountering heat? You shouldn’t have to be told how to properly handle a pot that’s sitting directly on fi…………

I need a minute.

Safety Tips
•Hold your eggs upright, remain steady.
•Keep safe distance from the stove top upon lighting and placing items down.
•Be extra cautious when removing items from stove top. Grab by handles. Wear gloves.
•Take accountability
•It’s your fault, don’t give me that.
•Stop being dramatic, shake it off, you’re fine.
•Place the lid on top of the pot as its boiling for consistency and to prevent splashes.

Step 4: Place the eggs in an ice bath and allow them to cool off for 5-6 min.

-All good now. Hm? Oh, this is to allow m-the eggs to begin a process known as “Cold Shock”. The cooking stops inside, prevents them from burning and leaving an unpleasant texture and taste. Keep them in, give the process some time.

Step 5: Begin peeling under the water.

-Okay, the hard part. It’s kinda funny, actually. Everything could have went perfect in the previous steps, but you can still screw this up. One after another, mistake after mistake.
Aren’t you tired of failing? Slow down, you ripped that one. Don’t hesitate, that one crumbled up from you trembling over it. I’m so tired of having to correct over you, tending to your cracks and wounds. Aren’t you? Are you not annoyed by me yet? No? Is it hate? You have no one to blame but yourself.

Step 6: Enjoy!


To Crack An Egg

Cooking over the stove or adding as an ingredient for baking, this is the usual way to prepare eggs. There’s the classic gentle taps on a counter top or bowl, the spoon taps, etc. As long as the yolk’s fine, you can go about it in any way resulting so.

But what if it isn’t fine? The yolk broke? Worse? The shell’s inside. No need in stressing, it’s not the end of the dish, we’ll just remove the pieces that fell in. Just one? Great, saves us the hassle.

Wait, but I don’t understand something. The recipe called for 2 eggs, but we have three.. Did you happen to misread? Was it just in case one went wrong? Ah, of course. But, it couldn’t be, because these are three empty shells. D-did you remove one? Then why is the shell still in… oh, that’s right. No one’s here. You always do this.


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Well, there you have it. You & Everything Else. I’ve come to the conclusion of what drew me in to this obsession over the two leads, it was like reading a familiar book. I could feel every bit of emotion and action before they became overt. Not because it became banal in any way, but because every action and thought process simply made sense for their characters. Because I and I’m sure many others have encountered someone like them before in life.

We have Eun-Jung. Let’s break away from the popular consensus immediately. This woman was not the forgiving, thoughtful, and indulgent angel people have been making her out to be. Throughout the show, and i mean the entirety of it, I’ve witnessed time and time again how truly vindictive and selfish Eun-Jung was, and just how hard she was trying to hide it.

Ask yourselves, when has Eun-Jung ever attempted to look at things from her friend’s point of view? Up until the last what, 2 episodes? She has done nothing but deflect and deviate away from issues that needed resolving to her own, until it was too late. I won’t spoil for the sake of proving my point, but the proof’s all there, in every flick of an episode. I thought i was losing my mind from reading every review on the characters, has my media literacy gone to shit with my time away?

Spoiler, nope. Let me instead shit on Eun-Jung a bit more. Let’s discuss her main flaw, she’s soft boiled. Any longer you keep her in, she loses herself. Ever since she was a kid, she puts up a welcoming facade to mask her insecurity. One of the pivotal moments in the story, causing just about everything later to go to shit, happened in the sheer blink of a phone flash.

Okay, i do need to spoil a bit here, just this once. You’re telling me, all it takes is some crappy ass movie to completely shut off the outside world that’s reaching for you, knowing full well what it meant? Sang-Yeon isn’t the type to call her or really anyone else for just anything. In fact I’m sure it has always been something eating away at her that she can’t go on without reaching for one of the only people she’s positive she can rely on.

Not only has she made that grave mistake, what does she do after? Oh, spoilers still by the way. WHAT DOES SHE DO AFTER ?? Plays dumb. Yeah, that’s right. She plays the blind fool. She suddenly pretends she can’t recall when was the last time Sang-Yeon reached out to her at that point in life, before cutting ties and parting ways without any notice. And not only that, she goes on to attempt shifting the blame on Sang-Yeon for not attempting to call her multiple times, knowing that it literally couldn’t have made any difference.

Anytime she’s read like a book, she becomes unreadable. Anytime her shell cracks, she hardens. Anytime she’s needed most, she looks at how it benefits her. This isn’t me hating the character, I don’t think anyone can be so passionate of a character you downright despised. I’m just shocked at how many people fell for these acts as well. We all know full well who was the problem child throughout this, but to not reflect on where Eun-Jung went wrong, at all? I could talk about her all day. Let’s shift the blame now to our favorite problem child.


Sang-Yeon, where do we even begin? For someone that wears her heart on her sleeves, for someone that we constantly think can’t go any lower with those she holds dearest , she sure knows how to write up a new page and find a new low at any time she desires.

Ladies and gents, the egg shell. This is who everyone has to walk around carefully. This is who’s always ready to crack if it means getting closer to what she wants. This, is the one shell piece that broke off into the yolk, surrounded by uncertainty of her wellbeing. The feeling of loneliness, desperately grasping for someone to pull her out of it. But not just anyone, of course. No, that would be too simplistic, and she’s far from that.

Sang-Yeon manipulates whoever she pleases, to be pleased. There’s not many things in their world that can, and it’s not everyone, that she can. Another deviation from the popular consensus. Sang-Yeon could not manipulate Eun-Jung. Recall back to what i said, Eun-Jung was not the gullible indulgent person you may think she was. Eun-Jung herself has openly narrated multiple instances of Sang-Yeon playing tricks on her. She has caught on to her every time. But you see, Eun-Jung decides to play back when she can come out the winner. Nope, no more spoilers, this whole proof’s in the pudding shtick isn’t my style, go back and pay more attention.

The thing is, they read each other, because they know each other too well. Sang-Yeon knows the front Eun-Jung puts on, and how she reacts when confronted on it. Yup, that was no slip up on the character, she was dead on the marker. Eun-Jung always know when somethings up with her as well, but can never muster up enough courage to tackle those issues head on, and decides to wait for her to come around, every time. Even when it’s invasive of her own life, she waits.

Eun-Jung never takes a step too far from her comfort zone with Sang-Yeon. She knows just how much she’s hurting, just about how much she’s not telling her most of the time, just how uncomfortable she is around her. And why’s that ? Oh, because when Sang-Yeon cracks into her shell, our little egg is revealed. The egg reflects light, but it bares none as Sang-Yeon glances away with regret, knowing it’s a reflection of no one other than herself. What it took to get to that point, swallowed in darkness. What a weird mirror.

Sang-Yeon can only manipulate as far as Eun-Jung allows her, but she knows just how much. But if i were to say that manipulation wasn’t ever the intention, would i seem illogical? She uses it as an excuse. Each and every time, she gets something off her chest that has been holding a heavy burden on her . Things that only became news to Eun-Jung due to ignorance, and the wall Sang-Yeon keeps between them. It’s her way of letting down her wall, something she rarely has the chance to do, with the few she’s willing to do it with.

I don’t think they hate each other. I’m more inclined to believe they hate who they become around one another. Match made in heaven, right? What an incredible yet emotionally exhausting dynamic here. Outstanding performances from them both. There’s so much left open to the audience to pick apart and interpret on their own based on these two. Huh? Everyone else? No, it’s called You & Everything else, keep up.

Well, it’s been at least two hours since i started writing this, who’s counting really? Its my favorite pass time. Let’s sum up everything else.

Cinematography throughout the show is decent. I admit it left a lot more to be desired at times, then the last two episodes happened… Touché.

The soundtrack is a heavy weight of its own. Trickling down your spine in the tense moments, calming your nerves in the warmer ones, very few of, but worth its rarity.

The shortcomings? What hasn’t been touched on again ? Oh, everyone else. The supporting cast is there to step on eggshells, nothing more. You’ll see what I mean at the very beginning, it does not change from that at all. The one other good use they had, died off early on. Fortunately the show hardly relies on any other character. Disappointing utilization nonetheless.

You & Everything Else has become a new favorite of mine. One that I can’t see myself rewatching unless it’s to experience someone else’s takeaway from it. Hell, I’m craving that already. I recommend anyone who isn’t against heavier subjects to give this one the time needed to immerse in these two delightfully delicate stories with very touching and rarely touched subjects.

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A half baked story forgiven by masterful scriptwriting and compelling performances.

Let’s start my thoughts off with the elephant in the room, comparisons. MLN is brought to us by the same screenwriter of the heavily praised My Mister. Introducing newcomers to its signature realistic,gritty,and deep tones that many like me were overcome with nostalgia from their previous work. I am part of the minority that wasn’t as fond of My Mister as the rest, and MLN, in my opinion, succeeded in a few areas i felt were poorly handled before, with a much more surreally mute tone I fell in love with immediately.

My Liberation Notes has alot to say, ALOT. It also manages to keep many moments where exchanges or unnecessary dialogue isn’t needed, empty. This was my first encounter with this bold style of narration, nothing has to be said for the characters and the viewer to get what’s happening. You’re thrown in the middle of awkward silence, that’s only awkward because 99% of dramas does not attempt to speak with only expressions and atmosphere. Some will not be fond of this style the writer took on, as this aspect is also a very different feel from their previous work, leaving most jumbled at first.

The direction in this series is with no surprise, top notch. With a very beautiful Ost perfectly mixed in to fill silent scenes and defining moments, which may be quite distractive at times from being..too good? Hell you might even pause the series every now and then to immediately search up the soundtrack and/or spend more time replaying a scene than it takes to complete the episode. Stunning cinematography with a much brighter touch that makes it very refreshing compared to the dark, depressing story being told.

Now with, in my opinion, the strongest(and perhaps weakest?) aspect of this drama, the characters. The main cast has come to express every bit of talent they have in this one. You’re endlessly shocked at how natural these performances are, how drawn you are to them, how much you feel as if you can literally meet these exact characters in your day by day encounters, which in terms of relatability, you can. In terms of the main cast everyone takes an equal hand in making this series as great as it is, nobody drowning the other out, no one noticeably under performing, no thunder stolen here. You have to acknowledge and thank Lee Min Ki, Kim Ji Won, Lee El, and Son Seok Koo for easily one if not their best roles yet.


Now... the weakest aspect of this drama, as this series isn’t without its flaws. I will just put all my nitpicks under one classification that i found MLN severely lacked in at times, believability. Hear me out, as this drama is one of the most realistically written series you'll come across, but there are some mishaps. To list a few:
~Toleration from the supporting cast when unnecessarily deep realizations comes to the fore front from the leads, leaving you confused as to why they’re not questioning where it’s coming from, and why at times their dialogue is only used to set up the leads for these realizations of themselves, unnatural topics being brought up in natural situations.
~Some supporting characters don’t progress unless the main storyline calls for another push.With sudden abruptions of “I have a sob story as well!”, “Well here’s my long awaited confession”, “ Here’s something personal I shouldn’t even know let alone address and belittle you for.. any realizations yet?”

~Gu’s background starting out as a well handled secret leaving all of us curious and guessing, slowly leaking out little by little. Suddenly it erupts at an abnormal pace with abnormal characters making actions that most of the time felt forced, because you’re not given the same amount of time with these new chracters, you’re not given enough explanations to justify the things they’re doing(or haven’t done). You’re expected to accept weirdly paced occurrences in an already established slow and steady paced story in general.

Nonetheless, My Liberation Notes was a powerfully written story, though too deep for some. A work of art worth all acknowledgment and praise it gets. A new personal favorite of mine that fulfilled much emptiness i was left with My Mister. A memorable journey of this fantastic cast seeking liberation. I applaud, i cry, i await the next story to be told.

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Plot armor? Do they come in grey?

Somewhat short thoughts, not much i want to touch on besides the fact this is the most underrated drama I’ve been blessed coming across. From months of collecting dust on my watch list to weeks of stalling episodes as I didn’t want this series to end... sigh, to be fair the covers do not do this drama the justice it deserves in grabbing attention.

An extremely well written and compact story delivered at an explosive like pace. Characters so interesting and unique from one another you’re bound to find yourself rooting for the wrong sides every now and then. Strong and morally grey characterization making almost every death worth mentioning, farewell, betrayal, and new alliances a very impactful watch.

Now beware and/or also take a breath of relief, this drama loves it’s plot armor, and it doesn’t discriminate, while also showing its capability of finishing what was started. Have a specific favorite ally or foe? 9/10 you’ll be fully satisfied with whatever fate they come to, rather it’s before they meet their end, a grand return, an epic shootout saving an ally, bullet sponges, bombing party, survival of the written, you name it.

Different Dreams is a rich historically filled work of art. A series that makes the absolute most out of it’s comparatively small budget to popular hit dramas like Mr.Sunshine. A very dark and gritty tone wrapped around immersive struggles for independence, power, and peace. A must try for any historical fanatics out there. A memorable journey and new personal favorite worth much more acknowledgement and praise.

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Needle In A Haystack of Mediocrity

Luckily for me this was the first republican era Cdrama I tried, as well as the first cdrama i was able to complete. Underrated isn’t enough to truly praise this drama.

You’re thrown back into an extremely detailed, gritty, yet beautiful time period world design that amazes you the more time you invest in its little details around every corner, posters, costumes,buildings, offices, you name it. The production quality is in short, next level.

Along with it’s stunning production you’re also given a great cast with a compelling story and scripts that brings these characters to life in full. You’re not thrown out of immersion for even a second. The realistic style of pacing this drama decided to take in terms of each character connection to one another is the bread and butter. You can’t help but to acknowledge and praise this show for not tossing everybody together in the first episode or 2 like 99% dramas does. The interactions are believable along with the reunions.

The writing is airtight, meaning little to no room for improvement. The development of the ML is truly a high quality sight one can only behold in very few series to date. The strong characteristics of each lead and supporting roles constantly reminds you that you are to recognize these characters as real seperate individuals in a story, not single layered background tools for progressing the plot. If one goes over a plan to later put into action, it’s up to their level of competence of pulling it off or failing. If one gets into a tough predicament, it’s up to how their own thinking works that could rather get them out of it or even deeper in. Something many dramas don’t bother putting the effort into.

After stumbling across this work of art, I’ve yet to find any drama in its genre close to this level of overall quality. Everything it provides, it executes profoundly. If the hundreds of republican era and espionage dramas were to be thrown at each other in countless comparisons and contrasts. This series stands among the top easily. A soon to be classic that’ll be appreciated more down the line when receiving more recognition.

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When a masterpiece meets a cliff..

To start off my takes on this series let’s just all come together and agree on the one undeniable strength of this drama, the tone.

This drama is best to be labeled as “Spicy”. Easily one of the strongest characterizations I’ve seen yet. The leads being my favorite duo to hit the screen. The back and forth, tease-like bond, mature yet suspenseful tension between one another doesn’t give enough justice to them.

The support characters is nothing to scoff at either, with great humanized actions and reactions with fierce pacing that will have you on the edge of your seat. Almost everyone has their own goals, ambition, and reasoning behind their actions, which btw, are mirrored to their own personalities.

The story is mix of some well known series alot of us seen already, but it takes these premises and themes and executes it with its own personality with perfection, UNTIL, it doesn’t..

Well, well, well. If it isn’t my arch nemesis seen in 95% lengthy cdramas, the falling action. Let’s admit it to ourselves that the quality of this series’ writing has drastically fallen after it’s 50 episode mark. You’re tackled with so many inconveniences yet in VERY convenient timing, inconsistencies in almost every character worth mentioning, plot devices for the sake of forced narrative direction, and to top all of those off, underused/simplified and characters so bland or cheap that it’s borderline impossible to sympathize or understand their drive towards their actions.

To say this drama isn’t worth the watch simply because of the last few arcs would be a lie. Create a plot diagram of the Introduction, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. Now replace the words leading up to the climax with Episodes 1-50. Then episodes 51-70 with down to the Resolution. That best explains the quality of this drama. A phenomenal build up that meets the peak of the mountain, only to take it’s own life with a slow, unfortunate downfall.

The first Periodic Cdrama I’ve managed to finish and thoroughly enjoy for the most part. Like many, I’m grateful for the unforgettable journey.

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A Big Catch

I concede. I let this one sit with me for a bit after finishing. Only by doing that, have I gotten over my fascination with the many strengths of this drama and can outline the blatant flaws. I was completely prepared to tear most comments and reviews here limb from limb. But I’ve come around to a conclusion as to how a drama as mildly popular as this one at the time got so much flack.

The Midnight Romance in Hagwon is misunderstood for the most part. The problems this drama has doesn’t fall into quality, but quantity.

Romance

The director doesn’t shy away from their infamous odd-one-out style with character dynamics. You can tell when viewers aren’t familiar with this style of direction, this drama is flooded with romance, but what defines that exactly?

We have countless instances. It started with mere moments of an old tutor frantically power walking around, looking to confirm the rumors of her favorite student years back returning, wanting to become a teacher at their academy. From the very beginning, romance was in the air. But ofc, that’s just the beginning.

Romance in Hagwon is exactly that, and it doesn’t ever shy away from it in the slightest. If the scale were to tip on one of these aspects more, it would certainly be romance. Idk what others are used to with romance, but I’m all for the silent, warm moments in the office after hours. The late nights at home where check in texts turn to hours of flirtatious rambling, blushing away to wee hours in the morning.

I mean, how can we sit through a man running up n down a neighborhood , multiple times, just to get back to her apartment, and not acknowledge the effort? How can we watch a woman slowly open herself up to the possibility of a relationship at her friend’s place, buzzed up, and not sense the sincerity? How can we see this man rush to her aid, immediately after her closest friend’s relaying the big confession, take her home, and fight every temptation to even stay in the same room as her while she’s under the influence, and not commend his respect for their relationship?

The drama is riddled with endless moments like these, but for whatever reason, the vocal minority here would swear it lacks romance. That if that’s what you’re looking for out of watching, to not bother wasting your time. The romance here can be as subtle as it is most of the time blatant. If you failed to see that, respectfully, you don’t have a clue of what romance consists of.

The problems I had with the drama in this aspect were minimal. Yeah, the ending wasn’t as grand as it could have been, and there were several moments where I found myself figuratively sitting next to the ML’s cubicle going “Are you like, on the clock or? You have some lessons to plan for tomorrow, no?” as he’s one shut eye away from a wet dream. They could have shown us more work processes from his side, especially with how passionate he was about how he wanted to teach students, but this leads to..

Hagwon

Ah, academics. I’m one of the last people you’d want exploring this topic , I shower in ignorance after a long day. Let’s simplify and make it brief.

2/4: Ethics is the main conflict of the drama, in case you’re unaware. What does teaching students mean to private academies where the numbers in the results are dire for success? My favorite moments of the drama was when the our two lovebirds at the office suddenly came to one another’s intention with their curriculums.

One wants to teach students the very essence of the subject that’ll help them generally improve with the basics to better understand anything advanced they’ll take on in the future. The other has been putting the effort in all for the results in what the parents and presumably the students have came for , aiming ultimately for more financial success in the business and continuously moving up in position and recognition. This is where their personal relations were put to the side, and the tension rose.

1/2. This is basically where every conflict with the notable characters in the drama stems from, minus the uh, sexual tension at times. I’ve decided this drama would have been way better off in this aspect, had it been a cdrama. There simply wasn’t enough time to explore every relation, conflict, systems, and outside influence the show introduced. Just about every aspect they took on was wrapped up in an unsatisfying manner. While these sub genres were in well hands , they were suddenly dropped. I think the main antagonist, was dropped on her head as well. The most potential resided with her character’s standards, professionalism, and pride. You would expect a big bang from a character set up with as much tension and pent up frustration as hers, but it never gets there. Instead, we get last minute gaslighting and cat fights.

That basically sums up everything else the drama had going for it. Superbly built up, subpar payoffs. The cinematography is as decent as decent gets, and the music throughout puts OSN and SiTR to shame. At least with those tired tracks, they were catchy. The ones here are embarrassing, to say the least.

The Midnight Romance in Hagwon is a severely underrated drama challenging morals and ethics in the world of academics, that doesn’t shy away from a very heartwarming, raw and mature portrayal of office romance . One of the better slow burns out there for sure. After calming down from reading some other reviews and comments, and giving the drama some time to sit, I got over my surprise with the highs of a drama rated this comparatively low, as the lows became a bit more clear. While yes, this drama has no business being where it’s at in rating in comparison to the average slop at the top, I do see where the criticism comes from, and why a drama paced and directed like this wouldn’t fit for many in drama land. Regardless, if slow burns are your thing, you’d be doing yourself a huge disservice in not trying this one out. A drama like this is one I’ll toss out there in the feed river flow sometime and reel in those with taste catered to mine. Whoever doesn’t get hooked are meant to stay in the current.

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The Hare & The Tortoise

A bit rusty, let’s go light here. I’ve been healed by this drama. Healed from frantic Adhd drops and pick ups. Healed from 1-2 episodes every other week. Not healed, from the disappointment we all know far too well with these dramas. Usually hitting us about half way through. But no, this drama in particular found its way to rob you of your enjoyment in a mere segue from one story to the other.

The Hare

Despite an amateurish beginning in terms of performances, this is what started the incredibly strong and relatable premise that took hold of me to end up binging the entire series in 2 days. We’re introduced to Ruo Hua and her seemingly competent yet clearly depressed younger brother. I’ll keep this blunt so I don’t go off ranting more than my attention span and grammar can keep up with. There’s nothing impressive nor noteworthy here besides the rare topic of toxicity and mental manipulation their mother lays out and keeps her foot on for the entirety of the story.

A flashy production flex. While this side of the story presented a quite unique direction towards a very typical subject, there’s little to no substance behind everything we’re being taken along to witness. Constant traveling back and forth between school and pampering. Relentless amounts of job hunting, exams, and home migrating. There was so much “progress” to take in at face value, but provided little to at times absolutely nothing behind it nor what came after. We’re never taken through a single day at the office, a single class or study session of Ruo Hua’s days in college, a single minute of job hunting. It’s directionless behind several fluffy relationship arcs and depression sequences, not a single time have i felt an ounce of character development here, for anyone. Ruo Hua remained the same dull character that has no idea what she wants to do in life, while at the same time somehow managing to do just about everything that’s put in front of her. Rapid pacing without ever hitting a single finish line in any of its aspects.


The Tortoise

Slow, defined steps. Meaningful dialogue. Top class performances. Set goals, realistic obstacles. This, is where you put your bets on. This is what you’ve come to watch. Half of my time i considered a complete waste with utter confusion as to why i kept consuming, this other half reminded me again and again why I couldn’t put it down.

I could rave about this half twice as much as i can rant on the half assed.. other half. But I won’t. This run alone gets my stamp of approval to go in completely blind to see why this is by far my favorite drama that failed as whole of what it had set out to do. And why it can be much more forgiving because of that for anyone else.


Overall

I’ve come to accept the realization of scenes that were cut out and/or adapted differently that resulted in the many faults of this drama’s pacing. But they don’t excuse the god awful decision making and quality of the changes itself.

But what I’d want of anyone looking to give it a watch, forget all of these faults. Make friends of the fast forward button if need be. Just let your time and attention be swooned away by the peak of this drama. Ruo Hua clearly wasn’t the favorite child nor story here.

Give in, to An Xin’s enchanting performance. Cheer on Xiu Fang through every beautiful, struggling step of the way. A hidden gem.

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A Fart Ever So Serene

Hello there random reader , do you cook? Ever felt the warmth of food bringing peace to your loved ones? Dwindled memories brought back anew from nostalgic dishes? Experienced joy through the smiles of others around you indulging in a particular cuisine you went through trials and errors to put together? Looking to experience any of this? Set the table, have a seat.

This is the after taste of a beautiful drama delivering heartfelt performances and subliminal messages behind wonderfully executed cooking scenes and frantic trips to the supermarket. I must say i have my own background in cooking and finding peace of my own through it , so my perspective comes from excessive relatability that calls for reduction.

Recipe for Farewell is this seemingly tasteless story seasoned and cooked thoroughly the longer you allow it to process. It’s not an immediate grab of attention and/or immersion if you can’t relate to any of the things that are happening and being narrated with relatability of emotions as the target. Still, anyone can find themselves slowly drawn to this relatively short piece through the profound subtle tones and overbearing warmth of family and loved ones coming together, a reminiscent of both trying times and memories at their happiest.

May i say the narration here is one of this drama’s strongest aspects, which is a rare thing to acknowledge as praise. Han Seok Kyu’s voice delivers a smooth texture that marinates everything happening before our eyes and thoughts beyond them as you let it settle. The transitions from Chang Wook’s perspective to Da Jung’s is like a handoff from the chef by the recommendation of the server. Usually this style annoys me because it tends to rather not hold consistency or just break apart immediately from inept handling, fortunately these veterans know what they’re doing here.

This shortish drama has everything one can ask from it’s premise. Muted backgrounds when needed to raise the heat on emotions. Appetizers and desserts complimenting the main course of the story, none taking spotlight away or diminishing the experience. Decent soundtrack to admire every now and then, specifically the outro of every episode hovering me away from the play next button til the very end of each. I’m somewhat of a foodie(damn that’s corny now that i say it) myself so I really appreciated being brought through every step of every dish in every episode. I’m quite guilty of the food blogging myself in the past and now reminded how much i enjoyed my own trials and errors in new food and the stories behind them, i figure it’s about time i dabble back into it.

Done setting? I could go on and on with the sentimental and fuzzy shit here, or , and hear me out on this one. You could give these remarkable servings of memories and lasting farewells a taste yourself. This isn’t the typical fuzzy drama with cheesy attempts at comedic punches people are used to so it flew somewhat under the radar, just be sure to give compliments to the chef on our behalf and leave a review expressing the taste this left you with personally. Now, I believe i have a few recipes and pots to absolutely tarnish myself. If you’ll excuse me .

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