Just enough to keep you entertained

They chose a premise. Second chance at life. They stuck to it through and through, bringing only what logic was important to them to stay true to the premise, and leaving aside all other unnecessary complications. I appreciate that.

It also seems to connect with those slightly older kdrama trends, which delivered all-in-one without messing it all up. Sure, we can't stand serial killers showing up in romantic comedies all the time, but that's only when it seems to come out of force of habit style of writing with no clear sense of why. This show is like a once more, a bit of a salute to that classic style. There is a good romance (the twist with recent dramas is unlike older ones where ML is a classic bully, the newer MLs are walking green flags), there is some comedy, there is some thriller type plot that gets heavier in the latter half, there is some makjang and the main revenge that is the elaborated version of the title itself.

There are some real satisfactory moments in this drawn out revenge plan. My personal favourite occurs right at the middle. Now, I quite like the show for keeping me engaged enough for all these weeks. Minor happy moments yes, but a major game-changer? No. Still, the real stroke of genius seemed to be the cast for me. Whoever did that has my thanks. The cast lifted this show's entertainment value to one more level for me. Lee Yi Kyung as Park Min Hwan and the actress who played Jeong Su-Min did a great job! Na In Woo, tbh, did not immediately have me in his clutches, but by the end, I had to remind myself he is a fictional character who I should not mistake for reality, no matter how I might wish for him to be mine. That's how dedicated an ML he is.

Kang Ji Won - I realized only as I finished the last episode, how much I've enjoyed seeing her grow into this new person so different from her sorry first life personality. I also enjoyed seeing the changes in Yu Ji Hyuk. Eun Ho, had so little screen time, I want to see him in some other show soooon. Hui Yeon was soo good, really earned her screen time in the first half but the latter eps seemed to be too serious to allow this bright ball of sunshine more time & of course Yang Ju Ran and Lee Suk Joon, all very nice side characters. There were more side characters that fell in the annoying line. Some were excellently annoying some were not so excellent, only annoying.

Overall - I give this an 8.5/10

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Justice that is extremely rational

There are largely 2 main points addressed in the story.
1) What happens if someone creates a fast lane for all the public to deliver justice as they see fit?
2) What happened 8 years ago and how is it relevant to everyone involved?

Now whether what happened or happens is right or wrong, that's up to the viewers. They just tell you both stories. I'd say it's a well done show. From the practical case & investigation part, it's as good as any decent thriller out there. Nothing more though and nothing less either. As for the concept itself, it's a part vigilante / part revenge style story. But this wasn't an all-about-oppa show and with more people on different sides falling under the limelight, it's kinda hard to pick sides.
I have a strong bias for Park Hae Jin and one of the things many of his roles have in common is they give me a hard time seeing things as black and white. Everyone's performance and acting was good, Park Sung Woong, Kim Kwon, Im Ji Yeon (if she irritated me at times, I'd look at her outfits instead, they were good) and all the supporting actors as well, and so I was swayed this way and that and most importantly had a good interesting time watching this show. Certainly had its set of plot twists, big reveals, decoy plot lines and such. Beware of the last fake out is all I'll say.

Post that, the last scenes are setting up for a follow up story but that is none of our business until it's officially announced. This season reached its own conclusion. So can be watched for now.

Overall, 9/10 from me.

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Jang Hyun and Gil Chae - that's who you need to know

This review comes with spoilers - the spoilers are in the second half of this post and I shall mark it in bold letters so you can stop reading at that point if you don't want to be spoiled.

Referring to just part 2, this was literally actually theoretically a not so enjoyable rollercoaster ride. But theory cannot compete with Nam Goong Min and Ahn Eun Jin's acting so it was still very much enjoyable. Perfect man and perfect woman who are perfectly interesting both by themselves and together do not need the best chemistry to make their collaboration a success. That is my conclusion after seeing Jang Hyun and Gil Chae portrayals. They are gems ❤️ who will last a long time.

Pros:
CANNOT emphasize on the whole amazingness of this production enough. It surpassed everything in this show and even many other shows. They've left every other part of this show to play catch up to them, and when it almost seemed like some parts did, it left everything and everyone (except one aspect) in the dust and won the race. That one aspect, the only thing that was at least able to keep relative pace with (behind) the production was NGM & AEJ's acting. It was golden. These people can act. Coupled with those melting OSTs, this duo is pretty much unstoppable.
Coming to another important thing, the story. Despite the tumbles the writing took, the story and context (special praise and mention here - to how well they showed the difficulties of the commoners during a trying period) and plot - felt new, interesting, engaging and thought-provoking and in many places, the characters themselves were swoon-worthy. Forgetting all the flaws for a second, I think this deserves much appreciation.
However the side characters ended up, I cannot deny how I loved so many of them. I enjoyed Gu Jam, Jong Jong, Young Rang, Crown Prince & Princess and even the stupid Yong Gol Dae.
Best was the main couple of course. The characters held so much power and stood on their own so well and together, the pleasure they could give us was always double. So ya, all of that makes this drama a really good watch.

SPOILERS:::::

Cons:
Man, for an ending episode, that I was satisfied with in many ways, especially after the let down of the previous eps, it still left many things to be desired :( I was right, that they did seem to have had some of the ending planned before so it was not a complete mess, but it was still messy. Especially when it comes to Ryang Eum & Eun Ae. Ryang Eum - mainly cause of the ending - totally left him and us hanging there after all the build up in the first scene with the letter and finding the truth and if JH is coming back and all that stuff. Eun Ae - her role in part 1 was genuinely good. I cannot describe it properly but that's clearly how it was and how it felt. And in part 2, it all felt just lacking when it came to her - SO - the downward transition of this role and the character's importance feels like poor planning. As for Yeon Jun, it's a bit confusing - BUT - to me, the show has taken a confusing stand point forever when it comes to Yeon Jun. From part 1 till now, it's like they are unable to make up their minds which part of his personality they want to emphasize on and they're presenting all they can think of for him as it is. To me, that at least seems consistent even though it's a bit frustrating because if I want to call him names, I don't want to have doubts about it. I don't know if that was intended, but I doubt it. Possibly many other ifs and buts and uncrossed t's and undotted i's.

Overall, decided to stay consistent to my part 1 rating of 9 / 10.

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Incessant war holds little to no benefits for the common man

Li Changge, a princess well-versed in martial arts, escapes out of the palace with a vow to return for revenge. She encounters a hundred different difficulties that test her abilities, her relationships, her trust and most of all, her purpose.

Star-crossed lovers, intelligent, power couple at that with a proper thread of good, interesting plots that wrapped well on the whole and plenty of visually appealing landscapes, awesome cast and acting, and many side couples as a cherry on top - this is a brilliant production. Almost miraculous that something like this was delivered. I didn't find it perfect however. They gave everything they could possibly though - so I guess I'm being a little greedy lmaoo.

Leads - I really appreciate them as characters. I can't say all their actions were without fault, but definitely all their motives, reasoning, and purpose were commendable which made it worth watching. Their romance was okish, not bad but um.. like I said greedy me. But their action was so so good. Both actors have really delivered their very dynamic roles so nicely from start to finish.

After everything, what captured the romance department was a princess and bodyguard couple haha. To be fair, Hao Du & Leyan were excellent so they deserve the credit.

Plot - Each arc was different - in the sense some were better than others. My favourite would be the events in Louyang (I liked it a lot :)), followed by Shuzhou maybe.

MINOR SPOILERS:

While main thread held, there just seemed to be some things that I couldn't not be a little disappointed by or things that were unconvincing. In some instances, FL's abilities working so well, allowing her to move around anywhere & everywhere, escape anything, pretty much a Houdini, only she didn't even have to implement any great tricks to do it every time. Especially when she was a prisoner in Ashile. I wasn't convinced by the ML much in that one either. Not to mention, their romance which was unclear in some places and the way it sometimes influenced the leads but sometimes didn't. Yicheng giving Mimi chances over and over again after getting betrayed every time, seemed to be a classic villain weakness given to smooth things over for later. Like I'm glad about in the good vs evil perspective, but in a critical writing and story wise, not so convincing. And I guess, small things like that here and there.

Overall - 8.5/10

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This is a tragedy

Disguised as revenge against bullying, this is a tragedy in full form. This review is coming to you with teary eyes that mourn what is lost, but also a satisfaction of having watched a really good drama. Excellent storytelling. This is how to weave in a flashback story. A screenplay that reveals a layer in every episode, acting that does justice to the story.
I started out thinking I was in a dark mood but I actually realized maybe I wasn't, half way through ep 1 or 2, but the story was too interesting and I was just boiling with anger, eager to see retribution at the world. Before I knew it, the anger turned to sadness and by the end, it was a mixture of both. Some knots cannot be undone. They will remain knots forever. That is the price to be paid.

Giving it a 10/10 as it was well-executed in my opinion.

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Do you hear the sound of flowers blooming?

Have you been longing for a really good sageuk with angst and love and pain that comes with turmoils of the controversies from that period? This drama maybe for you.
But do not look for that idealistic scholar or prince, who is confined by his title and responsibility and learns to wield his power to protect his lover, the gentlest soul who is kind and strong in her principles, the perfect lady to the perfect gentleman and the kingdom can only flourish with them striving forth to solve the country's problems.

This drama offers sageuk tropes, delivers angst and pain and love in beautiful waves but at the same time calls to attention the most endearing parts of the story as the ones where the leads are helpless, their actions imperfect, the kingdom in shambles. There is pre-war, war and post-war and there is no hidden helping hand in the form of a wise all-knowing mentor or a world-class assassin in disguise or a charming male or female with the hidden identity of king or princess coming to everyone's rescue. This is every man for himself. But love develops in unideal conditions too - between a girl with a reputation as "a fox with ninety-nine tails" and a man who is in the business of trade, with low morals and even lower patriotism and who vows to never be tied down to a woman.

The production is impeccable - the historical costumes never more looked more colorful and pretty, the war scenes so beautifully raw, the landscapes - so cruelly breathtaking despite the turbulent story of the leads. A must-watch in terms of visuals.

The acting is off the charts. Nam Goong Min has exceeded expectations in a role in which I could never have pictured him before. Ahn Eun Jin as Gil Chae captures hearts like it's all hers for the taking, plays with it and stomps it or breathes life back into it - all per her whim and you cannot deny her this power. The major supporting roles are well thought out and given consistency but like the leads, also given evolving personalities.

I don't think its flawless though but much enjoyable nonetheless, so overall - I give it a 9/10

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Do not watch it in iQiyi

iQiyi has edited out half the important stuff, so make sure to watch it somewhere else. But even with the back and forth I suffered because of that, it was clear that this was a good drama.
The final arc is my favourite. And throughout the show, the way the leads figure out every step is very interesting. And the revelations just kept coming at one point during the finale. As befitting a drama dealing with psychological stuff.
But you have to know - this drama cannot be watched lightly. They take the meaning of crime thriller to different level. And by that I mean, the crimes are so creepy, cruel and may cause indigestion - you need to have a strong stomach for it.
Also the first few eps are fast-paced, the next few eps just give you complete depth and feel for it and all of it is just prepping you for the second half in my humble opinion.

Overall, enjoyed this drama a lot - though I had to take a couple weeks break mid-way because my dark mood did not continue for a while. But hey I came back and finished it didn't I?

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If you're here for Woo Do Hwan, he doesn't disappoint

Starts off with a modern case by case outlook in a historical period. The cases and situations are random, interesting, painful with quite satisfactory endings. There's a bigger thread that connects it all though. This becomes clear within first 2 eps, so not that much a spoiler. This thread paves way for some twists, a love triangle and revenge. And the last few eps completely deal with this part instead of the case by case style.
Cons first, not thorough or well covered story for a drama dealing with law and injustice and righteous causes. Gaps within cases and overall thread with how they took certain arcs, also had huge gaps or should I say, they tried so hard to keep things focused on ML who is not technically part of the royal fight, that they completely made it seem like there was only one person with brains in all of the royal court, which is the villain. And some of the build up expectations for certain scenes didn't seem to live up to it. Also, romance.
Pros. Woo Do Hwan is a one man show which is a delight to watch. Whether he's sad, angry, playful, happy or anything really. It's just so nice to watch for some reason. Cast is good. So acting and performance is all good. Dunno anything technical about cinematography but it certainly felt pretty to watch. WDH's relationship with everyone else in the drama is also fun to watch. His best friend, the FL, the SML and the supporting casts. Also his clients.

Overall, drama = 8 + WDH = 8.5

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Kim Woo Bin, Sci-Fi, Entertainment + Bonus performances

I needed Kim Woo Bin's face to have been without a mask more often. Sure, Song Seung Heon is a villain but sometimes I almost rooted for him. Jung Seol Ah, Yoon Sa Wol and so on, great cast and good performances. Well-paced so it wasn't boring at least. Very good stunts. Whatever they started, they finished. So glad about that. What they conveyed was definitely clear enough. However, if they could've fleshed it out more and come up with more content and world building, and still managed to wrap it up well, it would've been epic indeed.

Overall 8.5/10, can watch once for entertainment.

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Quiet and emotional

This is a moody drama. The colour, tone, dialogue, music, it's all melancholic. Especially the silences. All the gaps in between that would typically make me feel so impatient, instead felt heavy and meaningful. Never felt slow to me for a second. Phenomenal acting by the leads, as two people trapped in a harsh, dull, resentful and exhausting reality. But the heartaches become heartfelt moments soon and there's one around every corner, paving a path to healing. A set of support characters given the right amount of focus not too long nor short. Overall it's a bumpy, teary ride but one I thought was worth it for the moments that make you feel light towards the end.

Did not feel like a typical healing drama with motivational messages and laughter and love all the way. But there is still a lot of depth that can impress and reel you and leave you feeling full. A 10/10 for me, but be sure this is what you're looking for when you go in.

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Slow, sweet, sweet revenge done right

It was worth the build up and wait. If part 1, was slow-paced and taking the time to introduce all assholes and to prepare for the world of pain awaiting them. Then part 2 has delivered and then some. The show itself, this time, seemed well-paced. Especially when compared to part 1, as it takes some patience to get through the bullying past. And yet the promised revenge came slow and sure.

This is a pure revenge story, so if that's what you're looking for, no need to look further. And they wrapped up so well with all the characters that there's no frustrating incomplete feeling at all. Yet with a proper set up in case they want to go for a part 3 which I'd be totally down for!

A 9/10 for setting up the right expectations and then meeting all of them.

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Short, warm, friendly & funny

It looks like I'm describing a person but it was similar to meeting this friendly, bubbly & weird character that you want to chat with often to lift your spirits up :)

To be honest, to me, it was more weird than funny, both the characters and the story. But they still quickly piqued my curiosity and it was like I was growing attached to the weirdness which made it all cute and hilarious. Lol, this is sounding less and less like a review. But that should suit this drama which is also a bit bizarre in my opinion.

But ya, zero seriousness but still covering a daily office atmosphere and a rom-com and some sarcastic turns on makjang sprinkled along the way. Definitely worth a watch to put you in a silly mood.

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Definite pros and cons here, decide carefully

Cons:

Absolute useless dialogues are repeated entirely too many times. Especially in the first half. The characters talk themselves into a circle, and the suspicious game of who's the culprit, is not interesting enough, again mainly in the first half. Yeo Jin Goo, I am not a fan, and he has not done much in this drama to turn me into one. If not for some turnaround in his performance during the last few eps, I would be surprised he has a career. But that turnaround did not justify his show-no-expression for majority of the drama. If there's any excuse, I will unbiased on one thing. He is not completely at fault because his dialogues had nothing but parroting and asking, "did you do it?" questions and looking like he's in on a secret mission, when he knows nothing. And bromance? There was only suspicion and animosity and angst at first and that was also boring, I personally did not feel much bromance chemistry due to this, suddenly they start joking about, you worried about me? Then into the second half, while repeating their circle dialogues, they started acting a bit cute about it. Finally the during the last couple of arcs, it turns into real care. Still not convinced on how exactly it came about but yup, it then did feel like they had some real bromance towards the end.

Pros:

Second half also has this game, but definitely felt more natural and the knots get unravelled much better. Shin Ha Kyun has at least an interesting character and does justice through his performance. I was also impressed by the supporting actors and was quite a fan of the villain club here. It might seem like a usual villain trope when everything was revealed, but the characters and their performances definitely kept the suspense and interest alive. And they seemed to act in more sensible (still villainous) ways than the main leads. And the Manyang circle of people did grow on me a LOT despite the first half game. They had some redeemable acting skills and character and performance and it was goof and fun to watch.

Overall, do not go in with high expectations, and if you can keep your interest, be patient, then you might get a good show.

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Light-hearted fun and a breezy romance

Let me lead with the cons.

The drama theme is keeping the story and the characters light. So the characters' general actions and reactions tend to be on the easy-going way of things. But this meets some trouble. Because there is a plot, the story and character do encounter some serious events, for which the way the event gets wrapped up too casually. Some of the hurt that might have been endured seem to be brushed off by a carefree explanation. So now, the light drama, starts to get dry in the middle. Because of some uninteresting serious events that you know won't matter in any plot-altering way. So ya, the episodes do get dry in the middle.

That said, the majority of the drama is such a fun watch. We're on to the pros. Most of the episodes have so much comedy, a natural growing romance. The laid back side of the plot that backs up the comedy is not actually a joke and with light good messages tucked in here and there, overall it definitely has its charm. The FL could not have done a better job, she is just so very likeable as a character and so adorable with her acting and such a riot with her performance that she immediately captures attention. She has good chemistry with the ML. They are a bickering yet healthy couple. All the characters including the leads are just cute and funny and you simply cannot hate even one single person. Even the costumes and cinematography with bright, shiny, yet mostly, light colours give a sunny feeling throughout. All around I just laughed and smiled a lot while watching this. Even the soundtrack in the background seemed so peppy. And there's a song with a mini dance sequence, it's very upbeat and you should definitely not miss out on that at least.

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