In short, Mirror of the Witch's pilot promises all the elements of a good thrilling fantasy. We can only hope that it lives up to this promise.
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Characters:
Male Lead (name still unprovided. We're calling him Not-Healer for the sake of clarity)
1- Not-Healer is a killing machine.
2- Not-Healer is immune to pain and different physical injuries.
3- Not-Healer is not immune to the distress call of the weak and elderly in need.
Female Lead (we did learn her name last scene. Thank you!)
1- Anna has a tragic past and a dysfunctional family, to say the least.
2- Anna lived in oppressive confinement.
3- Anna is frantically desperate.
4- Anna only wears white shapeless gowns and runs around barefoot.
Second Male lead (the Assemblyman: too meh to remember his name)
1- Assemblyman is a sleazy Presidential candidate.
2- Assemblyman is a pawn in his wifey's hands.
Second Female Lead: Madam. Assemblyman
1- Madam Assemblyman is First Lady Wanna-be.
2- Madam Assemblyman is a devious manipulator.
Most interesting scene:
Last scene: Assemblyman vs. the Madam. Coincidentally, the scene that has the most dialogue.
Overall:
The K2's pilot showcased a series of dramatic, yet far from being satisfying, fight scenes injected with matching the dramatic music, in case we failed to realize this is EXTREMELY important.
I sincerely hope that all the juicy stuff will be served in episode 2.
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The episode also presented us our first song. Yes, it took Mirror 7 episodes to play one song. I for one love this. The background music remained truly background all that time, enhancing scenes and creating the dark eerie mood. I especially loved the sound of the bell in the first scenes of episode 7 and last scenes of episode 6.
On the other hand, the Black Witch doesn't need comedy breaks. The relentless Witch still has a lot of tricks down her sleeves. Interesting! I've got to say I love King Seonjo and the Queen too. The show has a knack of painting people's weaknesses under realistic lights. In the usual K-drama fair, the good people are always good, magnanimous, great... The bad characters are filthy-dirty (Like Ok and his mom) and there's no hope for them whatsoever. Mirror paints a wide array of people, all different shades of gray, making King Seonjo and the Queen one of the most real, relatable characters I've seen.
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Another thrilling, eventful episode!
It's actually amazing how much was packed into this episode. The episode was both emotional and thrilling, accentuated by heartfelt performances from YSY and KSR.
There's a certain immediacy that amazes me in the show; it seems like we're running. There's a time-limit and we already know how dangerous the evil we're dealing with here. I'm very happy that production hasn't used flashbacks to tell a character's story till now. Rather, new events explain past situations and character's motivations. It seems like a show that respects the viewer's intelligence.
Important bonds have been created, pivotal characterization moments have been shown, and all hell broke loose. I'm scared to watch episode 4! (And, yeah I've been biting my nails while watching)!
The careful direction and the stunning effects continue to make the show gripping and absolutely beautiful to watch. The atmosphere is delicately created and it's well-balanced between the light and rather heavier moments.
I want more of the Black Witch (yes, that's what I'm calling her). And, with the pace we're going, let's hope we don't run out of events soon!
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The first 20 minutes (which dragged a bit if you ask me) were dedicated to the male lead. Although we get an idea of what kind of person he is, the show sneakily leaves us wondering WHO he actually is and how come he's living this way which makes me hungry for more episodes. Yoon Shi Yoon is brilliant as usual in fleshing his Joon. I was immediately feeling everything Joon did. And (excuse this fangirl but I need to scream) Thank God SHI YOONI OPPA IS BACK TO DRAMALAND!
Kim Sae Ron has never failed to deliver, and despite all controversy, her youth actually adds authenticity and unique energy to her Yeon Hee.
I'm not going to ignore the issue at hand when it comes to the leads though. Mirror of the Witch might not be the smartest drama for casting two leads with 15 years age difference, especially that Kim Sae Ron is practically a child (15 years old MIND YOU). However, I cannot in clear conscious say that the drama has made a bad choice because I love those two together. (No, I'm not a creep! Before you accuse me of every horrible word you can think of, hear me: If I were Kim's parent, I'd be watching her as a hawk as I sharpen my ax on set each day till she films the final scene, and I sincerely hope her parents are doing that!). That being said, I' don't find the age difference off-putting. The two actors have good rapport: There's nothing creepy about them. l trust the drama would be sensible and considerate to its little heroine. After all, Korean Saeguks aren't exactly big on their 'skinship'.
So, after their 'Tangled'-inspired encounter, I can't wait to see how the relation of our lead will develop!
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The only issue I fear with the current setup, however, is the confusion between the ghost/ body host female lead. Right now, our ghostess seem to be the leading lady while Bong is nowhere to be found. I kinda miss her. I hope that the writer has a clear plan to deal with this because having a ghost as the leading lady could be very heartbreaking. Let's not break viewers' hearts, writer-nim, eh?
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Mirror of the Witch Episode 11
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This episode from its beginning to its very end is just a series of shocks. Count on Mirror of the Witch to surprise you!
I think now that we shed new lights over all characters, I can say I don't like any of them (except for the Joon and Yoon Hui). All of them are selfish people who either haven't properly loved anyone in their lives or are in the process of ruining their lives because of their obsessive love. I think my biggest heartache was the Queen. I always knew what she was in reality, but somehow I hoped, against hope really, that she would change! Today, I hated her so much. I don't know if she can ever redeem herself.
Then, there's Poong Yeon. The man's conflict is real, but I can't properly sympathize or be angry with him. (Although I think he's going to make me hate him in the upcoming episodes). There's a big part of me who blames his misery on his stupid insensitive useless father. It is very annoying to have the person who knows everything be so unwise and completely removed from human emotions. I get that he's the only person working for the 'good' but a) his ways are the worst and nothing good ever came out of what he does b) He doesn't seem to truly love anyone but his goal. In that way, he's just like the Witch, the Queen, and King Seon Jo, but I never cut him any slack like I used to do with Queen and King because he knows everything and he's supposed to be the 'father/mentor' figure. Of course, he fails. He was never a father to anyone including his own son. Simply, that guy is like a useless zero. He monopolizes all that knowledge, fails to share it at the right time or to do anything useful with it. I don't want to wait for him to do anything good and redeem himself anymore. I just want him to die sooner than later before he manages to curdle my blood with another grand folly of his.
This episode was very sad, perhaps, the saddest for Yeon Hui. Like her, I felt that she's been surrounded by idiots who kept failing her all of her life. Like Joon felt in episode 4, it seemed like life itself was rejecting the poor child. But then comes Joon, the one person who has ever loved the cursed Princess unconditionally among all those people who just want to use her for some reason!
Damn it, I only see heartache in the future! Let's break no more hearts, show! Can you do that?
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This is definitely the first page of a new chapter. Unfortunately, it's also the show's weakest episode to date.
In the first quarter, everything happened with the speed of light. Spells were cast, darkness was summoned, battles were fought, people won and lost... For the first four episodes, we were going down into a spiral that hit the floor with a loud thud that was episode four.
After which, the reset button was pressed, and in episode 5, the elements of the World of MotW that we came to know in the first quarter of the show were rearranged. The transition was not a smooth one. It's like the whole show hasn't regained its balance after the shock of episode 4. It stumbles all over the place bringing up more questions instead of offering answers, dazing around flashing new characters but hardly introducing them, posing new challenges but not stressing their weights. It was also the episode that had the most visible directorial flaws :S
If I were to describe this episode in one word it would be confusing. Perhaps, shaky too.
Is the show going down the hill, or does it just need some time to regain its balance and rhythm?
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The hospital scene abruptly transitions into Not-Healer's clumsy revenge-epic-fail plan! (I can't help but ask how the hell did he escape Madam Evil's watchdogs?) Luckily but very confusingly, Not-Healer is saved from his own idiocy by Madam Evil who extends a friendly hand. In reality, she just played his worst fears, twisted his arm, and got him under her control. (I ask: What ever happened to Not-Healer's legendary backup e-mail?)
Anyhow, in case revenge-epic-fail didn't make you laugh, the show decided at this moment to become a comedy. Lonely Wolf Not-Healer becomes Madam Evil's newest dog. He decides to shower with Madam's older dogs and play with them. Oh, I almost forgot: he gets yet another alias: K2 (I ask: Will I ever learn the male lead's BIRTH NAME? I believe the writer didn't give him one because he is secretly an alien)
Anyhow, Not-Healer now K2 finds himself monitoring a hungry Anna. You know, Show, for a second you almost got me. The I-guide-you-even-when-you-don't-listen routine was cute, but then the show had another epilepsy and it suddenly transformed itself into a ramen commercial. Because how would love flourish if not for Bathrobe Girls dancing the waltz with ramen in the middle of the night?
On the other side, Madam evil stood strong in her political battles while her dear husband whored around ever so lovingly under her tenderly watching eyes. And, lo and behold everyone she shed tears. It seems there is some shred of a soul deep, deep, down inside that woman somewhere.
Best Scene of the episode: None. Honestly.
In short, it took The K2 four long gratuitous episodes to deliver its premise. Wowz. If this drama had any plot, now would be the time to use it, Writer-nim!
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Episode 4 marks the end of the first quarter of the show, and it came as such a chilling bewildering shock! Never have I seen a drama closing all doors of hope, depriving its viewers of the slightest chance to breathe in one episode, not to mention so early on!
I'm still puzzled! What happened?
If anything, episode 4 echoes 'the darkness' of episode one. Only it's worse; we deal with the aftermath. It's a fair reminder: the game that the characters of Mirror of the Witch play is that of life and death. The stakes are always high, and the slightest slip will come back to haunt you later on. The results are never going to be easy!
The world has an order. Both our heroes happen to mess up that order by their mere existence, and when you mess up the order, you suffer the consequences!
But this isn't just Yeon Hui and Joon's story!
Perhaps, Mirror of the Witch is the story the Black Witch just as much! Again, the Black Witch (Hong Joo) and the Silly Taoist's past (Choi Hyun Soo) is vaguely hinted to. Yet, following the show's storytelling fashion, we're cruelly left to guess about it with no concrete facts!
A quarter of the show has passed and the most interesting character till now is none but our Black Witch Hong Joo. Yun Jung Ah plays her to perfection with chilling stern expressions that succeed to betray her conflicting emotions and her ambition. I think she's my favorite till now.
Silly Taoist, on the other hand, didn't get this nickname for nothing...
After the bump that is episode 4, I literally have no idea where the show will go next or how!
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So it went from Oh Shit, Shit, Shit!! to Nooooooooo. Weeping! Then WTF! LOL! Then I directly moved to NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! You've lost your mind, Show! *Tears*. Then came the moment of 'but, I don't understand'. Later on, it began to make sense again, slowly and steadily but I was still numbed and finally, I smiled and relaxed. few, I almost got a heart disease watching that!
*I'm ready for all the thumbs down which I deserve for this horrible review but at least it's spoiler free, eh? :)*
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My prayers have been answered! Our Yeon Hui finally got her chance under the spotlight, and Man does Kim Sae Ron shine when given the chance to!!! Now show, I'm very happy but this is only the first step on the road of redemption. Distinguishing your female lead from a cactus is a good start, but I want MORE.
Now that I can contain my excitement (can I?), let's move to the real review. The first episode of the second half is a strong one offering a nice mixture of comedy, intensity, and mystery!
On the OTP side we get huge steps forward. Yeon Hui finally gets to express some of the fear and the anxiety that were suffocating her all these years... Yoon Shi Yoon, the amazing actor that he is, seamlessly alternates from Mr. Heartfelt Sympathy to Mr. Foolishly comic giving us the laughs of the episode.
In the palace, My Queen, (yes I'm calling her that from now because I can't love her enough) although still struggling to follow the very advice she gave to King SeonJo before, proves that there's more into her than the Black Witch thinks. The 'little surprise' she and the show gave us wasn't bad either ;) Anything that makes our Witch think twice is good, eh?
In short, a beautiful episode with important choices, strong attitudes, and a nice blend of comedy, lightheartedness, and intensity all culminated with the tension of the final scene. Show, if you maintain this pace and quality till the end (although I have a very bad feeling you're ending with tragedy ever since ep1, actually), I'll go sing your praise from rooftops and declare my everlasting love to you (okay on MDL really, but it's the same thing :P)!
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