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This review may contain spoilers
A true masterpiece
Okay folks, get ready 'cause I'm gonna fangirl really hard about this show for like...the rest of my life. If you're wondering wether to give this a chance or not, my solid advice would be: YES, DO IT! DO IT NOW! JUST DO IT!!!To me, this drama feels like one of those shows that fill you with joy and makes you feel all warm inside. It is definitely something that reminds you of the beauty of life. I'm sure many times we find ourselves going through a rough patch, we get tired of the way things are going in life, or we just have too much on our plate. I mean, just as an example, in addition to our personal ups and downs, we're all going through a pandemic right now!! And it might make us feel like this is too hard, this "thing" called "living" is just not what we were waiting for or we would've liked it if it came with a series of instructions on how to navigate it. However, we all know this is not possible and that we have to go through life figuring out how things work and making the best out of what we have.
For me this show provided that pause I needed in my routine. It was like finding a friend who comes to me and says: 'Hey, it's okay. Stop for a second thinking of all the negative things that are going on in your life or how you don't know what's gonna happen in the future. Stop for just a minute and look at the things that are going well, at all that you've accomplished and at how you have the opportunity to start over each day and try your best to achieve what you want. I understand how you're feeling and it's okay. Things will get better and you're gonna ace it.' What I loved so much about MPUB is that it reminded me that we're all struggling in this uncertain journey called "life." We all have our problems and no one has a guide that says how to do it, we're all figuring it out at our own pace and that is fine. There'll always be good and bad times and that's just how life is. It doesn't end there, there's so much to enjoy and appreciate in life even though we're sometimes stuck in seeing just the negative part.
This show taught me something that I tend to forget many times. What's important is to value the small moments in life, the people we are with and the time we get to spend with our loved ones. Sometimes we just need to look up to realize that everybody else is also struggling and trying their best, that's the moment when we realize that it's not just us, other people are going through the same, other people need our help as much as we need theirs. If I had to decribe MPUB in one word, I'd say it's "healing." I get so many positive vibes from this show, it's like a friend who tells you that no matter what you're going through you'll work it out.
Every episode of this show has a life lesson or take-away (that must be one of the things I find most refreshing and love about this drama) and the one that stuck with me the most is that we all need someone to listen to us, someone with whom to share our struggles, our worries, but also our joys and hopes. We don't expect that person to solve our problems, but we all need someone to be there for us. And of course it's not only receiving, we also have to give. There are many people around us who need us to ask them how they're doing and listen, truly listen to them.
This is what makes MPUB a true jewel in kdramaland, it's not everyday that we come across a show like this. The character development and the relationships between them are so masterfully and beautifully written that they seem real people you can relate to even though this is a fantasy story. (Shout out to that person in the comments who asked if there's a word for shipping a family, 'cause that's exactly what I'm doing. I SHIP THIS FAMILY LIKE FEDEX). The actors did such a wonderful job in portraying the characters that I truly came to care for them (especially our mystic trio, they're now my precious babies that must be protected at all costs). Hats off to each one of them. I only have one teeny-tiny complain about this show. Even though I LOVED the ending, it didn't quite have the same feeling as the other episodes, if you know what I mean. It was a tad rushed in my opinion. I kinda felt I wanted more, more of my mystic trio being together as a family, but nevertheless, it was wonderful. Congratulations to all the people involved in this masterpiece, they really did an outstanding job. They deserve a standing ovation.
Bonus: I'd just like to take some time to talk about Chief Gwi and how much I ADORE this man. I mean, he just went ahead and raised the bar so high up that at this point, everybody else should just give up. I mean, where can I get a man who catches evil spirits for 500 years just so that he can spend 1 year with you helping you without expecting anything in return, without revealing who he is, just wanting to be right by your side, doing his best to help you achieve your goal. I mean, he didn't even try to explain what happened in the past because he felt that what was important wasn't to get himself a second chance but to fulfill his promise of protecting you. A man who literally decided to go to hell for you without expecting you to recognize all his effort and devotion. A man who promised to always find you no matter what and he DID. He did and stayed with Weol-ju, knowing how much she actually resented him but being happy of just being able to be with her. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE ADORING LOOK IN CHOI WON YOUNG'S EYES EVERY TIME HE LOOKS AT WEOL-JU. I NEED THIS KIND OF ROMANCE IN MY LIFE. We didn't even get a single kiss from them but it wasn't needed, I hadn't seen this level of romance in a kdrama in a long time. That hug in ep 12 was everything I never knew I needed.
Bonus 2: Sungjae is a precious baby boy. Too precious for words, too precious for this world. He did an amazing job once again and I'm so proud of him.
In summary, MPUB is now one of my all-time favorite kdramas. It was an amazing journey and I'll definitely be rewatching it more than once. The found family trope is so strong in this one that it's all I ever wished for in a kdrama. We really need more shows like this out there. Once more, congratulations to all the cast and crew for making such a beautiful show.
"Everyone's fate is decided by the heavens, but the heavens is more easily moved than you might think. Little things that you say and do may change your fate. If changing your fate is called a miracle, miracles may be happening every day. The miracle of you being alive, the miracle of having that person next to you, the miracle of being able to have a drink with that person."
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This review may contain spoilers
This show was like an adrenaline-induced roller coaster ride and I must admit that I hate roller coasters 'cause I'm afraid of heights and speed. However, THIS ride was one I truly enjoyed. Right off the bat I was immersed in the story and I kept needing more like a total junkie. Hats off to the amazing screenwriters, director, actors, and the whole crew who was behind this stunning show. Particularly, I gotta say that Lee Joon Hyuk did an outstanding job in his role as detective Ji Hyung Joo. He played the role with such passion and dedication that it was impossible not to empathize with his character and become completely invested in his story and care for him. Detective Ji is such a noble character who’s only trying to do what’s right. He’s definitely one of my favorite kdamaland male leads. He’s my most precious baby who must be protected at all costs. Plus, he’s such a blessing to the eyes of the viewer. There’s a reason why I have him as my profile pic hehehe. He sure is one dashing man. Nam Ji Hyun is a goddess and she also delivered a brilliant performance. I was rooting so hard for both of them to make it safe and sound to the end that I was crying big fat tears with that long-awaited meeting in the last few minutes and that’s how my sister found me crying like a baby in the couch. I’ve come to love and cherish these characters so much that I’m heartbroken to see them go.
The story and especially the pacing of this drama keep you on the edge of your seat and you can never be sure of what’s going to happen next. I think that’s one of the main highlights of the show, in addition, of course, to the characters and their hidden motives and drives for doing what they do and the interactions among them. Lee Shin was such an interesting and complex character in my opinion. Right almost ‘till the very end you’re not really sure of what she’s gonna do. Is she going to help Hyung Joo and Ga Hyun or is she gonna follow the professor? This drama really poses the question of what would you if you were in a situation where you could help save people at the risk of losing someone dear to you. SPOILER. In the end, I’m glad she accepted trusting in the unknown future but for a minute there I was so outraged ‘cause it was as if now that she’d made peace with this decision, she didn’t really care about anyone else or the things she’d done. If only she’d come to this decision earlier, maybe more people could’ve been saved…but now I’m just rambling. I’m still glad she told Hyung Joo about how to go through with the reset.
My only problem was the culprit. SPOILER. I mean, yeah, I get that he went crazy after that car accident because he didn't want anything to stain his recently earned promotion, but still...I didn't get why he started to kill all those other people before he found out about the reset and decided that it was his fate to kill the people on the list that was in Hyung Joo's notebook. So, yeah, that was kinda off-putting for me.
All in all, this was a spectacular drama and I would recommend it to people who enjoy adrenaline-filled mystery shows packed with a good dose of action and even a bit of comic relief here and there and heartwarming scenes. Plus, the chemistry between the leads is muah! *chef’s kiss* I totally need to see them together in a romcom now. I’ll definitely be re-watching this sometime. And once again, congratulations to the whole team who made this beautiful masterpiece possible.
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This review may contain spoilers
A healing experience
Let me just start by saying that I rarely write reviews (I think my last review was for Mystic Pop-up Bar last year lol) but this show, especially the three main characters, have won a very special place in my heart so I couldn't not write my thoughts on AADSIG.I honestly started watching this show without properly reading the summary; I had only knew this was based on a webtoon and after I watched the teasers I decided to give it a shot and boy am I grateful I did.
This has got to be my personal favorite kdrama of 2021 so far (and I'm not sure another show could top it). Don't get me wrong, AADSIG is by no means perfect, but I can't help but love this show with all my heart even though there were some things I wish were changed or added.
What I loved the most about this drama was how realistic it was in showing the struggles common people go through every day. We see different characters, each with their personal story and each one carrying a burden that makes them feel suffocated and like they can't go on. The most beautiful thing for me was to see how all these broken characters came together and with time, patience, understanding, and love they were able to help each other realize they were not alone, that it was okay to rely on others and that even though life is hard, the sun always rises after a storm and people can overcome their difficulties.
I felt I could perfectly relate to these characters and to the struggles they went through. Watching this show was a healing experience for me because through the characters I was able to see parts of myself I don't want to think about many times. Especially with So Bin, I felt deeply connected to her because I'm also an extremely shy person who can't stand being in the spotlight. Particularly I could understand her when she struggled so much to get closer to Yeo Joon and she felt scared that maybe he didn't want her to get closer to him. I'm also an insecure person who many times thinks I'm bothering others (even though I "know" they love me), I find it difficult to get closer because I'm afraid I'm being a nuisance or I'm intruding or overstepping. And the fact that I could see myself in her was one of the reasons why I felt disappointed that the show didn't give So Bin more room to grow, they didn't develop her character in more depth. I wish they'd showed more about her past, more about how she dealt with her insecurities and overcame her anxiety and fears, and more of her and Joon simply being honest and open to each other (particularly him) and helping each other grow and overcome their wounds. Sadly, that's the main reason why I can't give 10 stars to the show.
Nevertheless, the depiction of friendship in this show has got to be the most beautiful I've ever seen in kdrama, especially between the two male leads. And I know there are many people who were hoping this would be a bl but I just need to say I'm glad it wasn't because I think not everything needs to be about romantic relationships (be it same or different sex). In the society I live in, men are raised learning that talking about feelings, being vulnerable in front of someone else and showing you emotions are things they shouldn't do because "these are things that women do", so many men just suppress their feeling and bottle everything up and they have a hard time confiding in their friends about emotional matters, in fact, it is not "well seen" if they do that. So seeing Joon and Soo Hyun listening to each other's problems and supporting each other emotionally just gives me so much happiness because I think that's what friends should do, that's what friendships should be like (and we know that between women this is common, but between men, it isn't). So I was pleased to see such a healthy and positive representation of male friendship, they really went and said f*ck toxic masculinity and I'm LIVING FOR IT.
Finally, the acting of this show was simply BRILLIANT. Props to every single one of the cast members and especially the main trio. This was the second time I watched Bae In Hyuk acting and I completely fell in love with him. This was my first time watching Kang Min Ah and she did amazing, I think she's such an outstanding actress. As for Park Ji Hoon, I had seen only one other project of him but I hadn't realized the depth of his acting talent. This boy CAN act, he's incredible, definitely my favorite this time, I particularly enjoyed the emotion he conveyed during those scenes where we saw his trauma, especially that one scene in which the two bullies get into a fight with Soo Hyun because of the group project and Joon tries to stop them. His performance simply blew my mind. I'll definitely be waiting for these actors' next projects and I'll be rooting for them, there's already a spot reserved for their characters and them in my heart.
Thank you to all the cast, production team, and staff who worked so hard in making this beautiful drama. I'm so grateful I found this show when I really needed it, now when I'm going through a hard time for not being sure of what future holds for me. Thank you to these precious characters for giving me so much comfort and making me feel safe and at peace with myself. Thank you for reminding me that not having all the answers to everything is okay, that I don't need to be in control of everything that happens in life, that it is okay to reach out for help, that I should treasure those who are close to me, and that no matter what, I can overcome whatever challenges and difficulties life throws at me, with the help of those who love and care for me.
I'm uploading this without really proofreading, so I apologize for any possible mistakes I may have made. Thank you for reading this far, and I hope that wherever you are, you never forget how precious and important you are in this world.
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Like the previous season, Kingdom continues to astonish me with its stunning cinematography, the superb acting from both lead and secondary characters (they truly did an outstanding job), the production, editing and sfx, and the writing of the story. Definitely a top tier show.
Even though I have mixed feelings about THAT thing the crown prince does near the end, that ending makes me want to see more, know more. Right now I've got so many questions that need answers!! I'm so looking forward to season 3. I've grown so fond of these characters that I don't know what I'll do while just waiting for thw next season. Might as well just re-watch the entire thing hehe
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So, that's how I picked up Kingdom and I must say...boy am I happy I did it. This show is EPIC. It's the most incredible sageuk I've seen in a long time. I loved EVERYTHING about it. The story, the production, the special effects, the brilliant acting, the cinematography. So, if you're pondering whether to watch this or not, my only advice would be DO IT!! WATCH IT NOW!! IT'S AMAZING!! Seriously, I'm sure you won't regret it. Besides, thankfully season 2 is out already on Netflix so I can binge watch it till dawn *insert evil laugh here*
So yeah, go watch Kingdom now!!
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