Include to your must watch list of Korean historical drama

I finished watching this drama after two consecutive days and truly loved it. I was surprised that it has a modernized touch and the dialogues were not conventional for such a historical drama. Kim Young Dae and Park Ju Hyun were perfect for the roles, the chemistry was something and they looked good together. You will be mesmerized by their facial features every time the camera was up close to their faces. Also, you can't discount the supporting cast because of their hilarious antics. They were so endearing and you will love each of them. This drama was so warmth, fluttering on a different level, and comical at best. I am rooting for Park Ju Hyun's acting, she should have been given more lead roles. I watched her in Zombie Detective and Mouse and her acting there said it all.

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The importance of integrity in branding or rebranding in a business

This drama was aired at an appropriate time. Indeed, we are dealing with concerns of choosing the right products from loads of it in the market at present. As consumers, customers, or clients, we care for the most effective and quality goods within our buying capacity while business owners are mindful of the sales and profits, regardless if they are doing an honest business. In this scenario, it's inevitable for a brand war, and naturally, brand owners would seek the help of either marketing professionals or famed social media influencers. But before that, it's imperative to secure your intellectual property and have it legally registered to the concerned organizations for authentication of ownership. This is where the story of this drama revolves and places the main leads in a situation of soul-swapping, revenge, betrayal, and romantic encounters.

Lomon, wow, I think he's a hot young man with an absolute talent in acting. You'd agree with me if you were done watching this. He doesn't have the most perfect look but he has a good register on screen. I don't know if I am over-praising him right now, but my impression of him was his presence would not miss your eyes. I'd like to see him in a chaebol role someday for my confidence that he can perfectly justify the role of an elite. Kim Ji Eun has a good reputation in acting. It was just here in the soul-swapping scenes, that her portrayal was a little persuasive. I was having a hard time convincing myself to see her as the character of So Eun Ho compared to her original role slaying a complete immersion as someone with the biggest annoying self-righteousness and arrogance.

The conflict of revenge came unpredicted to me and it was an impressive crisis plot development. Other dramas use manipulation to fool you, not the case here. I was caught off guard and didn't see the two main leads seriously clashing and intensifying a big tension between them in the remaining episodes. For how it will be resolved, suit yourself to watch it.

I appreciate this drama for the theme itself. The elements of humor, conflict, plot, and portrayal have gone passed the metrics I set for enjoyment. Then again, seeing branding and/or marketing as the focus of the story appeared to be fresh hence, attracted my attention as someone expanding my interests to other dramas taking the risks of producing the non-traditional.

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Managed to stay relevant out of the many school youth romance dramas out there

I was overzealous about its popularity in the review forum. Now I knew why this drama was a hit. Basically, it was the authenticity of the story, of the characters, of the dialogues, and of the emotions that no surprise this drama got a higher number of viewership. The story might be made up but it was identifiable in all aspects related to adolescence. The fact that they do away with the glossiness and overdoing of scenes, this drama was able to create an impact.

All five main youth characters were all lovable and funny who formed a nicely typical friendship while studying. Later on, young love started to grow among them because of constant togetherness which led to a happy ending to one of the pairs. I am making a special mention and credit to the screenwriter who gave us lots of prudence words here, which you might consider simple after hearing but practically logical with deeper meanings. This I think was its breakthrough aspect over other dramas. The story showed some of the general representation of a youth who was naturally impulsive, carefree, bubbly, and timid at times; and precise descriptions of their dilemmas over confession of young love, romantic anxiety separation, pressure on academic performances, difficulty in expressing oneself, and uncertainty of one’s dreams. It was packed with life lessons beneficial to young students transitioning to adulthood and the people around them.

Having watched this set of five good decent kids in the most candid narration of experiences set at grade 10 days following university life up until to working environment, I supposed, it obtained a distinguished spot in the collection of this genre that conveyed positivity and encouragement. How nice also for this drama to have brought us to our memories of shared experiences of our very own first stomach butterfly feeling and simply recalled that “Liking someone means caring for him or her”, and that person becomes “Your ultimate solution, like a magical remedy that can cure everything.” The love story of Zhang Lurang and Su Zaizai was a thing of cuteness and maturity, another envious beautiful romance to name. If I were to pick a drama out of the many that left me happy thoughts after watching it, When I Fly Towards You is one best fit to mention.

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Learning the ways of the classic Traditional Chinese Medicines

I would like to describe this drama in general as educational. Having this theme to be used in a drama may unlikely attract a legion of viewers but as a foreign spectator, I find it profoundly interesting. It showed the depth of Chinese culture in view of the natural approach to healing and providing remedies for an illness. Watching this was like taking a course where you learned and made a lot of realizations about life and how it directly affects the condition of one’s health.

Zhao Lusi gained my adoration again. I can’t think of any actress that could better fit the role other than her and act splendidly the way she did. The same goes with her mentor here who portrayed the role flawlessly that you could wish for someone like him to be your teacher as well.

The story was inspirational. It was a journey for all the characters in relation to a change of understanding between TCM and Western medicines resulting in positive holistic progress for everyone. Though it talked about a serious subject, in between, you could have a good laugh and a feel of romance.

This drama is not conformist but I praised the creators for deviating from the norms of the drama genre to come up with this. I sensed patriotism.

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Another jewel in the historical genre in the Korean dramas

Combined review for Part 1 & 2

What made this show largely watchable?

The material alone guaranteed a well-explored fictional story about the dynamics of love, heroism, politics, persecution, and oppression during the early times when the old Korea was under the control of another country.

The whole cast was amazing. Each character big or small showed a dedicated portrayal of the trace of life back then and can’t help but be affected by their sufferings while watching. Namkoong Min nailed it. I was in awe of his performance here. I had seen him many times in other dramas and with my standards of good looking, I found him a little unattractive before. But my opinion of him changed like a turn of 360 degrees after the show. He got me with that unspeakable charisma in the way he delivered all his dialogues. Indeed he was the best of choice for the role. His leading lady, Ahn Eun Jin, was equally notable. I thought it would be challenging for them to look good together on screen but I find it amusing that their chemistry was building up in every episode and that was something very distinctive about this show also. And those scenes with little pauses or moments of quietness before saying their lines among the main leads were another commendable element of the show.

Like other historical dramas, it practically walked us around again that leading a nation is one gigantic responsibility and it requires a genuine compassion for your people. If you become bound by the greed of the throne and power, destruction follows. Regardless, of whether you have the position or are just an ordinary person, if you’re hoping for a change, take courage and leap that step so others may follow.

I felt sort of on a journey watching this show because of the sophisticated layering of the conflicts and how it was refined in the end. Really one heck of a great show!

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An impressive story about the rise and fall of a big time scammer

JOINT REVIEW FOR DECOY PART 1 & 2

The series was short but enough to cover the essence of the story. It was nice to see Jang Geum Suk acting again and this was a great choice as his comeback project on a TV screen.

What set this apart from other mystery crime investigative series was each episode was indeed made to keep your desire to watch it and left you thinking. While watching, I have this assumption that the real culprit was that person or the other person but I was mistaken and misled because of the twist that keeps on rolling.

Everything in this series was done lightly but it did not compromise its quality. One, the character of the ML was not the typically branded detective whom you get to praise instantly. Here, Jang Geum Suk appeared plain and ordinary but strikingly a principled and smart person. His acting throughout the entire series was just steady and calm. Second, the execution of the serial killings was not too gruesome to watch because of the less torture displayed. Third, it does not contain any vibrant colors rather the series was set to a bluish-grayish color mode creating a mystic appeal. And lastly, it has only one song on its official OST "Unstoppable" that you get to hear every closing of each episode. I like the song and it's giving the series an American vibe.

I was saddened by the scene where the Deputy Head was found dead and that he was not able to redeem himself to make up for his shortcomings when he did the scammer's investigation case during his detective days. I was wondering also why it was not revealed in the series the reason ML changed his career from being a lawyer to a detective. Anyway, saying this will not demerit how outstanding this series turned out and I forbid you not to miss watching this.

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A rather rare drama that exceeded my expectations when I least expected it to be

I was already settled for less for this drama but it gave me a big surprise as I started watching and finally completing it.

First, Esther Yu, whom I was accustomed to seeing in a delicate and dainty role more often, won me with her unusual character as someone fierce and armed with bravery. The way she played her role showcased her acting flexibilities and it was a success shifting from her comfort roles given this right material.

Second, I was not a fan of the ML but with how well the story and his character were orchestrated which was a commanding factor thus, his acting abilities surfaced. While he was often cast for supporting roles, it was evident here he could carry a lead role and deserves more spots for that in the future.

Third, never have I seen such graceful fighting scenes like in this drama, those glides and moves were winning combinations. I am giving my big applause to those involved in creating and choreographing those significantly artistic scenes. I was in a state as if I was seeing dancing performances rather than fighting scenes.

Finally, the story, the execution, and the choice of casts even the songs used made this drama by far unexpectedly likable to watch. I particularly enjoyed the character of the eldest Young Miss ZiShang who brought sunshine in this drama with her humor and naughtiness. Unlike other supporting roles that can be omitted and still the drama would make sense, here, without her supplementary role, the story will likely suffer. Further, it was noticeable that the majority of the acting parts were focused on the facial and vocal features of every character, a smart approach suitable for this drama that created a ground for its strong storytelling.

It was a different wuxia for me and patrons of this genre will give their approval of this drama. However, it ended up hanging though it was not announced yet, I believe a second part is right on the boil.

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How to mend your broken heart and lose the fight in love gracefully

Story: The story was plainly relatable about love lessons in the lives of different couples’ relationships. This drama exactly showed the realism of being cheated and dumped and the recovery process from pain and sadness caused by it, of being in a marriage in which the husband is turning cold, a marriage that could have been saved from getting divorced if both openly communicate to each other, prejudged may-december superior and subordinate workplace romance, and a blossoming relationship tested with an unexpected pregnancy. The story was written and carried out reflecting truthfulness in every scene that certainly any viewer could identify themselves in one of the characters. It was honest and direct with no unnecessary and pointless dramas.

Acting/Cast: This was my very first to equally loved all the couples in a drama. The whole cast was all great and whoever was responsible for the casting (usually the director) has a very good eye in choosing the right actors not only who will fit the role but who will make a nice balance and look for the overall cast. June of iKon was a revelation. I didn’t expect that he could really act properly. I guessed their acting pieces of training from YG ENT. before is now paying off. Of course, Yoo In Na, whose always been one of my favorites bagged the top performance in this drama. She was beautiful on-screen and possessed that special charm that so far I have only seen in two Korean actresses, her and Lee Da Hae. If you’ve seen My Girl, you would know what I meant by that charm. It serves as their key weapon and works well when they are doing rom-com. Another surprise was the strong chemistry between Yoo In Na and Yoon Hyun Min. Their romance was settled a little late in the story but even in their constant bickering and interactions provoking their hearts in a sweet and funny way; they can actually affect you and see in them that mutual sense of attraction. I am not leaving behind Joo Sang Wook who was also remarkable here and showed his flexibility in acting.

I immensely enjoyed this drama. I had a good smile and laugh. I learned something. I loved it. My precious time was meaningfully spent watching it.

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Doomed for chemistry and height gap awkwardness

My patience was stretched way beyond my limitations finishing this up. It was cute at the start but eventually tore down my enthusiasm as I was seeing cliché scenes of overly romantic setups that were not giving me the heart-fluttering feeling. It has a promising storyline I believe so, about an ancient man (ML) who was still living in the modern times, with a life sustained by spiritual energy coming from a cherry tree in his old house. He lived his life there for over a thousand years waiting for someone he could not recall at all due to his distorted memories. The catch of the story was his identity and his fated relationship with the new owner of the house (FL), who decided to remain unmarried all her life. It was a let-down to have not seen the depth of the execution in the middle episodes. I am a hopeless romantic and could easily connect myself to the characters of any romantic drama or film; here I was struggling the whole time. I guessed the only strength of this show was the credible performance of the ML, one reason I gave this show a chance until the end and my curiosity to find out the truth about his past and his association with the FL’s best friend. Also, fair to say, it has a nice set of songs.

Well, this drama did not meet my approval. Felt bad for the writer and the director's efforts who lacked the knack yet to move the viewers. This kind of show seemed likely to pass either the high schoolers' crowd or those who are innocent, inexperienced, and have simple thoughts about love. I was swayed by one of the good reviews and since I was also exploring other artists, I decided to try it.

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Endured watching for its in-between episodes that always save this drama from being dropped

Story: A common story about a battle of good and evil rooted in obsessive unrequited love among Taoists and spirits. It started when the millennium dragon, Tianyao in the human form, was betrayed by his bride, Suying, at their matrimonial ceremony by cutting off his body parts making him powerless but unsuccessful to retrieve his heart-protecting scale only to sustain her lover’s life. Using his last string of strength, Tianyao was able to save his protecting heart scale by throwing it out up in the air and unexpectedly fell on a baby girl, Yanhui, suffering from a weak heart. Possessing the heart-protecting scale both helps and endanger her life. When Tianyao finally met the grown-up baby girl, Yanhui, they embarked on the journey of recovering his lost body parts.

The story clearly showed the power of determination, sacrifice, and a cluster of efforts to defeat immortal wickedness.

This drama could have been a great one if not for the following:
1. Too many flashbacks that add to the boredom
2. Emotional scenes that were invaluable to affect the viewer’s emotion
3. Poor characterization of Tianyao known to be powerful of all but ended incapable in the story, and
4. Pushing the story long with unnecessary complexities.

Acting/Cast: Neo Hou as Tianyao pretty much did well and suits the role with that face. It was gratifying alone watching him on screen. The FL who I barely knew was not bad at all. Their acting complements each other. I blamed some of their dialogues and how the story was played that the whole cast’s performance was not appreciated strongly as it should be.

On the other hand, the best thing I loved about this drama was I had the pleasure of feasting my eyes with colors. It catered to one of the best fantasy aesthetics. I specifically praise the wedding of Tianyao and Yanhui which was very regal with that white cape flowing wedding costumes and headdress. There were more stunning to see that would somehow encourage you to care watching this drama if you haven’t yet.

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Loved it regardless if it deviates from its original webtoon novel

Story: The story was out of the ordinary about a woman who was reborn many times and how the cycle of her reincarnation ended. Despite being precise in its narration, the status of the story became weak when every conflict was resolved so easily in the latter episodes.

Acting/Cast: Shin Hye Sun was the perfect choice for the role. She portrayed her character effortlessly as someone who was carefree and able to remember her past 18 lives except her very own first life. Many were not satisfied with Ahn Bo Hyun’s acting in this drama but I beg to disagree, he played it well since I believed the story required his acting to be subdued by Shin Hye Sun’s strong character. What the production missed about ABH’s role was the poor styling. Prior to filming this drama, he had to trim down his build to fit the role of a young CEO of MI Group but why let him wear loose suits and bottoms with that kind of hairstyle that made him look less of a typical conglomerate heir? I still find their chemistry a bit off, luckily the story was dominant enough to cover that flaw. The rest of the cast fairly showed good supporting acts.

I revered this drama still for its distinctive storyline, and for the FL & ML funny & straightforward interactions. Another wonderful story of love and forgiveness that put the entangled fate in a good place.

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Something you would not normally enjoy watching but interesting

Clever to come up with the title “Somebody” that was not meant literally.

This was one of those dramas whose imperfection made it to perfection in relation to its artistic sense. If this would be a movie, it could be a good entry to any international film festival. It has a style of narration that leaves the interpretation of the whole story to the viewers.

I had these uncertainties in the early episodes but eventually appreciate it later on. It digests the topic of psychological conditions and the imbalances that lead someone to go astray. The character of Kim Young Kwang wasn’t entirely hateful and I got to pity him in the end. I have this hypothesis that he was ready to change but was not given a chance. His encounter with Kim Sum (with a special condition as well) to whom he developed a sincere affection made him capable of showing mercy to the people closest to her. It was the power of love that held him back to harm them. But that love was not strong enough for Kim Sum to choose him over her friends. Although justice was served, my heart bled for the character of the ML. for he badly needed guidance and love the most in the story.

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An outstanding story on a serious take about people working in the field of aviation

This drama was created in perfection. Literally, I can’t point out any disapproving things about it. The story was brilliantly written. Whenever I watched a drama, I would start rating it after the first episode and this one already got a rating scale of ten (10) from me instantly. It was consistent all throughout the entire episodes unlike other dramas that would start nicely but a disappointment in the end or the other way around.

Great acting!!! I am praising Wang Kai’s performance here in particular though Tang Song Yun is one of my favorite actresses; he emerged as the one who played the role with the most conviction. The romantic facet in this drama was something else also, it was less but more. Who says less physical intimacy and not being a couple would not make you flutter and your heart skips a beat? Well, this drama proved it that way. I have watched Tang Song Yun paired with other actors but she was perfectly suited with Wang Kai. You would see here that there was a natural chemistry between them.

This drama was well-researched. I guessed it could influence someone who has an eye for any career in the aviation industry. It not only shows the visual representation of an aircraft, an airport, and the hangar but also reflects the reality of the life of the people working with passion, dedication, and value-oriented.

Sometimes I tend to connote a drama depicting a serious subject to be boring but “Flight To You” dismissed that idea. I ended up watching this after seeing a posted review about it on this platform, otherwise, I would have missed a quality drama.

You better watch this as well.

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A drama that will surely give you a smile in your heart

For sure your eyes have met quite a number of good reviews about this drama and I am doing one too to spread the same sentiments. It was not explicitly said that this one was a continuation of the Wang-Wang couple’s first drama together in “Once We Get Married” but somehow I can’t help but think because that time I wished them of having a child and it was made possible in this drama.

So much has been said about how ideal the chemistry of the leads, the child actor that overwhelmed us all with his cuteness and undeniable acting skills, a story that was not too glossy but has its own luster because of its execution, the whole cast that showed decent acting, and the well-matched song choices (I personally like the English one played at the start of each episode) that lifted the mood of romance even more.

In addition, I’d like to mention other things that I deemed pride of this drama too.

One, the creative design of the introductory part was eye-catching. It was made playful using a mix of realistic cartoon styles that prematurely soothed my feelings for a good impression of this drama.

Next, the male lead and the kid actor’s small facial expressions and orchestrated mannerisms that I can’t resist but acknowledge their power to make me smile in certain scenes where both exhibited it. Their interactions as father and son materialized a sight of what a wonderful experience to have a child of your own.

Then, the character of Hardy and Cindy, who played the role of a loyal and ever-supportive assistant and an adoptive older sister to the male lead respectively, ironically bit roles in terms of screen exposure but big in providing support and convenience to the life of the ML. They were the cool jesters in this drama who naturally acted it out.

Finally, it was admirable for the creator to include narrative scenes of women experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace commonly by those of higher authority as perpetrators. Their cause was not entirely for the entertainment value of the show alone but did a conscious effort in carrying out a socio-civic responsibility for the viewers. It was reiterated that silence was not an option for any victims to ensure self-protection and dignity preservation but rather a form of tolerance that may result in a repeat misdemeanor.

This drama centered on a young couple’s life with a son and how they successfully formed their family again. I thought of giving it a 9.5 rate at first but I have a change of heart after the final episode and then recalled everything I watched. The main couple has the most wholesome kisses (expect a lot here) yet looked passionately daring. There was never a scene where they were not emotionally connected. I felt the love they have for each other as if they were couples in real life. I felt the sadness in FL's weeping scenes and I acknowledged. that Wang Yu Wen is one actress gifted with natural acting skills. This drama totally captured my heart, and so yeah, it was a 10 for me.

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Best quick watch, bravo!!!

I can’t resist the pairing of Dai Gao Zheng and Chen Fang Tong after their “Maid’s Revenge” and so it excites me to see them here again. This time it was a better story with a polished plot development unlike with other mini-series that seemed to leave me with a hanging thought about the story. I was in awe of their strong screen chemistry. The intimate scenes were shot beautifully. I absolutely loved how they kissed and hugged and when they had their personal talks facing closely to each other. Superb dialogue lines indeed made their performances stand out. Chen Fang Tong looked a little plump here but as for me, it did not affect the overall visual of their pairing. This drama was compulsively watchable and looking forward to their future project together.

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