Sometimes its good to read the story behind the true story if you have a weak heart

I recently convinced myself that i was missing out on historical dramas(I have dreaded them for years) but KDRAMA has sold me and am hooked.
Lee JunHo brought me to Red Sleeve and OMG this was good that i almost watched it in one seating but had to break it to avoid looking like i have no life.
I was originally not planning to say anything,this is one of those drama that stick in your brain weeks after you finish them but i need to get it out of my system,let me leave it here.
1.The cinematography,the OST,the still picture and everything Jeoson palaces were on point.
2.The acting was out of this world,few actors can pull of a heavy drama full of all types of emotions but everyone in the entire cast pulled off Oscar worth acting.
3.I have no words for Lee Junho portraying Prince Yi San/ King JeongJo,I dont think there is any language that can discribe this man's acting so i recommend to go and watch
Overall this was one of the best historical drama of 2021 and now i know why,It has left me with a very heavy feeling and made me want to understand more about this era in the Korean history.I will not talk about the FL wanting to drive all of us crazy but she was portraying a real historical figure so we pumped our hate breaks whenever.
Many people warned us future views not to trade in the waters of Ep 17 but we are too curious for that and curiosity killed a cat so you can imaine how dead i am now,but I will not spoil it for anyone. i have learnt my lessons, before embarking into the territory of an historical drama that is real story of real people, I should probably read the story first and see if there is and sad ending

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THE HEALER WE ALL NEED

In the world full of uncertenity,stress,depression,hard life,unplanned messes and noises,Someone thought of "Meet yourself" I read somewhere in the comment section,someone said that when life gets hard nd unbearaable,they just think of moving to a chinese village in the middle of nowhere and i feel the same lol.
This has been my healing drama of all the times,It introduced me to the rural most authentic and amaizingly beautiful China.What a fresh of breath air,what an amzing scenery,Every scene felt like a holiday in a care free country, where there is no worries.I remember the horde scenes a long the vast rivers, the farm with cows and two seat on th verandah where the leads would seat and watch the sunset or the sunrise,Gosh who thought of this idea?
There is so mujch goodness in this drama that words are not enough,I think you have to experience it on your own.THe sense of community around this drama was out of this world,every character was running from something but the moment they arrive in this village,it seemed like all their worries flew by in front of our eyes.THe show lietrally is so good that you feel like you are a part of grandma's circle.
The two seasoned actors Li XIan and Liu Yifei put on a show to remember.
If you are looking for a quiet,slow paced holiday destination to meet your self..tHis is a show for you

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OLD IS GOLD

Every now and then I go back in times(so far have gone 12 years back) and watch a masterpiece like Healer when Ji Chang Wook,Park Min Young,Yoo Ji Tae and the mervelous Lady Kim Mi Kyung were still young and before they went to make numerous hits like Welcome to Samdarli,Whats wrong with Secretary Kim,Money heist-Korea and Its okay not to be Okay.
The actors combined have been in more hit projects that can make up a whole movie Studio in itself, so seing them together in one drama back in 2014 must have been a thrill.
I felt the power that they brought to this serie 10 years later..No scene is boring or a filler, Everything suits together like a puzzle.Even if you were a critic,Its hard to find bits to pick on.Considering this was a decade ago, and how the film industry has grown with the use of CGIs and advanced tech,Back then thngs were still being done manually, streets were closed to shoot scenes,actors did their own stunts off the buildings,I understand that JCW does most of his own stunts and how can i forget the veteran who never ages Ms Kim Min Kyung, She is is been in more dramas than my neighbors'cats..how about Ms Park Min Young, I see her on my screen more than CNN Breaking news.
Overall as they say Old is Gold,indeed Healer is gold that will stay in our reserve mental bank for generations to come.

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A WELL WRITTEN BUSINESS STORY SELLING BAD ROMANCE

I struggled to rate this show,even though i had good laughs and good tears but the psychological warfare in characterization that the writer put us through was too much.This is the first time i have ever watched a drama whereby the 2ML takes the ship from episode 1 to the the last episode,As a woman the ML visuals was stunning but if i was to be in a Titanic wreck,i would hang on to 2ML,this man had depth and great leadership in a world of headless chicken that we named developers.Every time there was a problem,in my mind i was like what would HJP do? He might have seen to be brutally honest most of the times but the world doesn't run on weak minds.His relationship with Grandma Choi is what kept me emotionally connected to the drama,you get to experiences a stranger who takes on a role of a parent to a young man who is lost and it goes on for ages.She was his home,his peace and his world and he was worth 10 sons..The last part where she saw everyone in her family has finally met but her heart went to HJP and the way she immediately went to him even with her eyesight deteriorating..I think she will worry about him for the rest of her life and I hope he finds someone with a heart like Grandma Choi(in season 2 that i have written in my head)
This show would have gone way better without the romantic tag but as we know romance sales and Korea film industry oversupplies this product.I dont think it was necessary to create a love triangle.HJP could have remained a mentor to Do-San and crew,and maybe leave the ML and FL to fall in love naturally.The letters from the FL past would have been about the dad story and his struggles to start business,like a dairy type of correspondance and this would have build up to the present,the mentor helping the FL to bring to reality her dad’s dream.Am not a kdrama writer but thats the direction i would have taken this to.
Overall,using the common line of the drama”Sail without a map” this drama sailed with the wrong map instead,the funny part was funny(when ML and 2ML were using the national anthem lyrics to pretend they are in deep convo,and when he was trying to train him how to be him) the emotional scenes were really emotional but the romantic tag was unnecessary cos even the chemistry between the lead was non existent

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Short and sweet for that "cold winter"(Insert wink emoji)

I normally dont watch short dramas,which are becoming increasing in the world of dramas..Due to the fact that they are low budget and often a times the quality of everything is wanting so am always skipping no matter how the edits good are the on tiktok or IG.But Embrace in the dark night hit different,If you ignore the storyline and the old martial art Hong Kong like plot,you will enjoy it,especially when you find the full version on youtube wich is 5 hrs,you dont have to keep playing next after every 15 min.
The editors did a great job that you eager to know what happens next.
The actors,the main lead especially carried the whole show on his very sexy shoulders,He was extremely good that i started looking at his other projects.Needless to say that he is young so within the next 10 years he will be a force to reckon with.
The chemistry from the ML will keep your feet kicking,while you cling to your pillows,just WOW.
I understand that CP does not censor short dramas so this is a paradise for directors and writers wanting to push the envelope...and boy did the director allow the ML to get out of the whole postal office..Read many many kissing scenes including the famous French kiss,the first in the Cdrama history
The OST was suprisingly amazing and most of the songs are in engish so this part was really satisfying.
Overall,If you are looking for a quickie,medium action,hot romance and over the roof chemistry without caring for the plotline..This is for you

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This had potential to be great but....

I have had this drama in my mental watch list for awhile but I never had a chance to watch it cos my list is just becoming a pain.
I have mastered a strategy to alternate cdrama and kdrama..I will watch kdrama after every cdrama or Jdrama.Am a very fair person.
I was happy when i saw this and the clips around,cos finanny someone had cast people who are not 25 and 30.We had actors we the OG
can relate to..you know Oppa Rain and Kim Ha Neul are from our generation,but it turned out to be an OK project.
RAin did a great job but he was missmatched, am not an ageism person or anti women(as a woman myself) but I beleive that women
actresses dont carry the same vigor in the later years as the male counterpart..or its just this particular one cos i have see supporting
casts in their 60 and 70s do better for example the chairwoman in this drama,She is one of the people who carried this serie.
Maybe I should just stick to romantic or revenge plots which kdrama do very well in..The set was amazing though,all those beautiful mansions.
Overall its an Okay watch if you dont worry about a boring ending.Am rating an 8 cos of Oppa Rain

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Republic era trope saved by good leads,a good storyline but....

Sometimes i finish a drama and feel like i sould just moved on and say nothing to future viewers but there is always some good in this world worth mentioning.We all admit we watch drama to escape from reality so why not talk abou the good and forget the bad.
The whole thing was as usual in republic era trope and the what not but personally i loved the ML character development.(My first Timmy Xu drama and he is now one of my favs)
From being a spoiled 19 year old rich kid,He grew overnight into a responsible young man determined to protect his family,learn the business,plaque the bad weed out to clear his family name and to redo the wrongdoings of his father.It was quite the journey,despite facing a FL who is determined to revenge the death of her parents and the loss of her adoptive parents while falling in love with her at first sight.My man had his hands full but He stuck to his plans even though it meant to put a pose on his dream of becoming an airforce pilot.
The FL is probably the smatest FL i have ever seen,she did her job well in infiltrating the family,working undercover,keeping up with a governess front while trying by all means not to fall in love with her ML.THese two really kept me going even after the story started dragging toward the end with unnecessary tragedies and the writer gave us little time with the leads after everything has gone down...I mean little
Just like all the chinese dramas of before 2023,it didnt need to be 40 episodes..

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The drama that introducesd me to the C-drama Universe

My review will be very biased cos this was my frist drama and these two leads bacame my all time favorites actress,i can forget my name but I cant forget Johnny Huang and Dilraba Dilmurat..What happens when you put two seasoned actors together and tell them to have as much chemistry as the pharmacy next door? You actually get that,I have had trouble watching other projects where Johnny Huang is paired withother actress except Bright eyes in the dark,,Dilraba and Yang Yang had the same insane chemistry in You are my glorymShe is that good
I watched it twice,back in 2020 and later in 2024 and i will probably wach it again in 2027 if they dont get anothe project together.
BAck then i was new to Cdramas so what everyone is pointing out,I didnt see it,the second leads were really not interesting to me,i just loved hew the best friends stuck together lik glue,and instead of the ML having a side annoying friend,H ehad the iconic sister who i think carried this show,she was rebellious and loving at the same time, I enjoyed the hell character development she put her brother throught and it probably made him a better person..and how sshe played the role of a match maker.
Johnny Huang thrives in roles where he is relaxed and not commanding an army or a fire department lol and in tis he was like on holiday,He playe the role well,H e made you believe he is a regular person you can meet at a corner grocery store,the difference is that he is rich.
I tank the writers for not making the FL mother into a monster,we hade the 2FL mother do that perfectly well,we couldnt afford to have two of them
Overall,for me and my opinion,this will always stand at the top of my younger self drama llist.

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Teaches you that revennge is not always the best option

I have this on my playlist for awhile and readin reviews,it gave out "My liberation notes" which is also on the list.
If you want something fast and furious drama,this is not your drama.its one of those quiet,slow burn,with a melo music
The storyline is beautiful,the characters are recovering from the sins their parents commited
one is out to revenge the other is runing away from the past and they meet in the middle and it turns out to be an epic
journey that leaves you at the edge of your seat.
I loved the growth of both characters,one made the other come out of his shell and the ML made her heart soften
It was really a match made in heaven.
To be honest I dont have much to say about the cinematography and the OTC cos i was so emmersed in the story that
I hardly noticed.. That's how deep this drama was.

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A Rollercoaster of emotions

Being a avid watcher of dramas that i cant even list with fear that it might look like an addiction, this is the first time i have wanted to pull my hair out of my head because of a drama.
I just started to watch the china Republic era trope and this was my second one after "Fall in Love" whicth made it to my top favorite list,though i didnt come in with high expections,also i wanted to ignore comments and reviews which sometimes can mislead you or i was just being sturborn.I finished this one 2 days ago but i was still recovering from the trama it caused me,before writing a reaview.
To be honest Every character was well played by the actor assigned to it, even the extra did their job and mainly the ML Xiao Beichan played by Shawn Dou was outstanding and he is probably the reason why i stayed, He wouldn't match MArshal Tan XuanLi played by Chen Xingju in Fall in love but he has a commanding presence and he portray his character development well, from a spoil brat to an army academy graduate who became a leader of a vast army.His growth together with his friends was probably why many of us stayed.
His only weaknes was falling in love with a "stone" thais is the only way i can describe the FL character, she was so bad that i cant even go look up her name, i have never felt the need to summon writers as a viewer as I did in this drama, but am sure even the ML might have questioned why he was paired up with such souless character..I know its drama and fictious work but i dont beleive there is a woman out there so self centered that created misunderstandings whenever she turned,there was no peace around her, dispite being loved and cared for by the ML,his family and his friends, She was determined to only work with whatever was going on in her head which plenty of times ended up backfiring..
I agree the ML had some growing up to do, and once he did, he never looked back, he was stronger as the episodes moved but the FL had the same plans,same answers,same facial expressions from Episode 1-43, even when things looked promissing, there was no visible affection toward her husband,dispite showing everone else affection even the SML, i wont even try to talk about the SML , he was a mess,thats all i will say.
One last thing tht kept me watching and probably others,was the step mom of the ML,i beleive in history of dramas,there have never been a good stepmom like this woman, she was the matriach of the family,kept everyone together, she mended broken relationship, supoorted her husband who had a very big responsibility,she did all this while running a household with so many diffferent characters including the drama's biggest traitor..She the mother of all...
Overall, I will give this a 6 because of the ML and his friends but I will never seat through 43 episodes drama especially a torturous one.Second,I will watch whatever Shawn Dou is in cos boy oh boy,this man can act.Third,If you have short temper or low blood pressure,maybe skip this drama cos you might ge a heart attack just from the FL.If you need tears therapy,the last episodes will supply you with some onions.
In short,if there was to be a season 2, I would watch with one eye open cos this is one of those where there were so many deaths that one commentator said that the directors might have ran out of budget,they decided to kill everyone lol.
The production,cinematography,set and wardrobe get an OK but the OST was not up to the standard especially within the scenes.

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FIRST FISTORIICAL CDRAMA AND IT SERVED THE WHOLE COURSE

I have recently started watching historical dramas especially Kdramas and i had the courage to pick up C-drama though i have stayed away from them.Love like the Galaxy fell in my hands and both leads are my top favorites in cdrama so i knew i wouldnt be disappointed but i admit,I didnt know it was 56 episodes until i was knee deep into the story.

First thing First,Lets talk about the production.Oh my Oh my.I have bben around the sun few times and seen many movies,from hollywood blockbusters to asian cinema to international productions, i dont thing I have ever seen a cinematography that left me with awe like this drama..i dont know which stae of the art mechanicals they used but it was breathtaking,Every scene,every shot,;and,sea nad air were done beautifully,It reminded me of the 2008 OLypic opening in CHina..I have no idea how many extras were used but they ere many, i imagined the set being like a small village where people spent months.

THe cast,from the leads to secod leads to extras all were absolutely amazing.Wu Lei is known to be a stellar actor even as young as he is at only 24,Zhao Lusi is an out of this world actress,non of her work passes me by,she is so talented its not even funny.In terms of the characters, They all developed well and those who were meant to be consistent, did remain so till the last two episodes where we see them change to better.
THe acting deserved 10 oscars,all types of emotions,happy,tears,fighting,screaming,painful ones...nobody was blunt or boring.
THe only negative point that most people seem to have in common is how the end was rushed,which iass common in Chinese drama especially the long ones.If its a good one, you find yourself invested in the story ,then the directo or the writers get bored and start rushing the story afterf spending 30=episodes filling scenes in between.LOve like the Galaxy suffered the same fate but it was saved by a good producion and stella actors that it was hardly noticeable.

In closing This drama is 1000/10 and i would recommend to anyone.dont worry if you feel like 56 episodes are many,just look forward to Grandma Cheng and the Emperor scenes,they carried the comedic part of the show

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Too many angry fans so let me be the only positive reviewer you need

I have always had Hierarchy on my watch list but edited it out after reading countless bad reviews,so the other day I started trcking Kim Jae Won(Mr eye candy) after seing him in King the Land and Hierarchy is one of his recent and most famous drama and it was only 7 episodes so i knew i would watch it in one seating.
Due to bad reviews,I went in this with lowest expectatioons and only to pass time before continuing with Red Sleeve.So i will make this simple and easy to read
THE PROS:
1.The cinematography was good, shot in high quality picture and the set was meticulous
2.The rich was very rich,if you want to see excessive wealth on display and many Heremes boxes,this is the show for you
3.The two MLs are beautiful men,I dont know who cast them but give this casting director their flowers,to be honest I loved their acting and knowing how young they are in real life,I think they did a pretty good job and yes I need men who can cry a river and bring out seriou emotions weither its love or lockeroom fights,the rest of the casts was ok
4.The wordrobe was expensive and really good peices especially for the men.THis goes for them houses,cars and everything expensive
5.The fact that that it was short,they wrapped up things quick,i didnt have to seat and watch the FL being a tree for 16 episodes..
Overall if you enjoyed Penthouse,The Glory and Sky castle,add this to the rich but dont expect a strong storyline just enjoy rich people doing rich people things.

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sometimes its ok to watcha a normal drama between comedy and trauma

I admit that sometimes I pick up a drama based on review and comments and sometimes I pass one due to the same reasons, and this is one of those dramas that i ignored the reviews and comment and decided to give it a try for myself, I was coming out of a traumatic experience with Love in flames of war, topped it with a comic relief in The forbidden marriage so i wanted to find some balance or maybe i missed some Chaebol dose, adding that I might be developing some crush on Lee Junho too because i picked up another of his work after this one.
So my take on this one is that it was simple story,it has been used before but this time the writer twisted it a bit with the Chaebol being the son of the second wife,who doesnt care much about the money but his mom was a servant so he has a heart of gold and he wants to save people who are working the same rank his mom was, i found that this part of the story gave the drama some soul.For him to do so he needs power and to get the power he has to get in the way of his greedy sister his sister who will go to any lenghth to stop him from taking anything.
The boy was clean,despite having traumatic childhood for being left by his mom,he went on to get his masters,though it kept him away from home but he was working behind the scenes,made connections,learnt the art of running a hotel and is one smart guy despite him looking like he was born with a silverspoon in his mouth.One of the things i like is that they didnt give us too much of business juggons like Cdramas.
The acting was good as expected from kdramas actors who have been doing it for years, the visual were visualising,the sub cast did an amazing job and the friendship between the FL and her best friends was envious,they held her till the end but personally i feel like Mr No the ML's Assistant carried the fun side of the show, the man was a comedian and he delivered each line with smoothnesss and his loyalty top notch.The healthy relationship of the leads was really well done,they solved anything coming in between them with open communication and from day one they decided that they are meant for eachother, no breakups no toxic inlaws or crazy friends' influence.And the ML spoiled rotten his FL like crazy but my only negative pick was the chemistry of the FL which was ok chemistry wise but I went back and timed the kitchen kiss,it was probably the longest kiss in all the dramas i have watched at 1 min 47 seconds,Thank you Junho but Unfortunately I have noticed that other than Seo Ye Ji,most Kdrama FLs tend to be overpowered by strong MLs in the romantic department,When acting with such fierce lead like Lee JunHo who is not afraid to go all the way,You really need to forget that you will be attending a family meeting if you know what i mean,cos these men will make a kissing scedne of an intense one seem extremily real, we the viewers are left with a whole zoo in the stomach
Overlall its a watcheable drama, might not rplay it or be stuck in my head but it was a good watch for sure

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A pallate cleanser after any traumatic drama experience

I recently entered into the world of historical kdramas and this was my 2nd one after i was traumatized by the 43 episodes of Love in flames of war(cdrama) i need something funny and i wanted tolaugh hard it hurts,few reels on tiktok brought me this master piece.From the first scene to the last,it was laughter, the FL carried the whole thing and she was quick,witty and had the funniest personality,I dont know much about kdrama actresses but am sure they chose her for a reason and she did what she was paid to and added icing sugar on top.The ML was also outstanding even the SML, the blend of these 3 gave us an amazing project
10/10 I would recomend for people who dont take things too serious

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Be ready to be glued to your screen for 48 hours

This is my first classic Drama So where is Ep 37,38,39,40?
How can this be only 36 episodes only
Best ML(Chen Xiang Du did wonders to this drama)
Best FL(Zhang JingYe,is the female actress we need for many years to come)
Best support leads
Best story
Best writers
Best directors
Best cinematography
Best wardrobe
BEST everything needed to make a great Drama
100000/10 RECOMMENDED

This is my first classic Drama So where is Ep 37,38,39,40?
How can this be only 36 episodes only
Best ML(Chen Xiang Du did wonders to this drama)
Best FL(Zhang JingYe,is the female actress we need for many years to come)
Best support leads
Best story
Best writers
Best directors
Best cinematography
Best wardrobe
BEST everything needed to make a great Drama
100000/10 RECOMMENDED

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