I expected better
Well, I finally got to see Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart Ryeo (on Viki).(Minor spoilers ahead)
For all the hype. I expected better. Don't get me wrong. It had a great cast (including a screen full of shirtless hotties right from the get-go), good music, a story that I wanted to see the end of, and characters that made me love them and cry. BUT all it also has all of the things I've come to hate in (especially older) K-dramas: toxic relationships, out of control spiraling self-sabotage, a lack of communication being a major source of tension (or not telling the whole truth to protect someone. Over. And. Over. Again.) lack of chemistry between leads, and a vague ending that doesn't give much closure (although, that seems to be more a regular C-drama issue).
I'm not sorry I watched it. Some of the characters are very memorable, and now I can cross this one off my bucket list. I cried several times (and if I couldn't tell whether or not I should care, they kept playing what sounds kind of like a Korean version of Take My Breath Away from the Top Gun soundtrack, which helped w the lack of chemistry). But it was extremely frustrating that there were almost no protagonist driven plot changes after the first few episodes and until the last two or so (like the FL was just calling it in). I spent a lot of the time wanting to pound my head against something (or one of the leads', especially FL). I get that it's supposed to be tragic and all, but I don't understand why this is so beloved. Just not my type of drama, I guess. I would much rather sob over a love story that I actually got to care about like Princess Weiyoung or Empress Ki.
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Good
I'm not a big suspense/thriller fan, but this was god. I liked the overarching messages about wealth and relationships. Good cast, engrossing story. Kept me hooked. I also liked the ending, which I wasn't sure I would.Was this review helpful to you?
Cookie Cutter k_drama
It was predictable and cute. Cookie cutter K-drama. It had a good cast, a decent plot, etc. but not particularly memorable.Was this review helpful to you?
Can't Wait for Season 2!
Didn't realize this was just part 1 and there will be a second season. I kept waiting for new episodes to be released, and was getting very frustrated because it's really good and I wanted to see the rest of it! Love the story. Love the cast. It's great to see these two actors together again after Go Go Squid. They'd better hurry up and release season 2 because I don't want to wait anymore!Was this review helpful to you?
One of the best!
I needed this one to heal from the trauma of the first series. After rewatching it, this is one of my all-time favorites. The romance is super swoonworthy, and the characters are some of my favorites. There aren't many dramas that have such a sweet, satisfying ending , but this makes you cry happy tear and walk away smiling.Was this review helpful to you?
So Good!
Looking to escape into a drama that will make you laugh a lot but maybe cry a little but leave feeling happy?There aren't many dramas where the ending leaves me smiling and feeling ridiculously happy and satisfied, but this one did. The Romance of Tiger and Rose is a new favorite. With how it kept me laughing while needing to know what was going to happen, it was one I couldn't stop watching. It was a bit longer than needed. Yes, it's short for a C-Drama at 24 episodes, but I felt like it could have done better with a little less of the very dramatic last 8 or so episodes. And poor Ding Yu Xi did a fantastic job acting, but the makeup (or lack of) was jarring after seeing him in other roles. Still, there wasn't much about this drama that I didn't like. It was just soooo good!
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Nice, light, and surprising.
I like how this one strayed from the typical beauty transformation and focused on inner beauty and development. It went a completely different direction with the ending than I thought it would, and I loved how it turned out. I was frustrated with some of the characters and what seems to be their definition of an "affair," which I don't think was ever properly addressed. But there was good character growth all around (for the most part) despite a throwaway character or two who popped in for a bit. I HATED how they kept calling the FL an "old lady" or "old hag" when she wasn't even middle aged yet. But I guess in the film industry, you're overaged as soon as you're born.Was this review helpful to you?
Short and Flirty
Short but sweet. My ADHD was in super-hyper mode, and there weren't many dramas that could keep my attention. This one did, for the most part. Super flirty, interesting twist, and cute moments in a short drama that has a Sound of Music/Jane Eyre kind of governess to new mother kind of feel but with a 20s gangster twist. I really liked what they did with the other potential ML/gangster rival. I didn't see it coming but enjoyed it. The ending wrap up was nicely done (although darker than I imagined). However, the bonus ending scene was a weird and out of place. Were they trying to set up a sequel?Side note: The male lead looks straight out of an anime. How does anyone naturally have that face??
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Extremely overrated!
It wasn't the worst drama I've seen, just possibly one of the most overrated. I know some who love it a lot, and I can respect that. There were some things I liked, but the annoying things far outweighed them.I was hoping for something lighter, which seemed likely for this the first third or so with all the conedy (more like Shopping King Louis). I loved the trio of friends w the ML and wished they had been a bigger part of the story (I would watch a whole series with them!) They were amazing but underutilized and underdeveloped. Give us more!
I didn't really feel the romance of the love story. And it didn't help that whenever anything got remotely dramatic, the same whiny, overly emotional song started playing. I swear my ears were bleeding by the end.
Too many episodes. It dragged on forever and needlessly included plotlines that seemed important but had absolutely no meaning in the end.
Speaking of the end, the ending was too ambiguous for me. Guess I prefer things spelled out clearly and in detail.
The mystery was good. I didn't see it coming. The outcome of the case of the murder of the crown princess kept me guessing till the end.
Oh my gosh that awful song won't stop screaming in my head! I'm never going to be able to sleep again. ðŸ˜
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Cute and light
This was a cute one! The overall theme of being true to yourself and not being afraid to enjoy what you love was really good. The story was fun and ended strong, despite slowing down a lot during the last few episodes (I had to take a break before I wanted to see how it ended).Was this review helpful to you?
It was okay
It was okay. Not my usual watch. I liked that it dealt with some real life relationship issues that aren't usually discussed. But I didn't like the relationship dynamics of the main characters. She's too mean and he's too much of a doormat. But there were some heartwarming parts and some comedy that made this enjoyable.Was this review helpful to you?
Awesome Korean Zorro!
Why didn't anybody tell me that there's a Korean Zorro?! I had so much fun watching this one (after the first few slooooow episodes). Funny, great characters, and cool action. I would LOVE to see this one remade!I was a bit disappointed that the ending was so ambiguous, but still not bad. 9 put of 10 because of plot holes, unanswered questions, some important but underdeveloped characters, and the garbage romance plot lines.
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So so
This, like many dramas, started great but fizzled out by the end. I loved the cast, the sets, costumes, and music were great, but the story just didn't completely deliver. I was completely onboard until around episode 36, then had trouble finishing it. The time travel/rebirth thing was underutilized and not explained well, and there were too many plot holes. That said, I did enjoy the side characters' stories and almost feel this might have done better in the format used in Perfect Match where each family member has a few episodes dedicated to telling their story. But, then again, that would undermine the whole time travel centric plot so...maybe not.Was this review helpful to you?
Not great
Not great. It seemed like a rushed, low budget production.Was this review helpful to you?
Solid
An all around solid drama that kept me entertained binge-watching while I was sick. I loved the characters, the story surprised me, and it was hard to stop watching. The costumes and sets, are gorgeous and the cast is amazing. I really liked that it took the C-drama revenge trope in a different direction and gave a good but not overly preachy message. And I love that it has a happy ending!Was this review helpful to you?
