Peridot83
In the first half, the enemies to lovers plot is extremely satisfying. Hua Zhi and Gu Yan Xi are both earnest characters trying to do their best and find some happiness despite the emperor and fate standing in their way. There's also a lot of endearing scenes as the women of the Hua family band together and become resilient and independent.
But in the second half the plot grinds to a halt. The emperor is not suited for ruling during peace time, and there is no way he will forgive Hua's family. Of course, Hua Zhi and Gu Yan Xi would never rebel, so they just . . . wait for him to change his mind ??? If you were hoping for political intrigue and machinations, there are none to be found.
The acting overall is so-so (Gu Yan Xi needs a lot of music and effects to be intimidating), but the chemistry between the primary couple and the secondary couple both is excellent. I was cheering both couples on and it's the only reason I kept watching the show. The music is fairly good nothing here to really rewatch.
In the end, there is no complexity of themes or plots, but I appreciated the emphasis on women being independent, and I enjoyed the romantic chemistry.
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When 'Demon' doctor Tendou Kairi is about to be too overbearing, and callous for words, he all of a sudden does or says something incredibly romantic, kind or protective. This addictive formula creates an enjoyable 10 episode series. There is a lot of screen time between the leads, creating emotional and physical chemistry. This romance was fully fleshed out compared to series double the length.
Yes, there is a large age gap (I'm guessing about 10 years), a power dynamics issue (he's one of the lead doctors in her department, and whilst she is technically managed by the head nurse, he has a lot of power over her workload), and an experience issue (he has romantic and sexual relationship experience, she does not). But, I actually never felt like a boundary was crossed in practice. He never removed her from work or put her on work based on their romantic relationship, jealousies etc., he didn't pressure her into sex.
In the end, you get to feel the vicarious thrill of your first romance being the best romance with a man you think is attractive, competent, wealthy and powerful, and willing to change and give it all up for you. It's exactly what an old-school shoujo should do, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
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Our modern main character, Zhang Xiao is no match for the crushing weight of the institution of the imperial palace. At first spirited and challenging, she comes to dread the inevitable and it taints her ability to connect in her relationships. Unfortunately, she comes to this realization in the first 1/3 of the show, which makes the remaining 2/3s a bit plodding and onenote.
[Comparison to the K Drama adaptation at the end]
The acting here is very good and despite numerous 'brothers' you are able to distinctly identify with them all. There's enough episodes to develop the main 5 or so brothers into complex characters. The music and production values are very high for the time period, and still stand up to the present day.
In comparing to Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Scarlet Heart Ryeo has a few cinematic scenes that really stand out and a more emotionally complex last few episodes. Our main modern character in the K Drama is much less spirited and more sweet and charming. The K drama, overall, however is very choppy and inconsistent with the plot, characters appear and disappear, act very inconsistently. I also found the side story with the mask, and the mask itself a bit ridiculous. Also, the K drama feels less grounded in politics and history.
Despite this mess, if I had to choose to watch one, I would watch the K Drama. Those 5 or so incredibly strong scenes have really stuck with me.
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In 2 hours, I loved and connected more with these characters than I do for dramas that are 16 hours in length.
It's a simple story just enough hurdles, love triangles and other dynamics to keep it interesting. But it isn't the plot points, it's the way the actors, writing, and director were able to build out full characters that grow to love each other on screen. It's also the way this is it shot with a poetic, dripping with golden nostalgia, millennial way.
By the end, this show hits on the high school dreams of many of us, to find love, unexpected, spontaneous and early with someone caring and mature and good looking. It's the thrill of realising that you can have a crush on someone and they can have a crush on you back. It's the knowledge that some of our best life moments are behind us, and there is no way to get them back.
For lovers of slice of life, love set in a short period of time, stories tinged with equal hope and sadness, this one is for you.
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The first half set in Xi'An is strong. Xiang Yuan, the high energy 'princess,' is assigned to a regional, failing subsidiary of her grandfather's company. There, she reunites with Xu Yan Shi, a former school genius now fallen from grace, This is an excellent core plot about how corporate spaces with their jealousy, mediocrity, and office politics can ruin talent. Additionally, Xiang Yuan is a great character - with family and friends, ambitions, ethics and intelligence. She is not just the muse for Xu Yan Shi.
Unfortunately, the show falls apart as they transition to Shanghai. The secondary romance never really gets off the ground and 'villains' pop on and off screen with no real logic to them. One highlight, though, was Xu Yan Shi finally seeing the university classmates who ruined his life reap the consequences of their own character flaws.
The main leads are attractive and competent. Vin Zhang playing the serious and 'old soul' lead with just the right touch of fire, and Xiang Yuan mostly succeeds in being high spirited and naive while not crossing the line into childish. The secondary characters and actors here are not memorable.
The music and credits are average, and there isn't much I'd rewatch. I grade on other criteria:
Complex Themes - 8.0
It's state propaganda sure, but the depiction of soul crushing office politics was well done and realistic. Greed and power often do override any desire to recognize great talent and create great products. I also appreciated the realistic depiction of the difficulties of modern relationships, the travel, lots of time apart, extremely hectic and busy with work lives that are emotionally draining.
I will always appreciate plot lines around supportive friends and I found that theme particularly touching here.
Complex Characters/Growth - 7.0
Xiang Yuan learns to transition from the girl who would throw away cake if it came an hour late, to someone who can be patient and persist. Xu Yan Shi recovers from his career set back and is forcibly pushed to realize his dreams of being a pioneer in Chinese technology.
Complex Women/Women Centered plots - 6.5
Xiang Yuan is a good role model of a modern career woman. Otherwise, her relationships with her women friends are fairly superficial. In her family, she is the only woman, on her team there is only one other woman and they barely interact, there is the typical middle aged woman villain etc.
Production Values/Cinematography - 8.0
The clothing here was excellent. There was the occasional misstep, but generally very fashionable and fit the main leads well. The sets, cars etc. were also well done and felt 'in the real world' for the most part. Otherwise, this was not very creative or cinematic.
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A thrilling story of two people following their hearts in a dangerous, toxic imperial palace. The first episodes are violent, overacted and aesthetically ugly, but these issues mostly resolve and settle in.
The plot is unique, you are dropped right into the middle of the conflict and the characters have to fight hard for control over their fates. The ultimate strength of the drama is both people in the romance are skilled and strategic, personable, and have great chemistry.
Dylan Wang from Love between Fairy and Devil continues excellence at conveying menacing, brooding protectiveness. He also succeeds this time in softening and adding some humor and teasing. Chen Yu Qi excels at moving between humor and pranks, to righteous anger, to deep sadness. I was really cheering for them to overcome the odds.
The music is fairly one note, and some of the romance scenes may be worth a rewatch.
I grade on other criteria as well:
Complex Themes: 8.5
Obsession and jealousy are soul destroying - healthy love is completely different. Holding firm to simple principles avoids corruption. Fighting for what you want leads to less regret. Being unafraid of death provides courage and a life with dignity.
Complex Characters/Growth: 7.0
The emperor is a simplistic fool who lets his irrational fantasies and desires run wild. While not a complex characterisation the character is welcome: more dramas should explore obsession v. care and love. Similarly, I liked how the main characters leaned in to stereotypes and tropes to deceive and trick their way to freedom. It was a refreshing take on what is considered a moral and dignified way of life when you have no power and it worked for me: what is crying, faking illness, lying etc. compared to protecting the people you love?
Complex Women/Interactions Between Women: 7.5
Chen Yu Qi is complex: while she desires a simple and carefree life, she is fully capable of initiating her own strategies and power plays. She is making a conscious, active choice to not lead a life full of power struggle - not because she couldn't hack it, but because it's not what she wants. Besides her though, the other women characters are simple and mostly discuss the male characters.
Cinematography/Production Values: 7.5
On one hand, the fight scenes are well done, and there are a few cinematic moments. On the other hand, it really is shot like a drama from 5 - 10 years ago.
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The premise of the show; 'maybe in the end, we all need Attorney Woo more than she needs any of us.' Each episode, we are treated to a new legal case where this premise is freshly tested.
While a bit simplistic and condescending (this is a premise often used for stories about pets and small children), there is an inherent truth and simple joy that is cathartic. Oftentimes, especially in the law, we deliberately make things excessively complicated to avoid our responsibilities to fairness, justice and equal application of the law. Sometimes, there really is a right side and a clear answer.
I will say the legal cases of the week, the legal problems and applications of the law were well researched and presented compared to most legal shows, and illustrated the spectrum of personalities attracted to the law extremely well.
Added secondary elements of romance and family drama kept the show interesting, as the initial simple premise wore thin.
The actors are all distinct, and I was attached to many of the secondary characters. The emotional range and depth was fairly shallow for all. The show often pulled its punches, and would open up difficult scenarios or questions only for things to resolve neatly with a bow, before anyone was too distressed. The music was fine, and I'm not sure if I'd rewatch.
I grade on other criteria:
Complex Themes: 7.5
The show opened up a lot of thorny ethical and moral problems: can someone non-autistic and someone autistic be in a relationship of equals? how will Attorney Woo handle morally ambiguous cases? why do people who feel righteous do immoral things? But then always takes the easiest way out - mainly by side stepping and dropping the issue entirely.
Character Growth: 5.0
There really isn't any, unless you count being more accepting of Attorney Woo
Complicated Women/Interactions between Women: 8.5
Featuring women in careers, esp. in higher power positions is always extremely welcome. Attorney Woo as a woman genius/savant/autistic already gains huge points for this section. She also has a growing and complicated friendship with her fellow female associate and old classmate. However, the touch points, for Attorney Woo are mostly men: her father, her boss/mentor at the firm, her romantic interest, and her nemesis at the firm.
Cinematography/Production Values: 9.0
The production team, directors, and cinematographer excelled in two areas. 1) in illustrating Attorney Woo's internal thought processes from the whales, to how her brain jumps to finding patterns no one else can see 2) in filming the numerous lengthy court scenes to make them engaging and exciting
Beyond that, it's the typical high standards of a modern K Drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
What even is the point?The basic plot idea is simple: provide Yumi with men with two different personalities and have her choose. Major problem though: both men have paper thin backstories and personalities, and we already spent a whole season with them!
Can you drag this out over 14 episodes? No. But, they certainly were going to try. This has all the flip flops of your basic daytime soap with no emotional/psychological or logical brain reasons why it was twisting and turning. I only watched to the end to see if I hated the end: and lo and behold I did. This is the problem with multi-season series with no defined goals.
The acting was excellent, and you really got tied to the characters as it went on even with paper thin backstories and reasons for doing what they are doing.
The only thing that worked for me was the music, which was layered with meaning and nostalgia after suffering with all these characters through last season.
I grade on other criteria as well:
Complex Themes: 5.0
Everyone lets you down eventually?
Complex Characters/Character Growth: 2.0
Last season, the psychology and emotions made sense. This time, they just really didn't. Ba Bi is all surface, no depth on one hand he has all these dark hidden sides and secrets, and yet is also someone of great depth of emotional feeling who is highly responsible and meets his commitments. Which is it?? If he's putting on a mask or a face, then why are we seeing into his head and FROM HIS POINT OF VIEW he's just a really great, mature all around guy. Then it's hinted at that maybe all this romance, lovey-dovey stuff is an act, or he is someone of inconsistent shallow feeling, but we don't actually see that we see someone who is caring, cries, plans for the future, reads fiction, cares for his family, it just doesn't make sense.
On Yumi's side, she is still deeply hurt by the betrayal of many years ago, and as a result requires constant validation, and is not very trusting. She doesn't mature or change or gain new perspective over the course of the show. She just changes professions.
Wung is the same from last season, portrayed more neurodivergent than last season, he still has no EQ and heavily relies on his pride and logical fallacies to get through arguments.
Quality interactions between women: 6.0
Because Yumi switching careers is one of the plot points, it allows Yumi to discuss her career ambitions and work with other women, but it's all fairly shallow.
Production/Cinematography: 8.0
Still quite high, and there's little magical cinematic moments that will linger, but relies on a lot of what was done before.
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Yumi is sleepwalking through her life into her 30s after a romantic betrayal. A series of events causes her to wake up and try again, and there is an addictive quality of wanting to see her succeed at last.
This addictive quality is also due to the 'roller-coaster,' action staged inner life inspired by Pixar's Inside Out. The Bond/action movie dramas of Yumi's interior feelings create more adrenaline to the situation, then this ordinary life and romance would inspire on its own.
The conflicts over pride, money, showing your vulnerabilities, ambiguous boundaries with friends and co-workers etc. are what make the show unique, these are the ordinary fights we've all had instead of the extraordinary larger than life conflicts in your normal Kdrama. But, this is also what holds this drama back, the determination to review over and over smaller, quiet dramas just between two people, prevents the show from truly lingering. .
Music was fine and certain scenes are such a good encapsulation of a first date, or a first fight that they are worthy of rewatch.
I also grade on other criteria:
Complex themes: 7.5
This is a character study of what prevents two, ordinary people, good looking, intelligent, nice from finding romantic relationships. Mainly, the inability to risk, be vulnerable, or show true feelings.
Complex Characters/Development: 9.5
Here, this show really shines, illustrating that surface human behaviors that we find so frustrating come from a very complex emotional and psychological inner self. Yumi also shows growth as she realizes that her past relationship has clouded her ability to commit in the present. The character of Sae-yi was truly exciting to see, a type of personality and friendship we often see in real life (encouraging dependency and discouraging growth and independence).
Relationships between Women: 7.0
Yumi is not fundamentally close to any of her peers, and keeps them at a distance which means she has some competitive and a bit catty friends from university/growing up and some kind fun to hang out with co-workers. She doesn't have an in-depth relationship with her mother and appears to have no siblings. The show really falls down on this point, though it may be realistic.
Cinematography/Production: 8.5
The inner feelings drama was cute and well done, and the film had a soft, indie feel to it that suited the show. The clothes and surroundings were all very realistic, and there were some artistic flourishes that mimicked the emotions that were concerning the characters.
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The plot covers two romances:
Plot A: the perfect billionaire grandson who falls for a pretty, silly and loveable girl from a humble background
Plot B: the rebellious billionaire daughter who falls for a serious, earnest, and secretly hot man with a bit of a past
The plots carries along with hijinks, and secrets, and slapstick humor. Never too stressful, serious, or well, unexpected.
Comparisons to Secretary Kim are inevitable. But in Secretary Kim, the power balance is much more subversive.
The acting is competent all around, but the chemistry between the two main leads was a bit lacking. Common for the genre, but they both were like two teenagers with a crush. The secondary romance was much more naturalistic and lived in, and they had good banter and physical chemistry. I enjoyed that romance a lot more.
Music didn't really register, no need to really rewatch. I grade on other criteria:
Complex Themes: 5
Follow your heart and be earnest and everything will work out. Lies are always found out.
Character Growth: 4
Really, none.
Interactions between Women: 6
The main female lead genuinely engages with her female coworkers about developing products and succeeding at their goals. While interactions with her mother and best friend are often centered around men, they are not always, and the main lead has plenty of screentime with other women.
Production values: 7.5
At this point, I expect more. While with a larger budget than dramas of 10 years ago, the clothing and style was a bit lackluster, as were the sets. There was little to no creativity attempted with the filming.
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The key to selling love is, of course selling the couples, and the main couple here is a rare mix of fun, sexual tension/chemistry and equal partnership. The 'unicorn' for career women in their late 20s/early 30s. All couples have mismatched traditional criteria (age, money, family status), but each couple comes to the realization that character, compatibility and intention matter so much more.
Pacing was great, and only briefly wobbled in the last third. The show ended on a perfect note.
The acting was excellent when it came to the main couple interacting with each other, otherwise it was your typical overacting for this level of drama. The music stood out and I got attached to a couple of the songs which is rare for me. Some of the couple moments, and the ending will stick with me.
I grade on other criteria:
Complex Themes: 6/10
Keep yourself open to love's possibilities, it's rare to connect and feel an easy joy with a person who truly wants to see you succeed.
Character Development: 7.5/10
The characters do somewhat shift with the show, the most heartfelt transformation was the male lead who turned from quite the hardened cynic, into someone who wanted to believe and commit to love
Complex Women/Interactions between Women: 6/10
There are a lot of female characters, and female friendship front and center. While they mostly talk about men, they do also talk about career and work and ambitions. Most of the women are pegged to a 'type' the flashy influencer/blogger with a soft heart, the cute bubbly girl/woman, and the career woman who is a bit oblivious to the human dynamics around her.
Production Values/Cinematography: 7/10
They got top name designers, sets, cars etc. so that everyone felt wealthy (sometimes a downfall of this type of drama). Otherwise production values/cinematography was very very straightforward and the typical quality you would expect in this era.
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Do Bong Soon and Ahn Min-hyuk are the key. Coming from opposite backgrounds, they share a childlike exuberance towards life, a love of video games, and underneath it all a strong sense of vengeful justice. Both know what it's like to feel like 'an outsider looking in,' and they hate the strong bullying the weak.
Ahn Min-hyuk immediately, and endearingly thinks Do Bong Soon's super-strength is an amazing quality. Better still, his admiration for her strength doesn't lessen his concerns for her well-being. It is this rare quality in the male lead that really stuck with me.
The music and sound-effects all have a comic book/video game feel that suits the show, and some of the scenes are so iconic or so startlingly unique that they will live in my head forever.
Themes: 8.0
Inner strength and a life worth living comes from being sure of your strengths and values. Pick a romantic partner who respects and values your strengths and does not try to supress or diminish them.
Complex Characters/Character Growth: 7.5
Do Bong Soon is on a journey to becoming comfortable with who she is. She doesn't so much change but settle into her skin. Ahn Min-hyuk develops different facets (childishness, ruthlessness, admiration) but not sure if he has much growth per se
Relationships Between Women: 5.0
Strong Girl Bong Soon does have friends etc. but all the other main characters are men.
Cinematography/Production values: 8.0
Thought was put into the comic book/video game feel to the show with the pops of color, noises and special effects.
NOTE: There was one gender nonconforming/LGBTQ character that was played very campily for laughs. I couldn't tell whether it was cultural differences or a disrespectful portrayal. Overall, the jokes are based on dated patriarchal ideas, and I could see the 'flip' of gender dynamics jokes not aging particularly well.
In addition, the creepy male serial killer attacking women who fit the patriarchal ideal and then being brought down by a strong woman - is a nice theme but it belonged in a different show. Worse of all, all the emphasis and fascination with this storyline overwhelmingly and unnecessarily centered male violence and took away from the point of the show.
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There is no tension in this drama. The main couple always do the right thing, and a lot of the teasing and tension of the first 10 episodes disappears. What kept me watching was the fun chemistry of the second couple, sweet and full of hijinks all the way through.
The music is decent with a wistful hint. There is no reason to rewatch.
I grade by other criteria:
Complex Themes - 3
I have nothing except stick to the righteous path. Friends are important.
Character Development - 5
Characters are roughy the same at the beginning as the end, though our 'Maiden Holmes' becomes a little lighter hearted and at ease.
Complex roles/relationships for women - 7
There were two female roles here, who were genuine friends, competent and professional. They did not just talk about their romantic relationships with men.
Production Design/Budget - 8
For being on the lower budget side, this is well put together with flattering costumes and sets and a decent amount of outdoor shots.
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The premise: what if the characters in a badly written high school romance became self-aware?
The set-up took two full hour long episodes. Beyond the slow pace, the plot keeps going in circles with no real character development. Every once in awhile, the plot would touch on something a bit profound, but it never stayed there and everything was only half explained.
The main actors are charismatic and do well in their roles, and that is the main reason I kept watching. The music went with the feel of the show but doesn't linger in my memory. I will not rewatch.
I grade on other criteria:
Themes - 7
The bad boy, narcissistic protagonists of your typical high school kdrama are horrible romantic partners. True, meaningful relationships can be so much more rewarding. Almost profound in how careless the writer was with Eun Dan-O's fate and death, and how she protested that she was a real person not just a plot point. But, the theme focus would always shift back to which boy was going to rescue her.
Character Growth - 5
The characters switch between their written persona and their real persona but there isn't much in the way of growth.
Relationships between women - 3
Eun Dan-O is surrounded by complicated and focused relationships with men, and very shallow relationships with women.
Cinematography/production values - 8
How this is shot, dreamy and slow, and a bit like panels of a comic book elevates the show more than it deserves. Indeed, how this show was presented tricked me into sticking with it as I kept confusing the well-thought out direction and cinematography with a show that had more gravitas and weight.
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All these years later, this drama holds up marvellously. While early episodes suffer a bit from the overacting, pettiness and villains of your average daytime melodrama/soap, the plot settles in on something a little more profound. Sure, there isn't a point to many of the minor/supporting characters, but it's hard to mind when the drama stayed engaging and kept pace in so many other ways.
The key of course is in the main couple as both actors play the opposites attract chemistry to perfection. You instantly believe Kim Soo-Hyun as the cold, cynical intellectual alien with a bit of a naive younger vulnerability and Jun Ji-Hyun as a dramatic, ambitious and self-involved star actress who pretends to be cynical but actually shares a similar vulnerability. Not only are they excellent on screen separately, but they have a great sense of comedic, romantic and tragic timings.
The big weak point in this drama is the music feels dated and overwhelms some of the scenes. The drama has good rewatch potential.
I grade other criteria as well:
Complex Themes - 7.5
The explicit theme is that loving and caring for others makes a life worth living and creates the feeling of home. A theme I enjoyed was that it's better to commit to love even if the future is uncertain, rather than a relationship without love just because of finances and societal expectations. Also, sometimes you need to let family members suffer the consequences of their actions.
Character Growth - 8
Both characters become more vulnerable, and human over the course of the show. They are not the same in the beginning as they are in the end (though the character growth is predictable).
Complex Female Characters/Dynamics - 7
Cheon Song I is a great character - full of ambition and joy for life. She, however, has a typical frenemies relationship with fellow friend/actress and conflicts with her stage mother.
Production Budget/Design/Cinematography - 8
The wealthy characters have lovely penthouse flats, great clothing, well-designed spaces etc. There's lots of shots outdoors not just on sets, there's some decently creative takes on how to display Do Min-Jun's powers especially his ability to stop time and walk through doors into other spaces. Very few of the special effects feel super dated which shows how much thought must have been put into it.
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