Badly written but made palatable by the incredibly talented cast

This drama was an adaptation of historical events ( with a sprinkling of fiction) so I expected a certain level of smooth story telling. From episode two however, I had already ascertained that the love story between Hwi and Hui Jae was superfluous to the story, it was improbable and hastily introduced as a fully fledged romance. Right up to the end I was never on board with this romance, it left me cold. Hui Jae was often the third wheel in the wonderful bromance between Hwi and Seon Ho and I often found myself asking "why is she even in this story?" Show tried to give her some substance with the Ihwaru angle but that fell flat, her interventions, especially in the beginning of the drama often backfired and hurt the people she was trying to protect. In my opinion Madame Seo was much more capable in the role of leader of Ihwaru.

The real romance that would have emotionally resonated with me at least would have been between Seon Ho and Yeon; now that would have been wonderfully conflicted, heartfelt and angsty; I feel the writers hinted at this in the beginning but dropped this thread as they were focussing on the political intrigue, It was a lost opportunity.

The bromance between Seon Ho and Hwi was the real OTP of this drama. The highs and lows of their relationship were very well written and exquisitely acted. This is the only relationship I cared about along with that of Hwi and his band of brothers.

The political aspects of this story were well written although in the final two episodes it felt as though the writers were brought up short by the way they had written Bang Won's character and hastily tried to retrace their steps, this created inconsistency and attempted to introduce previously unexplored aspects of his character at the last minute. In addition, the story of the death of Hwi's father was suddenly picked up again in the final two episodes in a very poorly executed plot twist.

Overall I didn't like the way the story was written; when I find myself rewriting a drama and thinking "they should have done this or they should have done that" then I'm already deducting points because the drama would have failed to grab my attention and immerse me in its world.

Did Show sufficiently illustrate each characters' definition of "what is my country?" Yes Show did this admirably.

The cast is what made this show entirely. Overall all the actors were very good from the main roles to the minor roles. Special mention however goes to Woo Do Hwan who shone so brightly in his role as Seon Ho, I was completely on board with his angst, his anger, his sadness, his loneliness, his fear, his love, his despair, his arrogance and every emotion in between, I loved him, hated him then loved him again - I will definitely be keeping an eye out for his dramas, he absolutely impressed me.
Jang Hyuk as Bang Won was phenomenal, in the earlier episodes he was all that kept me watching, he embodied the role so much that he managed to make me sympathise with an ultimately polarising and maybe not so likeable character.
Ahn Nae Sang absolutely killed it as Lord Nam, I hated him so much sometimes I would pause the show so I could rant and shout abuse at his latest antic; he is a very talented actor.
Hwi's band of brothers were all good actors I enjoyed all their scenes together.

Kim Yeong Cheol as Lee Sung Gye was good in his role although at times I felt the writing of his character was inconsistent especially when you compare the time periods before he became King and after, he mad a great General but a weak King.
Yang Se Jong as Hwi was rather disappointing in his performance, I found him wooden and one dimensional, perhaps this is because he's supposed to be a simple man without ambition? Even if that's the case he had ample opportunity as one of the main actors to show us some texture in his character portrayal, something which he failed to do in my opinion.
Finally Kim Seo Hyun as Hui Jae, was nondescript, the show would not have suffered if her character wasn't in it, I know this sounds harsh but look at it this way, Queen Seon Deok was in the drama for about six episodes but her performance was memorable, she made an impression while she was there, her acting was resonant.

The music is iffy, I didn't like the choice of music for this drama, especially the EDM sounding song and the modern rock one and the one that sounded like bagpipes, these songs created a disconnect between the story being told and the emotions that were being evoked. The songs themselves are not bad, I just don't think they fit well with the drama.

Rewatch value for me is a 4, there were no memorable moments or emotions I would like to revisit, it's definitely a watch once drama for me.

Overall I give this a 7 out of 10. The story was sufficiently intriguing that I'm now compelled to watch older dramas which depict this time period in history.

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Revenge has never looked so good

This drama is amazingly good.
I don't really want to write this review because I might not do it justice; how do I express the wonder and elegance that is Money Flower? I'll try
Money Flower has some classic 'makjang' elements, chief among them being revenge and multiple birth secrets. I hope you won't be alarmed by my use of the word 'makjang' no need for you to imagine over the top plot twists or crazy hairpin bend plot development; no, not at all. Money Flower is so elegant, sophisticated, intellectual, watching it is like listening to a concerto, there are many lulling mellifluous moments where the plot is humming along beautifully until it comes to a crescendo which will leave you awestruck and marvelling at the wonderful storytelling.
This script is so tightly woven there is absolutely no room for you as a viewer to lose interest, when you're not riveted by the plot, you'll find yourself admiring the setting, the scenery, the camera work, the lighting, the beautiful people and costumes, there is an incredible attention to detail that was exercised in the making of this drama.

The story of revenge is handled in an intellectual manner, like a chess game it's methodical and well thought out, moves are calculated well in advance, there is very little room for error. The messed up family dynamic is shown to the viewer by the progression of the story and in flashbacks, you never feel as though the drama is telling you something, it simply shows you people's actions and the consequences of those actions.
The overriding theme in this drama is the love of money being the root of evil, as well as revenge and its consequences.

The cast is all excellent and well matched to their roles.
Jang Hyuk carries this show to such levels of acting excellence that I'm inspired to watch ALL his work. I've always been a fan but now I'll probably become a stalker, he's that good. He literally had no expression on his face most of the time and yet you knew exactly what he was feeling at any given moment, his eyes are so expressive, and the minor, barely perceptible shifts in expression were equivalent to a huge grin or frown in their impact. just wow.
The conclusion of his story is cathartic and you can feel his relief and the twenty year old burden being lifted off his shoulders.

Lee Mi Sook perfectly portrayed the power hungry yet fundamentally insecure Mal Ran, she is the perfect example of someone who has all their priorities mixed up.

Park Se Young is good as Mo Hyun, she didn't need to be epic so her quiet, simple straightforward demeanour was just perfect for the role.

Jang Seung Jo is wonderful in his role of Bu Cheon. Next to Jang Hyuk this is the performance and storyline that hit a chord with me. Bu Cheon is so pitiful in that the deck is stacked against him even before he is born, his mother's machinations make it impossible for him to chose his own path in life and ultimately to be happy. Jang Seung Jo managed to convey a sad cheerfulness that broke my heart every time, his acting is really great in this drama.

Finally we come to the root of all the evil in the Jang family: Lee Soon Jae as Chairman Jang. This man is diabolical and will stop at absolutely nothing to get what he wants which is to create a lasting legacy of himself into perpetuity, he is so narcissistic. He uses his company that he founded to manipulate his children and grandchildren, holding the presidency as a carrot stick to keep everyone in line, he employs some very heartless tactics, and is overall an extremely ODIOUS man!

The music is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

Overall 10 out of 10. A splendid piece of entertainment.

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A richly colourful depiction of the impressive Zhen Huan's life and times

"There are no sisters in the harem, just weak ones depending on the strong, silly following the smart, sisters today, enemies tomorrow, smile on the face knife in the back" ( Hua Fei)

This sums up the core of the story. Zhen Huan enters such a place, the inner court of the palace, the harem; where she overcomes incredibly treacherous schemes to eventually rise to the top of the imperial court's hierarchy.

The acting in this drama is beyond excellent, it's such an immersive experience watching these talented actors bring their characters to vibrant life. Betty Sun's portrayal of Zhen Huan is amazingly self assured and poised, she brought a quiet yet steely strength and resilience to this character which was captivating at every turn; a truly world class performance.
Hua Fei, was played by Rulu Jiang so perfectly, so delicately, so evocatively that even though she is the villain for the first half of the drama, there are moments of such poignancy that made me shed a tear of sympathy for her situation, odious as her actions usually are.
The competent and confident showing of the Emperor neatly rounds off this truly amazing cast of characters.

The story is harrowing, tragic, sometimes joyful, always dynamic and entertaining; there's an impressive attention to detail in this show.

The character interactions are very detailed, the subs are not always clear as the language is intricate, but I got a more than average understanding of the plot, I love their way of speaking in idioms and poetry, with attention to the smallest detail especially when discussing music and literature.

I think that most people after watching this will be faced with the question of whether the Emperor was good or bad. In my opinion he did most things by the book according to the rules of the palace, so technically he did nothing wrong; however on a personal level, when it came to his relationships within the harem, his actions had the effect of being unjust to one or more women in the harem, and it's this constant upheaval that leads to the erosion of love and trust between him and his favourites. The Emperor's suspicious nature and his murderous means of holding onto his throne ultimately led to the resentment and hatred of his women in the harem and as a result led to his demise.

A concubine is like a flower which blooms and withers, and blooms and withers with every turn of the wheel of fortune and never ending palace intrigue.

Edit September 2024: I've bumped up the total for this drama from a 9 to a 10 out of 10. Just finished another rewatch with the help of the "Chasing Dramas" podcast and got a deeper understanding of the historical and cultural nuances of the storyline and dialogue. This drama is an enduring classic and in my opinion it is the definitive Chinese palace drama.

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A cute, fluffy no drama, drama.

This is a pleasant little drama, but only mildly. The beginning is very slow but I think it picked up in the final four episodes or so, in the sense that the acting seemed to improve and the stories became a bit more compelling.

This drama was probably created as a vehicle for the two lead actors to star opposite each other, so it lacked substance somewhat. However the two leads are cute together and I appreciate the fact that they portray a sensible relationship with good communication between them unlike other dramas where couples forget how to talk to each other and ask questions.
The lead relationship is very painstaking in that the couple's interactions are awkward and a bit cringe, there's no natural spontaneity or spark between them; I bemoan the fact that a couple who had such great chemistry and intensity in another drama (Goblin), failed to bring it out in this one, I'll put it down to inadequate directing.

I enjoyed the supporting cast and their relationships and interactions, they were very pleasant to watch.

The OST is very good and fits the drama well, the song "Make it Count" really stuck with me as I found myself singing along whenever it played.

Overall a pleasant drama for when you want to watch something stress free with minimal irritating factors.

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It took me until episode 6 to get into this drama and even then I wasn't fully engaged.

The story is nothing special, just your usual chaebol prince who falls in love beneath his station. The twist is that he and the female lead have a past connection dating back to their childhood and they kind of promised to marry each other when they grow up ...... and so it goes.

I enjoyed the two leads together, they were so cute with each other and their love story is portrayed in a mature manner, especially their interactions, this aspect of the drama is absolute gold. The male lead had good character development, he was first portrayed as an arrogant and cold person however as the story progresses the true nobility of his character is revealed and he turns out to be so sweet, selfless and loyal, I loved that about how he was written.
Secretary Kim on the other hand, I found her character the same throughout, she never changed and remained constant, this can be seen as a good thing that shows how reliable and genuine she is, but I must admit to finding her boring towards the end. Park Min Young is a great actress but maybe they could have written Mi So with a bit more growth at the end, she just remained the same, I don't know........

The supporting cast was entertaining and sufficient attention was given to their stories without taking away from the leads, this supporting cast actually helped me to enjoy the drama more.
The older brother of the male lead was just flat, any friction and angst he should have brought to the table quickly fizzled out and he just remains an annoyance, why was even there?

I think this drama would have done well at 12 episodes, the story wrapped up around episode 11 so five more episodes with no dramatic tension was overkill, I mean it was cute but I got bored and wished it would end. The final episode was very well done, with all that build up they had to give us a grand wedding right?

Music was great and the ballad is super romantic.

Personally, although I can see the charm of this show, ultimately it failed to engage me as other dramas have so I give it overall a 7 out of 10.

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A drama that set out to show off to its viewers but ultimately failed to live up to its own hype.

That's the sense I got from the beginning of this show, it felt big headed and self satisfied, "please watch me, I'm so clever" Not.

This show tried its best to dazzle us with the mystery regarding how time can be manipulated and with mathematical wizardry, but unfortunately as the story progressed all of this clever potential was discarded by the wayside and all we ended up with was very poor pacing and inconsistent storytelling.

I consider myself to be adequately well versed in things like music, literature, world events, art, philosophy etc; so as a viewer I really welcome it when a writer presents an unusual and unique story, and I'm quite able to keep up with the events the writer is unfolding. But in this drama I was constantly scratching my head wondering 'what's going on now?" "did I miss something ?" "wait a minute who's that?" all to culminate in this weak ending that rendered all the confusion null, mainly because the huge amount of characters that were introduced came to nothing, were never fleshed out and their stories were minimised towards the end.

This drama took its viewers for granted mainly because the majority of people already loved it even before it began. There was a great willingness on the part of the viewers to forgive some flaws and go with the flow, but I think that the flaws in this show are unforgivable, for example the show has very poor structure and the chronology is all over the place ( I know this is supposed to be explained by the time travel/parallel universe premise) the story is all over the place, literally; As a viewer I was often plunged into scenes without a clue as to the context, thus the head scratching.
In my personal opinion, my real time experience watching this was not enjoyable because as I watched it episode by episode I never got to the point of enjoyment because I was always searching for clues to help me understand the story better.

The acting mention I can give here is for Woo Do Hwan, his scenes are always engaging and he has a depth of delivery that is impressive. I also like Lee Min Ho, he's not a bad actor but in this show, the intention was to make him look cool rather than to act well. Kim Go Eun is the kind of actress that will act according to the quality of her leading man and supporting cast, and I think she failed to shine here; I was also not impressed with how she was written, from a strong, confident police lieutenant to a weak, weeping, lost in love damsel, it was truly awful.
Prime Minister was atrociously written, I can tell she's a good actress but really Jung Eun Chae had no chance with the cards she was dealt in this script, It's a role she should have refused to play; her character's descent into the typical jealous, mean and spiteful spurned woman was so disappointing, because this was a role with so much potential.
Lee Jung Jin as Uncle Yi Rim was a waste of a good actor, he was so badly written with weak motivation and back story, it was sad to see.
Kim Kyung Nam had depth as Shin Jae, but ultimately it all amounted to very little.

This show had flashes of brilliance, the concept is intriguing, unfortunately it was handled poorly.

The rating I've given is mainly for the production value, the cinematography and the few flashes of brilliance, oh and Prime Minister's wardrobe.

I understand the OST is good, but I actually never became too familiar with the songs except for the one by Gummy. The music was not used consistently so that's another lost opportunity to build poignancy because music plays a big part in that.

That's all I have to say, sorry but no.

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A competent remake

This remake was quite well done. The budget was clearly high because the set was reproduced very accurately (the two lead's apartments) and wardrobe was also good.

The success of this remake is due to the fact that they remained true to the original story, despite the lengthy supporting cast's scenes. The story was faithfully reproduced.

The acting is great especially the two main leads. Hats off to Matt and Nadech they were captivating; in my personal opinion the female lead's performance had a slight edge over the male lead, she was comical and poignant and straddled the two expertly. Nadech gave a great performance but I just found his expressions one dimensional, he lacked nuance especially when expressing pain and the anguish of finding Falada when his departure is imminent.

The supporting cast brought in the Thai flavour.

The music was not great, the background music was typical loud, overdone and insistent, the one ballad was tolerable.

Overall I enjoyed watching it, but if I ever rewatch this story it will be the Korean version.

8 out of 10

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"Let's really be happy" Park Dong Hoon

and therein lies the seeming simplicity of this drama, it's brilliantly executed and showcases the beauty and fragility of the human condition. This is a story about kindness, grace, love and finding the humanity in all people. The story is meticulously intentional and self aware, highlighting that for most people life is a constant balancing act between internal and external forces, and that our hearts don't move based on logic.

This is a story about a collection of broken people who are somehow not sad, but happy despite it all, soldiering on with the help of childhood friends, family and colleagues. This happiness doesn't apply to our male lead Park Dong Hoon however because he is someone labouring under the burden of his perpetual internal ennui which has become a part of his persona. So we journey with him to find happiness and contentment and it is his interactions with Lee Ji An which begin to thaw his heart and in return his kindness towards her helps her regain her humanity.

Dong Hoon's unconditional kindness to Ji An has a ripple effect which ends up positively affecting almost every character in the story. His elder brother Sang Hoon learns that being selfless is more rewarding than pandering to shallow ambitions and similarly, Kwang's perception of Ji An comes full circle.

My Mister is definitely not a romance story but it is a story about love, Dong Hoon and Ji An's love defies labels, it's not romantic or familial love, its much more than friendship, it's love in it's purest form where each recognises the other's essential humanity and responds to it. Their selfless consideration of each other is heartwarming and that's what makes this show so special.

The entire cast of this drama is excellent. I believe that this is IU's best performance of her career to date. Lee Sun Kyun's interpretation of Dong Hoon is contemplative, melancholy and ultimately triumphant in the pursuit of happiness and contentment, the smile on his face in the last scene of the drama is unforgettable.

The mood and world that this show creates is uniformly immersive and absorbing. The music, camera work, sounds, silence, and everything that makes up this story is well thought out and never misplaced. This is the first time I have actively looked for the score of a drama, you know those instrumental pieces that usually play in the background, yes those, I went and downloaded the entire score, it is that beautiful. The entire OST is a masterpiece and was used brilliantly.

There are very few dramas that I rewatch, and I usually wouldn't rewatch a drama of this genre, but My Mister defies this rule because as soon as I finished it I immediately wanted to rewatch it. I restrained myself and am now happily looking forward to the time when I can relish this show again.

The most deserved 10 out of 10.

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A seamless fusion of romance and politics

City Hall is a great drama. I enjoyed watching it and especially love the way it merged politics with romance so seamlessly.

The story is very well conceived and deals with the issues of politics and love. The battle between honest and sincere politics versus politics driven by greed and unfair manipulation of one's opponents. The story portrays the redemptive path that Jo Gook walks to become his best self with the help of Shin Mi Rae; whilst also showing us how a person who is sincere, honest and loving can achieve great heights despite having many social and educational shortcomings.

I cannot emphasise enough how great the casting and acting is in this drama. Kim Sun Ah plays this role for all it and she is worth, she IS Shin Mi Rae; she embodies the role so perfectly that it is very easy and natural to cheer her on and see things from her perspective.
Cha Seung Won is as great as always, he has a unique ability to blend comedy with serious drama in a way that is not jarring and is empathic.
I enjoyed watching these two consummate professionals do such a wonderful job with this script, they conveyed the emotion in such an authentic way it was often breathtaking.
The supporting cast is very well placed and enhanced the story effectively.

The music is great, emotional, meaningful and apt. I loved how all the lyrics spoke to what was happening in the story and just added that extra layer of emotional atmosphere to the drama.

I will definitely be watching this drama in the future, without a doubt!

My overall score is 9. The only reason I haven't given it a 10 is because subjectively It didn't affect me quite the same way other shows have which I have rated 10, like I say this is entirely subjective.
I can't say any more about the show than I already have, it's the kind of show you have to experience for yourself, it's so real and all-encompassing that a review doesn't really do it justice; WATCH IT! PLEASE!

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Great concept, poor execution.

This is a drama with an amazing concept that had so many possibilities for success but alas it just never quite delivered on its premise. I could see very clearly what the drama was trying to convey but it rarely hit that mark and there are so many missed emotional beats that are wasted. There are scenes which clearly deserve more weight, but they're delivered without punch or significance.

Another thing show does is to deliver monumental truths way after the viewer has already figured it out, so it doesn't have the necessary impact of a bombshell.

The acting is ok, I've been on a quest to find out the reason for Lee MinHo's massive popularity and I can't say that it's because he's a great actor, he's rather wooden and one dimensional but I will say he has a certain charm which is endearing. In this role he's ok but the role would have had more impact with a more powerful actor. Kim Hee Sun is also ok in this, a bit silly at times where the role lacked the wisdom that a person from the future would have. The men from the Woodalchi are entertaining and cute.
The actor who got my notice in this is Park Se Young who played the Queen, she had the right demeanour and energy that the role required.

The music is ok, well placed.

Overall I wish this show could have lived up to its potential.

5 out of 10.

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Endearingly real, vulnerable and funny

This has been my fourth time watching this drama, I wanted to see if it's still as good as I thought it was; I'm happy to say that YES IT MOST CERTAINLY IS!
My Lovely Sam Soon has got to be my all time favourite drama, it encapsulates everything I want to see in a drama and doesn't have the things that I don't like to see.

This drama is real, it is unselfconscious and unabashed; that is quite rare in kdramas.
Sam Soon is a female lead who is mentally and emotionally strong, yet vulnerable; she stands up for herself when it is necessary to do so, she doesn't take any nonsense from anyone, she is not ashamed to articulate what she wants, how she wants to be treated and what she will not tolerate from a man. She is intelligent, knowledgeable and wise, I love the way she communicates, often peppering her speech with allegories and metaphors to get her point across.

She is fun to be with, our male lead often makes reference to this when he's trying to articulate how he feels about her. Sam Soon has a special knack for getting under people's skin, in a good way.
I especially enjoyed watching the progression of the main relationship, their constant bickering had me in stitches in most of the earlier episodes.

Our male lead Jin Hun starts off extremely arrogant and selfish, but Sam Soon brings him to heel pretty darn quick, and the process is both hilarious and heartwarming, watching these two fall in love is what makes this drama so special.

The second female lead is not roadblock central like in other dramas, she's sufficiently annoying but I felt that she actually served some purpose other than just being a hindrance to the main couple, she helped Jin Hun to mature and make some grown up decisions.

I also loved the way the disapproving wealthy mother of the male lead was not made the centre of the story like in other dramas, her objection is noted but it doesn't overwhelm the narrative. It's also refreshing to see Jin Hun stand up to his mother and he also has some bargaining power with her which makes for some entertaining back and forth between them.

There isn't anything that I can criticise in this drama, it's very real and the characters tackle their issues in a mature and straightforward manner, there is very little sugar coating and childish cutesy antics, I especially loved this about the drama; I'm often frustrated by kdramas which present a story of two people falling in love, then when they do fall in love with each other they start acting childish, can't give each other a decent hug or kiss and generally descend into nonsensical time filling antics until we reach an unsatisfying finale which is lacking in logic, even if it is presented as a happy ending.

My Lovely Sam Soon is very realistic and the ending is very much in keeping with this realism.
I absolutely love this drama!

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the villains are too villainous..........illogically so

This drama has high production value and is easy on the eyes. The acting is superb from the majority of the cast and the pace is good although it does suffer from the Lakorn tendency to have long drawn out dramatic moments where people stare at each other like statues.

I particularly enjoyed the performance by the male lead, he manages to be convincingly suave, steely and smouldering in every frame, he's definitely a scene stealer and I hope this actor gives us more leading roles in the future, he's still young so I'm sure he has a long career ahead of him.
The leading lady is beautiful but lacklustre, it's a blessing that she and the male lead have great chemistry otherwise it would have been a drag to watch, she's particularly annoying and judgemental in the beginning but she slowly comes around and grows a semblance of a backbone.
The role of Mam is played beautifully to perfection, she was one of the characters I loved in this show (SPOILER ALERT) so imagine my horror at what happened to her, I thought this was unnecessary and was a waste of a great character.

This show had a lot of potential but as with many Thai dramas there is a lack of balance between good and evil, the evil characters get away with too much and only repent or face retribution in the final episode, this makes for a very frustrating watch.

Overall I'll say that what this show has going for it is a great OTP with wonderful chemistry and beautiful interactions, their story has a very happy ending; so if you don't mind extremely vexatious villains, then watch it for the OTP.

I gave this drama an overall rating of 7.

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Lovable OTP but............

I'm one of those people who caught on to the TMOPB hype pretty late so I didn't have to wait too long for this drama.
I loved this couple's story, and chemistry in TMOPB so of course I was always going to watch the drama dedicated to their story and I must say I was not disappointed in the OTP. For me the OTP is the best part of the drama, their chemistry, story, banter, poignant moments, all of it is absolutely spot on.

The story is a faithful retelling of the novel, except for some small bits here and there and the mortal realm arc which was expanded (unnecessarily in my opinion, because they could have used those episodes to flesh out the final episodes which seemed rushed) The story of Dong Hua and Feng Jui is epic and their love story is littered with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The best thing about this story is the fact that they defied their unfortunate fate and forged on despite everything, ultimately transforming their fate into something positive and beautiful.

The acting is well done, Dilraba and Vengo shine in their roles and brought a unique freshness to the drama. The rest of the cast is good although some of the roles didn't get much screen time, overall it's a great cast.

I think the production team could have done a better job of editing and the entire post-production process seeing as they had over two years between wrapping up filming and premiering; there's just something lacking in the entire drama, the costumes were mostly cheap looking, the sky kingdom set was a bit too gold, gaudy and fake. I also don't appreciate the fact that some of the teasers they released didn't feature in the drama at all and that's so careless and annoying.

The music is great, although I would have loved it to be more evocative, but that's just my personal opinion. I keep thinking they should have acquired copyright for Dong Hua and Feng Jui's song from TMOPB ( Even If There's No Possibility by Xiang Xiang) that would have added a layer of much needed poignancy.

The OTP moments are everything, and if you love this couple you should definitely watch this drama.

The overall production for me was a let down so I give it a 7.5 out of 10.

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An unusual encounter, a love that forms within a crack in time...

This is a very enjoyable drama about a modern woman who's an actress who meets a time travelling Joseon scholar, they fall in love and have to navigate the intricacies of his time travel as well as all the drama that takes place back in the Joseon time period.
This show packs quite an emotional punch, with one of the best on screen couples I've seen in any Kdrama (I've read reports that Yoo In Na and Ji Hyun Woo dated in real life after the show aired) this doesn't surprise me because the chemistry between these two sizzles. In addition to the sizzling chemistry let me also just say the character of Kim Boong Do may be one of the best Kdrama leading men ever written and I mean if there's a handful of best ever heroes then he's definitely on that list. he's genuine, considered, intelligent, dignified, gallant, cute, funny and mature - he's the full package.

The show is well written except for a few niggling leaps of logic which are easily ignored in my opinion. Cinematography is good, the world building is also very vibrant and high quality.
I enjoy this drama and have just watched it a second time after watching it two years ago. The resolution to the conundrum in this story was satisfying and a testament to the overall theme of remembering a true love.

The music is wonderful.
Overall 8.5 out of 10. Definitely give this show a shot, you won't regret it.

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Pure, undiluted audacity!

This show is crazy in a very good way. I was addicted from the first minute. I loved some characters and absolutely detested others. The plot twisted and turned and twisted again until I was dizzy, and I have to give major props to the screenwriter for setting out to write this outrageous story and sticking to her guns the entire way through, I really appreciated the way writer-nim kept all story threads firmly in her grip and kept the story tightly woven from episode to episode, truly an amazing feat.

The cast is what really makes this show (in addition to the writing) What an accomplished group of actors every single one. I must give special mention to Shin Sung Rok; his portrayal of Emperor Lee Hyuk left me hating him one minute and shedding tears of compassion the next, he was in turn villainous and adorable and his is such a masterful feat of acting that my overall impression of him was sympathetic despite his reprehensible behaviour, he literally made the show for me.
Jang Na Ra and Choi Jin Hyuk also brought some excellent acting chops. Jang Na Ra is a firm favourite of mine as she always delivers a well rounded, evocative performance.
The young actress Oh Ah Rin who plays Princess Ah Ri also deserves a mention as she put in an impressive performance, she elicited tears and laughter which is admirable coming from such a young actress.

The music is great, I loved the songs when they played and they were well suited to the action on screen.

This next paragraph is a spoiler for those who haven't watched the show.

The one criticism I have is the way the show handled Choi Jin Hyuk's exit from the show due to a scheduling conflict, he was unable to film the final episodes as the show was extended and he had scheduled other work. His character of Na Wang Shin / Chun Woo Bin is very central to the plot in this show, so I feel like even though they had to scramble to find a solution, they should have had some of the characters (especially Sunny) actively remember him and even visit his grave to reminisce in the final episode. This was a glaring hole in the final resolution of the show and left me feeling disappointed, it's as if he never existed.
Also show tried too hard to force a possible love line between Lee Hyuk and Sunny, it really wasn't necessary; the show didn't need romance in my opinion because there was so much other stuff going on.

Overall this is an excellently crafted roller coaster of a show with an accomplished cast; definitely well worth a watch.

9 out of 10.

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