A Good Crime Thriller Ruined by Romance and Cringey Sentimentalism
The actors might be decent, but the second they open their mouths to deliver some overly sentimental, family related drivel, it turns into a cringe fest. It's like watching a crime thriller slowly dissolve into a poorly written soap opera.This series had potential if it had stuck to solving actual mysteries and crimes. Instead, it throws that all out the window and chases after poorly baked romance plots that feel completely detached from the tone and promise of the first part.
I forced myself to finish it, hoping it would redeem itself. It didn’t. The negatives bulldoze over any good the series might have had.
Hard pass. Thumbs way down.
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The Worst Kdrama I've ever watched
East Palace only have 8 episodes, but I still want to travel back in time and tell myself to avoid watching the film and count the tiles on the toilet instead.The choices of music is bad, it doesn't fit the situation of the scenes nor the setting of the entire film.
The characters are bad, the only character I find great is the tiny gwi-mae who follows them around.
"Justice" doesn't exist in the drama. The evil actions of the characters don't have consequences especially the ultimate villain A.K.A the KING. Everyone in the drama seems to feel the resolution is great even the director, but the ending is the worst conclusion I've ever seen in Kdrama land. The main character died for 3 days while Primordial Gwi-mae gets ahold of him, and he became an evil spirit after destroying another spirit, and despite all those chains tying him down in the afterlife, he still miraculously woke up AFTER DYING FOR 3 DAYS. Yes, he resurrected like the Messiah Jesus Christ.
Death isn't taken seriously in the film because no matter how many times they die, they will still live because they are IMMORTAL.
Dire situations without consequences are boring and predictable.
The East Palace Kdrama is full of plot armor and plot holes.
Don't even bother watching it.
A complete waste of time.
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A Beautifully Crafted Emotional Masterpiece
I initially thought Jin would be just another typical Japanese isekai story filled with harem elements and characters who constantly worship the protagonist. However, I was completely wrong.The story presents an interesting concept. While it isn’t entirely unique, it is used effectively by placing the main character in a moral and emotional dilemma. The protagonist struggles with real-life problems while living in a different timeline, and this duality adds depth to the narrative. The philosophical monologues are thoughtful and reasonable, making it easy for the audience to empathize with his hardships.
The character development of the protagonist is especially strong. He evolves from a coward burdened by past mistakes into a compassionate individual who is willing to do everything he can to save the people in front of him.
Every character in this drama is engaging. Each side character plays an important role and has a meaningful influence on the main character. Their actions significantly shape his mindset and drive the story forward.
The OST is powerful and well-composed, though I do wish there were more tracks to add variety, as some themes are reused frequently across episodes.
The portrayal of Japanese history in the series is also impressively accurate.
I’m very much looking forward to watching the second season, and I hope it will be just as strong as the first.
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A Great Crime Thriller Drama for Matured Audiences
Taxi Driver did a great job executing a solid story concept seriously and maturely.Most K-drama series tend to include unnecessary romantic subplots that add nothing to the overall story.
I'm glad Taxi Driver avoided that. As a man, I don't enjoy seeing a "knight in shining armor saving a damsel in distress" in the middle of an otherwise serious and compelling narrative.
The acting from the cast is fairly average, especially the main character and the hacker girl. It's hard to empathize with their emotional breakdowns due to how mediocre their performances are.
The only truly great actor in this show is the villain, Baek Sung-Mi. Her acting is impressive and really stands out compared to the rest of the cast.
However, my favorite characters are the mechanic/engineer duo—you’ll know exactly who I’m talking about if you’ve watched the series.
Those two have the best chemistry in the entire show.
The music is also pretty average, nothing outstanding or memorable, but not bad either.
Overall, even though the acting and music are just okay, what matters most to me is the storytelling, and on that front the show truly delivers.
I’ll probably watch the second season of this show.
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