Rhea
Malaysia
So the drama focuses on the love story between clumsy and optimistic Yun Shu and her cold and “overly perfect” professor of Mathematics Zhang Sinian.
In the early episodes, it kind of annoyed me that Yun Shu was really gullible. I hate that people kept on taking advantage of her and she has little fighting spirit. She does have a great support system but I somehow feel like it made her dependent, she is unprepared to face the outside world of college. I mean like its only episode 4 and she was scammed twice! I kind of viewed her as careless, impulsive, indecisive, dependent, immature but loyal, kind and compassionate.
My first impressions were
1. Professor Zhang is too cold, borderline Stiff but he is extremely good looking while our female is his exact opposite. When he is perfect, responsible and very logical while she is more casual, careless, irresponsible, carefree, and more in touch with her emotional side.
2. Our female lead has a really good support system, from her overly supportive friends and her protective older sister. 3. No matter how perfect Professor Zhang may seem when it comes to his grandfather, he becomes desperate and impulsive and last 4. This drama will definitely have quite a number of clichés.
I’m conflicted with this drama. I love that Yun Shu eventually matured in the end, it had a good happy ending, not too annoying supporting cast (namely those who wanted to split our Prof Zhang and Yun Shu), really good lines, and adorably sweet couples. Good lines like the following:
“Quantum Entanglement. I dreamed of two quanta, one was in forward rotation and while the other was in reverse rotation. Even if they were apart, they were closely linked together in the unseen world due to some principles which cannot be explained by modern science. In the same trajectory and frequency, they formed a pair” -Grandpa Zhang
“We’re married first and then fell in love… I’m old fashioned and not humorous but one thing I’m sure of is I really like you. So I hope we can get to know each other more.”-Prof. Zhang“He forces me to do math with a cold face every day and criticize me. I never heard good things from him but. Although he looks school, he is actually a warm person. Its him who has always been encouraging and supporting me. He made me who I’ am right now”-Yun Shu
Then that time that someone wanted to get in between them, I’m so happy when Yun Shu finally stood up for herself and somewhat protected what was hers. She was not gonna be bullied lol.
“Thank you for worrying about me. Indeed you are older than me and have riched experience than me but I hope you can know that I’m Zhang Sinian’s wife. I’m already a married woman”
My heart was like Yes girl!
“I’m not that childish. I want to be a better half of you not your stumbling block. Although, I don’t quite understand your world view but at least, I can try my best for your life plan”-Yun Shu
Then grandpa Zhang always has amazing pep talks.
“You don’t have to worry because they’re so much alike. They’re like two parallel lines and never intersect with each other. They’re elites with common interests and they’ve known each other for a long time, but if they’re together, they can only become like-minded friends”-Granpd Zhang
And of course the highlight of the last 2 episodes is when Prof. Zhang was in a business trip and someone was snaking her way in which just irritated me to no end but Prof. Zhang’s confession is one for the books.
“I counted the times we get along with each other since I met Yun Shu for the fist time to the building of our contractual relationship and to this business trip. The number of times we get along with each other during this period is 821 times. In the process of contact, the percentage she showed happiness to me is 83.33%, amid this, 12% wasn’t caused by me. So the process of her getting along with me shows happiness generally. I also calculated my feelings about Yun Shu. Happiness and joy accounts for 73.33% so the date of the two of us getting along with each other is quite big among general couples.”-Prof Zhang
Someone who is as stiff as him, this is one of his best lines. His brain isn’t like any guy who could come up with something so sweet, cheesy or corny, instead his brain functions with numbers, probabilities, data and conclusions so this line was such a sweet way of telling the other girl that Yun Shu is the only one who can make him happy and no one else.
Now for some of things that I was not exactly a fan off (don’t worry I’ll try not to spoil too much but if you really don’t want to hear about it, then skip and head straight to Characters) I was not fond of the beginning of the drama, I found the female lead really annoying, weak and immature. Then most of the story is quite predictable but I wasn’t really mad at it, I was just hoping for something more.
For a 24 episode drama, it took me a while to finish this, not that long but longer than I expected to watch this drama. I took a break at first half and was really leaning into dropping it but decided to still give it a shot and I’m happy that I did. The story, despite its very common clichés and predictability, got better during the second half of the drama.
CHARACTERS
Yun Shu a graduating student who is almost half way through her last year but was set back when she failed her defense, got fired from her job and ultimately became homeless. She is loyal, kind and compassionate but at times can be naive/gullible. She can be indecisive and at first quite dependent to her friends but she is very compassionate and has high EQ. Even though it took some time but eventually she matures into a woman who will fight for her loved ones and make mature decisions.
Zhang Sinian a “perfectionist” Professor of Mathematics. He is aloof and cold genius. He doesn't have friends as he mostly focuses on his work and is quite insensitive. But despite being cool and distant, when it comes to his grandfather, he loses his control and becomes impulsive. I love that despite falling in love and the major changes in his life, his character didn’t change that much. I love that the writers really stick to his stiff and blunt personality and instead of changing his character they just improved him. I love that he didn’t become soft or weak.
Characters to mention:
Yun Lan - Yun Shu’s smart and workaholic older sister. She is the exact opposite of Yun Shu and probably like a more affectionate and protective female version of Sinian. She has her life set but she gets flustered because of her “encounter” with Lu Yu. She is your typical over protective sister who really dotes on their baby sister without realising that may sometimes become overbearing cause they think that that they know everything about the world and that they have to have a say in everything (why do I sound like I’m talking about something personal? LOL) but truly, she is definitely one of my favorite characters in the drama.
Gao Zhi Yi - One of two of Yun Shu bestfriend. She offered lots of good advice to Yun Shu and was always there whenever Yun Shu needed someone to talk to. I don’t remember what happened with Lin Nuo in the past ‘cause her overall love life is a mess (lol) tbh, I was not her biggest fan at the beginning ‘cause she sometimes acts like (not to be rude but) always desperate to have a “rich/good” boyfriend but somehow she kind of grew on me. I love that she was always a good emotional support to Yun Shu, always there to offer her shoulder and advices. She was always loyal and never demanded anything in return.
Lu Yu - Prof. Zhang’s famous childhood friend. He is a popular actor who fell in love with Yun Lan and continued to pursue her despite her cold refusals but his persistence is really cute and funny.
Lin Nun - one of Yun Shu’s bestfriend along with Zhi Yi. like Zhi Yi, he is extremely supportive and loyal to his friend. Although, the way he acts with Zhi Yi is definitely more than a friend would and I noticed even at the beginning that his feelings has not changed. He is the guy friend that every girl wants, the type that will always be there for you.
CAST
I’m definitely gonna search for more of Miles Wei’s (Zhang Sinian) projects, I kinda like him. I don’t really have much to complain about the cast.
FINAL THOUGHTS (RATING: 8.5/10)
The drama didn’t really hook me in immediately and was on the verge of dropping it since I was not fond of the first half of the drama but the second half was definitely better (definitely better since I actually finished it lol). Even though I was a bit reluctant with the drama, it definitely has its moments. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I was expecting on my first watch but when I re-watched it again, it definitely grew on me and could definitely say that this might get into my pick me up drama list.
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Its one of those dramas that you had no plans on watching cause you already had a prejudice about it, that it would be boring. It's those that you never expected are usually gems that really struck you. It's nothing flashy or extravagant but the story and the way the drama made you feel, is what made you love it more.
I don’t watch melodramas for the reasons that I find it a bit dull or slow and requires too much emotional investment. And reading the synopsis for this and watching the trailers, it gave that exact vibe especially with the aesthetic of it all.
STORY
“We all love differently” is a good phrase to summarize the drama. Ha Won and In Wook’s love for Jisoo is different as are Seo Woo’s and Soon Ho’s love.
Ha Won and In Wook’s love for Jisoo and her memories are quite the opposite. Ha Won cherished everything about Jisoo. She was the sunshine on a rainy day, she was the light in a dark room, the fire during winter and the warmth during cold days. She was Ha Won’s rock. He was willing to drop his life for her (he did) and would never regret it.
Ha Won knew his place and never forced her, he waited and waited patiently and even when he realised that she loves someone else, he didn’t argue with it or fought, he respected her decision. Even when their lives moved on Ha Won held on to his love. Even with a tiny memory, he held onto it, he held onto her memories, he held onto her. Having a piece of Ji Soo was enough.
“I only want a small piece of her”
In Wook started loving his wife from afar. He watched her and loved her with all his heart. She was his partner and his other half as he did for her. She was his loving and supporting wife and he cherished and loved her just as much. He didn’t expect though that a past mistake could put a strain to their love and trust. In Wook loved her but his pride got in the way.
He expected her to just accept it and move on and when she didn’t he distanced himself thinking that it was the best way to let her heal. But there was a part of him that hated Ha Won for loving his wife, he was insecure and guilty. Unlike Ha Won, a piece is not enough, he wanted everything from Jisoo.
Seo Woo and Soon Ho both love someone and the way they approach their love was different but still kind of the same. Seo Woo at first just loved Ha Won just like he did for Ji Soo, patiently and quietly but when she saw that he was hurting, she didn’t comfort him with flowering words but rather slapped him with the truth.
While Soon Ho, she stuck on his side despite him pushing her away. She was persistent and that was her charm. She wanted to comfort him by being there she didn’t want him to be swallowed by grief.
His tears give me pain. I want to tell him it’s okay and that he shouldn’t suffer anymore. I want to be able to give strength to my husband. -Ji Soo
Seo Woo had a question that I really liked and Eun Joo’s answer was even better.
Is one percent potential or false hope?If you think, “I have a whole percent” it’s potentialIf you think “I only have one percent” it's a false hope
I love the idea of viewing one thing differently. Depending on how you see it, it can be a good thing or it can be a bad thing. It's how you see it and how you believe it that matters.
There are a lot of lines in the drama that really struck me, especially when dealing with emotions from situations you can’t control.
Seo Woo would say to Eun Joo one out of the 100 reasons as to why it won’t work out with Ha Won but I say for every dozen of reasons for it to be wrong, there are thousands of reasons for it to be right.
“Being sad when you should be angry or annoyed is bad for you. Its okay to be angry”
I forgot who said it but I love that line.
“Its gonna be okay, the world changes on its own”
I love that the romance was slow at times, it was refreshing from other dramas since it was slow and values too much on each character's feelings, there's no villian who vows to ruin everything but it rather focuses on the grief of loss, the desperation of longing and moving on from pain.
There is a really good chemistry between both leads, they are the kind of pairing that you want to watch for a long time, which is why it's a bit sad that it got cut short into 12 episodes.
CHARACTERS
Moon Ha Won is the kind hearted genius who founded M&H and the leading innovator of AI Programming. Despite his success, Hawon is longing for his first love, Ji Soo. His childhood friend and only friend when he was still living in Norway with his mom.
What I really love about Ha Won is his consistent love and loyalty to those he values. He is very patient and calm, so it was quite different when he got mad. I love that he is such a cool boss and understanding uncle to Soon Ho, despite them being the same age or was he older by a few years?
I love Ha Won’s kind of love. He is not forceful, obsessive or constrictive but rather he was patient, understanding and sentimental. He’s not a high maintenance kind of guy (lol) he values simple things. He has this innocent look that you can’t help but fall in love with.
I love that his feelings (for Seo Woo) didn't just magically appear. It wasn’t love at first sight, he fell in love with her by understanding her. His feelings gradually developed the more he understands how Seo Woo thinks. When he first saw her, it wasn’t love but rather curiosity. He was kind of curious about her and the more he spent time with her, his curiosity morphed into something more.
Han Seo Woo is the recording engineer for a classical music studio. At first I kind of thought that she was just a normal person who is just trying to survive day by day but as the drama progresses, the more secrets of Seo Woo’s life unfolds which reminds of the saying “Don’t judge the book by its cover”. Seo Woo kept her pain inwards, like the majority of the characters in the drama Seo Woo is dealing with or have dealt with memories that are just too painful to handle alone.There was a time that it seems like Seo Woo is in love with not the actual person but loves Ha Won's love for Ji Soo, do you get me?
She said she loves looking at him when he is asking about Jisoo, the way he cherishes her, misses her the way he gives his all for Jisoo, not being negative or being pessimist but it seems like she is in love with Won's idea of love . But after watching it all, I know that she genuinely loves Ha Won. I kind of get her dilemma and why she did what she did. She was being thrown in this rollercoaster of emotions and a person can only take so much.
Moon Soon Ho is the biological granddaughter of the diplomat who sponsored Ha Won and his mom while they were staying in Norway. She is like the complete contrast to Ha Won, she is impulsive, impatient and opinionated but that's just Soon Ho’s charm. I was a bit disappointed with her though, putting her crush over Ha Won, oh how much I wanted to rip her off the door but somehow I think it was for the better ‘cause Ha Won had the time to cool off and not do something impulsive.
Kang In Wook is the tormented pianist who records at the recording studio who is also Ji Soo’s husband. I actually didn’t like him at first but I was moved by his pain. He genuinely loves his wife but his pride is his downfall. It hurt my heart watching him in pain.
ACTORS
I love the actors. Of Course I love Jung Hae In, although I haven’t watched a lot of his work since most of them are in genres or themes that I was not interested at all but everytime I do get to watch him, I always love him. Somehow this kind of genre and theme just perfectly fits him.
Then Chae Soo Bin is one of my favorite actresses. She is really pretty and really good at acting, I saw her on I’m not a robot and Sassy Go Go and I just fell in love with her. She is like a walking doll.
Although I was a bit disappointed with Lee Ha Na (Soon Ho), I can’t pin point out what but somehow I was kind of disappointed with her in this, although I loved her in Voice with Jang Hyuk not the following season (lol)
And for Kim Sung Gyu, my amazing and awesome Young Shin from Kingdom. I love him here and in the kingdom, he perfectly played the tormented pianist really well.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I rarely like OSTs or drama BGMs. I often find them subjective, like it fits for that single purpose alone and after the drama has passed, it's just no longer meaningful but somehow all of the music in this drama just gives me shivers (tbh, Idk why) but it just does. I find myself looking for it and constantly having it in repeat which is a big help for me right now since my insomnia keeps on coming back.
Aesthetic for the drama is very soothing, warm and calming which perfectly fits the overall feeling of the drama. The cinematography is really great and the locations are breathtakingly beautiful.
Would I recommend it? Yes, it's a refreshing drama that nourishes your heart and your soul. It's one of those dramas that doesn’t need the over the top climax or horrifying or despicable villains. All the emotions that each character goes through from pain, desperation, grief to happiness is the main gem of the drama.
If you haven’t watch it, instead of being led by stereotypes and prejudices (like me from the start) that melodramas are boring and dull, watch it with open mind and open heart and then you can genuinely judge if its a good drama or not.
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Overall, I liked this drama because of the plotline and their chemistry together, but I felt like Massaya cries way too much, she was fine earlier in the drama but she just cried every episode which made me a little triggered as to how many times she has cried. She’s known to be a little bit of a tomboy but throughout the drama, she shows her sensitive side.
Lak and Massaya went through many different struggles as they had to find themselves and to hide their relationship as they both developed feelings for each other. Their chemistry was not spicy overall so if you’re looking for something with that, then this is the wrong place for that. I didn’t like the spontaneous change of feelings to add a huge suspense towards the end, but the ending was cute.
This is my first time watching Mookda act, so I think she’s a good actress so far and am looking forward to see what else she’s gonna act. Mik overall is such a great actor, I’ve watched him for many years before making this tumblr so if I do some rewatches then I’ll definitely post them. I had a month-ish break because I rewatched Hwayugi and it’s still SOO GOOOD AND I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND IT STILL. I’m currently watching a chinese drama, so expect a post on it next week!
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Engaging Story
Fall In Love is surprisingly an engaging drama for me. I didn’t expect it to be this good but the story execution is nicely done that the tale flows cohesively at a good pace to make me hooked. This is not a pure romance drama despite the title because the fluff kind of tapers off after the halfway mark as other more serious issues of feuds and schemings start to take precedence.Hence, you can divide the drama into 3 arcs. The first concentrates on the female lead’s family issues as she battles a toxic stepmother and half-sister. This runs for 17 episodes and it includes the budding romance of the main couple. The next 10 episodes is about the schemes to bring down the villain while the last arc talks about the villain fighting back and the push factors to lead the protagonists to lean towards the Revolutionary Army.
It is easy to have the misconception that this is a rom-com or something lighthearted. It is not. While it isn’t depressing like One And Only or has a painful kind of love like Novoland: Pearl Eclipse, Fall In Love still can’t run away from the serious issues of that era that revolves around war and tussles over territory. The drama is engaging simply because the screenwriters have successfully interweave the romance into the power fight for control over a city especially in the first arc.
A Cohesive Plot
Basically, the drama is really about feuding warlords. The male lead wants to establish his presence in Shanghai while the warlord in control of the city wants him out. The female lead becomes the center of attention because of her rich father who could provide financial backing to the warlords. Thus, the story of all the characters is logically linked together. Each of the character has a reason to be there and the plot doesn’t go all over the place but stays tightly focused.
Included in the plot are the schemes strategized by the leads. They are cleverly written rather than being superficial. Therefore, rather than just concentrating on the romance and the fluff, Fall In Love has also taken the pains to intrigue viewers on how the protagonists outwitted their enemies. I find it rather entertaining and different from the usual. This is certainly not the kind of simple love story like Love At Night or Once We Get Married, but a more well-rounded drama that has romance, family, power tussle, and higher ideals being cohesively bundled together.
Intelligent Characters
What makes Fall In Love more interesting is that the main characters are depicted as smart people. Xuan Lin is shown as flirty and playful often but he does it with intelligence to throw his enemies off. He is the type of man who can see through other people’s plan and think a few steps ahead.
Wan Qing may look courteous and quiet but she is not one to be bullied. She has brains to counter Xuan Lin and knows what his schemes are about rather than being blindly taken advantage of. She doesn’t whine and knows how to fight back.
Therefore, if you like smart characters with a backbone, you should enjoy watching Xuan Lin and Wan Qing. Even the second male lead is an astute man but simply too kindhearted and noble to resort to underhanded tactics. Overall, the annoying characters are limited to Xuan Lin’s younger sister who lacks maturity and Wan Qing’s stepmother and half-sister with their exaggerated jealousy. But they don’t dominate the drama with their limited screen time which helps to keep things balanced.
Great Chemistry
The leads have great chemistry together as a couple. From the very beginning, you can already feel the sparks in their interactions. So, when the romance follows, you will get the feeling that they are meant for each other. They look matching as lovers and you will root for them. However, the sweet scenes are pretty limited in this drama. There are kisses but also nothing that will make you go wow unlike You Are My Glory and Love Scenery. So, if you want a fluffy kind of romance with lots of hugs and kisses, Fall In Love will not be in that category.
As for the acting, Oliver Chen really gives Xuan Lin very unique characteristics. He gives it a playful personality but at the same time, also portrays him to be a responsible man with deep emotions related to a tragic past. Hence, Xuan Lin doesn’t appear as one-dimensional as Oliver Chen also manages to bring out the other aspects of the character’s personality to the viewers.
Zhang Jing Yi also plays the role of Wan Qing rather well. She depicts her as someone with inner strength through a stoic face and quiet determination in her eyes which is consistent with the character’s background and life experience. As for Evan Lin, I last saw him in Crush. He has that similar serious face and brooding demeanor in both Crush and Fall In Love. He did okay as Guang Yao but I think he still lacks experience to effectively flesh out the conflict in the character who is torn between his father and doing the right thing.
My Verdict – Watch!
I know many people don’t really like watching Chinese Republican dramas. This is because the stories in that time setting tend to be associated with sufferings, war, and female oppression. But do make an exception for Fall In Love. It is not a distressing drama despite the turbulent period but one that has enough wittiness and interesting dialogues to get your attention.
Some may find the male lead to be a jerk in the beginning but do continue on as he gets better as the drama progresses. The story development is sound and there is strong foundation for the romance to flourish. However, the ending could be better. Although all loose ends are tied up, there are new villains being introduced in the last 3 episodes. Neither would you get a sweet ending scene for the couple after all the scare that they went through despite this being a romance drama.
For this Fall In Love 2021 review, I would give it a score of 8/10. It has a well-executed plot to give viewers an engaging story. Many romance dramas with over 30 episodes will feel draggy but not this one. It has enough happenings in other areas to push the story forward rather than relying on the main couple’s relationship alone to drive it.
Thus, if you are craving for something very sugary, look for something else to watch. But if you don’t mind using your brains a little to follow the protagonists’ schemes, then this would be pretty interesting and different from the usual.
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This review may contain spoilers
A few episodes in, I could see where Hundred Million Stars From the Sky was panning out to. Hidden under the guise of a murder mystery, it truly is a birth secret drama (where the lead couple is separated as kids due to a tragic incident, only to reunite as adults, fall in love and face their fears together), following largely in the footsteps of Kill Me, Heal Me. If the latter explored the multiple personalities developed due to the horrifying near-death incident, in Hundred Million Stars From the Sky, it is the reverse, as Kim Moo Young (Seo In Guk as remarkable as ever) ends up emotionally distancing himself from everyone and everything, after facing a similar tragedy.There are more similarities between the two shows, especially when considering the climax, but except for the dash of amnesia, a pinch of red herring (which I will come to later), the tone is vastly different. Kill Me Heal Me used the fun and ease of watching a rom-com, to present to us a difficult topic, while Hundred Million Stars From the Sky uses a murder, that isn’t even directly related to the three main characters, to lure us into the real mystery that has to be solved.
Writer Song Hye Jin takes this tried and tested formula and tweaks small elements, that does something so different, that the end product stands out against other dramas with a similar plotline. Till we are even introduced to the larger mystery at hand, the past is constantly teased via dialogues, especially the ones shared between Moo Young and Yoo Jin Gook (a brilliant Park Sung Woong), without ever revealing what exactly was the nature of the incident or resorting to the use of flashbacks. This heightens the suspense and tension more when you consider that Moo Young is a morally ambiguous character, who may have committed a murder or at least has instigated one.
The story too just flows with many different plotlines — involving romance, chaebols, police investigation, without ever feeling muddled, but brilliantly integrated together. This gives the show a much more established setting, that is by investing so much time in the present, it becomes as important as the past. These characters and their choices matter as much now as they did before.
This is especially important when it comes to Jin Kook, who treats his whole life as a penance for his one wrongdoing, early in his career. We meet him as a detective who works under his subordinate and is seen as a burden for the team, but as he crosses path (literally at first) with Moo Young, he almost ends up making the same mistake he is now paying for.
Seo In Guk is one actor perfect for playing grey characters. His aloofness would make you question him, but his inherent charm would disable those suspicions immediately. We aren’t privy to any of his thoughts, and his interactions with other characters are limited except for when he is with Jin Gook and Jin Kang (Jung So Min). So, you can never predict what he is going to do, what exactly is going on in his head, and basically, whose side he is on, but rather than scare you, his confidence and calmness make you relaxed, as someone who knows what he is doing.
This drama is the official remake of the 2002 Japanese drama of the same name and while the original had quite a controversial ending where it is revealed the two main leads (here that would be Moo Young and Jin Kang) are biological siblings, the Korean one releases this (false) information for an episode, to provide shock and create some damage for our characters, and then smartly eliminates every possibility of it in the next.
Though I expected this reversal, as Korean dramas generally tread safely when it comes to their leads (unless its a movie — Oldboy, anyone?), the reveal — for however short it was — made sense especially considering Jin Gook’s constant disgust for Jin Kang dating Moo Young, but the sudden swerve back to safety, (which made me personally feel better), didn’t make sense when considering Jin Gook’s extreme actions, in particular when he stabs Moo Young to keep him for dating his sister.
A similar reveal had been teased before in Kill Me Heal Me too, albeit for a short period, between Cha Do Hyun and Oh Ri Jin, and also between Oh Ri Jin and Oh Ri On, but where it is swiftly revealed that they aren’t biologically related as Ri On loves Ri Jin.
Along with this, there were some loopholes in the plot, which don’t really hamper the viewing experience but still prick your mind from time to time, like Moo Young being let go from the murder investigations even when it was made clear that he put the idea into Im Yoo Ri’s (Go Min Si) head and helped her plan it. Or the fact that Dr. Yang thought it was a good decision to let a kid with burn scars and a memory loss wander off than be continued to be treated in the hospital. That plot point was completely lost on me.
Did I mention that an OST plays for the first time, only in like the tenth episode!
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This review may contain spoilers
A MUST-SEE DRAMA
"What the Shadow Witch has stolen from them was not their true faces but their courage to find happiness."사이코지만 괜찮아, or better known with its English title, It's Okay to Not be Okay, is one of the dramas that I have been waiting to air because it is the small screen comeback of Kim Soo Hyun after serving in the military. That's why this is a very special one. Just in case you didn't know, I have been a fan of Kim Soo Hyun since Dream High era. Anyway, in this blog post, I'll be sharing to you the things I like, hate (if there's some) and lessons I learned in this drama. I may have some spoilers here so read at your own discretion.
Things I liked about this drama
The animation and VFX
As a multimedia artist, I am definitely impressed with the animation and the vfx of this series. I like how they used stop-motion animation to give this creepy vibe. Stop-motion animation is a meticulous type of animation. It requires a lot of patience that's why I really appreciate it. Also, I also like how they presented the main characters. They give me some kind of Addams Family vibe.Regarding the vfx, since they showed us at the end that they are using the blue screen for the scenes in the balcony of the castle, I must say that I am truly impressed on how they made those effects. Hands up to the vfx team.
The cast line-up
This drama has a solid line-up. The actors and actresses in this drama are so amazing. Well, amazing can be an understatement. Every actors and actresses fit with their roles and well, they also fit well for each other. I mean, I can't imagine other actors playing those roles. I also like how the main characters' past selves really look like their younger version. The casting team did well. And speaking of casts, Oh Jung Se is really a versatile actor! I first watched him in When the Camellia Blooms. His character here is really different from that character and he pulled it off very well. I hope he wins an award for his role here.
It tackles about Mental Health
Mental health is something a lot of people are afraid to talk about. Maybe because they are not that informed about it or they just don't want people think that they're crazy. Admit it or not, a lot of people will label us crazy when we tell them that we visited a psychiatrist or psychologist. As a person who is suffering from depression and anxiety, this drama gave me hope that those people who are not that aware with mental health and mental illnesses will have an idea about it and how they can deal with it. And also they gave me an assurance that I can recover from my mental illness.
The stories within the story
The fairy tale story books that Ko Munyeong wrote were really an eye-opener. My personal favorites are The Boy who Fed on Nightmares, The Cheerful Dog, and the Finding the Real Faces. The main reason why I loved this is because I can relate to the stories. I keep on thinking, is it really made for kids or is it made for adults? I love how adults can relate in these children books.
Aside from that, it gave me another perspective on how to look at the fairy tales. We always think that this is the moral lesson of the story because our parents or teachers told us so, but in fact, there are more lessons that can be found there. And I love how Ko Munyeong pointed it out.
The emotions it gives me
This drama will give you a roller coaster kind of emotions. One minute you'll see yourself crying and suddenly you will burst out laughing. A single episode can make you experience a lot of emotions. I think that this drama wants us to release those emotions because there are times that we also try to hide these.
The story twists
There are a lot of twists in this drama and that is what makes me want more of it. There were just so many mind-blowing happenings. Spoiler alert, yes it's a happy ending. I actually expected it already but I never thought that this happy ending can affect me equally with a sad ending. Maybe because I saw the development of the characters. It's probably one of the most satisfying ending. I personally love it. It was not the ending I was expecting but it was the ending the drama deserves, a happy one for each one of them.
Things I somehow hate in this drama
Questions that were not answered
SPOILER ALERT. The main question is how did Ko Munyeong's mom suddenly live again? Was she resurrected or something? I don't remember watching a scene telling how she survived from falling from the stairs knowing that a lot of blood spilled that time. Because somehow, it doesn't make any sense to me. I just need this question to be answered and we're all good.
Lessons I learned from this drama
I'll be writing a separate blog for the lessons I learned from each character because I think this review will be long once I added those. Anyway, these are the general lessons that I got while watching this drama.
Taking care of our mental health is as important as taking care of our physical health
Most of the time we tend to neglect our mental health because we consider it as a "not important" part in our lives. But in this drama, it shows us that mental illness is an illness. It is not something to be pushed away. It needs to be treated so that we can fully live our lives.
Blood-related or not, it is the bond and love that matters
We can see how the friendship of everyone grew. They may not be blood-related but you can feel the love that they have for each other. One example is Jaesu. He is definitely the best example of a best friend. He is just there for Gang Tae every time he needs him. And he is just so happy that at the end, Gang Tae called him "Hyung (older brother)". You can also see Nam Juri's mom. Look at how she takes care of everyone! She was just a landlady but she ended up being everyone's mom. The way she takes care of everyone is really heart-warming.
For parents, your children are not your artworks
Yes, you brought them to this world but that doesn't mean you can control everything in their lives. They are a separate human being. They belong to themselves. The thing you can only do for your children is to give them support and love they need and guide them while walking on their paths. Note, guiding is different from dictating what to do.
For children, your parents can make mistakes but that doesn't mean they don't love you
Like in Gang Tae's part, he grew up thinking that he was never loved by his mom, that he was born just to take care of his brother. But when he is sleeping, we can see how his mother loves him. It's just that his brother needed more attention. Our nation's eomma once said, cut your mom some slack.
And of course, it's okay to not be okay
Just like what the title says, it's okay to not be okay. It's okay to feel sad, angry, or just feel nothing. It's okay to show the world what our real emotion is. Because we're human beings. We're not robots who don't feel any emotion. Release your emotions instead of bottling it all up. Cry if you must. But after all these heartbreaks, let's all stand up together and move forward.
Conclusion
It's Okay to Not be Okay is a drama that I will cherish forever. It's now listed as one of my favorite dramas along with W Two Worlds, Angel's Last Mission: Love, and Scarlet Heart Ryeo. This drama will give you a roller coaster emotion. It will make you cry, laugh, angry, kilig, and everything you can think of while giving you a lot of life lessons. Each episode may be longer than the usual, but you won't feel like you're watching a long one because everything is well-packed. I'm very thankful for those people who created this drama. It was worth it. Watch out for my blog about the lessons I learned from each character of this drama.
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From this drama:
1) “If you’re a good person, the goodness will continue through your descendants.” Diane von Furstenberg…If you are a kind person, everything will be reflecting on you..In this drama our ML is so kind, so understanding and always try to help people even a gangster who threatened him. He is so kind that I felt so frustrated on him…but, along this drama, all these people repaid his kindness. These action reflects my morality and thinking.. Finally ,I believe that if you are good to everyone, they also being good to you..
2) Family ties..All Thai’s drama have a good family bonding. Family always comes first, respect the elders, understanding and forgiving to each others. Anyway blood is thicker than water. Sometimes, we made mistakes..But, I’m clueless with the grandpa’s decision to cut the tie with his son because of a marriage. His only son where he waited for a long time for a stupid reason. Can they sit and talk?..This is the starter for all the problem lies in this drama..
3) Unrealistic life…Aigo..First, If you watched this drama, you will fine a handsome cobbler at the end of the street with shiny, clean and good white shirt..Isk..isk..I think all scout agents will try their best to scout him. Even, he is so sexy in that white shirt. Second, everything is so coincidence in this drama. Too much coincidence, but that what a drama was. When I’m in my director mode, I can predict the next scene after a scene..Anyway, too many unrealistic reality here but who am I to argue. Drama is to entertain and fulfill our stupid fantasy..HAHAHAHAH
4) Chemistry between the leads..Please forgive me…80% of me already captivated with their visuals but I think their chemy is good..Their intimate scene also good. There are no awkwardness between the leads. So, I love it..simple touch but had many feeling and emotion!!!!However this drama is from Channel 3, so you shouldn’t expect to much from them.
5. Love cannot be forced…Whatever it is, love cannot be forced.They come whenever they want to whomever they like. So, just accept it with your heart and brain. If not, everything will be disaster to you and all people around you. But, we need this situation to produce a villain in a drama.
6. The sixth sense….There are twists in this drama and I like them. I also love the rebellion part of ML’s uncle because the parts were not dragging but make me feel the suspense. About the twists, you should watch this drama to understanding what I’m writing about.
There is one and only…My Toey…Khun Hayman.He is so perfect and I love him. I love him as Toey when he is smiling and as Khun Hayman where he is so kind and humble and everything.PERFECT!!!!.XOXOXO..hehehe..I also love Namtarn..She is so pretty like a doll and her curve is perfect. Ideal type for S line.
ABOUT THIS DRAMA
This drama is good to me because 80% of my fanboying /fangirling’s emotion contribute to this opinion. But you can try to watch this drama because this drama is good. Typical drama with typical content but there were differences in how the content delivered by the director. So, I give 7/10 for this drama.
PS: But, I read many reviews that stated this drama is good. Anywhere, it only have 16 episodes. 🙂
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A drama that
Finally, I found a drama that suits me..I just knew that this drama is a remake but after 27 episodes, I really loved this version because of the amazing performances from the actors!!!Good job guys!!!1. The best villain in Thai’s drama land .She never give up to do the bad things until the last moments..That is a good lesson for me!!Whatever we are, we should never give up and “NEVER SAY NEVER” in everything that we do.Whatever it is, I empathize for her.She is another wife that got cheated by their husband. The cause of this post-problem is the effect of her husband’s foolish act. He cheated on his wife and BANF .baby on the way!!If there is a woman can accept that behavior and the child, I think that woman is an angel.Our villain is one of the best villain that I watched in Thai’s drama but her weakness is her son..Isk..isk..If she had a better son, she is the unbeatable villian in this drama.
2. OUR MAIN LEAD..Please give a big clap for Tor Thanaphob. I knew about him because he always pop out in channel GMM25. However, he is amazing and I love how he acts. I’m falling in love once again.But, I just watched Sky Castle (Korean Drama) and I really regret it very much.He is soooooo similar with Chani sf9 and everytime he appears in the screen, my brain redirect my mind to Chani.It is a big spoil for me but don’t worry Tor, your acting is better than Chani.
Anyway Chani sf9 (right) and Tor (right) .They quite seem different but when you watch this drama, Tor is like the older, mature, slimmer, taller and sexier version for our 19 years Chani. Along the drama, I wish Tor is Chani because I fall in love with Chani, 3 months earlier than our Tor…huhuhu..If Chani can perform or act like Tor, he will be popular like Im Si Wan..Now, I love both!!!
3. You reap what you sow..First, to all the foolish husbands that responsible to this extreme karma. I don’t want to write my opinion here because I am a WOMAN, so all the wives got my 100% support. Second, to our ML that lack of forgiveness. It is not easy to be a saint if similar circumstances happen to us. Third, Fourth and fifth….you should watch the drama and you’ll find yourself.
4. Beauty + brain .Good but when beauty that has brain but never use it = NO GOOD!!! either the woman or the man, use your brains if you have a brain because when you didn’t use it, the nerves will degenerate..Hahaha…However, to all writers: Can you create beauty + brains in you drama? and please including woman in the tagline.
SECOND LEAD SYNDROME
Of course…only one for me in this drama .Tor Thanaphob.His visual is best and his act make me his fangirl. His chemy with the FL is superb even her act is not as par as him. In the nutshell, this drama help Tor from a lead of idol drama to a lead of popular drama. He can start a pathway to stardom.
About the drama..
I give 9/10 because in the it dragged in the middle of drama. It has all the ingredients of Thai’s drama and luckily the writer/director make it more interesting and refreshing plot. The romance is so sweet like candy and feels new because of casual act of ML. This drama is typical Thai’s drama but don’t worry because it is good for me. That is another reason that I stop here. Not many things to write but the creativity and magic of writer and director help me to finish this 27 episodes without SKIP.Thank you once again for pick Tor as ML and thank you again for recognize his talent.
P/S: His popularity is skyrocketing in Thailand now !!!
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This review may contain spoilers
Spoilers Ahead
It took me sometime getting used to At Eighteen’s measured tenor. Dramas set at high school are always about its students and they can be realistically depicted, like in School 2013, or be playful, like Reply 1997, or be wonderfully eccentric, like Extraordinary You. But what all these dramas have in common is a sense of vitality, either through animated characters or a taut plot. Compared to this, At Eighteen’s overall air felt very precise, very poised, tranquil even.A quick look at the drama’s Asianwiki page told me that it was written by Yoon Kyung Ah, who also wrote Girls’ Generation 1979, which I had concluded in my review as ‘It can sometimes feels very carefully crafted and creaseless compared to a spontaneity that is associated with stories about teenagers’.
At Eighteen, I would also say, is very much in the same vein.The drama is a reflection of its leading man, Choi Joon Woo (a wonderfully restrained Ong Seong Wu), a passive, non-controversial figure, who at first, is just going through the motions. Joon Woo really does feel like a old soul (with cute puppy eyes) as even Yoo Soo Bin (a wonderful Kim Hyang Gi) jokes and asks him if he is a million years old, and has travelled from the future. He doesn’t make rash decisions and tries to see all sides of a problem. He doesn’t rush to hurt Hwi Young, because he is smart enough to know that Hwi Young’s rich parents will protect him, and even when he gets multiple other opportunities, he decides not to do so. He sees the problem in his relationship with Soo Bin which even his mother doesn’t notice.
So, its fitting that the story ends on Joon Woo, and a change he decided on. The drama has always been about him and how he sees and interprets situations, and that in opposition to how the other characters react.
It could also be a way of looking at and treating students like adults, who despite being told that they are too young to know any better, are constantly burdened with workload and decisions, comparable to an adult. By presenting their story in a temperament we expect of, from stories about adulthood (and not from stories about school or teenagers), it gives a new dimension to the same tale.
Students here are mature, and not in a self serving way, ready to trample on others to succeed, but considerate and understanding of each other. It was lovely to see Yoo Soo Bin openly talk about her romantic relationship with her friends, or how many of Ma Hwi Young’s (also a wonderful Shin Seung Ho) classmates are able to pinpoint his flaw, after a major reveal. If these characters weren’t wearing school uniforms, I would have presumed them to be adults.
In all school dramas, it seems prerequisite to include parents who worry more about their children’s grades than the children themselves and this drama too, is no exception. As much as Soo Bin or Hwi Young’s (Kim Sun Young, Jung Young Joo) mothers try to micromanage their children’s schedule, they are unable to see their situation.
Soo Bin’s mother went to Seoul National University but still has to bow down to Hwi Young’s mother, who did not graduate from a well known university, but is higher up in the social ladder thanks to her husband’s success. But at the same time, Soo Bin’s mother is a successful career woman, who is able to let go of a loveless marriage, but Hwi Young’s mother is trapped in one. As Joon Woo says, they are just eighteen. How do they know if their life is ruined or not? It is too early of a decision and a decision that solely depends on which college you get into, which looking at the adults, doesn’t seem to determine how the rest of your life is going to turn out.
The drama is a captivating watch for the whole run, saving for some instances, such as the sudden death of Joon Woo’s friend, Shin Jung Hoo (Seong Geon Hee), which kind of just comes and goes (I still am unsure if he died in an accident or if he was beaten to death) and Hwang Ro Mi’s (Han Sung Min) sudden interest in Joon Woo, which seemed to come out of nowhere.
Even the big climatic reveal about Hwi Young’s grades, fell flat. I had assumed that Hwi Young was in on it too, as we see him asking his parents to take care of things when one of his plans goes out of control.
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Wow , the show Rocks !
PlotThe first 15 minutes of My Name was solid. We see Jiwoo in a very miserable plight — she’s ostracized and bullied at school, constantly tailed by cops looking for her dad, with nobody to lean on but herself. It gets worse after she has witnessed her father’s horrific murder on her birthday, just a door away from the crime scene. Put all of these pieces in the first episode, and you now tugged the viewers’ attention.
As the show goes forth, we see Jiwoo fearlessly clinging to all means there is to get justice, even if it involves joining a notorious drug cartel and embodying a whole new persona. She then successfully infiltrated the Inchang Metropolitan Police Agency’s Narcotics department, intending to unmask the identity of his father’s murderer.
However, My Name soon fell into one huge cliché puddle. There were twists, but they felt underwhelming. Everything was moving so fast, but it didn’t really make the series more compelling. The romance between Jiwoo and Pildo, for instance, seemed to have bloomed out of nowhere. Episode by episode, there weren’t any notable scenes to tread that romantic lane. The build-up was scanty, leaving an impression that it was just an afterthought. Even the open-ended conclusion may leave you puzzled or tepid, to say the least.
Extra two or three episodes would’ve helped improve the show overall. For an action-packed series like My Name, making it an eight-part series almost seems like a disservice because it has the potential to go for something more thought-provoking, storyline-wise. Whether a new season is in the works or not, the series is still good for your nightly K-drama binging. But in terms of replayability? Not really.
Characters and Performance
In an interview, So-hee reveals she wants to show a different side of her in My Name. The up-and-coming actress was successful in accomplishing that goal because she delivered an excellent performance. Jiwoo is a woman of few words, revenge-driven—but So-hee portrayed the pain and grief of her role marvelously. Not to mention, she also went through extensive training together with her co-actors. That nature of commitment is almost a rarity in the entertainment wonderland and merits praise.
Given the show’s gritty and dark theme, Pildo (played by Ahn Bo-Hyun) could’ve given a tinge of delight or goofiness that My Name needs. He gave a good performance, but his character tended to be a little uninteresting in some scenes. The relationship dynamic between Pildo and Jiwoo would’ve been more thrilling to see if they weren’t too similar.
Park Hee-Soon was also very remarkable. The fact that viewers can dislike and feel for him simultaneously proves how effective he is in portraying Choi Mu-jin’s calm yet ruthless demeanor. It’s a little difficult to imagine someone else filling in that kind of role without coming off too dull or monotonous.
Cinematography and Visuals
My Name lived true to its promise of delivering heart-pounding scenes. All fights were impeccable and well-choreographed, presenting viewers with an impressive variety of camera shots every time Jiwoo is on combat mode. One great display of camerawork was seen in episode one. The creative showcasing of how Jiwoo and her father were near yet so far from one another is simply exquisite. The use of warm colors fits the show’s bloody theme, too. All things considered, My Name wasn’t confusing nor congested with unnecessary flashiness.
Conclusion
It felt like My Name live up to its hype and the remarkable performances of the cast. After watching up to the last episode, really leave an impact. The show is still worth watching, but it also makes you wonder what could've been if the story was further explored.
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All about community !
This is a drama that sounds like a hallmark rom-com; a city girl who focuses a lot on frames and her career moves to a beautiful small town and meets a scruffy local men that she falls in love with. But this is actually a slice-of-life story. It’s overflowing with warm feelings and wonderful, deep and imperfect characters that you will fall in love with along the way. It’s almost like a warm drink on a rainy day in kdrama form. Hometown Cha Cha Cha is one of those dramas that really moved me from the very first episode as there was something so cozy and homely about them that just gripped me by the heartstrings and would not let me go.The story may not be big but it seems to be enough there that the story never drags it’s legs or or goes into endless circles with the plot. It spends a good time with all the characters and the introspection of those characters that takes place within the drama.
Hometown Cha Cha Cha strikes a pretty good balance between having a story that is constantly moving forward while also capturing this mundane life and the quiet moments as we follow all of these different characters and their lives in this small community where everyone knows everyone.
All the characters we meet on our way through the story are interesting and it’s fun to watch them and their impact on each other’s lives. Everyone has their own burdens and baggage’s in life that the drama manages to explore quite well. Watching people’s walls break down over time and people face their demons without it ever dragging too long or being too dramatic.
We get to see the different sides of most of all the characters and how complex and human they are. Each episode of the drama is more than an hour long, which I usually do moan about, but here I hardly felt it. Because I enjoyed the time with the characters so much.
There is almost this subdued suspense that is there all the way through the story. It never get’s too big, too dramatic or too ahead of itself. It captures this feeling that life can be messy but it’s also just a series of moments that pass and fade over time really well. Some moments are wonderful, warm and calm but some cruel and sad. But life still goes on somehow. The message of the story and the story itself is not much bigger than that, but it works really well.
So much of the romance, but also just the friendship that is going on, is just about the individual’s personal boundaries and the communication between them. Everything about how the romance was built radiated comfort and warmth in my opinion, which I found really sweet and just pleasant to watch. Like everything about the drama was. Shin Min Ah and Kim Seon Ho, as well as all the other actors, fill their characters with life and emotions.
There is also a really good balance between the love stories within the drama and the other stories that deal more with people’s personal lives and their position in life. The love story will never be too sappy, which would not suit this type of story, but rather it seem more human and sensible. Even if misunderstandings occur it is quickly worked out and one can understands the reason why the character act a certain way because they story has worked for it. These people are complex and you get to see them from many angles.
The love story is still a very big part of the story; both when it comes to the main characters and the supporting characters. But even though the story is about them falling in love, it is also so much about these characters learning to love themselves as well as the other characters around them. But the drama also deals with loads of different themes such as loneliness in old age, divorce, there is a lgbt character, and many other things that crop up as we go through the lives of the characters of this small town as this is ultimately a story about the community.
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Be Prepared For Character Flaws
For this Find Yourself review, I would say that they have done a great job with the casting. It is hard to get a much older woman and younger man pairing that looks good and a pleasure to watch. But Victoria Song and Song Wei Long managed to do it and they did it well enough to make the whole drama highly watchable. They do have good chemistry despite the age gap. I wouldn’t say it is off-the-charts chemistry like those you get in K-dramas such as Her Private Life but it is good enough to make it sweet as needed for a romance drama.For a young actor, Song Wei Long is certainly someone to watch out for. His good looks help which I’m pretty sure why some fans are driven to watch Find Yourself. In this drama, he does suit the character of Yuan Song very well with his boyish charm and teasing manner. David Wang gives Lu Ming a contrasting style to Song Wei Long’s Yuan Song with his maturity and life experiences so viewers can see the differences in the 2 men. Victoria Song’s portrayal of Fan Xing is a little bit more varied as she needs to portray the maturity of a 32-year-old woman in some scenes and the girlishness of a first time lover in others. I think she handles the different aspects of Fan Xing’s character rather well.
The Plot
Basically, Find Yourself is about the pressures faced by an older woman in a relationship with a much younger man. It explores how society and family members frown upon such relationships and do not expect them to last. So, it is not a rom-com that is heavy on fantasy such as Love The Way You Are but relates closely to the real world.
The relationship between Can Yang and Min Min also adds a great twist to the story. It becomes kind of funny in a way as it is then their turn to hide their relationship from everyone. But it also brings up the issue of hierarchy which is important in a traditional Chinese family. Overall, the plot is realistic and ties closely to modern life problems.
Not The Most Likable Characters
However, if there is one thing that could make you feel put off about this drama, it is the flaws evident in the main characters. Normally, you will root hard for the heroine but Fan Xing is not your typical perfect female lead. She lacks courage and conviction when it comes to loving her younger partner. You can say that she thinks of Yuan Song as a temporary fling as she doesn’t have confidence that their relationship will last. Hence, she has no intention to make their relationship public which is grossly unfair to him.
At the same time, Fan Xing spends a lot of time with Lu Ming and confides her love problems to him. She lets herself to be pushed into a relationship with someone more compatible. While the reasons are understandable, her character is shown to be indecisive and weak at times. She yearns for the love and passion that Yuan Song can give her but she ends up trying a relationship with Lu Ming as he is a more suitable marriage partner. Hence, Fan Xing has her flaws which not every viewer can tolerate.
Lu Ming too is not a sweet savior as he is domineering and cunning. He puts himself in a favorable position as a friend to Fan Xing with the intention to snatch her away from Yuan Song. Well, he is not all bad as a man needs to do what he has to do to get the woman he loves. He is a great uncle to Min Min and he does care for Fan Xing. But again, not everyone will like his character as his actions can also be seen as manipulative.
My Verdict
I am inclined to give a rating of 7.5/10 for this Find Yourself review. It is not as draggy and melodramatic as Here To Heart which helps to up its score. Fan Xing’s relationship with Yuan Song begins very early on in the drama to set the tone for what is to follow. The quick development of their relationship and the subsequent misunderstandings and insecurities she faced take up about half the show. It is not exactly boring but it does take a bit of determination to sit through all that time Fan Xing spends confiding in Lu Ming and being friends with each other. She is in a relationship with a guy but is seen spending a lot of time with another. That is the vibe that I got from the first 20 episodes.
The second half of the drama is better than the first. In the second half, the anticipation builds as to what Fan Xing would do and who she will choose as she considers her parents’ worries and old age. Would she listen to her own heart or go for the man that everyone is saying is the perfect suitor? So, I do recommend a watch for Find Yourself for exploring a topic that is often talked about. Perhaps if they have made Fan Xing more likable and the time she spent with Yuan Song a bit longer than she did with Lu Ming, this would would have gotten a higher rating from me. I guess if you want to watch it, you would have to be prepared for the possibility that the main characters would get on your nerves. Just concentrate on the plot then to enjoy the drama!
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Cliffhanger endings !
On the surface, you’d be forgiven for writing off Extraordinary You as another generic k-drama set in a high school. When you dive a little deeper however, Extraordinary You is a cleverly written series, one that combines comedy and mystery elements to great effect whilst setting its tale in the self-aware confines of a comic book. With the rules established early on, Extraordinary You mixes things up quickly, introducing extra layers of drama to the fold, all of which culminating in an impressive finale that wraps everything up nicely with a sickly sweet bow.At the heart of this one is Dan-O, a lovable high school girl who quickly discovers she’s a central character in a comic book. The story itself unfolds across two seperate areas – the shadow and the scene. The latter sees the actions and dialogue of each character pre-determined by the writer whereas in the shadow the characters are free to act however they please. When Dan-O learns she’s not the main character in the story, thanks to the exploits of fellow classmate Joo-Da, Dan-O inadvertently changes the story, setting off a chain of events that result in some pretty wild and crazy story beats.
As the season progresses, Dan-O finds herself caught in a doomed romantic angle with newcomer Ha-Roo, while Kyung and a few other students start to become self-aware as well. Toward the end of the series, things do become clearer over what’s happening and all of this results in a cleverly written and dramatic conclusion to this tale.
Along with the plot, Extraordinary You excels with its characterisation. Kyung in particular has multiple layers to his persona, shifting from outright antagonist early on to more of an anti-hero archetype during the midway point. This swings like a pendulum throughout the 16 episodes too while Dan-O does a wonderful job bringing her character to life. The chemistry she shares with Ha-Roo on screen is one of the highlights of the entire show, while Do-Hwa, Nam-Joo and Joo-Da’s love triangle defies expectations and delivers some nice surprises along the way.
Visually, Extraordinary You does well to keep things understandable, given the potential confusion of the shadow/scene shifts. Signified by an exaggerated page flick sound, colours pop and brighten when the comic scene begins and the sudden mannerisms when that specific scene changes helps to differentiate when the shadow begins. While this sounds a bit convoluted, Extraordinary You does well to keep things understandable and easy to follow throughout the show.
Extraordinary You is a difficult show to sit through with one episode at a time. The hour-long slices of drama are easy to watch and the cliffhanger endings keep you coming back for more. There’s some great twists and turns along the way too, and props to the cast for this one; there’s some great performances throughout the show. While it would be easy to write this one off as “just another high-school k-drama”, Extraordinary You is extraordinarily good and well worth a watch.
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Mediocre But Fast-Paced
I think what saves Plot Love from being unwatchable is the fast pacing. This is a drama that has little fillers as things move rather quickly with lots of happenings. Most of the episodes are around 30 minutes each which further increases the watchability. Hence, it is easy to just continue clicking onto the next episode after you have finished watching the one before.The drama also starts off strongly to me which is crucial to keep viewers’ interest. It has some level of suspense when it begins as we are not told what exactly the female protagonist is after and what happened in the past. It is the kind of drama whereby things are revealed gradually as the story progresses. The low budget is obvious just like for Mysterious Love but it does have a saving grace to make it watchable at the very least.
A Very Fast Moving Plot
In essence, Plot Love is a romance drama. But there are a number of issues thrown into the sub-plots. That is why it has to be fast moving since it only has 24 episodes to cover them all. There is the investigative element as the female lead suspects a crime has been committed against her guardian. Then, there are those jealous women who try to drive a wedge in the main couple. The male lead also has his own enemies to contend with. Add a son into the picture and you will have another side story to be told.
With 3 evil characters, there is little time to spare for fillers. In exchange for the fast pace, character growth will have to be sacrificed. Simplicity takes precedence for the plot to move forward. So, it would be good for viewers who don’t like long-winded details like those found in You Complete Me. But it will be bad if you prefer more realistic plots that have greater depths.
Jealous Third Parties
A jealous third party is a norm in romance dramas. It is not often you will find gems such as Forever And Ever and You Are My Glory whereby third wheelers are not part of the feature. But Love Plot really takes the cake for having not one jealous woman but two. On top of that, there is also a man chasing after the female lead.
Therefore, this is a drama that is kind of exaggerated in terms of plot. The third parties’ obsession borders on the psychotic. The saving grace is neither the male or the female lead is interested in their pursuers. Nevertheless, if you hate watching jealous love rivals going around sabotaging a couple’s relationship, then Plot Love should definitely be crossed out from your watch list.
Poor Acting
Let’s face it. The actors and actresses in this drama are certainly not going to get any nominations for their acting. They are not established names and watching their mediocre acting can be painful at times. I think Chen Shu Jun did slightly better than Ross Chen who can’t seem to show any emotions naturally. The way he squeezes his eyes or scrunches his face to express his emotions just look weird to me. Chen Shu Jun is more bland in her expressions but at least, I don’t get a weird feeling watching her.
If there is to be a star in the drama, I think it should be the kid. Well, he is adorable but it is a pity that the parent-child chemistry is lacking compared to what you would find in Begin Again.
As for the main couple, they do have some level of romantic chemistry. It is not exactly sizzling given the mediocre acting but good enough to pull the romance through. There are a number of kisses but not to the level of My Little Happiness or You Are My Glory.
My Verdict – When You Have Nothing Better To Do…
Despite the poor acting and obvious low budget production, Plot Love is still addictive in a strange way once you give it a go. I put it down to the strong start and fast pacing. Hence, you are more likely to watch all the way to the end to find out what happened. It is not a drama that you will miss or sad to see it end. It is just that you will want to quickly get to the finish line and move on. The progressive reveal also helps to keep the interest going.
Apart from the above, just be aware that the drama is devoid of logic at times. For instance, you will find the young kid is always running around on his own in a big city which is nonsensical. Basically, you can’t think too much and be critical of details when you watch Plot Love. You just have to delight in the couple’s interactions to find enjoyment in the drama.
For this Plot Love review, I will hand it a score of 6.5/10. It has too many weaknesses although its fast-paced nature makes a difference in terms of overall watchability. It is okay if you really have nothing better to do for the day. At the very least, it is not draggy. But if you are fussy in terms of drama quality and acting skills, it will not meet those standards. It is actually a pity because the plot has the potential for a better drama given the strong female character. As it is, it feels cheaply made with all the tropes and unnecessary drama for the ultimate villain towards the end.
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A good show indeed !
It’s called everything from a romance to a supernatural time-travel drama. It also introduces some of China’s historic and religious beliefs wrapped in a story about Gods and Humans, relationships and revenge. The story here revolves around The Exorcism Lord, Chung Keui, who’s also known as the ‘Devil Punisher’. He comes to Earth to put malicious spirits back in their box before they affect humans.He’s also on a mission to find Lady Meng 1087, who’s kidnapped and brought to Earth. As a result, she loses her memory of her work in the Underworld and Chung. With a sizeable, time-sensitive job, he’s also keen to win the heart of Hsin-Yu, as she’s known on Earth.Mike He, who plays Chung Kuei, can be seen most recently in the 2018 drama Tree in the River and film Come On Teacher. Ivy Shao is Lady Meng/Hsin-Yu appearing in romance dramas The Perfect Match and Back to 1989, both available on Netflix. Lu Po Ya is portrayed by Anson Chen, also seen in The Missing Half and Temptation of Plastic Surgery and soon to be hitting Hollywood according to news reports.
Known for his intelligence, Chung Kuei is the warden of hell’s prison. Folklore, which dates back to the 700’s, notes his role is to rid the Chinese empire of evil. As a result, he’s often invoked at Chinese New Year to protect in the year ahead. Each episode closes with a message attributed to Chung Kuei, imbuing his responsibility as defender and vanquisher. Among the array of deities represented is Cheng Huang, whose historic role is to protect a city’s defences as guardian. As Chung’s friend and supporter, he also delivers many of the lighter moments, teasing Chung about his love life and supplying lessons in tactical dating.
One of the more gratifying pieces is the 1000-year romance between Chung and Hsin-Yu. It shifts charmingly from ‘That guy must be in a triad, let’s call the police,’ to fighting side-by-side .Generous 65-70 min instalments give the creators plenty of time to dig into the narrative, sharing historic and cultural detail. The first several of which ease you into the story and the characters. It doesn’t get going until Episode 6 which takes a little too long but does connect the dots from there onward, effectively raising the tension from Episode 9.
The mysterious origin of the malevolent ghosts and their uncanny power unfolds cleverly, offering opportunities to speculate. Yet while some reveals are done well, others slip in randomly where you could miss it if you’re distracted. Directors Zhang Jinrong and Chen Jingwen are supported by a team of four writers pulling together multiple plot points. Perhaps that’s a few too many cooks in the kitchen, as the storyline does seem to scatter here and there. Occasionally too drawn out with more ghost side stories than necessary, some chapters felt tedious while others zipped by.
Whilst the backstory is enjoyable to discover, it could have been more cohesive, explaining some pieces sooner. At times it seemed like a mess of unconnected information, presuming a level of understanding that’s probably true to audiences in Taiwan and China but a bit confusing for those watching from other Netflix markets. Sets are a complementary mix of modern and historic, Earthly, Heavenly and Underworld-bound with concepts based on tales of The Bridge of Helplessness and the sky-high office of the Director of Destinies.
While special effects are appealing for the most part, occasionally you’ve got to wonder about the choices, particularly considering the production scale. The blue-painted ghosts, for example, that are only translucent when someone is passing through them. Otherwise, they’re just blue people. And toward the end there’s one effect that stands out as ‘really?’ But in the spirit of spoiler alerts, I’ll leave that for you to discover.
‘Last Look’ is the catchy opening song and a tough one to find, which feels like a miss. It’s track 1 on the Original Soundtrack (OST) and one of the few places to hear the whole thing, rather than the shorter on-air cut. Another worth pointing out, noted by fellow viewer, Kave is pretty duet ‘If You Turn Around,’ sung by chanteuse Amanda Wang and Anson Chen (Lu Po Ya), number 3 on the OST.
There are some translation issues that plague the Netflix version of this drama too. The character names have quite different spellings to the series notes on Netflix and other sites, adding a layer of unnecessary confusion. Therefore, to make it easier to follow on The Review Geek, we aligned the names with the embedded subtitles. In addition to the translation muddle is the multitude of names for each character, including nicknames, titles, names from a past life, etc. You’ll need to focus to keep up.
Like Jamie commented on the finale, I was disappointed with the conclusion. It’s not that it wasn’t satisfying – they do tie up loose ends and relationships – but more that the crescendo was lackluster after many hours of build-up. Additionally, they seemed to have dropped the ball on the ‘how’ of the power behind the malicious spirits and their leader.
What The Devil Punisher presents then is a dive into culture and a fanciful spin out into the modern world. It’s an interesting perspective on the processes and administration of the afterlife, to be sure. Interestingly, although reviews were mixed, it maintains a number one rating in market and strong following on The Review Geek.
Action-packed and filled with interesting concepts, the build up to the Nine Star Alignment gave promise. We spent a lot of time with this show – over 1500 minutes believe it or not – and may have been willing to forgive some of the previous mismatch. But ultimately, the resolution was anticlimactic.
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