beatriz
over the rainbow
Yes, break my heart one more time Korea -.-
Guys, I am writing this as I sob. Not joking. It's been an hour since I finished it and the tears keep coming out. I might die of dehydration while writing this review and I apologise in advance for the typos.It's the first time in a long time that I watch something without looking at my phone (didn't even realise I had left it in the bathroom) or without skipping forward. I am a sucker for sweet high school stories that take place in the past, but the way this movie was filmed, the nostalgia factor (present even in the filter they chose), the lovable characters and simplicity of the plot just did it for me. This is exactly what I want from a high school drama; not being a high schooler anymore myself there is always that longing feeling towards the past and this movie definitely shoved it in my face in a very beautiful way. The actors did an amazing job at not making it sound cringy or over the top. And that ending will stay with me for a long time, I am sure of that.
I love stories like this: simple yet effective. It might not be all that to other viewers but I do have a tendency to love high school stories (especially if they take place in the 90's or early 2000's) so that probably contributes to my rating. After so many years of watching K-Dramas, it is refreshing to find something that still makes my heart beat fast and makes me feel SOMETHING. I am not a movie person as they often leave me traumatises (lol, this one kinda did too) but I am so glad I watched this movie. I feel like it took something off my chest? Like I really needed to cry and this movie allowed me to do it haha
Oh well, don't expect anything incredibly revolutionary from this story when going into it but I am sure you will at least have a good time with the characters (even in the end).
Am I still a human with feelings and capable of crying like a baby? Yes, I am. Thank you 20th century girl for the confirmation.
SPOILER!!!!!!!!!!
HE WANTED TO SEE 21ST CENTURY BORA GUYS I AM SOBBING UNCONTROLLABLY IN A FETAL POSITION YOU GUYS DONT UNDERSTAND HE WAS SO SWEET AND HAD SUCH A WARM VOICE AND HEART AND HE WAS SO CUTE WITH HIS BROTHER WHY WHY WHY THE HELL BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT MAKES THE MOVIE MEMORABLE AND EVEN MORE NOSTALGIC BUT GUYS WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW-
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Disastrous show
What to say about this train wreck of a show… I disliked every single aspect of it. I’m a huge fan of korean zombie shows and movies but this drama is just an embarrassment. I don’t understand how it became popular in the first place, as it has 0 redeeming qualities to it.I’m truly infuriated and disgusted with myself for having even watched it until the end. I guess I was hoping for the plot to deliver what it promised but it was full of clichés, repetitions, stupid useless scenes and characters, anti-climatic outcomes and everything bad a story can have. I’ll forgive the acting (the older actors were good though) because most of these people are pretty new in the game and they’re young, but the acting was pretty bad too. The characters were useless, unlikeable, unrealistic, their actions made no sense and their worries (crushes????like wtf????) were meaningless most of the time. And the inconsistencies with the way the infected acted (how long it took them to turn etcetc) just pissed me off. The way the story was told as a whole isn’t coherent or interesting.
To be fair, it could have been really good if they had wasted less time with irrelevant storylines, if had organized the way it’s presented in a more thrilling way, if they had made the characters and their reactions more realistic and logical… I could go on for a whole hour. But maybe it would have been a decent drama had it been released in 2014 or something. The thing is, especially if you compare it to actually amazing zombie movies and shows, namely Train to Busan and Kingdom, this is honestly just ridiculous.
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Best BL out there!
I waited over 10 months for this show. I rewatched the teaser a thousand times and wondered if it would turn out as amazing as it looked. It turned out to be even better! I'm still shaking and teary-eyed from the last episode but I feel the need to write a review to the most impactful BL of my life (and I've watched many others, since 2018),While watching the last episode I thought to myself "If this show manages to surprise me once again and not be like other shows once again, I'll give it 10 stars for sure." And that's exactly what happened! Amazing, coherent and satisfying until the very last minute. P'Aof worked really hard on the plot and the storytelling in this series and it shows. The way each episode progressed always made so much sense, and it all seemed to tie up at the end, like a complete circle! This made the story much more enjoyable than any other BL I've watched so far. Simply lovely. Even though the first few episodes gave the impression this series would be like other GMMTV shows, full of petty and out of the blue fights and exaggerated sound effects, it progressed beautifully and got better and better, even when we all thought it wasn't possible. And the dialogues are super memorable and iconic. To sum up, it was written perfectly!
Of course I couldn't not mention the holders of the best chemistry in this industry: OhmNanon. These two were made to act beside one another. The way they connected on-screen and off-screen is one of the best things that happened in 2021 (and hopefully, it will continue to be that way forever). PatPran are amazing characters as they are, both are relationship and maturity goals, and completely different from other BL characters we had known before. But I believe they wouldn't be the same if they weren't portrayed by Ohm and Nanon, who are some of the best actors in Thailand right now, and who go together like bacon and eggs (this analogy wouldn't work for vegan readers, I'm really sorry). They delivered every single line and unspoken line with so much truth and love for the story and the characters that it made me emotional in pretty much every episode. I had never seen two men portray a romantic relationship so comfortably and accurately, so it was really touching and refreshing. I believed every stare, every dialogue, every smile and every tear, every touch and every kiss. I really hope they can work together again (which they will! Thanks GGMTV), and hopefully work again as a romantic pair. This is the type of pairing that comes once in five years, if I'm being completely honest. And trust me, it's been 5 years since my first BL series and nothing comes even close to Ohm and Nanon's chemistry.
I adored watching this show as it was airing and freaking out with everyone on Twitter. I will always be part of this fandom and I know I'll be rewatching this series from time to time, even if we don't get another season or another OhmNanon show together as lovers. Unforgettable and forever in my heart. A literal icon and the cultural reset the BL industry needed. The standards are so high right now thanks to Bad Buddy! And I can't help but look forward to what the following years will bring us, as the result of this one show. Deserving of 10 stars.
But for real though... who is gonna come get us out of this rooftop???? It's getting dark... Help?? Shall we just stay here? Yep... let's just stay!
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Charming historical drama
Let me start off by saying I wasn't planning on watching this drama. From the main leads I had only watched Love in the Moonlight, which I didn't really like, and Abyss, which is the bane of my existence and that I dropped after five episodes. I wasn't excited for it when it was announced nor did I pay attention to people commenting about it on Twitter. But fours days ago I was going through mydramalist's currently most popular shows and I FELT like watching it... out of nowhere! When that happens I usually end up loving the show so I just followed my heart and watched it. And I have to say that this is a great show overall. It's charming, interesting, different from other historical shows out there. However, there are also some elements that don't allow me to give it a higher rating. While watching it, I wrote down many of the positive or negative aspects about the show, in my opinion, so I'll share those now! This section might include spoilers (but to be honest... the first episode is one big spoiler for the rest of the story already so... it's not too serious haha)Things I loved about this drama:
1) The structure!! The way the story was told was very different from other shows. Like I mentioned before, the first episode lets the viewer see all the details of what happened in the past, while it keeps characters in the darkness until the last few episodes! Sometimes it was a bit challenging to follow who knew what informations but overall I think it was a super refreshing way of telling a story.
2) One of the most charming parts of the plot was the blindness aspect. That factor was used well throughout most of the show and connected the storyline between the two characters very well.
3) I loooooved the fact that the male lead isn’t a king or a prince and his main ambition or goal isn’t the throne!! He has so many goals to fulfill other than the romantic pairing: get revenge for his family and himself and get rid of ma wang’s possession.
4) The female lead is strong but has flaws, which makes her likeable.
5) Good acting that isn’t over the top or too dramatic. Very touching acting from everyone in the cast. Couldn't have been cast better!
6) Phenomenal chemistry between the two leads even though they didn’t share too much screentime in the first half of the show- the story was built according to the time it needed and it wasn’t overwhelmingly fast paced nor too slow it became boring. Perfect pace and perfect relationship pace according to the circumstances, in my personal opinion.
7) All the (main) characters have clear ambitions and those ambitions make sense for everyone! They’re not just caricatures but complete human beings with a background story and actual feelings, whether they’re good or evil.
8) Good fantasy elements that added to the show and made it stand out from other historical shows. It’s sooooo cool! I love the fantastical characters. Great cgi too.
9) It was funny when it had to be, heartbreaking when it had to be. Great balance.
10) It is a political drama but the plot matches the fantasy elements nicely and it’s not just boring ministers fighting for the throne.
11) Amazing ost. Baekhyun. No need to say more.
12) The love triangle is here for a reason! It wasn't toxic and there were no forced feelings from anyone. Really good.
13) I love that in episode 9 we got another summary of what happened with the demon as the king was telling the third prince about it. I thought it was nice to refresh the viewer's memory and to explain once again the fantasy elements.
14) OUR MALE LEAD IS SOOOO DREAMY!! THE EYE COLOR SUITS HIM SO WELL. He portrays deep emotions very well.
15) I also appreciated the fact that the male lead isn’t a goodie goodie. He’s looking for REVENGE!! He is a good person who (and to be completely fair, rightly so) feels very wronged and can't deal with that.
16) Really pretty cinematography and camera angles.
17) I LOVE THE VILLAIN SOOOO MUCH!!! The acting was phenomenal.
Now, the things that took out one star for me:
1) Sometimes it looked like the male lead's eyes don’t look like he’s blind. They seem to follow the female lead movements as if he could see... Maybe I’m being ignorant but I thought blind people had more unfocused eyes? But sometimes he does it more realistically… I'm not sure, maybe he’s just used to following the voices? Oh well, it took me out of the story sometimes.
2) Why does it have to be the dead king’s portrait and not the current one? Was it because the portrait wasn’t completely burned??? It was a bit confusing.
3) Very weak finale. It wasn't very impactful, there was a weird use of the blindness for just a minute and then it was dropped, and don't get me started on the weird plot with the second prince like????WTF was that????? Way too rushed!!! It's so weird how the last episode was structured... Worst episode of the whole show.
I hope my review makes sense. I'm writing this on three hours of sleep.
I did love this drama but I agree that there is a lot of wasted potential.
BY THE WAY
A very important advice: you should binge watch this show. I’ve noticed that a lot of people who suddenly stopped enjoying this show was because they were watching it from the beginning and waiting each week. The story is complex so to not miss out on details you should watch it in one go, like I did.
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I really don't know what else to say about this drama other than it was long and disappointing, with caricature characters that seemed very one-dimensional.
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I don't know what to say that hasn't been said about this drama before. I watched it in one go and now I just wish I could turn back time and delete everything from my memory so that I could watch it again for the first time.
I could talk about the amazing acting, the stunning realistic plot, the flawless cinematography and touching OST that told a story on their own. However, no matter how much effort I put into my words, this is one of those shows that you must watch to get the feeling it gives off.
Truly the best BL drama ever produced, and I have watched a Tale of Thousand Stars! If every BL show was as touching, memorable, raw, visually majestic like this one I would be the happiest person on this website. The amount of thought that was put into every dialogue, every shot, every sound, every facial expression blows my mind. I could pause the episode at a random scene and I guarantee you that scene would be the most beautiful thing... Also, the symbolism behind each scene is so spot on that I could write a hundred essays on this show and how symbols that appear in the very first episode are present throughout the whole show and how simple scenes or dialogues are crucial to the story as a whole.
I didn't believe people when they told me this drama was out of this world last year and only decided to watch it now. A big mistake! It's unmissable, really. It's the first BL I've added to my favorite dramas list and I'm so excited to see the progress BL shows have been making since I first started watching them in 2018. I can't wait for the projects that are to come! Hopefully other directors and screenwriters took notes ;) THIS is the level of quality that we should be expecting from a BL show! It's time to step up the game.
Now let's watch "I promise you the moon"!
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I don't even know
When this drama was first announced I was ecstatic! I waited soooo long for it to come out and when it finally did I was moved to tears by the first two episodes. I honestly thought this show was going to become one of my favorites but that unfortunately didn't happen. I watched the show every week and I was sad when I realised my enthusiasm was slowly decreasing. I love tragic fantasy dramas and I was hoping this drama would be fresh and show us something new, like Goblin did in 2016. However, the way the story was deal with wasted all its potential. This could have been an epic show! The cast was amazing, the chemistry was the best I've seen from both leads, the plot was intriguing and the characters were captivating. It's just that the way the writers decided to go with this show felt wrong, as if everything they had build up started crumbling down and ended up being just another fantasy drama. To be completely honest, I wouldn't mind a sad ending or a happy ending, as long as the development until then had been worth it and made sense. I liked the ending but the way the story got there was just... so flat? As a viewer, I feel like I was cheated out of something. I guess I can't understand why the writers didn't make a better use of the universe they created and focused on strengthening it instead of just repeating the same patterns and dialogues throughout the show. For example, Doom was an immortal! He had been living for thousands of years (I guess??)! Yet we get 0 backstory, no past experiences from him or acquired knowledge apart from his hatred for humanity. Also, I liked the second leads but I felt like their story fit a completely different show, even if they were directly connected to the female lead. Why couldn't the writers write their story in a way that complemented the main one???I don't know how to review this show because my emotions are just all over the place. I would recommend others to watch it because it is a good quality show at the end of the day but don't go into it thinking it's going to change your life or that it brings something new to the table. The wasted potential of this show feels bitter if you go into it with extremely high expectations haha!
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Best of J-drama
I watched this show because it's one of my boyfriends favorites and I promised him I would give it a try. I haven't watched all that many Japanese shows. I usually watch school romance movies, short and sweet. I have to say I was quite apprehensive going into this because the characters are more mature and I often think dramas that have things happen because "life is like this and when you experience it you'll get it" are too pretentious for my taste, and that's what I usually feel when I watch more mature shows. But I was surprised this show isn't like that at all. It does take some maturity to understand the dialogue and the complex situations the characters were in, as well as their flawed personalities and ever-changing mind.The characters and the acting made this show for me. I thought that Haru/Halu was just going to be the typical cold and cocky male lead but there was so much more to him. I know that when I rewatch this drama I will discover more layers to his character! So attractive, charming, flawed and sweet. And Aki is just lovely. She herself said she was a simple ordinary woman and that's what she was, and the most impressive thing is that she didn't need any exaggerate characteristics to be memorable. I could rant for hours about these two and their relationship. I loved the progression of all relationships in this drama (not just the romantic ones!). I cried at a few scenes and some just squeezed my heart so hard I had to pause the episode and turn my attention away for a while. All the dynamics in this show are so heartwarming and... sincere. It was like I was watching a real story on a screen, which I hadn't felt about a Japanese show before.
The soundtrack fit perfectly and got me in the mood every single episode! You can't really go wrong with Queen, can you?
Now, I have a confession to make. No one can fight me on this but... Everything about Kimura Takuya is 10000/10 stars but this man on hockey equipment is something else... out of this world... the most attractive thing in dramaland EVER... If I could only stare at one thing for the rest of my life it would be Kimura Takuya giving that side smile and winking his eye wearing that hockey equipment! I said what I said! Technically this show would be a 9.5 for me, because there were some things I felt were a bit rushed or just not talked about enough or weren't clear but I can't give it less than 10 stars because of Kimura Takuya on that hockey equipment. I can't. And if you decide to give this drama a try (please do yourself a favor and watch it) you'll understand what I mean.
Overall, this drama is insanely modest and straightforward, while being sensitive and emotional at the same time. It describes human feelings really well and it had me exercising my brain and heart to try to feel empathy for some characters whose actions I didn't understand. It throws things at you that you might get upset about and have to make an effort to put yourself in the characters' shoes BUT it will always give you answers, sometimes within the same episode, sometimes many episodes later, which seems pretty realistic to me.
This goes straight to my top 10 favorite dramas of all time list. I got too attached to it for someone who finished all 11 episodes in less than 48 hours.
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This review may contain spoilers
Unsatisfying ending
I was really excited to watch this show because the plot seemed really fun and lighthearted. And the first few episodes were exactly that but it quickly changed to a more serious tone, which I didn't hate but made the transitions between the two atmospheres in the show a bit confusing.The cast did a phenomenal job. The (serious) crying scenes weren't spot on for me but the rest was really well done. The actors fit their roles really well. I have to admit I liked the Queen a bit more in the first half of the show because I felt like the chef's personality was completely there, but then it wore down when she regained her memories. Nonetheless, Shin Hyesun was great at portraying this character: I truly believed she was a male stuck in a female body. The side characters were great as well and made me both laugh and tear up at multiple points.
The soundtrack was INCREDIBLE and couldn't have fit the show better.
Now, about the ending...
Everyone was fearing an ending like Scarlet Heart's but I would rather have that kind of tragic ending to this one, which isn't much less tragic. Less people died but the two main leads got one of the worst endings possible. You can try to prove me wrong but the king fell in love with the chef's personality, that happened to be in the Queen's body. In one of the episodes, he states the reasons for having fallen in love with the Queen and all of them had to do with her personality, the way it was after the chef took over her body. Just like Kim Byung In realised he couldn't love this Queen wholeheartedly because she wasn't Soyong anymore, you can't make me believe that the King could love the Queen wholeheartedly after the Jang Bong left the body. Not to be mean or unfair towards Soyong who had suffered so much in her life, but the chef was the person who attracted the King's attention and affection. He even says in the last episode that he feels like he lost something...and the Queen even treats him differently now! No one can convince me that he will feel the same deep love for Soyong, even if he seems to have accepted this... shell? of the Queen he loved. She wasn't there throughout the show, the chef was! Therefore, it was him whom the King loved! On top of that, Jang Bonghwan is back to the present days, which I'm not mad about. What upsets me is how dismissive his attitude was when he found out that the King had survived. I'm probably not explaining this very well but he seemed to be like "Oh okay, he survived and did well in life. That's good!". It was like the King was just a friend who the chef was rooting for or someone whom he had grown attached to. Not someone he had been deeply in love with (and had a child with!!!), and, once again, no one can change my mind that that was exactly the case. The relationship between the main leads was treated almost as a casual thing in the end after having riskd their lives for each other and had so many dramatic moments. I can't help but think their relationship and true feelings were dismissed in order to have a "happy ending". And that to me is much more tragic than Scarlet Heart, where the viewers were at least sure the main leads loved each other to death and that the whole story wasn't in vain. On the other hand, Mr Queen... I wish both main leads had either ended up together in the past or the present OR that they had suffered for being apart. I wish the suffering was shown, for me to feel satisfied and sure of the relationship they had developed throughout the show. Judge me. Or maybe had found an alternative solution? This ending was not only unsatisfying but, in a way, more tragic that Scarlet Heart's.
I know the writers went as far as they could go not to portray homosexuality but I wish they had crossed that line and just accepted the criticism from close-minded people. Had they done that, the show would have been unforgettable. Now it's just... another show? I gave it 9 stars because of the acting and the production but I'm so sad I might change it to 8.5 later. I appreciate the risk but the show ended up being quite meaningless.
P.S.: I'm sorry but I can't accept that Soyong's feelings were mixed with Jang Bong's personality and that's why he liked the King. They had a baby together, I can't accept it LOL. And even if the special episode shows that the King was already in love with Soyong before the chef took over but was holding himself back because of her family, that to me just sounds like an excuse, as it does not match the character development shown throughout the drama. If that is the case, then the King wouldn't have promised his brother he would kill the Queen if she was a traitor. He also wouldn't have tried to kill her. Nope, it's just an excuse from the producers that fits their narrative that "THIS ISNT A HOMOSEXUAL SHOW!!!" A pity.
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Better than expected
After reading so many negative reviews, I got really scared of watching and avoided this season for months. I watched LBC 1 while it was airing and it was an amazing experience. I truly think it was revolutionary when it comes to Thai BL shows. Therefore, I was super scared this season would ruin my positive opinion about this show. But to be honest, I didn't think it was as bad as people make it out to be.Let me start off by saying that there were definitely way too many ads (and consequently, many useless scenes) and the whole retelling thing was very weird since it was only done for TinCan and not the other characters.
I think Season 2 tackles many important issues and deals with sensitive topics quite well. It seems like a more mature plot and development of characters and relationships, which was nice.
Also, I noticed Tin was much more... calm? polite? in this season but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing at all. The other characters didn't seem much different from the first season. The characters they added in this season were all good, in my opinion. I loved getting to know Tul and his story, even if it was a love-hate relationship LOL but he's so fine... ugh couldn't they have casted a less angelic person to play his role?? Meen became my new addiction hahaha... please send help.
I like the main couple's chemistry but their kiss scenes were deplorable. I skipped most of them because it was awkward to watch. But surprisingly, there were other intimate moments apart from the kiss scenes that I really enjoyed! The "boyfriends being supportive" scenes were really well done. I don't think they're awkward with each other all that much.
I really enjoy Mean as an actor but sometimes I felt he was being way too seductive all the time haha but that's probably the directing and screen writing's fault. Plan is just... so bad... I'm so sorry to say this and no hate towards him but I don't see him as an actor AT ALL. So awkward... I feel like other actors have improved from season 1 but he just stayed bad. His character is already cringy and immature as it is but his acting just made it unpleasant to watch in most scenes, specially when Can was upset or crying. But I did like his acting when Can would stand up for Tin.
I saw many comments complaining about Ae's "useless" appearances but they were some of my favourite parts of the show. I even liked Ae's desperate scenes!! Perth is as amazing actor so I felt every emotion he was feeling. I feel like as I was watching LBC1 I took him and Saint for granted after the first two thirds of the show and was more interested in the other couples. But this season made me realise how important they were to the story and the universe of LBC. Their chemistry and acting are unbeatable.I love AePete so much hahaha my heart was broken yet warm throughout the season.
I liked the new songs! They reminded me a lot of season 1's ost but were different so that was nice.
Now, I will get into some SPOILERS!! SKIP THIS IF YOU DON'T LIKE SPOILERS.
Lots of things about the plot were confusing (Tum and Tar's relationship????what happened???move on????why????). But I liked Tum's friend! He was cute and nice LOL. And then Techno and Kengkla didn't have the screen time they should have had to make their relationship believable. I can accept the fact that P'No forgave Kengkla (it's his choice after all) but their scenes were too vague for me. What I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much as I did was Tul and Hin's story! I was invested until the end. I really liked the beach scene in the last episode with the three of them hugging. However, I wish Tin and Tul had talked things out in a serious conversation and officially made up and screamed at each other and then hugged or came to a more concrete conclusion but oh well, I guess I can never have everything.
P.S: I don't mind Saint not being in it all that much because AePete's story was closed in a satisfying way. And I understand Saint's situation ):
Summing up, I was glad I went into it with very low expectations because I ended up liking it more than I probably would have had had I watched it thinking it would be a perfect sequel. It wasn't but I had fun and discovered new characters and actors. I wish there was a season 3!
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I feel sorry for the people who watched it while it was airing
This is one of the most bingeable dramas I've ever watched! Every single episode ended in a brilliant suspenseful scene that forced me to click "next episode" right away. It took me two days to watch the whole thing and it could have taken me less time but I had to force myself to pause every now and then because the tension was making me go a little bit crazy.The writer created this intriguing atmosphere since the very first episode and I really appreciated how the flashback scenes were introduced to us, seemingly at random, but that helped us create an image of the previous events (even if they were often misleading). This is one of those shows that you can't help but create your own theories but that will surprise you even if your theories were right! I guessed a couple things about the plot and the characters but somehow I always ended up being shocked at the way things had unfolded. I wasn't very satisfied with the last episode because it could be seen as a bit of a cliché but the last scene won me over so I guess I can overlook it haha
The characters... they were just brilliant. They all felt very real to me, even the "evil"ones and the ones that can be described as "monsters". I really liked how the show made me research about mental disorders and ended up teaching me quite a lot about the subject. That is the type of dramas that I like the most: the ones that I can take something from, other than the story.
Also, I think this is one of those shows that motivates an actor to be an actor. While watching this drama, I often thought about how difficult it must have been for literally every actor to bring these characters to life in a realistic way, since the plot isn't necessarily the easiest or most common. I was fascinated with this cast's ability to become these flawed characters and make us forget about their other previous roles. Personally, Lee Joongi is my favorite actor of all time and his character in Moon Lovers was very imprinted in my mind, and I was worried about not being able to get into this story as much. Oh boy, was I wrong! The guy is a genius. He surprises me every time and I know I can always trust him to pick amazing stories and characters. Do Hyun Soo's subtleties weren't easy to notice but they were ALWAYS there. I was living for his chemistry with Moon Chae Won (Cha Ji Won) and Seo Hyun Woo (Kim Moo Jin). I loved their development as characters and the ups and downs of their relationships. Kim Ji Hoon (Baek Hee Sung) gave me the CHILLS, in a way not a lot of other characters had done. In fact, he was one of the most shocking characters I've ever seen. I was strangely attracted to Do Min Seok in the same way a microbiologist is attracted to microbes LOL and our little Eunha was always a pleasure to watch and warmed my heart! Every actor deserves recognition for their brilliant job.
Oh! And one thing that surprised me was how similar the young actors were to their adult versions. Teenage Do Hyun Soo looks EXACTLY like adult Do Hyun Soo, and the same goes for Do Hae Soo! Great great great job, casting team!
It took me a while to clean my watchlist and pick up this drama (I wanted to fully focused on it) and honestly, I'm not mad I didn't start watching it while it was airing because I would have died every week waiting for it! Even though it took me a while to watch it, I already knew the OST "Feel You" because Lee Joongi is obsessed with that song (he played it during his live, it's in his posts and stories LMAO). And I have to say it might be on my top 3 favorite OSTS, next to When the Night Falls (While You Were Sleeping) and Will Be Back (Moon Lovers).
I always say investigation and thriller dramas aren't my thing but I've been lucky with the crime dramas I've chosen and thankfully I'm opening up to the genre. For people like me, I think Flower of Evil is one of the best bets you can make. Brilliant writing, characters that make you root for them until the end, intriguing until the last scene, always tricks you even if you think you know what's going to happen... Oh well, a masterpiece. And my favorite drama of 2020, for sure.
[THIS QUOTE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS]
"In a village overshadowed by a demon named Do Min Seok, there isn't a single person who wasn't a sinner against Hyun Soo. When everyone was turning into monsters, the only human being left was Hyun Soo."
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1 Litre of Tears indeed
This is a drama I feel quite uncomfortable reviewing because it was based on a real story of a very strong young girl who had to deal with this heartless disease. It's the first drama that I've seen, as far as I remember, that was based on a real story so it impacted me on a personal level, which didn't happen with other sad dramas.It was really touching how we got to witness the consequences of Aya's disease not only on her life but also on every other character's life. Her siblings, her parents, her friends, her lover. I think the cast was very well chosen and fit their roles perfectly. Also, unlike other people, I don't mind that Haruto's character was written specifically for the drama because his character added another layer of reflection and represented Aya's "lost" love life.
There were many impactful scenes, like the one where Ako is scolding Hiro or the scenes where the students are singing that beautiful song together. I think they did the best they could to make sure Aya would always be remembered as a sweet, strong, stunning young girl who had a heart of gold and touched so many people with her sensitivity and honest wiseness.
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Might change the rating to 10 stars
I've been wanting to watch this show for a very long time. The plot seemed really interesting but a bit depressing so I kept putting it off. I finally made myself watch this show this week and I was hooked since the first scene. I guess my type of drama really is the heartbreaking type of story? haha! There's not a lot I can say about this story because I feel like it's one of those dramas you can only truly understand while watching it and receiving the feelings it provokes on the viewers. It's so good I might even change this rating to 10 stars, depending on how I digest the whole thing, but I couldn't give it less than 9.5 stars.The characters are sooo well written! As someone who loves complex characters more than a complex plot, I was really happy with how they managed to make me interested in every character's story. The protagonists (I would say there are 4 protagonists, right??) are all amazing and likeable, even if frustrating at times. Kang Doo hecame one of my favorite characters ever because of how simple he was in everything that he did (by the way, simple doesn't mean not complex! ...right?). I was just very in tune with him and could understand his emotions and choices very clearly, even if I've never been through anything similar to his situation. Jun Ho did a fantastic job with his character. Now I want to watch more dramas with him! And then we have Moon Soo, who was just so likeable (although not perfect) since the beginning. I love how we also got to see her parents and their relationship and how their family dealt with such a tragic loss. Seo Joo Won... I felt so sorry for him. He just had all that pain in his eyes!! I loved that he was a warm-hearted and kind person who was struggling to deal with his own demons. And Yoo Jin... I just loved her character, even if at first I couldn't care less about her... she definitely grew on me!
I cried so much in the last episode. I was scared (I literally paused the episode and calmed down hahaha if you've watched it, you know what I mean) and then I was sad because it was over. I wish we had more time with these characters (not only the main ones but also Moon Soon's friend, as well as our dear Sang Man and the others) because even though the plot isn't anything crazy and fast-paced, it was never boring. Not even a single scene! And the ending was so satisfying... because it made sense and it wasn't forced.
More than a story about a tragedy, this show is about the story of those who live on and have to deal with the consequences of said tragedy. I feel like I learned a lot while watching this show. I'm not sure what but I know I did. It made me think about life and death and put me in all these characters' shoes. I wish I had watched it sooner because this is one of those dramas that make me happy I started watching dramas in the first place and reassure me I'm not just wasting my time.
Unforgettable.
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I found my favourite drama ever... and it hurts.
{I'LL WARN YOU ONCE I GO INTO SPOILERS}Hello. This year, for some reason, I haven't been writing reviews for every drama I watched. I think I got a bit lazy after watching so many dramas that didn't make me want to write a review for them. I watched many 8-star-worthy dramas in 2020, which was bittersweet. I felt like I was somewhat losing my deep interest in dramas because I had already watched the ones that would always stay in my top 10 list (is this sentence confusing? It is to me... I'm sorry hahaha). And then Moon Lovers came into my life. I don't know how I'm going to write a review for my favourite drama of all time but I knew I had to write one. So that I could later remember these feelings of when I first watched it when I rewatch it over and over again. Yes, this drama is flawed and I'll point that out later in this review. But no other drama could make me feel like this. This exact feeling I'm feeling right now after having binge-watched the show for three days. This feeling that I can't name but that I'll try to describe throughout this review.
Okay. Let me get into the review.
Background:
I never had any interest in watching this show. I thought period dramas weren't for me and I had a huge prejudice against this drama because of that- which is very ironic, considering many of my favourite dramas, such as Goblin and The Untamed, have the same elements of a period drama. I love history but I was scared I wouldn't understand the story or wouldn't be able to connect with the characters because of the setting. Therefore, I had been ignoring Moon Lovers since 2016, even though I've heard many amazing things about it. I only decided to watch it because, on Sunday (September 27 2020), my boyfriend made me watch The King and The Clown, a great movie that shoot Lee Joongi to fame overnight. I tried to resist it because it's also set in the ancient times but thankfully, my boyfriend insisted and I watched it. Lee Joongi's performance was... very touching? He left a great impression on me, that's for sure. And, suddenly, literally out of nowhere, I thought "He's in Moon Lovers, right? Why don't I watch that after I finish the dramas I'm currently watching?". I ended up watching it before finishing anything else. The power Lee Joongi holds!!!
Acting:
I was interested in the story from the very first minute. That scene with IU complaining about her life to the homeless man. I later found out that many people didn't like IU's acting and for that gave up on the drama. Wow, never have i disagreed with anyone more! I honestly think her performance was stunning. It didn't feel like acting so I was completely immersed in the drama from the very first scene. In fact, I loved every actor's performance in this show. Even the actors who were fairly new to the scene (like Baekhyun and JiSoo). I think everyone fit their roles very well and even though I hated some characters, I was very glad they were portrayed by those actors and actresses.
Lee Joongi took the best actor award for me, however that is only because he is absolutely insane. His facial expressions could rip my heart apart. How could is smile hurt more than when he cried??? Insane, that's what that man is. I'll now have to watch every single project he's in! Yay! Kang Haneul, Hong Jonghyun, the senior actors. Literally everyone. They made these characters come to life and I couldn't say enough good things about this cast. It was on point.
Characters:
Let me start off by saying that I love that every character had grey areas. No one only had white sides to them and no one had only black ones. Each character had flaws, ambitions, made mistakes and had a reasoning behind their actions. There were characters that I loved more than others but I know I couldn't just take one character out of the story because they all added something to it and I couldn't completely hate anyone because I could understand what motivated them to do what they did. That's one of the big reasons why this drama impacted me so much. How cruel, pure, passionate, ambitious and desperately human these characters were. I also love the fact that we got to watch them change throughout the show, even though it stings and we want to go back to how everyone was in the first few episodes. It hurt but it made sense. That's all I ask from a drama. On top of all that, the fact that women weren't portrayed negatively in this drama made me so happy! There were female characters that I "despised" but I can't deny they were powerful! There were many female characters I loved, such as Court Lady Oh and Lady Hae. Amazing. And the complexity of these characters... 4th prince So is one of those characters you never forget after you get to know them. But if I start ranting about him I'll never finish this review.
Plot:
The plot was huge. Very well written but sometimes they had to rush some things so that they could fit everything in 20 episodes. I wish they had taken their time to include the things I'll mention in the "Things I would change if I could" section. Overall, the plot was very smart and it made sense for the era that the story was set in and the characters' personalities and situations. It makes the viewers think about what they would do if they were in the characters' shoes. And call me crazy but if I could live in any drama and interact with any characters, I would choose this drama.
OH AND BY THE WAY!! The scenery was beautiful! The props too. Great production.
Soundtrack:
Never has a soundtrack fit a drama so well. There were some modern songs thrown in there, which, in my opinion, fit those scenes so well because Hae Soo had just arrived from the modern times and was filled with happiness and innocence. So the music was kind of funny and cute, in a way? And by the middle/end they weren't played anymore.
And the sad scenes hit differently because of the soundtrack. The songs were absolutely perfect to emphasize the emotions of each scene. Lovely.
Things I would change if I could: [THIS SECTION MAY INCLUDE SPOILERS]
-The fact that Hae Soo seemed to have forgotten her life in the modern times too swiftly. Like, she didn't even try to go back more than once. Also, she didn't seem to miss her family or friends and the only time she mentions anyone is when she mentions her brother when she has that conversation by the lake with So. I wish we had got to know her life before she went to Goryeo and that she had expressed more pain or fear for being there? At least in the beginning!
-Also, Hae Soo's personality changed quite drastically throughout the drama, which I understand since she went through a lot and grew up. But I wish she showed more of her former self. I'm not sure what I mean by this but yeah, she seemed a lot more like Court Lady Oh as time went by (which is probably what the writer wanted to show- the parallel between the two lovers of the Kings).
-I don't know if I would change this because that's what makes the 4th prince that mesmerising but the cruelty he showed when he became a king was scary. But he also had his reasoning behind his decisions... but... I guess I'm just used to the plain good male leads so So's decisions are a bit hard to take in but all of them make sense and they may seem cruel but what choice did he have?? Okay, I'm ranting now.
-A lot of shots were straight up ridiculous. When the 3rd prince "died" and fell off the cliff it wasn't shown! I was so frustrated haha. Also, when Hae Soo was writing the shots never seemed appropriate? Or when some characters came into some scenes. A bit awkward.
My favourite scenes: [THIS SECTION DEFINITELY INCLUDES SPOILERS]
- The deaths. I know it sounds a bit morbid but oh God, did I cry... They were really well done. Even those of the characters I didn't like were good. I have to say that the one I cried the most was Eun's death, along with his wife's. That was probably the moment I cried the most in the whole drama. What a tragic ending!"I'm all she has... I won't leave her alone." And then So (finishing) killing him... UGH!!!! So much pain. Just thinking about it breaks my heart. The song that was playing... AHHHHH it hurts.
-8th Prince Wook crying after his wife's death and realising he did love her but never got to tell her that.
-The snow scene with Hae Soo and Wook.
-The scene where Hae Soo and So met.
-The scene where Hae Soo and So reconcile and act all cute ):
-When the princes were playing together in the first few episodes.
-When 4th prince was doing the rain ritual and it started raining.
-Their daughter... and So asking Jung to come to the castle often with her... his smile... why must it hurt like this?
-The last scenes of the last episode. THEY. HURT. SO. MUCH. I. COULDN'T. BREATHE. Loved them and I will always remember them.
-To be honest, every scene. That's it. That's the section.
Random thoughts/observations: [SPOILERS]
-Ok but... did Ji Mong like Prince Moo??????? Guys... I squealed!!!
-Was that little girl Woo Hee's reincarnation? Heartbreaking.
-It hurt when So made love to the Queen. But it hurt more that he couldn't care less about his son. Poor boy. I wish he wasn't so cold to him but once again, So is a flawed character. After Hae Soo's death he must have lost the will to live and to love anyone else. It's just sad that his son will probably suffer as much as he did because he will feel rejected by his own father.
-The fact that he ended up alone in the end... all his brothers died or left him. The love of his life died too (or was unreachable). The astronomer and the general left too. My heart physically hurts just thinking about how lonely he was, from the very first episode. "The Lonely Wolf"...
There are so many things I want to talk about but my computer is already lagging because of how long this is hahaha help. I'll just say one more thing:
The ending:
[SPOILERS] I liked it. It hurt, for sure. But it hurt so good? OMG HOW CAN I EXPLAIN THIS? It's memorable. I'll never forget how it made me feel. This type of hurting... as if I was the one living this story. Of course I wish there was a second season (as long as it didn't ruin what this show did for me, of course). But I like how it's kind of open and lets the viewers imagine what could have happened. I like the fact that a second season is not necessary but that there's room for it to happen. Also, no one can convince me that there is anything more painfully beautiful as that last scene. Stunning. I can accept a sad ending when it's well done. It fit the story perfectly and that's all I can ask for. That said, I'll now go read the novel and hope for a more cheerful ending hahahaha it hurts. It hurts so much. I just wish it didn't end. Or that I could forget everything and watch it like it was the first time. It hurts. It physically hurts.
Remember the feeling I mentioned in the first paragraph of the review? There is a Portuguese word that is unique to the Portuguese language: "Saudade". That word describes the feeling of missing someone, something or a moment so deeply that you're filled with nostalgia and your heart aches. And usually that feeling stays with you and you have to carry it with you for the rest your life. I think that's the best way I can describe how this drama made me feel, and it can describe just as well the feelings the characters have for one another.
I just feel like this drama was tailored to fit the number one spot in my heart. I was certainly not expecting it but I'll forever be grateful that it exists and that I found my way to it.
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This was the most controversial drama I’ve ever watched. Controversial in the sense that I went from wanting to rate this 7.5 stars, to giving it 8.5 stars, and then 9 stars and finally settling on 9.5 stars (even though I feel like I might change this to 10 stars later, depending on how I digest it). When I was on episode 4, I read a review on mydramalist that gave 7.5 stars to the drama and listed this show’s flaws (mainly when it comes to the representation of North Korea). At the time, I agreed with that review and even commented that I was afraid my review and my rating would be similar. I also thought they were making this drama way too “pretty” and unrealistic, since it took place in such a scary and mysterious place, known for public executions and complete isolation. But as I kept watching the drama and watched some videos of North Koreans talking about the show’s representation of their country, I realized they really did the best they could. They obviously wouldn’t show the worst sides of the North Korean system but they still showed how corrupt and power-driven some people are, as well as some small details about the “normal” citizens, that lived their daily lives a bit differently than what I personally am used to seeing. I came to appreciate the way they didn’t make North Korea the villain but instead showed us different facets of the country and the people living there. What I also loved is that they showed a lot of flaws in South Korean’s characters, like Seri’s family, proving that there are bad people everywhere. My perception of North Korea ended up changing thanks to this drama. It’s easy to forget the “normal” citizens of this country when the leader is that scary and the system so revolting. So I’m thankful the drama focused on giving these people a voice and a life.
I often wanted to roll my eyes at the “coincidences” in the show (or fate?) but I came to appreciate them. Even when I wasn’t loving the show (around episode 4), I couldn’t help but tear up at some scenes. I think I cried at least in 80% of the episodes hahaha. The “coincidences” were there to make your heart break even more, and I love it.
Honestly, we wouldn’t have gotten this amazing drama if they had tried to be more “cruel” in their representation of the country and hadn’t included “unrealistically good” characters that would help the female lead. Thankfully, I realized that and now I can deal with the improbability of the plot and love the story for what it is.
Now I’ll list some of the things I loved about the show:
-The women in this drama. The village ajummas? Queens! Seri? Although I didn’t really like Son Yejin’s acting in the beginning because I thought it was TOO much, I still ended up loving this character. What a badass!! Seo Dan? You can’t help but like her by the end of the show. I even liked Seri’s brothers’ wives, but that’s probably an unpopular opinion LOL (I liked them as characters, not as people).
-The variety of themes. Poverty, corruption, friendship, leadership, family issues and jealousy, the hardships of a military life etc. And, of course, how terrible the separation of the two Koreas really is! They’re very different but have a lot of history in common too. It’s sad that they live in constant rivalry.
-The production and the beautiful scenery choices. Switzerland and North Korea are completely different countries but both of them are full of nature and there’s green everywhere. I don’t know about North Korea (they filmed in South Korea, obviously) but they definitely captured the best of Switzerland (I live in Switzerland so I can confirm). They even mentioned Heidi in the show; you can’t get more realistic than THAT. So pleasant to watch. And what surprised me the most is that the show made me want to visit those places (I don’t remember ever going to those locations) and made me appreciate Switzerland a lot more, which is amazing. I’ve always wanted to study abroad and I thought I wouldn’t even miss this country but after watching this show I’m already missing it! I’m still here, why am I missing it?! Hahahaha
(THIS PART MIGHT INCLUDE MINOR SPOILERS)
-The characters. All of them. The good and the bad. I loved them all. Seri’s character development was so satisfying! She learned how to not be afraid of loving others and showing her emotions. Ri Junghyuk was simply perfect, wasn’t he? Caring, smart and... comforting (which we don’t always get from MLs). The most beautiful quote in the drama is when he says that waiting is the only way to handle loss. It’s stunning. The soldiers squad!! When they went to Seoul I couldn’t stop laughing. Our favorite scammer, Gu Seung Jun, who wasn’t black nor white. The villains actually had motives (as bad and selfish as they were) and weren’t complete idiots! No character was empty.
This drama gets 100 stars when it comes to characters, without a doubt.
(END OF SPOILERS)
-The humor. I laughed so much while watching this, I’m very thankful.
Anyways, I’m not sure if my review does justice to this drama but I write reviews for myself, so that I can remember my feelings months and years later. And I wrote about the main things I loved and felt while watching it, so I’m satisfied.
I don’t think this drama is overrated at all, and I’m very glad that it took so many risks because dramaland was needing it, wasn’t it? A lot of recent dramas have been good but forgettable, not quite epic enough. Finally an epic one, that I certainly won’t forget.
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