What an odd little goldfish in a bowl of tropey rom-coms

It is rare to watch a Chinese period drama that paid so much attention to details and the coherence of the script.

Unlike many dramas that have a weak plot or poor script and relied heavily on star power or tropey sugar romance to carry the show, this one really went out of its way to put the story front and centre. The fact that the production value was good and the acting in general was superior were just icing on the cake.

While having a detective or a doctor as the central character is not new but this drama took it to a different level. It started with a fairly forensic look at the job of a coroner in ancient China (probably fanciful to be honest) but it also added scientific law enforcement into the mix. The script writer then built up a very complex overarching plot that spanned a generation just so that the M/FL can work as a team and unravel the mystery together (and fire up the romance).

If this was the only positive aspect, the show is already doing well but on top of that, most of the support characters were also quite intelligent and at worse, competent in their roles. There were no tropey love triangles or crazy subplots just to stir things up. Everyone had a job to do and they did it to their utmost abilities. It was refreshing to have storylines that were just "normal" and people were treated as professionals regardless of their birth or gender. Bravo, writers and director!
The plot was a real cat and mouse game. The villains were setting clever traps and playing the long game while our young guns were using their brains and skills to work through the leads, solving cases and laying down their own counter traps.

This is great if you like a good detective story and the whole logical deduction process. If you came in thinking that this is another cute period rom-com then you might be disappointed. Not that there wasn't romance. The CP's were quite cute together and there were swoon worthy moments. There was a little bit of skinship but very tame. There were some action but a lot of talking and expositions on the complicated plot. Your mileage will differ.

Another aspect I appreciate was the production values. The sets were of good quality and formed a coherent backdrop. I really liked their lighting design. They used a lot of natural lights during the day and candles were used extensively at night . Most of the time, the artificial light mimicked the natural light sources. Flickered and glowed as appropriate. I find it disconcerting when some period sets were lit up brightly and uniformly or have spotlights from the ceiling.

The acting of the ML was great. He started like Mr Spock but as the show progressed, he became more human and showed all the emotions. He had some very emotional scenes later on in the show which he did very well. The 2ML was quite a fun and lively character by comparison, there was a nice bromance between them as well. On the other hand, the FL felt a little out of her depth. She started well enough in the coroner role but around the mid to late show she was over shadowed by the ML and the villains so her acting seemed muted and a little wooden. Other support casts all made good contributions. Good dynamics between them.

OST was nice and easy listening. Rewatch value is hard to gauge because it would be like rereading a detective novel. It is up to the individual.

P.S. I deliberately kept this review spoiler free as any spoiler will give the plot away and I don't want to tell you up front that the maid did it. (oh damn!)

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2 things stopped it from being a 10/10

In many ways, this was an excellent c-drama. The OTP's romance was super cute and wholesome. They are a true power couple with both doing important and demanding jobs. No wall flower here, thank you. A lot of the story telling was great, awesome meet-cute. How can you go wrong when one half of the story was based in a hospital and the other half was about policing! However, it did tripped over its own feet on two things.
1) The 2OTP was too frustrating to watch. Their relationship was in limbo and dragged on for too long. On, off, mixed messages, reset, noble idiocy, friend zoning, the works. This went on for 30 episodes! Yes, when they did get together it was all rainbows and unicorns and there were some very funny and cute moments but it really went round the garden path a few times.
2) The show was too long. 40 episodes were not long by c-drama standard and It would have been fine if there was enough substance to do 40 episodes but there really wasn't. A few signs pointed to this, the first half of the show was action packed and very well paced. A bit after the disaster relief operation, things started to slow down. There were still dramatic moments but these were islands. The 2OTP issue was particularly noticeable then. When they introduced the girl in the wheelchair subplot, it was pure classic filler trope that came from nowhere and went nowhere. The overseas study trip was another. At least it wasn't too abrupt but it was just a time skip padded out with some video chats and a long sad build-up. They could have shipped her off to a fortnight's training course somewhere and got her onto that bus without changing narrative stride. I think 35 episodes would have been more realistic.
Acting was good all round, I last watched the FL in Oh My General and she did a good job there too. The ML wasn't all stony faced male god and that was good. The male leads all look very smart in uniform.
The OST was nice and easy on the ears. The rewatch value is there but I would hit the fast forward around the 2/3 mark and skip to the good bits.

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Romance and healing in equal parts

I have not seen SITR so I'm not going to make any comparisons.

I could write an essay on this show but I don't want to bore you so I'll keep this short.

This show is not an easy watch. It touched on a number of Korean societal issues. There were relationship breakdowns, familial pressures, prejudices and more. Through finding love and supporting each other did the OTP heal their emotional wounds and find happiness.

The story was beautifully told. It was not hurried but each lull are bracketed by impactful codas. You can take a breather and maybe even enjoy some swoon-worthy moments but you can never let your guards down. It is that underlying tension that lift the show above the pack. It is not a dread in the pit of your stomach but a sense of foreboding as you know that it will not be plain sailing for the leads. And fight they did, to find love, to be allowed to love and to preserve what they won.

Acting of the leads were superb. You feel their sadness, confusion and joy. Even the support case were great. Each have their own story arcs and the sum total of their contribution was certainly great.

Ultimately, it was an enjoyable and satisfying watch. You will feel a bit worn out but it only make the reward that much sweeter.

OST was good. Crafted to suit the drama being played out. Rewatch is a given.

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Very well acted youth romance with a loving heart

I really enjoyed this show. It was one of the better youth romance I've seen. While I believe the OTP and most of the support cast made the show, some of the story telling was a bit patchy.
The show broke from the typical male god/ice king vs the bumbling, feisty FL trope. While the story started at the final year of high school and the FL was the top student there, she was not low on EQ as you'd expect. The ML was a transfer student with a murky past and bad rep after being placed at the bottom of the same class as the FL. It was definitely a love-hate relationship from the get-go. However, once the FL found out that he was actually misunderstood and a diamond in the rough, the spark of romance was well and truly ignited. That flame burnt brightly during their college years.
The OTP had great chemistry. We are not talking about hot and sexy type but more of the sweet and innocent first love variety. There was some skinship but nothing over the top. The kisses weren't exactly awkward but they weren't passionate either. I'd give them a pass mark.
The ML was superb in his role. Instead of the aloof stereotype, he was handsome but totally grounded and relatable. He smiled (and what a smile!), he laughed and he cried. He suffered and he cheered and he made you care for his character and the OTP. The FL did a good job as well. A good match with the ML and she had to pull her own weight especially in the more dramatic scenes. Most of the support cast were 3 dimensional characters that grew (and grew up) with the OTP. Their story arcs were integral to the central story and it was a refreshing change from the central casting roommates ensemble.
It was interesting to see the ice king trope actually played out in the 2OTP pairing and when you consider some shows would have gone 30-40 episodes based on that trope alone you had to wonder why we still accept that trope being the norm. Not that the 2OTP was boring, it just felt predictable and cliché. Luckily, they only had a fraction of the screen time. They also provided some counterpoint to the main pair's romantic development and added some spice to the show once the OTP's relationship became unshakable.
Speaking of relationships, I'm afraid the writing became a bit weak on that front and became a bit tropey. The whole wilful mother, unrequited love, crushes and love triangle tropes were given too much oxygen. So many setbacks and meddling came from the many actors circling the OTP like sharks. It was never life or death situation but the show could do more to balance it. Honestly, many scenes of the OTP were so sweet and loveable that they could have bottled and sell the essence but you can't shake the feeling that something bad was about to befall them (and it usually did). It was a bit tiresome by the end.
That brought us to the main antagonist and I'm afraid he was just not up to the task. He was not really evil and came across more like sleazy and annoying.
My final minor gripe was the use of the forced separation trope towards the end of the show. It was unnecessary, full stop. I understood the writer wanted to show progress and bring the show to a conclusion sometime in the future. All we got was a bit of angst, sad parting and then BAM, time skip 2 years. Fortunately, the OTP parted with an understanding that the relationship will just become a long distance one and they can chat and video call whenever. I appreciate that as most show would just make it as if the departing lead went to the moon and out of communication for the duration.
The last episode was a complete and utter fan service and I'm eternally grateful for that. It tied everything up with a pink bow and a herd of unicorns were frolicking in the meadow. Every key character had closure (except one, it was odd as his name was mentioned and a subplot started but it went nowhere) and lots of cute moments. One thing did gave me pause, the antagonist was completely rehabilitated and given a happy ending. I know it sat well with the light tone of the show but it was not really sending a good message and the one sentence explanation was barely plausible.
OST was catchy and breezy for the most parts. Rewatch value is high as long as you skip some of the tedious shenanigans. I would have given it a higher score if it was less "drama for drama sake". Can't complain about the OTP and their sweet, sweet ending. I would highly recommend this drama.

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Standard watchable youth drama with a bit of a twist

I don't think anyone who has watched a decent number of j-drama would be surprised by this movie. Fairly standard set up with an over protective brother who is secretly in love with his sister. The sister was confused about her feelings both because of the brother's love-hate behaviour as well as the taboo nature if she was attracted to him. Obviously, the drama can only go for the sad ending or a happy ending so I won't spoil it for you.
The acting was fine. A bit of overacting was to be expected. Music was un-intrusive. The OTP chemistry was quite good and they look cute together. More so than the FL/2ML pairing. Rewatch value is good.

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The show failed to capitalise on a good beginning

Many reviews have already mentioned the big age gap between the FL and the ML. I don't have a problem with that as long as the older ML, being in a power position did not pressure or trick the younger FL into a relationship. So long as they fall in love organically (within the rules of dramaland) then it is what it is.
I did like this drama, especially the beginning 10ish episodes. It was tropey with the boss/employee plot but it was done with a lot of energy and cuteness. There was also a lot of heart in the familial/friend relationships. I was wondering where the show would take us.
What I did find disappointing was that as the show progressed, it got more and more tropey and clichéd. The second half of the show just felt predictable and flat. Yes, lots happened, domineering mother, meddling 2FL, poor communications, sick grandfather, spunky half bro and more. Not that the tropes were not staple of such dramas but in this case, they felt computer generated. They served to generate a bit of angst or more likely, a bit of awkwardness but you never felt that the show was going to surprise you. I understand the show wanted to be angst lite but there were a lot of weak sub plots when a stronger focus on a couple of meatier plots would have been more impactful.
The plot became a bit rudderless once they became a couple. It just hopped from one event to the next until near the end. Promising storyline like the FL being a top chef hit a wall. A more engaging plot line would challenge the FL further as a chef and the ML supporting her through thick and thin. The awesome food porn also faded away by that stage.
The 2OTP was actually not bad, their romance was more grounded but still cute. OST was fine and pleasant. The support cast did a good job.
The tone got dark around episode 20/21 when they introduced a big revenge plot that was unnecessary to the storyline and if anything, showed most involved in a poor light. It just felt staged and cliché. After all the kerfuffle, the ML undid the whole thing and just handed back everything he won in the last episode. Yes, it paved the way for the happy ending but it also made the previous two episodes fairly pointless.
The ending was all rainbows and unicorns but a bit rushed. We are talking multiple pairings including pairs that came out of left field (the uncle's pairing?) and every wish was granted.
To be honest, the show was sustained by the OTP's awesome chemistry and their cute, sweet moments. Good amount of skinship without awkwardness was a bonus. If you are happy to watch the show for the romance alone then it would go down a treat but the rest of the fluff was a bit tedious for me.

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A sweet little modern day fairy tale

Let us be totally honest, this show is about a fantasy. There is also hint of "Ode to hard work" buried in the romantic theme. Don't get me wrong, I totally enjoyed the show and it was a short and a fun watch. The ML is just too perfect. Sure, he was/is a workaholic himself but he certainly enables the FL and supports her (hard) work ethnics 120%. It was never really explained why he fell so hard for the FL but ask no questions and you are given no lies. Not exactly realistic but this is dramaland where they love to throw improbable scenarios at viewer. Other than that, it is low angst, sweet rom-com with a nice amount of skinship. It is even rewatchable as it is so short.

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Help! Is there a script doctor in the house?!

The drama started off promisingly. The FL was on a revenge mission and she had to dress as a man to become a royal doctor and hence enter the household of THE army commander. So far so good, the first few episodes was played like a farce and there were funny moments. The meet-cute between the F/ML was good but I don't really like the power dynamics between the OTP for a good portion of the show. There was so much master/slave role play and grovelling. I was just about to type "then the show began to drag" but I had to stop myself because technically, it didn't drag, well, not yet. It just played with the same ideas over and over with some embellishments. There was progress on the side but the main theme went on for too long without resolution. All this time, the smartest dude in the city, aka the ML, just kept missing all the signs that the FL is actually a she. He got really confused about his feelings for her and pull the noble idiot trick by sending her away as he can't have romantic feelings for a man, heaven forbid!
This actually reminded me of Coffee Prince which had the ML all tied in knots with his feels towards the FL (which was also cross-dressed as a man) but the k-drama was far superior to this but I digress.
Where were we . . . . ? While the first half of this show was muddling its way through some rom-com shenanigan, it all suddenly turned very dark when the commander played the noble idiot card. There were evil plots, tortures, murders, etc. Even when the ML rescued the FL from certain death, you would think "hooray, big reveal, happy times!!", the writer(s) actually doubled down on the gender bending plot and injected more angst and more misunderstandings. Honestly, the first half of the show was built upon one big lie but the second half was basically rounds of misunderstandings compounded by more lies and misguided good intentions. It was a frustrating watch to say the least. This type of tonal inconsistency was quite evident in the second half.
At about the 2/3 mark, the ML finally discovered the FL's gender (but not her true identity), he did a happy dance and swept her off her feet and did all the sweet things that should have taken 3-4 episodes to do but covered them in a few scenes. The good times only lasted a couple of episodes anyway and the show went full melodrama on us. It was not even good melo. Just more angst, more deceits and things kind of went full circle.
Why I said the show went full circle was that a lot of things hinted at the beginning came back to haunt us. When you consider there were literally a handful of key characters, the circle was quite small. Annoying characters that were banished returned. Love triangle that was resolved, revived. The sad part was that the 2ML would have won the Noble Second Lead Syndrome hands down had his personality changed so that he became despicable (he was redeemed at the end). The whole 2FL plot basically went nowhere. I mean nowhere.
A lot of the last third of the show served only to push a few emotional buttons and extended the story. The so called evil mastermind plot was weak and served only to tie a few threads together.
It was no surprised that we ended up with a cliché happy ending. It was nice but not very satisfying. The lady that was the root cause of all the misdeeds didn't really pay for her crimes. She just went and became a nun. A standard out in a historical context but not a very satisfactory from a modern viewer's perspective.

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An ode to Chinese cooking with a side order of romance

Setting a drama in a restaurant or café is nothing new, nor is the main character being a chef or kitchenhand. What was new in this case was how important was the food and all its elements in this drama. Not only was eating a key part (did they eat a lot of food!) but every stage of its creation, mise en place, the cooking and plating were all front and centre. Where most drama would show the kitchen as a busy back drop and chefs running around then the food would magically appear, this is like a full-on cooking show. It was so important that the cooking segments actually had its own theme music! Not that I'm complaining as they were beautifully shot and presented. The only minor negative is that it was obvious the FL can't cook this well so the actual cooking were done by professional chefs and some of the footage had a man's hand doing the cooking. Slightly jarring but you get used to it. Also in that vein, the setting was ancient China but some of the dishes were more like fusion cuisine with modern touches.
Needless to say, this was not suppose to be a cooking show so there has to be a story. Honestly, you have to suspend your disbelieve a bit as the (young) FL just appeared from nowhere and had the ability to cook just about anything and to the highest (we are talking Michelin stars) standard. Once you accept that, the rest of the story is not bad. It is the typical rag to riches type of trope. The FL had to work hard to make it big. She still had time to find love though!
The OTP had good chemistry, there were a bit of skinship but not over the top. The ML was a nice change from the usual period drama ML who can look a touch effeminate. He was a man's man, a skilled martial artist with strong features and a tough demeanour but has a soft spot for the FL. They did make a very good team and he helped her a lot in her journey.
While I said that the story was fairly typical, I have to qualify that by saying it was better than the usual trope as the pacing was smooth and plot twists were handled deftly. Nothing was left to fester. Evil plots are foiled in a timely manner because of the OTP's insightfulness, cleverness and diligence. It was also good to see that the OTP were surrounded by good people that were their true supporters and helpers. Unsurprisingly, the show was angst light but it was not like nothing bad happened, it was just that the OTP handled them well and we moved on. The show was full of positive vibes. Some might consider it too sweet.
Now for the not so good bits. Whilst the show managed to weave food into every aspect of the show, it did make the central plot a bit weak. They had to bring out every possible plot devices involving food (and recycled a few as the show progressed). Some worked but some just felt like inconsequential fillers.
Finally, I actually think this show has a high re-watch value as I wanted to watch the cooking again to steal some ideas and the story was nice and sweet enough that you'd go away feeling warm and fuzzy.
BTW, the FL had a busy year. She was also the FL in the General's Lady which I also enjoyed very much.

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A good rom-com with an engaging story to back up the cute

The promise of this show is not new but it was executed well. Acting was good and the story engaging. The interesting thing about the plot is that the love line is integral to the story but it doesn't drive it. It is the decade old friendship and e-sport world that forms the core of this drama. Because of that, the romance was fairly straightforward. There was a little bit of angst but no more than a few bumps. However, I don't quite understand why they introduce the senior as a competitor for the ML as it was quite obvious from the start (that is why I don't consider this as a spoiler) that he doesn't stand a chance with the FL. If anything, the writer took it too far and he would have been better served if he just come to his senses and bow out gracefully. What we ended up with a sad and broken man for little gain to the drama.
What is also interesting is the patriotic angle. Thankfully, it is not too jingoistic (except towards the end) and some may argue that it is more about making dreams come true for the younger generation. Whichever way you want to see it, it is not a hard sell and the drama is light and warm-hearted in most parts.
Back to the romance, there are several romantic plots in play, some front and centre and some were hinted at and stayed unanswered in the end. It was nice that there was not a lot of angst with the love lines and what there were was resolved fairly timely so that the OTP (and others) can spend more time being lovey-dovey and cute. Speaking of cute, the FL really knows how to do aegyo. Other FL can learn a thing or two from her. These romance sub plots were used well to space out the tense e-sport dramas and friendship angst and some of the funniest moments are generated by the interactions of the OTP.

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Good girl wins it all!

What a sweet love story. It might start off with the usual hate-hate relationship but when they fell in love (organically) they were in deep. Whilst I dislike the usual breakup trope used in most k/c-dramas, I didn't mind it too much here. It was still hard to watch the sadness and angst but it really served to prove to the world just how much they loved each other and you just can't break that bond. There is also a fair bit of skinship and it was done with feeling and maturity. No plastic or fish lips kisses here. OBTW, the show can also be titled "good girl wins it all". Enjoy!

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Trope heavy, standard fare that went on for too long

The show started as a typical office romance rom-com. It moved along steadily for a number of episodes and there were some funny moments and a bit of cute here and there. The story line is the standard cool/aloof boss, bubbly girl pairing. I won't say that there was great chemistry but enough to sustain the plot. There are a decent amount of skinship in the last 1/3. It really took a turn for the worse when they introduced the ex GF trope about 1/3 way into the run. No problem with that as it is so common in dramaland but some bad writing really gave me pause. Not only was the ex manipulative (given), a bit evil (also given) but the story had the ML and 2nd ML doing nothing to spare the FL all the pain and suffering at the hands of the ex even though she was caught red handed in the backstabbing act. She was allowed to keep working in the same office and in a management role no less. I suppose so that she can keep harassing the FL for many, many episodes for our "entertainment". When you consider the ML brought all this on from the beginning and kept digging a deeper and deeper hole is depressing. Complete failure to communicate is not a good plot device. It is just annoying in my book. The saving grace is Dean (2nd ML), he is a true and loyal friend, smart, handsome and protector of the FL. Which only makes the ML look worse by comparison. When you consider the ML final confessed to the FL at the 2/3 mark, I would have given the show a higher marks if they wrapped it up there and then (with a final happy ending episode) but the show went on for another 8+ hours! This means Just about every trope got an airing. It went from a rom-com to melo to farce! Nobody is ever punished for any misdeeds and EVERYONE gets a happy ending, serious?! It got to the point that I was skipping scenes in the middle episodes because it was so annoying and predictable. The needy ex GL served no purpose other than to generate angst and extend the show for way too long. Use that trope by all means but please don't labour it. Finally, don't be fooled by the episode count on Viki. They are double length episodes. On Netflix, it is 39 episodes about 42 mins each. It is not a short nor a quick watch.

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A breath of fresh air but not without flaws

I think this series held a lot of promise but not all were delivered and some mono-tonal writing caused it to lose some points. I have to give the writers kudos for including so many societal issues in the plot(s) and hence generated a lot of online reactions in the Chinese social media. While that was a breath of fresh air in the local TV scene at the time, I can't help but feel that it was done largely to generate the said traffic and viewership but most of the issues are not really explored, a bit of issue du jour? This is not helped by fairly shallow character portrayal. Especially the two youngest women, Qiu Yingying and Guan Ju'er. One was naive and immature to the point of being almost an airhead while the other is timid and grey. When so little character development happens in 42 episodes, you have to start asking questions. Not that they don't play their roles, it is just that it almost becomes a caricature and tools for the writers. The whole love line for GJE was just ridiculous. Why/how does someone have an instant crush and then nothing come of it in the drama. Even if she put up a fight for him, it would have been good but it was just side glances and deep sighs. I have to say that Andy as a character was the most complex of the five but then again, I find it hard to ship the relationship with Qi Dian. The writers tried their best to build chemistry but I never felt it exited the friend zone. How hard he tried to get inside her pants was also a bit off putting. The show also have some double standards. They are happy to highlight social issues but at the same time, they also push success and wealth to the front. While they didn't go so far as using the "rich dude get away with murder" trick, so many times fun is equated to staying in 5/6 stars hotels , clubbing with the elites and eating in fancy restaurants. Don't even mention fast cars as they are on full display as moving PPL. On one hand, the masses will identify with the 3 struggling women on the 22nd fl but the have's and have not's are also in stark contrast so that there can't really be happiness unless you have money and power. I did enjoyed a lot of the show but there are moments when I have to stop myself from shouting at the monitor when things get stupid and/or dragged on. OtJ2 is over 50 episodes.

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A cheap wine is not always bad, but a drama can leave a bad taste in your mouth

First of all, do not confuse this with the 2015 k-drama with a similar name.

The premise of the Show is based on the rich guy/poor girl trope. The one key change is the ML has a "rare" genetic disease that cause him to grow younger every day and the FL is the cure. When we first meet the ML, he appears to be around 18-20yo. This allows the Show to turn this into an idol drama. There is nothing new about a young handsome CEO in this genre but it is more problematic here. The issue is that the ML is supposed to be in his thirties, a high profile businessman and a man of the world.

I did try to meld the two characters together but it only serves to break my immersion far too often. I’d do a double take between scenes when I’m trying to realign my bearings. Am I watching the ML being himself or an older man acting out of character? Neither options are a good fit for the Show.

Let's just say it out loud, our young ML just don’t have the acting chops to pull this off. He looks, dresses and acts like an idol. He doesn't possess the gravitas nor the maturity to pull off heavy duty scenes and when he is with the FL, he is just a young gun in love. The script has to share some of the blame because it did little to hide his shortcomings.

On top of that, this Show’s plots are both transparent and predictable. That is a fatal combo in my book. You really don’t need a crystal ball to foretell the future here. Most of the trials and tribulations are piled on in set pieces instigated by cookie cutter antagonists. Some are even self-inflicted.

The antagonists' motivations are crystal clear and their schemes are rudimentary to say the least. To paraphrase a famous movie quote, “of all the trouble spots in all the towns in all the world, the FL walks into every one of them.” Inexperience and naivety can only paper over so much before you start to facepalm as the next pain point approaches like clockwork.

I accept that C-dramas and tropes are two peas in a pod. I can put up with cliché characters and tropey plots as long as the show is enjoyable. Fourth wall/immersion breaking can be fun and an effective tool of the trade but when this is a regular yet haphazard side effect of the plot then it has the opposite effect.

One final thought. With so many c-dramas being produced, new setting and themes are hard to come by. Gaming is popular, so are the medical and business worlds. However, this is a double-edged sword. Some shows do well with the help of learned consultants and industry involvements. You can see and appreciate the effort they've put in. Others resort to a jumble of jargons and make-believe scenarios that are more sleight of hand than creditable. Thus it is brave of the Show to choose the local wine industry as the setting.

It started decent enough, While the narrative is skewed, it is mostly harmless. However, the longer it goes, the more fanciful it becomes. This feeds into the immersion issue I mentioned before. When the plot and acting are good, you can ignore minor issues. In this case, you just can’t unsee/unhear some of the crazy stuff them put up as truism of the whole wine culture. It might sound ok to people who knows nothing about wine but for anyone else, it can be laughable if not downright grating.

Acting wise, I've said enough about the ML. The FL turns in a passable performance but this is essentially a bread-and-butter role for her cadre. The support cast are not doing much better. Their roles are one dimensional and the bar is set fairly low. Nobody is rushing to set a PB.

So, after 13 episodes, I have decided to drop this Show. It is not unwatchable (I have seen worst) but I have lost all interest. I could shelved it indefinitely but why bother to pretend. Maybe quaffing a bottle of vino like they do in the Show would help but my bottles are my Little Precious so I'll take a raincheck instead. Peace out. ;)

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Damned if you do and damned if you don't

The subject matter and presentation of this series are outside the box. It is not every day you get angels and demons working together for the greater good, but k-dramas can be quite "creative" at times.

My problem with this drama is that its tone is hard to nail down. It is obviously a dark fantasy but there are also very humanistic topics on display. Law and order, rewards and punishments are the four pillars of this show. The problem is that demons don't play by our rules and they are happy to hijack our justice system to serve their own purposes. It is this clash of values that caused me some discomfort.

Ultimately, you must buy into this show's premise wholeheartedly. Any waiving will undo the spell. If you stick it out, then the show is quite engaging and is a blast. If you start asking questions, then it becomes a self-serving mess. It is go hard or go home.

With the preamble out of the way, let's move on. At its core, this is an old-school morality tale. It is literally fire and brimstone stuff. The not-so-subtle message is that our police is ineffective, and our justice system is opaque with forces at play that might deliver questionable outcomes. Whether it is due to valid rules of law, incompetence or corruption, we shall find them wanting.

So rather than waiting for sinners to show up in Hell via natural causes, Justitia, the Goddess of Justice is send to walk the mortal realm after a bad judgement in Limbo. The odd thing is Justitia is shown to be a demon of the Netherworld and is the heir apparent to Bael. I don’t quite get the connection but please refer to my point about “ask no questions”.

To wit, Park Shin-hye is the undisputed star of this show. She is Dominatrix il Supremo personified and one helluva of a sexy demon/goddess. The ML is too righteous and prim to be sexy. They are the OTP by default, and it took him 2/3 of the show to crack a smile. He defrosts towards the end and they have a few swoon-y moments but let’s just say romance is not the main theme.

By now you should know the main thrust is the judgment and punishment of A-grade sinners with extreme prejudice and I mean EXTREME. There are blood and gore by the bucket. If you are sensitive to that or might be triggered by bullying, DV and sundry abuse/torture then please don’t even start watching. Even if you are ok with it, you will be desensitized by the end. It is relentless.

In that sense, this show is a one trick pony (but in a good way). It follows its internal logic to the letter. See crime, judge crime and dish out punishment in the most graphical way possible. Rinse the blood off and repeat. It is engaging because the show builds up the angst and emotional pressure until you are braying for blood at the screen. The antagonist is pure evil with no room for redemption.

Speaking of redemption, there are healing and redemption for everyone (except the sinners) towards the end. Life goes on is the final message. The last ep even includes some fan service. The unicorns must be freed! Even if they breath fire. ;)

There are moments when I thought I can’t watch anymore but they’d pass and the show draws you in again. You know where it is heading but you just want to see PSH kick some more perp's arse. I have a feeling she likes this type of roles more than the standard issue ones as well. I don’t blame her.

In the end, I enjoyed this series but with caveats. It is definitely not for everyone. It is ultra violent and moralistic. That should be on a warning label. Yet, it is not all blunt instruments. It does have a quirky sense of humour and a weird charm.

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