Soula
Casual, entertaining, family drama - not heavy with melodrama
I feel really torn as how to rate this drama because there were characters that I really adored and then parts of the story that I simply did not enjoy and could have done without. With the drama being 100 episodes (50+ hours!), it makes it even more difficult to give it a fair rating reflective of the overall drama. I have settled on a 7.5, not because it wasn't very enjoyable, but because it simply wasn't perfect - if I were to rewatch this drama, I would only watch for the characters/parts of the story I liked and skip through the rest.My absolute favorite thing from this entire drama was the relationship between the Yoon doctor brothers - Yoon Gyu Jin and Yoon Jae Suk. These brothers are the epitome of what it is to be a sibling; you love each other, but show it in the oddest ways, bickering like children every chance you can. If you are a sibling, you will definitely associate with these siblings. They cracked me up with their antics, while simultaneously leaving me full and happy with the authenticity of their sibling relationship. The way the writers wrote their relationship dynamics were perfect. I could watch a drama just about them and their lives and be so very happy and entertained.
I also really enjoyed Kang Cho Yeon. Yes, she was very much a bull-in-a-China-shop, but finding her family really helped mellow her out and she became so much more beautiful because you could really tell she became happy. And while I felt her and Song Young Dal recognizing each other as siblings was a bit drawn out in the plot, it was still wonderful once finally established. Seeing everyone together as a huge happy family was really satisfying.
In regards to the romance in this drama (there were a CRAP TON of pairings) I think the couple that carried this drama was the doctor couple, Song Na Hee and Yoon Gyu Jin. They were a couple with serious issues in the beginning even though they still sincerely loved each other (buried deep beneath all the accumulated miscommunication and resentment). Over the 100 episodes, they grew and changed to take care of each other, learning how to love each other again. It was a really well written evolution between the two of them. Their story was what I really kept watching this drama for. I just needed to know how things unfolded for them.
So, the things I didn't like? Hmm. To keep it brief and general:
I felt like some of the romantic pairings were rushed and therefore had no real substance to their attraction. I also felt like some of the romantic pairings were alluded to, but were never confirmed on screen (which, as you can imagine, is super frustrating when you have invested so much time). And then I felt that some of the romantic pairings were simply all wrong and they shouldn't have been put together at all. There were also some characters that I just didn't like, even if the writers tried to "redeem" them. These might seem like small things, but when there are so many romantic pairings, characters, and episodes, these flaws build up into a larger mass of dissatisfaction. Perhaps I'm being too picky, especially for a family drama?
There's so much more I can say about this drama in regards to specific details, but these were the important parts that really stood out to me. The things I loved, mentioned above, were obviously enough to keep me invested in watching all 100 episodes, regardless of character/relationship/plot flaws. I wouldn't necessarily recommend to binge watch Once Again, but I would recommend watching it with a buddy, as I did. Having someone to bounce thoughts off of while casually watching Once Again was the perfect way to enjoy this drama without taking it too terribly seriously. While my 7.5 rating appears mediocre, please recognize that due to the nature of longer family dramas, it is rather inevitable that the story is a bit messier and therefore, not flawless, but enjoyable all the same. If you enjoy family dramas, I would say, give it a chance - there's nothing too heavy or melodramatic in this family drama, which I think makes it a safe family drama selection.
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This review may contain spoilers
I can't go on enough about how much I adored this drama. The premise, an autistic older brother being taken care of by his younger brother and their connection to a troubled author, had me curious. Not only was the story beautiful, watching each character grow, mature, and *heal* but the actors were spectacular. I think that the drama would not have been nearly as fantastic without this cast - their dynamics and chemistry really perfected the scenes.
Seo Ye Ji was just as incredible as she has been in all the other dramas I've seen her in, but I was still very impressed by her wholehearted performance. Playing such an initially cold-hearted and stoic character is no easy feat that she pulled off perfectly.
Kim Soo Hyun made an exceptionally strong comeback with this drama being his first since coming back from the military. His acting brought tears to my eyes and induced goosebumps. He's also particularly beautiful, so win-win! :D
Oh Jung Se was also spectacular in his own right, though it was very odd to see him play such a unique character. Having 1st hand experience with autistic individuals, I can confidently say that he portrayed Moon Sang Tae masterfully. And he portrayed his growth in such a realistic and raw fashion - he too brought tears to my eyes numerous times.
Honestly, all the actors were absolute perfection, elevating this drama to the level of "masterpiece."
While the OST is really exquisite and the song placement is perfectly executed, the songs themselves are not my absolute, hands down, favorite ever. The songs are a bit eerie and sad, yet harmonious and calm (for the most part) - there's nothing objectively wrong with any of them, and the OST really is beautiful, but it's just not my 100% #1 favorite. Still exquisite though! ^-^
***SPOILER BELOW***
The only thing I do have a gripe about was how Ko Mun Young's mother survived that fall AND drowning to continue to terrorize Ko Mun Young 20 years later. I just have a really hard time buying this part of the plot. I think the writers were trying to mislead viewers to think the mother *couldn't* have survived for greater impact when we found out that indeed she did survive and she was right under their nose the whole time. But the medical and logical side of my brain is twitching at this plot device. :P
***END SPOILER****
Fortunately, the above-mentioned plot issue I have does not bring down the overall drama because everything else was so perfect. I will say though, be prepared for your mind to run wild with plot theories while watching the drama. There are so many clues, many of which are purposefully misleading where you'll drive yourself crazy trying to figure it all out. Now that all the episodes are released, do yourself a favor and go ahead and dedicate about 18.5 hours to binge watch the entire thing!
Overall, It's Okay to Not Be Okay is not your typical drama - it's super quirky and the character's and their lives are very unique to this story. But it has so many things that the average viewer can sympathize with and it just overall pulls at your heartstrings (and the chemistry is ON POINT) - not just the main characters, but the equally well-written side characters and their stories too. You can't help but be enthralled by their stories and it's quirkiness. The love story between Ko Mun Young and Moon Gang Tae that developed through their own healing was real and stunning. And watching Moon Sang Tae's metamorphosis, going from being child-like to a true older brother and adult (while keeping his character true to his autism) was magnificent. And witnessing them all become a healed family was extraordinary.
I have already watched this drama about 3 times (I rewatched each episode at least twice while it was airing because I just couldn't get enough) and I will most definitely be rewatching it again. If you're not sure about watching, give the first 2 episodes a try - I'm confident that that's all it'll take to suck you in. ^-^
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I would not recommend this movie to the average viewer. If you do not have an interest in culture, language, and/or history, you will likely find this movie boring and dry. But if you do have an interest in at least one of those things, you will walk away feeling inspired, even if creative liberties have been made.
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The story was decent, but not breathtaking. It was a nice story, but not exceptionally told. There was nothing necessarily wrong with it, but it would have been made that much better if the character's back stories had more depth (they're alluded to, but never really explained) and the side characters were given more distinguishing character and development.
The music was not memorable, but not unpleasant either.
The actors were well selected, but nothing exceptional. They fit their roles well and played their characters sufficiently.
I'm not sure if I'll ever rewatch it, but I liked it enough to perhaps watch again if someone really wanted to watch it together.
Altogether, what made this drama likable was the pleasant romance between the two MCs. Their romance was a tad slow and rather surface-level in depth, but pleasant nonetheless. The ending was nice too.
What brings this story down is the lack of in-depth substance to the story. What brings this story up is that it stars a minority in society and tells their story pleasantly, however brief and general. It also had some comedic moments, which I always appreciate.
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Overall, the drama was decent, but would have likely scored higher from me if the ending made more logical scene. I had no issues with the angel concepts throughout the drama, but things became a bit religiously heavy for me with some consistency of rules and explanations missing, which made things confusing in the end.
For example, the ending... Don't get me wrong - I liked the ending, but it doesn't make logical sense to me... If God said _______ can't happen because those were His rules, but then granted ________ in the end (even though it was made abundantly clear that exceptions weren't made), I'm left confused, which takes away from the overall drama.
God's character was more of a general concept in the beginning of the drama, but near the end, he became a more concrete being who would smite those who go against His will. This definitely caused the drama to become heavier and more tragic. As His character became more concrete, I think the drama would have benefited from some explanations and/or clarifications to help justify his motives and goals, aiding in story cohesiveness and audience understanding. With these explanations missing, God's character became difficult to understand with no clear stand. Is He merciful or is He taking pity? Did He give up because they were so persistent? Or did Dan/Yeon Seo earn their ending? Or was it something else? While some might be comfortable with this ambiguity, I am not. Especially when there are such dire consequences for choices made. Writers explained why Dan didn't disappear and successfully "completed his mission," so why not be as thorough in the final ending?
Perhaps I am taking this story way too seriously, but it has left me pondering many things..
Anyways, I don't think I will recommend this drama....Not because it wasn't good, but because I personally struggle with understanding God's character here, which makes the overall message and moral difficult to decipher.
***Note: Please, Come Back Mister, is a drama which I personally believe was much more successful in delivering a story about heavenly beings protecting those living on Earth in a more clear, consistent, and balanced manner.
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To start, I wasn't really a fan of Kim Min Joon for the first half of the series- he was arrogant and rude and that made his scenes with the other characters unpleasant to watch for me. Even after finding out why Min Joon was the way he was, it didn't make it any less uncomfortable/infuriating to watch him treat others so harshly.
The other thing that bothered me was how the bad guys seemed to literally be getting away with everything every single time the Mad Dog team tried to catch them, which got old. I don't feel that the amount of times the bad guys got away made logical sense. Due to the bad guys getting away every time, it made the story drag much more than I think it should have.
Mad Dog is one of those dramas that if I didn't watch all of the episodes back-to-back, I probably wouldn't have finished watching the drama. What *did* keep me interested were the small moments of comedy within the Mad Dog team.
Would I recommend this drama? Meh. I don't think it was bad and it *did* have it's enjoyable moments - if you're intrigued by what you see in clips, I think it's worth satisfying that curiosity for you. The actors are really fantastic and the soundtrack and the plot are enjoyable enough. If your curiosity is not stirred by the clips you see, I would say that you are not missing too terribly much so it wouldn't be a big deal if you skipped this drama. I liked the drama overall, I didn't love it, but it was worth the watch to satiate my curiosity.
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The OST is wonderfully catchy - I've been listening to it's soundtrack DAYS later. I've also discovered new actors that I thoroughly enjoy and would like to see again in other dramas, specifically Yoon Shi Yoon, Kim Min Jae (*love* his dimples!) and Cha Eun Woo.
This drama is very light with no real bad guys. I think the reason why I enjoyed it as much as I did is because it constantly had me laughing with the character's antics and incorporated comic-relief noises that simply made *me* feel lighthearted while watching. It's not the plot itself that's wonderful, but instead, the atmosphere the characters and *their* stories create. That's what hooked me and kept me watching happily till the end.
UPDATE: Rewatched 1/2021 - I *still* adore the main couple pairing (swooned often! Haha!), but this time around, I really came to appreciate the side characters more. The familial relationships created between Gwang Jae and Lee Soon Tae (President Soondae hehe) especially was really precious. When I first watched TBH, I remembered not really caring for the romance and relationship between Gwang Jae and Bo Hee, but watching it again now, everything leading up to them adopting Mal Sook was sweeter. Also, I *completely* forgot why Hyun Jae disappeared in the past (1994) (I'm getting old! ;D)! Yoon Shi Yoon really *is* a good actor - the way he depicted his 1994-self compared to his 1993-self was really good - I could *feel* the change in feelings and emotion between both selves. Even Lee Se Young was spectacular in demonstrating her heartbreak before the resolution to the drama. Anyways, the point in this update is: I wasn't sure if I'd like this drama as a rewatch and I needed to confirm if it's really one of my favorites, hence the rewatch. TBH truly is a drama that makes you all school-girly with loads of giggles and sweet relationships. I still 100% recommend after 2.5 years, even if the time travel and celebrity occupations aren't your preferred tropes.
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So many regrets. I wish I had listened to my gut and dropped it around episode 35-38 - I wasn't fond of where I saw the plot going. My mother, who started watching My Golden Life with me around episode 25 was thoroughly hooked and convinced me to continue watching it with her because she wanted to see how it turned out. *sigh* I really should have dropped it.
Honestly, there's too much wrong with this drama to be able to explain them all here. In a summary, the biggest issue was that there were too many sub-plots that weren't concluded by the end of the series (the relationship between the grandfather and grandson of HaeSung, the relationship between Ji Soo and her biological parents, the relationship between Ji Ho and Seo Hyeon, the relationship between Ji Soo and the Baker, the relationship between Ji Soo and the Baker's wife, how Do Gyeong's secretary's mother/family were doing now that he was successful, how Ji Tae and Soo Ah were doing with their careers now that they "moved", the relationship between Ji An and Do Gyeong's mother, the relationship between Ji An and Do Gyeong, all the stories for the friends who lived in the sharehouse, such as, Yong Gook. These loose ends might seem unnecessary to wrap up, and while there were *some* glimpses of slight implications as to how SOME of these characters turned out, there wasn't nearly enough wrap up. They jump ahead a year and just expect us to swallow that all these characters have moved on and are "fine". Well, I'm sorry, but I can't just accept that. For a 52 episode drama, when you're investing so much time and emotion into it, the directors should have most definitely dedicated more energy into making sure each introduced character was given closure due to them to help leave the viewers with some satisfaction after finishing the last episode. The ending felt incomplete.
Another thing worth noting that bothered me the most in regards to plot development/characterization was that the father, Seo Tae Soo had an extremely poorly written character. I adored him in the beginning (first 25-30 episodes), but after Ji An moved back to Seoul and he found her and went into his depression and became bitter because he felt "betrayed" was nonsense. Sure, after shit hit the fan with everything that happened with the HaeSung family, their family being chaotic and having marital problems makes sense and would be reasonable. But dragging out his nastiness was absolutely OUT OF CHARACTER, distasteful, and unnecessary (it goes on for about 10-15 episodes!). With everything learned about him prior to that point, he was a very understanding, supportive, and loving man. His character shift didn't make logical sense, especially to the extreme and length of time it lasted. Additionally, his tragic end was just insulting. Dangling hope but still having a sad ending for him was insulting and all I could do was shake my head.
The only other thing that I really feel worth mentioning is the fact that Ji Ho and Seo Hyeon not ending up together is really upsetting and unfair. They should have been a happy couple. They were really my favorite characters to watch and they complimented each other so well. And Seo Hyeon really was looking like she'd rebel because of the lack of attention and affection she was receiving, but NOTHING. She went forgotten, by both her parents AND the writers of this drama. It was a disservice to such a sweet and capable character.
The OST *was* particularly note-worthy and will likely make it onto my playlist.
I would NOT recommend this drama to anyone, unless they've seen ALL the other long family dramas and are absolutely bored and have nothing but time on their hands. For me, it was a waste of time - the drama loses control, direction, timing, and organization around episode 35. They tried to refocus in the end, but it was already too late. Please note, there WERE some good times and there were things that I enjoyed seeing, but the poor resolutions written in this drama outweigh the drama's good points.
In the future, before starting a terribly long drama, I will give more attention to reading the reviews and spoilers to determine if I want to invest myself into such a drama. Unfortunately, it's dramas like this one that give a bad reputation to long family dramas and cause so many people to be weary and hesitant/intimated by them. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for a better one in the future...
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Intense movie - might hit a bit too close to home, but rewatch-worthy
I really liked this movie. It's been on my list forever and with the current COVID-19 climate, as morbid as it sounds, it seemed like a rather fitting time to watch it. What had me the most intrigued was the FMC's daughter, Mi Reu - her role in the story dynamics had me curious as to how the story played out. And man I was NOT disappointed!The story was a good pace and the intensity was real. The atrocities that occurred during this fictitious outbreak had me feeling so grateful that modern-day Earth nations handled COVID so civilly. While watching the events in the story unfold - the push and pull between medical staff and government officials and military - I experienced a range of emotions from disgusted to enraged to delighted to worried to grateful, etc. The scenes and pacing were well balanced and kept me thoroughly emotionally engaged.
I really liked the dynamics between the two MCs, Ji Goo and In Hae. In Hae seemed like a pain in the ass at first, but she was alright - she was just trying to do her job and care for her daughter, no more, no less. Ji Goo is simply a good man - he does the right thing because he knows it's right, not because anyone is looking. I loved that about him. He took care of Mi Reu (In Hae's daughter) simply because he grew attached to her and knew he *could* help, even if it put him in danger. The relationship he developed with Mi Reu had my chest tight with worry in anticipation for how the story ended. >.<
The ending was great! I didn't see the story taking all it's turns and twists (issues with containing the disease, issues with preventing the spread of the disease, issues with curing the disease, issues between governments over international risk, etc.), but by the end, I was very satisfied! That one scene were Mi Reu protects her mom and Ji Goo holds them had me crying, goosebumps all over my flesh. It was fantastic and the build of emotions was beautifully executed.
Overall, I would recommend this movie. It's definitely serious and has a lot of things that are a bit hard to watch (the politics alone are enough to send anyone into a fit of rage), but the movie as a whole was really well paced and satisfying. Be sure to watch the epilogue - it brings everything full circle - had me smiling ear to ear! :D
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Ryan Ding and Zhao Lu Si had exceptional chemistry and their acting was phenomenal! AND their voice actors were very well selected, which was a HUGE plus for me (many times, voice actors can be very distracting and awkward, taking away from the overall drama for me).
The balance of romance, comedy, and political intrigue was so well executed that I just wanted to watch more and more until I finished the story. I found myself rewinding many episodes just to watch a scene all over again because it was either HILARIOUS or pulled at my heartstrings. My heart really ached at times, especially when it came to QianQian and Han Shuo realizing their feelings for each other through misunderstandings and heartbreak. The tension built up between them and then the betrayals/tragedy of their romance had me eating the story up while crying! XP
The ending (last 4 episodes) wasn't as good as the rest of the drama - the story somewhat slowed down... BUT I really loved how Chen Xiao Qian and her story evolved. She started in her story with all the knowledge to get along just fine in her fictional world, but as she forced her own survival as Chen QianQian, she changed the story so much so that by the end, she couldn't predict or ensure any ending based on her plans because things had changed too much for her to control. I really enjoyed watching this realistic development. And while things got a little boring and not as intense in episodes 22/23, I think it really gave Xiao Qian a greater sense of where her imperfections lie in her world-building of her story, so when she woke up, she knew how to further perfect her story.
The ending was life. I was so happy that things turned out that way because I don't think I would have been able to handle a true tragedy. AND the ending isn't too much for this genre, so it was a very happy, fitting ending. Some people are dissatisfied with their shortness of the ending, and while I wouldn't have complained to get a bit more of their happily-ever-ever, what was given was enough to satisfy me, so I'm happy. :D
I would recommend this to anyone. Really. If you like comedy and romance and don't mind historicals, this is a must watch. And even if you're not a huge fan of historicals, really, this drama is still fantastic. I can't rave enough about it! The Romance of Tiger and Rose is very much a character driven story: watching Han Shuo and QianQian fall in love, going from enemies-lovers and how their romance changes everything was such a wonderful experience that I can't help but want others to experience too! I will be watching again for sure!
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Episodes 1 through 4 were pretty boring with building the setting and introducing characters. BUT, I did get sucked into the drama by about episode 8.
What I'm most disappointed about is how this drama is referred to as one of the best bromances of all dramas, but I just don't see it. I mean, yes, once the 2 MMC's, Chief Kim and Director/Prosecutor Seo ally they have a bromance, but it only starts after episode 17...out of 20 episodes!!! I was *most* interested in watching their dynamics, but Director Seo was a straight up bastard for more than 3/4 of the drama, and while his character is redeemed and I'm satisfied with his character development, the BROMANCE of this drama is severely lacking literally in duration. And I get that the writers needed to build their relationship and dynamics to have a good bromance, but jeez this just took too long. Chief Kim and Director Seo were who I was here for and 4 episodes just wasn't enough for me. *sigh* I will admit though, once the bromance officially started at episode 17, the way Director Seo loses his temper whenever Chief Kim tried to be romantic toward him just cracked me up. I rewatched those scenes at least 3 times before moving on. XD
While on the topic of Director Seo, who was originally Prosecutor Seo: his backstory is pretty weak. Him going from a very successful, ruthless prosecutor to a corrupt Director of a huge conglomerate just doesn't satisfy me as a viewer. The reasoning he changes career paths is because he wants to use his law knowledge to outsmart the law and make it big in the business world....it's just such a flimsy motivation. It lacks sincere backstory....
Now that I think about it, Chief Kim's backstory is pretty flimsy too. We see his childhood and father in some brief flashbacks that imply their impacts on his conning profession, but they're not well flushed out. Hmm..
What I *did* really love is the CEO's son, Myeong Seok. His character growth was so well portrayed; he truly grew up for the better by the end of the story. And he was such a sweet guy by the end of the last episode. I adored watching him going from this spoiled, unloved child to being productive and developing friendships and loyalties after being recognized for his contributions.
The OST is also pretty great! I really liked the theme song, "Must Be The Money" by DinDin - whenever it started up, I always knew they were getting down to business :D. I also enjoyed "Will You Love Me" by Gilgu Binggu & Kim So Hee - a very nice romantic melody. "Dreaming" by Seo Young Eun was perfect for the more melancholy scenes. And my absolute favorite was the instrumental piece, "Here Comes The Chief Kim" - the rhythm, instruments, and pensive tune just resonate with me.
The ending was also truly satisfying and wrapped up all the loose ends. We get a "1 year later" epilogue and each character has their conclusion nice and neat. I like that Director Seo is happy and I like the implied romance left there for him.
So, in conclusion, like I said already, I won't be rewatching this and I likely won't recommend it to anyone because even though I generally liked it, overall it's just meh, despite what the raving reviews imply. If you are considering this drama because of the bromance, I would encourage you to reconsider. This drama is more about how you change as a person when you begin to care for those around you. The two MMC's both changed, for the better, during the duration of this drama because they developed attachments to those around them, wanted to protect them, and in the end, took down the bad guys. In this regard, even though it takes 20 episodes, it was a good story.
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1st reason season 2 is better than season 1: Dr. Kim's character seems so much more fleshed out and balanced. His character is more consistent and makes more logical sense. While he's always teaching others, his methods are agreeable, even if they are still blunt. Also, unlike in season 1, Dr. Kim is now obviously compassionate and a selfless individual with extremely high morals, even if we do not know exactly what he is thinking. I really liked him this season. The writers and actor executed Dr. Kim in a much better, well-rounded fashion that really emphasized the morals of the drama so much better.
2nd reason season 2 is better than season 1: The 2 new doctor's transferred to Doldam hospital, Seo Woo Jin and Cha Eun Jae were soooo much better characters than the 2 doctor's from season 1. There was nothing really wrong with the doctors from season 1, but I could much better associate and sympathize with the doctors from season 2 in regards to their backgrounds and stories. I also enjoyed Seo Woo Jin and Cha Eun Jae's dynamics as a romantic couple much better than the 2 doctors from season 1.
Now, I would like to mention that there is a difference in how season 1 and season 2 were handled, that made the flow and feel a bit different. In season 1, each episode was essentially 1 day where the doctors were experiencing a specific patient and their respective struggles for that day, with each patient wrapping up by the end of the episode. In season 2, 1 patient and/or incident might span 3 or 4 episodes, which results in less focus on the patients and more shared focus on the hospital politics and doctor dynamics/experience. Due to this difference in execution, I didn't feel as much intense emotion with season 2 that I had with season 1. With season 1, the intensity in each episode had me crying almost every single episode with how each patient's story turned out (1 particular one ingrained in my memory was the father who wanted to murder the male patient because he raped his wife and young daughter causing numerous horrific health complications on top of the mental trauma). In contrast, season 2, due to the patient's stories spanning more episodes, I didn't find myself as emotional toward the character's and their stories, which definitely dropped the intensity for me. With that said though, this made room for politics and character dynamics to be explored more.
The ending was seriously satisfying! In the last 30 minutes of the drama, I was seriously wondering how they were going to end the story and omg it was definitely satisfying! I was like, "YESSSS! He [the ex-director from season 1] finally can't bother them anymore!" Totally worth taking the chance on season 2!
The OST was also really good as a whole. I liked all of it - the instrumental and vocal. And again, I also liked it more than the season 1 OST.
I think the directors did a really good job learning from their shortcomings from season 1 and making a really strong, satisfying, and enjoyable season 2. After watching and enjoying season 2 so much, I think I might eventually watch both seasons again, together back-to-back to experience them in one go and see if my perspective of them (especially season 1) changes.
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This review may contain spoilers
I think the first about 35 episodes were really good. I really enjoyed the gender-bender tropes in the beginning with Ki being a warrior and a rebel and all that. But then that was completely taken out of the plot, which I wasn't terribly upset about, but at the same time, I missed it (gender-benders are a guilty pleasure of mine haha). And then around episode 35, things started to slow down a lot and a lot of the plot devices started to be reused (for example, poisoning, assassins, characters dying, but surprise!, they miraculously survive!, etc). And I think what made the whole drama completely unsatisfying in the end was the fact that the Emperor of Yuan (played by Ji Chang Wook) was a complete coward and extremely unlikable as a person. And while the Emperor of Koryo had his flaws, it was tragic that he and Ki couldn't be together due to the shitty circumstances.~~~~~~~~SPOILER AHEAD~~~~~~~~~Read with caution!!!
Before starting this drama, I spoiled the ending for myself because I saw the "tragedy" tag; originally I was okay with the ending where Emperor of Yuan dies because then I figured that Ki could then have her chance with the Emperor of Koryo now that he was out of the way, but THEY KILLED OFF THE EMPEROR OF KORYO IN LITERALLY THE LAST 1.5 HOURS OF THE DRAMA. WHAT IS THIS SHIT?! They also killed off Yon Feisu, who I thought was a complete bad ass - her death really ticks me off just based on principle. And they also killed off Tal Tal who I adored - I'm kinda salty about that too. ???? (I really think that Tal Tal and Ki could have had something special between them if given the opportunity...)
And let's just be honest - the Emperor of Yuan was a piece of crap. He wasn't a man, his character had no true development, and he was just a pain to watch. All the decisions he made were foolish and self-serving, with no regard to what was best for his people and/or his reign. He didn't *love* Ki. He was obsessed like a psychotic person and literally made decisions to mess things up based on spite and jealously. How pitiful, childish, and annoying. I saw clips of Empress Ki that got me interested in watching it and honestly, they were completely misleading. There's nothing cute or loving about the romance between Ki and the Emperor of Yuan. This story truly is a tragedy, so if you're thinking about watching it, bear that in mind.
I know I'm harping on some stuff really hard, but it *was* a decent drama, but I just wasn't happy with how the writers handled the characters in the last 20 episodes or so and the ending. I was okay with there being sadness, but I don't think the tragedy was expertly written and so it left me feeling very unsatisfied and bitter. Definitely not a rewatch for me.
The actors in this drama were truly great -
Ji Chang Wook has always played quirky characters and he really did well portraying such an insecure and petty character.
I've tried to watch Secret Garden and Kings2Heart with Ha Ji Won and I wasn't impressed with her acting very much, but I think she did a really good job here. Not enough to make me an avid fan, but truly surprised at her performance.
Kim Ji Han grew on me. He's not conventional handsome, but man oh man did his acting grow on me. I think I'll try to pick up another drama with him to see how his acting is in another role. His voice is soooo sexy and he has definitely mastered the smolder. XD
I will also say that the OST was very good. I didn't get annoyed with any of the songs and the song selections for each scene were very well placed.
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