iindu
India
Maybe they wanted to keep it realistic, without giving a fantastic drama ending. Which is exactly the case. There is no photo finish ending, but it's optimistic and everything that Yoon Kang and Soo In stood for throughout the series.
Similarly, the way revenge and violence is portrayed in this series is commendable. Most negative characters get a deserving kind of end, which isn't just violent.
One thing that makes the drama work even through it's somewhat dragging latter episodes is definitely Lee Joon Gi. He comes in many get-ups through the series and looks and performs great in each. My favorite is the gunman which he does with great flair and charm.
Another thing I liked was the relationship between Yoon Kang And Soo In. There was not much stirring passion or great chemistry, but there was a strong kind of bonding and affection. I loved how they almost naturally trusted and relied on the other. It was different from the usual sageuk romances, just as Soo In was not the regular sageuk heroine.
Overall, I enjoyed watching Joseon Gunman. While it isn't perfect, it is interesting and exciting(for most parts). A different kind of historical drama.
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This time I stuck around till around ten episodes, and that's when it caught on me. It was hard to stop watching from then.
The outline of the story is clear from the beginning. But the narration, the plots and sub plots keep you engrossed.
It's a beautiful story..heart breaking-ly so, told through an awesome cast. There is no comparison to the actors- they fit their roles wonderfully. Especially, the negative roles.. are done to perfection.
There is a love triangle, or rectangle maybe- but between each, we see a different nature of love. The love stories of the two sisters- that are so entwined with the other- couldn't be more different also.
The best part, for me, was that as the story progresses, we see a different side to the characters, and how situations and choices make people what they are. This comes through beautifully.
This drama might take some time to warm up to, but it's definitely worth the ride. I loved it.
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The characters are great- funny and realistic. The story arc of the main couple is beautiful and shown very realistically.
The two male leads are awesome- good looks, funny and cute. The rest of the cast too are perfect for their roles.
Plenty of food porn. Screen time devoted to eating alone would easily be close to a quarter of each episode. The foods were interesting but, since mostly it wasn't food I'm familiar with, it didn't make me want to eat much. Also, I like the cooking process more than watching people eat, and this drama focuses on the eating part. Which may also be why I wasn't compelled to eat along.
I really liked the feel of the drama. The narration was just at the right pace- not too slow or too fast, with no unnecessary drama.
The songs were awesome too- all of them, esp the intro song.
In short, this is a lovely drama esp. for when you need a pick-me-up..
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There’s a lot to be said about this drama.
The captivating story line, the well written characters, the action, lingering music- whatever you name to make a great drama- it’s all here.
I will say though, what makes this drama so pulling has to be the cast. They live their roles. This is one drama where the negative and supporting roles leave an impact equal to and at times, more so than the lead roles.
William Feng does an awesome job as Prince of Lan Ling or Lan Ling Wang or Fourth Prince. He exudes the grace and majestic composure of his character, and at the same time, his interactions with Xue Wu are charming and very cute.
Ariel Lin, we know, is great. She carries the role of The Divine Sorceress Xue Wu with playfulness, grace and a daring strength.
Daniel Chan as Yu Wen Yong, the King of Zhou state is absolutely endearing. His is the most interesting track, I dare say, with the way he is introduced, to his journey throughout the series. His love for Xue Wu which begins as something he doesn't understand and grows into an unconditional bond, is beautiful.
There would be no review without talking about the negative characters in this drama:
Zheng Er takes the cake for her acting! Her portrayal of the crazed evil queen is phenomenal. She made my blood pressure go up so many times, I can vouch she’s good.
As is the King, Gao Wei. He plays the role of the immature and struggling King really well.
There are many other memorable characters- Xiao Dong and Zu Ting, to name two.
The music is very soulful. There is one song that plays for Xue We and Lan Ling Wang, ‘Heart of Palms’ which I really liked.
To sum up:
This drama is like one of those books that you can’t put down. Hard to stop watching!
One quirky thing I loved in this drama, which must be mentioned- William Feng’s hair! It’s gorgeous…to swoon over!
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The story is not your average melodrama.It takes you through dark and traumatic situations, and a lot of tears. In between all that, there's also some fun characters and retribution of sorts. There is a thriller element to the plot, and the background score complements that very well. I also liked how every character stays true to their nature throughout.
Yoon Eun Hye is beautiful and amazing as always. Park Yoo Chun and Yoo Seung Ho do a great job.
The only problem I felt, was to do with the way Seung Ho's character, Hyung Joon, progresses from half way into the drama. It felt a bit forced, and really, I wanted to see a different ending for Hyung Joon.
It was a good drama, though I don't think I can re watch. It's not a light watch.
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It tells the story of a gangster, without any of the usual blood and gore. The fight sequence itself is somehow beautiful to watch.
There are just two episodes, and the story isn't in any hurry. The moods of each scene are captured very well through the visuals as well as the music, and at times even the silences. The best part of the story is in the last 15 minutes probably, which turns the story around so beautifully, without which this would be just another sad love story.
And of course, there is Lee Dong Wook- who we know is good, and yet, he amazes! He takes the gangster role to another level.
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The story is good, and the way it's told is very interesting. I loved the way they shift plot sequences to keep the element of suspense. It was done very artfully.
The character Jang Tae San is wonderfully written and Lee Jun Ki lives the role. As we follow his struggles and efforts, we also see more of the person inside,who is the hardest on himself.
The most beautiful parts of the drama are the interactions between Tae San and Soo Jin. The drama writers have written in that connection to perfection. You start to look out for the little girl, when the story has been moving elsewhere for a while. And of course, the girl who plays Soo Jin is super cute.
The rest of the cast are great too- including all the baddies.
Now, the plot isn't without it's share of holes. But none of that affects the compelling nature of this drama.
The ending is perfect- realistic and at the same time, leaving us on a happy note.
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Usually while watching dramas, even if the beginning is a bit slow to pick up, as the drama gets into the second half,the plot becomes more captivating and it becomes very difficult to wait till the next episode. This is the first drama that had the opposite effect on me.
The story dragged forever for the last 5-6 episodes and whatever was the meaning for the way it ended, I was just happy that it ended.
Shin Min Ah's character follows the same pattern- from Lively and fun filled to dull and annoying. There was nothing gumiho like about her, except for those tails. Or maybe my expectations were all wrong from watching Gu Family book before, where the gumiho is the star of the show. The saving graces are the two male leads- Lee Seung Gi and No Min Woo. They keep the show from dying out. Most of the supporting cast too did a good job of keeping the humor alive.
Music was good. The songs were enjoyable and easy to recall even now.
Over all, it was a down graph for me. The story went all the over the place, sometimes in circles, sometimes at a tangent, until I wanted it to just stop.
But maybe the positives will appeal to you more- many fun filled moments in the first half, great supporting characters, nice music, and of course, Lee Seung Gi and No Min Woo.
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They've tweaked the story here and there, though of course all the important scenes and sequences are the same. Sometimes the changes are good, at times a little annoying. I didn't much appreciate all the extra scenes that Xin Yu gets here. But, the reporter character was far less annoying than the original.
Jiro Wang is of course very good, though a slightly less irritable Tae Kyung. But he isn't Jang Guen Suk-only because I'm partial to JGS.
Su Li Wen takes the cake as Gao Mei Nan/Mei Nu. She is as good and almost as cute as Park Shin Hye in playing that stupid yet endearing character.
The only character who seemed to try very hard but didn't quite get there was Jeremy.
The music is almost the same, except for two songs I think. It wasn't anything to write about though.
This drama is definitely a worthy remake of You're Beautiful. The Japanese remake was disappointing for me, so was all the more happy to see this.
This is a good watch, whether you're watching as a remake or as a fresh drama.
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The cast is very good. The families are all interesting.
I liked the way the story is told and how people grow as they experience life- especially the lead couple, Hye Yoon and Jung Hoon.
The drama and power struggles are a bit tiresome to watch in the first half but it becomes more meaningful as the story progresses.
The couple I most looked forward to was Dong Bi and Ki Joon. They didn't have much screen time, but I was rooting for them more than for the main couple.
The cutest couple was of course, Deul Rae and Min Ho.
The hardest couple to watch was Hye Jin and Do Hyun. It was far from pleasant and most times, painful.
It was an engrossing watch without doubt. I recommend it to everyone who enjoys family/ relationship dramas.
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This review may contain spoilers
I loved 'Cruel City'- every plot turn, sequence and pace of the story, the characters, the relationships and even the ending, though it could have been different. The story is told brilliantly. Great, beautifully written characters. The casting was perfect. Fresh admiration for Jung Kyung Ho. He hit the ball out of the park as the Doctor's Son. And of course, the drama hugely benefits from the rest of the cast, who were all unique and great.
Loved the OST, especially the one that plays at some defining moments/cliffhangers.
Romance isn't the focus of course, but it carries much charm and impact. There aren't that many scenes between Shi Hyun and Soo Min, but we can feel their connection through most of the drama.
I don't know if the plot is perfect. It probably isn't. There were times in the first half when the actions and reasons of many people seemed silly and um..(can't say more, might be a spoiler). But in the overall plot of things, it's negligible.
About the ending- as I said before, it could have been different but as it is- I could see it happening.
I definitely recommend this drama..to all who won't mind having a little-less-than-perfect ending to a great drama watching experience.
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My main problem with this drama is the plot or lack of it. The scene is all set, you like the characters and you wait for things to happen, and.. nothing much happens. The plot always hinted at some conflict going to happen, but nothing happens.
What I liked most about this drama are the characters- esp. the supporting characters. Almost all of the supporting cast were really good and always lifted up the general stagnant mood. This is probably the only drama so far, where I looked forward to the scenes with supporting cast more than the main leads.
Don't get me wrong- the main leads are very good actors and they look cute together and all that, but the character graph was a let down for me.
Both Kim Soo Young and Noh Min Young started off as unique, strong individuals, but in less than one half of the drama became very mellowed down, boring versions which didn't change much. Comparatively, Joon Ha and Hee Sun turned out to be more interesting characters.
About the romance- there's a lot of cute,'romantic' scenes that were fine to watch. But the underlying equation between them seemed skewed always. Kim Soo Young was always besotted with Min Young and for her, several other things came first. Disappointingly for me, that equation never really changed. Given that, every other lovey-dovey thing they did, didn't convey much to me.
To give credit to the makers- the music is good, especially the fun, perky song that comes in the happy moments. Also, they've tried to give closure to all the characters- and in a happy way.
So, if you like a light drama with good looking actors,fun characters and not much plot- this is a good choice.
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The female leads are two extreme cliches- one half dumb, one scary stalker. There are many side characters intended to be funny, but not really funny. The main characters are more effective in humor,occasionally. There is the actor Shin Won Ho, whose role is very unlike what anyone would suppose- a shame really.
Gong Yoo tries his best to make the drama worthwhile, but he is a one man army most of the times. Lee Min Jung's character is too silly for her to make a difference.
But still, if you watch through all the dull episodes, the ending is decent enough actually. Compared to the slow process of making it to the end, the ending had more flair and fun. Don't look for logic, just enjoy the fun when it's there.
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And it was pretty good. The plot was interesting. The way the story plays out is good.
The music was super good. And another element that added to the beauty of the drama are the frames of childhood that most of the episodes ended with. It really underscored the importance of the relationship Ha Neul and Seo Gun shared.
The main leads are great. The side characters are sometimes annoying, esp the second female lead who starts off as the typical 'hang on his shirt sleeves and pretend he is in love with you' drama-land girl.
There are probably two things I wish were different:
Gong Yoo's character is of a more serious and burdened frame of mind. So basically, I missed seeing his smile. Having Gong Yoo as your lead and not having him smile? That wasn't cool.
And, then the ending- which isn't bad. Just okay. They could have given us some more. (No smile there also)
Besides these, this is a good drama with two strong leads and a beautiful soundtrack.
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The drama has it's share of absurdities and annoying people. At times during the first half, you have to throw away logic and reason. At other times, you become intensely frustrated with some people. But,none of it is a reason to not like the drama. And those people do redeem themselves in the end.
Gong Yoo and Gong Hyo Jin are reason enough to enjoy this drama. And the ending makes it worth the while.
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