MyDramaTicLife
A cute sugary delight
This is a drama you watch just to get a dose of serotonin. It has a very cute couple with contrasting personalities who make a wonderful whole. The drama is well produced with nice sets, colour grading and overall aesthetics. This show delivers a lot of funny moments and a lot of cute moments. The leads are definitely the main attraction. Both Yu ShuXin and Ding YunXi bring out extremely loveable characters to the screen. The bromance between the ML and SML is GREAT. I absolutely love it. The plot is not the star of the show in a drama like this but it was enough to carry the story forward and let us know our characters better.I was initially annoyed by the FL's voice and mannerism but quickly got used to it around episode 6. Once I did get used to it though, she was absolutely loveable and I want to carry her everywhere so she can spread happy vibes around. The ML Zhou Chuan is just wonderful and hilarious, the anti thesis of the serious MLs that are all too familiar to us. He just won't stop talking. And he MUST bicker with everyone in the world. Its just great. Love his bickering with Chu Li and especially Jiang Yu Cheng, that bromance was one of the best I've seen in a long time.
The plot itself isn't all that complicated, it is just a cursory look into the lives of editors and writers. It did flow well and did not have too many fillers. Especially appreciated that no unnecessary misunderstandings were created between the leads and there were no breakups or noble idiocy nonsense. In a drama where the focus is to tell a cosy love story, a healthy and strong relationship just works better,
I would recommend this to people who like sweet romances. Please don't watch this if you're looking for a great plot or actual look into the publishing industry. This is a pure romcom which delivers on its promise to give you a calm sweet time.
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Fluff, but not entertaining
This drama was pretty bland. Although it tackles the theme of second chances at life, the overall execution was rather cookie cutter and lacked charm. The dialogues are dated, there is no original humour. You could just let it play in the background if you're doing something, it is nice and sweet and won't make you mad.The leads are beautiful but lacking in their chemistry with each other and personal charm. Especially the ML seems really wooden, I'm tired of good looking men playing arrogant CEOs with a stone face. I feel a little harsh typing this out but what I mean is that it wasn't great, just a passable execution of the same old. The FL is really beautiful but again, her role doesn't seem to bring out interest as a viewer. What was really lacking was the chemistry, their interactions weren't interesting enough for me, also the kiss scenes seemed juvenile. The ML is younger but he is still a 24-year-old man, I didn't enjoy the childishness.
What really annoyed me is that the kid is used as a tool in this story for a few episodes at the end, before that this mother of a young child is living life without ever contacting her own son. It was strange to watch.
Anyways, if you're looking for fluff watch better shows like Le Coup De Foudre, Put Your Head On My Shoulder etc.
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Bland, dated and probably filmed with your grandma's 1970s camera
This colours/vibe of the show seems very dated. The plot offers no excitement since much of it doesn't even deal with the suspense part of it. Most of it is spent on over dramatic people being insane about weird things. The relationship between the leads was extremely toxic and I didn't even feel like shipping them together. They were just not likeable at all. The only plus points for the show were the good looking leads and the beautiful sweets. But there's a limit to the impact they can have on a viewer.This was actually my first Japanese drama. In the beginnning I tried getting into the different vibe since I know that Japanese dramas have a more sombre atmosphere than Kdramas or Cdramas. Eventually I was extremely disappointed with the plot, the chemistry between the leads, the mystery, the supporting characters and basically everything on the show.
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A failed masterpiece
TKEM was supposed to have the best of everything: the most successful screenwriter and director, extremely popular actors in an ensemble cast and a lot of money being into production. We were hyped for months. All of it unfortunately could not save this mess of a show that it became.Pros:
1. AMAZING CINEMATOGRAPHY: Everything is beautiful.
2. Lee Min Ho in all his glory.
3. Woo Do Whan in his double role is extremely convincing and is the best part of the show.
4. Most of the actors in this large cast have done a really good job.
5. Interesting concept of parallel worlds and time travel.
Cons:
1. Very annoying FL. I do not like her. I'm disappointed with Kim Go Eun's portrayal of Tae-Eul. The character herself isn't very likable either. The way they styled her is also drab and disappointing considering the contrast with the King who is always looking regal.
2. No chemistry between the leads. I tried to convince myself that they look good together for a very long time but I'm finally giving up. Their romance is really boring, no fun moments.
3. The plot is a mess. There are too many characters and none of them is able to make a meaningful impact because its not coherently put together.
4. Kang Shin Jae is given a lot of importance in the plot, but the actor doesn't have equivalent screen presence to pull it off.
5. SO MUCH PPL, the characters not only use the products but also TALK ABOUT THEM. I never complain about PPL but honestly in this drama its very distracting and really pulls you out of the story.
6. The world building is off, Kingdom of Corea looks almost like and Republic of Korea and its hard to tell the difference unless its the palace setting.
7. The suspense is not built up properly cause often the audience already knows what's going on while detectives on the show try to catch up.
Overally the show is a mess. You might want to invest your time into watching the beautiful cinematography, Lee Min Ho and Woo Do Whan.
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Disappointing Epic
This XianXia tries to showcase a lot of things that people love in XianXias- epic love, powerful immortals, warm mortals, evil demons and so on. It also has a familiar storyline spanning multiple lifetimes and therefore multiple story arcs. Perhaps the most promising thing about this drama was the star cast including Cheng Yi and Yang Zi, who have been superstars in this genre. Unfortunately, despite the stellar cast, who indeed brought their A game, the drama failed to become a compelling watch.What this drama lacked was a convincing plot that would involve the characters and build an emotional connection with the viewers. Although I watched all 59 episodes, mostly motivated by Cheng Yi's tears, I can hardly remember the story this drama tried to tell. My favourite moments in the show were definitely in the mortal realm where the characters get more breathing space and their interactions are warm and entertaining.
The last arc turned out to be most disappointing with a completely new storyline to be followed once the characters are back in the Heavenly Realm. Since it was essentially an entirely new plot line, It was difficult to care about the conflicts and the newly introduced villains. Moments between the leads to sweeten the deal were few and far in between. The entirely unsatisfying ending sealed the drama’s position as a disappointing epic.
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Fantasy Joseon Wuxia Hogwarts
AoS is a fantasy Kdrama which brings together elements from my most beloved fantasy genres. I saw influences from the world of Harry Potter, WuXia and Korean mythology. All these elements have been amalgamated into a delicious new flavour, which was an absolute delight to watch. At the same time, the show truly retains all the characteristics we love about kdramas.AoS brought together a stellar cast with talents of all ages. Lee Jae Wook has been a wonderful actor ever since his first project, but he truly shines as Jang Uk. Jang Uk is impossible not to love, and you root for him all the way through the show. Jeon Seo Min has done well in her role of Mu Deok, and her experience did help the show. The other young actors have also created absolutely lovable people to watch on screen. The surprise for most of us was the character of the Crown Prince who became a crowd favourite very quickly. Hwang Min Hyun’s action scenes as Seo Yul were a delight to watch. As much as I talk about the young actors as they’ve led the main roles, the older, more experienced actors add density to the show with their performance.
The CGI and fantasy elements are handled well. Although the action sequences were not many, whatever they did add was done beautifully. The music works to amplify the emotions in the show. The costumes are nice, although I did have a problem with the FL’s costumes. They seemed to be made for comedic effect but it started getting annoying after a few episodes. But everyone else looks regal.
The only thing to complain about would be the pace, which is slowed down because of the 30 episode format with two seasons. In my opinion, making it a 24 episode show in one season would have helped the pacing. There are also controversies around the FL changing in S2 which is difficult to judge right now since we’re so used to JSM playing Mu Deok. We will have to wait and see if the show manages the transition well.
In a nutshell, watch the show, it's a beautiful representation of the fantasy kdrama genre.
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Watch if you want to have fun! Funny, meta and romantic <3
This show is so much fun! The humour is meta but absolutely fresh and avoids overused tropes.The story follows a screenwriter who tries to make changes to her script as the actor isn't happy with it. She gets trapped in the plot as a side character who was supposed to be killed off on ep3. Out of self preservation she tries to spare her own life while trying to bring the leads together. What ends up happening is a hilarious mess instead of the tragedy action romance she has written.
I love how the romance is portrayed. QQ(our protagonist) is trying to get the story on track according to her script and pushes the HS(ML) towards the FL in her script. Unfortunately the ML no longer has any interest in the script FL and has his eyes set on QQ. He is the lead shipper for our couple.
I am a Zhao Lusi fan and she is delightful as the FL . She absolutely shines as the protagonist and has fantastic screen presence . Ding Yuxi is handsome and pulls off the initially prejudiced but supportive loving and funny husband role very well.
I have rarely seen shows being able to keep up the humour throughout as this one does. A comparable show would be The Eternal Love which I really loved as well. Please watch this show if you want to have fun :D
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This review may contain spoilers
This is a story about love and friendship, where the characters are given a chance to reconnect in a second life as they were separated in the first.Pros:
1. The plot is unique and not something you see in every other drama.
2. Characters are all fun and interesting. Even the FL who is a fangirl never puts up with mistreatment from her idol. No super annoying airheads here.
3. The story has some supernatural elements and two timelines, which are well put together and doesn't get messy.
4. Acting is top notch. Our leads are experienced and wonderful actors who really brought the characters to life.
5. The friendship between the three MCs was so true and heartfelt.
6. The sacrifice of love the leads had to make the first time around is heart wrenching and its so good to see them get a second chance.
7. Best kiss scene in Kdrama history. I haven't seen anything better and I've watched a LOT of dramas.
8. The ML is just way too sexy.
Cons:
1. The FL is much older than the ML and 2ML, and she is portraying a person much younger than them which seemed odd to me.
2. Although I had a pleasant time watching the entire show I didn't feel the suspense or thrill elements from the flashbacks. The story was nice enough but I wasn't ever too invested in it.
Overall I'd recommend you watch this if you want to watch something new and interesting which still features love and friendship.
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Pros:
1. The leading lady is so charming and has so much presence wherever she is. So funny and capable while being vulnerable. I loved Seri more than any other FL I have seen.
2. The ML - Ri Jeong Hyuk(RJH) is the perfect man. There is no other way to say this, he is just great at everything while being the cutest, most loving man in the world.
3. The supporting characters who Seri meets in North Korea are the best and really bring the story to life.
4. Its a true romance with "love trumps all" motto.
5. The melodrama and comedy elements are both done well.
6. Mature relationship where they don't have useless misunderstandings and are capable of gauging the situation.
7. BEAUTIFUL clothes omg! Seri is so well dressed even when she is wearing ajhumma fashion from "North Korean local market". The second female lead has the amazing wardrobe. She is rich and a fashion queen.
Cons:
1. I definitely felt that the part set in North Korea was the highlight of the show. It lost the same charm once the setting was changed.
2. The couple had a very beautiful connection but it was somehow weird seeing grown adults having no physical contact when they're clearly in love.
3. The plot is not supposed to make complete sense, I was okay with FL accidentally ending up in North Korea through a typhoon but later in the story it seems the events are just crazy not to make any sense except creating angst for our pair.
The first 8 episodes were the strength of the show in my opinion.
4. The style of Seri's home in South Korea meant for a fashion forward business woman seemed off and a little too strong compared to the softness of the setting in North Korea.
Overall, I suggest you should absolutely watch this drama is you like Kdramas at all because this is one of the best. I rewatched the episodes so many times. CLOY is the show I was most emotionally attached to. I watched it as it aired and waiting each week and participating on the forums with other viewers were part of my routine. It absolutely deserves all the praise and hype that it has achieved.
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So bad that I need to rant
I rated this drama very low, the reason being that it somehow got me in a depressive mood whenever I watched it. "Slice of life" doesn't have to be so disheartening. I don't know how to explain it really but maybe there's too much going on in the world already and instead of I don't need my daily dose of drama to tell me that everyone breaks up anyways and life is full of struggles, nothing lasts forever etc. Even the supposedly happier moment between family, friends and lovers don't seem genuine or noteworthy.I am not a huge fan of PBG and sometimes I'm astounded by the cult following he has. He was pretty disappointing and dull. And although PSD was part of the legendary Parasite, watching her in this show was rather dry. The chemistry between the leads was more like disinterested grandma her sleepy grandkid than lovers. The other members of the cast did an okay job, but none of them impressed me. My favourite person was definitely HJ's brother who was exceptionally charming in the short amount of screentime he had.
The positive about the show would be: great idea to tell the story of an emerging actor.
While I'm writing this I realise I'm being a little irrational, but then I watch dramas so they make me happy, and this one really sucked the joy out of me. I'll let myself be a little mad.
In my opinion: don't waste your time on this.
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I did not like this show at all. The style of conversations supposed to be "realistic", but to me they were very draggy and lacked any entertainment value. I am not a fan of the slow talking style used in shows like these, where there's too much pause between sentences and it looks very artificial.
I did not like any of the characters on this show. Watching them interact with each other was boring and frustrating. The lead couple is a stoic wooden man and a dull woman, they were hard to look at and did the stupidest things. Characters doing stupid things is normal in a drama and many a times we actually don't mind them but here they just seemed too annoying. The way they conducted themselves wasn't relatable or admirable, I only kept getting mad at them. I did not feel the chemistry between them and watching their romance which was almost non existent anyways was a total bore.
The acting was good, but since I was not enjoying the characters anyways it was hard to like any of them. My Favourite was Kim Min Seok. He is always delightful. The other actors also did a good job of portraying their characters.
This show has a fairly good rating on MDL so I guess other do like it. But personally I would suggest you don't waste your time.
Good slice of life dramas: Le Coup De Foudre, Put your head on my shoulder
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A melting pot of fun, romance, friendship, drama, crazy bad guys and the cutest male lead ever.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Tale of Nokdu. It was an excellent drama which takes you on a journey showing Nokdu's quest for the truth about the dangers his family faces. It has comedy, romance, melodrama, political scheming, action, family and friendship all mixed together.Nokdu, played by Jang Dong Yoon, is a charming protagonist throughout the series. JDY's marvellous performance deserves all the praise. When cross-dressing as Lady Kim, he was funny without being disrespectful. Lady Kim was resourceful and strong, not based on a display of weakness. Nokdu himself remains ever manly and powerful and possesses all the masculine qualities from a leading man like his willingness and ability to protect people he loves, effortless leadership qualities and distinctive traits that let him rise through the ranks. Eventually, all of his decisions and actions seem to be the most sensible ones. The hero is smart and decisive as we would like him to be, picking what's good for himself and those around him. I think he is one of my favourite protagonists in a kdrama ever. A+ for Nokdu and JDY.
Crossdressing is used as a tool for Nokdu to live in a village full of women. There are no attempts at making fun of using feminine stereotypes as comic relief. It only comes into use halfway before the story moves to another setting and Nokdu is outed as a man. No matter how pretty he was, I didn't find Nokdu believable as a woman because he is effin ripped and such a manly man, there is just no hiding it. But I happily put my brain away to enjoy the hilarity.
What I absolutely loved was the people around Nokdu, how their relationships played out and what a fun time they had. The women in this show are diverse and powerful- the widows, the kisaengs and those working for an organisation of assassins working towards a better future.
The romance is well-paced and forms an important part of the show but is not the prime focus. The build-up was cute and well-paced, considering that both of them were on a difficult path of their own. I liked how the leads handled their relationship, no noble idiocy here. They have a clear understanding that both of them want to spend their lives together, and either of them alone is not a good idea. I feel like the FL wasn't given a significant role in the drama, which is fine, its called The Tale of Nokdu after all. Kim So Hyun is ever talented and I was happy to root for her as Dong Joo.
I need to talk about the two wonderful villains in this show. A Mad King (played by Jung Joon Ho) and the ruthless Prince (played by Kang Tae Ho). These two were so good! I loved the characters themselves as villains and the two actors were just phenomenal. I hope to see them again in other dramas cause they were just so amazing. Also, why are the bad guys so hot omg.
(Spoiler)
Ending: Its a happy and satisfying ending, thank you writer-nim!
(End spoiler)
Overall, I highly recommend this show if you want to watch something with a little bit of everything well mashed together.
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I am a huge fan of the leading couple because of the 'The Eternal Love' series. Their chemistry was absolutely sizzling in both the seasons. However, I can barely force myself to watch them being roommates with such boring interactions that can only make me encourage their divorce. Maybe it is the characters who are so ridiculous, the FL being the biggest pushover history has ever seen and the ML is becoming a straight-up two-timing for months together without showing any concern or love for the FL. Its almost painful watching these two interact like guests at a funeral in the bedroom while the giant photograph of ML's gf hangs in the background. I cannot believe Liang Jie accepted this role because she does well as a more decisive, self-respecting character.
So I've watched the Korean version of this show which was more concise, and the ML offered some character and strength to the show. I didn't enjoy the story in that version either but due to it being shorter it was well-paced, it still held my attention.
Overall I'm not a fan. If you want to watch this story, the Korean version is better. Also, the leading couple was great in The Eternal Love which I strongly recommend.
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Cute level headed couple & friends on a crime solving journey together
This show features a crime-solving cross-dressed heroine on a journey to avenge her clan. Although the cases and mystery aspect wasn't extremely well written, it was enough to move the plot forward and showcase the characters and their relationships. This is one of the only shows where I've seen the leads actually staying together for the entirety of the show. The ML and FL both have a brain which they often put to good use. The group of friends with different strengths helping each other out was very pleasant.Chen Yao is my favourite cross-dresser. Even though she doesn't actually look like a man, she is more convincing with her posture and demeanour than most of the rest. The ML is new and really handled it well for his first time. The chemistry and kisses between the leads are wonderful and totally what you'll like if you want a romance fix.
Overall I'd say this was a very pleasant show, great for when you don't want extremely long-winded complex plots or extreme emotions. A fun show!
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The love story itself is done well, the chemistry is nice and they did a good job of portraying this pair. I'm not a fan of Simon's acting as he seems a little stiff and wooden to me. Lin Yi as Gu Wei Yi did a better job of portraying the introverted silent ML in PYHOMS. Li Ren Yu was great in her role and was definitely the show-stealer.
The plot is nice without any crazy dramatic events or useless misunderstandings. There's enough cute moments and they have a good, rounded life.
I'd recommend this show if college fluff is something you're looking for :)
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