Great for bingeing or a la carte

I really liked this anthology of Taiwanese love stories between people from different walks of life. They were funny, sad, quirky, sweet, and thought provoking. What ties them together are well crafted transitions intertwined into the plot that could be anywhere from brief cameo appearances of a character, to a whole new plot surrounding the previous supporting cast in the next. The series then makes a full circle back to the situations of the first episode to tie all the episodes together. Some episodes are stronger than others, but they all deliver in the messages of love and connection during the Covid-19 pandemic as the driving force in the plot.

From dating reality show drama, to cheating, to finding love in the most unexpected places, to navigating societal constraints, this anthology has it all. These 50 minute episodes tug at your heartstrings, making you wish you had more backstory, but what you are given is just enough to make it worthwhile.

I would love a season 2 to this. It was original and creative. I love it when writers don't fall on clichéd tropes to make a good drama. This was a diamond in the rough.

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High School Manga Tropes in Hospital Setting

This show was a little too syrupy for my taste. I really thought I was watching a high school manga made into a TV series. The way Sakura was portrayed reminded me of every romance manga I ever read as a youngster. The character cliches were rampant in this --the silly, love-sick girl goes after the unreachable, iceberg guy, the bumbling supporting characters who befriend the main leads, as well as the benign jealous ex, competing for the ML's attention. I have seen this so many times over and over, and over again. The only disturbing difference is that here the high school drama is taking place in a hospital setting among grown men and women.

Our FL is the sweet girl cliche. She looks like a high school kid, acts like a high school kid, and when she acts extra goofy, reminds me of a deranged Easter bunny. She even has two extra long front teeth to boot! You can't help but love her and she tries really hard to make it so! Sakura is skillfully played by Mone Kamishiraishi.

Sakura meets Dr. Tendo in a street as a school girl and is so taken with him, that she decides right then and there to meet him again someday. This sets the course of her career path. It's kind of stalkerish behavior, but no one thinks it's weird and even encourage her to keep going after her childhood crush.

The only person not thrilled about this is Dr Tendo himself, played by the handsome Takeru Satoh, and our iceberg ML cliche. He doesn't have time for her nonsense and warns her off from the get-go. Here's the thing: there is no chemistry between these two. Never do I get the sense that Tendo even likes Sakura. I never believed in the romance between them for a moment because our ML doesn't have any internal monologue. He is a monotone, boring, wet blanket. Now, one might say that this is the point because Sakura is supposed to bring him out of his shell, but I never really see this happen until the last episode. It should be a subtle progression but he is so annoyed by her, nicknaming her "dimwit", that I asked myself why she even bothers. There were times when Takeru looked so bored, and annoyed, and like he hated every minute playing this role. I can't say I blame him. I would have enjoyed the drama as more a natural progression between grownups than the juvenile drama they actually went with. I think Takeru Satoh is miscast in this. He looks too serious and grown up to be doing these juvenile roles. At age 30, it's too much of a stretch.

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My Favorite Rom-Com

I don't know why it took me so long to watch this drama. It has been on my "To Watch" list for years and I was always skipping it in favor of something else. I finally sat down to watch it and absolutely loved it--despite some of the plot implausibilities. The best part of this show is the stellar acting and strong chemistry between the main leads. I had watched both leads in previous dramas and was only mildly satisfied with those. Maybe that's why I waited.

Both leads bring a lot of heart into this drama. They are completely invested in it and in each other and I think this is what makes it work. We can sense their enthusiasm. It was interesting to see how two people from completely different backgrounds and worlds come together and rub off on each other--so to speak. He learns to loosen up and break the rules, while she learns to put others first. I love character development in dramas and this did not disappoint.

Their trusty sidekicks make the greatest ensemble of comedic talent I have ever seen in one drama. From Ri Jung Hyuk's men to Yoon Se Ri's neighbors, to Dan's mother and uncle, they all did a wonderful job balancing the heavier aspects of the drama with their light-hearted escapades. You couldn't help but love them.

Just watching our MLs slowly gravitate towards one another, as well as the secondary leads, was the best part of this drama without feeling contrived or forced. That slow gravitation is well-executed and earnest. I am also glad that it doesn't give you everything you want. I have to commend the writing team for this. This production is one I will remember fondly.

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One of the better Rom-Coms

I was fresh from watching The Red Sleeve and needed something funny after that and My Dearest. I was also so impressed by Lee Jun Ho and needed to see him in something else, so I picked up King the Land. This rom-com was light-hearted and funny and I liked Jun Ho's performance as, Gu Won, the debonair chaebol with the heart of gold. When he meets a lovely staff member taking care of business in his hotel room, sparks fly even though they claim to dislike each other.

The show is rife with silly moments, sound bites for gulping and eye batting, and over-the-top performances by Ahn Se Ha, Gu Won's trusty sidekick. While this can get old real quick, it manages to stay fun. The secondary main leads don't overtake the main leads and still manage to pull off an interesting to watch love story. I even like that there is a big age difference between one of the couples, which is never an issue between the two. I found myself rooting for them.

There were some cliches that would have been better left out, but the bigger disappointment was the rushed wrap up of the drama and the use of the redemption arc for the villains. Personally, I like to see villains get their just desserts, so the writing choices left me feeling a bit cheated there. Definitely, the best part was the romance between our main leads. The kisses were smoking hot! Lee Jun Ho is incredibly attractive and talented. I am looking forward to seeing him in more dramas.

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Recommended if you liked Hidden Love

Just finished this today and I give it a solid 7 stars. I liked this despite some flaws. The strongest part of this drama was the relationship between these two young lovers, played exceptionally well by Wu Lei and Zhao Jin Mai, while its weakest was in the elements of production.

Both leads were well-cast in this romantic drama and my biggest delight was watching them playfully enjoying each other's company and slowly letting each other in. Our FL is at first suspicious of our ML since she is inexperienced and away from home. Our ML is living and studying abroad having left behind a troubled past. He is living a relatively uncomplicated life, but the appearance of this pretty young lady makes him realize how much he is really missing. We are drawn into their relationship and are made to feel a part of it---every glance, every smile, every intimate moment. I basked in this youthful love, reminded of my own relationship with my husband when we first started dating.

Centered around this love story is the sport of billiards. Both are young athletes who are competing in billiards tournaments and although somewhat interesting, (I had no idea there were so many different types of billiard games---Snooker, 6 ball, 9 ball, etc.), it often detracted from the main focus of these two lovers. Many gorgeous people abounded in the cast and the talent was underused. I think a more compelling story would have been to give some of these young people more to do than just stand there and look beautiful. One example was Dai Si. The plot seemed to be going towards a possible triangle, but instead underused her in the name of not creating conflicts. In fact, the only conflict in this drama is within our ML and his troubled past. There is very little in the way of outer forces working against them which makes for a very benign plot.

The last few episodes were weakest because they dealt more with a national billiards competition that took away much of the focus of the two young lovers, but gave the ensemble cast more screen time. I think the goal was to produce a youthful, romantic drama for a younger audience with as little conflict as possible. The lessons/message being: love your person, love your sport, love your country.

I also appreciated the on location filming in Finland and getting to see some of the snowy sites. The extras were great and it gave our main leads an opportunity to practice their English.

OST was great. Perfect mix of youthful tunes with just a touch of edgy songs for the billiards competitions. The piano score played during the couple moments was my favorite. I have already added it to my Spotify playlist.

I recommend this title for those who want something similar to Hidden Love.

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Great Crime Drama

I watched this right after finishing My Dearest because I was so blown away my Namkoon Min's performance as Jang Hyun that I needed to see him in something else right away. The one other drama I had watched him in was a few years ago in Wild Chives. That show was so forgettable that the only thing I remembered was NM's beautiful smile. My Dearest brought him back to me, but with several years of experience under his belt. I have seen exceptional acting from many actors, but few become their characters. NM is one of these actors. He is a chameleon and so invested in his characters, that I can only see the character and NOT the actor. This is a rare gift. With the exception of his face and timbre of his voice, there is no similarity between these two characters. In the Veil, NM is Han Ji Hyuk, the hard-nosed, mentally unstable security bureau agent fighting demons and looking to expose the rats within his organization.

The story is well-written and gripping. It is fast paced and, though a little hard to follow at times, very engaging. The best part is the wonderfully talented ensemble cast and an air-tight script. The anchor is Namkoon, of course. He adds weight to a cast of very fine actors who work very well together. From drug related cases, to organ trafficking, to espionage and secret sub-organizations, it's all here and well put together. You can't help but watch and hope that things turn out well for him and his new partner, You Je Yi, played capably by Kim Ji Eun.

If you are a fan of Namkoon Min, I recommend this one even if romantic dramas are more your style--like mine.

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Caution! This will mangle your heart.

I needed a few days to process what I had just seen before writing a proper review. My heart was way too invested in this and I needed some clarity before proceeding...

If you are a sucker for a good romantic melodrama, this one tops the list. The heat in the room gets turned up by the smoldering male lead, Jang Hyun, played by Namkoong Min. He falls for his lady the moment he set eyes on her and sets out to steal her heart by any means necessary. Our female lead, Gil Chae, is aptly played by Ahn Eun Jin (Hospital Playlist). Gil Chae has no interest in our ML, however, because she has her eyes set elsewhere. What is obvious to us, though, is that our FL has fallen head over heels for our ML but she is the only fool who doesn't realize it. What transpires is a delicious game of push/pull and how Jang Hyun would cut his heart out of his body for Gil Chae if she wasn't so self-absorbed to appreciate it.
We get a sweeping epic of historical fiction that will throw our leads together or tear them apart. We get lost in the intense gaze of Jang Hyun telling his lady he resents the hell out of her, while granting her the simplest of wishes. We are swept along in the tidal wave of their love and it is beautiful.

Unfortunately, this beautiful epic love story has its flaws. Most of the plot was taken from Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind, in the first part and then riddled with cliches and sloppy writing in the second, leaving us confused and asking a ton of questions. There were time lapse issues, abandoned story arcs, and implausible scenarios. How is it that Jang Hyun can fight so well? He hates war and is a bit of a dandy, so when did he train to be so deadly with a sword? His past is alluded to but not clear. The storyline gets muddled and repetitive, so it would have been better to just stick with a simpler plot. After all, it was delivering spectacularly in the romantic aspect.

The OST...what an OST!! It was sonorous, sweeping, simple, and unforgettable. It conveyed the romantic emotions, the angst, the desperation, and the deep longing of two people who can't live without the other. Bravo!

Then there are unforgettable lines like, "I tried to hate you when you left me, but I couldn't, So, I hated myself instead." "I never left you, I just couldn't bring myself to have you." Add these to the stellar acting and breathtaking cinematography and you have yourself a noteworthy production despite its flaws, deserving of its many awards for best actors and best drama of 2023.

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No depth

Without knowing anything on the real history of the princess, this fictional account left me unsatisfied. I feel like there wasn't much going on here. The princess is sent to Japan as a hostage, but it only touches the surface of her situation in Japan. There isn't much character development and I'm left with a sad story with no real depth.

The acting was good. I felt for the princess who tried so hard to be a beacon of hope for her people, but was thwarted by the enemy. Our main leads were both invested in their roles and their performances were noteworthy. Unfortunately, the storyline wasn't very riveting, so there is only so much they can do with the script. I felt like some of the talent was wasted and underused in this film. Not worth the time.

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Miss, for me..

This was not my cup of tea. I was looking forward to it because I have been a fan of Luo Yunxi since Ashes of Love and was mesmerized with Till the End of the Moon. The writing here is so lukewarm, that it does our ML no justice. I was familiar with Zhang Rue Nan when I first watched her in Date with the Future. I liked her role as the relentless, kind, tough young reporter and was hoping her role would, once again, be along those lines. It is to an extent, but it falls short because she makes herself so unlikeable in this drama. I don't know what it is. Perhaps, the writers are at fault here for writing her in a way that made me feel less than charitable towards her. The way she pushed away our ML may have been necessary for the conflict in the story, but there has to be some underlying pull to counteract the push. All I saw is push here, and she gave off some very negative vibes. That, and the lack of chemistry between the leads killed it for me. I was happy the secondary couple did not take away too much air time from the main leads, but they almost disappear completely at times. Still, there was some annoying cliches and some outright ridiculous medical implausibilities that really raised my eyebrows. I will continue to watch Luo Yunxi because I can't fault him for this stinker of a show, but no more Zhang Rue Nan dramas. She is cute, but there is nothing in her performances that screams overwhelming desire to see her in anything ever again. Cui Yi, as Su Wei An's mother, was a biggest bright spot in this dull drama.

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Pleasantly Surprised

I liked this drama much more than I expected to. The acting was very good and I appreciated the efforts of the actors and writers in bringing a good production to television.

A pretty firefighter gets tangled with a famous celebrity when she saves him during a car accident. Unfortunately, he isn't all that he seems. Our FL is suffering from dreams of having lived a past life which have been troubling her, only to intensify when she meets the young celebrity.

The writers set this drama in the present but it also has backstories dating back to hundreds of years. Those costume scenes are some of the most sizzling and intense portions of the drama and it almost overtakes the storyline in the present. In the past, the young handsome nobleman must show a dangerous and unyielding personality to his household. But underneath, he is gentle and passionate, particularly when a young woman catches his eye. He exudes an intensity that took my breath away. Kudos to our ML for the great work in bringing his character to life. The young woman has a tragic secret and has sworn to take revenge on those who have destroyed her happiness. She becomes both a blessing and a bane to our young nobleman.

Fast forward to the present and the unfinished business of the past comes to light between the two present day leads. Revenge is at the top of their list, but will it give way to the other intense feelings carried with them over the centuries? Will anger threaten to destroy them, or will it give way to love?

I was very impressed with this drama and will look out for more dramas by the same writers. It has a nice soundtrack, too.

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Could have been better

This drama had a depthless plot which spent more time on the business writing than on the romance. I feel like the supporting cast could have been given more to work with so that their relationships didn't seem so much like superficial filler. As much as I had a hard time believing in the implausible pairing of the younger ingenue with the older supporting lead, I did root for them but felt their journey could have been handled better, Instead we get a girl chasing a guy who keeps running away, until he gives up and decides to just be with her. No build up. It's exhausting and silly to watch them.

The next supporting couple made no sense at all. We have two people who are crazy in love with each other, but are too scared to be honest with each other about their feelings. They love playing games with each other which is a waste of time. Nothing much was happening but when they finally do decide to give their romance a chance, they almost disappear.

The main leads/couple were the most perplexing. I was intrigued by their relationship, the build up took a good long, time and when they got together, it was great---except when she started acting like a bumbling idiot whenever he was around. I guess that was supposed to be her playful side, but it seemed completely at odds with her personality. The misunderstandings broke your heart, so seeing them get to a better place later on was a relief. I found the excessive time passage towards the end unnecessary and unfair to the storyline and only furthered my frustration with the writers.

Dylan Wang gets better with every passing drama. He is growing as an actor and I hope he continues to take more meaningful roles. The best show to date has been Fairy Loves Devil. He needs to hold out for better parts because they are out there. Bai Lu was amazing in Till the End of the Moon, I find her an intelligent actress, so I find her hard to watch when she has to play silly ingenues. There are younger actresses out there who can do that. I think she is beyond that now and should strive for roles with more depth.

In general, this should have been left to more creative writers. The entire plot was superficial and boring and I felt the actors were cheated out of something better.

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Great performances, but too much CGI

I liked this drama overall. The best part was the acting and the worst was the sloppy scriptwriting. The first 13 episodes that set the stage for the drama were the weakest. The plot meandered and we were caught in silly adolescent rivalries. I almost dropped the series then, but felt the acting was so good, I would continue. The best episodes were at the middle and the last few episodes, disappointingly, unraveled the already established cannon. I think if the writing could have been more linear and not so complicated with the numerous amount of villains and subplots, perhaps it would have been easier to follow. Another aspect that detracted from the drama was the over-the-top CGI that felt distracting.

The best part, of course, was the well put together group of talented young actors. Boy, they took me with them to the depth of despair and joy. There were such heartfelt moments that made you care for the main leads. In that, they certainly had great direction. However, even the best of actors cannot carry an entire production mired in sloppy writing and too much CGI. Even though it was a fantasy piece, they were supposed to be mortals. Yet the producers would have us believe that the kind of power they wielded all came from spiritual cultivation? It's obvious a big part of the budget was spent on the CGI, but one shouldn't rely too much on that. The focus should always be on telling a good story. They gave away some big reveals almost as soon as they were established and that was a shame.. I felt disappointed mostly in the writing.

Period C-dramas are always a feast for the eyes in terms of sets and costumes. In that this production did not disappoint. I was still very entertained but felt the performers deserved a better written piece.

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Watchable, for the most part.

I thought this drama was watchable overall. I love Park Bo Young. She is cute beyond words and such a joy to watch. She had good chemistry with her male lead and it had the right amount of humor and angst to keep you watching. At times the plot seemed to slow down and become repetitive. It seemed to meander in parts and some of the writing choices were just silly implausibilities. I mean, who has a conversation in Korean with someone who only answers in English and both completely understand each other? I know the writers wanted some laughs, but that was ridiculous.

Lee Soo Hyun is a cat in human form! Aloof, arrogant, and smooth, he is the epitome of the annoying guy who is handsome and knows it. He isn't someone I would jump to date so I wondered, given the way his character is written, why the object of his affection would be interested in such an arrogant bastard? I never felt his character arc was complete, and he lacked development. He went from being an arrogant bastard to an arrogant bastard in love.

I felt the character who got the shortest end of the stick is Kang Tae Oh's, Lee Hyun Gyu. Aside from helping along Lee Soo Hyun's storyline, there wasn't much for him to do. I think he should get his own spin-off drama where he finds the girl of his dreams. In general, the writing was really the problem here. Why take us on a ride where someone falls in love, misses her guy, only to play games when she gets him back? That was exasperating, as was watching the ML still think he could do superhero stuff when he wasn't just for laughs. Perhaps the drama it didn't want to take itself to seriously , but the comedy seems out of place.

The OST was excellent. I usually never rewatch dramas so I wouldn't recommend a show that can't decide what it is.

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There are better ones out there...

Although I have enjoyed this drama's main leads in other productions, I didn't so much in this one. The costumes, sets and story were okay, but the acting here was terrible, particularly in out ML. I didn't't have a problem with Alan Yu in TLTWTMPB and he was okay in Legend of White Snake, but I just could not tolerate his acting in this one. He was the main lead in a romantic drama and he failed miserably. He gets the award for best impersonation of a plank of wood. He has perfected the blank, emotionless stare, and it hurt this show tremendously. When it comes to romance, the couples have to be believable or it just doesn't work. We, as an audience, don't feel invested in them and can't feel for them. This was the main problem here. The FL was better but he, especially, was not believable. Because of his stick-in-the-mud personality, I just could not enjoy this drama as much as I should have. The supporting cast was better compared with the performance of our male lead.

Some of the plot line was implausible and I found myself disappointed in the choices some of the characters made. It didn't seem to fit with their personalities. The OST was the best part of this entire production. I heard the theme song over a year ago and I wanted to see the drama from whence it came. I finally found it, and was disappointed in the production, but still love the song. There are better performed romance dramas that turn your heart inside out. This isn't it.

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Cute and Wholesome

I never thought I would love this but, here I am, a fifty-something mother of three children close to the ages of the main leads. I usually try to stay away from dramas with very young characters, but I love Zhao Lu Si and will watch her in anything. What struck me the most was just how well written this was, how earnestly the screenwriters took up the subject material and didn't turn it into some goofball situation like so many dramas of this kind. Many young women, and even older ones, can relate to this young lady, who idolizes her first love. We all remember that special someone. We laugh with her, cry with her, dream for her and just celebrate her youthful hopefulness.

I love that her ML never minimizes her feelings and doesn't treat her as an annoying little sister. He seems to have a big soft spot in his heart from the beginning even though his feelings turn into something else later on. He is always willing to help her out and most importantly, he gives her his time. How could you not fall for an older guy like that? Because the series falls into the wholesome category, it is suitable for age 14 and over. Victor Ma, however, delivers the sex appeal lacking in the main couple. He has this snarky little smirk that can drive anyone up a wall. The bromance between the male leads is also fun to watch as much as the romance between the FL and ML. Look for Zeng Li who is once again cast as Lu Si's mom. She is a beautiful and talented actress.

Would definitely watch this again.

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