kingsqueen
USA
I was excited to start this drama because I was expecting something epic. However, I ended up very confused for more than half the drama. The machinations of our villain, Lee Lim, were not explained well in the beginning. I didn't understand why he was doing what he was doing - how he was choosing some of the people and for what reasons. Things slowly started to be explained, but it seemed like a lot was being left out. The story wasn't tight and there were plot-holes aplenty! I thought that at the end it would have made a good re-watch to have the knowledge that I didn't have before - that maybe things would be more clear with all the puzzle pieces in place. But I don't have the desire now to go back and see it happen. The product placement was pretty cringe-y and in your face also. I'm guessing the big budget required a lot of PPL, but it was not integrated very well and almost seemed like a complete commercial break to promote this or that product. The last episode was a good wrap up, seeing how the changes in the past changed and re-shaped the characters in the future. I actually did enjoy that part, even if it took up a lot of the last episode. Some people would say that this was a waste of time, but I liked it in this instance (and I always love a good epilogue in both dramas and books!).
Woo Do Hwan was the scene stealer of this whole drama. He nailed his dual role - I could legit believe they were two different characters. You never had to wonder if it was Yeong or Eun Seop in the scene. WDH needs his own lead role STAT! Kim Kyung Nam continues to impress me as well. I am always sold on his emotional scenes - I'd really like to see him take a lead role soon also but he seems relegated to supporting actor. I know that this was LMH's comeback drama and he was supposed to be the shining star of the show, but LMH's acting skills just never "wow" me. He seems to have one expression and sometimes a little glisten of an unshed tear when he needs to be emotional, but he does not sell it to me. He's somewhat pretty, but a pretty face isn't all it takes to carry a big budget drama. I think he's relied on that too long and hasn't developed his acting skills. Kim Go Eun did a decent job of her acting, except for the change over to her doppelgänger "Luna". If it hadn't been for the bad wig and the freckles they added, her second character would have been virtually indistinguishable from her main character. And then to add insult to injury, the writer then completely butchered Tae Eul by turning her into a weepy mess instead of the strong bada$$ we had gotten to know once she "fell in love". And speaking of which.....
The insta-love in this drama was so unbelievable. I thought it was going to be a slow build to romance-town for Tae-Eul and Lee Gon, but instead the writers rushed it and had the couple confessing their feelings before they even really got to know each other. That was one of my biggest peeves in the storyline other than Tae Eul's abrupt personality change.
The drama also set up too many things that they just dropped with no explanation. Sometimes a character was left in one spot, doing a thing, and the drama just moved on to the next scenes and never got back to what the side characters were supposed to be doing. They just left them in limbo. And there were a few characters seemed wholly unnecessary, and too much time was spent on them without having a connection to the plot.
I know it seems like I have so many criticisms for this show that I didn't enjoy it at all which isn't completely true. I was entertained to a point, but there were definitely certain aspects of the show that bothered me. Without being super spoiler-y, I don't feel like I can mention many of those here. It's an ok watch, but not the epic masterpiece I was expecting. They dressed the show up real pretty, but it didn't fail to hide the inconsistencies or fill in the holes in the plot. I am neither encouraging, nor discouraging viewers. There are parts you'll really like, and I think parts you'll really hate, but I think it's best to go into it with your expectations firmly in check.
Woo Do Hwan was the scene stealer of this whole drama. He nailed his dual role - I could legit believe they were two different characters. You never had to wonder if it was Yeong or Eun Seop in the scene. WDH needs his own lead role STAT! Kim Kyung Nam continues to impress me as well. I am always sold on his emotional scenes - I'd really like to see him take a lead role soon also but he seems relegated to supporting actor. I know that this was LMH's comeback drama and he was supposed to be the shining star of the show, but LMH's acting skills just never "wow" me. He seems to have one expression and sometimes a little glisten of an unshed tear when he needs to be emotional, but he does not sell it to me. He's somewhat pretty, but a pretty face isn't all it takes to carry a big budget drama. I think he's relied on that too long and hasn't developed his acting skills. Kim Go Eun did a decent job of her acting, except for the change over to her doppelgänger "Luna". If it hadn't been for the bad wig and the freckles they added, her second character would have been virtually indistinguishable from her main character. And then to add insult to injury, the writer then completely butchered Tae Eul by turning her into a weepy mess instead of the strong bada$$ we had gotten to know once she "fell in love". And speaking of which.....
The insta-love in this drama was so unbelievable. I thought it was going to be a slow build to romance-town for Tae-Eul and Lee Gon, but instead the writers rushed it and had the couple confessing their feelings before they even really got to know each other. That was one of my biggest peeves in the storyline other than Tae Eul's abrupt personality change.
The drama also set up too many things that they just dropped with no explanation. Sometimes a character was left in one spot, doing a thing, and the drama just moved on to the next scenes and never got back to what the side characters were supposed to be doing. They just left them in limbo. And there were a few characters seemed wholly unnecessary, and too much time was spent on them without having a connection to the plot.
I know it seems like I have so many criticisms for this show that I didn't enjoy it at all which isn't completely true. I was entertained to a point, but there were definitely certain aspects of the show that bothered me. Without being super spoiler-y, I don't feel like I can mention many of those here. It's an ok watch, but not the epic masterpiece I was expecting. They dressed the show up real pretty, but it didn't fail to hide the inconsistencies or fill in the holes in the plot. I am neither encouraging, nor discouraging viewers. There are parts you'll really like, and I think parts you'll really hate, but I think it's best to go into it with your expectations firmly in check.
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