maboheme

Oh this is so sad. Yeah now I need to reevaluate everything I avoided watching based on MDL ratings. If they are giving this series a 7.5, and I solidly enjoyed it, then that means all the 7.5 shows I've avoided may actually be good.

What is with the low score? I just devoured these episodes. The cinematography, the acting, the costumes, the overly dramatic stares and music score, I love all of it. I was so nervous going in b/c of the score. Also, I have never been able to get through Princess Agents, I tried again to watch it in lead up to this sequel, and I quit -- I didn't like the male lead the actors, the characters, or the slow pace. The only thing I enjoyed was the FL and her character. But like...this sequel corrects all of the things I didn't like? I love both of the actors for the male leads. Commanding on screen and complicated. The female lead actress is young, but she is outstanding in this role. And I usually hate love triangles, but I'm enjoying the craziness of this one. Is it b/c I didn't like Princess Agents, that I am pleasantly surprised by this sequel? Because it seems like people who liked or have nostalgia for Princess Agents, are not enjoying this one? And people who are coming to this sequel fresh are enjoying it more. Also, I adore the opening credits.

I was so into this, binged it all in one day. The ratings should really be higher. It felt so different and it was a refreshing watch. I loved seeing not your traditional righteous lawyer/cop story. But to actually see an anti-hero/ morally grey figure working for the "bad guys." The performances! Yuya was amazing as Kujo, and I actually really enjoyed the bromance between the leads. It felt natural. I was also really intrigued by Keita's character Mibu and would love to have more backstory on the relationship b/w Mibu and Kujo. Again it was so great to have a story that showed the murkiness of the system, that nothing is black or white, that humans are complex creatures. 10 episodes felt way too short, I was craving many more. The ending! I hope for a Season 2.

Fewer episodes? I thought exactly the opposite, I needed more episodes. So much unexplored. 10 was way too short.

Yes, they are both so good in it. Their chemistry is off the charts!

I really enjoyed this series and the actor's chemistry was fire, officially now one of my fav couples of K-dramaland. Biggest complaint is that it could have been shorter, there were way too many flashbacks and filler episodes toward the end. And the end episodes: something felt off about the ending and the twists, and then I read about the J-drama original, it all clicked for me. Had this K-drama adaptation not been so conservative in its approach and stuck closer to the J-drama original script so much more would have made sense!!! I'm actually mad about it! So much was nonsensical in the actions of the characters because they changed the script.

I just watched this for the first time. seriously the wildest ride I've been on in k-dramaland.

My only complaint is that it was 2 hours and I wanted 12 episodes of UST, yearning, and sexy dancing.

Absolutely loved the original French version, La Mante, so I hope this lives up to it.

The two leads have so much chemistry, imagine if we'd gotten one of those 50-episode old-school Wuxia epics to see this all play out. I know there's no way we're getting a HEA, but I hope we can see them happy again before the end of the series and not just as enemies.

This was amazing, I want to watch it over and over again. 9.5/10 for me.

that face touch in Ep. 22. whew.

is there info on how this is related to the lost tomb franchise?

Absolutely amazing. haven't loved a historical melodrama this much since My Country: The New Age. 9/10 for me.

the straight couple ruined it tbh, and they had more romantic scenes and progression than the main lead gay couple. it would have been okay if we had 4 more episodes of Heesu and Seungwon dating but we didn't even get that. It felt very straight-washed for a mainstream audience and that's a shame since the two leads had so much chemistry and I enjoyed their story and wanted more of it. It was almost like a BL from 10 years ago, where you can barely even get handholding. It felt retrogressive...like going backward.

I was in the mood for a good thriller mystery and this met my needs perfectly. Loved the plot and all of the twists and turns. Loved the small-town setting. Loved the main character and his journey so much (the actor was fabulous in capturing the heartbreak of the situation). I raged at the antics of the antagonists throughout. The bromance between the cop and the main lead was a great surprise, and I cheered at the development of their friendship and partnership. This was just a really fun watch, and even after 16 episodes I was sad for it to end.

I haven't loved a C-drama this much in a long time. Loved every minute.

Absolutely, it's called moving against the problematic dominant mainstream lol. I love to see more bromances, or actual romances between two men, or two women, in romantic love stories. But sadly two men having a romance isn't allowed in China b/c of homophobia and repression. So filmmakers are forced to use SUBTEXT, as you see in this series and in a number of "bromances." So yes, bromances with subtext are absolutely okay to do b/c we live in a world where queer love, subtextual or textual, rarely gets to be at the center of a major series, and is instead downplayed. Whereas heterosexual ships are EVERYWHERE and can be the center of a story in 100000 other Chinese dramas. People ranking this low this simply b/c it lacks a heterosexual love story is silly to me.

One of the best medical dramas I've seen. Exciting cases and lovely character development all around, from the two main leads, to the side characters, and even to the antagonists. So many episodes had me in tears. The friendship between the male leads was *chef's kiss* and made the entire series. Honestly the bromance was better than any heterosexual romance I've seen in a C-drama of late. People are ranking it low b/c of the lack of romance, which is so silly to do. Some shows don't need romance. The bromance fulfilled all the needs of the romance, even sharing romantic tropes, and had this not been China, it could have been the main romance. All the two say, if you're open to something different -- with the focus on the clever medical setting and the use of intervention technology, and even seeing disaster relief efforts done with amazing care, this show goes above and beyond. And again, the bromance is magical (they are each other's inspirations and other halves) and those two give you everything you need in terms of emotional resonance.