Gripping, but not permanently etched in my memory
So I know this is highly rated by many. And I think it was good. But, for me, it did not leave as strong and long-lasting impression as for example "My Dearest", "The Red Sleeve", "Moon embracing the sun" or "Empress Ki". OK, they are not exactly the same genre, as the other ones I mentioned are more purely historical, and not time-/dimension-travel. But still ... trying to remember back to watching "ML: SHR" it doesn't really trigger anything special for me, like the above-mentioned ones do. It's more just like I remember I enjoyed watching it, and was engrossed while doing so.It is a while since I watched this, but discovered I hadn't written a review.
Very brief synopsis from my memory and POV:
Modern girl gets transported back in time, ends up entangled with several of the dynasty's princes. There are of course palace intrigues and fight for the succession of the throne, and as more than one prince develops feelings for her, she also becomes a pawn for those pulling strings and scheming for power. Will she find love and happiness, or will she manage to travel back to her own time?
As for the story, it was well written. There are quite a lot of characters, so I am glad I had the opportunity to almost binge-watch this.
The story has good drive as far as I remember.
As for the cast, most of them were convincing in their roles. I remember Lee Joon Gi as Wang So (the 4th Prince) the best though.
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A bit dated, but cute and fun
So - look beyond what is too dated, and just enjoy this for what it is:A kind of quirky romance with some love rivalry, typical tropes of disapproving parent, disappearing parent, successful males, hardworking females, and some jealousy.
I'm keeping this review a bit short.
The style is a bit different from my usual K- and C-dramas, but I picked this now as sometimes it is nice to watch something that breaks out from the normality. And I really liked Jerry Yan in Forbidden Flower ;-).
Even if the story is a bit on the exaggerated side for some parts, it does also contain what I imagine was a rather fresh topic in 2010.
The acting is, overlooking the exaggerated style, rather good. Especially in some of the later episodes it looked like they had a lot of fun - a few moments in some scenes made me wonder if they were not scripted at all, but improvised and kept because it worked.
Based on today's standard I am not sure I would give it 7,5 stars, but considering it is 15 years old I am trying to judge it overlooking the dated things.
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Entertaining, although not very original
This was entertaining to watch; the acting was quite strong, the story had a quite nice pace, and the overall production is good.The main story isn’t very original though; successful but rather aloof young rich male CEO, female employee who is positive and sweet, business faces some obstacles, love rivalry and some family intrigues…
The side stories are quite well written. I especially liked He Yu and his character development.
The reappearance of the ex in the last few episodes was a bit unnecessary - the story arch didn’t need it; the other elements were enough on their own.
FL is convincing in her role as “Lucky”. I like that her character stands up for herself.
ML also plays his part well, but his looks is almost a bit too polished for my liking. What I like about his character is how he is steadfast in his love after he finally realises it.
Watch this if you want something that is easy to watch.
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Short, light, and a bit comic
Short episodes and not that many of them either means this is a series you can devour in one go.It is very easy to watch, and it almost feels like this could be a very shortened version of a drama, that would have been quite good.
The story doesn't delve deep into anything, but still kind of manages to get the main message across about taking a chance and finding happiness and love.
I'm not that familiar with J-drama style, but I did quite like both the FL; she is quite cute but also manages to show a fiery side, and the ML.
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Sweet, but maybe too much sweetener used..?
This is very lighthearted and easy to watch, and quite sweet. I see some other reviews mentions clichés. For me, it was simply put a bit too "fake", ranging from the snowmen to the voice-overs. If you want something sweet and innocent to watch, where you don't have to think, then go for it. I don't regret watching it, and I did finish it rather fast, but I will not be watching it again.The story is on the weak side, even if you overlook the cross-dressing plot. There were just quite a few other small things where I was like "huh?".
The acting was a bit sugar-coated for my liking as well. Or I guess it is more proper to say that the characters were too over-the-top, so I guess the actors nailed it! Ha ha.
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Slow and beautiful
This is one of those dramas that has left me with a lasting impression. It is slow paced, lovely, sad, and has a very fitting soundtrack. The overall feel I would say is "sensual" and soft; from the lightning to the music and the looks and dialogue.The acting is good, especially both of the main leads, the cinematography is beautiful, and the locations are scenic and nice.
Brief synopsis as per my memory:
The female protagonist has an illness that makes her mum overly protective of her. On an outing from her house, she gets smitten by a male hairdresser's voice when he washed her hair. She seeks him out again, and although he is hesitant, they do start to form a bond and a relationship.
Warning:
If you like conclusive endings, this is not for you.
I saw in discussions for this series on Viki to watch it til the end of the credits, but Viki kept cutting me off, so I wasn't able to do that.
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Overall well made, although a lot of familiar tropes
Overall this is a quite well made drama, and worth watching if you normally enjoy romantic dramas. It does have several familiar tropes though, so don't expect huge surprises or great amount of originality.Personally I liked both of the main leads (Zhang Han and Xu Lu) – especially him grew on me as the series progressed.
I also liked the 2nd ML (Hong Yao) and the supporting role played by Wang Xuan.
From my point of view I believe the story could have benefited if they skipped the subplot schemed up by Bai (Man Man), as that just was a bit too much for my liking.
Sadly, the lightning work and sound was occasionally a bit poor in some of the later episodes.
The soundtrack was a bit different, I would say, but quite pleasant to listen to.
This series fall into the line of C-dramas promoting (high-lighting) a specific topic or field; in this case Chinese fashion and culture. I don't mind it, but it can become a bit too much every now and then (too blatantly "promotional").
I don't regret watching this, but I can't really remember much from this show either now that some time has passed.
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Slooow, but still captivating
So as most other reviews mentioned, this is a really slow paced drama. There are lingering shots and long pauses. But still, it was captivating.The cast is brilliant, the cinematography and editing is high class, and the overall feel of the rural setting is very fitting.
As for the story, even if it is rather slow-moving, it contains enough elements that are served drip by drip at the right moments to keep your interest.
Brief synopsis:
Cellist Hae Won (played by Park Min Young) escapes from Seoul to her ancestral hometown after setbacks in her career. She had some difficult years in her late teens, and being back brings forth both good and bad memories.
In a neighbouring house, her former classmate Im Eun Seob (played by Seo Kang Joon). He runs a bookstore, and is a quiet but caring man who hides his emotions well. He has had a secret crush on Hae Won for all these years, and is secretly thrilled that she arrived and they start to form a close bond.
Both Hae Won and Im Eun Seob carries psychological wounds with them from their younger days; some known, and some unknown. As life happens, will wounds be healed and truths come to light?
In the story you also have Hae Won's aunt and mum, Im Eun Seob's younger sister, and their friends. All of these characters are also excellently portrayed - I especially enjoyed the scenes with Im Hwi in (his younger sister); she had such a joyful, energetic presence.
Park Min Young is superb in her portrayal as Hae Won.
This was my first time watching Seo Kang Joon, and he impressed with his lowkey but strong performance.
The supporting cast was also very strong.
So: Should you watch this drama? Not if you're no fan of slice-of-life or slow-burn romances. But if you want an emotional drama without villainous characters or dramatic story arcs, you should give it a go. And don't give up too quick.
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Opposite age-gap, careers and love
I kind of liked this, but I also mix it up with another C-drama of career woman and opposite age-gap relationship at work ("The Rational Life"?).The synopsis here on MDL is a bit confusing, tbh.
What the story does well is depicting how societal norms and pressure influence us, and can make it hard to follow your instincts – and your heart!
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A fun take on historical fantasy romance
Watch it if you like historical fantasy with a twist - this is a story that doesn't take itself too seriously.Brief synopsis:
The female protagonist is a screenwriter who gets transported into her story as a side character who gets killed early on. Since she knows how the story is supposed to unfold, she does her best to change the events to stay alive so she can get back to her reality. It turns out it isn't that easy to control events, and when real feelings start to develop, how will that affect her actions?
This is a fun take on the historical fantasy genre where modern day persons travel to historical times. The FL is a refreshing character, and the ML does a good job of switching between devious and "puppy-eyed loveable".
All in all, this was an enjoyable viewing experience.
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Could have been 4 episodes shorter
As my headline says: I kind of thought this was coming to an end in episode 16, but then it kept going for another 4 episodes.Brief synopsis:
The male protagonist, Moon Soo Ho, was as adopted into Jung Hae Ra's family when he was in his adolescence after his father died in a mysterious fire. He later disappeared abroad, where he became very successful. Jung Hae Ra on the other hand met misfortune, her family loosing their fortune, and both her parents dying.
She now works as a travel agent, working hard to advance her life. By chance she gets a job trip abroad, where she happens to meet Moon Soo Ho, without recognizing him from her youth. He on the other hand finds out who she is, as he has been searching for her for many years. He pursues her. Back in South Korea their paths cross with his wife from a past life, who was cursed to live forever after her evil deeds back then. She is still obsessively in love with MSH, so how will this love story unfold?
I have a bit mixed feelings for this. I kind of liked it, but then it did go a bit heavy on the scheming and the plots. I thought it was a little confusing in the beginning with the jump between times.
The cast was good. The main couple played by Kim Rae Won and Shin Sae Kyeong had some sweet scenes - they showed intimacy in an affectionate, sweet way.
Seo Ji Hye as Sharon really plays her villainous role well, as do Kim Byung Ok in the supporting role as director Park.
The music was a bit different, but I wish they could have used it a bit more subtle, maybe; I felt it got a bit too much in length.
All in all, when the story threads fall into place it works for a while, until it gets a bit too heavy on the plots. I think it could have been simplified a bit, and I didn't quite see the point of the aunt; her character felt a bit redundant, to be honest.
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Enjoyable
A rather delightful watch, I would say.After having watched some more with similar premise, this is one of the better ones.
Brief synopsis:
Female CEO gets pressured by family, sets her eyes on succesfull doctor who agrees to enter a (contractual?) marriage with her. Living together is not easy, and they face challenges both privately and professionally, adding some real emotions into the mix. Can they manage to handle love, and be together? As the title suggests, there will be a "restart" of their relationship.
Some good story arcs and interesting character development.
ML was quite charming, and FL has a good screen presence.
I especially enjoyed the last part (the episodes after the "jump"), even if the reason for the jump was very cliché and stupid.
Yoyo was totally adorable!
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Mediocre, with some entertainment value
I watched this after seeing some clips in social media that peaked interest. It didn't quite live up to my expectations though.It is OK, but quite unrealistic/extreme actions.
Some of the things that pulls it down for me:
How FL is quite immature, none of them communicate well leading to repeated conflicts, and if his coworker really liked him, why would she go to such extremes as to ruin his dream and life?
And how quickly did FL move in to a new apartement? It was like she went straight from deciding to break up to eating dinner in a new apartement. I even skipped back to see if I had missed a text that said "1 week later" or something.
I found ML to act quite well, whereas I am more unsure about FL - might be because of the character.
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Healthy relationships
A good balance between workplace drama, slice-of-life, family and romance.The relationships portrayed, both family, friends and coworkers, are realistic and develops well, supporting the storyarchs and pace of the drama.
Acting was strong from pretty much everyone. Dylan Wang mastered the portrayal of a young person with sincere feelings well, and I must say the actress playing FL’s mum impressed me.
The “opposite age difference” is shown in a very realistic way, and I particularly liked how they addressed the concerns and obstacles through the views of different people around them.
The supporting characters’ stories did develop on their own archs, without being too dominating. They could have dropped some of it and made the drama shorter, as they were not really essential to the story, but those scenes didn’t feel like a total waste of time either.
All in all, this is a good drama to watch if you like more mature, healthy relationships.
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OK - nothing more, nothing less
OK, but not great. Not very memorable, to be frank.I did use the skip forward, and I did consider abandoning, but ended up watching all episodes.
It did have some funny moments, but looking back at it I can't really say it left me with much of any emotions or impressions.
FL is sweet, but the ML didn't fully convince me.
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