Reviews

Face off.

While looking for her long lost sister, Shi Qi is overpowered by the scheming Prime Minister's daughter Shen Qin. When she wakes up, she discovers that a magician used dark magic to swap her face with that of Shen Qin. She finds herself married to General Xiao Hansheng in Shen Qin's place. Shen Qin assumes Shi Qi's identity and returns to the side of her lover the ambitious and ruthless Prince Ning. Shi Qi is unable to expose Shen Qin to either man as her sister is held hostage by Shen Qin. The plot tightly weaves together lurid affairs, murder and intrigue, treason and breathtaking, titillating romance. The suspenseful tension climaxes in a satisfying face off between the two women with a gobsmacking twist. Best to steer well clear of spoilers for this one.

While the chemistry between the lead couple sizzles with passionate intensity, there is a quiet authenticity in how their relationship blossoms. The powerful hook of this romance is the simple convincingly articulated idea that Shi Qi has a unique identity that transcends her physical appearance and her true soulmate can sense her soul, the core of who she is. This is at sharp contrast with Prince Ning who lacks insight and does not have the same connection with his lover. That said, the second couple's dark chemistry is also alluring enough to make me root for them. While the story is quite dark, the dialogue is infused with wit and humour. The rapport and banter between the general and his much aggrieved military advisor hilariously and effectively captures the evolution of the general's feelings.

There is little to find fault with in the crisp, intriguing plot and the heartfelt performances by the young cast. Indeed these gorgeous young actors can give lessons to their more established peers on how kiss scenes should really be done and how not to sleepwalk through a drama. Is it a masterpiece? Nope but it is addictive enough for me to rate it an 8.0.

Bottom line - this is a total find of a delectably sexy and suspenseful romantic short-length drama that you must start watching now. Just do it. And thank @Noel for this stupendously good recommendation.

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So Far, Most Re-watchable JDrama BL I've Seen

I've spent at least 6 hours of my life re-watching this drama! From Michieda Shunsuke's (Aoki) amazing facial expressions, to Fukomoto Riko's (Hashimoto) charming personality (definitely a scene stealer, it's so nice to see a strong female character like her), to Meguru Ren's (Ida) handsome face, this show finds itself ranking at the top of my list for 2021 BL's. Not to mention Suzuki Jin's (Akkun) acting - seeing him go from his more 'serious' role in Given earlier this year to something more lighthearted is a little head spinning; he has amazing range!
As for the plot, there are some twists and turns in the first few episodes that had me cracking up and itching for the next episode to hurry up!
All in all, so far it's been an amazing experience to watch this show!

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Have you ever started a drama with great potential, only for it to fizzle out and come crashing midway? Have you ever started a drama with great potential, only for it to be ruined by cringe acting? Well, find a blanket and a comfortable place because Forest of Secrets is neither of those.

I originally decided to start this drama because I was captivated by the promotional poster - I knew nothing in particular of Jo Seung Woo or Bae Doo Na, but the poster drew me in immediately: dark, exciting, and striking - a great representation of this drama. I was sold after the first episode.

While I truly love K-Dramas, I think we can all agree that a lot of them are dumbed down to a point where you don't have to truly pay attention or think about what is happening in them - everything is explained plainly, no questions asked. Even crime and mystery dramas often times overdo it with the explanations so the viewer won't have to ask themselves 'huh? what happened? why'. You won't find this here. This is a drama that will require your attention all throughout, as missing a dialogue or a glance will confuse you later, without much explanation. This is a drama that asks for your full attention, and a drama that keeps its momentum until its last minute. There is no fizzling out, no unnecessary showdowns and car chases and fist fights, no rushed endings - no, everything progresses at a smooth pace that by the end you don't even notice that it's over because you're so used to its steady progression and flow. It feels strange and sad that in the coming weeks, I won't see Pros. Hwang Si Mok and Det. Han Yeo Jin running around and taking down corruption.

While Jo Seung Woo and Bae Doo Na are not what you might call top Hallyu stars (I'd argue about BDN but anyway), as say Park Bo Gum or Jun Ji Hyun, both are top-notch well-known experienced actors that infuse their characters with life all throughout. Not only them - the whole cast is stellar and even if I try to think of one loose performance, I can't. I could hardly believe that Jo Seung Woo is the same guy who played the main in God's Gift and that Yoo Jae Myung (Pros. Lee Chang Jun) is the same person who played Do Bong Soon's father.

And, of course, I cannot fail to mention the writer, Lee Soo Yeon, who has developed two of the most unique female protagonists in K-dramas for me. One determined to stand by justice no matter what and one determined to clear her father's name no matter the price - both executed perfectly until the end with no unnecessary fluff and delving into annoying, and quite frankly degrading, romances. Not only those two but all the pivotal characters went through such believable character development, that you will find yourself attached even to the most despicable of them - not because they're handsome and an oppa but because they're human, not innocent not evil but somewhere in between, just like all of us.

I really can't think of a reason why you wouldn't want to see this drama - it's what all crime and legal dramas should aim to be, and I'm looking forward to the day I watch something that will outdo it. While some people may think it seems boring, I urge you to challenge yourself and watch the first two episodes; your brain will thank you. To me, this was a heart-racing drama that made me laugh, cry, feel disgust, and so many more emotions.

I am so excited to see what this rookie writer will bring us in the future because if it's anything like Forest of Secrets, then we'll know we have another great drama upon us.

2021 edit: Yeah, I still have not found another drama to replace Stranger as my favorite - go watch season 2 if you have not!

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If you're having any doubts about picking this up because of the lack of 'romance' tag or the synopsis or just anything, please throw all those doubts out of the window and watch this right now! I don't generally watch non-romance dramas, and I'm not a big fan of office politics or just politics in general, but I LOVED this! And believe me, so will you.
The words corporate politics put me off for a while, but then I finally picked this drama because of Gung Min. I wasn't familiar with any of the other cast. Now I can't believe I was about to pass this gem off!
Here are few of the reasons why I loved Chief Kim-

-Sometimes, it doesn't require an unique plotline to make a successful drama, but what matters is it's execution. A group of people fighting against the corruption in their organisation might not seem like anything new, but Chief Kim is executed brilliantly. Not to mention, hilariously.
-I feel like, with the given plot, there could have been a lot of crazy misunderstandings, what with him being a bad person at the beginning. But the writer chose to deal with that fact in a straightforward manner, instead of going round and round in circles. I'm really thankful for that because it made it way more enjoyable.
-I really enjoyed the pacing of this show. In a typical kdrama, things go well in the start, and then around the last 5-6 episodes, everything goes wrong horribly which doesn't get resolved until the last episode. But I felt that wasn't the case with this drama. The pacing was a bit more consistent. Good and bad happened throughout the drama, not at any specific timings/ episode.
- I legit loved every interactions between every characters in the drama. Whether it may be Chief Kim & Seo Yul, Seo Yul & Ha Gyeong, Chief Kim & Myeong Su, Chief Kim & Ga Eun and any many others, each one was immensely enjoyable.
-I'm a big fan of bromances. Well, who isn't, right? The main lead, Chief Kim, is surrounded by a lot of guys. There are number of bromances going on simultaneously. My personal favorite being TQ's Psycho & Gluttonous Sociopath. They are just sooo cute!
-The chemistry between the characters is really good. Not just with the leading characters, but also between the supporting characters.
-There might not be any romance, but you can still ship two particular characters (I'm not saying who), I know I did.
-The comedy is SPOT-ON. This drama might not keep you on the edge of your seat, but it sure will have you falling off off it- with laughter!
-Last but not the least; watch out for the some drama scenes parodies. I loved them, and I'm sure you'll too. I'm not going to say which dramas, 'cause that'll spoil the fun, but they were pretty popular ones.
I'd like to end the review by saying that I'm not a drama re-watcher, but I'd gladly re-watch any episode of Chief Kim any-day! So please, give this a chance!
Happy Watching!

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Perfection. That is the only word I can use to describe the absolute treasure that was Healer.

Funnily enough, I almost passed by this drama and, had I not been practically forced to push the play button, I would have missed out on the best drama I've seen in my twelve years of drama watching experience. Even the fact that this is my first drama review on MDL shows how highly I think of this drama and how strongly I feel that the overall rating of #2 and popularity of #1 is completely well deserved. Healer has become my top favorite drama, dethroning my previous favorite, which had held onto the top spot for the last seven years. That's the power of Healer.

If strong characters all around, both male and female, are your thing, watch it. If a solid love line without stupid, nonsensical love triangles and noble idiocy break ups are your thing, watch it. If you enjoy a good action, romance, political, and gripping-the-edge-of-your-seat-intense drama, then this is definitely, definitely for you. Watch it.

The acting by the ENTIRE cast is flawless. The OST is amazing and so well suited to each scene that its played in. Healer will make you experience the widest range of emotions throughout its 20 episodes and you'll still feel like you didn't get enough. Heartwarming, touching, beautiful, intriguing, heartbreaking, action-packed, downright hilarious, and so perfect! That's Healer.

In fact, I don't think there are enough words in the world to describe Healer and the effect it has on me and this is coming from a writer. The plot was solid, the pacing was perfectly balanced while never slow, and the characters were so natural and realistic. I walked into this drama unfamiliar with the cast and walked away a fan of all three leads and then some.

If you've ever fallen so in love with someone or something to the point where your heart hurts and throbs with the pain of overwhelming emotions, then you'll understand what Healer has done to me. But, quite frankly, it would hurt more to never experience this drama than to deal with the withdrawal of a perfect in every aspect drama.

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I have watched all the versions of Itazura na Kiss and I can confidently say that this is my favourite version!

Unlike all the other versions (Chinese, Taiwan, Korean and Japanese), which all follow the storyline almost exactly the same, the Thai version managed to add a twist in the show without changing the original story of a smart, aloof genius guy and a cute, kind and a little dumb girl. However, this version adds more depth to the story and in my opinion more explanation which the rest did not offer.

Kiss Me showed more emotions towards TenTen and not just blindly following Taliw's courting story. It showed the process of how TenTen ACTUALLY fell for her and the reason why he keeps on pushing her away which i think was a great change to the story. Furthermore, the entire flow of Kiss Me felt right and the pace was just nice. Not to mention how much chemistry our main leads have already seen in Full House Thai.

I think the two main factors why I thought this version won the others HANDS DOWN was because it answered ALL my questions for TenTen and also showed a more caring and sensitive side of him. Additionally, Taliw is also more understanding and also thinks more before she acts making her more likable and interesting. Another factor is definitely King. HE IS SUCH A CUTIE IN THIS SHOW. I usually don't like his role in the other versions as I always found him quite loud and usually does everything without much thought. However, King is such a charmer by his every move and how he is always so thoughtful and sweet towards Taliw. (To be honest, I think I have a little second lead syndrome because of him now....)

To add on to the awesomeness, ALL the characters did such a great job in their roles and every love line managed to tug a little at my heartstrings with their chemistry and how no one is really bad or hated in the show.

In conclusion, I will strongly recommend this drama to everyone. Its like the producer did everything that made Itzunara Na Kiss a success and omitted everything hateful about it. The difference made was definitely significant as the characters, especially TenTen, felt more complete and bearable in Kiss Me.

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Revolutionary

I can't even put into words the importance of this drama not only to me as an aroace person but as a whole. I have never in main stream media seen an aroace character let alone two aroace characters explored and developed in such a beautiful and caring way. I could go into extensive detail on why this drama and representation is so important but the review would incredibly long so I'll try and keep it as short and sweet as possible.

The issues and also the joy in finding your aroace identity and living as an aroace in such an amatonormative world was explored so well in this drama. The exploration of Takahashi touch aversion has left me speechless, the way they handled it with such care. I've never seen touch aversion explored in the way that Koisenu Futari did and I think it will stay with me forever. One particular scene, which I won't go into detail due to spoilers, left such a massive impression on me and I think that's thanks to Takahashi Issei's portrayal and acting within the scene.

Everyone behind this drama went into it with such care and they handled everything so beautifully. You can tell that with how they explore even the hardest parts of finding and accepting your indentity and the reactions of those closest to you. It was hard to watch at times but it was necessary to see because so many aroaces experience the things that we see both Sakuko and Takahashi go through or even fear that they will go through that. So to see the hardest parts shown the way that Koisenu Futari showed us makes you realise that you're not so alone in your experiences and fears as you think you are.

What I loved about this drama the most was how I could see my own story reflected in both Sakuko and Takahashi depending on where in my aroace journey I was. I'm so grateful that this drama exists. Thank you to the writers, to the actors, to the producers, to everyone behind this drama for giving us this drama, for wanting to explore such an unrepresented identity and to do it with such love and care. This drama will stay with me forever.

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Cherry Magic Memories

To say that this is a good BL is an understatement. I've been watching jdramas in 2020 and nothing captured my attention and love like this one. A late-night BL drama nobody should've noticed became an international hit.

Cherry Magic (CM) summed up:
-All characters are loveable
-Has comedy but can also get emotional
-No toxicity
-Great acting from main leads
-Great opening and ending song
-High rewatch value

STORY -9.5
''Don't you know? If you're a virgin when you turn 30, you'll become a magic user.'' -Urabe
If the synopsis is kinda offputting to you then that's normal but I guarantee you that it works. The subjects are handled with sensibility and while there is a lot of comedy it works out well. The show knows how to handle emotional scenes as well as comedy.

I think with the first episode you'll see that this drama handles its story very well. What started as a weird internet legend/joke about virginity somehow ended up becoming this cute show. This is a unique lovestory and a joy to see. It brought a lot of warmth to the winter of 2020. Teaching us all to reach out to others and to love ourselves.

ACTING/CAST -10
''Do you know what that means?'' -Kurosawa
First of all the main leads. Machida Keita, actor of Kurosawa, has had around 10 years of experience in acting and has been in many Japanese shows. He was a known name in Japan before CM happened. You can see he totally immerses himself in a character and has fun with it. A lot of later scenes in the drama have been influenced by him ad-libbing/freely acting. When his character is sad, genuinely happy or faking his emotions for the sake of others then you can see it in all his body movements. He's an intriguing character to watch on screen and definitely makes rewatching the show worth it.

Akaso Eiji is relatively new to acting in comparison to Machida Keita and was far less known in Japan. He has been in a few shows before CM, noteably as a Kamen Rider in Kamen Rider Build. Even the mangaka from CM wasn't sure he could pull off the shy, introverted character of Adachi. However, Akaso Eiji really plays Adachi perfectly. Completely adapting to the introverted and anxious character and creating some of the most fun panicked scenes. In comparison to Kurosawa, Adachi acts much more like a manga/anime-character by constantly panicking but it makes him very cute. I'm sure anyone can fall in love with such an adorable and shy main character.

Side-couple:
The character called Tsuge is extremely entertaining, even more panicked than his friend Adachi at times. His adventures have been a joy to see, the self-proclaimed romance master never disappoints. His love-interest Minato has little screentime but is very cute as well. Them both being catlovers was also great to see as the cat Udon-chan really was a joy to see on screen.

Extra characters:
Then there's Rokkaku. This guy really makes a name for himself but all characters in this show have a good heart. His overly energetic presence was always immediately visible on screen and he has been a fun addition to the show. Fujisaki is the beloved female character and likely the best female character in all of BL. An example of how to give female characters a positive presence in a BL show. Her knowing smile and caring character really makes scenes a lot better. There's not a lot to say about Urabe but he has some character growth as well, showing that all characters have some good in them.

MUSIC -10
''I scream the voice of my heart'' - Omoinotake
I never skipped the opening or the ending of this show. Both are very nice to listen to. The opening of the show (Ubugoe/Birth) being Adachis view of the situation and the ending of the show (Good Love your Love) being Kurosawas view.
The background music really knows how to make emotional scenes hit hard. Even listening to the emotional piano music brings me back to the scenes all over again. The fun background music does its job in making the scenes seem wholesome or just an enjoyable experience.

REWATCH -10
''My heart can't take it anymore'' -Adachi
I can't even count how many times I've rewatched this show during its airing time. That's not a joke, I've been part of CM watchparties and rewatched the show myself a lot of times. I think even now that the show has ended its definitely worth rewatching to watch the great acting of the main leads or just to enjoy the experience all over again. Because this show is just that, an enjoyable experience. You can also find many hidden details if you pay attention when watching the show.

In conclusion, give the show a chance and even if the first episodes don't work for you I can assure you that you will fall in love with Adachi and Kurosawa eventually. Something widely refered to as the Cherry Magic effect.

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An utterly hilarious romcom that actually respects the intelligence of its audience

This show has all the perfect ingredients for a successful romcom:

1. Acting
Leads’ chemistry on crack? Check. It’s Zhao Lusi after all, who excels in this genre. Ryan ding is also surprisingly great at being devious AND also adorable. Although sometimes QQ veers ever so slightly into annoying troublemaker territory, ZLS redeems her with lots of charm and cuteness. HS doesn't lose his brains while in love and stays true to his black-bellied roots, balancing it nicely with besottedness.
Lovable side characters? Check. The main villain isn’t even that detestable and the servants are the best I’ve seen at being loyal stans of their masters. The servants' constant bickering can even count as comic bromance.

2. Storyline
Of course, the most unique setup I’ve seen that even parodies all the usual drama tropes eg “hero saving the beauty”, "death by poisoning", etc and placing a comic spin on them. This is the first female centric drama with tongue in cheek social commentary and actually deals with the gender divide really well while still maintaining that light-hearted feel.
Fast-paced and non-draggy without unnecessary conflicts or rambling? Check. Every plot line is resolved within 2 episodes and twists and turns make for an enjoyable ride. Misunderstandings are quickly resolved and serve to push the story forward, even any short period of angst is satirized into a funny and absurd lovers' spat!

3. Production
Good music is actually not really necessary, but the sets and costumes are appealing enough to make you continue watching although it’s not the usual visual spectacle of dramatic masterpieces like other genres. This is a romcom after all! We just need the production to look sufficiently pretty and the leads will shine.

This show had me laughing through every episode from start all the way to the very end!! This rollercoaster does not lose steam and delivers all the way to a happy ending that is logically satisfactory as the only acceptable ending. It even manages to include insightful analysis of male-female relationships within the drama industry and in our modern world, which is enough meta for me to appreciate the intelligence of the scriptwriters. Even my brain cells are tickled. Watch it with your eyes and mouths wide open in joy and laughter!

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Certified Immortality Clowns

I honestly thought the title "Immortality" was clever at first but little did I know it was actually a prophecy about how long we’d be waiting for this drama to air. At this point, I feel like I’ve lived three lifetimes, reincarnated twice, and still there’s no release date.

The posters are gorgeous. The cast is perfect. The hype is through the roof. And then... nothing. Just radio silence, broken only by the occasional whisper of a rumor or some vague promise of “soon.” Soon? When?! Are we measuring time in centuries now?

It’s gotten to the point where I check for updates daily, WAIT no, hourly, like a lunatic. I can’t even scroll through social media without being attacked by edits, fancams,and fan theories that only fuel my obsession. I’ve rewatched the same behind the scene's so many times I could probably reenact it by memory. In full costume.

I swear, if this drama doesn’t air soon, I’m going to lose it. Forget immortality, I’ll turn into a ghost and haunt the production team until they release it.

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A delightful gem worth savouring

Every year without fail, at least one C-drama historical that’s underrated and under-the-radar but utterly deserving of praise, would somehow make its appearance in dramaland. This year’s gem, undoubtedly for me, is The Imperial Coroner.

If you love the detective genre in ancient historical settings, you’d love this. This drama bears a close resemblance to Miss Truth, Maiden Holmes, Ancient Detective and Young Blood, among the recent productions of this genre. Furthermore, there are other compelling reasons I’ve enjoyed this show immensely.

Why I Love It

The Tang Dynasty in which the drama is set in. Among all the ancient dynasties, this one is my favoured time period, particularly during the early to mid-Tang, because of the vibrant and thriving era of peace and economic prosperity, along with the burgeoning appreciation for fine arts and fashion. This is reflected in the bustling cosmopolitan city of Chang’an with the integration of myriads of cultures, when international trade was at its peak. This year seems to be the season of Tang with a number of dramas set in this timeline already released, notably The Long Ballad, Court Lady and Weaving a Tale of Love.

The production values of this drama. Although reportedly being low on budget, the overall quality isn’t hampered and it shows, because the money is spent on all the right places. Sometimes a drama is big budget because of the fees involved in casting big name stars. There are no A-list superstars involved here, which is just as well because what we get in return are decent cinematography, art direction, set designs (courtesy of Hengdian World Studios), action choreography, engaging direction and brisk pacing of the storytelling, as well as the blossoming talents of a young cast.

Speaking of the cast, for fans of Young Blood we get to see Su Xiao Tong again, this time in the lead role of the titular character. This young woman is worthy of top billing for this show because we get to see her showcase her expanding range in carrying this show through her character of Chu Chu. The rest of the cast are equally promising, with Wang Zi Qi’s characterization of the male lead Xiao Jin Yu particularly convincing. The supporting cast comprising Zhao Yao Ke, Yang Ting Dong, and Wang Yan Bin provide a very respectable account of their respective portrayals as members of the band of friends and team of investigators.

One of the more pleasing aspects of this production is the projection of visual designs and art. Its opening title sequence is one of the few I’ve seen that does not spoil any scenes from the show. It uses two versions, all of which feature conceptual art with a dramatic original score (as opposed to having an opening theme song). Throughout the drama, scenes of medical examination are accompanied by visual aid in the form of diagrams and title cards that provide concise explanation of the technical terms. Additionally, numerous visual representations of crime scene reenactment are added for the benefit of viewers.

The captivating plot about a gifted female coroner who works for the Imperial court in solving crimes is quite cleverly conceived. Based on the novel The Story of the Imperial Gift (御赐小仵作) by Qingxian Ya Tou (清闲丫头), the story fuses factual history with fiction, alongside some rather serious fictional dramatization. Real-life characters such as Emperor Xuanzong and the infamously powerful Eunuch faction, in addition to the Tang administrative system of the Judicial Ministry and the Censorate all form part of the overarching conspiracy that drives the story of this drama.

In comparison with some of the previously mentioned productions that are similar in nature, I honestly do think The Imperial Coroner is slightly better in terms of the execution and the storytelling. The chemistry and interactions between the various characters are more organic and positive, as opposed to some of the toxicity present in the messy love triangle and the rather “misogynistic” traits portrayed by the ML, in Miss Truth. The story progression here is much more engaging while the plotline is considerably more elaborate, in addition to the consistent writing of the FL character, when compared to Maiden Holmes. The depiction of the camaraderie between the main characters are a joy to watch and reminiscent of the gang in Young Blood and Ancient Detective.

Overall

The Imperial Coroner truly is a delightful watch that has pleasantly surprised not only me but many viewers as well, for most of the reasons mentioned earlier and perhaps some others as well. It may not be an epic masterpiece but it certainly holds its own against some of the big budget and highly anticipated C-historical productions that have been released this year. With only 36 episodes, it won’t take too much viewing time to savour this drama.

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This is one of the greatest Korean dramas I have ever seen. Easy 10/10.

Primarily a dialogue drama that is relatively slow-paced. I wouldn't recommend it for viewers who are impatient and want a lighthearted watch. The show focuses on business, politics, and societal issues in South Korea. Having lived in Korea, Life is so real that it hurts sometimes. If you liked Stranger, chances are you will love Life.

Following her first megahit drama, Stranger, writer Lee Soo Yeon brings us a refreshing drama that touches on societal problems while bringing to question how one's life should be lived and valued. This drama is entirely business, political and psychological, with surprisingly minimal medical scenes despite taking place within a university hospital. Unlike Stranger, there is moderate romance involved but it is definitely woven into the story without ruining the dark bureaucratic atmosphere. Moreover, rather than focusing on mysterious deaths (which is the opening scene), Life depicts the struggles of just your average-day life from numerous different perspectives.

I tend to stay away from medical dramas where nothing much really happens besides some overreaction with a patient dying and the heroes coming to say the day. Medical dramas are boring to me. But Life is completely different and kept me captivated the entire ride without a single moment of boredom. You know when you have snacks to eat when you watch a show, and by the time the drama ends you ate it all without realizing? Well when I watched Life, all my snacks were left untouched because I had to give the drama my undivided attention.

What makes one Life one of the best dramas I have ever seen is how they portray a certain situation or community problem from angles. Most dramas have a clear villain, a clear hero protagonist who will save the day, and the thin line between good and evil is easily distinguishable. Life shines all characters in a favorable and negative light at the exact same time. In the beginning, from one perspective, it's easy to characterize a person as "bad" for reasons such as "greedy" or "heartless." But then when you look at it from their perspective, there is no true right decision or wrong decision. Life really makes you confused and hating a character yet understanding and loving the same character at the same time. And I'm not talking about the bullshit kdrama "oh this handsome serial killer was neglected as a child so it's totally understandable for him to torture and murder people" type of understanding.

The beginning of Life starts out slow, especially in the first episode. But the beginning episodes lay out the political and business foundation that the rest of the story will revolve around. It's important to really comprehend what the problem at hand is in the beginning or else the characters and the ending will be pretty damn confusing. The story is brilliantly written and all the mysteries are woven together with little to no plot-holes left behind. The characters are well-drawn out, and the complexity of each person's position brings to light the different pains people have in their daily lives. Even if you're not a doctor, I think the daily struggles that these doctors have generalize to everyone who feels like life can be hard and distressing at times. The ending of the drama... Oh my god the ending. It's one of the best endings I have ever seen.

If you want to get pretentiously deep, Life does debate a lot of moral themes. Some themes I observed were:

What makes one person's life more meaningful or successful than another persons?
What makes one person a "good" person, and another a "bad person." What's the criteria of judgement?
Should all people be treated equal? Or should discretion based on circumstances rule (individual bias good or bad)?
Legality or Morality? Should we follow all procedures by the law or use our own moral judgement?
What's more important, the discovery of the truth or resolution of conflict?

Acting was phenomenal 10/10. I must say, the cast was one of the most stacked casts I have ever seen.
Yes, Lee Dong Wook was a bit underwhelming, but that's okay. I think he played his character well (his character wasn't a charismatic character, not much he can do).
Cho Seung Woo is a phenomenal actor and I felt like was clearly the main character of Life over Lee Dong Wook. I personally don't think Korean actors are the best at acting, but Cho Seung Woo is just brilliant. His acting in Life may very well have exceeded his acting in Stranger which is saying something!
It's time for Yoo Jae Myung to get a main character role. He has proven his brilliant acting again and again.
Lee Kyu Hyung takes on such interesting roles in all his dramas (Haerong in Prison Playbook) and Life was no different. You'll love him in this drama. He actually plays two characters, you'll see what I mean.
The rest of the cast, Moon So Ri, Cheon Ho Jin, Moon Sung Geun... just stacked I tell you. The acting matched the loftly quality of the drama.

Honestly the worst thing about this drama was the music, and the music was pretty good too. Just nothing that stood out that much to me other than that obnoxious loud "epic" boom soundtrack when the end of the episode draws near. I suppose Han Dong Geun's OST 1 "Home" was really good but it never really played during the show. Now that I think of it, because this drama was mostly a dialogue show, there wasn't as much music that played between scenes compared to other kdramas.

This is one of the rare dramas where I give the re-watch value a 10/10 because the mysterious death isn't the important point in this drama. It's about problems in society (particularly in the bureaucratic Korean society) and how different people, given their different positions, have different perspectives on how to solve the problem. In the process, how people view themselves as right and good, while viewing others with different opinions as wrong and bad. I think a lot can be learned about psychologically or at least thought about by watching Life. I think this drama would be just as interesting the second time around. It was a complex drama for sure, so watching it again would also clarify a lot of things for me.

Masterpiece! Thank you to everyone who produced this enlightening drama!

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Her Private Life would have become my favourite rom-com drama... if it ended on episode 14. Although I truly enjoyed (almost) every moment of it, it kind of lost its spark at the end and it became boring.

There are so many things that I loved here, but what made the drama that enjoying were definitely our main leads Sung Deok Mi and Ryan Gold. Not only their characters were perfect for each other, but Park Min Young and Kim Jae Wook's chemistry was the best. It was so natural that somewhere towards the end, it felt as if they weren't even acting anymore. I love how mature their relationship was which can't be seen very often in other rom-coms... unfortunately. The thing I loved the most about their relationship was how honest they were with each other - they cleared all misunderstanding just by talking, no pointless drama here. I loved the fact that Deok Mi was so considerate of Ryan and that was since the very beginning. And of course, Ryan was the same. Everything about their relationship was perfect and kudos to the writer for writing such a beautiful love story!

I was happy to see that fangirling was shown as a completely normal thing here. Deok Mi and Seon Joo are both in their 30s, but they are fangirls. Why not? There is nothing strange about it and I'm glad that the writer chose to show a different side of fangirling. As I fangirl myself, I'm very thankful for this. Seon Joo and Deok Mi were friendship goals honestly. Seon Joo is my favourite character here and I loved their relationship with her husband. And their child was sooo cute!

I think Eun Gi and Cindy were pretty pointless here, especially Cindy. At first, she seemed to be the antagonist, but then she became just a random character who had some funny scenes here and there. As for Eun Gi, he was sometimes annoying and his presence didn't really affect the story. I guess the writer just needed a second lead, because what is a rom-com without a second lead? And Ryan's friend was also annoying. I don't even remember her name, I couldn't get the point of her existence in the drama.

I didn't like the last two episodes. They were very boring, although there were some sweet moments with the main leads. I couldn't believe and I still can't that we had to see the same trope again..., why? Everything was good enough, so why would you ruin it? Eh, anyway, I was satisfied with the ending nevertheless.

So overall, despite being slightly disappointed by the last two episodes, I do recommed Her Private Life to all of you. It is not your usual rom-com and I believe you'll enjoy it. Oh, and while you are watching or after you finish it, don't forget to check out the bts videos that tvN uploaded, they will make you love the drama even more!

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Drama That Transcends Its Genre

Until We Meet Again is unique drama in its genre in many ways: it has unique story, exceptional acting and tackles some very hard, but important, subjects like homophobia, domestic violence and suicide, but also love, friendship and forgiveness. What this drama does not offer is instant gratification.

The only reason I rated the story 7.5 and not higher is not actually the story itself but rather the execution in some parts. Some moments were stretched too long and that time could have been used on some other moments which were cut too short. I didn't mind the pacing which seems to be a major complaint about this show. I actually liked to feel live I was living with these characters.

In spite of major fantastical element (reincarnation), the biggest plus for this drama is that it depicts a healthy, positive, loving, realistic gay relationship (two if you include In and Korn, in spite of their ending, three if you include Win and Team). Nothing is sensationalized or fetishized, there are no toxic tendencies, . On the other hand, homophobia and, especially, suicide are treated seriously and respectfully . Their consequences are serious, horrifying and lasting, the entire families devastated.

The other strength of UWMA is its spectacular cast. From the main actors (Fluke especially) to the people with barely two lines, from novices to veterans, every role was filled by someone who cared, someone who did their best. And I don't think production team slouched either. Their efforts are visible on the screen.

I could write much more about this drama, but I know I would inevitably stray into spoiler territory and I don't want to do that to those who still haven't seen this gem. I just know that this show will be re-watched and re-watched and re-watched in the months and years to come. I am jealous of those who have yet to discover it.

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This drama has set the bar too high

How can a drama be so perfect?

SHOWSTOPPING, JAW-DROPPING and just SPECTACULAR.

And this is coming from a highly critical kdrama watcher. I have honestly dropped so many dramas just because they got boring, and the ending felt too predictable. But with this drama, it was different. This drama has set the bar so high that it has become the golden standard for me. EVERYTHING from the humour to the romance and the little plot twists keeps you engaged throughout. There will never be a moment where you get bored. Even in the midst of a scene that you would think to be serious, you will almost always end up laughing. And speaking of laughter, your belly will probably ache at the end of each episode lol.

Apart from the plot, the actor and actress have outdone themselves. They will 100% climb up your kdrama actor/actress list.

The music is on point especially this one song that will get stuck in your head lol.

If you're a picky drama watcher I highly highly highly recommend this.

Have fun watching this :)

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