Reviews

SUCH a watchable movie! The four main characters are each unique and interesting in their own ways and the interactions between them are wonderful. It is one of those films that will make you cry with laughter and emotion. Truly amazing. The story itself is interesting, something different, and the way the story is told, again, is something different, but for me the characters are the reason I watch it again and again. After watching this I did try the anime and mange, but they weren't as uplifting or emotional. I also know that it's originally BL, so BL fans eat you heart out, and even if you're not, it's done in a way that it will entertain everyone!

Definitely recommended!

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The smoothest series, watchable- not bad but not exactly amazing.

First a quick recap. The cutest motorcycle driver (Mork) was dumped by his girlfriend for being poor. The (probably rich) doctor (Tawan) was heartbroken by a cheating lover. Together, they formed a friendship, and becasue the doctor, who brings his own protection(i mean the helmet), keeps riding the cute guy, I mean getting his services, I mean as a driver (SPOILER ALERT) they fell in love. And lived happily ever after. The end.

But seriously, who wouldnt fall for those dimples. Those sweet smile can make one wet and flood the dryest of the Saharan desert. The real question is why it took Tawan approximately 9 episodes to finally admit his feelings for Mork, still puzzles me.

There are so many things to love about the series. First, its a breath of fresh air that the series is not school or university themed, because god knows we have way too much of that already. Second, the main couple, their chemistry is not exactly electric but its hard to hate them. Did i mention how cute Fluke is? Everytime i think the show is too boring, this guy hooks me back in. Third, i love Mork's uncles specially since it is rare to see long-term same sex couple in a series. Fourth, the motorcycle ride in episode 7, when Tawan fell asleep behind Mork is BL gold.

On the other hand, these are some of the things they could have improved. First, Mork's friends were ok, but the riot act during the festival was totally unbelievable and could have been played better. Next, the second couple Toy and Boss. I loved seeing Yoon but Best could use some acting workshop, i just cant believe their chemistry. Third, I also hate to say this but Nadia and Mayom couple didnt make much impact, if only they gave them better arc. Fourth, and i dont know why, has something to do with the pacing, sometimes, it can feel a little too boring.

So, in overall, would i recommend? Yes, like i said, the dimples alone deserves the screen time. Would i rewatch? Hard to tell, but maybe not anytime soon.

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An intense, powerful and emotional thriller.

„If you’d have all the money and power in the world, what would you want next? To live forever.”

I didn’t expect much when I started this drama. Sure, I finished the first episode and thought „ugh, another 16 hour show about serial killers.” I was so glad I was wrong. Oh boy, It is MUCH deeper than that.
To be honest, it is extremely hard to express how dark and emotional this drama really is. As we arrive to the second half of the show we realize that our beloved ML is not only fighting against the antagonists, but also his own darkness.

The cinematography and music was on point. The combination of the dark atmosphere and the sometimes suspenseful, other times overly emotional music just came together perfectly, making a drama that feels like a punch in the gut – in the best way possible.

While some characters could have been a little bit more interesting, and some things did feel a tiiiny bit convenient and exaggerated, I have to say: everything connects BEAUTIFULLY. The writing is actually so good that even when you see a twist coming, you're still going to feel the things you’re supposed to.
That is a word I would use to describe this drama: FEELINGS. All kinds of feelings and maybe too much of them, because I swear to GOD it ripped my soul apart.

The plot is really well done and there are many twists throughout it, constantly keeping us on the edge of our seat and eager to see what happens next or just simply feeling hopeless.

The three main leads are phenomenal and the side characters are great. The old man was my favourite. The acting is incredible. Seol Hyun's acting was just too good. At times I could feel what her character was feeling. I wanted to cry with her.

I could go on for hours about how good the fight scenes were and how explosive the chemistry between the leads was, but I’m just going to tell you to watch it. It’s something everyone needs to experience. Go watch it.

So what is Awaken really like?
Addictive. Unforgettable. Emotional. Brilliant.

Also it's great to see more dramas get more than one season, but why not do the same with this one? There is so much potential here for a second season.

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Dramas with a moderately dark, controversial, and intense plots addicts me to it a LOT. And, 'Sachi-iro no One Room' is such a drama.

The plot is pretty controversial, as you can see how it romanticized a case of kidnapping. But, if you check out the drama, you'd realize that it isn't exactly a case of kidnapping, as the supposedly stalker male-lead simply saved the female-lead from committing suicide and only asked if she wanted to live with him. She agreed, as she had given up on life. It was nothing serious for her to live with a stalker after getting abused by parents, bullied by classmates, and sexually harassed by her teacher. If you simply look into the drama, you'll find out how the story is interesting and how it would pull you into it- and the doubtful thought you had after seeing the summary would go away from your mind.

The actors are pretty good too and the simple-yet-so-satisfying cinematography would surely make you enjoy this short drama as much as I did. Plus, the OST is absolutely amazing. Recommended indeed!

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Before you even consider watching this movie, be prepared to have your heart moved beyond return.

Where do I even begin with the beautiful movie? I watched this movie in the cinemas without any idea what I was going to be watching, no trailer and no synopsis at all. But the movie captivated me from the beginning. On surface level, it seems like a light-hearted, slice of life type movie revolving around a loving father and his daughter, but little did I know it was so, so, so much more than that.

There’s so much to say about this movie, but I’ll start with entertainment factors. If you enjoy plotlines that are based of real-life stories, tackle the human experience, explore history and how they shaped the world today, all whilst mixed with comedy here and there, then this is for you. If you have no idea whether or not you like any of the just mentioned, then this movie essentially follows the experience of a normal human stuck in a political revolution. Now, some of you might hear politics and cringe instantly, but A Taxi Driver manages to convey the whole plotline and context effortlessly without delving deep into the political history at all, making it a foreigner friendly film if you don’t know much about Korean political history.

A Taxi Driver also really does an amazing job at capturing human emotion. There are parts of the movie that are just so raw, sometimes you hate the main character, sometimes you love him, but despite whatever his actions, we could still understand and sympathise. Of course some of the situations are probably dramatized for effect from the true story, but in terms of the overall context of protests and uprising, it definitely conveys the aspects involved in these parts of history.

I would definitely recommend a packet of tissues and some social justice warrior spirit to watch this. Overall I think it’s a very important film because it really sheds light on some issues that we take for granted today (e.g. a free media!). So if you’re not really into this type of entertainment, I would still suggest you watch this just to learn a little more about things like protests and democracy.

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THE BEST LEGAL COURTROOM DRAMA EVER!

Are you a fan of the American legal thriller TV series HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER? Then, LAW SCHOOL is definitely for you. Not a remake, but the premise of the drama and the primary set-up is inspired by the said English series.

Law School had been one of the most anticipated drama of the year 2021, that too a rare legal courtroom thriller drama. And everyone can see how it has paid off to everyone's expectations. Kim Myung Min, Kim Bum and Ryu Hye Young are indeed the reason all of us were damn sure about the quality drama it'll be. What a powerful cast to begin with!

The very first scene of the very first episode of this drama; that one single scene where the writer and the director decided to show the faces of the cast for every major character and proved what the class and standard of their drama will be. That was so lovely of a scene to witness and made me feel woah. The production actually succeeded in dragging us into the drama.

Law School has a straicase plot development which means, it's neither steady storyline or a combination of connecting plots; rather a series of related events where everything is revealed in a step by step manner leading to the main climax in the end. I loved the way every character in it catched up to a new event that they were completely unaware of, resonated it on the individual level utilizing law that they study, gave it a trail for good and finally let it go.

Law School has the typical urban thriller editing but they keep the intense mood up all the time by running the screenplay at the apt speed, hence making it interesting and not boring.

To be honest, the first 2 episodes felt a bit dull and confusing. They keep going forward and backward in time, multiple times which didn't allow me to catch up to what exactly was happening. But it caught momentum from the 3rd episode and got better since then. And from the 6th episode, it actually became very interesting and I enjoyed watching.

Character development is a thing that's been shown for only limited characters among a huge number of cast but that's fruitful given how they changed from facile and one dimensional beings to stronger individuals with the drama's progression. Notably, the screentime distribution is even for all the characters, the lead trio being the ones to get slightly more duration; one of the handful dramas where both male and female characters are equally emphasised and well balanced. A major credit to the writer for that.

Kim Myung Min being the arrogant and most lawful man (in the entire world), might make your blood boil to the point that you might wanna smash him down but before you realize, he shall capture your heart with his badguy charisma (I've actually fallen for him :P). DO NOT expect to see much romance between Kim Bum and Hye Young because the drama ain't about that though Kim Bum sometimes love to flirt with Hye Young as he kind of admires her a lot. On the other side, Hye Young who is unaware of her fluttering heart for Kim Bum, is always annoyed by Kim Bum and herself is so annoying, haha. Her character development is notable for she grows to being a righteous law person from a girl, not good at studies.

Let's talk about the legal aspects. I have always felt that not many people watch pure legal dramas unless it has a major part of romance and melodrama but if we are talking about a courtroom drama or movie, it has to be like Law School. Some people might wanna give up because they keep blabbering about the criminal codes, constitutional laws, articles and sections at a rate that you have to pause many times to understand and channelise the things but trust me, that's what happenes in a real courtroom. They have included and discussed a lot of clauses but they also made sure to make us understand them with examples and elaborations even during the trials. They've also wisely introduced the shortcomings in the existing law & order, thus implying a need of change in them. This work is hence highly commendable.

It's done pretty well even if you judge it as a thriller. They kept increasing our urge & curiosity to know who the actual culprit is. Unlike many thrillers, you might hesitate to predict and make theories about this drama because everything is simultaneous and transparent and which is why I thought the revelation of the culprit will come as a huge shock, but not gonna lie, it was disappointing. It turned out to be an already very bad guy so I wasn't like woah. But I doesn't matter because it's primarily a courtroom drama and evem after the revelation, it didn't become boring or anything rather more cases were added on the same episide as compensation which never felt like getting dragged at all.

The background sound editing and screenplay is nice. The direction is amazing as well that kept people going, especially for viewers like me who are into binging. But I think this drama is a huge disadvantage for those who watch ongoing. It's not frustrating as there's nothing to predict or think about and honestly you won't have to wait for a week eagerly to watch the next episode.

Law School is indeed one of the best thrillers of 2021 and overally among all the thrillers too and let me call it the BEST LEGAL COURTROOM KDRAMA EVER PRODUCED.

P. S. I sometimes got the DEAD POETS SOCIETY vibes because of the way Prof. Yang gathered his students and they even had a hideout in the copy room. HAHAHA

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There's a reason why You Who Came from the Stars had fans watching each episode while sitting on the edge of their seats every week and peeking out their windows after the show aired, hoping for their own personal alien invasion. With Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince references woven here and there throughout the story, this drama has everything you could possibly want. It lacks for nothing! Charismatic, believable leads; romantic storyline; and an incredibly evil/creepy villain. ALL the actors brought their A-game to this one. It was one of those rare gems where they must have all just clicked and it translated to the screen. I loved everything about this drama- even the intro scene that shows the passage of time. You can tell that great care went into the making of drama right down to the smallest detail. I loved the flash backs that filled in the backstory. I loved the documentary feel when they interviewed the characters. I loved how the second male lead actually helped move the story forward and wasn't clueless/innocent and certain aspects. That was refreshing. I especially loved the fact that Jun Ji Hyun was secure enough as an actress to really show different aspects of her character and let you see the vulnerability and human-ness while still being egomaniacal and exasperating yet sweet and even goofy! I loved the internal/external monologues she would have with herself. I loved how the male lead's class lectures were tied into that episode's storyline. I loved his wild jealous imaginings. They're the most adorable kdrama couple I've seen to date and the comedic timing on the facial expressions from the two leads was perfection. The clothing/costumes especially the female lead's was perfection. Can you tell I have a lot love for this one yet?

Seriously though, I'm re-watching this show for the 3rd time now and enjoying it immensely! Even though I know what's going to happen I still have nail biting moments and I've noticed very small details that I believe I missed the first two times. It speaks of the universal search for your person or people. The ones who when they're around you, no matter where you are it becomes home. If you watch it you won't regret it.

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The show had some really good moments and the actors all had great chemistry, but ultimately it fell short because there just wasn't enough story to keep it going for 16 episodes.

First the things that I liked... I really enjoyed the relationships that developed between all of the main characters and the staff at The Most (yes, THE Most). Ha Ri and Hye Jin are adorable together. While Ha Ri does have some demons I really do feel like the girls authentic friendship was delightful and not something I see in many dramas. The main couple were cute together but SIWON WAS AMAZING. If it were up to me, his character would be the lead of a spin off show. Also shout out to Shin Dong Mi as the Fashion Director. It was a minor role but she brought a lot of heart to it and was one of the main reasons that I loved The Most staff.

Okay, now despite all of that... the story was pretty superficial and a bit of a mess. We had these beautiful characters but their stories didn't really come together to tell anything meaningful. Hye Jin as a young girl and Hye Jin as a young woman have a lot of similar interests but virtually no personality traits in common with each other. One is elegant, the other goofy and the story never explains how just because she ran into hard times a person could change so much. This is just one example of MANY where the plot details are thrown in but never really integrated into the story. The Management Team, Sung Joon's weird eating/zombie habits, Hye Jin's sister, Ha Ri's bizarre relationship with her parents and step-parents, (which had oddly both too much and too little detail)...and don't get me started about the CEO's son mystery. In the end all of these things just felt like red herrings thrown in to fill time around the central love quadrangle.

In summary, I really, really enjoyed parts of this show but, despite the show being about the importance of what's below the surface, as a cohesive drama She was pretty lacked a lot of depth. Watch it for the cute fluff but don't expect much more.

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Have you ever asked yourself what's more important in a drama? Plot or acting? Can a good performance turn a mediocre plot into something unique?
Fated to Love You answers this question with a decisive Yes.

Let's have a look at this plot. Aside from it being a remake of a popular Taiwanese drama, this is a collection of old clichés: doormat girl meets obnoxious rich guy, an incident of some sort occurs and compels them to live under the same roof, meddling – and maddening – relatives, random humour, misunderstandings, birth secrets, the 'other girl' and the 'other guy', all spiced up with a lot of noble idiocy (although this might be one of the few cases when the noble act is frustrating but comprehensible). It's not hard to see why I treaded on this very makjang field on tiptoe.

Therefore, my overall 9 has to be ascribed entirely to the impeccable acting and one of the best thought of OST of songs I've come across. Try out the first 10 minutes of this show, and you'll have no doubts the whole thing is going to be played on style, rather than plot substance. The performance of the whole cast is brilliant, but the two leads manage to outshine everything and everyone.
What could have resulted in two trite, annoying characters in lesser hands, becomes one of the best matched couple in melo/romantic comedy. Even when their plot-line drags – and it does, here and there – they are both able to sustain the silence and make it resound.

Jang Hyuk… wow, the man can act. Yes, I suppose this is a very superfluous statement for the many of you who know him, but this is my first time and I was enchanted. The character he creates here has no grey areas: Gun is so over the line he goes from hysterically funny to heartbreaking in the space of a few minutes. At times the two aspects are interwoven, and the viewer gets glimpses of his pain through his laughter. But his best trait in my opinion is that he doesn't give a dry fig about what people think of him: he goes on doing what he believes is right in the craziest of manners.
It doesn't hurt that the actor is seriously hot. Seriously. When he cuts his hair – this is not considered a spoiler, is it? - I was so distracted here and there I forgot to watch the drama and just watched him.

This said, Jang Na Ra is downright brilliant. For the first time in my drama addicted life, I loved a 'weak' heroine. There's a special quality about the rendition of her character that turns her weakness into strength, and her compliance into endearing sweetness. One can see why Gun falls in love with her, because the viewer experiences the same. Possibly, we all know from the start that Kim Mi Young will eventually change, and yet she keeps her true, generous nature intact. With her beautiful, huge eyes she speaks volumes and her chemistry with Jang Hyuk on screen is tangible.

Notable mention for Song Ok Sook, aka Mi Young's mother. I enjoyed every minute of her antics and rejoiced in her relationship with both her daughter and her son in law.

I already mentioned the music. As a rule, I only like instrumental pieces in dramas. I'm making an exception here not only because the songs are beautiful, but because each piece is chosen with the utmost care, emphasising in turn the fun, the suffering, the romance, the absurd. Isn't this what an Ost should do? Perfect score from me.

Because I believe the plot to be absolutely secondary in this drama, I'm sure it lends itself very well to future re-watching.

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One of the best thai bl this year

This was a journey, an experience, that will forever stay with me. I absolutely loved this series. The cinematography, directing, production level, acting, story - marvelous, beautiful and stunning.

STORY:
This series is a fiction, subtly yet un-subtly, calling out all the problems and flaws in the BL industry from toxic tropes, stereotypes, overcontrolling script writers to the cruel treatments of their casts, amongst other things. The story is about Gene, a professional BL writer, desperate to break out of the BL genre and try writing something else for a change. But his overbearing publisher refuses him to do so and downright coerces him into writing yet another BL story following his last successful novel that's in the process of being produced into a series called 'Bad Engineer The Series'. Sitting through the audition for Bad Engineer is where he meets Nubsib, who's apparently a sheep in wolf's clothing. Nubsib is auditioning for the series and manages to snag the main lead role. It seems to be Gene's and Nubsib's first meeting, but apparently not because they actually met as children around 14 years ago. They've got history, but it looks like Nubsib is the only one who remembers.

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I have watched a lot of Thai BLs to last me a lifetime (not really, it's never enough) so I know if a series was going to disappoint me halfway into it. Lovely Writer did not disappoint. At all. What got me into the series was the plot. If you've got a good and interesting plot, trust it to grasp your attention. Add to it a well-acclaimed, accredited and well-loved director to the mix? It's bound to be good, like really, really good. And then of course, you have the actors and actresses that brought their characters to life like no other; their emotions, personalities that was made their own... it was /chef's kiss/.

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INCOMING SPOILER ALERT!! EPISODE 9 (i can't stop talking and thinking about EP 9. It's a masterpiece in all sense)

Episode 9 was too good. It was downright cinematic. The blockings for some of the scenes were amazing - it was art at it's finest, in just one episode. Storyline was on-point, characters well-portrayed, cinematography a masterpiece and a rollercoaster of emotions! There were no dull moments or awkwardness in between~ It was all amazingly done!

The way this episode showed how problematic homophobic norms were passed down from one generation to the other, that living as a gay person means living in fear and judgment, that accepting oneself as being gay is not "normal"... It needs to stop. This episode also showed how it's all funny and amusing until one of your children is actually the one being called funny and amusing. It's interesting and nice to see how they showed the parents being entertained by the gays on-screen but when it's someone from the family, the table's suddenly quiet and all hell breaks loose. Not many people could fully understand how heavy and nerve-wrecking the scene at the family table actually was, because I could never. But the emotions that ran through each and every one of the characters, I could at least dare to slightly fathom the weight of the confession scene as well as the confrontation scene later on. I am genuinely impressed and touched with each character, and letting the characters to freely speak their minds without inhibitions. It's a wake-up call, and it's about time.

Aside from the heavy scenes of this episode, there were the soft and steamy ones that I, not gonna lie, ABSOLUTELY loved! There were so many of my favourite scenes in this episode, and of course, many domestic ones that I've embarrassingly found myself squealing to. No regrets though 'cause SibGene are so adorable and beautiful together.

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Also, in terms of my fav characters in this series, it's got to be Gene, Nubsib, both their parents, and Hin. First off, kudos to Gene. Absolutely loved his character development. He seemed so unsure of himself at the beginning of the series but after knowing who he was, he chose to accept himself and face it head on. I'm amazed at how brave of a man he was. He was the epitome of confidence, being honest to himself and choosing not to be a coward, even from his own family. He knew what could happen if he admitted to his relationship with Nubsib but he still did it anyway because he knew it was the right thing to do, and he wanted to be honest with both himself and his parents. Really, Gene deserved the world, but the world didn't deserve him. And Nubsib, raising standards every step of the way. He's the consent king and nobody can tell me otherwise. Always making sure he's not forcing Gene to do anything he didn't want to do and telling him he's willing to wait for him if he's not ready... where do I get myself a Nubsib, huh?

Gene's and Nubsib's parents, who would've known they would be the most supporting people in those two men's lives? Especially Gene's father. He really wins best father of the year. I love this series for not only showing the main lead's story but also the supporting characters so we could understand each one of them, at least a little bit. Gene's mothers are besties for life, their fathers are best bros, their brothers are bffs, what more is there to ask for?

And then we got Hin. Hin, the character we thought was going to betray Gene but pulled a 180 degree on us and called us stupid by actually sacrificing his passion and love for writing to protect his friend. You can't find a more genuine and honest friend than Hin. We all wished we had a Hin in our lives.

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Starting from the first episode, each and every scene were played and directed so well, I wondered, "why was this so good already from Ep 1?" Was it the unique plot, the well-known director, the amazing actors, or all of the above? Fyi, it was the latter, just in case someone was still wondering. But what I especially loved was the shade thrown on the BL stereotypes and all the other toxic labels. This series was not following your typical BL from the get-go and I loved it. This mindset carried on, and it didn't stop until the end where they performed short plays from famous Disney fairytales. It was their way of saying, BLs are fantasies too, don't mix fiction with reality. And also that two men can play these cheesy fairytales perfectly well. And they killed it, too. It was 10/10!

And the chemistry, you can't NOT talk about the chemistry between Up and Kao. It was phenomenal. Everyone knows this by now, and even if you don't like either of them (i don't understand you), you can't deny their chemistry. Up is an exceptional actor. His portrayal of Gene was splendid, especially the way he shows every emotions through his face expressions and body movements. Every little movement or gesture had a meaning, a purpose behind it. That's how much of an amazing actor Up is. And Kao has improved SO MUCH from the beginning. He's done so well with Nubsib and brought his character to justice. The way he looked at Gene with love, respect and fondness is out of this world. The way he showed his frustration, anger and jealousy was so strong, I felt it too. His feelings for Gene was unrivaled. A serious round of applause for the both of them!! There's no Gene without Up, and there's no Nubsib without Kao. Up was the perfect Gene, and Kao was the perfect Nubsib.

And of course, another round of applause for the rest of the cast and crew! The beauty of this series is that no matter what is talked about, no matter the difference in pacing, mood, purpose, and TEA, it still fit perfectly in their world called Lovely Writer. And as many people have said, this series has raised bars and standards for any BL drama. They've all made something top-tier in this industry, and they deserve all the love and admiration.

I love how Lovely Writer depicts the good side of LGBT relationships, but also the cruelty of society that's against it. LW does not only show the joys of being in love but also the struggles. This series is a fukken masterpiece, exquisite in every component. I can't praise this series enough. I don't think I can enjoy a BL series with a weak plot anymore. Back then, I'd watch anything as long as it's BL but now...

So far, to me, it's one of the best BL this year. No, dare I say, it's the best BL I've had the pleasure of watching in my entire life.

There are a few people out there who dropped this series after watching the first or second episode. Trust me, I was dumb enough to have thought about dropping it too, but I pushed through and look where we're at now. Watch the series guys, give it a chance.
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Jumong was my gateway drama. Someone might as well have handed me 81 packets of heroin and said “Go for it!”. Epic in all the best ways, it steals shamelessly from adventure stories ranging from the Odyssey to The Three Kingdoms to Robin Hood, traversing decades of time and miles of gorgeous mountain scenery as it crams in battles, family strife, romance, betrayal and the occasional heavenly portent. It has a sweeping, old-school Hollywood feel, but with modern touches that include a smart, independent heroine and a trans/non-binary character who actually gets to have an adorable romantic relationship with the most unlikely of partners.

The plot lines may hardly be original, but the complexity of the main characters gives the old stories a freshness and power they would otherwise lack. Song Il Guk does a fine job as the young prince destined to found an empire, but my favorite actors (and characters) were Hu Joon Ho as the grizzled veteran Haemosu and Jun Kwang Ryul as the tormented king Kumwa. Hu exudes presence every moment he’s onscreen, and Jun’s portrayal of the king’s increasingly conflicted and destructive loyalties is devastating. The show also uses its length to draw us so completely into its web of relationships that many of its most powerful scenes are not the giant battles but the quiet moments where a truth is revealed or a lie is told or a heart is broken.

Does everything work? No. The plot meanders in the final third, with wild goose chases down narrative lines that seem designed to kill time rather than actually deliver meaningful revelations. I could have lived without the saccharine pop ballad love songs on endless repeat and you could get rip-roaring drunk in no time if you took a shot whenever someone stages an ambush, falls off a cliff, discusses an evil plan around an ornate wooden table or survives getting shot by multiple arrows. However, if you’re looking for ridiculously immersive popular entertainment and don’t mind sleep deprivation, you’re in for a hell of a ride. Just be careful – this whole drama thing can get addictive . . . .

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The director of My Love from the Star and While You Were Sleeping, Oh Choong-hwan and the dynamic sister writing duo, Hong: Jung-eun and Mi-ran of The Greatest Love and Master's Sun repute collaborated for the first time and masterfully cast a very potent spell by transporting us to the spooktacular world of Hotel del Luna, a place of healing and rejuvenation for ghosts as they teeter on the precipice between the mortal world and the great beyond.

Every episode of Hotel del Luna is amusing, captivating, intriguing, stirring, and thrilling due to the perfect balancing of humour, fantasy, myth-making, drama, romance, and horror further enhanced by the gorgeous costumery of the female lead, visually-dazzling production, heartstrings-tugging soundtrack music, cameo roles, and socially-relevant sub-plots that tackled: molka epidemic; prevailing patriarchal assumptions; and toxic netizen culture.

Two of the most popular young actors today, Lee Ji-eun or better known as IU and Yeo Jin-goo exude palpable chemistry in their memorable lead performances as Jang Man-wol and Gu Chan-seong, respectively. The accursed millenium-old Man-wol is the alluring, chic, ethereal, luxurious, and petulant chatelaine of the mystical and marvellous Hotel of the Moon while the dashing, dutiful, empathetic, and courageous Harvard graduate Gu Chan-seung serves as the hotel's 99th or current human manager.

Veteran thespian Seo Yi-sook leads the trio of superb supporting cast as the mysterious deity with several identical manifestations. She is joined by Shin Jung-geun who plays the 500 y/o untimely-killed Joseon top scholar-turned-hotel bartender and by Bae Hae-sun, the 200 y/o grudgeful murdered daughter-in-law of a privileged clan who is the hotel's meticulously efficient room service supervisor. Also starring are promising actors Lee Do-hyun and Lee Tae-sun; idols P.O and Mina; and Cho Hyun-cheul and Park Yoo-na. Jung Dong-hwan as ex-Manager Noh and Kang Ho-seok as Grim Reaper are also endearing in the portrayal of their special characters.

Hotel del Luna, although a fantastical drama, is actually a foray into the reality of life. It teaches among other things: that like flowers from the moon tree, life is beautiful yet fleeting - and so, we must make the most out of it; that humans are endowed with the ability to make choices and are consequently tasked to bear responsibility for the choices they made; that life is not always easy or fair - as such, we must learn to play the hand we're dealt with much courage and grace; that if the past is a source of suffering or ill-feelings, we must learn to let go and make peace with it and with ourselves if there's nothing anymore that can be done about it; that our way of thinking and feeling can have a powerful outcome or influence; that revenge is sweet for it provides an outlet for pent-up aggression and wounded feelings, but, at the same time, it is also burdensome and masochistically painful for it recoils and does not diminish with time, thus inflicting endless pain on the person who exacted vengeance; that forgiveness has a rending and liberating power; that love has a transmogrifying power which can contour our character - either for the worse or for the better; and as Gu Chan-seung has perfectly shown us - that true love is self-abnegating or it makes you forget yourself and seek the welfare of your beloved.

Unfailingly riveting until the end, Hotel del Luna will for sure hold a place in the hearts of many of us. A big kudos to the writers, director, actors, and production crew for making this drama an enjoyable and worthwhile watch.

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Drama hangover

Like many reviews here, if you’re looking for something funny and light hearted. This is it. The plot is not too complicated. The romance between the leads is through the roof. And the actors were simply awesome.

Personally, I really like YBY. I’ve watched Listening Snow Tower, Love and Redemption. I can say I’ve seen her improved with each drama. And in My Sassy Princess, she has exceeded my expectations and I’m so proud of her. Every glance, small smile, smirk, raised eyebrow, tear was on point. She captured Liu Ling’s emotions really well.

I’ve not watched many of ZYC’s shows but in this drama he is cute, so cute. The action scenes were really entertaining and smooth. I enjoyed every second of it. And his chemistry with YBY is very sweet. I’m all smiles whenever their scenes come up.

The downside was how some scenes were edited. It felt quite rushed and some parts didn’t make much sense. But this did not take the joy away of watching this drama.

And I just love how this drama can make me cry and laugh at the same time. All in all, a very entertaining piece. Looking forward to the actors future dramas!

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