Reviews

Definition of military's reality

D.P. is a short drama but it still manages to be entertaining and bring up some real military life issues at the same time.


It has a lot of dark, raw, gore and emotional moments, thus it’s not a light drama. However, there are also action and some stress-relief scenes perfectly balanced which make the drama easier to watch without destroying the serious tone of it. As the episodes go by, the atmosphere gets heavier and heavier. The ground is being prepared for the most intense moment of the series: the finale.

The production is pretty decent and meticulous so D.P. is pleasant to watch. There are many nice sceneries, shots, scene transitions and also, the colors and filters of the drama have been selected carefully.

The main color is yellow, the color of madness, sickness, mental illness, egoism, betrayal and caution. The more serious and dark scenes have basically cool colors but in general, D.P. is full of vivid colors similar to a comic’s color palette. The colors, in combination with the old styled (mainly jazz) soundtrack of the series, give a retro vibe. It feels like an old comic is brought to life. Every scene is like a moving comic frame and every scene transition is like turning the page.

The acting is remarkable and almost all the characters are interesting and well-written. Every actor did a great job at portraying a different character of the military corps and all of them look quite realistic. The two main characters, Ahn Joon Ho, the newbie-robot soldier who is doing everything by the book, and Han Ho Yul, the warmhearted, social and funny person that everyone wants as a friend, created a very dynamic duo.

D.P. did actually a pretty good job at highlighting the raw reality of the military and the mental deterioration that causes to humans. Enlisting in the military is like entering another reality, the reality of war. There, public laws do not exist. Human rights do not exist, only the law of the superior, the law of the powerful. Military training tries to simulate the conditions of war by letting bullying and harassment be without punishment. Although this is limited now, it still remains, and this has to change.

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I remember watching the anime first a while ago, but I don't remember much about it other than the fact that I enjoyed it. After watching this drama I still enjoyed it - and loved it! It's a light drama for the most part, you have your silly moments - but you also have your heartwarming and moving moments. While there are some things about this drama that might seem cliche nowadays - you have to keep in mind that it came out almost 1O years ago and it was original for the time.



In the beginning you have all of these arrogant kids who start to change and mature as Yankumi becomes their teacher. She takes care of her students, she's always on their side. It's a drama that says "You can live by standing on your own two feet" - sometimes you just need a helping hand.



The acting is great - Part of my reason for wanting to watch this drama was for MatsuJun: the more I see of him the more I can see him as a great actor for his portrayal of different types of roles. The rest of the cast was great, too, no complaints.



The music is okay - they only really had 1 song that played at the end of the drama. The rest were instrumentals that fit the drama but didn't stand out to me.



I think I'll watch this drama again someday.



Overall: I think this is a drama worth watching. Remember that it came out in 2OO2, that it's also based off a manga. It gets better with each episode - I watched the last 7 episodes in one day. If you're looking for something light and comedic with characters that go through problems and mature - this is a good drama to watch (:

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A disaster-themed movie has quite often produced in Korean Industry these days. But what makes this movie really interesting was, it's purpose to criticize the Korean Government (President Park Scandal, Sewol Tragedy) as well as the concern of many regarding a nuclear power plant in southern areas which is peril of earthquake.

The movies showed a lil bit of government's incapacity to react on national crisis due to politics and nation's image issues. And this fatal mistakes led to a bigger crisis and loss from their citizen. The pace was fast. We got straight to the main crisis on the first few minutes, but the writer still capable to maintain the depth of each character. There wasn't any flashback scene (almost), unlike the usual Korean Movie's with fast pace plot, but we still able to understand each character's idealism and initial heart.

Pandora showed a good, undisturbing, graphics. There wasn't any action and all the focus was to solve one big crisis in any way feasible. Surprisingly, with this thick and intense plot, Pandora wasn't boring at all. In fact, we were brought to a roller coaster of emotion, right from the very start. A mass production, with the purpose to remind that a big advantage has the same amount of risk within it. Entertaining, as well as educating (who knows that South Korea has 24 nuclear power plant in 9 southern cities?)

That's it the Pandora.
"Don't close your eyes because of fear. Don't cover your ears because of fears. We have opened the Pandora's Box. Although disaster were inside. Wasn't there also hope?"

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Not bad, but also not enjoyable to watch

I think there’s a difference between a series being good/bad and it being enjoyable. Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo has many of the elements to be considered a good show. The main actors are talented, the couple has chemistry when they are together and the soundtrack is nice. The scene on episode 2 where they feel shy and awkward about kissing is an amazing portrail of young love, and not something we see often in BLs. But, overall, I personally didn’t find the experience of watching this show enjoyable.

It’s the same feeling I had with To My Star 2, from the same director/screenwriter. Even before realizing that fact, I kept thinking the shows had so many similarities. For that reason, I know a lot of people might enjoy this show a lot more than I did. I really enjoyed To My Star, which reminded me of the first few episodes of Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo. But from episode 4 onward, it's To My Star 2, which I didn’t like at all. And I know I’m the minority on that.

I really have a hard time enjoying shows with protagonists that are not at least a little bit likable. They can be bad, they can be annoying, they can be grumpy, they can be irrational … but they also need to be likable. And I definitely had a hard time with adult Dohoe. Most of the time I just wanted the episodes to end because I couldn’t stand him any longer. Yes, I understand his life was tough. But it’s not like Juyeong had a perfect life after feeling guilty for 12 years. So guilty that he took care of the guy that physically abused him for all those years. He also didn't achieve his dreams.

Dohoe is directly responsible for his unhappiness, he let his pride win. He chose not to get involved when he saw Juyeong getting beat, he chose to remain friends with Hyeonho, he chose not to contact Juyeong and then go work close to him.

It’s been a long time since I wanted so much for a main couple to end up apart in a BL, simply because I despise one of the characters so much. Juyeong simply deserved better.

PS: Hyeonho’s constant presence also annoyed me a lot. It’s not like he had a major impact in the story, other than to cause issues to prevent the couple being together. The fake university diploma and the whole issue with the student’s mom could move forward without him.

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Thame Po - My roman empire!

Some dramas aren’t just stories, they feel like home. You settle in with the characters like you are sinking into the warmth of a familiar chair, surrounded by memories and unspoken feelings. You laugh with them, cry with them and at times, you feel as if you are living through their pain and joy. The emotions are not just shown, but deeply felt.
Thame Po was all the above for me. Yes, the story was predictable and cliché at times but somehow the execution is done almost right. It's a romcom that feels familiar but fresh, somehow reminding me why I love these types of plots in the first place.

The chemistry between Po and Thame was the heart of this drama for me. Their relationship was built on small, tender moments rather than grand gestures and it’s this subtle intimacy that makes their connection so real.
The way Thame looks at Po, with such warmth and affection makes their interactions feel genuine and heartfelt. The chemistry is soft and subtle but undeniable and it’s clear they are there for each other without needing to shout it out. There was this unspoken support between them where they constantly lifted each other up, even when things got tough. It’s those quiet, thoughtful moments that make their romance feel so down-to-earth.

The friendship within the Mars group is another part of the drama I enjoyed. Despite all the tensions, drama and misunderstandings, there was a genuine sense of camaraderie between the five members. Their relationships evolve throughout the story and the tension slowly turns into more understanding and support. You can totally feel the love and loyalty between them. It was cool to see a squad where everyone’s got their own vibe, but they still have each other’s backs no matter what.

The drama also addressed the para social relationship between idols and their fans, particularly the tensions that arise when idols are rumoured to be in relationships, like with Pepper's arc. It was refreshing to see this topic tackled head-on, acknowledging the impact these dynamics can have on both the idol and their supporters. However, I felt that the issue was somewhat brushed off in the narrative (in Pepper's case). It would have been better if they had fleshed out that arc more to explore feelings and the consequences, which could have added more depth to the overall storyline.

The music in the drama is another good surprise. The portrayal of the Mars group, led by the LYKN members is on point, adding an extra level of authenticity to the music-driven plot. Their performances are full of energy and the songs are super catchy, which really increases the overall vibe of the drama.

Acting across the board was solid for me. William as Thame stole the show. I was genuinely surprised considering it was his 1st acting project! Est as Po was pretty convincing for me. Whoever paired them together knew what they were doing! Other LYKN members also played their part well!

Overall, for 13 weeks, Thame, Po with Mars entertained me thoroughly. While I do think the series is predictable but it is a sweet ride where characters shine and stand out. I will definitely recommend it if you are in the mood for something heartwarming and easy to watch with the right mix of drama and heartfelt moments.

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This is how you do the perfect enemies to lover trope

I waited for this for more than a year, and finally we get this drama, and it didn't disappoint.

This is just an almost perfect story of the enemies-to-lovers trope, and they nailed it. As a huge admirer of LYN, I feel immense pride in him once more, as he flawlessly embodied his role. ZZR also did an impressive job, and she was beautiful, and I applaud her acting here. They both perfectly delivered their characters, so I almost cry at how outstanding it is.

The other characters also needs to be applauded. It's like Journey to Love Again, where you love all the side characters.

I think we all agreed that this has the best intimate relationship ever. This demonstrates the physical affection between a husband and wife who love each other. It's not awkward or displeasing to the eyes. It's just two people who wanted to be in each other's arms. Love love this.

Overall, this is a wonderful show. It's fun, touching, romantic... it has everything.
This will be my favorite drama this year.

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It's over, and the feels are still here.. That's what my ranks are based on!
Well , this drama was the most I was waiting for this year - except of Criminal Minds of course ( because of LJG), and I can say I liked it from the first episode.. The acting was a little raw then, but the cinematography, the mood and the music made it for me! I wasn't really familiar with the actors before ( except Jong Hyun from ML), and I want to say  three of them really impressed me!
Im  Siwan - it was really my first time seeing him, and he was great, from the first moment till the last! I wasn't always agree with Won's character, but he gained my love and respect in the end!
Yoona - I've seen her in couple of episodes of Love Rain, and I've heard some bad rewies about her, but I loved her and her character so much in this drama! There's always something annoying for me in the female lead in all dramas, but I haven't felt it here! She was always adorable, cheerful and brave through all the story! And she could convince me when she started to love the one she loved..
Jong Hyun - If the 4th prince wasn't played by Lee  Joon Gi in  Scarlet Heart, I'd definitly have crush on this sexy villian :) I hated him there, but sometimes I also felt bad for him - that means he could deliver his character! In King in Love he was the total opposite of Wang Yo.. Maybe he was a little frozen at start, but slowly he opened up, and brought one of my favorite characters ever! Yes, I was team Rin, and I'm proud of it :)
There were very different opinions about drama's love line - some loved it, some hated it at the same line, and I want to say - that's what one of the best parts of this drama, but it's also what lowed it's rating (I think), because most people like predictable....  
First of all- imho - there's no first or second lead in this drama - the three of them are main leads -and they totally deserved to be called it! Because this story is about  friendship - deep and genuine, between three young people! And  the actors did amazing job, showing how much these three deeply loved each other! Sometimes love story came in the middle of their frienship (of course!), but none of them didn't want to hurt another, and that what made this story such painful for them! But at the end they have learned how to understand and sacrifice for each other!  The open ending was satisfing and not at the same time for both teams, but it left a little for imagination of all of us! Thank you, writers for making this story so unique!
There were a lot of scenes that I laughed and enjoyed with the characters, and closer to the end a lot that made me cry! It was lighthearted and bittersweet at the same time! One of my favorite scenes were of course Rin and San goodbye scene and the scene on the cliff... Both broke my heart! Also the last friends'  jorney together - we can see how three of them have changed  and grown up there..
I also want to compliment cinematography and the music - both were spectacular ( total joy for video maker :), and I wish there was this cinematography and music in Scarlet Heart - but it still the most perfect drama for me!! :)
I know, I will rewatch it! Maybe not from the first episodes, but I totally will!
I think that's it.. I guess  I made it clear that I totally loved this drama, and would recommend it to everyone.. But I know, not everyone would love it...:)

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“What the actual fuck?!”

I apologise for my language but this is the best and most brief way to describe this completely cray cray drama. Ms. Perfect was definitely bizarre, a bit weird and thoroughly eccentric but left a memorable aftertaste exactly because of all these traits.

Story
Ms. Perfect is one of those hidden gem dramas that should be protected exactly because they can be perceived differently depending on the viewer. On a surface level, Ms Perfect can be described as “the story of a sasaeng fan”. Is that a lie? No it is not, it is actually unexpectedly accurate. However taking a critical look at this and analyzing it from different perspectives, it is arguable that Ms. Perfect is not only deep but actually surprisingly original and profound.

So, what exactly did this drama do so well to make me this passionate about it?

Firstly, It put together several weird, borderline nonsensical characters, gave them obvious roles (the villain, the hero, the victim ect) and forced them to act accordingly but not quite. I think I speak on behalf of every viewer when I say that we were all frustrated by every character’s frustrating decision and way of acting. Having said that, if you take a closer look at the character, it is dead obvious how non-archetype they actually are. There are several layers to all of them, and what I actually loved? It depends on the viewers’ perspective to choose who you want to root for, who is your hero and who is your villain.

Secondly, this is officially the only drama where the 2nd female lead not only was freaking amazing, but WAS the actual drama itself. 2nd female leads… we hate them, don’t we? At this point after so many dramas, we feel intrinsically inclined to dislike them on sight. Yet, here not only do we have a memorable 2nd female lead but one that is so compelling you can’t help but love. The whole drama was built around her and I have never been happier about it! 2nd female leads rule and this drama proved it! My salute to the actress for making this drama work. This drama was a huge celebration to 2nd leads (male and female) and i loved it for it!

Finally, it is arguable to say that the drama is more adjacent to makjang rather than other genres. Don’t expect any heavy crazy shit happening but the drama did manage for at least 15 episodes to make me say “what the hell” at least twice every episode. Continuous plot twists and questions that hover around. The type that hook you on and you cannot stop no matter how ridiculous this shit is. Ms. Perfect was certifiably addicting either you enjoyed it or not.

If I could put the drama under a genre, I would say it is a mystery/comedy (bizarre combination I know). Comedy is reduced to side story character after a while while mystery is strong almost till the end. Despite the quite heavy concept of the situations presented I can’t say the drama ever became melodramatic or depressing or overly serious. Romance is present in the drama but doesn’t happen until the 2nd half and it does not occupy a huge part of the drama. Having said that and since I am not a romance lover, I thoroughly enjoyed the romance here. It was not forced, it was not cheesy, it came naturally and was fulfilling.

All in all the drama for me was unpredictable, with great character writing and well thought-out. It never dragged or had a boring moment.

Acting
I read some negative comments about the acting. Well… I can understand that, but we’ve seen worse haven’t we?

Go So Young was just right and I can tell she really enjoyed her questionable character and drama overall. I wouldn’t say her performance was memorable but I did not face any problems with her
.
I am not Sung Joon’s biggest fan but he’s a good actor. He made a complete 180 here on me.
Yoon Sang Hyun was also satisfying but not memorable.

And after all these peasants let’s talk about the queen of the drama. Jo Yeo Jung. KWEEN! I have deep respect for her. She is not the best actress, definitely, but she knows how to pick a project. I appreciate her because she always goes for questionable dramas and bizarre challenging characters! I don’t think the drama would have worked without her portraying this character! I know if she is in a drama, it’s gonna be a good one! Cheers, you are amazing gurl!

Recommend
All that being said, this drama is not one for everyone. The oddity, the makjang, the frustrating and quite unlikeable characters all have their downside. I would recommend this drama to viewers who enjoy peculiar dramas, want to watch something different and are open-minded. I thoroughly enjoyed it but I can very well see why one wouldn’t.

Characters
The official review is over and spoilers may be included from now on. The drama, even though wasn’t really character-driven (or like one character directed the whole thing) it showed some really layered and multi-faced characters and I want to take some time to reflect on them.

Shin Jae Bok. The seeming victim. I disliked her but I didn’t. I rooted for her to have a happy ending but I can’t argue she really deserved it. Yes some crazy shit happened to her out of the blue and honestly she did nothing to elicit any of it but still… She was the type of woman to bring others down (namely her husband) just for the shake of it. A character that kept looking at herself as a victim (main reason why she’s not one) and was extremely relentless in getting into other people’s business. She could have taken a shortcut and spare herself from all the drama but she just couldn’t do it. A borderline control freak. Having said all that, I can’t deny how strong Jae Bok was, straightforward and direct. Traits I appreciated made her human and relatable but did not make her likeable at least to me.

Koo Sung Hee. The hero (?). Arguably the best written character, why? Because he was rotten to the core, but if you ask him what do you think about yourself? You’ll get such a self-assured answer like he is a war-hero. I was amazed at how selfish he was without realizing it, saying that he “does things” for others either his kids or his wife or his “love”. He said he loved 3 different people in 20 episodes and weirdly, I believe he did all 3 of them, but why is that? Because deep inside it was himself he loved the most. A very incompetent person who tries to always find the easy way out but always with a convenient excuse to look as a hero to himself! Incredible writing for one of the most despicable characters I’ve seen on screen.

Lee Eun Hee. The villain. I am biased, I admit. Bonkers crazy, and she knew it. Batshit crazy, and quite proud. I couldn’t dislike her, not one inch, not at all. Yes she was crazy and her situation could not get any better. If you stand still for a moment and reflect on what she actually did… it is overwhelming, sounds like something no one would do, but simultaneously, quite plausible if you are REALLY determined. To me she was nothing more than a little girl who was never loved. Abused and ignored trying to survive sustain herself and her mental health the best she could, she found settler in one person who gave her the slightest bit of comfort and then she tried to hold on to him. Why? Because he was the first person ever who made her happy. Like clutching at straws, a fleeting moment, her savior. Hence, her constant, relentless efforts to recreate that moment all her life. The one person who made her happy all those years ago, he can do it again. Rather depressing when you actual think of it.

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Intense build-up, decent wrap-up

The first half of this movie was absolutely flawless — I was terrified (in a good way) by all the jumpscares, the mystery was extremely intriguing and I was trying desperately to figure it out myself, and the soundtrack and interactions between the characters all added to the dark vibe of the movie.

I still think the second half, after everything was revealed, was a decent watch, but I did think that it took away a lot of the things that I loved in the first half. Of course, a mystery can't go on forever, but I definitely felt like the story didn't feel as dark as it did before and there was no more anxiety-inducing tension, more just running around and fights. Those were still fun and exciting and I really enjoyed how the story was revealed, intertwining different characters, but the first half still felt more captivating to me.

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I applaud. I had a great time. I'm excited about this mini series. It was so fresh, kind, humorous and honest.
Amaki Rinko (Takada Kaho) is a perfect 27 year old girl with all the facts. What no one knows, he has no sexual experience. When she accidentally finds out in the bar that even her handsome 27-year-old colleague Kamisaka Gen (Totsuka Shota) is also panics, she confidently invites him to the hotel. They reach an agreement to gain "experience", but their path to "independence and adulthood" is evolving a little more tortuously than they expected ... I don't even write anymore, because it only has a little over 3 hours together, so take a look .

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One word for SFD: Epic

Four words for SFD: Epic But With Flaws

Let’s break it down -:

❌ The flaws:

☠️ Power inbalance b/w the dragons:
Two of them are clearly the stars (Sambong/Yi Bang Won). Two of them feel like very endearing supporting characters. (Bang ji/ Mu hyul) Two of them are disguised idiots who insult the term. (Boon Yi/General Syeong Hi) The acting prowess also varies in the same order. (Deteriorating as it descends)

☠️ Boring Middle:
Except of a few outstanding scenes the middle of the show does come with a lot of 'meh'. Endless, tiresome and less than impressive politics. Where the writers keep trying to find new and new problems for the main guys to fight against, often not even properly solving the previous ones. I almost put the show on-hold here.

☠️ Shitty antagonists:
Except one, all antagonists are pretty mediocre with lame strategies and they keep getting replaced. As soon as a villain gains solid footing and identity, the show do's away with it in some way. Makes the back and forth a bit boring since the good guys are way too strong and for a very long time SFD does not take any risks.

☠️ Cop-Outs:
Again, the middle is problematic. The show uses huge ass convenient plot devices to get out of complications and some illogical things don't add up.

☠️ Character Development:
This is also a strength of the drama. While for some the CD is brilliant, others (Bang Ji/Moo Hyul) could do with more of it. Friendship/brotherhood is one of the highlights of SFD, however it could've easily been more explored and impactful.

☠️ No good female characters:
Literally all of them suck/are weak af except one and she isn't even a major role. The female lead is like a blank brainless floppy fish with her wide eyes and sputtering lips. I wanted to slap her silly

✅ The Epic:

👑 Yi Bang Won. Yi Bang Won. Yi Bang Won 👑

The most fleshed out/dynamic/well developed character of the show and easily one of the best anti-heroes in K-Drama History. He's simply wonderful. Yoo Ah In did the acting of a lifetime- Out of this world.

Among a sea of self-righteous fuckers, he's a hell wrecker. He's evil, good, kind, reckless, weak, strong, deadly, vulnerable, lonely, childish, manipulative, magnificent, insecure, ambitious, a mastermind but above all- he's wholly human. I just don't have enough words. He was the biggest and at times, the only reason I stuck with this show till the end. The moment SFD plunged into monotony, Yi Bang Won was the one who changed the course with all that shit he stirred up. I haven't been this in love with a character, since Empress Ki's Emperor. Truly excellent.

✔️ Music:
Holy fuck. This is without a doubt the best OST I have ever heard. Whether it be lyrical or instrumental, whether it be sung by characters or played in the background- every song was perfect. Perfectly timed, perfectly meaningful and perfectly emotional. Just perfect.

✔️Action/Swordsmanship:
Some of the best action scenes in a drama can be scene in SFD. They are always important too because our guys emote with their blades and no fight is meaningless.

✔️High Quality Production:
Beautiful camera work. Brilliant direction amd screenplay. Very pretty angles. Gorgeous sceneries. Crisp cinematography

✔️Suspense:
The drama has some legit chill inducing, goosebump worthy scenes and some brilliant cliffhangers that promise something exquisite in the next ep. What's more is the next ep always delivers on its promise. So every episode has a great start, a great end and an okay-ish middle.

✔️Last couple of episodes:
While the show significantly picks up at episode 30 and maintains the level of great, the last few eps are just plain awesomeness. My heart was hurting, breaking, sputtering, palpitating and melting all at the same time.

✔️Moral Dilemmas:
Fickle human nature at its finest.

✔️Sambong/Moo Hyul/Li Bang Ji:
The acting done hy Kim Hyung Min is spectacular- Sambong is a genius. The sexy and passive Bang Ji and the big man with a big heart Moo Hyul are all golden aspects of the show.

✔️The End:
Very satisfying.

✔️History:
Most historically accurate show I've watched. It's almost all there. All real.

✔️ 50 hours worth, is it easy to watch?
Yes and no. Some episodes are so gripping and well-executed that you can't help but bulldoze through but some drag enough that you have to actually motivate yourself to push forward.

☑️ Conclusion:
The Epic far outweigh The Flaws. This is a show that is a must-have under your belt as a drama fan. A classic that lives up to the hype.

Definitely reccomended.

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Started well, but ended poorly

I thought the acting and story was good... up until the last few episodes, at which point a few things derailed it:

The singer from Akdong Musician who was working as a convenience store part-timer learning to study to become a police officer - Her appearances were kind of the 'b-plot', until her storyline arc suddenly changed as she 'started singing' randomly while walking home. It felt unnatural and kind of cringe. Yeah, I get it, she's a famous singer, but having her incorporate it seemed forced and more like an advert.

I can ignore that though, what I disliked more was the ending where Hwi-oh 'won back' Minkyung with what appeared to be an act of aggression. It wasn't what it seemed, but something just felt super off about it, much of Minkyungs concerns weren't really addressed but she did an almost 180, and they got back together.

Also, it was pretty unclear where she suddenly vanished to (before she came back)... was it Mongolia?

Anyway I would say the first 9 or so episodes were great, but then it kind of fell off a cliff. It really felt as though they were struggling to figure out how to wrap things up, and went in a bit of a weird direction.

Not a waste of time, not terrible, good.. but thats a shame because it could have been really good

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Don't hate me for being critical & cynical and not giving this a 10

Completed - 8/29/2022 - 8.25 rating

I enjoyed “Love Between Fairy and Devil” but maybe not as much as most of the audience. I’ve watched my fair share of xianxia dramas and usually I am not a big fan of the cute and bubbly lead. I don't dislike the Little Orchid and am OK with her voice. I am just indifferent. It's Esther Yu's real voice so I am fine with it, as I am a strong proponent of actors using their real voices. The heart-breaking romance did not move me as much as I wanted. The lighthearted tone of the first 18-20 episodes took me a while to get used it. I might just be a cynical old lady that takes a little more effort to move me., especially after finishing "Love Like the Galaxy" not too long ago. Please do not hate me for not giving a perfect rating. There are plenty of things I like about this drama as well.

What I Like:
1. Anti-Hero Male Lead - Just like many others, I am a fan of our anti-hero, Dong Fang Qing Cang (DFQC). Most xianxia heroes are either gods or princes, and rarely do we have someone from the devil side as a male lead. Dylan Wang did a fantastic job in portraying the ruthless and heartless devil, and was able to switch gears during the body swap. You can see from his big eyes how his emotions change from ruthless to adorably pouty. Most anti-hero and gray characters in C-dramas are second male leads, so it’s nice to see a change here. I’ve also enjoyed his transformation from beginning to the end. I do have a minor criticism about our male lead below.

2. Lack of these xianxia tropes + fun new things:
♦︎ No annoying female characters who were obsessed with their unrequited love and became scheming bitches. I am so glad Dan Yin remains a good person from start to finish.
♦︎ No misunderstandings/scheming - xianxia dramas frequently have annoying plot lines created just to break the leads apart. And these misunderstandings are usually caused by jealous men and women. I am glad we don’t really have that here.
♦︎ Hanging out inside a painting is fun and creative.
♦︎ For once our main leads are not going through trials in the mortal realm themselves.

3. Costumes and Accessories - Beautiful costumes for both male and female characters. I really like the hairstyles of the male leads, with simple hair accessories (except those flimsy looking war gears which really don’t seem to be made for battles). Our Little Orchid looks beautiful in all of her dresses no matter where she is. I was particularly interested in the wedding fans. I've rarely seen such beautiful and intricate ones with golden accessories adorned on them. Most of the time, they are just beautiful patterns or colors.

4. Overall Acting - I’ve already mentioned that I really enjoy Dylan Wang’s acting. I didn’t watch “Miss the Dragon” so I don’t know how bad he was, but I’ve seen “The Rational Life” and he did fine. But in this drama, his character allows him to showcase his acting skills. I’ve seen a few Esther Yu’s dramas in the past and she is also playing the cute and bubbly roles. I think she met my expectations but not amazing. With the body swap, you could clearly see Dylan Wang did a much better job. Esther’s gazes were not sharp and stern enough. She tried to look serious but it’s not coming off right. Zhang Ling He has come a long way since his first drama, “Maiden Holmes”. This is my fourth drama of his and it’s his best acting yet. Playing two very different characters in this drama provided him the best opportunity to show us how much he has grown. He’s not amazing yet, but he’s going in the right direction. I've been a fan of Xu Hai Qiao since I first saw him in “Lost Love in Times” and he played Rong Hao admirably, especially his sad and emotional scenes. At least I pity him here instead of hating him in “A Dream of Splendor”. The rest of the supporting cast did a decent job. I would not say the veterans outshine the younger generation in this drama. I think Dylan Wang is the brightest star in the drama.

5. OST - I like the songs in this drama and also the background music. 诀爱 by 詹雯婷 is my favorite song.


What I have mixed feelings or don’t like:

1. Male Leads in Love - As much as I love DFQC, I miss his ruthlessness in the later episodes. I have a similar criticism in other dramas. Once you are in love, you seem to lose yourself and become a lovesick puppy and forget who you were in the past. I believe you could be totally in love, yet still don’t lose your former self. Unfortunately, I think both DFQC and Chang Heng fell short in this area.

2. CGI - There are many praises about how beautiful this drama is and we can see the numerous screenshots on the Feeds during the airing of this drama. And I agree that there are many scenery shots that are beautiful and very fairytale-like. However, I also feel that these shots are overused and after a while, the whole drama seems so ‘fake’ because it’s full of green screen scenes. I also find the final battle has the weakest CGI of the whole drama. On the other hand, I really enjoy the CGI in individual fight scenes, e.g. DFQC vs Chang Heng and DFQC saving the Little Orchid and battling the gods. Those were some of the best special effects I've seen used in battle scenes. It rivals my love of the purple CGI in “Ancient Love Poetry”.

3. Cannot avoid some common xianxia tropes - love obsession that started all evil deeds, the story is always about the aftermath of a war thousands of years ago, noble idiocy and sacrifices, Gods always seem to be more evil than the Devils, Love triangles/squares/pentagons, etc.

4. Secondary characters and plots are underdeveloped - Possibly because this is a shorter drama, I feel that the secondary romance between Shang Que and Jie Li is under-developed and quite boring. They could have been an interesting opposites-attract duo, but unfortunately I find Jie Li to be the most annoying character in this drama. Similarly, the truth and reunion between Jie Li and her family are very anti-climatic. Reuniting with her family was so brief that it only serves to move along Rong Hao’s story. I also want to know more of Rong Hao's story with the Goddess of War aside from the same few flashback scenes.

5. Pacing - As a short xianxia drama, the pace is fast. I don’t think you will hear complaints about a slow start. However, I still think the drama focuses too long in the initial 18-20 episodes in the Heavenly Realm and ran out of time in the last few episodes. Those early episodes were not my personal favorites. I didn’t start really liking the drama until they started the mortal realm, and then the story moves along more interestingly for me. However, the ending felt rushed and…predictable?


Other Random Observations:
♦︎ When you are so powerful, I think you could have saved your girl from drowning just by a snap of your fingers, without kissing. Fan service!
♦︎ Had to fast forward the scene when the Little Orchid was crawling in the sand. It took too long. LOL
♦︎ Why do these gods and devils need to give piggy back rides when they can teleport?
♦︎ I need better kisses. They are really not as passionate as I want them to be, especially the ones in the last couple episodes. Some kisses felt like they are just there to please fans of these idol actors. *I’m going to hide now*

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SO MUCH POTENTIAL in terms of the premise, but everything else was just so BAD and shallow.

The plot was really lacking, first of all. This writer did that romcom + thriller thing in SWDBS, and I LOVED that, but the conspiracy plot in this one was simply underwhelming. Firstly, it was introduced early on, disappeared for a few episodes, and really came to the forefront maybe in episode 10-ish. It was resolved SUPER quickly and unsatisfyingly, and what I thought would really be the climax basically turned into a plot device to make the romance angsty. Even the sort of science/medical plot points were really shallow and had no real explanation or reason to them, and they seemed to just be there so the main characters would be separated by SOMETHING.

Speaking of the romance — I really did not feel any chemistry between the main characters at all. They’re both super high-profile actors who I know can do AMAZING things, but honestly from this drama you couldn’t tell. The first kiss was sudden and awkwardly forced, and I really didn’t even know they liked each other until they were like LET’S DATE. The romance was over-the-top cheesy in so many scenes, showing basically what happens when you use cliches and use them badly.

The entire drama was over-the-top, especially in terms of humor. SWDBS had this too, but the main leads saved the drama with their cuteness. In this one, the “humor” was everywhere, and it was loud and obnoxious. Both the leads’ families were basically there to either cry or react over-dramatically, and as a result I hated basically ALL the family members. The only one I loved was Nam Tae, and I felt like his character and the relationship he had with Miran had so much unexplored potential. The same could be said for Byung-Sim, or Miran’s ex-boyfriend, and her two best friends who I loved as teenagers but HATED as adults.

And Na Hayoung. Dear god, Don’t even get me started on her. She really had no role other than to be an annoying pining ex who would remind everyone that time passed. I’m going to cut this section short by saying that basically all the characters except Nam Tae was BAD.

The one thing I’d say that this show had going for it was that the OST was pretty good, but the show itself was so bad I think it might’ve tainted the songs for me.

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“If you want to protect something, then you just do it.”

i went into this film unaware that it was a sequel but i think that was for the best because i would’ve been far more disappointed with this, and i already am.

mantis tries to be a lot of things at once—a comedy movie, an action flick filled with gore, a heartfelt emotional film that focuses on its characters—and it fails at doing most of this considering its less than two hour runtime. i was excited for this because the casting was literally insane and their performances definitely carried the film, but that was the extent of this movies greatness. i absolutely loved park gyu young’s performance and i think her character was the most fleshed out, with jae-yi’s inferiority complex and struggles clearly being her driving motive and acting as the main conflict of the movie as she makes her decisions based on these emotions she’s experiencing. i also thoroughly enjoyed choi hyunwook’s performance as benjamin because he does such a good job playing these bratty and manipulative characters, similar to his character in taxi driver whom i also loved even though he was a little shit. yim si wan’s character han-ul was a very basic character who didn’t have a lot of depth but it was his acting that made him stand out when he wasn’t in an action scene. speaking of those scenes, they were enjoyable for the most part but the best one was honestly the opening scene. the final fight was also slightly memorable but mainly because of a singular shot of yim si wan’s heartfelt and anguished facial expression.

other than the points mentioned above, the rest of the movie is honestly boring. the entire movie is rushed which makes the pacing really off seeing as before i knew it an entire year had somehow passed in the span of like five minutes, there are funky shots in both the good and bad sense as some of them were fun but a lot of them looked ridiculous, and the plot tries to do a lot at once with the sort of love plot between han-ul and jae-yi, the betrayal plot, the group break up, overthrowing and recreating the killer for hire system… it’s just a mess and it’s only mildly entertaining at best.

i definitely won’t rewatch this and i wouldn’t really recommend it, but if you really want to give it a shot i’m sure you’ll at least enjoy the performances done by the really incredible actors in this.

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