Reviews

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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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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A lesson learned

Don't judge a book by its cover is a saying you hear time and again. For me it was an perfect example of that.

I wasn't going to watch this drama. It looked too dark and the age gap between the leads was too much to accept. But on a whim I decided to start it anyway and I have no regrets.

The story is not a noona romance, nor is it about two individuals supporting eachother through hardship. It is much deeper than that. Eventhough it was sad and gloomy and heartbreaking, I looked forward to new episodes each week. It was at times predictable and I didn't always agree with the direction of the story but it kept me fully engaged and ended on a satisfactory note.

When it comes to acting, everyone did an good job, particularly Kim Nam Joo. She expressed the grief and desperation of losing a child beautifully. That said, it was Cha Eun Woo's performance that made the drama truly memorable. I could feel Seon Yul's pain and desperation as if it were my own. This was easily the best performance of his career. I'm glad he's finally taking on darker, more mature roles, it really suits him. On a side note, while Cha Eun Woo has always been attractive, in this drama he is next level handsome.

The music and cinematography were on point. It was haunting and bittersweet. These two elements really suited the sombre mood of the drama.

Looking back, I'm glad I watched the drama while airing. This is not the kind of drama you can binge. You have to experience it a little bit at a time to not let it overwhelm you. No matter how great a drama it is, I don't think I'll ever rewatch it. I already know the twists and turns. The surprise element is gone.

To summarize, I consider Wonderful World to be among the best dramas so far this year. Don't be like me and judge it based on superficial things. Just give the drama a chance, and you will be hooked in no time.

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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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How Many Times Can TLC be Framed? Let Me Count the Ways.

Would you believe this is my first ever LYX costume drama? I've seen him in only one modern before where he did good but his FL dragged the show down. Needless to say I wanted to see him in a genre that fit him and here he definitely didn't disappoint; actually none of the actors did.

Pros: The entire series centers around the ML or TLC as it should and his evolution. He initially had 3 arcs as someone else pointed out. The first one was as an over confident immortal who wanted to bring his senior Fang Zhou back to life; that was his obsession. He had tried to save him but failed because their other disciples walked in and one (LY) got into the middle causing a massive backlash, killing FZ. LY went crazy and joined as I called them "Team lunatic" and the third one simply disappeared and we didn't see him much other than in flashbacks and at the end of the show.

TLC's obsession with bringing FZ back was an ever consuming thing (he lived, breathed it); he put FZ's heart into his own stomach and kept FZ’s body in a coffin because of the power he had could essentially bring FZ back but at the cost of his own life. Unfortunately, LY stole half of that Rebirth thing and the puppet GMD the coffin with the body replacing it with a fake. TLC's obsession was such that he treated the people around that he first hired or saved like tools for his own means. When he came out of seclusion 4 years after the incident (and healing from LY's savage attack), it was to clear his name that LY, GMD, and the biggest villain YM who created puppets like GMD in images of himself and GMD followed. The opposition had a lot of middle villains that could do serious damage to TLC. LY kept harming TLC but he didn't kill him. Couldn't bring himself to. Because though TLC couldn't die, because he was from another realm, his immortality could be depleted as we saw his hair go from black to gold to white in the last episodes.

The dynamic was that there were many villains especially the main one, plus LY that was always doing something in the way and TLC's over confidence though he most of the time could predict his opponents move and outsmart them, they did get a few on him too. He didn't anticipate just how many people/puppets he had to deal with plus the evil pill disaster and YM and bringing FZ back to life. TLC's first thought personal arc was all about FZ and that he didn't matter as long as he could bring FZ back. Things started to shift as he started noticing the people around him weren't tools but helped him out of life threatening situations like AS with her blood or CY and SLH always on the frontlines willing to sacrifice for him. At first only FZ and LY were his only friends and LY later a lunatic enemy until the end; but than he started to open up and have feelings of friendship and protection towards these new people in his life. SLH was one of the best characters because he saw through TLC and told him what was what. He wasn't just a cold assassin but also preceptive. He called TLC a lot on his cover ups and made TLC really think hard about his steps.

FZ taught him how to read, write, and how to have feelings. Though when ZCJ confessed to him, he told her he didn't learn that emotion. He felt something for AS and felt CY was his younger brother. AS was also very preceptive but she understood his heart unlike SLH was more tactical. He had had other friends like XX who was comic relief in this otherwise, Puzhu, General Jiang who though we lost among others, went above and beyond for TLC and his little group. There were other great characters especially Jeremy who played GMD/YM. He was an amazing villain. FYL who played LY; first time in a lunatic villain role and he nailed it. I have to say absolutely every actor did a wonderful job as their characters. Master Shao's actor I've seen many times before was great. CHS though a guest from Bilbao Palace along with all the other guys whose character names I don't remember, the dude who was always directionless, his disciple who fell for ZCJ. ZCJ and her beginning arc was great. All the villains (even little Xiao Shi which was sad), except one who just didn't hit villain will be in the cons.

By the time TLC's final arc came around and he started to regard his friends very closely, they started leaving or getting killed off. AS turned out to be FZ's sister and GMD erased her memories so she could get close to TLC but her pure heart didn't harbor hatred but caring and love. Once her memories returned even though she did harbor some hate, she really didn't but she needed to grieve so after helping TLC destroy the first GMD in secret while pretending to be on GMD's side and saying mean words to TLC, she left altogether, more about this in the cons. But before any of this TLC finally let go of his obsession with bringing FZ back to life but releasing his heart from his stomach (ironically he needed to be kidnapped with FZ's body in the coffin as bait which still fell and shattered and FZ's body dissolved as TLC wounded, cried tortured tears. And ZCJ--who had turned to the dark side as while her own kidnapping LY tattooed a butterfly which made her a long lost fake princess--shoved a poisoned needle that LY cultivated for 4 years with poison just for TLC into him believing LY's lies that the needle will cripple him and she could control him like a puppet and make him love her; her own obsession), and the heart absorbed the needle and the poison so even in death FZ saved TLC's life as his heart, needle, poison and all was released.

CY's death was very hard (you had tears as did TLC) and XFT's meddling as well as GMD poisoning him and it distracted TLC, so XFT and GMD could kill Master Shao; she had already infiltrated the sword society thanks to the worst mistake Puzhu ever made by vouching for her (because of three year chess experience; though she was using him every moment. Then them being stuck in a cave, sharing secrets with his broken leg, their attraction to each other that wasn't meant to be. And lastly she supposedly helped him in the war by helping getting rid of the transformer and the dude creating them). After that greed, power hungry sword society leaders quickly sided with her against TLC no questions asked even when SLH, XX voiced suspicions; it was hushed.

Then when LY was finally captured after TLC rescued him this was after beating the ever loving snot out of him; I'll be honest I rewatched that scene several times. It was so deserved and overdue and giving LY his own memories and pain of what really happened so he would understand once and for all. Wish it was done way before though (as bait for TLC to come to Master Shao's funeral) when he was rescued by TLC and TLC of course attended and when they accused him of killing Master Shao and again of being YM, and than the tongue twisters between Puzhu and TLC at the mourning place; TLC showed off the fact that XFT knows how to block his heavenly power. All the other guys got the message. (Not to mention the not knowing what freedom was to the Peach Bitch calling her pathetic). And Puzhu said that whole you don't leave with LY or you will be condemned by everyone on purpose because he knows TLC doesn't care about being condemned by all as we've seen happen time and time again here. Then when he sees that TLC is fading and XFT stupidly takes advantage of that to kill both (by herself mind you; all her lackeys just stand there stunned) all the other guys warn him plus Puzhu disperses both powers as back up arrives for TLC. TLC takes away LY after which XX gives a very smart and intelligent speech (about stupidity of the sword alliance and blindly trusting the enemy; how disappointed Master Shao would be in them) a food for thought to everyone else and then you see everyone whoever stood by TLC's side just walk away saying they are done they are not dealing with this anymore. I'm going back to my island or whatever it is but it's quite obvious right then and there whose side they really chose. Sometimes words like that do not need to be spoken. They are just acted out. That's called real faith and trust. And the antidote is in the world.

LY sadly dies because of Xiao Shi's palm strike when he arrived at the cave for no reason and TLC though he checked everything on LY, didn't know about that. It was a heart wrenching moment because from the original 4 brothers of Z Tower, TLC was the only one left. LY returned the half of the Rebirth scroll he stole so TLC could kill YM once and for all. Probably the most gut wrenching was when TLC was broken and crying over little plates he made for CY, Master Shao, and LY. He was devastated and said he was all alone now which wasn't true; while he was in that cave, his friends like ZCJ who got a redemption arc along with the miracle physician, Ms. Hong, and XX dressed as a woman (which was added as the bit of humor to this somber part), Puzhu, SLH, the disciples, Fu Ren, were going all around the regions distributing the antidote and helping each other. These were still his friends and I really wish he knew that.

Meanwhile, TLC created a devise to reverse time to go back before YM was born meaning he wouldn't be born either; essentially rewriting history and bringing everyone back to life. The other price is that no one would remember him because technically he never existed. So after battling YM as the latter connected their realm to the mortal one nearly destroying that one, TLC killed YM with a sword and the full rebirth scroll; telling him his essence will be mortal knowing all of the emotions and just to make good choices; starting from birth without memories. TLC hit his time reversal device and fell into the void dissipating himself as he said an important line FZ once spoke "saving thousands of lives at the price of one is worth it."

Then next scene everyone is alive, SLH is reunited with his wife and FZ is having a meal with AS whose chef is Zhumei. They all manage to bump into each other but not now without knowing each other. Some funny moments and I'd like to believe that TLC was reborn as a white fox mixed with a dragon as the last scene was with XX who I honestly think recognized TLC but other then laughing and saying "silly fox", that was all that was needed and a bit of a voiceover made sense.

Woof, didn't think I'd write so much and we still haven't done the cons but the ending for me was done properly. I think TLC did everything he needed to do and lived his life and evolved as the people around him helped him. I can't see it any other way. Because if he stayed alive, YM would be reborn. They were connected and TLC wanted to sever that connection once and for all. I just wish we saw more of the important people alive that were great allies to the gang at the end.

I loved the costumes; they were stunning. TLC loved flapping his massive sleeves at people though BTS they could be cumbersome for other people. Every accessory, the scenery and sets that were real were beautiful too and the CGI was just right. The OSTs didn't overpower. And LYX's crying in particular as well as when he would really fight, people weren't kidding when they said he was born for costume dramas.

Cons: How many times can TLC be framed? Let me count the ways. Dear lord the first arc of the series LY framed him at least 3 times and it was like a hamster wheel, so repetitive. I've never had a drama drag in the beginning, it was getting old. I have to say that the writing and some editing was the worst here. Not to mention the zillion and a half flashbacks; twice each would have been enough (and also not in the same episode), they would had another 1/4th extra to film if most of that was deleted. It was a hot mess; many episodes had multiple of the same flashbacks. Like we get it already! It felt like the writer thought we had brain damage and wouldn't remember something we saw 20 minutes ago; absolutely ridiculous.

I'm going to address a very important point as it had the comment section divided. Personally, I think AS did exactly what she needed to; she just got her memories back and had a brother to grieve for and literally had no time because there was war and so much going on around her. I don't know how she didn't lose her mind. The man she fell for and cared deeply for though he claimed to have killed her brother, everything pointed to the opposite. Plus she had had the heart disease because she had been feeding him her blood so he could survive each time the situation was dire. What was completely wrong was the way they made her disappear after writing him a "Dear John" letter and not even explaining that she had the heart disease and didn't have long to live. It made him think she just didn't want to be around him anymore and given her relationship to FZ things were complicated so he let her be but it was like she was just sliced off with a knife and that's it. Very poorly written. Or when she would just appear out of nowhere like she did in cold as hell northern forest; people were searching for him in one specific and she just magically appeared to save him, didn't make any sense. At least write that they had a connection and she could feel him or something. But nope. Many times things needed to be explained and then acted out and neither were done so you felt lost like can we have a bit of a backstory?

I don't care who she was or wasn't but XFT was the peach bitch from start to finish. She only ever cared about herself. She killed people without a second thought; her own freedom was all that mattered, I think regardless, her crocodile tears for Puzhu were fake. She was a seductress and she knew how to manipulate people especially men as long as she got what she wanted like infiltrating the sword society and corrupting them by killing Master Shao and than cutting off his arm; like why and blaming the murder on TLC first portion of frame job and then came the rescue of LY where she just went all out and called him YM altogether like LY had done in the beginning. It was stupid because LY had never seen YM but she working directly for GMD knew YM made GMD look like him so how was that even remotely believable. So again we circle back to the frame jobs of the beginning. Eye roll worthy. So the fact that she took herself out in the last episode had nothing to do with anyone. And I personally didn't need to see her again reborn though I know it was more for Puzhu's aka Crown Prince's now sake, still could have done without. She wasn't a villain like the word would be but just an eh that followed instructions and was a puppet in a sense herself. Nothing anyone said made me like her. Her actress did a good job, that's really all. Oh and ZCJ's antler princess head piece looked ridiculous.

The last battle between TLC and YM was supposed to powerful because this is it and yet it fell flat because for starters they're darting in and out in between that metal tree contraption, secondly there's dialogue nonstop, so you somehow have to manage to read what they're saying and watch them fight but it wasn't like an actual full fight but darting, striking blades, than using spells and repeat plus constant dialogue. Editing had to be better here; fight like really fight not soft fight, don't talk, you can have instrumental music in the background to build the fight. Had that happened it would have been awesome and appropriate; 40 episodes were building up to this and it was very anticlimactic. And episode 40 felt rushed.

Would I recommend it? I would. It's gorgeous and the story though had issues sometimes with writing and editing; it was a deep and complex story which you really have to delve into. So get on watching.

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JKY como eu não tinha visto antes

Agora que concluí o drama, vou fazer um complemento a minha review: me apaixonei pela OST e a escuto com frequência, mas achei que atropelaram o capítulo final. Deixaram para resolver tudo no último capítulo e não explicaram as coisas direito, além de deram saltos no tempo que, para mim, deu um gosto de história pela metade. Poderiam facilmente irem a 14 episódios para deixar que nos despedissemos do drama de maneira adequada.

Eu estou absolutamente apaixonada por este k-drama! Sem dúvida, é a produção que mais me prendeu em 2024. Ontem, finalmente terminei os quatro primeiros episódios, e agora estou ansiosa pelos próximos.

A trama é incrivelmente intrigante. Cada reviravolta me deixa com mais perguntas e teorias. Os personagens estão bem construídos, e a atuação é surpreendentemente convincente, especialmente considerando que se trata de um drama de fantasia.

Quanto à trilha sonora (OST), confesso que não tenho uma opinião muito forte. Ela não se destacou para mim, mas também não me incomodou. Acho que a história em si é tão envolvente que a música fica em segundo plano.

E agora, sobre o ator Jang Ki Yong: eu não era exatamente uma fã dele antes. Suas outras produções que assisti foram apenas OK, na minha opinião. No entanto, desta vez, ele acertou em cheio! Sua interpretação está impecável, e estou ansiosa para ver como seu personagem se desenvolverá ao longo da série.

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Hands-down the worst-written BL of all time

This might seem like hyperbole. But let me explain. Physical Therapy isn't the worst-written BL of all time because it would have to have been written, and if it was, it was only by accident. Someone wrote Fahlanruk on purpose.

It's perfectly OK to have a character start out as "bad" and then go through a redemption arc. It's also OK for a character to be victimized in a bad relationship with a psychopath, in which case his character arc is developing the strength and confidence to recognize his worth to free himself and find love and healing.

But here we have a psychopath who's character arc is to ensnare a man through repeated histrionics and abuse until they live happily ever after. The End. Either this was written by someone without enough life experience to have a clue what adulthood and love are, or they are an adult who is an alcoholic abuse-victim with PTSD who is trying to self-medicate by writing the same scene over and over and over again until the audience shares their PTSD.

Everyone in this story is an alcoholic binge-drinker. Every motivation is jealousy. EVERY motivation. Sher and Fahlan are not boyfriends, they are friends with benefits. While it's clear they have deeper feelings for each other, they aren't committed, but still, whenever the other so much as talks to another human (probaby a pet or inanimate object too, but it never came up) a histrionic public explosion involving physical and emotional violence results, with vow to never speak again, followed by another round of binge-drinking, drunken sex, jealousy, explosion, ad inifinitum.

I'm not exaggerating - sometimes two cycles could occur in a single episode. It gets to the point that you don't care and stop paying attention to the main couple when they're onscreen until Fahlan has his shirt off, because he looks really good with his shirt off. Their endless jealousy fight is so dull and repetitIve that it would have been more entertaining to watch them argue over whether the toilet paper should hang over or under the roll (over the roll unless you're a bad person). I can't believe the author actually thought she was writing a protagonist with Sher - he's a pissy, horrible narcissistic villain. Really, if someone had run up to him in the finale and bludgeoned him to death with a bat, you would have gasped with the realization that there really is a God and that he loves us.

There are two side couples, who talk about absolutely nothing other than Fah and Sher's relationship, except for their own detours into pointless jealousy, public histrionics, and binge-drunkenness, but at least none of the minor characters punch each other in the face all the time.

A lot of people stuck with it for Ping & Tap, who were initially cute and had potential, but they too went around in circles forever until it was hard to care and then their relationship was so anticlimactically resolved that the reaction is, "hunh?" Ping has been pining for Tap for years, and then once they're together Ping behaves like Tap is a poisonous reptile instead of a loving boyfriend, because I presume the writer saw other ukes behave that way and thinks that's how gay couples work. One of them DESPISES SEX WITH A BURNING PASSION but, and only under the greatest duress, gives into the UNNATURAL MONSTROUS LUSTS of another man in order to have someone to protect and take care of him. Yup, that's how real life works.

That leaves us with Gear & Prince, who manage to get through this with merely one histrionic jealousy scene, and when they finally hook up, they're robbed by horrendous cinematography which almost totally obscures what's happening with lens flaring that would make JJ Abrams jealous. They're still better than anything else in this travesty, however.

There's also Pink, the fujoshi, who is eventually exhausted as a cause for jealousy, then spends the rest of the series obsessing over Sher & Fahlan's relationship, dragging around poor Tar and behaving as if he's ugly even if he's the hottest guy on the show (I realize that's debatable, but catch him onstage in the finale).

Sher is a horrible human being who deserves to die alone, not be redeemed through true love. Does anyone really think anyone this awful is going to change overnight? How long to you give him and Fahlan? Two weeks at best.

This show isn't just bad, it's infuriating. It's a complete waste of time with no countervailing redeeming qualities to balance the endlessly repetetive plot. There are attractive guys, but it would be much more economical to cruise the side-characters' social media, and in the case of the main couple, if you're interested in Sher, SEEK COUNSELLING. IMMEDIATELY. If Fah, well, I have to admit you get a lot of shirtless Fah, but I'm sure you can find that somewhere where you don't have to endure this type of torture.

I don't normally say something like this, but please don't watch this. It's because I care about you and your well-being.

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Sorry, I didn't have the same reaction to this as I saw others.

So much of it I found cringy. It didn't help that it felt like every 15 minutes someone was giving a patronizing speech about some online issue, and much of the fan stuff was overdramatized and unrealistic. Inept managers, coaches, and sponsors that made me wonder how they are even remotely successful with all this going on. The focus was more about fandoms than playing the game. Like, ultimately, who cares?

I wasn't really a fan of the OTP and didn't find them persuasive. I actually enjoyed JinYang & Ai Jia's relationship a lot better, and felt they had better chemistry and were a more realistically portrayed couple. SiCheng treated TY like a 3 year old, and after the situation with her ex-b/f her accepting being treated like that seemed weird, especially when they're making it out to be male/female equality.

In the end, I thought the best character development and growth, although not given much screen time, was Jian Yang. For all the hate he was getting in each episodes comments, he ended up being the one who respected everyone the most. So, frankly, this drama was extremely disappointing to me, but still enough there to warrant a mid-tier rating.

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First let me tell you how I met master's sun:

when I first saw the teaser from watching I hear your voice, I thought it's creepy; a pure horror story and didn't make me interested.
Then when I visited this page in mdl I look into the cast when I saw the main girl I was like: " oh the girl from the greatest love, why her?" (don't get me wrong I don't hate her..XD) then when I saw seo in guk *makes me a little happy, but when I knew he was not the main guy I was like "why not him?" In short the cast still didn't make me interested. Then I scroll some more and look into the genre and oh there's a romance in it!! then I was like what? comedy too??? is it possible? it's weird, kinda NEW for me and by that it makes me interested and look into this drama
I'n short I met this drama not because of the teaser, the cast but because of the genre and the comments too!:>


NOW HERE'S MY REVIEW AND LET ME TELL YOU HOW IT BECAME VERY SPECIAL TO ME! :'D

feelings/story:
It made me scream then after some minutes it made me laugh,it gave me the feeling of: NEVER FELT THIS GOOD FROM A DRAMA FOR SOOO LONG! I MISS THIS KIND OF FEELING! IT WAS FUN!!! this is the FIRST DRAMA that made me scared and laugh at the same time. that's how it hooked me!! It made me look forward into days, is it wed? Is it Thursday already? is the eng sub out? where is the preview?

as the episode progress it keeps on getting BETTER,SWEET,FUNNIER and the scary moments lessens :) so for those who are a scaredy cat like me DON'T HESITATE to watch this drama!

this drama also made me cry not only because of the painful moments but also because of the SUPEEEER DAEBAK SWEET MOMENT that made my HEAR BEAT POUND LOUDER, my HEART FLUTTERS, smile like this ^____________________^ crying from OVERFLOWING EMOTIONS!!

ghost? SOME are scary but once you get to know their story it's heart warming :)

acting cast:
after watching few episodes My first impression from the cast CHANGED in just a SNAP!!!

SO JI SUB? I know him but this is really the first drama that I saw him act. Then I was like omg SO JI SUB OPPA IS SOOOO HANDSOME!! HE IS SUCH A GREAT AND FUNNY ACTOR! HE EVEN MADE IT TO MY OPPA OF THE MONTH!!
GONG HYO JIN? ~omoooooo!! what a great and cute actress I didn't notice her acting skill in the greatest love.. but here in the master's sun it's DAEBAAAAAAAK!!! SHE EVEN MADE IT INTO MY FAVORITE ACTRESS!!!!

as the episode progress: I get closer to the 2 MAIN CAST!!! the CHEMISTRY between them is VERY, VERY, VERY, NATURAL it's SPARKLING AND SHINING!!! just seeing them acting together adds spice in Master's sun! that is one of the ASSETS of this drama!! out of hundreds of love team I've seen THEY ARE DEFINITELY THE BEST! NO ONE CAN BEAT THEM IN MY HEART!! I'm really SHIPPING for this pair the SOGONG couple!! this is my FIRST TIME too, getting addicted to a couple and wishing for them to be a REAL LOVERS AND GET MARRIED! if that happens I would be the HAPPIEST!!

supporting roles:
SECRETARY AJHUSSI? ~omooooo!! one of my favorite secretary!!
kang woo and tae ri yang? you should not miss them too!!
cheap mouth and the sister? they are soo funny..XD
the 2 CUTE KIDS: ~omoooo!! they are soo cute and very lovable makes me want to squeeze them.lol. a very good actors :)
Uncle and the aunt :)
the coffee ghost and trash can ajhussi: they are soooo LIKABLE!
and of course cha hee joo the bitch who is a great actress and made me hate her. lol!!! ALL OF THEM ARE AWESOME!!!


OST?
~kyaaaaaaaa!!! just thinking about the OST!! it's DAAAEBAK!!! I EVEN DOWNLOADED ALL THE OST THAT"S HOW GOOD IT IS!! it even top the charts!!! I like EVERYTHING!! THE MELODY, THE TUNE, THE BEAT, THE VOICE, THE FEELING OF THE SONG, THE SINGER!! It PERFECTLY FITS the emotion!!! the ost saves me from missing this drama by listening to it!

RE-WATCHED VALUE?
PERFECT 10!! I'll never get tired of watching it and 'll definitely marathon this one again!!

OVERALL??
this drama is VERY SPECIAL to me, it's PERFECT, A MASTERPIECE, AWESOME, DAEBAK, AMAZING and definitely MUST WATCH, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for those who are into ROM-COM!!! BIG THANKS TO HONG SISTER for making an EPIC and MEMORABLE DRAMA!! I'M GONNA MISS THIS DRAMA SOOOOOO MUCH AND also the CAST especially the SOGONG COUPLE!T.T

This is my longest review ever lol.

PS:I hope it helps you to look into this drama! for now, KYEOJJO!:>

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I haven't seen the Japanese version of 'Liar Game', so I can't compare, but even if I had seen it I probably wouldn't compare. After watching a few episodes of 'Nodame Cantabile', it has become clear that the Japanese and Koreans take quite different approaches to their dramas. Therefore, I am going to treat the Korean version of 'Liar Game' as its own standalone show...

...which was bloody fantastic. 'Liar Game' is the third drama I've given a ten to, in the short amount of time I've been watching dramas, and out of those three dramas it is both the one I believe to be the best and the one that I enjoyed the most. Ten doesn't mean that I found it to be perfect (as perfection is unattainable), but since it has superseded many of the dramas that I've watched - both quality and entertainment wise - I thought it justifiably deserved the highest possible score.

'Liar Game' thrilled me, played with me, kept me guessing and sent my blood pressure rising in the best possible ways. The pacing was on beat and the tightly plotted 12 episodes managed to sail by without the assistance of makjang, noble idiocy, sacrificial lambs or filler. When I say that there was none of that present in 'Liar Game' I mean that there was absolutely zilch, nada, zero traces of any of the aforementioned tropes. The show was able to stand on its own two legs without relying on ridiculousness.

It presented a study of human behaviour - how we react and change (for better or worse) when it comes to trust. I don't see it as being a drama that is about how far people will go when it comes to money. Of course, in the context of the game, money is important, but 'Liar Game' teaches us that humans - people - are more important. It is people that make the choice to lie, cheat, betray and thus put others at risk - not money. Money is just the pretext, 'Liar Game' (both the drama and the game itself) is about all about people and how strong their characters are. It is also people who choose to watch others being pitted against each other, for money, to get an ounce of their weekly entertainment.

The games itself in 'Liar Game' were actually very intelligent and intricate. It might have been a bit boring to watch the explanations and rules of each round, but without them it would be difficult for some people to understand whatever the hell was going on. (The rules were useful when it came to the Poker round because wtf was going on there). Some people have said that they found the games 'boring', but that's besides the point, the interest doesn't lie within the games themselves, but within how the contestants survive the games. Each round served as a perfect backdrop for the deceit and breakdowns that were to follow.

The people in 'Liar Game' were of a brilliant variety. Not much time was spent on backstory (which was both refreshing and appreciated given the 12 episode length of the drama), but I managed to ascertain the personalities, motives and regrets of not just the three leads, but the principle supporting cast as well (Jamie, Ja Dol etc). And that is because LG had both a brilliant writer and a brilliant cast. These people grew into either more beautiful or more hateful as the machinations of the Liar Game got to them. I must add that this drama did really well by breaking the K-Drama trope of a woman being evil if she wears heavy make-up - more specifically, the darker the lipstick the darker her soul. It was excellent to see Jamie retain her grit, intelligence and vampyness whilst also being transformed into a person who has opened herself to being able to trust the right people.

A lot of people have said that Kim So-eun's character - NAM DA JUNG - was annoying because she was too stupid and remained stupid. I beg to differ on that topic; whilst Da Jung is most definitely too trusting and naive - AT THE BEGINNING - she most definitely does mature. Yes, she still trust, and yes she is still a very kind person, but she matures into someone who can both question her allies whilst maintaining her ability to trust them. As each round progresses she becomes more considerate and mature. She might not ever have become a toxic person, but she definitely isn't the same Nam Da Jung that was presented at the beginning of the show. And I think Kim So-eun does a wonderful job at portraying Nam Da Jung's growth, emotional sensitivity, understanding, empathy and her huge ability to love and show human compassion (which is especially evident in the final few episodes). Her performance was consistent, clean and considerate. I'm surprised that she is yet to land a main role on public broadcast.

I found it very interesting to contrast and compare the characters of HA WOO JIN (distractingly attractive Psychology Professor turned ex-con) and KANG DO YOUNG. They were like two ends of a horseshoe: polar opposites, yet very similar. Both men are geniuses, both men are incredible when it comes to lying, both men are fantastic strategists, both men are difficult to trust, but both men have very different goals and very different moral leanings and obligations. Their similarities made them clash, whilst their obvious differences intensified their - sometimes frightening - rivalry. I don't think the tension and fear, that crackled in the air whenever these two men looked at each other, would have been present if Lee Sang Yoon and Shin Sung Rok hadn't played their respective roles. Both men brought an undeniable energy to the screen and they were also able to bounce that energy off of each other. The performances were so natural it never felt like a hero was delivering dialogue to a villain, but it felt as if two enigmatic men were engaged in some fierce contest of the Mind. It was sparkling and wonderful to watch.

I think it would be easy to type-cast Shin Sung Rok as a The Villain after his roles in both 'Liar Game' and Stars, respectively, but he manages to make his villains different. I found a way to empathise with the emotionally scarred, twisted, pathological liar that was Kang Do Young whilst I couldn't have cared less for the utterly selfish bastard he was playing in Stars.

Lee Sang Yoon was very hot as Ha Woo Jin. There was something incredibly magnetic about his performance as the enigmatic rugged Psychologist. His gaze, his manner of speech, the way he held himself all resonated 'genius'. His frosty demeanour didn't come off as arrogant and cocky, but reserved and observant.

The lack of romance didn't bother me at all; it was refreshing to see the female lead being able to develop multiple healthy relationships with the other male characters. It is clear that Da Jung and Woo Jin cared for each other quite deeply and the way they develop that relationship isn't through childish bickering, but through learning who the other person is enough to understand and trust them. I'm not going to deny that there wasn't a huge amount of chemistry between Kim So-eun and Lee Sang Yoon, but not once did I get the urge to scream JUST SHUT UP AND KISS HER at my TV.

'Liar Game' could have been betrayed by its ending, but thankfully it wasn't and it finished on a high. Not everyone got what they deserved, but if they had that would have betrayed the whole message of 'Liar Game' - the real world is not ideal, it isn't a place where people can survive by being too trusting or too suspicious. Sometimes, good people don't always end up with every material thing they SHOULD have and sometimes the villain gets away with it. If 'Liar Game' hadn't been a drama that set out to challenge people's world-view, then the ending would have been terrible, but it wasn't. I was glad to see that the non-villains came out of the experience as people who had grown and changed to have a better understanding of both other people and themselves (this was most notable in the case of Jamie).

In regards to the slight openess of the ending, I totally wasn't bothered by it, and it is quite clear that the writer most definitely intended for the ending to be open in order to run onto a season 2. However, whether or not we get a season 2 is totally up to tvN. What's most important is that the main conflict was resolved, so even if we don't get a season 2 there won't be any loose ends left over. I'm all in favour for a season 2, with the same cast though, because I am so ready to see these characters AND actors on screen again.

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