Reviews

well, the only good for this drama is the OST.. BTOB did a good job on the remake of the haru OST by SUJU.. when one of my fav OST is being remake, i'm sure loving the remake version also.. both are just soothing to my ears..

even it is hard to watch all those cringe scene and script but i manage to pull through this drama solely for park so dam and jung il woo.. i always love their drama..

the character was meehhh~~ but i did jump like 6 y/o when those cute scene between ha won and ji won.. the hardest character that i was forced to accept was hyeji, my god~~!!!! the development of the character was shit!!! i'm wondering what are the writers thinking during the development of the character.. it's like the writer are so diligent in the 1st halve of the drama and gettin lazy by the end of it~~

well, the most character that i like is *drum rolls* YOONSUNGie~~~~ why?? because he just too gorgeous when he smile.. not to mention, among 4 of them, he is the truest knight (for me) XD

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It felt like a wattpad story xD

I didn't hate it, but it was very questionable

I had a hard time caring for Phayu and Rain...
They lacked emotional intimacy and everything happened way too fast.

I didn't like the way either of the couples got together.

I was skeptical about the second couple and how Prapai didn't take "no" for an answer, but it's MAME so what's new...
I did however like that Prapai really tried to gain Sky's trust towards the end.

Gun is a piece of sh*t and I was just waiting for Prapai to beat him up.
The whole thing with Sky's trauma was way too rushed... this boy needs therapy!!
Things like this can't be cured with "the power of love" as much as we wish it would.

However in the end I liked that couple more than the first one.

I don't have much to say about the acting.
They did a good job for their first role.

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Doona: Lost Potential & Mixed Signals

"Doona!" began with a premise that promised an intriguing dynamic between its main characters - Doo Na, a former member of the girl group Dream Sweet, and Won Jun, a college student unaware of her celebrity status. Their initial misunderstandings had the potential to craft a compelling narrative about identity, fame, and genuine connections.

However, as the episodes progressed, the series seemed to lose its way. The first episode depicts Lee Doo-Na (brilliantly portrayed by Bae Suzy) in a prolonged state of introspection, seemingly detached from Won Jun (played by Yang Se-Jong). This sense of detachment quickly shifts in the following episode, making Doo Na's motivations perplexing. A subtle indication of her character's emotional volatility could have been appreciated, but the stark contrast between episodes feels inconsistent.

A significant subplot that added to my confusion was Doo Na's complex relationship with an older character, her manager P. This relationship, seemingly oscillating between paternal and romantic feelings, could have been a deep dive into Doo Na's psyche. Instead, it felt like an underdeveloped plot device that only muddied the waters. The series tried to touch upon Doo Na's inner turmoil and her need for validation, but the execution often felt superficial, making her actions seem capricious rather than profound.

Throughout the nine episodes, there were moments that felt drawn out, such as prolonged smoking scenes and introspective silences. While such scenes can be artistically valuable, in "Doona!" they often felt like fillers, detracting from the overall pacing. The dialogues, though meant to be meaningful, often fell short, leaving me craving more depth and clarity.

In conclusion, while "Doona!" had the potential to be a nuanced exploration of fame, identity, and relationships, it felt disjointed and, at times, directionless. The series tried to tackle complex emotions but often skirted around them, making the narrative feel somewhat hollow. I had high hopes but was left with a sense of unfulfilled potential.

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Bloodhounds is back with its sequel and this time it’s less stylized, more brutal, raw and packed with action.. I honestly missed this kind of fight scenes.. I gotta say, this is how a second season should be.. It stays true to its core story of heartfelt friendship, and family.. While bringing back all the gripping elements from the first season.. But this time the action, the boxing, the fighting, it’s just wild, intense and bloody..

WDH really unleashes his talent here.. He was too good.. You can tell he has put in an insane amount of hard work and preparation.. It shows his discipline and mindset as an actor.. And while we are talking about insane hard work and preparation, we have to talk about the antagonist this season.. Rain, you absolute freak.. His physical transformation is genuinely insane and his screen presence is strong.. Ruthless, obsessive, physically intimidating, dangerous, unpredictable, he was a force to reckon with.. Almost unstoppable, one of the most terrifying villains.. And the way he fought?? His boxing, his skills?? Not flashy, just pure ruthless violence..

The visuals and soundtrack were really good as well.. The fight scenes are visceral and intense, shot with a kind of frenetic energy.. And what made this drama even more special was the cast and the cameos.. The whole cast was perfect.. Everyone played their roles to perfection.. They didn’t try to glorify or heroize just one person.. It felt like a true team effort.. Even the supporting cast had some insane fight scenes and showed some mad skills.. It’s a knockout performance from everyone, full of blood, sweat and tears..

The cameos?? Just crazy.. Who would have thought eh?? So many of them.. Park Seo Joon?? Wow.. He was an intriguing character and someone I would honestly love to see more of if there is another season.. Oh and Kang Min Ah?? The transformation, slick.. Give her more badass roles.. She absolutely killed it with her screen presence..

Now.. The script is more straightforward.. It lacks a bit of emotional weight.. It doesn’t feel story driven.. Everything is more or less set up for the fights.. Which I don’t think is a bad thing honestly.. Because they really do make up for the script with some wild action..

One more thing I need to mention.. This time it felt like Hong U Jin was sort of sidelined.. He got his ass kicked more than once and didn’t feel as strong as he did in the first season.. Maybe that’s because of the five year break and his lack of actual boxing.. Still, I would have loved to see him do more..

Overall this season is darker, more violent and delivers an insane amount of wild, well choreographed, bloody, tactical fight scenes.. It doesn’t pull any punches, it goes all in on the action.. Everyone’s commitment to their character is genuinely impressive.. You can see they have put their whole heart into it.. WDH delivers an absolutely astonishing performance with Rain being purely evil and intimidating.. Season 2 feels bigger and more relentless.. I just hope we don’t have to call this underrated.. It really deserves more recognition..

P.S.. Oh, to be loved by so many people.. Kim Geon U is surrounded by people who love him dearly.. That’s who he is, that’s his character.. And WDH, he portrayed that innocence so well..

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Controversial drama with a disappointing ending

This drama has a stellar cast and production quality is superb, but the plot and message behind it are very controversial, to say the least.

The first 4 episodes were a solid 9, though heavy-handed, insensitive religious patronizing can be clearly seen from the very beginning. But after episode 5 it rapidly went downhill. Episode 6 was like those countless crime dramas about exaggerated corruption and untouchable chaebols with over the top acting and resolutions. Very meh.
And the last two episodes were drilling on the same message - suicide is a selfish act, it's not about you, you should keep on suffering for the sake of others. The only insightful part was about a suicidal salary man, who basically started the chain of events that lead ML to his own suicide - it showed ML the ugly reality of that dream he so desperately wanted to have, the one the government and society kept on brainwashing him to strive for ever since he went to school. But they never delved anywhere further with that. Instead of guilt shaming ML with his mother for the whole episode they should have explored what ML really wanted in life. How can he be true to himself like he said he wanted to? Is being a cog in an uncaring corporate machine what people really should strive for in life? Just such a waste of potential here narrative wise.

But as it is, this drama didn't try looking into the cause, didn't try to resolve any of the problems SK's society has that leads people to commit a staggering amount of suicides every year, like poverty and unemployment, it just tried to guilt shame suiciders through religious and societal dogmas. Makes one think that it was sponsored by SK's government, which seems to be impotent in solving this serious country wide issue and now just resorts to such cheap shots like this drama. Maybe it will work better on Asian audience with their traditionally communal mentality, but it's a very hard sell for individualistic West.

The suicide topic here is viewed from such a narrow perspective it really started to piss me off by the end. No exploration of mental health state of suicidal people or various circumstances that lead to this hard decision. Yeah, in ML's case perhaps he was too rash in attempting suicide since he had a caring mother and a girlfriend (though seeing how lonely he was with his problems at the beginning, these people have shown him lack of moral support when he really needed it, and his mother was later shown hoarding money for him, which she should have given him years ago to help cover his education debts he was paying off for many years). But what about people who have no such people in their lives? What about terminally ill/severely crippled/mentally unwell people who see themselves as a burden to their relatives and society? What about kids being beaten by their own drunkard parents and nobody cares? What about people who are living in miserable poverty with no hope for a better future? They should also keep on suffering for the sake of others and their country or go to hell? So many unique lives with unique problems, but this drama had no compassion or desire to explore any of that. It's like that cartoon meme: Nope, stop talking, go to hell.

As for the ending, well, ML got a second chance in life and that's a win (?). But consequently it also invalidated everything ML did in other people’s bodies and all those who were supposed to die will die, including his girlfriend, and all the bad guys, including two serial killer psychos, will still be walking scott free.
So all in all, this drama just left me kinda perplexed as to how to score it, because, on the one hand, the quality and cast were superb, but controversial message and disappointing ending made me feel like I've wasted my time watching this.
I guess I'll score episodes 1-5 with 8.5 and 6-8 with 7.0.

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It Was Just Ok... Nothing Special!

**Disclaimer: This is just my opinion, please don't take anything I say personally. We don't have to agree and I'm not here to argue with anyone.***

(I'm so picky so please take this review with a grain of salt.)

Tropes: Workplace Romance, Rich Guy / Poor Girl, guy falls first and harder, grumpy/sunshine, enemies (ish) to lovers, forced proximity.

Idk usually I love rom-com's like this but they had me in the first half and lost me in the second half. It really seemed like Gu Won's character was built around his love for Sa Rang and he didn't have much development outside of that. I feel like they did more telling than actually showing us how hard he fought for the hotel and why he deserved to be president. Idk there could've been more obstacles at work and between the two leads imo. I think I would've loved to see them develop the tourist hotel together and be happy outside of the city. Or imo they could've actually have Sa Rang and Gu Won Break up bc she feels stifled by him his dreams and wants to chase her own dream of managing her own hotel / the tourist one. I also think the arc between his mom and his sisters hatred for him could've been expanded more and their resolution could have been more developed. I feel like the last 8 episodes lacked a lot of depth / actual plot. The last 2 episodes especially seemed rushed and episode 16 specifically seemed unnecessary. I felt her entire desire of owning her own hotel was quite lame... even the name of her hotel, "Amore" (Love in Italian) What were they thinking? As in she could've used her own name (Sarang) LMAO. And the fact that she wasn't able to find any personnel to assist her, and they wanted me to think that the president of King Hotel, Gu Won, had time to assist her (whilst managing King Hotel + all those international branches and trying to expand the franchise to Europe?) – that part was so unbelievable I had to laugh.

It was honestly a struggle for me to finish this drama. The leads chemistry was just "okay" but at times I wasn't feeing it as much. I think I prefer their BTS footage as they seem less in character and more silly and free. I fell in love with the airport couple (Pyeong Hwa and Ro Woon) I thought they were cute and I'm glad they got together. It took forever but they actually made it. I thought her other friend's storyline (Da Eul) with her dirty husband was completely sidelined and her giving her husband a taste of his own medicine was questionable. It's obvious their relationship is toxic and they should get divorced. I can only see the husband not learning anything and then trying to find ways to hurt her back – like cheating on her or something. I feel like the writers didn't have a clue how to wrap up the story or create more obstacles for dramatic effect. They almost got me invested when I thought Gu Won and Sa Rang were gonna break up but they failed and immediately lost me, again.

Overall, the ending of the entire drama was what you would expect, a pathetic male lead who's whole character arc is about him being in love with a woman who does not like him at first. ML falls first and harder. FL starts catching feelings then there's the slight forbidden relationship where people don't want them to be together. Them deciding to be together anyways, dating period, proposal (but not? because the FL wants to achieve her dreams first). ML still supporting her through everything a year later, her finally accepting the proposal. Then finally marriage and them living happily ever after.

This drama was boring and severely overhyped. I don't think I would rewatch. It definitely could have been wayyyy better especially when you compare this to other workplace romances like Business Proposal, Touch Your Heart, Suspicious Partner, Her Private Life, My Secret Romance, What's Wrong With Secretary Kim etc. Like they had so many blueprints and yet... it did not live up to the expectation. It's disappointing because I feel like I wasted my time and then felt like I HAD to finish it for completion sake.

Anyways, what you see is what you get so if you're looking for a lot of romance with barely any plot then this drama is right for you.

After careful consideration, I gave it a 6.25/10 (my real and objective rating) however, I decided to round it up to a 6.5/10 (purely because of how much of an independent girl boss Sa Rang was)


THANKS FOR READING AND HAPPY WATCHING!

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

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I LOVED THIS ABSOLUTELY

ERROR! ERROR! REVIEW REQUIRED!

I WILL ALWAYS SAY IT, THE POTENTIAL KOREAN BLs HAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But seriously, I was really shocked at the quality of it all, it was impressive and great, and I loved every second of it.
Before we kick off, I would like to highlight If you are someone looking for like just skinship, then I don't think this is the series for you, if you want story, great acting, production etc, then this is for you. Side Note: They had great kisses though
But the story is quite interesting and cool, I like how it wasn't focused on a guy struggling with his sexuality or any of that drama, but they knew what they wanted, and they went for it straight.

Reviews are usually broken into
1. Introduction
2. General Review, Themes, Specific Issues
3. Story arc and Storylines
4. Characters and Casting
5. Acting
6. Misses
7. Production
8. Rewatch Value

INTRODUCTION
Alright, no matter how much I want a change in the themes of BL to things like Manner of Death and the upcoming KinnPorsche the series, I won’t say I don’t appreciate my good old fluffy bls and Semantic Error was something in that manner. On a general I loved the series, it’s a great one.

GENERAL REVIEW and STORYARC
On an overall, we kinda went with the popular trope of bad boy and rebel who falls in love with the upright, top of the class, quiet kid. And I am not opposed to it because they executed it and I think part of it is tied down to the acting and the actors who really had great chemistry together. Loved the pacing of the series because it didn’t feel too rushed, though I wish we had more romance time between them, but they always had cuteness, so I don’t mind. The storyline was nothing too complex, just two boys who fate brings together in the weirdest way, they start off on a misunderstanding then eventually end up needing each other while being a balance to each other. From a boy who viewed the world through a binary view, thinking love was manipulation to becoming a boy who couldn’t understand what was happening to him when someone he considered to be a “virus” was removed. Loved the idea behind it

CHARACTERS, CASTING AND ACTING
First on the characters, I absolutely love the main characters and two support characters. They were funny, I mean watching Sangwoo go sassy on Choi when she tells them they weren’t the only ones in the office and watching Jang enjoy every moment of his boyfriend (to be) was so cool. The casting was perfect, the height difference between the actor that plays Jang and Sangwoo makes the casting all the much better, like the difference in their height made them more likeable.
For the acting, I think chemistry between the two actors helped so much in this because I love their acting, watching Sangwoo go from uptight to when he starts experiencing his error and then finally when he falls for Jang. Their acting was great.

MISSES
The only miss, which I would not necessarily call a miss for me was the stalker start that the show had because those things can easily go haywire and weird

PRODUCTION AND REWATCH VALUE
Loved the production on this show, it was great, the entire team tried with the direction of the show, and I would a hundred percent watch this show again in the future

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Generally speaking, I usually have the opposite effect for over-hyped things. The more hype a thing has, the more likely it is for me to not like it. I went into watching Eternal Love with low expectations and as I had predicted at the time, I didn't find it too extra ordinary in the beginning.

STORY:

Eternal Love is comprised of the following three stages:

Episode 1-15:
This is when Yang Mi plays Si Yin and we are mostly being introduced to the characters. Ye Hua and Su Su meet up. It sets the pace of the story. This part doesn't have any wow factors, rather it provides an undercurrent of mild amusement. At this point you're not completely invested in the story but you also cannot let it go.

Episode 16-30:
Now this part was just plain torturous. This constructs the build up towards the main plot. It showcases Su Su's and Ye Hua's love and all the hardships she had to face as a mortal. Even though their sweet moments were heart warming, over-all this is literally the deadest portion of the show. It's not exactly the shows fault, rather the sypnosis's. We already know that SuSu is going to go blind and kill herself and honestly, I just felt like only after that, the true story would kick in which is why I had to fast forward some scenes because the whole wait did get, frankly, very boring. I understood that it was necessary for the character development and it provided a strong basis for the story to continue but that didn't mean that I found the drag-on particularly enjoyable. But since my intuition said that the light at the end of the tunnel would be very bright, I persevered.

Episode 30-58:
And this is when the show sky rockets to its summit. I think Episode 30 was by far the best episode made. From here onwards there are so many emotions; one great scene followed by another and suddenly I went from being half-heartedly interested to full on obsessed.

Acting:
Damn, I think I have a little bit of a crush on Yang Mi. She's such an absolute star to be honest. She portrayed her different personalities excellently. From the youthful and mischievous Si Yin, to the kind-hearted and vulnerable SuSu and finally to the boss ass queen Bai Qian; she simply slayed. There is this utter grace with which she speaks and moves that you can't help but be entranced by her. She was the true embodiment of a Queen and a total badass. Her fighting scenes were so empowering and the way she wields that Jade Purity Fan; just dang. She's a woman of power to her core and when Ye Hua forcefully kisses her once, she doesn't just let it be -nuhhun- she bestows him with a five fingered bitch slap 'cause ain't nobody messing with the Queen of Qing Qiu.

Mark was also a very nice surprise. He expressed a multitude of emotions just with his eyes. He didn't have to speak or show rather even the slightest twitch of his face spoke volumes. To be honest, I really fell in love with Ye Hua's character in the later part of the show. He's so selfless and devoted in his affection for Bai Qian that you can't help but root for him. Mark's delivery of Mo Yuan's character was also very impressive. Mo Yuan is a personality that demands respect and he gave him the elegance and majestic aura that was required.

Their chemistry is sizzling hot and both of them compliment each other to the max. I love how their love story transcends all worlds and they're two people destined to be together. I mean towards the end I was so committed to seeing their happy ending that for the first time in my life, I deliberately went to seek out spoilers just so I could have a consolation that everything wouldn't be in vain. Even though the ending is pretty sappy and the consequent events just turn out to be interestingly very very convenient for everybody, I think I wouldn't have opted for less.

The most annoying part of this show probably has to do with everything that was related to the Ghost Realm. Xian nu is literally the world's dumbest villain to ever grace the screens. I mean sure if you gonna be a negative ass bitch, filled to the brim with inferiority complexes, the least you can do is actually have some brains to execute your deviltry, instead she remains pitiful throughout and besides being an annoyance, doesn't amount to much.
Never fear though, because her husband matches her toe to toe as far as stupidity is concerned. Li JIng has a constant "woe-is-me" expression plastered on. He always acts like he is the most tragic person alive and he's constantly throwing pity parties and pining after someone he wronged. Like really bitch, if you gon' whine about how pathetic your life is and how you're suffering so much you should've thought better when you decided to waste your life being a nuisance and cheating on someone you supposedly loved. Smh. I was very thankful when both of these roaches finally ended up dead 'cause they literally belonged with each other in hell.

One of the best things about Eternal Love are the side stories. I had so much love for Dijun and Feng Jiu. Dijun, with his constantly amused face (as if the whole world was a huge joke to him) and Feng Jiu, with her endearing personality and child like tendencies really won me over. This show has so much character development and attention to detail. With excellent emotional delivery and story writing, I think the hype surrounding it is more or less justified.

One thing that I found hilarious was how little Bai Qian truly cared for her son like, ain't nobody got time for that but A-li is legit a ball of adorableness and the few moments they share together are absolute bliss.

Rewatching a 58 episode show is no easy feat so I don't think that I'd be doing that but there are definitely some iconic moments that I have already watched a thousand times over and will continue to revisit.

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Alchemy of Everything...

Honestly, I was a little excited because of So Min and Jae Wook when the news broke out, and that was fair, but that’s it. I thought I’d check it out when it drops. When it premiered and the response was huge, including in my circle, I wanted to try out soon. Very happy to announce that it went beyond my expectations. Such a well-made drama with mind-blowing plot development and intriguing elements. If more of such dramas are made in Korea in future, this will definitely be in the top 5, along with “Arthdral Chronicles”.

Produced by ‘Studio Dragon’ & ‘High Quality’, “Alchemy of Souls (환혼)” is an adventure fantasy, set in an alternative period drama. Written by Hong sisters (Jung Eun & Mi Ran) and directed by Park Joon Hwa, the drama ran for 10 weeks, originally on tvN and internationally distributed by Netflix. The principal photography was done in the filming set worth 5 billion won, constructed in Maseong-myeon city of North Gyeongsang Province.

The show takes place in the backdrop of Daeho, a fictional country, and follows a tale of the mages protecting the world against the evil that is trying to bring back a legendary object that will be accompanied by chaos and destruction. ‘Alchemy of Souls’ is a prohibited process used to switch souls between bodies. It keeps at center, Naksu (Go Yoon Jung), an elite mage with unbelievable power, who gets trapped in the body of a mysterious girl, Mu Deok (Jung So Min), and loses her power. Then she meets Jang Uk (Lee Jae Wook), a young master who is in search of a master to learn spells as he was prevented to do so immediately since birth. Together they try to gain and regain their power, as they keep discovering the intertwined fate, they were in bound to come across.

Daeho have different lineages of families of mages, each of which play specific positions and are connected with the leadership of the royal family. Seo family owning Sejukwon the grand infirmary and hub for hospitality, Park family owning Songrim, the most influential space training best of mages, Jin family owns Jinyowon, the place of rarest items and host of powerful priestesses and Jang Family, the hire to the Danju of Chunbugwan , the record keeping organization.

Seo Yul (Hwang Min Hyun) and Park Dang Gu (Yoo In Su) are Songrim mages with ParK Jin (Yoo Jun Sang) as the leader. Heo Yeom (Lee Do Kyung) is the leader of Sejukwon and Maidservant Kim (Oh Na Ra) is the housemaker at Jang Family. Jin Ho Kyung (Park Eun Hye) is the leader of Jinyowon with her daughter Jin Cho Yeon (Arin). Jin Mu (Jo Jae Yoon) is the Asst. Danju at Cheonbugwan. Go Won (Shin Seung Ho) is the crown prince, whereas Go Soon (Choi Kwang Il) and Seo Ha Sun (Kang Kyung Heon) are the King and the Queen of Daeho. Ju Wol (Park Soo Jin) is the leader of Chwiseollu, the place of gisaengs.

Plot development is amazing, very balanced at that, with fair share of twists, peaks and revelations in each episode, that are well-explained at their due time. The connecting plots have been arranged and embellished in a way that it intrigues at each point. The introduction itself was gratifying, indicating an appealing journey ahead, and the furtherance in next few episodes was smooth and engaging. The plot elements get intertwined soon after and everything seems intricated, as intended by the makers and the paced revelations of key facts is what makes the audience to keep going with the show throughout.

Hong sisters never disappoint. Just like their previous dramas, this was amazing and probably their career best, for the story and concept is unique, the elements are intriguing as well as overwhelmingly outstanding, the plot development is pleasing and the twists plus revelations are astonishing to core. Some facts were a bit assumable but considering the number of key elements and lengthy runtime of the drama, that’s very low. The characters have been built-up with great care and have fair shares of depth to themselves and the development of the ML Jang Uk was visibly very gratifying. The process of unveiling the mystery bit by bit was entertaining and satisfying.

Park Joon Hwa PDnim for the ace he is, has come back stronger after 3 years with the drama, which prolly is his first period fiction even though its an alternate fantasy; this should go to one of his best dramas list. The amount of time taken for the production is definitely worth seeing the outcomes, both the quality, the experiences and the response of audience, i. e. the popularity. The scenario setup for all of the major places were aptly done, along with the maintained and regulated changes to the actual culture. Both the CGI & VFX work were well-incorporated as necessitated which should be sufficiently commended. The cinematography also deserves an A+.

Composed by Nam Hye Sung PDnim, the show has a good set of OSTs
# “Scars Leave Beautiful Trace” by Car, the Garden felt like a force of motivation to me than a confession of love. The lyrics is beautifully coded to empower someone’s willpowers and is my most favorite for the way its been used in the drama.
# “Aching” by Kassy is soulfully melancholic song about foregone adversities that have caused immense pain until achieving prosperity. The notes of the chorus is gut-wrenching.
# “Just Watching You” by Jung Se Woon is a touching divulgence of sweet memories to create with someone you are in love with. The lyrics is very well-versed.
# “Raindrops” by Gummy is heartfelt rendition of one’s emotions of being loved at times of odd.

The other 3 tracks are…
# “You’re Everything to Me” by Shin Yong Jae
# ‘Breath” by Kim Na Young
# ‘Love Letter (with you)” by Big Naughty

The concept of alchemy and controlling earthly elements with the flow of energy, rather than citing it as just magic tricks, came as a very fresh illustration of fantasy in Kdramas and the idea od ice stone as well as the process of performing soul-shifting were as beguiling. I loved how this basic aspect were incorporated throughout into an interconnected and intricate narrative, involving the characters and to ease the murkiness in the ambience, we got moderate comedy, teen romance, heartful confessions and everything else that we see in modern drama.

The drama and its alternative world gave the makers the advantage of altering and introducing aspects historical without any hesitation, hence bringing out unique propositions, from outfits to cultures and from architecture to laws of the land. The modification of hanboks into solid and designed clothes, while preserving the basic outlines plus the various hairstyles and dyed hair, and then the simple accessories, all of them felt very fresh. I particularly loved them not abiding to the strict-law formulas, that we often see in real sageuk dramas, which also included no class differentiation among people though there were poors and riches.

I came to admire the narrative surrounding the mighty “ice stone” and how both Jang Uk and Mu Deok utilized their knowledge to decipher the underlying meanings and take actions as necessary. The idea of defining it as a medium for the flow of energy between the sky and the earth, in an indescribable form than a mere stone of ice, did strike me to core. The use of elements like Gwigu and ‘Word of Hearts’ as props were very well-handled. The legend of Master Seo Gyeong and the charismatic acts of Master Lee plus his discovery of certain other elements were both entertaining and enticing.

The storytelling was able behold everyone’s interest for its way of defining characters, elements and sub-stories, all combined into a beautifully appealing script. Hong sisters got wise about dividing the entire development of the current time with multiple narratives: the 200-year-old chaos, the 10-year-old misfortunes, the past of Naksu and Mu Deok, the current tragedy, Jang Uk’s journey, Jin Mu’s pans, etc. The careful establishment of connnections between different subplots and explanations for each suspicion have been very adequately done.

The incorporation of the swords and using it as a part of casting spells, controlling energy and performing different tricks was another intriguing element that I loved the most. The way the sword demanded the master’s competence to get activated and their appearances as in the designs sketched over were beautiful. Every duel between the mages were absolute treats with the well-organized actions. The performance of “alchemy of souls” and the graphics used to represent were bewitching to begi with and Naksu did it the best, be it in her own body or in Mu Deok’s.

Jung So Min and Lee Jae Wook chemistry will surely be a favourite, for the manner in which the relationship between them developed with two dimensions was an amazing experience. It was like two people altering their moods on two sides of a sheet in the same room. The way Jang Uk’s mood changes from Seonsaeng-nim to Mu Deok-ah in just seconds, I could not help but laugh until my stomach hurt. I guess those unsettling boundaries made them fall in love without their conscious and I particulary loved Uk’s way of showing his emotions.

Jung So Min is actually talented and I really hope she gets to play roles of different spectrum from now on. The duality she carried in two contrasting moods, Naksu and Mu Deok, was tremendously delivered; I can say she has improved a lot in a decade and this will be one of his best performances. Escalating the country-style habit of speech to behavior of Mu Deok to the solid and steady manners of Naksu, and vice versa, wasn’t really that smooth of a task.

Jang Uk had evidently the best character development among all bc of how his character was built-up from the scratch; from a guy with no power to turning a powerful mage who can outrank everyone else easily, we saw a engaging jouney, with Naksu obviously. Idk what but I presume it was his love for Mu Deok that also nourished him to be a thoughtful and wise man and made him carry out tasks that nobody thought he’d do or be able to. His expressions are something else; one moment he’s too serious and then he becomes an innocent puppy; his playfulness around Mu Deok were admirable. Lee Jae Wook deserves all the praises and appreciations for his acting, I hope his era is finally here.

Shin Seung Ho as the Crown Prince was developed with good amount of attention and honestly his character grew in an unexpected direction; be it his bromance with Jang Uk or his tease-party with Mu Deok, I loved his interactions with others, when I thought he will not have much to do in the story. But at the end, I ended up admiring him so much. Arin and Min Hyun as rookie stars did deliver nice; Cho Yeon had limited time but she appeared so geaceful and Seo Yul as a handsome and talented mage, might not have much importance in the story, but he shined very bright within his character. Yoo In Su as Park Dang Gu was a great source of humor and his presence in the scenes did lighten the mood, for sure.

Final Remarks… I don’t think I have much left to confess about the drama but I can say with confidence that everything about the drama has influenced me a lot, in various ways and various points. The fact that most of aspects from writing to direction and acting to outcomes, have been a good experience, we must appreciate the team for their efforts in making a nearly flawless piece of art. I also wanna commend them for bringing this amazing cast together and it will stay in the memory forever.

If you are fan of sageuks or fantasy or alternate realities and adventure, this is a very good compilation of all of that, presented in a gratifying manner. There should be no doubt in starting it if you are still in the dilemma due to the longer runtimes and 20 episodes bc the time invested will be worth. I am happy they cleared the air about the possible 2nd part with confirming its arrival late this year, before finishing this one, so I will be eagerly waiting for my new year treat, hehe. Also, its needed bc the original script is that long and the makers had already decided on it, even before beginning the project, so no complaints.

PLEASE WATCH THIS!

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Don't expect to enjoy this unless you are a Cassie. It has quite the thin, holey plotline, makes very little sense, and is all around a bit silly. However, the cast of course is very nice to look at and if you already love DBSK then you will enjoy spending a little over an hour ogling and laughing at/with them. The acting is not terrible so much as the story is poorly constructed, so it is not horribly painful to watch (the strongest actors of DBSK get the lead roles, so that helps) but don't expect the feeling of "what a great movie!" after watching so much as "that was kind of amusing!" The best part, without a doubt, is definitely that the OST is 100% DBSK :) And of course, no matter how their acting skills may be, no one can deny their superior musical talent, so that is definitely a plus.



Overall, this was not -so- bad, and it was an entertaining way to waste some time, but unless you are a diehard Cassie or are just curious about DBSK, there are probably better things to watch out there.

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Aaaaand now I'm a mess.

With the final episode done, my face tear stained, eyes puffy, and nose looking like it could put Rudolf to shame... I wonder what I'm supposed to do with my life now.

I feel like a mess. A huge mess. I have been stalking my own TV since freaking OCTOBER! You know the second a new episode dropped, my nose was in the TV and best bet, I haven't made plans to do anything in fear of missing a episode. Lol

구미호뎐 was so gosh damn phenomenal. I just want to spend the rest of my days talking about how much I loved every inch of this show. I have this weird obsession with 구미호 anyway so when I heard there was going to be a show about it starring two of my favorite people - There was nothing else left to do except wait. I needed no other reason because I was instantly hooked. Whoever thought to put Kim Bum and Lee Dong-Wook in a show together... I love you. and thank you for traumatizing me. Okay not really thankful about that last part, but thank you for putting this amazing masterpiece together.

This show is the perfection of a roller coaster without going on those monstrosities (I said what I said) --
There were characters I adored from the start and ended up HATING! There were characters I hated that I ended up loving... but funny enough it ended with me loving everyone. Well... minus the bad people. Hot or not, I still don't like you 이무기 (Imoogi)!! Even though there were a lot of times I wished you weren't a dickbag.

ANYWHO! Every single episode held so much that sometimes I felt like I held my breath the whole time, only able to breathe when it was over. Lol It held a bit of a trance, I suppose. Not complaining. I love shows like that. It's rare for that to happen as well - So I know this show will stick with me forever and will always be a favorite of mine.

Everyone's acting was off the charts amazing, there wasn't a single terrible person that was casted and I really really REALLY hope this wins awards. That's how amazing I believe it is. Not only the whole show, the cast, storyline, even the MUSIC.. just... EVERYTHING should be won when it comes to this show! I'm talking Parasite level of awards. Fight me if you don't agree. lol

I knew getting close to the end it would be sad. It's inevitable, but COME ON!!! I wasn't expecting THAT! I don't think I have cried quiet that hard since I watched Goblin.... and my face turned purple from crying so hard watching that. You can imagine how I looked watching this...... please don't imagine. I'm sure it's scary AF. Lol

The only and I mean ONLYYYYY issue I had with this show isn't even really just a issue, more of a confusion? And that's how it ended the way that it ended. I don't understand? Was he? Wasn't he? kinda thing. So I am really confused. I'm kinda hoping they release some kind of statement about it or extra little piece to explain how that happened when all through the show - we heard different. While I'm happy, I'm confused and maybe a little scared? Also... I wish it could have ended happier, if you know what I mean. If you watch it, and I hope you do -- I hope you'll agree with me that that person deserved happiness too.

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Silk Robes & Side-Eyes: A Sweet Escape with “Prisoner of Beauty”

Watching Prisoner of Beauty felt like getting wrapped in a velvet blanket while two ridiculously good-looking people argued like an old married couple. 😂

Song Zu’er? Total gem 💎—graceful, sharp, and that face could lead armies or end wars. The way she glares at Liu Yuning every time he roasts the poor Scholar? Comedy gold 🤣. Her expressions deserve their own drama: fiery when mad 😤, cool when scheming 🧠, soft when in love 💕, and adorably guilty when apologising 🥺. It’s like an emoji keyboard came to life—with actual acting skills. Unlike most cookie-cutter FLs, she brings layers, not just eyeliner. Queen behavior. 👑

Liu Yuning—ugh yes please! 😍 The man is walking eye candy with a dash of brooding mystery and unexpected softness. That towering presence, those intense gazes, and his deep voice? Instant heart flutter 🫠. Plus, his fashion and armor game? On point. Whether he’s in battle robes or sulking in a corner, he serves main character energy with a side of “I’ll protect you but won’t talk about my feelings” charm 🖤🗡️. Love his style, love his vibe—10/10 would stare respectfully (and maybe a little disrespectfully) every episode. 😏🔥 He comes in all broody and battle-ready 🗡️, but surprise! He’s got deadpan sass and “emotionally constipated but trying” energy that grows on you like a reluctant houseplant. 🌱 Their chemistry? It’s giving enemies-to-lovers with a side of slow-burn eye contact and unspoken feelings longer than ancient scrolls 📜.

And here’s the best part—no unnecessary breakups, no stupid misunderstandings! 🙌 Yes, they bicker (and thank goodness, because the banter is gold), but they hash it out like mature, emotionally literate grownups. What a concept! 😂 It’s so refreshing to see leads who argue with logic, then move on with their lives together. Love them for it!

The four Wei generals and the advisor? Absolute comedy squad 🤣. Every time they showed up, it was like a mini sitcom in ancient robes. Whether they were panicking, plotting, or just being lovable idiots, they had me cackling 😂. And the advisor? The one brain cell holding them together—barely. It felt like watching a group project where only one guy read the instructions 🧠📜. Their loyalty was top-tier, but their chaos? Unmatched. I’d watch a spin-off of just them arguing over who gets the last dumpling 🥟.

The only tearjerker? Sweet, chubby General Wei Liang 😭💔. That man was a cinnamon roll in armor. His loyalty, his adorable crush, his pure friendship with the leads… I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. And his love story? Utterly precious and hilarious—like watching a puppy try to flirt 🐶💘.

The OST is like background fairy dust—gentle piano, wistful strings, and perfectly timed romantic tunes when someone almost says "I like you" but ends up staring instead 😳. And the cinematography? Stunning. Golden sunlight, flowing robes, petals flying like someone paid extra for wind effects 🍃. Every frame could hang in a museum, honestly.

Plot-wise, it’s not here to hurt you or melt your brain. No power-hungry schemes with a hundred backstabs—just heartfelt growth, palace whispers, clever plotting, and romantic tension so thick it could be sliced with a decorative hairpin. 🥢

Verdict? 10/10 for comfort, chemistry, visual snacks, and healthy communication. A drama that made my heart full, eyes happy, and left me whispering “just one more episode” at 2am like a liar. 😅📺💖

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Female lead that is equal with the male lead in brain and brawn

I must admit I didn’t start watching Under the Power until I finished all other Cdramas because Allen Ren (Lu Yi) and Seven Tan (Jinxia) doesn’t fit my preferred look for Cdrama leads who are candy cuties, with fairy faces, and winsome smiles (ex. Jung Jin yi, Zhao Lusi, Zhang Zehan, Jing Boran, etc.).

In terms of acting and chemistry, all I can say is that the actors gave their A game in this production. Though they might not win the most good looking award, Allen Ren and Seven Tan definitely deserve an award for their superb acting that made me fall in love with Lu Yi’s resting frowning face, and Jinxia’s impish character. The supporting actors also gave their best and I must commend Dong Han for giving us the sexiest, and most handsome villain (Yan Shifan) to date. He did a great job by giving us a villain that you love to hate with his smiling face while doing vile deeds that sometimes you get to question yourself if you’re a psycho for wanting to side with him.

For the plot and writing, I love that all the crime solving in the drama are just subplots to propel the story forward to resolve the overarching conspiracy plot. I also like that there are SEVERAL STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS in the story not just the main lead (ex. Ms Shengguan, Mrs. Qing, Zhai Lanye, etc). These female characters are just as strong, intelligent, cunning, and brave as the other male heroes in the story. I also felt that there were no filler scenes and that though this drama is 55 episodes long, it didn’t take 30+ episodes for the main romance to be established. Some dramas take the easy way out and give viewers a lot of kissing or sexy scenes, but the writer of this drama took the harder route by creating more logical scenes to establish the romance. Lu yi and Jinxia’s romance is not your cliched love at first sight or the martyr type romance. I fell in-love with Lu Yi and Jinxia’s romance, so much so that I didn’t care that they never had and never needed a full kiss to express their realistic love for each other. I also love the way the characters were written and that they remained consistent to their core until the end of the series. The main leads’ problems were never drawn out and was resolved in a satisfying manner that you don’t have to pray for their angst to end.

Lastly, only people who expect this drama to be either 100% crime solving or 100% rom com will be disappointed . Because this drama has the perfect blend of the elements for everyone. The breakdown of the drama elements are as follows:
40% crime solving
30% solving the main plot
30% romance between the leads

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