Reviews

A dull mess. Mostly a long ad for snack foods.

I hope you like insant noodles and factory-produced chocolate cakes with some white stuff inside.

I was so excited for this, because after Bad Buddy I really wanted to see Jimmy star in a series, and I love the support cast. But what a huge disappointment.

First of all, the plot is barely existent. The gimmick is that people can get transported to an alternate universe when they die, but can get back to their own universe (apparently alive again) if you find your portkey, which is another person, but under circumstances that are not clear.

Jimmy and Sea are beautiful and they both look unusually good with their shirts off, or on, or a little of both, but that can't save this series.

Which is a thinly-veiled string of commercials for products. There is so much product placement, and not just people exaggeratedly enjoying a refreshing drink - it's endless. Episode 7, which finally killed any desire I have to waste time being victimized for my loyal BL viewership, had a good 20-minute streak where nothing happened except product placement. There's even a debate over whether KFC should be eaten with sauce or not. Apparently yes. Otherwise you're disrespecting whoever invented the sauce more than you are insulting whoever fried the chicken. (For the record, it's disrespecting whoever fried the chicken. It's already seasoned with spice.)

There is no chemistry between the leads. Part of the problem is that their personalities weren't introduced before the switch, so we never really got a sense of what their motivations are, and the show is crippled by "uke-ism", meaning the seme (Puen) comes on to the uke (Talay), who behaves like being kissed on the cheek is attempted rape and grimaces in disgust and pushes him away. When they hug, they're standing a meter apart and leaning in to touch shoulders, and their kisses are mechanical and the actors put in the minimum required to make it techically a kiss.

There is no point to this series. It doesn't explore any social issues, balancing career & personal life, the trials of showbusiness, or anything at all, despite the golden opportunity of an alternate universe that could have contrasted with ours in meaningful ways. The differences are all superficial and meaningless, like instead of birthday cake, you have birthday cotton candy (with candles in it. I wonder what the death rate in this universe is from accidental fires). All we get is 12 eps of chemistry-free fluff and snacks. None of the support characters serve any purpose except comic relief, and exposition, and the series doesn't even explore what it means for the person you love to suddenly have a different body. (Personally, if I were dating doughy Nanon, I'd stay in bed 25 hours a day if he were suddenly built like Jimmy, but I'm shallow. If I were dating Nanon I'd be just as happy but I'd make him sing a lot instead.) It could have been an opportunity to look at the difference between surface aspects of attraction and the deeper connection of love.

This deserves a 3, but the actors did as well they could in a tragic situation like this, and I feel bad for punishing them, so I gave it a 5. Most of the actors actually play and sing the music in this, which also earns some points. Nanon has a lovely voice - I wanted to hear more of it. The production is competent but uninspired.

I can't recommend it, unless you love fluff and cheesy lines. And snacks.

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If you're here purely for Kim Seon Ho, this drama isn't for you.

I've never written a review before, but bear with me here.

I will focus less on going through everything about this story's plot and more about the fact that seems to have infuriated a lot of people, which is the fact that Kim Seon Ho's character isn't the main romantic lead. The reason why I decided to watch this drama is because I love Nam Joo Hyuk since I watched Weightlifting Fairy, and I had recently finished watching The School Nurse Files, where I absolutely adored him as well. I don't mind Kim Seon Ho as an actor, I neither like him nor dislike him (though I'll say I lean more into liking him than anything else) which is probably why my enjoyment of the show wasn't tinted by the fact that he wasn't the main love interest, and I was looking forward and throughly enjoyed the happy ending we got.

All of that being said— and you can call me biased because of this— I never really felt like Han Ji Pyung had any chance of being a real second love interest for Dal Mi. I don't think there was ever a love triangle; Dal Mi definitely was fixated on the boy from the letters but ultimately never really liked the Han Ji Pyung she met (romantically, that is), and the revelation that he was actually the one who wrote the letters changed nothing about those feelings— except maybe making her disappointed in the fact that it wasn't actually the real Do San who wrote them.

I think Dal Mi liked Do San from the moment she met him and the fact that she thought he was the boy from the letters was simply something that added to her initial attraction. She said it herself that the moments where Do San didn't seem to be the boy of the letters stirred something in her that she really liked.

I don't think there was ever any competition because like I said, there was never a love triangle. And I totally get people being disappointed that Ji Pyung didn't end up with Dal Mi, but a drama where that happened would have to have been a completely different story from the get go.

As I said in the headline, If you're here purely for Kim Seon Ho, this drama isn't for you. But if you're here for Nam Joo Hyuk, then it absolutely is.

It has emotional, funny, frustrating and intense moments that made it very enjoyable for me to watch, and after watching Record of Youth which left me feeling so utterly disappointed, this was a soothing balm for my soul.

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Another Mary Sue Drama~

Twelve Legends narrates the story of Jasper Liu, Jin Xing Jian, a stone deity who tries to resurrect her lover, Ye Ming, a night pearl played by Guli Nazha. The story started after Jin Xing Jian sealed Ye Ming’s memory and put her to sleep. As a stone deity, Jin Xing Jian has “seals/stone stamps” – which is his original form. It all started because Ye Ming defied heaven’s will against Yu Shao Bai's death, which causes a domino effect to Jin Xing Jian, Ye Ming, and others. The drama storyline then focuses on the journey of Jin Xing Jian finding his 8 scattered seals and Ye Ming trying to figure out her past.

I gave this drama a 3.5 is because of its draggy storyline. There are a lot of side couples and stories in this drama. Almost every seal collected comes with a background story. The background story includes the right amount of suspense, action, emotion, and comedy. For instance, I find the nine-tailed fox side and xiao hu’s story touching. However, some of the side stories are presented longer than necessary, causing uneven pacing. As a fantasy/ supernatural drama it lacks lavish images, CGI and choreographed action scenes. But still, the choreographed action is still decent. From what I can see, this drama might have a high budget, and I can say that they allocated the budget well. Even though some of the CGI is terrible and fake (e.g. the mermaid, nine-tailed fox, dream eater). The CGI does not fit into the overall drama. And the transition was downright terrible. There are a lot of cuts, jumps and weird transitions and effects that looked like this whole drama is being edited on iMovie by a high school student.

In addition, the climax also lacks intensity. The protagonist and antagonist were killed easily. In the beginning till the end of the drama, the protagonist, Jing Xing Jian was shown as basically an unparalleled deity with strong superpowers. However, the reason for his death lacks logic and coherence. And Ye Ming did not have any character growth at all. She remains as weak and innocent or could I say dumb. Jin Xing Jian sacrificed so much for her, but she barely did anything. The only thing she did was reciprocate his love only by the last few episodes of the drama, she realized everything too late.

Jasper Liu did a tremendous job in portraying a cold and distant yet loyal and caring man. Meanwhile, Guli Nazha did an okay job. I watched some of her dramas before such as Weaving a Tale of Love, and her acting did not have any improvement. However, I gotta say that Guli Nazha looked very charming in this drama, she is very charming and beautiful especially when she is in a qipao!! but still, her characters evoke a 呆/ dumb vibe (Guli Nazha should pick a better script, almost every character that she acts evokes a 呆 vibe). But Jia Cheng and Zhi Ying did a great job as the second couple. I love seeing how they grow as a demon and a demon fighter to lovers. And there are also a few really awesome supporting cast, such as the Ye siblings.

Secondly, the costumes and set were pleasing to see. The republican era costumes such as the qipao, suits, dresses were very well made and detailed. The set such as the Hua Xue gallery was also well-made. And lastly, the OSTs were very fitting into the overall ambience, however, it is not catchy and memorable.

Overall, Twelve Legends is an average-bad drama. Some aspects of the drama are bad, however, if you watch it without thinking much, then it will probably be an okay drama. If you have a lot of extra time or if you are a fan of the actors, go ahead and watch it!!

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So I passed on this drama many times due to the topic being covered. Being about Aids and all i thought it was going to be this sad melodrama and i dont like those. Then I discovered Jang Hyuk and decided to watch his past dramas so I gave this one a chance...

Story- Really well written. I like how it seeks to inform the audience in a way that takes the subject seriously but also is lighthearted as to not alienate the audience. The romance in this was small but still meaningful. The ending was happy=)

Acting/Cast- Solid acting by the main leads. Their chemistry was so strong that i really wanted them to be together. The acting by the little child actress was really good. The pairing of her and GHJ was perfect cause they really made a believable mother/daughter. The acting by the supporting cast was really good but i didn't like a lot of the characters.

Music- Fit the scenes well.

Rewatch- I'd definitely rewatch this again in a few years.

Overall this drama is different but i definitely recommend you trying it out.

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This movie is really underrated. I was really surprised to see it didn't have much success in Korea, because to me this movie is a maserpiece.

Don't expect this movie to be a shorter version of the drama. This movie is a completetly different version of Hwang Jin Yi story. In this movie, Hwang Jin Yi was raised as a noble during all her childhood, and this is only when she turn fifteen that her life change all of the sudden.

Unlike the drama this movie focus on Jin Yi's personality, rather than her art, so those who expect a lot of music and dance will be disapointed. But the OST of the drama is really beautiful.

One thing I absolutely loved in this movie, was the settings and the costumes. The landscapes are beautiful, the architecture and costume are really subtle and delicate. Everything isn't flashy with bright color, you have deep blue, black lace, green and black dresses, black hair ornements, all those dark color contrasting with the ivory skin of Hwang Jin Yi and make her gaze mesmerinzing : all her expessions are magnified.

This is a captivating and moving piece of art that I recommend.

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Now that I'm finished, there are quite a few things that I liked and disliked about the whole series. If you've read my review before, you must have noticed how enthusiastic I am with it, but having it done after being cut short with 4 episodes, I have to say there were quite a few things that didn't sit well with me.

I didn't know it would bother me that much, but it was noticeable. This drama was originally made for sixteen episodes, but tvN decided to cut it down to twelve. A slow drama being cut down means a change of pace, and it was obvious by the end of episode 8 and onwards. The tone and mood of the story is quite dreary, but the delivery was good. While it is mainly a romance drama, it's main theme has always been about loss, and telling the story through its characters has been an up and down experience. I had my doubts before I started watching it because I'm not really a fan of stories that involve AIs (and to be honest, every TvN drama I've watched lately has been quite hard to finish, especially if it deals with a few fantasy), but this doesn't bother me at all. Granted, the mild science element of the story is improbable, completely improbable, but it elevates the major key element of emotional coping, which is the struggle of our male protagonist (and a few other characters later on). Some viewers may find it creepy at some point, especially in the first four episodes, but do know that it needs to be as unsettling as possible to prove a point that an unhealthy obsession should be stopped. You'd also be forced to think what it means to love someone who has always been absent.

Before I get to what I don't like, I have to first recognize Han Seo Woo. Seo Woo is truly one of the best characters k-drama land has to offer. She's sensitive to people's needs. She carefully thinks about what to say before talking. She doesn't look back at her past and get helplessly tied to it. She helps people find happiness they can make for themselves. She's independent. She genuinely cares. She knows her space. Others may notice she feels emotions a bit too much, but there are people like that. Ha Won, on the other hand, it a puzzle piece that needed a lot of healing. Just as he has gotten past one slump, a new discovery threatens his peace, which overall makes his character a bit pitiful. But what I love about it is how he's quick to pick himself up, and with very good character dynamic with Seo Woo, he becomes more than just the victimized character.

To be honest, I loved the first part of this drama, and right when I noticed the change of pace, my view of it has declined quite a bit. While I owe it on pacing, I believe the storyline wouldn't have changed greatly, which is where most of my problems lie. It's quite frustrating because this drama gave me really good characters (in the form of the main leads), but it also gave me one that I can never connect to at all (in the form of Kang In Wook). While I understand that it is about healing, I really hoped they could have gotten a different path for In Wook. I'm not saying he shouldn't heal, but greater repercussions should have been dealt with. I really dislike his character and I can even say this drama would have been a lot better if they introduced a completely different character for a different kind of conflict. I didn't like how they ended things with him, either. Personally, I felt like what he did was not justified at all. And what really irks me is the [lazy] execution of explaining that it could be okay. It felt as if the plot become overwhelmed with the enormity of its characters' actions that it had a hard time connecting, which is why they resorted to a slight change of narrative, which personally felt like a betrayal.

Overall, A Piece of Your Mind worked best when it was at its natural pace. It gave some wonderful lines that fully described the characters. tvN cutting it short definitely affected the drama, like how Minjung's storyline seemed like it wasn't completely attached. The support characters, while they did good, should have also gotten more exposure.
In a way, it seems as if their storylines got haphazardly thrown in.

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Wanted to love it, but the ending was SO unsatisfying

I decided to give this series a chance in part because the premise sounded interesting, but more so because of the male lead. His acting in Le Coup de Foudre was vibrant and natural, and I thought it'd be interesting to see him play a completely different role.

In general, the actors all did a pretty good of bringing their characters to life. The male lead did a good job, though I will say he made his character a lot quirkier than the typical cold CEO role normally is.

Based on the first half, I would've given this a high rating. However, it starts to drag halfway through, and the last third of the series was a complete mess. The sudden turn of events near the end didn't make any sense either, and it completely ruined the storyline.

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The countenance of perfection!
Who cares about critics when a movie can represent someone's life on the big screen.
"Bokura in Gohan wa Ashita of Matteru" has a common but well written story with a perfect chronological narrative.
The genre bending comedy is also present, I loved it, it's not every day we see women taking initiative and picking on heavy and men doing light and domestic things, based on a novel by Maiko Seo, "Our Meal for Tomorrow" by Masahide Ichii is another unconventional romantic drama.
In the cast we have Ryota Hayama (Yuto Nakajima), high school student (Nakajima is a member of the popular boy boy Hey! Say! Jump), but is a lonely and sensitive when the movie begins. Then a girl from her class, Koharu Uemura (Yuko Araki), asks her to partner with her in a sack race ...
Working from the script itself, the film follows the reverse gender relationship - emotionally vulnerable face and mentally primordial girl with no ...
The story also features twists of often-seen plots, both medical and romantic, though their treatment of them is more original than normal.
"Bokura no Gohan wa Ashita de Matteru" is a love story any but for me it is one of the most impressive and cute I have ever seen. It's worth watching!

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"stomp my heart
lather it with peri peri powder
make me choke
but god let me be damned
don't make a shitty ending"
- yoonthethicc at 3:38 am

the way this started off so well... us being thrilled about this fake dating deal the main leads had going on, how the pre-dating part where we were actually feeling the chemistry ohmygoD the chemiSTRY SHE WAS EXISTENT BREATHING SHE HAD A LIFE Y'ALL

*pause* okay before i combust let me tell you guys how i love sarawatine's friend groups
-oh to be tine and have fong as my friend (plus points for good advices like tF i want that shit)
-oh to be sarawat and have man and boss (nothing feels as good as having supportive chaotic idiots running about and giving you and your partner smug faces)

*resume* tHE FREAKIBG FLASHBACKS GOD FORBID I GET THAG I'M NOT THE BRIGHTEST TOOL IN THE SHED BUT I'M PRETTY SURE I RRMEMBER THESE SCENES PRETTY WELL

WHY DIDN'T SARAWAT JUST TELL PAM THA- what i'm trying to say is that sarawat didn't make any sense in episode 12 y'Know what episode 12 and 13 didn't make sense but i can't make myself to get mad that it's a cliche bc gosh damn it i'M frustrated okay?

how episode 12 could've been resolved:
-sarawat introduces tine as his boyfriend to Pam
-sarawatine sit both their asses down to talk about their insecurities in their relationship
-sarawat makes it clear to pam that there's absolutely no way of them getting back together
-a kiss in part 4 at the beginning when sarawat says smth about tine being his and his only (we're robbed and that's the truth)
-type sitting his ass down in that scooter thing (wtf are vehicles) with man and we get a clip of them smiling and shit
-mil going to the bleachers to talk to phukong

my problem with the ending is that it just there was no proper resolution to the conflict that happened?? we just got flashbacks of sarawatine and boom tine is there cheering for sarawat like dude.... you cried buckets for this... you could've cleared a drought dang it

it almost felt like i watched an ending to those bad romcom movies..... awesome ost tho ahaha

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Brilliant acting, but goes around in circles

I started watching this series due to all the hype and awards. It's a psychological thriller (not a mystery) so you do need patience and the willingness to understand the motives, behaviour patterns and relationship connections for all the characters. It's a very intricately woven story, with a lot of nuance and some phenomenal acting from all the cast members.

However, I found the pace inconsitent from episode to episode, and it was annoying to have a lot of the story told with flashbacks ranging from months to years to days to hours! It also had a gimmicky approach towards some of the characters, making you suspect this character and the other character quite randomly, and then the story heading in a completely different direction. They could have done without these gimmicks.

Overall, it's a good, though slow, watch and worth it purely for the performances of all the cast members.

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My Master's Sun is really a great drama.
Many people said that it lost some of its spark by the last few episodes, and I agree. That's why I gave it a 9 instead of a 10. A very annoying cliché was added to the mix, but I think the Hong Sisters handled it better than I expected. Plus, the episode 17 rewards you for all the draginess going on in the three previous episodes.
That is the only complaint I have for this drama. The rest was really amazing: all the characters are lovely, even the "mean" second female lead, Yi Ryeong. I ended up loving her by ep. 17. The CEO and Tae Yang also showed a lot of character growth. And not one that happens from one episode to another, but a progressive one that you can enjoy throughout the whole drama.
And for those who watched The Greatest Love, the CEO is very similar to Dokko Jin. Except that a much less extravagant version.
I recommend it to everyone, no matter the kinds of dramas you like. It has its touching moments, its hilarious scenes, the very cute romantic ones. It even has a little action and some mystery packed in it. If you don't like Horror, then don't worry. I did not see much of that aspect. Sure, the ghosts were sometimes... disturbing. But it does not go farther from that.
And it also has a very enjoyable OST, especially the instrumentals.
Do yourself a favor, and watch this (if you do and you don't like it, I'm sorry).

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Junior's Queen Energy Made the Show

What I loved most about this drama was how Sun, a carnivore, was constantly taming his instincts so he doesn't literally EAT Junior for lunch, but Junior tried whatever he could to tempt him. He even used catnip on the panther. Literally, that shameless penguin was born with no fear, cuz he was courting dead the whole series.

Listen, Caged Again was nothing to write home about. The premise of the show was quite unique, interesting and different from the same school based bls we always got. So although I was sceptical, I still tuned in for it. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectation, the execution and the plot was all over the place, and everything was frankly a mess. Some of the characters were dumb as rock, nonsense misunderstandings that could be resolved if they just spoke dragged the pace, how that whole kidnap thing ended was so stupid, I'm still asking myself 'who dafug wrote this?' and I have like a billion questions as to how the penguin and the panther integrated into society with no legal papers. That last villain vs heroes stand-off had me shaking my head in judgement, literally the eff was that?

Yes, so many things made no effing sense and was flat-out ridiculous, but I'll give them this, the two leads, although new, did well with their acting. Junior stole the show for me, that penguin was such a drama queen and I loved every time he was on screen. Not gonna lie, with how the whole plot was all over the place, I thought I'd end up disliking the series, but, I liked this show more than I thought I would. I had some good laughs. Sun and Junior had good chemistry and entertained me with their antics. Their two friends were an okay addition as well, although not really sure what was up with them, and I liked how meta the Goddess was too.

Scenes that made me went hihi:
- In the beginning when Sun saw Junior as food in all those fantasy tripping sequence. Lol, like damn, don't eat your classmate.
- Junior turning his ruined gym uniform into a tank top, and doing a runaway show in the school's hallway. Slay!
- When Junior tried to seduce Sun by wearing that penguin suit. And I can't believe it worked, cuz all he did was lift Sun's arm and put it back down. Sun, honey...stand up!
- That whole catnip scene had me going... boy, do you have no regards for your safety? That penguin was shameless.
- Sun wanting their baby to have the face of a penguin and the body of a panther. Like??? then he got disappointed they couldn't have any. I'm glad they got a fish, hopefully they take it to the zoo and it becomes a person too.
- Junior waiting a few months, then started planning his life of moving to Bangkok and marrying someone else. LMAO, that penguin's sass needs to be studied. Sun lucky he showed up in time, boy was ready to move on.
- How sassy, naive, adorable, innocent, honest and bold Junior was. I loved how he was always true to himself and was unapologetic. He did this whole human thing better than most of us.
- That temple fair date that ended with them in the gambling club, but Junior just went with the flow, putting his dancing and gambling skills to use. Like, children, does this place look like a temple to you?? also how Junior got that piggyback ride... such princess behaviour, I stan!
- Sun's future job where he was an actor/stunt-man. LOL, the part when he fell before they even hit him, then after he was so proud like he did such a good job. Boy???
- That obvious green-screen North Pole :((((
- I also like how deep Sun loved. He found Junior and made him his whole world. Those two truly deserved their happy ending.

All in all a fun show if you go in not expecting anything, matter of fact, don't even question stuff, just go with the flow. You'd like the penguin for sure. So, I'll recommend it if you are looking for something to watch, just to watch something. I look forward to more work from the two leads, Ben and Jay, really liked them here.

Happy New Year.

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Probably Not For Everyone

One thing that remains a recurring theme with a lot of BL Fans, I've noticed, is their aversion to various series where everything doesn't go according to their personal mandates in the world of fiction. As soon as reality pokes its unwelcome head in the door, they are quite ready to retreat. Fair enough. I mean we get enough real life on the daily and who needs more of that in whatever fictional world you decide to visit? Well, I do. One of the great things about proper storytelling, as far as I am concerned, is getting to take a good look at someone else's life and realizing that I'm not in this alone. All the mess that I've lived through and all the mess yet to come - someone's already been there, already done that. And survived. Now they can tell these stories of reassurance, in which I will find some measure of comfort.

So here we have a trio of parallel stories with three different levels of difficulty - Fah and Torn's "Love Before Memory" story. Having met as children, these two probably couldn't even remember when they first fell for each other. Seems like they've always been in love, even before they knew that "love" was a thing. Then there's Ai and Saen's "Long Distance Love" story - **SPOILER** - They meet, fall for each other and then, as we both expect and fear, Ai gets a scholarship to study abroad. I know I've been there - didn't work out...at all - but watching them walk that rocky road of long distance love...well, at least I got to watch from a safe distance this time. Then there's the most complicated in the bunch: - the "Impossible Love" story. Dome falls for Vee - his girlfriend's brother. Hmmm. That's a tough one.

So, how do they all fare? Well, I guess you'll just have to watch for yourself. What I will say, though, is that life just keeps on poking at the protagonists. Grounded by good performances from the young cast, good writing and some exceptional direction, "You're My Sky" constantly messes with your head. Sometimes you laugh, sometimes you cry. Sometimes you cheer them on, and at other times you stare at them in disbelief. Kinda-sorta like in real life. And, like I wrote earlier, whenever reality pops up in BL, you just know it's going to be picked apart on Social Media. Oh well...

Huge praise for the technical side of the production. The camerawork is awesome, but it's the lighting design that is spectacular. I think it's the boldest lighting I've ever seen in my life, and I am here for it!

To close off, lemme just say one thing - if you like stuff like "Gen Y" or "Don't Say No" or "Cutie Pie", you might want to give this one a miss. If, however, you like stuff like "I Told Sunset About You", "Utsukushii Kare" or even "'Cause You're My Boy" - and you don't mind a dollop of sport - then maybe you should give this one a try. I really liked it. That is all.

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I started watching this drama knowing barely anything about Korean history, which usually makes me reluctant to watch any sageuk that isn't romance, fantasy, or is just too focused on fighting and politics. I was always afraid that too much of a story like this would go over my head. The only reason I decided to watch this drama is because of Jo Jung Suk. He's one of my favorites and hasn't disappointed me yet, but this was a tough guy type of role so I still had my reservations. The first episode was good, and introduced characters well, but I still wasn't convinced I could get into a story like this. If anyone else feels this way or similar trust me and give this drama a chance. What this drama does exceptionally well is make historical events feel personal and relatable, through unforgettable characters and an equally heartbreaking and inspiring story. This drama isn't just about recreating events, it's about how these events shape every single character and telling an epic story through their eyes.

The story centers around three main characters, brothers Baek Yi Kang and Baek Yi Hyun, and merchant Lady Song, and how their lives are all changed by the Donghak Peasant Revolution. Their relationship with each other isn't a traditional love triangle, but instead, it's more about how their roles directly or indirectly affect each other, rather than a traditional rivalry, which was a much more interesting dynamic to watch. I don't want to give anything away by saying too much, but they are each so good in their roles and how they relate to and interact with each other, that they didn't need a cliché romance plot to keep me engaged. Han Ye Ri as composed and calculating Song Ja In is formidable in her role, and I loved watching her hold her own in a mainly male dominant cast. I already mentioned that Jo Jung Suk is a favorite K-actor of mine, and he does display some of his usual charms as Baek Yi Kang, but it's nice to know that even with romance playing such a minor part in the story, he is still so good! However, surprisingly my favorite of the three characters is Yoon Shi Yoon as Baek Yi Hyun. His range in this drama is amazing and award-worthy (he's really come a long way from the king of baking lol), and his relationship with his brother is the true heart of this story. I can't imagine a better possible pairing, Junk Suk and Ye Ri had great chemistry, but it's Junk Suk and Shi Yoon that got me right in the feels.

I mentioned the three leads as the main branches of this plot but the reality is that every single character in this drama is important and well played. Choi Moo Sung may have the biggest shoes to fill as Jeon Bong Jun, but even the most minor characters end up being major parts of the story, and I loved watching how all the characters and their allegiances and relationships changed with each episode. The real history makes a lot of this story predetermined but it's the individual characters that keep the story unpredictable and exciting. I wish I could name every character I loved but there are just way too many. This really is a perfect cast all around, and I love that there's not always clear villains or heroes, which keeps things from getting too predictable.

That leads me to the writing, which is truly amazing. Yes, the beginning episodes take their time setting up who everyone is, the unfairness of ancient Joseon, and what's about to happen, but before I knew it I was totally addicted and wrapped up in the revolution. I also liked how historical moments were noted to make them clear but without distracting from the story. I appreciated the details in even the side plots that made me care more and made this turn of the century Joseon world feel more real. This is the kind of story that you can definitely watch again, and maybe catch things that you missed the first time. I can see myself watching this again, now knowing more about what really happened, although knowing how it ends may make some scenes a little less exciting.

It's hard to hate a soundtrack that takes a traditional song and plays off of it beautifully. I liked the rest of the soundtrack as well and thought the music was always well placed, but some of the songs were too forgettable for me to warrant a perfect score for music. The music definitely enhanced the mood, especially during battle scenes.

Overall, this drama is a practically perfect sageuk. It's much deeper than the usual fighting over status, family betrayals, corrupt politics, and ill-fated love story tropes that make up most dramas in this genre (although sometimes I love those too). In Nokdu Flower I loved the themes of fighting for equality, tradition vs change, struggling with identity/self-determination, figuring out what is really important in life and what it truly means to win or lose, loyalty and betrayal, and all the conflicting faces of "patriotism"... I have no idea how accurate it was overall but I did actually learn a lot while watching without it feeling too preachy or feeling like the history channel. It's also not so heavy that the story becomes too depressing, even if you already know the history. There's a little bit of romance, great action/war scenes, even many funny moments... and the characters may be mostly fictional, but the way they brought life to the story felt hauntingly real. I loved how many of my favorite characters got the spotlight they deserved in the story too, and that the ending didn't feel rushed and really honored the history it was celebrating. Sure, the bluebird song will probably get stuck in your head for a while from watching, but it's definitely worth it.

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