Reviews

Mature and emotional drama: More of a character study rather than romance

My rating of a drama really depends on how engaged it kept me, if the characters were compelling, and the story is unconventional. I kept coming back to The Interest of Love every single week. It’s a well-written show with great direction and well-developed characters. The last few four episodes especially the finale dragged out, but still not so much that I couldn’t watch it anymore. Although I admit that I came to the ending after a gap and that ways I was able to look at it from a fresh perspective. I wanted my rating to reflect my overall experience with the drama and not just the ending. I’ve watched so many k-dramas, where I’ve been really excited in the beginning but watch it fizzle out toward the end. I wanted to follow the story of IOL till its end and rate my experience throughout. It is a complex and mature love story, and unlike anything I’ve ever watched in the romance world of K-dramas. I feel that the drama is underrated on MDL, but that’s my opinion since I was completely hooked on to the show. The interesting part about this show is that it’s essentially a love story, but it also considers social class and hierarchy, and how that can affect personal and professional relationships. It also portrays the leads in a refreshing and nuanced manner. I’d a good time watching this show and if you’re in the mood for watching a serious romantic drama, give this one a shot! One drawback may be that there’s not much levity or comic relief, so at times the show can feel intense or emotionally heavy and draggy, but if you enjoy the angst and longing, you will probably like the show.

Comments on MDL have been hugely divisive around the lead characters, particularly the FL. Although, the characters were sometimes frustrating, I still found them mostly relatable and realistic…their emotions raw and messy making them very human. What I appreciated about the show is that none of the characters are good or bad, they are all flawed and vulnerable, who sometimes make terrible decisions. So, the FL is a diligent worker who’s really good at her work but has been overlooked for promotions due to her educational background. She’s kindhearted, loyal, and compassionate, yet she can also be stubborn and not communicate her feelings well, to the extent of being self-destructive. Then, there’s the SFL, who’s wealthy, manipulative, and slightly obsessive. Yet, she also takes pride in her work and wants to make it on her own professionally without her father’s support. So, these characters are very nuanced, and that’s what I loved and appreciated about the show. Just like in the director’s other show (Do you like Brahms?) the FL is complex, she’s quiet, fiercely independent and strong. I loved Ahn Soo Young, and Moon Ga Young plays the role like a queen. A quieter and more serious turn for her after her role in True Beauty. I admit that at times, I questioned Soo Young’s motivations and decisions, but the more I thought about it, the more I could see how her past influenced her romantic decisions. I think her fiercely independent and serious character didn’t go well with some audiences because the writers don’t justify who she is by using a mental health issue or a really traumatic history. Even though she’s had some trauma, I think the reasoning behind her actions is perhaps too simple and too real for audiences to grasp why a FL should be so unpredictable. Even if, not all of her decisions made sense to me, I still found her relatable in many ways. The relatability was in small things, such as her taking time off whenever she was struggling, or her looking for more space in her relationship when she was feeling low, to me these characteristics were very comforting. But again, that’s why I love about K-Dramas, good writers put a lot of thought into the characters. Ultimately, the show is about Soo Young’s growth and her finding what she truly loves to do ~ a path that is true to who is. More power to Ga Young and the writers of this show, I hope they continue to bring such female leads to life on the screen. The ML is also unconventional, in the sense that he’s cautious and not aggressive. This is different from other dramas, where the ML almost always takes charge and beats the SML and takes every chance to get close to the FL. The ML here is relatively quieter and lets go of the FL, and respects her decisions for the most part.

The complexity of the characters in the show also extends to their relationships. Unlike most dramas, the second leads are just not there waiting for their chance, but they actually get a chance and then things happen…as it would in real life. All four characters’ situations are truly entangled, and they feel real and complex emotions. I think this drama is out of the norm in the way that the FL is truly conflicted in her feelings towards the male leads, which is refreshing. Most dramas I’ve watched are too scared to explore this, and the leads are typically oblivious to what the second leads feel for them. In that sense, this drama is mature and realistic. Although, the drama still plays it relatively safe and is not as bold as it may appear at first. I felt the makers couldn’t commit to what they were going for at first and spent a lot of time in the last few episodes trying to clean up the leads’ acts. As realistic as the show is, I felt that some characters were holding on to their relationships as if they were in a marriage, so that part to me was unconvincing. In real life, break-ups can be more brutal than how it was conveyed.

Of course, Moon Ga-Young and Yoo Yeon-seok sparkle in this show, but I also enjoyed Moon Tae Yoo as Kyung Pil and Seo Jung Yeon as Sang Soo’s mother. I also really liked the OST and just the overall vibe of the show. I would recommend this show if you’ve liked Something in the Rain or some other quieter shows. I personally, didn’t find the show to be as slow as some other shows like One Spring Night and My Liberation Notes, and to me those shows were really slow. The Interest of Love has decent pacing, except in the end, which for some reason happens to almost every other K-Drama, which is pretty annoying and disappointing. If you haven’t watched this drama, this is a great time to binge watch the show. The director does rely on cliff hangers to keep the audience hooked, so at least now you won’t have to wait for a week racking your brain as to wtf is going to happen next!! Also, I wish the makers would have promoted the show as slice of life drama or character sketch rather than romance, as I feel the viewers would have then appreciated the non-romantic aspects of it more and been more forgiving towards it.

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The Boss' Pawn Opera (Major spoilers ahead!)

I. The Good
It's a happy ending, albeit rushed. MXY plays his role as the yandere male lead (ML) with enough crazy in his eyes and ZCX is, as always, a beautiful, strong female lead (FL). I picked this up because I was lured by tantalising cuts on YouTube, each promising dog-blood melodrama and palpable sexual tension . Unlike Benny Benassi's song, this pushed me but did not touch me, and so I got no satisfaction.

II. The Bad
The drama teases an interesting premise, but fails in developing the story in any believable manner. The episodes require your mind to execute Simone Biles' level of gymnastics skills, because even dog-blood melodrama needs a slow burn and not an immediate Australian summer bush fire. The scenes are disjointed, and sometimes leave you to create stories in your mind to fill in the blanks.

We meet the ML, the son of a deceased mob boss, albeit the famiglia is no longer in the business. He is running from an ex-business associate when he sees the FL, a poor innocent nurse leaving work, and uses her as his cover. The ML promptly falls in love with the FL because of her nursing skills. We then find out that the FL's father is a policeman, and so was her deceased brother. So how can her family accept a shady son-of-mob-boss as a son-in-law, especially when he arrives at their modest residence with such cringey fanfare and arrogantly announces that he will be marrying the FL? To top it off, the FL is dating a puppy-dog childhood sweetheart, who agrees to expedite their marriage plans to thwart the ML's plans.

Not taking no for an answer, the ML proceeds to buy her time by donating large sums of money to the hospital employing the FL. He surprises the FL with a wall full of her social media photos, and tells her that he has plenty of resources to hunt her down if she runs away. Of course, the FL continues to reject him, telling him that he can't buy true love. Meanwhile, the ML's stepmother is trying to force him into an arranged marriage and the puppy-dog fiance's mother is aghast that her son plans to offend the ML by marrying the FL. The ML throws money at the FL, trying to make her fall in love with his deep pockets. Then he interrupts the childhood sweethearts' wedding and throws money at the fiance, to get him to walk away. The next day, the ML arrives at the FL's residence to throw money at her parents as bride price. He then finds out that the FL (somehow within the endless time of 72 hours) donated the money, resigned from her position at the hospital, and moved away. The ML tracks her father down at the police station he works at and having thrown money at the police chief, has the father arrested for corruption and bribery charges.

The FL runs to the ML to have her father released, and he agrees on the condition she marries him. Out of nowhere, the ML's stepsister runs to the FL's home to cause trouble, which is summarily resolved by the FL (what was the point of this scene even?). The heretofore unknown bridal makeup artist also gives the FL grief for unknown reasons, before being dragged out and punished (cruelly, one assumes). On the way to the wedding venue, the bridal sedan is involved in an accident arranged by the ML's stepmother, and the ML fails to rescue the FL from the burning wreck when he arrives at the scene. The FL's parents discover that the ex-fiance had somehow saved the FL after the accident, and that she was alive and well. However, the ex-fiance's mother demands that she leaves her son as the FL will cause trouble for her son. The FL must be cursed by a red string, because as soon as she leaves, the ML finds her while driving down some random road. He drags her kicking and crying back to the wedding altar, and blackmails her by strapping a bomb to one of the wedding guests. The ML finally marries the FL and brings her home, where she tearfully strips. Instead of pawing at her like a wildebeest, he gently covers her up.

One assumes that the marriage is not consummated. In the next scene, the ML's stepmother and stepsister are complaining about the expensive jewellery he had bought for the FL. He informs them that the FL is now the mistress of the household and household funds. Going for gold, the ML does not take advantage when the FL is in the bath and the next day, the FL's colleagues are praising her philanthropic husband for his good deeds. These 6 minutes are sufficient to brainwash the FL, and she rejects her ex-fiance when he comes to 'rescue' the FL. Their meeting is of course seen by the ML, courtesy of the ML's stepsister, and in a fit of jealousy, he breaks the ex-fiance's arms so that he can never paint again. Still jealous, the ML is about to force himself on the FL when she scrapes her hand on broken glassware, and he rushes her to the hospital, where she has the opportunity to find out that the ML had crippled her ex-fiance's arms. They argue, and the FL goes on a hunger strike. When the ML attempts to coax the FL, she demands that he apologises to the ex-fiance. The ML grudgingly goes to the hospital to apologise, and allows the ex-fiance to smash him over the head. This scene is (of course!) seen by the FL's father, who just happened to be walking by. The FL's father is so impressed with this one scene, that he teaches the ML how to make his daughter's favourite soup and persuades his daughter to forgive the ML.

The FL softens and visits the ML at night. She grows lusty after seeing his wounded forehead, and we finally get to see the ML topless. The FL spends a hot and heavy night with the ML. The next morning, the ML's stepmother and stepsister somehow catches the ex-fiance trying to sneak into their residence, and promises to help him 'rescue' the FL. While the FL is rejecting the ex-fiance, the stepmother fabricates a story of how the FL hates the ML so much that she refuses to have his child and is about to elope with the ex-fiance. Of course, the ML has never heard of planned pregnancies and communication, and rushes off to beat the ex-fiance. The FL does not want to visit her husband in jail, and tries to stop him, which is (of course!) misinterpreted by the ML. After 4 minutes of threatening to kill herself and then kill him, the FL walks off. The stepsister then sends some heretofore unknown slut to seduce the ML, who is violently rejected when the ML realises he only ever wants to have children with the FL. After the ML sinks into alcoholism, the stepmother and stepsister must have been deafened and blinded by the amount of Chanel they were wearing, because they proceed to expose their own crimes while the ML is crouched behind the very sofa they are sitting on. The ML awakens from his drunken stupor and has them tortured before tossed into the sea like a proper mob boss.

In another part of the world, the FL's father is apologising to his deceased son for accepting the ML. He later sees the ex-fiance visiting the grave and overhears the ex-fiance confessing to being the cause of his son's death. The FL's father furiously beats up the ex-fiance, but is tricked into turning his back and letting the ex-fiance smash him over the head with a giant rock conveniently placed nearby. The FL discovers her father's death and the ex-fiance convinces her it's the ML who killed her father. Abruptly, in the next scene, the FL is tied up and gagged, and the ex-fiance demands the ML to appear alone at some abandoned building. The ML turns up, and is surprised that the FL is unbound and well, holding a gun to him. The ex-fiance eggs the FL on to kill the ML, while the ML swears he did not harm her father. The FL is unable to shoot the ML, so the ex-fiance takes a pole to beat the daylights out of the ML. The FL tries to stop the ex-fiance, because she is so deeply in love with the ML, and while vomiting blood the ML has the breath to repeat that he did not kill her father. For some reason, the ex-fiance takes this opportunity to confess that he was the one who murdered her father, leading to the FL trying to shoot him at close range because apparently a gun cannot work further than 1 meter. The FL promptly loses control of the gun, and the ex-fiance threatens the ML with her life. Just as he is about to shoot, the ML ambushes the ex-fiance and satisfyingly punches him 5 times. The ML stops short of killing the ex-fiance, just before the police arrive and arrest the ex-fiance. The ex-fiance somehow manages to slip from the police's grasp (they should really hold people tighter) and grabs one of their guns. A 'bang' is heard, but neither the FL nor the ML was shot. Another policeman had shot the ex-fiance from behind. The end.

As you can see, a story is told in 96 minutes but what it delivers feels more like a series of disconnected scenes. It’s as if the director handed you a jigsaw puzzle full of favourite dog-blood scenes, but left out the mundane story-building pieces, forcing you to fill in the blanks with nothing but your imagination and a lot of wishful thinking.

III. The Ugly
Trigger warnings for: Violence and attempted sexual assault.

IV. The Verdict
Disappointing. I'm not even sure I can recommend this for a one-time watch.

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Total waste of time

This may win the award for worst Korean BL. I'll start with the positives:

...

...

Well, one of the guys takes a shower and he has a nice body. There's that at least.

On to the negatives.

The main characters have zero chemistry. Actually, it's below zero. It's a black hole of chemistry. They're so uncomfortable even hugging that it looks like they're sexually harassing each other. Their kisses are the worst I've ever seen.

The plot is cliched and nonsensical. Again, one guy has been in love with the other for most of his life, blah, blah. I don't even need to say the rest because you can predict everything from there. The story is based entirely on totally implausible miscommunication, lack of communication, and downright taking the opposite meaning of what someone says, jumping to conclusions with zero evidence and 100% the opposite of what is totally obvious or explicitly stated.

One can say directly to the other "I like you and want to be with you", and the other's voiceover says "He's obviously in a relationship with his female editor who he can't possibly be dating because I'm with him 24/7".

Speaking of voiceovers, whoever adapted this forgot it was live-action and not a manwha and so EVERYTHING is voiceover. I suppose it has to be because the acting is so bad.

This feels like it was a porn story that was stripped of sex and is left with something as meaningful as the dialog with the pizza delivery boy before the sex.

I wouldn't waste any time on this - it's just frustrating and boring to watch.

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The prisoner of beauty - explosive chemistry and the best love story

Moony💕✨
Yet another drama in my plan to watch lists that I wasn't anticipating at all. I added this drama solely for fun without being aware of the plot. Later Liu Yuning's drama TSOPG aired and I really enjoyed his acting there. This was the main reason I gave The prisoner of beauty a try and didn't regret it at all. It was way beyond my expectations.
The story starts with the alliance between the Qiao and Wei clan that turned into hatred. To get revenge for the old grudges, the ruler of the Wei clan - Wei Shao decides to take down the Qiao family. Helpless, Qiaos seek peace through a marriage alliance. Can this marriage resolve the 14 years of hatred and bring a lasting peace?
When I first started the drama, I had no high expectations but, from the first episodes, I already knew it was a promising one. The story follows a love story more than a political story which made it way easier for me to follow with the storyline. The story includes tropes like enemies to lovers and arranged marriage. I enjoy both of these tropes so you can already guess that I was hooked. The tension and chemistry between the lead couple was insane. From their first meeting, you could see that spark- the chemistry! But, it’s not solely romance, it’s also the characters and the plot that moved me. This drama avoids common clichés and misunderstandings that often can be seen in other dramas with similar plotline. Characters are intelligent, calculative, emotionally strong and also receive massive character development.
I want to start off the base of review from the development of romance. As I latterly said, I like the fact that it’s more about a love story because, besides being easy to catch up with the plot, I think it made a strong base for the drama as well. At first, the couple didn’t trust each other. They had hidden motives and were very calculative towards each other. In my opinion, following with how they developed trust and started believing each other eliminated future threats. You could see a clear, step- by-step growths in their relationship. As they got closer, they started understanding each other more and more which helped them to overcome any misunderstandings.
The first contributor of the relationship was Qiao Man. She is a pretty smart and lovable character. Even though she was spoiled on her own home, she endured all the hardships for her family and country. Manman is a really caring person and a true beauty! She is patient and is really thoughtful. This is the reason why Wei Shao loves her so much and is willing to open his heart and show his vulnerable moments only to her. Even though Wei Shao is hard to understand, Manman didn’t walk away and changed him a lot. As a wife, she is thoughtful about her husband, but, as a woman, she had to the fate of two clans in her hands. She is brave, even with little troops, she supported him during the war by chasing the enemy away.
Wei Shao on the other hand is cold on the outside and kind on the inside type of character. Once he starts to care about someone, he fully accepts and protects them at all costs. He is not good with words but tries his best to express it through actions. His love language is acts of service for sure. Because of Manman, he started opening up and improved his relationship with his mother. His character arc was also really noticeable. His target was to obtain Yanzhou and start a war which could have harmed the lives of innocent people. After the change, he was willing to get rid of past grudges and seek peace.
I also want to mention our shippers also known as cupids. They added so much fun to the drama. I always enjoyed the scenes with them. Especially, when they give advice to Wei Shao about how to communicate with his wife. Those scenes never made me fail to laugh. They added a hint of comedy and laughter to the drama

Villains like Lady Yu lou and Liu Yan were pretty relatable characters. Both have suffered a lot growing up. One was only special because of a fake birthmark on the forehead and the other one was solely an option to be crowned but never the choice. As much as I pity them, I can't forgive their evildoings. Having struggled in life doesn't mean you need to do foolish and brutal things. Lady Yu Lou has always wanted to be loved but in her mind she wasn't. She was loved and cared for all the time but it was herself who caused the death of the people who cared for her. When she realized it all, it was too late.
The ending, in my opinion was really satisfactory. Unfortunately, we lost our favorite character - Wei Liang on the way. Despite that, I was happy that they were still spiritually together. Our main couple got the sweetest ending possible. The special moments they had with their daughter, Feifei melt my heart because of how adorable they were. At the last minute of the drama I loved what Manman said "He is willing to be my prisoner and I'm willing to be his". It showed that after so much they went through they became closer and stayed truthful and loyal to one another. Most importantly, people of the Central plains were finally in peace, no more wars or famine. It was such a beautiful journey that will never be forgotten!!
Finally, I want to talk about the acting and cinematography in this drama. I have previously watched one of the recent dramas of Song Zuer. I was once again impressed by her acting. You could read the emotions from her eyes. This was the same for Liu Yu Ning. Perhaps, this is the reason why they had so much chemistry together.
The scenes were taken from really good angles making it a really pleasing experience. The editing was not the best but it didn't ruin the drama for me. I was obsessed with the song in the intro, so I made sure to not skip it and enjoy the masterpiece. Overall, this drama was driven by a quite nice plot, acting and music. It's infinite out of ten for me. Sadly, I'll have to say goodbye to this drama and end this review here...

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I HAVE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE THIS MASTERPIECE

I just finished watching this drama and I can finally say that everything was PERFECT.
This story goes far beyond a simple love story.
Here we talk about love, friendship, loyalty, respect, the courage to not giving up and knowing how to wait!
The relationship between Eiw and Cake is BEYOND! Beyond everything and everyone!

- About Eiw, I loved the way he was able to wait, he never gave up despite being convinced that there was no chance and that it was just friendship between them. I liked his way of being sweet and understanding.

- About Cake, I really liked the fact that he always put Eiw first and foremost,."His half" (as he defined him even before he felt in love). I loved the way he reacted when he realized he was in love of his best friend. He didn't fight against his feelings, on the contrary he accepted them and took what he wanted! And do we want to talk about his jealousy? Stupendous!

Then we want to talk about hugs in this drama? Too sweet!!!!!!!!!
Their characters are amazing, I enjoyed seeing their evolution from the first to the last episode. I loved the fact that despite the time, the choices and their different lives, they still found a way not to go away, but to always be together.
Also I would really like to underline the skill of the cast, the genuineness and spontaneity with which each of them has interpreted their characters. I have to say that Earth and Santa were really good, great acting and they were super suited to their roles. I think a story like this deserved to be played by two gorgeous actors like them and, moreover, this love story needed THE CHEMISTRY that they have showed.
Just everything was perfect, from the set design, to the story, the songs, the actors and characters.

*SPOILER* The only thing I would have changed is the choice to have Eiw's mother die in the last two episodes and thus give this series a beautiful, but at the same time bitter ending.

But anyway, despite that, I loved this bl and think it is a MASTERPIECE.
I could only give 10 and, believe me, I am hardly satisfied and I rarely give such high votes, but this drama really deserves it!
I absolutely recommend you to watch it.

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Underrated

I understand the reason why some might dislike this drama. Yes, the soul swapping with a grandfather is a bit iffy but if you can get passed that in a similar way to a 1000 year vampire, a 3000 year goblin, then this might be enjoyable for you. Although you might still be a bit disappointed. The drama certainly kept me guessing.

I enjoy these types of genres so it was quite a fun ride. The writers did have me worried though. I wasn't sure if they would be able to give a reasonably good finale but it was quite heart-warming with lots of sweet moments. I found myself tearing up at times and smiling at other moments.

Looking back Martin Wong delivered a really good performance. I liked the two distinct versions that he played and he pulled it off quite well. The other cast members were great as well. I might even do a rewatch now that the show has finally concluded.

The OST is also quite enjoyable!

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The beautiful journey of Dao and Kluen

I really enjoyed this little show and watching Kluen and Dao on their journey to finally be together. The story isn't something new and based on a novel which I would love to read some time. I guess the story itself took a shortcut through the novel and seemed a bit rushed in some parts. That didn't really bother me because the story was carried well by the cast. Dunk as the main character Dao, did a fantastic job as a newbie actor. He is perfectly paired with Joong and they have incredible chemistry. Joong played his first lead role here and he portrayed Kluen absolutely perfect. The rest of the cast did an amazing job as well as a very loveable friend group and a big support for the lead characters. What is absolutely outstanding is the music in this series with two beautiful songs by Joong and Louis. For me personally this show has a high re-watch value, espacially because it's short and has a beautiful and cute story. It's for sure not an award-winning level show but the whole production is really nice and it is really enjoyable to watch. For sure this series is not perfect by all means but it definitely presents a wonderful, cute but also realistic take on falling in love. Both main characters have their issues to overcome but it's never too overly dramatic and in the end gives us a valuable lesson: love sometimes takes time.

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Seasons

Everything is everything ,
What is meant to be,will be
After winter,must come spring
Change it brings,eventually
-Lauryn Hill



This is a random quote but I think it aptly describes what this drama meant to me.I have watched multiple dramas in all languages but nothing has touched my heart as close as this one.The journey of Ding Xian and Zhou Xiyue was a truly memorable one.If anyone asks what is the best thing about this drama it is the realistic portrayal of the difficulties of youth.It describes the various feeling of rebelliousness,friendship ,love and most importantly chasing your dreams .The feelings have been totally brought into life by the actors .Excellent would be an understatement for their performance.While in the first half I couldn’t take my eyes off Zhou Xiyue ,the second half was totally Ding Xian’s forte.
While many argue how Ding Xian was blindly following ZX ,I would completely defer.As in one of the Kdramas Run On they say your dream or destination need not necessarily be a career or any other materialistic thing it could be a person as well.No matter what anyone says you can follow whatever your dream is if you can take the responsibility for it.
The story was simple .It has been told time and again but the freshness with which it was presented made it special.Unlike most dramas where the leads wear different apparels for each episode here we see a simplistic portrayal of the daily school and college life of children from simple average families.The fact that even these simple details were taken care of makes the drama different from many others in the same genre.
The angst in the middle of the series upset many viewers but I totally think it was necessary because that made every character realise what is important to them including the main leads and supporting leads.Morever in real life there is nothing that comes easy.
I could go on and on but the rest is for you to watch.While many of my opinions could be biased on my view of life I hope you have a great time watching this series
And last but not the least Chen Zheyuan and Xu mingjie ,you couldn’t have done it better.

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Intriguing at first but becomes average

The best thing about this drama is the acting, it's very good in general and Nam Joo Hyuk does a very good job as main character. I did also enjoy some of the music, it was certainly more up my alley. That's all for me.

Contrary to other people I didn't think this drama was fast paced, in fact I thought it was slow, going in circles sometimes, and I got bored at times and found myself doing other things while watching. The plot is quite cliché in my opinion and except for maybe around three characters the rest were very one-dimensional, especially the bad guys. We don't learn much about anyone anyway, so it's quite superficial and it didn't make me connect with any of them, not even the ML. I also liked Choi Mi Ryeo and Cho Kang Ok as characters but I so wish we had gotten so much more insight into them, I didn't learn much at all about them. The dynamics of ML with his classmates could have also been deeper, but because it wasn't what happened in the end of the drama made me feel nothing. It felt even the writers/director knew this though, because it's treated as very secondary, something that happened in the background.

I'm ok with anti-hero stories, I do generally prefer them over hero ones, but it's not new nor fresh, and cases of corruption at all levels have been done many times as well. I don't think this drama brings that much new to the table that wasn't there, so I was not awed by it and I thought it was average. It's still watchable, especially if you like action thrillers, but it's not a masterpiece by any means.
Echoing what another user said, the fighting choreography was not bad but the way it was filmed adds no tension and didn't do any favours to the overall fighting dynamics, at times I felt I was missing the good bits, camera in and out... quite chaotic in my opinion.
I don't think they achieve enough in terms of discourse, there isn't any depth in the corruption itself either, nor in its politics, or the police involvement. Obviously there is no real debate about the police as an institution, despite the ML being both in and out of it. I haven't read the original material and it makes me wonder if there was a lot more of that that was cut out of the story.

Recommended to those that like action thrillers, it's entertaining enough but keep your expectations low to mid level.

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Final Review (my first impressions were added below the final review for comparison)

Let me be honest. It's not as bad as everybody makes it out to be. But it's also not as good as all the Shen Yue fans are making it out to be either (I'm an SY fan so I have no intention to 'shade' their opinion).

Acting-wise, I think it was quite good despite the dubbing. In fact you get used to the dubbing as the drama goes on so it doesn't turn into a big deal. Definitely not Shen Yue's best performance (please check out Another Me, she was amazing there) but you can tell she has improved a lot in terms of portraying characters like Dong Shancai and Chen Xiaoxi. Tong Xiaoyou is simply a better and more polished version of those kind of characters. I see a lot of hate for Jerry's performance but I don't think it was that bad as he was very boring in the beginning because that's how his character's development is supposed to be. He's great at emotional scenes. However, I do understand how some people are irritated at how slow he speaks and his vocal expressions in general.

The plot is cliche to begin with but it could have been presented much better. Lots of parts were dragged on just so that it would reach 34 episodes. It should be a 24-episode drama instead. The slow pace would have been alright if they didn't repeat so many instances (Jiang Yan's antics, Lu Xingcheng being depressed, all this is repeated a lot of times). I did enjoy the romance element of the story. I loved how they made it a slowburn relationship because it's very appropriate. Jerry Yan and Shen Yue's chemistry isn't even bad, not strong, but not bad at all. I find them cute actually in a couple of scenes.

In general, it really depends on your cup of tea and what things you can handle. The production of this drama is quite a mess as editing isn't impressive at all for a delayed project. If you don't mind slowburn relationships and prolonged character development, this should be an okay drama for you. In the end I definitely think it's more of a 6.5 drama but I rounded it off as I loved watching the characters and setting. It was simply overrated before release which may be why a lot are disappointed because it isn't as good as well expected. I enjoyed it while it lasted, so that's that.

(FIRST IMPRESSIONS)

Episode 1 was not particularly amazing but it gives you a good idea of the character you'll be dealing with in the next 33 episodes. The beginning of the episode is also very good! It's a nice introduction that shows how Tong Xiaoyou (Shen Yue) and Lu Xingcheng (Jerry Yan) will officially start their story. You'll want to keep watching to find out how they end up that way. After the prologue, time is rewinded a bit to explain what happened prior.

I'm perfectly fine with Xiaoyou (Shen Yue did a good job in making her adorable and relatable!) but not warming up to Xingcheng. He's only either quiet or scolding one of his employees. But! Based on the MV and credits of the drama, they actually have decent chemistry. Looking forward to the romance parts!

Cast is very suitable for their roles too. Right now I'm looking forward to knowing more about them.

Pretty sure the actors dubbed over their own voices but there's something off about it. Mostly bothered by Shen Yue's dubbing. It's like they gave her a poor quality microphone to record her lines. They don't match perfectly with the video. Looks unnatural. Good news though is you get used to it later on. I'm not so irritated about it anymore by Episode 4.

There's an interesting film style to this drama. A lot of close-ups to the characters and you also see this in the beginning. Not a bad choice, it may need time to get used to. But sometimes it comes out as awkward.

I like the theme song and closing song but the background music during some scenes bother me. Sometimes they're dramatic for no reason.

After watching more episodes, the drama does get better (Episodes 1-3 is not attention grabbing but by Episode 4 I started to enjoy it more). The drama is very promising. I say try it out. Not surprised if it ends up as an international hit. I'll absolutely watch until the end. Even if you have other concerns I feel like it's worth checking out because of the cast. That's all for now, I'll update my review when the drama is finished!

Leggi di Più

I have never been so happy and satisfied at the ending of a drama before. It is the most perfect story and well written out of all dramas that I have seen.

When you think about the plot, it is just about a band of boys. One might think there could be nothing more to it than just a bunch of pretty boys strutting around and showing off. However, this is so NOT true. I cannot believe how well this story was woven. And it had such amazing depths. Every single character has been paid attention to and redeemed by the end. There were some characters I wanted to throw shoes at but I grew to love every single one of them. I simply cannot suggest anything to improve upon in it. The only thing is that in order to understand and appreciate it fully, one might need to watch it till the end. And I am sure, anybody who loves dramas with a good cast, great music and amazing story lines must watch this.

I believe this is the best drama that I have seen till date. Every other drama feels dragged and turns out to be full of nonsense during the last few episodes, but here is one which makes sense every single way. And I am overwhelmed at the character development of Ji Hyuk. I think this show is a masterpiece. I don't know why I didn't decide to watch it sooner.

What I loved most about it was that every single issue was addressed. These boys are all messed up, but we get to know each boy's backstory and then they grow up. Even the meanie turns out to be a guy I empathized with. I also liked Su Ah. She is very different from other female protagonists I often come across in stories. She fights and stays there calmly. She is not a cry baby and I love that about her. Most of all, she knows her priorities. I think the teenage essence of the characters is depicted and captured perfectly. Every single move and decision they made was understandable.

I honestly, sincerely recommend this show to every one.

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I didn't expect to like this drama as much as I did, but I think it did a great job of combining a cute love story with a pretty intriguing Sageuk. In a lot of ways "100 Days My Prince" is a lighthearted romcom, but it is mixed in with an ill-fated love story, and classic political scheming without becoming too heavy handed, too silly, or overly complicated. It had many of the elements that are overdone in KDrama... amnesia, forced marriage, hidden identity, betrayal in a royal setting... but I found all of it to be entertaining and wasn't bored once. I'm sure the great cast had a lot to do with that.

I am the farthest thing from a Do Kyung Soo fangirl, but I was extremely impressed with him as the young fish out of water Prince. He is matched with Nam Ji Hyun, who I liked in a few dramas already (Suspicious Partner & Shopping King Louie), but these two specifically had really great chemistry together. I loved their banter from the start, and I loved how strong willed and equally frustrating they both were at times. Every scene they had together was entertaining, and I often felt like I was watching a real couple not matter how unbelievable their circumstances. They also both handled comedic and tragic scenes extremely well. And I think that period dress suits them both quite well.

Actually, I pretty much loved the entire cast, even the ones who didn't have the strongest storylines. The town members were all great, and more than just comic relief. I was genuinely interested in their side stories as well. I love a great villain, and Jo Sung Ha was so good that I almost found myself rooting for him at times. Another thing I loved about the characters is that they weren't all good or bad. Moo Yeon is the perfect example of that, and it helps that Kim Jae Young is easy on the eyes (all black definitely suits him). The storyline is pretty simple but the characters were often complicated which kept me interested from beginning to end. I really can't think of any character that I thought was weak. Maybe a few were less memorable than others, but most were well played, and played well off of each other.

As for the story, I appreciated that it didn't become overly complicated, and that the political parts didn't drag or take away from the lighter feel of this drama. There were some sad moments, and some tragic parts of the story, but the majority of the story is a romcom with the kind of comedy that made me giggle more than lol. I also liked the way the story ended, which I obviosuly won't give away, but it made me feel like the story came full cirlce in a way that made sense. I could see myself watching the whole thing again and still enjoying it. It may not be on the top of my rewatch list, but it has more than enough charm to make me consider watching it all again.

Overall I would definitely recommend this to those who avoid sageuks because they are too serious, or those looking for a cute couple to root for against all odds. It may not have made it's way to my list of favorites, but now that it's over I feel very... uncomfortable. Am I the only one feeling uncomfortable? :)

Leggi di Più

I am sort of having mixed thoughts about this film. While two thirds of it was cool, the last parts especially the ending- were terrible. This could have so easily become a masterpiece if not for some of the stuff included in it. The story was pretty good and new to me, so I enjoyed that but its conclusion was very disappointing. However, I still commend the film maker for such a daring attempt like 'A Frozen Flower'- something that I have not seen in any Asian movies so far.

This is a movie only for adult viewers with open thinking. Most of the film revolves around homosexuality and includes several graphical sex scenes and nudity. So I would advise every one to carefully consider about its aspects before deciding to watch this. Some of the stuff may offend you. It was very surprising to watch at times, because I didn't imagine that Korean movies could include so many tabooed issues in the same film.

Apart from that, the movie had spectacular direction. Its settings and filming locations were exquisite. The action was also quite good. The romance part was quite touching and the cast put on some great performances. There was just one particular part throughout the whole film that creeped me out in such a way that I had to take a moment to collect myself before continuing to watch it. However, lots of aspects of this movie are realistic and not unheard of. It also touches upon a variety of emotions throughout the duration of 2 hours and 15 minutes.

But due to the immensely disappointing last half, I am going to say the whole experience of the film got ruined. I am struggling to remember the parts I enjoyed while writing this because otherwise the whole film got damaged. Watch this movie at your expense. It hardly serves as entertainment.

Leggi di Più

Sweet Sex and Love is a far deeper movie than what meets the eye. At first you might be tempted to dismiss it as pure decadence, but allow yourself time to absorb the underlying themes and you'll be surprised to realize there actually is something of substance there. Something that tells you this isn't just a movie about two people who's got the horny. It has a message which is so subtly and understatedly delivered, you just might miss the message if you don't pay close attention or if you allow your own preconceived notions (that this is just softcore porn) to bias your viewing.

This is a movie about opposites attracting. Both parties jump into the relationship with gusto and are more than happy with their arrangement initially. As time goes by, though, the true natures and motives of the characters are revealed, and they begin to realize they might have bitten off more than they bargained for in starting this relationship.

Sweet Sex and Love is truly a well executed case study of how disastrous a relationship between a man and a woman can be when there's no communication of expectation on either side. When one, Sweet Sex ... or Love, is given full reign to dominate, to the neglect of the other.

I really enjoyed how the plot unfolded in this story. It's one of the better 'opposites attract' movies that I've seen in a long time. The script, the direction and the editing are all cleverly done. For once the pacing isn't slow and as grating as fingernails on chalkboard. The director deftly controls what you see, feel and experience until just the right moments. Nothing is revealed prematurely. No dialogue or sequence squandered. The narrative is very nuanced, leaving the audience to decipher much of the characters' actions and behaviour. At the same time you're taken on a journey where you're inundated with one truth for almost the entire film, until just like the characters you get the rug pulled out from under you. HARD. (No pun intended).

Certain themes that you never thought to associate with this type of film begin to surface with stark clarity and force; valuable lessons, on sweet sex ... and love, emerge. Sweet Sex represents one character & love the other, can they really coexist beyond the initial intoxicating stage of a new relationship? Everything falls into place. The title begins to make sense, the explicit internal dialogues, what you may have dismissed previously as a repetitive sex manual ... all begin to take on a whole new meaning.

Very nicely done indeed.

Certainly a good movie for audiences who enjoy a more mature exploration of the complex relationship between men and women. If there's any kind of sexy movie I love, this would be it.

Leggi di Più