Reviews

Daddy Issues done wrong

I pretty much binged this. It was overall interesting, but it wasn't actually good.
I started this already thinking that the premise was rather problematic. Therefore, understandably, my biggest concern was their age gap, and I was curious to see how they would try to convince the audience that yes, they are perfect for each other despite their age. However, they didn't convince. Not at all. In fact, it just proved me right. All my concerns about big age gap relationships where one of them is just barely legal were proven.

This guy (36) could've been her father, and I would've cared less if she (18) wasn't considered a minor in Thailand (adulthood at 20), and if she hadn't so often commented on his gestures that reminded her of her late father. Also, if he hadn't continuously referred to her as a kid/child and a good/bad girl. How was I supposed to not see how she only fell for him because she was young, innocent, naive and vulnerable, and that she literally projected her untargeted/floating love for her late father onto him???

Why he fell for her is a mystery in itself. She literally did nothing but be nice to his daughter and bring him coffee sometimes. How and why did his feelings of guilt for accidentally killing her father suddenly turn into love? Nobody knows.

Since there was no room for their relationship to really grow and blossom without making it problematic (because there is really almost no skinship - thank god), this is very slow. Like slow slow. The actual plot description only starts in about ep 5/6 and their one problem is left unresolved until it's finally addressed at the very end.

The lack of plot is a result of just bad character drafting. Both of them have nothing going on in their life.
She could finish school or rather start studying, or continue her internship at the kindergarten, but she doesn't. However, she stays at home and just plays babysitter-mom for his daughter.
He has no real work schedule, does he work from home or not? No ambition at work or in his private life.
They both don't have any goals, nothing that they aim to achieve.

This is what I find worrisome: In a storyline like this, where she's still underage and supposed to fall for a mature guy, they didn't even try to make her a strong character with her own thoughts, dreams and judgement. You'll think she's a strong character in the beginning, because she comes across as really feisty, but then they just left that part of her personality evaporate. So instead, they made her so vulnerable, so easy to manipulate, a mere pushover with big words: just very tamed and shy. I didn't dislike her, she had so little going on, there was nothing to like or dislike about her. She doesn't have a personality, but Moodka does a great job with her expressions, so it almost seems like she does have one sometimes.

Weir is handsome I guess, but with the glasses and old fashion compared to her very stylish and modern outfits ... it made him look so much more like a dad, that they just looked very off with each other as a couple. But most importantly, he acted like a dad. So much, that he sometimes talked to her like he did to his own daughter. It felt like incest to me sometimes, even though there technically was none.
The only moments I remember where he supposedly fell in love with her were when she didn't act up, when she showed "maturity" by being obedient - that's when he called her a good girl. She's only 18, but she shouldn't act like it, I guess.

I did like the side couple, they were cute, even if the 2nd male lead was very dumb, especially considering that they kept praising his amazing instincts that were supposed to make him a great police officer. I like their story until the second to last ep, when she had to be pregnant. It didn't even progress the story in any way.

The evil characters were good at being evil. There was off-screen rape, multiple rape attempts, attempted murder, attempted(?) sex trafficking, and it was all just left open. No real consequences. I guess it's not worth mentioning since all of it was just attempted.
Quote: "The guilt you'll have to live with for the rest of your life should be enough punishment."
and yes, you're allowed near the clueless victim. (????)

Conclusion: The storyline only worked because the FML was innocent and underage, that's why it's not good.
If they had aged her up, there would not have been any reason at all for them to get married. And since they both have no personality, there could've never been any chance for them to feel any kind of attraction towards each other. That's very sad considering I was supposed to root for them.

Leggi di Più

Definitely a must watch for anyone's drama list

Now this was a mini dark series we all never knew we needed before until the first trailer came out and the drama aired.

Midnight Motel held a dark humor series with a great cast, for 6 episode it did not entirely disappoint, because of it's clever cinematography shots and a few calculated steps. The way the story is told through the characters is also interesting to behold. It just hits differently than most, as it also engages with the viewer. Because it has serious and dangerous moments and then a few breaks in comedy that breaks the fourth wall entirely as it's meant to do. And the coloring used works so well here.

Sun and Kat's past and the glimpse of Mote's too helped with the complexity of their roles.
Overall in 6 episodes it wasn't bad. It was able to include comedy, drama, and slight "romance".
I've got to say that even when it was supposed to be darkest... the humor got to me good, like when Sun and Mote were bickering in these final episodes. Their unusual partnership at some given point was fun to see.

Surprisingly this is the type of series that we all wouldn't mind having a few more episodes, but at the same time we are left somehow satisfied with the outcome of certain events and with an open aftermath of possibilities. It's a mini series after all. Not everything has to be completely build up and delivered in a platter, somethings are made to make us the viewers think like the characters and create our own theories while collecting all the hints in the plot. The clues are obvious but it's also entertaining because of the actors playing it. Sure, I would also like to see June in a nice jumpsuit and behind a few bars to pay the price for her crimes... but the show always focused on Mote and the others, so where he goes, it's where it leads.

Really loved seeing Off as Mote, but Mond stole the whole show as the dark broken Sun, and Jan as Kat was able to prove once again her acting versatility. As for Louis as Doi is probably a favorite now, and Neo iconic appearance in two scenes will forever be remembered. Kudos to Victor, Pae, and Mew for their roles. The whole cast and production team deserve a praise.

The Ost and music through the episodes was okay, I really liked the intros and glitch theme vibes. The texts in the scenes could be deemed annoying in certain dramas but given the theme of this drama they worked in most parts, like when Mote explained his plans or the business app. But nothing tops the over the dead body conversation, that one was genius, CHEERS to that.

Well.... nothing besides the poker game that Mote had with June for the final deal.
That was a fun scene to see, it's these type of creative scenes are what makes this drama special.

Face this as a "light" mini drama to watch between your current on going dramas.
Don't take it too seriously it was never intent to be that way, I mean it's a parody.
Enjoy it for the cast, for the cinematography, for their plot holes and twists and dark vibes.

For all that and more, Midnight Motel is definitely a must watch for anyone's drama list (o゜▽゜)o☆
(￣y▽￣)╭ PS: And let's not forget for all of those who watched Not Me, in here Sean actually defeats Tawi xD

Leggi di Più

Surrounded by scumbags could be an alternative title!

The acting is decent and all costumes look good as well. I can't really judge the ost cause I watched on youtube and it was mute on important parts. so I'll go with 6 judging by the remains of it.
The first few episodes were a bit confusing, things were just happening out of nowhere, but then it got better after 4 or 5 episodes.

I'm glad each episode was less than 10 minutes or else I would've dropped it! There are so many unlikable characters! Being a short drama looks like it had the liberty of having the villains as vile as they could be.
Here is a list of horrible ones:
-The mother in law! & her maid!
-The ML
-Shang Guan
-Yu Yan's lover

it might make you feel better if I listed good characters, right?
-One maid is really good and loyal to FL, and I don't even remember her name!
-the guy with the maid, I don't remember his name either.
-2ML

The romance is so little that it gets lost in the fog of ruthlessness.
I can understand why this is listed in romance genre and I also understand those who have stated in the comments that this is no romance!
At the beginning we are actually as aware as the FL, meaning we only know what she knows. she got manipulated by Lu Gao Sheng thinking he loves her! until few episodes later that his vile self was revealed. from then on this drama is deprived of the romance. there is none. well, until 2ML appears but by the time he appeared FL is done with romance.

you bet I was looking forward to the REVENGE! but it wasn't as satisfying as expected.
In the end it wasn't about revenge. it was about saving her sister I guess.

it was an okay watch and I won't be re-watching it.

one more thing, If you are here for Dai Gao Zheng, he'll appear in ep17.

Leggi di Più

The cycles of history

Set during the latter half of the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Swords into Plowshares endeavors to condense several decades of turmoil into a cohesive story. For the most part, it succeeds as a well-produced historical epic, anchoring the story around a few historical figures - Qian Chu of Wuyue, his wife Sun Taizhen, Zhao Kuangyin of Song and Guo Rong (Chai Rong) of Later Zhou.

The first 12 episodes or so are some of my favorite - bold, devastating and moving in its depiction of the wanton slaughter and abuse of the common people as the Central Plains exchanged one ruler for another. There are also moments of human triumph some to arise out of that destruction and usher in a semblance of peace and order. But mankind is fickle, and human nature is not easily overcome. Until the final frame, our main characters face struggle after another in order to bring about a "year of peace."

A few historical figures are unfortunately whitewashed to fit an overall narrative of unifying the lands for peace, but the drama is overall still a respectable attempt to faithfully depict an often overlooked period of Chinese history. The script at its best waxes philosophical regarding varying viewpoints regarding human governance, and its strong use of classical Chinese is a much needed breath of fresh air in this age of idol dramas. It may too dense for some, but the cast deftly bring their characters to life, and one can simply follow their emotional journey fairly well even if much of the detail in the dialogue escapes them.

As a longtime enjoyer of historical dramas - from any country or language - I hope to see more in this vein from C drama land.

Leggi di Più

I love this show. Love it. Wholeheartedly love it. This is a family drama centering on the Byeon family. The titular father in this case is Byeon Han Soo, father of four children: ne'er do well oldest child, Byeon Joon Yeong (who is on his third attempt at passing the civil servants exam), oldest daughter Byeon Hye Yeong (a hyper competent, over achieving, tough as nails lawyer), middle girl child Byeon Mi Yeong (an insecure job seeker who was a former judo athlete and then also a former fat girl in high school), and youngest daughter Byeon Ra Yeong (a yoga instructor and Pretty Girl (tm)). Coming into this mix is actor Ahn Jung Hee - who is notorious for being a bad actor and whose father is Byeon Han Soo - but the Byeon Han Soo we know has a secret he's been hiding for 35 years. Jung Hee comes looking for his father, as he takes to heart criticism of his acting and he wants to find out for himself the feelings that he's struggling so hard to portray in his acting. Partnered with Byeon Han Soo is his wife Na Yeong Shil, who is a party to his secrets, and has stood by him faithfully for more than 35 years.

Being a family drama, this story also centers around the love interests of the main family members, and the trials and tribulations of the extended family as well (such as the brother, sister-in-law, nephew, and mother of Na Yeong Shil). The story lines in this one definitely have twists and turns, but lack the absolutely soul crushing series of bad events that some family dramas seem to get bogged down in. All of the various romances are delightful to watch, and each episode (even ones that end in sad or suspenseful cliff-hangers) left me with warm fuzzy feelings that made me eager to go to the next episode. I highly recommend this one. And man am I in love with Lee Joon as Ahn Jung Hee in this show.

Leggi di Più

Aesthetically pleasing with slow burn storytelling

This was one of the most anticipated films on my list. Ever since the release of the trailer, the ost and visuals really caught my attention. Judging by the trailer, it seemed pretty appealing in terms of its supernatural story concept and not your typical slice of life bl.

Delving into the film, it started off strong with its visuals and character introductions, but the story pacing wasn't quite there.
I found myself pausing a few times throughout the film which was a bit concerning. It indicates the story wasn't engaging in the early stages (first 10 mins mark) especially when it came to the bond between the two main leads.

Story structure

The story went from point A to point B. There wasn't much breathing room to let the audience become invested in the characters. Of course, there were conversations made between main leads including Takito's character, Hanzawa (Cop). However, it took so long for a scene to show a genuine connection and emotion between the characters. The first half of the film felt absent, but its absence was not entirely bad. I replayed some scenes and noticed the silent pain the actors conveyed in their expressions which I appreciated.

I believe the film tried to appeal to a wider audience therefore the relationship between Hiyakawa and Mikado came across as a bit hollow. From a marketing perspective, it seems ideal to want to create a story structure that appeals to and invites both original fans of the source and supernatural enthusiasts. Based on watching the film it seems the film director and producers was struggling to build a gradual bond between the two main leads. It bothered me how everything was resolved at the last minute, but I loved how the threads started to connect together.

Acting

The casting choice was solid. From the beginning, middle to end, Hirate-sans performance kept me engaged and more intrigued with her character. I believe she is one of the idol actresses who does not overact. Okada and Shison-san's performance started to shine just after the 30-minute mark. In the climax scene, I believe everybody performed pretty well.

Music

A few osts caught my interest including when Shison's character has a moment of courage. The trailer song is a banger which I'm pretty sure it relates to one or two of the perspective of the main lead.

Production and Visuals

The CGI and colour gradient reminded me of the Bleach live-action. I appreciated the opening montage and ost. It made me realise the trailer didn't give away everything in the film which was a good sign from my perspective.

Overall, I would have liked to see more of the three main leads. I believe when exploring a manga adaptation especially with three main leads, it would have been great as a drama series or film trilogy. Hopefully, the anime adaptation brings more from the source material.

Leggi di Più

Wow, this movie was a roller coaster! The first part was really cute and funny. The second part nervewracking for sure. May I add here a huge SPOIL ALERT and say to anyone who might be wondering, that this movie does not have insest in it. It just a major twist in the movie, but they just played with it for a while, having you wonder why the hell this one wasn't under the drama-tragic ending category.
On the other hand, the first part was really adorable, manga like movie. The love story was cute and the family matter, confusing, but funny. The movie is well made as well and the performances very good.

Leggi di Più

Popularity Contest With Racial Biases and Inconsistent Editing

I know every single person for the most part will be salty to some degree with the ending, but there is no denying the production company had a hand at why the results went the way they did. There was often extreme amounts of focus on certain contestants and almost nothing to showcase the others. My biggest confusion is probably contestants with very low levels of talent made it week after week, even one or two made it to the top 9.

I can't tell if this is what the industry is about or if this is just a fluke (RIP Fluke from Alpha Project XD) because the decisions were made by fans. I feel like one of the most talented contestants was racially profiled, we all know which one. It's something I've seen before, especially as someone who is a fan of Isbanky, a Thai actor who is mixed.

Giving Koreans an unbalanced advantage didn't seem like a big deal to me at first, but then I realized real fast their criteria for stars was vastly different from my own (US Fan). I think Korean fans will be quite happy with the results, but globally, I'm wildly curious how others feel about the deficit from some of the winners, versus the final pool of losers. There was at least three people in the losers group who could out sing, dance and perform four of the top nine. But maybe that's not the goal?

I possibly misunderstood the intentions of the show and I am getting it all wrong. Admittedly, I am not super deep in the K-Pop world. I think I also didn't realize there isn't much importance on singing well, I figured for most of these guys, that would be the base criteria and you'd get kicked out in the first weeks for not carrying a tune. I want to give this show another chance if it came back around, but for now it doesn't really fit my style.

Congrats to the winners either way, there is no denying that EVERYONE worked so incredibly hard. It's just many of the performers with natural gifts or talents were left behind, with only a few "They deserved top 9 for sure! Congrats" in the final ranking.

Leggi di Più

Nabi is the toxic one

Before I started this drama, I was bombarded with TikToks about how park Jae eon was toxic and how Nabi kept missing or ignoring the “red flags” but after watching, idk if those people are willfully dense or if they watched a completely different show because NABI WAS THE TOXIC ONE.

The comments, reviews, and online posts will have you thinking that this drama is about a girl who falls for a player that repeatedly treats her poorly yet she fails to see it and find a better man but that is not the case.

Park Jae eon and Nabi met in a bar, and they lost their chance at a hookup. The next time they meet after that is when her friends invite her out for drinks. They had no relationship-he found her attractive and flirted with her and she reciprocated yet her perspective will try to trick you into thinking it was more. They were two college aged adults who were into each other, they owed nothing to each other, and they promised nothing to each other, but Nabi behaved as though he not only promised her monogamy and fidelity but that he was breaking said promise every time he so much as looked at a member of the opposite sex.

I realized halfway through the drama that her behavior was pathological. Nabi’s insecurities in her “relationship” with Jae eon did not stem from him, his actions-or lack thereof. Rather, they were most likely caused by her childhood where she witnessed/lived through her mother being openly cheated on and mistreated by a string of boyfriends. This coupled with the fact that her first boyfriend was a professor who spent their entire relationship manipulating and gaslighting her only to also cheat on her did not make for a very emotionally healthy and secure person (relationship wise). Nabi’s insecurities and mistrust were not Jae eon’s fault nor his responsibility. She needed help but instead of processing her issues in a healthy way, she clung to Jae eon and projected it all on him-making him the villain of her story and as the viewers saw it from her perspective, he became the villain to them too. Note her instinctual reaction to potato boy and his cousin on the pier for the first time (this exactly mirrors her reaction to every interaction she’d witnessed between Jae eon and another girl even if it was innocent)-this was not due to “scars” caused by Jae Eon but ones she’s been carrying around for most of her life.

Also, important to point out: they both agreed to enter a sex only relationship, but she wanted more, and she never expressly told him this. She just punished him for not behaving as though they were in an exclusive and romantic relationship when nothing about their original agreement had changed.

Also, Also important to point out(sorry): most of her ideas/opinions about Jae Eon stemmed from third party rumors. Neither she nor us actually witnessed Jae eon behaving that way-we were just told by people who also barely knew him. The messed-up part is that she, as someone who chose to get close to him only saw him as the person the rumors depicted-she never got out of her head once. What’s worse was she believed the man who cheated on her over him-like why are you even listening to anything he has to say…especially about your “relationship”.

I don’t know what story the writer was trying to tell but I felt that they spent too much time on Nabi’s uncertainties about a relationship that she had exerted zero effort on and less on why Nabi thought and behaved the way she did. I also understand that a lot of the opinions of and animosity towards Jae Eon might have been transferred from the WEBTOON version of the story and I never read the WEBTOON so idk how they portrayed their story there but this is what I got from the show and if it's not how it's meant to be, fault the writers/directors but realize that the stories differ and you can’t hold drama Jae eon accountable for things that WEBTOON Jae eon did.

I honestly think that Oh Bit Na is who everyone thinks Park Jae Eon is.

Park Jae Eon deserved better. He spent the majority of the show trying to figure out what he did wrong, what was wrong with himself and trying to fix it when he was perfectly ok. Dating or sleeping around with consenting partners-especially in college/at their age does not make you a bad person or someone in need of fixing. If he were ready for a relationship, he would’ve been in one, but he chose to have sex-only partnerships and was content. She gaslit and forced him into one because while she wanted him, she wasn’t satisfied with having the part of him that he was willing to give, she wanted her idealistic relationship with her idealistic partner and in the end, that is what she got.

Also, potato boy was annoying.

Leggi di Più

I had high hopes for this drama since many have recommended it, but it left me feeling disappointed by how great it could have been.

First, the female lead could have been a strong woman, but ended up being weak, immature, and too reliant on others around her. Seeing how the whole drama mainly surrounded her life, seeing her rise from her trials strongly would have been satisfying, but she ended up being a weak female, crying at almost every episode, being chased around by guys. I saw no growth in her character for the entire 16 episodes.

Second, there was no chemistry at all between the main couple. It felt like their “love story” felt too rushed. They reminded me more of a “sunbae” relationship, where distance should have been kept because no warmth arose between them.

Next, the second lead had the most character development, from an immature, spoiled kid, to a mature one who started caring for someone before himself. It would have made more sense had he ended up with the female lead, but ya, the drama decided to do another Barney Stinson - the one who had the most satisfying character change because of love, but ended up being left behind and going back to being his immature old self. Sigh.

If there’s one thing that made me stay, it’s definitely the use of poetry as a central theme of how each episode would go. The stories of the minor (very minor) characters in each episode made me tear up from time to time, alongside with the poems which were the main focus of the whole drama.

The side stories were more captivating than the main story plot, that should say something about this drama.

Leggi di Più

"Just go to the police," it's easier when you're just saying it

"The Leaked" is not a drama and as such, I will not be criticizing it the same way as I would a drama since the acting, plot, and cinematography are not what should be the main concern. It's a three-episode PSA produced by Thailand Internet Crime Against Children (TICAC), an initiative by the Thai government and police specialized in dealing with child abuse, prostitution, and trafficking.

The core message of this PSA is, of course, commendable. It's targeted at young girls and women who are or were victims of sexual abuse and encourages them to reach out for help. The PSA follows two girls from the same high school to illustrate different ways teenagers might end up in abusive situations. The first girl got catfished by someone posing as her crush online and said person collected compromising clips of her to later blackmail her with them to receive more sexually explicit content. The second girl at first voluntarily took up a shady hostess job to afford her lavish lifestyle and keep up with the latest trends as to not get left behind by her friends but later gets forced into prostitution by her employer. The story also addresses how victims of sexual abuse often get typecast as "whores" or "sluts," which is particularly relevant in the cultural context this PSA is set in as the stigma surrounding SA victims in Thailand is still more pronounced than in some other countries.

I can understand why the producers decided to overly simplify and exaggerate certain aspects of the story. However, I feel like it was still lacking in certain areas, especially considering that this was released in 2020. The amount of depth it goes into and the cautionary, yet very lightweight and easy-to-digest narrative this PSA follows is more something I would've expected to see in the 2010s when conversations about sexual abuse were just slowly starting to enter the public's consciousness more and more. As such, this PSA brings very little new to the table and just very shallowly discusses the topic.

I would've appreciated this more if it went more into depth with the process victims have to go through to file a police report to hold their predators accountable, which questions they should expect to be asked, which evidence or information they might need to provide, and what they should mentally prepare for during and after the legal proceedings. They also could've shown where and how to find local police stations and child protective services and how to approach staff there and what options victims have, such as whether they can request a female police officer to talk to if desired.

Furthermore, it is shown that the second girl, Daw, relies on her friend Tor for emotional support so she has an easier time opening up to the police about her abuse. I would have liked it if they focused more on her thoughts when choosing Tor as a confidant over, let's say, her female friends who were shown earlier in the episode as well or her family. I believe it's also important to show young girls that might be watching that boys are not the enemy and an equally viable option to seek support from as long as you trust them and feel comfortable around them. It would have been nice for them to contrast Daw's story, where she confides in Tor, with the first girl, Linlin, maybe choosing a woman to confide in, might that be a friend, teacher, or family member, to show just how many choices there are for emotional support in your social circle.

I was also personally not quite convinced with the ending, where everything suddenly turns out well and people all around the country suddenly change their stance on SA victims after hearing Daw speak. The overall framing of the situation was too simplified for me and neglected important parts of aftercare for victims, such as maybe citing resources for trauma counseling, therapy, or support groups, especially if you have to deal with the after-effects of your abuse story being publicly shared. It is important to show victims take back their voice and regain control of their life but the work they have to put into it to heal should not be glossed over.

That being said, I did like how it showed how vile people can be towards victims of sexual assault and appealed to the common sense of the viewers to think before they share their opinion on such a sensitive topic on social media and that they should always take the victim's emotions into account. I also liked how they showed that sometimes predators might even be people close to you with Linlin's abuser being, for example, her fellow classmate. The fact that they showed that even if you're completely confident in yourself at first like Daw was, predators will still find ways to harm you if they so choose to, was also important and I am happy they included that.

All in all, this was a very basic PSA but still one with a message that should always be repeated over and over again to always stay in people's minds. To be honest, I think they only cast Nanon so they could put him on the thumbnail and bait his fans into watching it because they are primarily exactly the target audience this PSA is directed at (young and female), which is a very smart move to be fair and as long as it did its job and got people watching it, I support that. It's also always refreshing to see male celebrities lend their faces to such projects to spread awareness. Still, if you have ever been exposed to any sexual assault and cyber crime PSAs in your lifetime, this will be nothing new to you but it's definitely something that you can show your friends and family if they aren't well-versed in the topic at all and need a good starting point. It's also not too explicit, so it would also be appropriate to show to older kids and young teens for a first exposure to the topic.

Leggi di Più

A manga adaptation that was ruined by the manga.

I was super excited about this movie because of the cast -- our #BestCP from I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (Kitamura Takumi and Hamabe Minami), plus Akaso Eiji (will admit that I don't know the other female lead).
However as the story got on I realized it was so full of typical shoujo manga/drama tropes that I would like jokingly name the most "tropey" plot development possibility and it would friggin' come true. Like it became a hilarious meme that I was predicting the characters' next line or the next camera scene. And the story did get really WTF as it went on...

However the directing is AMAZING. The way the story slowly unfolded and we started to see hints of what each character was thinking based on subtle facial expression hints, or hints in what they said, or random zoom ins of the camera... I really liked the whole process of trying to guess what would happen next. I looked up the director and found he was the same one who did Tomorrow I will Date with Yesterday's You, as well as Girl in the Sunny Place. I loved *both* movies when they came out, and I can see how they were done by the same director -- all movies featured a lot of foreshadowing and shocking (but predictable if you were tracking earlier scenes) plot twists.

Official theme song is by Higedan. I know the song from my Spotify playlist because I love their work for Confidenceman JP. The other BGM were also very nicely chosen and fit the theme. I would totes put the whole OST on repeat.

TL;DR: Watch it not for the ridiculous plot, but for the way the story is told to you. And extra points if you like the actors/actresses, because they really get to show off their skills in this one.

Leggi di Più

Better than many other rom com released in 2024

disclaimer: thank God I dint know about the webtoon version.

The storyline - not bad at all. unraveling the curse and lifting it they kept the story intact. mountain God (gumiho) holding a grudge has definitely gave me a vibe of tale of nine tailed but it's not exactly copy.

the cast was good. the kisses were fire!
the supporting charecters got their own story which I liked.

what I don't like is it could be finished in 12 episodes. they dragged a bit. else it's alright.
if someone can buy the plot of kind the land (like the most common 3rd gen chaebol guy with childhood trauma) then I don't know why the same audience did dirty to this show.

ignore the reviews, go watch. I know you will feel it's dragged somewhere, so just fast forward those parts. but just watch. it's not as bad as the reviews are saying!

Leggi di Più

Star-studded drama

This is a star-studded drama. Aside from the leads, the attractive Guan Xiao Tong and the handsome Song Wei Long, you will see a lot of familiar popular faces, including Xu Kai, Bai Lu, Wu Jin Yan (Wei Ying Luo from Yanxi Palace) and the handsome Merxat Yalkun (Mi Re Xia Ti).

Unfortunately, this drama does have some glaring flaws. Episodes 1 to 16 are fantastic as the story is original and different from most Chinese dramas I had watched. Guan Xiao Tong acts the arrogant, promiscuous Princess ChuYu who is the emperor's favourite sister as well as Zhu Que, a look-alike assassin trained by the Tianji Sect. Engaged by the princes who are unhappy with the Emperor Liu Ziye of the Liu Song country, a cruel and psychopathic youngster, she is assigned the task of assassinating the emperor. The Tianji Sect plots to let Zhu Que impersonate ChuYu. ChuYu has a harem of male attendants which Zhu Que has to deal with; one of them is the shrewd, perceptive and mysterious Rong Zhi. These episodes are full of suspense as Zhu Que attempts to get close to the emperor while avoiding discovery that she is an impersonate, as well as hilarious as she returns to her palace to be surrounded by men trying to serve her.

The only complaint I have in these episodes is ChuYu's weird hairstyle which looks like an oversize sweet potato sticking on her head - the only competition is Medusa's hair of snakes. ChuYu's hairdo would have been more appropriate in some fairytale stories for the fairy godmother and not quite fit for a period drama.

From episode 17, the story suddenly takes a turn. From this point onwards, the story changes its setting in Liu Song to Wei, a rival country which is often at war with Liu Song. Here, ChuYu (Zhu Que) arrives as the princess sent as the bride to forge a marriage alliance and brings about peace between the two countries. As it turns out Rong Zhi is the Prince Regent in Wei and he marries both Prince ChuYu and Ma XueYun acted by Zhao LuSi on the same day. Neither Rong Zhi nor ChuYu seems to remember their past encounters. This has prompted comments on YouTube that it is a repeat of the Goodbye My Princess story. Also, ChuYu (actually Zhu Que) seems to have suffered a setback in intelligence and a personality change from a trained assassin to a clueless princess.

The only link between the first 16 episodes and the rest of the story is the lame appearance of a story-teller who says he is going to send ChuYu to Wei as his audience are unhappy on how he ends the first part of the story. This transition is very awkward. The cast is almost entirely swapped and from this point onwards, the popular stars appear: Xu Kai, Bai Lu, Wu Jin Yan, Merxat. All the momentum build up during the first 16 episodes are lost and the story starts anew. It is almost like there are two separate stories with some very loose links between the two, and ChuYu's harem of male attendants have all disappeared except for Rong Zhi.

There should have at least been some explanations why ChuYu and RongZhi do not remember the past but it is lightly glossed over. The drama seems to have been written by two different writers. Other than this awkward turn in the story, both stories are quite interesting. And the second part is quite unlike Goodbye My Princess although the theme is similar and therefore lacks originality.

The chemistry between the leads is great. Song WeiLong looked very mature for his age in this drama - I was surprised how young he was when this drama was produced. And you have Wu Jin Yan as the cunning Empress Dowager befitting her previous role as Wei Ying Luo in YanXi Palace. Of course, the star-studded cast does outstandingly well. Zhao LuSi acts a psychopathic woman driven by jealousy, a departure from her usual characters.

Additionally, the Wei costumes for the ladies are pretty but rather monotonous - they are all the same with a stiff shawl and wide skirts. It is almost like the production budget has all been spent on the stars and they have to save on the costume design budget.

So if you overlook these awkward points, this drama is quite interesting to watch. I have given this drama a 8.5 for its star-studded cast, excellent acting and an interesting part 1 - higher than its current rating on mydramalist.com.

Leggi di Più