Reviews

The revenge was meh.

I love revenge plots, especially in the hands of a highly intelligent and capable female protagonist but with the proper motivation, of course. And, there was no doubt that the people who made Moon Dong-eun's (Song Hye-kyo) life hell on earth were all more than deserving of the kind of old school, biblical vengeance reserved for the very wrathful God of the Old Testament.
And, actually, I thought that the series might have wanted to say something about the hot-button issue of school bullying and spousal abuse but opted instead (in typical K-Drama fashion) to focus on the obligatory fan service of a romantic pairing of the two leads with less than zero chemistry between them.
The level of gratuitous violence on display in both parts 1 & 2 felt unnecessary at times because the payback was nowhere equal to the damage inflicted on the victims.
Maybe if she would've exacted her revenge in the very gym where the majority of the bullying took place I would've felt more satisfied with the conclusion.

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I’m going to start this off with the fact that right from the beginning, I wasn’t a huge fan of the story of this drama. All throughout the drama, I’ve been convincing myself that I should keep giving it chances to redeem itself and here we are now, after the very last episode. This drama could have been shortened to at most 10 or 12 episodes, but the writer decided that it was a good idea to extend this up until 16 episodes. There were plenty of scenes that this drama could have had without. Yes, I’m talking about the drama between Joo Hyuk’s bank colleagues. I think that it would have been alright to include those scenes if they would have some sort of impact to the main characters’ story, but there really wasn’t. I suppose that the stories about the other bank workers are a “break” from the main characters’ story or perhaps “comic relief," but there were just too much of it and it did very very little or nothing to progress the plot.

As for the main characters themselves, right off the bat, we are shown that both our male and female leads are flawed. Now that is fine, because we all love to see how their characters would develop and how they could possibly fix their past mistakes. But the writer was so good into turning the viewers’ feelings of “neutral” to “dislike” up until you’re seething with anger and hatred towards the characters that you’re supposed to sympathise with and like. Our precious main characters are quite the selfish people and their fated love prevails everything else to the point that they were cheating on their respective partners. I’ve never quite watched a drama where the writer romanticises cheating to follow one’s heart and not feeling guilt whatsoever for one’s wrongs. Anyway, since the point of the story seemed to be a better relationship between the main characters, the last few episodes would not disappoint you.

But despite such a mess of a drama, the actors did very well to portray the sort of characters that the writer had given them. I especially appreciate the acting from Park Hee Bon (Cha Joo Eun) and Oh Eui Sik (Oh Sang Sik) as I enjoyed their characters’ addition to the drama. Their portrayal of a married couple, I found, was more enjoyable than our main characters’ love story. If you are a fan of Han Jimin or Jisung, I’d say, you’ll appreciate their acting as always, but I hope that their characters here would not make you like them any less.

If there is anything that I loved from this drama, it’s the OST. The songs fit so well with the overall vibe and every time I hear the songs playing, it would sometimes make me forget that the drama has such a messy story. Even if you, who might be reading this now, was planning to watch this drama and decided that maybe you’re not going to watch it after all, at least give the OST a listen. I recommend Roy Kim’s “No Longer Mine.” Likewise, N.Flying’s “Let Me Show You” and SF9’s “Love Me Again” were good songs. Both groups did so well with the OST.

In the end, I wouldn’t recommend this drama and I would not watch it again. The drama has redeeming qualities here and there, but despite that, this story hasn’t completely won me over. I know that there are others who enjoyed this drama so don’t let all the negative things that I’ve mentioned here stop you if you really were keen to watch it. At the end of the day, this is just my opinion amongst many others and perhaps I’ve just failed to see all the positive things about the drama that could possibly outweigh the negatives.

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Right or wrong is only a matter of perspective.

I love a show that makes me engaged. That makes me think and question presented topics. That makes me want to think how I would react if I was presented with the same ideas, what would be my questions and doubts, and who would I side with. That makes me analyze the statements of the characters trying to figure out what flaws they might have, and in what aspects they are correct. Three-Body is all that.

I saw quite a number of people say that you need to be patient with this show to enjoy it. I would honestly disagree. Being patient means you need to tolerate something negative, and I see no such a thing in the show. Slow pace? For me it added to the charm of it. The even pacing, how each time they dropped a new hint, they added a few more questions, the mystery of it all, the lack of answers - for me, these are exactly the things I loved about it. So if someone finds these annoying, I don’t think any level of patience will make them like Three-Body in the end.

My favorite aspect of the drama was how it exposed the limits of human’s perception and cognition. How limited we are by our beliefs, hopes, motives, experiences and even biological aspects. We are painfully biased towards our own species. But it also shows how normal that is and that it can be, at least to some extent, overcome.

Not to mention the diversity of the characters in terms of their personalities, motivations, moralities. It’s truly an art how they slowly showed all the layers of the characters, their perspectives and plans. It was a perfectly crafted journey. They knew exactly when to disclose different information to keep the interest of the viewers.

How hard is it to understand the show? I’m not gonna lie, it’s not an easy watch, but that comes from someone who knows exactly nothing about physics. I had to rewatch a few scenes to understand the theories, some google searches also helped. All that is not needed to get the big picture, but it adds to the viewing experience.

Were there any things that bothered me or could potentially bother others? Yes. Since the drama invites you to analyze everything and pay attention to all the details, it’s also easier to pick up some inconsistencies. That said, a lot of them can be excused by the unreliable narrator at any given moment and their own goals in sharing some, but not all information, and at times even distorting it.

What’s more - we don’t get clear cut answers for a lot of questions asked. Some of it might be the result of the drama being based on just the first book in the trilogy, but some seem to be left vague with no hope for solid answers even in next installments. I can clearly see how this could piss off many people, me being weird, I actually enjoyed it. The fact that I had to form my own theories on why some things happened based on the hints and bits of information was an additional entertainment for me.

There were two moments in the drama that made me go: okay, that’s dumb. That said, two scenes in 30 episodes is a ration of dumbness I can easily ignore.

Last criticism I have is the whole existence of Mu Xing - she did not bring anything new or important to the table. She did not offer an interesting perspective nor a unique take on the events happening. She was there as a plot device and I find it a bit disappointing.

For the performances - some were better than others, but all were great. Chen Jin and Wang Zi Wen did an amazing job portraying the same characters in different moments of her life. You can see the changes in her, but she still seems like the same person. I loved Yu He Wei as Shi Qiang and he easily became my favorite character. I loved his bond with Wang Miao, and even though they could not exist in more different worlds, they formed a perfect partnership.

One performance that seemed a bit flat was Li Xiao Ran as Shen Yu Fei - she was supposed to be this driven woman with a mission, but she overall just seemed numb and detached.

The production value was perfection. I truly have zero complaints. I loved the small animation bits explaining the Farmer and Shooter theories, I loved the game graphics, I loved the set designs. I especially loved everything about how the past story was presented. So many aesthetically beautiful moments.

Talking about Three-Body, I need to mention the soundtrack. I was in awe from the first seconds of any of the songs and even just the ambient sounds used for many scenes. It added so much to the storytelling and perfectly built the atmosphere.

Overall, I could not recommend it more if you like complex stories that require full attention and some additional brainpower for theory making, since they don’t really spoon feed you all the answers. How much you can enjoy the show depends on how much you are motivated to figure out the mystery and story behind the characters.

Ps. Can it be viewed as stand alone? Kind of. Depends on how much of a closure you are expecting.
Ps 2. I need 2nd season yesterday.

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San The 100 year Old VIRGIN

No really, knowledge was chasing some of these characters but they were faster, cuz the heroes didn’t even bring a knife to a gun fight, they brought a flashy projector with bad batteries, which immediately died. LIKE??? WHY, CHILDREN, WHY? LMAO.

This had some of the most cartoonish dramas scenes I’d ever seen, and I loved every moment of it. That being said, I swear the comedy made some of the characters seem like they had the combined IQ of that one coyote from looney tunes.

Also, tell me who the real Ms Wad is. No I don’t want to live in the present and learn a lesson. I am nosy, I WANT TO KNOW!! Which reminds me, was Wee on a Treadmill while he was trying to get to San in that dream sequence or am I tripping?

Sskskssksn, San being horny on main was gold. Mfer might die tomorrow, but he wanted to spend the night eating. I get it, after being a virgin for 100 years and pulling a stud like Wee, I too will totally ignore my dead date. His horny arse even said, ‘you can just lie there’ LOL, is that a kink I'm hearing? Huuhhh??.

Anyway. Listen, Century of Love is what you get when you give Daffy Duck artistic rights, cuz this was a chaotic funny ride. No, no, hear me out. *check notes*

1. The big bad villain showed up to the final battle in his bathrobe!! And he spend most of it, fighting his side-kick. LIKE??? LOL, settle this when you go home? why is yous all gonna fight now? And the funny part was, he kept shooting people in the back and in the leg, making sure he didn't hit anything vital. And of course, he immediately die and I was like... nahhhh...this is like sad and stuff mr...whatever your name was. He was so one-dimensional I can barely even remember his face. Oh, well, he dead though, so...stuff.

2. San giving Ms Wad the stone. QUE??? I was confusion that whole exchange, dafug you mean she deserves the stone cuz you didn’t chose her? that's not how it works? It made no sense, other than bringing drama—which, yes, I ate up. But damn, great-great grandfather done lost his marbles with that decision. Cuz why?? Out of guilt? And he knew he’d die without it, so then what’s the point of him choosing Wee if he doesn’t even get to be with him? make it make sense!

3. San, oh San. Mfer put on a hoodie, catwalk to the enemy's garage, saw that Suchat is a stupid head, then proceeded to tell the wheel chair villain exactly how to defeat him. LIKE?? The whole time he was talking I was like: Child, child! Will you keep quiet?? What surprised me the most though, is that after the villain heard all that, he just ignored it. He put his hands on his eyes and went, ‘la la la la, nothing to hear here! Nope, not me, I’m hearless!’

4. The minions throwing their guns away and grabbing machetes so they could match San. LIKE??? BROTHERS, BROTHERS, did we come here today for playing??? What nonsense was that? Not gonna lie though, that whole cartoonish fighting and with San doing his fancy arse poses had me rolling with laughter. It was very entertaining.

5. Wee, believing it took two days for his gun wounds and scars to disappear. Come on son, don’t shame your cool auntie. She did not raise you to be this dense and have the IQ of a potato. It took him literally a century to put two and two together. I hope they don't let him work the cash register at work, cuz---good thing he married an old rich guy.

6. Tao, throwing all his calculation out of the window the moment someone with the same face as Ms Wad showed up. Then why you bother with all that mumbo jumbo rituals? Then in the finale, he talking about it doesn't matter who it is. Boy if you don't harsh your face. I liked him though, he made me laugh in a lot of places, especially when he found out San's junk had basically been out of service for a 100 years.

7. I’m not even gonna comment on the Goddess. I aint trying get my arse strike by thunder or nothing--nope, not today! But like, why all the drama? Homegirl was so dramatic. Thunder here, rain there, nightmares in the corner, Wee on that treadmill, then stare at the camera for a little bit. Like, girl, I get it, someone grind your colourful stone and drank it, but damn girl, chill? Please?

No but this show had me rolling. That fight scene between them in episode 8-9 made me choke on my popcorn with laughter. HAHAHA, that exchange scene was so unserious, comedy gold, I found myself laughing instead of fearing for them.

CHARACTERS
Whom ever casted this drama deserves a pizza slice and like half a can of soda, cuz they ate with this. The chemistry between DaouOffroad was chemistrying and the support characters were supporting. I liked all the characters even Ms Wad and Third. Yes, I even liked Dr. Second Lead.

I loved DaouOffroad in Love In Translation, watched it while waiting on new episodes of this. (Side note. The moment I saw Daou in that drama I went, OMG YOUS HAVE HAIR?? SINCE WHEN?) LOL, but lowkey every time Wee left his job, I kept expecting Yang to show up and go ‘Phumjai get back to work!’ Also like, am I the only one surprised that Wee didn't get fired? Does he even work at that store, or does he just show up to move stuff around and go back home?

Anyway, I love Wee and San together. They made me laugh and cry. And like Chu, I was their supporter since day one. I love San in his old grandpa outfit just acting like a dinosaur and being effortlessly funny, while Wee was all sunshine and rainbows although his situation was so sad.

One thing I didn't like though about San was when he was being an annoying Coward, trying to pimp Vee to Third like a half eaten sandwich. Like were you hit in the head with a coconut? in what world is you quietly dying in a corner without even saying goodbye good? Boy must have left his brain in the past under that basket, cuz he was talking nonsense in that scene. I was ready to fight like, 'No, shut up, you two need each other! Go to him child.' Thank the goddess Third had enough brain cells to spare and brought Wee to him.

One thing I loved about Wee was when he was like, dude you don’t tell me what to do, if I want to date the reincarnation of the guy who killed me, I’ll do. Eff your concern I like dying. No, but I really liked how he formed his own opinion and didn’t get persuaded. Most bl characters would have made like postage stamp and stayed where they were when San warned them.

Now how in the hell did San become a great-great grandfather if he’s a 100 year old virgin? Like, his thing didn't even work when we met him. It was just decoration, collecting dust until Wee arrived. So howw??

And LOL, one slow motion shag and San is out there erasing Ms Wads existence with Wee’s. Damn, virgin’s am I rightttt? Also why were they so happy telling everyone and their mommy about their slow motion deed? San's better than me though, cuz, after a 100 years, I'd have tore Wee's cloth off with my teeth and toes.

Anywho, the casting of San’s family was perfect. I loved their reaction to things, especially the old man. They were all a fun bunch. And usually I don’t vibe with loud nosy characters like Chu, but I didn’t mind it in this one, cuz she added color to Sans personality whenever they were in a scene together. And, I love, love, love her tops *chefs kiss* beautiful.

Ms Wad showing up on a random Tuesday to ruin everything made me roll my eyes. Of course she’s gonna show up, we can’t have peace in this house. Also, there’s been too many females popping up in bls lately, imma need them all to find the exit, having an infestation in this economy is not good for my health.

That being said, I hated Ms Wad when she showed up that Tuesday, but after she kicked Suchat’s in that alley, I clapped. Girl thank you! That dude just vexes me! Also she's the real MVP of this show, girl just wanted to make paper and she made it her whole personality. In the finale when she asked to be paid, I yelled, 'Yes girl, I love you!' no, she needs her own show in the same universe where she scam people for money.

And that Third fella, the moment he showed up, I was like ‘Who is the jo with the jojo?’ Out there talking about ‘I liked you since our school days but waited too long’ Then keep waiting. Literally every time he tried to stake some claim I was like ‘Master, master, master, go sit somewhere.’ and then mfer went and said ‘If you break his heart, I’ll take him from you.’ Take him and go where?? Where is you going to him? Wee just rejected your sorry arse because he's in love with a 100 year old virgin who is in love with a ghost.

How the eff do drama guys think they can just take away the love-interest? I remember in Love Mechanic (Vee Sucks, goddamn air breather) that one random boxer with the personality of a brick wall, threatening to take Mark away if Vee didn’t threat him right. Bish where you gonna take him, huh? He literally can’t stand your peeping arse, where the eff you think you gonna take him??? Like, is that supposed to be romantic? Arrgggg.

Oof, but in the end, I came to like Third. Even understood it when he punched San. And I like how when he understand Wee's feelings for San, he supported them, and became a friend. Sucked though that he had to watch them be all lovey dovey, but that's on him for still staying in the same city after that rejection. I'd have moved countries. Mars couldn't have been far enough.

Anyway, Suchat just effing sucks, and I was glad he and his giant hair died. Won't even bother writing about him, y'all know he deserves to purchase real estate on the sun... so...

With all that being said, yes, the acting in this was good, the cast did not take their acting lessons from a block of cheese. Little San was such a good actor, really, he embodied his grown up aura so well. That child is going places in the industry. Side note: isn’t it weird Wee never asked about the kid once he moved in? Like did he think he’s in his room this whole time or what?

Plot
I liked it. The moment I read the summary, I knew I wanted to watch it. Also the comedy in this was on point, it made me giggle where I was supposed to, so kudos. The only bl I’ve find myself rewatching over and over is Cutie Pie, but I can see myself returning to this in the future to watch that funny exchange scene again.

The plot wasn’t without flaws. Yes, the villains had no depth and were so cartoonish, and the heroes made some bad decisions among other things, but it was entertaining enough that it wasn’t a glaring issue, which is all one can ask for nowadays in a bl show.

Episode 9 had me bawling my eyes off, so much, because you see, I watched this and episode 9 of Meet You At The Blossoms back to back, literally, why did I put myself through that???

I wasn’t ready for this show to end, so I went into the finale already sad. During the goodbyes, I went to pour myself some wine just in case it doesn't end well. The way I clapped when Ms Wad saved the day. I thought it was going to be a sad ending, and I would have accepted it, but this would have been a review of me cussing the writers and their ancestors, so here's another slice of pizza writers, thanks for the happy ending.

All in all, it was an entertaining show, even with its flaws. There was chaos, laughter, tears and arrggg moments, and I enjoyed it all. I highly recommend. It’s going straight to my list of best bls this year along side, Unknown and My Stand-In.

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No, forcing is not sexy.

Yes, my rating is quite low. And i'm verry sorry for those who appreciated this.
But as a person who was in a kinda abuse relationship, it was really really hard to watch. I ended watching all by skipping.

It was very promising. I just loved how Phayu and Rain met, I found this so romantic. Maybe the first scene of first episode was the best. However, it didn't last very long before Phayu tries to force Rain into sex, then treatening him and blowing hot and cold. Some find this sexy, to me that's just how a narcisist works. But at least, Rain felt he had the choice, if we forget the first rape atempt, despite preassure ("I"ll mAke uU fAll In lOve").

We can't say the same for Sky, who was preassured to have sex with his cOol and rIch Prapai, then stalked everywhere despite not wanting to have a relationship yet. Just how can you force a younger guy to have sexe with you ? Is that how an elder should behave ? Characters may have changed later, I just can't accept even the healthier relationship when bases are so wrong. T

hat's a waste because that started not so bad, the idea of illegal racing was good... But basically, the message of this series is "Have money and you can force everything you can, you can rape and treatening for sex". I know that happens in reality, but at least Thai dramas last years tried to work on people understanding that being gay doesn't equal being easy and always saying yes. But this drama just destroys all this work that was made.

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When natural acting meets right casting

Jimmy & Sea .....these two names are enough for me to watch this series. After the huge success of ' Last Twilight ' they are back again with an amazing series.

Honestly the plotline is completely different. The way Sea portrayed In's character wow . Jimmy is always different, another green flag character from him.

There is literally no boring scene . Each episode is full of laughing, crying, teasing, bickering etc etc .

The music is in a word WOW . I really want to kiss that person's hands who created & wrote this amazing ART .

Should I talk about visuals ? Definitely yes . Jimmy in this new hairstyle, is extremely handsome & about Sea , he is one of the prettiest/ handsome man I ever saw . When he smiles, we also automatically smile with him . His smile has some magic right ?

Give this drama a try , I know you will not regret.

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Of Gentle Feelings and True Affection: A Tale to Delight the Heart and Enchant the Feelings

I must confess myself entirely governed by the inclinations of the heart when it comes to the subject of Korean dramas. Should a tale so enchant me — if it cause me to sigh with longing, to champion the felicity of the characters, to loathe the villains with untempered zeal, and to yearn most fervently for a romance of tenderness and charm — then, most assuredly, such a drama shall secure a cherished corner in my affections. I am not, by nature, of analytical disposition; I do not dissect performances nor assess the finer points of production. It is the whole, the sentiment, the essence that captivates me. And if the principal romance should stir the gentler parts of my soul, then I confess — my heart is quite entirely won over, without the least hope of recovery.

Head Over Heels ensnared my sensibilities within mere moments of its first episode. I found in Park Seongah a creature of such innocence and ingenuousness, that I could not help but see a portion of myself reflected in her gentle manner. Nay, I envied her. I longed — ardently — to one day know an affection such as hers, kindled in but a single glance at Bae Gyeonuh. Her love was so sincere, so untainted, that I was transported into a reverie, dreaming sweetly of their union.

To witness the blossoming of his regard for her — steadfast, unwavering, and, in time, surpassing even hers in depth — was a source of endless delight. Perhaps it is the influence of my upbringing, steeped as it was in the romantic ideals of fairytales, where noble princes strove valiantly for the happiness of their beloveds, that rendered Gyeonuh’s devotion so very affecting. His every action bespoke his desire to shield Seongah, to ensure her welfare, and I was wholly under the spell of his quiet heroism from the very beginning.

I felt no grievance that the narrative did not extend to the resolution of his familial entanglements. Indeed, I am of the opinion that such individuals were unworthy of his presence, and their exclusion from the tale’s conclusion caused me no dissatisfaction.

The love shared by those two souls awakened in me a longing to one day experience an affection so earnest, so guileless — and, perchance, equally returned.

I have secured the entire drama for my private enjoyment, to preserve it for those occasions when I shall seek the comfort of nostalgia, and to feel once more the delightful tumult of emotions that their romance so exquisitely inspired.

For me, this drama deserves a resounding ten out of ten, for it is no ordinary story that may stir one’s heart to such heights, as did the tender and whimsical love between Seongah and Gyeonuh.

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Words cannot describe

With one episode left I decided to finally leave a review which I don’t make many of unless I feel very strongly about something.
The way I am so emotionally attached to these characters and this show is insane. I have not skipped a week since it started airing and that says a lot because I am a very forgetful person but week after week this show has been on my mind and I have probably rewatched it 5x .

First of the acting is just amazing Nanon and Ohm are absolutely fantastic at what they do and my heart aches every single time with them. Their chemistry is seriously insane and I can’t help but cheer them on every episode. I truly wish I can see them together in something else again but if they leave just this masterpiece I am not complaining.

Although the storyline enemies to lovers is pretty cliche and over used but if it’s done right it came be so beautiful and Bad Buddy does an absolutely perfect job at this.

The directing is Straight to the point but with amazing flow that doesn’t feel like something is missing or there should be a gap filled somewhere. Let alone the music !! It’s so catchy?! PLEASE ?! I BE SINGING NANON’s SONG ALL DAY !!

I don’t want to bore anyone with more details but if you are going “hmm maybe I should watch this later” lemme just tell you, you’re gonna regret it later. WATCH NOW! ITS WORTH IT 100% GUARANTEED OR YOUR MONEY BACK

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The masterpiece that failed to stick the landing.

I feel like I can speak for many people when I say that after the last half hour or so of the last episode, this drama went from a 10 to an 8 to me. The ending is going to be what makes or breaks the drama for a lot of people, so that's my focus with this review.

Before that, I want to take a moment to commend the show on everything that it did right. The first 19 episodes were fresh, new and exciting, with an amazing supporting cast and one of the best FL I've ever seen in a k-drama. Of course, the FL was playing a male character, at least partially, so that perhaps could have influenced the writing for the character to be different from the average FL. There's a lot of messy business in there that I don't think I'm qualified to talk about, so I'll just say that the actress did a phenomenal job playing BH's character and I enjoyed her performance immensely. The leads had great chemistry, the humour was on point, and for those first 19 episodes, the only thing that didn't quite keep my attention was the politics which, unlike the fresh take on everything else that the drama had going for it, remained as stale and predictable as any other Joseon drama.

Then the ending happened. Then BH returned to the present, SY seamlessly took his place as queen, and they made an attempt at happily ever after. And that's where the drama lost its spark for me. There are a lot of nuances in the relationship between SY and BH, and sorting through it makes the ending really difficult to argue with. It's made clear that BH is being influenced by SY's feelings for CJ. It's SY's love for the king that causes BH to be drawn to him, so using that logic, it makes perfect sense that SY would stay with the king in the end. Even knowing that I'm left unsatisfied. Over 19 hours of this drama were spent watching BH and CJ interact and a lot of the interactions that stand out most to me were conversations they had that SY never could have had - their constant back-and-forth over BH's slang terminology and the moral conduct that he carried out while in SY's place are some of the best examples. BH's cooking knowledge, as well, is what helped the king get through the festival. SY would not have been able to do so because she lacks BH's experience. And that's just it--the king was charmed by him, by BH's quirks and strange behaviour. Without BH carrying their relationship on his back, SY would not have gotten her happy ending even if it was her who woke up after falling into the lake.

So what we're left with is a main character who does all of the work and gets booted back to his time so that the girl whose body he's been possessing takes all the credit. And I know I should have expected as much - I DID expect as much, right from the moment the drama started - but that doesn't make it any less sour. We've seen this done before, and despite a few years having passed since the last one that I recall, having two male characters in love on a major network, even when one has practically fused with the queen, isn't going to slide. I get it, I understand.

What really got me, though, was how little BH seemed to matter after returning to his time. Despite being the entire focus of the last 19 episodes, when he returns to his body he's only given a few brief scenes that serve entirely to explain the plot that's going on in Joseon. The characters of the past got some fluff scenes, some cute, happy moments, but his screen time was just: wake up-->run away-->find out what happened to CJ-->find out he's in the clear now-->smile while talking about his newfound morality. On the surface, it seems fine. But the more I think about it, the more it doesn't sit well. He spent months with those characters and whether influenced by SY or not, he fell for the king. Then, instead of showing any bittersweet emotions, he just moves on. At least it looks like he moves on. We aren't really given any time to see him process it all. This is the character we followed from the start but he became a side piece in his own story in the last episode, and that's sad to me.

I did like the ending. Well, the other aspects of it. I like the punishment for the antagonists, I like the happy little moments with the side characters and, as always, Court Lady Choi is a blessing. So really, I don't think it's bad writing that left me feeling this way but bad choices. So while I wanted to give it a 7.5 because of how disappointed I was, I did take a moment to look back at the other 19 episodes and all the joy they brought me. Even if the destination is less than desired, the journey was a breath of fresh air for historical dramas. It was like nothing before it and every moment until now was funny and exciting with amazing actors and a music score that perfectly suited the mood. I can't deny that, and I'm still happy to have watched it. I won't punish the whole show for one episode.

But to me, this ending is bittersweet. Seeing BH smile and cry while looking at the king's portrait and knowing that the king feels that something is missing after BH's disappearance, never knowing who BH was or where he really came from and never fully believing the stories that he heard, it's sad. If not to the writers then at least to me, they were in love and this was their story. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

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Wrong Addiction

Welcome to those who want to hear my rant/review again and this time it goes to the one and only, "iconic BL series", Addicted Heroin. Wooo. Honestly, I just don't understand why this BL is so popular especially with the problematic tropes being used there. I'll try to elaborate here.

I'll start with Gu Hai, the guy who's twisted and who has a terrible obsession over Bai Luo Yin. I am so disgusted by his behaviour over him. The fact he stalked him was creepy made me want to vomit. Also, him hiring people to kidnap Luo Yin. Did that scream romantic to you? If you were in his position, how would you feel? This was Stockholm syndrome on another level. I felt like I was watching 365 days movie, but in Mandarin and between two Chinese men. Not to mention how the dialogues he used, "You want to have nothing to do with me, don't you? Then I will keep you chained here so that you cannot run away" before attacking him with a forced kiss and ending with a "Baby, you've known long before that I have special feelings for you, don't you? So you are not surprised that if I kiss you" and followed by other cringey dialogues, "I sleep with you on one bed, it's because I want to fuck you. I even dreamt of it" and blaming his obsessive behaviour on Luo Yin with no fucking regrets. This was the worst, "Husband who doesn't have sex with their wives is not a good husband" What kind of bullshit message was Gu Hai trying to say? He treated him like a sex object and not like his partner. Here's a surprise, this whole thing just happened in one damn episode, Episode 11 and there's more, SHOCKING!

Episode 12, the scene of what happened in the bedroom. My gosh, that was gross. Gu Hai couldn't control his dick and hormones towards his favourite "object" so he did it again! You could literally tell by Lin Yuo's facial expressions that he was so uncomfortable with it and poor boy had to play along with it when he already asked him to stop. That word came out right from his mouth. Yikes. Wait, that's not it! It also happened in Episode 13. Amazing BL right? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcUiO4lQMr4 (Where I watched it if you guys are wondering) The fact that this loved BL show was romanticizing sexual assault, imagine this show being continued, I'll be counting how many more there will be in after this.

Also, Gu Hai's former girlfriend was so stupid. She's your stereotypical jealous girl who couldn't stand her boyfriend with other women. Of course, there had to be that stupid catfight between other women because of that. I just don't understand why BLs love portraying these type of women? I am tired of seeing it. Stop giving female a bad representation in BL please. I also couldn't understand her shitty behaviour of trying to make Gu Hai jealous by doing a fake affair. It didn't seem fake to me. The only fake I could see was from her fake attitude. Thus, I concluded, birds with the same feather flock together.

In conclusion, this chinese BL is not addictive at all and I am no way going to rewatch this thing again. I feel ashamed because I'm 3/4 Chinese and me seeing this? No. I've lost faith in humanity for those who love this BL. Goodbye!

Leggi di Più

I was absolutely blown away by the script, the cast and the chemistry. The writers did an amazing job with this script. Whoever did the lighting during the filming was able to capture not only the night scenes clearly but also distinctively. The series was so good, I actually rewatched episodes and clips while it was still on the air. The acting, the plot, the chemistry, the intelligence and the humor. You get it all as well as tons of action and anticipation. You’ll shed a tear or two. You’ll be mad, happy, want blood and smile so hard. Just wonderful.

The overall story is about two people who encountered hardship in their youth uniting to establish their own sense of love, justice and peace. I am so thrilled that the leads were both charming and smart. There were no senseless games or fights just pure witty and authentic commitment, love and determination.

I would put this series up there with ten miles of peach blossoms and the lengend of fuyao. No cliffhangers, just clean and clear and amazing ending.
Hats off to the young female actress who played “Rong’er” she has some skills. I’ll definitely look for her in future films.

Leggi di Più

Surprisingly ADDICTIVE!

I wouldn't say everyone will like this kind of drama, but I LOVE IT.

It's not the usual korean drama that comes with a cheerful starting, couple fall in love and followed with the story climax. Some people might not like the "psycho" theme drama because of the dark and depressing content, but I find it pretty addictive of its UNUSUAL setting of characters, story presentation and the chemistry between the main leads! As the female lead is a fairytale story writer, the show uses a "fairytale story telling" method to bring out some principles of life that touches the bottom of your heart, which I find it very special!

You will FALL IN LOVE with the two main leads, because they are not the usual main leads you will find in other dramas. The girl is cold on the outside but warm in the inside whilst the male lead is other way round. They both had some bad memories that shaped their behaviours; they hurt each other, but they protect each other as well :) So I would say their interaction and chemistry are the highlight of the show!!!! Not to mention, the three main leads (including the brother) acting is SUPERB! The brotherhood among the two male leads is very touching too and it will make you cry T^T

For those who are a scaredy-cat, be aware that there are some horror scenes too. Well, it doesn't really have physical ghost in the show (in case you are wondering), but because the main female lead had some dark memories, so she will have bad dreams and having sleep paralysis.

Although there were some parts not being well explained, I think you shouldn't be too serious about it and enjoy the scenes and stories this drama has brought to us. It brings joy, intense, sadness and also heart-warming relationships that makes you smile :) I love all the main and side roles and also their sweet and nice characters, the entire casting was pretty pleasing and I enjoyed watching it a lot!

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I honestly don't know where to begin... (Also this is a bit long/rambling because I JUST finished the last episode, so I have a lot of emotions)

STORY:
The first 16 episodes were great - so much going on, but it was all so entertaining. But then come episode 17 and it was a completely different story with somewhat different people - even though it was all the same people. Even so, I kept going. Episodes 17-53 though not as great as the first chunk of the drama were still decently entertaining to watch. Especially between the first two parts of the drama, there were just so many discrepancies about what was going on that they never resolved because it really felt like two completely different stories at times. And then somehow the final episode, ep 54 - my mind just went blank and I'm still not sure what I was watching... So I'm gonna rate this as 3 different parts.

A) Ep 1-16
B) Ep 17-53
C) Final ep 54

A) 9/10 - The first few episodes were so great. There was plotting and manipulation but it felt somewhat new and refreshing. Rong Zhi and Chu Yu's relationship was angsty but amazingly enticing to watch. The other characters at the Princess' manor were equally entertaining. It was a constant - what's going to happen next? What is Tian Ji Pavilion going to do? What is Chu Yu going to do? What is Rong Zhi going to do? Really fun to watch and definitely the best part of the drama.

B) 7/10 - the main core of the drama. The majority of the drama was focused on this part of the story - though it really makes viewers question why the drama was written to essentially be 2 different stories. Aside from the two main characters being the same people - though arguably their personalities were a bit warped - the rest of the drama was completely different. The setting moves out of Liu Song and into the kingdom of Wei (where Rong Zhi is now the Prince Regent leading the government for his nephew, the emperor) and Chu Yu is sent from Liu Song with the intention of peace through marriage. While this was the main core of the drama, it was definitely outshined by the first section of the drama, but nonetheless it was still an interesting watch.

There was a lot of framing and manipulation, which comes standard with these types of dramas, but honestly it was made a bit worse because there were SO MANY different people scheming that by the end it just feels like everyone was against everyone. Really it was hard to root for anyone just because of how much manipulation was going on.

Secondly, while miscommunication between the main pair is always a given, it was just a bit much sometimes. You have two very stubborn personalities, with one also constantly scheming to obtain power, but of course neither of them were willing to talk things out and would just essentially give up when the other was upset. It made it really hard to ship the main pair sometimes because it seemed like they were never going to be able to communicate well and understand the other person's feelings.

Lastly, between the second female lead actually playing two different characters there was WAY too much screen time attributed to her (specifically as General Huo Xuan) and honestly it got way too overbearing and annoying that I (and as I've read many others) pretty much skipped through all of her scenes. The writing really made it seem as if they wanted the second lead actress to be the main actress. Between the war zone story lines, to her story lines with Rong Zhi, to her story lines with Gu Huan - it was just way too much time focused on her and not enough on the main actors.

C) 5/10 - The final episode. There are literally very few dramas that have me honestly lost about what the hell happened by the end. Even this drama, everything seemingly went together up until the final episode. Maybe it was because they rushed the ending? Which is ridiculous because they had 54 episodes to work out this whole story, but the last episode was just super weirdly paced and there was so much going on. I honestly don't know if it was a happy or sad ending just because it depends on how you look at it, I suppose. By the end of it, I really just want to know who the writers were supporting this whole time because the way this ended - unless they're planning a sequel - just didn't make sense to me. In 40 minutes time, they crammed in so much stuff with no explanation and they were just like "Welp, that's it." Such a let down.

ACTING/CAST:

Song Wei Long (Rong Zhi) - As the male lead, I feel like SWL did a pretty decent job carrying such a weighty drama. He is definitely a young actor, so hopefully he will progress over the next few years, but even so I think he did a good job. Many people criticize him for not showing emotion very well, which I agree with to an extent. If it was any other character, I'd wholeheartedly agree that he was bad in that regard, but for this drama and this character, I think it still worked out well. Rong Zhi from the beginning was a very complex character who was very reserved, meticulous, and brilliant. For someone who is a genius at manipulation and scheming, I appreciated the fact that he was terrible at expressing himself and his feelings because it showed some kind of weakness in his personality. If he was great at everything, it would have made me dislike him honestly because no one can be perfect at everything.

Guan Xiao Tong (Liu Chu Yu) - A lot of my feelings about her probably come down more to script than it does to her actual acting, so it's hard to give her a fair review. In the first part of the drama, she was portraying Zhu Que of Tian Ji pavilion who took over the life of Liu Chu Yu to complete a mission. This character was smart and cunning, but had compassion and morals. Her character and acting were very entertaining as she portrayed the cunning Zhu Que but also the murderous/lustful Liu Chu Yu.
In the second half, it gets more confusing because you have the real (but not real) Liu Chu Yu and Zhu Que completely disappears (though it's the actually the same character). By now she's just a fairly basic female character. She's still smart (or just really lucky) as she gets herself out of trouble (with tons of help, of course), but she now harbors this idealized sense of morality - even though she is also a part of an imperial family and should be used to the scheming by now. And yet at every turn, she criticizes Rong Zhi and the others for fighting for power, even though it is something to be expected of people in power.
Again, these are all issues I have more with the writing for the character, more so than with Guan Xiao Tong's acting abilities. I think for what she was given, she did a good job - but nothing mind blowing.

Bai Lu (Huo Xuan) - I'm giving her a shout out mostly because I actually REALLY enjoyed General Huo at the very beginning and thought she was really entertaining, but eventually I just stopped watching most of her scenes because there was just way too much focus on her and it got annoying. She honestly did a really good job though (from what I didn't skip xD)

REWATCH/OVERALL:

I'll honestly probably watch this drama again some time in the future because even though there was a lot of stuff I didn't like about it, overall I still enjoyed it as a drama (aside from that last episode). It was nothing groundbreaking or particularly memorable, but for some reason, I was still really intrigued watching it and still felt it was fairly entertaining.

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The reason why I chose this drama among the lot, is the number of great reviews it got. I've read words like "perfect", "unforgettable" and "awesome" in regard to it, so I started with more than a little expectation. These high praises are also the reason why I'm writing a review myself; because perhaps out there there's someone like me who'd find words like "bland", "silly" or "yawn inducing" much more befitting to this particular drama.

The plot is sweet enough, but I truly fail to see its purpose. The premises, that is, a girly girl who lifts heavy weights, could have been everyone else that comes to mind – a clown, a dock worker, a truck driver or a simple student. The sport of weightlifting itself does absolutely nothing to deeply define this girl, except for 2 details: 1st, the hardship of balancing love for this sport with the basic womanly needs of being pretty; 2nd, the ridiculous choice of main actress, who is as believable as a weightlifter as I am as the first queen of Goryeo.
In Cheese in the Trap, the last drama I saw her acting in, someone called her "a giraffe", which I'd say is quite accurate a description. Lee Sung Kyung is tall, thin and beautiful, and her acting here consists of an alternation of pouts and a goofy gate that should lead us to believe she's not feminine. While watching, I spent a lot of time deciding whether I should raise one eyebrow or both.

The humour is off, at least for my taste. I didn't laugh once. There's too much screaming and wrestling, and most of all, there's too much eating. When I enter the realm of Korean drama, I'm psychologically prepared to see people eat at every opportunity, but here they really don't do much more. The quantity of food – and junk food – shoved into everyone's mouth is such that I got nauseous.

Acting is average. None of the actors shine in his or her performance, possibly because the script has no room for deep characterization. This isn't even a coming of age kind of story, since all characters end up being basically the same they were in the beginning, but with a partner. All the interesting cues, those that somehow delved deeper into the emotions of some characters, are conveniently skimmed and resolved in the space of a few minutes. Everyone lies to everyone else and calls it either friendship or protection. Bah.

There is some music… I think.

Never to be rewatched. Once was enough to establish this is not my kind of drama and simply forget about it. My 6 is due to the fact that I completed it.

Leggi di Più