Once the adults age and the children grow, however, the pacing adopts an uneven groove which alternates between satisfying speed and sleepy doddering. Some plot points evolve merely as long chains of people finding out secrets (or not). Several subplots, related to the main story in passing, are explored over time; these often fizzle quickly without much impact, but the characters introduced in them tend to stick around after the fact. Because of the intense focus on the kidnapping and its fallout, these become frustrating due to lack of development. The "romance" between the main couple suffers from this issue as well; their interactions are numerous, but feel hollow and unnecessary. Each secondary couple, some of which are surprising and strangely built, have twice the chemistry and a fourth of the airtime.
However, punch remains to be found. When something big happens, despite being padded down by the aforementioned fodder, it's like an explosion. Crisp cinematography works together beautifully with the wild turnarounds and shifts in dynamic. This drama knows how to swing emotional weight in spades. There are just too many episodes, with too little oomph to distribute over its course.
Of the numerous actors and actresses featured in Scandal, Jo Jae Hyeon offers the most laudable performance. Whatever the role of Ha Myeon Geun called for, he delivered without question. What struck me most was the veracity of emotion and striking normalcy this character exuded. Because of this powerful performance, my sympathies wrapped around this character in spite of his crime. Ki Tae Young also has a fantastic go as second lead, the "other" Eun Joong. His feelings were openly displayed in his eyes and face without exaggeration, a true mark of talent. As for the "primary" Eun Joong, my first experience with Kim Jae Won was a good one. Despite landing a slightly boring character, he elevates the part with good choices and natural charisma.
Park Sang Min confused me, as I have often heard him described as a talent. As Jang Tae Ha, despite an instance or two of strength, he overacted noticeably. Add to this misfortune the desperate attempts to make him look old enough for the role (stuffing him into "grandpa" clothes, dying his hair a new shade every episode). There are also several wasted characters, such as the one performed by Jo Yoon He. Her Wu Ami starts somewhat irritating, steadily improves, then drops in importance as a character separate from the loveline.
Scandal may count its atmospheric and masterfully utilized soundtrack among its strengths. Silences are strewn throughout scenes, allowing for the instrumentals (sometimes moving, others haunting), to shine when played. All of the vocals are memorable as well, with the best offered by Masyta Band ("I Am"), Kim Jin Seon ("Stay") and The Position ("Last Love of My Life").
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Wang Youshuo Looks Absolutely Stunning
"Dear Mr. Heavenly Fox" revolves around the legendary heavenly fox, Bichuan (played by Lu Xiaoyu, aka Rain Lu), who falls in love with Lingzi (Wang Youshuo), a spirit man destined for sacrifice to save the world. To prevent her beloved from being sacrificed, the fox crashes into the sacrificial mountain, sacrificing herself in the process. This act unleashes evil spirits, and Lingzi takes it upon himself to seal the lord of evil, sustaining fatal injuries and a broken heart in the process. He vows to be reborn as a fox in his next life and love her forever.In this life, Wang Youshuo's character, Zhang Yue, is born as a fox, while Lu Xiaoyu's character, Qi Yuanbao, is the Lingzi, a spirited child, carrying an evil spirit within her. The playful and mischievous Qi Yuanbao, along with her cousin brother Xue Hanyu (Zhou Zhaoyuan), engages in street fights and causes trouble. Many viewers are upset that Lu Xiaoyu is not pretty enough to play the role but I find her portrayal is truly convincing, and I think the casting directors made a great choice because in the story, Qi Yuanbao is said to have a common appearance, with someone even calling her ugly.
One day, Qi Yuanbao accidentally stumbles upon a forbidden place and encounters the heavenly fox Zhang Yue, who is cultivating there. By mistake, she consumes the spirit fruit that Zhang Yue is nurturing with his soul. To retrieve his soul, Zhang Yue follows Qi Yuanbao to the human world and becomes her teacher.
Zhang Yue's striking good looks and suave demeanor attract numerous admirers, including Qi Yuanbao, who falls deeply in love with him. Though initially embarrassed by her forwardness, Zhang Yue can't help but feel a connection with her and eventually falls for her. As the story unfolds, he becomes her protector and willingly sacrifices himself for her. Wang Youshuo delivers a heart-wrenching performance, truly nailing his role.
Amidst various villains seeking to harness the power of the evil spirit for their own gain, the entire cast portrays their characters convincingly. I was especially impressed with the story of the second couple, which is filled with bickering and explosive moments.
My Verdict
Although the drama has a cheesy title, the romance between the fox and the human is undeniably intriguing. However, there are some plot holes and instances of poor writing and editing, leading to confusing scenes that lack explanations. Characters facing life-threatening situations sometimes act nonchalantly, which seems illogical. Additionally, the dubbing doesn't always match the characters' mouth movements, creating a disconnect between audio and visuals.
The drama does end with a twist that results in the demise of beloved characters, followed by an abrupt resurrection scene, which feels somewhat bizarre. Perhaps to appease some viewers, a bonus episode with an alternative ending was added. Despite these shortcomings, "Dear Mr. Heavenly Fox" remains a highly enjoyable drama, especially thanks to the mesmerizing portrayal of the heavenly fox by Wang Youshuo. Overall, I would recommend giving it a watch!
Bravo!
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Acting/Cast: I didn't know most of the actors in this and only watched it for Emma.. love Gui Gui she's too adorable! But this drama really introduced me to a bunch of cuties XD Alen.. Leon.. Edwin.. I hope to see them in more dramas soon! It's great to see Zhang Han again but I really don't see what the fascination with this guy is.. why is he like everywhere?
Music: I'm not too sure what the songs are because the version I watched had the opening and ending cut off.. so I can't really comment much here.
Rewatch Value: I probably won't watch this again as re-watching will lack all the suspense and anticipation that it had as I already know the story now.
Overall: This was a fun ride. It was actually I think my first drama with magical powers that isn't a historial/fantasy drama so it was very interesting for me. I was quite impressed with the CGI effects, unlike in those fantasy dramas XD If you want to watch a pretty boy drama but sick of all those high school/college love dramas then totally give this a go! The romance and drama is still there but with the addition of a bit of excitement.. which let's be honest... most of those other dramas lack.
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A Gem Under the Radar
To me, a good drama doesn’t depend on the big names of the actors nor how esteemed the directors are, not even how complicated a story needs be. As long as the story is coherent, the logic makes sense, the actors immerse themselves in their roles, the costumes not garish nor gaudy, the main characters are lovable, and the overall struggles and conflicts of the characters capture my heart and my emotions, this is considered a good drama. The Letter from the Cloud is one such drama.I don’t know the relevancy of the title to the story, which to me is still a mystery after completing the drama. Nonetheless, this is a story about power struggle for the throne that involves a girl whose whole family was wrongly executed by the Emperor, and a royal prince who tries to find his missing mother. They meet and fall in love with each other even though the girl has just got married to one of the prince's cousins who turns out to be a girl disguises as a man from birth. I love all the relationships between the characters here, including the second couple. The villains are in the open from the start, and all evil schemes are planted by the antagonists from start to finish.
Qi Zhang (Xie Binbin) inherited the title Prince Jing upon the untimely demise of his father. He is stationed in the north-west country guarding the border. Intelligent and a great swordman, he is lonesome and distrustful, determined to find his missing mother, so he comes back to the capital to his maternal grandmother’s home to track news of her. Here, he falls in love with a girl whom he initially recruits to work as his spy in his grandmother’s household.
I have liked Xie Binbin since the first time I saw him in Qing Qing Zi Jin. He exudes a clean, innocent and yet authentic aura that attracts viewers. Here as the impeccable Prince Jing, Xie Binbin aces the role. His styling and demeanor are perfect and lovable. His uncertainty, dismay, jealousy, joy, determination and more, are all acted out very appropriately without overacting and yet can stir emotions within the viewers. Excellent acting here.
After the persecution of her whole family, Gu Yi (Wu Jiayi) was adopted by a “Jianghu” doctor and changed her name to Shen Yu. Because of her horrifying childhood experience, Shen Yu becomes obsessed with money and will do anything for a buck. For money, she marries into the Zhou household and crosses path with Qi Zhang and gets hired as a spy for him in finding secrets that concern him in the Zhou household. Shen Yu is intelligent, fast witted and streetwise. With her amazing skills in medicine which she puts to good use later in saving lives and in her investigations.
I really love the Shen Yu character here and Wu Jiayi has given an excellent performance. Her Shen Yu is authentic and human, cheeky and yet relatable, and not too proud to admit to her mistakes and to show her vulnerability to her trusted. How she continually gains an upper hand with Qi Zhang is funny and well executed, and how she makes him jealous is fun to watch. Wu Jiayi is very natural. With her watery large eyes, pouting lips, and extremely contagious smile, she captures hearts. Viewers can empathize with her zeal for finding justice for her family, and her resignation when justice is not being served. Wu Jiayi has carried out her role with full marks.
I also want to applaud the whole cast including the actors who play the antagonists. The villains are being acted so realistically that viewers want to rip the villains' hearts out for the heinous crimes they commit. The cross-dressing is believable as actor Fu Jing (Zhou Yue) gives the viewers a sickly looking man with a raspy voice. A great performance here by all.
My Verdict
This series is said to have been adapted from a web novel. Upon my brief scan, I believe that the original novel involves a character with a name called 锦书 (Jin Shu), literally means “letter” in English. Though the script writing has been diverted from the original novel, the title has not, hence results in a confusing title here. I stand to be corrected.
Though with some details not further explained to clarify some confusions for viewers, the overall story here is rather intact with not that many plot holes. Some tropes, like falling off cliff, are used here and there which doesn’t seem distasteful. The ending is concluded appropriately with every character receiving its deserving ending, and without massive killing off the characters like many Chinese dramas fond to do. For the main couple, a three-year separation spurs their individual growth, and deepens their love and devotion for each other. The background music is cartoonish and helps in accentuating the funny moments and blunders the characters make.
Overall, a drama well done. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and strongly recommend it to new viewers. Great watch! Don’t miss it.
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Highly addictive series..
I remember being enthralled with the 80’s version miniseries as a child, and I am happy to report that this one is even better.The whole show is a piece of art- from the stunning cinematography, gorgeous costuming, haunting music, amazing cast, and the well-paced storytelling..
The story portrayed here is of Japan’s feudal history and it is fascinating: illustrating their strategy, politics, samurai, ninja assassins, Lord’s and Ladies, war games, and even everyday life of its people- it’s enough to send you into a deep dive of Japan history, or at least make you curious enough to read the book inspired by these events.
I can’t believe how fast a one hour episode seems to fly by.. really top-notch in every way.. I wouldn’t be surprised to see several, well-deserved Emmy nominations for this series..
Highly recommend!
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very short and messy review
THEY SHOULD OF MADE THIS FUCKING LONGERok im upset i thought we were getting a 10 ep gl to only find out its 4eps long . i love both actors and they really did well with their role i like that they didnt shy away from the kissing i wasnt expecting it i thought they would just peck for like 10 seconds or something idk. its nice to actually see a good gl with good rep most gls have bad stereotypes and toxicity in it and sad endings. not only did we get a happy ending but a gl where the actors actually are convincing most gls seem like the girls dont even wanna be near eachother. they had great chemistry you could feel the tension
now what i didnt like
since this is a small low budget i wasnt going to pick out anything but their editing was messy and these mistakes could of easily been looked over but i couldnt help but notice a few frames had things missing or out of place or them leaving the bag dumb things but it doesnt affect you watching it unless u critique shows u would notice. it should of been longer and the ending didnt feel like a ending maybe there will be a season 2. i felt like this could of been a great gl if they extended it.
rewatch value is high its like 30mins long not even its a easy watch if your looking for a good gl.
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It will make you wan't more.
The scene photography, the visuals and the directing is splendid.
The warm of family and love is the key that this movie was a pure perfection.
The cast ease their own role that they played and im telling you
you won't be dissapointed.
.
The heart breaks and the bright smiles is breathtaking.
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The story of the lil bro trying to chase the older sister ((not blood related)
Seriously someone should update the summary of this drama,..Female lead studies psychology and contemplates whether to do grad school. Male lead is 6 years younger than the female lead. The female lead was always there to take care of him. He has always had a crush on his "sister". He;s obviously a little more naughty and playful , while the. female lead is more calm and collected. The dad always tries to set her up with dates. In order to stop the dad from setting more dates the male lead claims the female lead is pregnant! lol starting their fake romance!
Although their relationship is super cute! like you could totally feel the love of the male lead for his sister..... They kinda have a weird relationship. Weird in the sense... is like i thought they were together, wait they actually arent,,,, they have miscommunication, break up, get back together. They get their marriage license... yet the male lead still proposes to her. It just seems like a back and forth chasing...Like the female lead likes him but i dont even know when they were offically together.
The story development is a little lacking in the sense that it just goes back and forth between the leads. I didnt feel much character development from the female lead or male lead. Also they made it mysterious as to why the male lead eats candy /sweet he gets an allergic reaction They dont really explain or elaborate on it.
She starts her own dessert shop after...And it wasn't successfully initially. Joey chua is cute in here but her personality is to wishy washy.... Can't believe the actor is born in 2000.
I definitely would not rewatch... but for first timers its decent.
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The casting was perfect 💯 Literally, everyone from the King and Queen down to the palace maids had a significant responsibility in the flow of the story. Hands down to Kim Junghyun and Shin Hyesun 🙇🏻♀️ They gave so much life to Cheoljong and Soyong/Sobong. We can't just ignore how powerful their chemistry are. Their scenes were so satisfying to watch!
Story-wise, it definitely had loopholes and questionable scenarios but it was a wonderful story to tell. I hope they were given more episodes because there's just so much potention over the stories that popped out between the King & Queen. What I didn't like was the build-up on some events and characters that they couldn't address anymore.
Over-all it was a wonderful kdrama. It had fierce confrontations, rated 🔞 remarks, comedy, love story, family, and Korean history all in one drama. I had fun during the weekends and it is something that I always looked forward because it intrigued me every after episode. I don't think I can move on from this drama hahaha it makes me sad and happy at the same time. 😊
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STORY: This was definitely the biggest problem with this drama. The beginning I think was great. It was cute and interesting. The main couple had good chemistry together. And then halfway through, they decide to separate the main couple for 11 episodes. Not even separating as in they're fighting and are upset with each other, but LITERALLY DO NOT INTERACT FOR 11 EPISODES (minus one scene where he saves her, but neither of them even know it's the other person.) I honestly was going to drop during this point because the chemistry between the leads was what I thought made the drama.Ending - I figured the whole thing was a ruse by Chen Yu and the emperor - even before they actually showed that it was all an act. So it was better than in Story of Ming Lan, where you don't find out it was all an act until the very very end. However, I think the biggest issue was all the deaths by the end of the drama. Yes I know C-dramas love to kill people off, which isn't the problem. But at least make it meaningful and worthwhile to die.
1) Male lead did NOT have to die. He wasn't severely injured and if Dong Fang Shi could pull both BuQi and Chen Yu out of the hole, there's no reason why Chen Yu couldn't have tried a little harder instead of just giving up. Again. He wasn't SEVERELY injured.
2) Mo Ruo Fei - Glad s/he died by the end of it, but I really don't like how they changed the story for this character by the end. Throughout the drama MRF was very loyal and cared about HBQ. Yes, s/he sided with his mother after she poisoned HBQ, but throughout it all, MRF did still care about HBQ and wanted to right his mother's wrongs. Now that the king killed his mom, he could care less about everyone around him? No way. MRF betrayed her multiple times and at the very end willingly tried to get HBQ killed to -potentially- get revenge on the king. Meh.
3) So many people died in the last episode, that it really took away any sentimental value for it. Really only Xiao Xia (HBQ's guard) got a meaningful death (kind of, I'm still annoyed that she didn't even actually die for HBQ but for a fake HBQ).
ACTING:
Personally always love Ariel Lin and think she does a great job with her roles. You can tell she actually cares and she's not afraid to ugly cry - which always feels more realistic.
Zhang Bin Bin - normally I'm a little hit or miss with him, but overall think he did a good job. I don't think he was dubbed in this drama, so I think it was a little weird that towards middle/end of the drama, he started sounding super breathy while he talked (compared to the beginning when he was the proper/powerful Prince and had a super strong voice).
Everyone else - No one else really stood out to me. The actor who plays DFS I can't unbiasedly judge cause I disliked the character lol.
OVERALL:
Overall, I did like the drama. But it definitely wasn't a favorite just because of the story choices the writers made. Literally 11 episodes where the ML and FL are separated (and they were definitely the heart of the story for me). I skipped through most of those episodes and really could care less about them. It was way too long and the story got really boring (almost dropped the drama at this point).
I also really didn't care for Dong Fang Shi. Yes, he loved her and was trying to "protect her" but even up till the end, seeing how sad and unhappy she was, he still forced her to stay by his side (literally tied her up so she wouldn't run). He -barely- redeemed himself the first time his grandfather tried to take HBQ and he was willing to sacrifice himself for her. But again, he played the typical "I'm doing this for you (even though it wasn't even really what was best for her).
Also kind of annoyed that Liu Qing Wu got a happy ending. She did nothing to deserve it, IMO. She originally was a bad guy who killed HBQ's uncle. Then she was a traitor and tried to take over Liu Ming Shan Zhuang. Then she continually kept trying to cause trouble for HBQ and CY. Then she betrayed CY and sold out HBQ to the king. But she gets to have a happy life and get the power of being a beloved concubine? Pass.
But I do think Ariel and Zhang Bin Bin had some great chemistry and would definitely like another collaboration between them!
Most likely wouldn't rewatch though just because of the negatives I had.
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Kim Young Kwang and Kim Seul Gi were my main draws to this show, and Key was a secondary draw. I've never seen anything with Lee Shi Young, but she was awesome! She is a strong female lead and kicks serious butt in this show. Kim Young Kwang as Jang Do Han is a character that you almost hated, but still loved him in the role because he was owning this character. Kim Seul Gi had great emotional scenes, and Key was adorkable as their resident hacker. I loved how they all came together for a common goal, but developed a bond with each other over the course of the drama. Each one knocked my socks off.
You really have to pay attention and focus while you watch this - you won't want to miss any detail. The plot, as with most action movies, is convenient for our anti-heroes. But it still keeps you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, hoping the best for them. The story had its flaws, I can't deny, but for the most part I enjoyed this show quite a bit.
The music was very edgy and well chosen.
Won't be high on the re-watch as the genre just doesn't lend itself well once you know the outcomes. However, I would recommend this one to action lovers.
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WATCH THE DIRECTOR CUT!
Normally I don't write reviews but I think this time I have to write one or not really writing one but just draw attention to it, so pls read that before (or during) watching the series.This series starts so beautifully. The main actors Leo and Tai (Tan and Oil) did such an amazing job by representing the main characters. I really was into it during all the scenes and the chemistry was on top. I really enjoyed every single scene.
BUT and this is the main point that I really don't understand. In this series there are two important scenes between Tan and Oil and they just cut them out. I don't want to spoil but just look up (EP 1 and EP12 directors cut) and watch them. Because I think when you miss these scenes you will be a bit upset after finishing the series. With the scenes I think it is well done. Nothing special but worth watching I guess. All in all the story is pretty basic and sometimes a bit frustrating but when you watch the whole series with the missing scenes you will like how it ends.
I wasn't really into the other main couples but I think everyone has a different point of view and I guess you could like the other couples too.
Also the ending was a bit .... ÄHHHHM OK?! But yeah.
For me personally, it wasn't that new and some plots and scenes are a bit unnecessary. Although this series hasn't a special story line or an important message but I think as a BL fan you can still watch and enjoy it.
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Arc Toward Justice
Wow! This drama is amazing.You have to watch past the first episode. The first episode is disjointed on purpose. It withholds information from the audience. Episode two presents a plot twist, and the missing shards of her begin to come together as the series unfolds.
This drama is part mystery and thriller, but more about how sexual violence impacts an individual, a family, and an entire community. It shows how people respond differently, including victims but also their loved ones.
Quite poignantly, the drama explores and condemns the cultures of silence that develop around acts of sexual violence. This silence allows predators to get away with their crimes and then commit them again. Meanwhile, victims are blamed and left without justice.
While the subject matter is serious, the drama is redemptive and moves toward justice and hope. The ending is presented with sensitivity and realism. I can’t praise it enough!
The acting is outstanding. And the OST is crazy good!
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Unbelievably funny, cute & sweet drama
"Unbelievable", this drama is what you need after watching all the serious dramas with heavy plots. You will find something lighthearted to relax a bit and also enjoy this unbelievably funny, cute, and sweet romance.Story: The plot summary in MDL makes you think twice to start the drama. You saw this story so many times. A typical cliche story. Also, this is a web drama with a low budget. So, I hesitated at first but later gave the drama a try. After watching the drama, I must say that the drama is surprisingly good. The plot is a typical CEO rom-com plot but It is a well-made funny rom-com. A very predictable plot, but who cares. You come here to spend your time enjoying something. No doubt, the drama will give you enough enjoyment with a very sweet romance.
Acting/Cast: The chemistry between ML and FL is surprisingly good. Both are exceptionally funny, and all their interactions are hilarious. Both actors did a tremendous job portraying their roles. You will start loving both of them in no time, from the first episode. I didn't care about the other supporting characters. But all did very well in their roles. Overall, the Acting and Cast were very good for a low-budget drama.
Music: Nothing too special, but good enough. The background music was on point and OST was also good.
Rewatch Value: A good rewatch value. A funny drama, so if you feel like watching something funny to spend some time, you can rewatch it.
Ratings: 9/10 from me (maybe a bit high). I wanted to give it more as I genuinely loved it. But, that's the max rating I should give.
I recommend this drama. I hope, the viewers give this drama a chance. This drama will be a funny and enjoyable watch for you.
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