BEST TIME TRAVEL THRILLER EVER!!!
The storyline and plot is PERFECT for a time travel concept UNLIKE ALICE cough* cough* . The main characters are actually SMART and they actually come up with realistic good plans to try and solve the mystery. The antagonist are all so intelligent that they use MANIPULATION rather than brute force to get what they want. SIGNAL + WORLD OF THE MARRIED = KAIROSThe present and the past are easily distinguished and they put DATE LABELS ON EVERY TRANSITION that makes it easier for the viewers to differenciate. It has ALMOST 0 PLOT HOLES and every change in the past perfectly resembles the change in the future flawlessly. The story IS NOT DRAGGY and every episode ends on a cliff hanger making you want more.
Recommended to VETERAN KDRAMA VIEWERS who can appreciate MYSTERY THRILLERS with NO ROMANCE
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1Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.
New Life Begins is a fun and funny satire that mocks ancient Chinese feudal society. It is set in the fictional kingdom of Xinchuan, which presides over eight other provinces or chuans. Xinchuan is the poster child for every deplorable aspect of the feudal patriarchal society that prevailed over most of China's 5000 years of recorded history. Every three years as tribute, eligible young beauties from the provinces are sent for selection as wives or concubines of the Xinchuan princes. As these poor unsuspecting scions pore gleefully over bride portraits, little do they know that the very foundation of their kingdom and beliefs are about to be rocked to its chauvanist core.As fate would decree, subversive elements infiltrate that year's bride candidates. These elements are woefully untaught and unteachable in the Rules of Reverent Submission for Women. The kind of marriage envisioned by the Xinchaun royalty could not be further from their minds. The ringleader is Li Wei, a deceptively harmless foodie from Jichuan, an inconsequential province where men and women are equal and monogamous. She finds kindred souls in the scheming Hao Jia, the fierce Shangguan Jing and the savvy and ambitious Yuan Ying. Together, they prevail against the suffocating, often life threatening strictures of the Xinchuan inner palace to carve out an existence with some free will. Their brave and hilarious exploits resonate with the oppressed and fuels a fire across the inner palace and then, the capital. As it turns out, behind every great man in Xinchuan is a woman rolling her eyes. Despite the period setting, the ideals in this drama are very modern. It is a very fantastical utopian depiction of the kind of power women can unleash by simply working together instead of turning on one another.
This is not to say that all ten of the Xinchuan princes are bad fellows even though most of them make exceedingly bad husbands. With some, it is simply a matter of training while others need to be kicked to the furthest corners of the empire. The commercially savvy playboy Prince An who thinks he is the sun that the solar system revolves around when he is really the moon is the caricature that made me laugh hardest. That said, the entire ensemble cast delivers rib-tickling and lively comedic sketches that poke fun at the mundane. In a mostly lighthearted and positive but rather cursory manner, the drama evokes many women's themes. Hua Jia's arc is the darkest and most complex one and sounds a dire warning about disgruntled female employees. The sub-plots are short and even though the villains made my blood boil, they are not that smart or complex. That is because the true villain is the tyranny of the patriarchal feudal system and they are all victims of its shortcomings.
All of the sub-plots unfold around the evolution of the relationship between Li Wei and Yin Zheng, the unfavored sixth prince. Hilarity ensues when this woman who lives to eat finds herself shackled to a man who eats to live! With the help of MVP Butler Su, she attempts to tease out the inner fat dude just waiting to burst out of Yin Zheng. In fact, food is her secret weapon; she worms her way into practically everyone's hearts through their stomachs. Both Bai Jingting and Tian Xiwei have good comedic expression and they are fantastic at seamlessly turning funny moments into heart stopping passionate ones. While theirs is a fun, wholesome story, it is too much of a fairy tale. Neither of them have serious flaws and every cloud has a silver lining. In fact Li Wei's perpetual chirpiness grated on me at times. While Yuan Ying is a fabulous and formidable character and I get that one woman's treasure is another's trash, that entire situation is just too good to be true. I also didn't like how their relationship jumps from courtship to the comfortable rhythm of a long married couple, deferring the best romance part till the end. It breaks the natural momentum of a relationship and distracts audience attention from the other arcs. In truth, this drama is a lot more about sisterhood and women's themes than it is about romance. The production should be more confident that these well written, funny, and touching arcs can engage on their own without dragging out the romance to keep viewers invested.
This is one of the rare times that it is the second couple, Shangguan and Yin Qi that stole my heart. I have a weakness for flawed, colorful and unconventional characters like these. Yin Qi's plight is far worst than Yin Zheng's - he is just as unloved and he is no great talent to boot. In the bride lottery, he finds himself sacrificed to the fierce Shangguan, a princess from the powerful and matrilocal Danchuan. But he has a giant heart to go with his big goofy happy-go-lucky smile that makes the fiery Shangguan forgive him for always saying wrong things. Their clashes and banter made my shoulders quiver with laughter as they humorously navigate true challenges and hardships together. Even though they are not perfect and don't have everything, I somehow get the feeling they couldn't be happier.
Overall this is a gorgeous, lighthearted and highly enjoyable story about women's struggles and sisterhood with some romance thrown in. It lacks depth, is slow in places and is far from a masterpiece but the humour is very well done and has mass appeal. A highly recommended watch that I rate 8.5/10.0.
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Bite Me? Save yourself and just dont.
The trailer is captivating, the shots are fantastic, the food is mouthwatering, and that OST is just lovely - however, the story and its script are both so bland it failed to pull it all together.Good things. The cinematography (and the sets) is amazing. The focus on Thai food is exceptional although I would have wanted even more. Also, I enjoyed seeing Mark in some of his older series, and yes, here he has proven that he is indeed one of the few who can act. Zung was also very good as Chef Aue, and they jive well when they are together. Between the two of them (and I love Aek's mother) I would have given them at least a 9 for acting.
There were lots of things to potentially make this great that's why I am so frustrated with the half-baked story. First - I don't understand why Aek's mother would be against him becoming a chef - after all, cooking was clearly his passion and talent. Being a chef is a lucrative profession and they already own a restaurant so capitalizing on that talent should be a no-brainer, so why the hesitation mama?
Then, there were the confusing eighth and ninth episodes. It was obvious from the start that Aue liked Aek, so why did Aek act all surprised (and rude) when Aue confessed his feelings for him. What is with that unnecessary overreaction of running in the rain? Was Aek in denial? Was Aek disgusted for he is the straightest guy on earth and how dare this older guy try to kiss him so he decided to run in the rain crying to wash away the muck and because he is so straight and macho, he fell and broke his arms, again while crying in the rain (and with the accompanying thunder effect)? Then, lo and behold, the strange guy appeared and he came with him, and it's okay because this guy is obviously not a predator. Does he not have any other friends?
Okay, okay let's pretend we get that logic. So, he later came home to his mama, and to nobody's surprise, his mama ain't even angry that his son is you know, not gay, but probably likes men. And then next thing we knew Aek showed up in Aue's restaurant like nothing happened and he just opened his arms and they embraced, and everythings is rainbow and unicorns again.
And let's also talk about this - the series was painfully too slow. For most of the first 7 episodes, people were just looking at each other, speaking so slowly with awkward pauses in between. And no, I disagree that this is artistic liberty, if it was, then it obviously didn't work. I came to the point I was suspecting the producers have forced the director and writers to extend each episode to fill the required time so they ended up playing what they shot in 0.8 speed. Try watching the series at 1.25 speed and you'd still feel that it is slow.
And what's with all the gazillion unimportant characters - Chef Eve, Chef Mu, Chef Wiphob - they gave them little backstory but it never really contributed to the overall story, at least not in the way they intended. Even Prem and Vich who were supposed to be the breath of fresh air left a sour note instead because of their amateur acting and that weird way they speak.
Let's avoid the finale episode cause that was just rough.
In conclusion, I think what this series need is a little bit more time in the editing room. Cut chunks and pieces, focus on the main actors, and add more food and cooking. Sprinkle it with more cuteness, and top it with a pinch of adult lovemaking (or for the sake of my sanity just a little bit of adult kissing, they're not kids, after all, you titled the show friggin BITE ME, so where is the biting?). This series could have been great, but sadly it's one you can just ignore and pass. I've watched it so you don't have to waste your time. At least, they got an amazing soundtrack.
PS. I feel bad about giving it a 6, cause I've given other series more stars, which are actually way worse than this. So from now on, I promise to give my reviews a more thorough thought and go back to those old reviews and update their ratings. I encourage other reviewers to slap a higher standard when it comes to this genre so the producers can give us better series and not more of the same. 2021 has been good for BL and has provided us with quite a lot of content, unfortunately, a lot of them are lackluster and I think its because we let them get away with good ratings even if the show is garbage.
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Maybe A Little Spicy Today
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A true enrichment for the KDrama Orbit.
"Recipe for Farewell" is about food for body and soul. About the health-promoting function of food. A meal prepared with care and love may have this function - even in the paradoxical situation where eating is actually no longer possible: in the final stage of cancer in the gastrointestinal tract.As the story is also about cancer, surprising enough this KDrama is not primarily about dramatically approaching the inevitable death. Eventually, sorrow, fear and decay are not neglected, yet the focus is on joy and pleasure in sensual enjoyment of a freshly and carefully prepared meal. It is about the time you share over a meal. About this deliberately sensory, genuine here and now time together. A good, unforgettable time.
In this KDrama two quite opposing moods harmoniously go hand in hand. Death, pain and farewell may hang about. However, life and the joy of it are not overshadowed by impending death. In fact, "Recipe for Farewell" is not gloomy or heavy. Rather, it emits somehow velvety-silky, comfortably warm rays of light whenever it threatens to get dark and in spite of sadness.
In KDrama there is always eating and drinking at some point. Now that's not special. But in "Recipe for Farewell" everything to do with (Korean) food is intelligently, sensitively, carefully, sensually and lovingly mixed in a stylish way. Eating becomes an explicit topic - from the carefully chosen recipe, mindful purchase and loving preparation to conscious consumption. Each episode is named after a Korean dish. You can learn a lot if you like. In any case it is enjoyable to watch - aesthetic, stimulating, inspiring.
Apart from recipes and the preparation of the dishes, the story draws attention to the essence of food: to the radiance that passes from food to soul. To the joy of being alive. To the gift of being part of this eternal process of transformation that is life: From seed to flower, fruit, leaf, root, color, smell, touch, taste, temperature, liquefaction, finally compost, gases... and dissolved into air.
The story is based on an autobiography of the same name. In it, author Kang Chang-Rae describes how by cooking for his terminally ill wife he actually started cooking from scratch. And that triggered quite a bit - within himself and people around him, too. "Recipe for Farewell" doesn´t aim for your heart. It goes even deeper and reaches out to your gut. This is about ´true and sound´. The characteristic gaze of the protagonist, who is deliberately focused on his job as a chef in the home kitchen, is rather simple and objective. Eventually, by unpretentiously doing his job, their flows dynamic new life within the relationships with his ex-wife and his son, too.
Eating together - the meal - becomes the symbol of the truce of all worldly disturbing topics and opens the way to community -> connection -> bonding -> closeness ... by sharing space, time and the (eating) joy, to be alive (= to be able to see, smell, taste and digest).
The original idea is based on an impulse, that came from his ex-wife, when she actively asked him to cook for her during this last few months - and thus be and remain there for their son (who lives with her) when she can no longer. She wishes for peace between father and son, at the latest when she is gone.
Such a final farewell process may be painful for everyone. The disease itself may be painful. This is acknowledged by this KDrama. Yet, the focus is rather on the shared time together when the mother, father and son feel GOOD with one another. "Recipe for Farewell" truly presents a wonderful recipe for saying goodbye - loving, calm, grounded, with simple, three-dimensional sincerity and warmth. Leaving father, son and audience - although sad as it may be at times - with a positive, thankful outlook on life.
"Recipe for Farewell" runs on the South Korean streaming provider Watcha and is very popular there. The series may even trump the acclaimed production "Semantic Error". In any case, the number of paying subscribers noticeably increased during first week of broadcasting... And in the Watchapedia app, the KDrama is ranked 1st among 190 series from 2022 with 4.5 out of 5 possible points in the viewer rating. I agree. Pretty much everything is done right here. The actors are doing a fantastic job, too!
A true enrichment for the KDrama Orbit.
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We don't need another hero.
This is a dark, intensely melodramatic classic wuxia about heroes. The Chinese title 说英雄谁是英雄 (Speaking of heroes, who is a hero?) asks the question who is a hero 英雄/yīngxióng? What is distinctive about this story is that there is no main protagonist. It is left to the audience to decide which character(s) are heroes. Although novelist Wen Ruian is not considered to be in the same league as Jin Yong or Gu Long, there is a cynical provocativeness that distinguishes this best work of his. The martial artists or 大侠/dàxià, featured in this are swordsman known for their legendary weapons. Despite 江湖/jiānghú lore about their great feats and relative prowess, 一山还有一山高, there is always a higher mountain so the outcome to any encounter between these fighters is not known until actually put to a test.Li Muge's brilliant camera work evocatively captures the essence of a wuxia from the wild vastness of the terrain, the spirit of adventure, the air of intrigue to finally, the profound sense of fatalism and impermanence. Yet despite the stunning aesthetics, the fast paced and bloody fight scenes are over choreographed and somewhat lacking. The action scenes mostly comprise of discontinuous slasher heavy shots that are stitched together to end in exaggerated fierce posing by the combatants. There seems to be a lot of slashing around without capturing the flinch inducing violence and intensely muscular swordsmanship seen in shows like Lu Yang's Brotherhood of Blades. The two final fight scenes are powerful and much more satisfyingly executed with the right mix of violence, emotion and intensity.
This drama's ensemble cast delivers nuanced and polished portrayals of memorable characters such as Chen Chuhe's charismatic Su Mengzhen and Meng Ziyi's heart rending Lei Chun. The diversity and eccentricity of jianghu's denizens from the flamboyant Fang Yingkan, the staunch and astute Yang Wuxie, the hilariously coquettish Zhao Xiaoyao , the fanatical Lei Mei , the wily Lei Sun and the enigmatic Di Feijing anchors this wuxia. Naturally the performances of the three young idol actors who represent the next generation of martial artists, suffers by comparison in such formidable company. While both Zeng Shunxi's Wang Xiaoshi and Liu Yuning's Bai Choufei struggle visibly in more complicated scenes, they deliver credible performances overall. Besides, Bai Choufei is a difficult role that would challenge many seasoned actors. As for Yang Chaoyue, her acting mantra must be "when in doubt, just pout" because besides crying, that is what she does best in every scene. Even though Wen Rou is a superfluous and archetypal character, she has many well written comedic moments with the advisor that disappointingly fall flat in execution. I won't lie, the idol actors failed to convince me of any of their relationships or make me care much for them. I find Su Mengzhen's bond with Yang Wuxie far more compelling than Wang Xiaoshi's with Bai Choufei.
The story opens with the young and decent Wang Xiaoshi's first foray into jianghu, tasked by his shifu to deliver a mysterious box to Su Mengzhen, the young master of the House of Golden Wind Drizzle (House Drizzle). Along the way he forms a fast friendship with the deadly and ambitious Bai Choufei and the well-born, pouty and marriage evading Wen Rou. Together, they head to the capital, seeking fame, fortune and adventure. Near the city, Wang Xiaoshi and Bai Choufei save Su Mengzhen from an ambush and the three become sworn brothers. Thus they find themselves allied with House Drizzle and pitted against their arch-rivals, the Six-Half Hall. The high-minded and valiant do-gooders are drawn to House Drizzle while the less scrupulous, commercial and profit minded converge at Six-Half Hall. There are formidable martial artists and yes, heroes at both sects; neither is completely good or bad they simply live by different ideologies.
All too soon, it becomes clear that Bai Choufei's unrestrained ambition and world view is incompatible with that of Su Mengzhen and House Drizzle. This man has a massive chip on his shoulder and his ambition tragically exceeds his ability. Thus his bottom line is flexible and he is willing to get what he wants by fair means or foul making him better suited towards Six-Half Hall. His desire for Lei Chun, a woman who only has eyes for Su Mengzhen, further fans the flames of his resentment. It is inevitable that Bai Choufei succumbs to his worst instincts to become the kind villain I love to hate; one that I can ultimately somewhat empathize with and understand. Sadly, this is where the screenwriter inexplicably decides to whitewash Bai Choufei and rob him of his free will. What follows is one of the worst character assassinations ever. Bai Choufei, a strong minded, unapologetically ambitious and arrogant character is reduced to a mentally unstable puppet of a corrupt government official. He becomes so unhinged, despicable and pathetic that he is little more than a rabid dog that has to be put down. What a waste. None of the other villains really step up; both Thirteen Doom and Fang Yingkan had potential but are too cursorily dealt with at the end and their motives and some of their actions not satisfactorily explained. That said, Thirteen Doom will always be a bit of a hero to me just for gagging Wen Rou.
The ending bloodbath between the sworn brothers is predictable and inevitable. At this point, Li Muge gives in to his love for melodrama and sprays dogs blood over everything with wild abandon. I was nonplussed at the tragicomic drawn out twitching after going splat death scene that eventually just made me laugh. I expected Su Mengzhen to play a more active role in the finale but his decision was already foreshadowed. He explains himself with his parting words 独立三边静 轻生一剑知 which Tencent simply translated as "The fearless brings peace for many but dies a death that's lonely." Those are incredibly fitting parting words for Su Mengzhen that those who love him can understand and must accept. It is actually a beautiful, famous ancient Tang poem with deep meaning that I will hide in a spoiler in the comment section of this review. The ending was good albeit overly melodramatic for my taste.
Which comes back to the conversation about heroes or 英雄/yīngxióng. When all is said and done, a hero does not have to fit the conventional wuxia hero in terms of righteousness or chivalry. It is enough that they are true to their own ideals and thus the hero of their own story. For me, Di Feijing is unambiguously the hero of this story. In his own way, he is no less chivalrous than Su Mengzhen and between them, they maintained a stable balance of power in the capital. He is the one character that is consistently true to his ideals and lives to protect those he loves. I find his chemistry with Lei Chun to be the most natural and moving in the drama. He is the only character who truly and only loved Lei Chun. Tragically Su Mengzhen is the only one that Lei Chun loved even though he did not love her quite as intensely or as selflessly as Di Feijing did. They are the three characters I cared the most about in this drama. I still don't forgive Li Muge for short changing me of Di Feijing's and to a lesser extent, Thirteen Doom's ending combat scenes. It is not enough for me to know that justice is served, I wanted to see it happen. As for Wang Xiaoshi, he is at best a work in progress. Even though he did his best to fix things, he also ineptly set in motion many of the events that led to among other things, Lei Sun's downfall which snowballed into this giant, tragic mess. If he is a hero, we don't need another hero. In any case, as Lei Chun discovered, heroes are not there when you most need them. Best be your own hero.
I have very mixed feelings about this drama. I think I am mostly disappointed because it could have been so much more had the scriptwriter and the director stuck with the novel and not succumbed to whitewashing and dogs blood melodrama. Thanks to the substance and depth of the original works however, it still a good watch if for nothing else, the stunning aesthetics. This feels like a 7.5/10 for me but I bumped it up to an 8.0 because Di Feijing (Yang Tong) is such an unforgettable character, he stole the show as far as I am concerned.
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Dramaturgically opaque fabric of a multi-dimensional plot tapestry
At first glance, "Hide" is none of the spectacular KDrama productions, yet on the solid side of KDramas, I consider this production first class.We get an extremely complex crime thriller in which white-collar crime is intelligently mixed with many other criminal activities as well as incitement to and covering of criminal activities, plus fraud and adultery and even more. It is based on the Welsh television series “Keeping Faith” from 2018. However, the KDrama freely unfolds its own, definitely South Korean-tinged storyline. (There, of course, the Jaebeol shouldn't be missing, ...who, together with their henchmen, are significantly assigned the role which a gangster clan played in the Welsh series...)
“Hide” definitely offers a dramaturgically opaque fabric, where motives and entanglements reach beyond 'today', too. Continuously weaving surprising twists into the multi-dimensional plot tapestry turns out to be the great strength of “Hide”. Thanks to the entire production team in front of and behind the camera the story grippingly enfolds…and enfolds… and enfolds…
And in true KDrama-like style, no character remains one-dimensionally black or white - no matter how questionable or malicious they may act. Likewise, sooner or later we can relate to the motives of the different characters and why they were drawn into dishonest or even criminal actions. (Even if you don't have to approve of the actions, let alone like those characters.)
Complex. Dense. I would recommend this gripping crime thriller to fans of the genre, who like it with a topping of Korean emotionality.
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Surprisingly Good Historical Mini Drama
I am very glad I came across this and decided to give it a try. I didn't have any expectations. After reading the description and summary and some of the discussion postings on mydramalist, the storyline intrigued me enough to give it a go. This is NOT a fluffy youth drama and it seems like there was a decent budget and thought spent on its production for a short web series. Its not a high budget drama like some of the hyped up full fledged CDramas; for a short web series, it was decent and above par compared to its peers. While it is a VERY different drama from Goodbye My Princess, it's similar in the sense its a web series with a unique take and a decent production feel to it that makes it stand out.The costumes and settings are beautiful and do not look cheap. It is not a fluffy youth drama but it has comedic elements and liked how there really aren't any draggy parts since each episode is pretty compact. I do wish it was made into a full featured drama as there are plenty other CDramas that are bad but given so much more production time than this. I wasn't familiar with any of the actors and actresses which is a bonus since sometimes it gets tiring seeing the same popular actors and actresses over and over again. Glad there are others who are given a chance to provide a refreshing take on characters. I thought the actors and actresses did a pretty good job and they were engaging and believable in their roles. I was skeptical with how they would pull off the love story of the ML and FL characters in the midst of mystery and political intrigue and with each episode being pretty short, they pulled it off.
As a warning, the english subs are limited and aren't great; it was good enough series that I overlooked it and replayed some parts again to get a better understanding.
Whoever penned the web series, original story and the director should be given more projects in the future. Good Job. Its so refreshing to find this after a few disappointing CDramas
Finally finished this, the ending didn't quite hit the mark but overall it is still a very good short web series.
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Fluffy and Sweet Slice of Life Romance That's Easy To Watch!
If you want a light watch without much drama, and focuses on character development and daily romance, this is a drama you might be interested in! Xing Yun has worked for her boss Xia Ke since their gaming company was a small startup, up to its growing success today. She doesn’t have any relationship experience at all, and as she ventures into dating and finding her true love, her boss somehow always keeps getting involved.I'd highly recommend having a watch if you like these tropes:
♡ Reserved on the Outside, Considerate on the Inside: I loved how our male lead was actually very kind and how his characterization is really refreshing. Xia Ke has a personality where he is hard to get familiar with, but he is incredibly caring, patient, and never tries to force his feelings on those he loves. He's not arrogant or tries to control Xing Yun - instead he waits after her and he tries to help her achieve her own goals, instead of doing them for her instead. He sometimes even holds back his own feelings and desires to make sure that Xing Yun is happy and to protect her. Xing Xiao Lin did a great job portraying Xia Ke as someone who is independent and ambitious, but also shows insecurities and even can defer to Xing Yun out of his love for her.
♡ A Healthy Relationship and Love: Xia Ke and Xing Yun have a very sweet yet realistic relationship. From the first episode, you discover they have already worked with each other for a long time, and have a strong bond because they both deeply respect each other’s work ethic and care for each other. However, the drama also depicts how they eventually realize their feelings are romantic, and how Xing Yun’s “first love experiences” eventually lead her to her “final love” with Xia Ke.
♡ Office Romance: Xing Yun is an artistic developer, and the drama focuses on her and Xia Ke’s efforts to create an otome game (mobile dating-sim targeted at girls, the game in the drama seems to be modelled after the very popular Love and Producer: Mr. Love Queen’s Choice). This means that there are a lot of cute scenes in the working environment, and work also poses as both a catalyst and sometimes even as a problem in the drama’s storyline.
♡ Best Kiss Scenes: Without spoiling too much, I will say that this drama has some of the hottest and well-acted kiss scenes. They’re not small pecks or surface kisses, but instead filled with emotions and show both Xia Ke and Xing Yun’s true feelings for each other. These are meaningful and passionate kisses, and they were definitely one of the biggest highlights of the show.
♡ Drama-Lite: The drama overall doesn’t have any outlandish or heart-wrenching problems. It’s quite light on the angst and problems often reflect real life issues, such as work issues or relationship issues. There’s a lot of focus as well on character growth, and how our leads develop a lot both in love and in their careers. I will admit there are some situations (usually meant to drive plot) which may seem unrealistic, but overall the general atmosphere is that this is a romance that focuses on the daily lives and goals of its characters.
However, there are some things that you might not like:
♥ Side Characters: Some of the side characters really frustrated me because of how they were introduced, and also how sometimes they caused a lot of the bigger problems in the drama. The drama synopsis indicates that there are three pairings: #1) Xing Yun and Xia Ke are the main couple, #2) the storyline involving Xia Ke’s sister, her ex-husband, and Chu Nan, as well as the pairing involving #3) Xia Ke’s friend Ah Yu. However, the drama didn’t really treat the couples with equal attention, which made it difficult for me to be as invested in them as I was in our main couple. In the beginning Xia Ke's sister and Chu Nan played a very big role, but then completely dropped in the middle and barely showed up in the ending. On the other hand, Ah Yu becomes important in the middle of the drama, and gets more scenes up to the final episode. I would say that I probably was only emotionally invested in Xia Ke and Xing Yun, and found myself often skipping the parts involving the side characters.
♥ Chemistry: This is really my own personal preference, but I think that Bai Lu and Xing Xiao Lin were cute, but did not have an "intense" chemistry. This does not mean that they had no chemistry at all, but instead that I think they made a sweet couple that’s good for a light easy watch, but didn’t make me think about their romance after the drama or feel deeply attached to their pairing. This does not mean you shouldn’t watch the drama, because I know other viewers may not have this issue or find this a non-issue, and also because I admit being influenced under the chemistry that Bai Lu and Xing Xiao Lin had with their other co-actors in their previous works. However, it is to say that I may not choose to rewatch this and will just take this drama for being the lighthearted story that it is.
Overall, I would recommend this drama if you want something to take your mind off of the day, and to watch a romance that focuses on the daily life of our main couple. This is a relatively short and sweet drama that’s very watchable, and it’s great especially when you don’t want something too heavy or too angsty.
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This Is A Fever Dream
This drama is so unserious and UNHINGED! For real, who is driving this thing? My goodness these people on some crazy juice. No, but the unhinged scenes in this drama were clearly written by someone on some good arse mushrooms, expecting people with the combined IQ of a potato to enjoy it, cuz what in all things holy was this? Buuttt... I must be a potato cuz I found myself laughing like crazy, enjoying the hell out of this. I low-high-key loved how unhinged this drama was.Listen, this drama is a 5 at best. Yes its a bit silly, but if you take away all the unhinged horny stuff it's a decent drama. Speaking of unhinged, I don't even know how to explain some of the stuff that went on in this series to you without sounding like I'm making stuff up. I spent most of the show thinking I was having a fever dream. My mouth kept opening and closing cuz some of the things that happened... Susan?? You have to see it with your own eyeballs to understand/believe. I went through like four different emotions each episode: laughing, shocked, aww-ing, and most of all, confused.
No really, before I knew it, these were happening:
1: One of the characters was having sex with a cucumber, and then said cucumber got prepared as food and he had to eat it. WHAT?? HUH? WHY?
2: The main character was having sex with not one, but two pillows. It was a whole arse romantic night he had with them. He even romanced a pillow at one point to some sexy arse music, and slow motion strokes. I don't---I wasn't---BROTHER?? They could have waited until Sangmin came back to give us a scene with the pair, cuz…? Low-key though, if I could have such a good time by myself I’d totally marry myself, cuz I won’t need anyone else ^^.
3: The second couple brought out a measuring tape so they could measure and compare their junk to an elephant's trunk. I kid you not, it happened.
4: Dinneaw's mother was beating the hell out of Singmin's mother in a brawl. Like full on fighting. I laughed so hard I almost fell off the sofa.
5: The third couple were having sex with one toy in a position I think only yoga can explain, and their hotel teacher was enjoying the noise they made while having her own sexy time with a teddy bear. Who is driving this thing?? What even??
6: Sangmin flat-out poisoned his step-father and went back to eating his kimchi. FAM? What happened to that sweet boy we knew for 7 & a half episodes? I applaud him a bit for that though. Sweet revenge and justice.
7: One pair of the third couple was getting his junk stepped on repeatedly, cuz the other had a rash on his arse and didn't want sexy times. Sharon, don't ask me the colour of nothing, I don't know!
8: The second couple took off their clothes inside the house, then one of them walked outside in just his underwear, so he could walk back inside to cowboy music, so they could have western sex? Frankly, I don't know what was happening there. I know nothing.
And these were only a little of what happened in this show. The crazy horny stuff in this drama was...Susan you have to watch it yourself to understand what I'm talking about.
PLOT
I started this drama with zero expectation, but I was aww-ing throughout the first episode, cuz Sangmin is so cute trying to speak thai and Dinneaw is so adorable. I loved how this isn't like the other dramas with foreign characters where they each speak their own language and the other one automatically/magically understands them. This one is realistic, and Sangmin makes the whole thing so enduring. Finding out Singmin's real name is also Sing Min had me going awwww, cuz the way he says Sangmin ;((((( cuteness overload.
This drama started out that Dinneaw wanted to become a tour guide, and then I think the writer's had plans for Sangmin to perhaps have some sort of tumor, but then half way through they decided to go with the headaches and the mentos cure. If you rewatch the beginning episodes Sangmin had no scars on his back, and the production team didn't even care to cut those out or hide it, so clearly their main focus wasn't on plot, and it showed. They literally did not respect the viewers enough to even bother making the effect during the editing phase. But, they did have a plot, the execution of it was just so bad that many of you would probably lose a lot of brain cells and feel stupid watching it. Me, I shut off my brain and decided to go with the crazy, and it was a fun ride for me. Personally, I enjoyed every bit of it.
If you are planning on watching this, don't do it for the plot. Do it for the cute leads and how unhinged it is. If you go in expecting anything else, you'd feel stupid and end up questioning your sanity.
CHARACTERS:
At one point I was certain none of the characters on this show were normal. No really, they were all on some crazy juice, cuz what the hell Sharon? The stuff they did?? The cast were good, the script was rubbish so this isn't even on them. I can never be an actor, cuz I'd be embarrassed to show my face for Christmas if I had to do and say some of the things they did.
FIRST COUPLE: Dinneaw and Singman were almost normal. They went the classic we like each other but none of us are saying anything route. They were so sweet and fluffy and adorable. Well, that was until Dinneaw was having sex with pillows and Sangmin was committing murder with a smile.
Sangmin & Dinneaw had amazing chemistry. Petch and Sangmin did such good job with their characters. I really wished this was a serious script as well, such wasted talent on whatever the hell this was. I swear, I'd have cried if these two didn't have their deserved happy ending. Sangmin had the best innocent, clueless face ever, and the way he spoke made him so very adorable. Yes, most of their nonsense problems they went through could have been resolved if they just communicated, mostly Sangmin who had chances to say so many things and didn't. Did I want to slap him with my rubber chicken, nope, Sangmin is so baby and can do no wrong. Obviously, they were my fav couple.
SECOND COUPLE: Athit is in love with Tor, who is in love with his best friend, Dinneaw, who is in love with Sing Min. Yep, train-wreck, but they did figure it out in the end. When Dinneaw didn't return Tor's feeling they kept their friendship, and eventually, after Tor almost lost Athit, he came to his senses and accepted his love. They were also unhinged with all those on your knees stuff they did. I'm still not sure what that barn, cowboy scene was and the reason for it. They were good friends to Dinneaw and I'm glad they ended up together. They were almost normal if you look past all the stuff they did in the place they sell things that goes into people's mouth.
THIRD COUPLE: These two showed up in episode 3 and brought all the shock factor and the crazy juice. I have no idea about their backstory only that they like doing it in what appears to be impossible position with pegs and in public. I would never hire these two to work for me. That cucumber scene was disgusting, so was the scene when he put that thing on his face like cream. I don't even know how they work, one of them is so calm and normal, and the other only thinks about doing it every single second. Legit, they served no purpose to this story, they could have been replaced by a houseplant, and the story would have started and ended the same way. Crazy children.
FOURTH COUPLE: Two episodes until the drama is over they introduced another couple. Again, served no purpose whatsoever cuz they appeared like 4 times, in which we learned one of them liked the other, who likes egg on his food. And then there was a blanket scene and a kiss. What was the need for them? Another pair they could have replaced with a houseplant, cuz really, all they did was walked in and ask Sangmin to sign the forms for the operation, anyone at the office could have done it. I supposed they wanted fillers? Whatever it was, at least with their limited screen time they seemed like the normal couple out of the 4.
BOSS & PONY: That Boss who was in love with Dinneaw and turned into the devil to get him, sucked. I wanted him gone way before his assistant was sniffing his junk by the pool. Rich people really do feel so entitled, don't they? As for Pony, y'all can't even spell extra. And all the over the top antics she did, woman calm down. At least in the finale she shocked me and helped Dinneaw so she wasn't all loud and unhinged.
MRS ORN and HANA: Dinneaw's mother was amazing, she was there for him and for Sangmin. I love how she beat Sangmin's mother up when she slapped and insulted her son. Real Mother, unlike Sangmin's mother who wanted to kill him to collect his life insurance. That step-dad deserved what happened to him so much, heck Sangmin should have reached for the mother's cup too and make her a drink, missed opportunity if you ask me.
As for Hana, I liked her well enough until she made her best friend who have been abused to the point of needing surgery, who has also lost his memories by the way, leave with the mother who was abusing him. Like? May this type of friend never locate me. Then she was like, I haven't heard from him since he left. And you didn't even try to check up on him? Nah, she was so wrong for that one.
Anyway, this bl could have been good, it had good cast, a nice soundtrack, and an almost interesting plot. I just wish the writer wasn't high on mushroom and the director didn't say pass it over, cuz both of them might have been high to give us this. I'm still very sure this is a fever dream of sort, cuz I'm generally baffled by some of the things that happened. My rating is a 5 because this made me laugh in confusion from all the crazy stuffs. The extra star is purely for the main couple, I loved them.
One thing is for certain though, even with all the confusion and crazy, I enjoyed watching this drama. I was always ready to see what crazy, unbelievable thing they'd give me each episode. The drama didn't take itself serious, so I went in expecting some laughs, sweet moments between the main, and lots of unhinged stuff, which it delivered. So yeah, if you're looking for a new drama, I'll recommend this one, cuz at the very least, it's entertaining. I am seated and waiting for more from Petch and Sangmin, hopefully something sensible that matches their talents.
Anywho, thank you Sangmin Dinneaw team, and whoever gave you those mushrooms for making my Sundays a little bit less boring. I'm gonna miss the crazy.
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STORY:
For the most part, I wouldn't say that the overall plot of Together With Me is new or groundbreaking. What I will say is that the way the writing explores how the characters interact and solve problems throughout the show is what makes this series so amazing. The story starts with the two main characters, Korn and Knock, and how they go through struggles both environmentally, socially, and emotionally to finally come together as a couple. Also a main character, Yihwa, is Korn's best friend and is a strong supporter of Korn and Knocks relationship. The 3 main cast members are joined by Fai, Farm, and Phu who are all neighbors in the same dorm. The drama does a great job of focusing on Korn and Knock, but also focuses on the side stories of the other cast members. This is done extremely well as the writers tackle issues such as homophobia, family ties, ageism, monogamy, vanity, and promiscuity. Each of these issues are divided evenly (and sometimes shared) with most of the cast, with the exception of Yihwa's character being written in the story for more of emotional support and as an ally. I gave the story the score of 9 only because I felt that at times it was a bit inconsistent or the timing was rushed in 2 or 3 episodes. I also felt that they rushed Farm's development and almost had no development for Fai's character at all (here's hoping for another season). I also enjoyed the supporting characters of Bright and Kavi who were Farm's and Phu's love interests respectively. Farm and Bright's story in particular was left open-ended, and I hope that this series will have another season just so we can have closure with that story-line.
ACTING:
I have to say that I was BLOWN AWAY by all of the actors in this drama. They really gave so much life and layers to their respective characters! Especially Yihwa who always steals the screen with her charisma and engaging personality. But If I had to pick a standout character out of the 3 mains I would definitely give all the praise to Korn's character (Played by Max). His character took every scene and made you feel every moment as it were really happening. Whether it was a happy, sad, or sensual scene... Korn's character had you believing every moment. Knocks character was also really well acted, and Knock's intimate scenes with Korn are OUT OF THIS WORLD! If these actors aren't LGBT+ in real life they sure had me fooled! One of the reasons I say this drama is leaps and bounds above other college-setting Thai BL dramas is because of the convincing and extremely well-choreographed sex scenes, Like WOW!!! If you want a drama that quenches you boyxboy thirst, has a good plot, and amazing acting... Together With Me is it for sure! All of the other cast members give amazing performances. Especially Farm's character who does a heart-wrenching job at playing a cute, innocent small-town boy who is in love and exploring his sexuality.
MUSIC:
All the music in this drama was really good! It went well with all of the scenes and I may even want to download the soundtrack if I find out how.
REWATCH VALUE:
This drama is for sure and an easy rewatch for me. I have fallen head over heals for KornKnock and I honestly want to see more of them! Their chemistry is just so amazing and I really hope this series gains a big following so we can get another well-deserved and much needed followup season!
OVERALL:
This is series is a MUST WATCH for all BL lovers. It hits all the right spots and leaves you wanting more! I highly recommend it and I promise that you'll be hooked!
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SOS: I'm in love with Hyun Bin (again) T-T
This drama was just addictive! The plot had the right dose of rom-com, heartwarming gestures, witty dialogues and action. Every episode ended on such a cliffhanger that kept you restless for the rest of the week until Saturday came to take the edge off ;)Hyun Bin was just adorable and sexy and honest and honorable and kind and perfect (so, so perfect). I could go on for70,000 years. It was so refreshing to see Son Ye Jin step out of her usual Melodrama set-ups (well, most of the time anyway, haha) and play a badass, funny heiress. She nailed this role. I loved what she was wearing in North Korea (anyone remember the sunflower-print dress? It was so lovely). I also loved the fact that she did not wear any make-up in her North Korea scenes.
In fact, one of the biggest charms of this drama lie in the fact that the writer tried to subvert the usual norms. Son Ye Jin played a heiress (not the typical, poor, melo damsel-in-distress, possibly dying) and Hyun Bin played a sweet guy (unlike his usual jerk characters). Also, love the fact that the girl was from South and the guy from North (usually it is the other way around, engendering the North as the poor, weak female and the South as the strong, dominating male)(king2heart, blow breeze). Also the fact that the woman was the one who had the played the field and had experiences with relationships, while the guy was innocent and sweet. All this breathed life and freshness into the drama.
The second leads were great. So happy to see Seo Ji Hye landing a lead role. She is so deserving. Seo Dan was not a nasty second lead. She was so nice beneath all that hard exterior. Hyun Bin's subordinates were so awesome. My favorite was the one who loved Choi Ji Woo and Korean dramas but I loved all of them really. The maknae was so adorable! The cameos were great. The rest of the supporting cast was awesome. I loved North Korean ahjummas. They remind me of Reply 1988. Seo Dan's mother and uncle were awesome (I realized so belated they worked in Parasite, lol. "RESPECT" xD).
The OST was perfect! I already want to watch it again. The chemistry was so, so good.
If I had to summarize this drama in one scene/phrase, I would say: HYUN BIN'S POUT!!!!!!!!!!!
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I usually avoid watching dramas while they are still airing only because I HATE sad endings. But this just happens to be one of those dramas that I couldn’t resist. I started watching The Legends with no expectations at all since I was unfamiliar with the whole cast and didn’t do a lot of research on this drama before beginning. However, after completing the whole thing, this drama has now officially become one of my favorites of all time. It teaches a meaningful lesson - that demons don’t have to be “bad” and gods don’t have to be “good”. This is a very memorable moral to me since a lot of dramas out there generalize the value of these two different beings, but this adds a touch of originality which we may not usually encounter.Story: The Legends is a lighthearted, funny and sweet story that focuses on Lu Zhao Yao, the notorious She-Demon and her journey to fighting against the supposedly “good” and “righteous” sects, as well as her relationship with Li Chen Lan / Mo Qing, the Demon King’s son. I thought the plot was very well-paced and consistent that leaves you wanting for more. I never got bored or skipped any long scenes because they were all very engaging and relevant to the plot. Although most of the story revolves around a more positive and lively theme, but there were also certain scenes that took some tears out of me. I know the editing needs a lot of improvement, but that’s the least of my concerns. A lot of people actually enjoyed the first half more than the second half because they said that Lu Zhao Yao’s character became potentially weaker and the story dragged, but I enjoyed both halves equally. The first half pretty much centers around story and character development, while the second half of the drama shines light on the relationship between Zhao Yao and Mo Qing.
Acting/cast: I was very impressed with Bai Lu and Xu Kai’s acting. Both of them were able to portray their respective characters flawlessly, considering they’ve only been in a few projects before this one. I found their facial expressions to be very realistic and not forced. The main couple’s chemistry was phenomenal - probably one of the best I’ve seen out there - up to the point that I am now a loyal “YaoLan” shipper. They really made it look like they are truly in love. I also want to give some credit to Xiao Yan’s depiction of Qin Zhi Yan and Lu Zhao Yao (when she was still in possession of Zhi Yan’s), which was also remarkable - the fact that she could switch back and forth so effortlessly between this innocent, timid girl to this tough, badass character. Overall, the entire cast did a great job portaying the characters in the drama.
Music: I personally didn’t love love the OSTs (original soundtracks), but I think they fit in well with the scenes that they were featured in. I really liked the opening BGM and also the duet called Zhao Yao (招摇) sung by Chen Chu Sheng and Hu Sha Sha, which gave me some nostalgic vibes.
Rewatch value: I’d rewatch it as many times as I could, since it’s one of those rare dramas that makes you want to come back every once in a while to get a good retouch of the storyline.
I do think that the transitions between episodes in the DVD version is much better than the TV version because it just makes much more sense. The DVD version also provides clearer cuts, compared to the TV version. The ending, although was very rushed, is actually a happy ending. I thought the scene with the kids in the end was unnecessary since they had to use some of the old footage of Zhao Yao and Mo Qing’s scene in the beginning to satisfy us viewers (which didn’t actually do me any good). I would’ve preferred the drama to end with the scene prior to the kids’ scene, where our main couple was walking hand-in-hand on the streets, but that’s just my opinion. In conclusion, I would really recommend this drama to anyone who likes strong acting, a great storyline or even if you’re just looking for a refreshing, strong female lead.
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Empress Ki, I must say, is a very compelling, powerful and controversial historical drama. I am always deeply enthralled with every scene that leaves you in awe and keeps you wanting for more. I suggest you (future watchers) dramathon it and don't skip a single episode nor a single scene.
Story - I love how the story of EK started and ended. Not the usual save-all-the-main-characters-protagonists kind of plot. I love killings, and I think these killings were the most highlighted parts of the drama aside from the intriguing plot. If you know what I mean. I was overwhelmed by it to the extent that I didn't look for any flaw. And mind you, when I'm really enjoying a particular drama, I become LESS OBJECTIVE. (You might disagree with me on this, but it's actually true.) It only means that I am satisfied about it. But, nevertheless, it was an EXCEPTIONAL sageuk. One thing that I loved as well was the turn of events. They were really unpredictable. I like unpredictable things.
Acting/ Cast: Every actor in this drama did a stellar job in portraying each character. I have not seen any actor acting with an expressionless face nor overrated acting. Again, if you know what I mean. Ha Ji Won's acting here was outstanding. She has that MAJESTIC BEAUTY. Joo Jin Mo did great as well. Just like how much he was great in A Frozen Flower. I mean, his acting. LOL
Special Mentions:
Ji Chang Wook - My first time seeing him in a drama. He did a great job in acting esp in crying scenes. He was the best. Actually voted for him in the MDL 2014 poll for best actor.
Baek Jin Hee - portrayed the Tanasiri character very convincingly. I hold her dearly to my heart. *whispers* I have a girl-crush on her. Hihihi ^^
Jin Yi Han / Tal Tal is a bonus here.
Lee Mun Shik / Bang - ahjussi, I will never forget how well you played in Iljimae and also here in EK. For the comedic parts, I salute you.
Jun Gook Hwan / El Temur - I never hated him even though how ruthless he was.
I loved all the villains in this sageuk except for one. His name is Yom. Yom the Scum.
Music - OST overall is pretty brilliant. Gosh, the feels... I especially liked Xia's I Love You.
Given the chance that I'd want to watch this again, I WOULD.
And finally, watching EK is an adventure which will be with me forever. It felt surreal when I finished it. I can't even start a new drama after watching it. No drama can surpass the roller coaster ride of emotions I felt in this drama.
P.S: Don't get surprised by its long episodes, it's totally worth watching!
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The story is about comic book characters becoming self-aware, so right off the bat it reminded me of Extraordinary You and W: Two Worlds, but it still manages to be original. This drama occasionally pokes fun at C-drama cliches and never takes itself too seriously. In fact, the drama is an altered adaptation (kind of like a parody) of a very corny romance novel that actually exists in real life.
Story follows our FL who is a self-aware comic book actress. She has a lot of experience playing the female antagonist in different comics, and since she retains the memories of each comic, her actual personality is cunning, smart and anti-heroish. (Seldom do we see smart female leads in these kinds of Asian dramas, so this point alone is enough for this drama to score high!) She is tasked to play an antagonist again in a new comic, but when she is thrown into that world, a system error occurs and she ends up become the female lead instead, all the while retaining her self-awareness and villainous personality. Due to the mishap, the male lead (I denote him as OG-ML) which she is supposed to romance with is temporarily incapacitated, and she crosses paths with the male antagonist (ML in this drama) instead. Since both FL and ML have villainous personalities, they start playing 4-dimensional chess with each other and always correctly guess each other's intentions. Not only do they have chemistry, they're pretty much the same kind of person, like a match made in heaven. I really enjoyed their interactions. Feelings of love happen early on but naturally, unlike many dramas with rushed and half-baked romance lines. They even came up with a good excuse to add kissing scenes that can be explained by the plot.
In the later half of the drama is where the suspense kicks in and it kept me at the edge of my seat after every episode. I really could not predict what would happen next with all the plot twists. The drama ticks all the right boxes. And even though it's short, it never felt rushed or shallow. It probably told a better story than a lot of full length dramas.
I recommend this drama to anyone who likes fantasy romance. There's literally no reason not to try this - it's short so even if you end up not enjoying it, it's not a huge waste of time.
Positives:
- We get to see romance between two villainous characters, which is very uncommon
- We have a smart and cunning FL who can defend herself
- Plot makes fun of drama cliches (even FL points out how cheesy some of the plot is)
- Unpredictable twists and turns, engaging from start to finish
- Liu Xie Ning's acting really stands out
Negatives:
- Why in the world is this drama so short, when some way shxxier dramas get 30+ episodes?
- Characters are paper-thin, they have no backstory except the several lines of description given to them by the comic
- Certain plot points make no sense at all, such as the knife stabbing scenes in the drama
- The logic of the comic world is unclear and inconsistent, causing problems to arise and get resolved out of the blue without a convincing explanation. This is one of those dramas that are not to be taken too seriously.
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