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A DRAMA TO DROP EARLY- TOO LONG AND TORTUOUS
Story: This is a story about marriage, mothers-in-law, raising children. The thesis of the writer - the characters must be rude, mindless, selfish, overbearing, dishonest, uncaring, unethical, and basically devoid of normal human responses.The main couple meets at work. The older male is the number 2 man in a huge investment firm and meets an upstart new young employee and falls head over heels with her ending in a quick proposal and one nightstand. She immediately becomes pregnant. Since the company has a no dating rule -- their decisions from this point forward become the source of "FANTASY and what makes this drama insufferable but still lures you to watch. From the point of this ill-begotten decision (which is really early in this 40 episode drama) the viewer must watch this marriage fall into an abyss of hell.
Curiosity will cause you to continue to watch, but after a while, you are watching and screaming at the television
What is family and why is there all of this negative energy in this family? If you ever thought you were in a bad marriage situation - well you will not feel that way after watching this drama.
I am just going to list the WHY I HATE THE FEMALE CHARACTER (not going to dwell on the MALE CHARACTER because I viewed him as STUPID, A WIMP, and IMPOTENT.
1. what would be the natural order of establishing a family with this first quiz? Who leaves the company?
2. when the company does not welcome pregnant employees, and you know it - what should you do as a pregnant woman (especially when given an opportunity?
3. When you are pregnant what do you decide to ingest or who chooses where you are going to give birth?
4.When you have a premature baby and your body has not healed what is the first thing you worry about - your job or the baby?
5. Why do you listen to your divorced, sick, selfish mother when making decisions?
6. Why don't you take the blame for your bad decisions and not shift them over to your husband7
.
7. Why are you so jealous and accusing of "affairs" when you are the coldest most argumentative woman ever portrayed in a drama?
I can go on and on and continue complaining about the writer's portrayer of this character. As you begin to feel something is seriously wrong with the messages of this drama to any viewer, in any country - let alone the country of origin you should tell yourself - HIT the REALITY button and DROP. Even enduring to the end will make you unhappy. Without revealing any more spoilers., I issue a precautionary warning - this is an ABNORMAL relationship and don't believe anything the writers spew at you - especially the ending.
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Dimples! Dimples! Dimples!
Please don't think me superficial but my goodness Fluke Pongsakorn Wongpian has got dimples for days. When he smiles his face lights up. He is Thailand's Park Bo-gum. This is the first BL series that I have seen him in and he is doing an excellent job.If you love watching a beautiful relationship develop, you will love this.
The development of the romance between the lead characters is so wonderfully and convincingly managed. I am truly appreciating the skill of the actors in playing their parts. I have re-watched the end of episode 7 over and over again. Beautifully done! Less happy moments do come but it is wonderful watching the gentle, beautiful love develop between Mork and Tawan.
I am also loving the wonderful chemistry between all the different love connections in this series. I love the BL Cinderella (lovers from completely different walks of life) aspect as well. And, I really appreciate that they decided to have three different romances going at once. As for the three biker friends they provide jokes for days. I did not want this series to end… but it did and I loved every moment I spent watching it.
Honestly, I want to thank the BL producers coming out of Thailand. It took me a long time to start watching their BL series but I can officially say I am now addicted. Wonderfully produced films, with great actors and beautiful romances. Even the less stellar productions are far superior to anything I have ever watched on the famous romance channel whose name I will not write here.
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STORY
When a mysterious stranger moves to a small village in South Korea, the village becomes plagued by sickness. The police think a wild mushroom is to blame, but police officer Jong-goo thinks it may have something to do with the stranger. He meets a woman who gives him some information about this mysterious man, and slowly begins to fall down a rabbit hole that consumes his life. When his daughter starts to show signs of the sickness, it gets personal and he must figure out who to trust and who to avoid.
ACTING
the performers have a lot of range, from facial expressions to downright melodramatic wailing. Child actor Kim Hwan-hee stands out even among a veteran ensemble cast that includes Hwang Jung-min and Jun Kunimura.These characters are dynamic; the protagonists increasingly vulnerable, and the antagonists all the more menacing. I hope that after this movie Kwak Do Won gets more main roles.
REWATCH VALUE
I need to watch this movie again because I need to find more clues and I have too many questions. I'm gonna recommend this movie to all my friends because it's that good but don't let those 2,5 hours fool you because it isn't boring at all.
OVERALL
It runs over 2.5 hours and one leaves the theater wishing there was more to explain. This would devaluate from the experience because one of the film objectives is to make think the audience go back and look at the clues and turning points, to look into one's own sense of values and want to go back to look at some references upon which the script builds. For me it's another masterpiece of Na (the movie director)
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Plot: 6.5/10
It's more like a parody rather a serious one (as we all thought). This movie gave an indie feel and I liked the calendar shots which signifies a new chapter. I loved the story between Ran and So Nyeon. The story was funny in it's own way. The overall plot is light and sweet. I think people would actually like this if it was written better. The ending was loose and plot-holes everywhere, they didn't even bother explaining Jin Yi's character and suddenly she appears in the end without context. But humor-wise, this got me.
There is this one scene that really caught my eye (around 50 min mark). I think it was what made me love the movie. IT REALLY MADE MY HEART MELT together with the bgm that was playing.
Cast: 9.5/10
To the people saying their acting was bad: I THINK IT WAS INTENTIONAL. This movie only had 4-5 actors in it but it's more than enough. I'd watch this even if it only had Jung Yeon Joo and Song Kang in it. Ran was quite naive despite being in the world for 500 years. So Nyeon was extremely funny and playful. The way he mixes up his English and Korean lmao. Song Kang gives me Yook Sung Jae/ Rowoon(SF9) feels. I think I'm attached?? Both MCs were cute, I LOVE BOTH OF THEM.
Music: 10/10
THE OST IS RIDICULOUSLY CUTE. And there is this scene I mentioned above ^^ (watch and you'll know) which was pleasing and the bgm gave it a different mood.
Rewatch Value: 10/10
I watched this 3 more times after watching it the first time. This is good for some light watching. It's an easy watch and I like this kind of indie comedy, just my style. Or maybe I keep watching because of Song Kang?
Overall: 9/10
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You will erupt with laughter and excuse this old vocab but you will also be squirming with *feels* in every episode.
With a slight-feeling of second lead syndrome, I'll tell you that this is the perfect option for a boring afternoon.
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So...everyone became stupid?
This started off SO well. It had potential to be one of the best. Now I am just feeling offended this had higher ratings than Flower of Evil. After ep 8 it seems like the writer drank water from the toilet. The characters became stupid, some things were extremely hard to solve (or kill) and then suddenly they were so easy...it was so sad. the ending was ridiculous, the characters were stupid...I don't know what to say.The actors were amazing at all times I am just sorry for them that the script went this way. TVN is so inconsistent with their shows lately.
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STORY
While I do feel the need to point out that it's this category that keeps this from being a 10/10 (there are a few glaring plot holes), it is also this category that is going to get people into this drama. Besides the few plot holes, the concept of this show is brilliant: a rich young man with an allergy to humans is interested in investing in a robotics lab that has a working android, thinking that android companionship could be the solution to his isolation. Too bad the people who run the lab don't know about his allergy. Their android breaks and they send a lookalike human in its place for him to "test"! What could possibly go wrong, as these two attractive young people spend all their time together?
While you can tell just from that premise that this will be a show full of cuteness and hilarity (and it is), you will never imagine the emotional heights that this drama is able to achieve just from that simple plot. I won't even try to describe it here, you just need to see it for yourself. Kim Min Kyu and Jo Ji Ah are two of the best lead characters I have ever seen in any piece of fiction; a loneliness as deep as the ocean finally meets an incredible selflessness that might be able to fill it. You will weep with Kim Min Kyu as he rails against his isolation and desperately searches for a glimmer of light in his life. Your heart will shatter every time Jo Ji Ah denies herself happiness and chokes back her words and tears in order to protect the people that matter to her. And when the two of them are together, you'll never want to see them apart.
ACTING/CAST
I'm going to actively try to avoid hyperbole here. Suffice to say, I had real feelings for the characters. And I don't mean just feelings. I mean that I really felt like they were real people and I needed to be with them and help them. That never happens to me. Ever. When I say I "fell in love" with Jo Ji Ah, that's honestly not too far from being literal. Fortunately, I haven't completely gone off the deep end, but the point is that this cast brought these characters to life in the most beautiful and vibrant way.
First, relative newcomer Park Se Wan. She is the definition of adorable. Infinitely watchable, she's going on my list of actresses to follow across genres.
My boy, Kang Ki Young! From his first moments onscreen in High School King of Savvy, I've loved this guy and am so happy to see his career continuing to gain traction. He's never played a role quite like this one before but seems to have taken to it naturally. There wasn't quite enough for his character to do, but KKY himself killed it, being able express a broad range in his role here.
Definitely want to mention brand new actress Yoon So Mi in her first ever Drama role as Jo Ji Ah's sister in law. A lovely woman who comes out as a natural on screen. Even my wife couldn't resist her charms, remarking multiple times how cute she was.
And of course, a young lady who has been hard at work in some truly excellent dramas in 2017: Lee Han Seo! Little Han Seo knocks it out of the park here. She steals every scene she's in and you'll only wish that she had even more lines by the time it's all over.
Now, our male lead, Yoo Seung Ho. What a gravitational charisma. He can literally make "annyeong" sound like it's full of meaning and emotion. I admit he sometimes struggles a bit with some melo scenes, but only because of the impossible tightrope he's having to walk in many of them: balancing true, raw emotion with total awareness of the absurdity of his situation. Despite this, during the melo climax at the halfway point of the show, expect YSH to completely destroy you.
And finally..... what can I say about Chae Soo Bin? She has charms that can't quite be put into words. The same way that a person just has to *see* Lee Min Jung to understand her beauty, and a person has to actually *watch* Jang Na Ra act to understand why she's quite as lovable as she is, Chae Soo Bin has to be experienced for yourself. I will admit, on a personal note, when she has long straight brown hair and bangs, she may be the most beautiful woman in the world. That's impactful enough on its own (in fact, distractingly so, since everyone around her should really always be tripping over her beauty, but aren't because it's fiction), but it goes far beyond just her looks. Her tender depiction of a feisty but pure young woman who never loses her spark in the face of adversity is one of the most touching and impressive performances you're likely to see in this genre. You owe it to yourself to watch CSB work, and to see her build Jo Ji Ah into a person we would all do well to emulate.
MUSIC
It doesn't disappoint! While it lacks one huge standout track that acts as a hook, and maybe a theme or two is forgettable, in an OST of about 7 vocal tracks, I came away from it saving 4 of them to my Kdrama Playlist. I can't say any other drama has hit that kind of success rate.
Additionally, a lot of the incidental and mood music is pretty well composed to; not exactly beautiful, but catchy and evocative, quirky and winsome. No flies on this drama in the Music category.
REWATCH VALUE
This is the first 10 I've given in this category in any of my reviews. The mind-bogglingly huge amount of amazing character moments, hearty laughs, and tender romance means that I'm Not A Robot can be watched, watched, and rewatched many times over and never get old. Heck, if you're trying to convert anyone to kdrama, add this to the list of potential shows that can suck in someone who's never seen a kdrama in his or her life. It's that good. It really is that good. It's never too melo, so no FFing needed there. The villains are never too annoying, nor are there stupid love triangles to skip through. There's no filler at all and never any wasted scenes. In fact, if anything, this show needed more episodes, because there were definitely parts of the story that got cut in order to keep up with the blistering pace, to its detriment. There's literally not one minute of these 16 hours that anyone should ever need to FF through. Not only WILL I watch this one again someday, I am EAGER to do so.
FINAL SCORE - 9.5/10
While a few unforgivable plot holes, a too-quick resolution, and not enough falling action (along with some rather lazy production work in the penultimate episode, randomly) prevent this from being a perfect 10, please please please do not sleep on I'm Not A Robot. Easily a Top 5 All Time Drama, in my book, and perhaps my sentimental second-favorite, this will be 16 hours WELL spent for any drama lover. Just sit back and let it shatter you, because when it pieces you all back together, you'll feel like you're better off for the experience.
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ACTING/CAST: There were only three main characters but all were good actors and the two boys were not afraid to show some skin or kiss.
MUSIC: I liked it, some good beats.
REWATCH VALUE: I'll watch it again later when I go on a Strongberry/Matchbox binge again.
OVERALL: I love K-dramas and add gay to the mix and it's a hit! Please support these guys!
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Surreal Food For Thought, Though Some Storylines Were More Striking Than Others...
Netflix’s Persona is a collection of four South Korean short films, all starring Lee Ji-Eun ( IU). Directed by acclaimed Korean filmmakers Lee Kyoung Mi, Yim Pil Sung, Jeon Go Woon and Kim Jong Kwan and partially produced by record- producer Yoon Jong Shin, each episode was inspired from elements of IU’s own personal life and career.Although there is the initial thought of a vanity project for IU being the main star in each episode, there’s no denying that IU is a talented and versatile actress. Even in storylines which may deliver impactful plot revelations for viewers, IU seemed to add a necessary fair and uniqueness to stepping into the roles of her varied and different ‘’personas’’ in each storyline. Yet due to each episode being vividly different with a new director, story and theme, it is probably easier to assess each episode as a standalone piece before moving on to the overall interpretations of the ensemble.
‘’ Love Set”- Starting off the collection begins with director Lee Kyoung Mi’s strange and surreal storyline on a tennis court. In this fictionalised world, actress Bae Doona is ready to marry IU’s father. Naturally, IU is contemptuous about the matrimony and decides to issue a tennis battle with Bae Doona on the tennis court.
Using minimal dialogue, filmmaker Lee Kyoung Mi turns 19 minutes, into an eccentric , humorous and over-the-top battle of grunts and tennis balls being smacked back and forth in an odd competition of love, rivalry and hormones with a strangely sexual undertone . It is one of the most peculiar shorts in the series with an oddly anticlimactic and abrupt ending. Rather than viewers understanding the reason behind IU’s disagreement, passion and drive to stopping this rivalry, the undeniable relief of not having watch IU’s and Bae Doona’s unexplained and peculiar tennis match instead overcomes the watcher’s mind with just one thought. “ That was weird.”
“ Collector” - Yim Pil Sung‘s film and the second piece of the “ Persona” collection transitions into notably darker territory, with its focus upon an older man named Baek Jeong-u on a date with a notably younger woman, played by IU. As the date goes on, Baek becomes increasingly irked as the younger woman teases him and appears disconnected from their conversion. Pil Sung’s scenes then present the evident discomfort of Baek in a lonely, empty room as he attempts to prepare himself either to relax or to literally be killed by a woman’s subtle emotional jabs. Notably having a more prominent overarching storyline than “ Love Set”, “ Collector” initialises the reminiscent traits of the promiscuous Kumiho ( a nine- tailed fox in Korean mythology) as well as an intriguing critique upon stereotypes of women in South-Korean society. ( Which naturally IU herself has also been subject to in the wider media.) IU’s character is undeniably playful and manipulative with Baek, however, she never goes out of her way to seduce him as Baek practically throws himself at her feet. This subversion reversal of gender dynamics offered both the literal and metaphorical stereotype of the coquette’s ways of playing with a man’s heart. Still oddly surreal and taking time to interpret , the storyline was certainly subversive in this short piece .
“ Kiss Burn”-A clear critique to the oppressive natural of youths in rural Korea, the third entry of “ Persona” brings Jeon Go Woon’s focus on arguably the most ‘’lighthearted’’ short of the ensemble. IU plays a conniving schoolgirl named Han-na, who visits the rural house of her friend Hye-bok. Hye-bok’s father, a forest fire lookout, is strict with Hye-bok and greatly dislikes Han-na under the impression she’s a bad influence. Out of anger and revenge, Han-na helps Hye-bok pull various pranks, but naively ignites other unintended consequences. Go Woon’s filming- style is notably the most basic and simplistic out of his counterpart directors, yet the usage of screenwriting through approachable storytelling, pacing and jokes makes the story easier to follow than the last two predecessors of the collection. The one flaw of this piece is that whilst the storyline was easier to follow behind the reasoning of Ha-na and Hye-Bok’s vengeance, it is harder to truly define what made their characters original or intriguing.
“ Walking at Night”- Persona concludes with Kim Jong Kwan’s monochrome-filmed short tackling the most poignant segment of the entire ensemble. IU plays a deceased woman who appears in her former boyfriend’s dream. In that dream, the couple takes a walk at night, reminiscing about bygones and musing about the nature of love, life, and death.The scenery is kept simplistic with a simple interaction of walking and a succinct soundtrack . The only true uncertainty which may strike viewers as harrowing can be seen through the mysterious figure as the two characters walk into the night- something symbolising the unknown just behind them. Out of all the shorts, this final piece tackle arguably the most heartfelt and profound themes of the series with focuses upon existentialism as well as the social issue of suicide in South-Korean society, giving the piece a sense of deeper meaning and reflection for viewers.
Ultimately, IU is the main star of each storyline and plays each one of her roles with diverse brilliance and talent. Whilst each episode has its own flair, there’s no doubt that some shorts were a lot better than others. “Walking At Night” offered arguably the most touching, harrowing and profound themes of the shorts in literal black and white , closely followed by the surreal, yet social critique of women’s roles in ‘ Collector’. ‘ Kiss Burn’ pointed out an undeniably ironic and twisted ending, but lacked intrinsic character depth, whilst arguably the weakest of the series was ‘ Love Set’. Attempting to weave in too many sociocultural metaphors and messages into one short, the storyline was weakened by its lacking sense of purpose, context and ending.
Overall, the ‘ Persona’ collection was fairly entertaining- IU is a talented actress and the artistic licensing by different directors gave us a fresh feel to each episode. On the other hand, as a collection, the weaker storylines of the piece ultimately complicated episodes and character depth - ultimately not a bad show to binge watch out of boredom, but probably not worth committing time towards if you’re expecting to watch an ensemble of well-written and profound collection of shorts.
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The inconsistencies & lack of continuity was intolerable for me
Review @ ep1-14I actually do like this drama but I so wanted to love it for the sake of Zhou Ye, became a fan of hers after watching her in Word of Honor (I can’t rave enough about that series, special shoutout to the one and only Chief of the Ghost Valley, the philanthropist Wen Kexing) but I don’t love it so far. There are so many continuity fails but I will highlight two.
1). He had huge scars from Su Ying stabbing him in ep1 but all of a sudden the scars disappeared few episodes later
2). When he went to retrieve his sword the first time, the journey was so hard / tumultuous that’s why Yan Hui couldn’t go with him but when they went the second time, they just basically strolled into the place.
She keeps losing things just for the sake of furthering the plot which is out of character for someone who cherishes everything she has.
Also once again we have a female character Su Ying who is so obsessed with a man (the only difference this time is her obsession isn’t with the ML) she is extremely vile and vicious and willing to go to any and all length for him. This perpetual CDrama plot is getting so damn old. Especially the level at which they make this female characters reach. It’s beyond ridiculous and unrealistic. I personally don’t know any woman in my real life who behaves in those extreme ways.
Update @ep21
I am struggling so hard to continue this drama. It’s not terribly bad but it’s not great either. The acting from the ML is actually so bad. He’s had exactly one expression so far. He’s acting range is very limited IMO but he’s handsome so I guess that covers up for lack of acting abilities to some people. Whatever floats anyone’s boat….
The comedic parts of this drama just feels out of place for me.
One more thing I don’t care how handsome or beautiful someone is, or whatever reason they had to stab and almost kill me, nobody is falling in love with someone who literally stabbed them and left them for dead. The lovers of this series can try to justify it any which ways they like, “he has to save the kids” “he was going to return the protective heart thingy to her so he knew she won’t die” etc but to look someone you claim to love in the eyes and stab them for the 3rd time I might add is just beyond unacceptable. He could have asked for it but nah, let’s stab her and then she literally fell so badly, he didn’t even try to break her fall, he just left her there, but wait, he’s really so sorry and because he’s so sorry she has to understand and not only forgive him but let it go and continue the relationship after he couldn’t take 2mins to ask for it and just had to take it in the most cruel way possible. I am sure eventually she’s going to forgive him and they will live happily ever after but that’s a relationship I can never get behind so that arc of the drama has already left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Update @completion.
The production team for this drama really dropped the ball big time especially the editing department and script writers. So many inconsistencies and lack of continuity. The errors in the details was just way too much for me to ignore and tolerate. Marks appear and disappear in the same scene. The characters powers and strengths (with the exception of the dark lord aura guy) where so inconsistent and felt like it was based on what each scene needed. I can go on and on but I have already spent days watching this drama and that is enough time I’m willing to give this drama.
The only thing that was good for me in this drama was the costumes., they looked beautiful and rich.
I am obviously never going to rewatch this drama.
Rewatch value 1/10
Overall value 6/10 (i am being super generous with this rating)
I highly do not recommend but that’s my opinion, you are free to make yours.
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Must Watch!
This is a perfect korean drama to watch. It has good amount of comedy, friendship and romance. Its perfectly done. I want to thank the writer for writing such a beautiful story about youth. This drama not only showed the positive side of youth but also also showed the darkness of youth. Everyone of them had a dark side in their life. Overcoming the hardship is all about youth. I was amazed by the acting of baeinhyuk. He is such a good actor. And the way he portrayed the character was so perfect. Park jihoon was also good. I loved how beautiful their friendship was. The last episode was too beautiful. Two different people of two different background having different problems in their lives met and their relationship was not good. But the way they overcomed it and became happy in their own lives and solved their problems because of the existence of each other is so overwhelming. Baeinhyuk and park jihoon are the real heroes. The OST was beautiful tooEsta resenha foi útil para você?
Casting: Earth and New's chemistry was on par. They did really good together. The kiss scene felt natural. A 10 for them and 8 for the rest of the cast.
Music: Love Pete Pol. A 10 Also.
Rewatch: Only when I'm bored. Even then I'll just watch Waii and Apo.
Overall: Narrative could have been better. A 7 here.
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This drama was awesome and then some, really no complaints here. I just can't believe how it ended and how it all ties into the first episode. I give a shout out to the writers who took this historical story and made it seems like a deep love story. The actors must be commended for their hard work and commitment to the story. The music really suited the different climaxes as the story progressed. I must have cried buckets of tears to the point of drying out my tear banks. So much was given up in order for those who survived to live. Empress ki herself was so strong and brave there are few women who could accomplish, and persevere through what she went through, so I give accolades to the actress who portrayed her life story. This is very much my favorite drama from 2013 to 2014.
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Spoilers for Ep 16
The way I interpreted what happened in episode 16, is that the ML was not in his right mind to communicate clearly with the FL. Even though so far their communication has been really open so far, it shows that he still had reservations in telling her everything, and this unfortunately created a misunderstanding that was later called out by the FL. I have seen comments lambasting her for the way she treated ML, but considering what he did to her I think it’s natural for her to be afraid of him even though she understands why he did it. Forgiveness took time, which I appreciate and even then she later realized how hurtful her words were. Her responses are flawed, and most importantly human and she acknowledges it eventually and apologises and that’s what really elevates this story for me. Including the ML, even though he is an immortal who has been around for some time when it comes to inter personal relationships he still has a learning curve and will make mistakes. Yes, they have established a relationship where they are open with one another but that does not necessarily mean either one will get it righ all the time, and it was later addressed. So, I do not think it was “out of character” or a plot hole but a demonstration of how flawed they are. However again that is my interpretation of it, but I think for anyone considering on dropping it because of that just know it does get addressed later on and is not a moment that happens and is forgotten about
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I wish it is more culturally realistic, more mind-provoking, and more dramatic.
There is no doubt that this drama has excellent production quality. The settings, costumes, music, and characters are fitting and captivating. The main and supporting characters have distinctive personalities and are very entertaining. I love to see every interaction between them. I view this drama as successful at combining mystery, romance. and light comedy. However, even after finishing all episodes, there is still a big hole in my heart.First, I'm not sure which aspects of this drama are real or fictional, especially when it comes to case-solving. This drama is excellent at incorporating elements of law and traditional medicine. It has the potential to be more intellectually engaging, but it is wasted. Repeatedly, during each case investigation and resolution, I compare the plots and storytelling to the legendary Jewel in the Palace (2003), from which I learned so much about Korean culture—its cuisine, medicine, traditional clothes, monarchy, and society. These cultural aspects are so believable, causing me to dig deeper into everything about Korea and the Koreans, and to watch more historical K-dramas.
This issue leads me to conclude that China is still far from creating a Hallyu-like wave despite its historical and cultural richness. I wonder if it is really that difficult for Chinese drama producers to incorporate authentic cultural elements into their works and help audiences become more knowledgeable and appreciative? Are the use of herbs, poison, and legal codes depicted in the drama grounded in reality, or are they merely fabricated to serve the plot? I mean, this drama is not a wuxia or xianxia where people can fly, and I know people cannot fly, so I shut by brain to enjoy it. This drama is somewhat "scientific" to serve the case investigation's believability. But things seem imaginary and heavily fictional.
Second, the cases are mostly felt rather strange to me. It is not about the incidents but how they are resolved. It is good to see how a coroner did forensic work to do an autopsy and collect evidence, and the empire's justice system works pretty well, too. They have a legal book as a reference, sufficient officers, and an investigation and testimony collection procedure. All of them should serve like pieces of a puzzle waiting for arrangement. However, the resolution often stems from mere deduction based on an insignificant, later-found hint or coincidence, throwing the previously collected pieces of information out of the window. After following one or two cases, I found that this show has the habit of spoiling the viewer by revealing the culprit through certain gestures and camera work. It makes the cases highly predictable and not enjoyable.
Third, this drama lacks emotional moments. Everything flows too smoothly, and the main characters are portrayed as perfectly capable, smart, and invincible. They never make a single mistake or show any meaningful weakness or vulnerability—traits that would make them feel more human. There are no moments of setbacks, deadlocks, or desperation, as well as moments of learning and reflecting on things beyond their control. No pivotal moments deserve rewatch. Nothing to worry about, and they bounce back far too easily. Even though people die horribly, they are safe and "protected". It is very atypical considering the world they live in. I mean, there should be a moment where efforts failed, the strong ones are injured, or get sick, and their lives are at stake. The cooperation between the main characters thus feels lacking something profound.
Fourth, the villains in this drama are disappointingly weak, lacking both intelligence and strategic cunning. The princes (Che and Qi) come across as foolish and impulsive, respectively. As antagonists, they feel too much like shallow tropes rather than compelling, formidable threats. The evil empress and consort are also the same; they are practically doing nothing throughout the episodes. There are no moments of good decision-making, considering pros and cons together, and implementing the plan into action. All of them are bad in character and thus, doomed to fail from the beginning.
This makes me compare them to antagonists in "Princess Gambit" (2025). There, we got antagonists who possess at least one admirable trait, and this makes us "love" them to be on screen. In Coroner's Diary, the problem-solving strategy of the antagonists is just killing, killing, and killing people, and leaving traces to be tracked by our leads. Had they used more political maneuvering by moving factions in court to help them, our main characters (the male lead is a military man and the female lead is a doctor) would be devastated. But it would result in a better challenge that pushes our leads to grow beyond their comfort zone of competence.
Despite its flaws, this drama is still enjoyable. However, I don’t think people would rewatch it often, as it cannot even hold a candle to the expectations of its own genre, “mystery.”
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