An unexpected take on a hauntingly beautiful historical romance
Although there are many tragic Sageuks that I have loved watching over the years, "The Red Sleeve" stands out for so many reasons. The chemistry between the leads, the fact that it's a non-idealistic look at love, and a female lead who does not fit into the expected tropes. I think this drama is extremely addictive initially as we watch the two leads fall in love, but we soon see a tragic clash of two world perspectives that is both intriguing and frustrating to watch. As frustrated as I was during a lot of this drama what I appreciated was seeing the reality that love isn't always enough. I know this was based on true events, but I had no clue before watching where the story would go since I don't really know much about Korean history. I did know enough to not expect a "cheerful" ending. I admit that the beginning of this drama was much more appealing and addictive than the later episodes, especially watching the banter betweenLee Jun Ho and Lee Se Young, but it's the overall story arc that makes the lasting power of this drama so strong.
Lee Jun Ho is amazing as Yi San. I loved feeling like I could see his evolution to becoming a great king. He also pulled off a longing and obsession for Sung Deok Im that could have easily come across as majorly creepy in a #metoo way and not romantic at all if played wrong. Yi San was strong yet vulnerable and inspired laughter, tears, or butterflies with a single look. I think this really is a breakthrough performance for him. I've seen him be great before in "Just Between Lovers" and even "Wok of Love", but this role required so much range and he knocked it out of the park. He is matched with Lee Se Young Court Lady Deok Im and as much as there were times when I couldn't stand her character I loved her performance. Some may feel like she didn't show enough emotion but what impressed me was Deok Im's commitment to wearing a poker face and having the upper hand. Usually, arrogant male characters are accepted and condoned but here we have a truly unapologetically headstrong and arrogant female lead. She's clever and stubborn. She doesn't do what viewers may want her to do. Sometimes I cheered her on and sometimes I cursed at her through the screen but it was nice to see a female character in a historical drama with this kind of nerve. I won't give all the credit to the adult actors. There are some pretty brilliant child actors that help tell this story well too but the best parts of this drama are definitely when the main leads are together. I didn't expect to get so addicted to their banter but I quickly did.
There are a lot of Allstars in this cast that makes the typical corrupt Joseon court storyline feel not so cliché. Jang Hye Jin as Court Lady Seo and Oh Dae Hwan as the bodyguard are the real MVPs of this drama, and I also really liked the bond between the Court Lady Bffs. I did eventually grow tired of one storyline in particular with Park Ji Young as Head Court Lady Jo. I felt it didn't go far enough so it just seem like filler after a while. In contrast, I loved watching Lee Deok Hwa as King Yeongjo who's unpredictably manic responses made some of the conflicts much more exciting to watch than they normally would be for me. I'm not the biggest fan of 'fight for the crown' storylines, but the characters were well done which made me care more. This is still primarily a love story, and I'm grateful for that, even if it's a messy one.
Would I watch this again? I think so. I can see myself reading up more on the actual history then revisiting this drama again. I am fascinated by reinterpretations of history but I liked the idea that they tried to give a voice to Sung Deok Im as to what was behind the choices she made in real life, making her an independent court lady struggling to establish her own life by her own rules. I also felt deeply for the story of King Jeongjo and his profound loneliness in contrast to his legacy. I'm sure a lot went over my head during the first viewing so it may even be better the second time around.
I do appreciate that this drama has 17 episodes, so they didn't have to rush through the ending at all, but there were parts that started to drag and get too repetitive for me towards the end. The mixed signals and constant rejection plot really did affect the pace and my interest, but one thing that kept me from ever being too bored is the absolutely breathtaking cinematography. They really went above and beyond with how some of the scenes were shot. I would often rewind just to have a second glance at an image on the screen. You can see the care in the direction.
Overall, "The Red Sleeve" may not be for the "does this have a happy ending?" crowd but it is a beautiful take on this historical love story that doesn't shy away from the true events or the harsh dynamics of life in the palace. The excitement and longing in this drama is palpable and I think that is its main appeal. I also never read the Novel but I get a sense of what it was adapted from through the characters' internal thoughts, without them ever abusing narration in the script too much. Dramas often explore what we would sacrifice for love but rarely what we won't. I had strong opinions about Deok Im's reasoning and Yi San's persistence but in the end, I was fully invested in their love story. The only thing stopping this from being a new favorite of mine is some repetitiveness and my lack of interest in the political plots. Jun Ho's performance alone is enough to make this a much watch Sagaek and drama overall. Seeing a female character deviate from the 'Cinderalla as goals' narrative is also refreshing in a lot of ways, even when she annoyed me. It may not be the type of escapism that many romance fans look for in a drama, and yes many tears will likely be shed, but believe the rating hype on this one. A romance without romanticizing too much. A love story that challenges whether together is the best choice. An attempt at giving a voice to a voiceless royal concubine. If you know the story and wonder "What kind of woman back then would have the nerve to reject a king?!!" this drama answers that question very well... in an intriguing, hilarious, exciting, heartbreaking, and poetic way.
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Esta resenha pode conter spoilers
Second time the charm
When I first watched SIMM I didn't like it for some reason i still cannot understand. I remember watching it more for the sake of watching a bl (i was 16 at the time ikik) than for understanding the story. Or maybe its because the plot hit way too close to home for my own comfort and I didnt like how the character behaved cause of what was happening in my life at that time. Regardless of the answer I decided to give it a rewatch and a second change and to be fair, I'm glad I did so.Rewatching it make me realize that, beside definetly not being a masterpiece, it was very enjoyable and very cute. The funniest part is that the show would have ended ep.1 if just Kluen was able to express his feelings like a normal person. No like, fr. The whole thing happened because Kluen was not able to talk (he'd rather leave the room than answer a question that requires some emotional though) and Nuea that was like "yeah but I don't love him anymore" while still very much loving him. And unfortunately for me, I'm a big fan of this trope. Even tho I really think they scratched the limit a bit too much with Kluen like he was really getting annoying to watch at a certain point cause like please SPEAK pls. Really.
The story was simple. It had elements that I liked and elements that I didnt like. For example, oh god, I absolutely hate when a series reference the school being "shippers" like the whole #kluennuea or #nueaklun was geniunly painful to hear cause in no case ever anybody behaved like this omg no need really. I also highly disliked Typhoon character, like, brother, Nuea very much told you very clearly that he has a problem with rejecting people, that it pains him and he is not able and what do you do? Keep asking him out untill he gives in because that's literally his trauma. I found it so distasteful and I wanted for it to be addressed more, like, made clear that personal limits exist and Phoon was CLEARLY stepping over them.
I remember not liking the acting but I kinda need to change my mind. OK, its not exactly oscar worthy, nor a "once in a lifetime" performance, but I gotta say that both of them did their job well enough to get me into the story. Side characters as well. The story is, if you are young, pretty emotional but if you rationally think of it its nothing groundbreaking so of course they didnt exactly have that much to work on, its actually pretty simple and straightforward.
The aesthetic was absolutely non existent, not found not even searched to begin with I guess. I might be a hater on this point but damn. No color grading, some cuts between scenes I could have done better with capcut. The only scene I liked was the one at night at the beach. Still not how I would have executed it but I think the closest this show ever gets to it. Oh, and stop putting music anywhere. Sometimes is way better to just listen to the natural sounds trust me.
Rewatch value was actually very high, cause it was the rewatch that made me like this show. I feel like its one of those shows that, since its being referred to a younger audience, it really changes when you watch it and your older. Kinda nostalgic.
Ps. Joong the prettiest cryer I've ever seen
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
I am in crazy love with it!
I am a fan of RomComs and this drama has made a spot in favorites. Everything happening in the drama is crazy and will make you fall in love with it.Every episode has its own share of twists and even after being a RomCom, it has suspense and thrill. Each episode is crazy and unpredictable. It leaves you wanting more.
The characters are lovely. I won't say the personalities were something out of the box, they had typical personalities, a rude annoying bossy male lead, and a nice persevering female lead. And the character development, the leads falling in love, hate-to-love relationships, and cringy moments are the common elements in many office romances. But the way it was executed was absolutely entertaining.
Even though we know the overall story, the small surprising elements and twists are what make the drama so engaging and enjoyable.
I absolutely enjoyed the initial few episodes which had me laughing hard. The later part of the story is a bit serious and focuses a bit on story and character development.
Overall definitely worth the watch.
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Esta resenha pode conter spoilers
If you haven't seen this, drop everything and go watch it right now
This review is basically going to be me raving over this series for however many paragraphs it takes.Take that as your first and final and only warning.
Where do I start?
The story is of two young men who are studying in different faculties in the same university. Pat, Engineering. Pran, Architecture. Historically, the two faculties have been rivals and several of Pat and Pran's friends take this all very seriously. The first scene of the very first episode is a bunch of Engineering students chasing down and beating up an Architecture student, so you know the rivalry is intense.
To make things even more complicated, the two young men grew up right next door to each other and their families absolutely loathe each other. We don't find out why until nearly the end of the series, but it's not a trivial reason, and the hatred on the part of Pran's mother towards Pat's father is warranted and justifiable.
Unknowingly, Pat starts courting Pran (it's a mix-up that does completely make sense) and, when he discovers who it is he's been exchanging notes and gifts with, he doesn't immediately have a meltdown at the mere though of liking a boy (which I half expected, because it's such a trope in BL), he doesn't punch Pran or accuse him of deception or any of the other things that happen in these situations in other BL's.
No, they pretty much agree to stop being rivals and start being friends, before things develop into more. They use bets and competitions as flirting and it is hilarious.
They have such good communication with each other. They talk about things honestly and openly and they both apologise to the other for their mistakes and they stick by each other when one of them is in trouble and....it's so refreshing and wholesome and good to see.
The acting is on another level, especially for a BL. Ohm (Pat) and Nanon (Pran) are both very skilled and it shows. I already knew Ohm was good, having seen him in Make It Right and He's Coming To Me (I recommend the Book/Frame cut of Make It Right if you haven't seen it, and He's Coming To Me is an excellent shorter series in which Ohm partners with Singto. It's a gem.)
I hadn't seen Nanon in anything else, though his resume is quite impressive, so I wasn't sure what his acting would be like going in, but I need not have worried. He's so good it's almost unbelievable. If they gave out awards for TV acting in Thailand, he should be up for Best Actor. His emotional range is impressive.
The chemistry and dynamic between Ohm and Nanon takes this series from great to excellent.
There are only two songs used throughout the series, and one of them is kind of over-used, but both are still lovely and the incidental music is good too. I like the fact that they avoided so many of the ridiculous sound effects that other shows tend to overuse. Moderation is key, and it's clear the director and editor agree with me.
Even the product placement, whilst definitely there and noticeable, has been toned down, which is so good to see.
And, to make things better, we get an actual GL second couple in this, even if their relationship isn't as developed as the main leads. There's talk of a sequel to this, and to be honest, I don't want one. I'd like a spin-off instead, focusing on Ink and Pa's relationship. There's a time jump at the beginning of episode 12, and I'd like to see how their relationship developed over that time.
REWATCH VALUE: high, high, so so high. I'm rewatching it now, in fact.
I've said in other reviews that no show is perfect, and this isn't either, but this is the only one that I've felt justifies the full five stars/10 out of 10 rating. I watched this and I didn't feel cheated, I didn't end up feeling like I'd wasted my time and the ending was satisfactory and fulfilling.
That, to me, is the hallmark of a great series.
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Esta resenha pode conter spoilers
Thousands have lived without love but not without water
First of all the headline is a bit tacky but the whole story is kind of on the water channels that are built by the Wei and Qiao.So the story starts when Wei and Qiao were like brothers but Qiao betrayed Wei 14 yrs back. Now after 14 years there stands a contract marriage between their grandchildren that were arranged by the Lady Xu and the Lordship Qiao.
Here the story starts,
Lord Wei doesn’t want to marry and make things hard for her but eventually he falls for her.
The difference :-
1. In these kind of troops either the ML or FL is over bearing and always anyone of the leads bounties are over stepped but in TPOB both of the leads though schemed against each other for the very first few months of their marriage but were never overbearing all the grudges and anger was shown correctly and understandable . Even being on the opposite clan they never insulted each other which is the most sweetest thing I loved about this drama.
2. In this drama every character had their role who were mature and as the drama went by there was character development .
3. The MOST thing I Loved about TPOB is there was not portrayal of any dumb, immature character all were responsible appropriately to their age.There was no nonsense part where the couple would break up and then patch up after some time , which is one of the reason I kept on going with this drama with out skipping. There was no unnecessary love triangle, ML and FL acted mature enough which was the best part to watch.
4. Like other dramas where the grandmother and mother in law are too overworked about how to create problem in the life of the newly weds ; in TPOB there was not such case. Yes in the start the mother in law framed FL but that was bearable and reasonable. The grandmother Lady Xu was always very intelligent and always giving correct advise to ML and FL without any unnecessary drama.
5. Over all this drama had some parts that’s made me cry and laugh.
6. People act sensible and not on impluse.
Usually I do not write reviews after the drama but this is fabulous so I need to put in some words and appreciate all the people who made this drama and presented us.
Acting :- 100/10
Songs :- 10/10
I love the simplicity of this drama how people were down to earth and always had unity.
I would totally recommend to pls watch this.
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Story wise, the plot is from one of the major arc in the manga which introduced the background of Gintoki, the main character. Shun Oguri is such a fine man acting as Gintoki, I'm so thankful that they casted him to play that role. It's not going to be so hard to follow the plot if you didn't read the manga, it is the typical someone did something bad so the heroes need to set things right but with Gintama styled twist. Masaki Suda portrayed Shinpachi effortlessly, he really acted weak but with funny facial expressions, I laughed so hard in the cinema. Kanna Hashimoto also acted well as Kagura. Her scenes with Nanao are so remarkably funny. Nanao is so hot in the movie too, easy eye catcher. Special acknowledgement to Jiro Sato, if you guys remember him in Mr Nietzsche, his role is exactly as comical as that, I really like how he acted his comedy.
In terms of music, the background musics are appropriate with the scenes. UVERworld performed one of the OST, if you know them, the song Decided which is for this movie is awesome. Shun Oguri did sing for comical purposes lol.
Simply put, it is literally a part of the manga that has been transformed into live action. All the Gintama's wicked dark humor, their famous tag lines and the famous Gintama-style references to other mangas or animes are there in the movie. These stuffs are essential to Gintama. Kudos to the movie makers for didn't leave these things in this movie. Recommended.
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Ten Star Delight
Casting, Cinematography, Script, Location, Music and Pacing are 100% on point.This beautiful series is therapeutic to the soul. Every single member of this cast played their role perfectly. Granny and the four little kiddie crew members get my top nod though, they were fantastic and added so much to this drama.
I found the first episode very triggering to me, I lost someone close to me to cancer, and I just struggle to relive those scenes in the media, so I skipped most of it and right into episode 2. This is when our beautiful FL ventures out to Yunnan province to heal. What she discovers are a group of people who are equally imperfect and dealing with their own demons. Each of them drawn to one of the most stunning locations I’ve ever seen in a drama and made me want to pack my bags to China immediately!!!
There is so much growth for our FL in this show, and all those around her. This community is wonderful and supplies truth and healing in every interaction. There is so many moments that the dialogue along will provide therapy for you the viewer, with profound and wonderful advice for so many situations.
The friendships that develop along the way are enduring and from start to finish your heart will be warmed to the fullest.
The ML & FL of this show are wonderful. Finally a mature couple who act and dress their age, with a natural and organic love that develops at just the right pace. If you are here for a fast trip to love, go someplace else because you won’t find that here. The chemistry between these two is also fantastic. They are a couple you will root for and delight and smile in every single sweet moment between them. They are my favorite cdrama pairing.
Congratulations to everyone who played a part in the production of this drama. 100% the best cdrama of 2023.
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
DROPPED WITHOUT REGRETS...TRIED MY BEST
Get ready to be pissed off by one of the most annoying sulky FL of all time... Probably of 2023!Because that's the most annoying part of this story.
I feel bad for this FL character because she was Just the worse part of this drama.
I already had a red flag when I saw her getting into the dumb student role of the master. and I was right... she kept getting worse. dumber, Dumber.. annoying.. clingy omg don't get me started because she was Just that terribly annoying!
A master and student relationship was supposed to be cute but she ruined it With her forced acting od cuteness. like gurl, you're cute! but don't keep pushing and forcing it with those stupid pouting and stupid talks and mentality! don't Force naiveness! You're being stupid!
And don't get me Started on how the plot development, situations given, and character line made her worse...Like...she was the perfect definition of a Stupid FL who would piss you off in every corner! Like she reminded me of those 3 min ep short mini modern drama series where FL always wore those baby cloths and pout all day long... That's not cute... that's disturbing..and annoying.
For the plot, TBH this plot had the potential but it already started off terrible already..The plot was heading toward the casual terribly executed xianxia..No..this drama wasn't an authentic xianxia. it Looked like a low budget plot mini xianxia drama. I was watching but nothing they did amused me..Their potray was just annoyingly funny and dumb!!
Acting was fair and some better..ML did well...But FL omg!! You're a Good actress but this role made you dumb TBH.
As someone who's a sucker for reverse harem...I feel this drama was pulling it well with that 6 love interest aspect..I liked that but FL omg you're Terrible at that ! stop forcing the cuteness omg
At a point i sat and thought... Wait..who wrote this character and their interactions?? is that how Human being act and interact? Because the FL writing must have been done by a 3 yr old.
Cringe... everything cringe once again because once leads appear,I skip as fast as anything because together they're cringe... especially FL
In all, This drama had the potential but went terribly south and I don't think anyone can see this.. unless you're mentally prepared to get annoyed because yeah.. it's that bad
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
The premise: I dropped this drama 5 times before finally completing it. The reason why I picked it up again is the most shallow and childish you can think of: the crush on an actor. It embarrasses me no end, but what can I do?
I am the cause of my own suffering.
The reason why I didn't drop it a sixth time as every cell in my body screamed I should, is that when I reached episode 11 I was so bored and annoyed by this drama, the desire to write a review became stronger than the torture itself.
Also, I have let some time pass after the watch before I started writing, because I wanted to use my brain and not my stomach (or heart, in this case it's the same thing).
Let's go in order.
The Plot. There is a fantastic word in French to describe such a plot: a bric-a-brac. It is a fairy tale, which is fine, it's full of elements of fantasy, which is fine, but instead of following a cohesive narrative as required by any story, fantastic or real, it keeps on throwing in new explanations and solutions until nothing makes sense anymore, not even in a fantasy world. We have a Gumiho and suddenly we find out she was made out of the ashes/fire of a Goblin. A GOBLIN? You mean legendary little monsters with either green or red skin, pointed ears and tons of malice? That's not how the half ghost remembers her. Wait, this Goblin turned Gumiho turned half human also gave half of her "ki" (another element popped out of the blue on episode... 13 I think) to a human who gave up half of his life but also has half a ki and drank twice the bead and died and came back to life and then the eclipse...
Ok, I stop here before I turn as crazy as the plot. This story is utterly ridiculous, even when, I repeat, I let time pass and somehow digested it all.
Did I mention the cheese, the sugary dialogues, the repetition of lines, flashbacks, situations? Better not.
The characters.
Oh please kill me.
If you think Gumiho is a fox, you're mistaken: she's a dog. She goes from talking about cow meat every MINUTE of every single episode to the middle, to taking about her Dae Woong every minute of every episode till the end. She depends so much on him that even when the stakes get higher and she decides for a sacrifice in the name of love, it's not suspenseful anymore. It's irritating, predictable and humiliating. As a woman, I find her character insulting. Like a dog, she stays glued to him with a persistence and complete lack of reasoning which is the exact opposite of romantic.
She threatens to disappear at least 4 times, and every time she changes idea and we are back to square one.
Dae Woong has at least a little character development, but stays a bi-dimentional person anyway. His losing his parents when he was a kid is mentioned and never elaborated: why mentioning it, then? The zoo trauma is treated in such a superficial way it's ridiculous.
And the fact that he loves a woman who has the brain of a 4 year old child and the attitude of a loyal dog doesn't play much in his favour.
The "half ghost" Dong Joo passes his time watching an hourglass with one eye and his magic knife with another, repeating to himself the same sentences over and over and playing in his mind the same memory at least 12 times. I still have to understand whether his contribution to the plot is to be there and show his sexy emo haircut or add to the comedic.
The others aren't even worth mentioning: the usual, trite, spiteful, envious girl, the always oblivious friends, the silly grandfather, a farting aunt and the bad double of Chow Yun Fat. Oh yes, the dog (the real one) is wonderful.
The acting of the main leads is decent. The others are, once again, not worth mentioning.
The music is repetitive. Very much so. There is one nice song, but by the end I couldn't hear it anymore, so many times it was played.
I know this sounds harsh and I know I won't be received with sympathy. But given the number of good reviews this thing got, I don't feel like I'm doing any harm to it by stating my honest opinion.
If you want an overdose of cheese, watch this.
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
The first few episodes felt forced, like the director was trying to make the scenes unique by switching rapidly between past, present, and imagination scenes. By the 4th episode, however, I was hooked. The editing became much more smooth and the transitions between the different scenes started to make more sense towards to plot. The double meaning of the title is true to the plot- b*tchy women and the 'must marry' woman. The story explores both themes.
Story: The whole revenge plot in the first half of the drama was refreshing and definitely something new to watch. It set up many misunderstandings that while on the surface seem to be obstacles for the sake of having obstacles (in other words, 'dragging'), the misunderstandings were very uniquely directed and slowly revealed the characters' inner thoughts/motives. The interactions between Huan Zhen (Alice) and Hao Meng (Roy) of calling each others bluff were hilarious and full of chemistry. I loved watching Huan Zhen and Hao Meng's journey of falling in love.
Alice Ke and Roy Chiu finally collaborate again and their chemistry is still spot on! I find it hard to compare Marry Me or Not to Office Girls because the characters they portray are completely different. If Office Girls had a more chaste and cute vibe, Marry Me or Not is like the mature and sizzling version. I think Alice's acting was more natural in Office Girls but her crying scenes have improved immensely in Marry me or Not. Roy Chiu hasn't changed a bit; his crying scenes still get to me. The directing and cinematography in this drama was gorgeous and the date/deep talk scenes were so different than the norm. No cliche stuff here in that regard!
The supporting cast was great, no complaints at all. The office cast was adorable but didn't really stand out to me. Sheng Nan (Joanne Tseng) and Hao Meng's (Roy Chiu) sibling love was done so well and I loved how their relationship was portrayed. Many viewers disliked Sheng Nan but honestly I don't know how I'll act if I was so in love like she was. She's the perfect example of love can make you blind and do stupid things. But because of that, her character was so real that you could relate to her and that made her character come to life. The parents of Hao Meng and Huan Zhen (Alice Ke) were stark contrasts. One was in an 'unloving' relationship while the other was very much in love. Their respective marriages were a form of symbolism for the different kinds of romantic love and the director used that to set up the main plot between Hao Meng and Huan Zhen. Now, the other male lead, Qian Yao (Harry Chang), is the most 'evil'; character in this drama. Nevertheless, I still liked him and Harry portrayed this faceted, flawed character well.
Amazingly, there were no seriously vindictive second leads at all in this drama. Rather, their worst enemy was themselves and their pride. For those of you out there that didn't like this drama as much as I did, I do think that connecting to the characters in a drama really helps the relatability of a drama. Unfortunately, there are still some family problems in this drama but it doesn't detract from the drama- it actually unveils more understanding. I think a huge part of this drama was understanding the different forms of love and also understanding yourself when you're in love. Honestly, this drama taught me so many life lessons and although there were a few bumps along the way plot-wise, I still think this drama showed a lot of heart. Dramas like this, with lots of inner monologues, are hard done well because they can get boring but not only does Marry Me or Not keep them interesting, but they add so much to the episodes. Seriously, I cried too many times.
Music: The soundtrack was well rounded. There are lively upbeat songs, and super emotionally wrecking songs. A little something for everyone. I loved this soundtrack, even for my high drama ost standards. My favorites are Lost Heartbeat and the song sang by Joanne Tseng, also known as Sheng Nan in the drama! I listened to the soundtrack so much that I started to notice the lyrics for many of the songs correspond with the plot perfectly and describe many of the characters really well.
This drama kind of reminded me of the famous T-drama, In Time With You, not just because Li Da Ren (Chen Bo Lin) cameoed for a small part but also because this drama is more about mature, thoughtful, retrospective, love, not innocent fluffy young love. The monologues and self reflection scenes were also very reminiscent of some In Time With You scenes, but definitely still different. I wholeheartedly recommend this drama even for those people who don't like T-dramas because this drama felt completely different from the usual T-dramas I watched. Since I already re-watched a few episodes, I would assume the re-watch value is high! I most definitely recommend this drama for those romantics out there (like me!) and those looking for a incredibly well done drama that feels very fresh and has fantastic acting all around. (10/9.5)
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Esta resenha pode conter spoilers
Um dorama mal aproveitado
O dorama começou com uma proposta bastante interessante, e confesso que prendeu bastante até a metade do dorama.. Beijo explosivo com um clima envolvente, um romance intenso e um casal com muita química. Eu gostei da experiência de um modo geral, mas não dá pra ignorar que a história poderia ter sido muito melhor proveitada.O principal problema são os vários furos de roteiro. Em vários momentos, situações importantes surge-me simplesmente não são bem explicadas ou bem desenvolvidas.
Gente a irmã da Go Darim que fez a maior presepada e sumiu do dorama, o Seon u que passou o dorama inteiro dando o fora na Ha- Yeong e no final ficou com ela … poderiam ter aproveitado o casal secundário bem no início , a irmã do protagonista que quis ferrar com ele e quase conseguiu e não aconteceu nd com ela.. e no final terem causado aqle acidente e ainda o cara perdeu a memória .. só nos 10 minutos finais que ele lembrou dela … Enfim na minha opinião esse roteirista perdeu a mão, ficou sem criatividade pq não é possível meu kkkkk
Todos os personagens poderiam ter um ótimo desenvolvimento, uma linda história marcante.
O dorama tinha tudo pra ser ótimo, mas só foi bom 😉
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
a heads up though:
1. the show is really choppy and messy. even from the first season, the first half of each season would be based on their life in school. then it'll suddenly change to an alternate universe of some sort where they have magical powers. those parts seemed really draggy to me.
2.there isn't much romance. maybe a little tease here and there but there's literally barely any romance at all. literally, we only get that tease of romance in the last two episodes.
3. their audio dubbing is good, it sounds pretty fluent. but lip syncing? not so much. especially when the characters perform or sing. it's like the actors don't know what they're singing or performing. it's so out of sync, i thought they added a random audio clip over the scenes.
i really do like each character's personality and their backstories. this drama is more about friendship than anything else. the theme song is really good, it's upbeat and easy to understand. still, the best part of the entire drama are the comedic scenes.
personally would not watch this drama again.
if you're looking for a comedic highschool drama, give this a go.
but if you're looking for something with a solid plot and romance, this isn't for you.
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Like the synopsis, its about hacking and murder with hardly any romance and a speck of comedy here and there. But the suspence is so gripping you cant let go. It keeps you guessing and trying to figure whats going to happen next to the extent you just want to keep watching.
Im sure there are other similar ones, but this a first for me that had me so addicted (to a suspense drama)
The main pair is nice but the second lead pair is really cute, I enjoyed their scenes a lot.
Then ending was amazing and they finished off the drama really well. I really have to praise the writers for that..(cant say for some of the others who mess up a real good drama with a messy ending eg bag guy, big)
Well guys if you want to see a drama that keeps you on the edge then go for it!!!you wont regret it even the romantic lovers like me
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Esta resenha pode conter spoilers
stellar visuals with mediocre writing (watch suggestions)
Overall: it has a unique premise but the pacing was very slow and the writing was lackluster. 12 episodes about 23 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5405/the-promise-of-the-soul-2025-e01 (available in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, India, Southeast Asia) ; iQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/the-promise-of-the-soul-2025-w4opu9ieap and VBL Series YouTube channel with membership (not available in Japan) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akfMhc4hIXw - VBL (Variety Between Love) has also produced: Fight For You, Eternal Butler, Stay By My Side, You Are Mine etc. There are sometimes bonus scenes at the end, including at the very end of the finale.Content Warnings: non con touching/kissing/sexual assault multiple times, past deaths, death, bullying, punches, ex-partner intimate abuse, held against will, blood, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide (it's complicated)
Watch Suggestions (if you aren't into slow pacing/a cold ML and focus on their sweet/steamy parts)
- read the synopsis
- skip episodes 1-4
- episode 5 watch 5-11:10 and 19:45-end
- episode 6 end at 21:55
- episode 7 watch 4-10:35 and 13:20-end
- episode 8 watch beginning-19
- watch episode 9
- skip episode 10
- episode 11 watch beginning to 9:10
- episode 12 watch 3:30-5:15, 6:50-8:05 and 15:45-end
What I Liked
- visuals
- the grandpa
- that everyone knew what happened right away
- the GL couple
- VBL cameo with the dorm supervisor and his boyfriend
Room For Improvement
- slow pacing
- the sexual assault (multiple times) and then poorly done redemption arc
- tropey (the accidental kiss)
- nonsense (not talking about the premise) perfectly coiffed hair after waking up in the morning, he wasn't brought to the hospital at the beginning of episode 7
- in episode 8 our supposed hero acts exactly like an abuser
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
