Queen's Classroom
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1This review may contain spoilers
@ mobbing, friendship, class culture and reflecting moral behavior among 6th grade pupils. Great!
"The Queen's Classroom" is a dramaturgically fascinating story about kids at a South Korean elementary school, shortly before their transition to middle school. The young actors are fantastic. Likewise the adults. At the same time, it is a nuanced, clever study of bullying from 2013. I appreciate this series very much because it not only shows THAT there are enormous social problems with an increasingly traumatizing marginalization of young students, but also how/that the school, i.e. the teachers, can contribute in a creative, constructive, pedagogically valuable way, and thus counteract the trend. For this reason alone, "The Queen's Classroom" is worth seeing. In addition, the KDrama tells a wonderful story about the idea of friendship - about how the mere concept and label 'friendship' becomes a real, three-dimensional relationship with a solid grounding. Fabulous.The unique approach is a focus on the age between elementary and middle school - a phase that is crucial in the development of personality, e.g. for the cognitive development with regard to the moral assessment of situations, the ability to change perspective and a differentiated understanding of moral values. Eventually, the moral assessment of mobbing/bullying is the crucial first step in order to seriously counteract the ominous trend. This aspect is a characteristic problem in South Korean schools. (See side note below.)
In the case of "The Queen's Classroom", the homeroom teacher sets important impulses for the personal processes of individual pupils and the class as a whole with quite idiosyncratic, (of course also dramaturgically effective), provocative pedagogical methods. The aim is to use paradoxical intervention in order to trigger more profound emotional and cognitive processes, so that the students can move from the sometimes naive surface of their beliefs to their true, genuine core. On this basis only can they then stand their by all means noble, idealistic convictions powerfully and authentically against adverse circumstances. Personal processes can often be a bit painful, as is the case here. However, the result is quite spectacular for the individuals and for the class as a whole, too. It could/should be something like this or something similar, it HAS to be if the increasing trend of bullying in schools is to change.
Chapeau! "The Queen's Classroom" is boldly leading the way as a small but mighty pioneer in the KDrama world. To be fair, the KDrama is based on a Japanese production. Since the social problem is similar there, it is not surprising. In any case, the Korean remake didn't do any harm... Despite all the emotional seriousness, it's a great pleasure to accompany the kids on their bumpy road.
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SIDE NOTE: --- Wang-ta - Bullying in a collectivistic society, like South Korea ---
While 'mobbing', strictly speaking, refers to psychological terror or physical violence by a group, 'bullying' describes the harassment itself, regardless of how many people take part in it. However, the choice of term does not change the fact that far too many students are involved - be it as victims, as perpetrators or as spectators/witnesses. This is an international phenomenon, with more or less extreme manifestations. There is peculiarity in South Korea, though: collectivism (vs. Western individualism). When the welfare of the collective has the highest priority, it means that the interests of the individual are subordinated to those of the associated social group - be it family, work, school, class, club, friends, etc. Peer pressure also exists in individualistic Societies, true enough, but in collectivism it has an even stronger impact. This should not be underestimated when dealing with the topic of mobbing/bullying.
'Wang-ta' is a specific, common South Korean slang term that is used in connection with and in dealing with a person who is not part of the group. One becomes an outsider very quickly, wearing the wrong clothes, having the wrong interests or preferences, belonging to the wrong group or to no group, having poor, stigmatized or less influential parents, living in the wrong family constellation or only achieving bad grades. However, this label commonly implies (in collectivist society) that it socially 'is allowed' to devalue and harass this person for being an outsider. When group norms are thus strong, such exclusion based on appearance, lack of achievement, special preferences, etc. can have particularly fatal consequences. Those experiencing 'Wang-ta' first hand, may lack the chance of getting rid of this label again.
- Those who 'choose' the victim are hardly aware of any guilt, since they are convinced, that they are rightly criticizing a deviation from the set norm.
- The other peers will thus avoid the stigmatized pupil and assume that there is something to it, so that the label (and exclusion) is justified.
- And those labeled ´wang-ta´ will only withdraw even further, ashamed of their 'apparent' lack, and feel even more inferior, than they might already do.
Empirical studies in 1998 ff with pupils from European or American countries (with individualistic socialization) showed, that in 85 percent of bullying cases peers were involved as bystanders. Of those, only 11 percent eventually intervened. Unfortunately, I don't have any comparable South Korean numbers, neither from then nor from today. However, I probably don't lean too far out of the window when I suspect that there are significantly less, who would actively intervene.
In the course of further international studies it was possible to prove that intervention by peers is, however, an essential first step towards change. Active intervention on-site in the middle of the situation triggers a (moral) debate among the peers about the situation in the first place. As long as there are only passive, tolerating bystanders, the act is socially approved and its justification defacto confirmed.
There are South Korean studies that show: although the majority of the pupils interviewed do not like bullying, at the same time they also believe that it is inevitable. In fact, they assume, that the victims in general deserve to be punished because of their (self-inflicted) being an outsider.
The peer group has the greatest influence during the school years from late elementary school to high school. At the same time, this is the phase in which generosity in dealing with diversity can and must be learned as an essential social value. If such a value is not socially recognized at that time, then young people will not be able to integrate it into their further lives, let alone apply it. This is the painful crux of the issue of "wang-ta" in South Korean schools (or later in the workplace): generosity in dealing with diversity has no tradition, no culture, no socially recognized value on the peninsula. If you want to change the school bullying trend, then you have to start here. I.e. as a teacher in elementary and middle school, opening up spaces for experience with tolerance and thus creating the opportunity for a new culture of social interaction. A confident class culture that explicitly acknowledges diversity, that socially and openly and explicitly questions wang-ta as a social option, can form the fertile breeding ground for fundamental societal changes that leave more room for individuality. In the face of an ever-approaching, globally networked world, this is becoming increasingly necessary in order to create the personal and social balancing act of a hybrid between traditional and global, between collectivistic and individualistic.
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I was in "drama mood" so in that period U wasn't picky at all. I just read the synopsis then I decided to watch this drama without expecting anything from it.
2) Storyline/Plot:
The general story wasn't very special but it can't be considered as a one of K-dramas usual plots. However, it wasn't outstanding.
Positive Points:
*The storyline had a great dramatical depth which can make you tagged to its events.
*Main Genres:
--->Romance: This is a romantic story with all the meanings that the word "Romance" refer to; it was well written in order to make developments go deeper and deeper after each episode.
The romance here is the "mature" type, not like those childish romantic stories that we see everywhere but it's not very serious that would make you get bothered since they added moments to cheer the audience and keep boring moments out; i believe it was a smart move in order to maintain the great romance.
One more point, romance was a play of fate, a play of reality to show how true love can survive no matter what kind obstacles it faces; I know it's a little dreamy but it was cool in the drama.
--->Drama: I consider this drama as a dramatical romance, it's not the rom-com type so the dramatical side was heavily present and well done in some points.
It can be devided to several parts since the storyline was devided, the middle dramatical part was the best then there's some good parts at the beginning.
Negative Points:
*The romance is good but only the main leads romance existed; no side romantic stories that can change the mood a little. Yes, there was the usual Korean triangle but the side romantic stories were absent.
*The dramatical parts in the end were really annoying because it took a wrong turn after the 15th or the 16th episode; I had high hopes for that part and even though, it didn't end up badly but I wasn't satisfied.
Story: 8/10
3) Acting/Cast:
*Joo Jin Mo:
I have a great respect for him as an actor, I loved his previous roles and I really liked his role here, it wasn't an intense role but the way he handled things was really well done.
The character was a very strong at first, you can feel the hartred and pain in Lee Shin Jun's eyes then as the drama went on, many changes occurred, many dramatic moments were held by his character, it was intEresting to to follow his character developments but at the end, I noticed some unsatisfying changes in the character's personality but it's all up to the story's changes above.
*Lee Bo Young:
I don't know her as an actress which means that I am not familiar with her acting skills, here she was acceptable and moving in some points because the role was portrayed in a satisfying way.
The character, let's see, I wasn't fully taken by kang Eun seol's character and I never sympathized with her. The character was off sometimes, cheerful some other times, cool most of the time and what I clearly remember that it was really annoying starting from the 15th or the 16th episode.
*Other Cast: I am only familiar with some of them but I think their roles were nicely done, except some annoying characters, the supporting roles were okay.
Relationships:
--->Romance: The chemistry was good, like I said earlier it's one of the greatest romantic stories that I've ever seen plus the leads made it enjoyable "most" of the time.
--->The triangle: Most of the time they were really annoying to watch, I skipped those parts often, I tried to watch but they weren't any close to the sweet triangles that we usually know but I have to appreciate Kim Pil Seo's character since it was "mature"
--->The leads relationship with Lee Shin Jun's mother: It was really well done at first but when it took the obvious turns near the ending, I became uninterested.
Cast: 7/10
Acting: 8.5/10
4) The ending:
I liked the final obstacle, it was somehow unexpected and cool to watch. Nice closure but it doesn't deny that it was one of K-dramas classical endings.
The ending: 8/10
5) My impression (How did it affect me):
*I was really interested in this drama and that's the main reason I finished it fast.
*I wasn't bored but I have to admit that I skipped several parts in order to make my watching time equilibrated plus there were scenes that I didn't like.
*Is this drama memorable: Yes, I am keeping this drama in my mind as one of the greatest romantic dramas but not as one of the greatest dramas that I've ever seen.
My impression: 8.5/10
6) Overall:
*If you like romantic stories than this for you.
*If you're into romantic comedies, I don't think that this drama would suit your taste.
*Watch this if you're looking for a great male lead.
Overall: 8/10.
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Honestly, my consideration for watching Secret Garden was the two main characters Ha Ji Won and Hyun Bin..
But after that I found the story was amazing..
I was hooked and finished this only in 2 days.. until my eyes being swollen at that time..
It makes me laughed and cried at the same time.. The storyline made me curios to watch this until the end..
Both Ha Ji Won and Hyun Bin plays the role very well.. Especially when their bodies switched.. The chemistry between them looks so real..
The music also very good.. the placement for the ost at every scene can play our emotion..
For me, it’s one of the best K-drama.. Love it so much!!!
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An intense binge worthy drama!
I am so in love with this drama. I saw everyone praising it so I casually started it out of curiosity. I was just thinking about giving it a try for the hype. But now I am actually joining the crowd. I feel like praising everything about this drama.
Reset is an intense story that revolves around a few characters binded by a time loop. What I am happy about is that despite it being a time loop drama where certain things will keep on repeating it was executed in such a nice way that I couldn't even think of skipping anything. No matter how many times they repeat it, a right balance of new things came out that was interesting.
So the story starts with a university student named Li Shiqing (Zhao Jin Mai). She was on a bus and on her way to somewhere when the bus gets into an accident and she dies. But she wakes up the next second and just considers it as a bad dream but woah! this is the best part. Things seem to get repeated and she seems to die because of the same accident again and again. Once she realizes about this horrible time loop, her first instinct is to escape, she uses a boy sitting beside her who is Xiao Heyun (Bai Jing Ting), a game developer to get out of the bus but unexpectedly he enters into the same time loop with her. Oh my god! Just the first episode and I was hooked up. I couldn't wait to see how they would continue this story.
Afterwards there are just crazy things happening. They both try struggling in all ways possible to change this destinied accident. Not even a single second is irrelevant or like filler in the drama. Everything is there for a reason. Even the expressions of each actor and how should they react in a particular scene is so perfect.
Their bond. Like two people who are in a mess of time, fighting together and just like two teammates going through life and death together. You can observe how slowly and reasonably their bond develops. Romance is not the visible center of the drama but it's just present through those little moments between them. You can see the care in their eyes and just the will to accompany her/him in the trouble till the end.
I love how almost every character has their own story and stuff. It's short like 15 episodes of 45 minutes each but they do justice to every character present.
Favorite line — "Human is iron and rice is steel. You can only save the world when you are full"
So, in the end, I recommend this to everyone. To even those viewers who are like me and who hesitate to watch time loops… this was a great watch. A well organized plot, high quality production with actors who know their characters well. It's amazingly set with an interesting story which kept me on the edge of my seat and I was like always looking forward to watch more and more. Meanwhile I will be off to dig up some good behind the scenes videos to enjoy more of this :D
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That's actually quite simple. At one point, I thought « Wow ». I was already hooked from the start (or rather around episode 3 because that's when the main leads actually meet for the first time) but later I really fell in love with the characters and the story. I was impressed, which nearly never happens. I was so eager to see the next episode that I ended up reading the novel... only to be frustrated by not being able to finish it. Yes, unfortunately for now, you'll only find the first half translated in english on internet. (EDIT : now completed! Advice: watch the drama before reading the novel.)
Story :
It's a little difficult to follow at first because there are a lot of characters and informations to remember. When it started, I thought it would be roughly one case every three episodes. So I didn't really care about the criminals identities and that's where I was wrong. It's actually one big case. The first case leads to the second, which leads to a third even bigger, and so on. Episodes are short but intense on informations. You have to stay focused to follow this drama, be warned.
Drama vs novel
Personnaly, I love them both in a different way. In the novel, I love how intense the main leads relationship is. We don't have their inner thoughs in the drama, so the focus is more on the investigation, which gives off an intense feeling too. Hence, I did not mind the difference, but I'll surely see a lot of things in a different way when I'll rewatch it. For instance, Ji Bai feelings are less obvious in the drama. He smiles at her, confides in her, stays by her side... They just made Xu Xu realization of her feelings more obvious than the novel through her drawings. Still, I think you'll appreciate the drama more if you watch it before reading the novel.
Acting and characters reactions
Realistic. I have to word it that way because, when it's a romantic comedy, chinese and taïwanese dramas tend to exagerate situations. Fortunately, they choose to focus on the investigation for this drama, so the acting is also very serious. The one thing that actually doesn't feel right is Xu Xu drawing cartoons. I felt the way she was portrayed in the novel, being someone really mature and logical, was more realistic.
Music and cinematography
I loved the opening song and even more its clip. So beautiful and kind of sensual, even with animals drawings. It goes well with the cinematography. Some sequences are beautiful. I loved how they make use of some silent moments. One little thing bothered me in the first few episodes. At times, the camera trembled too much, probably to give a suspens feel. But overall, it was really well-done.
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Unexpected
One way to summarize 'The School Nurse Files' would be: "Unexpected, strange and unique."From the very first minutes of the series you start to wonder what you got yourself into. At the end of episode one you get stuck into this mindset of "I need more, what was this?"
This series won't fit everyone's taste but if you get rid of all common sense and logic you will surely enjoy it.
You won't be able to understand majority of the story if you skip on this one during episodes, the episodes need to be watched in its entirety for them to make some sense and for the story to flow.
As a fan of anime and comics, I can honestly say this fits my taste and it's something I've only seen in Japanese dramas, it's ridiculous to say the least at times, but isn't that something to be enjoyed? The real world is already too bland as it is.
A gem who will be appreciated over time!
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I marathoned it straight for first 12 hours, and man, I was in love.
I am not a critic and am sure this is not a perfect drama in any means, but my heart loved it!
Maybe it was because of my mood or whatever it maybe, I just kept swooning.
Hungry for a rom-com after long while, just wanna see something that makes you smile and your heart go aw, pick it up :)
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There are both pros and cons in this drama. I prefer the love triangle in 94 much, much more than the one in 97. Overall, the characters in this drama were almost equally as good as in 97 (or in some cases- even better).
For starters, Na Jeong was quite funny and likable. According to me, it's hard to beat Sung Shi Won played by Eun Ji in 97 but nonetheless, Go Ah Ra did a great job of playing the main character. The rest of them were great in their roles too but the character of Chilbong stands out a bit more for me. I didn't feel like the writer fully utilized his character. Yoo Yeon Seok however did a splendid job with the way he played Chilbong. Applause to him for making me love him so much and making his character feel so real! Then there's Jung Woo who played Trash oppa. I failed to fully connect to his character, maybe due to the way it was written or due to the lack of acting skills of the actor. I don't know who to blame here. I honestly felt like Trash's character had more depth to him than was delivered- which is just sad.
I now understand why this drama had countless shipper wars. My biggest complaint with the love triangle was why drag it out so much when one guy didn't even stand a proper chance from the beginning? Na Jeong clearly loved one and one only from the start. I did like both guys but the outcome was too predictable. Of course, the writer tried to 'confuse' the viewers but I could easily sense the direction it was going in. Better luck next time, writer-nim!
The thing that makes this drama stand out is the band of realistic characters, their unbreakable bonds, unforgettable friendships and love for each other. Mixed in with the nostalgia of the 90's this was surely a recipe for success. I must say it delivered exceedingly well on this front.
Its other great strength lies in its deeply likable cast where there wasn't a single annoying person! Its OST is pretty good too and is sure to keep me listening for days.
Btw I HAVE to mention the cameos of the cast of Reply 97! They were so hilarious that I wanted to kick out the 94 part and let them stay instead. :D This came as a plus to me because they entered the drama right when the plot started becoming stale.
In spite of the many moments that made this drama super likable, there were an equal number of scenes during which I found myself hitting the fast forward button. Why, writer-nim could you not make this drama shorter? What made Reply 1997 work was its shorter length and ability to not drag out as much as regular dramas tend to do. This drama's duration of each of the 21 episodes made watching a tedious task. The downside of having a drama stretch more than it can eventually tires out the viewer thereby decreasing the overall enjoyment.
Had it been shorter and not as repetitive, I would have said that this drama was better than Reply 1997 in a lot of ways. It probably is. Being the same kind of story, by the end it managed to touch me and thus left me with the happy and warm feeling that it sought out to do. :)
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If you like comedy drama, this is quite funny, but there are more dramas out there that can make you laugh louder.
If you like happily-ever-after-ending drama, this will let you down, don't expect too much.
If you like sad drama, this is not enough to make your tears come out
If you like action drama, you're not supposed to end up here reading the review :p
But,
If you look for different taste of Kdrama,
If you look for great performances,
If you look for beautiful soundtracks,
This is the one that worth to watch!!
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This review may contain spoilers
Entertaining & Good Chemistry Ongoing Review (Happy Ending Answer)
SLOW START:I am amazed that the drama follows the book's slow pace in the first 4 episodes. I was expecting less development of the CSS's family. The first 20+chapters of the book are boring so I thought they would just sum it up quickly, but they did drag it out a bit in slow motion. This will discourage some people who are used to quick-paced dramas. If you don't like wordplay or family (in this case females) bickering, then the first episodes will be painfully slow. However, the drama doesn't need to be abandoned because the later episodes will be better after the "main" characters come out. That being said, I have a feeling that the drama will be developed in a similar way.
It's a slow beginning, but they did try to make it entertaining. I think it's worth giving it a chance to develop the narrative (which although slow, is well-acted and filmed). The cinematography looks amazing so far.
If needed, you can skip the first 4 episodes: they are about a girl who was left behind as a baby because her family had to go to war. She was abused by her aunt and grandma. The story begins as her family returns home to find her grown up without education and fine manners.
The ML LBY came out in the first episode. He "met" CSS's hand. And the face-to-face meeting doesn't happen until episode 6.
PLOT EXPECTATION:
What this story is not about: politics & war (there is some, but it is about 1/4 of the story ... the other 3/4 is about women's and family drama). So it's always good to keep your expectation consistent with the perspective that this novel is about a girl, who is the main character; she has 3 suitors; her character matures as she makes her choices.
For those who expect a quick meeting of the main leads and a fast-paced romance, this isn't the drama. They don't "meet" right away. It's going to take time for her to like him. If you have seen The Story of Minglan, it's the similar vibe in terms of family drama. The focus will move from CSS's family drama to another family drama (the emperor's).
ACTING:
So far I really like the acting and funny moments (including the wordplay). It's a different type of drama. It feels like an artistic rendition rather than the typical C-dramas. If you like ZLS, this is a drama in which she shines because she can act in different stages of growth. LW's acting is not shabby either.
As you watch the drama, look out for the details in the words between the characters. The beauty of this novel/drama lies in the details and words and the interaction between people.
CHEMISTRY:
All the MLs have chemistry with ZLS. The looks (eyes) between them and her show how much they like her.
ENDING:
Happy Ending in the Novel. They didn't get married only talked about it in the epilogue. No actual ceremony. Let's hope the drama will script it in.
EPISODE REVIEW:
ep1:
The old lady who came to fetch CSS said, "If your parents love you, why did they leave you?" - This is the same question that CSS must have asked many times: it makes her feel unloved and orphaned.
When LBY heard the uncle say that CSS was without parents all her life, he must have already felt connected with her through their shared background: both grew up without parents.
ep 1-4
Not as good as could have been because of the excessive bickering. It sets up the storyline. Can skip over the high-pitched overdramatized bickering if you don't enjoy it.
Just finished ep6:
Amazing! They changed the novel. I love the change! It's more exciting/entertaining and makes more sense that she met all 3 on the same night! She still hasn't seen his face clearly, but he saw hers.
7-8
Episodes 7-8 didn't disappoint. Again, the script deviated from the novel, but it's all positive. VERY entertaining. I thought the cinematography and storyline had a Disneyesque quality: the filming of LBY with the black cape (a repetition from previous scenes) from low to the high angle from the back makes him look like a Disney character: intimidating, intriguing, and foreshadowing. The real voice of FL added to the fun and childish scenes. I feel she made it very believable and entertaining to watch.
TBH, I enjoy watching this drama more than reading the book. Although I laughed sometimes while reading, the drama brought out more of the comic element by providing not just the regular rom-com but also sophisticated irony, contrast, etc ... The director gave it a vibe of Disney's Cinderella and "Sense and Sensibility".
EPS 15-6
Again, I am impressed with the screen adaptation and the director of this drama.
An excellent screen adaptation of the novel to include more interactions among the male leads. I love that they are more central to the story and being shown at the same time so the audience can see how they treat her and how she reacts to their perspectives.
Jane Austen's vibe is obvious and consistent as the actors curtsy to each other and politely nod their heads. The director is able to get the actors to perform their roles perfectly. It's funny but not to the point of being ridiculous. The humor has a tasteful vibe. When the grandma's dramatic role is not being overplayed as in eps 1-4, she also has the vibe of JA's old dames.
I also love that ZLS can bring out the little girl vibe. Although she is young (but not that young), she brought out the innocence of a 14-year-old at times and makes you feel like yeh, I could believe in her silliness, idealism, and audacity. I think her real voice and acting make the role so believable even though she doesn't look 14 years old.
17-18
If I were reading Episodes 17-18, I would be fast-forwarding them to the next best parts. It's so painfully slow to wait for next week's episodes! I guess the story is not moving fast enough because it's still evolving around similar plot lines and conflicts: engagement, family fighting, LBY's unrequited love, CSS still needs to fight for herself without getting new skills.
It's like a video game level: she's not getting any extra skills or new conflicts to move on to the next level.
However, it's fun to see the dynamics of different families.
In these episodes, we can see that she's going to have a tough battle against the Lou family. Everyone can see it except CSS. Why? In her insecurity (worrying about not being able to find a suitable husband - Lou is the only one who asked her to be his wife), CSS thinks this is as good as it's going to get for her. She's a young teen. She's full of insecurities due to abandonment and lack of love. She doesn't know what love is. She is only concerned about having independence through being married to an easy-to-manipulate husband who will support her projects. But she doesn't realize that behind the husband is actually a formidable family.
These episodes are fun to watch to see the dynamics of Chinese families. The princes showed up in episode 18 in which you can see the contrast between the crown prince and the 3rd prince. It's foreshadowing who will rule at the end.
The next episodes will be more fun when she becomes engaged to LBY. It's a new plot line involving a new mentor (empress) and a matchmaker (emperor). It will be less frustrating to watch because CSS is getting new skills and love from her mentor. She has a stronger fiancé who supports her.
19-20
Breaking up is hard to do so CSS refuses to accept the verdict that she has to give her fiance, Yao, to the He daughter. Yao and CSS promised to stand against the world. Here we see that Yao actually has a backbone. His relationship with CSS has matured him and inspired a devotion that stands against the bullying of his family. It's a foreshadowing of a decent man and friend that he will become at the end of the story.
In this episode, we see that the relationship between mother and daughter is progressing ... also more disclosures about LBY's past.
One thing I noticed about this director is his use of repetition to emphasize the point: My favorite part about these 2 episodes is the last scene: LBY said, "No need to fear. I am here!" This is a repetition of what he said when he rescued her before. It just emphasizes his devotion to her.
21-22
Finally, the plot moves on! I felt too much time was spent on the first engagement. I would like to see more time spent on CSS and LBY's story. At least now, we are heading in the right direction!
She breaks her engagement with Yao. From here on, LBY will become the main man in her life. This marks the beginning of her exposure to life in the palace.
She overheard a conversation about overthrowing the crown prince. LBY saves her and starts to become involved in her life.
Overall, the plot is moving on. I wish they would not drag on with the grandma's scenes. At this point, I tend to get impatient and fast forward her scenes.
The emperor, on the other hand, is a lot more humorous. His involvement in LBY's love life is hilarious... the scene was fun to read too.
23-24
The script modified the story but it sounds reasonable. Here is where the LBY asks the Emperor to represent his parents and ask for CCS's hand in marriage. She took a chance and said yes. Why? She was touched by his sincere declaration that she is a special lady who is fit to be his wife. No other will do.
25-26
Excellent job in both scripting and directing. Really loved these two episodes, especially the humorous ending of 26! This was not in the book but the script again exceeded my expectation. I loved the way the director showed humor, not just through words but also through the filming angles and the closeup of movements!
In episode 25, CSS had to deal with the gossip and LBY helped her to silence the vicious girls. She realized then that she is solely dependent on him to give her power. And by relying on him, she loses her independence.
27
The hilarious episode shows LBY taking over Cheng's family in a military style.
28
Love doesn't conquer all ... Adjustments and compromises are required. I find this scenario to be very realistic. Romantic love is balanced with conflicts and character development. I like how smoothly the script transition the story to the Palace.
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The chemistry between the leads and the story
I'm on episode 20 and I'm still getting butterflies because of the ML and FL chemistry and interactions, they're soo cute together, even with their issues, just seeing FL try and the patience of ML is satisfying to me. Tbh i like the story and I'm looking forward to their past being revealed, and how they overcome their current issues. I'm happy with the pace as well, never have I felt so far that it should be done already, I'm enjoying it, there is still half way to go so we'll see what the second half will bring. It seems in the comment section I guess I'm the only one who's happy it didn't end yet?! 😂. Also I've binge watched 20 episodes in a day 😁😍.. I'm happy I decided to watch this.It's all about personal taste, so far i have no issues with the show, I've seen a good bit of the FL shows and a few of the ML, and tbh she has more chemistry with this this ML than some other shows I've seen her in, but that's just me. I'm also watching this like i never read any of the comments so i can judge it for myself.
There is a few draggy episodes, after a particular incident, i did skip a little but it was side characters not the main couple, about 80% of the shows I watched have some draggy parts, this is nothing new. Also.... I really really really hate the character of the rival shooting team captain, using all sorts of foolish tricks, why can't he just use his own talent.. it's soo upsetting at this point!!!
I really loved the pace of the romance, personally i think it was great that it wasn't rushed, because none of them were mentally prepared to be for a full committed relationship, but they just gradually get closer and get through their issues, up until the very end.
Completed the drama, and I enjoyed it very much... idk about the comments, but i really did enjoy the journey with the FL and the ML, to the point where i wish there were another episode with more of there life after.. don't want to spoil anything. but either way, i definitely loved this drama, i love the chemistry between the leads, i liked the ost and i like the story very much, the story ha various issues both physical and mental, I loved the whole healing process of the Leads as well. I'll give it at least an 9/10 because i left feeling happy.
If you find something you want to watch, try it out on your own, you may love it, like it or hate it but once its your own decision then that's what matters. I am personally happy i didn't follow the comments, but this is solely based on my preference, it's up to you to decide from checking it out if it's for you or not.
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Never, ever watch this drama, ever
This is maybe the WORST daily drama I have ever watched. I have never written a review before, but I just had to for this drama, For me, daily dramas are cathartic. You know that the good people will get a happy ending and the bad people will get punished. Yes, some daily dramas go off script and the ending can be less than satisfying, but this is the first drama I found enraging. The worst character of the entire series, the one that caused the most heartache and literally had someone murdered, doesn’t go to jail or receive any punishment. She is forgiven, for murder!!! And, the most selfless person in the entire show gets terminal cancer. The romantic plot line was all over the place. First the female lead looks like she is interested in a childhood friend, even though he is a selfish cold prick, IMO. Then, she gets over the friend and is interested in her guardian, the man that raised her since she was six. Okay, that was gross and weird, but I tried to look past it. But then, she doesn’t even end up with him because again, he dies at the end of the drama of cancer. So, the female lead marries the childhood best friend, who she doesn’t even love, to make her pseudo father happy. What???? The whole series was terrible from start to finish and I only finished it because I wanted to see how this train wreck would end. Ultimately, this was the least satisfying daily drama I have ever watched and I would never recommend anyone else watch it.Was this review helpful to you?
It moved along at a nice speed for me. It seemed to slow up a little bit when they got their extension from 16 to 18 episodes, and all of the added flashbacks made it a tad boring at times, but nothing that I couldn't ignore.
Acting/Cast: Loved them. Loved all of them. This would definitely be one of my favorite casts in a drama.
I'd never seen anything with Kim Myung Min before, and this drama definitely made me regret it. He played his bad-boy-the-gets-nicer role perfectly. He always had this air of total confidence, and it was just really awesome to watch in action.
This was the second time I'd watched anything with Jung Ryeo Won in it, and while I wasn't really a fan of her in that, I loved her in this.
Siwon though. That man just made this drama for me. Whenever he was on the screen, I could always count on laughing. Always. He was hilarious, he was adorable, and he was hilarious (yep, I'm saying that twice). And he had this laugh that was completely infectious. If you could watch this, listen to him laugh, and not find yourself smiling, I'd be shocked.
This was also a first for Oh Ji Eun for me. She didn't make her entrance into the show until almost the halfway mark, but that didn't stop me from loving her all the same.
When they were all together, for me, the chemistry was undeniable. Even the actors in the smaller roles of this show were amazing for me.
Music: I loved the OST for this show. That's really all I can say about that.
Rewatch Value: With the cast and the story being different than a lot of other dramas out there, I could definitely see myself watching this more than once in the future. Hell, I could see myself rewatching it multiple times just for Siwon's laugh.
Overall: Overall, I gave the show a 10. Like I said, it had some cliche obstacles, but it was fun (for me) to watch the main characters trample over them when they happened.
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Great potential and fairly decent execution, yet suffering from unnecessary complexity.
Let me elaborate.Acting Performances:
The majority of the cast consisted of newcomers. All of them, old and new faces, did great! Ta, Mio and Us particularly stood out but it was Barcode who truly stole the show. He was a cutie in KinnPorsche. However, here he was as complex as a character could be and he performed it perfectly.
Storytelling:
The beginning:
The few episodes after the first one were hella boring and confusing. There was a missing part that wasn't hinted adequately to the viewer. While somewhat passable, this highlights the need for better-written hints and suspense in future mystery projects to enhance the stories.
The middle:
You’ll find the most interesting events of the series here. The moment Non came to the screen, the narrative underwent a significant evolution. I couldn’t help myself but to root for Non’s character, even when he was doing things that I’m usually very against. There was a decision of his I wouldn’t understand if I missed WHY he would do it. I feel clarifying the reason behind this decision could have enhanced the understanding of character motivations and justified Phee's future actions more effectively.
The ending:
While the last few episodes were interesting, the shock value could have been dialed back. Certain elements felt unnecessary and overly complicated, leaving loose ends and unanswered questions. The final episode felt rushed, and boy, I would have loved an alternative to it.
Chemistry between Characters:
Plenty. At one point I didn’t know who I was supposed to ship with whom, because every pairing had quite the tension between them. There were some really good spicy scenes too. Unfortunately, almost none of them were plot driven, but were there for... Well... You know.
Overall Impressions:
Despite its flaws, this series clearly aimed for a level of effort and quality often lacking in Thai BLs. The dedication of the actors, screenwriters, directors, and crew is evident throughout. This seems to be the beginning of a new era for Thai BL series, with higher standards and more refined storytelling. BoC's willingness to push boundaries is something I appreciate greatly, and I would love to see what else they can give us, especially with Sammon on board (*cough* 4 minutes *cough*).
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Better than expected
I'm on a modern Chinese drama run and they're all flawed in their own way. This did remind of me Kill Me Heal Me. However the split personality aspect is really weird. How that single incident where a boy accidentally scarred a little girl, left such a traumatic impression on 3 individual is kinda far fetched. Not only that, the way her split personality work is kinda weird....she essentially manifest personality every time she's stress...on the spot. He goes out of his way to deal help the FL lead every time she changed personality is also pretty weird. I mean, at one point, he essentially let her run his company...lol...a person with no experience running any company. Oh yes...the FL is very Mary Sue ish btw. She just excel in everything she does despite have no prior experience in this field. Also for him, the way he almost essentially threw away a girl he love when he thought the girl he had injured was another woman...was just weird. Even if you find someone you'd wrong and want to make up for it...how is that supposed to affect your current love life? Oh yes, so the ML is supposed to be a genius heir of a conglomerate that excel in a lot of investment beside his make up company. He sure acts like an idiot at times. He's a miser to a fault and acts more like a kid than a successful businessman. So the point is...people here in this drama operates in extremely weird logics. Also, one of the biggest plot point was her scar. A scar, in which she had successfully concealed with makeup...so how is that such a big issue is weird. I'm telling you...this drama operates in wacky logic.But if you suspend all of the bad logic in the story, and its true of a lot of these Chinese drama, it's a rather enjoyable experience. I do like the FL's character and personality. The ML's is in his way quirky and cute. The doctor has a really good bromance with the ML. Lots of feel good, cute, and funny moments.
Pros:
- Fun cute romance with lots of cute scene.
- Do enjoy some of main couple.
- Do like the secondary couple with the ML's assistant and the FL's friend/therapist.
- The doctor and the ML's ex coupling is alright but never cared for that pairing. I prefer the bromance between the doctor and the ML.
- The ML's parent...though initially disapprove of their relationship are surprisingly supportive of them later on. Even going along with one of her personality change.
Cons
-As mention terrible logic everywhere. Every time she changes personality, people around her help her by trying to find a way to fulfill her desire. It's an interestingly plot device but the extent they're willing to go along with this...is...just weird if you think about. And EVERYONE plays along.
- Antagonist is alway bad: main one is the obsessive co-ceo of his makeup company I guess. Initally it was the ML's ex but she became her bff after she sacrifice her chance to fix her scar so she can fix her nose.
Despite how much I rant on this drama, I actually enjoyed it quite of bit. And one of the main reason is that they find ways to keep things interesting despite how far-fetch a lot of this scenario is . And they probably played a major role on how much I enjoyed this drama. It's not boring and they main leads are a like-able couple.
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