This review may contain spoilers
This Drama Is a Fever Dream and I’m Weirdly Into It
This drama eases you in just enough to make you think you know what you’re getting into—and then promptly proves you wrong.The plot and setting actually had me invested, so I was not prepared for the absolute clownery that followed. The comedy is loud, goofy, borderline cringe, and wildly unserious, yet somehow it still works. Everyone is acting like shame was never invented, and honestly? I laughed more than I expected. You will cringe. You will laugh. You may do both at the same time.
Visually, it’s thriving. The cast is ridiculously good-looking, the aesthetics are clean, and there is no shortage of eye candy. This drama knows its strengths and flexes them regularly.
That said, nine episodes in, the story is juggling a lot. Multiple plotlines, constant tonal shifts, comedy fighting for dominance with actual story progression—it sometimes feels like the show is doing parkour without a helmet. I’m choosing to believe this chaos is intentional and that everything will eventually click into place. Also… why is this full-length? That realization hit me like a jump scare.
The leads are solid. The ML continues his streak of choosing unconventional projects that somehow work, and I have faith. The FL gives strong My Uncanny Destiny vibes, which I loved, so no complaints there.
Overall, I’m having a genuinely good time—laughing, vibing, and enjoying the lightness while it lasts. Because let’s be honest… the angst is warming up in the wings.
Will update once I'm done with the rest of the episodes ✨
✨Update / Final Thoughts✨
Okay… wow. What a ride.
Overall, this turned out to be a genuinely unusual drama. The humor definitely won’t land for everyone, but if you look past the silliness, there’s a surprising amount of depth here. It tackles heavy questions, quiet contemplations, and some truly tragic backstories that hit heavier than expected. The Princess Consorts’ storyline, in particular, might be the most devastating of them all—easily one of the most tragic arcs in the entire drama.
And yes, I absolutely bawled my eyes out over the leads’ story. Especially the ML. A painfully pure soul. Emotionally unsafe levels of purity, honestly.
The cinematography is beautiful, the characters are deeply lovable, and the ending—while technically a happy one—leans bittersweet. It took several tear-detox sessions for me to fully accept that happiness was, in fact, achieved. Even though the background music occasionally goes a little too hard for no reason, it doesn’t take away from how memorable and distinct this drama ends up being.
Also—special shoutout because this deserves to be mentioned—the drama actually references My Uncanny Destiny in a clever, self-aware way that ties in perfectly. Did not expect that lol.
Do I still think it didn’t need such lengthy episodes? Absolutely. But despite that, this is a hidden gem—quirky, emotional, and unexpectedly moving. Definitely recommended.
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But first, to anyone who hasn't seen this drama yet, I have to say that if you're fond of out-of-the box story arcs, impressive plot twists and memorable confessions, this drama is devoid of any of these things because CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT is the main focus. Thus, the plot is pretty basic, simple and predictable (from the get-go you will see who she'll end up with). There are no bitchy ex-girlfriends/fiancee's. No scary mothers. No amnesia. No birth secrets. No angst. Every single character is loveable and positive. The main girl is a 20-something office lady who goes by the name of Amemiya Hotaru. She's an efficient and responsible employee who works for an interior design company. She's very good at what she does and enjoys a great relationship with her co-workers. On the outside, Hotaru exemplifies a well-mannered, classy intelligent young woman. However, she harbors a "dirty" little secret: at home, she's a TOTAL SLOB who loves to laze around in tattered jerseys and a stained t-shirt with a can of beer in hand. She loves reading manga, doesn't cook, sleeps on her porch with stacks of newspapers for a blanket and talks to stray cats in her backyard. She hates socializing and is so not interested in dating. She's perfectly fine with her lifestyle until her manager, a 40-something soon-to-be divorcee neat freak, moves in with her.
THE GOOD:
CHARACTERS
Every character endeared itself to me. I don't think I've ever hated anybody. No one had managed to raise my blood pressure. I don't even think there was a villain in the story.
Amemiya Hotaru is the type of female lead that every ordinary girl can relate to. It's not because she is dirt poor and average-looking. In fact, she's pretty, smart, optimistic, and more than capable of whatever task she's given. But the childish side to her character as well as her quirks made her loveable. Although her disorganized and klutzy personality was exaggerated (to elicit laughs and provide comic relief, I'm sure), I found myself thinking "that is SO me" most of the time, whether it was about her being too lazy to clean her room, or being insecure in her interactions with the guy she really liked.
Unlike other dramas, most conflicts were cause by misunderstandings and a lack of communication. Yes, there were a LOT of unrequited side romances but the "love rivals" were understanding and considerate. I loved the interactions and relationships in the office as well. They all seemed like one big family who had concern for each other even with regards to matters that were more love-related than work-related. LOL, It made me think. The world would be so much better if things were like that, empty of crab mentality, envy and pettiness. Wouldn't it be wonderful? The characters suffered from lovesick problems from time to time, but they always seemed to be willing to help each other out and give advice to the ones who were problematic.
ROMANCE
There are actually two love stories in this drama:
The first was between Hotaru and Teshima. I honestly preferred Teshima throughout the drama because IMO, their romance was sweet and innocent. Kind of like that puppy love you experience for the first time in high school, you know? Butterflies in the stomach and racing heartbeats. I really liked the fact that he accepted her for who she is, weird habits and all. It was funny watching him and Hotaru being SO clueless as to how to express their feelings properly. In that aspect, they were very much alike. He was patient and sweet albeit a little dull in terms of personality (which gave a negative effect on the acting, unfortunately). However, I blame this on the writing. If only the character had been written with more depth, I would've found him to be a lot more interesting.
The second love story was between Hotaru and her boss, the main guy who, strangely enough, had the classic Second Male Lead Syndrome, Takano. Unlike her love story with Teshima which started with a kiss, theirs was a "slow burning" one. It started on the wrong foot as there was NO attraction on first sight. IMO, it was the best because both of them got to know each other's WORST traits first before they appreciated each other's positive areas. I admit though. At first though, I preferred Teshima over the boss because the latter treated her in a way that was typical of a father or an older brother. He constantly berated her for her untidiness, cooked for her, gave her love advice and basically became this all around go-to guy. They seemed more like best friends who often bickered over the tiniest things than potential lovers. Yet as the story progressed, I understood why they were so perfect for each other despite being TOTAL opposites. They helped each other grow and develop their weak areas. Takano helped her develop a little bit of finesse and taught her (begrudgingly) how to become, er, less of a slob, encouraged her whenever she was plagued with insecurities and guided her as she navigated her way to womanhood. Hotaru, on the other hand, taught him how to be more self-giving and considerate. Before they lived together, Takano was a workaholic and didn't know how to treasure personal relationships. When she came into his life, he learned to consider another person's well-being other than his own without being aware of it. They were also very comfortable around each other. Hotaru didn't need to force herself to change nor did she become too self-conscious when she was around him. It was the kind of relationship that is much needed in a long-term companionship like marriage. The steady kind of love that makes you feel secure and content, contrary to the blazing fire of passion often mistaken as "love" in a lot of romantic stories.
THE BAD:
I don't think there's anything negative to comment except the stiff acting and underdeveloped character of Teshima. He was the sole weak link. Maybe a veteran actor would've been better? Also, I thought it was weird that there was no sexual tension between Hotaru and Takano considering that they were still woman and man living under the same roof. I guess the writer of the manga preferred not to give it some focus in favor of the personal connection between the two. Dramas will always be dramas; you can never expect them to be a 100% reflection of reality, not even biographies.
FINAL VERDICT:
A "highly recommended" rom-com. The main reason why I love this drama is because I can relate to it so much! I developed this connection with the characters, especially the main girl Hotaru because in many ways I could see myself in her. Her journey back to love after years of being independent and single, her insecurities with her relationship, her heartbreak and growth from being a "dried up fish" for many years to womanhood, not to mention the wonderful humor and acting that made this little J-drama such a gem! I can't remember how many times I burst out laughing because of her and Takano's squabbles and antics. I loved the slow romantic development between the OTP. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves romantic comedies or just any person looking for a very light and funny drama that's full of heart.
I'm looking forward to watching the second season next.
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Queen of Reversals is one of the best melodramas I've watched. It tells the mature story of a marriage between two people who are struggling to make it work or having to decide to let go. The cast of actors all do a wonderful job. Kim Nam Joo and Park Shi Hoo are stand outs. Kim Nam Joo is wonderful as Hwang Tae Hee. The evolution of her character is a lot fun to watch. Park Shi Hoo is such a scene stealer. He has a great quality and screen presence.
The supporting cast was also well chosen. This was a melodrama but I loved that there were no birth secrets, no one had a deadly disease, no one loved someone they thought might be their sister. It was actually a pretty nice and refreshing change to watch something more real. The plot unfolded very nicely for 31 episodes and there were some real surprises along the way. This also has the funniest bromance between Goo Yong Shik and his secretary...Hilarious.
I ended up loving this show and giving it a 9. A few months later I stand by that rating. If you are looking for a great story about a woman really finding her strength you'll love Queen of Reversals.
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I Will Love You No Matter How Many Lifetimes
This drama caught me by surprise. I thought it was going to be the ML being not only obsessive but abusive to the FL, this was not the case. This was a man that was willing to give his life over and over again to have the FL live even if he didn't.The story starts from the ending showing Shangguan Wei Yang (Vicky Liang) shooting an arrow into the back of Ye Bei Chen (Zhang He) who was about to kill her beloved Ye Ming Xuan (Wang Jun Hao). She killed Ye Bei Chen in hatred and fell from the city wall. Watching her fall and holding her lifeless body Ye Bei Chen was left heartbroken and filled with regret for failing to protect her.
Feeling such remorse, he was told that even though she was on the brink of death she could live again. Willing to do anything he takes her to see the Old Poison Freak. This begins the cycle of life and death for Shangguan Wei Yang and Ye Bei Chen.
Ye Bei Chen was the King of Kan and brother to the emperor and also the uncle to Ye Ming Xuan. Ye Bei Chen meets Shangguan Wei Yang after she saved him. He was haunted by memories of Shangguan Wei Yang, his niece-in-law, that he discovered was the woman that his nephew, Ye Ming Xuan was planning to marry.
At all cost Ye Bei Chen protected Shangguan Wei Yang in the shadows. Realizing she was given another opportunity to rectify what had happened in her past life, she was willing to do whatever it took this time to stop Ye Bei Chen. Every time she thought she had outsmarted him; he found a way to wreck her plans. So much so, until he was able to get the emperor to make her his queen nullifying the marriage of his nephew, Ye Min Xuan. This did not sit well with her. All the endless misunderstandings came to head when she found out that it was not Ye Bei Chen who was the culprit but actually the man she had given her heart to, Ye Ming Xuan who was behind all those misdeeds.
Learning of all of this, Shangguan Wei Yang, was regretful of how she had treated Ye Bei Chen. You will be so mad at her because this goes on for quite some time with her treating him so bad. He is injured time after time. Always putting himself on the line for her. By episode 14, they will finally find some common ground, and that leads to the hottest kissing session!!!
Not to be outdone, Ye Ming Xuan was so mad about Ye Bei Chen taking Shangguan Wei Yang from him he vowed to get her back. He sets Ye Bei Chen up for the killing of her father, which again, she believes he did. Something in her mind made her realize it wasn't him and stood up to the emperor to defend him. They both work together to find out what had happened. Of course, it was Ye Ming Xuan because her father found that he was trying to kill his father to become emperor.
We also have Ye Bei Chen knowing that his time is limited with the poison in his body and one of them must die in order for the other to survive. Not telling Shangguan Wei Yang this, he makes sure that she has beautiful memories of being with him. She has finally (you will all be happy) fallen for him. This man really shows he loves her. I mean he will beat anyone if they do anything to her.
There is another prince who is in love with Shangguan Wei Yang, Feng Xuanyi, who is used by Ye Ming Xuan to set up Ye Bei Chen. He also causes issues between them when he tells him that he wants to marry her. But at this point, we knew that would never happen.
You will love in episode 18 when Ye Bei Chen snatches up Ye Ming Xuan and tells him, "So what if you're the Crown Prince. If you dare to disrespect my fiancé again, I'll make you understand what despair truly means." You have to love this man who really sticks up for his woman. The number of times he is injured, is just unprecedented. You can see the happiness but then here comes Huan Yan, she is the apprentice to the Old Poison Freak and in love with Ye Bei Chen. In spite, she tells Shangguan Wei Yang that only one of them can survive. In reality, it's the Life and Death Gu that was planted in Ye Bei Chen's body. When the time comes, if she doesn't die, he will. She doesn't believe her. She further explains that only those who have the King Gu with them can control Gu worms. The only way to bring someone back is to use one's body as a vessel, enduring the pain of a thousand ants drilling into the heart, and the agony of a thousand worms eating the bones. The Death Gu is used to activate Ling Gu, reversing the course of the sun, moon and stars.
Knowing all of this information Shangguan Wei Yang sets up Ye Bei Chen. She gets him drunk and when he wakes up, he finds Huan Yan in his bed. This was her plot to separate and save him. Of course, our men is too smart and knows something is up. He gets all the information from Huan Yan and bans her from his mansion. At this time, she runs into Ye Ming Xuan who now takes her in. But here comes Ye Bei Chen spear in hand coming to get her. This was the perfect opportunity for Ye Ming Xuan to see if she was truly loyal to him. She kills Ye Bei Chen with an arrow. But she always knew he carried a spearhead that she used in killing him in his first life, which we find out stops him from dying. He then becomes the white-haired Sorcerer King.
Meanwhile, Shangguan Wei Yang was trying to win over Ye Ming Xuan because she wants to kill him in the worse way. She tries everything but each time she just manages to not get caught. She finally figures out the Sorcerer King is Ye Bei Chen. Again, these two and their kisses. Happy reunion. Not to be outdone, Ye Ming Xuan figures out it is Ye Bei Chen too because his man reports back, they discovered the body of the real sorcerer.
Playing along Ye Ming Xuan moves the wedding up, and here comes Ye Bei Chen to get his woman, which he does.
Just when they thought everything was going their way, they had gotten rid of Ye Ming Xuan and all of his men, he escapes. Putting them on edge again but enjoying all of their time. These episodes you will like. His brother makes him the emperor. Not that he wanted the position, but he felt with his love of the people the country that this would be best.
Due to all of the ministers complaining and finding out that someone must die, she decides to leave the palace with Feng Xuanyi. One of Feng Xuanyi men decide on their own accord to blow up the palace killing everyone in it. You know Ye Bei Chen figured it out and replaced the bombs with fireworks. Coming to get her once again, we see Feng Xuanyi standing in front of Shangguan Wei Yang taking an arrow and dying.
One last play, and Ye Bei Chen finds out where Ye Min Xuan is and goes to the forest where they have an epic battle. He finally kills Ye Min Xuan along with Huan Yan who dies as well protecting him. You also see that before she died Huan Yan killed the Old Poison Freak so she would be the only one who knew about the Life and Death Gu. She does tell Ye Bei Chen, "Ye Ming Chen you must live on. Remember, life is death and death is life."
The fight was too much for Ye Bei Chen who dies in the arms of Shangguan Wei Yang but not before he saw that she stabbed herself and died beside him.
Time goes backwards and she sees the life that these two have had together. Taking Shangguan Wei Yang back to the tower wall with arrow in hand, she lets the arrow fly, while Ye Bei Chen with his spear, kills Ye Ming Xuan along with the arrow from Shangguan Wei Yang. Looking up with tears in his eyes, at his love, Shangguan Wei Yang, she thinks, "All the past events are like a grand dream. Ye Bei Chen, our story has only just begun."
I believe you really will enjoy this drama. The ML and FL are two hot together. The kisses they have going on are fire. Definitely one to add to your list.
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Beyond Funny
This is unexpectedly hilarious. Suspend your disbelief and prepare to watch a BL in which no one and nothing can be taken seriously and it is universally gay, especially the mansion, furnishings and vegetables.(ha!) I don’t know how the actors could carry out their roles without cracking up. I’ll bet the outtakes are even better than the series. The inept dubbing is part of its charm and allows for some creative voice work. In my imagination the soundtrack was accidentally deleted and they had to go back in after the fact to create one. When they saw how silly it all was they decided to go full tilt: kooky music, animal noises, sound effects, it’s all here!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Positive Family dynamics portrayed well
The suggested score MDL gives me for this is 9. But I choose to give it 10. I do that because the show has the beautiful element of NO TOXIC CHARACTERS.If you enjoy drama brought on by crazy exes and horrible mothers-in-law and power hungry individuals…you would hate this one.
This is a simple story about enjoying life in the moment.
About how family is not only through bloodlines.
About how parents are not always right and children are not always right either
A story about familial forgiveness and acceptance but also responsibilities. But we still get enough romance and a ML who is just wonderful. There are many other characters to love though.
The cast has a lot of experienced actors and that shows In the quality of their delivery.
The ended as they started. A chaotic family that loves each other but always has some drama going in their life.
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The ending ruined it.
All in all the production is very simple. I have watched many very thrilling bl's this year so I appreciated the change of pace. It was slow and progressed meaningfully. I was able to understand the characters, not necessarily their backstories, but their motivations.I don't write long reviews but what I will say is that I am disappointed. After completing all the episodes I can say that the story is incomplete in many ways.
There is an aggressive scene in the last episode that, is slightly problematic and I did not like it. More importantly, they abandoned the stories of other characters in the end. Yes, the main characters are the focus but they introduced and developed stories of other characters and just left them in the end. I was not sure if it was the actually ending or perhaps setting up for a season two, but it definitely doesn't seem complete.
The acting was acceptable, no complaints there. Music and SFX was a bit off at times but not enough to ruin the viewing experience.
Ultimately, is it worth the watch? This may seem contradictory but yes. I enjoyed it, all but the last episode. The story is actually good.
Would I watch it again? Absolutely not. Once is more than enough.
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Entourage isn't your average kdrama, it has none of the usual tropes, love triangles, crazy 2nd leads, misunderstandings, absurd coinsidences, scheming, melodrama ect. It actually feels a lot like a western tv show -which shouldn't come as a surprise since it is a remake of an american tv show, and i am happy they didn't try to korean-ize it too much. For all these reasons entourage is a breath of fresh air in the dramaland for me, but it is not a drama for everyone for the exact same reasons.
Story
Welcome to the entertainment industry. The main lead of the drama is an up and coming fictional actor who just had his first movie breakthrough, got mixed reviews but also got immensely popular and we watch him as he tries to find his next project, balancing his personal life and work life in the best (or worst) way he can. At the same time we see his 3 best friends as well as his agency's CEO. All of his friends have something to do with the entertainment industry; the drama's exploring different sides of it through them.
The show focuses on the hardships of the industry, putting it in the spotlight in a rather realistic and even negative -if i may say- way. It targets issues about the entertainment industry like: how difficult it is to find a potential hit movie/drama project, how actors are placed in the public eye and have little to no privacy, the way the agencies try to control them work-wise and personal life-wise, how difficult it is to actually get casted and breakthrough in this industry, the severe importance of appearance ect. Simultaneously, the relationships between actors, actor-manager, actor-agency, actor-significant other ect. Moreover, it puts the actors and agencies on the spot as well, showing both negative and positive aspects of their life and the way they act, as well as very realistic repercussions of their actions (this was probably the most interesting thing this drama had to offer for me).
All that being said, i think it is very obvious that this drama is not the average rom-com one would expect. There is no romance here. There is a love-line plot, but there is no actual romance, this plot line serves a purpose to explain how difficult it is to maintain a relationship being a celebrity and nothing else. The comedy is present, but i would safely dub it as elitist. It's not your usual slapstip kdrama comedy, it is heavily based on sexual comments, and a lot of the jokes involve other idols or actors and i am not sure if they can get across to an average kdrama watcher. What's more, there is no melodrama at all, or overdramatic situations evolving emotional conversations, stares ect.
Lastly, i would like to stress how i totally understand why someone would find this boring. If you're looking for a sweet romance story with comedy, you won't like this. If you're into heavy melodramatic situations this isn't your cup of it either. The drama is a light comedy about the entertainment industry, everything revolves around that. Concluding, the drama is told completely from a male perspective, so there will be a lot of pants dropping, creepy sex jokes, men desperate to have sex, clubs, silly, immature situations ect. If the drama lacked something was a proper female touch, but then again, this is why this drama was fresh and different.
Acting
The acting left a lot to be desired, but it wasn't a problem.
Seo Kang Joon was great, but not really memorable; Lee Dong Hwi, the same. Lee Kwang Soo was adorable and hilarious and performed impeccably as expected, however none of those 3 characters were well-enough written to leave a strong impression.
On the contrary, the most memorable actors were Jo Jin Woong, who portrayed a caring ceo -almost a father figure- with anger management and attitude issues immaculately and also my personal favourite Park Jung Min who might not have been the best acting wise, but the role was a perfect fit and was completely relateable and absolutely delightful!
I would like to emphasise how i wouldn't -not in any way- stick with this drama because of the good cast or because of the countless guests.
As for the supporting cast, amber had the most promiment role of the females, and i loved her. The role was a perfect fit. Ahn So hee needs to work on her acting more and i would like to see Kim Hye In more in the future. However, none of the supporting actresses had the time to build up as characters or show something of substance.
The guests were there for a split second, said a line, waved and that was it. Don't expect much.
Rewatch/Recommend
This drama is an elitist drama, but it's not bad; it's just different. If you are into classic kdramas, ignore this one, you aren't missing out. If you want to watch something different, and have an interest in the korean acting industry, then do try it. I also believe this drama is adressed to male viewers because of the nature of the comments and issues it depicts. I wouldn't rewatch this though.
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It wasn't perfect, it wasn't without it's faults, but it was a drama that I really enjoyed watching!
-The story centers around Cha Joo Hyuk, who is miserable with his married life. The drama focuses on how his one choice changes the world that he has always known. Not just for him. But for everyone he has known and loved.- Frankly, I'll agree with everyone who says that Joo Hyuk was an immature selfish jerk. I'll say the same thing. He was everything that people described him as. But REALISTICALLY so.
We, as viewers, are used to seeing a male lead who is righteous and is ready to sacrifice himself, for the female lead, at the very least. But Cha Joo Huk wasn't like that. Not at the start anyway. The choice he made was solely for his own happiness. But dare I say I understood Joo Hyuk? Don't get me wrong, I didn't like him either (not for a long time anyway), but I get his character. If faced with a similar situation in similar circumstances, maybe not everyone but still more than a few people would make the same choice.
- Again, this will probably go against general opinion (from those I read on different places), but I liked the character development of Joo Hyuk. And yes, I do think he had one. He started out a completely self centered jerk, who only wanted his own happiness. He blamed his wife for his unhappiness. But slowly, as he got to know his own faults, as he realized his own mistakes, we started seeing his character grow. He wanted to make her happy. Even if it wasn't with him.
- Enough about the male lead, let's move on to the female lead. Woo Jin... At first she is portrayed like a "monster" who has a really short temper and is extremely violent. But later on we get to see what made her that way.
- One thing I really liked about this drama was the fact that how BOTH the leads were far from perfect. Although Joo Hyuk might be more so. Nevertheless we get to see them try and become better person. Both individually, and together.
- I really enjoyed the chemistry between Han Ji Min and Ji Sung. As a married couple, and as a non-couple too, they were believable.
- The second female lead- Hye Won. She is portrayed as a materialistic and vain person. I actually think she wasn't as bad as they were trying to show her. She behaved like she was entitled to everything, but she wasn't evil or villainous like a lot other SFL.
- The second male lead Jong Hoo, was a really good character. He was charming, but he never overshadowed the male lead enough to give you SLS. I really liked the bond between him and Joo Hyuk. It wasn't exactly bromance but they had a really nice friendship.
- All the other secondary characters were fun to watch. The mysterious ahjussi, Joo Eun, Woo Jin's mom... Everyone. My favorite was Sang Shik. His emotional scenes always got me smiling.
- Also Jo Jung Suk's cameo! Loved it! The whole thing was so cute! Joo Hyuk 's reactions XD
- As for the one thing that bothered me was about the children. How could they give us one, just one scene. I think everyone is aware of the fact that a parent child bond is truly a special one! So how could you not, writer-nim? This is just one thing I cannot get over.
- Overall, I really, really enjoyed this drama! It has everything, a spectacular cast, and intriguing storyline, a good OST. So please give this drama a chance.
Happy Watching!!
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What a disappointment....
Can a good actor save a bad script? NO.But can a good actor make the drama bearable to watch? YES.
But does this drama have good actors? HELL NO.
Before starting the review, I just wanna say it’s more like a rant than a review.
Let’s start with the title first. It’s “Now, We Are Breaking Up,” but more like “Fate”? I’ve been watching K-dramas for a long time now—literally, every drama has the fate/destiny aspect in it, which is not exactly my problem. But for this drama, the plot is built on fate/destiny/coincidences. Everything is so connected, which feels like nothing but forced.
This is supposedly a “Melodrama” (Melodrama: A genre that focuses on a dramatic plot, which is typically sensational and designed to appeal strongly to emotions). Is the plot dramatic? YES. But can I feel the emotions of the main characters (HYE & JK)? Freaking NO. They have no expressions throughout the whole drama. They just had cold, wooden faces and robotic dialogue deliveries. It felt so boring to even look at them that I genuinely fell asleep.
They are the main characters, so they have the largest screen time, but imagine their story being the most boring of all? Can you possibly sit through it? At least I couldn’t. I’m gonna be really honest—I watched this at 2x speed because the pace of the show is as slow as a snail. As I said, the plot was dramatic but also somewhat problematic. The writer screwed up the main leads’ story, and their bland expressions made it even worse.
Since this was Song Hye Kyo’s comeback and Jang Ki Yong’s last drama before his military enlistment, I gave it a shot. But I’m utterly disappointed with both of them. There was literally no heart-fluttering chemistry between them; they just endlessly kept staring at each other.
I mainly watched this for the SL couple, and yeah, they could act, so they had more chemistry than the lead couple. Some supporting characters are unreasonably crazy and wicked. My only favorite supporting character was Jeon Mi Seok.
As a fashion-based drama, neither the FL’s clothes nor the ones she designed impressed me. Hotel Del Luna or It’s Okay to Not Be Okay had way better-styled clothes, and those dramas aren’t even about fashion. :/
The OST doesn’t suit the vibe of the drama. It’s something sophisticated, which the drama is definitely not.
Re-watch: Never in my whole life am I gonna re-watch this show. I had to give a rating of 1 because there’s no option for 0.
The drama is basically a dud—no chemistry, bad acting, and problematic af main leads. I personally recommend skipping this one. The premise of the story was interesting, but the execution and main characters failed to portray emotions badly, which made this show really shallow.
END
Thank you for reading my review ^^
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1
1The Return of the King.
After closing Season 1 on a high note, the much anticipated Season 2 of Lost You Forever opens with an air of looming inevitability. The focus shifts from Xiaoyao to Cangxuan as the main plot is built around the return of the king who is meant to unite Dahuang. This also portends the end of the long stalemate between Xiyan and the Chenrong remnants. This kind of endgame puts all of the main characters at crossroads with difficult, heart wrenching choices to make.Season 2 has not been as well received as Season 1 and the bulk of the disappointment is around how unlike Season 1, Season 2 deviates from the novel on a few fronts. I didn't read the novel so I can only evaluate the drama on its own merits. From my perspective, the season's biggest weakness is that the plot arcs leave a rushed, condensed impression. This shouldn't be a surprise as topics involving conquering harmless neighbouring states and glorifying rebels don't fare well with Chinese censors. I also had to scoff at the idea of a war with no civilian casualties; if this were a plot driven story I would be quite disappointed.
But Lost You Forever is predominantly a character story and on that front, the character arcs deliver in spades. Even though many characters make choices that are not relatable, they are not meant to be. Novelist Tong Hua designed the characters for both the prequel novel Once Promised and Lost You Forever based of mythical creatures from Shānhǎijīng/山海经, The Classic of Mountains and Seas. This is an ancient Chinese geographic compilation of mythical monsters and magical creatures; kind of like Hogwart's Monster Book of Monsters. This story is set at the beginning of time, after Pangu and Nuwa created the world. Xiangliu is a mythical beast, a venomous nine-headed snake monster loyal to water deity Gonggong. Cangxuan and Xiaoyao's grandfather the Xiyan King is none other than Huangdi/黃帝, the legendary Yellow Emperor. They are early immortals, directly descended from primordial gods whose footprints can still be found in the shape of the mountains and seas. They live for an unfathomably long time; until their obsessions eventually get the better of them. This explains Cangxuan's darkening and Xiaoyao's overpowering fear of loneliness and abandonment.
Even though this story broke my heart, all of the important characters are true to themselves and fulfil their destiny. I did not always agree with or like their decisions but the storytelling is elevated by phenomenal acting that compelled me to understand their choices and accept that their decisions made sense for them. My only disappointment with the season is that plot-wise it sagged and is not strong enough for me to raise my rating for the drama overall to a 9.5/10.0. It is nonetheless an immersive, heart-rending and dark enchanted fairytale about flawed but unforgettable characters who are trapped by destiny. I rate both the second season and the adaptation in its entirety 9.0/10.0. Watch it but guard your heart and do not grieve too hard for them because their fates are to a large extent predestined.
SPOILER WARNING
The rest of this review does not avoid spoilers and is best read after you have finished watching this drama in its entirety.
I may be in the minority but even though I almost drowned myself in wine, I think the ending is perfect and fitting. Xiaoyao is a flawed and broken character that regresses as the narrative advances. Her strongest, happiest, moments were in Qingshui Town, when she lived among mortals as Wen Xiaoliu. The only thing she lacked was a companion. When Ye Shiqi, another lost immortal came along, her life was complete. Even though Tushan Jing is a weak character that let Xiaoyao down repeatedly, he is kind and when it mattered, he was willing to be Ye Shiqi again so that she could be Wen Xiaoliu again. He was the safe choice and the only choice Xiaoyao was capable of making. Even though I will never like it, I understand it and I can live with it. The best, most magical arc was always the Qingshui Town arc so the drama closes there, in a full circle.
Cangxuan is also a damaged and abandoned character whose his mother chose to die with his father over living for him. Thus Xiaoyao and Cangxuan share a deep and complex bond that goes beyond their childhood oath. From the get go, the way they deal with their shared trauma put them on forever opposite paths; he chose to be invincible while she chose to be invisible. Xiaoyao only reclaims her identity and returns to the perilous world that cost her everything because of her promise to Cangxuan. She faces her demons, relives the worst days of her life and puts herself in harm's way to be his pawn; the princess bride that paves his way to the throne. She never looks happy or carefree again after she becomes Xiaoyao.
The great irony in their story is that Cangxuan seeks power to protect Xiaoyao but once he attains power, he becomes the greatest threat to her. He is Xiaoyao's hero that lived long enough to see himself become a villain. Had Cangxuan given in to his worst instincts, it would have been unforgivable and it would have destroyed them both. I am relieved the drama only showed us what would have happened and then walked him back from the brink. Cangxuan did many regrettable things along the way, which he describes as 遗憾/yíhàn and not 后悔/hòuhuǐ. This means he did what he had to do; that he did not really have free will. The turning point in his character is when he admits there was one pivotal moment he regrets (后悔/hòuhuǐ); when he should have chosen Xiaoyao but he chose the throne instead. But even after he owns his choices, I feel a frisson of fear at his disarming smile that is belied by the dark longing expression in his eyes. Xiaoyao will never be truly safe from him so Xiling Jiuyao disappears among those who die collecting and documenting rare herbs throughout Dahuang.
A'Nian is the best character in this story. She is the spoiled but brave and true Haoling princess who grew up with the security of a loving family and her beloved Cangxuan gege. She is who Xiaoyao should have been and she is living Xiaoyao's best life. She dares to put herself out there, to take risk in love without needing to be loved in return. I hope one day Cangxuan understands that Xiaoyao did choose him; that her name is A'Nian.
As for Xiangliu, he understood Xiaoyao best and loved her most selflessly. But by the time they met, he had long ago pledged all nine lives to his lost cause. After leading so many men to fight to the death, it is not clear Xiangliu could have just walked away even if Xiaoyao asked him to. It would have been a risky, reckless and consequential path for both of them; the story of Chi Chen and Xiling Heng could repeat itself. Xiangliu and Xiaoyao waited for each other to cross the line for a very long time; far longer than Xiaoyao waited for Tushan Jing. But the inescapable truth is after everything she went through, Xiaoyao is too broken. As the consequence of two people who loved recklessly; she could only choose to be loved. Xiangliu is himself not free either so he accepts this. For him their brief entanglement had to be enough. If Xiaoyao had been A'Nian, she would have dared to choose him except his path would have never crossed with that A'Nian, only Xiaoyao. They were just never meant to be. And so Xiangliu frees her from missing him forever and leaves her with someone to rely on and go home to. Even though she will never be burdened by knowing the full extent of everything he did for her, Xiaoyao grieved deeply for Xiangliu. To me, her silent, helpless adult tears were far worse than the way she child ugly cried for her parents. I do wish he had left her the real Chubby but I guess it was not possible since Chubby would have gobbled up Tushan Jiing and spat out his entrails.
Even though both Zhang Wanyi and Yang Zi deliver outstanding and compelling performances, Tan Jianci's portrayal of Xiang Liu is simply iconic. I can't remember when I was last so mesmerized by a character. Even though it shattered me, Xiangliu fulfils his destiny in an epic, climatic ending that is what legends are made of. According to Shānhǎijīng, Xiangliu left behind a patch of earth so toxic that nothing grew or lived there again. I know book readers are not satisfied with the ending but for me it is an incredibly sad but beautiful and fitting way to end a story about love that is not a love story. My only regret is I didn't get to see Xiaoyao shoot Xinyue in the heart. I mean to make time to read both the prequel and the novel so I won't spoil myself the book ending. But if it is at least this good, then I love it already.
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Story
The K2 is ambitious, it wants to be intriguing and captivating but too much pressure has underwhelming results. The drama is a weird combo of action, political drama and romance that doesn't really work. There are 4 main characters, all of them perfectly demonstrated and completely 3-D, each of them has a story of revenge or ambition about the future and all their stories get entangled to set the plot. The characterization is the best part of the drama.
The base story is there and it's quite well-thought-out once you get to grasp it (takes a few episodes - or more than a few), however the K2 was one of those dramas that even though you enjoy it, only drawbacks come to mind when you think of it, sadly.
The drama felt 50% superman, 30% boring political talk and no act and 20% forced romance.
Most surprising thing about this drama is that the biggest and most critical asset of it, the action scenes, ended up working against the whole thing. Ji Chang Wook was immaculate in them, it's not his fault that after 2-3 episodes my initial enthusiasm turned into yawning. It was certainly not his fault. The directing and editing is to blame here. They overplayed the scenes so much, they quickly lose their spark and interest; unnecessary slow-motion, gratuitous weird angles and more made them look overly cheesy. What's more, it quickly felt that the drama pays too much attention in CJW doing his thing than to the plot itself which made the drama feel increasingly superficial and shallow.
Furthermore, what is the korean obsession with making their male leads look like superman? As the episodes continue CJW's character felt more and more unreal. Humans have their limits, that's their charm. Striping them of that feature makes them look fake. I didn't sign up for a hero film, sorry.
Another really awkward thing is that each episode is packed with action, or scheming, plotting, romance, so many things going on, but when i stopped to think what had actually happened after the end of every episode, how the episode contributed to the overall story, i came up always with nothing. In retrospect, nothing actually had happened. Amazing isn't it? The story is there but there is no real development until the end. Dissapointing, what a letdown.
Continuing, the drama is defined by its political aspect. I'm not into political dramas, so once this part kicked in i was inevitably bored. However, I'm usually very much into scheming evil characters and backstabbing and this drama has plenty of it, but the build up to all this was lenghty and quite tiresome to watch.
Additionally, i'd like to talk about the dissapointing romance. CJW is paired with Yoona here, and while they do look good together, their romance felt thorougly forced and wasn't given adequate time to grow and develop. On the contrary CJW and Choi Yoo Na's chemistry was effortless and off the charts. I think i can safely speak on behalf of almost every viewer when i express my dissapointment in the writer's persistence to shove the former couple down our throats when the latter was there and was spotless since the very first moment.
Drawing my rant to a conclusion i'd want to talk about the misuse of Yoona (Anna) as a character. She was either running, crying screaming or taken hostage throughout the whole thing, while she barely appeared in the first half. She basically made CJW's character look like super mario trying to save his girlfriend, unrealistic and cringy.
At this point i feel inclined to mention and stress the significance of Song Yoon Ah's character who probably makes the drama worth watching on her own. Finding characters that are 3D and not carricature versions of real life people is difficult in kdramas. Here, all the character were well-created but Choi Yoo Jin was the perfect villain or more like the anti-hero. There are several layers of her character that go deep and are visible little by little. She was the perfect villain who everyone grew fond of quickly and she deserved better from start to finish. You'll love her believe me.
Acting
The acting was dazzling.
Yoona who is seemigly the weakest link of the main cast was way better than expected. She suited the character perfectly and was completely satisfying in her every scene even though severely misused.
Ji Chang Wook executed his action scenes spotlessly, and to be honest that was his character's main goal. I have nothing else to add, he was manly and a worthy main lead, but he deserves better as an actor.
Jo Sung Ha was also spectacular in his twisted role, but the real queen of the drama was Song Yoon Ah, hands down. Her character was disturbed, easy to misunderstand, but she made us all care for her and see beyond her evil mask. Loved her completely. Star quality actor.
Recommend/Rewatch
Overall, the drama wasn't bad, it is one of those dramas that blow up in the beginning but never come up with the goods. It was enjoyable for the most part (let's exclude the boring political talk), and entertaining. If you are into hot guys playing superman in fight scenes, like evil characters scheming and double-crossing as well as some kind of romance in the sidetracks, do give this a chance. Having low expectations will surely result in higher pleasure. My 8 is kind of a stretch, consider this a 7.5 + 0.5 for the perfect poetic ending! I will never rewatch this.
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The chemistry between the leads is really there though and the story didn't get unnecessarily draggy at different parts
Like some side characters make me angry but they don't cause 5-episode-long misunderstandings if that makes sense?
so I would highly recommend anyone who is looking to consume some high-sugar drama XD
The two side couples' stories weren't as interested in my opinion but, you know, the main couple is enough to keep you watching.
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This review may contain spoilers
Half-Cooked, Dont Eat
A hard pass, unless someone buys you dinner to watch it. The plot synopsis here in MDL is a little bit different from the actual story, in the series Yu Dam has lived for 300 years and Dong Baek was in fact a man in his first iteration. And no, they dont die, only Dong Baek is bound to die.The format for Korean BLs are just too short to be properly appreciated. I just dont understand why they cant just increase the episode runtime to better tell the story.
There is an ambitious premise hidden somewhere. It is a fantasy romance and yes, they were trying to do something different from other BL by telling a unique love story that spans hundred of years. It reminded me of another Korean BL "First Love Again". However, just like that series, this story looks good on paper but has failed in execution. What we got are 10 16-minute episodes that spends the first 2 and a half minute recapping and showing the opening credits and another minute and a half end credits. The problem is there is just not enough story in the 12 minute remaining time for me to chew upon. There wasnt enough to savour the characters, it wasnt even enough to taste their chemistry.
The title says The Director Who Buys Me Dinner, but after the first 2 episodes the dinner between Director Min Yu Dam and Soel Dong Baek stopped. I would have loved to see it every episode like some sort of closing credit.
The fantasy side also wasnt fully explained, there wasnt any proper explanation about how the curse happened, or how the director lived for hundreds of years? Do we even really consider living a long life a curse? Did he meet any previous Dong Baek aside from the first and the current one? Who was that who possessed Dong Baek? Was the curse lifted by the end of the story or if he is still aware that he is or was immortal? Did he just suddenly also forget about his long life? What happens to Dong Baek at the end?
Also, whats the point of the Denis character?
What's sad is you can actually see the making of a good series under all the ingredients they were trying to shove in your mouth. If they just spent a little more time baking the story, and maybe just adding a little more sugary sweetness it would have been great.
I used to like short series but after a few duds i am starting to hate the format. It is very evident that in this series , the short runtime worked against their favor. Open ended stories are good way to end stories but here it just felt lazy.
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for the arts not the charts
i might be the only person who enjoyed this show throughout LOL if you're expecting a walking green forest of characters then dont even bother starting this show bc main leads are heavily flawed characters and both have their shortcomings but they were entertaining to watch (for me). this show is about troubled youth chasing their dreams together but dont expect a smooth sailing ride for them. i personally love shows like this (flawed characters, angsty) so if you're one of my kind you might like this show. the 'love will prevail all' mindset they had at the start is so frustratingly cute. im a forgiver to lovesick hopeless romantics unfortunately i found them endearing. some of the plots were questionable but for the most part it was good! second lead cp story was SUPER unnecessary. buuut zhou shui & dai daji's love was worth to watch! i loved seeing their growth and tbh they couldve added more eps to show zs&dj in present time. alsoo this show has an OE but i like it! which is rare bc i hate an open ending show but they somehow executed it nicely and i was satisfied with it at least!! teared up a bit here and there when watching this but i might just be attached to the show hahaaWas this review helpful to you?
