The story is cute. There are no DUN... DUN...DUN... moments at all. It's mostly generic, will I be exposed in this most random way ever kind of moments.
I think the main couple did a great job. The female lead, Nishiuchi Mariya is quite well suited for the comedic genre. While pretty much everything she does is over-exaggerated, that's what made it funny. It's fun to watch the her oscillate between her two personas. I also like her well "mostly" internal dialogue. Her facial expressions are hilarious, and I do enjoy the "acme" cartoon effects.
The main male lead, is also adorable. His character is played in a much more subbed way, to offset the female leads over the top presence.
The music was fine. There are no "WOW I will always associate that music with this drama" songs. The music didn't really add anything to the viewing experience, but it didn't detract from the viewing either. Just complimented it nicely as background music.
Overall this is a fun romp when you need a little sugar in your diet. But like all sweets, don't eat too much or you will most likely end up bouncing off the walls from a sugar high, or curled up in a corner weeping because your belly hurts - then again maybe that's just me =-p
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I can’t with MDL
Sometimes I just go here to support my theory that most ppl in MDL is gonna dislike a good drama. For some odd reasons, the viewers here, 90% of the time, never gets in line with my thoughts. But that’s just probably me. 😅 Often times I wonder if I even watched the same drama as everyone else. But enough of that…I’d like to start with the general theme of the drama, coming from its title itself “Royal Feast”, obviously it’s gonna be about food. For the scriptwriters to incorporate that in all issue throughout the drama is already amazing. It introduced us to Chinese cuisines and their way of cooking from back then and showed us the importance of the food department in every kingdom (as opposed to the less attention it gets in most historical dramas Chinese or Korean). And it’s true that they can be so easily implicated just by what they serve on the table as those food goes in the body of the royalties.
Zhu Zhanjin - calm, collected and wise character even from the time he was the Grand Imperial Grandson, he was more like his grandfather than his father was (hence he was the favorite). He posed as a threat to his own father after he took over the throne and it was perfectly portrayed and set by the earlier scenes. He knows his duties as an heir and duties to his wives. He sincerely wanted to create a good relationship with his consort but she didn’t want it hence his heart drifted away and found comfort in the presence of Zijin. Xu Kai did well in this character and he portrayed the three stages that he went thru from grandson to the emperor. However, if I may say so myself (someone who watched everything he had done), this is one of his easiest role. 😂 But Xu kai is Xu kai and I’m proud of him.
Yao Zijin - classy, wise, talented and just the perfect Empress material. Her character has always been composed and just (maybe except for herself, too selfless). Her love for Zhanjin is real but she’s been brought up as an Empress would be and thus how she acts. She knows he duties first as a concubine and then a noble consort, she doe what she can in her power but never goes beyond what the preceding authority before her. She knows the limitations that entails her title and have never asked for more. And when she was given power, she knows when to push through and when to fall back. She’s not frustrating, she’s wise and calculating; just like the Empress Dowager had always been beside Zhanjin’s father. She speaks forward for his sake, for the sake of others but not for her own sake for she does not want to abuse the attention she’s receiving (however, it’s one of her flaws for she has taken it quite far before she lost her voice). In this case neither her nor Zhanjin were free from blame; they both were in the wrong. Nothing to say but perfect Empress material. The actress was perfect for the role, even her facial structure is fit for the role.
There’s so many characters that I can talk about but my willpower to write about each one of them is not enough so I’ll just pass on that.
I enjoyed it a lot and is the only Chinese historical drama ever that I didn’t skip through. Tbh I started this expecting to skip around Episode 17 as I usually do but I actually watched through the whole thing.
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This review may contain spoilers
The film which catapulted little known Lee Jun Ki into instant stardom all over Asia. Yes I admit quite candidly that I watched this movie for my recently found Jun Ki mania but I'm going to remember this movie for the masterpiece it is rather than just a random K-movie featuring LJK. The controversy regarding the racy humor used throughout the movie notwithstanding, the movie is a fine portrayal of love, friendship and betrayal. It is heart-warming to see the effeminate Gong Gil and the heroic Jang Seng's relationship, which was most certainly much more than just friendship. At the height of utter despair and chaos in their lives, when they flee from the countryside in the hopes of a better life in Seoul, the way they act out the parts of two blind men in the middle of nowhere is a treat to watch. That is perhaps the most poignant scene from the film barring the one at the very end. There's a puzzle in the title of the movie since it leaves you in doubt about who the real king is. In my opinion it's Jang Seng rather than the tyrannical, literal king since he desires to be a commoner even in his next life and chooses the right to live on his own terms rather than living a life of luxury whose terms will be dictated by others. He is the real king of the movie. The actors have portrayed their parts to perfection. Jeong Jin Yeong has done especially well in conveying the inner turmoil the King suffered from, his eccentricities and frequent displays of mindless cruelty. Excellent acting by Kam Woo Sung as well. And last but not the least, LJK proves in this movie that he IS after all an actor and not just a great looker. I think it will be hard for even a straight guy to resist his charms after watching this movie.
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But back in 2001, it was bold and different and unlike any other series that came out in Asia. It was fresh and really hip. The F4 was cool and trendy with their hair and outfits. It was the usual Cinderella storyline, but it was done in a funny and heartwarming way that managed to endear most of my friends and family and literally, it stopped time back in the days. It was a phenomenal series. It literally stopped traffic and launched a "Meteor Fever". We had to go home in the afternoon early just to watch this show on television. Streaming wasn't available then. A lot of people fell in love with Shan Cai and Dao Ming Xi's love story, and how they fought against all odds to be together! The F4 characters alongside Shan Cai's friends were a good supporting cast and Dao Ming Xi's mother was convincing with her portrayal as the villain to the relationship. Dao Ming Xi's transformation from a spoiled, rich brat to a caring boyfriend was something to watch for, and gave us all the "feels"! Buckets of tears were shed.
Looking back, I was watching old clips of this series, and yes it felt like a trip back to nostalgia lane! Yes, I agree that Meteor Garden looks dated, fashion-wise and production wise. It paled in comparison to the drama series of the current. But, nothing can take back the memories! This series has spawned two popular remakes which had become huge hits as well. Lee Min Ho's Jong Pyo was made to look like Jerry Yan's character too, I've noticed and now he is such a popular star. I might be biased with this one, but this first and original version is always the best! :)
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If I could name a drama equivalent to The Handmaiden, it would be SKY Castle.
SKY Castle is a satirical drama that criticizes practices from corrupt business hierarchy to extreme parenting environments. The drama has impeccable directing, story is full of plot twists, comedy is subtle and melds well, and the cliffhangers are absolutely wild. The drama tends to often be dramatized, especially as it is a satirical work, but the underlying themes are never truly lost.
SKY Castle focuses on a person's wellbeing above all else, be it education, money, or job position. Yes, the aforementioned are important, but at what cost? Certainly not at the expense of giving up all of one's happiness or opportunity for happiness. This drama hits extra close to home and really resonates with people who relate with any of the characters' upbringings, which is fairly common amongst Asian households with views along the conservative side of the spectrum.
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As someone that grew up in an environment frighteningly similar to some of the children in the drama, these issues are very real. Some elements of the drama are definitely exaggerated, but parenting ideals are unfortunately very accurate. When I was growing up, anything not perfect was considered failure. Got a B on an exam? Unacceptable. Got an A, but it wasn't 100%? Not good enough. Actually getting perfect? No compliment, only expected to upkeep the results. It wasn't uncommon for me to experience physical abuse for disobeying anything or not achieving expectations. This type of harsh environment is displayed in SKY Castle, and it really unveils how damaging it is to a family.
Abuse shouldn't be a tolerated, period. The drama displays the issues that can arise through punishment especially, as opposed to positive reinforcement . The cycle of punishment can create a rift between a parent and child that gradually expands and expands, eventually leading igniting hatred. So many parents also project their ambitions and dreams onto their children saying it's for the best, never asking or caring what their children want. In some cases, everything works out fine; in others, the child adapts a similar perspective as the parents, and the abusive cycle repeats. In many cases, this absolutely destroys children's relationships with their parents. Often times I thought about suicide, running away from home--these options seemed better than the torture that was presented by my parents. These are serious issues that potentially tread on life and death, and it's very well highlighted within the drama.
At times it wasn't even the studying that was the most draining part of my childhood, but the fact that I felt unloved, only there to satisfy my parents' desires. Endlessly I was told to become a doctor, a lawyer, or insert whatever high paying prestigious occupation. Who cares about what I want, right? Children aren't and shouldn't be a parent's opportunity at a second chance towards their dream; they are their own people, and should be respected as so. Here's a quote that really resonated with me in the drama:
"Who cares if they acknowledge you or not? I just want to be happy."
I was also constantly compared to other children, told how I was inferior to them. "These children can do this and that; why aren't you able to?" This competitive mindset is dangerous; often parents will disregard their children's wellbeing for the sole sake of pushing them towards the absolute limit to be better everyone around them. And...for what purpose? To satisfy the parents' eligibility for bragging rights. Of all things, they push and push and push their children...for bragging rights. Does it matter that your child is smarter or more successful than other children if they're in complete agony?
My relationship with my parents to this day is completely broken. I don't tell them any of my worries and fears, what I'm doing, how I'm doing, because it's unimportant to them if I'm not 'successful' to their standards. Can you imagine being so afraid to tell your parents--who should supposedly be closest to you--anything because you will be disregarded, not acknowledged, and shamed? The characters in SKY Castle can. It's a shame that the people you should be able to lean on are the ones you're afraid of most.
"The greater your suffering, the greater your enlightenment."
This is another quote that I feel can be attributed greatly to SKY Castle on the whole. Often times it's not until you lose everything that you see all that you took for granted. With what this drama presents, hopefully people become more aware of their situations to where such tragedies needn't occur.
At the same time, the drama doesn't fail to also showcase that not everyone is capable of change. Some people, despite losing everything refuse to acknowledge to mistakes and change for the better; they are too blinded by their ego and necessity to be right. That's an unfortunate reality.
With everything previously said, I want to iterate that education is of course vital; this drama definitely isn't making a statement that education isn't needed. It's the balance of a good education with one's wellbeing. Of course, SKY Castle also attributes this not only to education, but jobs, money, titles, and backgrounds as well.
I'm really glad that SKY Castle addresses so all of these issues, and sheds light on how damaging these practices are. Having personally experienced the harsher end of this type of parenting, I don't expect my parents nor many others to change, but small steps in bringing awareness I hope at least has some degree of an impact. This is a very meaningful drama, and I hope everyone that watches it can at least gain something from watching it.
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Moving on towards the characters, cast, and acting--everyone did an absolutely phenomenal job.
This drama built and developed characters astoundingly well. Aside one certain character, I could sympathize or empathize with every character on at least some significant level. Even towards characters that I viewed in poor light, I could sympathize with. Despite me not agreeing to so many actions from various people, I could not help but admire the lengths they would go to, especially out of love. It is apparent that many of these characters aren't inherently bad people; you can see that their conscience is slowly eaten away by guilt. They are just widely driven by greed and love for their children, that their perspective is clouded in misjudgment. I couldn't hate them as people for those reasons, only their actions. I believe that is great execution of character depth and development. I've not seen a more convincing performance than from SKY Castle's cast; they were exceptional.
What allowed SKY Castle to be so successful in creating tension and shifting moods ever so flawlessly was its exquisite incorporation of music. The music complemented the brilliant directing and production of the drama. The flow of the drama was never inconsistent. Pure comedic relief scenes were few, but meshed with the drama very well through its music. Ha Jin's "We All Lie" creates a very intense atmosphere, in combination with the cliffhangers, leave you craving for more every episode.
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SKY Castle gradually garnered a massive audience as the drama progressed through its satirical portrayal of malpractices, corruption, extreme controversial conservative parenting, neglect, and more. Brilliant directing and production, engaging plot, convincing acting with a powerfully befitting soundtrack to boot. This drama is very well worth your time, further compounded if you can even slightly relate to any of the issues it brings up.
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Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II To the West
53 people found this review helpful
by PeachBlossomGoddess 
2
2 Into the wild, wicked West.
The second season of Strange Tales Tang Dynasty sees the team reunite in Chang'an at a time the power struggle is intensifying between Li Longji and Princess Taiping. Su Wuming with his keen survival instincts falls on his sword to get them booted out of Changán into the wild, wicked West. In the blink of an eye, Lu Lingfeng is demoted and banished to Yunding, which is literally at the far corner of the Tang empire! This sets the team on a hazardous journey west along the exotic and magnificent ancient Silk Road, a trip fraught with mysterious and dangerous encounters. The team solves eight zhiguai 志怪 or slightly strange cases in this second season.In a year where many highly anticipated sequels have disappointed, STOTD2 stands apart by exceeding S1 on practically all fronts. The Journey to the West theme pays tribute to the classic novel about Tang Sanzang's pilgrimage West, battling supernatural forces along the way. This season is a visual feast for the eyes with meticulously crafted sets and costumes rich in historical detail. The changing increasingly exotic landscape and the stunning, remote sense of timelessness and insignificance as the team traverses the Gobi imbues the narrative with a sense of other-worldly adventures. Even though the antagonists are (mostly) ultimately temporal, there is a whisper of other forces at play. Or at the very least, the spirits of the wronged souls are not silent, they have just been waiting for someone to listen.
The team hits the ground running with a familiar rapport, sense of humor and teamwork that developed over the course of Season 1. In a hilarious role reversal, Su Wuming finds himself the subordinate, a lowly secretary to Lu Lingfeng. I was surprised to see Lu Lingfeng take Su Wuming's "betrayal" so casually and how lightly, almost enthusiastically he embraces his assignment in Yunding. It is as if he is secretly relieved to escape the power play in the capital with his beloved team alongside him. Su Wuming plays the assistant with exaggerated wit and perspicacity as he watches with a gleam of pride in his eye as Lu Lingfeng comes into own as a student of Di Renjie. What I always love best about this pair is that it breaks out of that mold of the master sleuth with a dumb sidekick whose role is simply to elevate his genius. Everyone on the team has a role to play; Pei Xijun as a genius sketch artist, Ying Tao taking up some coroner duties and Chicken Fei as their healer and resident alcoholic,...ahem,...wine connoisseur. Their witty bon mots and playful antics lift the tedium of some of the narrative detail and relieves tension that builds up in tragic or dangerous moments.
Even though the team functions seamlessly, this season is not really about them or their development. Both romances are more or less in holding pattern and most of the spotlight is on the characters in the cases; the victims, survivors and even the antagonists. What S2 has done most successfully is to make us truly invested in the cases, to empathize with the victims, their loved ones and at times even the perpetrators. Or in some cases to truly hate the antagonist to the bone. All the important roles in each case are well cast, with recognizable talented actors that convincingly convey their roles. It is a nice touch to bring back Dugu Xiashu, a beloved character that won hearts in S1. The mix of cases is also well balanced; some are more procedural with more action, adventure and mythical beasts; while others unfold as classic Christie-styled whodunits.
I found the first case Mara's Defeat to be the least well paced and it stretched over too many episodes but that was inevitable as it also brought the team back together and set the stage for their departure from Changan. The case that made me laugh hardest was The Snowy Inn with its tongue-in-cheek humor and of course the hottie sheriff Jiang. Even though I was quite impressed with the CGI monsters and action, I found the the linked Old Boat Official and Tongtian Rhino cases to be the weakest, with missed opportunities and loose ends. The Letter from Shangxian Hall was the best written case, one that left me questioning the high price of justice paid to punish a truly despicable human being. I was quite mad at the team for not looking the other way. But it is the final case that truly moved and broke me. I will not forget Doubao's story for a long time. Thus the season comes to an end in an emotional and visual climax at the awe inspiring Mogao Caves in Dunhuang. The best cases don't have to be water tight, they just have to connect us with the victims and make us reflect upon the dark side of human nature and how far short of restitution justice falls. This is where by comparison this year's high budget Judge Dee's Mystery fell down hard.
The season closes with the team being summoned back to Chang'an into what should be the climax of the historic conflict between Princess Taiping and Li Longji. I expect Season 3 to have a heavier focus on Lu Lingfeng and the team again as they navigate perilous times ahead. While I am sorry to leave behind the wild, exotic and mysterious Silk Road, it will be nice to be in the boldly prosperous Chang'an again. This was a fabulous season and a testament to the importance of hiring one helluva scriptwriter. This will be a hard season to top but this production team is not one I would bet against. I very enthusiastically rate this 9.5/10.0 and count the weeks, months but hopefully not years until S3.
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“A story about three brothers in their 40s and a girl in her 20s facing the hardships of life and helping each other through the process.” The initial description of “My Ahjussi” was something along these lines, and as far as the storyline goes, that is enough to tell you the essence of it. A look at the daily lives of three middle aged men and a young girl. How interesting could it be? What could possibly be happening in their lives that makes it engaging enough to have a whole show about them? Is it something extraordinary? Definitely not. Is it something you have never seen before? Not really. But, is it worth watching? Oh god yes.
This show has fascinated me more than any other K-drama so far. If you ask me why, I probably won’t be able to tell you a specific reason. After all, what is so fascinating about going to work, walking your co-worker home, and drinking in a bar with your friends? What is so fascinating about 2 brothers running a cleaning service together? I don’t know. But after you see this show you will see that it most definitely is. “My Ahjussi” got me hooked since the first episode. I found myself waiting for the new episodes each week just to see three brothers suffer at work during the days and drink away their nights. There is no one particular thing that is special in this show, but all the elements of it put together make an extraordinary masterpiece. The actors, the characters, the music, the atmosphere, everything fits so perfectly. The story is not abrupt, it doesn’t have many dramatic moments, yet it can go from heart-breaking to heart-warming in an instant. It is not this fast paced show that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to end, but it is rather this soft field filled with snow that you will find yourself falling in more and more with each episode. And after it ended, of all the things that can be said about “My Ahjussi”, all I could really mumble was….WOW. You know a show has been exceptional when it makes you feel so satisfied that you watched something so beautiful, yet leaves you with a void in your heart, because it is over and you won’t get to see any more of it.
If I would say all the things I have to say for this drama, this review would be really, really long, so I will just try to touch upon everything I didn’t get to mention. First of all, the three brothers. I really can’t tell which one of them did a better job, they were all phenomenal. Each of them with a different, yet still similar path in life, each of them facing their own problems, yet managing to get through them just because they are together. You could see the pain in their eyes through each and every scene, even in the scenes when they were laughing. This is especially true for the oldest brother, it seemed as if he could break down in tears in any moment. Just by looking into their eyes you could almost feel the burdens they are carrying. And Lee Sun-Kyun…well…I really can’t see anybody else portraying the “Ahjussi” role. He was born for this drama. Everything he did was just so perfect. A friend worth keeping, a son that makes you proud, a brother that is always by your side, and a husband….yeah, I’m not quite sure how to put that last one. Nevertheless, all three of them managed to play their parts so well that you just see the characters, you forget about the actors.
From all the K-pop singers that I’ve seen in dramas, only one left a positive impression on me, and that was Lee Junho. And after this role, IU is the second one. Some may say that you don’t need much acting skills to just walk around with a frozen face and your head down, and barely say anything, but I think that that was definitely not the case here. Quite the opposite actually, she gave away so much by saying so little. You could see that she was full of emotions behind that emotionless face, and the way she managed to show us that was really unique. Small, weak, fragile at first glance, but tough, dedicated to her goal, and ultimately warm-hearted as the drama progresses. “The girl that is always underdressed for the weather” as Ahjussi described her, perfectly portrayed what it means to truly care for someone. Every moment of screen time with her was a pleasure to watch. I haven’t seen her in any other dramas, but for this drama, IU, I salute you.
All the other characters did an amazing job as well. Lee Ji-Ah gave us a mixture of emotions going from extreme hatred to even, believe it or not, sympathy at some points. The CEO and his helpers easily made us despise them, while Jung Hee and Yoora (Nara and Nara) were loveable from start to finish. Even the monk, which we didn’t see a lot of, felt like he had a big impact in the drama. That is just a hint of how good everybody was.
When it comes to the atmosphere and the setting, I usually prefer shows that are set in the countryside, or some aesthetically pretty places, rather than the city, but this one was just so well done that I had really no problem with it, it actually made me like the city a lot more. All the typical city places we see in numerous shows, the offices, the bars, the high class hotels, and middle class apartments, all have so much more meaning now. And the soundtrack…oh the soundtrack… all the melancholy songs this show had actually make me happy when I hear them now, simply because they remind me of “My Ahjussi”.
I could go on and on about this for hours, but let’s wrap it up. Time flies by in a second while watching this show. The world around you feels different while watching this show. There were 16 episodes of it, and it feels like I could watch 16000 more and I will still enjoy it as much as I do now. I long to see a drama that will touch my heart as much as “My Ahjussi”. All the other K-dramas feel so distant, as if they were of a different kind. And they probably were. “My Ahjussi”...is truly…one of a kind. And no matter how much more of this I write, the true beauty of this show can’t be put into words. Just go and watch it. Live it. Hats off.
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Earlier episodes 8.5/10, finale 0/10
The story had so much promise. Great cast, great chemistry, interesting plot points:1) Who is DoDoSolSolLaLaSol?
2) fated romance of Rara and Jun
3) growing friendships in Eunpo
4) relationship lines of the secondary couples
But then suddenly at episode 14, the writers decided that things were looking too prematurely good for the leads that they had to go through one of those stupid draggy kdrama tropes: a lead character gets an incurable disease and the characters don't communicate, a lead character suddenly gets into a car crash and loses their memory, an ex-girlfriend appears and makes the female lead jealous and the leads don't communicate... you know, ONE OF THOSE.
And the way the writers attempted to resolve this conflict was even worse. Details in episode 16, I've marked this review spoilerless so ask in the comments if you are really desperate.
Long story short, it was such a wasted potential because that big fate reveal was so touching and the main romance line was totally shippable
until the writers decided to just play with our feelings and execute the most unrealistic finale just so they could tell the audience they gave us a "happy end."
I'm screaming. I had so much hope for Lee Jae-wook's big first male lead role, and for the amazing cast of support characters like the doctor and Rara's landlady. Never watched Go Ara's works before but she played this clueless happy-go-lucky girl pretty well. And the mysteries surrounding the leads' past and the identity of the titular character were nicely done. But then... sigh.
Verdict? If you're okay with leaving things open-ended, watch until the airport scene in episode 15.
If you're the viewer that needs closure, forget this drama existed and watch something else (Search:WWW is an amazing rom com where Lee Jae-wook gets a hilarious and cute love line). Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol's Episode 16 will have you screaming in anger.
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On my part, I can say Coffee Prince made me reconcile with Korean dramas. If I have to tell the whole, bitter truth, for some time I thought Korean could only produce melodramas, with round eyes girls pouting and arrogant dudes raising perfectly trimmed eyebrows. Until I landed on this drama.
Everything about it felt so real, by the middle I wasn't a simple viewer anymore: I was part of that group of friends. The kind of alchemy they created on screen is rarely found in dramas, because in most cases one is reminded that these people are acting. But Coffee Prince feels like they are having fun together. It reminded me of a dinner with my friends, or camping out with them.
There's a delicious special at the end of the drama, which shows some behind the scene bloopers and interviews. And it's amazing, because either the special looks like integral part of the drama, or the whole drama is like a behind the scene: the interaction between the actors stays the same. Even the make up and clothes are everyday things, not a catwalk display.
And I absolutely loved the way the issue homosexuality was treated. I loved that Han Gyul was tormented by the thought of being gay, but that he was even more so in finding out that she was a woman. Because love, betrayal and trust are universal feelings and have no connection whatsoever with gender.
The music deserves a mention too. Coffee Prince has an outstanding OST, very unusual and difficult to put into a precise musical category. Some pieces have a jazz undertone which I personally loved.
I've read some people complaining about the pace of this drama, saying nothing major happens. But a work of art, be it a movie, a drama, a novel or a cartoon isn't made only of events. It's made of style too, of images, silences, scenery, words. Thousands of love stories have been written and shown in dramas. What makes this one a delightful watch, is the ability of actors and direction to make us connect and "live" this sweet love story with the characters.
Therefore, I'm ready to recommend this show to everyone.
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The story had me hooked right from the beginning. The moment I read the synopsis I knew I wanted to watch the show, but again the generally high ratings were turning me off a little, as I didn't want to start the show with unrealistic expectations. I began it nonetheless and to be honest I should have lowered my expectations a little and I might have enjoyed it more, much more than what I felt this time. The execution and direction was praiseworthy. The horror element could have easily become pitiable and downright miserable, but the writers kept a good balance between spooky and funny. The pace of the show is.. good. I wouldn't say it is perfect since it gets a little draggy in the middle, but that usually happens in almost all the dramas, even the really good ones, so it's not really something you should base your decision on, just giving you a heads up.
The actors. Wow. Impeccable work. Su Ji Sub was a pure delight to watch on the screen. His persona and charm as Joong Won was impressive. I could easily connect with the character because of him. Same goes for Hyo Jin. I'm currently watching another work of her's (It's Okay It's Love) and she's simply marvelous. I loved the work of each actor in this show. Each and everyone. I'm definitely going to try other works by these actors.
The OST of this drama was really likable. The songs were beautiful and catchy, and put forth the emotions well. The melody of the tracks especially, was quite soothing.
Despite the fact that there is so much I like in this show, there are things that stopped me from giving it a perfect overall 10 rating. It's definitely one of the shows I could rewatch again without much hesitation. But there was still the slight glitch that I faced towards the later part of the show. Too much push-pull tactic going on between the lead pair for my taste. Granted it's not unreasonable and foolish, there's a good solid reasoning behind it, but for me, it went on a little too long. But the writers need to be commended for giving a good and proper ending to the show. I was really happy with the finale. Almost so much that I forgot about the way it was dragged :P
Either way, don't let anything stop you from trying out this show. It's absolutely worth the watch. All the genres that the drama incorporates (Horror, Romance, Mystery, Comedy), everything is in a perfect blend and nothing overpowers the other. A really well crafted show. Don't miss it!
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Right away, I’ll say that this is not the goofy romcom I was expecting it to be. Although there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and lighthearted comedic scenes, this drama gets heavy at some points and definitely moves into the melodrama category occasionally. But what made this drama so amazing is that it continually challenged my expectations of the comedy genre and the difficult emotions never felt unnatural. I laughed and I cried many times and found myself re-watching scenes again and again. The dialogue was fascinating, very quotable, and definitely gave me a new outlook on love and relationships.
It's the cast and characters that really make this drama special. Not only is the acting superb, but the individual characters are very complex and unique. Mikuri, the drama's heroine, overanalyzes and missteps often, can rarely reign in her colourful imagination, and is bold as brass, but that’s what makes her endearing and I loved watching her grow. Even the most minor characters shine in this drama! Each character is so well developed in their personalities and desires that you can’t help but root for everyone to find happiness!
Definitely don’t miss this beautiful drama!
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The plot of the drama is very meaningful and emotional. It deals with the subject of fate and destiny, and how sometimes there are things that are inevitable. There will be moments of frustration and annoyance that despite knowing the future, things still go a certain way, but it doesn't bog down the drama. The drama embraces the fact that some people tend to make the same kind of choices or refuse to change, but the characters and the plot adapt and keep the story rolling. In the end, it is a great reminder to be present, enjoy life's ups and downs, and to always be grateful, and all those other feel good life lessons. The drama also tackles issues like love and marriage, corporate greed and crime, family relationships, friendship and frenemies, and life's regret. Overall, I felt that the story had the appropriate pace and unfolded in accordance with it's vision and purpose.
The characters developed beautifully and I felt that as an audience member, I really got to know them and accept them for all their strengths and weaknesses. The changes in the characters were gradual and reflective of what they were going through in the story. The actors did a great job in their respective roles, and were really effective in conveying deep emotions in dramatic scenes, as well as comedy in those lighthearted moments. I also love how it didn't shy away from kisses and love scenes (though still very demure). The couples in the drama had electrifying chemistry with each other, and even the whole group as friends really had a natural feel to it.
The music was composed of more emotional slow songs and ballads. Understandable given the context of the drama, but I still really enjoyed them.
It's a great (re)watch and always gave me something to look forward to on the weekends. I hope people out there decide to watch it or at least give it a try.
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To say the writers had the story planned out from the beginning might be a lie. I wouldn't be surprised if we learned that they were plotting the story out as they went along because it's far from perfect. Though at the beginning it leaned into melodrama, it found its ground and settled for humor (which was a good call).
That's not to say the transition wasn't entertaining to watch. To simplify it, the show is so much fun you'll ended up willing to overlook some of its glaring flaws. Most of which include entire plot points abandoned halfway without an explanation, only to introduced more plot-points that were later forgotten. If this show could be edited, I would've taken most of those out... especially the one that introduced a pretty dark subject only to brush over it and shelve it...
At any rate, despite its flaws, this is a lighthearted story that's very digestible and, more importantly, enjoyable.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Lovable
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The three charismatic main leads were given a good balance of strengths and weaknesses. And though they weren't always held accountable for their actions, they still showed some measure of growth and change as the story progressed.
Seo Poong (male lead): His character was probably the most relatable. His growth comes from falling to his lowest point and having to claw his way back up. He's equal amounts fearful and arrogant, which makes him a refreshing male lead. The fact that he shows moments of vulnerability and self-doubt goes to show that a strong character can be built through struggles. If one takes a look at his character from the first episode and compares him to who he becomes during the last episode, you'll see he was properly developed.
Dan Sae Woo (female lead): Jung Ryeo Won did a wonderful job of portraying Sae Woo's sassy attitude. Every smile and chuckle felt natural and contagious. She was also a well-rounded character, with moments of strengths balanced by moments of vulnerability. As fun as she was, out of the three main leads, I'd argue she had the least growth. As the episodes rolled by, it became increasingly obvious that she lacked self-reflection. This meant that she wasn't always held accountable for her actions. This in turn resulted in little change to her character when comparing the first episode to the last. The opportunities to develop her were there for the taking, but the writers missed every single one.
Doo Chil Seong (second male lead and the character who stole the show): Chil Seong was so charming, kind and lovable, that he out-shined and out-staged the other leads. And I don't mean as in he gave me second lead syndrome (though he did), but more like his character became the heart of the show. And how could he not? Chil Seong existed outside of the love triangle and was developed far more than the rest. He had the most interesting backstory and he was at the center of the most powerful moments of the series. Chil Seong was a magnet who -- through his charisma and selflessness-- ended up pulling the rest of the cast into his orbit. If you were hesitant to watch this because he's not the main lead, perish the thought! I have a feeling that if you watch this series, you won't regret it.
ANTAGONISTS: Unremarkable
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There's a number of antagonists, each showing a different degree of hostility towards our leads, but honestly, none of them stood out. Their purpose was to progress the story and support the narrative by adding obstacles to force our protagonists (mostly Poong) to grow. So even if they were rather superficial in their development (or lack thereof), they were a useful addition.
SUPPORT CHARACTERS: shallow
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Just like with the antagonists, the support characters served a specific function within the main story and, therefore, didn't get any proper development. However, given their role, I think it was a good call to keep the story focused on the leads. Especially since not all of the support characters were likable.
PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Sweet, nurturing & healthy
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The romance between our leads was great. Lee Jun Ho & Jung Ryeo Won had great chemistry on screen, which made the development of the relationship feel organic. The characters' personalities also meshed pretty well, allowing them both to be equally active in the development of their relationship rather than have one character pursuing the other. In a way, it felt like they were both walking towards one another and met right in the middle.
PORTRAYAL OF BROMANCE: Heartfelt & nurturing
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The relationship between Poong and Chil Seong was a highlight of the show. Although they started on the wrong foot, Poong and Chil Seong built a strong foundation of understanding, loyalty, devotion, and support that culminated in a familial bond. The fact that Lee Jun Ho and Jang Hyuk also had great chemistry, helped sell how quickly they transitioned from friends to "bros".
OVERALL:
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This is a feel-good series. It's not a perfect by far, but it's undoubtedly entertaining and light enough to binge-watch. It's also a series that doesn't ask too much of its audience, which makes it a perfect show to watch after coming home from a hard/stressful day.
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A eunuch of a mystery.
After Word of Honor, it is such a delight to come upon another modest production that punches above its weight - 2021 must be the year of the diamond in the rough! This charming ancient crime solving drama is meticulously well written such that the disparate plot threads are tightly linked and hold up to close scrutiny.This story is set in Tang Dynasty, during the reign of Xuanzong 宣宗. During this period, Xuanzong and his predecessors struggled to wrest back power from the hands of the eunuchs, who were erroneously given authority over the Shence army (imperial guards) to check the power of the generals who guarded the borders. The previous emperor Wuzong was not succeeded by any of his sons but by his uncle Xuanzong, whose ascent was aided by the eunuchs because he was considered more malleable. This is important background context to the story that will make the various motives and power dynamics more clear. [@Skibbies posted a more detailed historical background in the thread which I link below since she didn't review this drama herself.]
Aspiring young coroner Chu Chu heads to Chang'an to obtain her qualifications from the backwaters of Qianzhou. Prince An, Xiao Jinyu who heads 三法司 or Three Judicial Office is impressed by this naive and ernest young coroner's brilliant deductive insights and intrigued by her links to a missing person from a very old cold case hailing back to Wenzong's reign (Wenzong > Wuzong >Xuanzong). This leads to the uncovering of a much larger conspiracy with deep links to the past.
Although Chu Chu is the titular character, this is misleading as the character lacks complexity and gravitas. In fact, this is as much Jinyu's story as it is Chu Chu's and he is ultimately the brains who puts all the pieces together. I have some sympathy for viewers who abandoned this drama because they found Chu Chu's naïveté and simple facial expressions inconsistent with the intelligence of the character. This actress obviously has a lot of potential but in this role, was not able to convey the difference between guileless and gullible. But I put it mostly on her voice dubber, which in my opinion is the production's biggest execution error. The actress should have dubbed herself, she has the perfect voice for Chu Chu, young but not child-like. The dubber's baby doll voice especially took me out of the romance - in today's Stein age (Weinstein, Epstein), it just gives me the creeps to hear romantic exchanges between a baby doll voice and mature male voice. The way the romance is written does not get in the way of the plot, it is very sweet, intelligent and avoids the typical angst tropes but given the choice of voice dubber, I would have preferred they left it out altogether.
As a largely plot driven drama, most of the characters are relatively simple but the sum of the parts is greater than the whole because every character is smart and has something to contribute. Jinli and Lengyue are the muscle that protects the team and have insights on military and jianghu matters. Jingyi is the investigator, general dogsbody and court jester of the group. Even though the cast is obviously quite green, their collective chemistry and rapport is what makes this click. The entire drama is largely carried by this young but rather wonderful ensemble cast. If the main characters are not meaty enough, this is more than made up for by the two wickedly funny eunuchs Qin Luan and Sun Mingde. In fact, Qin Luan can give Lord Varys a run for his money and is by a wide margin my favorite, most interesting character in this drama. So don't miss out on one of the few really solid plot driven dramas out there just because one or two characters don't resonate with you.
What impresses me most with this drama is how creatively details more easily explained in a book are adapted. The autopsy re-enactments and visual presentation of hidden clues in chess matches, riddles, and ciphers convincingly portrays plot intricacies without getting mired in mind numbing detail. That said, we are not given the ability to solve any of the side cases, we just get to sit back and let Jinyu show and tell us the devil in the details.
When it comes to the overarching plot, even though all major plot points converge brilliantly with loose ends tied up nicely, it could have been better done. The mastermind is not the best, most convincing villain in the drama and I do not like how they are revealed so early on and abruptly without any hints or surprise value. Ideally we figure out their identity at the same time Jinyu does. And that is the second problem, the mastermind pretty much self combusts. This is a character that is super intelligent throughout that becomes less intelligent towards the end. When Jinyu returns to Chang'an he only has the solution to the cold case, he is far from onto who the mastermind is. Instead of accelerating their plan while hiding in plain sight, the mastermind panics and tips off Jinyu by fleeing in a way that makes no sense when they should know they can't fool Jinyu's genius coroner. This also cuts them off from their easy access to the palace which is their end goal and from then from then on, they continue to dribble clues that are easy for a coroner of Chu Chu's caliber to unravel. This makes the ending pretty much a foregone conclusion and even though the team takes some unnecessary risks in the final denouement, I didn't feel any build in suspense or a sense of imminent peril. The drama for me climaxes when they find the witch doctor and after that it is just a series of incrementally less interesting and exciting reveals. At the end of the day, they focused too much on the details supporting the sub plots and neglected the main meal.
Everything said and done flaws and all, I still enjoyed this drama immensely and am happy to strongly recommend it. I can only rate it an 8.5 because this eunuch of a mystery is missing its best parts.
A link to more detailed background history credit to @Skibbies:
https://mydramalist.com/50135-the-imperial-coroner#comment-6184389
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It was one of a kind
This drama is a shining diamond. It is one of the best dramas I have watched so far and I have no regrets. I would most definitely watch it again. I think the story of the drama was unpredictable, it had many twists and turn. Now we all know that the comedic element in this drama is beyond funny and I love it, but it also made us cry big time. AND I KNOWW!!!! for anyone who watched it had SLS. I personally found the 1st episode kinda long and boring, it literally took me 3 MONTHS to finish one episode.But I pulled myself together and decided to give it a chance and I loved it. So this is a sign to y'all out there who are hesitating to watch it.Was this review helpful to you?
