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To Find Yourself, Think of Yourself - socrates
This drama started with an issue of a 32-years-old career women who doesn't have experience in dating.Her first love promised to get married in future, but it fell right after they met again after years.
The FL, He Fan Xing, is the oldest daughter in family- even tho she has twin brother, but she's more mature than her twin. When they are younger, her twin brother, He Can Yang, doesn't let any guy to get closer to her until no one wanted to get close her. She is definitely has zero experience in dating. So, her mind and act is easily read by others.
Fang Xin is like an earth. She has everything like beauty, career, money and loving family. But she also has gravity and magnetic force fields, so she make sure everything she does, doesn't effect everyone around her.
The ML, Yuan Song, is an intern who brought by Fang Xing because of her brother asked her. At first, Yuan Song is kind of troublemaker and like to tease her after he started to get know her true--of course, it's also because her brother always sharing about how weird his twin sister to him. He found Fang Xing is mature yet innocent, so he attracted to her charm.
His character like a wind, sometimes calm sometimes not, transparent and running towards his dream.
Their three months relationship may not shown much because it's not only focused on main lead relationship. But I can say they are happy during the three months. It shown how much Yuan Song loved her and how Fang Xin cared for him even after the break up.
The SML, Ye Lu Ming, may be bit sneaky and ambitious. After he successed separated Fang Xin and Yuan Song, he always understimated Yuan Song. He feel he has win over him (after lose to him at first). Like, he wanted a limited edition bag but someone buy before you right in front of your eyes, you may do everything to get the bag. He is like a fire.
But, I can see he is not evil. He is good towards his niece and family, but also a fool for love. He sometimes creep me out because he was like popped out nowhere around Fang Xin.
Actually, I can understand why Fang Xin is very careful with her relationship with Yuan Song. She is 10 years older, and Yuan Song is her brother's student. As women, it is very sensitive matter. She doesn't want especially her family being talked in town after the topic she WAS 32 and UNMARRIED. She also doesn't want to hold Yuan Song, who is handsome. rich and have bright future and of course YOUNG. Whilst, Yuan Song feel insecure because he JUST graduated and an intern in Fang Xin's company. while the opponent is successful.
This matter worsened by Lu Ming's advices, which is turn out to be their break up.
Honestly, the story get better after the break up. I like how Yuan Song trying to fight his girl back, with raise his own value. Yuan Song know exactly what he want to do. It was good drama to watch.
Just like the title of drama, they need to Find Themselves and what they really wants before others.
This drama also is not just about their triangle love story. It also shown many relateable issues and heartwarming family, friends, and collegues.
The jokes also cracked me up especially with Can Yang's antics.
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Every cliche under the sun
I’m not sure if I watched the same show as a lot of these other reviewers, but I ended up watching the final episodes because I had already spent the time with the earlier episodes. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a series where they tried to cram every overly dramatic themes into one show. What *can’t* the FL do? She’s apparently an expert at everything all the rescue firefighters, who train constantly, and do it all without gloves, protective gear, or sense. She is the ultimate dog trainer, AND she is the investigative reporter who digs in and uncovers ALL the corruption under the sun. Don’t even get me started on the annoying and pathetic second ML (can we even call him that?) He’s apparently a 25 year old CEO of a major financial powerhouse who rides around in Bentleys and Range Rovers who also hitches rides with random truckers and has time to personally carry a girl in his back all night long, with a sprained ankle…. Oh my god I could go on and on, but I’ll leave it here and just say painful!!Was this review helpful to you?
Without beating around the bush, The Tale of Gumiho ( or the Nine Tailed Fox) ‘s beginning did offer the criteria of being a brilliant fantasy show ; a stellar cast, fairly strong scriptwriting from episode one and of course the intriguing plot scenario of a lovelorn nine-tailed fox ( Lee Dong Wook) desperately yearning to be human again and overcoming the emotional scars of his past.
The Tale of Gumiho does certainly have one gift for drama watchers by offering us a stellar cast line-up. Finally seeing Lee Dong Wook reprise a fantasy role again had to be an undeniable selling- point for most drama watchers.
In place of wearing a prim and proper black hat as a certain Grim Reaper, however, Dong Wook steps into his new character, Lee Yeon, by sporting freshly dyed auburn red hair and brightly coloured suits as part of his foxy persona. There is no denying the fact that Dong Wook is undeniably Dong Wook in his performance - with a mixture of a sarcasm , comical wit and angst-driven ambiance surrounding his performance as Lee Yeon, it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing this mysterious trickster instead. In a similar manner to Dong Wook, Jo Bo- ah was stunningly brilliant as the female lead, Nam Ji- ah through her heart-driven wit and capability to portray a female lead with rationality and intelligence in the show .
Yet sadly, however, as far as the scriptwriting is concerned both characters undeniably fall short of expectations through how they are dealt with after the opening of the drama. Without revealing too much it’s fair to say that although both characters did respectfully have emotional attachment to viewers through their experiences, some of the cliches that the scriptwriters had included just didn’t live up to expectations for these characters to be more than plot devices. ( Ji- ah’s rationality and intelligence as a lead is seemingly flung out the window by the halfway point of the drama, our main antagonist, Imoogi played mostly by Lee Tae- Ri has little intrigue for
watchers over his motives whereas characters such as the Snail Bride, Taluipa and Hyun Eui-ong who should’ve have had some of the most intriguing involvement in the storyline, were simply played for comical effect instead). By the ending of this drama there was little development or actual intrigue around most of these characters.
On the other hand, perhaps the one thing ( alongside the fairly good OST ) which most certainly can be praised in regards to one element of the scriptwriting, is how they dealt with Kim Bum’s brilliantly sardonic and emotionally complex portrayal as the antagonist- antihero role , Lee Rang.Of course, there is no denying that Rang did step often beyond the points of morality in the drama even from episode one, yet revelations of Lee Rang’s complicated past and his partially morally-guided actions throughout the drama such as saving his faithful sidekick Yu-ri ( Kim Yong Ji) from animal abuse in a zoo, a puppy from being tortured by a group of teenage thugs and Kim Soo oh ( Jung Si yul) from child abuse, adds more intricacy to him simply being labelled as an “ evil” or “ twisted” character.
Surprisingly, Kim Yong Ji’s performance as Yu- ri , also had better characterisation than the majority our main leads as well. As a character, Yu- ri appears at first as somewhat detestable by her animalistic desires to eat humans and to deceive a married couple behind the truth that their daughter is dead. Yet as Rang reveals more about Yu-ri’s past, it soon becomes apparent through her growing relationship with the veterinarian Shin Joo ( Hwang Hee) that Yu-ri is again not entirely an evil character, but simply doing what she must in order to survive. It is only a shame that whilst Yu- ri undeniably had a good character progression by the ending of the show, the circumstances of Lee Rang, Lee Yeon and Ji-ah felt lacklustre in comparison. It wasn’t that the ending of the drama wasn’t good, however, the means in which the scriptwriters had got us to this ending felt rushed and lacking in both emotional investment and intrigue for watchers.
Overall Tale of Gumiho was a fairly enjoyable show, however, it was severely flawed by character progression of our main leads as well as their relationship, and the overall ending deliverance of the drama. Perhaps the two saving graces of the drama were the casting choices and evidently Kim Bum’s performance as Lee Rang due to being a complicated and intriguing antagonist up until the ending , where sadly his final character twist and progression felt too rushed. Whilst Tale of Gumiho is worth a watch, don’t watch it if you’re looking for a masterpiece, as there are certainly better fantasy dramas out there.
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“It’s not about getting better. The next stage just comes...
Then comes another stage, followed by more stages to go”.I don’t think I have ever watched a show that introduces so many interesting topics to think about in such a light and heartwarming manner. The episodes might have been only 24 minutes long, but the impact lasted for hours, making me reflect on my opinions, thoughts and behaviors.
From the opening till the end - it felt both realistic and strangely eccentric and dream-like. Following Ha Jyung on the trips allowed me to take a moment to just relax and enjoy the views and the scenery. The straightforward and honest personality of our female lead added to the charm. I also appreciated how real her character was - a normal person in normal circumstances, taking a break from the busy and overstimulated world.
The wide range of topics tackled in the show included, but was not limited to: reflecting on our past goals and dreams, the role of an educator, adults' involvement in creating certain paths for children, focusing on their future rather than the current happiness, the disagreements and different perceptions generations have, where we always villainize the other side, not seeing the flaws in our own thinking and behavior.
We were faced with questions like: is striving for success correct, or should we just focus on doing what we love, even if it does not bear fruits? Why is it so hard to show interest towards another person and since when saying “I love you” or even “I like you” becomes so hard, that we found new ways to convey exactly the same emotions?
This is not all, and I’m sure each and every person would focus on different aspects, different scenes and different lines - seeing their own unique version of what’s presented in the drama.
Lee Na Young was such a perfect casting choice to portrayal Ha Kyung. On one hand her character was truly relatable, on the other hand she had her own charms and quirks that not many people possess. Creating a character that is both unique, but also relatable is not an easy job.
The production was stellar. All episodes were filmed, directed and edited in a similar fashion, but at the same time, all had specific tricks that enhanced whatever story was told in each episode. Be it adding more blur and slightly distorted shots to create these dream-like sequences, or using first person perspective to make viewers connect to the scene and potential feelings the characters are experiencing. The soundtrack was the cherry on top, making me want to drop whatever I was doing and set on a trip myself.
Overall, I feel like no matter how much time I would spend on writing this review, it would be impossible for me to truly convey how much I love One Day Off. It's a rare clean 10 for me.
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Cast is quite young but excellent acting and great directing. Some scenes could have rushed to improve the rewatch value but didn’t bother me.
Like the plot and script as it was very logical and reasonable. No silly dramas due to lack of communication. Really like the way the story flows between the two mothers. Very realistic.
Really enjoyed watching it.
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Uncanny, but in a fluffy way with some important lessons.
First of all, I have to say this had some of the best castings I’ve seen. Lee Jae Bin and Kim Seong Hyuk both embodied the animals they were acting as. Especially Seong Hyuk. He was acting more like a cat than my actual cat does.That said, I think they did so well with showcasing the traits said animals have, it was actually hard for me to get into the romance side of it. Especially with Choco - he was both acting too much like a dog, and was treated too much like a dog for me to ship him with anyone. It just did not sit right with me… The casting was so good, I think it was too good, however weird it might sound. Still, they were able to charm me by the end, I left my brain outside of my room as I was watching, and just enjoyed the sweet moments.
Plot wise, I enjoyed it a lot. That’s a story on crack for sure. I had to stop myself from thinking about my animals being human, because the cringe was too strong. I appreciated this fluffy way of dealing with the topic of loss and acceptance of it. How different characters showed different ways of dealing with it - be it acceptance, denial or a hopeful outlook or just postponing it a little bit to enjoy the company for as long as possible. Not to mention the importance of chasing after things that bring you happiness.
Acting was good. Lee Jae Bin and Kim Seong Hyuk for sure did the best job. I bought everything they sold and have no complaints.
Production wise, initially I did have one complaint - the show felt empty. Few people pointed out how there was never anyone in the café in the beginning episodes. Small things like that take away from the show, as the story does not feel real. Luckily, that “emptiness” became a part of the plot the moment characters addressed it, so the issue was solved in my eyes. Except for that, it was a really good production for a short show like this.
Overall, it was enjoyable. Probably better as a binge watch, like many shorter dramas - would be a good movie. Waiting for that last episode was truly painful.
Milk was my favorite and I wanted to see more of him. Give him a nice short spin-off pretty please!
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Seriously don't watch this one. I was happy to find this drama out since it looked like a GL so I was happy that Viki is getting wlw relationships some spotlight as well. But damn I was wrong, I can't believe I survived watching all the 8 episodes. The only pros are that both the female leads acted quite good and that I liked the OST but that's all.
The characters are awful, manipulative and cheating. All the relationships (romantic or friendship) are so toxic it hurts.
I'm not even sure if this can be considered GL since the female leads were always like "we're just best friends" and they had friendship rings and each of them got a boyfriend at the end of the drama. Like what?!
Lesbians and wlw in general deserve much better representation than this sh*t.
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Just don't even bother, save yourself the headache.
This deserves a much lower score - but I did enjoy the first 15 episodes, and she did write some damn lovable children, but holy hell was this a disaster, and this writer has been officially blacklisted by me, lol. First of all, not a family drama. Especially if you go in after watching some great ones like Once Again, Never Twice, Five Enough, etc. Definitely more a makjang disguising itself as a family drama. But not even a good makjang. You've got multiple amnesia plots, beyond awful parenting, schemes, a lady who screamed most of the series, a weak ass ML, a female lead that literally never got a break and was always in tears, traumatized children, Sa Ra (she's a whole thing herself), and it goes on. Not a cute healing drama about a older widowed man finding love with his children's teacher.As many have pointed out in the comments a better title would have been a Gentlemen and a Witch, because somehow Sa Ra was the female lead in this. So much of the narrative was wasted on her and her awful self. The amount of terrible things she did disguised as love, were not love. She was basically an obsessed stalker who wanted a rich husband. If you thought she'd get a fitting end - no, she just left. After everything she did she could just walk away. And the male lead was pretty damn pathetic because he fell for literally everyone of her schemes, even when everyone around him was telling him it was suspicious, which of course hurt the female lead every damn time. At first I was shipping him with Dan Dan but by the end I - along with many others were wondering why she would keep running after this man. And then there's Cha Gun, who was in love with Sa Ra for what? She used him and dumped him every damn time, and he still thought she was a good person?
Literally everyone of the parents were terrible, one trying to sell her daughter off for money and would always play the victim, another one (Dan Dan's dad) who seem liked a timid man but was really a controlling POS still obsessed with his ex who treated his daughter like a child and reacted very hostile anytime she disobeyed him and was consistently disrespectful to his wife's feeling because of his stupid pride. Another mom who just went along with her daughters nonsense specially when her child clearly need professional help who was also a thief. Another who thought she could make up for her mistakes by tricking her daughter and and ex into moving back to the states with her.
Sure there was a happy ending but it felt pretty bitter after everything you suffered through for 52 episodes. Well, less for me since I either skipped through or just flat out didn't watch at least twenty of them, thanks to other people recapping the episodes, lol. Sure I ran the range of emotions from loving it to, eh whats this? to the wtf? to angry to just a complete lack of empathy to eh I guess the ending is cute? But what was the point. All the nonsense in between was just nonsense.
The kids? I give them all the props. Literally more mature than all the adults. The boys themselves were freaking little angels who deserved so much more. I'd keep a eye out for the actors, they were better than some of the rest of the cast. But I guess I should be fair - I think most the cast are better in other dramas.
But yeah, just don't watch it and go watch a lakorn instead. At least you'd be more entertained.
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Love, loved, loved the series. This was so different and fun. The supporting cast had the personalities that made you laugh or cry. I knew when I saw them on a scene something funny was about to be said or happen. They were brave, somewhat smart, loyal to a fault and honest. Loved the female lead as well. Her personality was authentic and just yes.
Watch it. Get ready to laugh, laugh and swoon.
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Love it!
I'll say this once and I hope this review clears your mind. This drama is not a serious historical drama and it's pretty much clear why starting from the title. I feel like people see the tag historical and expect a super story plot cdrama with a serious meaning and deep plot and have high expectations. If you actually watch cdramas you would know there is a genre for everything, historical dramas with a deep plot and then their are this historical dramas that have no sense but they are enjoyable because they are for a good time. My sassy princess CLEARLY is not one serious heavy deep plot cdrama. So people that rate this 3 or even less don't get it. If I'm watching who rules the world I have different expectations than watching My sassy princess. If you can't make a difference about what kind of public this drama is searching for then it's not for you. It doesn't mean the drama is bad.Over all this drama is all I can ask, no slow burn, funny female lead, romantic and same level of teasing male lead. Funny story line where you're meant to have a good time. If you take this drama seriously of course you won't like it. But this drama is just for fun.
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5 reasons to watch Fighting Mr. Second
I am absolutely in love. Literally. I usually never write reviews or for that matter watch shows live or pay attention to the BTS stuff but this show grabbed my attention and never let go. It will forever hold a place in my most memorable and favorite dramas not just a BL1 - Cast/Chemistry
The whole cast is pretty great, from YU’s eyes that break heart to Chih Tian Shih whose monologue left everyone in tears. But the stand out will always be Sam Lin, he is just amazing at making you feel exactly what Shi De is feeling. Who knew a “Hi” could be that sad.
Also there chemistry is undeniable. Whether it’s the angry scenes, sweet ones or smexy times there is always a kind of tension between the 2 mains. They just feel so natural together and never felt forced or overdone.
2 - The Mains
Shu Yi - I love this dramatic baby. He is a force of nature, selfish, arrogant but in such a cute way that you can’t help but root for him in the end. I love that he never backs down from Shi De, always challenges him at his level and calls him out on his crap.
Goa Shi De - I think he is my overall favourite character. He was originally going to be more macho and aggressive but with the input of Sam they changed him to agreeable, bendable , humble and accepting. I think the writer (of the show) said it best when she said that Shi De’s biggest flaw is he’s always been the pioneer in his relationship with Shu Yi and feels like he should go out first to clear the way of obstacles but he underestimated Shu Yi ability to catch up to him so he made mistakes. He holds everything inside and when he explodes it left me in tears of sympathy.
3 - Storyline
The story is quite simple for the most part, it’s about the after of the happy ending. In season one we see Shi De and Sho Yi finally get together but what happens after that? Can young love in all its immaturity conquer insecurity, distance, pride, misunderstandings and get to a more mature place? When you’ve been hurt by your most trusted one, is possible to let go of angry in order to forgive? Can you withstand your partner’s hurt and hatred to earn the forgiveness? Are you willing to walk hand in hand instead of always being the strong one that shows no weakness? These are main conflicts.
At first I didn’t think I was gonna like this as much as the 1st season because the “misunderstanding” troupe is so damn over used but if you roll with it and stick with the characters, the internal reasoning from episode 4 allows you to sympathize with the real why.
One of the shows flaw is focusing on the Alpha plot at the second part of the drama and cutting out the emails scenes that many felt was a necessity. However I felt like the director did the Alpha plot to show the mains working together in a common goal to show a glimpse of what there future working together is like. And it also was a vehicle for Pei Shou Yi and Yu Zhen Xuan to be in each other orbits again.
4 - Music
The music in this show is actually really good, only rivaled by ITTSAY as my favourite BL soundtrack. Usually I find the music overused and distracting because sometimes it doesn’t go with the scene it’s in (I’m looking at you Love by chance and Tharntype). But here it fit the theme of the season because it’s slightly bluezy/moody and YU has a beautiful voice.
5 - Side Characters
I actually don’t really every like multiple couple stories in general because it draws too much time away from the main couples storylines especially in shorter dramas. But here they gave us interesting side story between Pei Shou Yi and Yu Zhen Xuan that was just enough to make me want to see where there story goes in there spin off series without annoying me with too much screen time. I ended up falling in love in Yu Zhen Xuan in episode 6.
Will I rewatch this drama? Yes it’s now cemented in my heart as 1 of my favs. Should you? I say don’t hesitate, some people might find it not as fluffy as the first season or can’t overlook some flaws but give it try cause it might surprise you.
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The cook, the eunuch and the chowhound - a crime solving menage a trois.
This comedic drama features a wildly imaginative yet oddly fitting crime fighting menage a trois comprising of a low (sixth) ranked magistrate (Tang Fan), a high-ranked embroidered guard (jingyi wei; Sui Zhou) and an influential eunuch (Wang Zhi) with the emperor's ear. Their paths intersect on cases with national security implications and while they have different agendas and masters, their synergistic and mutually beneficial collaborations blossom into friendship. The three main characters are well written - their bromance, hilarious antics and interactions are this drama's greatest strength.With an irrepressible grin and a wicked gleam in his eyes, Darren Chen really hams it up with his cheeky, flirtatious and sometimes deliberately irritating characterisation of the titular Tang Fan, an idealistic young magistrate who is more of a chowhound than a sleuthhound. The talented and willowy Tang Fan is a very pretty boy with delicate and vivacious features who embraces his feminine side with abandon and is passionate, emotional, naggy, petulant, petty and vengeful. This outrageously funny character writes erotic novels to supplement his puny income, lives to eat, seems extremely well acquainted with the how to but yet can't cook to save his life. He happily moves in with the gorgeously taciturn, moody, much more masculine and deadly Sui Zhou who steals Tang Fan's heart with his ability to cook a mean meal. There is enough in their interactions and suggestive domestic arrangement to get the BL fans all hot and bothered without running afoul of Chinese censorship. And then of course there is Wang Zhi, the most morally grey and dangerous of the three. He approaches relationships transaction ally - "you scratch my back I'll scratch yours" and is unambiguous about his first loyalty to king and country. Newcomer Liu Yaoyuan's portrayal of the ruthless, calculating and yet inexplicably likable Wang Zhi nicely rounds out this kinky threesome. Between them, they are able to marshal resources from the lowest to highest reaches of society to solve their cases.
Set at the heart of the capital during the Chenghua reign of Ming Dynasty, the important characters and events of the period are nicely tied into the overall plot-lines. The surrounding characters were somewhat cliche but mostly well done from the "adopted daughter" Dong'er, the miracle doctor, the Oirats, Wang Zhi's beggar informants and the rare treat of a smart and hot emperor. The cases run the gamut from crimes of passion, corruption, larceny, terrorism and climaxes in a dangerous conspiracy reaching the highest ranks of government. Most surrounding characters including the villains have recurring roles in subsequent cases which gives them dimension and avoids the confusion of excessive character introductions with each new case. The cases shouldn't be taken too seriously; while they are fun and quite interesting, they are not that original or that difficult to solve and have some logic holes and are thus unlikely to satisfy a serious crime or mystery buff. The rhythm of the investigations frequently digress into inane and somewhat childish hit or miss comedic sketches that can go on for too long. There is a slight misogynist undertone to this drama - even the likable women have unflattering traits (stupid, noisy, whiny, irrational), or worse are power hungry, traitors, extremists or come to a bad end.
The tightly choreographed action scenes are signature Jackie Chan - lethal, gripping, high impact, extremely acrobatic and fluid poetry in motion. They are not excessive, do not drag on for too long and avoid the mid-combat slapstick moments he used to be so fond of; all good changes. The camerawork is stunning and very artistic, approaching movie quality. They obviously spared no expense with this and it shows.
For those who grew up on Jackie Chan, the Sleuth of Ming Dynasty is a fun romp down memory lane. There is a bit of the artistic Jackie Chan, the wacky whack-y Jackie Chan, the comedic Jackie Chan, the high testosterone Jackie Chan, the innovative Jackie Chan, the crass Jackie Chan and finally and pleasingly, the mature Jackie Chan. I outgrew his flicks ages ago - after awhile I found the hair rising stunts, high speed chases and exaggerated comedic routines repetitive, shallow and draining. So I am pleasantly surprised to see in this drama that maturity has toned down and balanced some (not all) of his more extreme inclinations while still remaining essentially Jackie Chan. It is also nice to see the uniquely Jackie Chan inspired Hong Kong wu da pan (武打片) sub-genre with its chauvinistic, contradictory, cynical, sarcastic yet sentimental and idealistic spirit has evolved for the better but is still innately the same.
This is highly entertaining and enjoyable if you don't look too hard at it or seek profound meaning. It is not always my sense of humor and the cases are solid but not exceptional so I rate it an 8.5 but I can see why others would call it a 9.0 or better.
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Have you ever watched a show that made you feel like you are a dirty pedophile? If not, and if you are looking for one, then this one is for you!Before anything, lets talk about the good things:
1.Newyear and Jur's King and Burger. Newyear somehow reminded me of a young Ohm and Jur's obvious over acting is endearing. I think the series will have a more positive reaction had they made them the focus of this show.
2. Is there a number 2?
Truth be told, I cant tell how anyone behind the show thought this was a good idea. This series is so reminiscent of the director's past works- Make it Right and What the Duck, but it seems like they never learned their lesson and instead amplified what people hated from those shows. Now lets talk about the not so good things:
1. The story. Cramming so many things within a 6 episode show is just too much, plus you really cant tell what the show is about. Is it a love series? Is it a murder mystery series?
2. Just like Love Sick 2, they managed to add another 2 of the most annoying characters ever on a tv show. There's no need to explain why Bookko's teacher is so despicable. And there's Mint's Pakaiwan. Also, special honorable mention to Ning's Pimtha, because
3. I really dont understand why some showrunners are so intent on making girls the villains in a boy-love series. Adding hate-able female characters doesnt automatically make viewers accept boy-love, if anything, its just lazy writing.
4. Speaking of lazy writing- this one seems like a mash up of a few other shows but is much more poorly executed. It is quite obvious that Burger King's story is derivative of Kieta Hatsukoi and there's an abvious attempt to make this into an Agatha Christie show.
5. I mentioned earlier that this show can make you feel like a dirty pedophile - the short shorts (it somehow felt like shorter shorts from Make it Right) is just too much and way too distracting. There was also quite a lot of disturbing shirtless scenes. I remember i was cringing during that scene when King removed his shirt and is trying to strip Burger - they obviously doesnt have what it takes to do that mature scene (they look like naked 10 year olds with those tiny bodies) but to force it does not look sexy, at all.
6. Bigboss' permanently constipated puppy sad look face. No matter what scene he is in, its the same sad face.
7. If they're planning season 2, which we all know is coming despite all the company's drama, I sincerely hoped they kept Pakaiwan dead because we dont need to see her anynore.
What's sad is there are hints that this could be a much better show. Overall, if you lower your expectations, it is still watchable and because of Burger and King i will give it a 6 (and also because i hate giving lower than that). Skip if you can only watch a few shows a week and save your viewing time for something much better.
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2
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1This review may contain spoilers
I hadn’t planned to start watching this yet.. Really, I hadn’t.. But somehow, I fell straight into its trap... I thought I would just take a quick peek at the first ep and before I knew it, it was six in the morning five episodes down and no way to stop.. It’s that good, no wonder the ratings are so high..Whenever I watch an enemies to lovers kind of story, I never get tired of that slow shift when they slowly grow into each other.. They begin to learn things about one another.. Their deepest secrets, the softest parts that were never spoken about, the little facts and even their weaknesses.. The enemies to lovers trope here is done exceptionally well.. It’s neither rushed nor slow.. I would say it’s perfectly executed.. After what happened in the first two episodes, I was curious to see how they would ever go from enemies to lovers.. Seriously, they hated each other so much and he really did torture her pretty badly..
FYX and FSG’s love feels incredibly strong and almost beyond ordinary, something that truly left me amazed.. There are so many small, subtle moments that quietly scream how deeply they love each other.. Their love is the anchor that holds the story together through all the tumbles it takes.. Fu Yi Xiao’s emotional and moral journey, from someone bound by loyalty to a woman willing to risk her place, her safety and even her heart for the truth and for her supposed enemy is deeply compelling.. Her transformation mirrors that of our ML Feng Sui Ge, the prince shaped by vengeance and duty who slowly learns that power without compassion is just another kind of cage.. Their love is forged through loss and courage and through the painful realization that sometimes, love itself is the most defiant act of all..
Something that really stood out for me in this drama is the couple and their relationship.. I know I am writing too much about them, but bear with me.. Their relationship isn’t like the cliche ones you see in most dramas.. Their relationship is completely and sensibly balanced.. They respect each other’s strengths and weaknesses.. Both are capable, confident and competent individuals who don’t lose sight of who they are just because they are in love.. This is what I love about the writing, they are intentionally kept as equals.. Neither is portrayed as weak or dependent and she never becomes someone who needs the ML to protect her.. Even the ML understands her strength and intelligence, he lets her take risks when she has to, never forcing her to hide behind him or stop her out of overprotectiveness.. That’s what I hate in most dramas, when they fall in love and suddenly all that ruthlessness or individuality disappears and they just turn into fools in love.. But here it’s not like that at all, and I absolutely loved it..
Visually, this drama is undeniably beautiful.. They have done wonders with the cinematography, framing and color work.. The direction isn’t flamboyant, it’s careful and deliberate as if the story itself is afraid of revealing too much too soon.. I do agree, though, at times, the pacing falters as if the director momentarily loses sight of which emotion to frame, grief or resolve, tenderness or deceit..
The supporting characters were good as well.. I really liked the ML's team.. They were utterly loyal till the end.. But I feel the show spent too much time on the other side characters who didn’t really deserve that focus.. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but personally I didn’t enjoy it.. Nothing about those parts felt worth the time and none of the characters made me want to keep watching.. There was hardly any real character development, maybe with the exception of the Emperor of Jinxia.. But again, that’s just my opinion..
Talking about character development, one character was a complete disaster from start to finish, the Princess of Susha.. She was frustrating to watch, constantly making poor choices and falling for the wrong man.. What she needed was a knock on the head, not sympathy.. In the end, she literally got a sword to her stomach from the very man she loved and sacrificed everything for.. She never had any clear motive and kept walking straight into her own downfall.. Even her revenge felt so shallow, what was she even avenging?? The story tried to frame it as if the SML wronged her, but he was honest from the beginning that he would never love her.. Then she went on to team up with another terrible man in the name of revenge.. The Emperor and the princess were just two broken people making things worse for each other.. He was an awful person, much like the SML.. His last minute redemption does count as character development, but it doesn’t make him a good person nor does it turn their story into some tragic love worth mourning..
The ML at least had one sibling who had some sense and did the right thing, the Second Prince of Susha.. Despite being raised on lies and manipulation, despite having every reason to protect his mother and hold on to power, he still chose what was right.. He stood by his brother when it mattered most.. He has my absolute respect..
All the other characters had fitting endings and every arc was wrapped up really well.. Feng Sui Ge got his revenge on everyone who wronged him and his family, every backstabber met their fate and it was incredibly satisfying to watch.. And through it all, Fu Yi Xiao stood by him, protecting and fighting alongside him, just as she promised she would..
I wanted to mention a few other things..
There was one thing I think they overdid, the face filter.. It was just a bit too much.. They really could have eased up on it.. At some points, CZH looked like he might melt if the sun hit him..
These Chinese historical weddings are just so beautiful.. The attire, the colors, the whole aesthetic, it’s pure bliss to watch..
I have to mention the torture scene, when she tortured him, he seemed to enjoy it a bit too much for it to be called torture.. The man was out there thriving in pain..
There have been quite a few female general characters this year and a lot of talk about who did it best.. But now, we finally have a clear winner.. Hands down, the title goes to Li Qin and her character Fu Yi Xiao.. She was absolutely perfect, fierce, graceful and beautiful.. The way she carried herself was simply sublime..
Overall, this drama was an absolute feast to watch.. I would have rated it a solid 9.5 but all that beautiful buildup led to what felt like a small firework.. Don’t get me wrong, I still liked that firework and thought it was beautiful but deep down, I was hoping for a grand finale of explosions, a huge, epic scale war to end it all.. And also, putting a character who didn’t do a single right thing throughout the entire drama in charge of a country was just plain ridiculous.. She never once showed intelligence, responsibility or even basic morality.. There was no real character development that could justify giving her the responsibility of ruling Susha, that was a huge misstep on Feng Sui Ge’s part.. Chengyang on the other hand, showed far more potential and leadership qualities.. For these two major reasons, I couldn’t bring myself to rate it any higher than a nine.. As much as I wish I could give it a perfect score, these two glaring flaws held it back for me..
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Her Name is Fury
Fight Club meets Infernal Affairs with a dash of La Femme Nikita, Anna, Atomic Blonde, Kill Bill and Villainess, among others. That’s how I would describe this drama in a sentence.My Name is an utterly visceral tale of one woman’s odyssey of vengeance through the deepest pits of Seoul’s dark underbelly and vicious criminal underworld that is seeped in brutality and cruelty. This drama is not for the faint-hearted for its many scenes of pure, unadulterated violence and bloodshed will most certainly induce much consternation indeed.
Based on an original screenplay, this production is helmed by Kim Jin Min, whose previous works include Extracurricular and Lawless Lawyer, and headlined by Han So Hee, of The World of the Married and Nevertheless fame. The Grand Bell Award-winning composer, Hwang Sang Jun, serves as music director.
The narrative is not groundbreaking, for those acquainted with the genre. However, when the re-telling of a similar concept is executed well, it can be an absolute joy to behold and may open doors to new fans of this dark thriller and suspense genre. My Name certainly accomplishes this, in my humble opinion, through a fascinating take on the classic revenge and betrayal plot with a focus on gritty storytelling infused with incredible cast performances and which does not shy away from highly graphic and explicit visual language. For the most part I’m quite pleased with the direction and tempo of the story development which manages to sustain the momentum of the intensity, tension and suspense. I have no major complaints over the design of certain plot devices and twists as well as the final outcome. The fact that there is absolutely zero comedic absurdity and contrived humour is a major boon for me as well.
Over the course of only 8 episodes at 50 minutes each, I did not lose interest or feel a smidgen of boredom. The action is breathlessly high-octane featuring countless fight scenes ranging from mass brawls to hand-to-hand combats involving the use of a variety of weapons. Despite composing a major proportion of the entire drama, some of the quieter and more poignant moments are interspersed throughout, including an extremely brief romantic interlude in the very last episode.
Likewise, as far as the production quality is concerned, there are no discernible major issues. The high production value is reflected in the art direction while technical execution is outstanding. I love the fact that the cinematography perfectly captures the action sequences because oftentimes these scenes are ruined by shoddy camerawork or poor post-production editing and visual effects, which is not the case here. Credit goes to the relentless efforts of the action choreographer and the cast themselves in performing the rather complicated and dangerous stunts. In particular the varied fight scenes involving mixed martial arts movements and knife fights in open spaces as well as cramped indoor settings.
The biggest praise is reserved for the cast themselves, and none more so than the lead actress, Han So Hee. My Name is a character-driven story where the failure or success is fully dependent on the depiction of the main character in question. Thankfully it is the latter because Han So Hee has unreservedly dispelled the doubts surrounding her ability to tackle this lead role which she does so magnificently with aplomb. Sometimes a role does not suit the performer, which seems to be the massive feedback from her previous performance in Nevertheless, but the characterization of Yoon Ji Woo, the FL here, is such a perfect fit for she truly embodies the persona in totality. The believability in her portrayal of sheer agony and torment, single-minded determination and strong will as well as the physical exertions inflicted from the challenges and ordeals that she faces in her pursuit of retribution. It is certainly not an exaggeration to declare unequivocally that Han So Hee thoroughly slayed this role.
Park Hee Soon deserves praise for his portrayal of Choi Moo Jin. This man oozes class, charisma and screen presence as the mafia leader of Dongcheon gang. Together with the hugely experienced and recognisable Kim Sang Ho as police detective Cha Gi Ho, both these men provide excellent support to Han So Hee’s main character that elevates this production to greater heights.
An aspect worth mentioning is the music. I love the retro beats of synthwave which complements the more contemporary rock element in a captivating combo that makes up the score by Hwang Sang Jun, who additionally composed two tracks out of the 3 OSTs in the drama.
My Name featuring Swervy and JEMINN
Mediocre Life featuring Pre-Holiday
A Thought is Haunting Me by Raphael Lake & Royal Baggs
All things considered, it’s been quite a while since I was last invested in a compellingly raw and savage journey of vengeance by a ferocious female character in an Asian drama. I’ve been dying for a bona fide strong FL in every sense of the word. Not a poser or a pretender but an actual badass who literally kicks ass. This has been an incredibly worthwhile viewing experience. Bravo!
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