Reviews

A very flawed drama for die-hard LYX fans with a kick-ass FL ...**BUT**...

If you are a die-hard Luo Yunxi fan, Broker might be worth it as it really showcases his talent. He gives an emotional performance as a flawed and tortured anti-hero who falls in love with a woman who changes the entire course of his life. Broker could also be for you if you love your female leads strong, brilliant, independent, and mature. Victoria Song’s portrayal will have you wishing there were more characters like her in Chinese dramas. (I was going to add sensible to the FL's list of attributes, but unfortunately I can not due to her actions and words in the final two or three episodes.)

BUT. And this is a huge BUT. For everyone else? It’s kind of a toss-up. Broker is flawed and messy, and whether it’s for you or not will depend on your enjoyment or tolerance of soapy, unrealistic melodramas and other elements that some people love and others hate: the science talk, the office politics and scheming (only in the early episodes though -- it's great later), the secondary OTP, very tortured heroes/heroines/antogonists (To say Leo is put through the wringer, especially at the end, would be an understatement). As the series progresses, it also flirts increasingly with “dog’s blood (狗血)” plotlines -- until it VERY predictably goes all-in on the makjang melodrama in the final quarter. (A couple of the characters even reference “dog’s blood” dramas, which makes one think it’s a sly nod of self-recognition.)

Personally, I genuinely enjoyed nearly every ridiculous, soapy, melodramatic moment and couldn’t wait for the next episode. At the same time, I have a lot of caveats. I did park most of my usual standards aside and simply went with the flow. I tried not to think too much about details that didn’t make sense; annoying tropes; the rather ham-fisted effort at depicting anti-Asian/Chinese racism; the heavy-handed overtones of patriotism/nationalism; inconsistencies in pacing, tone, character depiction, and story arcs. Unfortunately, these last elements became very difficult to ignore at the end, especially in the final episode. While expected, the execution of the story arc was frustrating -- and almost cruel -- at times. (You can read my more spoilery views about the ending in the comments section below.)

REWATCH VALUE: If I could break it down, I'd give all of Leo’s scenes a 10 (no bias here :P) and many (but not all) of Victoria’s very high marks too.

MUSIC: Like many Chinese dramas, the instrumental background was sometimes too much, but the songs were solid. I especially adored the closing credit piece, Signature (署名) by Azora Chin (尤长靖), and Leo’s haunting theme, It’s Time To Stop (时间停止吧), by ANU.

Read More

Edited: 14/7/19
[This is my first 10/10 rating; though I tried to find reasons to rate it half a point less, there were none whatsoever.]

A saeguk outside the confines of the castle and a fairytale-like setting and focuses on the common-person's fight for rights and equality? I did not realize I needed that until I watched this. A drama that does not beat around the bush and jumps straight into action? I did not realize I needed that either.

The plot is well-executed; it moves forward without losing steam and stays true to its story line and characters. Since it was based on true historical events, heartbreak and tragedies were inevitable. I appreciate, however, that it was not entirely based on real people - that is, the three main leads we have, including their families and friends, are fictional in an otherwise non-fictional historical setting. (I cannot comment on the accuracy of the historical events as I am not well-versed in Korean history, yet this compelled me to search about the Donghak movement and Japanese takeover of Joseon. I can say I am more enlightened than before, however.) The lighter, funny scenes were never out-of-place as they always centered around the heartwarming friendships between the characters. Side characters had their own story which prevented their screen-time from feeling unnecessary; even those you might be least invested in underwent growth that justified the writer's choice to include them apart from the otherwise obvious reasons. It should be noted, there were some shifts in plot that made me dread that this drama would go south, that it was headed beyond what was meant to be the conclusion, but that never happened; the plot proved itself to be excellent, and the characters served to ground and consolidate the narrative.

Now, it is time to expand more on the characters: their growth and changes were interwoven with the struggle they, willingly or unwillingly, became a part of. To be able to see many characters of varying backgrounds coming to terms with their identities, or altering them at whim, was extremely gratifying. Their decisions simply made sense, in light of their circumstances and personal convictions. The writer also drew many parallels while crafting characters - the parallels between the brothers, with the titles assigned to them that they wanted to break free from; the parallel between a teacher and a student, with their attempt to rise from their ugly decisions; the parallel between two parties who wanted to save their country, with one man joining hands with the enemy and the other party firmly resisting. And then these parallels evolved beautifully into a juxtaposition. Overall, it was a thought-provoking angle the writer took.

You might think I am being too generous, but I do have a tiny complaint about flashbacks in one or two episodes, since they felt needless, but what's a k-drama without those, eh? I have learned to take them as a necessary part of a k-drama recipe, so I am not counting it in this time around. (I guess I AM being a little generous.)

And need I mention how amazing the actors were, from the support to the main? Moo Seoung Choi was an excellent casting choice for Jeon Bong Jeon; the poise and leadership that oozed out of him stunned me, not to mention the sense of humour he possessed. Han Ye Ri is a subtle actress, perfect to portray Lady Song - calm, collected, sharp. Yoon Shi Yoon has a way with expressions, and they were more than suitable for a character like Yi Hyun. Finally, Jo Jung Sok made Yi Kang a lovable character who you wanted to root for till the end.

Loved the OSTs; the one by FORESTELLA often plays in my head. The BGM was not outstanding, but it complemented a good deal of the show. I especially enjoyed the rock music whenever action scenes came in. Adds to the excitement and just how cool the characters look!

I think this has great re-watch value. For one, it never drags, and the characters are so multi-layered, you want to come back and appreciate them. Despite knowing the plot, you might want to catch up on a few details that you may have missed, and certain impressive progressions.

Read More

Goodbye is not goodbye.

First I would like to say; If slow burn fluffs aren't your thing then it may not be for you. That being said, I absolutely loved it. The story, the chemistry, the music; Everything about it. Jeff and Gameplay took their characters; Marwin and Tops and made me feel very connected to them through their internal struggles of finding their passion, finding their own path in life; Marwin with his music and Tops with his cooking. All while sharing a bond with Tops' recipes made especially for Marwin, who he has feelings for but is too afraid to say so, not realizing he feels the same and vice versa.

The Ost is so beautiful, Jeff's voice is so amazing. Definitely recommend checking on his covers on youtube.

The chemistry was amazing, I would always get butteflies with every stare and touch. I would also burst into tears at the emotional moments with the way they pour their hearts into what is being said.

Sad to see it go but happy with how it ended, wouldn't mind another season in the future though. After all, Tops needs to keep those cooking skills in practice and learn new recipes to keep his future customers happy; His current day one is already satisfied with his love alone but making music can tiring on an empty stomach hehe.

Read More

You would think that I'm exaggerating the scores or just simply click 10 points for everything by coincidence but no!
This is a really great series. It reminds me of Tru Calling but in Japanese style with lots of jokes. We get to know new people and stories in every episodes. The first episode is a bit boring but don't trust it just give a try to the second one! :D I promise you won't be disappointed.
Keiko and Shosuke makes a great pairing in this drama who tries to solve cases because of Keiko's visions. They're joking around everytime. I laughed a lot.
This is an awesome series about crimes, investigations flavored with humour.

Read More

Utterly Beautiful.

Watched it yesterday. It's one of the greatest films in my recent memory.

Everything in this film is so relatable and is very real. I cried and I couldn't stop myself from tearing up from the first 30 minutes of the movies until the very end. The message is so strong and Bilkin, Grandma and the rest of the casts just did something we call 'Magical' in the world of the acting.

Cinematography is also on point. It looked real, but also artistic and very cinematic. This will resonate in every viewer hearts for so long and the tearing effect will stay hours after finished the film.

It's not often that the people in the whole theater cried and sobbed their hearts out like this. One of a very magical moment for the whole 2 hours.

Read More

Why do non-BLs always have to be sad and tragic?

This is not a BL, it's a queer series. It's slices of live spanning over around 8 years or so. The beginning is a bit strange because there are too many coincidences in the first episode. And of course while we know they are gay, there is no explicit scene about confessing and of course no kissing at all. I don't need any nc-scenes at all, but their relationsship is not defined. We can asume they are together because they love each other but it would not have hurt to give as at least one fluffy moment.

On the other hand this slices of life are mostly a series of negatives. For me it was very emotional because every negative stroke of fate just happens. Ryo gets confessed to but he can't handle it. The confessor get outed and jumps (we do not know from how high), but survives, Ryo runs away to Germany of all places and gets nearly killed in a church were another gay persons throws molowtov-cocktails at the altar and is saved by a man who just before listenes to his guilt-confession.

And the list goes on... Is there a happy end? Kind of, but not really. Of course there are also happy moments but anything happy will be destroyed by a tragic event. Is it really necessary to make queer series where everything is tragic? Do we get only stupid, crappy BLs for happyness? I don't mind if there are tragic elements in a story, but this was too much.

I can't fault the actors, they did their best, but watching this series is very taxing. I can only fault the script & direction. I wish we get realistic gay stories which do not end always badly, or where at least the good and bad balance each other out. So, I'm a bit disappointed that they choose not do so. It's very emotional and I needed some tissues. I can't even say it was "bad". Yes the script had it's flaws, the story-arc is not what I wished for, some scenes are too slow for my taste, but it was done mostly in a good way. If you crave for something tragic, this series is for you, if you want something happy, this is definitively not for you.

Read More

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..

Read More

Success Doesn't Always Bring Happiness

The final episode, the final edit--What a healthy Kdrama, and what a nice ending. "What is better? Does it mean they'll become happy?" "They'll accept their misfortunes. I can become miserable again, but that's okay. Should misfortunes come I have the strength to endure them." All in all this was a drama about accepting that life isn't perfect, people are not perfect, we can do everything right and still our lives can fall apart, and also that work environments can sometimes be the detriment of even the most accomplished people. Life isn't about putting forth the most perfect image. It's about finding your happiness, your center, your balance, and then finding the strength to endure what comes your way. I like in the end that Jeong Woo chose substance over flashiness in starting his own practice again. I like that Ha Neul could confidently handle the denial of job responsibilities, and that she found the strength to speak what she was feeling in a professional way. Both the ML and FL took us on a journey of debunking erroneous beliefs about success and happiness, and in the end showed us what was truly important....our relationships with family, friends, and each other.
Well done to Baek Sun Woo, the screenwriter for this engaging and important drama!! Equally well done to the cast and production crew!! This is a keeper, and a drama I will revisit again.

After 10 episodes--I came back to update the review as I am over halfway through this series. Amongst the usual stereotypical rom com Kdrama plot lines, there lies the reality of healing from trauma. This Kdrama shows how very hard it is to come back to normal when your life has been turned upside down, and also how hard it is to overcome panic, anxiety, sadness, and depression. In one episode Ha Neul begins to panic with the happiness she feels in this new relationship. She doesn't trust that these happy feelings will not just end up with tragedy and heartbreak as that has been her experience. She also faces how little she trusts people around her, including Jeong Woo. This is a very relatable series. I've been part of a cut-throat profession and been stabbed in the back by colleagues whom I trusted, and been faced with the decision to keep opening my life to people, or just wall myself off. Failed relationships also leave their mark. This drama shows how two people who at first are overcome with their traumatic experiences, work through the realization that because of these experiences are different people now, and have to find a new way to keeping engaging with life, their professions, their family, and each other. I like that this drama is showing that recovery from mental illness is not instant, you don't just get over it. Instead, it's a process, a day-by-day way of learning how to live again. Some of drama is typical, some of it is boring, but with the bigger message, I'm finding this is really a good story.

After 2 episodes--This is taking a look at the very real impact ambition has on mental health. The two main characters are the star pupils of their high school. What comes with being the top student is not only the pressure of one's own expectations and ambition, but having to live up to the expectations of everyone around you. Being the top at anything also seems to carry with it the idea that that top person is perfect in all things. Not only is this not true, but the reality is that carrying the pressure to constantly be perfect, and at the top in all things, often leads to burn out and depression. If by chance one does make it to the top, it takes next to nothing for you to fall and fail, even if it isn't your fault. The story begins with the two leads established in their careers and are both experiencing a low point. We get to see in both the mental toll competition, ambition, and drive does to them, and also how very fickle the world around them is when faced with these low points in their professional lives . Luckily they have each other. The race to the top is brutal, but so is the fall from the top where you find out who your true friends really are. That's where our two main leads are in the first two episodes.

It has the makings of a really good story. So far it's been excellent. I hope it continues. The soundtrack also seems to be really good.

Read More

Honestly I was itching to write this review, so much I didn't even wait for subs and watched the last episode raw haha However this drama is simple enough so you can understand what's going on even without really understanding anything, which is just my point in this review:

This drama is a simple romance. Nothing more. Nothing less

Don't expect the most original of the stories, don't expect a gritty, edgy tale. The story is as simple as it can get. And cliché too. Really cliché.

We have our aloof rich dude, Ji Soo Ho, and our candy girl, Song Geu Rim. We have our controlling evil mom, Nam Joo Ha and the love rivals, Lee Kang and Jin Tae Ri. However, althought there ARE a lot of clichés, I was pleasant surprised by how most of them were desconstructed. The characters feel like they could be real people. Each has their flaws and virtues.

Yoon Doo Joon was so good as the cold Soo Ho. You could see the façade he put, you could feel how deeply he was hurting inside. And despite what many think, I didn't feel turned off by his gap with Kim So Hyun, they had a nice chemistry and it didn't really feel like I was seeing a younger girl and an older man (although both are still young in my opinion, YDJ not so much)

Talking about KSH, I really liked her acting and character as well. She was different from most candy girls, more down to earth but still being a shameless optimistic. And like many other of her works, KSH has such a natural way with acting. She feels genuine and you can't help but like her. She did great with her first "adult" role.

I also really liked Yoon Park as Lee Kang haha I'll admit that at first I didn't recognize him at all, so I was all like "hmmm I've seen him somewhere" but it wasn't until I checked the cast I recognized him fully lol Back to his acting...he's clearly the second lead. The funny part is that you can't really figure out if he's a romantic rival or just a weirdo who is very touchy feely. And that's the good in his acting: he kept me trying to guess his character even though it was so clear who he was. His actions were unpredictable, and his behaviour funny in a very twisted way.

I saw some complaints about Yura and her acting, but honestly in my opinion she was okay (?) I mean, she was so underdeveloped that for me it wouldn't make a huge difference if she was part of the drama or not. Her character could be easily removed and it wouldn't change anything. Although I have to admit I liked what they tryed but failed to do with her character.

Being an ex-journalist, I used to work with radio as well, so obviously I was at least a bit excited to see how they would portray it on TV. The result didn't deserve my hype.

The first episode had me like: "WTF?" all the way through. Seriously, and the way the drama portrays doing radio is romantized to say the least. No, there's no such thing as describing the sunset on radio. Radio is highly scripted and the DJs are supposed to talk as clearly and objectively as they can. Maybe it can vary from country to country, but I would like at least a bit of more research on how everything works. I found it really strange how they talked about how radio was so great but didn't bother to at least show some of it's story. C'mon, we are talking about one of the oldest communication devices here.

I didn't need a whole description, but some mentions would be good.

Also, would it hurt to be less cringy? Whenever I saw a slow-mo I had the urge to roll my eyes to the back of my head. The cheese was real on this one. Like I said, it's romantic to the core, actually to the point of giving you cavities. However, being a fluffy sucker like I am, I can kinda forgive haha

The pacing seemed strange sometimes too. I mean, sometimes it was too slow, then too fast. Then in the last few episodes every piece was put together but it still felt a little rushed to me. Some consistency wouldn't hurt too, because without it we really don't know where the drama is really going to. Is it purely about romance? Are they going to focus solely on radio? Is there a mystery at all? Everything ended up being confusing.

And even though the characters were quite pleasant to watch, some felt a bit too underdeveloped for me. It lacked some more story. If you're going to present a character that has depth, then show me WHY instead of only giving me glimpses of what could've been. And even if you, don't rush it like this drama did. Because I ended up liking more the idea of a certain character, the potential they had, than what I was really shown. Soo Ho's mom and Tae Ri are great examples of this, but I would love some more work on the others as well.

The music was cute. Just that, I didn't really care nor paid attention. Actually, the music that had my attention was actually the background music rather than the OSTs haha Whenever they were at an event, shop or store and I heard music like "Peek-A-Boo" or Bruno Mars' hits, I would get all excited. Which is also a negative since the OSTs are supposed to be one of the highlights of a drama. Music matters too.

Rewatch value? Hmmm, maybe yes because I'm a shameless Kim So Hyun stan haha But for those who like romance and some good moments, it's worth watching again after some time.

All in all Radio Romance was, like some said, mostly a "filler" drama. It had good acting, some good moments, emotional moments too but also plenty of flaws. In the end this is just an average drama that you watch to pass time. But being average doesn't necessarily means it's bad, it's just that this drama clearly has a target audience and it didn't get out of it's comfort zone. So if you're a fan of romance, then give this one a try, but watch knowing you won't be seeing the next great epic romance, just a cute little romance.

Read More

Top Tier Chemistry

Anyone hesitant to watch this drama because of the "fake-sibling" tag, it's not like what you think. Let me help break it down; Shenyuan, played by Zhang Wang Yi is the illegitimate son of the Luo family. He never considered Yining, played by Ren Min as a sister or anyone in the Luo household "family" because of the negligence he faced. He is only kind to her because her mother was the only person that looked out for him when he was young. They both grew up separately and when Yining returned, he approached her with an intent motive. He finds out early on that she is not his "half-sibling". He later notice that he was beginning to look at her in a different way but remained respectful due to their "relationship status". Yining is also kind to him because she feels guilty about an accident that happened when they were young (that's the only memory she has of him). She also feels connected to him due to the similar unfair treatments they receive from their "father".

Their relationship transition was respectfully well-written. ZWY and RM executed their roles well and their chemistry is top tier. Their characters are resourceful and complimentary. I love the dynamics between them and you'll find yourself wanting more of them. They're consistent, know what they want and get what they want.

Overall, this drama is very cliche but ZWY and RM did well on delivering it. They kept me engaged and this is the first time that I bough fast pass for a drama and it's worth it. I hope to see more of them together in future projects. I love their on and off screen interactions.

Read More

Follow Your Heart

Can one feel love, and love without a heart or with a mechanical heart? Though unthinkable, this story assumes a mechanical heart works just as good as a real human heart when it comes to love, maybe even better in times of trouble. As it is a fantasy, let’s just accept that people don’t need a real heart to fall in love; a mechanic heart works just fine, and can make a person fall in love just like a normal person does.

This drama is narrated from the perspective of Jiang Xiao Ning (Xing Fei aka Fair Xing). 10 years ago, she got into a car accident and Gu Chuan (Ren Jialun aka Allen Ren) was there trying to save her, and got hurt himself. 10 years later, they meet again without recognizing each other initially. And they fall in love.

Gu Chuan is a very talented young architect, but he has a secret: he doesn’t have a heart, he lost it in the car accident while he tried to save Jiang Xiao Ning, and in its place, he has a mechanical heart. He knows his heart will one day expire and he will die. Imagine how difficult it is to live a life constantly reminding oneself of death, and this is what Gu Chuan has been tormented for the last 10 years; he has been preparing for his imminent death. His mood is always somber and dark as he cannot have excessive emotions with his mechanical heart. He also doesn’t want to love nor be loved because he wants to avoid any heart breaks in the event of his death. He’s like a lizard, cold and hidden. Ren Jialun has a natural sour face which I’ve come to love. Looking like an adolescent yet with an air of maturity, he is perfect as the somber Gu Chuan who doesn’t smile. Ren Jialun is natural with this role as his sour face makes him very believable and his acting is not stiff.

Gu Chuan doesn’t expect to fall in love with Jiang Xiao Ning but he does because she gives him the kind of optimism he has never experienced before. Now life has meaning, which jeopardizes all his death plans.

Jiang Xiao Ning has a totally opposite personality from Gu Chuan’s darkness. She is sunny and positive despite of her bad lucks; she always views her glass as half-full and grateful for everything she has. She considers herself like a crow which people normally associate with bad luck. Jiang Xiao Ning is smart, considerate and protective especially of Gu Chuan. When they are together, there’s a big contrast of the two characters: Gu Chuan dresses immaculately and somber, whereas Jiang Xiao Ning is sunny and active, and dresses in oversized clothing. Their chemistry may not be 100% but their romance is quiet and rather sweet. As two unlikely people come together, cold becomes warm, bad luck becomes good luck. And sorry to disappoint viewers, there are no hot kisses, as expected. Most of the presumed kisses are zoomed out and blurred. Any closeup kisses are so close that no one knows if the lips belong to the same actors. Xing Fei’s bright eyes that seem to smile forever fit her well into the role of the sunny Jiang Xiao Ning and her acting is very convincing, especially when it comes to her heart breaking scenes.

There is an over-powering second couple with overly mushy dialogues which feel overdone and banal. However, they also give viewers some hot kisses. There’s also something nefarious lurking under the sweet romance, with murders and corruption which gives some fireworks to the otherwise rather bland story.

OSTs
This drama produces some of the best sound tracks. I particularly love the beautiful song “Exchange” sung by Zhou Shen. It’s so touching and amazing that it can bring tears to the listeners’ eyes. I also love the instrumental music played by the cello when Gu Chuan is alone in his deep thinking, reflecting his torments.

My Verdict
If you like love triangles, there are plenty here. Both male and female leads have their respective secret admirers who become the antagonists and attempt to cause harm to their love competitors, but each time, their attempts are thwarted, either because our leads are smarter or plain dumb luck they have.

I love Gu Chuan’s philosophy in his designs, merging western architecture with Chinese wisdom and culture. Facing death is frightening, knowing it’s coming to take one’s life anytime soon. This drama helps us feel how it’s like for Gu Chuan.

Overall, the drama is not bad, neither is it excellent. It has some tropes, such as splitting up in a relationship for-their-own-good stuff, which can be rather annoying. The comedy can be rather stale at times. There are some minor flaws here and there but not enough to destroy the story.

Despite a rather bland story, there are some good lessons here. As Gu Chuan is teaching Jiang Xiao Ning, "It doesn't matter how others look at you, most importantly you cannot look down on yourself. Crow is the bird that most looked down by people, but they have their quality - they know how to put a nut in the middle of the road and let passing cars crush it. They are devoted to their partners and will forever remain faithful to that same partners." (I didn't know that.)

In turn, Jiang Xiao Ning teaches Gu Chuan, life is not forever. Life, no matter how hard it is, we must persevere. Be positive. Look at the positives. Take life as it comes and make the best of it.

I would have awarded this drama a 8.5/10 but the OSTs are so good that a 9/10 seems to be more appropriate. Fun watch. Must listen to the song "Exchange" by Zhou Shen.

Read More

Suspenseful, colorful, cheerful and even sweet – entertaining in several ways

"Check in Hanyang" nonchalantly takes elements of the modern lifestyle and the high-end five-star hotel industry of the 2020s back to Joseon, puts up-and-coming stars of today into robes and uniforms of another time and provides them with various challenges and group dynamics as part of their apprenticeship (while making the world a better place).

The competition among the aspirants is fierce. Fair play is rare. However, one or the other is eventually less concerned with employment than with their very own, secret mission. The KDrama is brought to life by the charm of these youngsters. A piquant detail, though: one of those young men is actually a woman dressed in men's robes. You may guess, there´s room for plenty of funny situations.
The female protagonist actually has a murder case to solve on her own behalf – but suddenly she finds herself (and everyone else up to the audience) in a suspenseful polit-thriller with romantic icing.
The KDrama also benefits from the sharp chemistry between the owner of the Yongcheonru and his top of the range innkeeper. Here, Kim Eui-sung and Kim Min-jung can directly tie in with their controlled, explosive cat-and-mouse relationship as father and daughter in "Mr. Sunshine" as a successful pairing. With their charismatic presence, the veterans of South Korean cinema and TV significantly contribute to intensifying the dramatic overall pattern. Thus the handful of pretty rising stars may with good-humoured esprit fully indulge into playing their way even further into the hearts of the audience.

Actually, the story is about the hunt for a golden key, of which there are two parts – a key that some are highly interested in, all the way to the king. This hunt even goes over corpses. Thus, the double life of those hunters – old and young alike – is eventually getting quite dangerous.

Suspenseful, colorful, cheerful and even sweet – “Check in Hanyang” is entertaining in several ways. Actually, the first part in particular offers quite a load of fun and games with tricky group dynamics and demanding challenges for the competing candidates. In the course of the second half, however, tension, depth and drama are gradually increasing.

The fictional story draws courageously from the rich tradition of Joseon with a wide variety of selected details. The historical setting is thus mainly inspiring as a colorful, exotic backdrop of a rather timeless political thriller. All of this quite beautifully staged.

Read More