This review may contain spoilers
This drama was consistent throughout as a light-hearted watch that never took itself seriously. The production quality wasn't great due to the low budget, the CGI was poor and the story was practically non-existent. However, the main couple CH and QY made up for everything, especially QY.This drama is mainly about a love triangle between a girl and two guys that are polar opposites of each other - Qiu Yue from the Demonic Sect and Xiao Bai from the Feng Ming Manor who claims to uphold the righteous side.
For me, Qiu Yue was the star of the drama. He is an anti-hero, scheming and cunning with no morals but below his cold and ruthless exterior was a vulnerable and lonely person that had an abandonment complex. Li Hong Yi did very well portraying such a complex character and the chemistry between Chun Hua and Qiu Yue was really sizzling. I loved all the kisses between them. Chun Hua was a more typical character, but she showed maturity as the drama progressed and I didn't blame her for leaving Qiu Yue in the latter half of the drama.
Xiao Bai was clearly the weakest link in the main cast. The actor portraying him had too wooden expressions and I couldn't really buy his character or his 'love' for Chun Hua. Though to be honest, his character is a very conflicted/contradictory one that didn't do him any favours either in terms of likability.
A special shout out to Feng Cai Cai who I initially disliked but became such a wonderful, understanding and intelligent character by the end of the drama.
Overall, the drama probably doesn't deserve the 8.0 rating that I gave it since it really isn't a good drama but I enjoyed the scenes between CH and QY so much that I really recommend it if you like xian xia and romance.
On a side note, the ending was actually very faithful to the book although they could have included the side stories that mentioned their child which would have made the ending more satisfying.
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The bad rating really isn’t about the endgame
PROBABLY SPOILER ALERT!I dont even know where to start. At first I felt sad we were getting only 6 ep, but I couldnt wait for it to end.
It was the most tiring, slow-paced, boring season ever. I have watched season 1 probably over 5 times. It was my first kdrama and that’s why I was so invested. For someone to wait for almost two years and checking every month to see if there was an update, this was a let down. The bad rating is not because of the endgame, trust me.
Let me just start by saying that the characters were all completely different (in a negative way). We knew none of them really. There was no character development. Sunoh was pretty much non-existent (like how can you give the most important character so little screentime while he was the one that made almost everyone watch and like this show). Jojo was the most toxic, indecisive FL I have ever seen. How can you still be like that at that age? She was only hurting everyone around her for no apparent reason. She had no characteristics and no evolvement. No goals, no dreams- nothing. She was never studying, never caring for her friend (seriously what was the purpose of putting her in the show?) or anyone around her. Yet she always felt like everyone around her was hurting her. Instead of wanting a boyfriend (I think her having 3 bfs in a kdrama is a record), she should’ve just let the brothers alone to avoid their friendship to break. She just toyed with them. They did Sunoh so dirty, both Jojo and Heyyoung.
Heyyoung grew up with him and let a girl come inbetween them. Yes, maybe he liked her first but that never means he should’ve had her from the beginning. He worked with her for years and she never, ever knew him, never cared for him. That says enough about him. He was a very passive person. When Sunoh wanted to communicate about where they went wrong as friends (because Sunoh really did care), he just had the audacity to completely disregard him and just walk away without saying anything. That was wayy worse than what Sunoh did to him (even though in s1 Sunoh was like “Jojo is not an object, let her choose”). They both broke the bro-code. Heyyoung was the most boring character ever. When characters are silent and shy, they usually have an inner quirky-ness. Heyyoung had nothing. I still dont know what Heyyoung was doing at his internship or what he wanted to become in life. Just like Jojo; no dreams, no goals- nothing. His only obsession in life was someone he loved for over four years without knowing a single thing about that person and having never really talked with her (seriously, what did he like about her again?!).
Sunoh on the other hand was the only normal character (plus Gul-mi, never thought I would say this). He was trying to communicate to understand what was going on and what happened. He wanted to give Jojo all his love when he never even had love from his closed ones. He was never a rich brat. I never understood why people thought he was a bad person. There was not one bad thing about him. He was always there for others without judging them. He never cared about his money or fame and even did good causes. He was not a toxic character nor was he the unhealthy factor in his relationship with Jojo. Even with Yukju he was straighforward and she knew everything about what he did and didn’t feel. Throughout the series I kept thinking of how Jojo did not deserve him and how Yukju was a sweet girl. I wish instead of making him go through so much pain, they should’ve just focused on his relationship with Yukju. I am sure more people would’ve liked the show then. The scenes with his parents were really confusing and the whole production felt rushed. In s1 everything looked more real and thought-out, now we didn’t even see one single worker of his mother next to her.
There was literally no plot, no plot development. Romance consisted of them just walking each other home and texting if they have eaten. They were so boring. Jojo was just a pathetic character and I don’t get how no one left her in her life without dying. Jojo and Heyyoung both lacked the skill of communication and communication is key. That was a major red flag. Also how she did the same FAULT again when using the spear for Heyyoung. Like you used the shield and regretted it and now you use the spear? No wonder he had left. I was glad he did to prove a point.
I never thought I would’ve said this but the only one I really liked in this show was Gul-Mi. Such a funny, insane but still sane girl she was. I was glad that Duk Gu hadn’t died and she got her karma.
Duk Gu was annoying to me about how Jojo would’ve rang Heyyoungs love alarm regardless. Because there was no reason for her to like Heyyoung. There was nothing that he had that Sunoh didn’t have. It was all about timing. She breaks up with Sunoh because of her past issues but four years later she still has those issues and no character development, yet suddenly gives Heyyoung a chance. Why? Why not Sunoh? Because suddenly Heyyoung came to the damsel in distress. She would’ve liked anyone at that point.
ALSO, where was the whole Anti-Love alarm group? Why put that in the drama in s1 only to never go back to it in s2? That would’ve made it more realistic and interesting. We all were waiting for that.
The saddest scene were I broke down was when Sunoh and Jojo met up for closure. It felt so forced and if it was just for SK and KSY they probably would’ve chosen JojoxSunoh. I felt like it was all about timing. It looked like a missed chance. Her saying that she would install the shield again if she went back was disrespecting Sunoh. She should’ve felt ashamed for causing him so much pain. I felt like Jojo would’ve liked anyone who came in front of her. If Sunoh would’ve stayed by her side regardless, I wonder what would’ve happened.
But to be honest, I am glad she ended up with Heyyoung. Both passive and no chemistry but Sunoh deserved better so I am glad. He is way too precious to end up with a toxic person like Jojo. There was also zero reason for him to like Jojo. She was not worth it. I am sure the actors all think the same way and I am happy Jung Ga Ram is serving in the military cause he won’t get all the backlash now.
Nobody should feel sorry. Netflix knew what they were doing. We all warned them for not putting out a half-assed season. The fact that they also took away our Sunoh moments and made them Heyyoungs (liking list etc) was so painful. The scenes were lacking and a lot of things were left out or rushed (where the hell is the love alarm 2.0 event scene?!). I won’t watch anything of this director and screenwriter again. I cannot believe how they passed this. Even my cat could write it better. There was not even one “wow” moment. I just feel pain for my wasted two years.
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The acting here was one of a kind. The actors appeared to have great chemistry and Park Bo Young delivers another great role as the shy/timid Na Bong Sung and my favorite loud/pervy Soon Ae! I found her actions to be very alike to Kim Seul Gi's (Soon Ae) acting style which was very impressive! Another great performance was of Jo Jung Suk (Chef Seon Woo) and Im Joo Hwan who plays Officer Choi!
If I were to re watch this show, I'd only spend it on the moments of romance. This drama delivers in the Romance department and also talks about a certain topic that isn't really talked about in drama land. These 16 episodes went by really quickly for me. I have to say I was really fond of episode 15, which really redeemed the entire series (in my opinion of course). Depending on whose team you're supporting, you'll find yourself wrapped into the love triangle. Overall, I give this drama an 8 based solely on the acting.
If you ever see a 10 for acting, then you know it's a must watch!
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An Enchanting Xianxia after a while.
watching TLoSL was nothing but a whole fine ass experience. they don't really offer you a very exclusive tale but its —• the beautifully crafted characters
• the insane chemistry
• soulful OST
• enchanting CGI
• demon serpent
• the emotional build-up
• impressive acting by leads
~ all that this drama brings in, has my heart. Grabbing our attention instantly from the first episode and taking us on a journey of a forbidden love story amongst a tropey xianxia, I was hooked. And this review is gonna be long haha.
Almost like any other Xianxias, its saving the world story with glorified God vs Chimei (evil spirit) fights and all that eternal thousands of years of saving the three realms stuff... but with gorgeously talented actors like Zhao Liying, Lin Gengxin, Zeng Li, Jackie Li, Xuan Lu and Xu Haiqiao, TLoSL builds up a great watching experience.
Shen Li. She is fierce. She is kind. She is practical. She is the coolest. Holding her spear firmly in one hand and Xingzhi on the other, she protects everyone. The amount of patience, courage and discipline this woman owns... no wonder almost everyone worships her.
She is not perfect, but a character you can look up to. unrestricted to any feminine stereotypes, you'll see her taking charge often... there was something very delicate about Zhao Liying playing this role that she never came off as arrogant or overrated, not even for once... only a versatile goddess can slay such a character.
On the other hand, Xingzhi, the aloof lonesome God who can tell you a joke while spitting blood and got that cooking rizz which she couldn't resist. Xingzhi's dilemma with the responsibilities he beared versus the love he felt was literally brought to life by Lin Gengxin. I loved how in the starting all his expressions were limited but his face had more movements and energy when their relationship developed further. Their flirty banters always left me smiling ear to ear.
When Shen Li was "yang", xingzhi was the "yin" balancing them. Its "him protecting her when she is busy protecting the world story"... the untouchable god who was meant to stay unbothered starts caring for her once and cannot let go now, woah! I just got deeper and deeper into their fluff. The sequential emotional build up was that amazing!
At some point, I also let go of all the complaints I had that we aren't getting anything special as a "story"... Cuz their bonding over the silly conversations and the angst of how they should not be together while trying to defeat the villains was in itself a story. It all grew on me as the drama progressed... Tbh I haven't sobbed like this in a while like I did in those last few episodes. Even supporting aids like Furong, Mofang, Youlan also got their potential growths as a character which increased my rating... I can't forget to mention the sassy demon serpent, she deserves her own drama!
Idk how much they spend to get such mesmerizing CGI cuz some scenes like all the cluck cluck scenes, sitting on top of a tree with moonlight, a demon action sequence using paintings as weapon, came out very cool and clean... For OSTs we get tracks from Zhang Bichen, Liu Yuning, Curley Gao etc. Those are basically living in my mind rent free by now.
Overall, definitely recommending "The legend of Shen Li" to all the Xianxia lovers out there. Meanwhile I'll be off to check out Princess Agents now ;)♡
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What got me looking forward to watching every episode was not the story but rather the two main characters. The best way to describe their chemistry is extremely cute, like giggling while watching cute. I think that is mainly because of Kim Young Kwang as Director Do Min Ik. Even at his worst behavior, there was just always something super charming, sympathetic, and cute about him, and it really is an interesting role. He is matched by Jin Ki Joo as his personal secretary Jung Gal Hee, who despite being the kind of doormat that usually annoys me, she was also very cute in a way that made me want to root for her. Together, their super cute chemistry kept me involved from the very beginning, and I couldn't help but get hooked just from wanting to see them together, which never got old for me. At times the romance is super cheesy, but it's delicious cheese in my opinion, which made me overlook a lot of the show's other flaws.
The rest of the cast is pretty entertaining too (especially Gal Hee's blind brother and the campy Veronica Park), with one major exception... Koo Ja Sung as Ki Dae Joo. I don't know if it's due to inexperience or not but I found Koo Ja Sung to be extremely boring to have such a major role. Many of the actors knew how to play up the comedy and the drama but he seemed one note throughout. It was extra noticeable whenever he was in scenes with Veronica Park, who was such an over the top character, and in comparison, his character fell completely flat. There was an ambiguous nature to his character which did work for the story but he still never had much of a personality or depth in a show full of so many broad characters.
As for the story, it's mostly everything you've already seen in this type of drama with a random twist that at first seemed silly but it definitely made things more interesting. I also loved the way that part of the story unfolded visually. There is also a mystery element to this drama that was intriguing enough to make me want to know what was really going on, but it was the cheesy romance that really kept me watching. This is also a generally lighthearted story. Even though there are serious elements nothing is ever taken too seriously, even when characters are in tears or in danger. That definitely made it hard to take this drama too seriously or expect too much from the plot. There is also dual identity part of the story that is very far-fetched but was still fun to watch. I honestly had no real complaints while watching, but the ending did feel rushed. Still, I appreciated that they didn't add unnecessary new conflicts and rivalries to try to fill in the time, and stuck to telling one storyline without a lot of distracting sideline stories.
Would I watch this again? If I'm in the mood for a cute romcom, then yes. The cute parts are definitely rewatchable, and the short episodes are constructed well enough to not get too boring. However, I'd much rather see Kim Young Kwang cast as another male lead in a new romcom soon!
Overall I recommend this drama even though it's not joining my official list of favorites. It's more like a guilty pleasure drama. I think the key to enjoying it is to not expect too much or overanalyze the plot. There is also a reoccurring theme about what's really important in life and relationships that I liked. This drama may not have been what I expected at first sight, but I'm definitely glad I kept watching.
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1
1This review may contain spoilers
How can someone in love be possibly so calm?
Finally, it feels like a journey that started in 2021, continued in 2022, and now in 2026 has come to an end. And my heart is lowkey broken.Yumi’s Cells… where do I even begin?
I started it because of the cells. That was the hook. The idea of animation mixed with a K drama? I was sold. And I swear over the years the animation quality, the detailing of the cells, the way their world functioned, it just kept getting better and better.
But I never watched this show for any of the male leads. From the very beginning, it was always about Yumi for me. That is why I never really minded who she ended up with, as long as she was happy.
Because I have seen her journey.
I have seen how much her cells used to overthink. How much they spiraled. How every small situation turned into a full committee meeting. How her thoughts controlled her. How fear, pride, love, anxiety, rationality , all of them were constantly fighting inside her.
Watching her grow from that version of herself to who she becomes in the final season is honestly so satisfying.
Now that it has ended, I feel weirdly happy and empty at the same time. Happy because she got the ending she deserved. Empty because letting go of a journey that has lasted almost five years is not easy.
Precap
Season 1: Yumi Dated Woong they had a good start some misunderstanding due to Sae Yi Woong's colleague and Yumi's constant insecurity with her and others were due to Woong's job that he had no funds and he felt like a loser to stay with girlfriend and never told he moved out of his apartment until she herself found out so that he couldn't communicate his suffering due to his pride.
Season 2: She has already shift department due to interest in Marketing with recommendation of her colleague which is her love interest, Yoo Ba Bi. Again cute fluffy honeymoon phase, he gets transfer, LDR, Yumi switches careers, they both get busy, Yoo Ba Bi's heart sway for some other girl momentarily (still cheating ok) then they breakup and get back together because they cannot get over eachother, Yumi forgives, Woong is again back as cameo but she doesn't reciprocate, there's a certain distance between Yumi and Babi, they don't tell each other stuff like his accident, the same girl calls him again and it doesn't affect Yumi then the line comes along "How someone in love can be possibly be so calm" and they breakup for the final time.
Season 3: The most long awaited season because this IS THE FINAL love interest
"How can someone in love be possibly so calm"
And that is exactly what this final (sigh) season of Yumi’s Cells is about.
Like I told you before, Yumi’s last relationship ended with her feeling absolutely nothing when she saw the same girl called Ba Bi whose heart once swayed for. That emotional shutdown is where this season begins.
This season starts with Yumi’s cell village basically on airplane mode. She is not really experiencing or expressing emotions anymore. What makes this season make so much sense is that she slowly starts feeling everything again because Shin Soon Rok pisses her off. And I mean truly pisses her off. Which is so funny to watch.
And please do not start with the “Yumi is annoying” or “she forces conversations” take. If you have watched the previous seasons, that is exactly who Yumi is. She initiates conversations. She tries to talk. She fills awkward silence. She overthinks. That has always been her.
Now for me, this is my favorite season by far.
Shin Soon Rok is such a relatable character. His professional and personal boundaries are refreshing and honestly very funny to see. His cell village is just as cute as Yumi’s. And him being in denial about his feelings was my favorite part. Watching him act calm while internally spiraling was so satisfying. And his personality shift is FUNNIEST.
Kim Go Eun is my goat for real. She breathed life into Yumi in a way that I genuinely do not think any other actress could have. If you watch Seasons 1, 2, and 3 of Yumi, you can actually see the changes she goes through in each phase of her life. The personality shifts are not sudden, they feel layered and gradual. You can genuinely feel her growth. The way she reacts to love, heartbreak, career struggles evolves over the years, and it never feels repetitive. It feels lived in. And that is honestly because of the incredible performance by Kim Go Eun. She does not just play Yumi. She grows with her. The subtle changes in her expressions, the maturity in her tone, even the way she carries herself season after season makes the evolution believable. You are not just told that Yumi has changed. You see it. And you feel it.
And Kim Jae Won did so well. I cannot picture anyone else as Shin Soon Rok. The micro shifts in his expressions, the subtle personality switches, the stern yet not so stonic vibe makes him so compelling to watch. The shyness, the awkward pauses, those short and clipped answers, it all felt so real. And that personality shift in the last episode. The role play scene. So ridiculously well done. I genuinely cannot picture one else playing that role. He embodied it soo well.
Romance was genuinely so refreshing. Yes, there is a real life age gap between the leads, around nine to ten years, and even in the drama they mention a seven to eight year gap. But honestly, I never once felt it affecting the dynamic. The chemistry felt natural, unforced, and surprisingly comfortable. It simply existed. And I genuinely think it is one of the most refreshing takes on a noona romance in a while.
The quality of animation got better, the voice artists and creators deserve THAT APPRECIATION.
MY FAVOURITE OST THIS SEASON IS "SHOOTING STAR" BY THAMA (pls listen and you'll be in love too)
Compared to the other seasons, this one has a much slower pace even though it is only eight episodes. And I loved that but also despised (because no more Yumi and her cells :( )
In the earlier seasons, the feelings sometimes felt rushed. Here, the timing feels intentional. Even though the romantic moments are limited compared to the previous seasons, whatever they give us has you kicking your feet and giggling.
I do feel they could have added one or two more episodes to let the relationship breathe and really convince the audience why Soon Rok is Yumi’s endgame. And definitely should've not given away many of Soon Rok scenes to Ba Bi.
But they still explained it well.
Soon Rok was the first man in Yumi's life whose prime cell was also love cell, which meant he valued his love and it was his top priority. Soon Rok having constant clarity about his intentions, without his cells overly interrupting his thoughts once they start dating, and expressing himself clearly to Yumi without making her spiral into the same overthinking loops again, is what makes him the best man for her.
If you ask me whether you can watch Season 3 without watching Seasons 1 and 2, I would say yes.
But you will not grow attached to the cells. You will not witness her personal growth. You will not connect to her character in the same way people who watched everything did.
Because who Yumi ends up with is not the main arc.
How Yumi grows as a person through various relationships and her career shift from her early thirties to her late thirties is.
Because Yumi is the main character of Yumi’s Cells.
I'll just deduct 0.5 for giving us only 8 episodes because for me it is 10/10.
I will forever miss you cells :((((!
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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.
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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.
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You simply cannot compare
I always find it interesting when people cannot objectively review a series or a movie because of previous bias or rumors they read somewhere. When "2Moons" ended everyone fell in love with Kimmon and Copter and some of the other actors in that series. Then, when it was announced that a sequel was coming but with a completely new cast, people went crazy because they couldn't understand how the company was managing its actors. But, "2Moons2" aired, with all new actors and then people fell in love with Earth (playing Wayo) and the steamy scenes between Pavel and Dome (playing Forth and Beam) were also incredibly popular (just go to Youtube and you'll find A LOT of reaction videos on that). So, the world didn't end because the cast of "2Moons" was completely replaced, right?All this preamble is to say a similar thing about Color Rush S1 and S2... you simply cannot compare both just because the character of Go Yoo-han is not present in season 2, and here is why...
1. The acting of Yoo-jun (playing Choi Yeon-woo) remains as one of the solid points of both seasons. In the first season he deals with the fact that he is a mono, his mother is also a mono but is missing, and he finds new friends and also finds Yoo-han who is also his probe. He experiences the rush of being able to see colors and also the disappointment of losing that ability after the decoloring effect begins. In season 2, he goes from the uncertainty of his mother still being missing, to the dread of witnessing Yoo-han's kidnapping, to the potential of uncovering all the illegal activities the Gray Scale/Woksun/Nerve Candy people (led by a mono that goes by the nickname of "Monowife"), to dealing with his new feelings towards Kim Se-hyun, to finally finding out his mother did die but being rather calm about it.
While I think some of his facial expressions still need a bit of work, his eyes do manage to express a lot of the feelings Yeon-woo goes though in both seasons while showing the calm but decided character that Yeon-woo needs to be.
2. The acting of VIXX's Han Sang-hyuk (playing Kim Se-hyun) was also a nice surprise as he never doubted or was hesitant about acting in a BL story (according to an interview he gave) and showed a very strong character that goes from befriending Yeon-woo, to trying to help his sister improve her condition as a mono and not be bullied by others, to mourning her death, to seeking revenge while protecting Yeon-woo, to confessing his feelings for him despite knowing he might never get a chance if Yoo-han returns. Sang-hyuk was able to mix some serious tones in his acting with some comedic moments, like in ep. 8 when he daydreams he is kissing Yeon-woo.
The chemistry between him and Yoo-jun was quite strong as they acted like a married couple in some parts (like when Se-hyun moves in with Yoo-jun) or like Sherlock Holmes & Watson when discovering the truth about the Lapis Lazuli tea, the Lapizata pill, and the illegal probe surgery or like Batman & Robin in the action scenes in the final episode.
3. The storyline had a bit more action. Season 1 was a slow-burner in many things because we needed time to process the mono-probe world, the introduction of each character, Yeon-woo's mother being a mono and also missing, Yeon-woo's aunt being a reporter trying to uncover the truth and find her sister, and then also go through the color rushes that Yoo-han made Yeon-woo feel along with all their interactions.
But, season 2 had nothing of that as we already knew the mono-probe situation and Yeon-woo's familial situation. A bit of a complain is that a lot of the action happened way too fast and we jumped from scene to scene without proper time to digest what just happened. Further, several things like a) Yoo-han's kidnapping, b) the introduction of Se-hyun as "someone who wanted to get close to Yeon-woo but couldn't because he was always glued to Yoo-han", c) Se-hyun's sister life as a mono and her part in the secret society, d) the secret society of monos trying to see colors through drugs and illegal surgeries, and e) Se-hyun's being a mono himself but being able to deal with it in secret, were not completely explained/introduced and then not fully developed... so in most parts, we need to either remember things that happened or were said in season 1 or figure out by ourselves how the characters get to the point we see in that particular scene. And also, do they never go to school? Not much happens inside their classroom this time and the secondary roles of Yeon-woo's friends are relegated to a few scenes here and there.
The only truth about this series is that Hur Hyun-jun (the actor who played Go Yoo-han in S1) was not present in S2 and honestly, I'm not sure that his absence made much of a difference. Sure, we heard the name "Go Yoo-han" many times during season 2 because of him being kidnapped and Yeon-woo's wish to find him... but at no point I felt like, "geez, it would be great to have Hyun-jun acting here". There are many rumors about Hyun-jun's exclusion from season 2... rumors about him not being happy about his first major role happening in a BL story, rumors about the production crew/staff being unhappy about his "lack of professionalism", rumors about the production company being unhappy about his "lack of acting skills", and rumors that this was all planned along because of the storyline/plot that season 2 was going to have. Whatever the real reason is, the only real fact is that Hyun-jun was not part of season 2 but comparing both seasons or how Hyun-jun would have acted instead of Sang-hyuk ends up being a useless and ridiculous exercise because, you simply cannot compare.
The storyline (especially the after credits scene in episode 8) sets up the series for a third season with Monowife going into Yoo-han's hospital room and telling him to wake up as Yeon-woo "needs him" and him opening his eyes. Could we have a third season with Yoo-han coming back and now having a love triangle if Yeon-woo and Se-hyun remain in the series as well? Could we have a third season that explores Monowife's connection with Yoo-han? Could we have a third season with a whole new plot twist?
Who knows! But it sure is more exciting to think about all these options than waste time lamenting the absence of Hyun-jun or complaining about what this season could have been like if he acted in it, don't you think?
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This review may contain spoilers
The Witch Without A Twist
I am a fan of the The Witch Pt. 1 so I have been waiting the sequel for years. I am happy I finally had a chance to watch it on big screen! I followed the production journey and as the team had a copyright issue with their previous film distributor ( Warner Bros. Korea ), they had to butcher up their original The Witch stories with Jayoon as main character. Hence why I lowered my expectation for this part 2.First of all, story wise. They basically have almost showed everything in the trailer except the ending. It is those common stories of lab victim run away, find good ally, enemies catch them, but they win after their loved one got hurt. The acting wasn't my taste, instead of embracing the characters personalities- some of their acting feels staged to me. They tried so hard to look cool. There are english dialogue in it, but it sounds so awkward. I'm sorry I am not really familiar with chinese language so I couldnt judge it. Positive side, I like a lot how they open the story and I didn't expect them to start it like that. The unique "countrified" vibe is shown again in it. The opening and the ending would be a main key for the whole franchise. Please stay until after credit, because they show post credit scenes like those marvel movies!
They casted a ton of people for side characters and cameos but they are all like a copy to each other. I was thinking "Is it on purpose they look similiar as it is a cloning stories?". I also feel like there are quite a lot unnecessary scenes, with the jokes and comedic-like scenes. I wish them to show more the bonding between "The Girl" and Kyung Hee-Dae Gil sibling. That is what I have been waiting as I read the director explaining the differences between her and previous witch, Jayoon.
I have to be honest, I am kinda disappointed with the characters building for the new witch. The director went with repeated heroine route we could find in those human experiment stories. Emotionless, no personality ( yet ), fascinated to outside world like a baby bird, and once again overpowered. But after watching, I do feel curious how he would come up with the next part and how he build her character in the future. "The Girl" is still like a white paper to me.
Action Sequences. There are quite a lot of cool awesome battle scenes and it still has that anime-like battle touch in it. They definitely improved it with their big budget. There is one fight with beautiful billboard lighting, and that is my favorite one. Unfortunately, if you are a slow watcher, you would be troubled with pt 2 fighting style because all the characters are so powerful and their fighting is so fast- blip blip - shoot - blip - slash neck - that is my description. Warning, the rating is 18+ so the killing wound part is quite explicit.
Overall, I gave it a 7.5. I think new audiences would enjoy it so much, but the previous part 1 fans like me- would be in love and hate relationship with the sequel.
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Interesting short stories only told at surface level, and a lack of understanding in AI
Okay, this movie is... weird. It feels like an incomplete draft with missing scenes, actually it's almost like they had shot a short series and edited the key scenes into a movie. There is not enough context and world building which makes it confusing. I get that the science fiction aspect of this movie is not its focus, but it really needed an extra 15-20 minutes at the start to properly explain how exactly this Wonderland service works. Like how are the AI characters programmed and what are they programmed with? There are so many ambiguities but they'll be spoilers. It's almost like the movie itself doesn't know the answers. I can't tell if the director is inexperienced in the sci-fi genre or they cut out those scenes because the basic foundation to make a coherent story wasn't there. At one point towards the end it was straight up a fantasy movie and not science fiction anymore lmao.But then, I actually like the subject matter, the actors and parts of the movie especially in the first half. Most of the scenarios were actually interesting and complex -- but they weren't fleshed out at all. Which brings me to the point that this movie just has too many characters. Basically every story was only on surface level, some were just left hanging or abandoned. Suzy and Park Bogum's arc especially suffered from this, it needed way more screentime to be properly developed. I hate to say this but some of their parts felt half-baked and wasted their onscreen chemistry. Tang Wei on the other hand had the most complete arc and probably the most touching one.
It's a shame because I think if they expanded the material and went more in-depth for each arc, or removed all the arcs other than Suzy/PBG and Tang Wei's, it would have been way better. But alas the potential was wasted. Nonetheless, I think at the very least this movie can spark some interesting post-watch discussions.
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Perfectly constructed, every episode is just amazing, go watch!
Desperate to fund her daughter’s surgery, Myung Joon (Yoon Kye Sang) kidnaps a feisty child genius Rohee (Yuna), who lost her memories. When his call for ransom remains unanswered, Myung Joon drives to her house only to find her parents were mysteriously murdered.I’m going to first mentioned my most memorable aspect, that is Yuna as Choi Rohee! Yuna’s performance was such a delight! she stole the show with her vast range of emotions and also strong nuances in her micro expressions. It's magical how her emotions tore me apart. I laughed and cried for her! In one scene, I cried so hard and still cry however many times I watch the scene. T.T, I also love The Kidnapping Day for the solid storyline. It blends different genres expertly, giving me a high-stake, angsty, funny and endearing feel altogether. It’s a found family through kidnapping, but it never delve into Stockholm Syndrome as Myung Joon and Rohee dynamic is equal. Myung Joon is silly but caring, while Rohee tends to dominate, but as a child, she’s yearning for family love.
I enjoy how unpredictable and unconventional the mystery unravels. The investigation isn’t drag, the police make progress, obtain evidence, etc. We are rewarded with clues and twists constantly without them being overwhelming. It's rare to experience a drama that’s perfectly paced & each episode is juicy like this. For me, it’s the best release in 2023 and will always be one of my tops of all time! Wonderful!!
-Oct 2023, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge
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This review may contain spoilers
Good Start, but it Just Shattered
The Furthest Distance is a drama which tries to convey that in the world between life and death, neither is separated from each other but love is still a constant.Qin Yun Sheng (ML – Leon Zhang) is an emergency doctor, who has a glass house that needs to be renovated and Su Ying was the initial interior designer. They meet again because of their participation in a house renovation reality tv show. Feelings gradually begin, especially for Su Ying and her once closed heart opens up to Qin Yun Sheng. But was he still missing his girlfriend, Mi Su that had passed away? How could Su Ying bridge the seemingly furthest distance between them.
Yes, an exciting love story which I felt was giving us a second chance of love. Such high hopes especially after Qin Yun Sheng's love confession to Su Ying in episode 10, my heart just melted.
The confession:
Qin Yun Sheng: “Su Ying. Maybe I’m not good with words. I don’t know how to confess to you. I’ve thought of many ways. But when I am looking at your eyes, my mind is blank. I couldn’t say any love words. I just know. I want to see you. I want to see you every day. In these days with you, I always say thank you. But what I want to say the most now is--I like you. I like you more day by day. It’s not love words. It’s from the heart. Even though the world has given me a lot of pain, I’m not afraid. If it’s you, I will muster the courage. I want to make our future days a bit more romantic. Will you join me?”
To see the romance between them after Qin Yun Sheng's confession was magical. They were so in love. You enjoyed watching the shy doctor come out of his shell and openly show his affection of Su Ying. He showed her so much love that he felt he wasn't able to express in words but deeds. He did everything to captivate her. Letting her know she was his beginning and end. He wanted nothing more. They felt it was time to tell their friends and colleagues who were elated to finally see this "perfectly match couple" post a picture of themselves in their Moments page with the caption – “Love is a happy thing.” One person who was not happy about this love--Yang Zheng Wen. After seeing this post, he began his all-out campaign to win Su Ying back.
Yang Zheng Wen was Su Ying’s ex-boyfriend who now was the GM of Tiandi Building Materials Corporation. Seeing the interaction of Yang Zheng Wen gave Qin Yun Sheng the courage to finally put his feelings in the forefront with Su Ying hence his confession. But happiness was short-lived because we had to add another piece to this love story so enters the identical twin sister of Mi Su—Mi Bai. Yes, Qin Yun Sheng’s ex-girlfriend who died had an identical twin sister. Not only that, but she also studied cardiology and out of all the hospitals she ended up in the same one as Qin Yun Sheng as a medical director.
Of course, we had to have the infiltrator, to help both the ex-boyfriend and twin sister so we have Tian Mei who quit her previous design firm and began working at Su Ying’s firm. Su Ying thought she was sincere in working for her and made her feel like family just like her other employees. But ambition got the better of her and Yang Zheng Wen “whispering in her ear” that he would give her, her own design firm didn't help but made her become Su Ying's enemy.
We began to see the cracks of the relationship with the endlessly onslaught of tricks played by the trio of Yang Zheng Wen, Mi Bai and Tian Mei. They went from trying to destroy the glass house, changing dates of events, posting malicious email about the firm, changing materials for client's jobs and finally learning that Mi Su's confession under the rainbow was actually Mi Bai.
Everything finally shattered when Su Ying's mother was put in the hospital due to an aneurysm and Qin Yun Sheng knew and didn't tell her. That led to her breaking up with him. Which then open the door for both Yang Zheng Wen and Mi Bai to step in and get the partner they had sought for so long. But what they didn't understand, even if they did break up, they were not going back to either of them.
Su Ying's mother did recover and told her that she misunderstood Qin Yun Sheng, but it was too late, he had made the decision to go abroad for three years. This caught Su Ying off guard, and she never relented to tell him that she wanted him to stay. He left...or did he?
Qin Yun Sheng felt in order to solidify their relationship he had to make Su Ying admit her feelings to not only to him but to herself that she wanted, needed and loved him. Everyone was in on the deception of Qin Yun Sheng not leaving. It all came out when Su Ying went to the glass house. Qin Yun Sheng went to the glass house as well because he could no longer deceive her at this point, he felt he was hurting her. Love was restored between the couple. The glass house was donated for rehabilitation patients.
Qin Yun Sheng went to other countries to volunteer but Su Ying never left his side and traveled with him.
Xu Ming Shi who was the right-hand of Su Ying at the design firm and Du Hui Xuan who was Su Ying's best friend finally got together as a couple.
Mi Bai finally gave up on Qin Yun Sheng and went abroad to work.
Tian Mei did eventually get her design firm and gave kudos to Su Ying for keeping her truthfully to the craft of design.
In all hindsight, I felt we should have been seeing more of how Qin Yun Sheng and Su Ying did come the farthest distance to get to the love that we all seek, not led down a rabbit hole of cliches especially using an ex-boyfriend and an identical twin. Such a great opportunity that I believe was missed. They shattered a beautiful love story of a second chance of love.
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It made me angry
First of all I wanted to slap that mans mother at some point ,, i mean why the heck she thinks that her pervert son is all pure and mask girl is at fault ?? Mask girl killed him when he was raping her ,, that old freak women saw herself that her son has sex toys sex dolls sex videos and all the sex maniac things at his home,,even though she was saying that her son is innocent?? Lol for this type of women , other girls are not safe in this world. … cause no matter what their son do they will always blame the innocent girl ,, I hateee this type of parents who always takes their childrens side no matter what they do to others ,, this type of people deserves slappppsssWas this review helpful to you?
My take- watch it for entertainment, for comedy, for visuals, for a low stress plot, sweet chemistry, slow burn nostalgic romance.
The best part is that there is no rush, all stories (including the support characters ) have a conclusion. The highlight is the proposal and wedding which most C dramas rush. Here it is done elegantly so we feel their joy and when their story ends we come out of their world feeling happy.
For viewers who like a slow-burn character driven love story (we can say slowest of the slow-burn until episode 24 when they confess and then its all sweet and fluffy moments making it worth the wait) it is recommended.
For Miles Wei fans who have been waiting since You Are My Secret (July 2024) for a romcom of his, (probably the last one of this kind from him) this is a must watch!
For anyone who have watched him in Flourished Peony and Love Beyond The Grave who want to see him in a green flag role.
It delivers exactly what it promises: a fluffy, satisfying romance with a definitive happy ending.
Realistic rating 8-8.5
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