brilliant
Mouse is a gripping psychological thriller that dives deep into the dark recesses of human nature, exploring the chilling concept of whether criminals are born or made. The series revolves around a rookie cop who finds himself coming face to face with a mysterious serial killer. As the investigation unfolds, Mouse keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, blurring the lines between right and wrong while exploring the moral complexities of justice and accountability. With its intricate plot twists, compelling characters, and chilling suspense, Mouse is a standout in the thriller genre, leaving viewers questioning the very nature of humanity.This drama is criminally underrated; it is very rare to see such an elaborate plot that is put together so well. This was an emotional rollercoaster and will absolutely keep you on the edge of your seat every episode. The plot twists and misdirections will keep you guessing till the very end... Highly recommend to those who are looking for a suspenseful and exhilarating series.Was this review helpful to you?
It's not in my habits writing reviews for a Korean drama, actually it's the 2nd I write but this time I had to, because it was such an exciting and incredible experience. I want to always remember the emotions I went through while watching this drama, I really screamed, smiled and cried a lot (well did not cry that much but some scenes were so touching and lovely which had me in tears) I already feel very empty now we're already in the end. I'm wondering when I'll be able to watch and find such a gripping and fascinating long Korean period drama ?!
I started SFD while it was airing but I had to stop cause I knew waiting each week for only two more eps would be a pure torture for me, so this was only three weeks ago I decided to properly marathon it and aigoo those three weeks went way too quickly. This drama is simply addicting, once I finished an episode I felt the urge to watch the next one, it leaves you no choice but to go watch immediately what's coming.
Maybe now I should tell how this drama managed to captivate me like that and how every ep killed me, first reason is all those references from Queen Seon Deok and Tree With Deep Roots, and I bet all people who watched those two fantastic dramas are/were feeling the same, I was always so impressed and reminiscing about the quotes and characters of these dramas, simply yes I was speechless and always thinking those two scriptwriters are real geniuses to make me going crazy and happy like that. Secondly it's all those political intrigues, the way Sambong and Bang Won were portayed here, how they could manipulate people and control them the way they both did and most of all their ability to read in their opponent's minds, I admire both them for that. I love smart moves and political intrigues in dramas and this drama had all of that. And third reason is that I always wanted to watch a drama which would show how Joseon Dynasty was established and here it was so wonderfully explained and done.
When I think about all the cast I have no words because all actors were so into their characters and we could feel how much invested they were for this long historical drama, they delivered such a electrifying , sincere and wonderful performance, I literally fell in love with all of them, just maybe from my point of view I did not like Seo Yi Sook 's acting (Moo Hyeol's grandmother) it's very personal and I just did not find her very convincing, otherwise all other actors did so well, zero complaint about them simply the opposite, they were all phenomenal.
Of course first I have to comment about Yoo Ah In and Kim Myung Min's awesome's portraits, they were totally the characters they played ''Lee Bang Won'' and ''Jeong Do Jeon'', it did not feel like they were acting, it was simply really as if they were in front of me, like I was seeing each one of their every actions and moves.
Frankly speaking I'm not so fond of Kim M.M but I will never ever forget his flawless performance here, one word : grandiose. As for Yoo Ah In, his facial expressions, words, moves gave me goosebumps, he was too imposing and magnificent. I think I said enough about these two amazing actors, they would definitely not leave you indifferent.
It's hard for me to choose a favorite character cause I think the writers here wrote them so perfectly, there's no one I love more than the rest, well maybe Gil Tae Mi because he added so much fun to this dark and very tense atmosphere, he was so cool, skilled, sometimes stupid and hilarious even when he was about to kill some people, I just couldn't hate him ! Another one I liked a lot was Lee Bang Ji and I personally do think his character was so well written , I'm just a bit too sad he did not have (in my humble opinion) as much screen time as other dragons, in some scenes I was completely missing him and was wondering where he was and what he was doing, I love him because his care for his sister and his loved one was so sincere, beautiful and pure, he did not want to involve himself into politics and all what he did was only because of their dreams and ideals, he lives for them, that's how unselfish his love is for both of them, I can only admire him!
I would like to write some words about other dragons and characters however I think I already said too much, just I will say these things : Cheon Ho Jin as Lee Seong Gye did an awesome job, he never fails to surprise me, I don't know much about Lee Seong Gye and did not read anything about him except that I know he was the first king of Joseon and from what I saw here in SFD he really had a tragic and sad life.
Boon Yi I like her a lot and especially her relationship with her brother which is so beautiful genuine and filled with so much tenderness, I always have a thing in drama for brother/sister's bonding and in this one it was simply just so touching, I was always so happy when they were only together on screen, discussing, eating playing together. Boon Yi is a very caring, brave and smart girl, I really appreciate that she never gives up on her dreams and till the end she believes in it and simply wants to be happy with her family and people.
Moo Hyeol I love him so much in the first place ( eheheh TWDR yeah) so badass, unselfish, generous, strong and sweet at the same time, I always found his way of fighting so cute and funny but in the end he had to grow up and become mature, it was very painful to see and Yoon Gyun Sang did a really great job with his Moo Hyeol's portrayal. I also wanted to say I loved all these supporting characters as well especially Ha Ryun, Yoon Rang (very charismatic woman), Lee Bang Woo, Lee Ji Ran, Jo Joon, Gil Seon Mi and Hong Dae Hong and for sure the drama would be totally different without them <3
Needless to say the sceneries, settings, colors and costumes were so gorgeous, every costume fitted perfectly for each character, I particularly loved Boon Yi's dresses so simple and yet very eye-catching, suited her personality so well, I also loved her hairstyle <3 I would say the same for all other characters' costumes especially those Yoo Ah In, Byun Yo Han, Cheon Ho Jin, Gong Seung Yeon, Park Hyeok Kwon and many other wore, very colorful and elegant .
The Ost was really great and the ballads were always used in appropriate moments though there weren't to my taste, I loved BGM more and songs Muiiya and Cheongsanbyeolgog (I think it's the title) more. In any case the ost was wonderful so no complaints from me.
I'll end this review with those four fantastic quotes, I had shivers all over my body when those sentences were said.
-''The King is just this country's flower. The Roots have to be this land's scholars, confucian scholars and officials"
-''If you want to fool your enemy, you'd have to fool those around you including yourself''
-''How can betrayal be a sin ? In this turbulent times, believing someone is a bigger crime ''
-"Since the world began, the weak have always been stepped on by the strong. Even a thousand years ago, even a thousand years from now! The Strong steal from the Weak. In this world the only truth is that the strong take and swallow the weak ... this is only the constant truth"
I would probably rewatch this drama as it brought me so much feels since the very first second, Political dramas are generally too heavy for me but I always found Political Historical dramas to be to my liking as I've already seen many and I noticed the writers always manage to make them so interesting and appealing especially when the characters are so well written like it's the case here.
Highly recommended, it's the first time for me to watch such a long drama and to not feel the length, 50 eps of pure awesomeness and if you want my opinion I did not see the time passing.
Last but not least, this is one of the most intelligent dramas I watched and I would recommend for people who haven't wacthed Tree With Deep Roots nor Six Flying Dragons to start with SFD first and then watch DR.
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1Everything was going great… until episode 8.
I swear, episode 8 is like the Bermuda Triangle of Korean dramas — after that, the story either completely falls apart or keeps me hooked.Guess which one I got?
Yep. The curse of episode 8 is alive and well.
To sum it up in fewer words:Started strong. Then... not so much. I’m actually annoyed by how disappointing this was.
I knew I should've DNF'd, but
1) Only two episodes remained until the finale
and
2) Transmigration is one of my favorite genres.
I have to be honest — I really struggled with how to rate and review this.
The plot isn’t exactly groundbreaking — it's very predictable — but the relationship between the leads is genuinely fun. That’s actually the reason I’m giving it 5 stars. Despite all the flaws in the plot and especially the worldbuilding, the dynamic between Cha Seon Chaek and Yi Beon really worked for me.
The female lead isn’t annoying, just incredibly gullible. She’s just.. like a Disney character wandering into a horror movie. The male lead, on the other hand, seems irredeemable at first — he’s rude, violent, manipulative, and overall just an unpleasant, scowling human being. But if you look past all that (and squint a little), he’s kind of a cute, sad, walking red flag. He's clearly hurting — and emotionally constipated.
It started off well: fresh, funny, and easy to enjoy. Like an anime full of mischievous characters — some charming, some mean, some secretly evil. And then — BAM — things got real. Like, overdramatically real. Suddenly it felt like the whole world turned upside down.I haven’t read the original, so I was truly caught off guard. Wait, wait… What just happened?
It’s as if the writer had a checklist they were determined to complete:
Someone gets sick (Surprise)
Power struggles
Prince rivalry
Mysterious long-lost love from 15 years ago (because, of course)
Tedious family drama
Toxic best friend (of course)
Time travel/magical return to her original world
Mild identity crisis
His Majesty — completely manipulated, as tradition story.
A dramatic solar eclipse (because the CGI team needs something to do).
An unexpected return.
And of course, at least a few assassination attempts.
Did I miss something? Because somewhere between episodes, it turned into a cliché-packed soap opera that lost all its original charm. It became boring, frustrating, and painfully formulaic. Even a sweet ending wasn’t enough to redeem it.
And then it ended. Finally. I was relieved. This series had no right to be this bad.
I watched it. I finished it. I survived it.
Let’s never speak of it again.
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This review may contain spoilers
How the Easter Bunny & the North Star Got Boyfriends
Okay, Pond, imma need you to blink twice if you need help. Cuz, P’Hill had like 2.5 facial expressions throughout this drama, and one of them read like he was either secretly mapping out the exits in his head or counting backwards from hundred waiting for lunch. Also, in case you didn’t hear it when they mentioned it for the billionth time, P’Johan is going to Boston, you know, Boston? yeah, he’s going to Boston. BOSTON.Listen, the year just started, so I wanted to keep quiet and go sit my somewhere without reviewing this drama, buttttttt, I sat through 16 (surprisingly 17) episodes of... yeah, so imma rant about it.
I'm not even gonna sugarcoat it, Johan and North made this drama. I was this close to given up before their story started, then I was like, finally, some meat on this dry arse bone. North was my favourite character, I found everything he did enduring. For him, I stayed until the very end.
The premise of this series looked good on paper. Four couples with four different stories, and a cast with leads I’ve previously enjoyed watching. When I first heard about it, I was like, sign me the eff up! Unfortunately, the execution of the story was all over the place, and I ended up bored and waiting for the whole thing to be over. Let me explain.
HILL & TER
Boring. The story of these two started off intriguing, then immediately became boring. They spent the beginning episodes making it seem like these two didn’t know the other had feelings for them, only to reveal later they did more than friends did?? HUH??? So what was the whole point of them not knowing if the other liked them? And it was soooo repetitive, they kept going back and forth with their feelings like they was playing pingpong. Literally this was their whole plot:
HILL: I am not asking, this is me telling you that I like you and I'm going to pursue you and make you mine.
TER: OMG, North, I don't know what P'Hill wants from me, but I think he likes my sister Christmas Tree.
HILL: Let's go on a date. I like you, like a lot. Let's make out.
TER: OMG, North, I am sooo confused if P'Hill likes me or not. Yes, we made-out and basically act like married couples, but we are not together. I don't think he wants me as a boyfriend.
ME: Go hug a tree you Easter Bunny.
Like??? Arrrggg, they dragged the whole plot with unnecessary mediocre drama that in the end, I just rolled my eyes whenever one of them started talking. Just, No. Also how the hell didn't Ter know he was the guy in the face-mask? And who the hell was taking those picture collages of Hill in Ter's mother's restaurant during that time he was in the face mask? Man had a whole photo album as proof and I was like hmmm, how?? Hahahaha, alright, do you I guess. Though, I did like that backstory, it was so heartwarming and sweet. More of that from the beginning would have made some good difference.
Listen, is it just me or did Pond not wanna be here? I don’t know if it was the way the director wanted him to play the role or not, but he came off as disinterested and flat-out lost throughout this drama. Sometimes it felt like he wasn't sure where he was or what was happening, which made his acting stale. Very unfortunate, cuz he’s one of the best bl actors out there. Please, watch '180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us,' if you haven't, Pond was amazing in it.
Earth (Cooheart) playing a childish adult character… literally why are uni students acting like children? He’s a talented actor, and they turned Ter into a whiny overthinking child. And all the sound effect. Gawwwd, please let 2025 be the year thai bls leave the cringy sound effect and grown-up childish behaviour behind. Yes, I’m asking for a miracle, I’m optimistic, we only 9 days into the year, let me have this. Anyway, I loved the friendship of Ter and North, loved all their antics and conversations.
All in all, I felt very disappointed with Hill and Ter's plot. Their story dragged and became uninteresting really fast. I wish it could have been better. It’s sad, cuz these two actors had good chemistry and could have done so much more if they’d gone in a different direction, or they’d at least given them a better script to showcase their talent.
JOHAN & NORTH
First off, yes, Johan is going to Boston, just a heads up. Now, this two lifted the rating of this drama for me. Sure, they didn’t have much going on, but at least their story wasn’t boring, and I liked North’s character a lot. That scene in episode 15 when he cried, I felt every emotion, it was such a beautiful scene. He was my favourite. But dayum Susan, did everyone and their mama have to have a crush on North? Also, did anyone else go, 'Kamol, come collect your man, Kim is out here wildin' when Ton showed up as Day? Lol.
Anyway, I loveddddd the chemistry between these two leads. I’ll argue that the second kiss in A Time of Fever was the best bl kissing scene of 2024, but that kiss in the cafe between Johan and North is worth mentioning. And their backstory was also so interesting, like how long Johan waited for North and didn't want to steal him away from his girlfriend. When North cried after hearing it, I was like, same Susan, same. No, these two deserves more episodes and like another season.
That being said, I was not a fan of the whole money playing a bigger part between them, kiss me and get so so, send me a video and get so so, my brother you like him, just give him the money without all the strings. And the part where North suddenly became sad and quiet, and basically unable to function because Johan went to Boston made me roll my eyes. Sure he missed him, and not getting a call from him made him anxious but damn Susan, y'all doing too much.
Speaking of Boston. I’ve heard astronauts going to the freaking moon talk less about their travels. Did the scriptwriter enjoyed hearing people say Boston, or like it was a big deal in their novel? CUZ, I GET IT, JOHAN IS GOING TO BOSTON!!! They mentioned it so much, I legit thought something was going to happen to him when he left, only for us to not even see him at the airport. Dude went for like two screen changes and like three sequence of North looking like his husband went to war with his left foot. Like??? Give it a rest.
OTHERS
The other two couples didn't have any or little to no screen time, so I'm looking forward to their stories in the part two, heard there was gonna be a second season for them. Though we did get Fah and Typhoon looking real hard and sad at each other for like a couple of seconds, so I'm curious to know what's eating them. I legit laughed out loud when Arthit said he got bitten by a piranha and all the friends were like, that's your friend. LOL, the way no one wanted to claim him.
OH, I lowkey liked Ger and Nao's side story. I kept screaming for Ger to just tell him, cuz dude was clueless as eff. Ger being in love was so cute, and North teasing him for it. Wish he was braver and didn't waste so much time pining.
FINALE:
The story was wrapped up nicely for the two main couples, so there were no loose ends. They both had their happy endings. North and Johan's mother being snitches had me laughing. The dinosaurs finally came around, so it seems the happy ending is gonna be forever and ever. That last scene with the Hill and Ter and the necklace was cute. Seeing the scene of the four friends together at their drawing club, I wanted more of them, the way North said 'huh, that's how your face always is?' had me rolling, the poor sleepy cat. As for the side couple, Ger and Nao are apparently going to Boston together...seriously, what's there? Hopefully he braves up and confess in Boston.
All in all, this could have been waaay better than it was. The beginning dragged and just when it picked up and got a bit interesting it ended. I'll still recommend it, if not for anything, for Johan and North's story, cuz those two did their thing, but that's like towards the end of the series, so you gotta sit through all the other mess. I am looking forward to more work from these four leads. Pond already have ResetTheSeries coming soon, so I'm excited for that. I'm always down for anything Cooheart, and I want more MaxzyBas, so I'm seated for them all.
Season two was announced so I can't wait to see the story of the two others, and hopefully get glimpses of the old couples.
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I mean, I liked all the individual investigating stories and the interactions with vampire-lady, and I loved Lee Joon and all the "good guys" cast and characters. But I was utterly indifferent to the main story. YuJin/San never appealed much to me --he had more chemistry with the mob-heir police officer lady tbh-- and TaeJun was a horrible character with horribly written issues.
Overall, we are left with too many questions and plot holes, especially in combination with Vampire Prosecutor 1 & 2. Especially San's vampirism was barely discussed or noted. Which just feels like cheating, considering the series' title.
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This review may contain spoilers
Healthy Relationships! Communication! (And... a fetish?)
What started out as a slightly weird and funny show ended up being really touching with an example of what a healthy relationship should be. I was incredibly surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this show, and encourage anyone who's curious about it to give it a chance.Let's start with the characters. Natori is a man who can smell things really well, to the point where it is a little bit of a superpower. It helps him develop his relationship with Yaeshima in both obvious (how they met) and subtle (emotion-sensing) ways. Yaeshima has low-self-esteem, but while that would normally make me not want to watch the show (unfortunately women like this are often portrayed as pushovers or people without personalities), they actually portrayed it well in this show. She's got some trauma from being bullied as a child, and Natori and his fascination with Yaeshima's scent very much helps her feel a lot more comfortable in her own skin.
The side characters were very much just side characters, with none of them being fully fleshed out, but honestly I didn't feel too saddened by this, since by the time I realized this I was already invested in Natori and Yaeshima's relationship.
But honestly, my most favorite thing about this show is the communication! The show always makes sure to resolve the conflict of the episode in the same episode (with the exception of the penultimate episode) and there is rarely any miscommunication that isn't talked out in the very same episode. As a person who watches a lot of dramas, this was like a breath of fresh air. Miscommunication is often used as a trope and/or plot-device to create more drama, and quite frankly it's something I'm very tired of. To have these two flawed characters act like adults and talk about their problems in a healthy way just made my heart sing. Whoever is the screenwriter -- thank you!
If you can get past (or get used to) the sniffing bits, how often the female lead gets shown in a bra, and the unique, almost-metaphorical ways of portraying steamy scenes, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise with this show.
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I Am Nobody: The Showdown Between Yin & Yang
27 people found this review helpful
Added to my favourite comedy, suspense and action-filled fantasy drama!
I have been eagerly waiting for the second season of this series ever since I accidently discovered this Masterpiece. I'm not into anime or Chinese comics but while searching for suspenseful, fantasy, comedy and mystery packed drama, I luckily stumbled upon this gem. I absolutely love the 1st season and the 2nd season has entered my top favourite drama list. Its definitely worth the watch! Highly recommended by me.The storyline of the drama like S1 is super engaging, passionate, cohesive, entertaining, suspenseful and thrilling. It kept me on edge through out all of the episodes. The goal of solving the mystery and capturing CD became base plot of this season. S2 ensured that the new important characters had solid back grounds build up just like in S1. The story moved along with the action, suspense and comedy packed events, while unravelling the vital and mysterious back stories of new characters.
The story also highlights the differences between Real outsiders and the ones made by the soul refining furnace. Real outsiders experts are formidable and force to be reckoned with because being outsiders they have lead lives of suffering and they had to work extremely hard to master their techniques to its full potential. Unlike last season where mostly bad or good outsiders were the focus, this season showed the behaviour, goals and intentions of NDT express headquarters. At certain times their motives seemed well intentioned yet tinged with hidden agendas. Their is subtle power/control struggle going on between outsider world and NDT express leaders.
This season was as fast paced as S1, so it's very important to pay close attention to the details of the events, explanations, emotions showed by characters and implicit or explicit impact of actions of all characters in the past, present or future. As always the live action kept true to executing of iconic scenes from the comics seamlessly well. The fight scenes are among many important highlights of this series. They are beautifully choreographed and are super action packed at times touched with this series signature hilarious moments.
The actors have portrayed their characters immaculately well. Through impeccable acting they have conveyed their emotions, aims, qualities, relationships, attributes and thoughts extremely well. All characters are dynamic, they have contributed very well to move the story forward, provinding powerful insights and successfully ticking our curiosity related to their behaviour. Not forgetting to mention many outsiders are effortlessly funny in their own unique ways. Each outsider character displayed their super power really well. S2 has introduced many new characters with different personalities along with new types of powers like beast tamer, armorer, divine forge technique, poison technique, close combat techniques, magical weapons, summoning god powers/divine mask etc.
The outsider characters from S1 ZCL, FBB, WY, EZ and ZQ showed old and new sides to their personalities and demonstrated further character developments. More of their intriguing and impactful back ground stories were revealed. ZCL has always been clever, witty and bold. In this season he has become more insightful and is being very strategic. Everything he does is to help his best friend FBB. He finally harnesses the old farmer technique his Grandfather passed down to him. FBB is as funny and mysterious as ever has become more adept at using her powers effectively and have even become a beginner at crafting magic weapons. She unconditionally trusts and relies on ZCL and follows his instructions/plans. WY uses his wisdom to protect and guide his friends while using his unique immensely powerful techniques to intervene in the fates of people posing threat to the peace of the world unintentionally or intentionally. He is willing to save the world even if he has to bear the consequences by himself for changing someone's fate. ZQ faced internal conflict when tempted with one of the eight supreme technique, the divine forge. However he successfully overcame it, learned Samadhi true fire and showed talent in divine crafts and helped ZCL when his help was crucially needed. EZ has always been resourceful, clever and humorous but this time she showcased her new capabilities in dire circumstances.
The new special agent outsider characters introduced are very funny and eccentric. WZQ is my new favourite he is mischievous, cunning and playful yet he works hard to master his techniques. He learns how to use his magic mask to its full potential by understanding righteous faith. XZZ is truly frightening person yet he has found salvation despite having psychopathic tendencies and works to stop others from crossing the bottom-line. LM is very kind-hearted and thoughtful person appears to be weak and helpless but has mastered his techniques evolving them with scientific research knowledge to make them more deadly. HGE gives rough and tough man impression at first but is very caring, loyal and soft hearted person as well. CD is most tragic character I have come across this series. She is the main focus of this season's plot. She is very kind-hearted and thoughtful person despite fate being cruel to her in every way. Her tragic story is very heart wrenching yet has heartwarming side to it too. She impacted many hearts and minds along her journey. She was born in circumstances she couldn't control but with the help of friends she was able to finally make some decisions and choices for herself.
MXH is a pitiful character too. He is caring and kind-hearted but stubborn, arrogant and ambitious person. He has good intentions but he is misguided and used by QT, who has altered his memories and is manipulating him to hatch an evil plan that could possible destroy the world. Just like FBB and CD has some parallels, ZCL and MXH has parallels too discovered by WY. Both are good people but their fates are influenced by someone, very deeply and dangerously.
The OSTs, CGI, cenimatrography and FX are mind blowing. They are placed appropriately in the drama suitable to the needs of the events. The sets and the environments shows a lot of effort put in to anhance its suitability, usefulness and impact to the related scenes. The scenes have their own unique features and design requirement. The costume styling is well throughout that adds details to characters, highlighting their unique personal attributes. Their clothing was not just about appearance but eminated their spiritual resemblance too. They have used more sophisticated equipments to enhance lighting and shadows and Cinematography of special moves the characters use. For example, WY's chaotic time shift technique was filmed in slow mo but this time MOCO was used to capture it perfectly. Even subtle conveyance of eye contact and micro-expressions were considered thoroughly to bring the characters to life, these expressions are unique to live action dramas. Also about actors deliverance of their martial arts styles and signature moves it really showed that they have practiced very hard to deliver them perfectly.
Finally, S2 has successfully built up the foundation story for the S3 leaving me deeply curious about what are ZCL's next moves and how will MXH break free of QT's control. What does QT intends to do and why? And it seems S3 will finally reveal FBB's complete past. Only bad point about S2 is that I wanted more episodes. Hopefully, S3 will have sufficient number of episodes. I will be waiting for S3, hopefully the original perfect cast will remain the same or it will be terrible tragedy to recast them all.
I hope people watching it give it a fair chance and watch it till the end.
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This review may contain spoilers
In my opinion, Kaitou Tantei Yamaneko is a truly excellent drama! I thoroughly enjoyed every episode the characters and acting being a high point. The story didn't go in the direction I was expecting - that's for sure, but nevertheless if you want comedy perfectly matched with drama, action, and suspense with real edged-of-your-seat and knot-in-your-throat moments you'll enjoy this! The Story:
Firstly I've got to say DON'T READ SPOILERS! Don't scroll down to the comments or look for screenshots! You'll thank me later! Some of the best moments come from the crazy twists this drama throws at you. That's partly why the story didn't go in the direction I was expecting.
Episode to episode it's not as over-arching-plot driven as most mysteries. Some may call some KTY episodes 'filler' as it's focus is rarely it's over arching plot. It's focus is instead on it's fantastic characters. You will fall in love with every one of them I guarantee it. No character is cheaply written, every character has real heart behind them and when the mystery does pick up speed in episode 8 you really care about who these people are and what's happening to them.
The Acting:
The acting is phenomenal. Kamenashi really gives it his all and clearly had a blast playing Yamaneko. He goes from goofy comedy, to heat wrenching drama, to back-flippin' action with ease and is supported by a fantastic cast. Narimya perfectly plays the put-upon and abused Katsumura and later in the series really pulls out all the stops. Hirose went way beyond my expectations almost immediately. Sasaki's comic timing is perfect, Otsuka and Nanao also made me love them, and Ikeuchi was perfect. In fact, all these actors and the other supporting/guest actors were so perfectly cast it's astounding!
The Music:
It's certainly not your average jdrama score. The way the orchestral theme music came in every time, either comically or seriously, was perfect and really sets you up for this slightly bizarre drama. The rest of the music throughout the episode is also brilliantly scored, the composer really outdid himself! UNLOCK by KAT-TUN, apart from being one of their best singles (imo), fits nicely into this drama and is never misplaced only ever coming in at the end and never drowns anything out.
Rewatch Value:
While this drama was coming out I was watching every episode two or three times! It's hilarious, cute, and Kame is a lovely bit of eye-candy when he's not acting like a doofus (and sometimes when he is). However as with any mystery once you know then ending and all the twists - watching it from episode one again is a completely different experience. So it's hard to say this is completely rewatchable but I certainly will come back to it in a month or so as it is quite episodic.
Other thoughts:
The ending has been a problem for some people and I can see where they are coming from. When I first watched it I was a bit taken aback. It's not that things are left hanging (though there is room for a sequel). As I said, you really end up loving these characters and to see what happens to them... it's not unsatisfying it's just unexpected. Once I had finally digested the events of the last three episodes I actually think I ended up respecting the show more. As with any show that has twists, things don't always go the way you were expecting.
Speaking of expectations - this drama had far more comedy than I was first l thought it would!
Overall:
This drama really packs a punch. From episode one to ten I was 100% on board loving every second. As a Kame fan I must admit that I sometimes do the very bad thing of skipping every scene Kame is not in. However, with this series I had literally no desire to do that. Every character is well acted and the story is very compelling. I highly recommend this series to anyone be they a Kame fan or not!
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Seeing Song Hye Kyo as such a mature and straight-faced character felt awkward at first. She's come a long way from "Full House", one of the first dramas I've ever seen, and though this is not the first time I've seen her serious, it is the first time seeing her as a cold and at times emotionless character. There is also such a significant age gap between her and Park Bo Gum, that they initially just seemed wrong together. The early scenes in Cuba are particularly awkward at times, but there was just enough spark to keep me curious and interested enough to keep watching. Eventually, I sensed more of a chemistry between them, not exciting chemistry, but more comfortable and sweet chemistry. Bo Gum's smiles started to feel less forced. Seeing her loosen up to the possibility, made me loosen up to the possibility as well. Next thing you know I was rooting for them with no hesitation. So maybe that means the casting was genius after all.
There's not much to the story honestly, so I couldn't give it high marks. There are a few points in the story about family & business drama, but it really is about two people figuring out if they can make a relationship work. The pace is also very slow, but I was never bored watching because I think the pace matched the drama's mood well. I'd compare this drama to sipping wine rather than drinking soda (for the record I love both!). The wine has to be to your taste in order to enjoy sipping it, and sucking it up fast with a straw would just seem odd. It isn't the most original or exciting premise either, but there's one thing that makes this drama stand out, the visuals!
This drama is completely gorgeous to watch, and not just the scenes overseas. There are moments that are cinematic, moments where a strategically placed painting makes a huge statement, and animated moments before and after each episode that gives the story a whimsical fairytale feel. The soundtrack is also beautiful and matches that mood well. I think the star of this drama is definitely the director, and since one of the main characters is a photographer, the focus on viuals never seemed out of place. I think it raised the bar for this drama, which never would have been as interesting with a more traditional look.
Would I watch it again? Not likely, but it depends on my mood. There weren't enough things that I loved to want to see it all over again. I also liked but didn't fall in love with the lead couple, or the supporting cast. They were all great, but I didn't feel like I would miss seeing any of them once the show ended.
Overall, this is strictly for romance fans. The love was heavy-handed at times, but there were enough moments that felt authentic, realistic, and relatable as well. I felt calm watching, even during more upsetting moments, so I would categorize this drama under "Kdrama & Chill". Just like the title suggests, this was an unexpectedly enjoyable drama that I'm glad I came across, and decided to give a chance.
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This review may contain spoilers
HI! This is my first time writing review, I normally don't like to write a review, I prefer to read other reviews that leave mine, but on this one, I really had to. I saw all the comments and reviews about this drama, about the lack of many things, but in my case I really Loved it! I really love Romance dramas, it just my cup of tea.I read some reviews about the lack of chemistry or why the ML & FL love each other so much in so little time, I normally see those comments on the modern dramas, but on Costume/History/Period dramas they are just like that , they fall in love at first sight and they barely touch each other hands and they give each other lives like there is no tomorrow and they still get good reviews.
Going to the point, I really liked this drama, the story line, the actors where amazing, they had great chemistry, the OST just beautiful, for the ML & FL I understood their love for each other, I was happy with them and I was sad as well, I could feel how much he loved her, despite how little time they had since they met, every time they see each other again, they hug so tidily that made cry, I will feel the same way if my beloved one is been missing for days with out not knowing what happen to them, for me every time they were together it felt real( I just missed probably few more kisses in the forehead or cheeks every time they meet).
How can someone be so young in his actions and at some point and them so little change to be this strong king like that , but I see why, He loved her, and will fight the world and time for her love. FL has strong character and she is a girl in love as well, she can't act like nothing has happen, when she hasn't see him in some time, knowing that something might happen to him, she escaped from danger and din't back down that easily, and still fight for her love as well, knowing that might not be tomorrow.
The supporter characters where amazing, just on the down side for me, they where a lot of them, sometimes it was hard for me to follow some of their stories, but it wasn't anything major problem for me, the main support characters I liked their stories, and help the story line as well. They only one that I find that has to much screen time was the Prime minister and she didn't help to much in the story, if she would be the main villain that would it be understandable.
The story line about time and parallel universe, I really liked and liked the ending, because I understood why is that ending ( Not a sad ending at all), but I understand, I can see the point of view of the writer. The ML/FL put the well been of everyone, not just their own lives and still manage to be happy.
The OST! I loved it so so much! The song My Love by Gummy, I felt in love with that song and Maze too, they are so beautiful.
Rewatch value, Yes! I probably rewatch it in few days, just in case I missed something the first time and will rewatch all my favorite parts of the drama again, I felt like if there were questions they answered it. If I don't understand a part of the drama, I go back and rewatch again, so I can understand, why not? That is why I like to watch the dramas once they're finish, so I can replay the parts that I might not understand.
I really recommend it, if you really like romance that goes beyond time and space, I wish that they had more beautiful scenes together. they were beautiful on each of them. I really enjoyed this drama!
Thank you!
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An underrated series that serves as an inspiration to not just women but also life and ones' career
Realistic and Relatable : An underrated series that serves as an inspiration to not just women but also life and ones' careerThe best drama that I've watched that truly has an exceptional female lead. Out of all the dramas I've encountered Shen Rouxin is definitely a character that can be an inspiration to not just women but also people striving hard in building their careers. In our society today in which ones' career depends on its success, one may face troubles such as stereotypes, discrimination or even racism in the work place. Every now and then, these situations hinder people's career and I find it admirable that this show has characters that have more depth and that show what really happens in the working industry.
Applause also for the actresses and actors who portrayed their characters well. Not to mention, the cinematography as well as the soundtracks used in the series that fits the theme of the series.
In addition to that, I also love how the main couple's relationship in the series is mature but also adorable. Shen Rou Xin and Qi Xiao talked their problems rather than having miscommunication troubles which is common in most teen / youth dramas. We also get to see the struggles of the other relationships that are portrayed in the show. Like for Song Zi Yan and Zou Cheng, we see the problems they have in their marriage and how they overcome it. We also get to see the insecurities of Su Yang and by accepting and learning from those insecurities, his relationship with You Si Jia had developed. What's more, I also commend the struggles of not just a mother but parents in general in the society - how parents have demands for their children and how these demands affect their child etc.
The Rational Life indeed is a series that gives us a unique taste for it portrays different relationships that are breaking the stereotypes that they have to face in the society while also staying true with their ideals and not minding what society says about their relationship.
Furthermore, the series also gives each characters a time to shine for we get to see their individuality and complexity (how each of them struggled with their insecurities and how each of them grew and develop as a person). Props to not just the main characters (Shen Rouxin and Qi Xiao) but also to the supporting characters Song Zi Yan, Zou Cheng, Su Yang, You Si Jia, Mother Shen and Mother Qi.
While the plot is slow burn and the romance between the main couple takes time to develop in the series, I find this to be appropriate for the highlight or focus of the series is not just the relationship but Life in general : People's career as well as issues in the modern society which can be an eyeopener to young people who haven't yet entered the working industry.
Some viewers may also claim that this show is too old fashioned and I personally and strongly disagree with this one. The reason for it is that first of all, the series shows what is really happening in the real world most especially the working environment. It gives a lesson to viewers that not everything in life, love and work is all about sunshines and rainbows. People striving to build their career may encounter problems and it is important to have a positive mindset about it . There are also the demands and expectations that people have. Not to mention, having a relationship or not even having a relationship can lead people to be prejudice towards others. Moreover, as a person who is still in my youth and who just recently started in building a career, I can definitely relate with the characters in the series for I have also encountered these complications which is why this series is definitely not old fashioned for it is Real and Raw and relays lessons that are useful especially for the youth.
While I also see that this show might be targeted for older viewers / audience, it actually entirely depends on the viewer's taste or perspective. Some youth may like it, others may not. That is why I won't be discouraging people in watching this. If you're interested in watching it then you might as well give this one a try. Don't let reviews or other people's perspective sway you in watching this for its a matter of choice.
In conclusion, The Rational Life is a series that is more of a melodrama than romance for it does not just gives Life lessons but also serves as a Revelation to viewers for it depicts Realistic situations that people face and reflect upon in the modern society.
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This review may contain spoilers
Myung Soo Hyun, babe, we need to talk about that ending you wrote up cause what the fuc-
There are some people in the comment section who interpret the ending as a happy ending. They're right if you think about it, no one died, the characters all became successful ( all owning real estate they wanted which was the primary theme and focus of the drama) and even the leads met again. But boy oh boy do I have a bone to pick with this "happy ending". This is essentially a rant and not a critique. I will not be eloquent with my words, the ending has left me too frustrated for that.I feel the need to let anyone reading this know how I watched this show. There were two episodes each week and for eight weeks I tuned in first thing in the morning to watch them before doing anything else. This show was a part of my life and routine for 2 months. And I loved it. The show was your standard Kdrama with lots of warmth, love, romance, laughter and in this case lots of pretty houses and many heartfelt insights of home owners living in those varied, beautiful homes. I think I speak for all of us when I say the the numerous cliches used were a bit much sometimes. But a lot of experienced watchers like me who have been watching since before kdramas became more ' refined' and 'palatable' for western/netflix watchers, are very much used to the cheesiness and predictablity of the plot details. I could certainly do without the numerous breakups, misunderstandings, sacrificing love for you friend/ family and all the little chiches in between but I don't hate them. And I certainly won't fault a romcom for being cliched.
SO WHY IN THE FUCK DID THEY NOT TAKE THE CLICHED ROUTE IN THE END????? I can only guess that they wanted the FL to be 'successful' and 'independent' on her own and prove that she did not rely on the ML in anyway for achieveing her dreams. And I suppose they wanted to explain them not ending up together due to their father ( being compulsed I must remind) to run away from paying back the ML 10 years before the leads met. Which the ML understood and acknowledged might I add. Sure, he'll be " reminded of the incident everytime he looks at the FL" but that's how it's supposed to be???? It doesn't mean he'll hate her and treat her badly for her father's mistakes. You can't cut an entire person ( your significant other in this case) just because you don't want to think about it. The show put all this emphasis on " money can't buy happiness" and " House+Love= Home" but at the end completely ignored it at the end. It showed the leads being sad looking loners who live in their big empty houses by themselves with their piles of money and presented it as a 'makeshift happy ending'. It was giving me " See? They can be happy by themselves too!". It's honestly a bit distasteful. These characters were always showed to be hardworking social climbers who always wanted a better llfe for them and their loved ones. And they were shown to be putting a lot of importance on relationships and love for their emotinal fullfilment and happiness. Particularly the ML was shown looking kind of depressed even after three years.
The ending didn't match with the overall theme/vibe of the show at all and was utter bullshit.
If you're going to watch it, go ahead and do until episode 15. I'm sure if you like this genre you'll enjoy it. It was done well and at times REALLY well until the ending. Personally I would like my 16 hours back and a compensations for the emotions I wasted. Thanks.
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Lighthearted, Witty Republican Era Detective Drama (with beautiful costumes)
Overall, great drama - characters, acting, and cases are all very interesting. It's a fun, light-hearted detective drama set in Shanghai during the Republican Era. Highly recommend if you're looking for a drama with a good story and acting that's not too serious. What I really like about this drama is that it has a more mature undertone against the overall lighthearted, fun vibes - the director did a nice job here. I often find that lighthearted dramas sometimes end up being too childish or immature. I just want to smack some reality into those characters. Here, the characters are more mature. Though the Miss S (FL) is flirtatious and witty, she has her life together. Detective Tan (ML) is also a smart, serious, and hardworking professional. Though there is romance, FL and ML are not running around like teenagers obsessed with love. Note - romance is not the main focus of this drama. There are cute scenes, but this is primarily a detective drama. See below for more details and a brief comparison with other detective dramas.Acting
Ma Yi Li (FL) and Gao Wei Guang (ML) are terrific. It's so fun watching their interactions. Ma Yi Li plays the witty, flirtatious, and beautiful Miss S. It took me a few episodes to get used to this character because of her lasting impression as Zi Jun in First Half of My Life. Gao Wei Guang's acting has improved a lot since Ten Miles Peach Blossom, and his more serious personality is a nice contrast to FL's. Second leads are also great. They are cute, less mature, but fun. I'm impressed by the number of extras that they have for this drama.
Costumes
AMAZING. FL's outfits are stunning - she has beautiful qi paos (traditional attire) and Western formal wear. Ma Yi Li's outfits are amazing. I don't think I realized how beautiful she is until this drama. ML has sleek attire as well. I would say there not as eye catching as FL's, but then again, Gao Wei Guang looks good in anything.
Story
Interesting overarching story with romance. You learn very early on what the overarching story is and get fed bits and pieces as the drama progresses. The last episode wraps everything up, and I think they did relatively good pacing towards the end. It's a little rushed at the end, but not that bad. Ending is plausible. I wonder if there's a season 2...Regarding the romance mentioned earlier - romance is nicely incorporated but not overpowering either. FL and ML are so fun to watch. I would say that don't watch this drama just for romance. At the end of the day, this is a detective/ crime drama.
Opportunities ("Cons")
- Case complexity: I thought the cases overall tend to be a bit too complex. There was one case that completely did not make sense to me (granted I'm watching raw and Chinese is a 2nd language...). The positive side of complex cases, is that you can't really figure out who the actual criminal is early on. This keeps the case interesting. However, sometimes I find they are unnecessarily overcomplex. It doesn't necessarily give the vibe of 'draggy' but more of unnecessary.
- Music: I found this a bit weird, but most the memorable songs are in English...not sure why this bothers me a little. I give them kudos for finding English singers without an accent. My biggest pet peeve is when they find people to sing English songs but have heavy accents - might as well just use Chinese lyrics instead.
Detective Drama Comparisons (also recommendations if you liked Miss S)
1. My Roommate is a Detective (MRIAD): both are Republic era dramas set in Shanghai. I prefer Miss S 100xs over MRIAD - the only reason I didn't drop MRIAD is because I got really bored during quarantine. Leon Zhang was the saving grace of that drama. FL drove me nuts - she's so immature, noisy, and unreasonable. I almost dropped it because I couldn't stand her bickering. Also, the cases there were too simple. Once you figure out the pattern, you can easily figure out who the criminal is early on. The ending was also too rushed in my opinion.
2. When a Snail Falls in Love (WASFIL): both are detective stories and I think the balance of detective/ crime story vs romance is similar. Romance in both isn't overpowering but a secondary theme. I like both Miss S and WASFIL - hard to choose with is better. WASFIL is more mature than Miss S - I feel like it's a bit heavier, probably because of the types of cases they deal with.
3. Love Me If You Dare (LMIYD): Miss S is much more lighthearted and fun that LMIYD. Don't get me wrong, LMIYD is a really good drama (Wallace Huo is fantastic!). However, it's a bit heavy and has elements of a thriller drama. There are a few parts that are a little disturbing - not to the extend of Criminal Minds, but it's not lighthearted stuff either. Would recommend LMIYD if you're looking for a good detective drama and you know what you're getting yourself into (aka watch the trailer first).
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