I did not know a couple of the leads but they were really good and made me believe their characters. Their acting was so natural and so funny when they have to be, and they made me cry at the tender moments as well.
The music was so well suited to the drama.
As for rewatch value, it's a long drama, so maybe in the very far future I will go ahead and re-watch. It's worth it.
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Liar's Poker.
The Ingenious One is part of the new wuxia genre where the main protagonist is an anti-hero by classic wuxia standards. He is so highly evolved that intelligence and cunning rather than superior martial arts is his defining characteristic. Thus the ingenious Yun Xiang is aloof and cynical, he can run but he can't fight, he is righteous in an ends justify the means sense and his main tactical advantage is his big brain. This drama unfolds like a three-dimensional chess game, which can be very interesting or very boring depending on your attention to detail and interest in complex plots. Even though Yun Xiang can't fight, he is surrounded by characters who can so there are well choreographed action scenes to look forward to.After his village was massacred, Yun Xiang was raised as the sole disciple of the master of the mysterious Yuntai sect. The cerebral and commercial Yuntai and their rival the lethal and rebellious Lingyuan are successors of the legendary Qian sect. At Yuntai, Yun Xiang immerses in qiān shù 千术 or the secret Qian art of scheming and deception. They are sophisticated grifters with a controversial reputation that pay lip service to Taoist principles. One of their core principles is detachment as everyone is a pawn. Attachments and emotions make you vulnerable. This is Yun Xiang's lonely world view as he makes his way down the mountain 15 years later as a brilliant practitioner of qiān shù 千术. Time and all that brain washing did not erase his thirst for vengeance. Against his master's instructions, he makes a beeline for Nandu to uncover the truth behind his village's massacre. Along the way, he is besotted by the formidable and mysterious Shu Yanan. Sparks fly and their objectives appear aligned so they both let their guard down enough to form a wary alliance.
In Nandu, Yun Xiang's first order of business is to finance his mission. This focus on the practical money aspects of everything from running a sect to building influence is fresh and interesting. To achieve his goals, Yun Xiang plays monopoly using qiān shù 千术 or deception to control a bank, a port, a casino and a silk business. As it turns out, this brilliant protege of Yuntai is just a talented con man, a grifter. He boldly plays liar's poker with higher stakes at each turn with the power brokers of Nandu. Everyone is a pawn until they are not and he starts to break Yuntai's core principle of not letting emotions be it love or friendship mess up the con. The drama could have better highlighted how his hidden opponent was plying the same schemes against him. With narrow margins against a hidden foe, does Yun Xiang's growing affection for his pawns become his Archilles heel?
A recurring criticisms of this drama is that Yun Xiang is not that ingenious. The narrative fails to emphasize how under resourced and outnumbered Yun Xiang is. When he shows up in Nandu, he has no allies, no money and only cold clues as to what happened 15 years ago. So it's not fair to expect him to be three steps ahead when he can barely tell friend from foe. We are told he is a complex and morally ambiguous revenge driven character but his backstory is so cursorily shown that he seems like a blank person with no family or friends or history. This impression is amplified when his revenge gets sidelined as he stumbles upon the greater conspiracy and that plot-line takes over the rest of the drama. Similarly Shu Yanan's history is murky until late in the game and her relationship with Wen Cong is never explained. Thus her decisions and priorities are difficult to understand and seem at times inconsistent. Their romance developed too quickly and hiccups at a point the plot should have been building momentum towards a climax rather than digressing into romantic angst. Even though Chen Xiao and Mao Xiaotong did their best, their character designs and relationship evolution did not give them that much to work with.
In sharp contrast, the supporting roles are better written and steal the show. The priorities and drivers of Jin Biao, Mo Bufan, Kang Qiao, the Su family and Liu Gongquan are understandable and empathetic. I was too invested in their well-being and happiness to enjoy the irony of Yun Xiang's role reversal into a puddle of a tropey female lead whose whose life's mission gets hijacked by love. The standout entertaining roles areJin Biao the assassin with a heart of gold and Mo Bufan the money loving banker lured by greed and whipped by fear. Liu Gongquan's entrance also lifts the plot at a point it was sagging. I enjoyed Wang Zirui's chemistry with Chen Xiao better than that of Mao Xiaotong's, which seemed forced. While the role is well acted, Kou Yunjie is the biggest moron in the entire drama. His actions make no sense other than to facilitate plot movements. Only lazy writers take short cuts in plot design by dumbing down characters. The so-called brilliant mastermind and his main dogsbody win more as a result of a huge information and resource advantage rather than exceptional tactics. Their motives for engaging in such a vast and long-dated conspiracy with dire consequences for failure are not compelling. Petty antagonists like Tang Xiao are more believable with their penny-ante tricks and more basic instincts.
The plot picks up into a predictable but overall satisfactory ending after the final conspiracy and mastermind is unveiled. The main antagonist is designed to not show themself or their plans too early. This comes at the cost of making their motive unconvincing and is pointless as their identity quickly becomes obvious anyway. While based on true historical events, the plot design is often used and does not stand out in any unique way. After years of scheming, the mastermind's grand plan is full of holes and overly dependent on single sources of supplies and too few and too unreliable sources of manpower. This kind of shoddy plan would have failed on its own without much help from anyone! But I was too busy enjoying the confiscation of irreplaceable family jewels, a nice end surprise twist and watching villains face gruesome consequences. The message that detachment is a flawed Yuntai mantra; that emotional attachments can swing the odds both negatively and positively is lost in the finale. I enjoyed this drama but recognise there are many holes and unanswered questions, the pacing is not exciting enough and the momentum build disrupted by unnecessary romantic angst. It is a story that had a lot of potential and a wonderful cast but did not come together in the best way. Thus it would not be fair of me to rate this more than an 8.0/10:0 as one of those far from perfect but still highly enjoyable dramas.
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A story that can make you stop breathing
I honestly didn't expect such a storyline. and I know it's sad that it is too short but the episodes which were given to us were perfect from the very beginning to the very end. Anyway, I loved it and I truly hope there will be more and more future series with the main characters. they truly delivered perfect acting and kudos to both.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
It's the year 2019, and we still have this kind of dramas..Content of the drama is basic, girl is sick, needs transplant and boy is a match. Boy has a sick grandma who loves him so much, and wants to see him love and marry a girl. When girls asks the boy to help her, boy says okay, but first let get married and have a contracted marriage for 2 years.
Typical contracted marriage turns real marriage plot, seemed fun on Netflix so I said just try it, I mean, everyone needs a bit of cheesiness in life time to time.
But OH BOY
WILL CONTAIN SPOILER AND ANGER AND SHOCK READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
First of all, the reveal is just too big. And it's not a reveal like "boy has been lying because of a misunderstanding" or "a simple white lie started all this". The reveal is that THE BOY IS A FREAKING STALKER, A SOCIOPATH TO THE CORE. I just can't with the sugarcoating. He is wrong. Girl is literally a victim, and still keeps sticking around him. You know just because he waited in the rain outside of her apartment doesn't justify his actions.
Him being kind of a macho at the beginning of the show is not my style, yet acceptable as there are many kind of relationships and people who can get with it. But UGH I LITERALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MORE CAN I SAY ABOUT IT THE SHOW IS JUST WRONG THE PREMISE OF IT IS WRONG EVERYTHING IS WRONG
I mean, girls friend seems clever and protective over her but when the big reveal happened, she didn't even react much? And supported their relationship? Just, why??
And last but least, as the show goes on, that big reveal didn't even matter? They had a conflict for what, like one or two episodes, than moved on to another subject like family issues or something.
Violence, both physically (second leads father beating the leading lady and the second lead, male lead literally kidnapping the female lead, holding her forcefully etc) and mentally (male lead tricking the girl to believe she had a terminal illness, than deceiving her into marriage and then making her fall in love with him etc) was like the main purposes of the show. And they didn't even resolve those issues. The guy can wait as much as he wants in the downpour and get a pneumonitis or anything but that wouldn't make it equal to the punishment he deserved.
THE SHOW IS JUST WRONG AND WISH IT DIDN'T EXISTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
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This drama hit me like a tsunami of emotions and has left me bruised in so many places I'm in dire need of a strong tonic
I had promised myself to never say this, but rules are made to be broken: King 2 Hearts is the best drama I have ever watched. It is so because it fully responds to what I ask a work of fiction: not just to entertain me, but to make me feel. Deeply.
I suppose it's not for everyone though. It raises issues which require a level of maturity, as well as a huge dose of emotional strength. It plays on prejudices and the rotten nature of politics, sparing no one: the arrogance of the western world, the obtuseness of military regimes, the cowardice of politicians, the corruptive power of money no matter where. But it highlights the best virtues too: loyalty, friendship, courage, honesty, responsibility towards the people we love. This story is the growth of a group of people, from biased to understanding, and most of all is the birth of a king worth of this name.
It's obviously a love story too, but I'm glad this is only partly the focus of the drama. Don't expect a rom-com, or you'll be disappointed. The comedy is there, mainly in the beginning, and it is a clever sort of fun, but it's devoid of the usual comedic tropes, and it always has a black undertone - which I personally adore.
So to me this is a truly romantic drama, in the classical sense of the word, full of awe, suspense and heartbreak. There isn't even an ounce of fluff: if this is what you're looking for, King 2 Hearts is not for you.
Two words about script and direction: the first is one of the most consistent I've come across, never deviating from reality even when the setting is fictional. I am aware some of the scenarios are controversial to say the least, but if you give a look at the way international politics works, you'll see that - alas - it's a lot more plausible than we would like to admit. This said, the writers managed to create an ensemble of wonderful characters who touch the heart, and always thought-provoking dialogues. Direction is splendid, very film-like, playing on grand-angle and close-up shots, on colours, light and dark. The action scenes are believable and thrilling.
Standing ovation for the performance of the entire cast. Everyone has done such a brilliant job, I'm in awe.
Ha Ji Won is wonderful, to say the least. I've read some arguing that a north Korean soldier can't be so girly and trusting in the matters of the heart, but her multiple layers are what make Hang A the incredibly believable character I fell in love with, and Ha Ji Won the awesome actress she is. Besides her doing most of her stunts, she studied the North dialect, voice intonation and poses. The result is a charming mixture of vulnerability and strength which is profoundly feminine.
I'm glad I've really got to know Lee Seung Gi with this drama, because this young man has done an amazing step forward in terms of acting. His performance as the shallow, prejudiced playboy he's in the beginning slowly growing to be a king to be proud of, is mind-blowing. I truly felt all his suffering, doubts, uncertainties, fear… stress. He has gained a loyal fan for his professionalism and for the courage to accept a controversial part which more mature actors had refused before him.
Jo Jung Suk and Lee Yoon Ji have been an incredible revelation for me, both acted so naturally it's almost unbelievable.
Hat off to all the other actors. I was just as involved in their fates as I was in that of the main couple. They all made me laugh, weep (buckets, really), be proud or exhilarated.
Yes, even the villain. It won't be easy for the actor to shrug off the image. He embodies evil in its most horrific, unadulterated form: gratuitous cruelty, the pleasure to see others suffer, vanity and megalomania, all highlighted by a child-like behaviour which is as disquieting as it reduces him to the sub-human this character actually is.
Oh, the music!
A good soundtrack explains the scenes with the notes. When he wrote the score for the 1993 film "The Piano", Michael Nyman said he needed some piano pieces which could speak for Ada, who is mute, and work as a substitute to her voice.
That's what the music in King 2 Hearts does: if you close your eyes and listen to it (I have it all on my i-pod) the music will speak for the scene, and will keep on speaking to you when the show is over. The instrumental pieces are simply perfect and aching. "Two Hearts" begins with the pound of two hearts, hence explaining in a second a title whose meaning I had been pining over for weeks.
Simply beautiful.
I have already re-watched half of the drama and am going through a second (third?) complete marathon. If I gave this a lower re-watch value I'd be a hypocrite. And, believe it or not, it improves on second watching.
There's so much more I'd like to say about it, but I fear I've been wordy enough. I feel a last word of… warning is needed though: be prepared to feel strongly. If what you ask a drama is to entertain you or divert you, don't watch King 2 Hearts; only approach it if you're ready to grow so much attached to these characters, seeing them go will give you an almost physical pain.
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The Legend of the Blue Sea
77 people found this review helpful
4This review may contain spoilers
Fun. Touching. Plus light-heartedly questioning the matter of course of human interaction
"The Legend of the Blue Sea" refers to a very old Korean legend that originally tells the lovestory between a mermaid and a fisherman. However, the KDrama is just loosely based on this fairy tale.In the rich Korean folklore of "Imuldam" (mostly oral shamanic songs, myths, fairy tales and folk tales) which is still very much alive today, there are frequently supernatural beings that move around in the earthly dimension - whether mermaids, a nine-tailed fox, a Goblin, or other spirits. These "Imuldam" are particularly inspired by shamanism and Buddhism. KDramas repeatedly pick up motifs from this tradition and find contemporary ways to keep them alive and reinterpret them. The special attraction arises from the fact that our human world receives a different value, appreciation and perspective through the eyes of those non-human creatures less influenced by time and space.
"The Legend of the Blue Sea" is based on a mermaid caught in a net by a fisherman in the early Joseon era. Then he fell in love with her. However, mermaids rarely feature in Korean folklore otherwise. The topic makes a nice link to western tradition and that's probably how it was intended. Also, parts of the KDrama play outside of South Korea - in Spain.
At the same time, the story takes up another, widespread and popular motif in KDrama orbit: reincarnation. Most of the time it is about souls that were not able to complete certain experiences in the past and are confronted with these or similar situations again in their present incarnation - in order to do things better or differently. In "The Legend of the Blue Sea", the historical fairy tale from back then and its version, transposed into the present day, are developed in parallel in two narrative threads. Just as the protagonist (and also another character) slowly (again) remember their past life, we, too, experience what really happened back then. Eventually the question arises whether life must necessarily repeat itself or else other decisions could be made.
Actress Jun Ji-hyun obviously enjoys her character as a humorous, mischievous mermaid, innocently and ignorantly experiencing the modern human world. With her performance she definitely jazzes the story up. Her sometimes almost naive trust, which is a bit reminiscent of a puppy in places, stands in warming contrast to the distanced, calculating coolness of her Jack of Hearts in 2017. The picture is completed by - here and there - being able to look back into their Joseon past, where he rather personifies an amorous, honorable nobleman.
Ultimately, this KDrama offers a well-designed dramaturgical variety of telling an enchanting love story in two different ways - and at the same time (with a twinkle of an eye) questioning the matter of course of human habits and interaction.
It´s fun and touching.
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It stars Lee Je Hoon as Lee Soo Yeon who's straight laced and by the book character is matched with Chae Soo Bin as the stubbornly impetuous Han Yeo Reum. All of the complaints I read about the drama were about Han Yeo Reum, and how much people hated her, but I didn't have a problem with her character at all. I think her character is frustratingly ambitious on purpose in order to disturb Soo Yeon's futile attempt at having a quiet and routine worklife. Of course their conflicts lead to some great chemistry and I loved the way the story between them developed. I was a fan Lee Je Hoon in "Signal", but this is my first time seeing him as a romantic lead. I also loved Chae Soo Bin in "I Am Not a Robot", so it was great to see her in another romance, and she did not disappoint me. Together they had cute and comedic moments as well as heartbreaking dramatic moments, and even when parts of the story were weak, their character development was strong.
As for the supporting cast there were characters that were favorites, some who were underutilized, and some who were boring as hell. My favorites in the supporting cast were definitely Kim Kyung Nam as Oh Dae Ki and Lee Soo Kyung as Na Yeong Joo of the security team, who's chemistry was entertaining enough to deserve their own spinoff show. I thought Lee Dong Gun was great, although almost typecast in his role, but because his storyline was compartitively weak I felt like his talent was a little bit wasted. I also wanted to know much more about Mr. Jang who I feel like never got enough screentime for being such a huge part of the story. Then there was Kim Jee Soo as Yang Seo Koon, who seemed like a character I would like in the beginning, but she turned out to be so boring that I'm still not quite sure about anything involving her character. Also, because so much of this drama revolves around work, there's a pretty good ensemble cast feel among the airport staff, which helps make the random airport stories seem less disjointed.
For me, the weakest parts of the drama was the internal airport drama between management, which was too vague to care about, and took up too much time. There are also parts of Soo Yeon's backstory that I wish were better explained, but I still think the parts they did focus on were well done as far as drivng the story and his motivation. With the short episode format there was always enough in each episode to keep me curious and make me want to keep watching. By the end, the story felt like it was definitely rushed, but all the parts of the story that I cared about were resolved (although I'm still not sure if the very end was an artistic choice or an emergency decision).
Would I rewatch this? Yes. I think the chemistry between the main couple is what carries this show, more than the general story, so I would probably still enjoy it with a second viewing.
Overall, "Where Stars Land " isn't going to make it to my favorites list, but it's much better than some of the mediocre dramas I forced myself to finish this year. I recommend giving it a chance, especially if you are a romance fan. You may find out that under it's unassuming appearance is a drama with a spark of something extroadinary.
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target audience is me
I am clearly the target audience for this and I didn’t know it.who would have thought we’d get an adorable penguin themed BL? not me but I’m here for it.
maybe it’s the right timing or what not but this is a super sweet, silly, absolutely ridiculous series and I love it. I had the biggest grin on my face watching it.
sometimes we just need something that lets us shut off our bains and enjoy.
I also gotta give it to wetv they are stepping up their game in their productions this year, knock knock boys, monster next door, and now caged again. my hats off to you.
as for the series we’ve got some mystery and magical moments that intrigue me and I’m curious to watch it all play out. I’ve not come across a theme like this before and it’s pulled me in even though I didn’t think id be a fan of they type of series.
casting was fantastic in this. Jay does a phenomenal job at being a penguin.
I’m seated. I’m excited. and I want more.
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Possibly my favorite melodrama kdrama I have seen.
The story of 'The Smile Has Left Your Eyes' is something so vastly different than most Korean dramas. It is a melodrama that sublimely incorporates the genres of thriller, mystery, romance, and tragedy of all things--and on top of your not-so-typical antihero lead, it sheds some light on some controversial topics (which will not be named due to this review being spoiler free). The story starts off quite eerily, full of suspense and mystery, and gradually as the drama progresses, the melodrama kicks in while retaining most of the suspense.
I do feel it slightly lost some spark towards the climax due to the script demanding misunderstandings (don't we love those?). Many conflicts could have been avoided if there was better communication amongst the characters. I suppose this can be said for virtually any drama, but it especially applies in this case. It doesn't help that some of the situations aren't fully concluded. I do also feel there were just a tad bit many plot devices used to progress the story. Some character actions just make little sense, and there was either little or no explanation to them afterwards. I at often times felt frustrated by many of these actions, but fear not; it shouldn't detract much from your entertainment, as the overall execution and the story itself are quite beautiful.
Moving onto the cast--they were absolutely splendid. The leads had amazing chemistry, and everything felt genuine, from hardships to happiness.
Seo In Guk plays his first antihero role in Kim Moo Young, and he truly delivers. His character is sharp, mysterious, and conflicting, and much like Jin Kang, I could not help but be drawn to him, wanting to figure out his character, questioning his motives and actions. Moo Young's dialogue was also quite intricate in that viewers and characters alike could draw multiple meanings from his words. I think this was one element the drama and In Guk pulled off especially well.
Jung So Min plays Yoo Jin Kang, a rather strong willed woman who is also very kind, forgiving, and sympathetic. Jin Kang's strength as a character is not what I would classify similarly to a strong female lead, but she is strong because of her ability to endure everything she has experienced, accept it, and move on. Jung So Min conveyed Jin Kang's emotions so vividly well, the emotional pain is visible through her interactions.
Park Sung Woong nails his role as Jin Kang's brother, Yoo Jin Gook, as well. He portrayed the shifts in emotion as the drama progressed very well. I do however, wish his character was better written.
As for the supporting cast, their performances were stellar as well. Seo Eun Soo pulled off a very convincing girl blinded by love in Baek Seung Ah. Go Min Shi as well with the complications in her character, Im Yu Ri. Special mention Kim Ji Hyun whom played Jang Se Ran. She completely took me by surprise, both her acting and her character.
Most of the faults in the cast were largely due to shifts and errs in the script, not the actors themselves. The actors always delivered in their roles, but often there were actions that just didn't make any sense, conflicts that could have been avoided if we applied any spec of common sense to the situations, which leads back to my stance on there being too many (in)conveniences to the story.
The music in this drama was synced flawlessly. If I had to compliment any one thing about the drama, it would absolutely be the soundtrack. The eerie, sinister themes added so many elements of suspense to drama. Sorrowful, yet calming and somehow uplifting music complemented the melodrama and romance all too well, especially 'Lost' by Ahn Ji Yeon. 'Someday' by Yi Sung Yol was the perfect song to end off many of the episodes' suspense, while leaving you craving for the next. And I can't forget 'Star' which was a beautiful addition sung by none other than the 2 leads Seo In Guk and Jung So Min. I feel this song greatly reflects their relationship in the drama.
Definite a recommend from me if you're looking for a melodramatic romance with thriller and mystery! Just take note that this does happen to be a tragedy.
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This review may contain spoilers
The hype was worth it
Things I liked:*The ending. It wasn't an open ending. A lot of things made sense after season 2
*Children are also competitors there
*The CG
*How they brought back both major and minor actors
*More flashbacks and backstories
*The game masters also have a heart and are all brave enough to fight without fearing death. They are just enjoying freedom.
*The timeline (Events of both season 1 and season 2 take place around June 2021, in between their respective release dates).
*Kuina's father finally accepted her
*The wish of those who shipped arisu and usagi can sigh in relief now ( Also kento yamazaki and tao tsuchiya now officially co-starred in 5 projects)
A bit of warninng: Don't watch it with parents or probably anyone. There are rotten dead bodies and deformed bodies burnt by sulphuric acid. Naked kyuma and some other scenes.
Story: 10 The story started from right where the season 1 ended. Unlike season 1, there were fewer games that lasted longer than before. Each game has its own suspense and thrill. The CG was as good as ever and the ending was quite satisfactory. Some ppl may complain that they better remembered the days of borderland. But it is better to forget those horrible memories of near-death experience.
Acting/cast: 10 They brought back all the original cast members they needed. Even minor ones like kuina's parents, arisu's brother, the man they saved in the 4 of spades, momoka and many major characters.
Music: 10 The music was on spot and quite thrilling
Rewatch value:10 Might just rewatch tomorrow
The first 7 episodes were action-packed where the last episode was more calm than the previous episodes but the last few scenes were just all we needed after the 2 years wait.
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Tomorrow
157 people found this review helpful
Soulful spot on: South Korea ranks fourth in the world when it comes to the suicide rate
According to WHO data, South Korea ranks fourth in the world when it comes to the suicide rate. (Germany ranks 42nd in comparison.) Not only stars and starlets are affected, but it runs through all sections of population. And with that, it holds up a bitterly serious, socially critical mirror to turbo-capitalist South Korea, whose tradition still places more value on appearances/make-believe than authenticity/true-being."Tomorrow" throws the spotlight on this socially problematic aspect. It is definitely a tough topic! It is based on a webtoon that enriches people's limited view by looking at the bigger picture from the perspective of the spiritual world. By providing an emotional link between the two worlds through the protagonist Choi Joon-woong, the worlds inspire each other with their insights and impulses. (After all, a wound can even heal in the afterlife...)
In short, the approach might at times seem light-footedly playful. Yet the content is profound and serious. It´s no feel-good-series. Sometimes it's fast-paced and action-packed, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, but mostly the story wants to touch, move and make you think. And it does. Overall the narrative style once again finds the right tone and the successful mix to work through the difficult, complex emotional area of conflict. Thus it is carefully, sensitively and differentiatedly illustrating the example of very different fates.
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Zhousheng Chen, You Have Come Afterall
"If there was someone in today’s society who carried with her the memories of two lifetimes and she loved you, what a blessing that would be."The long await sequel to One and Only (周生如故), Forever and Ever (一生一世) is finally here.
Forever and Ever is a really beautiful and heart-rending drama. The love story between Zhousheng Chen and Shi Yi is just ethereal. Shi Yi is an unwavering woman, “my heart has already belonged to someone, it will not change”. She kept her words; she did not fall for anyone else except Zhousheng Chen. Upon hearing Zhousheng Chen’s name, she approached him and gets her way into his heart. Meanwhile, Zhousheng Chen is not a proactive person, he never has to speak out loud about his feelings towards Shi Yi but everyone knows his love towards her. His love towards Shi Yi is evident through his small gestures, and most importantly eyes.
Forever and Ever did a commendable job in delivering Zhousheng Chen and Shi Yi’s love story. The relationship between Zhousheng Chen and Shi Yi developed at a quick yet mellow pace. For those who didn’t watch One and Only, you might’ve felt a bit rushed and confused with the pacing of the relationship. However, they have waited for centuries to finally be together, they are given a second chance, and are finally together.
At the beginning of their relationship, there are awkwardness and courtesy between them. Though they are still polite to each other, their gaze and small actions just simply show how much they adore and love each other. Forever and Ever is the type of romance drama where gaze and action speak louder than skinship. The drama also has some comedy elements to it. If you have watched One and Only before, you might laugh and smile after seeing how Zhousheng Chen went from a cold and ice-y general went to a cute and chubby chemistry professor. Zhousheng Chen’s actions towards Shi Yi are actually just like any other romcom drama, but it’s not entirely like any other romcom drama. Forever and Ever manages to make all those cliché actions into something new and fluffy. For instance, when Zhousheng Chen carries Shi Yi’s bag while watching it, I am sure that you will let out a smile. Moreover, there are also some characters in this drama that will make you laugh, a big shoutout to uncle Lin!!
The second half of this drama is filled with sweetness and sugar! The romantic scenes in this drama will touch your heart, you can definitely feel every action and word that's spoken by Zhousheng Chen and Shi Yi, it is genuine and full of love. And there is no misunderstanding, breakup in here. Their relationship is just the cutest and the sweetest!!
The acting and chemistry of both Bai Lu and Ren Jialun definitely did not disappoint. The way Bai Lu and Ren Jialun convey their emotions through nuanced micro-expressions, and how they articulate every scene is just impeccable. Both of them managed to act so differently between One and Only and Forever and Ever, but still evoking the same affable charm and cute chemistry! Both Bai Lu and Ren Jialun need to get an award for their acting in One and Only and Forever and Ever. Both of their acting is infectious!! Especially Ren Jialun's acting in forever and ever - his portrayal is more three-dimensioned, ZSC in the drama is more lively, grounded, and vulnerable than in the novel. In addition, I also love how both Bai Lu and Ren Jialun uses their own voice in the drama!!
The entire drama production team has also successfully captured the essence and magic of the novel through the cinematography and script. The cinematography is dreamlike and majestic, with its warm color palette and color grading. Almost every shot in the drama can be beautifully framed. In addition, the drama also has a gorgeous wardrobe. I love how Shi Yi and Zhousheng Chen wear a subtle couple outfit, they have the same color scheme.
Forever and Ever also has an enchanting music score, filled with love and a hint of angst. Forever and Ever also incorporates One and Only background music in it, the combination of that two music makes the drama more beautiful. The music is effectively run in each scene, making each scene more beautiful and touching. The lyrics of the OSTs are really beautiful and meaningful. Reading the song lyrics while watching the drama will either make you smile or cry..
Due to censorship in China, the reincarnation storyline is censored, therefore, the production team alters the storyline. In the drama, Shi Yi doesn’t remember her past, but only fragments of it, and small impressions of it. For instance, during her visit to the city wall, she remembers a woman jumping down, but with different outfits and details from One and Only. In addition, I also love some alterations from the novel to the drama, instead of using a gun, Zhou Wenchuan uses a knife and... which led to the tragedy.
The strong forte of Forever and Ever is definitely its details and conversation. Every conversation in Forever and Ever is magical. The scriptwriter just manages to make every conversation meaningful. The correlation conversation to their past lifetime is done so beautifully. In addition, the parallels between One and Only and Forever and Ever is impeccably done, it is done is a subtle yet clear manner.
Here are some interesting details:
1. During Zhousheng Chen's past lifetime, he was only covered with the dusty white cloth when he died. This lifetime, he is allergic to dust”
2. Shiyi’s crocs: zsc 520 - Zhousheng Chen I love you
Zhousheng Chen’s crocs: 忙着赚钱。sy 520 - busy earning money. Shi yi I love you
3. In Shi yi's past lifetime, she jumped down in sequin shoes to marry Zhousheng Chen. And this lifetime, Shi Yi wore a sequin dress to marry Zhousheng Chen
The only drawback of this drama is it might be confusing for those who didn't watch One and Only or read the novel beforehand. For those who didn’t watch One and Only beforehand, watching Forever and Ever might be a little bit confusing, but not too confusing too. The drama provides few clips and hints of what happened in Shi Yi and Zhousheng Chen’s past life in Forever and Ever. But the drama didn't thoroughly explain Zhousheng Chen's family tree and hierarchy, so you might have a hard time understanding who's who and what's their relation with each other.
Overall, Forever and Ever is a very beautiful romance drama, even though the drama doesn’t stay 100% true to the novel, the drama still captures the very essence of the relationship and plot beautifully.
“I think, I must have used my beautiful bones as an exchange for you to have unrivaled beauty, as an exchange for you to remember me, as an exchange for you to be able to utter my name when your lips moved.”
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This review may contain spoilers
A drama doesn't have to have a well-written story and deep character development in order for it to be enjoyable and good. Mydramalist should really add a "enjoyment" rating alongside the story, acting, music, and rewatch value ratings because some shows such as Secretary Kim aren't the "brilliant masterpiece" drama that some people are looking for, but are still a neat cute amusement ride that casual kdrama watchers can enjoy. As soon as the drama finished, I saw a lot of reviews here that criticized how cringy, forced, and cliche the romance story was, and how shallow the characters were. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but that doesn't take away from how enjoyable and funny the cringy, forced, and cliche romance story was. The characters were shallow, but they were still funny and likable in many aspects. The point of the show isn't to come off as masterfully written story that leaves the audience in awe at every turn, but rather just to be an easy lighthearted drama for romance-comedy lovers to enjoy during their free time.
On the other hand, I've also seen people rate the story a 10/10, and calling Secretary Kim one of the best romance-comedy dramas of all time, which I'm going to have to disagree with. The reason being that there have been other romance-comedies such as Coffee Prince and Secret Garden that simply had a better story line, had more relatable characters as well as character development, and overall were a lot more memorable and enjoyable than Secretary Kim.
The overused story in Korean drama fantasy land of rich chaebol company owner male falling in love with the innocent female who is not-so-rich and is working hard to pay her [family's] debts and bills. Ha, the classic. Nothing much to analyze but it's yer old same old same old happily-ever-after romance-comedy story in Korean lala land. Although, if there is one thing to touch on, I personally did not like the dark childhood past of Lee Yeong Joon and Kim Mi So. It was even more forced than the romance in the show, and it didn't add anything to the show as a whole. In fact, I would go as far as to say that took away from the show because it tried to be something the show wasn't (a touching, dark show) and failed miserably at it. Somebody feel free to tell me exactly what the point of that past was besides to force down the audience's throats that our two protagonists were destined to be together because they had a bizarre past experience with one another as children. Moreover, because of this useless past childhood story, I feel like the drama killed the "supposed to be second lead" character in Yeong-Joon's brother, Lee Sung Yeon. That character was annoying for most of the story, and the show tried to make us pity him towards the end, but I just couldn't see the point of his character at all. What a complete waste of Lee Tae Hwan's character. I couldn't tell if he was supposed to be an antagonist character, but he ended up just being an annoying nobody .
I see people talking about how draggy the story was, but I actually felt the story was fast-paced in comparison to other korean romance comedies I've seen. I mean seriously sometimes kdramas take numerous episodes for the main character to realize he is in love with the girl, and then another few episodes to finally tell/show the girl he likes her, and then another few episodes until they're finally in a relationship. At the very least in Secretary Kim, that draggy "I think I like you" part is completely skipped and they jump right into the meat of the romance rather than the annoying "be a dick to the girl until she realizes somehow through a fateful incident I was always there for her." Now that I think of it, I guess Lee Yeong Joon did kind of do this... But no matter, the romance didn't feel as draggy to me as other romance-comedy dramas which I appreciated.
The acting was definitely the highlight of this show, and I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the drama without Park Seo Joon and Park Min Young, along with all the side character actors such as Kang Ki Young, Hwang Bo Ra, Pyo Ye Jin, Kang Hong Suk, and literally everyone. A big thank you to all the actors in this drama for making the show what it was. They weren't charismatic or anything crazy impressive, but they sure as heck did their job in livening the cringy and cliche as heck roles.
Also, I just want to mention how amazing Park Min Young pulled off the clothing she wore in this drama. I heard she started a fashion trend in South Korea with her secretary clothing.
Music wasn't anything really impressive, and there wasn't a real soundtrack that really caught my eye, but there were a lot of okay songs so I'll just give it a 7/10.
I usually don't re-watch dramas because I don't feel the same kind of enjoyment or excitement when I already know everything that's going to happen or be said. The only dramas I re-watch are the ones with scenes/lines that really help me move forward in life when I'm feeling sad or tired. I feel like the re-watch value for Secretary Kim would be rather low, considering it's all about the heart-fluttering scenes and the childish forced comedy that after watching the drama once, you would know exactly what would happen and it's no longer as heart-fluttering or funny as the first time through when you watched it without expecting it.
Overall, I gave the show an 8 because it was highly enjoyable and I found myself smiling and having a good time which really is the point of spending hours of our lives watching dramas right? If a show is enjoyable, it has done its job. I would recommend this drama only for those who enjoy lighthearted romance-comedies and aren't picky with how "well-written" the story and characters have to be. Anyone looking for anything serious, tragic, or thought-provoking, this is not the drama to watch. Even if you want a romance drama that has a dark-side and will have you crying and dying to know what happens next, this drama is not the one to watch. This drama was purely for cute comedy relief and complete nonsense romance.
This is just my opinion on this popular show. Everyone will have differing opinions on dramas, nobody's ratings are right or wrong; all ratings are subjective. Just enjoy yourself and try not to hate too hard on other people's favorite shows~
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A Deeply Touching Romantic Comedy That’s a Feast for Your Eyes, Ears, Brain, and Heart
❤️ Beautiful smart leads ✔️❤️ Beautiful acting ✔️
❤️ Beautiful touching deep story & writing ✔️
❤️ Beautiful romance ✔️
❤️ Beautiful OSTs ✔️
❤️ Beautiful locations ✔️
❤️ Beautiful cinematography ✔️
❤️ Beautiful directing ✔️
❤️ Beautiful (mostly ;) outfits, accessories, and styling ✔️
We’ve been blessed to get two amazing romantic comedies from Shin Hye Sun as the lead in a row. Hopefully many many more. Though her characters and circumstances could not be more different in ALML from 30 but 17, her amazing acting talent and skill at being able to touch your heart are the same. I didn’t think I could love a show more than 30 but 17, but I do with this show. They are 1a and 1b in my book.
If Lee Yeon Seo was played by a less talented likeable actress she could have easily been cartoonish and insufferable . Yet somehow Shin Hye Sun managed to make her a sympathetic bada**. It’s so rare to get such a strong KDrama female lead who says and does exactly what’s on her (and our) minds. Dan could have been a silly empty character yet Kim Myung Soo makes him hilarious and heroic. The main leads are amazing onscreen from their hilarious bickering to deeply touching moments. Some of their kisses in later episodes will make you blush and flutter your heart with their chemistry. My only complaints about this show are that there aren’t more episodes and the entire show can’t just be only the two of them on screen. I know the latter is unrealistic but that’s how much I love this OTP.
This show asks some touching and deep questions about God and why bad things happen to good people. The journeys the main characters take to find those answers will make you weep and touch your heart as well as tickle your funny bone. You will not regret investing your time and heart into this show.
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