Editorials 
This review may contain spoilers
Beautiful and heartbreaking story
This show was amazingly beautiful to watch especially for the first time. It has a great storyline and great actors.I really loved the second lead couple. I think they 100% outshined the main couple. I did not really enjoy the main couple in this show. I thought that the female lead being a highschool student was kind of weird. The ending was also unsatisfying to me as a person who cannot stand bad endings and usually tries to avoid them. The ending was not the worst possible as it is seen that the second lead couple do meet in their next life.
The drama was visually very satisfying and the music was amazing. I love all the soundtracks in this series. Also I enjoyed the comedy in this drama especially scenes between Deokhwa and the two male leads were absolutely hilarious. Overall its a very beautiful classic Korean drama.
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My Cuter than Cute School Band and their President
This drama had me smiling from ear to ear while covering/faning my face with my hands from all the cuteness/cringe/fluff.The story itself is neither new nor revolutionary and there are even a few highly annoying elements that had me rolling my ayes and complaining about them getting in the way of my fluff but they are so few that the overall fluffiness takes over.
This drama is packed with well written PPL, it is in your face ant there is no way one earth you can miss it it and while being completely misplaced it still mangas to add to the story, the humour and the fluff that it practically stole my heart.
The next great thing this drama has to offer is flirting done well. the flirting in this is playful, creative age appropriate and does not seem to cross others boundaries or make anyone uncomfortable. Offering a nice dare I say wholesome feel to it as well as a process to the development of romance not only between the leads but also between the other characters.
The friendships, the ups and downs and the very human reactions to different situations are also well written and fun. and while I will admit that some of the turns of events where more interesting than others, the less interesting parts took little screen time so I am willing to overlook them. At times it can be hard to distinguish between fantasy/dreams and drama plot letting us not only hear the inner thoughts of the lead but also showing us a bunch of different scenarios. This adds a little bit of spice as well as kept me from trusting what I saw on screen. It also made way for even more fluff... and cuteness. It also nuanced the story, showing that life and fantasy can be both near and far apart... Basically saying reach for your dreams while acknowledging the work and people behind it... thee is also a really good depiction of falling down and getting back up again done slightly annoying but also done right.
The parent-child relationship in this drama make way for quite a bit of food for thought giving us both the fluffy side of parents who love and support their kid no matter what... the whole I love you no matter who you love yada yada.. do not bully your kid... if the world is against them make sure to be their happy place nice to see and indeed the way I hope and wish all parents would be....
The show also makes way to acknowledge the society we live in without letting take over from the fluff.
So basically this is 85% fluff, 10% real and important scenes, 5% annoying highly bingeable 99% lovable. But it will have you cringe and thing oh how cute so many times your cheeks may hurt from all the smiling.
I also want to add a few more lines about the parents, however this may be a spoiler for some, it should not be but just in case it is I decided to add it at the bottom so feel free to not read it.
What got to me the most and probably pushed me to overlook all the annoying elements of the show was a particular scene in this drama that was extremely powerful to me where a parent read the room took a step back with the words. "I was going to ask but I have never seen him look this terrified". Being able to take that step back as a parent, to self reflect and try to figure out how to create an environment where your child is comfortable to open up to you about their sexuality, is a way to show viewers not only what they should do but also a how to change and create a more open environment. Parents are human too and part of the society we live in, but a good parent is willing to be part of the change and so on.
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Once upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain
20 people found this review helpful
A drama that lightens up your day and absolutely deserves a 2nd chance!
Once upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain (let me shorten this to Lingjian) is a funny and lighthearted drama that will cheer you up in every possible way. At the same time, you will be seduced by the delicate balance between BG and BL romances between the characters. I can really recommend those in doubt to stick around a bit longer (after episode 12-13) to give it another chance. You will not regret it!I started Lingjian when it was airing around the end of 2019 because it had a high ranking. Similar to many others, my mind was full of "WTH is this?..." I found Sandrine Pinna's acting too exaggerated and the jokes very forced. I also could not stand the cheap-looking CGs and sets. So I put it on hold at around episode 12 and gave it a 6.5. The fact I did not entirely drop the ball is because I did not completely dislike it. Fast forward to early 2020, out of curiosity, I picked up the Legend and fell under the charm of Xu Kai. After also watching YanXi Place and Arsenal School of Military, in which Xu Kai showed utterly different sides of capabilities as actors, I just had to pick up Lingjian again. And I did not regret it. On the contrary, this has become one of my favorite c-dramas. I even watched it twice and I rarely do that with any dramas.
Let me start what I absolutely love about this drama: the courage to make a fool out of itself entirely. The origin of Lingjian is a very long but famous web novel that was adapted into a manga and an anime. The scriptwriters of the drama did their best to mimic the characteristics of the Shonen manga: serious and original main storyline but funny mixing with foolish connecting dialogues. The serious main story touches on relationships, love, family, friendships, loyalty, effort, immorality, and the constant fights between good and evil, questioning what considers as right and wrong in this world (sounds familiar?!). I have not seen many drama adaptations daring to mimic this style because of one simple reason: they are afraid to lose the audience by appearing to be too foolish. Real actors simply cannot make the same funny faces and turn themselves into walking emojis and animated characters! But the makers of Lingjian did it! They deliberately broke walls (e.g., Wang Lu mentions the names of Wei Ying Luo from Yanxi Palace or often declares he has the "protagonist aura"), incorporate parodies from other dramas/famous mangas (e.g., Naruto and Dragon Ball) and even Asian dramas (e.g., Meteor Garden and O2O) and request the actors to showcase the most improper expressions one can recall. Indeed, this is something you need to get used to. But once you do, you will start to adore this drama and be entertained through and through.
The other excellent watchpoint is the sweet combination of BG and BL romance. The brotherhood (BL) relationship between Wang Lu and Hai Yun Fan is something that did not exist in the original story but added by the makers. And they are so sweet. Their bond is very strong, and the two have the most beautiful moments together. I am amazed that some of the dialogues and scenes can even passed the Chinese censorship screening!
Many scenes made my BL-loving heart aching like crazy as there are some unexpected turns towards the end of the drama (I am not going to spoil more, but in my view, they even crossed the level of Untamed!)
Again, hats down to Xu Kai's over the top performance as Wang Lu! Unlike many other young actors, he showed he could step out of his comfort zone and display all types of expressions without any shame. But at the same time, his performance is to the points for all the serious scenes. In terms of the "wifey", I had to first grow into Zhu Yuan Bin's performance as HYF at the start. But as the show goes on, I liked him more and more. HYF has a charming personality but hides some darker obsessions within (does it remind you of someone?!). ZYB was able to show both sides convincingly. I will be looking forward to his future performances and his growth as an actor.
In terms of the GB romance, Wang Lu and Wan Wu's chemistry is not the strongest, but you can understand why and how they are falling for each other. Their romance is very subtle, and even towards the end, it is not very obvious whether there is a mutual feeling towards each other. Therefore this does not interfere with the BL aspect. I have to admit that I needed to get used to Sandrine Pinna's interpretation as WW (esp. the dubbing did not help!). But also here, you begin to like her after a while, and soon you cannot imagine someone else playing WW other than SP. She would just make expressions other pretty Chinese actress would not dare to do, and that is what makes out the charm of WW.
Finally, I would like to mention a few last arguments: the supporting characters are adorable. Wen Bao is absolutely my favorite here. I also really like Zhu Qin. The fighting scenes are surprisingly well made; combined with the FX, they mix well with the humorous side of the drama. The drama has a digestible of 37 episodes. Except for the first few episodes, there are limited fillers, and pacing is good. Finally, I like the ending! We know that many C-dramas have a lousy tail. Though many viewers complain about the open end, I find it just about right. It features a great and unexpected climax in the last few episodes and leaves us viewers wanting more. I really hope they are going to produce a second season! Otherwise, I am going to complain about the hell out of the studio!
I already mentioned a few improvement areas at the start, so I will not repeat them. Also, there are a few unlogical character development and storylining to create a dramatic effect. But ok... this happens so often in c-dramas that I start to ignore them.
All in all, this is an excellent drama that deserves a 2nd chance. In this time of global chaos and downturn, let Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain and its cast lighten up your day.
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A Very Satisfying and Full of Fluff Drama
This drama is without doubt the best romance drama in my book. Full of fluffs, hilarious & crazy chemistry is the 3 things to describe The Eternal Love series. I love how the love story of Lian Cheng & Tan'er are told without any pettiness or games, with a lot of hugs & kisses and most of all, they genuinely look and act like a true married couple in love. If you are looking for a great romance drama with a fun storyline, then this drama is for you.While I love the 1st season, this 2nd season is without doubt miles better than the first one in term of everything. It got better budget, better script, better plots, better acting, better styling, better costumes -- basically better than the 1st season in term of everything while still maintaining the same heart & soul of the 1st season that we all love. I loved the plots involving 2 Mo Lian Chengs, the confusion it caused Tan'er and the hilarity it caused, the butterfly effects, the fight for the throne, basically everything from beginning to end. The plot is very simple but at the same time very fun and interesting.
Lian Cheng is without doubt one of my very favorite drama characters ever. Can you resist his charms? The man is literally perfect! Like the 1st season, he is King of Teasing and in this season, he didn't disappoint either and I personally think he upped his game even more despite being gentler and sweeter. I cant believe how Xing Zhaolin's acting has improved so much than the 1st season in a matter of a year. He acted the 2 Mo Lian Cheng with very subtle differences since they are supposed to be the same person. I can recognize Lian Cheng and the 8th Prince as early as Episode 6 despite both of them wearing the same clothes and donned the same hair styles. Lian Cheng has this gentle and relax look on him all the time while the 8th Prince's expressions are stoic and colder like the old Mo Lian Cheng from the 1st season.
Liang Jie as Tan'er / Xiao Tan is still as awesome as ever. She can definitely survive anywhere and of course where she is, trouble will follow her. Her out of the world thinking and bravery are definitely one of the reasons why both Lian Cheng and the 8th Prince can't resist her. And the 'English' letter he wrote to Mo Yihuai is definitely hilarious -- I'm in stiches while watching the whole scene. When you have this kind of character in a drama, surely, the drama wouldn't be boring and stagnant.
And the ending is literally the best ending for a drama! They dedicated the whole episode solely for the ending. It didn't feel rushed like other Chinese dramas and they gave us enough time and closure for our lovely couple and their happiness. The ending scene is truly perfect! The conversation they had at the lake is literally their relationship in a nutshell. From Lian Cheng brilliant teasing to Tan'er loves for money -- I love the dynamics of their relationship. They are definitely a relationship goal.
'No matter when or where,
Whatever person we become,
I will find you,
Fall in love with you,
Marry you a thousand of times,
For lifetimes, for generations,
Never separating....'
This drama is one of dramas where promises are fulfilled instead of broken. Thus as I stress again and again, a perfect romance drama in my book.
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This review may contain spoilers
I can only continue walking forward
Yes it was Great watching it specially the story building and and character building was so good accurate and every single thing in this drama was super good. It make me more sure that one should never think about committing crimes such as killing or suicide. Both can be very dangerous. But the fact they all somehow resolved there 1000 year old beef and tried to be together is so cute. They didn't only focus on main lead but also support lead. I also wanted to see dok hwa getting married or having rebirth with them too. I didn't expected to have such a plot like i was thinking dok hwa is going to be someone bad but it turns out he was not. It was so cute and lovely to have them see together again.Was this review helpful to you?
This is the first time I've watched any of the main actors except Yoo In Na. I have now officially developed a Gong Yoo crush and understand why drama fans are enamored of him. Gong Yoo as Kim Shin/ Goblin was mesmerizing. I could listen to his voice for days. Every scene he was in was a treat. Every emotion that his character had was palpable, and his smiles could light up the sky.
And Kim Go Eun as Ji Eun Tak was super cute. She had a lot of detractors and the writer got a lot of flak for making her so young. But the character and her age were perfect for this story and how it unfolded.
Lee Dong Wook as the Grim Reaper had the perfect deadpan (heh) delivery. And he may be the best male "crier" I've seen yet.
The story will make you laugh and make you cry. Not only is the love story epic, but so is the bromance between Goblin and Reaper. I've found that I'm quite fond of this fantasy genre and this has been done so well. I have hardly any criticisms of this show at all because even the flaws faded into nothing noticeable for me. It's sweet, funny, romantic, sad, tragic, beautiful...
The music was perfect and perfectly lovely. I don't always pay much attention to the music, but this show utilized it so well and chose the perfect songs. So many people loved even the intro song that they made a special recording of it to make it a full length song (Round and Round, but may also be found under Never Far Away). Beautiful by Crush was the best song in my opinion, and I believe that it was the theme song for our main couple. And Stay With Me by Chanyeol and Punch was another favorite.
Rewatch value is high - if not everything, then there are many, many favorite scenes that I'll go back to and relive the feels. :)
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Ju-on: Origins
I understand why some horror fans are (will be) disappointed with this series, even my brother was a bit disappointed, because as far as the usual/traditional horror formula goes it isn’t really that scary. The build up to the jump scares were just so-so.For me, it’s more psycho triller than horror. Unlike other stuff under the horror genre, in which the “ghost” causes physical harm to the victim, in this one she just mentally manipulated them into a killing spree. As how my brother desribed it: “She shows up in front of the person and then be like: Surprise! You’re a killer now!”
The gore scenes were also deeply disturbing because it’s way way too graphic, censorship and trigger warnings be damned. There were parts that I had to look away because it was a lot to take in.
Overall, I really enjoyed watching it. I like that it’s plot-heavy instead of focusing on the scary parts. It can be a bit confusing at the start tho because there are two different timelines/stories but they were able to connect it smoothly so the confusion was worth enduring.
I also think that it focusing on the story-telling is a major thing that separates it from the early Ju-on films, and yes other fans might see it as something disrespectful (idk) but I’m honestly okay with how they deviated.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Interesting to Speculate on
I love reading peoples thoughts and saw some here, speculating on what Sung Kyu (the adopted brother) felt especially during the ending scene where his smile disappears. So I decided to give my own two cents. In the beginning it felt like it was already shown to me that Sung Kyu was pretty apathetic and didn't necessarily feel strongly towards acting a specific way to be liked. Barely being able to choke out the words 'it's delicious......... mom'. He wasn't shown trying to connect with Sung woo other than randomly picking him up at school once either.The first time Sung Kyu shows assertiveness is when the shower scene happens. Because of this detail I didn't feel like he tried to appease Sung woo like someone else did. (which is why I like seeing other peoples perspective since it can be so different!)
I also don't think it was suppose to be about sexuality at all and whether or not Sung Kyu is attracted to men in general. For me this was more an exploration on how Sung Kyu didn't really feel anything and therefore tried to fill the emptiness within him with a new family and the shower scene mostly to me looked like 2 very empty and emotionally tired people that desperately needed to feel 'something', just anything. But just like most one night stands, it didn't fix the initial problem, that Sung Kyu felt a loss of identity and therefore remained apathetic after not being able to find it with his new family either.
Thinking back, Everyone in this movie seemed to fill up the emptiness with something, The mother keeps filling the emptiness the loss of her son caused her, by adopting multiple people. Sung Woo seems to fill up his emptiness coming from a broken home with physical affection from a significant other. And Sung Kyu as a grown man being adopted into a new family with a new identity because he feels like a nobody.
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This review may contain spoilers
Queen of Mystery (Mystery Queen) is a mixed genre Korean drama with slice of life/mystery/thriller/comedic elements that overall I found to be a satisfying though sometimes uneven drama. If you want something a little different and romance isn't a must, give it a go.But first the Cons:
Pacing: After one of the most satisfying first episodes, I found the next two to be in okay territory. This ends up kind of being a cycle with some very enjoyable episodes followed by satisfactory episodes. I did do some skipping here and there but it was limited. Also, one particular mystery in the first half of the drama goes on too long.
Too Much: This drama has solid actors but too many of them and a solid story to tell but they glutted it with more more more. I actually wished the drama had focused less on Inspector Woo, the chaebol characters and really would have been ok never meeting Seol Ok's husband. This is nothing against any of the actors but, rather, the lead actors and the neighborhood crew were so good, it didn't need all those other characters and story lines.
Suspending Reality: Various times there are things left hanging or one particular instance in particular where the audience has to suspend all sense of reality. I will leave it there to avoid spoiler territory but it involves the sister-in-law. Also, like many k-dramas there are some coincidental connections that are just too much to believe but again, this is kind of standard.
The Pros:
Actors: They are all great and a shout out to the leads. I am not as familiar with the actor's dramas, but he has the charisma and timing to pull off comedy without a problem. It actually took me several episodes to realize that the actress was the same one from Heart to Heart. She is lovely. All the co-stars are great as well, and the drama has one of the best, most honest representations of a mother-in-law. I loved that the actress is the same that plays the opposite type in Secret Garden, Heirs and Mask.
Direction Etc: Directions was quite good and music was solid though no OST songs really stuck with me.
Story: Flawed but overall enjoyable and quite honestly something different than a thriller or rom/com. The idea is nothing knew (Scarecrow & Mrs. King - a US show from the 80s - was a housewife and a spy), but I like seeing Korean dramas expand out into other avenues and it gets a little extra love from me for that.
As you can tell I really liked but didn't love this drama. I took a point off for pacing issues and a point off for the uneven story, plot holes and problematic ending. It still gets an 8 from me because this drama made me care about these characters and they grew as the drama went on in honest, realistic ways.
Complaint Other Viewers Have:
Now overall I didn't have issues with the ending because I knew going in everything was not going to be tied up with a red bow. However, there are some unhappy viewers regarding the ending. I felt that I knew where the characters were going so, at the end of the day, I was happy enough with that. At the same time, I understand why others were not. It has now come out that the production team is hoping for a Season 2 so they did this on purpose. Shame on them. I hope they get a second season because they could totally do a fun drama and close up some story lines, but I think the fans deserved better because second seasons are hard to come by in k-dramaland.
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Acting can make or break a show for me
STORY: I enjoyed the Korean version more, mainly because this version was entirely too long and drawn out. There was so much that could have been left out entirely, without losing any of the storyline. I'll admit, I'm a sucker for the destiny, we knew each other years ago storyline. However, here the male lead was pretty unlikeable, so I couldn't fathom how either woman could fall in love with him. I didn't feel that the male lead's character was as mean as in the Korean version, but that's mainly due to acting...ACTING/CAST: I enjoyed Dilraba Dilmurat as Li Hui Zhen (though she was considered ugly because of frizzy hair and freckles? Although the freckles were so poorly done, but that's another issue). I didn't think she was as over-the-top as the actress in the Korean version, which I appreciated. Peter Sheng as Bai Hao Yu - his acting was terrible in this. I don't think I've ever seen him in anything else, but here he was wooden with no expressions. There are so many actors that can play the cold hero well, by use of expressiveness of eyes. He, unfortunately, appears to not have this capability. Vin Zhang as Lin Yimu was AMAZING. First, I think his part was really well-written, so there is that. He and Dilraba had amazing chemistry, which was lacking between Sheng and Dilraba. Li Xi Rui as Xia Yiao - she had a few scenes (which seemed to involve movement, so maybe acting and moving are too much) where all you could see was her acting. However, for the most part she did a pretty decent job. The rest of the cast was okay. I did like the progression of the friendships between all the workers in the office.
CHEMISTRY: Great chemistry between Dilraba and Vin Zhang. Between Dilraba and Sheng, not so much. I enjoyed the scene where they were eating together in the car, but I never really felt that they were in love.
This is actually a show that you could watch the first few episodes and then skip to the last 10 episodes and not miss out on anything.
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Not as Good as the Series
This is the rare case of when the series is better than the movie version.The Movie/Series: Both had a cute storyline and a good script. The acting was ok for the most part. There were times some of the actors seemed rigid and unsure about what was going on. I was not a fan of the ending and was hoping for something better.
The Movie: The main problem with the movie version is it suffers from very poor editing choices. They cut many scenes from the series that did not help with the story progression. They left out some key scenes which made various scenes seem disjointed. I was not a fan of the ending in the series version, but it was better than the edited version in the movie. I didn’t think I could hate the ending more, but the movie version proved me wrong.
Random Notes:
I recommend watching the series instead of the movie version.
It was cute to see the cross promotional material for Behind Cut which was made by the same production company.
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The Fluffiest of fluffs that you needed!
I thought i am beyond these fluffy dramas but apparently not. There is just something about a softy CEO ML with the badass FL. Also the best part is even the supporting characters were so much fun like not a single annoying side part. I was actually invested in the female friendships. There is this scene where the ML's mother is comforting FL's step sister lol yeah that happens. Just that converstation felt so genuine for some reason that scene has just stuck with me. The writers have really tried to show the female bonds, they all seem like a lived characters.Now on to the part that needed improvement. What the hell was up with the editing? Was the editor just trying to sabotage the drama? I guess the director should get some blame as well cause the vision is just messy. Its saving grace are the characters honestly.
Also the ML seemed more comfortable with the material and the acting in general than the FL. I am not saying she was bad but the ML was just that good. But they have the best bickering dynamic which is refreshing and it stays till the end which makes is even better.
One irk i had with the story is that * spoiler*
i wanted the FL to ask the ML to get married cause that would have given such a full circle moment for her character growth. But the one we got is actually super cute too.
Watch it when you just need some fluff and relax.
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This review may contain spoilers
I'm disappointed with the ending
I enjoyed the first half of the drama. I especially love episodes with Dilmurat Dilraba (Li Hui Zhen) and Zhang Vin (Lin Yi Mu). Zhang Vin was sooooooooooo charismatic, funny, caring and self-less. I think he should had been the male lead. I really was rooting for him to end up with the girl. Watching the drama, I totally get how he fell in love with Li Hui Zhen. And I truly feel that she should had love him back. They had so much chemistry!!Meanwhile, I found it unbelievable that Li Hui Zhen was in love with Bai Hao Yu. Yes, they were best friends when they were younger. But, I don't get why Li Hui Zhen would love him. First he totally ignored her on their first meeting, didn't spare her even a glance. And then throughout the drama he was terrible to her. There was no romance at all between the two leads.
Halfway in the drama, I couldn't stand the suspense anymore, I read spoilers and found out she doesn't end up with Lin Yi Mu. I was super upset. I wanted to quit the drama. I wish this drama had an alternate ending. She definitely picked the wrong guy.
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A solid rom-com which is better than what the rating here suggests.
One of the best drama to come out this year. Glad I didn't change my mind halfway through because of the ratings. This drama knew exactly what it was and stuck with it till the end rather than confusing the audience with unnecessary conflicts which seems to be the trend these days.I was skeptical at first. Always dropped Rowoon's other dramas except for 'Tomorrow'. But I loved both him and Yi hyun here so much. Both had a innocent charm about them. Which made wait for them each week. And the all other characters were unique and had their own personalities and goals. I always love the stories when it doesn't completely revolve around the main leads. The whole cast did an excellent job.
One thing that may go unnoticed is how well made this drama is. It is very well directed, cinematography is excellent, written without trying to outsmart it's own audience, and soundtrack which was memorable and lively.
If you're looking for a sweet, and heartfelt drama, definitely should give this one a try. Don't mind the ratings.
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