1Fantasy Healing Fable
I will preface this by saying that this is in all likelihood the best drama I’ve seen all year. By a strong margin. It’s certainly one of the best I’ve seen in the last 12 months. Until Shards of Her, I hadn’t watch any Taiwanese dramas in several years. Yet in the last couple of months, I’ve discovered a treasure trove of good shows. This is perhaps the best one with the widest appeal. While it has whodunit elements, there’s no gore or violence to deter the faint-hearted. It’s a gloriously perfect blend of coming-of-age, fantasy, a touch of horror, detective and family drama. The weakest part I’d say is the police procedural side of things occasionally played for laughs (which doesn’t help especially from the perspective of a seasoned watcher) but all is quickly forgiven because this show is driven by great storytelling and is imbued with plenty of heart. It’s the kind of show that the Koreans call a “healing drama”. Which usually results in an outpouring of eye water once the waterworks are turned on. Good grief. I don’t remembered the last time I cried this much in a drama.The star of the show is Pu Yiyong played by Tseng Jinghua, an underachieving high school graduand whose only talent is calligraphy. It’s hereditary. His grandfather is a renowned calligrapher and a teacher in the art. But that distinct family trait has a habit of skipping a generation. Calligraphy however is a dying art form, quickly being superceded by technology. On the other hand Yiyong’s only ambition is to be a comic book artist after completing high school. One day on his way to a calligraphy competition, Yiyong, his father and grandfather board a bus which unfortunately falls prey to an incoming airplane. The lad survives but wakes up after being comatosed for over 2 years. His grandfather barely makes it and is still unconscious in hospital even after all that time. It is left to Mother, Ye Baosheng (Cheryl Yang) to pick up the pieces.
While time has moved on and everyone else with it, Yiyong is lost at sea with no paddle. Or map. Metaphorically. He has no idea what’s next for him until he becomes entangled with supernatural beings who insist that they need him to settle unfinished business on their behalf. So an almost 20 year old unemployed Yiyong reluctantly takes on “cases” that contain at their heart a riddle that needs to be unravelled. Enter Chen Chuying, a junior police officer (Vivian Sung) to lend him a helping hand and takes the lion’s share of the credit for clearing up these mysteries in front of her colleagues. Still cracking these cases is a team effort. Along for the ride is former schoolmate and med student Cao Guangyan (Peng Cianyou) who coincidentally moves next door with his dad (Mario Pu) when Dad’s days in publishing comes to an abrupt end.
Yiyong becomes a reluctant sleuth as he wrestles with his own future and the loss of his father which has left a gaping wound with guilt at the centre of it. He has nightmares that he can’t make head or tail of. There’s also a shadowy figure in the background determined to test his mettle at every turn. Unlike others who have come before, Yiyong is a reluctant superhero. He would rather get on with life and not be haunted by beings that only he can see. Until he starts drawing them that is.
On a deeper level, like many crime shows, this is about the forgotten people in our communities. Those who have suffered loss. The lonely. The homeless. The victims of crimes. This where the show tugs at the heartstrings effectively. The rollercoaster of emotions that I feel in this comes only very rarely. Beautifully intertwined with all of this is also the message that everyone has something that they’re good at. Even a designated “loser” by current social standards can contribute in unexpected ways. Academic smarts aren’t the be all and end all. Everyone has a part to play in the social engine regardless of social status, education, smarts or rank.
This journey of course isn’t Yiyong’s alone. Chen Chuying and Cao Guangyan, his so-called “superiors” who accompany him have a lot to learn from him as well as these out-of-this-world experiences. Chuying understandably is desperate the climb the ladder and break glass ceilings in the police but is forced to confront her own motives for wanting to a respected detective. And Guangyan, for once in his life doesn’t have all the answers regarding his future.
I am new to most of the cast and Tseng Jinghua who leads the cast is definitely brimming with potential. He brings the right balance of confusion, grumpy frustration and a reluctant compassion to the role. Despite Yiyong’s brusque demeanour Tseng Jinghua manages to keep him relatable and likeable.
To give credit where it’s due, I leave my highest praise for the script and by extension the writer. It’s the kind of story that could easily lose its way or get derailed by all the moralizing but unlike many others it’s unusually disciplined by keeping the main thing the main thing. The result is a coherent piece of storytelling which is undergirded by a surefooted direction. Once it takes off it never falters. Furthermore they also manage not to butcher the finale in order to leave the door open for another series. Which is entirely doable if the will (and a decent script) is on the table.
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Both leads are seasoned actors already but this puts them under a different light -- Seo Jihye, who is almost always "the rich and proper/cold second female lead," plays a completely different personality in this drama; and Song Seung-heon, whom I honestly only remember vaguely from Autumn In My Heart, also gets to show off his comedic side with this drama. Both the chemistry and the comedic timing are impeccable, and the show has me laughing really hard every week. The two second leads are also well-chosen for the role, even though it's my first time watching either of them act!
And omg the older couple (you'll know who I mean) -- comedic value A+
There aren't a lot of songs in the OST, but the few songs truly convey the vibe of the scenes they're associated with, and I would put the songs on repeat! Would also rewatch the particularly funny scenes -- omg those CLOY references are A+!
I would say this is a great show in the rom com genre, and is a must-watch if you liked Seo Jihye in Crash Landing On You!
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I watched this purely for Kim Young Kwang, I was thinking i'll just skip through to see his face and itll be fine but honestly? this wasnt a bad drama at all!
Don't get me wrong it is not a Perfect drama nor is it up in my absolute faves but it delivers every aspect of a great drama with a decent simple storyline.
The acting isnt too bad, it's actually pretty believable..!
Each character no matter minor they were, played their part very well and fulfilled their character's role.
This drama had it's comedic moments, family teary moments, a bit of mystery to it which isn't dragged out, secrets are let out at the right time and it helps move the story a long, there's a bit of tension, the romance is cute and it was an enjoyable watch.
I didn't have to skip any of this drama, I was content with the beginning, middle and end. But I was thoroughly affected by the comments I saw below and I'm glad I still went ahead and watched it!
I probably won't watch this again no, purely because I know what happens in it now and the pull isn't strong like my 10 score dramas but it's one that makes me happy to be reminded of it, a chilled out easy drama to watch :)
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Here is the more positive review you were looking for
I guess the reviews are mostly so negative because a lot of people had high expectations in the cast and the fact that it is an adaption. Not saying that the drama is bad, but that people probably just expected something much different.I mainly knew what I was getting into, though I hadn't watched the original adaption, but there is not too much of a twist to expect about a drama that focuses around rich people. The Greatest Seducer was a good drama. I loved it. I felt a whole lot of emotion from happy, anger and sadness. It is definitely not the greatest drama that is out there, but it has all the qualities all good dramas have. A good cast and good acting, and an interesting plot.
I know a lot of people hated Joy's acting, but she did very well, actually. Most people just dislike seeing popular idols in lead roles, what I get to a certain point, but I could also give you the names of three "veteran" actresses who are in my opinion worse and loved by millions.
The storyline was nothing new, a lot of intrigues, tragedy and drama but also a lot of cute romance and funny side characters. Since it's an adaption after all, I am really surprised by most of the reaction to the plot, besides that, just the fact that this drama is about chaebol problems gives you enough information about what this drama was going to be - like I said.
What I liked the most was our female lead. TaeHee is a strong character from the beginning, and she mainly stays true to it. I read quite a few reviews about TaeHee being annoying and dumb, but I guess the world is just not used to a female character that is strong but also vulnerable. I never doubted TaeHee's decisions because it all fitted with her experiences and morals. SiHyun was a character with very good character development, and it was very nice seeing him grow up and embracing his problems. The romance of the leads is built very nicely and in my opinion pretty realistic for a first-love type of story. As much as I loved most of the drama, I do disliked some parts. My biggest problem lies with the side characters. For me, it seems like the writers gave much thought about how they wanted to develop the main couple, but gave very little thought about every other character. Especially our antagonists, they were all just driven by love which blinded them to a point that it was ridiculous. Even though they had major story lines, a lot of characters were just so unreasonable that it was difficult to understand where their problems, angst and difficulties lied with. Also, a lot of the problems stay unresolved, and I feel like even quite a few characters get forgotten throughout the ending.
After having watched the original, this is still better.
Overall, The Greatest Seducer did stress me out at parts, but I kept coming back for all the tea. I don't regret any minute of it.
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This review may contain spoilers
A pleasant but ultimately unsatisfying adaptation
This Kdrama version of a well-known Cdrama is a retelling for tweens that softens the male lead's character while over-infantalizing the female lead. In this remake we have a series that could easily be rebroadcast on Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel. Whether or not you like it might depend on which male lead you prefer -- the Kdrama's or the Cdrama's -- or whether you can tolerate the Kdrama female lead's lack of maturity as she gets older and enters into adult life.While from the beginning the Kdrama version of 'A Love So Beautiful' has a male lead, Heon, who is quite likeable, his counterpart in the Cdrama starts off as very hard to love, and who must face and acknowledge his own deepest flaws if he has any chance of prevailing in the end. The Cdrama scene where this acknowledgement finally happens is one of the most powerful in the entire series, and is all the more moving because we know how far the male lead, Jiang Chen, has had to come in order to get there.
Because the Kdrama's Heon starts off so nice, there is little distance for his character to travel as he faces his own shortcomings -- shortcomings which, of course, are minor in comparison. Unlike the Cdrama's Jiang Chen, Heon is not troubled by abandonment issues that have caused him to develop an almost impervious layer of emotional armor. Instead, Heon comes off more like a guy who's just a little too shy and needs to come out of his shell.
I know many viewers will prefer this non-threatening kind of male lead, and who am I to say they're wrong. However, in making Heon so comfortable from the start there is much less of a reason for him to strive to better himself. Nor does he help us to understand the reason for his unwavering dependence to Sol Yi. Heon is a character who, after all, we're meant to believe can't live without Sol Yi. Unfortunately, because Heon's eventual redemption in the Kdrama is less necessary than in the Cdrama, it's also less impactful, and deprives the Kdrama of an essential emotional turning point. We never really learn who Heon is or why Sol Yi's love has meant so much to him.
As for Sol Yi, there are two issues: (1) she is perky and over-animated to the point of constantly maxing-out my Cringe-o-Meter, and (2) from the get-go the actress who is cast in the role looks too mature to play a high-schooler. This impression is made even worse by the way the director has Sol Yi constantly exploding with child-like exuberance, squealing with delight at little provocation.
If this is the woman that Heon can't live without, I wish the series would make more of an effort to show us why. As it is, his approach to Sol Yi has a brotherly vibe that it never quite shakes off. In fact, toward the end when he kisses her on the lips it feels uncomfortably close to watching someone kiss his own sister.
Kim Yo Han, who plays Heon, is a K-Pop idol. He does a serviceable job in his acting debut and is cute enough to inspire the fantasies of viewers who wish they could have their own Heon in their lives. Enjoyment of fictional media -- be it books, movies, or drama series -- usually involves some degree of identification with the characters, so with such a handsome and cuddly leading male I can understand why in some corners the Kdrama version of 'A Love So Beautiful' would have a lot of appeal.
The other actors cast in the major roles fit the toned-down nature of the series very well, and are worthy counterparts to the characters in the Cdrama version.
The Korean remake of 'A Love So Beautiful' is worth a look if you want something fluffy to fill your time between other, better-scripted and better-directed dramas. While I have to admit that I was disappointed by it, I can see where it will provide some pleasant companionship for viewers who are more romantically inclined.
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So what is this about? It’s a story about “Benri-ya” which literally means “handy men”. The two main leads are given certain jobs to accomplish and they get involved in various adventures through their clients’ requests. It’s a concept that’s not very unique since I am sure that many of you saw dramas where the main leads are “problems-solvers” where they get into contact with many characters and go through various situations to achieve their missions.
However, what shines in that episodic pattern is that our main leads don’t get involved in their clients’ lives to be sacred savers, heroes or creators of happy ever after endings. Even the side characters are Mahoro’s ordinary people and job requests don’t demand anything heroic to pull through. In this drama, the situations are handled quite realistically than any other non-detective episodic drama I saw, it deals with some of the life’s dark cases such as prostitution, stalking, AV’s, Yakuza, alcoholics, etc. I was actually surprised in a good way with its pattern.
Another point that attracted me about this drama’s screenwriting is the great slices of humor; I always appreciated Japanese style of comedy and silly hilarious situations so during this drama, I always had to pause and laugh out loud for a while.
The acting is realistic and very believable; I wouldn’t choose any other actors over Eita and Matsuda Ryuhei for the main roles; they did great jobs with their characters’ portrayal. Even guest actors delivered good performance although I am not familiar with half of them.
The characterization is top-notch. As a stated above, the main characters in this drama aren’t sacred saviors; they’re actually anti-heroes without dreams, ambitions, a real life or even families and friends. In short, they have nothing so they need to take job requests that allow them to eat meals even if many of them are hard to accept. Although Tada is a straight gentle character, Gyôten is a real slacker who’s always hanging around in pajamas pissing Tada off just for fun. He’s also a rudely honest character who throws his words without counting the consequences but everything he says is practically pure joy and he always make me laugh whether it’s the way he runs, the way he talks or the way he imitate zombies. That guy is surely going to get a spot in my “favorite characters list”.
The music managed to catch my intention although I don’t really focus on drama’s music but the “Happy Janai, Lucky Janai” and “Matomo ga Wakaranai” songs were really enjoyable and perfectly suited for this drama’s theme.
Watch this drama if:
-You like Japanese style of comedy.
-You like to watch light-hearted drama with great life-like situations.
-You like Eita, Matsuda Ryuhei or both.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike Japanese silly sense of humor. I know that many people don’t appreciate it.
-You dislike Matsuda Ryuhei.
To make the long story short, Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi is an enjoyable piece of Japanese humor with greatly chosen life-like situations and realistic acting skills that deserves to be watched by the fans of this genre. It’s definitely one of the best dramas made this year.
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Editors Chopped This Sh*t Up! And Youku Gave The Final KO.
I honestly feel that all the other fantasy dramas of 2022 have got to thank the editors of this drama for giving them a chance. For those that don’t know and are just reading the editing is bad, the show lost 11 episodes to pass the censorship review that all cdramas must undergo; taking it from 36 episodes to 25.That’s a lot of content lost. Most of the first part of the story is gone as well as the last part. This means the setup is awkward and so is the end, and only a severely edited middle is left.
The usual answer to this usually to re-edit but a re-edit seems to require another review and in the current precarious climate, it’s possible a show already on thin-ice due to a scandal and some of the show’s content didn’t want to risk potentially not passing the review at all and decided to air as-is, which gives us the current version of SJFY.
So what’s wrong?
It’s obvious from the start there’s been more than one editor. Scene quality is random - some scenes/sequences are high quality and some no better than home video. Post production is also high and low suggesting that the scandal may have affected post production as well, especially if the later editor had to use raw footage.
The biggest loss with the edits, however, seems to be to the characters themselves. Very few of the main characters have full storylines. Only the vice couple seems to have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Ye Lingshuang/Bai Lu and Yu Xiuming originally had an enemy to lovers storyline but 95% of the revenge angle has been cut. To make this work, many of PXR’s scenes were either cut, rearranged out of order, or redubbed. This has led to a character with fragmented motivations and to some viewers, a mediocre performance. However, the fault in this also seems to lay with the editor/post production as the BTS videos have several powerful scenes of PXR’s acting and yet those scenes either didn’t make into the drama or the post production doesn’t keep up.
Yi Wuyou has it even worse. His scenes have been cut to the point that he is more of a cameo role rather than the lover who turns into an enemy like marketing suggests. When he does appear, he has also been redubbed and his appearance is so small in the drama that it feels unfair to judge him because there isn’t much to judge.
These cuts heavily damaged the interrelationship between the two and greatly weakens the love triangle Youku sold. Viewers might have gotten by on the main leads love line which is very good but several moments between the leads have been cut down or deleted as well to a point that has led to complaints throughout the show.
So what works?
The main leads chemistry is the key driver for the story. They may not seem a match at first glance, but their acting makes it easy to fall for their relationship which despite the cuts, is very well done. Its step by step and slow burn nature may not appeal to all audiences but the gradual process of the leads love story feels the most realistic out of the many Cdramas I’ve watched over the years and as a viewer, there is a sense for why they fall for each other and that the years between them are quiet. They’re quite addicting and the lack of scenes between them makes every interaction feel precious and I’ve actually rewatched their scenes together several times.
It’s also a relatively healthy relationship considering the trope and in comparison to other dramas. Yu Xiuming, the male lead, is emotionally intelligent and values the female lead for her intelligence. From the beginning, there’s a constant sense of him guiding Yezi to be a better version of herself. Yu Xiuming also walks the talk as Yezi’s protector and actually protects/saves Yezi throughout the show. And, Yezi challenges Yu Xiuming and while some viewers may not like her decisions or opinions, it shows that she’s got a mind of her own within the relationship.
The other thing that works is the acting. Feng Shaofeng’s veteran acting skills bring Yu Xiuming to life with a delicacy not often seen in fantasy Cdramas. And PXR, when her scenes, haven’t been butchered, is able to keep up. They both bring characters who are as interesting to watch alone as they are together. The older cast members such as Minister Fan and Minister Jie also deliver stable performances. The actor who plays Cheng Wu is also a delight.
The music although not profound is very good and suitable for the show. The opening song is especially pretty.
The costumes and sets are also nice, although some of PXR’s most beautiful sets, the empress sets, did not make it into the show. But the costumes and sets that did make it, have their own flavour and fit the star theme threaded throughout the show. In my opinion many of the complaints about the quality of them actually seem to be filter issues.
Finally, in the scenes/sequences that seem to be the original cut (One way to check is the filter. The better scenes usually have a blue or golden filter), the cinematography, shots, and acting are really well done. Hence my early comment about the other shows of 2022. Just from these few shots, the quality feels high. You have great acting, good chemistry, good cinematography, decent script and plot, novel pairing, interesting concepts, and a good flow. It feels like a properly thought out grown folks fantasy in those moments and those moments, despite its cuts, make it the only fantasy drama I’ve felt excited to watch this year. Based off these few good scenes, it really feels like if the show maintained the same level of quality throughout, then SJFY would have definitely have been a heavyweight contender this year. Believing this, I can only hope that the audience will one day get to see a more complete version.
Giving this a 9.5 cause they did cut down on Yebei towards the end and that deserves a star on its own.😂
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From the start it should have given you an idea on what you should be looking for, the every possible EFFECTs of the things we say or do. As for Newton's Third Law of motion states: "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". For every EFFECT there is a CAUSE. One does not do an action without a reason behind it. The reason may be obvious, deliberate; but it could be also hidden or unaware to the person doing the action.
When the world you know suddenly was turned upside-down, will you able to handle it even as if the problems of the world rest on your shoulders? How can you recover when your world is seemingly shattered into pieces? Will you be able to rebuild it the way it used to be, or even better?
STORY
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This is a 10 for me.
The show unabashedly and in an unadulterated way features topics that seemingly people just sweep under the rug. (1) rape, (2) rumor mongering on social media, (3) suicide and (4) implied mental issue. Yes, number 1 and 3 have already mentioned in other BL series, but the way this series presented those is raw, graphic and it did not sugar-coat it. For the forth topic which is "mental health" is not that obvious, you need to analyze every detail from the start down to the very last scene. One needs to be very objective and it will be hard to do it with this very emotional show to see things through. It is presented in a way to raise awareness. The kind of EFFECTs any of the mentioned above could have is what the series wants to focus on.
This shows the rape also occurs in the same-gender world and not only exclusive to the male-female relationship. It is traumatizing when a person is subjected to rape, let alone to relive it when you are opening it up to another person. That is why victims of rape tend not to tell anyone or report it to the authorities.
The power of social media. This is what consuming the society nowadays. With the information age at hand, it can bring out the bests in people as well as the worsts. It can be a tool to create a beauty or destroy. The problem with social media, specially with pictures, it does not show the whole story. It just capture the millisecond. Even shared videos aren't 100% accurate if it doesn't show what happened before and after. Social media can rally for a cause, or spread rumors like a wildfire. The question is, will you share right away something that is not validated? This reminds us to be more responsible in what we do and say on social media because we might not know, someone is hurting and dying inside.
They say the people that commit suicide does not want really to die, but just want the pain to end. Often times, they think that ending one's life is the easy way to end the suffering. We should not judge people that commit this kind of act as we never walked in their shoes, lived the life and fight the everyday battles. Rape does not necessarily result to death, it is the depression the one goes through that would make someone to take his/her life.
Episode 1 is the very typical love story, the beginning, the progression of the feelings and finally, saying the three magical words, "I love you". But is life really all rainbows and sunshine? After all, that is the vibe you will get from the premier episode. Or is there a storm brewing in the horizon?
Yes Episode 2 ended very dark, darker than the night. But if you bother to stop for a while and analyze things, things that happened before the despicable action, you will see that it is not just one event that led to commit such horror. From the home, where you should be the safest, to your school, where you spend most of your time, in the hope of finding your happiness in the person you love. Tragically, when jealousy, gossips/rumors and rejection come become a factor, no one can tell what a person affect by it will do next. Especially if that person have not experience that situation before one tends to ease the pain the best and easiest way he/she thinks can.
Episode 3. Just when you thought things couldn't get any darker or painful as Episode just felt some did a gut punch to you. As you progress the episode, you will realize that is it not only the bruises or swelling of the punch, but a bleeding cut that you didn't notice at first. You tried to put a bandage on it, only to be ripped away and pour alcohol on it. It is that painful. It will be a long time for me to get over the series of events happened in this show.
On the implied issue of "mental health", one can say that the both leads suffered a mental condition in one way or the other. As one expressed this condition outwards by inflicting harm to others, while the other is to himself. And without the right intervention, it clearly shows the very ugly side of it.
This show struck very near to my heart as I had a cousin who was raped that eventually bear a child, my nephew. And now, that nephew of mine is suffering from a mental condition that at a tender age of 11 is already taking medicines to control his behavior.
(Addendum, after watching Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 5, when Dr. Jo Karev is in session with a therapist)
I found this written on the board:
CORE FEELINGS
1. Fear
2. Anger
3. Shame
4. Sadness
5. Guilt
6. Pain/Hurt
7. Safe
8. Happiness
9. Love
10. Pride
11. Willing
12. Hopeful
13. Peaceful
You can see it the feelings that you can consider bad, affect someone negatively, destructive. On the other hand, you can identify the feeling that can build someone up. What if you are feeling more of the negative ones that the positive ones are seemingly drowned? Can you still live? When fear, anger, sadness, guilt, pain, pride, coupled with the lose of being safe, love, hope intensifies all at the same time, surely one will be broken down beyond repair.
ACTING
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Unlike novels or something you read, where every action, reaction, expression can be told, when watching you are limited on how the actors convey certain emotion and image.
That is why I applaud OAT as KENG. His features will sway you to think that he is incapable of any such evil thing with his charming, innocent looks and unassuming behavior. As they say "Don't judge a book by its cover", could be more appropriate for him here. Is he really capable of a dispicable actions? Or events triggered the inner demon in him that he for eternity tried to keep it at bay or prisoned? HOWEVER, Oat could have shown more emotions when he is annoyed. When a character is the antagonist, and you feel disgusted with the character, this mean that the actor who played the role did a great job.
JAMES as SHIN - you can really see in his face the admiration to Keng without saying anything. And the time he felt betrayed, the pain resonates in his eyes. Opposite of a antagonist, when you feel the pain and happiness, then you know that the actor was able to deliver what is needed of him.
MUSIC
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I like the piano accompaniment on the key scenes. It heightens the emotion. But it could have been better if a voice is heard as it can further the emotion of the listener.
REWATCH VALUE
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This is way too traumatic that even myself would not dare to watch this again. Perhaps after a year or so, I will revisit this.
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House of cards.
My Journey to You is dark, intricate and suspenseful wuxia that hones in on Wufeng spy Yun Weishan's mission to sneak into the Gong family's heavily guarded mountain stronghold. This is a once in two decade opportunity, as the Gong family holds a bride selection event for their young masters who have come of age. A shocking twist thrusts Gong Ziyu, the least capable young master, to the helm of the family. He is clearly unequal to the task and must prove himself worthy before the seemingly invincible Gong family folds like a house of cards under the force of internal and external challenge.Shocking murders that rock the foundations of Gong family just as Wufeng spies slip through the gates. The whydunit is quite clear from the get go. By elimination and a few clues, most of the mysteries including Wuming or Anonymous's identity, are easy to solve. The mysteries look more complex than they really are because many other sub-plots unfold at high velocity. The key is not to over think; the straightforward answers are usually the right ones. The antagonist reveal comes late in the story after the facts are stale and the long expository style gives a sense of anti-climax at the end. It may have been better to resolve the internal conspiracy prior to facing the external challenge. Nonetheless the mystery sub-plots are fairly tight and engagingly woven into the external plot of this dark wuxia.
The real guts of the main plot centres around the Gong family and the secret that they vowed to safeguard for all time. It is no fun to be a Gong; stuck on an isolated, toxic mountain and locked in an existential battle with their arch enemy Wufeng. All of the young masters of the Shang (weapons), Jue (commerce), Zhi (poison) and Yu (defence) lines shoulder many responsibilities from a young age. All except the self-indulgent and spoiled Ziyu who has a father, foster mother and older brother to lean on. It is no wonder that Shangjue and especially Yuanzhi resent Ziyu and demand he prove his mettle. The real irony is Sword Wielder is the most sucky job that comes with a butt ugly tattoo and life imprisonment on that dreadful, suffocating mountain. Not to mention the exhausting chore of trying to stare, glare or scowl down Shangjue and Yuanzhi only to be torpedoed by one of Zishang's whacky, mind boggling non-sequiturs that destroy any crushing come back! As much as I was riveted by the Gong family soap opera, it is the mysterious denizens of the back mountain that broke my heart with the intensity and absoluteness of their obsessions. This drama has the most absurdly gorgeous, eccentric, layered and memorable cast of characters.
While romance is always a feature, it is never what this kind of dark themed wuxia is built around, so conventional romance watchers are bound to be disappointed. Both Weishan and Qian are spies on a do or die mission. If they have love brains, they'd have been long dead spies. By design, Shangjue and Qian's relationship is more interesting because Shangjue is a more cynical and questioning character than Ziyu. He is a much more difficult target and this forces Qian to take more risks and thus reveal more of herself to captivate him. It is quite clear there is an intense attraction, that they got their hooks into each other. It is a dark and fascinatingly toxic relationship where it is left for the viewer to decide whether and to what degree they actually fall in love.
In sharp contrast, Ziyu is naive and unquestioning. Weishan is his first love and he falls for her like a ton of bricks, absolutely and unconditionally. The feeling may be intense and pure but it is also uncomplicated and not that differentiated. The bigger problem is that Weishan is by design an elusive character. She does not have to reveal much about herself to reel Ziyu in and so for the most part, she remains a blank character. By the end of the drama, she is still so much a mystery that it is difficult for viewers to be that invested in her and thus the main romance. Yun Weishan is the main character but because she is so hidden, it is as if there is no main character or CP that anchors the story. For the most part, this feels a story about many characters told from many different points of views. To me, this is the biggest shortcoming in the narrative that is saved by the presence of many other fully realised characters. This is not completely a bad thing because it allows the entire spectacular cast, and notably Cheng Lei, Lu Yuxiao and Tian Jiarui, to really shine without taking away that much from Yu Shuxin and Zhang Linghe. All of the actors got the screen time their characters deserve and deliver all around strong performances.
In terms of cinematography, breathtaking action scenes and stunning aesthetics, this drama is everything I expect of Guo Jingming and more. He is the ultimate connoisseur of male beauty and truly immortalises all of these actors, male and female at the peak of their gorgeousness at their most flattering camera angles. Yue (Moon) Gongzi was the one that stood out for me in this visual feast and his love story moved me most - I'd have gone to the moon and back for him any day of the week! Despite some holes, I am overall very satisfied with the writing. I much enjoyed the witty repartee, the foreshadowing and the layers in the dialogue and many hidden clues in the form of riddles and homonyms that are embedded in the script.
I actually quite like the ending epilogue which has caused quite a bit of consternation and heated discussion among viewers. This is a plot driven story so none of the main characters are the end game. Both main plot lines converge to deliver a very complete ending in terms of th narrative, which is merely one mission or chapter in the saga of Wufeng's longstanding rivalry with the Gong family. The end epilogue closes with just the right dark and chilling note that upon reflection was long foreshadowed, makes sense and is completely in character. As such, I am very happy to rate this 9/10.
I will elaborate further on the ending epilogue in a spoiler below but please don't read it until you have finished watching this drama. This drama is best enjoyed without spoilers so please don't scroll down until you are done watching.
WARNING!!! Major ending spoiler below!!!
Yun Weishan returns to Wufeng to face the music because her work is not done. The biggest clue is that she is not that surprised to find Wufeng waiting for her. She allows Ziyu to think she chose freedom over him, so that he does not look for her and endanger himself and his duty to protect the Infinite Fire. Beyond that, she also knew the note was not from Yasi and possibly she always knew about her twin. More than the Fortnight Flies, that may have been Wufeng's real hold over her. If you rewatch the opening scene, it is very suggestive. Yasi quickly reassures her that the Yun family was just knocked out and not harmed. So it is important to Weishan they are not harmed yet she is not curious enough to even look at the bride she is replacing. Why? Because it is her twin, she already knows what she looks like.
The bigger reason she returns to Wufeng is revenge. She is probably quite safe from Wufeng because everyone that knows of her betrayal is dead and Qian was the one who actually leaked all of the information that lured Wufeng in. She told Jin Fan the truth about Zhuomei, just not the whole truth. She may even be Zhuomei's daughter. That is why she was taught all of Qingfeng's top martial arts but Qian was not. Neither of them even got close to Dianzhu/Wufeng's leader so they could not have learned Qingfeng sect's top martial arts from Dianzhu. Weishan probably joined Wufeng to avenge Zhuomei and possibly also free her sister. She simply could not stay with Ziyu in Gongmen because her work is not yet done. But the first chapter of her story can be considered complete.
A second season probably reunites Weishan with Qian because Dianzhu is their common enemy. This is also why Qian leaves Gongmen, she also has a mission more important than love. Another season could well take place entirely outside of Gongmen so it is not clear the entire cast needs to return. Given how popular the Gong family is with audiences however, my guess is if they can reunite everyone they will bring it all back to Gongmen. But they can also continue it outside of Gongmen with only Shangjue returning or Ziyu returning after handing the reins over to Shangjue. This is very smart of Guo Jingming. He left all his options open. Including the option of not proceeding with another season.
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What a fun ride!
I never enjoyed any drama as I enjoyed this from the very first episode till the last episode. It was a roller coaster ride for me filled with so much laughter. I don't think so that any drama can be this hilarious with perfect execution, script, cast, and everything, I loved every aspect of it and surely Mr. Queen has become one of my most favorites.I was hooked from the first episode. It didn't leave its track even for one episode. It was consistently good and hilarious until the very end. It was a beautiful journey which I enjoyed very much. I guess it had set up pretty much high standards for Korean historical for me.
Hat's of for the Shin Hye Sun I don't think that anyone could have done a better job than her. She was perfect for this role she nailed it. The whole cast was amazing everyone did a great job portraying every character, the acting was excellent and top-notch. It couldn't be this better without this cast. All dynamics of every character were great and three-dimensional even the villains did a great job as I hated them with whole my heart. The King's character was really great though it was a bit confusing in the start things got clear later The changes we did see in Queen in every episode her journey was phenomenal. The chemistry between leads was amazing it was the perfect pairing. I also loved side characters and their interactions as well.
The story was indeed well written and executed. The soundtrack and ost were perfect and the cinematography was brilliant.
Overall it was wonderful drama though it's not everyone's cup of tea if you like historical and comedy then definitely give it a try. It was a wonderful experience.
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Story: This is a character-driven story, not plot driven. This is the story of how they met and changed each other's lives, and how they individually grew, and I couldn't have been happier that this was it, without any cliches or contrived plot points.
Characters: On one hand we have Cha Soo Hyun, a chaebol through and through who has never had a chance to have a live of her own, because of the deep love and commitment she has for for family. On the other hand we have Kim Jin Hyuk, an old soul who loves poetry and has a very positive way to look at live, not to be confused with naiveness; he is also a man who is completely free of the toxic masculinity that has been so talked about in recent times. He always respects Soo Hyun's decisions and backs her up, and encourages to empower herself, without pushing her.
There are good side characters throughout the story, but this is a story about these 2, and the drama doesn't waste much time focusing anywhere else.
Acting: Song Hye Kyung and Park Bo Gum have great natural chemistry together; they pulled the drama all on their own, and did a great work while it. With them we were able to see 2 people fall in love, especially in the small details. They were able to convery their emotions and story without having to talk at all. Their scenes felt so real that sometimes we as the audience even feel like voyeurs by watching something so intimate.
Music: This usually is not a very important part for me, but the music in this drama really lifted up the story and gave it great ambiance; it was also great to hear music in Spanish.
Overall: I loved almost everything about this drama, from the simple story to the great chemistry between Soo Hyun and Jin Hyuk. I loved that their story wasn't overly dramatic but instead very realistic. Each time it could've turned into a cliché, the drama subverted it and went the other way. If I have one complain is that characters, especially antagonists, talked a lot about creating havoc but never actually did anything, robbing some momentum to the plot; however, the cute scenes more than made up for it.
Watch this if you're feeling down or just want to feel fuzzy all over; it'll help you remember your first love, and all the small moments and feelings that you go through when you first fall in love.
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This review may contain spoilers
Following History While Telling A Completely Different Story. Brilliant Script All Around.
Great story with great acting. Chinese small screen has really gone a long way. The cinematography is beautiful and the battle scenes are shot like it were for movies. The magnitude of quality offered in this drama is simply breathtaking. I really enjoyed the political schemes and plots since the story is full of intelligent people with their own hidden agendas. The level of Chinese political mind games are in different levels when compared to Japan or Korea.The title is exactly what the drama is about. We all know the history of the 3 kingdoms from the Four Great Classic Novels but this drama told the 'secret' behind the 3 kingdoms' stories but with a twist. For history buff like me, I enjoyed it a lot as it followed the real historical events with real historical figures. The so called 'secret' and how the writer incorporate it to the real historical events are what make the this drama really interesting and great.
I think many people misunderstood the so called 'weak' main character. The Emperor is by no mean 'weak' but he wins battles with wit and intelligence. His kindness and benevolent characteristics are always at odd with the viewers but many failed to see the brilliance behind his decisions. Many times his kindness save them from enemies' traps and never once he was caught red-handed by the enemies. Everytime when he compromised with his enemies, he got more advantages in return -- just by giving something small, he achieved something bigger in return. He won the hearts of his enemies and supporters and they call him a great and a wise king. He strike fears in the heart of his enemies just by being kind -- I find it really brilliant how his kindness is the reason why he managed to turn around the weak Han Imperial Family name into something that the people respect and love.
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As a viewer of 'Individualist, Ms. Ji Young,' I can say I was able to connect to it's likeness in portraying mental illness on a personal level. I found myself hearing the female lead spout words I have said before myself. I have struggled with mental illness my whole life, and although it is not directly mentioned in this show it is blatantly there in it's rawest form. The need of being in a relationship with someone...or the complete opposite... The need to protect yourself by pushing everyone away...Wanting a relationship but having the fight or flight response kicking in the moment you feel you could be hurt. Flight always being the end result because it seems easier compared to being hurt. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Watching this series was extremely personal for me and I feel that it was done beautifully. I am not sure how the experience of watching will be for those who do not understand or have a mental illness... but I can be sure that anybody who can even relate a little bit will definitely love this show. Hopefully this lazy and short review might help one of you out there. If you decide to watch, I really hope you enjoy!
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1If u are undecided if u must watch this drama, this is the sign. WATCH IT ❣
At first I was reluctant to watch this since it is another fantasy/all about gumiho type of drama. However after the first 2 episodes id say it's very fun and hilarious to watch. Hyeri is made for comedy! The way she exaggerates her movements and facial expressions makes me laugh so hard. Also it is good to see somewhat another side of Jang Ki-yong; didnt really peg him for comedy but his character suits him. Loved Kang Hana from Start Up, and seeing her in this drama with a completely different vibe is a treat.Updaaate! Just finished ep 16 This drama is worth your time!! The main actors (and second leads) are just so perfect for their roles. Their chemistry is on point.
The story has good pacing too! Altho it's a gumiho/ fantasy drama; the writing is good and not boring at all.
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This review may contain spoilers
It took me 5 days of mind wrecking just to decide on an overall rating for Empress Ki. The eternal reviewer's doubt whether it is fairer to value a drama using the brain or the heart is maximized here: this is an epic tale where almost every single aspect is at the same time exceptionally good and glaringly bad. In trying to elaborate this, what follows may become very long, and for this I apologize in advance.First, the pace.
If you are preoccupied by the length, be assured the rhythm of the narration is so fast you'll come to the 51st ep. wishing you could have another 10. There isn't even one moment of boredom among the hundreds of little and big events that follow one another. By the end of each episode, I sat there wide awake wishing it wasn't already 4 a.m. and I could watch another. The downside of such a fast pace is that it never gives you respite. I wanted to linger, now and then to bask in the sweetness, or simply see these people being happy for a while, but it was not to be. Every time an issue is concluded the next is ready to shatter that glint of satisfaction it was so hard to finally obtain. The infamous last 10 episodes I've read many criticize, could have been the most poignant part of the drama if they hadn't been so incredibly rushed, to the point that events seem to make little sense. As a matter of fact they do make a lot of sense – with the glowering exception of the silly Maeback botch – but you have to think the entire journey over in order to see it.
Which leads me to the script and its characters.
This isn't a journey to begin in search of historical dependability, not in the details, at least. Little to nothing is known about the woman who became the Empress of Yuan before she entered the palace as a tribute from Goryeo, and there isn't much information about the single steps that were taken in order for her to sit on that throne. The writers have taken many liberties both in characterization as well as chronology, but I personally think they did a great job in always making those steps exciting and suspenseful and when you reach the end you will realize the plot is rounded up very well, with a couple of exceptions. This is why I think knowing a little about Empress Ki's true story in advance can actually enhance the watching and explain the choices some of the characters make.
For instance, we can assume Crown Prince Ta Hwan was exiled to Goryeo when he was only a teenager, which perhaps will make you judge his character with some indulgence. King Wang Yoo of Goryeo, on the other hand, is by all means the most fictionalized of all the main characters, so much so that knowing his true story is not only unnecessary but extremely counterproductive. My humble advice: stay well away from the true known facts about him if you want to enjoy the drama.
When history is taken into consideration, a lot of the twists invented by the writers acquire significance, since the opening scene tells us in advance where we are heading and curiosity is all on how they'll get there. History also explains why so many characters in this drama change side, go from good to bad, from bad to worse or are suspended somewhere in between. It obviously does not explain or justify the fact that everyone speaks Korean, but I am aware that having the huge cast speak different idioms would have rendered the watch almost impossible.
To this drama I own the realization that I possess a dark side too. There have been moments when I wanted to see blood and wished some characters would not only be killed, but killed with pain. It's such an alien feeling for me, it shocked me. It goes to the credit of writers and actors to make me hate with such an intensity, but I'm not sure I want to experience that kind of emotion again. Attachment and love to some characters, though, was equally intense and I swam in it with gusto. It's going to take a very long time before I can get these people out of my system. While it kept me highly entertained in the first half, in the second this drama almost broke my heart. It has very little to do with characters dying or living, and a lot with them losing their innocence. At some point I almost wished the leads had died on that exile island and remain forever what they used to be, before being scarred and marred by that terrible imperial palace, "a place with no blood, no tears and no mercy". to quote Lady Park.
When it comes to the much talked about love triangle, I must say I jumped on Seung Nyang & Ta Hwan's ship very early on and never wavered. I could not see or feel any chemistry between Ha Ji Won and Jo Jin Mo and while my brain kept on telling me these two characters had a lot in common and it was logical for them to fall for each other, my heart never agreed. In fact, my heart unyieldingly refused to accept it. Ha Ji Won and Ji Chang Wook, on the other hand… I could have watched them waltz one around the other for the whole 51 hours run without complaining even once. Some of the most poignant moments in the entire drama involve these two and they are the main reason why I enjoyed Empress Ki so much.
This said, the love triangle was not only central to the story, but dual purpose too. Because on final analysis the true seesaw is not between a woman and two men, but between a woman and two countries. The issue of eradication underlines the whole narration and should never be forgotten in order to understand Seung Nyang's choices. This is, after all, her story, how she's initially forced to abandon her country and her roots and gradually develops an attachment to her adoptive one. The more she distances herself from Goryeo, the more the story focuses on China and takes the viewer along.
Spectacular acting by Ha Ji Won - no news here, not for me, at least. I doubt any other actress would have pulled off such a role with that seeming ease; Ji Chang Wook - yes, I'm just a little obsessed with him right now, after seeing him in two very different dramas I loved and being impressed by his ability to convey such a varied range of emotions. His Emperor is so controversial I could write a review only on him, but let's go on; Baek Jin Hee – Danashili, my most hated and beloved villain was terrific too and Jin Yi Han, who possibly didn't deliver the best performance of his career, but whose charisma alone made him into an all time favourite, unforgettable Tal Tal. The rest of the cast did great too, although I was more impressed with the young actors than the older ones.
A word needs to be spent on the villains. There are a lot of them here, all evil for different reasons. A few of them are very consistent; others are such since the beginning, but the viewer is manipulated to the point of thinking otherwise; some suffer from inexplicable 180° turns. What they all have in common is the unyielding conviction they never did anything wrong, which for me is the saddest trait of this drama and even when they got what they deserved, I was left feeling… empty. Their evil logic is at times extremely lucid and makes the line between good and bad blur.
Music is the hardest aspect for me to rate and perfectly mirrors this drama fluctuating between good and bad. The instrumental pieces are hauntingly beautiful and extremely powerful. Listening to them with closed eyes might be the biggest spoiler of all as to how this story is going to end, which is an achievement in itself since an Ost exists to tell the story via music. The songs, on the other hand, were not only very annoying to my ears (personal taste) but also inserted too abruptly at times when not completely random for the scene they soundtracked. I ended up using good old maths: instrumental 12 + songs 5 = average 8,5.
To come to such a high overall score despite the glaring shortcomings of the script, I took the whole picture into consideration. A 51-hours long story that manages to keep the interest alive till the very end is commendable in itself and the fact that I already know I will definitely re-watch it in the future is proof of the high level of emotion it made me feel. Furthermore, this is not a book, and the visual means is used at its highest, with stunningly beautiful sets, costumes, colours and camera work. If you are able to suspend belief at times and focus on style and emotional impact, you'll no doubt enjoy Empress Ki as much as I did.
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