Boring , flat drama ruined by main leads rescued by the second lead Shing Song Rok
If it wasn't for Shin Song Rok's presence in this drama (Jayden) I would have dropped it from fourth episodehe was the only character that got me interested to know his story ,, this drama is most draggy boring cold Law drama I've ever watched ,, it didn't met the Law /court requirements nor the medical drama requirements
for Ji Sop's long history of good dramas this one is his biggest failure ,, why he acted his role that way ?? why was he that cold and flat in the most important and emotional scenes ? He didn't even cried for his dead mother's corpse
and the female lead don't get me started on how freezing cold her performance was ,, she was like a talking doll even when she cried I felt it so cringy
Again if it wasn't for Jayden or the second lead Shin song rok this drama would have been dead from fourth episode ,, he was the one who carried this drama on his shoulder ,, his way of expressing all the character's emotions towards the leads forced me to continue watching ,, I wanted to know what was his story ,, was he bad ? was he good ? why he's taking revenge path more than the male lead himself ? ,, How smart and cunning is he ??
Why Jayden is playing all these tricks ?? what was his ultimate goal ?
all that was the reason for me to stay and I didn't care one second about male lead's revenge because he was playing by the rules every thing was legal and he was saving the bad guys and working with them most of the time as they didn't do anything wrong to him ,, How could he ?? I wondered a lot how could someone gunning for revenge work with the people who killed his own mother and nearly killed also did them favors sometimes because he was the good guy and a doctor what the hell ??
It got political at one point and there were so many villains and bad people more than good ones so it got so draggy but it picked up the pace at last four episodes again and Jayden's motives became so obvious and his secret was going to be revealed so it got much more interesting at the last four episodes and just skip through the leads nonsense they don't matter at this point
.. the ending was Meh and I'm not happy about What happened to Jayden at the ending but it's okey didn't expect much from this drama anyway
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One of the worst kdrama's I have seen
I thought after the first couple of episodes I had found a gem. Boy was I wrong. This was a stinker for the whole rest of the series. FL turns out to be in my mind a selfish horrible person. The one that marries her was a stinker all the way through. Stupid Stupid Stupid series. I ended up hating everyone. The crime drama plot was beyond dumb and the culprit was like just pulled up out of nowhere. Almost all the problems can be laid on the lap of the writer of this series. Lazy, no creativity. Last episaode they spend most of it setting it up like one person would be the husband. It was so so obvious and sure enough they pulled the stupid switch. Don't watch this series.Was this review helpful to you?
ACTING/CAST: Absolutely superb. I was amazed at how well these actors conveyed the emotions of their characters. They weren't bashful during the "making out" scenes either. The actor playing Lin has some very pretty eyes.
MUSIC: It was good and a bit sorrowful.
REWATCH VALUE: I liked this enough to watch it again with a friend.
OVERALL: I WANT THAT APP! Watch this and you'll know what I'm talking about.
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The story is plain and simple, but it manages to keep you on your toes due the the interesting technique used by the director through which the story is present through puzzle-like parts to the viewer.
I wouldn't call this one a romance movie, more than that I really found intriguing how the 2 leads evolved on a personal level:
She was stigmatized by her blindness, thus she would prefer to isolate herself from the outside world, which was unknown and scary and she would only interact with her close friend; she was also emotionally scared by her mother leaving her an her father when she was very small, so the feeling of abandonment made her to not want a relationship that could possibly make her relive such torment.
He was the loner that felt out of place, no matter where he was, just wanting to find somewhere he would belong; rather than compassion,however, he would be treated harshly and coldly by those around him, which made him even more reluctant to human interaction; on top of that, he was half Chinese, half Japanese, which meant he wasn't looked fondly upon by neither compatriots, which worsened his acute feelings of loneliness and alienation.
The both of them, however, not only start to understand each other, but they start to depend on one another, they find themselves comfortable and finally 'at home' in one another's company.
It is a wonderful movie of finding ones self, of self awareness, of overcoming your fears and emotional scars and finally feeling fulfilled.
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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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A beautiful masterpiece!
My friend and I watched this in the cinemas, and if it weren't for me being in public, I would've cried from happiness.It's truely a beautiful film - a healing, soothing and perhaps emotional one. The Box is about facing your fears and taking a leap of faith on what you're suffering from. The acting was really good. Musically, it's incredible and absolutely breathtaking.
Chanyeol perfectly portrays the character he plays and every moment in the movie tugged at my heartstrings. It was just perfect!! I personally relate a lot to his struggles which ultimately deepens my love for this movie. And the chemistry between him and Jo Dal Hwan was really sweet.
Ji Hoon's character development is so precious - how he manages to finally face the world and break out of his box. I like this reference of every individual initially being stuck inside their own box of worries or struggles until they're able to grow and break through it - it's never too late to fight your fears and live freely, basically don't give up and do what makes you happy.
Chanyeol's voice??? SO HEAVENLY! He did an amazing job, I'm so proud of him. The OST is just pure perfection. It makes me cry, especially What a Wonderful World, it's so beautiful, I mean how can I not tear up? And Chanyeol's "youuuu" at 2:38 in A Sky Full of Stars gives me goosebumps holy moly!
I don't know what it is that Korea does, but they just make the best movies (and soundtracks).
The Box has a special place in my heart. It's just a masterpiece, from the music to the actors! I will forever treasure it. I totally recommend giving it a watch, you'll love it!
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Absolutely loved the story. I really enjoyed how everyone's stories were interconnected. I think it was really well executed. Having all these different stories going on and then all of the characters interacting, I was on the edge of my seat at lots of times wondering where the next twists and turns of the story would be. Although often times, some twists you fear for may not happen, the lack of said twist really gives you that feel of relief and happiness when watching this show. I'm really happy with this show's storytelling.
The story starts all the way in the past and depicts the development of the characters over the years. I think it was very well done. You can really see how the characters evolve and grow from their youth to their days as seasoned adults. It's really enjoyable.
-----Acting/Cast-----
Luo Jin is doing what Luo Jin does best. He's really, really amazing.
Zheng Shuang just acts cute and stuff as per usual, but I think she did a good job.
As for other characters, I felt that they were quite good as well.
-----Music-----
The show does a great job of playing music that fits the year in which the story's setting is currently in. I found a lot of song choices to be quite good. The opening theme "Dream it possible", the Huawei consumer brand song was a very great choice for the show. I'm not sure if Huawei sponsored this show, but I really liked the song. The songs that were also specially made for this show are also quite good.
Use of various backing tracks indicating certain emotions was done very well throughout the show.
-----Rewatch Value-----
I usually simply don't rewatch shows. You can't really trust me on this section.
I felt that the show was very good. I feel like I would have no problem rewatching this with a friend.
-----Overall-----
I really, really enjoyed the show. I come from the reddit r/noveltranslations community and absolutely loved seeing the back story behind how Tang Jia San Shao got to where he is today. I was on the edge of my seat the entire show wondering what sorts of things happened in his life to bring him to writing. I don't know if this show is his exact autobiography, but if it is, it's completely mind-blowing the journey he took to be where he is today.
This story is quite inspirational. Work hard. Fall down. Get up. Work harder.
It gets a 9/10 from me overall, but in terms of whether or not you should watch it, I give it a 10/10. Watch it.
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I was surprised however by how much I actually liked it.
The story line was original. It followed the anime somewhat. and the characters were very intriguing. The actors did a great job. I felt all of their emotions especially their pain. Although the special effects were kind of dated I just associated it as a relation to the old 60's anime that this is based off of. It's a great watch. I recommended it to anyone. Except if you're expecting a love story there is none. So don't bother watching if that's what you're looking for. Other then that Happy Watching Everyone!
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This review may contain spoilers
Schemes, Rebirth, and Romance everything tied together in a satisfying finale
The short 15–16 minute episodes make it super easy to binge, and the story follows a reborn heroine who changes her fate, switches marriages, and navigates all the scheming in the household while slowly building a genuine bond with her partner.It is quick and entertaining there is always plotting going on and it is so satisfying seeing the villains get what they deserve. The female lead is smart and beautiful, the male lead is capable, and their chemistry felt real and sweet. I loved how their romance was shown from childhood to adulthood, always honest with no unnecessary confusion. The kisses were perfect, and the ending was emotional yet satisfying with justice served, the corrupt taken down, and the main couple finally getting their happy ending after everything they went through.
The only small downside was the pale makeup on the female lead which was a little distracting at times. And yes the rebirth and family scheming trope isn’t new, but it’s done in such a fun way that it never felt boring.
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1A powerful Ode to Nature and Its Defenders (Inspired by True Events)
Context & Real InspirationThis environmental drama set in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau - the largest and highest plateau in the world, over 4,500 metres above sea level - presents the province of Qinghai’s nearly 30-year journey from "ecological vulnerability to green revitalization," with key moments such as the anti-poaching struggle in the Hoh Xil area and the pilot program of Sanjiangyuan National Park, spanning nearly 30 years since the mid-1990s.
This is an excellent, high-quality production inspired by real events. Today, the area referred to in the drama is the Hoh Xil UNESCO World Heritage site, and later others were added: the Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve and the Three-River Source National Park, also known as Sanjiangyuan National Park, the source of the Yellow, Yangtze, and Lancang (Mekong) Rivers.
Before writing the script (an excellent one, by the way), the creative team interviewed over two hundred mountain patrol staff members and collected 137 true stories. The character of Captain Duojie, played by Hu Ge, is based on two real environmental heroes: the ranger Sonam Dorje – murdered by poachers – who, together with his team, fought to protect the at-the-brink-of-extinction antelope and the landscape of the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau; and Zhaxi Duojie, who was found dead from a gunshot wound in his home the day after returning from giving an environmental lecture in Beijing.
Execution: From Production to Storytelling
One of the features that makes this drama so powerful is the fact that it was filmed in real locations. The Tibetan Plateau of Qinghai rises over 4,000 metres above sea level. Headaches. Lack of oxygen. Extreme weather. High solar radiation. Drastic temperature swings between day and night. Even simple conversations while walking can become exhausting. I don’t think people who haven’t been above 2,500 metres can truly imagine what it takes to film under those conditions. Kudos to the entire crew, both in front of and behind the camera.
The landscape is not only the setting but also a character, and we’re fully immersed in it together with the Mountain Patrol team, in the overwhelming feeling of roughness, untamed and wild beauty. The cinematography and soundtrack are simply stunning.
The drama avoids the simple approach of becoming a preachy, unrealistic piece or the dry tone of a documentary. Instead, it highlights the complexity of humankind, the clash between environmental protection and development, and our place in the bigger picture of things from the perspective of those ordinary yet also extraordinary people who form the Mountain Patrol Team, as well as their families and friends.
This is an ensemble cast full of characters to remember. Even when their screen time is short, they manage to make an impact. Just as Buddhist beliefs and Tibetan customs are naturally woven into the story, the cast itself reflects that blend, with a mix of Tibetan and Han actors.
Yang Zi as the female lead is overall good, but sometimes a bit lacking in the portrayal of the youngest version of Bai Ju – she always delivers in the emotional scenes, though. This isn’t a big issue, since as the character matures, her performance improves until reaching a solid, even grounded one from the mid-half of the drama onward. If you’ve seen Hu Ge before, you probably won’t recognize him here as the captain of the Mountain Patrol; if this is your first time, you’ll believe he’s been living on the Plateau all his life.
The story and pace remain impeccable from start to finish, with some exceptions around episodes 26 and 29, where the end and the beginning of the two main arcs collide.
The first arc, action-packed, is set in the mid-90s, with the Mountain Patrol fighting against poaching and illegal mining in an impoverished county, while the first controversies between development and environmental protection arise. The simple, stoic, rough, and poetic soul of the mountains flows through every scene and dialogue. This arc, ending at episode 25, is a powerful and unforgettable masterpiece on its own.
The second arc, set 17 years later, remains excellent and solid, leaning more toward an anti-corruption crime thriller that organically grows out of the central theme and events of the first arc, as well as the natural course of development that followed. The sudden change of vibe and setting strikes the viewer with the force and unpredictability of lightning, and it takes a few episodes to adjust to it. Keep watching, because the last ten episodes are gripping in suspense, and the climax and ending are another powerful display of very good writing and directing.
I think this is one of the great achievements of the drama. They took a very high risk with this decision, but the payoff is worth it for two reasons. First, they create another immersive experience where we, the viewers, share the same turmoil and feelings as the characters — it’s more than just understanding what’s happening. Second, the drama avoids depicting a simple, idealistic fight to protect nature and instead shows a more complex and realistic conflict around environmental and development issues.
Final Thoughts
Born to Be Alive, or Tree of Life as the original title in Chinese, is a high-quality show full of meaning and humanity that manages to move the viewer and provoke reflection while also paying a respectful tribute to our nature, the communities deeply rooted in it, and those who dedicate their lives to protecting both. A powerful drama that captures your soul while watching and lingers with you long after it finishes.
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Masterpiece!!
This movie was by far one of the best things I've ever watched.I mainly came here for James, but I was hesitating a bit at first. Now what can I say...I'm speechless! His acting was outstanding, someone give him his Oscar! Any fan of him HAS to see this, you won't be disappointed.
The other actors too, of course, were amazing.
Everyone involved in this movie is mad talented!
From the very first minute on, I was completely consumed by the story and I never found myself getting bored. You get excitement and shivers, a whole ton of sadness, but also happiness and laughter, and most important there's life, it's real, it's all of it and so much more.
The editing was breathtaking, the soundtrack was magical.
I cried so much, but I already can't wait to re-watch it.
It's so worth every second!!
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I've backpacked and this felt quite real, even though, if push came to shove, I doubt they'd ever have ended up sleeping on a beach!
It felt very unscripted in that they seemed to genuinely make their own decisions on where to go and what to do.
Both actors seem genuinely nice people and fit together very well as travel companions.
The sights, sounds and almost smells even, are beautifully filmed. Many characters and experiences are shared, which are uniquely found when travelling independently (something I've done a fair bit of).
A lovely way to visit another country and culture, from the comfort of one's home, with 2 lovely guides!
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What a beautiful, loving drama!
I was hesitant to watch this bc of the low rating. I gave it a chance since comments were praising this drama. So happy I did!It is so unique, calming, loving, drama. The way he (ML) starts loving her, so innocent, shy, tender, special in his unique way was touching. His acting was superb! I enjoyed the 30 episodes! Didn’t find it draggy in any moment! The way FL teaches him to grow and think of himself first. The way he teaches her in his own humble way. He surely won her with his patience, caring and humbleness. He showed her that she was his only and forever love and at the end he won.
Can’t say enough about this drama! Never thought I would love it so much!
If you don’t mind age gap and can see love in its best way then give it a try! I was hooked from the first couple of episodes.
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Awesome, Entertaining, Hope This is the Set Cast for ALL Future Adaptations.
This is the 2nd series in this universe I've seen, the first being Ultimate Note which I loved. I saw one film in the Mystic 9 universe but it was very rushed and short so didn't give all the details you wanted. But now with the possible news that the iron triangle from this show may be the set cast in future remakes and adaptations, it made me happy because after Joseph Zeng and Xiao Yu Liang played Wu Xie and Xiao Ge respectively there which I really loved, the two actors here are definitely close second as favorites and even though this was the first of all books, you could already tell that Xiao Ge was slowly forming a bond with Wu Xie and these two actors coming off a costume drama where they didn't interact at all in their scenes to also be in this one was cool. Unlike XYL who's more of an introvert until you get to know him, CZ is giggles all around so made for some hilarious BTS' and just great connection. So I hope this iron triangle cast will be the set cast for ALL future remakes and adaptations.Pros: What I really loved was that they connected a lot of obvious and not so obvious things to ultimate note, like the uncle swap and when that happened plus showing both uncles one with a face mask towards the end. The bloody writing on the wall and how Wu Xie read it wrong until he rewrote it in UN and finally started to understand things. His uncle having two fumbles in what he said referring to the Wu's in third person like he wasn't one and Wu Xie catching him. Or how he hired ZQL; first version on the recommendation from a friend and then in the very next episode he's now XG and he's proficient at everything, knows everything and is basically super human, etc. That was not a very skilled switch there, ma dude lol. Also Wu Xie remembering his almost bipolar personalities like one would be ready to kill someone over a fight, while the other was very chill all in a span of maybe a day. All things XG pointed out when his uncle told him things that XG did to throw his nephew off the scent. The tie ins were pretty good and I liked the connection. At first I didn't understand the connection to the first one being Legend of Zang Hai which aired earlier this year but then it had those three bronze fish and some sort of treasure no one found as well as some mountain with ghost soldiers and weird mechanisms, so you can sort of see it. I wonder with the iron triangle gang, where the 3rd fish went? Iron triangle created themselves whether they wanted to see it or not; even if they went their separate ways for now.
What blew me away were the actual world building; not everything was CGI but actually built massive sets and you could tell the budget for this one was way larger than UN which was a dark horse. Some of those sets just made you gasp at the size and intricacies of them like the tree. All the adventures and creepy crawlies were also perfect for this time of year (autumn, Halloween). Though the mutated sea monkey looked like a mutated lycan or some weird cryptid and the white furred thing like a leprechaun so many things around in our current paranormal world. Costumes, music, all of that on point.
Cons: Though glad we got express, one episode a day for a while was hard. I also didn't think Daisy played a good Ah Ning as Hani did in UN. Daisy just didn't have that ruthlessness about her like Hani was able to portray so that's a casting choice that's questionable as well as both Pan Zi and Pang Zi; just felt the other two actors from the other show really did their characters much more convincingly. But I guess that's in the eye of the beholder.
Given how much extra information we were already given, I do wish we weren't left with a cliff hanger. Also should have introduced the Xie kid as it seemed he and Wu Xie knew each other well enough because when reading the bloody handwriting, WX acted like he didn't know who XLC was and that was a disconnect. As much as the disconnections with UN when he met Wenjun who he apparently knew then but for some reason not here, all the theories XG left him seemed to not exist. So while this series connects a lot of dots, that series disconnects others and it becomes a bit confusing. Needed to remember what other series did and try not to mix things for an observant viewer.
Also how did whichever uncle get a hold off the map and whatever else that XG said he then swapped out for fakes? Some of these things needed to be explained further and not just left hanging.
Would I recommend it? I absolutely would. I like this for the most part understandable and very well told story with creatures and dangerous and cool characters (human or not). I hope thy continue with this trend of the two actors as their chemistry pops and they only met for the first time; bring fatty a bit closer to what he should do and be and we've got the perfect iron triangle with the best friends primarily being WX and XG.
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Painted Skin: The Guo Jingming Edition
18 people found this review helpful
Work of Art
This is for Wuxia lovers and is honestly just a beautiful piece of cinematography.The story is a simple one, but is executed quite well for a short story. I can't get too much into the storyline because it would give the whole story away, but they did a phenomenal job of creating a perfect atmosphere right off the bat. I did feel a little lost at first but everything draws together by the end. My only qualm would of course be the length (this is is only thirty minutes long) just because there is so much that could have been fleshed out. The characters were complex and the way they influenced each other made me want to explore them more in depth. However, this wasn't too glaring of an issue because what they did portray held so much weight to it.
Painted Skin succeeds in creating an air of mystery but also delivers an almost intimate experience. Every interaction and scene carries itself flawlessly and was meaningful which I loved. This made me feel more than some full length dramas and it did it well. The acting is on point and despite the short length, this had me completely immersed in the characters quickly and thoroughly. They did a great job of building the relationships in Painted Skin up on a strong foundation and then moving them forward towards the endgame. The music in this is so beautiful and really contributed to the emotional scenes within. The cinematography was absolutely gorgeous and each take was beautiful and/or heart wrenching.
All in all, a really good mini-film that carried its weight in watching gold. I would recommend if you're looking for something meaty (pun intended hehehe. You'll understand if you watch) but short. This was a really good filler drama for in between drama indecision and I thoroughly enjoyed the watch.
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