The best thing about this drama is the acting. Jang Ki Yong and Jin Ki Joo do make a very sweet couple, enough to make the star crossed lovers storyline believable, but there wasn't enough exciting chemistry between them to make the repetitive parts less boring. I also loved their child actor counterparts, who were really good, and matched the older versions well. However, the majority of their storyline never changes, so although I felt bad for them, and I was rooting for them, I also wished something more would happen than intense stares, emotional hugs, and occasionally fighting off various psychopaths.
Speaking of psychopaths, I think the best performance was Heo Joon Ho, because I love a good villain. His performance gave me Hannibal Lecter chills at times. Still, even his character started to get a little monotonous. I wish they went a little deeper into what made him tick, instead of waiting until the end. His scenes with the psycho tabloid reporter were fun to watch, and I liked the dynamic with his ex wife, but I felt like his interactions with other characters could have gone much further than just being generally creepy. I definitely wanted to see more scenes connecting him and Na Moo (not just overused flashbacks). The few scenes they actually had together were so intense.
The only reason I stopped myself from giving the cast a 10 is because even though everyone performed their parts well, their characters weren't always engaging, which is probably the writers fault. Some of the characters were one note, which I think is what stopped me from being emotionally connected to many of them. There were parts of the story that were emotional for me, and a some other characters that had moments that touched me (Like Na Moo's brother, Step Mom, and Team Leader), but the story is so slow at times that many of the characters get lost. Some just didn't have enough interesting contributions to the story.
My lowest score is obviously for the story, but again I am surprised by this because heartbreaking romance and psychological thrillers are two of my favorite genres. I saw some complaints about this being a melodrama, but I think it wasn't melodramatic enough. There are some very intense moments strung together by twice as many moments that are predictable and redundant. How many times do we have to refer to the same flashback to get the point. Maybe I am more jaded than others, but everything I found unique about this drama was drowned out by what I found to be predictable, and uninteresting.
The only way I would watch this again is if someone spliced together a much shorter version. I'm convinced that very large parts of this drama, maybe even full episodes, could be cut and not missed.
Overall I am pretty apathetic towards Come and Hug Me. I honestly almost dropped it, but decided to finally power through to the end. I liked the overall theme of the story, and parts of the last few episodes were much more interesting, but there were also really overdramatic and cheesy parts that were not necessary at the end. If you are a fan of slower paced dramas you may be more patient with the storyline than I was. This is an interesting romance at it's core, and that may be enough to make some people excited to watch. I will say that if you don't like the drama at the beginning, it probably wont get much better for you by the end. If you're still curious, maybe have someone make a cheat sheet for you of every episodes where things that are important actually happen. Maybe pay them for it in hugs!
Was this review helpful to you?
1Woo to the Young to the Woo
“She didn’t know how to be semi-interested in something. She was either indifferent… or obsessed.”: extracted from “The Kiss Quotient” (2018) by Helen Hoang, the book explores the life of an autistic lady Stella who hires an escort so as to learn social intimacy. The drama, on the other hand, lets an autistic young girl, Young Woo go out and spread her wings, in the process of which, she unexplainably finds herself in intimacy. Whatsoever, the drama revolves around her and focuses how she uses her abilities, disguised as disabilities, to solve and sort out issues, that seem difficult to the so-called normal beings surrounded to her.Combinedly produced by AStory, KT Studio Genie and Nangman Crew, ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo (이상한 변호사 우영우)” is very much a legal genre drama with little amount of romance, mystery and politics, in limited proportions. Written by Moon Ji Won and directed by Yoo In Shik, the drama was originally broadcasted on ENA and internationally distributed by Netflix.
The story follows the extraordinary 27yo autistic girl, Woo Young Woo (Park Eun Bin), who has graduated from SNU with top marks and becomes an attorney at one of the top law firms of the country, Hanbada. Despite her limited abilities to communicate with others, she quickly wins over her colleagues with her impressive memory and brilliant reasoning skills while solving cases and bringing forward the justness each time. Keeping her at the center and the team she is a part of, the drama introduces new cases every episode and the way they are dealt with, including their consequences.
Lee Jun Ho (Kang Tae Ho) is a member of the litigation team at Hanbada and the closest to Young Woo, while Jung Myung Seok (Kang Ki Young) is a senior attorney and Young Woo’s mentor. Choi Soo Yeon (Ha Yoon Kyung) and Kwon Mi Woo (Joo Jong Hyuk) are also rookie attorneys in the same team as Young Woo. Other regular actors in supporting cast, both experienced and rookie, are Jeon Bae Soo, Baek Ji Won, Jin Jyung, Joo Hyun Young and Im Sung Jae. For each case, there have been many familiar faces, in fact and I’m sure y’all will be delighted.
Plot development is episodic in nature, almost approximately standalone episodes, with few minor and continuous plotlines developing in the background which have their own climax. The introductory episode throws light upon Young Woo’s childhood and a leap showing her current life in late 20s. And in that episode, itself, we get to see a case and the courtroom battle that is solved by Young Woo’s wittiness. Since the plot is not a steady one, with each case in each episode, we witness her growth as a person and as an attorney plus the shades of different people surrounding her. A mystery to her past, her reception at the workplace as well as by her colleagues, her relationship with her father and friend and more importantly her love interest: all these as a part of the story, however, are put behind how she deals with each case along with her team. The peak of her story towards the ending of the drama was interesting though a bit painful, nevertheless, was very well wrapped up.
Upon reading the synopsis when the drama came out, I was immediately reminded of the 2019 Korean movie “Innocent Witness”; autism, courthouse, laws and justice, same elements though a different plot and an unusual storyline. I was in fact gladdened to discover that the drama is created by the same writer as the movie, Moon Ji Won jakka-nim, and it obviously made me expect something extraordinary out of it. And leaving no doubt, it lived upto the expectations, not just mine but of many hearts. The comedy incorporated was basic yet impactful.
People with autism spectrum are as special as others and can take the things they do and learn the best they can. In the world where we constantly seek love and validation, autistic people are those who demand a little more than us and when empathy slides through heart, it’s a feeling of trueness. I love how the writer sketched and nourished the character of Young Woo and let us see the world through her glasses of innocence.
Yoo In Shik PD is an ace and he didn’t fail at this either. With multiple qualitative hits, it was unlikely to become another average drama. Directing such a drama with multiple cases, introducing new stories each episode isn’t really easy and requires good understanding of the individual plot essences. The modern urban setup with light hue and solid yet undemanding palettes were sumptuously pleasing. The cinematography did wonders at place, especially the sunset-watching scene in the village, the scenery of Seokdong including the huge tree premise, etc. were beautifully done.
There are 6 OSTs in total and all likable
# “Brave” by Kim Jong Wan is a heart-touching warm song from the very moment it starts, till its ending, that is dedicated to Young Woo’s innocence and journey of self-discovery.
# “Beyond My Dreams” by Sunwoojunga is a prosperous ballad with beautiful lyrics that reflects one’s hearty words of love and emotional intimacy.
# “Better Than Birthday” by O3ohn is a soft electric track about confessions.
# “Tuning In To You” by Wonstein is a R&B jolly track that expresses mutual feelings of fondness.
# "Inevitable" by Bae Suzy is a softcore ballad with the feels of an old Kdrama OST that portrays the urge of letting out your feelings.
# “The Blue Night of Jeju Island” sung by uri Young Woo (Park Eun Bin) is the cover of the original by Choi Sung Won (1988) and popularized by Sung Si Kyung (2004) which truly one of the most recalled epitomes that defines the beauty of the place.
The best thing about Extraordinary Attorney Young Woo as a legal drama is that it introduced very very very untypical topics to the courtrooms, which are rarely portrayed in Kdramas, provided Kdrama legal shows only have handful types of cases debated over that ultimately lead to a politico-legal fight at the end. From false homicide to defamation to property disputes, from patent battle to North Korean defector issues to public interest cases involving regional land disputes and from sum settlements to discriminatory terminations to heritage tax issue, etc.; the writer has introduced a very wide range of cases that felt fresh and were interestingly alimented throughout.
Three reasons why the drama is different and better from other recent legal Kdramas are:
No dragged politico-legal fight between bigshots
Focusing more on laws and legalities than emotions and witnesses.
Portraying variable outcomes of each case, be it favorable or unfavorable.
The advantages and disadvantages of each result has been essentially useful messages for each episode. At times we win and adapt but learning upon defeat is necessary. Sometimes, its actually impossible to prove facts which lead to unfair results and you still fail to help it. Even in favorable conditions it matters how much confident you’re about the next time and spirited you have been in the process. Alterative ideas could surely be the way out of something when your plans go wrong but depends upon how wisely you use them. These are some of the points that I could infer from the outcomes of cases at the end of each episode.
The chemistry between Eun Bin & Jun Ho despite the little amount of romance was amazing to begin with; their first meeting at the rotating entry door and the follow-up from that point in each episode were apparent baby steps in the budding relationship of love and care; the rhythmic “dun-chak-chak” where I did melt. I understand why many people didn’t understand where it was going and were upset and complained but that is the best that could be done, provided Young is an autistic person with challenged social skills. They were not supposed to be lovey-dovey all the time even when they were in love.
Young Woo’s short responses as in “unn”, “umm”, “enn”, etc. were worth living for. They were funny and jolly at the same time. Her behavior as an autistic person were attempted to be made accurate as much as possible, from her talking habits to her reactions to certain actions, from her obsession with kimbap to her trying to stick to rules, etc. One basic point, I would have liked explanations upon is, Why exactly Young Woo was obsessed with whales or how it kicked off.
One gratifying thing was whales jumping outta water whenever some idea popped up in her mind in response to stimuli contributed by happenings and also her hair flying. Young Woo’s appearance too was very cute, with short hair of a homespun cut plus her plain skirts that went well with the huge side-bags. I loved the writernim’s attempts to make/let Young Woo learn, be it her personal or professional life and making sure that she adapts to things which she thought were difficult for her. The practicality was definitely maintained.
Attorney Jung Myung Suk’s character is one of the most likable and contradictory statements would be nullified. I thought strict, more of an evil man, who’d be an obstacle to Young Woo’s endeavors, but to my surprise, he turned out to be a fine ahjussi I’d die for. The way and the rate to which he went on to embrace Young Woo, upon realizing her abilities, was beautiful. Man, himself was so sorted and open-minded and patient, he barely was at wrong. The shades to him in the 2nd half were may be not important but the writer must have necessitated in order to portray the uncertainties in one’s life. Kang Ki Young has done so well, I swear.
I believe “empathy, not sympathy” was the key tool that drove the essence of the drama.
Like many audiences, I too feel there is no need for another season, but now that its been announced, I also feel like many others, that I would absolutely love one. The production surely is trying to piggyback on the popularity of this season but considering the type of split plotline the drama has used, I see no reason to object. It will be another interesting and fresh watch as long as the writer doesn’t bring forward typical elements.
Final Remarks… Honestly speaking, I wasn’t very excited about the drama at first despite my inclination for the 3 main cast, I thought it’d be another legal drama bearing political battle. But the buzz it created definitely helped me pick up some interest and starting the drama then made me realize how wonderful this thing is. Despite the unique plot element placed, i. e. Young Woo as an autistic attorney, I loved how simple yet influential the entire show was with fresh factors and accessories. The drama is definitely a success and I am so happy to announce that it has totally lived upto the hype. Will be eagerly waiting for 2024.
Was this review helpful to you?
To start off, this drama initially began as your basic gender bender. Typical. However, as you find yourself deeper into this drama you find underlying in that plot is so much more. There is a balance between your heart fluttering moments of pure fluff, moments that will make you laugh and the absolutely heart-wrenching moments-- this balance continuously plays with the viewers' heart, and it's exactly what keeps them wanting more. Since it was a romance historical drama, there was plenty of political elements to follow along with as well. I myself am a huge sucker for historical dramas, so naturally I found that this particular plot wasn't that hard to follow along with. But for someone who doesn't find much interest for them, they play a huuuuge role in the plot development - so I probably wouldn't recommend it.
The only portion I had dissatisfactions with was with how the story carried out towards the end of the drama. It dragged on for a little bit and then at the very last episodes everything felt very rushed to tie all the loose ends. There were a couple story arcs that they could have expanded on a little more which was disappointing. If they had cut the filler episodes a little short and was a little more detailed in the ending, it would've been absolutely flawless as a drama. But overall, the story was nothing short of amazing.
The general performance of the whole cast was exemplary, having both a reputation for their acting and endless eye candy! I even found myself becoming a Park Bo Gum fan in the process.
For starters, Kim Yoo Jung never fails expectation, upholding her crown as one of the best upcoming actresses with yet another hit drama to her lengthy list of filmography. Her character Ra On is a charming, optimistic and extremely outgoing. As having one of the more complex back stories in the drama, there were a few plot holes dealing with her family but nonetheless, it was carried out very well.
Park Bo Gum's presentation of the crown prince Lee Young was all in all praise worthy. I didn't feel much awkwardness from him even though he isn't nearly as experienced with historical dramas in contrast to his cast members. His tone, stance and relaying of emotions (his eyes I swoon every time), were executed in a manner that truly brought his character Lee Young to life. Not to mention, he suited the hanbok extremely well (and was very good looking in it). Although he was one of the more dull character archetypes, it was still entertaining to watch him grow from a childish troublemaker to a mature and refined crown prince.
The romance between the two was also lovely to the eyes, and although there is a bit of an age gap I didn't feel it as the chemistry between Bo Gum and Yoo Jung strongly made up for it. Although the romance did over shine the development of the friendship plot.
I definitely wish they would have shone a bit more light on the other characters Byung Yun and Yoon Sung. There was a lot of potential that the writer could of utilized to enhance the plot. These two character archetypes were definitely more on the complex side and it would've been really interesting to see more of their development and more of their story all in all.
The music in this drama was definitely really lovely to the ears, nothing really too special but they did include an OST by Park Bo Gum himself which was definitely a treat.
Another thing that I would like to make note on is the cinematography. I absolutely adooooore when producers pay respect to these aspects and I was taken by surprise at how stunning some scenes were. From the first episode until the very last, it was extremely extremely beautiful.
On the whole, this drama was definitely an exceptional coming of age drama deserving of all the hype and you should definitely give it a chance.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Dark, Addictive and Seductive Korean BL That Instantly Hooks You
Honestly this has become my favourite Korean BL after Secret Relationships, and I’m lifting my rating to a full 10/10 after episode 4!!!Thundercloud Rainstorm delivers one of the most explosive openings I have seen in a Korean BL. The darker cinematography and moody tone set it apart immediately, giving the story an intensity and emotional weight that makes it impossible to stop watching. It feels mature, atmospheric and bold in all the right ways.
Jeong Ri U has always impressed me in short projects like Bad Guy, Blue Boys and Seoul Blues, but seeing him in a full BL series is on another level. He is tall, handsome and effortlessly seductive, the perfect match for the adorable and expressive Yoon Ji Sung. Their chemistry is electric from the very first moment they share the screen.
The intimate scenes are a major highlight. The couch kiss is hot, slow and incredibly sensual. The kitchen bench kiss is just as intense. I love how both cousins are so forward with their feelings and actions. And since they are not related by blood, it avoids the tired step brother trope we see too often. Their dynamic feels fresh, daring and full of tension.
The hotel room scene absolutely blew me away. JeongHan tying IlJo up, kissing him like a predator claiming his prey, was one of the sexiest and most captivating scenes in recent BLs. It balances toxicity, obsession and vulnerability in a way that feels dramatic but still deeply emotional. The acting is strong, the chemistry is undeniable and every moment between them feels charged and meaningful.
This series already stands out as one of my favourites of the year. Stunning visuals, addictive storytelling, passionate chemistry and the perfect amount of dark red flag energy make Thundercloud Rainstorm unforgettable. A solid 10 out of 10.
Was this review helpful to you?
You will see what she saw
For those who only see "I barely finished watching it " messages. I DID NOT barely finished watching it.I waited for the episode every week and finished it the same day (which in my great, LONG experience of ongoings is rare). I thoroughly enjoyed this drama. Yes, there were and even remained some incomprehensible moments that I would like to unravel, no doubt. But those who say that her actions are not logical.... literally ALL of this drama is about the fact that she is SICK. This is the logic of a SICK person, the behavior of a SICK person and the life of a SICK person. And you are here to see how difficult and contradictory it is, both internally and socially.
I definitely don't think this drama is not worth your time. She's WORTH IT.
Only if you were expecting *high-pitched voice* “fluffy buffy the suffering of a man who at the end will see a rainbow and run along it to the tune of trol-la-la,” oh my god, this is not for you. BUT
But, if you are ready to feel all the suffering of the main character and are ready to just walk this path with her, WITHOUT IMPOSING EXPECTATIONS on her.. At least you will know the other side
Was this review helpful to you?
A total waste of time
This drama started out like something that will be entertaining, then they spent the next 12 episodes or so trying to answer the question of who the father is and the remaining 4 episodes was spent on total rubbish.The FL in this drama is the most annoying fl I've ever seen in a kdrama. Very unrepentant and stubborn for no justifiable reason.
There was also no real reason why all the men love her except for the fact that they knew her in the past.
The ending is also the most unreasonable ending i have ever seen in a drama. No closure for the main characters, nothing.
Was this review helpful to you?
Although I don't watch 50 episodes dramas easily, I do pick one up once in a while if it catches my interest. So I started this drama just to watch Ha Ji Won in action again and also because I was in a mood for a historical drama. But honestly, all I was expecting was an overrated drama with a poor, exaggerated plot and brilliant acting. Boy, was I wrong.
Empress Ki is undeniably the best drama of 2013. And this is coming from someone who has watched I Hear Your Voice, Master's Sun and Man From The Stars. The plot is so well-paced that you won't feel like stopping even for a moment and won't feel like skipping a single scene either. The plot evokes such trouble for all protagonists but yet you sit in relief knowing Nyang is there. Watching, observing, plotting, winning.
Nyang. She is the best thing about this drama. She is behind-the-scene most of the time and she defeats her opponents before they even know who they are up against. The girl can plot and fight. She is the perfect one-man army. I haven't seen a more wiser character than her. Coming Wang Yu, he is perfect too. From the beginning you know Nyang and Wang Yu aren't meant to be since she's destined to marry the king of Yuan and become Empress Ki. But even then you can't help rooting for him from time to time and falling for his charms and his sincerity towards Nyang. But the King of Yuan isn't someone you can take for granted. Even though he's a bit of a coward and a puppet played by many, he is still very cute and likeable. Honestly I think he's a naive soul stuck in the horrible politics of the palace with no one to rely on and with no option but to fight not just for his throne but his life. I really loved his devotion for Empress Ki in all circumstances. All supporting actors were simply brilliant and were nowhere beneath the main cast. My personal favorites were El Temur (because I loved seeing him go down!) and his kids (who doesn't love seeing a bitch being tortured!). I also loved the servants of Goryeo and all the eunuchs of Yuan. Tal Tal and his uncle were also amazing. Some characters I loved because they were lovable but some characters I loved for their cruelty.
The music was great and the production was simply breathtaking. From the clothes to palaces and the forests, everything they shot was so beautiful and historically rich.
Coming to the historical significance, many historians complained that the drama portrayed Empress Ki as a national hero where in fact she was a traitor who tried to make her brother sit on Goryeo's throne. The drama has been repeatedly been accused of exaggerating facts and misguiding people (especially young ones, who are not much aware of Empress Ki) into idolizing empress ki.
Although I cannot comment on the historical facts, I would ask people to watch this with an open mind, without trying to find empress ki from history in the character of Nyang. She might not be the same person but the character that has been written is truly worth a watch.
I would recommend this drama to everyone. If you've never watched a 50+ eps drama, this is a good place to start. If you've never watched a historical drama, this is a good place to start. Definitely Ha Ji won's best portrayal so far. She deserved all those Daesang awards she got for this.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This show was so crazy I don’t even know where to start.The story was very bad, and not even in a fun way. Often it feels like the writer was using the characters as puppets to rant about how the feminists are evil and that working women are ugly and being a good waifu is the best thing a woman could ever do. What is particularly frustrating is that for about the first four-ish episodes it seems like the show is doing a satirical take on the stance of "all women should be housewives" and in my opinion, those are the best episodes, though that's not saying much considering what comes after. These episodes actually have funny jokes and the best character moments in the show and until the end of the episode, you can trick yourself into thinking that the show is going to get good and have something to say. The moment the show's writing falls from mediocre to just plain unredeemable can be pinpointed at the end of episode four: After a touching scene in which Jun ( Ryusei Yokohama) confronts Tae (Mano Erina) as to why she stays with her boyfriend Shunpei (Yasushi Fuchikami) even after he repeatedly cheats on her and makes her feel like she's not good enough for him, which ultimately leads him to the conclusion that everything Shunpei does to Tae all adds up to psychological abuse (it is) and the two of them have a very sincere and touching conversation. This is the shows high point, it all feels like it's been leading up to this point where we pull away the curtain and reveal that the problem is not women who want to work or be housewives but rather men who use the system they have created to their advantage while also policing and demeaning women for even thinking of doing the same. But then it all falls apart when you get to the end of the episode and Tae out of nowhere punches Jun and essentially say "fuck everything we were talking about, I'm going to be Shunpei's housewife no matter what" as if all the emotional build-up hadn't even mattered the entire time. After this punch to the gut, the show really starts to go for it with amazing lines such as "When humans start mixing the roles together things become very strange." (a line from Shunpei, who is not transphobic but is misogynistic - yes this is a plot point in the show and I nearly lost my mind) and "There are those ugly feminists who are unable to get married and just talk crap and are jealous. They will try to brainwash the housewives." (just like this show tries to brainwash you into thinking that that's a normal way of looking at the world - remember how I mentioned rants about the feminists). I don't think it's hard to see how the story isn't good.
The issues of this show mainly fall upon the writing - the show was edited as best as it could have been and the actors are doing such an amazing job with the garbage they were given. Mano Erina as Tae, a woman obsessed with becoming a housewife, can balance cuteness and slapstick very well and is such an amazing actress, it makes me mad that they made her do this. Ryusei Yokohama as Jun, Tae's "rented boyfriend," was extremely charismatic, balancing being insightful and a total dumbass very well, and had amazing chemistry with Mano Erina. Even Yasushi Fuchikami as Tae's shitty boyfriend was great and he too deserved a better project than this. All of the actors tried to add as much nuance to their characters as possible (especially Kyoko Hasegawa, thank you for your service queen), but there was nothing of substance to hold up their characters. I can see, from the first few episodes, what drew the actors in - at first glace the show can appear to be a satirical slapstick romance that seems like it's going to say a lot about gender dynamics and Japan's falling birth rate, and that, in theory, can be amazing career-making stuff, if not an easy paycheck. However, once you see the show for what it truly is, the acting too falls flat and all of the actors' hard work is cheapened by a bad script and story.
The music in the show flopped between "okay but ultimately forgettable" and "who the fuck choose this? Who thought this was a good idea?" People often underestimate the use of music in drama's (mainly cause dramas tend to be viewed as a form of "low art" but that's a completely different conversation for another time), often just adding whatever pop or easily acquired song to the soundtrack. But music sets the tone and can easily make or break a scene the same way editing or acting can. This show has a lot of flaws, from its clumsy dialogue, awkward editing, harmful message, and so on, but what encapsulates how disappointing and depressing this show is can be found in its soundtrack. From how many of the songs sound like they belong in a Marvel soundtrack with their blandness and unimportance, to how strange and off-putting some of the songs sound - a strangeness that is only intensified by how out of place they are within the scene. The soundtrack has a few okay tracks which are ultimately buried under the blandness and badness of the rest, just how the show has some good things that are just drowned out by the overall badness of it.
The show feels like it's teetering between complete sincerity and no effort whatsoever and ultimately fails. The whole show was just anti-feminist propaganda made by men who don’t understand the reason for the birth decline in Japan and think it's due to women wanting equality and being evil cause they criticize men or whatever, rather than it being due to men (to an extent). Like I stated previously, men controlling, policing, and demeaning women, creating a system that is set to fail women no matter what (these things still happen to this day - look at how women in Japan get pushed out of the workforce once they marry or are pregnant or the medical school scandal of last year) , these are things that cause women to think twice about settling down. Not the feminist "brainwashing" them or them naturally being "corrupt" or "evil," but just the simple fact that men treat them or are willing to view them as such. Women don't need men the way they used to, to rely on income or basic necessities, and can work for themselves and live for themselves (a thing that men have historically been able to do without question) and this for some reason frightens men.
This is all summarized in the character of Shunpei, who is never wrong in the eyes of the story. He is manipulative, often neglecting Tae and then trying to make it seem like he did nothing wrong even going as far as convincing her to lie about being his girlfriend when she runs into him while he's on dates with other women. He's a liar, telling Tae that all the women he's seeing are actually his relatives - this, by the way, is predicated on the fact that to him he's doing nothing wrong, yet he feels the need to lie to Tae which shows that on some level he knows what he's doing is wrong. He's just the worst of men. As I observed Shunpei all I could think was its men like you that cause the birth decline to plummet even more. Like the creators of the show created a man who perfectly encapsulated everything that causes women to refuse marriage or having kids. Men, I can assure you it is not the feminists causing the “deterioration of the home” or whatever you think they are causing. The annoying thing is that there could have been an interesting feminist look at the birth decline and being a housewife in current Japan, but apparently men can’t not hate women for long enough to write something nuanced. I can almost imagine the feminist version of this show exploring a woman wanting to be a housewife (despite what men apparently think, feminist aren't against women who want to be housewives being housewives) in modern Japan - it could have been good and nuanced, everything this show wanted to be so desperately. This show sucked, and not even in a fun way, 0/10, would not recommend
Was this review helpful to you?
I have watched quite a few Kdrama since The Heir and Boys over Flowers or even Lovers in Paris but I have never had a kdrama series that not only I but a lot of viewers intensely “ENGAGED” to the point of mastering on the facts and brewing theory after another on whats going to be the next episode. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I have watched this as soon as it was aired. The agony of waiting for another week in order to find out what happens next created the hype and the passion for this show.
Nevertheless, its the comeback show for 2 of our main roles, Lee MinHo and Kim Go Eun not to mention the scriptwriter is no other than KES ( who wrote Goblin and the Heirs as well). She is known for her romantic dialogues, puns and witty lines. Plus the introduction of a parallel world and romance aka long distance relationship in a parallel world is unheard of in the Korean drama realm.
The undeniable chemistry between our FL and ML is another thing that made this show worth to watch and rewatch like 10 times over. Lee Min Ho as Lee Gon, the benevolent king from the Kingdom of Corea and our brave Lieutenant Jeong Tae Eul from the Republic of Korea mastered their craft and manifested in the screen.
As the story unfolds, the team behind this show didn’t fail to give as much spotlight for our other main leads and supporting actors as well. I like that they have their own stories to tell and how they are instrumental and uniquely intertwined with our main lead’s lives.
I love the quick-witted humor in this show and how it is being presented. Not the usual funny and comical antics like the usual rom-com shows I have binge-watched before.
Kim Eun Sook is a genius! A lot of people seemed to give up on this kdrama just because it’s too complicated but it need not be. You just have to watch the whole thing through ... everything will beautifully unfold right then. The realization that their relationship is a bit sad and entails a lot of sacrifice since we are talking about a love eternal in a parallel world but they decided to just embrace their fate and live only for today and love tirelessly until forever ... Every dialogue, every word, every line in this show holds a lot of truth and depth, thus setting the bar so high on how a beautiful love story should be. Definitely a 10 in my book!
Was this review helpful to you?
Kim Go Eun's character was hard for me to understand at first. Her single-minded purpose shone through until the very end. Bok Sun becomes the every-man's-heroine, who manages to fight for her personal justice despite her disability.
The gore value in this film is fantastic. My personal favorite is the chopsticks scene, which I highly recommend. I have watched this film several times, and it continues to thrill me, like my favorite roller coaster.
On top of all of that, the scenery is gorgeous, as it is set in a forested, rural area. The filmography was done beautifully.
I recommend this flick for lovers of the thrill. Lovers of blood. Lovers of psychotic evildoers and lovers of a good game of cat and mouse.
Was this review helpful to you?
What a crap!
DON'T WATCH IT.I can write a whole review with the single line above... ah but I've to be reasonable enough to answer, Why? and fortunately (or unfortunately) it has tons of reasons for why.
One reckless, one stupid, one short-tempered, one who has doesn't have a thing called 'personality.' So when these four friends (?) come together what happens. I wouldn't even call them friends lol, they don't even trust each other nor have bonding just living under the same roof, friendship word doesn't deserve this coz almost all their interactions are seemed to be forced.. just made for sake of a so-called female-centered plot where there's the worst characterization of many female characters.
Even children's storybooks have better stories. Unrealistic and torturous would be the most suitable words for the plot. And freaking 35 episodes drag. I don't really get what writers think when they want to create multi leads drama themed with friendship with female dominance, as the top priority of this plot goes to male characters having pure trash personalities. Not just that... ah some bitchy and of course jealous female roles who don't have anything to do other than plotting against leads and destroying their life and relationship. For god's sake, this is 2021.
What a way to introduce Cheng Yi, he literally gave me creeps from his first scene, ah and the whole 'flirting' thing he was doing with Xia Yan can definitely consider as workplace harassment... with a very cliche hotel thing I'm supposed to ship them as a couple (Kindly note: He has some crazy women besides him). Sorry, I can't lol, and it's not like I like Xia Yan too, she takes everything for granted not to forgot her overconfidence I mean getting a job isn't like buying coffee that you can do whenever you need or want.
Han Shuang, she's irritating AF. Her temper is on another level.. can be also considered crazy (as per your convenience). Xiang Nan honestly I don't have any impression of her, not any interest in her love interest (Yes dubbing has a major role, he has the worst voice dubbing). And the award goes to Xiao Lei for being the stupidest character of 2021. From the very first scene of her, I know she's naive but didn't know to this extent. How can I believe in her profession people are supposed to be smart and intelligent enough to be a teacher.
Within this... there wasn't really time for me to notice if there was any kind of music there? Acting is mediocre, not any outstanding performance from anyone. What a waste of Vin Zhang.
In conclusion, I'll say, it doesn't serve anything neither friendship nor love, sure you'll end up having a lot of frustration.
Was this review helpful to you?
Why you should watch this:
- if you're looking for a drama where you'll have no clue what's gonna happen next and be super excited for every scene.
- if you're looking for a great(AWESOME) storyline with a lot of twists.
-if you want to have mixed feelings and can't wait to know what will happen next.
- if you're looking for a great music that makes that scene even more excited and nervous.
- if you're looking for a skillfull and professional directing and writing.
- if you're looking for a high skill acting and awesome chemistry between the cast and where every character is reasonable in his/her doings.
And if you're looking for a drama when you'll rewatch it and get the same excited feeling like the first time when you watched it.
Then...
THIS IS THAT DRAMA!^^
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
How would you change if you found out you were going to die soon? Cheon Soo-Ho (Kim Jung-Hyun) is the son of a chaebol; entitled, arrogant and bored. Raised by a psychopathic father and an abusive stepmother he is, despite his wealth, someone who has no purpose in life. Diagnosed with a terminal illness and given only six months to live, he dedicates his remaining time to helping Seol Ji-Hyun (Seohyun), a woman he wronged.
The first half of this drama is dark and bleak but somehow compelling despite the numbingly-depressing tone. KJH shed his school uniform with ease and his acting improved in leaps and bounds to the end of the first half. Seohyun also put in a strong performance, especially when she had scenes with KJH, whose presence elevated her acting considerably.
The controversy behind the scenes of this show is well documented. Kim Jung-Hyun's health problems may have forced him to leave the show early but if there was any vehicle where the writers could have worked without a male lead, this was it. Cheon Soo-Ho's death was inevitable and the show had two strong, complex female leads to work with - even if they didn't have the same level of acting experience.
Unfortunately, the writers seemed to falter at KJH's exit. Maybe the writing fell away, maybe the writing was always this poor. We'll never know what the show should have been, but we do know what it could have been if they'd successfully shifted the narrative to the female lead.
The episodes after his departure highlighted how much of this was held together by KJH's gravitas. Without that, the show digressed into standard - substandard - melo: meaningful looks, shallow. smirking antagonists and people running around without purpose.
In the end, Time became a melo mess: thematically weak and even boring. Without KJH's performance, one is left wondering if the show was always that bad and we just didn't notice. Despite that, the first 12 episodes were relatively strong and so it deserves the higher rating,
And KJH deserves to be flooded with offers once his health improves. Because he quite literally stole this show.
Was this review helpful to you?
Scheming For The World
Who Rules The World is adapted from the novel of the same name, 且试天下 (Who Rules The World) by 倾泠月. But the novel author did not take part in the scriptwriting thus there have been changes to the drama. Though promoted as a wuxia drama, Who Rules The World is not 100% a wuxia drama as it also has a combination of romance, court, and political intrigue (heavier on the romance and court side). The drama has a lot of elements, but the drama manages to blend them all seamlessly, it doesn’t confuse you.As a Tencent S+ project, the drama has a big budget and high-quality production, and the high production values are reflected in the overall production. Who Rules The World features outstanding fight scenes, authentic sets, lavish costumes, beautifully shot landscape, and remarkable CGI. In addition, the drama is also helmed by Yin Tao, the same director who directed Love and Redemption and Ancient Love Poetry, you can expect a good watch!
The drama opens with Bai Fengxi and Hei Fengxi's adventure in Jianghu, but also shows the interconnection between the court and jianghu. The story narrative unfolds at a fast but also leisure pace, it gives viewers enough time to understand the character’s relationship and their connections. The plot and character points are planned well in advance and the story unfolds in a way that pulls us into various plot threads and the partial reveals.
To me, what makes the drama stand out the most is the two main lead characters and great choreographed fighting scenes. I love how both leads are equally strong, and they understand each other well. There is no damsel in distress, it is always them fighting side by side against the enemy together and protecting each other when one of them is in danger. It is also entertaining to see them argue with each other, and their push and pull relationship! Hei Fengxi (Feng Lanxi) is a smart and strong character, he is a formidable foe. He’s always ahead of each other, know what others are planning, has a backup plan, and more. But you’ll understand why he did all that because it is the survival of the fittest. In order for him to be safe from all the schemes, he needs to schemes, outwit others and think ahead. On the other hand, Bai Fengxi (Feng Xiyun) is a dauntless and free-spirited character. She has a genuine heart, she cares for the world but at the same time, she does not let those bad guys off easily. Bai Fengxi uses white silk as her weapon because she believes in the world of martial arts, the highest level is not to kill.
Who Rules The World also has immaculate fighting scenes. It has a brilliantly choreographed fighting scene with engaging shots and thankfully no slow motion. The drama has adequate cinematography with bright also appropriate levels of color grading along with close-ups, immersive, and tracking shots.
Anchored by Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi, you can expect eye candy in the drama! Both of them are gorgeous actors whose emotions and facial expressions transform and make them compelling in their appeal. Moreover, the drama also features a large ensemble cast with many familiar faces. Zhao Lusi has once again surprised us with her new role. Her acting as Bai Fengxi has really shown her great improvement compared to her previous drama. From her articulation, bearing, posture, and acting, everything about her is perfect! On the other hand, Yang Yang imbues his character with elegance, grace, and wittiness at the same time. Zhao Lusi and Yang Yang have great rapport and chemistry, especially if you watch their behind the scenes. I also absolutely adore scenes where they bicker and fight side by side. I personally feel those scenes have more “sugar” rather than the actual romance slo-mo part. Though indeed, in some parts of the drama, Zhao Lusi and Yang Yang have an awkward interaction and bearing.
Who Rules The World is not flawless by any means. Who Rules The World has choppy editing, a rushed storyline, and some bad CGI towards the end. The drama was supposed to be a 45-episode drama, but they cut it down to 40 episodes, hence the choppy editing. Some scenes are not coherent with the others, you can still understand what's going on, but it's not pleasant to see. Another drawback because of the choppy editing is a rushed storyline towards the line. The drama spent too much time on the political side, it is too draggy. It would be better if the political plot was actually intriguing, but I personally feel like the political plot was like a child's play, I didn't feel there's a need to spend so much time on it. The drama spends too much time on the political part making the jianghu plot unattended and left out eventually. The rush to closure also makes some parts of the drama anti-climatic, for instance, the part where Feng Lanxi discovers that Bai Fengxi is Feng Xiyun. Furthermore, I feel towards the ending, the CGI gets bad. The CGI during the beginning (their adventure in jianghu) is very remarkable, especially the CGI of their fighting scenes and Bai Fengxi's white silk. But towards the end, the CGI looks cheap and fake, especially the fight scene ending.
Overall. Who Rules The World is a good watch if you are looking for a light historical drama (also a good watch for those who are new to cdrama).
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
