1Sizzles while it fizzles.
A massive fire devastates Qingzhou on the night Dayan's Weibei army triumphantly reclaims the city from Xiyan. Suspected of razing the city to the ground, the Weibei army is disbanded in shame while their leader, Prince Murong Jinghe is sent to his fief. To Mei Lin whose world collapsed that day, that was not justice; far from it! Rising from the flames, she transforms herself into an elite assassin for the Shadow Works. Her first assignment is to infiltrate Dayan as a Xiyan beauty bride to assassinate the "Butcher General" Murong Jinghe. She must complete her mission with all due haste to obtain the antidote to the deadly toxin the mysterious master of the Shadow Works uses to control her.The stage is set and Murong Jinghe's entrance made my my jaw drop and my mouth go dry! Sinister and unspeakably handsome, insolent, casually malevolent and utterly unforgettable. When his cold cynical gaze collides with Mei Lin's wild, ferocious one, the screen explodes into flames. I was seated for what promised to be the ultimate revenge drama, a dark, passionate and twisted enemies to lovers story. I can't remember the last time a drama hooked me so completely from the get go. So I hushed my inner voice that protested the fact that they seemed to reveal the entire plot by episode 3. All too soon after, their thrilling dark, combative chemistry and one-upwomanship tit-for-tat turned into a moving unbreakable alliance that made them both so vulnerable I feared for them. Even though the plot falls apart around them, I enjoyed every moment of the torrid, ardent, connection between Jinghe and Mei Lin that was so effortlessly conveyed by Liu Xueyi and Wu Jinyan. They captivated me with their intense screen presence and the way their chemistry still sizzles while it fizzles through every silly, illogical, emotionally harrowing arc the script made them jump through.
This drama was by a wide margin, my biggest disappointment this year. As someone who read and more or less forgot the novel 春花厌 or Spring Flower Disgusted, I should have known that you can't make a symphony out of one note. There simply was not enough plot to do justice to the exciting concept and delicious character designs. Unfortunately Murong Jinghe, who was a ruthless scumbag for most of the novel, got whitewashed so early in the drama I thought he was body swapped into his adorable little white dog. Nonetheless, I enjoyed watching the enemies become allies and then lovers. Exceptional visuals and the couple's chemistry got me through the boring digression into the romantic filler arc that saw both leads regress into lovey dovey country bumpkins. The all-important revenge arc however disappointed me deeply as Mei Lin was unforgivably short changed of her vengeance so we never really get to see her slay as an assassin nonpareil. The drama should have ended at that arc instead of soldiering on for another mind numbingly boring eight episodes. The entire final Xiyan arc was ridiculously melodramatic and Zigu's love story was yet another filler arc, one that was in poor taste. Jinghe turns into a noble idiot who entrusts a well-meaning but incompetent young idiot with a task that was way over his pay grade. After all the blood and tears, I almost laughed out loud that they were ultimately foiled by a flower chomping, superstitious old fool. The drama comes to a full circle with the novel in that no one gets an ending that they deserve.
I won't lie - even Liu Xueyi and Wu Jinyan's phenomenal acting and charisma could not save this drama, it just made it barely tolerable. None of the other characters are interesting or well written enough to make me invested in their stories. Baron Chen's Murong Xuanlie is quite well portrayed but is too archetypal and his story and motivations quickly becomes repetitive and boring. Luo Mei's moral code is too mismatched with that of Xuanlie that as a couple, they are completely implausible. And Yue Qin was written to be such a lame character that there really was no room for Bi Wenjun to shine. What promised to be a dark and riveting story about love, revenge and justice turned out to be a sober warning about the ravages of war. Everyone from the common man to the king in the high castle is not safe and lives regretfully ever after.
This was a story that was written by four different writers and it shows. I can easily rate the first 3 episodes of this drama 8.5-9.0. After that, it barely holds an 8.0 for me and after episode 24, it is barely a 6.0. I think a fair rating overall is 7.0 but I throw in 0.5 more for Liu Xueyi and Wu Jinyan's acting to call it a 7.5. Watch at your own risk and use the FF button liberally.
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You're Beautiful conveys both so well :D
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The writing can be structurally erratic, but it’s always balanced and humane in its portrayal of both its heroes and its demons. This is a show driven by the “Heal Me” part of its title, emphasizing not vengeance for past wrongs, but reconciliation and re-integration for future happiness. Some plot threads are left hanging, but its exploration of how people are broken and put back together, medically implausible as it may be, is metaphorically lovely. It’s fiction, but it’s a show that knows that the stories we tell have the power to reshape our lives.
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This review may contain spoilers
The ending killed me...
So I just finished watching this movie and I'm feeling rather heartbroken. I really loved the build up of the story where we got to know the characters over the course of their lives, with their relationships changing/developing along the way.I found the romance between the two MCs to be sweet, humorous at times, and fair in its depiction of reality. There were numerous highs and lows in the relationship between the 2 MCs where each time left me hoping that they would figure it out and grow from the experience. But one particular low led to their breaking up, and with 5 minutes left in the movie, I realized they wouldn't get back together and the FMC would really marry someone else.
While I was very happy to witness the character development and maturity achieved for both MCs through the course of their teenage years to adulthood, I desperately wanted them to be happy TOGETHER. And they *were* happy together for some time before their break up, but things got strained due to outside variables, not necessarily personal issues with each other (unhappiness due to family death, bitterness/frustrations in careers). Having seen them so in-love and sweet with each other, I really wanted them to recognize their faults/problems, grow from them, and FIGURE IT OUT when things started to get messy. It was obvious that they still loved each other in the end and so them not working through it and being together in the end really ruins the entire story for me. And call me close-minded or a romantic, but after they struggled for 10 years to be together, having been there for each other during their largest hardships, there would be a strong bond that can't be so easily erased and forgotten...
I believe that the key to a happy relationship is communication and hard work. It takes a lot of effort to make a relationship work - you won't agree about everything, you will hurt each other's feelings at times, and they will piss you off better than anyone else. BUT that's normal because love is a fierce emotion that makes us that much more sensitive to our partners. This is where hardwork comes in. That's what I needed to see in the ending. He loved her, always did. And in the end, it became clear that he loved her more than she loved him, and that was really sad to me too. She gave up on them and wasn't willing to fight for them. Thankfully he bowed out gracefully.
I'm happy that they each had that heart-to-heart at the very end where they each recognized their roles in each other's lives, but why is she the only one who gets the happy romantic ending, happiness achieved in all aspects in her life? I feel like he matured to a pretty great human being, so why didn't he get a more well-rounded resolution? I can only hope that in the ficticious world, he got his whole happy ending too.
As you have read, quite a bit bothers me about how the resolution to this story was handled. And while I enjoyed the first 3/4 of the story, this ending will prevent me from watching the movie again.
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This is probably the most boring highly-rated Kdrama I have ever had the displeasure of viewing, without completion. It has taken me over a year to finish, and I'm only on episode 11.
I must be doing something wrong, I must be missing something. But I just don't feel the magic in this show like everyone else does.
The plot is extremely repetitive from what I've seen and the typical rude, cold demeanor of the wealthy male stereotype just wasn't working for me like it usually does. The male and female lead were so off putting that I couldn't enjoy the apparent comedic chemistry they share. The gender-swapping plot line was so slow and uninspiring, drawing out the tiring push and pull between the annoying leads.
Don't know what it is, I have watched some pretty unknown dramas and have enjoyed myself more.
Every scene honestly felt so damn cringe-worthy.
Anyway just my 2 cents, different things for different people I guess.
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Revenge doesn't stop.
Created by Logos Film in association with Studio Dragon, "Military Prosecutor Doberman (군검사 도베르만)" is a Military-legal cum revenge thriller Kdrama accompanied by action and dark comedy. The drama written by Yoon Hoon Mo and directed by Ji Chang Gyu was broadcasted on tvN.The story basically portrays two gungeomsa or military prosecutors who, together, attempt to avenge the death of their parents, which has ruined their lives to great extents. While they're aware of the culprits' existence within the military, they conspire to take them one by one, with law and order.
Do Bae Man (Ahn Bo Hyun) is a highschool dropout who due to his persistence enlist into army as a military prosecutor. In spite of his urge to conquer the truth, he goes for the pet cases of his superiors for fame & money. But his life takes a turn upon meetung Cha Woo In (Jo Bo Ah), who is a newly recruited permanent prosecutor, supposed to replace his post upon his discharge. Cha Woo In has a mysterious personality, meaning that she's not what she seems. Becoming alone in the world from her chaebol life, she's determined to do anything she wants. As time takes a toll, making both of them aware of their intertwined past, will they be able to seek vengeance from the military within which the influentials cause ruckus during power trip among themselves?
Many of the familiar and skillful actors in tbe show are: Kang Mal Geum, Oh Yeon Soo, Kim Young Min, Kim Woo Seok, Jung In Ki and Go Keon Han. The performance from all of the main and supporting cast is up to par and special mention must go to Kim Woo Seok for carrying out such a complex and variable character well. Whom I loved the most is Jo Bo Ah; I honestly have watched her thrice before this drama but the character she played in her demanded patience, self-control and obviously acting skills, and she gave her best to it, I felt that sincere attempt through her delivery.
Plot development... Not so good, not so bad, yet way beyond the average mark. "The children avenging parents' death" trope ain't anything new for Kdramas per se, so what matters is the script and it's execution, which is well done, in fact, very. I suggest you to have a good amount of expectations from it. The pilot episode was just okay, and gave me the impression that the writer will mess up by the end, but I was once again proved wrong. The furtherance came as a carefully plotted progression, with stepwise manner, having elements of variable kinds and touching different sensitive topics, that requires attention. It's engaging and entertaining, the courtroom and fight scenes being the best. The one-by-one manner of taking down a group of antagonist was well-drawn and should be appreciated. I am happy they didn't run out of context at any point of the story. Likewise, the ending sequence was amazing and I loved how the writer has wrapped up the show by not leaving any ends loose.
Yoon Hyun Ho jakkanim is a famous name, known for his legal thriller scripts, most of which is coupled with revenge plots. This show definitely bears the authenticity of his own genre, and you might be able to picturize his previous dramas. The basic storylines, the screenwriting, the plot development and the plot elements, everything is so well crafted and drafted that it made me forget about the flaws which amount to only a handful number. Even so the final quarter of the show exaggerated things a lil to achieve a dramatic conclusion, I felt it was manageable.
Jin Chang Gyu PDnim who's still very new in terms of direct experiences, however have been able to get his dramas some recognition and I wish this drama creates a path for his future endeavors, as it's the best among them. His work has been tremendously incorporated into the execution of the script, the scenario setups and screenplay editing. The cinematography remains dark for most of it's parts and the bright light courtroom scenes with yellow hues are awe-inspiring.
I l ove all of the OSTs, most of which are highly adrenaline-bursting, woah! I can go on dancing to them the entire day. Composed by Kim Jang Woo, there are 5 OSTs in total. "Doberman" by Guckkasten Ha Hyun Woo ahjussi is a perfectly fitting theme song for the drama with hardcore lyrics about challenging your life. "My Zone" by SAYY is a song meant for the FL with sassy lyrics and depicts courage for facing anything offered by life. "Ignite" by YELO is a cry about the injustice done by the unjust society, abd is more on the melancholic side. Isaac Hong's vocals never fail to reach the deepest point of our hearts and "Dive in" by him in the drama is a touching track about reminiscing the pains from the foregone past. "Flame" by Kim Han Kyeom is an open call for war and is surely a mood booster.
What I liked...
# The plot elements used are definitely unique, from each of the cases fought in the legal battle, to the ones involving the characters' personal affairs, and in fact the plots of conspiracy and revenge.
# The complexity to characters is what I didn't expect out of it, from my side at least, but seeing that the writer has carefully drawn the arches, with angst, resentment, anger, intelligence and everything, I was slightly taken aback go acknowledge it is actually a good show.
# Real cases of bullying in society, particularly in the premise of the army, that claims to be the most disciplined, was heartbreaking, though the portrayal was necessary, in order to be shown and conversed about. I was happy how they were dealt in the show, regardless of the fact that it's all fiction.
# Relevant events of military, other than the violence and slavery, such as the power trip for hierarchy, corruption, desertion from camp, unfair & unequal treatment and significantly the role of gungeomsa (military prosecutors) is well depicted ane presented.
# The action scenes were stupefyingly fantastic, for it has several scenes where the ML & FL have to get involved with Thugs and villains of different kind. It includes both simple fighting techniques and breathtaking stunts. Jo Bo Ah in her alter ego was the best in this regard, I never imagined her playing such a character.
# The courtroom scenes or the legal battles were obvious scenarios you could expect given the title of the show, though it comprises of only 15-20% of the show, but whatever proportion it shares, it was good, detailedly taken care of of and well executed.
# The rap battle between Sang Ki and the discharged soldier in the guest role, was soooooo pleasant and funny, like we could never expect such a scene. It kicked off instantly and lasted for barely 2 minutes, but woah! What a face-off it was!
What I didn't like...
# Pacing of the development isn't at all bad per se, but at few instance around the interval of the show, it felt somewhat inconsistent. As in, the characters and the furtherance of the plot wither slowed down or seemed like the characters were forgetting their goals. But I would say, they don't suffice to a level where you might want to give up or drop the show.
# Less of Kang Ha Joon (Kang Young Seok) disappointed me and it could be a personal one, since I was expecting him to have a good share of screentime and play greater roles in the game of vengeance. Him disappearing after first few initial episodes did disenchant me even though he had hia parts in destroying the evil.
# The chief prosecutor and his role didn't seem to be of any single use. I get that he was there to fill in for the comedy scenes but still I was kinda turned off by the character.
# Over-domination by the leads led to reduced scrrentime for the co-workers in the prosecution office, which is another flaw from the writer's side. Even so Bae Man and Woo In were central characters, the investigation process should have involved the other 2 with some importance to their characters and significant contribution by them.
# The thugs are another set of hugely useless things the writer have incorporated into the story, as a bad decision. The cheap comedy from their part didn't interest me, and them appearing from time to time, just to fill in was funny (sarcastically). They should have disappeared after the bridge fight scene, may be.
# The lil amount of drag in the last quarter was noticeable, though it doesn't really affect the overall story & development. On that note, the script never ran outta contents and even for the last 4 episodes, it had sufficient elements left in order to treat the audience.
Final Remarks... "Military Prosecutor Doberman" is a beyond decent and fair one time watch, with a entertaining story, good direction, amazing performance and up to par outcomes. Despite the little flaws it bears, I would recommend people to give it a try and see to it, whether it suffices their tastes. Giving it a 8.0 because I think it's fair provided the limitations that I have mentioned above. Anyways, go ahead if you are into a bittersweet revenge game.
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felt like torture towards the end
honestly, if mame had to write anything without SA, she'd pop a blood vessel.I genuinely enjoyed the first half of this show. Noeul and Boss have great chemistry and it showed on screen. their stroy was alright. I don't mind a simple plot of people falling in love, but that being said, it didn't wow me either. their 18+ scenes were crazy though, never expected the things to happen the way they did. but these scenes sadly carried the show. if you were to take them out, I don't think the show would be as highly rated as it is right now (over 8).
except for cringy scenes and ambiguous consent, I don't really have too much of a quarrel with the first half. if it was just that, i would've given a solid 6 stars.
the show completely fell flat in the second half though. it felt as if they pumped 90% of the budget in the rain X phayu story and were left with 10$ and a dream for sky X prapai. the already bad sound design suddenly became worse as well as the acting.
the actors seem sweet irl, and I'm sure they gave it their all.. but even with bonus points for it being their first big role, it was simply painful to watch. emotional scenes were carried by fort, since he was able to get a tear or two out.
what bugged me the most was the sudden infantilisation of sky. Sky was sarcastic and snarky, but all of a sudden he acts like a baby in every scene. pouting, hands in front of his chest, super submissive and needy...
even if prapai "cracked" his "stone heart" that doesn't mean he has to change personalities.
that brings me to the second but also most important criticism. the ending perpetuates that love can suddenly heal your trauma. what a person with sexual trauma of this caliber needs isn't a rich, good looking hunk who borderline harasses them. it's therapy and a good social support system. there are 100 better ways to approach the topic of r*pe. idk why they keep letting mame write stories that use it as a plot device to have two good looking men make out on screen.
and with this, I'm out. I wish I had stopped after rain X phayus story wrapped up. I wouldn't be so upset now.
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I'll give some justice to to it!!!!
MUST READ to those who haven't watch it:
when I first visit the page Big I was hesitant to watched it due to the negative comments about ending and the story but then I decided to give it a try. After watching the 1st ep BOOOOOM!!! I was like UH OH! I'm glad I watched this drama!!! the name itself says it all, its BIG that you should not miss!!
let me give you 5 reasons:
1. Pure love story
2. the flow of the story is smooth and interesting, it has it's "own" potential to make the viewers keep track on it, it's like a whole puzzle that you must complete to see how it will end.
3. it will make you LAUGH!!!! (i guarantee it to you ;)
4. The sloooowmo- moments )
I'm gonna miss this magnificent drama soooooo much!! :(
When the clock strikes to 10:10 you'll definitely remember this drama!! curious? then gooo watch it now so you can relate :>
PS: I hope my review removes your hesitation in watching the BIGGEST drama!:> why don't you give it a TRY like what I did :)
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À la poubelle!
With all the honesty in the world: IDGAF how it ends. Whoever wrote this script, I hope they never do it again.The story is so weak that even the fact that the actors are cutie pies doesn't save it. It's a boat that should never have been put to sea.My frustration reached its peak after episode 7.
I can understand a weak communication in a relationship, but to be so, SO DUMB and insecure... I can't take it anymore. And this is coming from a super empathetic person who always tries to understand both sides. But Ba Woo is something else.
I really hope this guy ends single. He was a terrible friend to Ji Hoon and he'll be the same as a boyfriend. Having someone so insecure around doesn't lead to anything good.
I don't even want to mention the fact that WE got more flashbacks than anything else in the last few episodes. Are we a joke to you?
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Not Your Typical BL
My thoughts on this show are below:STORY: I truly feel like this is one of the most well written BL stories I have ever had the pleasure of watching. For most of my viewing, I felt that the writing style was purposeful, captivating, and effective. I felt like the story was well thought out overall and compared to most other BL’s I have seen… it didn’t have as many moments that left me confused when it came to the writing aspect. I will say though that I had to give the story portion a 7.5 objectively because as the series came closer to the end… there started to be some plot holes regarding certain characters and some minor hiccups in terms of when you compare how certain characters and situations were in the beginning to how they were closer to the end. Some of the story aspects felt just a little disjointed in the last few episodes if I am being completely honest. Also, the finale left something to be desired as well. Even though I may say that… I still think that overall the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to this show. I loved that the story also revolved around serious topics such as politics and social issues. It isn’t your typical BL story at all. I could understand why more serious topics for a BL might turn some people off, but I feel like you would be missing out on a good story if you decided to skip this one.
ACTING/CAST: I MUST shoutout the king Gun Atthaphan for playing two roles with such grace. He got the nuisances of Black and White’s characters down perfectly. You could tell the distinct differences in the characters very well. It must be hard playing two roles, but Gun always impresses me with his acting. He knocks it out of the park every time. When it comes to Off Jumpol, I was equally impressed. His acting just keeps improving from project to project. I am proud of him!!! As for the rest of the cast, I believe that they all brought their A game for this show. A standout character for me was Mond Tanutchai who played Gram. I loved his fiery and determined yet balanced personality. On the surface, he may seem tough and assertive but underneath he had a heart of gold and I love characters like that. I also loved that this show explored morally grey characters even more because it really got the viewer to debate on the ethics of the characters actions to a greater degree. The female characters actually had substance to them as well which I loved. Usually, female characters in BL shows are reduced to being nuisances to the main characters... so it was refreshing to see strong women who had their passions. There was not anyone that made me question there acting abilities. There was no cringiness or awkwardness. It was honestly like I was watching multiple award-winning actors on screen. Oh, and one more thing that I wanted to point out was that I LOVED the characterization of each person in this series. You didn't get one-note characters. You got people with depth and meaning. I also loved seeing the backstories of characters. When a character is fleshed out like how these characters were, I feel it really takes the show to the next level. THEY ALL DID WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE!!!
MUSIC: THE MUSIC IN THIS SHOW IS SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!!! This is one of those shows that had me looking up the music being played on Spotify so I could add it to my library. Music is very important to me so when a production does it right… I am elated!!! Not Me’s soundtrack really added to the mood and tone of the scenes taking place. Sometimes the music can either make or break a scene and the music turned Not Me from a good show into a great one. Here’s a link to music that appeared in Not Me: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0wln5IkDmnp5fGCf0LWws8?si=48f09b1643224ac7
REWATCH VALUE: I think this show is one that you can rewatch over and over and not get bored because there are many details that you can pick up on through repeated viewing. I was already rewatching episodes over again as it was airing right after they came out, so I think that tells you all that you need to know lmao.
PRODUCTION/CINEMATOGRAPHY: WOW the production on the is show is TOP NOTCH!!! I haven’t seen many BL’s that look this crisp and clean. Everything from the camera angles, to the shots used, to the use of minimal makeup, to the clothing choices, to the locations, to the coloring of the scenes, to the voiceovers. I literally could go on and on. You can tell that a lot of detail was put into the pre and postproduction of Not Me and it shows heavily. It honestly looked like I was watching a high budget movie and to be honest, it looked better than some high budget movies I have seen. The production crew and cinematographer deserve ALL of the awards in the world for their work on this show.
In conclusion, Not Me is one of the BEST shows I have seen lately and I hope it continues to receive all of the love in the world because it’s well deserved!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
"A perfect spring day! Enjoy it while it lasts because you don’t know what’s coming.”
It's a quote by Marty Rubin in my titleSnowdrops are the first flowers that bloom in the spring. It is a sign of the end of long and cold winter. This white and delicate bell-shaped flower symbolizes purity and hope. The title itself us a glipmse of the content of the drama and that itself is compelling enough to convince you to watch the drama. I originally watched this for Jisoo and to find the meaning of the title. I had doubts as well as great expectations for this drama and I can assure you that it vanquished all by doubts and overcame all my expectations.
Snowdrop is adapted from the handwritten notes of a man who escaped from a prison camp in North Korea. This is director and screenwriter of this drama are Jo Hyun Taek and Yoo Hyun Mi respectively, who also worked together in the drama SKY Castle. Due to the drama accussed of being set against the backdrop of the 1987 Democracy Movement in South Korea or the June Struggle, which is an important historical event for the South Korea as it led to the establishment of democracy is South Korea, and it bringing the people of Agency for National Security Planning (ANSP) to good light, it faced many controversy before and after release. JTBC released their first official statement on the controversy on March 26 that read, "The drama is not distorting the pro-democracy movement nor is it glorifying the Agency for National Security Planning. It is a black comedy drama satirizing the political situation between the two Koreas under the authoritarian government in the 1980s. Also, it is a romance drama showing young people who sacrifice their love." On March 30, JTBC released a second statement regarding the controversy that read, "Snowdrop is set around the 1987 presidential election, and not a drama that deals with the pro-democracy movement". Also, the Blue House did not intend to interfere in its production adducing the protection of freedom of expression in South Korea's Broadcasting Law, which guarantees broadcasters' independence and prohibits extrajudicial regulation or interference.
To simply put the plotline, Eun Young-ro is a freshman in Hosoo Women's University in Seoul and Lin Soo-ho (Jung Hae-in), a North Korean spy sent on a mission to South Korea. They first meet during a group blind date and Young-ro falls for him at first sight. After this incident, they kept running into eachother, which led to Young-ro hiding and taking care of him in her dorm despite the strict rules and dangerous situation, whithout knowing he was a North Korean spy, when he jumped into the dorm injured while being chased by ANSP agents. She also helped him to escape from the dorm without suspecion. The period when Young-ro took care of Soo-ho was the time when he started to have feeling for her. Again, while being chased while accomplishing the mission, he enters a shrine, without knowing that it led to the dromitory. This inadvertantly led to him keeping the students hostages, to escape. From here, the pair's story begins to unfold against a political disruption.
There are other main characters other than Young-ro and Soo-ho in this drama. Jang Seung Jo plays Lee Kang-Moo, a NSA agent who dosen't obey orders from his superiors. He has a fiancée Jang Ha-Na played by Jung Eugene, whom he left for some reason and joined NSA. She too later joined NSA to find him. Yoo In Na plays Dr. Kang Cheong-Ya, a National Medical Center surgeon. She is also Nam Tae-Il's, Secretary General of the Democratic Aemin Party, mistress. Yoo Se Ah plays Pi Seung Hee, the strict yet caring housemother of the Hosoo dormitory. Kin Hae Yoon plays Kye Boon Ok, the telephone attendent of the dorm, who was at first friendly to Young-ro. All these characters have an important part to play in this drama. There are many supporting characters too who are indispensable for the progress of the story.
Snowdrop well succeeded in deceiving the audience at first. Most of the charactres in this drama have secret or hidden identities and a back story to tell us, which changes our perspective of the drama and the character. All these makes the character and the story rich and intriguing.
Although most of the drama is made in one set, the dorm, it is really interesting to watch. The mood of the drama changes episode by episode. In the first episode, it felt like Snowdrop was going to be a light and fluffy rom-com but, the whole mood changed as the episode ended. This drama is an emotional roller-coaster which takes us through each and every emotion possible to be felt by a human. The drama became serious and dangerous as the story went on. This drama is a slow-burn romance drama with political and melodramatic elements. Also, unlike someother dramas, the story started intersting and it didn't cease being interesting. You can't guess that they are going to show next. I was hooked from the very star till the very end of the drama.
And when we come to acting, I don't know what to say. As I said before, I came to watch this drama because of the cast. As I recently wandered into the k-dramaland, among the actors of this drama, I was only familiar with Blackpink's Jisoo and Yoo In-na from Goblin. Some of the actors like Jung Hae In and Kin Hye Yoon are the ones I have only heard of and always wanted to watch their shows. So, I took this opportunity to satisfy all my wants and wishes.
I have heard that Jung Hae In expresses his feeling through this eyes and smile. Through this drama, I realised that it is ultimately true! His eyes spoke so much emotions that I could have watch his eyes alone to understand the whole moods of the drama. The character of Lim Soo-ho needed aura of mystery and secretiveness but really caring and warm personality. Jung Hae In had it and gave his all too make his character perfect. I have become his fan through this drama and he is now my favourite k-drama actor!
I came to watch Snowdrop, mainly to watch Jisoo's acting. I wasn't really ecpecting anyting but, the usually average idol acting. But, I was really astonished and stunned watching her performance. At first, I didn't even believe my own eyes! I really can't believe that it's her first time acting in main role. She just nailed her character perfectly. Throughout the drama, she had to act many emotional scenes and she acted like a professional veteran actress who have done many projects!
Do I have to say about the other actors? They were all amazing. Yoo In-na as usual and nailed her characted perfectly which her acting skills and charms. As I had said before, she was the only actress whose acting I was familiar with. So, I don't know how the other actors are usually. But, in this drama, they were flawless. I wasn't disappointed with anyone's acting. Everyone were perfect for their roles.
Jung Hae In ang Jisoo's chemistry is beyond words. It is one of the most convincing and heartbreaking chemistry I have ever seen. Although, there were some inadvertant misunderstanding between them, their love was deep, pure and passionate.
The makeup and costumes in this drama have a key role in setting the mood and vibes of the audience regarding the story. Costumes and makeup give the audience perception of the character wearing it and the time period the story is set in. Depending upon the role, the costumes and makeup may reveal truths or hide secrets. The makeup and costumes of the actors were really nice. It made them look like the people from the 80s. The cinematography of this drama too is ideal.
The drama have many nice OSTs in both Korean and English that takes us to the 1980s ambience. Some of them are:
"If You're with Me" by Sung Si-kyung
"Friend" by Kim Hee-won
"Looks Like a Real Thing" (Korean and English version available) by JeHwi
"Wishes" by Jamie Miller
"Memories More than Love" by Kevin Oh
Among these amazing OSTs, Friend and Memories More than Love are my personal favourites.
A quote from Harry Potter goes, "It is choices that shows us who we truly are far more than our abilities". This drama too is about the choises that the characters take. Though Soo-ho was forced to make many choices which were against his will, he choose what is right in the end. He was a righteous person from the very beginning but, his obligations to his nation made him desperate. There are many other characters in this drama who was like Soo-ho, on whom choices were imposed, making them hopeless. They too changed and stood with what is right.
This drama shows the political dispute between Noth and South Korea. It's hard to explain their relationship. I was really confused about the political part of the drama at first too. As this was my first historical political-fiction drama, everything seemed too difficult for me to digest. But, it got better.
I know that I truly and unquestionably like a drama if the skip botton lies idle throughout the drama. Such a drama was Snowdrop for me. Throught the course of 12 episodes, there wasn't a dull or boring moment for me.
"Your future is whatever you make it" - this is a quote I liked form Snowdrop. Altough the person saying it didn't say it in a good sense (I won't say who said it. It will be a spoiler), what the person said is undoubtebly true. This reflect the Harry Potter quote I said before.
"Of course, love is more important than ideology or principles. Whether you are man or women this is the truth of lofe"- this is another quote I loved.
I won't say anything about the ending. I don't wish to spoil anything for the future watchers who are reading this review.
Overall, this is one of the best dramas I have seen in my life. Of course, this is not perfect, it had its own flaws. Well, nothing is perfect in this universe. But, this dosen't keep me from giving this drama a perfect 10. It has all elements a drama should have to make it enjoyable and emotionally engaged. This drama is amazing through and through. I will certainly recommend this to anybody who is in need of a well-written, amazingly directed drama with amazing actors and chemistry.
Note: Let me know in case of any mistakes or faults.
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A Serenade of Love and Delicious Foods
In a landscape where dramas are often dominated by convoluted plots and intense conflicts, Love Me, Love My Voice（很想很想你） stands out as a breath of fresh air.Love Me, Love My Voice narrates the story of Mo Qingcheng and Gu Sheng, who encounter each other online accidentally and gradually get to know and fell in love with each other. The beauty of the drama lies in its simplicity. The drama refrains from bombarding the audience with exaggerated conflicts or confusing plotlines, opting instead for a narrative that revolves around the genuine connection between two individuals and delicious foods!!
What sets this drama apart is its realism - the drama narrative focuses on the gradual deepening of the relationship and connection between the main leads: love, career and family. There is no antagonist in the drama, instead the characters has a normal life, celebrate each other's successes, and navigate the complexities of their lives with a sense of unity and togetherness that is both heartening and rare in the drama realm.
The side characters in the drama are also all very lovely! The interactions between the main character and side characters are also woven together beautifully, each individual character arcs into the broader tapestry of the story, allowing each side character to contribute uniquely to the overall narrative. Not to forget, the drama also showcases a lot of delicious food and cooking. The inclusion of delicious food and cooking scenes adds a sensory delight to the storytelling, viewers are treated to a visual feast of mouthwatering dishes! (you definitely cannot watch in an empty stomach!)
Tan Jianci and Zhou Ye is the perfect choice for Mo Qingcheng and Gu Sheng. They have a great rapport and they look gorgeous and fitting together and deliver many squeal-worthy moments. They manages to portray a couple deeply in love through their micro expressions. Although some might complain that the romance is a slow-burn, but it is justified, as it is just the beginning of their relationship, they are still getting to know each other.
The cinematography of Love Me, Love My Voice also deserves special mention. The visual aesthetics are both vibrant and soothing, mirroring the overall tone of the drama. The scenic shots of the bustling city juxtaposed with the serene moments between the main leads create a visually pleasing experience that complements the narrative beautifully. In addition, Love Me, Love My Voice also has a very exquisite and beautiful outfit. Gu Sheng’s outfit are 新中式穿搭, a modern-chinese traditional style. The outfits are not only beautiful, but it also accentuates Gu Sheng’s love towards the Chinese culture.
Another notable mention the OSTs. The drama has an array of OSTs that complements the narrative perfectly. Each OSTs are carefully created with heartfelt lyrics and also thoughtfully placed, to enhance the mood of every scene! The OSTs resonate with the themes of love, passion, and more, creating an immersive experience that transcends the screen and lingers in the hearts of the viewers. Not to mention, Tan Jianci’s voice are so soothing and fitting to every song he sings.
Overall, Love Me Love My Voice delivers a heartwarming and soothing narrative, offering audiences a respite from the typical dramatic rollercoaster genre. A must watch if you love a simple but heartwarming drama!!
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This review may contain spoilers
Well...That Was... At Least They Are FortPeat--- hihi?
Am I the only one who wanted to put a potato sack over that assistant girls head for all that overreacting in the earlier episodes? Yeah, no? okaii.And listen to this: Tongrak is so traumatized with his mother falling in love with a gigolo that he doesn’t even believe in love, so of course, his solution is to… *check notes** get himself a live-in gigolo. Child! Like?
Also, what the hell was up with Rak's sperm donor? No really, Rak's dad is a rubbish person. Mfer walked into the scene looking like he collects coupons and went: 'I want you to break up with my son because I want to be a good father to him.' HUH??? His whole motivation for being a bum went like this.
RAK’S BUM ASS DAD: Yes, I’m a sucky father and husband. But I want to make it up to my son and be there for him. So even though you make him happy, I want you to break up with him, so he can be miserable.
ME: Ah, so, we taking nonsense orders now. Alright. *drives to a church* Pastor, I’ll have the beef burger with cement, please.
RAK’S BUM ASS DAD: You make no sense.
ME: No you make no sense you bum ass sperm donor.
Quick Review:
Listen, this drama was a dumpster fire. It didn’t even know what it wanted to be. It want from being a sugar baby au, tags: (#islandlife #authorswriting #shortsrealshort #showerseks #crazydads #mentionedgigolos) to annoying cousins revenge plotline, to wanna be gangster dads, to bracelet selling island dwellers, literally pick a struggle. And the sad truth is, after all that, the story-line still felt flat to me. Though, except for wondering what will became of the gl couples, there wasn't any loose ends, cuz the writers had Rak's mother become the ex-machina. Not only did she take care of the dad problem, but also the cousin, all off-screen, and suddenly everything was rainbows.
Half the cast were so one dimensional. The cousin(literally what did she want? her whole thing was to remind us Rak's mom likes gigolos, okay, and?), the bum arse dad who showed up only to be a bum arse, and the actress friend who apparently likes whinny overreacting girls. The only characters I felt carried and kept my attention was that little girl, Meena (great actor, played her role really well), and Mahasamut. Fort have improved in his acting since LITA. Of course Peat to some degree as well, though a few cringy scenes. Hopefully they’d will improve even more in their next drama.
And were we supposed to feel sorry for Rak in the finale? cuz my arse was just annoyed. Literally, when they got together I was like, yaay?... sure, happy ending. Cuz, after everything Mut did, he still didn't want to commit to a serious relationship? Sure he had problems to work through, but after everything, even being the one to mend you and your mother's relationship, he still didn't want to admit his feelings, acting like a spoiled kid. His behaviour in the finale made me wanna throw tiny rocks at him. He did eventually realize his feelings, but at that point I’d already checked out, so instead of being sad and crying when they got together, I checked how much time was left.
That being said, Rak's fashion sense was cool, his short shorts were on point, and I love how he saw Mut and went, 'I went it, I get it. You like my island boy toy, geez thanks, just got him.' But his constant 'I don't love you' act annoyed the hell out of me.
Up until Mahasamut beat up Rak's bum arse dad, I was half/half on his character, liked him cuz he had no shame, and he was honest. After the beat-up he became my fav character. Imo, him mostly, and the chemistry he had with Rak was the saving grace of this sinking ship. Still can't believe he got that tattoo and ruined his beautiful neck, child, if you wanna forget someone get a hobby, don't ruin your skin.
Also the two female side couples went nowhere, and did we need to know the actress friend spoke french? It was so random, and a waste of screen time, cuz it had no follow up whatsoever. And that assistant girl. Do people really find whinny people adorable and cute? Because like, every time she showed up, I wanted to put a bag over her head, which is unfortunate, cuz the actress was so beautiful, but the role she was given to act was just unfortunate.
And I'm still not sure what that cousin girl who threw water in her own face wanted? Whenever she was on screen talking about whatever I was like, okay sure, whoever you are. What the hell did she want from Rak and why was she so angry her auntie likes gigolos? Did I miss the explanation?
Anyway, I remember all of us being in shock in that unholy shower episode, and counting wrappers, the tl was fun that day. Although there wasn't much going on here, and things felt flat to me, if you are a FortPeat fan, you'll sure enjoy this drama a lot, cuz their chemistry is still very great. So I'll recommend it. If not for anything, watch for the chemistry and Rak's fashion.
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Would You Write Me a Better Script?
Oh, Jung Somin, the sh-t that I have to go through because of you.It's not bad, but not good either. Like, you literally have to turn off your brain to enjoy this. The writing is nonsense, the plot is ridiculous and irritating a lot of times. Especially the last episode.
Also, I'm so done with this "main characters have to know each other from the past" trope. It's so boring, honestly. The show wouldn't be any different without that.
The two main lead and some other side characters carried the show, but that's all. The adult baby and his family should've been removed from the show after the 6th episode.
My advice: Unless you really love Jung Somin or any of the actors, don't watch this if you can't turn off your critical brain. I don't know why so many Kdrama fans love to forgive or just ignore bad writing, but I'm not one of them.
I gave it a 6/10, because overall it's a lighthearted fun nonsense, but you won't miss much if you skip it.
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