Dances with Wolves
Originally known as Hunter, this drama was re-titled to The Wolf Hunter which is consistent with its original Chinese name, 猎狼者. It is neither focused on the animal nor about hunting it. The “wolf” here (狼 or ‘lang’) is a metaphorical representation of poachers, and the term is used frequently throughout the drama.I’m just going to say this right off the bat. To me, The Wolf Hunter is one of the year’s best C-dramas. In terms of the production values and design, screenplay, cast, action choreography, cinematography, and the absolutely stunning vistas of the breathtaking untamed Xinjiang wilderness and natural landscapes where principal photography took place. There are countless beautifully framed shots and scenes littered throughout that watching this drama for the scenery alone is quite worth it.
Having said all that, the drama is not without its flaws. There have been reports that the drama was scaled down from 12 to 8 episodes, purportedly to cut out the more violent and gory scenes. Whatever the reasons may be, certain editing issues and scene transitions that affect the continuity of the story development are clearly noticeable. The drama unfortunately also lacks a compelling original music composition as part of its soundtrack to match the grandeur of the visuals. Last but not least, I wanted to catch more glimpses of the furry wildlife that the rangers are protecting but, to no avail. Sadly, all I got were horses and sheep.
Notwithstanding the gorgeous visuals, this drama may not appeal to everyone because of the inherently dark nature of the story.
The drama is set in China’s Northwestern frontiers of Xinjiang where regions of vast deserts and mountains can be found. The narrative is based on the struggles faced by local law enforcement (the police and auxiliary force of rangers) in protecting the abundant wildlife in the surrounding nature reserves from unscrupulous poachers whose illegal fur trading activities have been running rampant for years with little regard for the law.
The plot centres on the titular character, Wei Jiang, as he overcomes the burden of guilt from his past (along with PTSD) to wreak vengeance upon the very same group of poachers who had brutally murdered his partner 5 years prior to the events of the present day. It is a simple story which is conveyed in a no-nonsense, raw, gritty and visceral manner that explores themes of retribution, redemption, family, and friendship. The tone is sombre with atmospherics that at times feel dismal and dark. The depiction of violence is balanced with the presence of psychological suspense. Some elements of slice-of-life are also added into the storytelling.
As a psychological thriller, the drama succeeds in delivering palpable tension and suspense. There are many such moments that are akin to a Mexican standoff where you just don’t know what is going to happen next. The action sequences are quite expertly executed as well, with scenes of gun battles, car and horse chases, close range melee in both the great outdoors and enclosed spaces. The dialogue, delivered as a live recording instead of the usual overdubbing, is compelling and realistic.
Kudos to the production crew for not only providing authentic gear and equipment, but also for achieving the right look that convinces me the actors really do belong in the actual setting. Everyone looks weathered and rugged, with the right amount of facial hair and sunburn to match their equally ragged outfits.
In terms of the acting, I thought that the main cast are exceptional and fit perfectly into their respective roles. Qin Hao needs no introduction as the consummate mastery of his craft clearly shows in his portrayal as the lead, Wei Jiang. I’m quite impressed with Yin Fang who plays the second lead, policeman Qin Chuan. He is relatively new in dramas but rather prolific in films where I’ve last seen him in Operation Red Sea. There are a number of familiar faces in the supporting cast which I found rather amusing. Notable mentions include Sui Yong Liang (Young Blood), Zhao Wei (Tribes & Empire), Yin Zhu Sheng (TRoP, Ever Night) and Qu Gao Wei (NIF2, Tribes & Empires). These experienced actors certainly raised the quality levels of the production. I won’t elaborate further on who plays which character so as not to spoil the intrigue but suffice to say, everyone has done commendable work as far as the acting is concerned.
On the whole, The Wolf Hunter is a compelling drama that’s comparable to Western productions and it gives me vibes of The Revenant, True Detective and Fargo. With only 8 episodes at an hour’s length each, the storytelling is compact and tight while the portrayal is utterly convincing. This is one of the few C-dramas that contain absolutely no useless fillers, illogical plot holes or unrealistic characters (and cast, for that matter). This drama is absolutely recommended viewing.
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This review may contain spoilers
Not what I expected, but I loved it
I went into this show knowing nothing about it other than having seen some promo photos of the two leads. It's been a while since I've watched a female-centric drama, and overall they're not usually my thing, but I love the heck out of this one.Both actresses are adorable, well written and well developed. The storyline has a few interesting twists, but nothing really stays unresolved for too long. My absolute favourite thing about the whole show is Detective Jiang, who clearly knows what's going on, but can't prove it. And the women know that he knows, and just continue to wind him up. It makes for a really fun almost!friendship between them and him. I hated Zhou Heng with all of my heart, but I'm pretty sure I was supposed to.
From what I've read, there was originally a simple happy ending for the two leads, but this got changed when a season two was agreed. The second half of the last episode is clearly a set-up for season two - if you want to just accept the happy ever after, stop after the first half of that episode.
I don't hate the ending at all - in fact I'm really intrigued by it, and am anticipating a lot of good things from season two (if it ever happens).
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I laughed, I raged, I fell inlove, I cried, and bawled some more
From start to finish, there was no boring moment. This is the first Cdrama I watched in 2023 that I didn't speed through. I went through their journey all the way to end, that's why I was so invested on every character. They gave me so much joy and respect.Their ending was tragic, and I myself am devastated, yet it was something I am able to accept. They gave their all for loyalty. Not to the throne, but to the people they love and wish to protect.
I will not change my perfect score because of the last 6 episodes...because the last 6 episodes were one of the greatest performances of the entire series. It was action-filled and gut-wrenching. I could hear my heart shattering into gazillion smithereens by first strike starting at Ep.35. By fifth strike with Yuanzhou gege, my whole body is numb, tears frozen.
The last 6 episodes were a show of acting prowess from everyone, excellent cinematography, perfectly choreographed war scene, and amazing directing. I would like to thank everyone from the cast to the production team who made this awesome show.
My thoughts about the cast...
Ruyi was the first who captivated me. She is beautiful, scheming, and ruthless, a woman who knows exactly what she wants. You can see her change her perspective on some things as the show progresses. She will come to understand and realize that her initial goals might not be what she truly wants.
Ning Yuan Zhou, oh, that scene at his residence when he stabbed that thoughtless guy and his face covered in blood...for some reason (which is disturbing...a bit?) it looked hot! (Maybe I need some help). But anyway, moving forward, NYZ is a character who is warmhearted to the people close to him and ruthless to everyone else. In a way, he is very similar to Ruyi, the difference is, he actually has people he considers his own, while Ruyi is truly a lone wolf. Thank you Liu Yuning for bringing Ning Yuanzhou to life and giving it soul. Your Ning Yuanzhou will forever be in my heart. A character I truly admire and respect.
Yang Ying was a character you'll probably think is a bit annoying at first because of her naive thoughts, yet she will be the one person who you will come to love at the end. Yang Ying has one of the best character developments I've seen in dramaland. From an innocent and naive princess to embracing everything Ruyi and Ning Yuanzhou taught her. He Lan Dou is such an exceptional young actress. I look forward to her future roles.
Yu Shi San, the person who can make everyone laugh however dire the situation is, a man who seems to be always unserious, but you know you can count on him on crucial moments. I love all his comedic antics.
Yuan Lu is their maknae, the little brother they all want to protect...in the end, it was him who protected them...sob...sob...
Qian Zhao, a man of very little words. He had his own reason for joining the delegation, a deeply hidden revenge plan...yet he gave his life protecting the man he vowed to kill. I bawled at this scene...
Sun Lang, the seemingly clueless brother. He is not much seen as the others, but together with the team, he is also not overshadowed.
My two cents on LTG, such a character wasted.. Maybe they should have cast a better actor, or better gave the character more depth.
With the exception of that one character, everyone is perfect for their roles.
I will probably rewatch this after sometime...or just a compilation of the sweet moments between RY and NYZ,
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There were times I wanted to gouge out my eyes!
Positives:Kim Jung Hyun as Kokdu: I love him as an actor. He's got a somewhat rugged look about him. He's not a "pretty boy", and he's very expressive. He's an actor that is able to do broad comedy with flair and believability and then cut your heart out in his serious scenes, with tears running down his cheeks. It gets me every time.
Cha Chung Hwa as Gak Shin: She's a very interesting actress. She has the ability to look totally different, based on the part she is playing. She can appear older sometimes, younger at others. Her character was funny, quirky, and I loved how she took Gye Jeol under her wing, walking the line between here and the afterlife.
Kim In Kwon as Ok Shin: This might sound strange, but I love his face, it's big and round with lots of surface area for the great expressions he conveys. Ok Shin was a good character, and I really enjoyed his story line with Gak Shin.
Cinematography and locales: Beautiful! The church was lovely, Kokdu's house was awesome, and the lighthouse area was just beautiful. I loved the color palette they used for filming and the soft filtering they did with the camera work.
There was a happy ending, which kept me from throwing something at my tv after wasting my time watching this.
That's pretty much it. Now, on the other side of the coin, the negatives for me were:
Im Soo Hyang: I don't care for her AT ALL. Personally, I don't think she could act her way out of a paper bag. She has a totally flat affect, and her eyes are always open really wide like she's wandering around in a constant state of surprise. I've seen her in other things and haven't cared for her. Remember, just my opinion, but I had to fast forward through a lot of it, especially her, because it was so bad. Add her bad acting to the awful character she was portraying, and it was a train wreck. She was supposedly a doctor, but every time anyone had a medical emergency, she did absolutely nothing. I didn't buy her as a doctor for that reason, as well as the fact that she was whiny, immature, clingy and spent most of the drama sobbing. Was that so it looked like she was displaying some emotion? I don't know, but her character was awful, from beginning to end.
The storylines: Too many! There was so much going on. They could have cut back on the multiplicity of story lines and given us some more depth of character. I fast forwarded, a lot, and I still felt like it would never be over.
Chemistry: The brother and his girlfriend - The brother was so cute, and I enjoyed his story line, and I liked the wedding, but not much chemistry between him and his girlfriend. But you will never go amiss with a man that can cook. Which brings me to the ML and FL - I wasn't feeling ANY chemistry between these two. The kisses were not the typical open-eyed, arms at the sides kisses, which I appreciated, but I just didn't buy them as a couple. Wait, I could buy them as a friend couple, but not as a romantic couple.
So, I would say that I you have a lot of patience/tolerance and are wondering if you should watch this, you could give it a try. These opinions are just mine, but there is no way I would recommend that anyone watch this.
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The cast are amazing at representing a lot of elements from the original webtoon like bullying and inequality in the world. This drama brings a fresh take on the already popular webtoon, Lookism. While the drama eliminates many characters from the webtoon in also brings in many new ones whilst keeping the fundamental characters to play their roles.
The plot is enticing and there are enough cliffhangers to leave you hanging by a thread at the end of every episode. It is quite evident that a lot of thoughts was put into the compatibility of the original story-line and how to translate that to mainstream media. It definitely holds enough re-watch potential that I find myself watching previous episodes waiting for the release of the next set of episodes. Also, not to mention, the soundtrack is quite fire and really catchy for a Chinese drama.
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But if you're watching this for the story, the development of the characters, and for the medical story itself, you would be fine watching this.
Some may find this drama boring, maybe I am just used to watching Japanese drama that I am certainly not really expecting too many romantic moments, plus this is a supposedly slice-of-life / medical drama, so I can say I enjoy it as much...
I like Kimura's character here as Dr. Okita. He went from an ordinary doctor of Danjo Hospital, and went abroad to further his skills and went back for a mission to operate the director of Danjo. I like how he always look so relax for a doctor.
One of my favorites characters is Dr. Igawa, he is so bubbly and adorable. The way sometimes he deals with situations like he is totally clueless or can't read the atmosphere, but when a situation needs to be more serious or requires a sensitive moment especially when calling out for Okita's behavior, he gives him a scolding.
I used to work in a hospital, but not on the Medical Department, but somehow watching this drama makes me want to be one. I can't guarantee accuracy of the terms and medical procedures here, but it feels great and amazes me watching it.
Also I love how the friendship of Okita & Masao showed in the end. They may have some rivalry in the romance side, but their friendship and the way they cared for Mifuyu prevailed in the end.
The only thing I wished for this drama is that I hope there more episodes, or at least a side-story for the other characters.
For rewatch value, I might pick it up again sometime.
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This review may contain spoilers
IF YOU DON'T LIKE SH!TTY CHARACTERS... THEN BACK OFF. THIS IS NOT FOR YOU!!!
STORY: i have to admit... i assume this is more of a pll ripoff story (sarreh, im a pll fan) but definitely exceeded my expectations for a thriller/mystery genre series but still bringing the same vibes (there's murder, betrayal, s3x and definitely secrets) but created in the most maturest way and the most havoc way for the characters to ride on. many fans mentioned that they changed a few parts of the story from the novel to the series version (sarreh again, im not thai and haven't read the novel ☹️ so i cannot judge the changes), but ntl, this is still good regardless of the changes occurred.ACTING/CASTS: might make this short for all characters to be mentioned.
Prae/Pantiwa: kinda iffy? i knew she wants to defend her friends but still, she did it in a wrong way. so her role is a goody-two-shoes here. as for Pearwah, good job reprising Prae to the point of making me hate you cuz of Prae.
Meen/Meena: might pity her, she doesn't deserve too much suffering even during her highschool days but still, she isn't the kindest of them all. a 50/50 for her. for Jan, hoping gmmtv give her big roles like this, she deserves it and she slays in here.
Wanwan/Tidawan: the most psychopathic and selfish of them all but still a loving sister, so that part is a green flag. but overall about her, she's the most disliking character here. Pat did really excel among the rest, her acting is somehow superb yet convincing (disclaimer: not stating that the rest weren't good but pointing that she shines on her own without outwitting the rest) so great for her, hoping she get projects like this, inside or outside gmmtv.
May/Maytacha: definitely has the most realistic realizations and happened to be my sudden fav character among the rest. i like her pov the most for realism from this in-denial and sometimes a head-turner and biased to more understanding person she can be. Fah slays here and her clothes really suits her appearance so its an added points why she was a perfect choice for the character (i can imagine Namtan excelling as May also but Fah is the perfect standard of Maytacha Kantisena and i thank you...period).
Saras/Sarasawadee: probably has the shocking pov, especially i happened to like her the most before due to sudden change of personality for Term but not anymore. she may be the kindest in the friends' cycle but definitely one of the most unlikeable characters here for identity theft and frustrated murder. so kinda iffy as well like Prae, they had good characteristics but dislikeable flaws. good job for Aye, she definitely slays here as well, might be one of her best series so far.
Pal/Palana: the most mischievous yet intriguing character of all. her character is somewhat pitiful yet doubtful to help for being manipulative to get her wants. overall, she is a 50/50 also for me. wishing for Jamie to have more big roles like this.
Pitch: definitely hate him eversince, he's not sincere and such a sadist, i didn't wonder that much about his role since Lee even mentioned before that his role will be the fiasco maker. yeah, as much as i love Lee, this is definitely one the roles i hate him the most. job well done for an effective hidden antagonist.
Non/Chanon: like May, has the most realistic realization throughout the series yet still being a d!ckhead as he is. from this hard-headed to humble is a green flag for me. wishing also for Pluem to earn bigger roles, he deserves to be a leading actor.
Term/Tapanon: the only light in their world full of darkness, definitely the most green flag of them all, his mistake is to fall for Saras without even knowing her in the first place, good thing he has the guts to know the truth about the latter's deceitfulness. good thing Mond reprised Lieutenant Term, a big role for him like he deserves. hoping for more bigger roles for him, its been years since he had his last lead role and i think he deserves more for this future projects.
Khun/Khunphol & Pu/Pureenut (gonna judge them the same time, they have the same judgement for me): i doubted their identity at first for being secretive but later revealed their true intentions: they were kind-hearted for helping Meen and those secrets were hidden to avoid bad publicity especially for Pu. for their bl part, i admit they're kinda beefy for this but ntl, the chemistry is somehow surprising since i never though it would spark that much. for Guy, i hope for more projects for him and hoping for a lead role, like Mond, its been years since he had his lead role so gmmtv better give him one, the same as Papang, he deserves a bigger role and be a leading actor soon.
Win/Tanawin: when will you ever gonna woke up for your coma? that is my question for you. but tbh, his role is kinda sad for being a fool out of love, to the point of giving up on life. like Meen, he didn't the sufferings he is experiencing. his role is not that big but let's still appreciate Pawin for reprising Win, i guess it is hard to portray a role who's under coma but he make the viewers convinced for portraying that kind of role. may he get a lead role once again, maybe a bigger role than this.
Wee/Korawee: i still hold a grudge against him, i never feel remorse for him. a sexual predator, manipulator and i guess a pedophile(?) don't deserve death that way, he is still filled with hatred on his heart but i guess its karma who give him a taste of his own medicine so i guess he still deserves to die? probably the character shouldn't be tolerated is this guy (worse than Wanwan and Saras tbh). overall, Nat astounds yet given the fact that this is his 1st gmmtv project, hope he work with gmmtv once again in his future projects, seems like they giving him an intriguing role.
Chanutda, Tarinee and Saras's grandma: hate them, they were cold-hearted and full of hatred for their son/daughters/grandchild and hoping for a positive changes at the end (Chanutda for acceptance beneficial for herself. Tarinee for accepting her fate, whether good or bad. and Saras's grandma for life choices and visions). gonna give a round of applause for the ones who reprised them.
NOTE: the guest casts did great job for spicing the story even further, they still excel here afterall.
MUSIC: the musical scoring is great especially in the ep. 11 4/4 (timelapse: 0:59), the ominous sound, the melancholic, the suspense, etc. were great, wish to have the copy of those so i can enjoy doing some edits trololol-. the ending song sung by Aye suits the series especially the lyrics but the thing all the viewers of this want is the "in Your Eyes" song and hoping it might get released after the finale of the series so we can enjoy listening to the whole version of the song afterwards.
REWATCH VALUE: a 10/10, might watch this again after finale. this series questions on how friendship are glued and how much you trust people.
OVERALL: this is a great series overall, there are some loopholes but only minor part and aren't really necessary to be told too much (like most casts' family identity specifically Meen, May, Saras, Pal, Pu and Term's). if you're planning to watch this, you should definitely bring your theories and assumptions in every twists. might miss this ☹️
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Before I start I’d like to say that I have always wanted to watch this drama ever since I heard all rave about it since I first started watching Asian dramas. Only, at that time I couldn’t find a way to watch it because back then Internet wasn’t as accessible as now and Asian dramas (especially J dramas) aren’t easily found streaming or even subbed. However, since I’ve decided to practice my Korean language through watching J dramas my first target would be those dramas which I’ve always longed to binge watch but couldn’t. Lucky for me a very good quality of this drama is available with Korean subs (and after long search I found Eng subs as well). The only reason I would be crazy enough to go for a medical, dialogue-rich drama such as White Tower in Korean subs is simply because I really wanted to watch it. “White Tower" was broadcasted in Japan in 2003, and in 2004, it won Japan TV Drama Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director, and Casting Award. Because of its solid background, so I had a lot of expectations before even starting it and it has exceeded them.
The 'White Tower' is not a show of humanity, love, romance, etc., which is seen as a background for most of the medical dramas out there. White Tower is the desire of the humans to want to go higher. It shows humans constantly calculating in their minds and how they construct their behaviors in order to accomplish what they want. To put it simply it's not a medical drama, it's a story of various colors of humans. White grand tower: A white university general hospital, expressing its power and political color in its interior. Hence, is not a medical drama but a political drama.
Story:
Human desire for power and honor, battlefield of ambition surrounding the medical field. Based on the very popular Yamazaki Toyoko's novel "White Tower" this drama is a political story of doctors in a closed, bureaucratic university hospital. Yamazaki’s novel draws on the Osaka University School of Medicine as a model to draw attention to medical malpractices, the feudal system of medicine, and the struggle for power by doctors and so does the drama. For the sake of power, there is a dramatic struggle in the hospital centering on, Zaizen Goro, who seeks to hold all the power in his hand, and Satomi Shuji, who is seriously walking the doctor's path and is firmly idealistic in everything. The White Tower centers on the heroes who are on a constant path of choice, forcing extreme choices out of them. The main characters face conflict in the goal of the choice but they do not hesitate. The voice of a person who chooses power and honor sounds the same as his claim to keep his integrity and conscience. So the story goes around the hospital corridor like a tight knot that is never resolved. In the power struggle over the medical world, good and evil are only echoes for each other. The hospital is also a majestic tower in white clothing, but at the same time it is a dreary pit hidden behind a dark shade.
One of the good things about watching White Tower is the power of the story that comes from the power of human relationships. One evidential scene is when Zaizen Goro tells his father in-law “the problem isn’t the skill or talents it’s human relationships!!” And his father in-law laughs and says, “Of course it’s not the skills, if skills were enough the world would not be a battlefield would it?. It would be much easier world to live in if that was the case but it’s not” (You’d have to forgive me if that is not as accurate as it should be because this is what I understood from the scene which is interpreted through Korean subtitles).
The Great White Tower is divided into two, half of which is a cross-section of the organizational society in which various political patriots are involved in the election of the chief of the surgery, and the other half is the doctor, the hospital and the patient's legal confrontation surrounding the medical accident. There are various doctors in the white tower. A doctor who is ambition-seeking, a humanist doctor, and a researcher. So what is a doctor? What does a doctor do? The easiest way to understand a doctor is to concentrate on what "doctors do". In The Great White Tower however, the story is searching and revealing out characteristics of real doctors in our society and dealing with their dreams and ambitions. To put it in simple words this drama is basically aimed at presenting the theme of "what is a doctor" through the confrontation between Zaizen Goro and Satomi Shuji.
It is also a good insight on how the hierarchy system works in the medical world in Japan, for instance the professor becomes a professor through assistant professors. The professor holds only one person in his / her department, and takes over all the power of the position until he retires.
Acting and Characters (This is a long section because there are just too many characters worth mentioning but I tried to minimize the list with 4 only):
Karasawa Toshiaki as Zaizen Goro is a genius that specializes in esophageal surgery and is the best in esophageal surgery. Has a desire for success and a strong ambition, he chases after his honor and reputation rather than his patients. The performances of Karasawa Toshiaki made it possible for me to know what he was thinking and what is he going to do without having to read the subtitles. He gave out such a GRAND performance how else could someone even love Zaizen’s ruthless arrogance if it wasn’t for Toshiaki’s realistic admirable performance, which does leave you vulnerable and can’t help but root for him. I will never forget Zaizen’a humming song and the way he moves his hands picturing the surgery in his head making his hands dance along as he operates inside his mind, something very profound that I’ve never seen before.
Eguchi Yosuke as Satomi Shuji has no ambition and no greed as a doctor, and therefore has little relationship with his career. He is a person who only cares about patients without being interested in becoming a professor. I read that there was some criticism thrown at Satomi’s character that he was a non-flexible idealist, and someone like him does not exist in the world, but I personally think that such a person might exist in the world. He is a person who can carry out his thoughts without leaving them to be compromised by external pressure. In other words he is the 'hope' that you may think it does not exist but at least it should not be forgotten. Not many people will understand Satomi, but you cannot help but appreciate him. I really liked Eguchi Yosuke’s portrayal of Satomi, it is quite impossible to separate the actor from the character now.
Ishizaka Koji as Azuma Teizo a person who cannot abandon his status as a member of a doctor 's family and is caught up in authority rituals. He is ahead of his retirement, and he gets caught up in jealousy and inferiority towards Zaizen Goro. Ishizaka Koji’s performance was solid I could feel Azuma’s anxiously and fear so easily due to his spectacular performance.
Hitomi Kuroki as Keiko Hanamori her relationship with Zaizen Goro is noteworthy, it can’t be seen as a simple affair. Keiko dropped out of medical school and ran luxury bar. She is the only one Zaizen opens up to and she is kind of supportive alley to him in this battlefield. The bar she operates is ran by the people in the hospital, so sometimes it comes in handy for Zaizen Goro. I love her witty brutal honest responses and discussions with Zaizan. I loved loved LOVED Hitomi Kuroki’s Keiko her facial expressions, her voice and her laughs everything was just so delicious and witty and fun to watch!! She was such a wonderful spark to the show.
I personally loved the relationship between Zaizen Goro and Satomi and all their electrifying and unforgettable scenes filled with conflicted dialogues, which were, breathtaking and deliciously witty. They are friends since college but they are very different. Their relationship is founded on acknowledging and respecting each other while establishing an angle of confrontation. It is interesting to have a relationship between two people who have different values but seek the same goal, which is saving patients and changing the system. In some ways, Zaizen tries to make changes from above, and Satomi tries to make a change from the bottom up. In the end, both of them wanted the development of the hospital and the development of medical care. However, their methods were different.
Overall
The drama was thought to be serious and heavy, but to my surprise it was lighter than expected. It was a heavy and difficult topic to deal with, but the drama did not lose itself in the midst of the heavy content. As I was watching this drama my thoughts were shivering and possibly this is the most time they were provoked. It is really a thought-provoking drama that will hold on to you and never leaves you until you are done watching the whole thing. I could not take my eyes of the drama. Something is meaningful and profound from the title of white tower. A tower that is built to earn honor in a society through a university hospital but instead was destroyed and ruined by the absence of ethics and conscious. One of the best dramas, which will always remain memorable to me, definitely worth every praise and award. I could not possibly explain with mere words how much the ending touched me so deeply, I will only say that it’s rightfully one of the poetic thought stimulating ending I have ever seen and has managed to make me shed some tears. I don’t know if I will ever be able to let down my guard and watch the K version.
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The multiple story lines are a clever approach
This drama was very enjoyable. The acting of the entire cast, I think, was brilliant. This is a must watch.What I found particularly clever is that there were multiple story lines even though the entire theme was around the Li family. I have read that some people were disappointed that their favorite male actors did not have a large amount of screen time through the entire drama. I wasn't disappointed, moreover it made sense given the story lines. Bravo!!
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This review may contain spoilers
What’s that drama?This Chinese drama about soul-swapping was a hit romantic-comedy, but it also featured the worst plot twist of 2017.
da da da, da da da da da, da da da da DA, dadadadada…
What is “King Is Not Easy.” CORRECT!
Jeopardy question aside, I’ll break down this review into cast and plot, with a few comments on production, music, and re-watch value at the end.
Cast: Being a soul-swapping drama means that Bai Lu and Zhang Yi Jie had to be good at playing each other’s characters and their opposite genders, and in my opinion they were. They were hilarious, and the majority of their acting seemed very genuine *applause*. All the characters, including our leads, did well. The plot is very silly, and the cast did a good job not taking their characters too seriously.
Plot: As the plot is bipolar, so must my review be. To avoid spoilers I will simply refer to the two plot arcs as “Arc A” and “Arc B.” Arc A was everything you expected it to be; the story was funny, sweet, and entertaining. It’s 20 minutes of guaranteed lighthearted fun—Arc B not so much. Arc B was highly confusing and disappointing. Presumably the arc was meant to add depth to the show, but is was not needed and very poorly done.
Production-The dubbing (the ADR) was very irritating at first, but I got used to it.
Music-Theme song was annoying, but the ending theme was pretty. The rest of the music was unmemorable.
Re-watch value-It is such a short show that I would re-watch it, but I would stop before I got to Arc B.
Overall, I enjoyed this show, it fulfilled its purpose by making me smile and laugh a lot. 7.5 stars.
P.S. At the end of each episode are short skits. Don't miss out—watch them!
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Misleading title: should be CSI in ancient china
This drama started out as a rom-com but ended up being more of a procedural drama. As a procedural drama, think CSI set in ancient China, it had great pacing and interesting subplots that connect to the bigger plot.What I didn’t like was that the title of the drama and the promos are misleading as I was expecting to see more of the romance between the leads than the crime solving part. Here’s the breakdown of the drama:
90% solving crime/main plot
5% trying to save lead girl
5% romance.
The 2nd lead prince had more romantic scenes than the main lead but you are still lead to believe that the girl likes the male lead.
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like itttttt!!
At first, I thought it was going to be boring, just about fighting and how to deal with bullies, because this genre isn't really my type. Yet, in this show, I even enjoyed the fighting scenes-they were really good and exciting. I loved all the characters, even the villain; they just made me love the show even more.What l liked most was the main character's personality. Besides that, I can relate to him in terms of grades, and I admire how he never gave up.
He's always the one to motivate the group and rescue them. Plus, he's so cute, especially his little smile-llove it so much! I truly enjoyed the show and loved every character in the study group, as well as their acting. (The villain has my heart!)
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What makes it special is the grandmother who is mute I understand that this woman was not an actress & was chosen specifically to play this role. All I can say is she did an amazing job.
The bulk of the film is set in the rural community showing the ups and downs between the Grandmother & Grandson, slowly he comes to realise how much she cares for him & he also starts to care for her. Its a slow paced, gentle and poignant film that will leave you with a lump in your throat. I really enjoyed it & recommend it to everyone.
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Explosive ... Hot ...
Holy Smoke this series was really awesome!!The ML was super HOT OMG, the scenes he played gosh needed to keep the fan going (LOL)!!!! he is so damn hot and interesting - kind of a cold and arrogant one that he has possessive towards the FL, he had the whole domineering assertiveness right down to the tee. both lead characters were so smart and the FL is not the typical naïve dumb dependent The FL had there fair share of misunderstandings but it gets cleared up real fast. ML is particularly good with his jealous looks. This drama made me a fan out of Tsao Yu Ning (Where have you been all this time?).
Story line was really good, left you wanting more and a bit suspenseful trying to figure who the real boss was.
the music could have been a bit better, but its not all that bad.
and also the length of this series was perfect, it not drag on, and everything flowed through and came together really nicely!!
if anything just watching this series for the shirtless ML was definitely worth it!!
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama is a very good drama, I loved how the main heroine went back in time to make a name for herself. Sense, back in her time nobody was interesting in her cooking. Besides, the romance she was able to accomplish her cooking skill and be next to her man that she fell in love with. The things that I didn't like was that the story did drag in the middle because of some of the unnecessary fighting or misunderstandings which of course I skipped. But the story was good in the end and they both got their happy ending.I would definitely recommend watching, if you have time sense it is a long drama.
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