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I had my reservations before beginning this show, since I'm no fan of religiously oriented stories. Should you hesistate for the same reason, rest assured that, aside from the beautiful temple that plays as a setting and a few sutras read in the background, the monk hero is less religious than me - if possible.
In fact, here's one of those rare examples in rom-coms where the leads have physical desires. That a monk has to take more icy showers than your average CEO to suppress his wordly lust is an entertaining concept. Not to mention that, if you're a fan of Yamapi you may find this habit of his very pleasing.
As I said, there's a lot to laugh about while watching. Indeed, I'd say this is a rom-COM, where the comedic aspect wins over the romance. The romantic aspect, on the other hand, is seesawing, and I found myself laughing at the couple, hating the couple, loving the couple, re-hating it and re-loving it. There are in all respect more couples to enjoy here, even though I personally loved the side characters as a whole, not paired, if that makes any sense.
Don't expect some deep characterization because, in perfect from-manga-to-live-action style, the stress is on the characters' present actions, rather than how they came to this point. Hints, however, are given now and again, and I personally found those touching and well played out.
Out of the lot, I found the best acting performance to be that of Satomi Ishihara, solid, elegant and believable. A pity her character undergoes a few unwatchable tests that made me cringe on my womanly seat, but that's the plot and the actress won the challenge whether she had to be spunky or sad.
Yamashita's character requires him to be hilariously robotic, something he does very well, since he manages to convey quite a lot through his eyes. I appreciate this trait of him and loved it here. This monk can stretch your patience to its limits, but it turns out he's truly endearing and I'm very happy at his decision by the end - and I'm not referring to the very end.
Music? Nothing to talk about.
I think I'll rewatch this one day, either because I'm a rewatcher by nature or simply because it managed to draw me out of a slump with some welcomed laugh and a deserved (?) Yamapi fix.
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This movie is perfect with just the light and bitter-sweet music and perfect, so perfect acting, the colors it has, the beautiful yellow and deep blue, the calm air it has around...the words are distracting...
If you think you are going to watch a story how a girl made a human out of a boy raised/born as a wolf, you are so far away from what you are going to see in this movie. This is a story about people, how some people look like monsters and are the most humane beings you could find, this is a story about people that look nice, but the worst monsters you could have the misfortune to meet... this is a story about choice and responsibility we bear for every person we meet in our life, how our smallest action can influence their life, how their action - could influence yours, how careful you should be with the words you use, as you never know what it will mean for the person before you...
I am really fighting for words with my brain to explain in what a mess I am right now, this movie just blew the air out of me, and I am really fighting to bring a string of cohesive thought back into my head (that is full of guitars, alphabet letters, yellow fields and blue forests, books and sweaters, shoe-laces and pencils, and finally JoongKi's eyes, oh, those eyes...)
In the beginning I mentioned about the words in the movie, well, believe it or not, JoongKi says only 10 words in the movie (and you'll be sane enough to hear only 1 of them, as then you'll still be holding on, but when the other 9 will be said, you'll be... as I was... weeping into you blanket/pillow, not to wake your parents...)
This movie was one of the most beautifully shot movies I have ever seen, so much calmness and so many colors...
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Writing for this series remained consistent and strong throughout, even maintaining good pace. Characters rarely failed to behave in an intelligent manner. The much-lauded, flooring twists are just as crazy as you've heard (and better yet, even supported by prior evidence in the story). What is most impressive to me though, is that the script remains faithful to itself and the spirit of the genre. We are shown a seedy, pessimistic world which is…well, cruel. Potential viewer expectation aside, this kind of darkness is what we were promised from the first and delivered at the last.
Nearly every lead was dynamic, from Shi Hyun and Hyung Min to Jin Sook and Safari. Even the hardcore villains had strokes of complexity which made most more than mustache-twirling monsters. These grounding factors may not cease our hatred of them, but at least add some level of understanding. Yoon Soo Min likely is the weakest link of the main cast, her arc included; she needed a bit more weight to contend on equal footing with the other plot lines. The completion of her journey manages to be satisfying nonetheless.
Jung Kyung Ho shines brilliantly as both star and main draw of Cruel City. Decadent charisma pours from him in droves, lending his Doctor’s Son an impossibly fierce magnetism. The most compelling action sequences belonged to Kyung Ho also; I quickly fell in love with his sharp knife skills and cat-like elegance. It's important to note he filmed the final episodes with a nasty back injury; his epic performance is not only a product of talent, but dedication and hard work. This drama was also very kind to Lee Jae Yoon, whose slowly developing Hyung Min I gradually gained affection for. He portrays the team leader as smart, sympathetic, and steady -- with a shot of menace to prevent him being a boring goody-two-shoes. Honorable mentions go to Kim Yoo Mi and Yoon Hyun Min; their respective characters Jin Sook and Hyun Soo are over the top cool and attractive. To say I became deeply invested in the fate of both of them is an understatement.
“Love is dead,” according to one of Cruel City’s most recognizable themes: Kim Young Jin’s “Wound.” My love for the music will never die, though. It is stirring and atmospheric, always well-utilized in show. Even instrumental tracks are memorable, though the rare vocal was always delicious. Many fans here at MDL went crazy trying to find out their artists and song titles before the soundtrack was released.
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MUST WATCH
The best drama during October that I watched.The storyline keeps the audience from getting bored, and makes them curious to watch the next episode. Emotions that fluctuate, do not make this drama seem excessive, instead it makes the story more interesting. The actors are very good at playing the characters in this drama. Makes us feel the emotions of each character as if we really are in their position as characters in this drama. Even the music supports all the scenes at every moment in this drama.
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Don't watch this if you cannot accept human and robot relationships
This is the drama that made me look forward to Mondays. I would rush home from work every night just to watch the live stream in raw, even though I didn’t understand Korean. A lot of people gave this drama negative comments and a low score because they couldn't accept the FL and a robot falling in love. Well, hate to burst your bubble but, this has always meant to be an interspecies romance and they never masked that fact or tricked you into believing it wasn't. If someone thinks this kind of thing is not okay, then the drama is simply not for them. It doesn't mean there is a problem with the quality of the drama itself.The Message
The title “Are You Human Too?” is a mockery to humans that have lost their good in humanity. A pure robot, Nam Shin III, that always thinks for others first is meant to draw a contrast to bring out the dark side of human nature, and have us reflect on what it means to be human. When I first heard about this premise, I was worried whether they would be able to deliver this message well. But this drama never failed to meet my expectations. At first glance, it may be unfair to compare a perfect robot to flawed humans, but the morale of the story is not to conclude that robots are better, it’s that humans, although flawed, should strive to become better and sometimes to humbly learn from a robot who has outgrown its owner in kindness and justice. In the story we can see characters who have been blinded by their dark sides and have forgotten about humanity. This humanity, hopefully, will be restored through Nam Shin III, who teaches these people an important life lesson about being selfless.
The Plot
This is a sci-fi drama, but it’s not the type that keeps you at the edge of your seat from the very first episode. Rather, it focuses on character relationships and how each affects the other. That being said, there are more than enough mind-blowing plot twists and shocking cliffhangers to keep us engaged. The ending of each episode had my mouth gaping in awe, as I wait another one more week to watch its resolution. Unfortunately, the plot became a bit draggy in the middle half, and there were certain episodes where nothing much happened. There was definitely some potential that they could have explored about AI and the sci-fi genre, but they didn't. The drama was still largely entertaining and the first of its kind, so there's that.
The Characters
First, I would like to give a thumbs up to Seo Kang Joon’s stellar performance acting as a robot and a human being. This is his first time starring dual roles, one of them being non-human, but he was able to differentiate the personalities really well. You could tell which was which just by looking at their subtle facial expressions.
In this drama, the villains, or more accurately the “flawed humans”, are the ones that drive the plot. Despite being a pain in the neck, these characters are inevitably 3-dimensional, each having their own backstory and motives that drive their actions. You may wish for their downfall in one moment, and pity them in another. All in all, they are realistic characters that you would understand where they are coming from no matter if you agree with them or not. It goes to show that humans have both bright and dark sides, and villains can also be victims at the same time.
The Chemistry
I really appreciate how beautiful the OTP’s relationship is. Despite not having a lot of screen time or skinship together, they have great on-screen chemistry and their bonding is amazing. Their relationship taught me about what it means to love someone, and that love isn’t a feeling or emotion, it’s a value that you live for. Nam Shin III can comprehend emotions but he can never feel them, but it doesn’t stop him from experiencing love and becoming truly like a human through breaking the boundaries of robotics.
The OST
I have most of the songs on replay, and every time a song was released I’d download it within 3 hours and listen to it. All the songs were good and fit the scenes very well. One of the songs worth noting is The Longing Dance, which really enhances the cinematic atmosphere of the drama.
This drama is recommended to people who like deep messages about humanity, love, 3-dimensional villains and a cute puppybot companion. If you don’t mind interspecies romance between a robot and a human, definitely give it a try!
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This review may contain spoilers
Y'all about to be real mad, but it must be said
This review will be long so grab some tea if you will because tea's about to be spilled here.Heads up first: I did a mini post on this drama before it aired about what I was expecting so if you want to check that out just click on my profile then go to feed.
Disclaimer: Everything said here is my own PERSONAL OPINION. This review is not meant to hurt anyone. I have also not read the novel so I have no prior context to the drama.
P.S If you just want a summary of the drama just skip down to the Rewatch value section.
Plot/Story: 3.0
The plot of this drama could've been so much better if the scriptwriter actually focused on the plot and not so much on the talking/conversations that's so repetitive over and over again. Most of this drama is just people having conversations. In short, it's a speech driven drama, too much talking and not enough action. It would've been a bit more interesting if the solutions to the problems were a bit more complex. Also, everything was just really obvious. There's barely any mystery which makes the story so bland. The drama pace is slow and the tone throughout the whole drama is just shallow as in there's not enough dynamics. The characters developments could've been done so much better too. Also, too many unnecessary deaths, why introduce new characters when they going to die within 5 episodes?
Acting/Cast: 7.5
Y'all about to be real mad but it must be said: Yukee Chen does not give the presence of a main lead. That being said her acting was okay as CXZ. To be honest I wasn't really expecting much from Yukee Chen because a lot of her roles seem to be type casted to me. Not to be rude, but I hope she takes a break and take time to explore more roles. When I was watching the drama I felt that CXZ could've have a different facial expression or something during some scenes which just goes to show that Yukee could've explore more with her character. For example, a lot of the time when she's having conversation (not with the SGT personally) she either has a blank space out look or her eyebrows are crunch. She's supposed to go from naive to a strong female lead but how come I don't see that? Barely anything changed about her. Honestly, I was shocked when SGT died and she tried to revenge SGT by trying to kill Yuwen Muyuan. Like girl....what happened to the mature think before acting girl you were? Maybe I can't blame her acting too much because of the way the script is written but I would give her acting a 5.5/10.
Leo Luo is really good at this role too bad the other actors are good too so I can't say that he carried this drama (*inserts* crying face emoji). Honestly, everything I watch his drama he brings something new to the plate. I like his way of flirting, it's the scholar type of flirting and not the hooligan type (although it would've been interesting). I wished they would've add scenes of him flirting with other girls so that his role as a flirty playboy is more believable because it's really not believable seeing how barely any girl approaches him besides FZ. I know that he's supposed to have a bad reputation and whatever but his role is literally flirty playboy who makes women fall for him. Even if he has a (fake) history with FZ he should still be an attractive flirty playboy. The scriptwriters made SGT so weak which I really dislike. His brains are also meh. Can't deny Leo Luo has a pretty smile and can really act heartbroken. SGT has more chemistry with his father and Leo's acting proves it. He has more chemistry with SGX than CXZ. That is the tea. When he was conversing with his father before the execution and they cried and yelled at each other. That was my favorite scene. So much emotions there. His acting: 9/10.
I think the rest of the cast did really well in executing their roles.
Yuwen MuYuan, his acting is good, but not much facial expressions for his role. I'm disappointed because he has so many scenes but his character is not written off as an expressive person so he's basically almost the same in every scene. I expected more, but came to be disappointed. But I do see more of his acting when he's acting with other people in the scene or with himself or others when CXZ is not in the scene. His acting 7/10.
FZ wasn't that annoying to me and I understand her point of view. She was naive and loved too much, but she redeemed herself by knowing what's right and wrong later. She's not evil either. Y'all get mad at FZ for being naive but only annoyed when CXZ's naive doesn't seem right. At least she tries to fix her problems by acting instead of avoiding and not communicating. The actress that plays FZ graduated from Shanghai Theatre Academy no wonder her acting is good. I hope to see more from her. Her acting 7.5/10.
TBH I really liked QM's character because he's open. He knows what he wants and his rights and wrongs. I think he really did this role justice. His character is a bit of a coward tho. Overall not bad from the actor. 8.5/10.
All the dads acting are good, but CXZ's father maybe a bit overacted. SGT's father definitely delivered more to the plate tho. Acting: 8.3/10.
Lord Lu, he legit gave me Ning Yi's vibe sometimes from Rise of Phoenixes. His eyes looks cunning whenever he has a plan. He doesn't overact when his character is angry which I think it good, but I think him at the end was a bit dramatic in front of SGZ grave (but I guess it's because he's still angry at what happened to SGZ). His acting: 7.5/10
I can go through every character but I'll stop here.
Music/BGM: 6.0
The BGM for the first 24 episodes were so bad. The first 10 was the worst. Random music was just being played here and there. This rating would've been higher if it isn't because of the BGM at the beginning of the drama series. I LOVE the OSTs. I hate that in CDramas the music is released as the drama airs, so the reason why some of the songs weren't used in the beginning episodes is because the songs are not released yet and used in the drama. Ratings would've been higher if not for the bad BGM.
Rewatch Value:2/10
What I meant by rewatch is I'll just watch what's on the MV of the OSTs. I could watch the first 3 episodes and the last three episodes without the episodes in-between and still know what's going on. There's nothing that makes this drama stand out/unique/important messages enough for me to rewatch. The costumes and setting are good along with the hairstyles. The props does look a bit fake like some of the peach or whatever flower trees and the weapons. The fighting scenes are good but nothing too impressive. I wished the characters timing for a certain outfit was more thought-out. I like that they reused outfits, but please don't do that when the characters are at different stages of life because it confuses me. For example, you're telling me that CXZ still fits in the outfit that was made for her 17 year old self and she still wears it/fits her after 2 years? They shouldn't have changed her outfits so frequently then. Maybe it's only me that's bothered by it. Also the ending wasn't rushed but the last few minutes of the last episode was rushed. Their wedding was basically 5 minutes long, and to be honest they're not even officially married because they didn't do it the proper way and the drama just decides to end there. Um...okay then.
If I were to sum up the drama in long story short it would go like this:
He saves her.
They talk.
He saves her again.
She searches for him because he's a man that pops here and there and everywhere.
They flirt again.
He helps her with her problems.
They separate.
She almost died from an assassination attempt/ falls off a cliff.
Surprise, she's not dead.
He searches for her.
he saves her again.
They flirt.
She confesses.
He's insecure and conflicted about his life and feelings so he rejects her.
She heartbroken and they leave each other for a year.
Met again and starts flirting again.
This time he wants a relationship with her cuz he's finally over with his conflicted emotions/self.
They confess and starts their relationship.
Second FL comes in and drops a bomb that she and he slept together.
Main girl misunderstands even when main lead said it was not the truth.
She doesn't believe him when he believed everything to her. Oof.
They don't make up for a long time.
When they do, he dies the next second, but SIKE this is a CDrama and people never dies falling off a cliff (that is if they MLs tho).
He comes back with a different identity, but uh...he legit still looks the same and even carries the most obvious thing that identifies him. His fan, smh.
She founds out its him and got him to reveal himself after she tries to jump off the same cliff he fell off. Note: That's not healthy and never attempt suicide.
Now it's her time to die.
He tries to save her.
Blah Blah Blah
Surprise, she's not dying.
They join hands together.
They get marry, but not actually married because they didn't do the proper wedding tradition which is the bows at the proper time (which I always assume is noon sharp).
The end.
I went on for too long, but I hope this review helped you. If you read to this far, you must have a lot of patience. Thanks for reading my review.
Overall: 4.5/10
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1Favorite cdrama in years
I've been watching chinese dramas for YEARS (probably over a decade), and this is the only cdrama I've watched on repeat ever. The characters are well written, the romance is believable, and there's also an endgame/political setup that is emotional and worth cheering for. The female lead's setup is already intriguing, since it involves a female lead that has to (re)navigate her life decisions in a a thought-provoking way, and generally a male lead that is supportive of her throughout this navigating of the court intrigue/personal relationships. For me, the elements that make a truly wonderful and rewatchable drama are as follows:1) Strong female lead - the female lead has to be written in a way that I want to cheer for her. There are a lot of characters out there, but the female lead has a strong drive/ambition and has a reason for wanting to accomplish her mission that to me reads as noble and worthwhile, while also being spunky and fun (and I absolutely love Bai Lu's acting, she is perfectly cast for this role). It's just super fun to watch a female character acting in her own agency and trying to navigate life
2) Excellent chemistry between both (all?) leads - really good believable chemistry always gets me. enough said here, their scenes speak for themselves :) this also links to that I want both leads to be believable in their chemistry. Good acting to me is where I forget they're an actor, but truly believe they are the character they're portraying, which is definitely done by both here!
3) Good pacing & political intrigue - love me some plotting for the dramatic tension in the storyline, and I think dramas really shine when both leads have a brain and work together, and get to know each other over a shared interest/smarts rather than just a love at first sight. the dramatic tension of first life vs. fixing things in second life also drives the plot and kept me on the hook; when I watch a drama, having it be interesting and an easy watch is v important
4) good quality costuming & scenery - I hate when other historical dramas look cheap or over the top, but I've aesthetically loved the costuming here :) one of the things I appreciate is seeing Chinese-style costuming and scenery, love that aspect of cultural exchange.
The whole support cast is excellent too, hope all the cast members get lots of awards for this show!!
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An ELECTRICFYING THRILLER WITH STUNNING STYLISH ACTION ! SOLID and GRIPPING ! Need Season 2
Season 2 confirmed - Guns Gadgets Gangs Bombs Foes Alliance !!" A Shop for Killers" is a stylish new wave action kdrama about the survival of his nephew "Jian," who was targeted by suspicious killers after her uncle's death " Jin Man " .
This was a really excellent action thriller with amazing fight choreography, suspense, and action sequences. Each episode that is DARK, violent, psychotic, and wants to kill everyone, survival. The cast gives outstanding performances, and the plot is gripping and interesting overall. Each actor gives excellent performances as their respective characters.
LET'S SEE WHAT MADE THIS DRAMA IS AN UNIQUE ACTION DRAMA STANDOUT MODERN CLASSIC ACTION THRILLER --- 9.5/10
Modern style explosive action sequences :-
Unlike other classic K Action dramas using feasts in high-voltage action, I'm sure this drama standout as a modern classic action drama with complete new Action sequence adaptation like Modern age guns, Drones, Robots, and other modern fire arms. Kdramas are well known for best filming locations that we explore new places in S Korea through the kdramas freely, but in this drama the most important point out aspect is " Singular location story telling " this makes A Shop for Killers as an unique action thriller in classic K Actions.
Director completely adopted modern machine attacking style ( drone bombs, automatic machine guns carried by drones and ' DRONE GUN TACTICAL ' realistically advanced and exaggerated cinematic scene featuring bombs, drones, and a highly skilled Sniper attacks on Jin-man's home that whole scene is really terrific, warehouse underground technology. Close combat action scenes just wow !!
SUSPENSE DEVELOPMENT/BUILD-UP :-
the first four episodes focus on introducing the viewers to the characters, setting up bonding between uncle Jin-man and Ji-an, and establishing the relationships between other supporting characters and Ji An. This drama takes its time with its delivery of story progression, so it allows us to get to know Ji An's life with her uncle, her childhood and build the mystery surrounding Jin Man.
SINGULAR LOCATION STORY TELLING :-
It is rare to see simply because being in a singular location is not exactly a cinematic experience (to some watchers) and it can be extremely challenging to tell an entertaining story from primarily one place. But, when it is done right, and a director nails the blocking, and shot design, and there is a compelling narrative, it can create some of the best cinematic experience out there, so just trust the director work here before dropping the drama. Also for me this is the first time I'm watching a singular location story telling in K drama ( watched in movies ), For me the director and cinematographer succeeded in this aspect providing a gripping story telling with quality camera work and good colour grinding.
WRITING & DIRECTION :-
Directing writing is error-free - Though it's an eight-episode drama, some characters aren't given enough screen time. Overall, however, the drama's creators did an impressive work of presenting it, keeping the action and suspense at the same level from start to finish. In Singular location story telling Cinematography plays a crucial part ' Quality work of Cinematography and Camera work shines in every scene. And the director writer's excellent effort Brightens in every episode, amazing story telling with flashback connects to present story, outstanding screenplay that helps to understand the story progression easier.
CHARACTERS/ACTORS :-
Lee Dong-wook as Uncle Jeong Jin Man who played perfectly as an elite mercenary and an uncle who hides secrets throughout the eight episodes. Unlike the soft and witty appearance he showed in his previous works, Lee Dong-wook gave freshness with a normal but mysterious and sometimes grim face.
After watching Kingdom, Connect, it's normal to anticipate same level of quality acting from Kim Hye-joon and she delivered exactly what I expected perfectly, outstanding performance. The relationship between uncle and niece was attractive, fun and emotional. She gave an excellent performance in both action-packed scenes and deeply emotional ones.
Seo Hyun Woo ( Flower of Evil ) heated screen with his dark role, this is my first to see him in dark roles, never expected from him, i think he's perfectly fit to dark roles, i want to see him again as a Antagonist.
Such cool acting. Park Ji Bin watched his previous Drama ' Blind ', he got same type of role here but well performance by him as Jung Min.
Geum Hae-na as So Min-hye is a top-tier assassin with stunning action sequences created a great impression on her character role, she impressed me more after Jin Man.
Jo Han Sun as Bale as psychopath mercenary, He got less screen time but whenever he appears on screen it's just a firing moment, especially his eyes are really scary.
Child actor Ahn Se Bin impressed me more, she perfectly captured micro emotions of her character and same perfectly conveyed them.
FINALLY :-
As an action fanatic, I relished each and every action scene, delivering the ultimate action dramatic experience. In addition to having an action plot, it also shows a strong emotional connection between every character, which captures our interest in drama.
I enjoyed 8 eps, the plot not only focuses on the Ji-An survival and on her uncle Shop as primary story ( black market selling weapons and arms) but also drama runs with revenge plot in secondary story.
The eight episodes were masterfully directed, providing a compelling story. The plot and how it develops are what matter most, considering all the thrilling and suspenseful aspects of A Shop for Killers make you the best dramatic experience.
Just go watch and enjoy the drama.
If you are looking for fast paced action thriller you will binge to watch this drama !!
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ENDING + SEASON 2 CHANCES
Where is Jinman vs Bale story ?
In the meantime, Jeong Jin-man's biggest enemy, Bale, has yet to make any moves to carry out his threat to murder Jeong Jin-man's relatives and friends.
Yes, there is no specific ending of Bale like Seong Jo. Now everyone's question is Where is Bale? What happened to Babylon ? He's the main guy for the whole consequences, but the drama ended without his ending, so they will cover these questions in season 2 ? although ending is just perfect for every character who died and who is alive.
It's also unclear what made Jin-Man to supposedly die and then reappear, where he's hiding till to end ? So many unsolved questions left in 8 eps. These all led to the possibility of a potential season 2 with big story like Babylon, Bale and new enemies, I hope makers will plan to bring after they left us in a middle of puzzlement.
(Personal review) - Shinnosuke_Lee
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WORTH THE WAIT ?
The series hit differently when you cast a seasoned actors.Hats off to Nonkul for the perfect representation of Jom.
The softness, gestures, mannerisms and such, just pefect!
The arrow went straight to everyone when he started asking “What did I do wrong?”.
The sobs and the tears are so natural. Not overly dramatic that it gets irritating.
So far, the expectations were met. Hope it maintains momentum.
Congratulations YYDS and Dee Hup for this wonderful series!
Another masterpiece!
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If you had to summarize the story of this show, it'd be pretty simple, could be done in a few lines. To have given a lifelong worth of depth to those few lines, to have brought alive the events in the life of the characters, to have made us feel what what the characters were going through with such beautiful narratives, the writers need to be commended. The plots could have easily gone awry in so many places, but EVERY plot, every character, every loose end - have all been taken care of with remarkable finesse. There are zero complaints or unsatisfied worms lingering in my head, none.
Where do I begin with the actors? Where? I've been blown away, drowned, burned, buried, shocked - you name it - by every actor in this wonderful show. Ji Sung left me begging for more of him, even when he was present in 90% of the scenes, I just wanted more. "I wish that the time would stop, and that I could be with you forever", that's all that I felt every time he appeared. This guy can ACT, and he did a bloody brilliant job in this show. To have portrayed 7 personalities, is commendable. To have played 7 personalities with such absolute perfection, is downright worth worshiping him for. There wasn't a moment went he faltered in his performances, never a flaw, never a single crack in his portrayal. Be it the grumpy, violent, protective, dashing and charming Shin Se Gi; the middle-aged, goofy, bomb-making, beer-loving, accented Perry Park; the quite, calm, suicidal teen-genius Ahn Yo Sub; the foul-mouthed, oppa-crazy, troublemaker twin sister of Ahn Yo Sub, Ahn Yo Na; and the less frequently appearing 7-year old Nana, or Mysterious Mr. X; Ji Sung has lived and brought to life each of them. I didn't know it was even possible to be able to do such a thing! I had to literally pause the episodes and look at his face to believe in the changes. His eyes changed, how does one do that. Just with his expressions, his gaze, his very demeanor it was obvious as to which personality it was. He wasn't just Cha Do Hyun behaving like someone else, he WAS someone else. And it was one of the best performances by any actor that I've seen. My opinion of Ji Sung has reached the Sun.
The lead lady Hwng Jung Eum came as a surprise to me. I've ever seen her works before and I'm glad I began with this show. She handled every scene so well. She was goofy and loud and cute and serious and mature and terrified and depressed - and every emotion was conveyed very nicely. I'm looking forward to seeing her other works. Park Seo Joon was a delight to watch, that guy made me laugh and cry with equal flare. His character was simply brilliant, very heart touching. It would be unfair to the others if I focused on a few actors more than the other but these three deserved the mentions, the rest of the cast did a pretty great job as well. They're the ones who were able to make the script, story and direction work.
I don't know what I had in mind when I began the show, what it was that I had expected it would turn out to be, but whatever it was, it was nothing compared to what I actually got. The stories of each personality, their traits, the personality itself grows on you so much that it's hard to let them go. I found myself hoping for them to come out sometimes. I grew to love every facet, every broken piece of Cha Do Hyun. I was sobbing harder with every farewell. It felt as if you're losing a person rather than a personality. The story of each character in this show is going to be in my heart for a long, long time.
I'm really glad I picked up this show, it is one of the best I have seen. The level of brilliance is more than worth watching. I'm already looking forward to rewatching it in the near future. I don't think I've had enough of the characters yet.
The kind of show that Kill Me Heal Me is, you don't need any reasons to watch it, all you have to do it watch the first episode for a couple of minutes and you'll be irrevocably hooked, just as I was. It's everything you want in a drama of this genre. Everything and more. Don't miss out on this one, you'll be passing on a masterpiece.
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It's clever, thought-provoking, surprising and entertaining. It engrosses the viewer from the very beginning, accompanying one through a journey which is at the same time thrilling and disquieting.
The direction seems to have the quality of a dream in mind, what with the dark colours mixed with splashed of blood red, shiny yellow and electric blue. The acting follows the same pattern, constantly over the lines, like a classic theatrical piece, with exaggerated costumes and close-up shoots of frozen expressions.
Characterization is strong too. The main characters and the recurring secondary ones are vivid, clear cut, each one growing and yet remaining the same in substance.
Liar Game is a perfectly staged metaphor of life, with honesty vs. gain at the centre of it.
The music is perfectly chosen, building up when required by the scene, retiring to the background when more attention from the viewer is needed.
Rewatching is almost necessary, to pick up on elements overlooked on first viewing and to concentrate on the overall atmosphere and acting of the show.
Highly recommended.
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A Refreshing dive into 2023
HALF WAY REVIEW+ FINAL REVIEWYou're probably wondering if you should check
out this drama. My suggestion is a solid Yes 👌 And here are my reasons.
[Gonna be a midway review since I'm following This ongoing gem haha. I'm reviewing this so anyone hesitant about this drama will give it a go, Will drop a final review]
This drama seems pretty much underrated, Obviously for the reason of not having Top ranking cast. Only.
But from eps I've seen so far, it's absolutely more dept and solid than Most 2022 Cdrama out there. Trust me when I say, More Solid!
Plot.
Plot might seem like your usual high school blah blah blah, But oh, I was in for a little surprise. although not the most solid plot out there, but Oh dear, it was Something relatable lovely to view. A sweet highschool love story with a pinch of intriguing twist. curious? Check it out then🌝
Leads,
Of course they got that bubbly chemistry you see in most High school drama and that's what makes it Lovely to see two cuties cutely fall in love hehehe.
ML was basically a heartthrob to go for, His acting is surprisingly good for a first official drama from him! ( I think it's his first drama) He got the looks, refreshing and natural acting, and the pretty eyes and stare! what's there to not love.
FL? She gives off that normal highschool girl energy you always see. (Don't be fooled by synopsis tho. she's smart but not as described by synopsis lol) she's basically your normal highschool girl in Cdrama.
SL (Second lead) Ay, I had a soft spot for him Lol and still do. That's my undying support for Most SL lol. He was a pretty much loveable , playful character that gives you that bad student vibes. A perfect lover for a girl ( Omg I need him in a drama ASAP 😭) but overall his acting is AMAZING like ML and he's too good to be a rookie actor.
support roles are just okay. Doing their Jobs and supporting leads. And I love how the script doesn't make these support roles overshadow the leads storyline.. pretty decent writing I see here.
Acting, Hmm. the acting in this drama got me thinking.. Wait omg are these rookie and underrated cast I see? Because hell they embodied that Highschool role so well that I'm already in love.
But there are certain downside to this nice dramas I think would need some touching.
Classic Cliche?
lol, what's a Highschool drama without these cliches. And it's obviously found in this drama too. but what I appreciate here is the fact that MOST of these cliche were handled nicely. But doesn't mean all. Because some scenes will obviously get you cringing haha.
which brings me to my pleading! Cdrama please shorten or remove these cliche and cringe 😭 We've had enough😂
Music? Well music in this drama wasn't ok to me. It's cringe af tho. Maybe not my taste? Because I don't even remember any of it and oops, I skip the opening theme so. Not so good music choice
Overall
Like I Said, It's indeed a fresh dive into 2023 and a worthy refreshing, cute, bubby, funny, youthful drama you should check out while you're beginning your 2023, Because this drama is indeed a Underrated Gem That's amazing.
Not the best of it's genre but amazing.
so why are you still reading??😭 Go and click on ep1
FINALLY DONE AND HERE'S FINAL THOUGHT
🌺 A FRESH AND FLUFFY DIVE INTO 2023🌺
Finally finished this drama and have no words to expressed other than, Nostalgic, Cute, sweet, Lovely and did I forget to say NOSTALGIC AND CUTE!
The journey of watching group of friends go through their bubbly and harsh days in highschool while ending up in wedding gowns, chasing dreams and love. That's the feeling I got.
This drama wasn't all that exceptional and didn't have the most outstanding plot, with Twist and such.No, it was Just genuine and sincere.
What was really fluttering here is basically the casting. wow, The casting was one to dig for. And to make me believe they're rookies? Omg they're pretty much natural with their acting! Pulling off the Highschool to adult trope, I was impressed!
The plot, like I Said isn't something exceptional. but it was indeed a highschool to adult trope worth the watch
The leads were compatible and good, second lead guy..omg I think I had a heartache ahha. And the support characters were simply solid. I loved each characters stories which was presented to us..the break-up and makeup 2nd couple, was just heartwarming.
And Can we just take a minute to appreciate the buddy bromance we got unexpectedly?🤣 I loved how this drama somewhat proved that long gotten friendship is often superior than Love. [we lost our 3rd CP because I guess the guy picked friendship, his childhood buddy. Now that's something you don't see everyday! Amazing 🥺]
Overall, this is simply a refreshing watch worth your time. Although the synopsis is a little bit deceiving... because I think it wasn't properly generated. But anyways it was better than I expected.
Finished my 1st cdrama of 2023🌺 and it was indeed a cute Gem. I'll indeed miss this squad and their tale. One of my favorites of 2023 anyways.
Title: TIME AND HIM ARE JUST RIGHT 2023
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Low quality but fluffy
This story may seem like just another teen romance, Icicle knight in shining armour (School uniform) saves the bullied "damsel in distress". But it actually does have quite a bit more to offer and has s slightly different angle than the one we are used to seeing.Icicle ML seems to have spent 10 years completely lacking the ability to communicate when he now suddenly has to take it all at once and is therefore slightly obsessed, and oddly clingy... Hover he is very kind and we as viewers to ge too understand the reasoning behind it.
Weak ML is so weak it is almost made me wonder how he survived so far, he is however kind, forgiving and oddly enough the one character in this drama that is probably the most hard working self aware person in this drama,
The way they interact with each eother shows very clearly how people are different depending on the context they are in, and these two seem to bring out the best in each other, at least if you support clinging...
Non of them are the type to make you swoon but they do seem human , and seem to deal with their imperfections pretty well. Though I must add that the acting was far from perfect... it was still enjoyable and did not distract from the story.
The friendships in this drama are sweet and so are the parental relationships. There Drama has some tension ant there are definitely parts to make you nervous about their future parts that may raise your pulse and keep this from being too bland.
Deffenetly a decent watch, easy to bine and has lots of feel good fluff... soft clothing, soft filming, soft petals... soft cake... yep fluff all around...
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As for the plot, it basically is a Chinese version of The Count of Monti Cristo transposed in Chinese empire. However, the story felt grander than the original French novel, and more than just a revenge tale. It is a story that goes beyond life and death, but setting the truth free. We are introduced to Mei Chang Su, a sickly man and part of the pugilistic world. He has established the Jiangzuo Alliance, a very powerful alliance with eyes and ears basically everywhere. Such power has given Mr. Su the title of Divine Talent. Two princes that are fighting for the throne sought after such talent. He was welcomed to the capital, but he had his own agenda. The two princes have been set against each other by the emperor. However such an act has corrupted the royal court, making the whole empire lose its strength. Mr. Su wants to remove both princes as contenders to the throne and bring forth the seventh prince, who's unfavoured by the emperor and looked down upon in the court. Mr.Su does so by studying the whole situation, going after each of the corrupt officials and brings their misdeeds to light. This is his way of removing corruption, and rebuilding the empire's strength.
That set the story forth as things start changing since the appearance of the mysterious Mei Chang Su. Soon enough, people start realizing that things are moving, and interest starts to increase in that mysterious figure. Little do they know he’s Lin Shu, survivor of the Chiyang army, and a victim of a tragedy from 12 years ago. The capital is full of people who benefitted from his tragedy, and those whose time has stopped since that time, unable to accept reality, but incapable of changing reality. Among them loyal friends join our protagonist in his quest to set things right.
Though the story is all about machinations, with smart villains, and smarter hero, what make this drama so special, addicting, memorable and endearing are the characters and relationships. Starting with Mei Chang Su, he’s a tragic character. The son of General Lin, and cousin to the princes, his world with filled with love, his potential was infinite and his dreams are big. Suddenly, all was stolen from him, even his face. He goes back home but it isn’t home anymore. As much as he denies himself the desire to go back to his previous self, he can’t help but show it in the most vital moments. Then there’s the 7th prince, Prince Jing. He’s very straight forward, to a fault, and never hides his feelings. What he thinks of the Chiyang army is no secret to all, making him unfavoured by his father, the emperor. He and Lin Shu grew up as brothers, and his feelings for Lin Shu haven’t changed. However he seemed to have inherited his doubtful side from his father. He has a hard time trusting Mei Chang Su since Mr. Su isn’t as straightforward as he’d like him to be, and he has a prejudice against strategist. I have to say seeing the relationship between these two develop is the most appealing in the drama, and the most carefully planned.
Then there is Princess Ni Huang, Lin Shu’s fiancé who can’t get her hand on what makes her trust Mr. Su this much. Princess Ni Huang is an army general, and the emperor wants to control her by finding her a husband from the capital. However she isn’t one to be controlled and will always get her way, and has a cute brother watching out for her. She is the weakness that makes Mei Chang Su go back to being Lin Shu, even for a moment. She is always the warmth he needs when things are too hard or too sad for him. Next is general Meng, the ever so loyal friend of Mei Changsu, and captain of the royal guards. He’s the strongest person in the capital, but not the smarted of the bunch. Even so he is one Mr. Su depends on most and when he takes charge, he kicks ass.
Other memorable characters are: the smart and warm Concubine Jing; the strong and childish puppy-like Fei Liu; the upright heartbreaking sweetheart Jing Rui; the sunshine Yu Jin; the kickass Xia Dong… the list goes on and on.
The opposing side doesn’t disappoint either. Many antagonists were interesting but most intriguing for me was Prince Yu. He’s very careful in what he does, and knows how to always make himself look in a favourable light in front of the emperor, making him favoured among the princes. However, there was always this emotional detachment he felt from his father, creating a void in him. Throughout the drama, with all his actions, being good or hateful ones, I felt he was always trying to fill this void. Another intriguing character, and maybe the most intriguing of all characters, is the emperor. My first impression of him is, that man is no fool. However everyone know he’s no fool, and of his doubtful nature, which became a tool used by our protagonists and enemies alike. He gives this fatherly figure impression, but that can change in a moment. He does care for his sons, but the power he has over the throne precedes all. He rather punishes innocents rather than let go of suspect. His conscience still haunts him because of past misdeeds, but he rather ignores it to protect his pride.
What brought those characters to life are talented actors and their on screen chemistry. Those favourite moments of mine when Hu Ge looses his composure, or veteran Ding Yong Dai playing such a complicated character like the emperor, who you both hate to love and love to hate.
Of course there is more to this drama than acting and characterization. The writing itself is fantastic. You got the tight plot, you got the character depth, and you got a great balance between all. Not a moment was wasted, as every arc got better than its predecessor. As for the direction, it was flawless for the most part. The story was fast paced, the action scenes were engaging, and overall the scenery was just gorgeous. The music is spot on, and the OST was beautifully fitting, written just for this drama. My only complaint in that area is the beginning, which was overwhelming with information. Especially to a newbie to cdramas like me, I’m getting to know the actors as well as the characters, and this drama doesn’t make it easy. Thankfully, by episode 4-5 things clear up and everything becomes easier to swallow. Another complaint would be when some characters disappear for a long period of time, and we miss them too much. However we’re usually too preoccupied with what is going on, so it’s not like we have the time to get bored.
The ending did not disappoint, and all brought together, with closure to all.
This drama is a perfect example portrayal of the possibility of what is means to run a kingdom through loyalty, love, strength, and wisdom. I’m usually a cynical person, but the experience we go through in this drama doesn’t leave any cynicism in me. I think it’s mostly the focus on love and loyalty between characters throughout the drama that eliminated any doubt in me.
Again beautiful drama and was worth every moment of my time. If you’re not sure yet do try the OST:
When the Wind Blows by Hu Ge
Loyal Blood Runs Forever Red by Wang Kai
Aging of a Beauty by Liu Tao
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