This review may contain spoilers
CEW´s character was the only worth watching part of this season
I started watching this cause of KNG is Jin´s fav actor so I wanted to see his acting and I was not impressed.I can´t think of really nothing that was memorable about this more than Johan.
The first two eps were very slow and nothing much happend there (I thought it was a kind of intruduction and 2 ep s is a lot to introduce a character but I was still trusting them) somehow they managed to keep me watching, and since it was 6ps drama I think that was a help too.
What I liked:
-As an introduction to a bigger plot it was kind of ok, still I think they could´ve put more into its short eps.
-Incredibly the character I liked the most was CEW´s. Why is that incredible for me? cause I´m not the biggest fan of his acting, BUT I must say I found myself crying along side with him in the last ep.
What I did not like:
-The absence of actual development on the main plot. We were told she has great powers that should be awaken and we spent 6 eps and her powers are still sleeping. When ep 4 ended I thought to myself "We are gonna see her on action next week" but it did not happend.
-I feel like the characters were so close and it didn´t feel believable for me. I mean you meet someone and that person is cool, and kind and all that, but you don´t trust someone that fast, You don´t become THAT close THAT fast.
-They killed some characters for not apparent reason, I mean Johan´s brother may have some repercution on the character development for s2, but the other guy. What was the reason? if that´s not going to be important for s2 there was not point on killing him. Came here again to say, they didn´t even adressed his death properly, like they showed us the funeral but that was it.
-And that leads us to another problem. During the whole season they made every murder and problem as if it didn´t happend, like the guy on the police station at the airport. Like no one ever asked what happen to those people or where they are, it was like they never existed to others.
-And talking about development, the only one with it was Johan. Van and Miho were there but what were they doing the whole season all along? Is like they were but they weren´t there.
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Overall I think this should be called "Priest Johan and his friends" I would Actually love if CEW where the only ML on this cause his story was the only thing actually being told here. If they had given more screen time to him it would´ve be perfect.
If eps 1-4 were squiched into 2 and then the las 2 it would be better, and I don´t think it was a good choice to split this cause there is not so much plot for it. I haven´t seen part 2 and I did not read the manhwa, but I´m probably not so wrong if I say it would be good as just 8 eps drama as a whole, maybe.
Just to say I´m not a fan of CEW nor I am fan of his acting, but it is what it is, he was the only worth thing on this season.
I´ll watch s2 because I want to know how they´re gonna wrap it up and if they´re gonna do better, but this trending of part 1 and part 2 is doing kdramas dirty ig.
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This review may contain spoilers
Started off well, but lost it's way. Overrated drama, just because of famous leads
Many people will disagree, but I feel this is just so overrated, Okay, so what if the cast is renowned and they act well. There is hardly any script inn here. I mean nothing really happens. Initial few episodes, which revealed how 2 teens of very opposing nature keep bickering, and eventually fall in love, through those videos and flashbacks, were cool, and had a good thing going. The moment t hey got back together, which was no surprise, the show turned super cheesy and then there was nothing left in story at all, but still it dragged on like forever. The subplot with NJ was kinda cute but unnecessary. The side-plot with the other Woong was boring and unnecessary as well. More so was his subplot with his mother, and the love interest from his assistant. All these plot points were complete fillers for a stale drama. The subplot with the protagonist being adopted, and about his art being criticized was also unnecessary and did not contribute to the plot in any way. The female lead was shown as such a strong character in the beginning, but towards the end was insufferably cheesy and a waste of character. At the end, the leads get separated as they focus on their respective careers but immediately get back together because they just so "missed each other".. the whole thing felt forced, as if they wanted to put in some dramatic moments before they ended the drama. I was utterly bored in last few episodes. Sorry to anyone who finds this drama likeable and disagrees with my review, but I hope this will help someone save their few hours of life by skipping this drama.Was this review helpful to you?
Worth the watch
Idol I is a quiet, emotionally grounded drama that succeeds by choosing restraint over spectacle.At its core, the story is less about idol glamour and more about vindication, trust, and identity. It strips fame down to its most fragile parts; solation, public judgment, and the way power distorts truth. Ra-ik’s journey is painful but human: a man forced to confront betrayal, loss, and the slow rebuilding of self-worth when the world decides he’s disposable.
Se-na is the drama’s emotional anchor. As both a fangirl and a lawyer, she could’ve easily fallen into cliché, but instead she’s written with integrity. Her belief in Ra-ik is never blind or performative; it’s principled. She chooses him not out of fantasy, but out of conviction, and that choice shapes the drama’s moral backbone.
The romance unfolds gently, built on quiet moments, shared silence, and emotional safety rather than grand declarations. When affection finally surfaces in a confession, a kiss and a compliment, it feels earned. Their relationship works because it grows alongside healing, not in spite of trauma.
What truly elevates Idol I is its refusal to simplify its characters. Even figures like Woo-seong are treated with nuance, while the reveal of Hye-joo as the killer delivers a chilling reminder that not all harm comes from misunderstanding and that some comes from entitlement without remorse.
Overall, Idol I is a slow-burn drama that rewards patience. It’s thoughtful, sincere, and emotionally resonant , a story about choosing truth, standing firm against power, and finding comfort in being truly seen.
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I don’t need a prince to save me, I need an executioner to join the hunt.
Delicious, compelling, manic, obsessive, infuriating and sensual- this drama gives you all the thrill and more. This is Song Hye Ko like you’ve never seen her before.Yes, her robotic frozen in time acting is still there but this time it suits the role. Gone is the fluffy Mary Sue rom com female lead she always plays and in its place is a revenge driven, blood thirsty anti-heroine who’s taking no prisoners. I think she did a pretty solid job here- equal parts graceful with just enough madness to make her the right kinda crazy.
Throughout the drama, she has this internal monologue going on where she talks so very affectionately with her worst enemy as if it were a dear friend. Her voice is a mix between poetry and a pretty song if they contained thinly veiled promises of retribution and vengeance.
The acting over all is pretty smooth aside from Lee Do Hyun who is just one of those trendy actors that are cast cause of their looks/hype and nothing more. He is a glorified support role so his lack of talent stings less.
The antagonists are an absolute delight to watch. They are gorgeous on the outside and plain rot on the inside and the actors have done a great job showcasing that.
The bullying is visceral and the heroine’s revenge is 100% believable. You want every single one of these muffuckers to pay with their lives.
The best thing is that the drama doesn’t shy away from gore, sex and profanity which gives it the maturity and darkness that it needs to be convincing, all the while balancing it with a blooming sismance that warms the soul.
Beautifully shot, with incredible OST and an excellent take on your typical revenge story, “The Glory” is equal parts compelling and binge able.
Oh and we have a hot daddy in the house as well. I have one solid ship and I’ll sink with it if I have to. ⛴⛴⛴
Overall, it’s definitely Jeana approved.
I am biting my gorgeous fake nails for season 2~
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Not worth 6 months of wait
Starting off it was still better till I assume episode 7. After that oh lord. The leads had no chemistry AT ALL and I don’t think there’s been a single episode where both of them ACTUALLY willingly loved eachother.I see a lot of people who had issues with the ai intro but that wasn’t even important considering how bad the plot got.
I felt like I was watching a vertical drama with unnecessary drama. Ep 15ish till the end was really boring to a point I felt— “What even is happening in this?”
The ending was the cherry on top– It was so messy. I was hoping for a resolution, maybe it’s a sad ending or maybe it’s a happy one, but unfortunately it seemed as if the ending was hurried with no proper ending.
I mean you had 7 episodes till 40 episodes and you still give us a horrid ending?
In my opinion, it was not worth the wait AT ALL. I had so much expectations from this considering how well it was promoted but the direction was horrible, plot wasn’t well written and somehow the acting was cringe at some points too.
The only reason I’m giving rewatch value a 1 is because I apparently can’t leave it at 0 😓
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1Mother most foul.
I prefer to review c-dramas that are arbitrarily split in two parts to circumvent episode caps only once, after the entire story has been told. In this case, I am making an exception because Part 1 is largely a family drama that focuses on a difficult mother daughter relationship. This Part 1 review will evaluate that aspect of the story and defer a full discussion of the romance to Part 2.Cheng Shaoshang is a grey character - a thorny, defiant, scheming and distrustful Han Dynasty fifteen year old. She is left to fend for herself while in the care of abusive but not smart relatives while her military family is away defending the country. She runs circles around them and grows up to be distrustful, cunning and unrestrained. When her parents return from the battlefront, they are appalled to discover a lovely, wild, uneducated child, shockingly unschooled in the etiquette expected of the young daughter of a newly minted marquis. Her mother, a fearless, decorated general finds in her recalcitrant daughter a greater foe than found on any battlefield. The mother daughter conflict is the guts of Part 1 and drives most of Shaoshang's actions and decisions.
As a fan of grey characters, I like Shaoshang's character design a lot and Zhao Lusi delivers a very empathetic and charismatic portrayal. While there are better actors, what makes Lusi special is she is very, very funny. Even though there is a recognizable pattern to her comedy, her timing and delivery is more refined with each drama. Underneath the humor, she shows us that Shaoshang is a sad person who refuses to weep; adroitly infusing a note of loneliness, false bravado and vulnerability. This makes the character extremely empathetic, to the fault of being overly so. Lusi seems less comfortable articulating Shaoshang's many flaws, which are glossed over hastily and in a muted tone. As a result, Yuanyi's insistence on harshly taming her daughter's "harmless mischief and high spirits" comes across as heartless and misguided. A more balanced depiction of this relationship rather than one where the mother is so unambiguously the villain would be more interesting and realistic.
One of my biggest issues with the character writing is how main characters, especially Shaoshang are elevated by diminishing other characters, particularly her mother. Their forced separation from birth and subsequent alienation and resentment deserves compassion on both sides but is written in a way that consistently only assassinates the mother's character. After suffering through many of their blood boiling disputes, I was pleased to see Shaoshang get some inkling of what her family went through after Hua City. And I thought she won her mother's grudging respect and approval in how she dealt with Lou Yao. So I was just gobsmacked and revolted by how her mother inexplicably smacks her down in front of the entire court. This is all so that Ling Buyi can gallantly come to the rescue by praising her to the skies as the best lady in the capital. Which considering how awful the other ladies in the capital are, is hardly such a great compliment. After the initial cheap thrill, it looks very high handed and coercive on Ling Buyi's part. It also undoes the hard won truce if not tentative mutual understanding between the mother and child. I don't need them to ever see eye to eye or become best friends but it is disappointing to see Shaoshang's nemesis in Part 1 reduced to a two dimensional mother most foul.
What I can praise is how Shaoshang is lifted up by her intelligence, courage, compassion and her ability to do the right thing even at great cost to herself, which we see in both the Hua City arc and Lou Yao arc. Unfortunately in the latter half, Shaoshang is propped up largely by kicking other characters down. I have never seen such a long list of repetitive, nasty and screechy female characters in a drama. They are all cardboard copies of each other - bratty, rude, stupid, arrogant and in love with Ling Buyi. The mothers are all older and uglier versions of their daughters. I don't enjoy watching women doing their worst to each other. Nor do I like that they are repeatedly dressed down by men, even when it is Ling Buyi and it is well deserved. Sure it is very satisfactory in a low way but it is also frustrating and with repetition, boring. It is very disturbing that with few exceptions (Qi Qi and third aunt), the likeable characters in this drama are all men.
Despite a few thrilling knight in shinning armor moments, the romance is only set up in Part 1 with little real development. Shaoshang's main purpose is to gain freedom and escape her mother's eagle eye and she views marriage as the means to that end. None of her suitors are that compelling and their courtship methods are so appalling they are comical. Lou Yao trails after her like a lovesick puppy, willing to wait on her hand and foot without realizing that women don't need to marry doormats or servants. Yuan Shen's retarded strategy seems to be to make her hate him and pray that hate turns into love. But Ling Buyi is the one that just takes the cake. He makes sure her parents, no, the whole kingdom, knows she has seen him nekkid and failing that, makes her an offer she can't refuse. Who ultimately prevails is pretty much a foregone conclusion with the casting of Wu Lei, which is also a bit of a shame. I'd enjoy it more if we are kept guessing for awhile and there is genuine competition among worthy suitors.
We don't get to see enough of Wu Lei or the romance as Part 1 is mostly Shaoshang's family story. However, there is enough romantic fan service that shows Wu Lei's chemistry with Lusi is promising. While Wu Lei looks incredibly hot as the cold and intimidating general Ling Buyi, initially he appears stiff, like he is trying too hard to project gravitas. He improves noticeably later on when he relaxes his face muscles and his character is humanized by his sidekicks Liang Qiuqi and Liang Qiufei or Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Tweedledum is my favorite side character; his vivid facial expressions in each of his interactions with Ling Buyi have me rolling with laughter. Indeed what really livens this drama's slow burn pace is the humor which also brilliantly amplifies character traits. It is a poignant reminder of how funny and ferocious Wu Lei's Fei Liu was. I had long forgotten how good he is at humor. I look forward to seeing more of Ling Buyi's story as well as genuine relationship development between the leads in Part 2.
If I were to rate Part 1 solely on the mother daughter relationship, I would only give this an 8.0. What makes me mad is this had a lot of potential and we really don't get that many good historical mother daughter character stories. Instead the mother is written to have so little redeeming value it just ends up being a giant waste of emotional energy. But I will throw in another 0.5 to make this 8.5 because apart from the first four episodes which were an aberration, I enjoyed the comedic moments immensely. I may have given this a 9.0 without the many nasty, noisy women.
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This review may contain spoilers
Lovers and Secrets
Wow!!! This short drama was a pleasant surprise!The ML (Leo Yang aka A Sen) is a police officer assigned to infiltrate the Kuntai Group. While at a bar he meets FL (Han Le Yao aka Ling Yi) a hostess who is being harassed by one of Tai's boys. Sen intercedes and from that initial meeting the two are never parted.
Ling Yi suffers from abandonment issues by her boyfriend, being imprisoned for accidently causing a death and lastly to face the loss of her only relative – her aunt. Sen finds himself drawn to Ling Yi. Her kind heartedness and genuine nature which he hasn’t felt in so long makes him want to protect her and keep her safe with him. He tries to distance himself from her due to the life he is portraying and doesn’t want her involved. But Ling Yi keeps showing up even with Sen protesting because she needed to find out more about the cause of her aunt’s death, which was not just the only reason, Ling Yi had begun to fall for Sen.
Feelings were beginning to emerge, and lines started to blur with Sen. He could no longer keep Ling Yi in the dark due to these feeling, so he confessed to her that he was an undercover police officer who was in the Kuntai Group to get information on their criminal activities. Ling Yi, while grateful for the confession and confiding in her would not deter her to leave Sen because she told him that she reciprocated his feelings as well and sealed it with the hottest kiss. Yes, these two were so steamy, and his seductiveness, his look, his voice, and the way he continuously came onto her and she to him only intensified and enraptured their feelings for each other as lovers.
What I really like about Ling Yi is that she wasn't the weak female that you would think she was. She held her own with Sen and actually saved him several times. She thought outside the box and wasn’t pathetic like you see how some of the female leads can be. Taking the initiative with him and let him no in no uncertain terms that she wanted him not just as her protector but as her lover. Yep, she definitely showed him several times.
Kuntai's Group leader Kun dies at the hand of a deal that goes wrong leaving his wife Elena in charge. Tai, Kun’s brother knew that Sen was not to be trusted but Sen was always a step ahead and turn the tables on Tai to make him look like the guilty party ever time. In the last exchange, everything went sideways, and Tai went missing. Ling Yi confronted Elena about her aunt telling her she knew that she had killed her aunt. The video she had would incriminate her. Elena tried to appease Ling Yi, but this was all a ruse so that she could stab her. Sen knew when Elena did not show up at the exchange that something was wrong and arrived to see her stabbed Ling Yi. Sen was so enraged that he shot Elena in the arm.
Rushing her to the hospital, Sen faced the reality of losing Ling Yi and this led him to believe even more that he wanted her to be with him for the rest of her life. Of course, she survives. Sen sets up the hospital room with the help of the nurses to propose to Ling Yi who accepts. The police were still on alert because Tai was still missing. As Sen leaves Ling Yi he sees Tai and follows him to an abandon garage. Ling Yi hears an altercation in the hospital room next door and hears that Tai has set up Sen. She takes off to Sen location and begs Tai to let Sen go. But little did they know that Tai had set bombs around the parameter that he exploded. Sen is gone.
Ling Yi barely believes he is gone...3 years go by until he returns. They are reunited.
I feel that we could have another one due to the fact do we know that Tai died. Elena was only shot in the arm and went to jail. Could both of them team up for revenge on both Sen and Ling Yi. That would be an exciting to see another season.
This is really a good watch and who wouldn’t want to be this man's undercover lover. I know I would want too.
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Watch it for yourself, and you will quickly see that this is a gem among many other dramas. Yes, ill be the first to say (while i would not have predicted this when watching the series in the beginning) it was imperfect (but really, only in the last few episodes), HOWEVER, as i am the first to drop a show as soon as i think ill be disappointed with the end, I can say that I don't regret watching this show at all and that's primarily because of how strong the series as a whole was.
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Lovely, light & short romcom
A breath of fresh air from all the thriller kdramas we’ve seen so far this year. It's just 4 episodes long so it's fast-paced and super fun to watch! I really loved seeing Sooyoung as a top actress and Yoon Park as a single father here! The chemistry was there. Acting was spot on from all the cast. Writing and production quality were excellent. Exploration of the characters back story made the series believable and worthy of watching. It’s a cute, simple and light kdrama. The background music is pure enjoyment for the ears. If you are in need of some short romcom, then Fanletter, Please is for you!Was this review helpful to you?
This drama started stupid
Then nice, then okay, then stupid again
I even dropped the first episode and jumped to next one
And I catched all what I missed and understood it
The FL character was so annoying, shallow and stupid with her stupid (MMM) as an answer
and -0 chemistry with the ML
The plot wasn't strong
The story wasn't solid
And towards the end this drama literally became meaningless
Characters came and went in the story suddenly without any introduction
Probably just to fill the story
The events were missing depth
It's like you are watching someone's daily routine,
That's it
The romance wasn't cute or fluffy or in it's place in my opinion
It's rare to find a real good Chinese Drama to watch and enjoy it
Towards the end I was literally pushing myself to complete it
Although the ML'S character was nice and cute
But it wasn't cute enough to make me love this show
And almost most of the actors their acting was really fake and annoying especially the FL
DISLIKE with sorrow
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A Refreshing Take on Long-Term Love
Love Reset is a hidden gem in the growing world of Korean short BL dramas. What makes it stand out is its unique focus on a couple who have already been together for seven years. Instead of showing the excitement of new love, it dives into what happens after the honeymoon phase, the communication gaps, the small misunderstandings, and the quiet distance that slowly grows between two people who still deeply care for each other.The chemistry between the leads feels effortless. Their performances are so natural that you can almost feel their history and the weight of everything left unsaid. It is incredible how a 10-minute episode can carry so much emotion. Every glance, every silence, every line hits hard because it feels real.
Jae Hyeon is a busy man who forgets his seventh anniversary while U Jin is quietly missing love. The actor who plays U Jin, Seol Jong Hwan, is absolutely phenomenal. His crying scenes broke me and every tear felt so raw and real that I couldn’t help but get emotional watching him.
What I love most is how Love Reset captures the truth about long-term relationships. Love is not always perfect or easy. Even when two people have been together for years, they can still drift apart if they stop listening, stop appreciating, or simply get too busy. This show does not romanticize love, it respects it.
Short but powerful, Love Reset delivers more depth and emotion in a few minutes than some full-length dramas manage in hours. It is beautifully written, wonderfully acted, and emotionally satisfying.
A stunning cast, heartfelt storytelling, and a mature message about love and connection make this one a must-watch. I would give it a solid 8 out of 10, absolutely recommended for anyone who loves BLs that feel real and leave you thinking long after they end.
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Hwang Jeong Min is an amazing actor who portraits Dong Baek as so good, honorable, and kind-hearted man that you just have to love him. Even though Dong Baek is a little simple and sometimes easily manipulated by others, he isn't a pathetic fool. I really admired his positive life philosophy: find reasons to smile and laugh even when bad things happen. More cynical person might find it annoying, I certainly didn't.
The first impression of the beautiful actress Ji Soo (Kim Ah Joong) is that she's a distant star but as the drama goes on she turns out to be a sweet and quite ordinary girl who isn't flawless either - and that's what makes her so charming and deserving of Dong Baek's love. I really liked how the main couple's relationship develops in a believable way despite the fact they seem quite mismatched at first glance.
A special mention goes to Sang Chul (Baek Sung Hyun), Ji Soo's little brother. Together with Dong Baek's little sister Min Ji (Lee Chung Ah) he adds some really adorable comedy elements to the drama when meddling in the main couple's relationship as a protective little brother. The interactions between these four characters offer some of the drama's best moments.
The plot is fine and the drama goes forward with good pace. There isn't too much angst or melodrama which I personally don't like that much. However, I came to almost despise Kang Mo and his slick smiles.
Music got only 6 because it wasn't that great and there were even some songs that annoyed me a bit. If the drama had a better soundtrack, it would be even more amazing.
I gave this drama overall 10 because I loved it so much; it was exactly the kind of drama I enjoy to watch. If you are searching for a drama that makes you laugh, shed a few tears and feel good and happy after watching it, I warmly recommend trying this one. You might even learn something from Goo Dong Baek! :)
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Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique
For everyone who plans on watchign this show: It's important to note that this BL doesn't follow the typical BL formular and isn't mainly about the love story. A huge portion of this show is focusing on the social political issues in Thailand and how the gang and other people are suffering from it and trying to fight against the system. If you find yourself totally uninterested in anything regarding politics or anything that ISN'T a very romanticized version of a Wattpad mafia/gangster story than this isn't for you. I highly recommend this show to everyone, but it's important to go into this show with the right idea in mind of what to expect.Story: I think this is one of the Thai BLs that actually swept me off my feet. When it first was promoted as another OffGun show, I wasn't expecting too much of it. And I don't mean that in a negative sense, I mean that I didn't expect OffGun to take part in a show that was more serious and dark, since I've only seen them play in lighter and typical BL stuff. But HOOOOH BOY WAS I WRONG. It's way darker and more realistic than I thought it would be, but there were enough funny and cute moments to balance things out.
There went so much love and care into this show and you can really tell. I adore every character. They were all incredibly facinating to watch and flawed. They all deserved so much more screen time and sadly, some of them didn't get their deserved time to shine.
While the main love story of White and Sean (Gun and Off) is never an afterthought, it takes its time to be developed and doesn't take away the attention from the main plot or the development of each character. There is no unnecessary drama or abusive bs.
The side couple with Dan and Yok (Fluke and First) was a great addition that was not only really sweet but also relevant for the main story (and I do love when there are side couples that actually contributes to the story). They are the total opposite of White and Sean but were created with just as much care and love in mind.
The third couple I will not talk about for two reason 1) it would be a spoiler and I wouldn't want you guys to miss out on being shocked by that plot twist and 2) I wasn't really invested in them.
The friendship was really wholesome and really sweet to watch and aside from like the political scenes, one of my favorites. The relationships between the characters were all unique and deep and complicated.
Acting/Cast: The whole cast was great and I thank whoever was in charge of it. They all acted their ass off and it really shows. The whole crew did an amazing job. But I have to mention two actors specifically whose performance stuck with me.
1) I was seriously impressed with Gun being able to pull off playing White and Black and White pretending to be Black and Black pretending to be White pretending to be Black. You always knew who was talking and he managed to play them very differently. The way he smiled, talked and even cried. Just amazing really! I know that there were a few people criticizing the show for not using actualy twins, but seeing what Gun did with these characters, I can't imagine anyone else in these two roles.
2) Also not to forget: First who had some really great scenes all filled with different, complex emotions that he all nailed. But the ones that stung out to me the most were the ones where he was able to perfectly capture the rose-colored glasses look, the puppy eyes and just the absolute adoration in his acting and the one where he totally broke down in tears, crying his eyes out.
Music: Amazing. This show wasn't afraid to use silence when it was necessary, but it also shone with the choice of music. There were many great songs that I still listen to daily, but the one that got to me the most (musically and storywise) was Everlast (if you know you know).
Rewatch Value: Super mega high.
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Great Production, Visuals and Memorable Perormances
Since seeing the promotional material for Whispers of Fate, I've been anticipating this Wuxia-Xianxia series with the male lead as Luo Yun Xi. But after its release, and watching all 40 episodes, I'm struggling to articulate how I really feel about the characters and the story.Okay, first let's talk about the positives:
Production: Great. The sets, the handmade costumes for each character and the makeup are of the highest quality. OSTs and original songs that most of the cast sing fit their characters’ stories are amazing! (Actually, the same studio that produced the international hit
Till the End of the Moon is the same one producing Whispers of Fate. So, I knew it would be great quality in terms of overall production.)
Action scenes and choreography: Good, especially in small-scale and one-on-one duels. The movements are fast and there is not much slow motion (which is a plus, because it disrupts the flow of the scene and it's just annoying!)
VFX and CGI: Decent but not great. For different sets and places within this fantasy world, you can tell they mostly used green screens. But the lighting and the details in each set are very good. On the other hand, when it comes to animating giant moving objects and fantasy creatures, it ranges from average to bad.
And now onto the story and its characters…and this is where it gets a bit complicated. Whispers of Fate is actually an adaptation of a Chinese series of novels featuring a martial artist called Tang Lici and his companions Chi Yun and, later, Shen Long Huan as they traverse Jiangu (the martial arts world) to try to find the culprits behind the deadly and addictive “Nine Hearted Demon Pills,” the mysterious and dangerous organisation of Fengliu Parlour.
This is more or less the overall plot of the novel series. However, the original novel, as of now, is still unfinished. So naturally, for purposes of adaptation, the writers changed parts of the story and created a different ending.
I don't know, but maybe this is why I have mixed feelings about WOF’s story and characters. To me, it felt more like a character-driven story than a plot-driven one. Sure, the plot is very important, and you'll see interesting twists and turns along the way. The world of Jianghu, with its many different characters, is also important. But the main focus in this story always remains on Tang Lici and his personal journey and growth. His origin is quite different in the drama from the one in the novel. But in terms of personality, he shares many aspects of his novel counterpart: Seemingly cold, aloof and even arrogant; suspicious and always plotting ahead and trying to remain one step above others. Yet as we see more, his exterior hides a sensitive, fragile and tormented spirit, one whose nature and motives are mostly misunderstood by others. In a way, Tang Lici is very much like a child who mentally hasn't fully matured into adulthood; he has unhealthy ways of dealing with grief, abandonment and cannot accept loss.
So, watching the drama, I saw it as his personal story and journey of growth, as he faces a myriad of challenges and becomes a better version of himself. However, the ending left me feeling confused and a bit unsatisfied. I won't go into details (because it'll spoil the whole plot). But in terms of character development, I thought it made the whole journey of Tang Lici and his personal struggles moot. It's just my personal opinion, but I think it is this way because the novel is unfinished and the writers had to write the ending themselves. So, of course, some major incongruities in the overall themes of the story will be unavoidable.
But setting my reservation for the story aside, the casting is very good. Luo Yun Xi, as always, dedicates himself to the roles he plays and excels at them! For instance, through his macro facial expressions, tone of voice, eyes and posture, he conveys the character’s inner state very well. The others are fine too. But as I said, the main focus is always Tang Lici. Therefore, when it comes to other characters in this story, I found very few to be interesting.
As for the romance storyline … let's just say you will be disappointed. To be honest, before watching the drama, I knew romance wasn't a main driver of the story and was totally fine with it. But after watching the whole thing, I just wish they had scrapped the whole subplot or whatever it was, because it was very lacklustre to me (and a bit forced?) Yes, I know in the drama, it is part of Tang Lici’s personal journey. But I don't know if it's just me, but I felt no or very little chemistry between our protagonist and his supposed “love interest”, and the story doesn't really take the time to expand on it. So, to me, this subplot was the weakest and the least interesting aspect of the drama. It's nothing against the actors; you can tell they were really trying, but ultimately it comes down to the script and the narrative choices within it. To be fair, the romance isn't spectacular in the novel either, so it's understandable.
With that said, is Whispers of Fate worth watching? Yes, and I think it might improve my opinion and rating with a rewatch. In terms of casting, performance and the overall production quality, it is top-notch, but it is not flawless either.
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I watch older Jdramas (1996-2002) from time to time and I usually enjoy them but this time around, I was a little displeased. Nisennen no Koi is listed under the genre “romance” and it’s indeed a romantic drama but that wasn’t exactly the main focus here. There was a promising chemistry that could have been better handled, there are some good romantic elements but everything took forever to happen and the exaggerated focus on side plots ruined many interesting events.
This also contains the “Spy” theme but as expected, it wasn’t very well executed either. At some point, the screenwriters went on circles repeating similar events that we all know what the outcome will be. That leads us to another negative point about the plot; almost everything was very predictable including the ending. And what makes the matter worse are the irritating side plots that serve for nothing except for the running time. Now, if I have to mention some good things about the screenwriting, I will solely give credit to the concept; the story as a whole was attention-grabbing but the execution ruined a potential great watch.
The acting was good enough. Takeshi is a films’ star but he made three dramas in his career and all of them were Japanese. Although I still believe that his acting is well-suited for the big screen and that he’s better off as a films’ star; I still loved to see him in a drama role and man does he sound so great speaking Japanese! His co-star Nakayama Miho is a good older J-actress that I like to see her around, romance dramas fit her acting on a great level.
The characters were likeable but they were too obvious if I may say. The male lead was a little better though because Mashiro (the female lead) was such a boring predictable character from any angle you look at her. The rest of the characters didn’t raise any interest except for the Saeki, the smart police officer but that little attention I gave to his character disappeared with time when I noticed that he became dumb.
This was made back in 2000 so don’t expect any dreamy cinematography; I know that many people dislike watching older dramas. The soundtrack, on the other hand, fulfilled its purpose in a good way.
Watch if:
-You like older dramas.
-You’re looking for a different type of romance.
-You like the main leads.
Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for gripping romance.
-You dislike older dramas.
Nisennen no Koi had great concept but the execution and the storytelling ruined any chances to make it remarkable or even memorable drama.
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