The way I know the storytelling was excellent is that I never thought about it while I was watching, but realized it wouldn't have been able to care as much if it was delivered differently.
I think all three main characters did amazing jobs. I hurt when they hurt; I hated them when they hated themselves; I loved them when they tried to heal.
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Heartbreaking.
Bible has once again pulled out all the stops to reveal what a great actor he is! His performance was so moving, so beautifully enacted, so deliriously loaded with emotions, it really hit you right in the feels. Heartbreaking, yet so powerful; he just nailed it. Jes, whom I am less familiar with brought his A-game as well. You could see his experience and talent oozing out of every scene, and he was fantastic too. They could tell a super powerful love story, truly affecting, within 20 minutes of screen time for both.To me, the story is all about the love between two people - one who loved too much and one who loved too little. It was a love for which Garn was ready to give everything; he poured his heart and soul into that love until his last breath. On the other hand, Tul chose to go by the expectations of society and so he went for a wife and child. He did not repent his choice, but somewhere in his heart, he felt sorry that his love for Garn was not strong enough to match Garn's feelings.
Seriously, they both did amazing! ꨄ
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This review may contain spoilers
STARTER OF JOONGDUNK'S ERA
GURLLLLLLLLLL. MISS GURL. I LITERALLY HAVE NO WORDS BUT ALSO HAVE TOO MANY WORDS AT THE SAME TIME. Like… AM I ACTUALLY WATCHING A GMMTV SERIES?? BECAUSE WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK????? THIS SHIT IS SO GOOD. I mean, okay, sure, there’s room for improvement, but like, tiny, microscopic, almost nonexistent room. This series just completely SLAUGHTERED anything else GMMTV has put out recently. The pacing? The cinematography? The climax? The conflict??? BRO. EVERYTHING IS ON STEROIDS. AND THE CHEMISTRY??? BITCH, Y’ALL CAN TELL ME THEY’RE JUST ACTING ALL YOU WANT BUT IN MY HEAD, THEY ARE MARRIED. IN FACT, I WASN’T EVEN A JOONGDUNK GIRLIE BEFORE. I DIDN’T CARE ABOUT THEM. BUT NOW??? NOW I AM A CONVERT. I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT. I HAVE JOINED THE CHURCH OF JOONGDUNK.And let me tell you, the fact that they finally gave them a series with a PROPER plot instead of whatever watered-down nonsense they had before??? Like, THANK FUCKING GOD. Anyway, onto the review before I combust.
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1. Plot
When I tell you this series GRABBED ME by the throat from the very first episode… Like, the way it started off strong had me thinking, “Okay, this is good, but can they actually keep up the momentum???” AND GURL. THEY DID. AND THEY DID IT SO WELL I CHOKED.
So, we have two main pairings: JoongDunk and FirstKhaotung. JoongDunk is giving enemies to lovers, and LET ME JUST SAY—THE SEXUAL TENSION??? SO SHARP IT COULD SLICE THROUGH A FUCKING DIAMOND. I WAS SWEATING. Meanwhile, FirstKhaotung is more of a “we like each other but let’s be dramatic about it” situation, and while it was cute, my brain was still looping back to JoongDunk’s tension every five seconds. SORRY NOT SORRY.
Plot-wise, we have Fadel and Bison, two hitmen working for some big boss they call ‘Mother,’ whose job is basically to kill bad people. One day, Bison meets Kant (while playing bowling of all things) and they have a one-night stand that turns into something real. BUT OF COURSE, Fadel, the king of cockblocking, is NOT HAVING IT. Enter Style, Kant’s friend, and suddenly we have a love square where everyone is either in danger or horny (or both). The conflicts just keep evolving, and honestly? That’s what keeps this series so addictive.
The pacing is chef’s kiss—not too fast, not too slow, just enough to make me DESPERATE for the next episode. ALSO, THE OUTFITS??? HELLO??? GIVE THE STYLIST A RAISE. I WAS LIVING FOR EVERY SINGLE LOOK. (STYLE, I SEE U). But let’s talk about the real elephant in the room. THE MASTURBATION SCENE. HELLO??????? UM?????????? I AM STILL SCREAMING.
A) JOONG? SEXY AS FUCK.
B) DUNK? SEXY AS FUCK.
C) VISUAL COUPLE ON MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE.
The vibes were kinda Only Friends but with better execution and a plot that actually makes sense. The only thing I wasn’t fully gagging over? Some of Joong’s action scenes were a little too… chill. Bro, YOU’RE A HITMAN. WHY DO YOU LOOK LIKE YOU’RE WAITING FOR THE STUNTMAN TO GIVE YOU A SIGN??? Just a little more sharpness, a little more BAM POW, and it would’ve been perfect. ALSO. Kant’s fear of the ocean?? I NEEDED MORE. WHERE ARE THE TEARS? WHERE IS THE FULL MELTDOWN? I NEEDED BISON TO HOLD HIS HAND AND HAVE A FULL “I GOT YOU BABY” MOMENT. LIKE HELLO, MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
AND ANOTHER THING. I KNEW Ruerat WASN’T THE KILLER. I JUST KNEW IT. LILY WAS LOOKING SUS FROM THE SECOND SHE STEPPED ON SCREEN. And when she got arrested??? THAT SCENE WAS TOO RUSHED. WHERE WAS THE STRUGGLE? THE DRAMA?? HOMEGIRL JUST WENT “oh no, u got me” AND THAT WAS IT. EXCUSE ME???
BUT LISTEN. The burger scene??? Fadel and Style having their last meal together before 5 years of pain??? STYLE WIPING FADEL’S LIPS????? OH, BITCH, I WAS WEEPING. And for a hot second, I really thought they were about to go full Bonnie & Clyde and commit a crime just so they could be with their boyfriends in jail, BUT NO. Kant had to be all smart and rational and turn them into prison teachers instead. I MEAN, SLAY.
Side note: I wish Keen got more screen time. GIVE THIS MAN MORE TO WORK WITH. His whole deal with the siblings could’ve had so much more juice to it, but nope. Wasted potential.
The ending??? I LOVED IT. No spoilers, but trust me, it’s satisfying. They basically have to rebuild their lives from scratch, but these men are talented as fuck, so I have zero doubts they’ll be fine. ALSO, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE CINEMATOGRAPHY??? That one scene of Style drinking at the pool while complaining about Fadel? LOOKED LIKE A WHOLE ASS ART PIECE. THE COLORS. THE CAMERA ANGLE. PERFECTION.
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2. Characters
- Fadel (Joong) – Okay, listen. I already knew Joong was a solid actor, but THIS??? THIS IS HIS BEST PERFORMANCE YET. I’M NOT EVEN JOKING. THE RANGE. THE DEPTH. THE SUBTLETY. Fadel is a character that could’ve easily fallen into the “broody, emotionless hitman” trope, but Joong understood the assignment. The micro-expressions? The way his voice would get slightly softer around Bison? THE POSSESSIVENESS? FUCKING INSANE. And his fighting scenes? OKAY, SOME WERE A LITTLE TOO CHILL, BUT OVERALL, HE ATE. And let’s be real… THE WAY HE LOOKED AT STYLE LIKE HE WANTED TO DEVOUR HIM. HELP. I felt the jealousy. I felt the internal struggle. Fadel looks clingy and cute as fuck when he is with Style after 5 years in prison got me like 👅. Fadel is becoming emotionally unstable because he starting to get clingy with Style LOL. AND THE AFTERGLOW SCENE????? MOTHERFUCKER WAS ON HIS ACTING GRIND. This man went from emotionally constipated to head over heels and DID IT SO SMOOTHLY. I AM BOWING. I AM KNEELING.
- Style (Dunk) – DUNK. SIR. I AM SO SORRY FOR EVER DOUBTING YOU. The way this man has EVOLVED AS AN ACTOR??? BITCH. Style is literally a menace in the best way possible. This man is the DEFINITION of power bottom energy. I MEAN, HE WORE A CROP TOP, HAD A COCKY LITTLE SMIRK, AND GIGGLED AFTER FLIRTING??? LIKE, HELLO, OFFICER??? I NEED TO REPORT A CRIME. AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT HIS CHEMISTRY WITH FADEL??? STYLE WOULD LITERALLY TEASE THIS MAN TO THE BRINK OF INSANITY AND THEN JUST SMILE ABOUT IT. I KNOW FADEL WANTED TO STRANGLE HIM (OR MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE… 👀). BUT THEN. OH, BUT THEN. When Style started actually catching feelings??? I WAS DONE. THE WAY HE BECAME SOFT FOR FADEL?? CAN WE ALSO TALK HOW HE DIDNT PULL AWAY FROM JOONG'S KISSES? THANK YOU, SIR.
- Kant (First) – OKAY. HERE'S THE THING. Kant is sweet. He’s solid. He’s the guy you wanna bring home to your parents. BUT. HE WAS MISSING SPICE. LIKE, WHERE IS THE DRAMA??? WHERE IS THE INTENSITY?? I NEEDED MORE FROM HIM. But other than that, First still did a great job. And let’s be honest, Chubby First was the best decision they ever made. HE LOOKED SO SOFT I WANTED TO HUG HIM. I think its because he works out so he need to eat more protein.
- Bison (Khaotung) – I AM EATING MY WORDS BECAUSE I REALLY THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA BE MID, BUT NOPE. HE WAS SERVING. He had this playful, unhinged energy that just worked with Kant’s more reserved personality. AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE WAY HE LOOKED AT KANT??? THIS MAN WAS IN LOVE. LITERALLY BECAUSE HS IS SO ADORABLE. IM TALKING ABOUT BISON HERE AND NOT KHAOTUNG. OKAY MAYBE I DID TALK ABOUT BOTH OF THEM. LOL. Anyway, Character development? LOVE IT. After 5 years, Bison is more stable now. He is more rational than Fadel ( WEIRD I KNOW ) and trust Kant fully as their relationship grows.
- Keen (Pepper) – NOT ME LICKING MY SCREEN EVERYTIME PEPPER ON THE SCREEN. I’M SORRY BUT THAT NEEDED TO BE SAID FIRST. His character??? FULL OF POTENTIAL. WASTED. UNDERUSED. LIKE, THIS MAN WAS DEALING WITH FAMILY DRAMA, BETRAYAL, AND HIS ENTIRE LIFE FALLING APART—WHY DIDN’T WE GET MORE OF HIS STORYLINE??? WHY WAS HE JUST THERE??? GIVE HIM MORE EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWNS. GIVE HIM A REDEMPTION ARC. GIVE HIM SOMETHING.
Babe (Ken) – Listen. I try to be nice. But I HAVE to be real. Ken’s acting was STIFF. Babe was probably the weakest link in the entire show, and it hurts because his storyline could have been interesting. But every time he spoke, I was like… “Sir… do you even believe what you’re saying???” No emotion, no conviction, just vibes. And not the good kind. NEXT.
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3. OST
OST? YAAAAASSSS OMGGGG FIT THE VIBE FR. I love the OST SO MUCH. I just know if the series have Khaotung, I just know the song is lit as fuck. AND LET ME TELL YOU. ALL THE SONGS THEY USE IN THIS SERIES ARE LIT AS FUCK. LIKE none of them actually boring ????? I AM SHOOKETH ????? I still cant move on from dancing scene cause the song is lit. AND THE INTRO is nice as fuck! Bro the concept? YESS!!! They dont even require much videos and only some pictures as the intro. Love it! THE CHOICE OF SONGS ARE GOOD LIKE UM HELLO???? NOT ME DOWNLOADING ALL SONGS TO BE ADDED INTO MY SPOTIFY PLAYLIST.
____________________________________
4. Chemistry
WHEN I TELL YOU THE CHEMISTRY IN THIS SERIES IS NEXT-LEVEL, I AM NOT EXAGGERATING. THIS SHIT FELT REAL. LIKE, I WASN’T JUST WATCHING A BL—I WAS WATCHING TWO ACTUAL PEOPLE FALLING IN LOVE IN REAL TIME. THE EMOTIONS? RAW. THE CONNECTION? UNDENIABLE. THE TENSION? ELECTRIC.
And let’s be honest… JoongDunk is THE main pairing here. FirstKhaotung?? LOVE THEM TO DEATH, but they were major support characters for JoongDunk’s story. That being said… FirstKhaotung was TOO DAMN CUTE, I ALMOST DIED. LIKE, WHO ALLOWED THEM TO BE THIS ADORABLE? THE DANCE SCENE??? I HAD TO PAUSE, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND COME BACK BECAUSE IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR MY HEART TO HANDLE.
NOW. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE JAIL SCENE. I AM ACTUALLY FOAMING AT THE MOUTH. THE KISS. THE TOUCHING. THE HEAVY BREATHING. MY MEOW WAS MEOWING. MY SKIN FELT ELECTRIC. MY BRAIN SHORT-CIRCUITED. LIKE, THAT WASN’T JUST A KISS, THAT WAS A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE. I SWEAR I SAW FIREWORKS EXPLODE INSIDE MY HEAD.
Now, onto the sex scenes… OH, BABY. FirstKhaotung got the good stuff. The choreography, the pacing, the eye contact—it was all there. BUT. JoongDunk’s scene??? It NEEDED MORE. Like, don’t get me wrong, the kisses were PERFECT—desperate, passionate, messy, full French action. BUT THE ACTUAL STEAM SCENE? IT FELT TOO SHORT. WE HAD ALL THIS INSANE, HIGH-BUILT-UP TENSION, AND THEN BOOM. IT WAS OVER TOO FAST. WHERE WERE THE GASPS? THE MOANS? THE LINGERING TOUCHES? I NEEDED MORE. I DESERVED MORE.
That being said… was it still good? YES. YES. AND YES. But would I have sold my soul for an extra five minutes of intense, breathless, emotionally wrecking realness? ALSO YES.
____________________________________
5. Overall
Alright, let’s be real. This is a SOLID 9/10. There are tiny things here and there that could be improved, but honestly? NOTHING CRUCIAL. The chemistry alone makes up for everything. The emotions? The storytelling? The visuals? CHEF’S KISS.
And let me remind y’all I DO NOT REWATCH SERIES UNLESS THEY’RE GOOD. Like, I physically cannot sit through the same thing twice unless it’s THAT level of addicting. AND THIS? OH, IT’S THAT SERIES. I WILL 100% BE REWATCHING.
Now, onto the important questions:
Would I rewatch? YES.
Would I sell my soul for a Season 2? ABSOLUTELY.
Would I commit a crime just to make JoongDunk do another series like this? No comment.
FINAL RATING: 9/10. A MASTERPIECE.
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Awful script-writing and character development
To start off with a positive, the two main actors had great chemistry and their acting carried the entire show. Intimate scenes were done well but they were often very abrupt and I had trouble understanding the characters' thoughts or intentions most of the time leading up to these scenes. In particular, the character of First (played by Folk Jakrin Sangruan). First's character showed no development throughout despite meaningful talks with the acting teacher - he continued to treat Play (played by Gameplay Garnpaphon Laolerkiat) meanly with an excuse of 'teasing him because his reactions are cute' and I'm not entirely sure how that led to them getting together, nor do I understand First's feelings towards Play.The supporting characters added nothing to the plot and I ended up skipping all of the random side story parts as I really couldn't care less about Penelope... The love triangle was mostly unnecessary other than to give First a shove in the right direction and they should have allocated more time to focus on the two main characters and the development of feelings between them. It felt like their relationship kept going from 0 to 100 and then all the way back down to 0 again.
I only finished this since it was short, wouldn't recommend unless you have nothing else to watch.
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True To Love !
What after you break up ... all that fuss for nothing. Life is not all rosy and not always will the person next to you make you feel butterflies, life reaches you in various aspects some you imagine and some you dare not. And that's just what it's all about -living each day as if there's no tomorrow while planning a forever.It's a combined package of hope and despair.
So a dating coach failing at love huh, to be honest, I did not really expect that I would love it this much but clearly, this show grows onto you. With each passing episode, you realize that this show doesn't promise an answer to how you should deal with your love life or as a matter of fact breakup it simply just promises a hope that it'll get better.
To me, there's no simple answer to whether you should watch it or not all I can say is you need to try it for yourself. To some the character of bo ra may seem shallow but it has layers to it. The ML and FL may not be the best for butterfly chemistry but they do top the charts for real stuff.
It's an achievement for a show to depict a fiction that seems real. Everyone knows things in real life don't work like they do in the show but even then it answers questions in a way that makes you feel content.
What I loved throughout the show was that it was lovable in little elements and the characters were true to themselves.
SPOILER STUFF AHEAD !!! .............
(So it's been long since I wrote a review and quite frankly I know I am writing a long one again this time. ) A LITTLE HEADS UP !
Let's begin with how ML offers rides to FL before even falling for her. Even though he doesn't agree to the ways she believes in and advertises, there's a certain respect that he offers. (manifesting friendships like these)
I love how Bo Ra even after hearing that she is suffocating to be around still hangs on to her personality of confessing first and being the hopeless romantic. At the same time I also appreciate that ML was true to his personality of being the closed one. I am the closed kind of person and know that even if we see things going wrong we just can't really admit to our emotions easily.
During the course of the show, I come to like Bo Ra because initially I just literally thought that she was a dumb kind of character for going back to someone who clearly ain't into her. But through the journey of these 14 eps, I realized that both things are okay since there's no right or wrong in matters of heart. Either you say it or you don't in the end all that matters is the feeling.
I love how she has her own journey of self-realization while writing that whole book ...
The free hugs, walk back home, listening to her blabber while drunk was all so much needed !
WHAT AFTER A BREAKUP ???
..the major and best part of the show ...get up, pick yourself up, find an identity that belongs to you, see the world with the new perspective you have found, order that special pizza, buy your birthstone jewelry and fucking live.
do whatever makes you happy if that's getting drunk on street it's absolutely okay. It's okay to have a hard time breaking up it's okay if you fall for someone who makes you feel special instead of someone who cannot provide you with the assurance you need. Everything is okay, not being able to get over that cheat or parting ways mutually, falling in love again , failing in love again ....fucking everything.
I love how the side characters try to make things work ( Bo Ra's friend and her husband) I know as a fact that marriage is not some child play and it's not that simple. The way they just exist next to each other is a treat in itself.
(But as they say too much sugar is bitter - at times they are just so annoying that I literally had to skip through)
I must admit that I liked how their marriage was an issue in itself and how they were trying to sort things through.
I also liked the trope of ML's bestie and her ex-wife they had a journey of their own. Of self-realization, blame games, hatred, longing, affection and so much more. They just made it so much better.
I liked the Farce comedy throughout the show and somehow it just makes it objectively better for me cuz afterall I need drama in a drama.
What could be avoided ....
Well the pregnancy trope was really a big turn-off for me.
The return of Bo Ra's ex clearly unnecessary.
The ceo falling (ML's bestie) for some coworker...I didn't need that
I certainly did appreciate the fact that the show covers every aspect like marriage, divorce, dating, cheating, breakups, and proposals ....like everything.
THE BEST LINES FROM THE SHOW .....
"Even if someone will die tomorrow if you kill him today, it's murder." (The context in which it is used is just love)
"I can't leave this world with a tombstone that says - She was dumped, drunk and clingy."- (so rewrite who you want to be, rewrite so you can lie peacefully in your grave.)
"And then, I felt the ground. It had felt like a bottomless pit, but then I felt the ground. It was impossible to sink deeper. I hit rock bottom and it can't get any worse. Now I can only get back up."
"I don't need reassurance from someone for the choices I make."
" Whether it's a happy ending or a sad one I have to write my own ending."
and the last lines from the drama ....
"But our love is neither a perfect happy ending nor a sad ending, it's an open ending.
There's no such thing as a strategy for love, that never fails.
Promises will be broken, Love will change in the course of time....
some may say ...after making all that fuss you guys ended up splitting...when our relationship ends at some unknown point.
still, we will not regret that.
Like we live though we know we'll die someday.
Like we buy flowers though we know they'll wilt.
Like we sadly say goodbye though we know we'll see each other tomorrow.
likewise, we make promises we can't keep sometimes
like we buy stuff that is useless
we are true to love every possible moment
....from the bottom of our heart, we are true to love. !!! "
TO WATCH OR MAYBE SAVE TIME ....???
For me I really feel like this show does have a lot to offer but I do acknowledge that It's not the show that everyone would love.
I'd still suggest you that on case you try it out be patient let the story build and grow on to you you won't regret spending time on it.
I'll probably come for a rewatch in my next life ...for this one I plan on exploring a lot other gems. !
but once was a must !
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This review may contain spoilers
What could be cooler than the idea of a murderer killing people in one world and dumping their bodies in the other?! This crime thriller with two parallel worlds looked like something I’d absolutely enjoy, and It did satisfy my thrill trash self a good deal! Train is a super intriguing, intense, carefully crafted, and well-executed drama. It successfully avoids straying into side stories and gives all of its writing power to the main mystery aka finding the real serial killer, hence focused and very consistent in its storytelling. All characters and murder cases are connected, with every new ep, writers throw a new thread to catch on, every detail is purposed & noteworthy, nothing sounds irrelevant, nothing to waste screentime on. I’m sure such a thing would be even more rewarding to binge-watchers.
Also in terms of production quality, Train didn’t fail expectations!! That chilling dark vibe OCN always sends is clearly there. Cinematography is neat and somehow depressing, with a warm yellow tone for world A and a blue cold one for world B (each similar to their perspective characters!). Editors really did a brilliant job seamlessly switching from world A to B to the past to flashbacks. Music was also on point. Lyrics “I’m gonna find you”, playing at the end of each episode, make you look forward to the coming one, and another soft melody singing “I want to stay with you” makes emotional scenes a bit more felt.
On the other hand, Train is quite predictable, which is not necessarily a bad thing as I was still eager to watch and see if my theory was right or wrong, and everything was built up well with no apparent holes. But I found it cheap that certain characters had suspicion written all over their faces!! I have to admit, it made the resolution a bit underwhelming. I wished if writers would bring another twist but everything was foreseen at the end.
Another thing that bothered me was how I failed to connect with characters and their emotional scars. Although it could be only me, I think they could have chosen a better cast tbh. Most of the time, It felt like YSY was carrying the whole show on his shoulders. He totally lived his character and showed diverse emotions either playing the workaholic detective who lives to care&protect or the discontented inspector who lives with hate&shame. I rooted for him but it felt hella frustrating that no one was responding!
The FL was rather weak (in terms of performance); she had that one angry/sad expression on her face that I was absolutely numb towards. I’m not trying to undermine the actress’s effort, but in my eyes, they had little to no chemistry and it always felt one-sided. That shouldn’t be much of a problem for a thriller really but It’d have been much better if the story was more seasoned and I could feel the desperation to save someone or catch someone, yet clearly the mystery element was my only driver. That’s in part a problem with writing too; ‘cause most characters lacked personality and development, the main culprit’s character is so cliche, and many were merely running the story, I could see no problem if one of them was replaced :( If there’s anyone I loved, it’d be Jung min (the forensic doctor)& Jinwoo (junior detective).
Regardless, Train was an experience I enjoyed and anticipated every week. I recommend it and I’m pretty sure many will like it :)
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As someone who hasn’t read the source material I can’t really comment on how this drama lines up. It did well to get so far with a limited amount of plot. At times the writing feels a little awkward but not enough to stop watching.
I liked that compared to the Japanese movie the main couple were closer in age and by the end So Rim was an adult.
The cast were very attractive and did surprisingly well with the script they were given.
I didn’t feel that there was much chemistry between the two leads, fortunately the friendships within the bands and the secondary couple make up for this.
The most enjoyable part of this drama is the music and the relationships between the characters. I found the songs would get stuck in my head for a few days after watching.
All in all a reasonably enjoyable show to watch with catchy tunes.
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Dont watch it just read the novel or manhwa
The LA changed too many crucial points in the story to the point its just a hollow shell of the novel. Its clear that the director didnt even take a peak at the novel and just created this abomination to their own liking. The actors chosen doesnt fit well with the roles they are assigned to and the non-human characters look nothing like the description in the novel nor the art in the manhwa. The stories of each character and their roles in the story were drastically changed. Kim dokja just became a wanna be hero and a former bully with a loving family when he was the bullied one and came from an abusive household. Yoo sangah went from a skilled assassin to some healer which goes against her character story. Yoo junghyuk the mc of the story dokja read, TWSA, turned into some dumbass side character. In a nutshell, this LA is a piece of shit from the depths of hell. Scrap that. Even Satan would need bleach to cleanse his eyes of this atrocious crap. If you want to give ORV a go, read the novel. If you dont want to read the novel then read the manhwa. Its ongoing and its a great adaptation, something this LA can never be.Was this review helpful to you?
It reminded me so much of Lure of the Wolves with a clash of the Classic and the old school Korean movies I watched and fell in love with.
The chemistry was amazing and everyone played their part really well...
I guess people who has not seen movies of the early 2000's will not appreciate it as much as I absolutely love it.
You could compare it to Sunny, it had the same emotional pull but a little more fun in the story.
~STORY~
...was really simple. It wasn't complicated at all, no twists and turns. It made me question if what I think was going to happen was really going to happen in some parts but I'm not complaining...it's all fun parts for me.
~ACTING~
LJS needs to be a comedian... he was just hilarious but his actions were also very heartwarming.
The rest were really great too. They were so believable.
KYK was such a heart broken bad ass.
I already knew PBY was great but her cold character without being cutesy is really daebak.
LSY had very few lines but her acting as a~meek~sheep~with~all~the~crazy~inside was believable.
Everyone was amazing and their chemistry was just great.
There's a lot of comments about the cursing but I liked it because it gave the feel of the reality of the era in that area.
~MUSIC~
Brought me back all those Sundays my dad would turn up the radio...nostalgia at it's highest.
~~~~RE-WATCH~~~~
D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y!!!
Watch the movie with an open mind and I suggest not to think too much. It's not the kind of movie that requires you to think but just simply enjoy.
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This review may contain spoilers
What I loved:ACTING: Every single actor, either main, secondary or guest did an excellent job. I don't need to mention that the two main leads, Park Seo Joon, and Ahn Sung Ki were mindblowing. The emotions that they portrayed through their facial expressions, the feeling showing through the eyes, the warm budding relationship of these two characters and every single time they shared the screen, it was magic. I was completely floored by the child actor, Jung Ji Hoon, too.
What I didn't love:
PLOT: Park Seo Joon's character continues to rave and hate God throughout the movie, till the bit before the end where he rushes into the church to yell at God, and yet he is selected to become this harbringer of so-called divine fury because his dad said so? Really? He shows no particular religious feeling, no actual connection with God, and seems to have taken on the role of an exorcist's disciple simply because he somehow chanced upon an exorcism. I suppose the most that you can say about it is that he doesn't like ignoring people who are in pain or who need him, but honestly that wasn't well-developed and I wish the director had pursued that more.
THE HERO: Needed more character development! Everything is rushed; his relationship with his dad and with Father Ahn. He also seems to lack a clear motive, at least in my opinion. He's pretty much lost in his life during the pre-Father Ahn years, but afterwards, what motivates him to suddenly jump into exorcism? Is there a clear reconciliation between him and God? Would he have continued on this path had Father Ahn died? I think what the movie needed was a powerful moment where he witnesses people who lose loved ones and still continue to have faith in God, or who still smile. There was just something missing in this character that I can't seem to put exactly in words.
THE VILLAIN: My biggest disappointment is the fact that the villain is just this bland evil guy who is evil for the sake of it. There's no background, no motives, no depth at all. He just worships his Snake Lord for the sake of immortality but boy, what you gonna do with your eternal life? Party away in that club of yours? Heck, Doctor Faustus had a better motive than you, though he was pretty stupid too. There was just so much potential and room here and it was a big let-down.
THE ENDING: Everybody lives happily ever after. Ew.
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Best drama of 2025
Really really loved this drama ❤️ both the leading actors did a very good job! Everything!!! From the acting to their chemistry to the music, literally everything about this drama was so just amazing ❤️ I’m going to rewatch it again 😭🫶🏻 I’m so proud of our leading male actor, Liu Xue Yi! He did a very well job! Im so in love with him now!!!!! Helppppp🙂↕️ And our leading actress, her acting was divine and her role as Ji tang yi was so well acted and I really loved her character!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Dresses in red and holding a sword in his hand, he will never lose in the rivers and lakes
But in the end he (Li xiangyi) lost and seriously injured. Leave his position as sect leader and his lover, he used a new identity as Li Lianhua ten years later. Worked as “miraculous” doctor and solved cases with detective Fang Duobing aka Li xiangyi “apprentice” along with his enemy which he fought during East Sea War. Travelling around the Jianghu world with his Lotus House and the more he travelled, the closer he is to what he has left ten years ago.ChengYi brings Li lianhua to life. His appearance and clothing style is very lianhua I read in the novel. Simple and less stand out when he’s in crowd because lianhua gave less prominent aura compared to when he was Li xiangyi. Cunning and less ambitious because he already accepted his fate as no longer the number1 in Jianghu world but as a person who only has one year to live. Joseph Zhang the youngest among the trio irl and in this drama, the most cheerful and most ambitious and I think he played it brilliantly. Xiao Shun Yao as Di Feisheng, the enemy turn friend of Lianhua also bring justice to his character. The trio chemistry is very good and funny as the story goes on and sometimes I cannot stop smiling.
This drama handles each cases quite well and brilliantly which made you cannot stop guessing the mastermind behind each cases. But it's not bored. And how they put the twists here and there, it were brilliantly done. The most unexpected plot twist towards the ending. WOW. From smaller cases became big cases, everything revolved around lixiangyi himself.
This maybe one of few drama that villain is wicked but it's hard to hate them. The actors and actress played the villain very well and beautiful too.
One of the most good thing about this drama is the stories for each cases progressing so fast. The twist and secrets of other characters prevailed without dragging them except Lilianhua is LixiangYi.
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1Absolute Master piece and The drama of the year 2024!
I love watching fantasy, suspense and adventurous dramas and this drama is giving me everything I love and more!!! Its easily the best drama that has surfaced this year.The cast whether they are male or female are doing stunning jobs portraying their characters so spectacularly and perfectly. I can't fail to mention that all the cast is full of gorgeous and beautiful actors and actresses which makes this drama even more captivating. The villains are extremely cunning and powerful and so it increases the chaos and difficulty of the problems the main characters have to face.
I love the complicated yet adorable romance between Wen and ZYZ. Also the complicated but very admirable friendship between ZYC and ZYZ, it warms my heart everytime and I enjoy their progress from enemies to bros/ friends . The love/hate story between LiLun and ZYZ is really intriguing and mysterious. Their story of bros to enemies is unfolding slowly but surely. Also all the other team members' back stories are incredibly interesting. There is always something to find out and explore about each character, their back ground, their behaviour, their choices and emotions. The bromance between the members and the sismance is also blowing my mind up. Its so adorable, bittersweet, funny and exciting.
All the characters are showing emotions and expressions incredibly well so you feel emotionally attached to their life and fate. I love the humour of the characters and chaotic energy they display, it's really fun to see their funny interactions. The chemistry of all the team members is impeccably smooth.
The story is extremely gripping and suspenseful. I love how the mysterious cases are revealing important past stories and are related to main cast one way or another.
The gorgeous costumes, top cenimatrography, beautiful fight cheography, all environment settings and the sound/visual effects were mind-blowing!! Its one of the best dramas I have ever seen. The OSTs are incredibly beautiful and heart warming.
Overall I'm in love with this drama and don't want it to finish ever! I'm savoring this extremely satisfying experience. I feel the pace of the drama is not too slow or not too fast. Its just right. Everyday I eagerly wait for the next episode. I hope watchers give it fair chance and watch it till end.
ENDING:
The ending is beautifully executed. The series of events that unfold, fit so well with the story. It has been very cleverly menouvered to that point where everyone had to make hard choices out of either their deep love, deep bonded friendship, admirable brotherhood or heavy responsibility of protecting/saving others. Although the drama has an open ending/sad ending, we are given happy ending as well in the extra episode. The happy ending ties so well with the end that we are left with a relief and hope for our dreams to come true that we spun during the drama.
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Engaging story and plot
This drama is honestly one of the best of 2024 in my opinion. The plot keeps you involved, it's one of the dramas I've ever watched where I didn't skip a single scene.The main couple have an incredible chemistry that gets better and better, you can see the change in their relationship in every episode.
The cast has been chosen perfectly, their chemistry is great, we have a mixture of intense, moving and humorous scenes. The costumes and CGI make it even better.
I highly recommend this.
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Just a Typical Romcom with badly executed cliches
My dearest nemesis fails to be the romcom it was promising to be with the trailer and the first two episodes.Good points for Drama:
Easy Watch when you're not looking for any deep story.
All Cliches included.
2nd Lead dynamic is fun.
Bad Points:
No innovation to the plot
Shallow Characters with no real motivation.
The drama forgets it's main focus midway and turns into tragic ml trauma thing.
It is fun till ep 6 and then goes downhill from that. Watch at your own risk, the main leads are a little childish and you probably won't get a satisfying ending, but it has some good moments.
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