Ryan Ding was the best part of the drama, Screenwriter's love of Incel Stalkers--terrible.
I figured someone may want a more balanced review that isn't, "This is all crap" and "this is the best ever" First I have to establish that I go mostly by talent of the actors/crew. I don't really do the whole mooning over actors thing. Not my jam. I don't automatically upvote a drama because the actor is "hot" or whatever. I go by how the drama is or isn't. I go by if the art is good or bad.For those of you that are planning on reading the book, read the book second and watch the drama first. The drama first is OK and regular and kind of middle of the road. The book is excellent, though lacking in details, so you should be helped by doing it in this order. I should warn that the second half of the drama is nothing like the book.
For comparison, this drama is better than Longest Promise which had some of the worst writing I've witnessed in a drama. This drama, though suffers mostly from an unconfident writer who isn't sure how to do anything from the book.
If you are going to watch the drama, you're likely watching fro Ding Yuxi and the production values.
The best lifetimes are in order (for the drama):
The animal lifetime (Hilarious and voiced very well)
The Demon lifetime (mostly for Ryan Ding living the role--and changing his mannerisms in every single way playing it).
The Sect lifetime Almost 1 for 1, but then went off the rails a bit towards the end.
The flashback couple lifetime (Cang hai)
Prime Minister's daughter
Princess/General This was cut in half from the original, so didn't have the gravitas, but I understand they had to cut it likely because of censorship.
The character I hated the most was Xiu Ming. I hated his ending too, especially since he's split off from the original character who was a stalker in the book. He literally stalked the female main character across lifetimes. *Stop redeeming stalker characters~~* And yes, I can fight you on this. When someone is trying to "rescue" you without your consent, and follow after you for *lifetimes* then yeah, that's called stalking.
I mostly skipped (10 second skip) through the whole banished clan thing--it didn't belong in the drama and I lost about nothing. The acting wasn't that great to begin with. And I didn't care that much about the Zihui storyline at all, which felt disjointed from the rest of the drama anyway.
In order the best parts of the drama:
1. Ding Yuxi
-hands down the best part of the drama. The director let him do *mostly* what he wanted, though there were a few times I felt like he was limited by the director. *ahh* Ding Yuxi playing mischievous is something I really like because it's in his wheelhouse--but the director cut him off? I said this consistently since the beginning. If you want to watch the drama only for him, it's not a bad pick.
2. Production values: These are the costumes, music, CGI. The CGI was the best in Heavenly realm. I'm guessing the writer had to set more things in the heavenly realm to save on costs. I'm not against that. (Costs more to rent a space than build a set sometimes) That said, I wouldn't have minded if they saved on production costs and gotten better actors. The production team went all out. The only person that probably should have paid attention more is the sound guy. He missed a few sounds he should have put in. I feel like they couldn't pay all the actors all the way through due to the production values being high.
3. Red Thread Master and Yang Chaoyue
Contrary to popular belief, Yang Chaoyue was better in the second half of the drama. I thought she wasn't that good at the beginning, but she grew into the character more. Slight downgrade for the whining bits, but I think that's more down to writing and directing choices, than personal choices. I also, really liked the choices of the Red Thread Master, which surprised me. The dynamic between the two acors felt more natural. She definitely picked up a few things during the course of the drama and became less stiff and emotionless. It's not top of the line such that Yang Chaoyue was pushing Ryan Ding, but it wasn't terrible either. If you want to see actresses that pushed Ryan Ding, then there is Romance of the Tiger and Rose. And I'd also say Moonlight with Esther Yu--who also pushed him quite a bit. While she wasn't terrible ^^ I still would have chosen a top line actress and sacrificed some of the production values like the 3D printing of crowns to try to get a better actress as lead. Guan Xiao Tong would have been my natural pick since she can play the range.
4. Director. Some of the blocking was off, particularly on Ryan Ding--I don't blame Ryan Ding for this--that's on the director's head to run through the scene and let the actors play it out a few times. And a few directing choices I disliked entirely, though these are minor.
5. The writing. The writing was meh for me--I mean if you take it separate from the book it's running 3-4. It's really, really creepy that the screenwriter wants *so hard* to redeem incel stalkers this much. I mean, WTF. Trying so hard to redeem incel stalker from the book, and then try to redeem them in the drama, but no one wants that. What I felt from the screenwriter throughout was that they were constrained a bit by budget, but also they lacked confidence to make the bolder decisions. For that reason the drama feels like a fanficiton version of the book rather than an improvement. This isn't to slam fan fiction, BTW, but to say, it feels more copying cookie cutter. And BTW, I'm not one of those, the book is always better. I go wherever the story is best.
6. The Nepotism adds
Occasionally, in order to make a production, the financing asks that you add characters--there were quite a few and a few characters that should never been downgraded were downgraded for the drama. Usually in regular production, adding characters means more budget. The only exception is nepotism adds where there is a contingency. This is why I think a few of the actors who were added, but not in the book were solely added for budget reasons, not storyline reasons. Zihui should not have been split into Xiu Ming and Zihui. This by far, weighed down the drama and you didn't get the tighter plotting that the book had. The whole of the Muluo tribe--Uhhgghhh no. OK, the demon bit was good. But still.
BTW, I still want to yeet Xiu Ming off this drama.
BTW, I'd so watch a movie version that actually followed the novel more 1 for 1.
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This review may contain spoilers
Firstly, this drama was made around 2018-2019 or something and was delayed until 2021, lmao. I don’t know the reason clearly—maybe some production issue. So, if you're planning to watch this, you should know what to expect.It is just another rom-com with poorly written characters filled with clichés and old tropes. The story is pretty simple. The FL has a bad impression of the ML, and now they meet at "So I Married an Anti-Fan", a variety TV show, and discover much more about each other.
Not gonna lie, the ML had some toxic behavior in Ep 1 because he lacks listening skills. He wasn’t as toxic as other MLs I’ve seen, but definitely, he has that mean behavior in the first few episodes. The ML has trust issues for various reasons, and even the entertainment industry is scary. He doesn’t have friends and lacks social skills too but isn’t a cold lead—I mean, he expresses his care for the people he loves. Choi Tae Joon, playing as Hoo Joon, was just OKAY, nothing great at all.
The FL’s character really disappointed me. She never stood up for herself. She gets herself into every possible embarrassing situation. She lets people make a fool out of her and doesn’t take any action against it. She swallowed her pride completely. She was just an "Anti-Fan" but was treated as nothing less than trash. Choi Soo Young, as Lee Geun Young, acted really well, but I really didn’t like her character.
The SL is really toxic and annoying. I couldn’t stand him ever. He has reasons to be so, but none can justify his own toxic behavior. The SFL is pretty annoying too. She always cries. The SL and SFL really have a toxic relationship. All the abusive and violent behavior is a HUGE RED FLAG.
I really didn’t like a lot of side characters EXCEPT for the FL’s friends and the ML’s manager.
None of the characters actually had any character development, nor were they likable.
The music wasn’t that impressive but suited the scenes well.
This drama really had a GOOD "Enemies to Lovers" trope. Romance was the only reason I didn’t drop this. But the leads, once they fell for each other, RARELY had any bickering, which made this even more boring.
Overall, the drama is nothing WOW as a rom-com. In the name of comedy, it was much more like "embarrassing scenes." I’m pretty disappointed. It was an OKAY watch for me. Definitely NOT a must-watch, but you can give it a shot.
THAT'S ALL. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF MY REVIEW WAS HELPFUL ^^
END :D
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A Cinematic Journey To Love...
When it comes to writing love stories, romance dramas often tend to blow out relationships heavily into cliche territory; the female or male lead is head over heels for their significant other, jealousy spins around their love interest approaching (respectfully) other men and women, and an onslaught of dramatic misunderstandings occur as a consequence.When you decide to sit down and watch “ Run-On” for the first time, it may strike viewers as unusual to come across several prominent, atypical features within our leads and their relationships; the most evident being that our female heroine and translator Oh Mi Joo (Shin Se Kyung) and our male lead athlete Ki Seon Geom ( Im Shi Wan) are intrinsically written as individuals, rather than the typical “ unit” approach taken in most romantic dramas.
Shin Se Kyung is brilliant within her role as our fairly down-to-earth female lead Oh Mi-Joo; a talented and hardworking translator with a difficult childhood , Mi-Joo alongside her best friend Park Mae Yi ( Lee Bong Ryun) , is more focused on her career and struggling to pay the bills than anything else.Contrastingly, Ki Seon Geom ( again, brilliantly played by Im Shi Wan) comes from a wealthy family, has a successful career as an athlete, however, he is quite simply fed up from others using him, his money and status as a social climbing ladder as episodes progress. By a whim of fate, the two individuals from opposite walks of life end up meeting and gradually developing a relationship. However, this is also where the series hits its biggest snag as well.
The “ opposites attract” cliche is one of the most infamous storyline usages in romantic dramas, yet when it came to Run-On, one of the notable elements of a storyline intrinsically based on this cliche seemed to feel unexpectedly lacklustre. By default, it shouldn’t have done; Mi-Joo and Seon- Geom were well-rounded individuals with intriguing backstories , storylines and striking similarities as characters, yet, principally rather than playing out their similarities, the show seemed to ride too heavily upon their differences which often resulted in their relationship feelings fairly indifferent for viewers .
One reason behind this can be explained by Mi-Jo and Seo Geom’s relationship progression over the course of the series. Despite their differences, Mi-Joo had many similar impacts of her past like Seon-Geom, however, neither character really tried to reach out, to talk or bond over this matter either.This should have helped to bring our couple together more throughout the drama, however, this would have only been possible if the storyline had more of an arching development for our characters, (due to little sense of climatic building),strong pacing or intrinsic development over a course of sixteen episodes.
Alongside our main couple, the drama attempts also to introduce the romantic pairing between slightly naive art student Lee Young Hwa ( Kang Tae Oh) and the cynical young CEO of a talent agency company, Seo Dan Ah ( Choi Soo Young). Before commenting upon their relationship, it is fairly striking that Dan Ah has numerous deep and likeable qualities as a character ( despite her sometimes “ overly abrupt” personality); she isn’t written off as a figure of female animosity nor as the “ antagonist”, but rather an individual hiding deep secrets, a naturally hardworking businesswoman and who is the type that struggles to reach out to others both emotionally and socially ( often leading to both comical and sad misunderstandings).
Against all odds, the relationship between the pair was arguably more appealing to audiences than our main couple at times. This is intrinsically due to the fact that Young Hwa and Dan Ah are truly the epitome of different within their backgrounds, moralities and even personality types, yet are still able to develop and bond due to their similarities( particularly their admiration of art). On the other hand, their relationship will still notably lacking in depth; a consequence of several plot inconsistencies, tropes as well as the series possibly running out of time to not truly captivate “ life imitating art” to the fullest.
Overall whilst Run-On was an intrinsically sweet romance drama which had several surprisingly well-written characters, an appropriate ending , humour and touched upon several notable realistic issues including homosexuality, illness, mental health and family, notable relationship portrayals , development , plot holes and of course an overall didactic purpose for the show, felt both lacklustre and lacking in the grand scheme of things.
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refreshing slice of life- with some drawbacks
i didnt have any expectations for this drama at all, but it ended up being fantastic (for the most part). it was so authentic and organic, from the friendships to life situations. i found all of the characters to be very human and interesting to follow. this is one of the few kdramas ive seen that depicts humanity so realistically, with their flaws and growing pains.i will mostly be discussing the negatives of this drama, because everything was good besides a few things that i felt prevented this drama from being perfect. ill still mention all of the good things briefly, and in short i recommend you watch this drama (i recommend only watching ep 1- the first ten min of ep 15 and calling it finished)
a slice of life romcom would be a good way to describe the plot. teenagers and adults alike are struggling amidst the imf crisis, and two young athletes struggle at friendship while competing. kim tae ri is endearing as 18 year old heedo, a fencing prodigy that is strong willed, stubborn, kind, and energetic. yurim, a gold medalist fencer, was difficult to like at first but she became a great friend and worthy of praise. nam joohyuk feels grounding as yijin, forced to grow up too quickly but learning to find happiness again with heedo. jiwoong and seung wan started getting more screentime later in the drama which i greatly appreciated as i thought they added a lot to the overall show. i loved discovering the hidden sides of themselves, how their opinions on the world as teens wanting to rebel in their own ways was slowly shown to us. overall i really enjoyed watching them all grow and form bonds with each other, it was truly the definition of youth.
the friendship between heedo and yijin was one of my favorite on screen relationships to date. i thought they would do well whether it was romantic or platonic and the show did a good job at showing why they would work together, but also why they wouldnt have. they started to rely on and support each other, becoming a source of happiness for the other person. but they were also in two different stages of life: yijin had to grow up too quickly and became more mature and grounded while heedo still had a sort of childlike optimism and persistence. these were traits that drew them to each other: what the other was lacking. they needed each other, but they were still growing on their own. regardless of the romance arc this friendship was just so believable, healthy and organic.
the friendship group formed between heedo, yurim, seungwan, and jiwoong was lighthearted and refreshing. what really brought them together was their willfulness and stubbornness, each in their own ways. heedo in fencing, yurims in her love for her family, jiwoong in his interests, seungwan in her morals. the drama touched on a lot of important subjects, especially with the jiwoong/seungwan school punishment arc. yijin also ended up as a part of this group, and i loved the mentor role he took on. he knew what it was like to grow up too fast, so giving heedo and yurim a school trip and reminding them to enjoy their youth was so heartfelt. when he stepped in to save seungwan from the reporter as well, hes using his knowledge to save them from going through troubles. there were a lot of parallels between the characters and the relationships depicted were all complex and realistic.
and of course the cinematography was unique to the show, the soundtrack was nice, and the acting- obviously- top notch. production wise i have no complains. the 90s vibe and aesthetic alone is enough to watch this drama. i compliment the writers for creating such realistic and smooth conversations and such believable characters.
some of my favorite moments:
-heedo telling yijin they should be happy with each other while running around at night.
-the mini school trip where they all sat on the beach watching sunset.
-the friend group watching the fireworks on the rooftop
-them watching heedo and yurims interviews on tv
-when heedo and yurim cheered seungwan on for quitting school
-jiwoong not being able to park the car and them all jumping around in happiness when they lifted it
some things i disliked about the drama that affected my rating:
1. false advertising
it doesnt actually take place when they are 25 and 21. its mostly when heedo is 18 (korean age) and yijin is 22. considering the description says “ Two people first meet when they are 22 and 18 years old and fall in love years later when they turn 25 and 21. “ i was a little confused. so why did they called it 2521 and give a misleading description & title ? probably because they knew the age gap might cause a problem, leading into my next point.
2. the age gap.
ive seen some people defending it, 18 and 22 is not that far off after all. id love to say “this is just a work of fiction, lets just enjoy this wholesomeness!” but i just cant. especially because it IS a work of fiction and the writers couldve done this differently.
a four year age gap isnt a big deal between two adults at the very least in the same stage of life. if this romance actually happened when they were 21 and 25 i wouldnt be writing all of this right now. thats what the description states after all, and yet the romance happened prior. but heedo was a highschooler, an immature one at that- remember how she dated and broke up with a guy just to see what its like? she thought you have to wash lettuce with soap. when yijin and heedo were out together, it was so uncomfortable seeing her in a school uniform and him in a suit. yijin, despite being a good man, was an adult. not even a college student, but an adult living alone with a job out in the real world. luckily, they started dating when she was old enough to drink alcohol, so i suppose thats adult enough.
but i think the problem lies within his confession to her. we know they like each other, it wouldve been better build up and more comfortable for the general audience had the writers waited for them to both be full grown adults (or at least for heedo to graduate highschool) to have them confess. this is made worse by the fact that ALL of his friends highschoolers. i do understand that this is a small neighborhood in the 90s and it was all by circumstance- yurim due to family, heedo by accident, seungwan as the neighbor etc etc. but he rarely hung out with adults his age outside of work, that’s what makes this whole situation weird to me. and its not just yijin: in ep 10 seungwan tells yijins 15 yr old brother “ 4 more years? ill wait for you”. gross. what is with this show and its love for inappropriate 4 yr age gaps? overall im blaming the writers for not being a little more nuanced about a potentially inappropriate relationship. i dont think this is enough to write off the drama, but this is important to note:
this is the most avoidable problem in the whole drama, especially when since the beginning yijin has said “adults should only date other adults” and “highschool drama is for highschoolers, im an adult” and has brought up how young they all were and how different their lives were. the writers know this isnt okay and made a point to comment on it- but did it anyway.
i dont care if this age gap doesnt matter to you, i dont care if you think this specific situation is okay or if “the 90s were a different time!” or if “theyre both technically adults!” this drama has a responsibility to portray this relationship with a certain sensitivity. a few simple changes couldve been made to make it a little more acceptable to the general public, but like i said i dont think this is enough to swear off watching it.
2. yurims arc
the writers really pushed yurim as a bully from the beginning. she was cruel to heedo, belittled her, affected her personal and school life. she often played the victim despite constantly being supported by everyone around her. being poor and scared of losing was the excuse they gave her, it caused an inferiority complex. i didnt think this was strong enough to combat heedos problems, although i suppose theyre meant to be equal. yurim is poor and loved, while heedo is rich with a dead father and an absent mother. i understood what the writers were trying to do here. but the actual switch, the injeolmi reveal, was a weak turning point. if you watch the episodes one after the other, it makes it obvious how jarring and simple yurims personality shift was. pre ep 8, she caused the whole nation to hate heedo on her behalf and constantly belittles her. none of this matters until yurim sees that she was her internet friend. only this sparks her apology, which means if they hadnt been internet friends she would be forever cruel and unapologetic. this makes yurim seem continuously self centered and flimsy as a character. after ep 8 heedo and yurim are awkwardly kind to each other and start building a friendship. yurim kind of explains herself in the later half but i just thought they built the mean yurim up too well, or at least didnt put enough care into her arc. i am glad yurim retains some of those feelings (ep 11 she says she is still scared of heedo) so it isnt like she woke up a different person.
i guess your opinion on this depends on which you empathize more with, but i always felt more on heedos side. we saw her walk home alone after matches, advocate for herself, practice until she couldnt stand, be bullied by someone she admired, win a gold medal with no support from her coach or mother. im sure yurim went through difficulties, but it was heedos that were shown on screen, so i resonated more with her. all i wanted was the best for her, especially in terms of her and yurims relationship. and when heedo forgave yurim, their scenes were very cute and heartwarming and i did grow to love her and i enjoyed all of their scenes together. but i cant just pretend she wasnt a horrible person for half of the drama. heedo is clearly more forgiving than i am.
i did end up having to just let my feelings on this go in order to enjoy the drama, but i wanted to mention this.
3. the present time
this drama wouldve done well just focusing on the past. it felt unbalanced, we start off in the present and heedos daughter is sort of a narrator, but then we exist in the past uninterrupted for periods of time. i guess 2521 was going for a reply series kind of thing, but i would’ve preferred it to just take place in the past. the story of the friend group, the romance, the sports, the imf crisis, it was all enough to keep us going for the entire duration of the show. the present time brought down the whole mood of the drama and made it dip more into melodrama territory. i didnt want to worry about if someone was going to die or get amnesia. i didnt want angst, i wanted to watch what seemed like a lighthearted slice of life character based romcom as promised. like id be watching the characters laughing and having fun and bam- heedos daughter is on screen killing my vibe. or we are having a cute moment and we have a flash forward sequence that makes us question who breaks up with who. i dont think this drama needed extra mystery or suspense, it already had a sort of darker tone with the imf crisis (which was all but forgotten in favor of other side plots). yijins family troubles were as much sadness as i needed and like i mentioned before, there was plenty of side plots to keep this drama going. i guess some people didnt mind, but i definitely noticed much of the audience speculating on the ending constantly instead of just enjoying the show, which is major buzzkill for anyone wanting to watch and hoping to just enjoy it. perhaps this is just a personal preference but i strongly think this couldve been more powerful as just a slice of life. those are hard to pull off, and they were so close. i ended up not watching the future scenes as they ruined the vibe for me.
4. the ending
just trust me on this, dont bother with the last two episodes. the characters were completely different people, too much angst and a lot of decisions made by the end were so distasteful. the writers just stopped caring by the end. it just goes to show the drama was written to be anticipated for weekly ratings and not just to be enjoyed.
and thats the end of my review. i know it was mainly negative, but again- everything besides these points was top notch. id still recommend this drama to anyone.
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Amazing Acting | Brilliant Ending
This is the story of Liu Yikang, a real historical figure in the Liu Song Dynasty (420-479 AD). It was one of the most tumultuous eras of Chinese history. The aristocrats were wealthy and powerful, and the commoners were poor and suppressed. Parricides, filicides and fratricides were rampant. Historically Liu Yikang’s life ended tragically, killed by his own beloved and trusted brother The Emperor. The drama stops short of his tragic end (fortunately or unfortunately?).In this drama, a lot of the events and villains are fictionalized. Though Liu Yikang (played by Qin Hao) is a real figure historically, his beloved wife Shen Li Ge (played by Li Qin) and her family are fictional. Despite their more than 10 years age difference, Qin Hao and Li Qin have very courteous chemistry together as a couple as there are no passionate kisses nor hugs (just a peck on the lips or a lean on the shoulder). Nonetheless, such chemistry doesn’t reduce our enjoyment of the plot and story. There are quite a few nail-biting close calls and frustrating near misses scenes throughout the drama, keeping the viewers sitting at the edge of the couch and captivating our full attention.
The drama starts with a bang, introducing Shen Li Ge as a beautiful and talented assassin. Li Qin is so beautiful that she looks amazing in every costume and hairstyle that she wears. As a fearless badass, Li Qin is convincing without losing her elegance. Her acting is on the notch.
Qin Hao is a veteran actor. He has the charisma as a powerful ruler. At the beginning of the drama, many viewers complain that Qin Hao is too mature to play the role. But Liu Yikang was exactly as this age during the time of the story. As the story develops, Qin Hao melts together as the Liu Yikang character; he gives a very convincing performance.
Both Shen Li Ge and Liu Yikang are facing a faceless mastermind. Despite taking down various powerful aristocrats who conspire to hurt them and their family, the plot continues to the very end, eventually revealing the identity of the mastermind behind all the destruction and killings, and his motivation for doing so. Though going through a lot of hardship and heartaches, Shen Li Ge and Liu Yikang combat the villains hand in hand and continue to outwit them with their determination and conviction.
This drama is filled with tropes, such as evil sister, falling off cliff (but not dead), loss of memory, accidentally kisses etc. There are also multiple unnecessary deaths just to make the characters martyrs. Many of the logic is illogical with flaws and plot holes. By the end of the story, there are still multiple unexplained loose strings.
I believe the visual director has had a field day with the palace décor. This is the first time I have ever seen such European inspired décor of the palaces with giant statues and water fountains. The mother consort’s clothing even matches her walls and furniture which may be a bit on the wild side of the imagination.
The ending is very typical of Chinese dramas – open to interpretations. Overall, if you like slimy infallible villains who always seem to outsmart the good guys, you may find this an exciting watch. If you’re an emotional person and have a tendency to invest deeply into likable characters, you may be in for some heartaches. For me, this is quite a good watch mainly because of the two main characters, Shen Li Ge and Liu Yikang and the fine acting of the actors.
With my epiphany which came one day later after the final episode, I find the ending brilliant. This is a drama strongly recommended (despite the tropes).
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This review may contain spoilers
My impression of "My Annoying Brother" is that its a great family type of movie, at least in my opinion...I expected a sad story about how Du Yeong(D.O Kyungsoo)becomes blind and deals with his brother Ko Doo Shik(Jo Jung Suk)who goes out of prison(i remind you,a SAD story(its worse XD)). Well...it was actually really different from what i imagined. First the swearing is a lot, i dont know if Korea sees this as a family movie, considering they blur out knives and guns...And i like how they delivered the story! There was Comedy, swearing, family drama, sadness and tragedy(duh!what can you expect from the peson who made it)brotherly bonding and love, i'm glad the movie is not another sad tragedy movie hit ;) , which i expected from the person who made it(well....proved my expectations kinda....). The reason im giving the story 9.5 is because i feel something was missing, just a little in the beginning. Im still in shock from the ending, i did not expect it at all. So im not gonna give you a spoiler, watch it and see if your gonna be just as shocked.
The acting was great. The bromance made me scream, cry and laugh. It was funny to see the swearing which is really really a lot more than in any drama you have ever seen. Jo Jung Suk is one of my favorite actors because of this movie(in my top 3). His acting is out of this world, i did not doubt his acting for a second. Next lead D.O Kyungsoo: I was worried about D.O because, since "I Remember You" i havent seen him in a lot of dramas or movies. Gladly there was nothing to worry about,he is just as good as always. Lets hope we can see him in more dramas and movies.
Next: Park Shin Hye(Lee Soo Hyeon) was a big suprise for me when i found out about the cast. Her acting was great i'm so glad she was in this movie i cant imagine another female in this role (that's not an A list actress) to grab my attention. Otherwise the role would be very simple, bland and waste of screen time. She delivered the role of caring for Du Yeong so well, that felt it! I dont know why i expected romance between her and the brothers. I shiped her and Du Yeong so hard, but i have a feeling, that if it was a romance movie she would go to Ko Doo Shik and Du Yeong would be the sad second lead who is blind.... so maybe its not good to have romance in this movie after all but just cute, lovely-dovey bromance. The acting is a 10, best cast ever!
Now to the topic about the music in the drama. Its the only thing that didn't stick out enough to
impress me. I dont get it they had D.O Kyungsoo of EXO and Jo Jong Suk(they sang one song at the ending which was good) who can both sing couldnt they make them sing the songs or at least give the signers better songs! They werent bad dont get me wrong but they were not on the same level as the story,acting and visual of the cast and scenery. That's why im giving it 8.5.
As a rewatch value i would soo watch it again. Yes, yes and yes. I only wish i could watch it with my family but they don't even understand english. Thankfully i can watch it with my sister because its a great family movie that plays with your emotions. Even if there are a little shirtless scenes XD. 9.5
Overall its a great movie it had comedy it wasn't all sad like i expected it to be.(Thou from the discription is missing a few generes besides those "Comedy, Drama, Family, Life". Well what happens in the movie can be summed up in genre ''Life'' i guess.)The relationship between the brothers really made my legs jelly. I really liked it! Even if i gave the music 7.5 im still giving it a 10 for overall impression because the other movies that could hold my attention that long without me spacing off are only Train to Busan, Miracle in Cell No. 7 and Werewolf Boy. And as i said in the beginning SAD....prepare food and prepare a place where you can blow your nose and hang your face to dry after the movie...my face is still drying from all the tears....
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Best Korean BL I had ever watched
I stayed up until 2 a.m., despite having work at 8 a.m., just to watch the final episode, and it did not disappoint. The TV adaptation surpasses the 120-chapter Manhwa I read, offering a darker, more thrilling experience.For those who complain about toxic characters, I would argue that without them, the story would lack depth and excitement. I recently finished Heart Stain (Korean) and Impression of Youth (Taiwan), both of which did not feature any toxic characters or villains, and I found them to be quite dull and simplistic to watch.
In contrast, Secret Relationship kept me engaged throughout. Every episode was thrilling, exciting, and filled with cliffhangers, and the flashbacks made perfect sense. The actors delivered exceptional performances, the male leads were captivating, the cinematography was outstanding, and the plot was gripping.
This is one of the best BL series I have ever watched. I would rate it a solid 10/10.
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This review may contain spoilers
This show was just meh for me. Yes the acting was great and Woo Do Hwan's emotional journey was something to behold. However, it was just another, childhood trauma series that really wasn't resolved. That's fine but then don't take us on that roller coaster ride. Jae Mi's screeching also got on my nerves.
The pluses of the series are Oh Jung Se. He has always been one of my favorite K actors and he was great here as the sort of jilted fiance. I did like that he was able to let Jae Mi go but he still was grieving that. A more realistic approach to a hard break up.
Lee El. OMG! I love this woman. Absolutely fantastic as Bon Suk, friend and mother figure to Hae Jo. Those scenes in the hospital should get all the supporting actress awards.
Kim Min Seok as Ho Ji was such great comic relief but I also really liked the character.
11/24/24
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1. STORY :
Okay, so before it even started to air, based on the trailers I could guess what the story will be about and I was right. A police officer has his daughter kidnapped by a bad guy A, but when he catches the bad guy A he actually discovers....it's a good guy B. Are they brothers? No, they can't be. The story is perfectly made, that it always entertains you. With each episode, you get closer and closer to the cause of the whole chaos. I really applaud the writer, because u can't see such dramas just anywhere. The plot is really unique and with unique twists.
2. ACTING :
I knew that this drama would be dope thanks to Yang Se Jong who I encountered first in The romantic doctor Kim ....and I was right. In this drama Se Jong played 3 characters and everytime I saw them, I had feeling that they are different people. To achieve such feeling in other person, it's very hard thing to do! I never saw other actors jobs so I can't really say whether they were bad before or not, but in this drama EVERY character showed emotions, as if it was a real story and not just acting. Everyone started to LIVE their role for real and that's how this masterpiece was created.
3. MUSIC :
Since it's action/sci-fi drama, u don't get much of the OST but there is one song which I fell in love and it's the ''Nightmare''. Currently it's the most played song on my Playlist, so I really recommend it!
4. REWATCH VALUE :
I don't really rewatch dramas, but I think this could be rewatched (?)
Look, in romantic dramas people rewatch it to see the romance and cheesy dates of main couple, but in crime dramas it's a bit hard cause the audience already KNOWS what will happen next, so it's not as thrilling as the first time.
5. OVERALL :
Amazing and unique plot, fantastic acting, good music, the plot-twists are the real killers
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A ride that starts with fun and chaos but ends up being a mess by the end.
I still remember watching Jim Carrey's "Liar Liar" and how a laughter riot it was filled with chaotic moments. When I read the synopsis of this drama, I knew it is gonna be a ball of chaos and that is exactly what it has been to most extent.Go Kyung Pyo is a great casting for the role and damn he is humorous with his expressions and acting. Looking at his past dramas with him pulling off different types of characters, he has improved a lot.
I always wanted to see Kang Hanna in lead roles, so was quite happy to see her in this drama.
There are some cliche tropes used like the love triangle between ML,FL and SML but even with the triangle, things are kept humorous and simple instead of going for overly dramatic confrontations and stuff.
The first half of the drama is full of many funny, chaotic and dramatic moments but the second half is a mess with unnecessary storylines being added and finished rapidly. The story turned into a total healing melodrama with nothing to do with the main highlight of the title. It did become somewhat boring by the end and I am glad they only kept it till 12 eps cuz looks like even the writers knew they had no idea on what to do with story or how to end it.
Overall It is a decent watch.
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First, this show was too long for its story. Some episodes were an hour and a half, and there were 21 in total. If the show's length were to be shorter, R1994 would've benefited a lot. It began to drag halfway through, and it even got boring at times.
Also, this focused way too much on the husband mystery. The rest of the characters had nice stories, but since most of the show was about the husband's mystery id, their stories couldn't develop as smoothly as they should've. Instead, they were wrapped up out of nowhere in one episode. For example, Binggeure's.
Some people have also pointed out that Najung was quite empty, and it's true. She's the main lead, and the only thing she did in the drama was pine for Trash's love. The secondary characters had better stories than her.
I was also disappointed with the husband's ID, if it was just going to be like that, then why cause the dumped guy so much trouble and angst? The writers should've at least given him a better story, and maybe developed his character more, so it wouldn't feel as if he was just placed in the drama to make the main couple's story more interesting. I feel it was such a waste of a likable character.
I don't think I would recommend this to my friends, especially the ones who watched and loved R1997. There were good things in this show, but the flaws overshadowed them. At least for me.
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The Patriot
Poignant, riveting, suspenseful, thrilling, emotional, shocking, heart wrenching, and extremely gratifying. The Rebel is one of the best C-dramas I’ve watched this year or any year, for that matter. In terms of the production quality, technical execution, performances of the cast and music, this drama is close to perfection. It’s not flawless by any means, for there are some quibbles here and there but it’s good enough for me to give it a 9.5 rating.Based on the novel, The Traitor (叛逆者) by multiple award winning and prolific author Bi Yu (畀愚), The Rebel is set during the Republican era primarily in Shanghai while certain arcs transpired in Hong Kong and Chongqing. Spanning the course of more than a decade, from 1936 to the creation of the PRC in 1949, the story revolves around the main character of Lin Nan Sheng during the tumultuous period of the Chinese civil war between the Nationalists (Kuomintang) and Communists, as well as the second Sino-Japanese war. It chronicles his personal growth as he matures from a naive young military recruit to an experienced intelligence operative, while charting the trajectory of his “journey of self-actualisation”.
This drama features espionage, war and romance with certain elements of slice-of-life, socio and geopolitics, while exploring themes of family, friendship, betrayal, and sacrifice. It exudes vibes of The Infernal Affairs (HK, 2002) and Decoded (2016) due to the counterintelligence aspects involving sophisticated networks of covert activities operating within a complicated web of deceit and subterfuge as well as via trademark spycraft, notably undercover agents, double agents, coded transmissions and assassinations, among many others. A number of viewers have also made direct comparisons to Fearless Whispers (2020) due to the romantic entanglements between the leads who stand on opposite sides of the great political divide.
This drama may not be universally lauded because of the subject matter, which is not everyone’s cup of tea. Aside from the usual tragic endings, Republican era dramas in general are associated with Communist propaganda and jingoism. In this case, such concerns are magnified because of its intended release to coincide with the Chinese Communist Party’s centenary celebrations on 1 July 2021. Additionally, there are those who might not even appreciate the appeal of the slowburn nature of the storytelling or the lack of action-packed choreographed sequences.
However, the masterful delivery of the entire production based upon a compellingly written screenplay makes this drama arguably one of the best of the genre. The overarching plot is cohesively structured and integrated seamlessly with the intricately woven subplots and character arcs. The simmering pace - imbued with many an eventful moment, palpable tension and unpredictable twists and turns - is consistently sustained through linear storytelling via multiple points-of-views, albeit the emphasis always remains on the main protagonist. The exceptionally well constructed major characters are brought to life by the outstanding stellar cast, who deliver profoundly compelling interpretations of immense character developments as the drama unfolds. As far as the flag-waving is concerned, the subtle and layered approach is conveyed by these multifaceted characters seemingly with various shades of grey.
The attention to detail in the overall production design and art direction is exemplary in this joint production between iQiyi and CCTV. Principal photography took place entirely at the famous Shanghai Film Park in Shanghai, which wrapped up filming in August 2020. The ready-made filming locale oozes Old Shanghai atmospherics, along with the electric trams and the countless Buick cars on display. The use of interior props such as the antiquated rotary-dial telephones, vintage radios, gramophones and telegraph, to name a few, all give credence to the authenticity of the depiction. The exquisite costumes are equally worthy of praise, where the ladies appear elegantly dressed in fashionable qipao while the men are smartly attired in military uniforms or bespoke suits. These aspects enhance the general sense of realism which are visually framed by the excellent cinematography, as can be seen throughout the drama.
The main cast is certainly deserving of at least a nomination for acting honours, whether it be for Golden Eagle, Feitian or Magnolia Awards. In preparation for the main role of Lin Nan Sheng, the critically acclaimed Zhu Yi Long lost a massive amount of body weight and reportedly weighed a mere 64kg during filming. In addition to his efforts and dedication to his craft, his immense talent undoubtedly shines through in his portrayal of the evolution that his character undergoes in the drama. He very much reminds me of a young Tony Leung Chiu Wai here, in terms of the acting and the looks, where his characterisation is both understated and nuanced.
The award-winning Tong Yao plays the love interest, Zhu Yi Zhen. Although credited as the female lead, her character does appear to be more of a supporting role and, at times, somewhat overshadowed by the dynamic performance of her leading co-star. In fairness, she possesses less overall screen time and I have enjoyed Tong Yao’s interpretation of the role, as an independent, strong willed and fearless revolutionary in the face of adversity and challenges. The character also undergoes tremendous development and together with Lin Nan Sheng, they both showcase such convincing chemistry and connection with each other, even when they are far apart. It is almost a surreal and spiritual kind of long-distance relationship that transcends physical boundaries. Her uncanny resemblance to Zhang Zi Yi makes her screen presence with Zhu Yi Long unintentionally appear as though Leung Chiu Wai and Zhang Zi Yi are the main leads for this drama.
This production is further elevated by the presence of experienced veterans Wang Zhi Wen and Wang Yang, who play Gu Shen Yan and Chen Mo Qun respectively. Without these two distinguished actors, the drama would not have been as credible, evocative and visceral. Chen Mo Qun, in particular, emits such a powerful aura not unlike say Darth Vader to the point that I would actually include him as one of my favourite “villains” of C-Dramas. These two actors should have their own spin-off Republican drama, seriously.
It’s my third time seeing Zhu Zhu since Qin Dynasty Epic and Breath of Destiny. Despite being perfect for the role of Lan Xin Jie, I sometimes do feel that she’s typecast as a sultry seductress and femme fatale type of characters. She is amazingly versatile, a quality which hopefully garners her more varied roles in future projects. The rest of the supporting cast represent good value for their depictions, particularly Zhang Zi Xian and Dai Xu who give a decent portrayal of the unscrupulous Wang Shi An and the suave Zuo Qiu Ming respectively.
I cannot emphasize enough how incredibly fitting and beautiful the soundtrack for this drama is. The original score featuring piano pieces by the celebrated Chinese pianist, Lang Lang expresses the mood and emotion of pivotal scenes in the drama. In particular, the signature theme, Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons, op. 37a: VI. June "Barcarolle" is played throughout. OST listing as follows:
1. Zhu Yi Long, Lang Lang - The Rebel (main theme)
2. Ayanga - Shadow Behind
3. Sara - Candid
4. Lang Lang - The Seasons, op. 37a: VI. June "Barcarolle"
Having espoused the positives, there are certain issues I noted but which does not diminish the overall quality of the production. Firstly, towards the tail end of the drama, there is a somewhat melodramatic undertone involving “misunderstanding and contract marriage tropes” that gradually builds up to briefly occupy some screen time. However it does eventually get tied up during the final phase of the story. Secondly, in the parting scene at the Hong Kong pier, the overdub process must have been overlooked during post-production because two distinct pieces of music were inserted, thus ruining what was supposed to be a deeply emotional moment. Last but not least, I do feel that the unexpected manner in which the final action sequence plays out creates unnecessary confusion, as the story transitions to the ending.
All things considered, The Rebel is a top-tier production that probably does not but should receive the appreciation and recognition that it truly deserves for the quality of the production, writing and acting. With a Douban rating of 8.3 at the time of writing, the numbers speak for themselves. I have utterly enjoyed the worthwhile experience of being immersed in this fantastic drama and if you do decide to give this a try, perhaps you would be too.
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Still can't believe this is a History series..
Let's start with the positives. The second couple is amazing, the chemistry is hot, the storyline between them is good, and I am absolutely living for it!Now, onto the main couple. We've got a time-travel story here, and we all know time-travel storylines are like complicated recipes. If you're gonna make it, make it right! Unfortunately, they didn't do that. The time-travel element in this series is not only confusing but doesn't really add any significance to the show. And let's talk about Dai-Johnny. Dude comes off annoying, childish, and worse, a terrible kisser. I mean, if you're gonna go back in time, at least learn some kissing skills before you do.
Plus, Considering this is a History show, I don't think he should have played this role, because dude acts like he isn't up for this gay ish. Come on, man, show some enthusiasm. And what's up with the lack of skinship? It's been 20 episodes, people! Get it together!
And speaking of things that don't make sense, how did they end up going from living in a storage unit to working for Hai-yi's dad's company, when the whole point was Hai-yi running away from home and not wanting to work with his dad? A lot of details are missing in this series. It's a little confusing, and I have so many questions
Overall, I am quite dissappointed considering how History 1 chemistry even has more spark than this. But hey, at least it's not boring. So i'mma hang in there. Who knows, maybe things will heat up in the next episode... or not."
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Very average at best
The show overall is very average at best. The acting is by far the best part and is a sign of the quality of the actors because all characters were entirely one-dimensional. Their motivations were severely underexplained and multiple characters appeared without any kind of sense or impact, almost as if to pad the rumtime. Due to that the villains often felt like they were bumbling around, just waiting for the plot to happen instead of being part of the plot.The fighting choreography was okay, but severely hindered by the directing and editing reducing the tension and not really enhancing the movements.
They had an interesting theme going in the middle with vigilantism vs. law vs. the media, but it became muddled in the last 2 episodes with the main point of impact being that systematic corruption exists.
Lee Joon Hyuk as the crazy fan copycat is a delight, though as all characters one-dimensional and almost a deus-ex-machina. But his scenes were the most fun.
Also a special shoutout to the pig scene. That was a thing I did not expect, and one of the few times I thought that the villains were actually threatening.
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Guys, pals, fam. Where do I even start with this mess.
The BIG ASS issues with this drama are:
- Toxicity
- Nonsense (both for the story and the characters)
- Lack of Consequences
(- Editing too but not as bad as the rest)
Let's start as usual with
GENERAL
• NO COHESIVENESS WHATSOEVER
1. Character's personality, their relationship, and the situations in general happen/change however and whenever the plot needs them to.
Ex.
a. Sarawat & Tine's friends become friends but then they're rivals but then boh
b. Fangirls hating on Tine but then suddenly shipping them together with no apparent reason (it's not character development, sorry)
c. Green appearing and disappearing accordingly to what the story needs
I could go on but this review is already going to be long as it is.
2. Double Standards.
A big point in the TOXICITY issue is how relationship are represented.
Green stalks and harasses Tine, in the EXACT SAME way Tine does with Sarawat at the beginning, or Man does with Type FOR THE WHOLE TIME, or even PhuKong does with Mil.
So why is it that when it's Green the one doing it, it's annoying and "dangerous" (Tine's words) and we hope he stops, but when it's the rest of them it's funny and/or romantic? That's NOT how it works!
• GIRLS REPRESENTATION
Three (3). It's the number of girls with an actual working brain we get to see during the drama. The rest of them (A LOT) are either weird (Tine's exes), a brainless screaming crowd or become brainless screaming people the moment Sarawat appears.
It's just really sad.
• EDITING
It's really confusing sometimes. It's not easy to understand if you're watching a flashback, a dream, the present, the future or what.
Also. I'm sorry but I HAVE to mention this. THE SEQUENCE OF TINE SEEING SARAWAT EVERYWHERE IN EP 7.
That edit is just HORRIBLE.
Tine sees Sarawat everywhere without a real reason, without a good bgm emphasizing the process of Tine realizing and coming to terms with the fact he misses Wat, without even having the time to reflect on it. It's just bad.
( My Engineer did a way better job in the same situation, but the "missing" was about a frogging gift box. I feel ashamed in behalf of 2gether ' staff, honestly)
• ACTING
.... Y'all remember Sarawat used to smile too, right?
WHERE TF WAS IT IN THE LAST 6 EPS??
Especially when with Tine I remember seeing it maybe once, when they were both on the couch while Type was "sleeping" in the bed.
That's it.
I honestly don't know what happened to Bright, or to his acting coach for him to have almost for the entire second half of the drama this sort of facial paresis.
Maybe it's just that they didn't get the note that while the drama progresses and we get to know him better, he should start showing MORE emotions. But okay, whatever.
I kinda liked Win tho, especially the emotional scene in ep 10. That was good, and a cute scene as a whole.
I hope they'll both get to improve and act in other series in the future.
Gunsmile and Taptop the gems of this series, bless them.
• GENERAL NONSENSE
to name just a few examples:
1. How Sarawat says in front of Green & screaming fangirls that he and Tine are only friends just to tell later in the same ep that he likes Tine. In front of Green & screaming fangirls
2. Sarawat not letting Tine talk even if he's supposed to be secretly in love with him already
3. Whatever happened in the bg during Phukong's interview in ep 5
4. Sarawat beaten up because some girls liked his ig posts??
• TOXICITY
Direct consequence of the "double standard" problem I talked about, or together with it, is the narrative this series is normalizing:
"No doesn't really mean 'no'. They're just playing hard to get, and if you keep doing whatever you're doing they'll eventually love you back"
Do I really need to say how wrong and creepy and dangerous this belief can be?
And not just that. There are a number of bad behaviors normalized. Stalking, harassing, catfishing, getting drunk WAY too often...
CHARACTERS
• Tine
He's often showed as just dumb. And that's really sad. Even the time he cut the pick in half, it would have been so easy to make it an act of ingenuity to affectionately make fun of in the future but the way it was shown, it just made Tine look stupid.
Also there is no character development, all his flaws are there for the whole drama.
Ex. He was selfish and irresponsible when he paid Phukong to go somewhere else, and again later when ditched the music club because he didn't need Sarawat anymore, and when he went outside alone in the dark during the trip ecc.
At least he's coherent I guess
• Sarawat
Complete opposite to Tine, he changes his behavior CONSTANTLY.
From distant and reserved, to affectionate and clingy to distant but also flirty to caring to uncomfortable...
It's a rollercoaster and it doesn't have a logic development
• Man
I hate him and I'm not even sorry.
Helps Wat getting Tine drunk, stalks Type and keeps following and harassing him even after Type VERY CLEARLY tells him he's not interested, catfishing him in the meantime.
He's not a good character.
• Type
He deserved better. I knew he would eventually end up with Man, but he really deserved so much more than a liar creepy stalker as love interest *sigh*
• Gunsmile and the rest of the friends
I don't even remember their names, that's how important they are in the show.
Tine's friends especially don't really do a lot, except maybe constantly going after girls and sometimes randomly giving an advice that the plot needs to "develop".
They also don't have any consistency in the way they act, but I blame this to the writing of the plot more than to them as characters.
• Mil
He doesn't have the space he needed. For Tine and Sarawat, he is an asshole that keeps bothering someone who already has a bf and doesn't know when to stop.
But he also seems to have morals and be kind. No space to develop it tho
• Phukong
Another stalker in the series.
Doesn't really have a plotline besides trying to become Mil's bf
• Green
Green doesn't make sense as a whole.
I appreciate having a semi-good representation of a "feminine" gay, even being seen as strong when he goes against Tine's masked friends in ep 1
But... He doesn't want anyone to know he's dating P'Dim but he has no problem to follow Tine everywhere being super loud and direct? And if he broke up with P'Dim for 2 mins ecc... Why was the whole question still going on in ep 7?
Last point.
RELATIONSHIPS
• Sarawat/Tine
I have no idea where their chemistry went from the moment they became official. They look progressively more awkward and uncomfortable being around each other. To the point where they seem to be almost forced or in pain when together, and far more comfortable and happy with their friends. Hello?? Aren't you supposed to be a new couple who just moved together (way too fast too, if we have to be honest)?? Where is the intimacy? The tension? The love??
They also have NO communication nor trust.
In ep 12 for ex. First Sarawat turns his back to Tine even while being well aware of him feeling upset. Then he reassures him the following morning, just to act suspicious and hiding things from him immediately after. And don't let me start with how Sarawat with the help of his friends makes Tine get drunk so that he can post a suggestive pic on Tine's IG to declare to the world he's taken.
Should that be romantic? Cause it's NOT. It's creepy and a BIG red flag.
But as with everything else, this action has no consequences.
Like when Sarawat promises not to let their friends know they're together yet, but announces it to them 0.3 secs later instead. Or really anything. No consequences at all.
• Man/Type
I won't repeat the whole "creepy obsessive stalker" thing, but let's talk about how the infamous dinner went. Type tried to tell Man not to go, but Man completely ignored him (as per usual) and decided to go. During the dinner he talks about Type and tells to Type's coworkers things it's absolutely not his place to tell. He doesn't know if Type is friend or even comfortable with them. It's so disrespectful towards Type. After that, Type STILL tells his colleague to stop when he was making fun of Man and tries to protect him.
And people hated on him because he left with his co-worker. OKAY.
(I think he should have walked home or taken a taxi and left them both there)
EXTRA
They are red sometimes when drunk. I promised to give extra points for this so here I am.
And another one because they wash hands after using the toilet.
I appreciate the little things ?
CONCLUSION
What can I say. This drama started up in my top 10, but from ep 4 on it started going down. A pity, honestly. Especially because I love the "fake bf" trope.
Even putting the toxicity aside, the complete lack of consequences for literally anything that happens completely destroys any tension even when you are supposed to feel it. And things keep happening without a real reason, completely random.
I honestly have NO idea what show the people praising this, the acting, the story, the relationship and so on are watching, cause it can't be the same.
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