a must watch series
Overall: this series is unique and beautiful and I hope to see the leads again soon. 10 episodes about 35 minutes each, aired on Viki (cut movie was in theaters in South Korea)Content Warnings: see my comment with a spoiler
What I Liked
- chemistry and tension
- sweet moments
- how Ji Hyun is inexperienced/timid but goes after what he wants/takes risks/stands up for himself
- supportive people: Ji Hyun's roommate (who is oddly not listed on the MDL page), Ae Ri, the restaurant owner, Yoon Won & the therapist
- production style/value
- that we actually see therapy (gone to voluntarily) and medication however, it still felt like a fictional "love cures all" by the end
- characters discussing how respect is earned not deserved due to age (which is only 3 years difference anyway...)
- that the co-writers/co-directors were trying to solve copyright issues with social media posts promoting the series
Room For Improvement
- I wish they had lit the actors' faces a little bit more during the night scenes, sometimes it was so dark that I couldn't see what was happening
- I believe they purposefully went for a choppy vibe but it came across as jarring instead of artistic, one example is the beginning of episode 3 did not pick up where episode 2 left off, they should have re-shown a few seconds of episode 2's ending and then gone from there
- unless it was a translation error misleading the audience for half of episode 7 was not needed and felt like a betrayal instead of a neat plot twist
- Eun Ji was a cliched evil ex character who was not needed at all, they could have cut that character and that other dude and then spent more screentime in other areas
- not everyone deserved a character redemption, sometimes a person does something so bad that no apology can absolve them and they lose friends, two characters should have had this happen to them instead of the happy/ish endings they received
- we actually never got the entire story with Jae Won
- odd things, a bar owner can't speak Korean in Seoul? there wasn't a swim test? odd conversation in ep 3 about kissing and consent (you don't have to ask but it's nice/a good idea to get verbal or non-verbal consent), Ji Hyun says he'll stop prying or leave Jae Won alone but then doesn't do that, the joke about Halloween/Itaewon was in poor taste as was people laughing at the guy cross dressing
- that the production crew still does not have an official release for SE Asia 3 weeks, and that those in South Korea only had access to an apparently a very choppy movie
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While the story of the show is nothing out of the ordinary, it turned out to be a lot different from what I expected. I thought it would turn out to be predictable and cliche from start to end, but it left me pleasantly surprised at a lot of places. There were certain twists that I had thought would happen but they were pretty different from what I was anticipating. Also, the ending was also contrary to what was expected. It was not at all obvious. I would have liked to make a lot of changes to it, but the current one makes great sense.
While the characters weren't extraordinary, their traits were very relatable. I only found Nobuka's character to be having very unbelievable and fictional traits. I don't know why there is a trend of certain dark and depressed females in Japanese dramas. These depressed females all have the same of look of the ghost from Ring movie. But I suppose it adds to the fun part. But really, I have neither seen nor heard about people like her so I can't say if it was based on fact or entirely imaginary.
I didn't like Shuji that much for the majority of the show because there seemed to be no character development at all till the last three episodes or so. Even Nobuka's character hardly grew. That was very unsatisfactory. Also, the most ridiculous thing was that while almost all situations were being dealt practically, why couldn't just Nobuka just go to a therapist to cure her mental issues? That part was very absurd. In spite of these shortcomings, Maki Horikita played the role excellently. She was very cute the way she kept nodding in a typical way. And the way she kept walking with her head hung low was very cute. The funniest scenes were the 'Nobuta Power Enter' ones. I can still laugh at that because it was done so well. Maki really proved to be a versatile actress and she has anyway done a lot of great shows.
The second guy, Akira was probably my favorite in it. I was so taken in by his character and loved him entirely till episode 6 or 7 because he seemed to be developing in the best way. Also, the actor Yamapi (who plays Akira) was simply brilliant throughout. During the last few episodes, the character of Akira stopped growing and became a victim of bad writing and inconsistency, hence reducing his charm. But it had nothing to do with the acting. Still, I cared more about him than other characters on the show.
And I was so impressed by Erika Toda. She's stunning and acts really well. I can't wait to watch her in Liar Game! I was so happy to find out she is the lead star of that show! I was worried during this show's progress that she would turn out to be the antagonist and thankfully that didn't happen, so I was happy in that aspect. She played a sweet girl and came off as very likable. Shuji was an idiot for not falling for her.
And I have to mention the character of the vice principle. Her character was pure genius. All the best scenes and dialogues went in her basket. She is the perfect kind of teacher that students can have. I would love to meet such a person in real life. It really was one of the best characters of the show with the best characterization, hands down.
Apart from all this, the sub plots were all excellent. Most of all this show portrays friendship very beautifully. Also subjects like teen depression, bullying and peer pressure are raised splendidly. Most of all, they provide with lessons to be learnt in the end. And the fact that life has to move on in spite of everything, and one should treasure the best memories of youth seem to be the core messages of the show. And of course, it tells us to live life fully and appreciate the life we have and the people we have around us.
The writing deteriorated in the last two episodes but it didn't go beyond a certain level of unreasonable. Plus, nobody overacted in this drama so I am thankful for that. It gets dragged a but but it is well within the limit of bearable. And for the rewatch value- it was enjoyable the first time so I am sure it can be watched again (even if I won't).
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2
1Who will spy on the spies?
The Wind Blows from Longxi is an intricate ancient spy thriller that is not for instant gratification audiences. Its biggest hurdle are the first three or four episodes that are weighed down by the introduction of too many bearded and murky characters on both sides of the Shu-Wei conflict. Clearly even Lu Yang couldn't resist romance of the Three Kingdoms lore and goes down the rabbit hole of lingering on defining events and larger than life figures of the day that are peripheral to the otherwise tight plot. Past that, the storytelling simply immerses you in the lonely, tangled, nail biting, heartbreaking, cruel and utterly thankless world of ordinary spies, ants who put themselves in harms way to pave the way for great men to be glorified by history.Recent adaptations of Mo Boyang's works have been orgies of high speed chases and thrilling action scenes that fall short on suspense and in delivering satisfying and convincing motives and twists. This is very much the opposite. The production values are movie like in quality but due to the shadowy palette, this is best enjoyed on a big screen. The camera is often very still and at times comes at avant-garde angles in low light that accentuates the clandestine nature of the interactions, of opaque motives and conveys a omnipresent sense of alone-ness, tension, ambiguity and danger. The action scenes are signature Lu Yang - impressively choreographed, blood thirsty, vicious and up close and personal in the critical moments.
This drama is set during Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions, a period of stalemate between Shu and Wei where neither side had a clear advantage or scored decisive victories. It is an apt setting for this kind of story because when the margins are narrow, intelligence and counter intelligence can tip the scales in either direction. The drama opens with Zhuge Liang's first (of five) Northern Expeditions, which was unsuccessful. This led to General Ma Su's decapitation for his failure to hold Jieting and Zhuge Liang's demotion. It allowed his political rival General Li Yan who advocated a Southern campaign against Wu instead of Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions against Wei, to gain power and influence. The Northern Expeditions took place in rather complex geographic terrain, where the timely delivery of military food provisions was challenging and made the difference between victory and defeat. That is broadly most of the historical background that is needed to understand this story. Of course Three Kingdoms buffs will be thrilled by the "drive-by" of many legendary figures on both sides of the conflict but the important characters in Ma Boyong's stories are always the little people or the ants.
The lines between fact and fiction blur as Siwencao, Shu's intelligence agency, suspects that compromised military intelligence had led to their defeat at Jieting. Siwencao hastily concludes that Chen Gong (Chen Kun), a Shu spy code name Baidi (White Emperor) under deep cover at Tianshui (a Wei stronghold) must have defected and sends Xun Xu (Bai Yu), Deputy Chief of Internal Affairs to deal with him. But Xun Xu is not convinced of Chen Gong's culpability; they are intimate friends, related by marriage. Together, they discover that the highest echelons of Siwencao has been infiltrated by Zhulong (Wax Dragon), a Wei spy. They can trust no one and go rogue with a bold ploy to lure Zhulong out into the open with Shu's crossbow design, long coveted by Wei. They are forced down separate paths that are fraught with danger, under resourced and alone with nothing but their absolute trust in and knowledge of each other. But nothing ever goes completely to plan and everyone has secrets. When the rubber meets the road, will they still have each others' back? How well can one really know someone? This also applies to Chen Gong's relationships with both Mi Chong and Guo Gang, which are as riveting and illuminating has his relationship with Xun Xu. After all, this is about two states at war with each other, there is really no good or bad or right or wrong side. All of the characters on both sides are patriots to their own cause; fascinating, layered, suspicious and disingenuous characters practiced in the art of deception. Were it not for an accident of birth, Guo Gang could well have been a Xun Xu to Chen Gong.
The role of such a cunning, duplicitous and morally ambivalent character such as Chen Gong must have been written with Chen Kun in mind. He dominates the screen in every scene and had my heart in my throat at his ability to turn around dire situations and the glimpses of his ferocious, raw pain and rage that is quickly disguised by indifference or conviviality. The wildness and the violence of his emotions when he takes revenge, where his veins literally popped out of his forehead is frighteningly intense and breathtaking. Bai Yu's Xun Xu is Chen Gong's conscience, a sincere and persistent truth seeker whose bottom line is not flexible. Xun Xu's most consequential mis-calculations are with those he loves best and his regret and unspeakable guilt and sorrow are among the most moving performances I have seen from Bai Yu. While Chen Gong and Xun Xu don't actually get that much screen time together, their screen chemistry is tangible and conveys a bond that transcends dialogue with undercurrents from their body language and their unguarded manner with one another. When Chen Gong starts to play a lone hand, Xun Xu senses it and their dynamics shift and become subtly more stilted, again showcasing the sheer virtuosity of their performances.
The most outstanding aspect of Longxi's storytelling is how masterfully the narrative builds up to the plot twists and the reveals. It is so insidious that by the time the reveals happen it is already sitting on the edges of my mind and thus seems to be organic. This is very compelling because I feel that I am part of the process, and underneath all the surrounding complexity the solutions are rather straightforward and should have been obvious. The characters are so fully actualised that their decisions are characteristic and the outcomes are inexorable. Unlike many other conspiracy heavy plots, this does not succumb to too many twists with overly convoluted or illogical outcomes.
The ending is gut wrenching and yet oddly triumphant and fitting. What is clear from the get go is that Chen Gong and Xun Xu are just expendable pawns caught in a high stakes game where they are besieged by both the enemy within and the enemy outside. As a result of serendipity and his own deviousness, Chen Gong is able for a moment, to seize control of the chess board. He plays the White Emperor's gambit, trading one life for three, empowers a righteous man and writes his own ticket home. His decisions are completely in character and in doing so, he finally articulates his own bottom line. But I won't lie, my first reaction to the ending was ".And that is why those dumb f*cks lost the war!" Because I am not sure the greater good was served. While one traitor is felled, the other villain with equally dishonourable tactics gets off largely unscathed and Siwencao remains a weapon that can be both used and abused. The age old question - "Who will spy on the spies?" remains.
While the start is dense and lacks finesse and the dialogue is on the heavy side, this is a drama that rewards the patient viewer. It is not a masterpiece, indeed many of the criticisms about accessibility and the dialogue that is heavily littered with modern phrases are more than fair. Yet I find the immersive storytelling, the suspenseful plot, the stellar acting and the unconventional camerawork immensely enjoyable. This is not something likely to enjoy mass appeal but for me, I would be surprised if I watch a better drama in 2022. I can happily give this a 9.5/10.
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its my first review writing!! so please ignore my mistakes
okay ! HUA JAI SILA OR HEART OF STONE is my second Thai drama as I prefer action , suspense over a typical romance and torture that can be often seen in THAI DRAMA , but you know this made 'an exception' for me [even with presence of slap and kiss] because of following reasons-1. ACTING- wow bang !!! everyone did a great job especially Thanapob Leeluttanakajorn (P'TOR) and his step mother , Ann Siriam Pakdeedumrongri . At least i feel so.
2. SUSPENSE- you won't believe me every episode feel like a new world with new suspense. Each episode makes you carve for another episode.
3. ROMANCE- its sad to know that at least till 16th episode you will find less scenes of MIN and SILA/P'TOR . Its surprising to know that in between [from 1st to 16th] i found minimum 20 scenes of them together . I CAN't tell for further episode as while i'm writing the review , drama is still airing
*EDIT-IN FURTHER EPISODES YOU GUYS WILL EXPERIENCE MORE SCENES OF THEM TOGETHER*
ROMANCE BETWEEN THEM IS SO SWEET!! good chemistry between actors !
4.REVENGE- way of revenge will be the main attraction of this drama. I literally jumped many times on my sofa when p'tor took revenge from his step relatives [mom n brother]
5. MALE LEAD- yes you read correctly! actually i became so much attracted by Thanapob's [ P,'TOR] sarcastic smile. Well i know it won't be a reason to watch for almost everyone but if you are looking a drama with an actor having great personality and acting skills , you should prefer this.
6. THRILL-omg I just can't explain this point .This one you will find in later episodes but it would compensate for earlier ones.
7. RE-WATCH VALUE- its 10 on 10 from my side (*_*)
8. Music- OPENING SONG (ost) is very nice..
9. ENDING-its most important thing for some people (for me too)...its of course a happy ending we all expect for [marriage n all] but the main thing is it will taught u A GREAT LESSON ABOUT LIFE. I'M REALLY INSPIRED WITH 3-4 LINES SAID BY ML ....[U SHOULD CHECK OUT IT ON UR OWN]
At first i had also prefered a TYPICAL ROMANCE BUT NOW I PREFER ACTION MORE AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A TYPICAL ROMANCE OR FANTASIES THEN DON'T GO FOR THIS , I REPEAT DON'T WATCH THIS .
By typical romance i mean- a genius boy or rich boy with clingy or naive or poor girl
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I guess I just couldn't drop it. This is the most beautifully shot drama at Netflix this year (and I watched "The end of the fucking World"). The color palette is lovely, and there are some truly inspiring scenes. All of them related to the sea, some of them part of a mini film inputted in the drama. Besides, a 12 episodes drama with ~25min each seems like a pretty tight story - and it was!
The story flows in unexpected ways, and it carries you seamlessly. There are many things going on with this drama, and not superficially. You will wonder how it was able to show so much, to affect so much, and be so short.
It's less than 6hours in total, but I couldn't binge watch it because I kept stopping to ~think~ about what was happening. It's not tragic, it's not violent (in the strict sense of the word), but it is a very ~heavy~ drama that makes you question your morals, society, pressure in women in particular, infidelity, and also how naive teenagers really are. Not light themes, eh?
Although the drama doesn't shy of showing the main character sexual relationship, never for once the drama will try to normalize it. Sometimes it can even be uncomfortable. And not only between her and the teenager but between her and the man as well.
In the end, I felt like I was following the life of a lost woman, a naive woman, maybe a good woman (?), who is passing through the single most important months of her life. Independent of agreeing or not with her, everything will be affected by the choices that she makes here - and she has just started to realize that. You don't find much stuff as interesting as it is going on here.
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the BEST costumed BL from China ( THIS IS A BIASED REVIEW, SEE RATING FOR BETTER ASSESSMENT)
Does it really deserve 9.5, no; in a critical sense. But I can't be unbiased in this, because this drama has made me laugh out loud and cry like a baby.For a drama that is known to have a low budget and with two leads having not much a fan support before this drama, this drama has achieved way more than what other big budget production has not. I do think as fans of BL, especially from China with it's censorship, we need to reward productions who do not skew from the original story, who do non add random female characters, who do focus on story telling with intentions and a POV.
The story is adapted to television and flows through quickly and is evenly paced, the actors brings the life and blood to their characters (leads and side characters), For any viewers with keen sense, this is not a BL adaptation, it's BL. The chemistry between the two MLs are palpable in every scene, as they play back and forth with their words, their gazes, and their body language. They are playful and true to their characters, and I cannot praise enough of Gong Jun's acting in this. At first, I was hesitant to receive his "overt" "eye" acting, but it just conveys so much of his character as being the naive "cat" without it being overacting or farcical. He handles it just right. And ZZH is so good playing the reluctant role of the "mouse" with such subtlety and finesse, that you will find new hints of his intentions at every rewatch. Not to mention all the dynamic supporting roles, written with back stories and characteristic intent that supports this Wuxia JiangHu.
All in all, the script writer deserves the most praise, because for once it's handled by one lady Xiao Chu, who is a Wuxia fan and a fan of Priest. Her love and understanding of the Wuxia genre and the original text really shows how she organically expanded a what is considered a short story in Priest's world. Her adept handling of the subject and the challenges the topic of BL in her homeland is just so perfect, not to mention her knowledge of Chinese literary culture and history brings so much more to artistry to a laymen's entertainment such as tv drama.
After finishing the drama, I can say this drama has brought the standards of not just BL dramas, but all recent Chinese Wuxia drama standards, up, in terms of story telling. This production has told us you do not need big budget, main leads with rabid fans, all you need is good acting, good direction, and good script to capture the audiences' hearts.
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CAUTION: WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Don't watch this show while you're eating, because you'll be laughing so much that chances of choking and dying are a lot.Don't watch this show if you don't want to fall in love with a team of characters that are badass, adorable, witty and will forge a bond with you to the point you'll never want to let go.
Don't watch this show if you like strong badass female characters that kick ass, dominate the screen when they come and have amazing hair to match their amazing intelligence.
Don't watch this if you want to die due to the shortness of breath the titular character Kim Hae Il will cause you by being one of the most iconic characters in K-drama history.
Don't watch it if you can't stand the brilliance that is Kim Nam Gil's acting that gave birth to the baddie of the baddies: a fiery priest who is more like a grim reaper/ death angel 'cause when he comes to you, honey it's judgement day.
Don't watch it if you're someone who gets jealous of the extreme chemistry between all the the characters, don't like bromances, sismances and hilarious antagonists 'cause this show has an abundance of that.
Don't watch it, if you don't want to be addicted to the perfect OST of this show even when it's finished.
Don't watch it if you want to be proved wrong when you said that K-Dramas are just not well- written anymore.
Only watch it, if you are strong enough to take the wholesome awesomeness this megabrilliant masterpiece of a show offers and still remain standing by the end.
You have been warned.
Take care.
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both main characters were so smart, levelheaded, understanding, sweet, vulnerable, and yet they were so confident and they never put the other's needs before themselves.. love is great, but self love is important? love doesn't mean "devote your whole existence to the other party"?
I'm worried I'll never watch another "similar" romcom again ;) this is not "original", but it's literally the only acceptable way to deal with cliches... a character driven story...
I'll just describe the characters a little more.... ryan... he's confident, maybe even arrogant and cold, but I love that he shows duk mi his "vulnerable" side.. and he doesn't "push her around".. he asks, he doesn't demand.. he apologizes when he's wrong, and he's not "above making a mistake"... and you can tell that he still wonders "am I asking too much", but she doesn't say no because he isn't asking for something grand, and she's just so precious and I LOVE a confident female lead... strong doesn't equal to mean or a bully, and sweet doesn't equal to a pushover who cries while apologizing for nothing...
also, his goofy playful side... I LOVE that side~ unlike dominic, he only wants "duk mi" to see that side ;)
ps, my rewatch value is just a 1 or a 10, so for this, I'll definitely rewatch it one day. just not the last 2 eps ;)
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What was I expecting? I enjoy a good time travel, especially when it mixes modern and Joseon eras, ala Queen Inhyun's Man. And I'm a sucker for romantic comedies, so I was looking for a light romp and plenty of fish out of water fun stuff etc. Well, I got that and so much more with Live Up To Your Name. Firstly, the story... the plot itself wasn't too complex, a doctor from Joseon who practices traditional oriental medicine more out of greed than empathy, is transported through time to modern day Seoul to meet a cardiothoracic surgeon who see's her patients only as the internal organs she can repair. As they start to learn more about each other and their different methodologies, so do they also begin to learn about themselves. You see, more than anything, this story is a character story, and though it might start off as a story of things and circumstances happening to our characters and making them react, it evolves into a story about choices, self-determination, and ultimately, what it is that defines them as people. They learn and grow together in such an organic way that it is beautiful to watch in action.
What I love is how the writer had such a delicate touch when dealing with heavier topics. It could have gone the route of being preachy, but I don't believe it ever veered there, and even the characters who made wrong choices were also humanized in a way that didn't make you absolutely hate them. The romance, of course, was pure gold. Whoever cast Kim Nam Gil as Heo Im and Kim Ah Joong as Choi Ahn Kyung together as the leads deserves a medal. Not only was their chemistry off the charts, but it was so natural and realistic, that I almost felt voyeuristic in some scenes and all they had to do was look at each other. Kim Nam Gil was simply amazing start to finish and has the ability to be goofy and bumbling but also serious and intense all within the span of seconds. Kim Ah Joong took me a while to warm up to, but I think part of that was due to her character's thawing out with each episodes, and by the end, I was definitely mesmerized by her skill. I'm not seen anything else with either of them in, so I'll definitely have to look out for them both.
I can't comment too much on the OST only to say that it suited the themes, wasn't overbearing, and highlighted the poignancy of the show. I'm sure I'll pay more attention on re-watch, which I most certainly plan on doing.
I also want to mention a little something about the medical aspects of this drama. Yes, it is about medicine, both modern and traditional, and yes, it does glamorize medicine in ways that aren't necessarily realistic sometimes, but I can forgive because it is a fantasy (time travel, hello?). But, if you're not into medical dramas, this might not be your thing, however, let me just say that the medicine is just a vehicle to drive the show, it's not really what this show is about. If you are a sucker for character driven stories, then give this one a try. Just close your eyes every time someone sticks a scalpel or a needle into someone else.
And lastly, the method of time travel aka the gimmick that brings Heo Im from past to future, is one of the most unique ones I've seen, and not one I would voluntarily choose. Yikes!
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The story was the typical rich handsome boss and normal/poor girl story, despite it being quite cliche it still had its own cheerful vibe to it which made it seem more unique and special. Being a romantic comedy of course there has to be a love triangle and thus there's the appearance of the 2nd female lead who you would hate but in the end grow to like. The nice thing about this drama is that you would love not only the mains but also the side characters of the drama as they bring alot of joy along with the mains. There isn't much business problems or family issues as I mentioned above as it's a drama focused on the relationship of the boss and the girl.
Acting/Cast I'll be honest a part of the reason why I started this is because of the main leads. I've seen alot of dramas acted by both leads and always ended up enjoying their works so seeing them together in this new drama was a nice surprise for me.
ZhaoLiYing is such an adorable actress and I've became a solid fan of her after the 'Legend of Luzhen'
ZhangHan is also one of my favourite actors, needless to say because of his good looks but also I've seen many of his works including the Queen of SOP.
I also thoroughly support the rest of the cast as they brought so much extra joy to this drama.
The soundtrack nice and enjoyable as I loved hearing the opening and endings, however I haven't been that intrigued to download any of it yet.
This was such a cute and enjoyable drama that I would definitely rewatch in the future. Being 33 episodes I might just skip through once in a while.
Overall this is one of the best modern romantic dramas of China, as I usually just watch chinese historical dramas however this one is defs an exception. It was well made with a great cast that complemented the whole story.
So I recommend this to someone who is looking for some happy sweet and light-hearted as a break from a sad heavy plotted drama.
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2019 Drama of the Year?
Be Melodramatic has the chops to compete for best drama of 2019. Airing on cable network JTBC, this drama went unnoticed, and it did not help itself with a rough start. The show quickly finds its footing and delivers a drama that perfectly encapsulates a 2010s romcom. It hits on multiple progressive themes with its female leads. On top of the premise, there is a thick layer of meta comedy which will have any experienced kdrama watcher rolling in laughter. Watch Be Melodramatic, which I prematurely crown the Best of 2019.Story:
The story comes off a bit lukewarm and light on plot. One might think it is deserving of a “slice of life” tag, but the plot of Be Melodramatic is surprisingly engaging, intertwining the drama with the drama within the drama. The sad surprise is the first three shaky episodes, to put it nicely. It really takes 4 episodes to bring the different pieces of the story together. That is why the MDL rating for Be Melodramatic has only been climbing with each week.
More important than the plot are the characters, specifically the trio of female leads. Again, the trio comes off a bit lukewarm on paper (especially in comparison to the fiery leads of another 2019 drama, Search: WWW), three women with a mashup of common quarter-life problems. Like real people, viewers need time to get to know the leads and grow to like them and their supporting cast.
As the leads strive to produce a drama with double digit ratings, Be Melodramatic struggled to surpass the 2% mark. Perhaps there is a general fatigue with the RomCom genre, but the show deserves more love. Even if the plot synopsis does not interest you, I can assure you that the meta comedy will have you goofy smiling through all 16 episodes.
Acting:
The acting in Be Melodramatic is one of the first signals that put it on my radar, the deadpan humor in the trailers and actor Ahn Jae Hong’s brand of comedy. On the other hand, the three female leads have a very short drama resume, the highlight being Argon from 2016. And what seems like a lighthearted comedy quickly turns into an acting challenge for the entire cast.
Once characters and stories are introduced, the show quickly digs deeper into each character and the different catalysts for their growth. Major props to Jeon Yeon Bin who brought her character, Lee Eun-Jung, to life.
The supporting cast also gets major screentime, even with a large “main” cast. Though they are treated with more of the lightheartedness and comedy, all of them bring an interesting, entertaining character to screen. This highlights the writer’s ability to create loveable characters and the cast’s (and casting director’s) ability to portray them.
Music:
The sound of Be Melodramatic is equally entertaining as the plot. There is a scene where the leads sing one of the OSTs, and I was dying with laughter. Be Melodramatic captures every aspect of the drama making process, including the music. Thoughtful is the word that comes top of mind when thinking back on Be Melodramatic.
However, the soundtrack of 2019 has been stellar with multiple drama OSTs topping the Korean charts, and Be Melodramatic cannot stand up to those powerhouses (looking at you, Hotel Del Luna OST). There is also a slight over-reliance on one song in particular, a song I loved, but a crutch nonetheless.
Rewatch Value:
2019 has been a solid year for Korean dramas, although I believe it rates worse than the past 3-4 years. Based on the shows currently airing and set to air in the final quarter of 2019, I can confidently say that Be Melodramatic will be top of the 2019 RomCom list. If some of the newer shows do not interest me, I might even rewatch Be Melodramatic before 2019 is over. Anyone with extra time during the 2019 holiday season, I recommend giving this drama a try.
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Love by Chance Season 2: A Chance to Love
226 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
What were they even thinking?
I was reflecting whether I should write this review as many fans might find it insulting, but screw it!To summarise in two words: AWFUL SEASON. Now let me elaborate more.
Legit I do not understand how they decided to go on with this season. Numerous of people had to agree to the final approach for this season plot. I wanna know who in the world agreed to have 6 recap episodes for the first season in a 13 episodes series. Why? Are we, the fans, a joke to them? We did not watch the new season to remind us what happened in the first season. We can rewatch it if we want to remember what happened.
I do not understand how MAME agreed to this approach and the changes in the story. For example, in this season Pete already left from Bangkok and left Ae behind, but at the same time Tin and Can have not met each other. WHAT? I am trying to watch a bl series not to understand the end of Inception. I do realise that there were not able to work with Saint due to previous drama between them, but dude you can not defy the laws of time in the series. If you can not work with Saint, then we do not need scenes with Ae being shitty and drunk, in a series that focuses in TinCan. I feel that they just had Perth in the series for the fans!
Instead, of giving Perth that much of a screen time, they could focus more on KlaNo. LIKE DUDE IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO USE THIS COUPLE DO NOT MENTION IT FROM THE BEGINNING. I felt that this couple was used as an intermission and as a chance to change the mood from Ae's and TinCan's story. Moreover, the couple had approximately 20 minutes screen time in total, and for some reason No was getting softer for Kla in every episode. WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT THE LAWS OF TIME? YOU CANT DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH THEM. Tbh, I don't like how KlaNo's relationship began in the novel, but you have to show more of what Kla did to win No over. You can't show two scenes were Kla gives No snacks and expect us to believe that this shit is ok.
This leads to my next point. ENOUGH WITH THE PRODUCT PLACEMENTS! I know that you have to find sponsors to produce a series, but there were many scenes that only existed for product placement and had nothing to do with the plot. You could use them in a more discreet way rather than showing Kla giving No those snacks and him eating them. I do not know how the rest of the viewers feel about product placement, but when I see a product being placed in this straightforward way, I usually hate the product.
Now moving on with the acting. Was it bad? Yes! I really enjoyed Mean's acting in the first season, but thanks to the plot changes I felt that what I was watching was not Tin but someone else! You can not have an actor establish a role's character in the series and the next season make him change that. As for Plan, well he was cute in the first season but he was must softer in this season. I repeat: IF YOU WANTED TO USE THE SAME CHARACTERS YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE CHANGED THEIR BACKGROUND! Now as for Perth, I felt that in the first season he was amazing (taking into account his young age), but in this season he was acting bratty and as an asshole. I know that this is how Ae behaved in the novel, but at some point I grew tired of watching the same scene over and over again. So, for the last 4 episodes I always skipped Ae's scenes. You are sad about Pete leaving you. WE GET IT! NOW GET OVER IT AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORLD HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS! However, I feel that Gun's acting has improved. In LBC he was awkward and had no flow what so ever, while in this season he was still awkward but at least not that much. As for Mark's acting, I thought that he was the best actor in LBC, but I can not compare with this season as HE APPEARED ONLY 4 MINUTES IN TOTAL!
To summarise, I feel that MAME and the producers created this season just to make us shut up! They had 2 years to prepare for this series but in the end we got something awful. Tbh, after finishing this season I hoped that we did not get this season at all. For some reason, I believe that MAME and the rest of the team, bet everything in TharnType and in order to please us for TinCan, they just wrote the script in two days with no revision and gave it to the cast a day before filming.
I think that the wisest thing to do is to always ask a fan's opinion prior the decision of a script approach and production. I know that they might worry for any plot leak if they share their ideas with fans; however, they could find someone to trust from the fanbase and let the fan help them with continuous feedback. I feel that if that was done then we wouldnt get 6 recap episodes and the plot would be more fast paced!
P.S. STOP INTRODUCING TOO MANY NEW CHARACTERS IN NEW SEASONS!
I DONT HAVE THE TIME TO INVEST IN THEM AND KNOW THEM BETTER. I WOULD PROBABLY END UP HATING THEM!
That's it! A chance to love was shitty. Change my mind!
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Likes:
1. CSW's perfect delivery of lines
2. Funny acts
3. OSTs (totally love Du Geun2x)
4. the potato
5. Dingdong kid
6. CSW's extremely HOOOOOOT body!
7. plot
8. ending message of CSW (my first time to watch a drama with an ending msg from one of the characters)
9. sneakers
10. their love for each other
Dislikes:
NONE!!!!!!!!!
SCORE: 10/10
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This review may contain spoilers
Captivating. Cinematic. Action-packed, yet offering impressive quiet & heartwarming tuning, too
Gando is the land of the desperate, the realm of the desperados of Joseon. In the 1920s, it was also a territory in which political responsibilities and affiliations were vaguely regulated. Some things may remind you of the Wild West. Yet this Wild North in the Far East is quite different...“Song of the Bandits” is a brilliant Netflix historical drama about a certain chapter of recent Korean history. Moving. Captivating. Cinematic. It exudes the vibes of an Eastern. The KDrama surely is gory action and turbulence at most times, but offers impressive quiet and heartwarming tuning, too. Action-packed it is, yet humor and romance modestly fit in as well. "Song of the Bandits" is astonishingly well balanced in this respect and for a Netflix production, despite its polished and action-driven choreography for a broad international audience, sticks surprisingly consistently to a more subtle Korean series style. Nicely done at all scales. We get a feeling of the Manchurian landscape with Gando impressions filmed at original locations. This all framed within a consistently beautiful soundtrack. It all lasts for 9 episodes (only! Yet?). In spite the overall ambitious commercial production context, aiming at an international “Squid Game”-like success, “Song of the Bandits” was able to impress me with a historically and emotionally complex story with great mimes - Kim Nam-gil, Yoo Jae-myung, Lee Ho-jung and Lee Hyun-wook in their element. But so is everyone else. This is where KDrama and Netflix perfectly come together...
'Bandit: The Song of the Sword' is the original title. In fact, people don't swing swords so much as they use firearms. The KDrama is epically processed, offers great emotions, while telling about people and the range of motives for which people are prepared to fight. It's about resistance, obedience, venality, oppression, social affiliation, the fight for freedom. There are even some spiritual thoughts attached to it along the way. It is about the Joseon people, some personal fate, as well as 'the' history of Chosen - an emotionally quite ´Korean´ excerpt of modern history. Its thematic historic setting (even if the rest of the world might not care so much about it, as it is not requisite for an entertaining series pleasure) contains a lot of explosive material by Korean standards. Therefore firearms are in several respects quite consistent in this context…
As far as I am concerned, I do care about the historical context. On the contrary, I find it quite intriguing - besides the dramaturgically action-packed and emotionally charged story with its complex, interwoven relationship dynamics and conflicts. As I said, you don't really need to know the background to be enthusiastic about "Song of the Bandits". But if anyone might be interested, see the historical side note about 'Gando', the border region on the north bank of the Tumen river, which today also marks the border between northeast China and North Korea.
PS:
Yep, the ending of the story...
If you like, you can dream of more. It could be possible. Yet, it would still go on and on.
Who knows if there may be a sequel...
Nevertheless, from my perspective the ending is quite fitting. (Whether I like it or not.) In terms of the historical events, things are as they are. We want fiction to write a different ending, but it still wouldn´t be any better, rosier or brighter for hardly any of the various protagonists... Therefore, from a Korean perspective the ending of this story remains true to the spirit of the actual Chosen-history: For Joseon people it is and remains unsatisfactory, unfair and painful. ´We´, as an international audience (temporarily and figuratively with our personal discontent), can/shall/must/may thus empathically share this collective emotion, too.
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SIDE NOTE: --- Gando, also called Jiandao, and today Yanbian ---
Gando historically stands for a specific borderland. To this day it is a region with a high proportion of people of Korean origin.
Gando is a small, perhaps inconspicuous scar in Korean history – yet a scar that is still weeping, sort of...
Gando (and Manchuria in general) is also associated with the regrouping of the Rightous Army and thus with the patriotic pride of resistance against colonial oppression. With "Song of the Bandits", the issue of Gando has now obtained an impressive, international onstage introduction...
This 'Gando', Jiandao or Yanbian was the last nail of hope for an increasing number of desperate people from Joseon (and still is for some North Koreans today) who had nothing to lose and would rather settle for an arduous life and try their luck in this section of Manchuria - a back then relatively undeveloped marshland on the north bank of the Tumen river.
First - in the course of, and especially at the end of, the 19th century - famine and poverty drove poor Joseon people to the far north. Then, at the beginning of the 20th century, it was the hope to escape from Chosen, which was finally officially annexed by the Japanese. The Righteous Army militia was also formed anew in Manchuria at that time.
After the annexation of Joseon, with respect to a relatively large population of Joseon people, the Japanese as part of their aggressive expansion efforts also demanded this coastal territory north of the Tumen from the Chinese. Infiltration was followed by an invasion in 1907, but already by 1909 there was withdrawal again. Officially, as a result of the diplomatic negotiations, the area eventually became Chinese again and Japan received railroad concessions, while the Joseon people remained under Japanese rule due to their Korean descent.
"Song of the Bandits" sets its story in this political quagmire: the decade before the belligerent 1930s, before the Empire of Japan invaded Manchuria, established the puppet state 'Mandschukuo' and used it for its own political and economic purposes. The prerequisite for this was a massive expansion of railway lines - especially the North Chosen Line along the border region between Chosen and Manchuria, that had been built during those previous years, while the Bandits sang their song...
Outlook:
After the end of the Second World War, many Koreans went back to their homeland, but by no means all of them. Around 810,000 people of Korean origin apparently still live in the Yanbian Autonomous District of China's Jilin Province to this day. In 1952, the proportion of the population with a Korean migrant background was around 60 percent. Then, Korean language was official. However, especially since the late 1990s, the Chinese government had specifically tried to force linguistic and cultural assimilation in order to counteract political currents in South Korea and discussions about a possible legitimate Korean claim to 'Gando'. These currents believe that - regarding those dubious events of the early 20th century and Gando Convention between Japan and China becoming obsolete with the ending of the World War II – this Gando territory actually is political void and should now belong to (in this case North?) Korea. Thus, Gando's territorial status for some still is not satisfactorily resolved…
Incidentally, desperate North Korean refugees are continuously trying to get to China via the Tumen river, which is icy during the long, cold winter months. Thus, Gando territory invariably remains a last nail of hope for desperate Koreans even up until today...
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