This review may contain spoilers
Inspiring for Entry Level Career/Business, but Lost in Translation
I picked this one as my first drama of the 2022, purely out of expectation. It has a less than 8.0 rating, so I was ready to drop it even before started watching it, lol. However, I finished Episode 1, and ended up keep watching one episode following by another. My guess why it has a low rating for such a pretty good romcom, is: one, poor translation from MangoTV, which is the main issue; two, misleading synopsis; three, no popular cast; and four, Chinese romcom drama watchers have had toothaches from all sweet Cdramas being released last year. Let me address the main issue first, the second issue in the Character section.MangoTV produced quite some good Chinese romcoms, unfortunately many are machine translated, including this drama. This is very unfortunate, since business term and Chinese idioms/slang get mistranslated or even no translation (especially for notes, emails, text messages, etc). Luckily, if you watch in their official YouTube channel, there are kindhearted people who translated the non-dialogue part. As I put in the title, this drama is especially inspiring for audiences who are at their entry level of career of business, since there is a lot of uplifting advice given to motivate people in their career development. Unfortunately, the inspiring life lessons are watered down with inadequate translation. So, unless you understand modern spoken Chinese, or can read between the lines of bad sub, probably don’t bother to watch this drama.
STORY: In my opinion, there are two plots that run side-by-side: the romance and the work/business plot, both intertwine harmoniously between Party A and Party B (hence this drama title). Party A/Party B is a legal term when two entities get involved in business.
The main couple’s plot starts from both ML and FL being bickering strangers (short term), to being landlord-tenant, neighbors, two business-related company representatives , friends, best friends, lovers, to being engaged (short term). It’s a slow burn romance, they don’t get together until the ¾ quarter of the drama! However, their friendship and teamwork development are amazing to watch. Even before they get together, they’re so comfortable with each other, like an old married couple. The second couple plot actually has more sparks as their romance develops faster, so it’s quite interesting. Their romance starts about half of the drama. The third couple romance is a filler, in my opinion, since it’s quite short. There is also a married couple.
I actually am more interested in the work/business plot, unexpectedly since I don’t like business drama. I think because of its advice given to working adults. ML and FL both go thru work problems each encounter, from insider sabotage to sexual harassment. They work together to solve those problems. Misunderstandings don’t get prolonged in their relationship, they clear up their issues pretty fast. There is also the main theme of chasing dreams of most characters: people leaving stable jobs to start business, moving to big city to pursue career, changes job to a different company, working on your dream job instead of just-a-job, saving and investment, life priority, etc.
PRODUCTION: The scriptwriting is pretty good. The writer, which at this time I don’t know their name, managed to write a flowing transition on the main couple’s love story and the Female Lead’s prowess development. There are witty dialogues too, that make the plot development and the characters’ growth enjoyable.
CHARACTER: The scriptwriter also did a good job in creating likable main characters and some key supporting characters. The FL, Ye Xuan (weirdly in the end is translated into Michelle Ye), freshly graduated, comes from a smaller city to metro Shanghai. She’s hopeful and energetic, but faces the reality of the workplace. She is lucky enough to land her first job at 88Ed, what I called a dream company. Although it’s small and has problems, it ends up to be the ideal company in dramaland. Her other luck is ML, Li Ze Nan, who is not only her landlord/neighbor. The company where he works, Aoke, is also 88Ed’s major client.
Now this is where I want to correct the misleading synopsis I read at this moment. It says that Li Ze Nan is “the domineering Party A” but he’s not. He has been in the big city and has worked longer than Ye Xuan, so he gives her work advice but he’s not domineering. In fact, when they become a couple, I see sometimes Ye Xuan is bossy towards Li Ze Nan. Starting their relationship as a landlord-tenant, he’s actually has been supportive to Ye Xuan all along. He also comes from a poor background and works hard his way up at his workplace. He is not an ML who “has been making things difficult” to FL, since he makes her grow and become stronger as a working adult. For example, when he knows she has worked hard on a business proposal for his company but her company doesn’t credit her, as a client he has a power to fix the mistake but he doesn't. Instead, when he finds her crying in disappointment, he gives her a cotton candy and later tells her to be strong and try harder. Another misled term is that the couple’s relationship starts with “endless bickering” but I see they just tease and playful with each other, and actually the second couple starts with “endless bickering”.
Important to mention in romance drama is the secondary characters who potentially ruin the main couple’s relationship. There is none. Second FL is ML’s ex-girlfriend, but they broke up because pursued different dreams. Although when she shows up initially ML and SFL are a bit uncomfortable with each other, there is no hate/love feeling left for both parties. SFL ends up becomes their company’s business client and FL’s friend. Second ML is FL’s co-worker. He and ML have a healthy competition for FL’s attention, but when SML sees that FL, subconsciously, prefers to be with ML he backs off and becomes supportive of their relationship.
A bonus: the director, Sha Wei Qi, also made a guest role appearance as a fake director, lol! The scene with him in it is the most hilarious in the drama! He also directed some decent Chinese romcoms (rating 8.0+) such as Gank Your Heart (2019), A River Runs Through It (2021), and To Fly With You (2021).
VISUAL: The location of metropolitan Shanghai is always a charm. I like the adjoining balconies where ML and FL often seen chatting at night after work. I also like the company setting where FL works though. It’s a renovated warehouse building made of bricks and has a warm and casual feeling.
OST: Nothing stands out.
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short sweet/bittersweet romance, need a season 2
Overall: this could have easily been a 9.5 or 10 from me except how they handled the ending (information in my comment under a spoiler, I'll bump it up to 9.5 if they have a season 2 and explain things more clearly). Aired on YouTube. Watch the extra scene after the credits.Content Warnings: threatened violence, past pet death, stalking, mental health struggles, kick
What I Liked
- cute and funny moments
- some subverted tropes*
- Jung Woo's very realistic reaction to the situation
- the actors did an amazing job
- excellent production value (feels very Kdrama with blurred backgrounds, close ups), the music was very well done
- cameo from Long Time No See actor
Room For Improvement
- the explanation for how it all happened is in a separate video and it would have been better to incorporate it into the series itself
- they spent some of their valuable screen time in unnecessary plot threads like the blind date
- *the ending was a letdown and I'll say more in my comment under a spoiler
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This show has it all: family drama, birth secrets galore, business makjang, murder, White Trucks Of Doom™ which may all seem cliche and typical but you know what it also has? A bad-ass, strong, don't-need-no-man female lead who gets whatever she wants done through her intelligence and diligence. Her only flaw? The desire to be loved by her adopted family. While the first few episodes may just seem like her suffering, believe me when I say it gets better.
Like I said, it's a sleeper hit. A lot of people either dropped it too early or they just skipped it all together (hence the comments) but THIS. SHOW. IS. GOLD.
The OST is amazing (please do your ears a favour and listen to You Are by KLANG), Lee Yoo Ri and Song Chang Eui kill it as the leads and the bad guys are so bad, you want to hurl things at the screen. However this show gave me so much adrenaline and the ending was just PERFECTION.
Please don't just take my word for it, watch it yourself and get to at the very least half of it before judging it. A lot of people are missing out and I really hope people see this show for what it really is, an amazing story about a badass woman who finds people who truly love her and discovers her self worth instead of letting her status as an orphan get in the way.
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A Cathartic Journey
Zhang Zhehan tells his story through snapshots of the people he meets and of the natural wonders he sees on the journey to Lhasa.The result is a documentary full of warmth and happy discoveries, with an undertone of the director's struggle to embody that joy himself as he used to. And what perhaps matters the most when discussing topics such as mental health and healing, Zhang doesn't portray the story as a cookie-cutter, happy ending fairytale.
Throughout, the documentary is visually gorgeous. The power of nature is shown in full, and so are the hopes, dreams and daily life of the people encountered on the way. There is no artificial dramatization of the events or emotions, and no attempt to turn human experience into a consumable.
Zhang Zhehan lets the genuine happiness, confusion and love of the journey speak for themselves, all the while carefully listening to them himself.
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Watching this drama is like eating sugar
This drama by best exceeded all expectations I had for it. When I first read the description I thought it was going to be the typical drama with annoying second leads but to my relief it wasn't.The main couple had a lot of chemistry and although at times some interactions were cringy its the type of cringy that makes you smile. I liked how they overcame everything and didn't break up. Also how they slowly fell in love. Jin Bei and Shi Yun are probably one of my favorite couples in Chinese dramas.
The side stories were also very cute.
I recommend watching this drama if you want a story with no annoying second leads, or meddlesome parents. Its a love story between two people. As soon as you get into the drama you will notice that watching it is like eating something very sweet.
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This review may contain spoilers
I was a bit worried about another live-action adaptation of an anime / manga, but I wasn't disappointed at all!Visually, it is very well done: CGI is great and characters seem "realistic" enough, if you can say that about manga characters (what I mean is they didn't overdo it with the orange hair ^^)
The visuals are similar to what you see in the anime, which I thought was really cool. It did feel a little weird during certain fight scenes, but considerering the crazy fights featured in the series, they did good job at bringing them to life.
Casting was flawless in my opinion: Fukushi Sota was a fantastic Ichigo (I fell a bit in love) and I really liked Sugisaki Hana as Rukia. They both showed the characters' emotions really, really well.
I loved the secondary characters too, especially Saotome Taichi as Renji, Mano Erina as Orihime, and Yoshizawa Ryo as Uryu. Miyavi as Byakuya was also a pleasant surprise!
Most of the movie follows the "main" storyline of the anime's first season (Ichigo and Rukia against Renji and Byakuya, sort of), although it had to be adapted for the movie format. For that reason, the ending is completely different and it gives a "proper" closure to the Ichigo and Rukia's storyline (no awful cliffhanger).
I am overall very satisfied with this movie, and I really hope they will make another one!
Except for the ending, it is a fair adaptation of the anime (I haven't read the manga, so I can't compare).
If you are a Bleach fan, I do recommend watching it! Just remember it's a one-movie format (so far), so they had to make a story adapted to that format. Keep your mind open and enjoy our beautiful Sota as ichigo ^^
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Sometimes the movie became confusing as there were many "sides" to this story. Also what I think that should have given this movie more power is to focus more on the act that happend itself and why. I am not too sure that it was that believe-able to put in so many country problems at the same time in the movie. . I am intrigued by the political standpoint it takes and I found that very interesting on the other hand. Still I liked the way the movie proceeded and the story did develop over time, but they should focus more on the main point instead side points.
Dont let Lee dong Suk Lure you in as "he is a pretty boy" and all that. In this movie he is not the flower boy, I despised him in this movie, so in fact he played his role perfectly. Him and the others acted very well in this movie. I liked that they gave Lee Dong Suk this role and they should do that more often.
The story is dark, not noir dark, but damn dark. This movie isn't for everyone because it includes loads of blood and no scene is blurred out, so be carefull.
Watch this movie if you are into gory, revenge seeking dark thrillers.
Don't watch this for Lee Dong Suk's pretty face and you won't find any trace of romance in here.
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More gifworthy than watchworthy...
This is the story of the highly annoying customer service expert who attracts the attention of a kind overbearing slightly aloof CEO, because honestly is there any other kind of CEO in drmaland? And goes on a journey filled with second hand embarrassment and scheming, scheming as far as the first 7 or 8 episodes reach there will be scheming. When we finally get a break from the scheming we get some pretty decent romantic gestures, friendships a and a bunch of steamy kisses... After that we get some more scheming... before they call it a day and the drama comes to its end.Was this good? Nope,
Was it bad? Nope,
Will I remember this drama in a month? Probably not.
But it did make way for some really good gifs!
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You Who Came from the Stars: Epilogue
20 people found this review helpful
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such an interesting and well-studied movie!
South Korean CGI technology has been develop so much, even tho i watch it in 2D, i think i'll bring my family to watch in 4DX this weekend! the storyline is good, understandable, well studied, n realistically (touching, emotional, funny) n ofc this movie has top tier acting of the casts, but for the foreign casts still a lil stiff, but it doesn't matter.so, overall this movie is so good! i'm pretty sure you will regret if you don't watch this movie at the cinemas.
because it's WORTH TO WATCH AT THE CINEMAS WITH YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, OR LOVER!!!
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1This review may contain spoilers
To Match Her Freak
A Splendid Match is the kind of drama that knows exactly what it is from the very beginning. The premise itself is nothing groundbreaking. A noblewoman returns home, several men orbit around her life, and viewers are left waiting to see who ultimately becomes her “perfect match.” The answer is obvious almost immediately, but surprisingly, that never becomes a weakness. This drama is not interested in asking who gets the girl. It asks how two people become worthy of each other, and that distinction is what makes the story work.Gu Jin Zhao grows up exiled from her own family because of an old prophecy, yet instead of becoming bitter or fragile, she returns sharper, louder, and completely unapologetic about who she is. Raised with love by her grandmother rather than suffocated by aristocratic rules, Jin Zhao carries herself with a confidence that unsettles polite society. She refuses to indulge nonsense, refuses to tolerate injustice, and settles accounts immediately whenever she is wronged. Ren Min captures both her youthful charm and fiery stubbornness perfectly. Every time Jin Zhao stands up for herself, I found myself silently cheering like a proud sister watching family drama unfold at dinner.
What I appreciated most is that the story never turns Jin Zhao into a heroine waiting to be chosen. In true amor fati fashion, she embraces the life handed to her and bends it into something that belongs entirely to her. Marriage, for her, is not survival or social strategy. It is recognition. She wants someone who sees her fully without asking her to shrink, and among all four potential matches, only Chen Yan Yun truly understands that.
I am one of the minorities who liked how the narrative took time exploring Jin Zhao’s dynamic with every man in her life. While the male lead lacked (romantic) screentime in the earlier episodes, I thought the structure made sense. The first half focuses heavily on Jin Zhao and Ye Xian’s chaotic friendship, while the latter half gradually shifts toward Yan Yun and Jin Zhao’s partnership. It creates a natural emotional progression instead of rushing directly into romance.
Chen Yan Yun is, without question, her splendid match. Mature, wise, reliable, and quietly affectionate, he feels like the rare male lead who understands that loving a strong woman does not mean taming her. Ci Sha portrays him perfectly. The actor embodies the mature, manly, and reliable allure of his character. Chen Yan Yun never asks Jin Zhao to compromise herself for his comfort. Instead, he protects the space where she can continue being exactly who she is. Their relationship is built on mutual respect, trust, and admiration, which makes their romance feel deeply satisfying even within a fairly cliché setup. He may navigate political disasters effortlessly, but love clearly short-circuits his brain, and honestly, that made him even more charming.
Once they got married, this drama practically turned into a romantic buffet. The kisses, the hugs, the mirrored gestures, the teasing intimacy, everything delivered maximum flutter damage. I also appreciate that the production committed fully to their chemistry instead of hiding every kiss behind curtains, sleeves, candles, or strategically placed furniture like some historical dramas love to do. Their romance feels passionate because both characters themselves are passionate people. The physical affection supports the fiery nature of their relationship instead of existing purely for fanservice.
One of the strongest parts of the writing comes from how the drama handles emotional conflict after marriage. When Chen Yan Yun discovers the history between Jin Zhao and Chen Xuan Qing, the story wisely avoids the easy route of one dramatic argument followed by instant reconciliation. Instead, it lets Yan Yun sit with the discomfort. Of course it would hurt knowing your wife once actively pursued someone else, especially when that someone is your own nephew. The added realization that they may have ended up together had he not intervened makes the situation even more complicated. What made the arc work for me is that the drama allows Yan Yun to spiral through those ugly “what if” thoughts instead of pretending mature people instantly process emotions rationally. And true to Jin Zhao’s character, she refuses to lose herself trying to soothe him. Her “I won’t indulge him” line felt completely consistent with who she is. She loves deeply, but she refuses to abandon her own dignity in the process.
Ironically, Chen Xuan Qing’s storyline only further proves why he and Jin Zhao were never meant to be. He may have been her first love, but he fundamentally lacks the courage and conviction needed to stand beside someone like her. Jin Zhao is drawn to his worldview and gentleness, yet in the end, he mostly awakens her protective instincts rather than standing as her equal. When forced to choose between safety and love, he chooses himself. That decision defines his entire character.
I honestly think the writers did Xuan Qing dirty toward the second half. His character practically takes a full tragic opera turn into pathetic lovesick territory. Zuo Ye portrayed his restrained misery very well, but the writing reduces him into someone consumed entirely by resentment. It is understandable for him to feel jealous of Yan Yun and out of place with the Chen family, but at some point his bitterness becomes exhausting because the Chen family genuinely treated him with sincerity from the beginning. The drama wanted emotional collapse, and boy, did it commit to it.
On the other hand, Ye Xian ended up becoming one of the most interesting characters in the drama for me. At first, he is basically a spoiled manchild wrapped in pretty robes and family pressure. Winwin embodied that mischievous youthful energy perfectly while still hinting at the burden beneath it all. His relationship with Jin Zhao works wonderfully as friendship because they are too similar. Putting them together romantically would be like throwing two fireworks into the same box and hoping the house survives. They bicker, annoy each other, protect each other, and genuinely care deeply, but they would absolutely self-destruct as lovers.
Episode 28 genuinely hurt. The wedding procession crossing paths with the funeral procession was one of the strongest scenes in the entire drama. While Jin Zhao and Yan Yun move toward happiness, Ye Xian stands there grieving the loss of his own love story. The way he lowered his gaze and stepped aside felt devastatingly mature. It was acceptance, resignation, and heartbreak all folded into one quiet moment. That scene alone deserves applause.
I also appreciated Ye Xian’s eventual growth. Watching him choose responsibility over obsession was satisfying because it finally felt like he matured beyond simply chasing Jin Zhao. Him addressing Yan Yun as Jin Zhao’s “fujun” carried more emotional weight than any dramatic speech could have. At the same time, the battlefield storyline constantly filled me with dread because it felt less like heroism and more like a beautifully wrapped suicide mission. Yes, from a character perspective, it makes sense. A man with limited years left would rather burn brightly on the battlefield than fade slowly in bed. But emotionally, it still hurt to watch.
The scene where Yan Yun carried Ye Xian’s body covered by the Ye flag genuinely left me speechless. Alongside the wedding versus funeral procession, it became one of the most memorable moments in the drama for me. Jin Zhao’s devastation afterward also landed emotionally, even if some of the screaming leaned slightly too theatrical for my taste.
As for the rest of the cast, the ensemble adds so much charm to the viewing experience. The sidekicks bring excellent comedic timing, especially Chen Yan Yun’s sidekick compete over who can gather information faster. Unfortunately for him, nobody gathers gossip faster than women. The Ji family was largely lovable aside from one permanently irritated aunt, while most members of the Gu family existed solely to test my blood pressure. The Chen family sat somewhere in between chaos and sincerity, though I appreciated that many of the women in the household remained reasonable and supportive.
The overall atmosphere strangely reminded me of Bridgerton mixed with a classic chick flick romcom. The “searching for the perfect match” narrative, the playful romantic energy, and even parts of the soundtrack carried that same exciting first-love feeling. The production quality is admittedly inconsistent at times. Certain shots and color grading occasionally look a bit cheap or overly template-like, but the emotional core of the story remains strong enough that I stopped caring after a while.
My biggest issue ultimately comes from the ending. After all the suffering, heartbreak, political turmoil, and emotional growth, I desperately wanted one final peaceful moment for the main couple. A quiet meal together, stargazing, attending a festival, literally anything warm and comforting. Instead, the drama fully commits to its fire symbolism until the very end. I understand the intention. Jin Zhao and Yan Yun are intense people who love fiercely and burn brightly together. Still, after everything they endured, I wanted softness. I wanted peace. I wanted my splendid ending.
Even so, I genuinely enjoyed A Splendid Match. It is a cliché done right. The plot may follow familiar beats, but the sincerity of the characters, the emotional storytelling, and the chemistry between the leads make it incredibly engaging. Despite an ending that left me emotionally robbed, the journey itself was entertaining enough to make me laugh, cry, scream internally, and grow attached to nearly everyone along the way. Sometimes that alone is enough to make a drama worth remembering.
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The Dark Path.
Day Breaker is a chilling undercover narcotics cop thriller that is part of iQiyi's 2022 Light On Series lineup. The drama is set in the fictional Hua City in a lawless Southeast Asian nation that bears an uncanny resemblance to Thailand. In this made-up world, the country is overrun by drug cartels and the police force is under resourced and susceptible to corruption. This drama has won high praise but it is one that must be watched with eyeballs glued to the screen due to the intense and elaborate plot with myriad twists and mind benders.Luo Xiang is an undercover narcotics cop pretending to be a mole in a local drug cartel. A planned takedown of a major drug deal goes horribly awry, apparently killing Luo Xiang. He re-emerges five years later as Chen Mo, a taxi driver who is tasked by Liao Yongjia to assume the identity Luo Xiang and reunite with the cartel. Li Yifeng really impresses in this role as someone juggling multiple identities while walking on the edge of discovery. His Luo Xiang has lived a lie as Chen Mo for so long that it is not clear he knows what his reality is, much less his former lover Su Qingzhu or his violent, jacked up cartel brother Longge. Luo Xiang's fascinating and oddly genuine bromance with Longge recalls Li Yifeng's iconic and manipulative performance as double agent Chen Shen in Sparrow. One of my biggest disappointments with Day Breaker is how this relationship was cheated of a satisfying denouement. While not a romance, the subtle longing and painful chemistry of the unspoken behind Luo Xiang's lies in his interactions with Su Qingzhu adds another layer to Li Yifeng's outstanding portrayal. Unfortunately this is another less than great role for Song Yi as Su Qingzhu is another character that is short changed at the end.
Both Feng Delun and Gong Haibin put in highly praiseworthy performances as Liao Yongjia and Yu Shenghai, Chen Mo's handlers in the undercover operation. In a cartel infested place like Hua City, everyone has a price and is forced to walk down the dark path, it is just a matter of to what degree. Thus as Chen Mo watches them wondering if either or both of them were moles that sold out Luo Xiang years ago, they are also testing Chen Mo to see if he is really Luo Xiang. The interplay between these three core characters as their stressors and motivators are revealed is the best, most intense part of the drama. While all three characters delivered riveting performances, it is Gong Haibin's Yu Shenghai that surprised and moved me the most and made me experience everything from rage to pity.
They are too many rival cartels in this drama and too many drug lords. Only two of them - Longge and Song Cai are multi-faceted and interesting. Longge is the ultimate outrageous fictional character, gruesomely and unnervingly violent and bizarrely comical at the same time. His wild affection for and trust in Luo Xiang clouds his survival instincts and innate shrewdness. There is an unpredictability in each of his outbursts that had my heart in my throat many times. Song Cai is also a complex cold blooded killer with his own code of conduct and many moments where his sentimentality and humanity pokes through. Both are too cursorily dealt with and sidelined in favour of less interesting villains.
While A-Xi is adorable and has some really funny scenes with Chen Mo, they were too few and far between. In general, humor is not well used to diffuse the tension in this overly convoluted plot. The drama could have ended at a climax at the end of Yu Shenghai's arc. Instead, the final two episodes rush through a contrived flash bang ending that relies on poorly fleshed out final villains, unnecessary twists and shocking but unworthy outcomes for good, smart characters. While it doesn't completely ruin the drama, this plot demands too much attention for it to sag like this at the end. Thus I must reduce my overall rating from 8.5 to 8.0 but I can still highly recommend it to fans of this genre.
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it gave me whiplash so bad I got amnesia and forgot all the reasons why I loved it - A Rant
FYI: this is mostly a rant on the ending with a LOT of spoilers, please don't read it unless you've watched the drama.Something light to begin with... the OST was good... until they played it at least four times each episode. Damn, tone it down a bit will ya?! The foreshadowing in the lyrics is another story, lol.
Now let's get to ranting:
If a sad ending is done well within one episode, I'll cry and rate the drama highly because I remember the good times but if a drama gives you whiplash and throws a million plot turns and character deaths your way for 6 hours straight I just get angry and mad.
One could search for the reason, is it censorship that doesn't allow for more than 40 episodes? So they squeezed all of their plot into the last 10 episodes... or is it because in historical c-dramas characters who (visibly) kill a lot on screen, whilst not being a general or something of that sort, have to die in the end? Who knows.
Once again we've gone through hell the last few episodes only to see a weird fever dream-esque scene, that will divide viewers for eternity, debating whether it's some "secret happy ending".
But don't get fooled... we've seen this happen one too many times to know better... to know that (especially) costume dramas tend to have this type of ending when the broadcasting platforms realize that they've got gold in their hand and want to keep the hype alive, even after finishing. Because who would try and find clues about a possible happy ending, if there wasn't this all-so-kind little scene at the end, so that we - the viewer - can ponder about the ultimate fate of the characters we grew to love, for days and months to come?
Frankly, I am sick of this sh't and if you are going to make a sad ending at least have the guts to not ruin it like that.
This drama was wonderful and if the last 2 episodes would have been sad - so be it - but for it to have 9 episodes of war, death and destruction... completely washed away any love I had for it. I'll give it an 8.5/10 regardless, since it ended up on my top 2 2023 dramas list (until today) and for that it deserves some respect.
Some things that angered me a lot :
EP29/30 we suddenly got a new CP, Yu Shisan and Chu Yue. Very surprising and thrown at us a bit like a curve ball. Nonetheless I quickly grew to love these 2 together. Now looking back at it, they rushed it way too much, should have been a red flag right away. Brings me back to my point earlier... I believe because of the 40ep cap, they cut or shortened this CP's story by a lot and just kept the essential... which doesn't work for romance. Especially not if you have a flirty playboy. No way he's gonna get whipped like that so fast. And then they didnt see each other for 8 episodes and guess what? we didn't even see their reunion! They just suddenly stood next to each other... but their dialogue gave away that there must have been scenes in between we didn't get to see. Poor girl didn't even get her father's necklace back.
Then for ep31-32 the narrator suddenly took over and things happened super fast without actually showing the scenes. That was very strange. Sure, dramas speed up at the end but they ALWAYS have a few calm moments in between. Not here. Because even if one character is sitting down for a moment, you can be certain another one is dying on the battle field in this very instance.
Plot armor, oh thy holy plot armor has done us so good for 30 episodes. What happened? Characters dropping like flies left and right. And then the big show down. Can I even call it that? Because by ep40, we've been through at least four show downs in the last 10 episodes. When the last 3 characters die, the scenes speed up even more and while we got 10 minutes to mourn the previous deaths and seen it in slo-mo, that is denied for the final 3. To be quite realistic, non the deaths were important to the story for the way it was going 30 episodes in. You can't tell me all those twists and turns of war and bloodshed was vital to the story. I mean... it even made me forget half of what happened before because it crashed, burned and set everything ablaze. Just as I am writing this rant I start to remember the good things earlier on. Is there such a thing as drama-trauma?
Lastly. No baby making was involved in this drama. That right there is where everything went wrong (if you know, you know)
'enough said. I'm just really let down by this ending. Heck, not even ending! The issue is it was 9 episodes of pure torture!
I watched Goodbye My Princess and The Rise of Phoenixes, but neither of them had such a butchering of main characters.
'since everyone in this drama got stabbed, why not stab the audience too?' - the makers of this drama probably.
post-ending clarity edit: The acting was really good, I loved the character dynamics and the lack of certain tropes. Loved how strong the girls were and the unconventional love story. Just everything after ep30 sucked.
My ideal ending, even with accepting losses, would have been blind YSS & Chu Yue to make it out alive and together… their story was cut short and I felt the most heartbreak about the "the one that got away“ situation. And of course our leads NYZ&RY to get away and live their life.
Or even an action movie type ending where everything settles down and suddenly they get a "call“ to save someone - the end! So their lives will go on and it’s not so final but rather their story continues off screen.
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SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK MEETS SCOOBY DOO IN JOSEON ERA !!
What a wonderful & unexpected little gem of a show! I started watching this purely out of curiosity thanks to many positive comments left by netizens on various forums about The Forbidden Marriage (TFM) and I was most definitely not disappointed. After a very long time I came across a K-Drama that was this captivating and entertaining. The story is about a King who is in grief for 7 years since the death of his first wife under mysterious circumstances. The female lead is a small-time crook who due to reasons ends up lying to the King that she can communicate with the spirit of the deceased queen, hence starting her journey to not only heal the king but also unraveling the conspiracies within the palace against him. The following are my reasons why everyone should definitely watch this show (no spoilers):1. WELL WRITTEN STORY: These days many K-drama and C-drama lovers have complained that many shows start promisingly but lose their potential midway or a story that should’ve had lesser episodes gets dragged on unnecessarily. All these problems do not plague TFM. Twelve episodes perfectly finish the main and sub plots without rushed ending or leaving us bored. I give full credit to the script writers for succeeding to do so. Also, the story was not at all predictable even though there was nothing wildly unique about it. Not many shows succeed to do so. TMF was a refreshing story in every aspect, from start to end.
2. GREAT BLEND OF GENRES: So many genres were infused in TMF: romance, comedy, suspense, mystery etc. But the makers were able to blend them well to narrate the story. It could’ve easily been a melodramatic romantic story about the ML trying to overcome his past with the help of FL (like Silver Linings Playbook) or become a Joseon era based royal mystery solving expedition with the sprinkle of comedy (like Scooby Doo), but they blended these aspects to produce an entertaining well-rounded show. Korean shows are usually exceptional when it comes to this style of storytelling. Also, the comedy in this show was executed to the point without being corny or silly. It fit seamlessly with the main plot rather than being funny for the heck of it, the comedy served a purpose.
3. UNIQUE OST: Thank God that they avoided ballads!! I have nothing against ballads, but Korean dramas tend to overuse this genre of music especially in Sageuk shows. But TMF has a very interesting blend of traditional sounds with modern music. The upbeat music infused with traditional Korean sounds made the watching experience refreshing and entertaining. It definitely added more substance to the story.
4. MODERN LEADS IN HISTORICAL TIMES: Both the lead characters in the show were fleshed out ingeniously. The ML is a king with average fighting abilities, is adequately smart, righteous and has TONS of feelings for a man in the Joseon era. At the time when men were expected to be strong with no ounce of weakness or soft emotional traits, our lead is the poster boy of soft masculinity. This kind of masculinity is usually depicted in modern K-dramas and not in Sageuks. So, seeing a man who can cry, be emotional, open to learning, empathetic to women, has his ego in check & can handle a prank or two in Joseon era was wonderful to watch. On the other hand, at the time when women had little to no rights, freedom or agency, our FL is seen exercising all of this and much more. She is probably the boldest character out of all and had the capacity to outsmart even the brightest minds of the time due to her ability to adapt and survive even in the harshest circumstances. I absolutely adored both the leads.
5. UNPREDICTABLE CASTING: If someone would’ve told me a year back that Kim Young Dae is being casted as a king for a Sageuk I would’ve been skeptical. Young Dae has grown on me as an actor over the years and I have seen him evolve since Its okay to be sensitive. He always had my attention, but I felt he has not reached his true potential and needed more experience. But I am highly impressed with his performance in TMF. He was absolutely enchanting and enigmatic as the king with great comic sense and romantic flare. He commanded the show with his stellar performance, and I am so glad that he was given a chance to shine. Hope he continues to get good scripts. Park Ju Hyun as the FL was a very surprising casting choice. This character is unlike anything she has done in the past. But I am glad that they casted her as she brought an earnest, soft yet vivacious & joyful performance that was required for the character. I look forward to her future projects. The second ML, Noh Tae Nam was an absolute jerk and loath worthy man in Military Prosecutor Doberman. Seeing him in TMF as a poised & gentle Joseon officer was wonderfully shocking. He is what people call a natural raw acting talent. I cannot wait for him to be casted as a main lead. The supporting cast was brilliant, and they held their ground very well. They uplifted the story as much the main cast.
TMF is a must watch for drama lovers…I cannot recommend it enough. If you seek a fun time binge watching an entertaining joy ride of a short drama, then TMF is for you.
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