Flawed message
Korean dramas should really stop depicting people who committed suicide as selfish jerks who just didn't try their best and start talking about mental health issues and self-care. For me, this very reductive view of the problem negatively affects the whole story and makes the premise a bit ridiculous. The other aspects of the series are just ok. The series has several very good actors, but unfortunately the story does not live up to their talent. Some episodes were entertaining, but not enough to watch them again.Was this review helpful to you?
What did I just watch !
Cinematography was excellent and the eye candy was good.Can someone please tell me what happened to the script ?
It was so ham, I won’t be eating any for months .
The editor, in my opinion had clearly taken some time of work and had the trainee stand in. As for the acting (dare I say it)…….?
Let us just not talk about the crying in each episode. When all is said and done, order a pizza and watch something else.
Someone give me my hours back, I admit , I was a fool.
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frustrating but so good to watch
I have become addicted to this drama. I am on ep30 and so frustrated at the misses with each other the ML and FL have, ghe other side stories are also great relationships stories as well...there is a lot of technology terms used but I do not think this hurts the xtory, in fact I have actually learnt some things from it so that's another plus for it.
from a fomsntic perspective having multiple relationships in a drama can be ciffivult but this drama weaves them all together well with making it boring
loving it
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Solomon’s perjury is a dark, gritty drama, taking a realistic spin on the awful, inhumane educational system, the gloomy side of teenagers -bullying as one of the main topics-, the lack of compassion of grown-ups and the general selfishness of people caring only about their lives and nothing more. The drama illustrates a very clear and vivid picture of school system and teenage life not only in Korea per-se but on a world-wide spectrum.
The drama is centered in a high school where a student presumably commits suicide, or did he? The students take things to their own hands and try to find what exactly happened after the disinterest of the adults. Solomon’s perjury primarily focuses on two elements; firstly the unfairness of the educational system and secondly the rough life of adolescents.
We get very close insight on how the educational system works, teachers and professors caring much less than expected about the education of their students, but mostly want to secure their jobs and reputation of their school. Furthermore, not only we understand how private schools work, where equity is sacrificed in the name of money –as everything else-, but also how no adult really cares about justice but essentially for their own profit and well-being.
Furthermore, we see first-hand how the students cope with their cruel reality. Talking about barbaric situations, bullying in school as well as domestic violence take the first wheel here presenting the severe repercussions they have on teenagers. The drama focuses heavily on the brutal reality of students having to take on numerous exams, unceasing pressure to succeed and be perfect as well as endure heartless teachers, problematic classmates and merciless parents. Several strong messages sent here as well targeting domestic violence and bullying most significantly: “violence only breeds violence, but in the end it’s also a choice!”
It was inspiring to see a bunch of 18 year olds caring much more about justice and fairness than people who get paid to do so, showing that kids even in the midst of their beefs are way more lawful than adults.
The drama is quite short and I’d say fast paced. It focuses on 3-4 specific characters trying to solve this case and their personal lives at home. I’d describe Solomon’s Perjury as an ambitious mystery thriller. It had its fair share of twists and it was interesting from start to finish and strong but I can’t say most of it wasn’t predictable. Still very entertaining though.
Having said all that, I can’t deny for a drama wanting to depict something real and significant it went on an increasingly unrealistic route to stay original. While I do appreciate where the writers were coming from and all the serious and important issues they addressed, I can’t deny I raised my eyebrow in front of the way the plot was developed.
The students decide to start their own school trial to solve this case and find the truth. What type of authority this school trial has? Considering students were barely interested in signing the petition to start the trial in the first place the auditorium was awfully packed when the trials started. Suddenly the students cared? We get a bunch of 18 year olds playing court, acting like proper prosecutors and attorneys and actually starting talking like ones. How? Did they stop studying for their high school final exams and picked up some legal books or they’ve watched too many legal dramas?
On top of that they started calling themselves prosecutors, attorneys and judges. You are students accept it! And to top it all off, when this little joke started getting out of hand, attacking teachers ect, the teachers barely did anything as well as the parents. The “judge” who was supposed to be a suppressed kid who only studied was yelling at his mother “take her out of the auditorium” and she just walked out? My mother would have come up to me, slapped me and dragged me out by the ear… I didn’t know if this was a bunch of kids playing court or a legal drama set in a high school somehow. This was all just too much to go with and accept.
What’s more, the seemingly normal, ordinary students started feeling increasingly difficult to relate to, acting like brats with psychological problems or one-dimensional wannabe “prosecutors” who couldn’t keep their emotions at place. At some point I felt the need to scream, y’all need serious psychological support before trying to solve anything. There’s only so much I can blame to troubled characters and abusive parents. 80% of the parents happened to be awful people somehow; just too convenient, a tad too much if you ask me.
In all its questionable nature Solomon’s perjury did leave a strong and memorable impression which is enough for me to recommend to everyone who wants to watch something more serious than usual and is into school dramas and crime mysteries.
Since this is a habitual question I’ll mention it. The drama offers only limited and subtle comic relief, while it has little to no romance, so you’re informed about what you’re getting into.
The acting was pretty satisfying considering I’d never seen any of the actors before this and all of them are very young. However, I can’t say any of the performances was memorable. Still, I’d love to see each of them again in the future nonetheless, especially Jang Dong Yoon who left the strongest impression.
Even in its far-fetched nature Solomon’s Perjury sent a lot of meaningful messages like the fact that we barely know the people around us, but it’s in our hand to acknowledge and appreciate them; the significance of friendship, forgiving ourselves firstly and those who wronged us, the unlimited potential of life and most importantly an extremely strong message of never giving up. No matter how difficult it might be today, there is always a brighter day coming tomorrow. If it’s winter today, just remember spring is coming!
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Must Watch- One of the best I have seen.
First of all, just. wow. This drama is definitely one of the best dramas since when I first entered the drama world in 2015.Story: I found it really entertaining and suspenseful, and I like the story from my point of view. Again I repeat my point of view, we all have different opinions so don't judge :). I do feel like there were some mistakes in the storyline, but however, the majority was good.
Acting: The cast is very good, definitely gives you like " heroic" vibes, the directors also made the fighting seems VERY realistic.. It is my first time watching the FL drama and I find her acting very natural, definitely will be watching more of her works. And same with ML. As well as the supporting characters, although they might be sometimes a tiny winny bit irritating.
Rewatch Value: Even though I have just seen 12 episodes and I already started to rewatch so definitely 10/10, Update, I just finished the 51 episodes, for sure will be re-watching the series.
Music: I found the music very nice, and one thing very special is it actually RELATES to the drama. Like it will relate the plot, for example, the sword, lyrics.
For sure a must watch
Warning: I gave this a ten mainly because I feel like this can just be a quick drama to watch, and fill your time, but I wound't obsess over it. However I love it in which its nearly perfect that it keeps you busy for days when you are finishing. THIS IS NOT THE DRAMA FOR DETAILS, :D
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I want to like this series, but I can't... She was a bad mother. Trigger warning parental abuse!
A single mother Young Sun raised her son Kang Ho with strict parenting despite her love for him. Kang Ho grew up and become a prosecutor while keeping his distance from his mother. An accident caused them to start a journey to heal their relationship together. The introduction with the cute pig running on a sunny day, is kind of misleading as to what was coming. I thought it was a very heartwarming cheerful family drama but it's not. Murder, trauma, and painful relationships.The best part of this series is Lee Do Hyun as Kang Ho, he gives so many layers to his role. He went from a soft cinnamon roll to a cold-hearted prosecutor. He’s an actor that I always enjoy even if the drama he's in does not work for me. I am heartbroken for him, and this is not the first time I cried for his character. His moments with the twins are super lovely and believable. I love when they bicker together 💜
The main problem that steals my enjoyment from watching is parental abuse. From the beginning, Young Sun really did horrible things to Kang Ho. She was strict, she was mean, with the intention of "I want you to be successful", or "I want you to be good in your school", She threw his food away before he finished eating because she thinks he'll get sleepy after eating. She threw his artwork away because he wasn't studying enough for her. Even after the accident, she still did horrible things. She knows that he's basically in a handicapped state like he can't even move his hand, but she left him to feed himself. I'm seeing Kang Ho... Oh, he’s so pitiful, he’s hungry and helpless, but she's so impatient, she took his food away when he can’t even hold his spoon. I truly believe that realistically, this will trigger an eating disorder. Also, she threw him into the river to force him to walk, again and again... and he was screaming for help from her. Why she learns no lesson at all? While I understand she just wants him to grow up well, I saw her behavior is abusive and hard to watch. What's worse is that the scenes are given bouncy funny music, but it's seriously not funny to me. I know it's fiction but the writer really went bad there. She really went back and forth, and the good part is not good enough to redeem herself, because what she's done is too much.
I was conflicted the whole time with the pig plot. Yes! Pig is such an integral part of the story. There's this narrative about how pigs are such clean animals, the only reason why they're dirty is how we treat them, they can only look down and not up and such... Young Sun was raising them lovingly, but I can’t deny the fact that these pigs are sold and slaughtered for food in the end, especially because they showed us when the pigs are going away from her farm several times. I feel uncomfortable about it.
Another thing that detached me from the series is the villagers. I don’t get what the villagers' roles are in the story, and there's a face mask lady who every time she appears on screen, annoys me. Lastly, I don't feel this drama stick to its' ending. They wrapped up everything but it was rushed and wrapped up really quickly.
-Aug 2023, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge
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tried something different
Overall: though it was cool how they tried something different, the tonal shifts and writing didn't work for me. 12 episodes about 1 hour each. Aired uncut on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/jack-joker-u-steal-my-heart-episode-1-l2dlqwi91c?lang=en_us (I watched the uncut version which originally was the only MDL listing, if there is a cut version released at a later date that I can watch, I'll try to update this with the differences)Content Warnings: past suicide, suicide, attempted suicide, theft, violence/beaten up, blood, bullying, attempted kidnapping, coercion, manipulation, punch, kidnapping, blood
Watch Suggestions starting at ep 5 (uncut timings) (to take out nonsense plot, brutality and focus on the leads' relationship, I might go back thru earlier episodes for suggested timings later)
- episode 5 watch 5:30-9:30 and 16-50:50 if you want to see a caper, otherwise watch 9:30-12:40 and 50:50-56:55 for 2 hurt care scenes
- episode 6 watch the beginning to 9:10, 16-21:40, 24:45-29:30 and 38-1hr2m30s
- skip episode 7
- episode 8 watch 1hr10m45s to the end
- episode 9 watch 1hr4min to the end
- episode 10 watch beginning to 5 and then 12-12:45
- skip episode 11
- episode 12 watch 53:30-54:20 and 1hr 24 to the end
What I Liked
- best grandma ever
- unique premise
- sweet/flirty/caring moments
- fight/action sequences
- grey protagonists
- how Jack called out his coach and then the coach apologized and got his karma
- non cliche female character
Room For Improvement
- tonal shifts between inept comedy caper and brutality/action
- the romance took a backseat to the nonsense plot
- characters were stupid and inept
- because 2 characters relished in violence at the beginning of episode 5, it made me uninterested in any romantic pairings with them involved
- ep 1 started with a flash forward
- I didn't laugh at most of the jokes including the food poisoning/farting
- there were a ton of nonsense things, one example being it didn't make any sense why a character was so angry at another character when the result would have been exactly the same
- failed redemption arcs
- the character acting like someone with less money and then having fake dirt on him was in bad taste and the knock off Squid Game video game thing was completely uninteresting
- a character's instance on something in the NC scene in ep 10 felt dated
- characters just stood around while a character was hauled off by very shifty looking dudes
- lack of trust between romantic partners
- lack of consequences for several characters
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How Song Kang and Park Min Young’s Latest Drama Failed To Break The Ice…
‘Unsurprisingly from the suggestions given by its title-name, ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’ is one of the few K-dramas in recent memory to cover this subject field of meteorology. With the additional talents of rising star Song Kang ( Navillera’, ‘ Sweet Home’ and ‘ Love Alarm’) as well as A-lister actress Park Min Young ( -‘Healer’, ‘ Her Private Life’ and ‘ What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?’), the sixteen-episode JTBC and Netflix series has gained popular attention for its intriguing plot premise and subject area.
Nevertheless aside from an interesting premise and an impressive cast line-up, it is hard to ignore that ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ has gained an onslaught of mixed-criticism due to its execution, lukewarm chemistry between potential love interests as well as certain screenwriting inconsistencies also.
The narrative is focused upon two polar opposite main leads; Lee Si-Woo (Song Kang) and Jin Ha-Kyung( Park Min Young). Lee Si Woo is a laidback yet prodigal meteorologist obsessed with weather patterns such as the consistency of air flow and sea fog. However, despite Lee Si-Woo’s dedication to his career, the same cannot be said about his relationship with his disengaged girlfriend Chae Yoo-jin (Girl’s Day’s Yura- ‘Secret Angel’, ‘ To The Beautiful You’ and ‘ Radio Romance’).
Meanwhile at Seoul’s headquarters for Korean Meteorological Association, prudent and uptight deputy manager Jin Ha-Kyung, finds herself being caught in a maelstrom of anxiety and stress. An oncoming weather front has proven to be just as unpredictable as her approaching wedding day.
After Ha-Kyung discovers that her fiancé Han Ki-jun (Yoon Park- ‘ Introverted Boss’, ‘ Search’ and ‘ You Are My Spring’) has been having an affair behind her back, she is forced to call off the wedding.
Similarly Si-Woo is heartbroken when Yoo-Jin finally breaks up with him after becoming disinterested with their dates.
Yet after the storm, there is always a glimpse of sunshine and hope. As Ha-Kyung and Si-Woo attempt to juggle between their newfound situations and their careers, they soon find themselves growing closer to one another along the way.
The screenwriting for ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ was arguably one of the most unexpected collaborations in recent years. Kang Eun-kyung (probably best known for her screenplays for productions such as as ‘ Bread, Love and Dreams’, ‘ Dr. Romantic’ and ‘ Where Stars Land’) worked together alongside lesser-known screenwriter Sun Young( ‘Drama Special Season 3: Like a Miracle’) in order to write the screenplay for ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’; a work which for all intents and purposes felt heavily domineered in style and creativity by Eun-Kyung.
Of course, it isn’t out of the question that a collaborated work can often reflect the style and characteristics of screenwriters. In particular due to the fact that Sun Young’s screenplays are respectfully limited ( and as a consequence it becomes harder to notice specific patterns), it does arguably stand to reason that Eun-Kyung’s writing quirks and traits were more noticeable than Sun Young’s.
On the other hand for those fairly familiar with Eun-Kyung’s style , then it is likely that most will notice that ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’ possessed similar flaws and strengths of the screenwriter’s previous projects; light-hearted angst filled with romantic bravado and bubbly setups, but heavily reliant upon screenwriting tropes and bombastic character archetypes. Similar to some of her aforementioned works, ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ felt as though it would often struggle to achieve a successfully consistent and lively tone, often disengaging viewers as a consequence.
This was particularly apparent with the narrative’s constantly changing focal points, especially during early episodes of the series. Rather than
focusing on a few concise points and keeping a level of consistency with the established tone and narrative, ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ often felt uncertain with its main topics.
For example, a drama seemingly established as a heartfelt romance between two mismatched individuals, would suddenly be subverted into a topic-heavy drama surrounding mapping and warning systems, before shifting again in a different scene in order to become a melodrama surrounding heartache, infidelity, breakups and heinous exes.
Despite some respectfully mixed responses surrounding the casting choices of Song Kang and Park Min-Young initially, both main leads offered fairly decent performances throughout.
On the other hand , it is hard to ignore that despite the talents of both main leads, Kang and Park’s onscreen chemistry was often lukewarm.
Admittedly this isn’t entirely the fault of the actors per say. As characters, Si-Woo and Ha-Kyung were often resorted to the equivalent of carte blanches; excuses by the screenwriters in order to be shoehorned into romantic setups, misunderstandings and seemingly allow the audience to root for them from beginning to end.
In particular, main female lead Ha-Kyung has often come under scrutiny by viewers for her impassivity. This is mainly due to the fact that despite being a character who is meticulous and flawed by her uptight nature, there were few opportunities to explore Ha-Kyung as an individual in her own right . Ha-Kyung had a lot of potential to grow or at least mature through her experiences. ( Such as her breakup or her tumultuous experiences with her ex-fiancé. )However rather than giving screen time for Ha-Kyung to be explored as a character and learning self-acceptance , Ha-Kyung was resorted to the equivalent of a plot asset; necessary for driving forwards the contrived love story at the heart of the show, but rarely being presented as a sentient heroine in between.
Admittedly these writing problems were not just applicable to Ha-Kyung. Main male lead Si-Woo was often restricted into a similar role as the “ forlorn male lead”.
Despite Si-Woo being an intelligent individual who struggles to understand empathy at times, the narrative rarely offered opportunities for Si Woo to reflect upon his breakup or actions in the past, or at least attempt to reconciliate and display an element of maturity by trying to understand his ex-girlfriend’s perspectives. ( Even if Chae Yoo-Jin’s motives were often villainous, this would’ve easily presented and allowed opportunities for viewers to comprehend Si-Woo’s struggles and journey as a character.)
Instead although some of Si-Woo’s situations could arguably be justified as being “ caught in the moment”, it seemed out of character and unjustified in a lot of situations for Si Woo to behave in this way or become actively involved in these scenarios without a greater motive. ( Aside from the case of for the “ sake of plot”.)
However this problem was not just limited to our main characters.Park and Yura’s acting was respectfully credible but the same cannot be said about their screen personas.
Indeed one of the main areas of debate with Park and Yura’s onscreen characters came through their “ villainous” roles throughout the duration of the series.
Of course it isn’t always necessarily out of the question to create despicable villains, nor is it always necessary to allow moments of moral redemption either.
However where ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’ often fell short was how the narrative truly wanted to portray these characters. At times, the series could often lean into presenting Ki-Jun and Yoo-Jin as intrinsically hollow individuals with egocentric goals and motives. ( In particular with Ki-Jun’s megalomaniacal tendencies and Yoo-Jin’s manipulative attempts to climb up the social ladder in the workplace.) However. , the series often seemed to lean into some moments of potential “ sentience ” for these characters which while having the potential to be dynamic and meticulously written, often felt conceited. ( For example Ki-Jun’s “ ambivalent” feelings as well as Yoo-Jin’s workplace drama.)
Of course this isn’t to say that as an audience we didn’t see some moments of error or weaknesses for the characters in this series, this was rarely given more reasoning. When Si-Woo or Ha-Kyung were at fault the series would often find excuses to justify this as “ morally right” without necessarily highlighting the faults or flaws at the heart of their issues. Similarly Ki-Jun and Yoo-Jin’s actions and misdeeds were often labelled as purely diabolical or a cause of disgust and shame, without always necessarily digging deeper into the causes or allowing viewers to see a full-side of the picture .
Nevertheless a shoutout must be given to supporting actor Kwon Hae-Hyo’s ( ‘ Revenge and Passion’, ‘ Radiant Office’ and ‘ Undercover’) performance as head of the bureau, Ko Bong-Chan. Arguably one of the most underrated performances in the series, Kwon perfectly embodied an oddly authentic cynical charm to his cantankerous onscreen character.
Due to the previously mentioned flaws of ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’, the knock-on effect of these problems evidently dragged down the narrative’s execution and pacing. Admittedly it is inaccurate to claim that the entire trajectory was calamitous. The series often attempted to create a balance between downplaying key events in order to build-up these obstacles for the main leads, as well as offering pacy climatic moments in order to keep viewers intrigued with forlorn hope.
However due to the extent of misunderstandings and conflicts presented with this method of execution, it could often make ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ feel as though it was tediously slow in parts and tiresomely repetitive as a consequence. This was mainly due also to the format of each episode following a similar pattern; a dilemma would become apparent to the audience (though evidently not to the characters at first), the problem would emerge and then a misunderstanding or conflict would occur before being dragged out, resolved and then repeat.
Perhaps this wouldn’t have been so bad if there had been variation or by the latter-half, viewers had seen opportunities for the characters to gradually overcome their misunderstandings from the first-half. Instead, the predominant focus upon dragging out tense conflicts and misunderstandings had a severe impact upon the seemingly main relationship between Ha-Kyung and Si-Woo; lacking screentime together in addition to ironically spending more time interacting with their exes onscreen, rarely allowing opportunities for viewers to see this relationship reach a concise or healthy resolution.
Under the directing reigns of Cha Young Hoon ( ‘ When The Camellia Blooms’, ‘ Uncontrollably Fond’ and ‘ Gaksital’), it is undeniable that despite some limited camera angles and pan shots at times, ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’ was filled with some sleek and aesthetic shots.
In particular due to the main subject area of the series being upon the field of meteorology and weather, Young Hoon captured some mesmeric moments of weather changes from the rolling tide, to descending fog, dew on the ground and rain.
However, this was also used as an effective narrative device also; pathetic fallacy. (For those unfamiliar with the term, pathetic fallacy refers to the usage of weather in order to display the mood, tone or feelings of a narrative and its characters. )
For ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ this became apparent with the brief yet effective usage of these scenes in order to highlight the emotional conflicts of the characters as well as the main leads’ relationship in different stages over the course of the narrative. (Enforced by particular episode titles helping to hint such as “Signal” , “Localized Heavy Rain”, “Tropical Night” in order to hint at the literal and metaphorical problems of each episode.)
In addition to the filming stylistics of ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’, there is also the important discussion surrounding the drama’s comprised OST of schmaltzy pop songs and love ballads. There is no beating around the bush that some of these tracks weren’t particularly memorable. However renowned singer CHEEZE’s upbeat track ‘Melting (사르르쿵)’, and earnest love ballad ‘ Promise You’ performed by Kyuhyun were arguably some of the best songs found on the soundtrack which remained noteworthy .
Overall impressions of ‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ are entirely dependent on expectations. There is a certain unusual attraction to the series’ topic area of meteorology and its visual aesthetics. On the other hand, ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’ could often be caught up in a storm of its own making; inconsistent tonal shifts, character-writing and questionable pacing did little to bring out the best sides of ‘ Forecasting Love and Weather’.
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A Psycho, Crypt Keeper & Narcissistic Sociopath walk into Bar; Result? Bloodbath, Revenge, & an HE.
Watched this for XZ and the tomb raiding element. Never really expecting anything but I was blown away but every part of this drama so much so that the way it ended, I didn't see coming at all. And XZ's acting was solidified for me here. Basically a psychopath, the crypt keeper and a narcissistic sociopath walk into a bar the result is a bloodbath, followed by intelligent revenge and a happy ending.Pros: This director managed to pull off everything very well; the storyline that never dragged but always kept you on your toes trying to figure out what the real conspiracy even was and who to trust and not to. Every character and their backstories were fleshed out. ML or ZH after witnessing the slaughter of his entire family was saved by some mysterious person in a mask and brought to 3 masters to raise and learn the art of deception, war, and craftsmanship (which is what the ML's) father did. For 10 years ZH after going through facial reconstruction surgery learned under these masters how to get his revenge on who he thought was only one person but in reality were 3 and it was only towards the end did he and we learn that the masked person was also the mastermind.
I told people in the comment section that in the beginning the only people that were trustworthy were ML, maybe the FL and a few cats and dogs. Literally everyone else was suspicious. The ML worked for a whole year to plan his revenge meticulously on the first person who he knew was responsible for the massacre. He worked under this monster and molded himself in a way that he could take him down later. I usually never put antagonists this high up but the Marquis was a brutal man and an absolute suspicious psychopath and the actor that played him was absolutely top notch. I was actually at first kind of upset that he was the first one that was taken down given that the crypt keeper was just a hot mess, but then when the mastermind was unveiled, it became clear that he was the worst of all.
I can't say enough how the ML and every character portrayed their roles with such precision. You always have someone that you're like OK this person is unnecessary, this character is unnecessary. In this series, every single character was necessary for however long they belonged there. I am glad that the FL and her friend, his childhood friend and martial artist, and though taking orders from the mastermind, Shifu never harmed ML. So we knew who we could ultimately trust. And even a morally grey character like ZX got his deserved redemption arc at the end and for once I believed it needed to happen. As ZH himself pointed out, it was he who ruined an innocent teenager for his own revenge but said teenager, though getting lost on his path, ended up as the general his father never became; a righteous one with proper guidance.
The court was filled with corruption and ZH helped wheedle it out a little at a time while still working to being the rats to justice. The amount of planning that went into the first arc at Lord Ping head's home was just masterful. The Crypt Keeper was evil and did what he was supposed to until he was no longer needed though I feel he should've just been killed off earlier than what happened to him. What is absolutely amazing is that the three of them looking for this artifact that brought power without really realizing the detriment that that power possessed and why it was hidden in the first place; had met when they were kids at school to stand up to bullying and here 40-50 years later they were ready to turn on each other and eat their own young just to get their hands on this artifact.
In this one, I can't pick out the characters that I liked because honestly good or bad, I liked them all because they acted so so well. There wasn't a single one that dropped the ball. And even though the actors did a superb job, I have to commend the director and the screenwriter for writing a story that was so immersive that two episodes a day felt like an entire series. And we had to sit and guess who was bad, who was good, who could turn on whatever and very often we were surprised who really were the middle villains or the mini villains. Very few dramas had you understanding the complexities of antagonists and why they had to be put down not just simply "because he was evil."
This was an S+ drama and it showed in everything; costumes, sets, OSTs and especially those amazing battles. I have to say that this drama really cemented XZ as a full-blown actor for me, his ability to switch on emotions from fake sadness to downright evil or real sadness and being happy was something that had to do with taking the time to immerse oneself into the character. There was very small amount of comedy which usually revolved around ZH's lack of fighting skills and how the FL and her ninja powers had to come and rescue him a lot and he just used whatever the heck he could find under hand to throw it at bad people.
I really liked how the ML always was a step or a few ahead of the villains, and if he got caught somewhere, he would always play it by ear and be able to wiggle out of any situation with some contingency plan. Once he entered the court, which was very quick; he gained as many enemies as he did friends, but he took out the smaller villains with his smarts and used the big ones against each other. It wouldn't be fair to talk about everything because people need to watch this. Now onto the cons and there weren't many, but still some small ones which I wish they had covered.
Cons: I know the series had very subtle romance because of all the other genres and things going on, but I felt even there, that the ML and the FL got together a little too quickly. They went from just talking to friendship to asking each other for favors, and then him locking her away for both her safety, and because he was weary of her and then afterwards it was like everything was forgotten, and they were together. It should have been done in a much smoother fashion. The other thing I had an issue with was when Lord Pinghead went for the gates of the palace, ZH just jumped out of nowhere with a little crossbow coming into the sight of this Goliath? Exactly what was he thinking he was going to do with that itsy-bitsy weapon? If it wasn't for ZX, he probably wouldn't have survived that assault. It just shows that there are some times where he was a little too naïve. He could barely fight on the street let alone with a bunch of armies, and this brutal man who wanted to decapitate him. It was very wishy-washy and unbelievable for a smart man like him. I understood it had to be father against son ultimately but having the ML there with his little weapon just seemed off.
Felt the last few episodes were a little rushed, and the whole Dongxia arc at the end was also very rushed. I understand that they had to deal with the tomb raiding, truth of the ghost soldiers and figure out what to do next with that artifact, but everything in there was just kind of thrown in and even though ZX got his redemption arc and our leads were free to live their lives and everyone else did who was part of team good including the new appointed emperor, too much stuffed into the end. I think if they took three episodes and maybe just smoothed them out into six, it probably would have been more cohesive. No more cons.
Would I recommend it? 100% This is a story of many conspiracies not just the original one, revenge, intelligence beyond most people's expectations, a little bit of tomb raiding, and a very good plot with a very good storyline. I will, however say if you're looking for romance, this is not the show for you. It is a show for mystery, thriller, crime solving, and revenge taking. And it's still somehow ended up with a happy ending. Go figure! And again, I have to give a lot of praise for the director, screenwriter, and the rest of the production crew who made this possible. The actors could only do a fantastic job if the people behind the scenes were guiding them properly and that is exactly what happened here.
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A Captivating Blend of Passion, Pain, and Powerful Storytelling
From its very first moments, Broken (Of) Love proves itself to be far more than just another romance drama! It’s a beautifully crafted story driven by emotion, tension, and depth.The cinematography is absolutely stunning, with carefully composed shots that elevate every scene and give the series a cinematic quality. Each frame feels intentional, drawing the viewer deeper into Alisa’s complex world of revenge, vulnerability, and unexpected love.
Faye Peraya delivers a truly captivating performance as Alisa. She portrays every layer of the character with remarkable precision, from quiet pain to fierce determination, making it impossible not to feel every emotion alongside her. Atom Pariya is equally impressive, bringing a natural charm and sincerity that perfectly complements Faye’s intensity. Together, their chemistry feels organic and compelling, adding authenticity to a relationship that is both tender and complicated.
The supporting cast also deserves recognition, contributing strong and believable performances that enrich the story rather than simply supporting it. Every character feels purposeful, helping to build a world that is both immersive and emotionally engaging.
What truly sets this series apart is its intriguing and addictive storyline. The blend of revenge, romance, and moral conflict creates a narrative that constantly keeps you invested. The tension between past trauma and the possibility of healing adds depth, making it all feel meaningful and layered rather than predictable.
The soundtrack further enhances the experience, perfectly complementing the emotional tone of the series and amplifying key moments with subtle but impactful choices.
Overall, Broken (Of) Love is a visually striking and emotionally engaging series that stands out for its performances, storytelling, and atmosphere. It’s a compelling watch that draws you in and keeps you wanting more with every episode.
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STORY: Sorry, but what story? If you're talking about a story of two people falling in love then, yea, I guess it had a story. But other than that, there's not much else in this drama that would say there is a "plot" to it, unfortunately. In the beginning, I thought that it was just getting off to a slow kick that would eventually reveal more later, which can sometimes be a good thing because usually dramas like to reveal things as soon as they can to get the audience excited but I waited and waited until episode 9 where it showed a glimmer of something, but then.......well, I won't spoil anything so let's just leave it at that. Earlier, when I thought that not knowing the direction of how the drama was going to go ended up being exactly what the drama was about. Also, the second lead characters honestly felt pointless and added nothing to the drama except to pop into existence during certain moments to fulfill a certain purpose.
ACTING/CAST: I did have my apprehensions before the drama released because the acting rolse that Lee Dong-Wook and Yoo In-Na took on seemed like their typical chosen style of roles that they've done before in past dramas. Lee Dong-Wook seems to always take on the damaged , brooding, indifferent acting roles and Yoo In-Na is slowly drifting into taking on bright, happy-go-lucky, and sometimes a little ditzy roles. I think actors should expand upon their skills and try not to take on roles that veer in the same direction. I only say this because sometimes it will cement their paths ahead and eventually, they'll ONLY be offered roles that align as their past ones, limiting their chance to explore different roles and show the public their acting chops. I watched Goblin and I loved it! The story, the acting, the pacing! It was all spot on! I can see the potential for Lee Dong-Wook and Yoo In-Na, if only they tried to take different kinds of roles. I'd like to see Lee Dong-Wook as a villain one day because I think he'd do quite well as one and it would also be very interesting to watch. And I think Yoo In-Na would do well in a serious melodrama or a slice-of-life drama because she can bring about real moments that are believable.
MUSIC: Eh, nothing to complain about. Music is nothing special. Typical drama accompaniment music.
OVERALL: Overall, I was disappointed by this drama but more because of the lack of substance within the story plot than anything. It was almost frustrating to watch till the end because the lack of suspense, drama, or anything because the romance feel less than what it is. Because there was no pressure, no pushing, no sense of urgency it made the romance feel less alive. In the end, everything fell flat.
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Pure boredom.
This review is rather short, because I was most annoyed with myself in the end. Why?? because I took the time to look to the end. I wanted so much all the time that Doona was blowing with her manager. it was so depressing to bear this melancholy, overly decent and pain-distorted lead actor. the story and her messages were not difficult to understand, but why on earth do you have to portray a young guy as if he were a 70-year-old high teacher who only preaches morals.. In the end, I was grateful that there was still room for interpretation..and if I want to dream msl, it was that Doona found someone who loves her unconditionally and does not want to be her father substitute. .. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend it.Was this review helpful to you?
Romance Is A Bonus Book is really well-written K-drama complemented with amazing casts. This one has put me into a state of emotional mess. It had me feel so sad and yet made me laugh. It got me curious, and it gave me answers. It didn't have any unnecessary plot-twists that can potentially lead to a dragging development. It has a rather simple storyline but I think it's how the writers really want it. It is very heartwarming,
The casts are EXCEPTIONAL. All the crying scenes are just daebak! They are also effectively funny (or at least for me). There are many supporting characters given the setting of the story, but the important ones had their time to rightfully shine and have their own stories and character developments. The production did a great job in choosing these casts.
As a bookworm myself, and someone who is also personally related to book publishers to some extent, I just want to express my massive appreciation to the producers for not making the "romance" overshadow everything else. In fact, rather than the romance, I think I paid more attention to the message about books. The will to express the passion of the people behind the books we read, the essence of creating books, the references made about books in correlation to the characters' life experiences. I just love everything! And I learned a lot about the behind the scenes of book publishing — the editorial part, the printing and marketing. Ah, really AMAZING!
Not only that — the way they approached and tackled different sensitive topics like mental illness, marriage and divorce, was stellar! I watched these parts with heavy heart because they felt so real. ALSO, mad props for showing a positive representation of the LGBT community. Although it was rather short, it wasn't forced, it was just there so casually, so subtle, so right!
I haven't gushed over K-drama in a while. Romance is A Bonus Book is definitely going to my "All-time Fave K-drama list". Totally recommending this to my bookish friends!
"The moon is beautiful." — I love this.
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Pit Babe Season 2, Final Episode – A Masterclass in Disrespect
Pit Babe Season 2 has been a frustrating ride from the beginning. Unfortunately, the final episode cemented what many of us feared: this production was sloppy, rushed, and made with zero care for the craft or the audience.It felt like the goal was to slap together something just to push to market and make a quick buck, rather than to tell a meaningful story or respect the fans who’ve supported this series from day one.
What truly pushed the fandom, especially SailubPon (AlanJeff) fans, over the edge was the complete erasure of a scene that had been heavily promoted. Not just by the actors themselves, but by the company. A significant, intimate scene between Alan and Jeff, played by Sailub and Pon, was teased for weeks. It was in the trailer. It was proudly shared by the actors, who spoke about how meaningful it was and how much work went into it. Over three hours of filming, for just that one scene. It was even included in the official photobook, which, let’s be clear, fans paid for before the final episode aired.
But when the episode dropped, the scene was gone. Completely cut. No warning, no explanation. Just a choppy jump in the edit where something clearly used to be. The fandom, confused and frustrated, assumed it might be saved for the “uncut” version released on the paid platform, as is often the case with more sensitive scenes. But no, it was missing there too. In what was falsely labeled an “UNCUT” episode. That’s not just poor editing. That’s false advertising.
This wasn’t just a creative choice. It was deception. Fans were sold something we never received. We were manipulated into anticipating and paying for content that was deliberately withheld, with no transparency or accountability. To this day, the company has offered no explanation. We’ve asked. We’ve waited. Silence.
What makes this worse is what happened to the actors themselves. Sailub and Pon were made to sit with the rest of the cast and watch the final episode live on camera. You can see them waiting, excited, like the rest of us, to see that scene. Something they worked hard on and had publicly shared their enthusiasm for. The shock and embarrassment when they realized it was cut was painful to watch. Imagine that. Being blindsided on camera by your own company. No warning. No chance to prepare. Just humiliation.
This isn’t just about fans being upset over a missing scene. This is about a complete lack of respect for the actors’ work, their emotional investment, and the trust of the audience. We’re not just disappointed. We’re heartbroken and angry. Until the company addresses this with honesty and accountability, that wound will remain wide open.
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Wasted Potential
The trailer promised too much and the series didn’t deliver. I love Perth and I love Chimon, but them together was not it. We have seen both actors deliver amazing acting previously this year (Home School and Double Savage as examples) so the subpar delivery of the feelings the characters were supposed to feel is weird. The romance is not believable, however the enemies part of the show is really great. Wasted potential to drive up the tension and drama, but it never delivered. Also, the danger felt sprinkled in without direction.The side characters are charicatures with no fleshed out story line or personality. Their actions confusing and strange at times because we do not get enough time to get to know them which made them boring. There were so much potential here to make great side stories but we never got it.
The plot was not plotting in my opinion and the chemistry couldn’t carry a series without drivers in the story. It started off strong, but then bellyflopped from the 4th episode and became meh. It wasn’t so bad that I dropped it, but it definitivly will never be rewatched.
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