This review may contain spoilers
A Slow Descent Into Hell…
Life is rarely a straightforward and narrow road and for artist Hee Joo (Hyun-Jung Go), her road seems to be an incessant path of bumps, twists and turns as she gradually begins her descent into “ Hell”.
The storyline places emphasis upon unravelling questions towards Hee Joo’s fall from grace.The female lead seems to have all ; she had a rough start but now has two beautiful children, a doting husband, a lovely home, and a successful art career, yet something still seems to haunt the female lead . Yet when a terrible incident happens to her daughter Ri-Sa (Su-an Kim), Hee-Joo is shocked to end up meeting someone she used to know in her past Hae Won (Shin Hyon Bin); a ghost of her former lively-self. Hee Joo and Hae Won’s encounter marks the beginning of a hellish journey that will test and trial everything that Hee-Joo believes she already knows…
Adapted to the small screen by director Im Hyun Wook ( ‘ People You May Know’) and screenwriter Yoo Bo Ra ( ‘ Just Between Lovers’, ‘ Snowy Road’) from Jung So Hyeon’s novel ‘ Someone Who Looks Like You’ , ‘ Reflection Of You’ takes a noticeably darker and bittersweet tone than most melodrama revenge-tales, and a slow-burn plot which will test viewers’ patience spans to the maximum.
Of course this isn’t to say that there isn’t intrigue for viewers surrounding the plot premise or initial start; it wastes no time hooking audiences ( shown as a literal metaphor through the fishing line thrown into water in the first episode) and adds a few little threads to keep the series interesting; the mysterious and unconscious John Doe visited by Hee Joo’s husband who later disappears, the tension between Hee Joo and her affluent , aloof mother-in-law , Hae Won’s use of an alias as well as her evident connection to Hee Joo .
The acting front of the series was admittedly fairly good. Whilst there were a few questionable line deliverances at times it’s undeniable that our main cast really shone throughout . Hyun-Jung Go delivered a brilliant performance as her complicated onscreen persona Hee-Joo whilst Shin Hyon Bin would often steal the limelight as Hae Won ; the chillingly vengeful, enigmatic and mysteriously paradoxical character who acted as the main foil and plot drive throughout ‘ Reflection Of You’.
Yet amongst screenwriter Yoo Bo Ra’s smoke and mirrors tactic through using mysterious subplots and haunting scenes to shield viewers from the actual truth of the past and events to follow, ‘ Reflection Of You’ isn’t without its more evident loose threads either.
The series is undeniably slow-paced. Whilst this is a necessary tactic for keeping the storyline afloat and the input of cliffhangers during most episodes helped the drama to gradually reach its apex , ‘ Reflection of You ‘ could often ward off viewers and potential newcomers. The series would often become bogged down with its arbitrary soap-opera trope-worthy moments, occasional out-of-place transitions and use of over-the-top dialogue and line deliverances. Whilst it does present a form of ( intentional or unintentional ) dramatic irony in the lavish and melodramatic world of ‘ Reflection Of You’, it could often create a sporadic and disjointed plot with many loose plot ends sticking out like a saw thumb by the ending of the series.
The finale of ‘ Reflection Of You’ undeniably divided audiences; a final conclusion towards the twisted world of the series, but leaving a lot of unanswered questions and logic on the sideline with main characters Hae-Won and Hee Joo’s arcs feeling underdeveloped .
So is ‘ Reflection Of You’ actually worth watching or is it a waste of time? ‘ Reflection Of You’ is a drama which will admittedly engage or disengage audiences dependent on expectations. Whilst this is generic situation for a lot of K-dramas, ‘ Reflection Of You’ often finds itself digging its own grave at times by its snail-paced progression and dragging out plot points behind its expiry date . This isn’t to say the series is “ terrible” or “ unwatchable”; the acting is fairly dynamic throughout the series, the plot premise is intriguing and there are some wonderfully-interweaved scenes by director Im Hyun Wook to give viewers goosebumps. However the incompletion of a series which was dragged out for viewers alongside mismatched storyline and plot points, can admittedly lead to some mixed-feelings and uncertainty towards the finished product.
Was this review helpful to you?
The Supernatural Died Before the Series Did
Your drama is brought to you by Volvo, Volvo, the heroes' vehicle!Spooky in Love takes its inspiration from the 2011 film Spellbound, starring Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ki. But that's where the similarities end. The trailers, the synopsis, and even the title we were presented with are misleading, because the supernatural aspect involving ghosts completely disappears within the first third of the series, giving way to a run-of-the-mill story that has been seen and done a hundred times before. For old hands who know the formula and the usual storytelling patterns, the problem isn't the accumulation of tropes and clichés, but how intelligently they are used within a well-constructed and engaging screenplay. For someone who doesn't watch many romantic K-dramas, or who is willing to let everything slide because the worse it gets, the more entertaining it becomes, why not. For everyone else, myself included, we came dangerously close to a complete shipwreck, because the writing turns out to be staggeringly poor. At first, it's a mix of Hotel del Luna, From Now On, Showtime! and The Judge from Hell across several themes; but unlike those series, not only will the main couple never reach the required romantic intensity, but worse still, emotion will have packed its bags because the tank will quickly run dry.
Cheon Yeo-Ri (Park Eun-bin) is the granddaughter of a chaebol family specializing in luxury hotels, and she herself runs a prestigious establishment. Competent, she nevertheless lives with a heavy burden following a boating accident she was involved in in the past: she can see ghosts who have not yet managed to move on to the afterlife. She therefore helps them, while also secretly resolving situations where the police have hit a dead end. Unfortunately, she cannot touch anyone without passing this "gift" on to them for a certain period of time. So she is alone. Her path crosses that of prosecutor Ma Gang-Uk (Yang Se-jong), a brilliant and upright man. Through a series of "coincidences" that aren't really coincidences, they are led to meet several times. After uncovering the mystery surrounding Yeo-Ri, and experiencing the consequences himself, their relationship develops and feelings begin to emerge. But between an envious and jealous family and the return of a former relationship, Kang Min-Hwan (Ong Seong-wu), Yeo-Ri will have to fight her way through the demons of her past.
The beginning looked promising because I expected to see an effective duo develop between Yeo-Ri, the wealthy heiress who does good around her, and the fearless and valiant prosecutor Kang-Wook. But the synopsis on most websites (false because they all copy one another like sheep) is misleading and deceptive: it gives the impression that we're going to follow a fantasy romance, with the supernatural at the heart of the story, whereas the drama ultimately uses this element in a much more superficial way, and it quickly disappears. The series seems determined to sell us an original and mysterious story, while a large part of its plot relies on much more conventional and artificial devices. There is therefore a disconnect between the initial promise and the final result, reinforcing the feeling that Spooky in Love never really knows what it wants to be: fantasy romance, family mystery, ghost story, or crime plot. The drama's main problem is its screenplay, which quickly gives the impression that events happen because the script needs them to, rather than because of the characters or their decisions. The writing becomes increasingly artificial, to the point where coincidences eventually replace genuine narrative construction.
The drama nevertheless has some directing qualities and a few good ideas, which makes its flaws all the more visible: there was enough material here to make something considerably better and more substantial. Some episodes feel as though they are circling around the same elements or artificially delaying revelations. The pacing therefore becomes uneven, with moments when the plot barely moves before suddenly accelerating, particularly toward the conclusion, where everything goes completely overboard and ridiculousness takes over from any sense of credibility. Characters are often pushed in a specific direction solely to allow the plot to move forward. This creates a "coincidence falling out of the sky" feeling: the script miraculously finds a solution to every problem, especially toward the end. It's all the more unfortunate because the drama could have made much smarter use of its past and its secrets. A revelation properly prepared with clues scattered throughout the story would have given the viewer the feeling of understanding, in retrospect, what had really happened. So the problem is less the revelation itself than the complete lack of preparation and its absolute convenience.
The romance suffers particularly from this mechanism: some emotional developments lack natural progression and give the impression that the characters evolve simply because the script has decided that it's time for them to do so. Park Eun-bin gives it her all as usual and strongly recalls IU in Hotel Del Luna with her prestigious wardrobe, albeit in a more understated version. But she is at the mercy of a screenplay that does her no favors. I found Yang Se-jong and Ong Seong-wu committed, but somewhat withdrawn. And as you will have understood, where there's romance, there must be a second man, because the story says he has to be there, like some kind of gimmick. Not only is it painfully predictable, but the whole thing is far too caricatural. The story lacks twists, intensity, but above all emotion and sincerity. Everything is pre-calculated, so nothing surprises us; it's far too smooth. The drama asks a lot from the viewer in terms of suspension of disbelief, but doesn't give enough in return for it to really work. Another problem is the lack of a secondary storyline that could have fleshed out the narrative and given it some momentum. The supporting characters are barely used, or used poorly. Overall, it's sweet and harmless, with a strong and interesting basic premise, but one that quickly gets bogged down in tiresome clichés.
The laziness of the writing, especially during the final two episodes, is staggering in its sheer convenience (the "cube syndrome"): the biggest waste is ultimately the supernatural element, which practically disappears just as the drama begins shifting toward its family and corporate storyline. What was supposed to be its distinguishing feature quickly becomes incidental, before almost disappearing entirely from the narrative. There is also a consistency problem in the way certain pieces of information are withheld or revealed. The final stretch should have been the point where all the different elements finally came together and made sense. Instead, it becomes the part where the screenplay exposes its strings most openly. Not everything is bad: there are a few lighthearted moments and some enjoyable comedic elements, but there are so few of them that they get buried in the overall mess. Spooky in Love wants to build a great mystery around the past, but when it comes time to solve it, it doesn't actually solve it: it finds miraculous evidence and providential coincidences that allow everything to be neatly put into place. As for the ghosts, we can simply thank them for stopping by at the beginning to say hello. Come on, I'll be lenient in the end, because even though it lacks surprises, it's still "cute."
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Khen....Khen....Khen
Why, Khen, why?Why did Mas have to keep calling your name in that irritating tone?
Why did you go back to the past and leave your computer? The internet was not invented, so what would you see? Where would you get connectivity? Why, did your battery last that long?
Why after showing how the story began, did you not recognize Mas as the boy in the library when you went back to the past?
Why was a ghost allowed to have sex with a human? If a maid had entered during the deed, what would she actually see?
Why did Khampaun refuse her husband before she found out about his lust for Sompho? Why did she blame Sompho and not the husband? Taking it out on the unwilling mistress never ends well?
Why was it important for Sompho to have her story told? Did it bring any meaning to their story?
Why was the repetition of Mas back story necessary when it did nothing to enhance the story?
Why did Mas ask Ken to bring the box during the party and openly speak to him? Wouldn't he appear to be mental laughing and speaking to himself? Especially in the age when cell phones and earpieces have not been invented as yet?
Why did the girl next to him not notice?
Why when all realised that they were dead, why did they have to meet in the dry bush before beginning their journey? Why didn't they go to collect him? Like "Bro, you're dead. Let's go?"
Why was Mas filming on the computer about his home when the info would have corroded with time if it's not preserved? Again, why would the computer exist in time travel?
Why (humor me) would Khen carry Mas to the future if he wasn't a ghost to time travel?
Why show the ending with their meeting but start the beginning with the death with a whole lot of disconnected fillers to elongate the story leading nowhere?
Why was a story with such promise end up being so nonsensical?
Why didn't the screenwriter and director have a chat with those from IFYLITA to see how it's done?
Why was Mas' acting so bad?
Why did I waste my time hoping that it would get better?
Why, hmmmm, why?
Was this review helpful to you?
in some ways it was like a dream work environment, Bok Dong didn't care for background or educational degree or age, and he gave everyone a fair shot, he gave worth to the employees, they work hard and the customers let the saying "the customer is the king/they are always right" get to their heads and they disrespect the people who are just trying to make a living. but here it was different.
usually korean dramas don't do this, but I liked the theme eps for Halloween, Christmas and the others.
the ost was like an anime's theme songs and overall it was a fun ride~
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The Answer is: You Are My World
This was a very twisty drama; originally watched because Yang Yang and Xuan Lu are two people that I follow. Plus the plot looked awesome and wuxia dramas are just cool if done right. Wanted to see YY in a costume drama and this one seemed like the one to really show his acting skills. I was pleasantly surprised.Pros: The chemistry between HFX/FLX and BFX/FXY was off the charts starting in episode one. They were like two magnets, just circling each other. The attraction was real and they made a great team even when they still were very wary of each other and competitive. Best power couple vibes. The fact that they would be together was obvious from the get go. The romance between them was arguably the best part of the series even when it took BFX forever to get over denial (and I ain't talking about the River in Egypt). That pre-wedding, wedding, and afterwards was everything!
Loved that HFX was always many steps ahead of everyone else; though he was great at martial arts, it was his intellect that made him so powerful and scary for even his father. His brains and brawn were on full display here. Though BFX was certainly no damsel in distress, HFX was always there to save her in the knick of time and she in turn helped him as well. Probably his best scene albeit brutal was getting beaten by his father and losing his inner force; I feel YY's strength as an actor shown a lot there; the growth was obvious. Not just physical pain but emotional and psychological was impressive.
I also loved the face stuffing, butt kicking BFX who was the perfect other half to a dashing/smart as heck ML. FQW was a great SFL because usually these characters are the gorilla glue of a show but here to see her get turned down and just shrug it off becoming one of ML's most trusted allies and resources was truly refreshing. She was also a great BFF to BFX turning our poor HFX into a 3rd wheel lol.
Other great characters was the older brother, who though I felt was the most tragic out of the cast, was able to stay on his feet still while supporting FLX throughout everything they had to endure. Han Pu who we lost tragically at the end and who I felt should have stayed behind at the sect, was a cute edition. Purple robe dude was alright though completely oblivious to the walking evil next to him until like 20 minutes of the last episode? All of their sergeants and aides were great for both solidarity and comic relief.
The big bad, YWY was definitely convincing as the main antagonist and I like that they kept him mysterious enough. That final battle was epic; knocking each other through buildings and finally bringing him down in a slash and crash method. Only our power couple could do that and appropriately done by them.
And I'm not the slightest bit worried about HFX and his now white hair because there's still old man Taiyan's flower that people have somehow forgotten about; it does bloom, if properly nurtured, every 10 years and it's been over 10 years since last used so I think our couple will live peacefully in the world for many more years to come, hopefully with children. I think the ending was handled pretty well.
The martial arts I liked a lot though I wish there was more of it through the story without the gaping hole in the middle; the beginning was probably the best with them going around trying to solve mysteries. I loved the battle scenes! Those were real, some even reminded me of the CGI of LOTR or GoT; so very impressive. The OSTs were pretty awesome especially the one by Liu Yu Ning.
Cons: The reason this drama took a serious hit from me primarily is because of how much unnecessary political stuff was introduced in the middle. Instead of growing the FL's backstory and family, the constant infighting between Lord of Yongzhou, junior evil, stepmom, and the rest of that sewer drain that was just unneeded and the ffw button was deployed. It turned an interesting story into a petty fight for power that wasted precious time on things that weren't in the outside world and were more pressing. It was however very satisfying in episode 34 to get rid of most of those morons--in FLX's usual 7 steps ahead way along with the 3 slaps heard around the world--who contributed very little to the main plot but practically hijacked it.
The amount of absolutely useless characters that were seen once but never again. The conspiracy of that Empearyan Token that YWY said he already had but it wasn't revealed until the last episode was inconsistent along with so many other things. Purple robe dude was in the twilight zone of obliviousness the entire time and then out of nowhere it was like "EUREKA, he's been by my side the entire time!" Made me think like "did you just wake up; have the aliens returned you back to earth?!?" Even YWY killing his annoying sister wasn't a thing. The last episode of the 3 main warriors confronting YWY seemed like something out of a twisted church confessional where when they ask him, he just gives up all of his secrets but for 39 episodes for some reason HFX couldn't put those puzzle pieces together? Definitely dropped the ball there among many other places, screenwriters.
Lang Hua being the show's by far the dumbest character can't be forgotten and her literal backstabbing and then just getting away with a no big deal bugs me more then I wanted it to. Han Pu as a child could have run that sect better then her after her father's death (another smart character turned dumb in his final episode; completely the opposite of what we knew). Many characters that were portrayed as very smart, were dumbed down for their last appearances, it was very uneven. And of course I nearly forgot the beyond deflating reveal of FXY's identity; probably why I didn't add it when I first wrote this review. We were all anticipating this big deal because of the buildup that they gave us and then...crickets. Like "oh you're FXY, please pass the bread."
Would I recommend it? Yes for the actual leads, their chemistry, allies, martial arts, and pretty spectacular battles. Also, if palace politics don't turn you off, that's a plus. But it shouldn't have been marketed as a straight wuxia as it was far from it. Definitely has a lot of cons but I do feel the pros outweigh those.
Was this review helpful to you?
I know a lot of people don't like Kim Hyun Joong as an actor. To that I say "pish posh". The stamina it took him to be Shin Jung Tae through this drama is enough for me. I have never thought he was a bad actor. He may not be the best, but he doesn't suck. Plus he is cute.
All of that being said, Kim Sung Oh as Jung Jae Hwa stole the show. His acting is stellar and I could just fall into those eyes. He needs a lead role ASAP. What is with all his supporting and guest roles? Do they not know a good thing when they see it?
I also loved Song Jae Rim as Leader Mo and Kim Seo Kyung as Aika (spelling may be wrong). They are both really good actors. Song Jae Rim's little smirky smile is as good as his fighting.
The lead actress leave a lot to be desired, but at least Im Soo Hyang as Gaya kicked some butt. I could have cared less about Jin Se Yeon as Ok Ryeon. I didn't like her in Bridal Mask and my thoughts haven't changed after watching this.
All of the other actors did well in their roles also.
I like the music a lot.
If you like action and/or period dramas, then this is definitely one you should watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
Good ending, but overall boring.
Another drama with high ratings, but I just can’t figure out why. I guess it must be me… kind of like how I found Hospital Playlist and Decedents Of The Sun, again both highly rated, but I found them boring too. I fast forwarded through almost every episode except 1 and 16. I couldn’t wait to finish. I thought it dragged on and on, repeating the same scenario over and over. I think the acting was good, and the basic idea of the story was good, but 16 episodes was way too long. It should have been made into a 2 hour movie instead. I probably should have dropped it, but I suffered through it. If you like very slow paced dramas, with a simple plot, that repeats things over and over, you’ll like this. The ML Choi Woong’s character, was unemotional through most of it, except for a few scenes, and the FL was very annoyingly arrogant. I gave it a 7, because like I said, the plot was good, and the acting was ok, but it was just too long for what the writers wanted to tell. Could have made the story half as long, if not less.Was this review helpful to you?
BEST CHINESE DRAMA
MUST watch! one of the best china dramas i have ever watched. It is very unique and fl and ml had good chemistry, cute and SMART, very smart. OSTs were very good, usually skip the starting OST but this was hard to skip. MUST watch this drama it is very unique and not like your typical cute fluffy chinese drama. Even myself who likes fluffy dramas, i love this even more. The development of the story is very good, every part is interesting and always makes me look forward to the next week episodes. If you are considering to watch, dont consider it and just WATCH NOW. you won't regret it.Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
You NEED to watch this!
I started watching this without many expectations and but I got hooked up from the very first episode!! I thought the story was dumb, a boss locked inside a phone?!! And I wasn't very satisfied with the casting line up BUT the drama told F*UK U in so many ways!!The cast had very good chemistry, from the lil baby girl to the evil witch in the story!! an absolute best performance!! The story basis is very simple, a jobless guy finds a phone with a CEO of an AI company stuck inside, and the jobless guy becomes the temporary CEO overnight and starts to investigate to what happened on the day his boss disappeared with the help of his secretary and a bodyguard. The three musketeers go on an adventure to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of their missing boss.
The story is simple but it was written with perfection with no loopholes, keeping the suspense until the very end and was perfectly delivered by the cast.
Was this review helpful to you?
The REAL selling point (besides CZY's portrayal of XYE) is the relationship/character growth between HWQ and XYE. If you feel like the plot is getting repetitive, know it gets better after the first half, and know that the build up of the last few episodes is incredibly well done and so painful in the right way. If you do not have a sentimental attachment to this story, or if you do not care for familial relationships, I don't think you'd particularly like it. However, if you like wuxia and you like familial relationships, I would power through just for CZY's XYE and for the build up of the last few episodes.
Ok here's the full review:
I don't usually write reviews because I am too lazy, but I felt like I had to write one for this drama. I watched The Proud Twins (2005 HK/TW version called 小魚兒與花無缺) while it was airing, and it has always been one of my favorite shows. I also love Hu Yitian from ALSB, so I was very excited for this drama. When the casting/characters were revealed, however, I was kind of worried because they replaced my favorite villain from TPT which I felt was one of the biggest selling points of TPT. Another thing I felt was incredibly well done in TPT was the tragedy in several relationships, and when I found out that HS did not include those specific tragedies, I was extremely disappointed.
WITH THAT SAID. If you loved TPT, for sentimental reasons, WATCH THIS VERSION.
ACTING/CHARACTER PORTRAYAL:
- Chen Zheyuan does Xiaoyu'er //so// much justice. I don't think they could have casted a better actor for him. I don't even have enough words for how much I love CZY's XYE. He absolutely carried this show. 100% you will fall in love with him. He brings XYE to life just as well as the XYE in TPT, and he showcases how multifaceted XYE is. The dynamics of his principles, what is good/bad to him, what's evil/wrong or right/just, he just does such a good job at expressing his emotions and reactions. The struggle he experiences in terms of who he wants to be, who he thinks he is, who he actually is is just beautifully laid out and his growth is beautiful and makes sense. I will say that BOTH the brothers' character development is visible, realistic, and touching.
- HYT gets better as the drama goes along, and I think he does a good job in playing his two characters differently. His acting and his character improves as the drama goes along. At first, I was kind of thrown off by the difference b/t this HWQ and the one in TPT, and it took awhile for him to grow on me. I would say it wasn't until the second half of the drama that I started to care about HWQ, but once I got there, I really, really appreciated his part in the show. He serves as a wonderful contrast to XYE, and over the course of the show, both brothers learn from each other. The similarities between the two noticeably grow in the second half of the show, and I felt it was very well done.
- In general, there is a lot of room for improvement plot-wise and acting-wise (specifically for Hua Wuque, Tie Xinlan, and Jiang Yulang).
CHARACTER TLDR: XYE is Ironman and HWQ is Captain America.
ROMANCE:
If you're here for the romance, you'll probably be disappointed. There isn't much focus or development on these relationships. There /is/ a love-triangle. If you hate love triangles (I do), don't worry, it works out pretty well, it's never the main point, and I think it creates the right amount of conflict that leads to growth.
PLOT:
If you're familiar with the original plot, it's pretty cool to see this version. It feels a bit messy in the middle 1/3 of the show. It seems like they're constantly going on irrelevant side quests, but the end does (for the most part) tie everything together. It might feel kind of repetitive and annoying after awhile, but I would power through for the ending. The plot could have been improved, but I think the skeleton of it worked and set up for the real selling point of the drama which was the relationship between XYE and HWQ.
SET/VISUALS:
This was beautifully done! The fight scenes were so cool, I love how they were choreographed, mad props to any newbies to wuxia (HYT). The costumes were never over-the-top but were still incredibly appealing, and this is definitely a good looking cast! The landscape/background/everything was just very aesthetic and beautiful. Nothing looked fake or cheap.
SPOILERS/THOUGHTS BELOW:
If you watched TPT, they did SuYing dirty as hell lmao and the XiaoXianNü in TPT is basically SuYing in HS. They should've introduced SuYing way earlier to make the connection more legitimate. I also felt like HS!TieXinLan was super useless and I really missed Fan Bingbing's version. Even though she lost her wugong pretty early on, she just had more of a personality and was more relevant to the plot.
I also thought the way YaoYue unraveled at the end wasn't super well done? I dunno, it seemed pretty obvious that XYE would pull the trick he pulled at the end, and it seemed OOC for no one to expect that. Also, why would YaoYue not even check for herself to see if XYE was really dead??
I also didn't like the way the drama ended. I wish the last scene was between the two brothers and not with the respective love interests. Oh well! The build-up to the final fight was still very well done imo, I was in soooo much pain LOL
Last fun fact - they have the same actor in TPT for Du Sha, one of the 十大惡人, in this version! Anyways I'll go back to crying about this drama now, thanks for reading
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This is my second review for a Chinese historical drama, I'm glad it's for ''Legend of Lu Zhen" and what's more a drama with my dear Zhao Zanilia, she's absolutely gorgeous and I think I could watch anything with her .The story is pretty good , and it's easy to follow Lu Zhen and Gao Zhan's journey even if it's not all rosy for them as they constantly fight for their love and for being happy like any other couple.
My review will be a bit long , I only wanna say what I think about this drama : the good/ bad points and my opinion about the characters because there are so many good and evil ones here.
1| Good Points :
-The cinematography is absolutely stunning , and I think that everyone would agree with me on that aspect, I love taking Screeshots , and for this drama I had many opportunities to do that and then contemplating those awesome landscapes and gardens in the palace .
-I have nothing to say about the acting , all the actors did their part , the ones that are supposed to be evil are really evil and we hate them so much that we only want to see them dying in atrocious sufferings because that is the only thing they deserve , as for the good ones I wanted to see them rise and stand for themselves ( is not it, Lu Zhen ? ) .
-The show is really addictive between ep 25-54, I was completely glued to my screen and always wanted to watch the next ep , so for that I have no complains even if there are certain things that bothered me .
-The main couple : Oh this Gao Zhan , he is such an admirable man who did everything to show his love for his dear Lu Zhen he was not afraid to claim his love for her , only at the beginning he was hesitant because he was afraid that Lu Zhen's safety would be compromised .
-Lu Zhen , I really admire this girl who was able to climb the ladder very fast ( of course she had many supporters without whom it would not have been possible but she was a smart girl and because of that she succeeded in everything she did ) , my only problem with her is her naiveness , how is it possible to believe everyone and think that from one day to the next they became reliable , I just say No No No !
2| Bad points
-Too many schemes in this palace and always the same who suffer greatly .
-Too many deaths , of course in this kind of drama it is unavoidable but that was so rushed , and it always makes me laugh when a character dies for the sake of friendship , but of course that's only a fiction so we forget about it .
-Characters that are overly obsessed with something that is not their property.
-Music , it was always redundant , come on ! Nothing striking and that's a pity , because in Historical dramas the ost is supposed to have a significant place and makes the scenes more memorable or I would say more captivating but that was not the case here !
-Men are not enough represented in this drama and that was really missing , yes I'm a gurl and of course that bothered me ;D But in counterpart we have 3 adorable and faithful men , so I'm fine with it .
As for characters I'll go to the essential . And be careful it can contain spoilers , I'm not the type who can write a review without spoiling , so I'm warning you !
\\\\\\\\There are so many great characters who made the drama more appealing and interesting , of course I loved the main couple , how they trusted and cared for each other , that was simply great to watch . I was always smiling when they were together because it was full a passion and it felt so real ! But actually there are other characters that were shining and even more than Lu Zhen because they were complex and really well written and the one that comes to my mind right now is none other than the wonderful Huan Yun, she's such a great woman full of hartred at the beginning but she grew up to becoming a beautiful woman with a big heart , she started to understand the man who is next to her since forever and I think that's why she bacame the understanding Empress we got to see at the end . I would lie if I say that I did not hate her but it was only in the beginning when she was crazy and did not wanted to face the reality .
I particularly like the emperor , how he is nothing like his horrible mother , such a gentle man always willing to give a hand to the ones that are worth of his help , he is also the most caring husband I've ever seen in dramas , and for that he goes to my all time favorite supporting actors ! I also loved his friendship with Lu Zhen he was so protective of her , helping her as much as he could because he was aware of her true value.
Of course , Shen Jia Yan was among my favorite characters too , I was happy to see a man like him around Lu Zhen .
So I talked about the 3 main guys , they were all fantastic and I remember the first time I saw Shen Jia Yan I screamed with joy, I was so happy seeing another MAN in this drama full of women , oh my what a relief !
I aslo have to talk about Dan Niang because she's like me , always eating pastry , and talking about it , she only needed to have her daily pastry and there are days I feel like it too , if I have my candies nothing else matters to me ^^
I also have a thought for Wang Xian who was like Huan Yun and became an admirable woman , Du Si Yi the most reasonable woman of all , the Gugu the best confident ever and so on …
For the evil characters I won't say much because I truly hated them , Ah Bi comes first you know in whole dramaland the girl I hate the most is Zheng Er from Lan Ling Wang and Ah Bi is next to her when it comes to harm other without regret . And the other villains are hardly worth mentionning.////////
So This is a drama I will only recommend for those who don't care about watching a drama that shows cruelty in all its different states and who are not looking for some sweet romance , but it's enough to read the synopsis and you'll definitely know if it's for you or not .
Oh and I almost forget to thank my dear friend DragonA. who watched this drama with me ^^
As for rewatching value I would gladly rewatch ep 25 to ep 54 as they were really addicting , according to my opinion .
I just have few words to say about my rating , I hesitated between 8 and 8.5 because I found the drama to be very captivating but there are so many things that seemed very strange at least for my taste so I decided to be 100% objective and give a proper rating .
Was this review helpful to you?
STORY - Score: 10 out of 10: Healer is a delightful treat to those who are looking for Romance, Action, Comedy, Drama and Thriller. It has the perfect mix of each genre with just the right amount of sweetness, spice and everything nice. The first episode did not come out strong as I expected but as the story progressed and the characters are built, the thrill heightened and everything stayed on top. No dull scenes.
It is certainly one of the dramas that made my heart skipped a beat. But the best scenes are always the romantic ones. The drama went on with its plot without leaving the romance behind. I love how Healer could get cuddly whenever he's with Chae Yeong Shin. Definitely, the sweetest male lead ever! And the kissing scenes are always epic. They made me melt. (I can't believe that I am still able to write a review with my wobbly fingers)
CASTS - Score: 10 out of 10: : I will not take the actors' looks into consideration for this category, because if I do, Chang-wook will definitely sway my preference and I don't want to be biased *wink*
I do not know a lot of Korean actors/ actresses but I have watched a few Kdramas. Among those who I have watched acting so far, none could have done a better job than Ji Chang-wook and Park Min-young. With the obvious chemistry that almost burned out my screen, these two are one of the perfectly paired couple in the history of Kdrama. Chang-wook on the other hand is so good with action and drama that he could dominate those categories with ease. I particularly liked his athletic moves when he's portraying the character of Healer and his cute and boyish character when he's portraying Park Bong-Soo. As always, Min-young played her role with no difficulty (or at least the way I've seen it). It's like she's was just playing in the set and letting her inner beautiful self shine through.
Even the supporting roles and minor characters deserved to be commended. They all helped together to make this drama a great show.
MUSIC: I honestly never thought of giving the music a 10 score. But after watching half of the series, I found myself singing along with the OST.
REWATCH VALUE 10/10: Again, I don't do rewatch. This is the only kdrama that had me abused the repeat button. The scenes never stopped playing in my mind a million times since I started watching it.
HATE: The only thing I truly hate about this drama is it only has 20 episodes. I am not really satisfied. I want this to have at least a hundred because I love it so much that it's quite hard for me to end it right now (that's too much too ask right? So I guess that should not affect my 10 out of 10 rating)
LOVE: This goes on top of my list, surpassing all the Kdramas I have watched before. And definitely, I have the Healer fever. Ji Chang-wook also goes on top of the list of actors I am crushing on. Awww
Was this review helpful to you?
A little light in the dark
Misfortune, of late, has been my sole companion, and I, wearied to the bone, did long for any fleeting solace to dull the ache within. It was then that "Duang with You" entered my life, as if summoned by fate's own hand to mend what the cruel world had torn asunderWithin the unfolding of each episode, I found my solace. And as the narrative progressed, so too did my understanding of TeeTeePor's genuine love and devotion. A fire smoldered between the two men, you see. Equal they stood, and together they passed through the corridors of passion. They had no use for the coarse mechanics of words, when they were taught a nobler language: the silent script of stolen glances, the electric grace of fingertips tracing sonnets upon bare flesh, and the solemn vow of kisses laid with pious care on willing lips that answered in kind. So precious was their union, that I could not but rejoice alongside them at their joyous culmination
I am grateful to TeeTeePor and the production team, whose enlightened minds and genius have conjured a work of art both humane and restorative. They have left an enduring impression on me and the world of storytelling, and for this, I thank them heartily
Was this review helpful to you?
It’s a no.
This was one of the most boring and dullest dramas I’ve ever watched. I understand it’s genre and that it was intentionally projected this way. idk if the English subs were just bad but even the dialogue wasn’t that great to me. it didn’t make much sense too. The dialogues were so random and irrelevant. Even though it’s completely relatable stuff I’m also just at a loss for words at how mundane and overly dull their lifestyle was. They need vitamin D in their lives, it might help with the depressive lifestyle they have. Their outlook on life is just so very uninspiring and hopeless. I did not gain anything valuable. I did cry and the acting was superb. But definitely not my genre.Was this review helpful to you?
