1. Netflix production = Quality television
2. Kim Eun-hee (Signal writer) = Quality writing
I’ve been out of the kdrama scene for… personal reasons, for a year and a half now and this drama was announced all the way back when my life was heavily drama-driven. Imagine my excitement when my beloved Netflix actually released this.
Long story short, Kingdom = Zombies in Joseon era. And… lemme stop you there. Zombies is in no way a new concept. In fact we’ve been living in the decade of zombie and post-apocalyptic future TV craze with most shows ending up being a shadow of themselves in later seasons. What’s more zombies have been done by Koreans too, in infamous movies and… mediocre – at best – dramas. However, Kingdom was all but done before. As a fan of post-apocalyptic TV shows and zombies themselves, this drama felt like a complete breath of fresh air. Not only was it a post-apocalyptic historical drama but also it felt exceptionally original.
So what made this – in just 6 episodes – so good?
- Incorporation of classic kdrama troops in an original form.
You got your average, classic historical drama backstory: political conspiracies, throne successors, political struggles to stay in power, corrupted nobles, evil queens ect, implicated with an overall story of a peculiar disease that “make the dead rise and seek for human blood and flesh”.
Which brings me forward to the second original factor:
- Actual explanation of how this shit came to exist
Zombie apocalypse is classic in 2019, we love it, we do. Name a show that actually took the time to explain how this shit happened. Nope! No writer actually went out of his way to try and explain how this happened. It always gets overlooked. But all hail writing Queen Kim Eun-Hee because this bitch gave us a reason. It is nothing groundbreaking and there is no need for it to be, but it is there and it makes as much sense as it needs to please the viewer. This is what i call brave writing, and i commend her on this.
- Plotwists and creativeness
Imma not spoil anything, I’ll just say: episode 6! This was an 8.5 until the last 10 minutes of the season finale. Kim Eun-Hee took an already existing idea and made it hers. Super mini spoiler-alert – zombies run now and that’s not the only new thing about this. At first the zombie classic lore changes felt foreign but there is nothing wrong with experimenting when it actually works!
- *tear* NO ROMANCE
Lemme hear you say YAAAAAAAS and a HALLELUJAH! I’ve been out of the kdrama world for a while now, but from my experience there is no non-OCN drama that won’t shove a romance down our beautiful throats and sorry but I like other things shoved down there (I mean food you freaking pervert!)
- Pacing and Cinematography
Kim Eun-Hee and Netflix makes a good combo cause, bitch that went by FAST and it was the most beautiful thing I’ve seen! Ok that was a stretch but appreciate my enthusiasm. I could easily call the cinematography the best thing about this. Hell each episode cost 1.78 million $ so yes. Netflix went all in, and considering this was renewed in a week, it paid back. The pacing is fast and it makes sense and it introduces new stuff and it has your something new and your something old and honestly, it’s great!
The only reason this doesn’t get anything more from me is because I’d have liked to see more of the characters backstories. Don’t get me wrong, they are well fleshed and super SUPER likeable. But there is somuch content you can add in just 6 episodes and I just missed that. Thankfully the show got renewed, and we got a tiny glimpse of their stories, which felt more like teasing to be honest, so here’s to looking forward to something in the next season.
Last but not least, I enjoyed the splashed comic relief In the episodes. It was there, it felt good, it was small but impactful and did not ridicule any of what was happening. Good writing again Kim Eun-Hee. All hail ect ect….
As far as acting is concerned, lemme be my usual sour self and say: I read that Song Joong Ki was cornered for the lead role but he declined. You know what guys? Some dramas are destined for greatness and… ALL HAIL THE DRAMA GODS FOR LETTING THIS DRAMA BE GREAT!
Phew, it felt good saying that – no offence to his fangirls but I’d like to take my dramas with as little boy-fanservice as possible.
That being said, I think I’ve never seen Ju Ji-hoon before. He was a noble hero, maybe a bit too cliché but it was necessary for the show to continue. I liked him a lot as the lead. And would love to see more of him
Bae Doona. Netflix likes Bae Doona and why wouldn’t they. She rocks, she’s the best *incert fanboying comment here*. I would have liked her to be a little bit more badass, but there was enough badassery here brought by other characters so it’s alright. Let’s make Doona a global star now Netflix ok?
Kim Sung Kyu. Do I know him? I certainly don’t remember him, but boy was he badass? Every character fulfill a purpose and made a flawless zombie-killing squad. The-walking-dead who?
Which brings me to the my fan favourite Kim Sang Ho. We have seen him in tons of dramas. Usually he’s the comic relief right? Correct me if I’m wrong, but he was amazing here, part of the main cast for me. He was the glue that made it work.
Overall, don’t be whiny bitches. This is 6 episodes long, of course it is worth it. Dive in already you won’t stop watching. Can’t wait for the 2nd season.
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The beginning started of sooo beautifully it was just unbelievable with the dream-like setting. It portrayed the beauty of the Netherlands sooo well, it was just wonderful to see all that nature scenes. And I'm not just saying that because it's my birth country no, I really mean it!
The actors were too good, every one of them played their characters sooo well!!! I fell in love with both the male leads! I couldn't choose who I liked more: Lee Sung Jae who played the role of officer Jeong Woo, or Jung Woo Sung who played the role of assassin Park Yi! and of course i can't forget Jun Ji Hyun, who played the female lead Hye Young. She was just wonderful, she was able to portray the sadness and pain so well. None of the actors exaggerated their characters. It was just perfect!
I totally love the music used in the movie, maybe that's because they used classical/ballads. It was totally in synch with the plot of the movie. I think because of that I ended up enjoying it even more xD
Daisy is now on my list of all time favourite movies
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Do I wish it could have ended better? Yes. But I think it has more to do with the fact that I bought so much into Ning Yi and Zhiwei's romance that I just wanted them to be happy together no matter what it cost. Reflecting on how it could have ended better, I realized that it is a difficult task. The ending felt rushed and disjointed. But if it was 100 episodes instead of 70, would I have been satisfied? Probably not. I would want to see my Phoenix couple together for 100 more.
Initially, I knocked off a star for the rushed pacing towards the end and the lazy use of flashbacks in some parts, and another for some really messy writing towards the end. But I asked myself, would I watch it again? If so, I would restore one star for replay value. The answer was a loud and resounding yes.
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This review may contain spoilers
You definately gotta give it a try!
If you liked season 1 and wanted to see how this story ends, you should definitely see this season!New characters are added to the story, new plots, some well-known characters have important changes both in personality and in the plot. You must pay attention to all the characters, because each one, in one way or another, is important to resolve this conflict. This series excellently completes a story that left us waiting to see how they could destroy the educational system in that universe.
By the way, this is my first review. I really liked this series, so i trully recommend it!
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what it is trying to do, and does very well, is tell a fun and interesting story. there is a lot more of what americans might expect when they think romance than you usually see in k-drama. the four leads all nail thier characters and evoke in you exactly what they are supposed to when they are supposed to. it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out what happens next, but you like the characters so much that you want to watch it happen, even if you know you arent going to be shocked.
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This review may contain spoilers
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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Those who Are Fated to Meet, will Meet
Phenomenal!Masterpiece! Perfectly delivered!I rarely give a drama perfect 10 but this one really deserves it. I watch this one as it was highly recommended by Avenue X, this was so much better than I expected.I won’t write a long review, here are some of the reasons why I like this one so much;
1.Brilliant plot
The plot caught me by surprise as it was so beautifully written.The plot is really innovative, interesting and hooked me from the first two episodes.The storyline is very complicated and mind-blowing but it is super satisfying as well. Avoiding spoilers was a right decision for me as the plot has many twists and turns, wouldn’t enjoy that much if I have read spoilers.
The plot is well-delivered, I got the message it wants to deliver as well.
2.Superb acting
Haven’t watched much of Taiwanese dramas before, so I don’t know who is Alice Ke. She is really good, maybe one of the best acting I have ever watched as well. She has to play two characters with totally different personalities, one being easy-going and the other very introverted. Yet she portrayed both characters flawlessly, what surprised me is that with a slight alteration in hairstyle and makeup, her looks became so different. This drama alone is enough for her to be in my Favorite actresses List.
Greg Hsu, the male lead, is really superb as well. He looks so much like Deng Lun and perfectly played alongside Alice Ke, with brilliant chemistry.
Other than the leads, supporting casts are also not bad.
3.Ost
So,Wu Bai’s Last dance was played so many times, as it plays a key role in time travel.It was a famous song even before the drama was directed, so it is good of course.
Shi Shi songs are good too, Miss you 3000 is probably the best ost of this drama.
I recommend skipping opening and ending songs as it contains spoilers.
Overall
It is a really masterpiece and you shouldn’t miss a rare gem like this.It became my 2nd favorite after Nirvana in Fire. This is 100% recommended and you wouldn’t feel like you wasted your time by watching this.
I feel like even if all the contemporary Chinese dramas combined, it won’t be as good as this one.
Kudos to the drama and production team for producing such a phenomenal drama.
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The drama does a decent job of covering the actual historical events surrounding the rise of Emperor Daizong of Tang (Li Chu). But at its core, I would say this show is more of a romance story. A very bittersweet but extremely moving romance between the two leads / main couple. Will give you all the feels.
Character wise, Li Chu's character was a 10/10 - there was never a moment where I was frustrated or doubted his behavior / actions in the show. Meanwhile, there were certain parts in the show where I would get pretty frustrated with Zhen Zhu's character behaviors. I would question some of her choice of actions and such, but overall still a wonderful character who complements Li Chu's character.
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So, in short, I'm not satisfied.... but it's not anyone's fault just I'm too demanding lol as it's already satisfactory sometimes even more than enough. Not only does it manage to provide great romance, but awesome friendship with some really interesting entangled relationships.
I laughed, cried... I cheered. I was glued to the screen finding myself emerge in the race though I knew it's not even real and who's gonna win is predestined. It was the characters' and whole premises that made it feel so real. Not being very familiar with some technical sports terms didn't affect much (not well explained in the drama itself)
Story is nothing ordinary but characters is what makes it more interesting. It's not all-time sport-oriented but it is when it's needed. Romance is a slow burn: it's slow and burning... but very soothing and refreshing, even when they aren't officially together the time they spend with each other is precious with many 'Oh gosh, this is soo sweet' moments. The romantic development, the relationship dynamics are natural and very relatable. The thing is everyone is just so cute here... even the second couple, me who likes to skip the second couple all-time found myself rooting for them and taking interest in their story.
Friendship, sportsmanship, teamwork have big roles. The mother-son, father-daughter, mother-daughter dynamics are cherry on the top, sprinkled with some frenemies. Have to say I love Zheng Yi's dad wasn't a moment where he didn't make me laugh. Comedy is on point: not bland, not over the top, not cringy. There are many comedic peak points. There are some annoying, at a times very annoying characters... but with many likable characters, it gets balanced up.
My first time seeing Song Zu Er but I'm sure it's not last, I'm sold for her performance. Song Zu Er isn't conventional beauty... but she has that unique charm in her. Zheng Yi was tailor-made for her, coz she just perfectly portrayed her liveliness, cutesy, silliness, maturity, breakthrough, her setbacks. Her acting was really natural: she was just like any other 18 year adorable girl. I'm quite familiar Wang An Yu, and he's perfect for such roles.. a confident, sweet, cheerful, little (?) narcist young guy. I can't see Bei Sheng without Wang An Yu.
I absolutely adore Zheng Yi: her spirit, cheerfulness, hard-working nature. How mature she's for her age but same time silly as any teenager. Bei Sheng is the sweetest chocolate boy.. though there is some moments 'Boy why don't you get it but very few. Zheng Yi and Bei Sheng are cute little puppies, they rock even their bickering/fights are enjoyable, they have oozing chemistry with overflowed cuteness, it's THE couple where cringy moments aren't cringy... cliche isn't cliche as they just create such refreshing environment. There's only one little rough patch between them but apart from it... it's the healthiest relationship.
I was emotionally invested in characters as their stories never felt superficial.. apart from leads, leads relationships with other characters, subplots were interesting enough.
to sum up you get everything: Romance, comedy, friendship, a little slice of life, family, excitement, and the cutest couple that you want more and more...
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Don't miss out on this excellently written, acted and paced slice-of-life Family Drama!!
If you love “The Bond”, you will love “Romance in the Alley”. Both dramas are directed by the same person, and you can see a lot of similarities between the two. The drama title is a little misleading as romance is just a very teeny tiny part of this drama. Family is what it’s about. This is a well-written, well-acted, well-paced slice-of-life family drama that even someone like me who prefers plot-driven dramas, falls in love with “Romance in the Alley”. It reminds me of a hybrid of “The Bond” + “Go Ahead”. In fact, it’s actually a little easier to watch than “The Bond” as it doesn’t have characters that make my blood boil.Family
This drama focuses on two families who live next to each other in the same alley. If you ever want a BFF or a good neighbor, look no further than the Zhuang and Lin families. We follow the lives of the adults, working hard to provide for their children. All they want is for their children to go to a good school, graduate and find a good job, have their own family and buy their own houses. A stable and happy life is what they want. However, you will find that each family takes a very different approach in supporting (or not supporting) their children. Their approach puts pressure on their children in not disappointing their parents and shouldering the responsibility of taking care of their siblings, parents or any family member. As I follow the lives of these children and watch them grow up to have their own families, I feel like a proud parent myself watching them from the 1st episode to the 40th episode.
Neighbors & Friends
Friendship in the alley is complicated. I bet many Chinese viewers resonate with all the complicated dynamics and relationships in this drama. One day, you support and help each other. Next day you scheme and try to take advantage of others. When there’s a common enemy (system change, rules change or company complaint), they band together and fight together. At the end of the day, you are still friends and neighbors, trying to live the best life you can. The dialogs are so well-written: heartfelt speeches, subtle digs here and there, sarcastic and condescending remarks. All of that gives the drama so much flavor.
Character development
As I said, I feel like a proud momma watching the three main children grow up. Tu Nan (the older brother) is a top student who is mature and responsible. Dong Zhe is the mischievous kid who is a little smartass with a good heart but lazy. Lastly, we have sweet and quiet Xiao Ting, the little sister who is perceptive and sweet. Watching the three of them grow up into responsible, mature adults without losing their tight bond is lovely to see. I was especially proud of Xiao Ting for growing up to be a more courageous, independent and sensible woman, who is not afraid to speak up and protect those she loves. Aside from the three main kids, you will follow the lives of other children growing up in the alley. Some you will love, some you will hate. But each one is a product of their family and upbringing. You might not like them, but you understand where they are coming from and empathize with them.
Sismance
The friendship between the two mothers, Huang Ling and Song Ying is the best thing about this drama. These two women are so different from each other: upbringing, marital relationship, personality, family lives, and child-rearing philosophy. Yet, they complement each other so well and support each other in their own way. They accept each other’s flaws, defend each other and unconditionally step up to help each other.
Acting
I applaud the casting director for doing an amazing job. From the youngest child actor, to the oldest veteran, there is no weak link. There are many child actors and actresses in this drama, and each one of them performs so well, especially those three who play the naughty little Dong Zhe. Many of them are actually experienced actors who started acting at a very young age. Before watching, I was hesitant about Fan Cheng Cheng’s performance. But I’m glad to report that he did a pretty good job as well, so much better than when I last saw him in “Once and Forever”, also with Guan Xiao Tong. In that drama, Fan Cheng Cheng is definitely the weakest link. His chemistry with Guan Xiao Tong as siblings here is so much better than when they played lovers in “Once and Forever”. Wang An Yu made me fall in love with him. He is so good in looking smitten and in love, just like in “Forever Love”. Guan Xiao Tong and Lu Yu Xiao are talented and beautiful. Of course, the veterans are amazing. I bet they help keep the younger ones on their toes, as they have many scenes together and the young ones can’t slack off.
Pacing
Slice-of-life dramas are a hit-or-miss for me. I prefer plot-driven dramas rather than character-driven ones as I often find the pace to be slow. But not “Romance in the Alley”. This drama is well-paced with enough to keep invested and interested. The writing does an excellent job in making me smile, laugh, cry, and shake my head in disgust throughout the whole drama.
Minor Criticisms
As much as I love this drama, “Romance in the Alley” isn’t without fault. There are two main areas that I would have liked to see better writing - the passage of time and romance. Because this drama spans a long period of time, about 20 years. The drama doesn’t always tell you what year it is. Viewers have to pay attention to changing lifestyles or the addition of new household appliances starting from TV, fridge, home telephone, microwave, etc. Because it’s sometimes hard to tell time. For example, I would see one scene when the parents are disapproving of their children’s decision (a BIG decision) and then the next scene, the conflict is resolved and it’s not a big deal anymore. Or in one scene Tu Nan and Li Jia would be arguing about their relationship, and then time passed and they openly spoke about it, as if the previous conclusion of their relationship didn’t matter anymore. Regarding the romance criticism, I would have loved to see Xiao Ting and Dong Zhe’s transition from friends to lovers more clearly. The realization of feelings and subtle confession were so short that in a blink of an eye, you could have missed it. I miss the early days of their courting/dating.
With a Douban rating of 8.2 at the time of this review, I can totally see how Chinese viewers resonate to the family values and struggles, and a trip down memory lane with change of times in this drama. International viewers might not agree with the values and decisions made, but that should not stop anyone from appreciating an excellently written and acted drama. “Romance in the Alley” will make you smile and laugh, cry and frown. It has put me through an emotional rollercoaster. I cried so hard when the Lin family moved away from Suzhou and when the two mothers' tight friendship was put to the test because of their children. If you read all the way to the end of this long review, I wish you would give this drama a chance.
Completed: 12/1/2024 - Review #523
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I was overwhelmed with so many gorgeous sceneries, wonderful settings, astonishing colors in this movie. Yellow, orange and red- I have never loved more these colors so much like I loved them in this movie, so many light, so many beautiful details. Somewhere after the middle of the movie those colors became more dark going smoothly in the direction the movie went but all the time cinematography was simply majestic.
Honestly the main reason why I started this movies was Miho Nakayama, she is for me one of the most beautiful women in the world and in Sayonara Itsuka she was a real goddess. Her dresses, skirts, her clothes in this movie was so beautiful, I want those dresses, all of them and dress like that. The way she smiles, walks, talks, kisses and loves- she took my breath away. She really shined and carried the whole movie. And in the end she broke my heart and I felt so much pain, I love that feeling, that means that the actor succeed to win me over. ;)
Chemistry between her and Hidetoshi was outstanding, their relationship in the movie was breathtaking, from those passionate sexy scenes in hot Bangkok and ventilator turned on while their naked and sweaty bodies were hungry for each other, through their sweet and romantic scenes in the car, boat and just walking around to those heartbreaking and full of sadness and desperate longing, they were fantastic.
There are a lot of holes and flaws, from the main one where guy is cheating and not loving his wife, marrying her only to be promoted and succeed in his career to the one where they realize that they love each other even after 25 years and once again they had to apart, yes but I still think Sayonara Itsuka is a great movie. It depicted a very real dynamic of love, one that puts the head against the heart in an inevitable lose-lose situation, one that was brought to life by great, if a-typical, characters and exquisite cinematography. For me this is one of the best movies ever in the genre of pure romance and has one of the most memorable endings which will stay with me forever.
"At death, some look back on being loved
While some look back on having loved…
I’ll definitely look back on having loved…”
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This review may contain spoilers
This is will read as a rant It's going to be brutal.
Let's start with the toxic representation of an Independent Woman.
Without a doubt Noh Ah Jeong character is the worst depiction of feminism I've seen in a while. I can't even call her a Candy girl because it would be disrespectful to the title. Who runs off and has a baby without notifying the father in this day and age? No self respecting woman will do that and there are no circumstances that justify it. Cheating is not a reason!!!!.
So she goes off and has a baby on her own without telling the father then proceeds to lie to both her mother and daughter for 14 years for her own selfish pride. And when given the opportunity (many opportunities) to come clean and confess she continues to lie and allows her daughter to disrespect her father based on false information. How are we supposed to like this character and the fact that they attempted to portray her as a victim was an insult to single mothers everywhere. This character was toxic to everyone around her.
After making her with an awful personality and character, they continue to demean her by making her pathetic. After being a talented and rising star in cinematography in college, all that is thrown away and she has accomplished nothing after 14 years. Apparently becoming a single mother is such a great sin that one can never be successful in life unless the father of your child shows up to shine the spotlight on your talent. The disrespect she was shown was totally unnecessary. What was so wrong in depicting a professional working mother utilizing her talents to support her family successfully. She should have been a notable PD in her field with a some measure of success. That she was scraping by whilst her peers were successful in their own right peeved me to no end because clearly she was less than because she was a WOMAN.
Suffice it to say the writing was abysmal for this show and the Chinese mafia - just No!
On a positive note the acting was well done especially by Uhm Chae Young and So Ho Jun. The cast really tried hard to carry this sad excuse of a script but nothing could save this from being the tragedy that it was. Was not a fan and would not recommend.
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The main thing I really liked about this drama is that it perfectly captures the magic of falling in love with someone - when even the most mundane moments in everyday life feel more special and and exciting. You feel it when you watch this drama. The first half of the drama treats viewers to lots of happy romantic heartwarming scenes. There's nothing really dramatic or extraordinary about it. There's not a lot of setup. You just get to see lots of scenes of them being nice to each other and enjoying each others company and in lots of dramas those scenes are so rare because there is so much conflict and setup usually. It's the opposite of that in this drama.
The lead characters are just regular people - not perfect. (Though Jung Seon is an unrealistically nice boyfriend- which is probably one of the main reasons I enjoyed watching their romance so much.) Both have their issues and make mistakes. Hyun Soo is prickly and indecisive. Jung Seon has insecurities. They are making their way through life and career challenges - nothing over the top.
The downside may be that there isn't a whole lot of conflict. It's about finding love, then overcoming the obstacles of everyday life or personality conflicts that get in the way. A lot of the conflict falls into stereotypes. There is the rich CEO, the jealous friend and the disapproving parents that get thrown in there to mess with the couple. But these stereotypes are all given more of a normal realistic twist than in most dramas, so conflicts resolve in a low key fashion as most things do in real life. Many people might find that boring and anti-climactic.
For a relatively simple story, the drama is stretched out too long into 40 episodes when it probably could have been told better in half that amount. Many scenes especially in the last half of the drama felt kind of like filler. But having said all this I personally wasn't bored. I enjoyed all the simple happy scenes. There is a dreamy, soft-focus vibe that permeates the whole drama that I found pleasant and relaxing, like sitting quietly and sipping hot cocoa.
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Before I start I’d like to say that I have always wanted to watch this drama ever since I heard all rave about it since I first started watching Asian dramas. Only, at that time I couldn’t find a way to watch it because back then Internet wasn’t as accessible as now and Asian dramas (especially J dramas) aren’t easily found streaming or even subbed. However, since I’ve decided to practice my Korean language through watching J dramas my first target would be those dramas which I’ve always longed to binge watch but couldn’t. Lucky for me a very good quality of this drama is available with Korean subs (and after long search I found Eng subs as well). The only reason I would be crazy enough to go for a medical, dialogue-rich drama such as White Tower in Korean subs is simply because I really wanted to watch it. “White Tower" was broadcasted in Japan in 2003, and in 2004, it won Japan TV Drama Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director, and Casting Award. Because of its solid background, so I had a lot of expectations before even starting it and it has exceeded them.
The 'White Tower' is not a show of humanity, love, romance, etc., which is seen as a background for most of the medical dramas out there. White Tower is the desire of the humans to want to go higher. It shows humans constantly calculating in their minds and how they construct their behaviors in order to accomplish what they want. To put it simply it's not a medical drama, it's a story of various colors of humans. White grand tower: A white university general hospital, expressing its power and political color in its interior. Hence, is not a medical drama but a political drama.
Story:
Human desire for power and honor, battlefield of ambition surrounding the medical field. Based on the very popular Yamazaki Toyoko's novel "White Tower" this drama is a political story of doctors in a closed, bureaucratic university hospital. Yamazaki’s novel draws on the Osaka University School of Medicine as a model to draw attention to medical malpractices, the feudal system of medicine, and the struggle for power by doctors and so does the drama. For the sake of power, there is a dramatic struggle in the hospital centering on, Zaizen Goro, who seeks to hold all the power in his hand, and Satomi Shuji, who is seriously walking the doctor's path and is firmly idealistic in everything. The White Tower centers on the heroes who are on a constant path of choice, forcing extreme choices out of them. The main characters face conflict in the goal of the choice but they do not hesitate. The voice of a person who chooses power and honor sounds the same as his claim to keep his integrity and conscience. So the story goes around the hospital corridor like a tight knot that is never resolved. In the power struggle over the medical world, good and evil are only echoes for each other. The hospital is also a majestic tower in white clothing, but at the same time it is a dreary pit hidden behind a dark shade.
One of the good things about watching White Tower is the power of the story that comes from the power of human relationships. One evidential scene is when Zaizen Goro tells his father in-law “the problem isn’t the skill or talents it’s human relationships!!” And his father in-law laughs and says, “Of course it’s not the skills, if skills were enough the world would not be a battlefield would it?. It would be much easier world to live in if that was the case but it’s not” (You’d have to forgive me if that is not as accurate as it should be because this is what I understood from the scene which is interpreted through Korean subtitles).
The Great White Tower is divided into two, half of which is a cross-section of the organizational society in which various political patriots are involved in the election of the chief of the surgery, and the other half is the doctor, the hospital and the patient's legal confrontation surrounding the medical accident. There are various doctors in the white tower. A doctor who is ambition-seeking, a humanist doctor, and a researcher. So what is a doctor? What does a doctor do? The easiest way to understand a doctor is to concentrate on what "doctors do". In The Great White Tower however, the story is searching and revealing out characteristics of real doctors in our society and dealing with their dreams and ambitions. To put it in simple words this drama is basically aimed at presenting the theme of "what is a doctor" through the confrontation between Zaizen Goro and Satomi Shuji.
It is also a good insight on how the hierarchy system works in the medical world in Japan, for instance the professor becomes a professor through assistant professors. The professor holds only one person in his / her department, and takes over all the power of the position until he retires.
Acting and Characters (This is a long section because there are just too many characters worth mentioning but I tried to minimize the list with 4 only):
Karasawa Toshiaki as Zaizen Goro is a genius that specializes in esophageal surgery and is the best in esophageal surgery. Has a desire for success and a strong ambition, he chases after his honor and reputation rather than his patients. The performances of Karasawa Toshiaki made it possible for me to know what he was thinking and what is he going to do without having to read the subtitles. He gave out such a GRAND performance how else could someone even love Zaizen’s ruthless arrogance if it wasn’t for Toshiaki’s realistic admirable performance, which does leave you vulnerable and can’t help but root for him. I will never forget Zaizen’a humming song and the way he moves his hands picturing the surgery in his head making his hands dance along as he operates inside his mind, something very profound that I’ve never seen before.
Eguchi Yosuke as Satomi Shuji has no ambition and no greed as a doctor, and therefore has little relationship with his career. He is a person who only cares about patients without being interested in becoming a professor. I read that there was some criticism thrown at Satomi’s character that he was a non-flexible idealist, and someone like him does not exist in the world, but I personally think that such a person might exist in the world. He is a person who can carry out his thoughts without leaving them to be compromised by external pressure. In other words he is the 'hope' that you may think it does not exist but at least it should not be forgotten. Not many people will understand Satomi, but you cannot help but appreciate him. I really liked Eguchi Yosuke’s portrayal of Satomi, it is quite impossible to separate the actor from the character now.
Ishizaka Koji as Azuma Teizo a person who cannot abandon his status as a member of a doctor 's family and is caught up in authority rituals. He is ahead of his retirement, and he gets caught up in jealousy and inferiority towards Zaizen Goro. Ishizaka Koji’s performance was solid I could feel Azuma’s anxiously and fear so easily due to his spectacular performance.
Hitomi Kuroki as Keiko Hanamori her relationship with Zaizen Goro is noteworthy, it can’t be seen as a simple affair. Keiko dropped out of medical school and ran luxury bar. She is the only one Zaizen opens up to and she is kind of supportive alley to him in this battlefield. The bar she operates is ran by the people in the hospital, so sometimes it comes in handy for Zaizen Goro. I love her witty brutal honest responses and discussions with Zaizan. I loved loved LOVED Hitomi Kuroki’s Keiko her facial expressions, her voice and her laughs everything was just so delicious and witty and fun to watch!! She was such a wonderful spark to the show.
I personally loved the relationship between Zaizen Goro and Satomi and all their electrifying and unforgettable scenes filled with conflicted dialogues, which were, breathtaking and deliciously witty. They are friends since college but they are very different. Their relationship is founded on acknowledging and respecting each other while establishing an angle of confrontation. It is interesting to have a relationship between two people who have different values but seek the same goal, which is saving patients and changing the system. In some ways, Zaizen tries to make changes from above, and Satomi tries to make a change from the bottom up. In the end, both of them wanted the development of the hospital and the development of medical care. However, their methods were different.
Overall
The drama was thought to be serious and heavy, but to my surprise it was lighter than expected. It was a heavy and difficult topic to deal with, but the drama did not lose itself in the midst of the heavy content. As I was watching this drama my thoughts were shivering and possibly this is the most time they were provoked. It is really a thought-provoking drama that will hold on to you and never leaves you until you are done watching the whole thing. I could not take my eyes of the drama. Something is meaningful and profound from the title of white tower. A tower that is built to earn honor in a society through a university hospital but instead was destroyed and ruined by the absence of ethics and conscious. One of the best dramas, which will always remain memorable to me, definitely worth every praise and award. I could not possibly explain with mere words how much the ending touched me so deeply, I will only say that it’s rightfully one of the poetic thought stimulating ending I have ever seen and has managed to make me shed some tears. I don’t know if I will ever be able to let down my guard and watch the K version.
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