Punch is a fantastic drama that shows how hard it is to take even one more step towards a world like that. The writer Park Kyung Soo's previous dramas also dealt with corruption and the fight against powerful people and with Punch he delivered another amazing drama on this topic.
What first drew me into Punch when I started it was that our protagonist is just as cold-blooded and ruthless as the main villain. He is the one who helped the villain to get his position, but when he discovers that he only has a couple of months left to live and people start to mess with him, he decides that he can't be the only one going down. His journey of trying to take down the other corrupt people leading the prosecutor's office is thrilling to watch and kept me glued to the screen not wanting to miss even one second! The plot moves fast, giving you twists and turns at every corner. It might even be frustrating to watch, because for every step the lead comes closer to winning he gets pushed back just as much. Since most of the drama takes place in the prosecutor's office it could have become dry, but the plot was always presented with just the right amount of feelings that I was 100% emotionally invested in the story. Punch also has one of the best final episodes and endings that I've seen so far. It wrapped everything up realistically and I can't think of anything I'm not satisfied with!
Aside from the story itself the strength of this drama are its fascinating characters. This drama doesn't have the usual black or white characters; they come in all shades of grey and it was captivating to watch and see in which direction of the good and evil scale they would develop. Our anti-hero Jung Hwan actually does some really despicable things at the start of the drama that usually you'd only see a villain do. Tae Joon, the main villain, is one of the most fascinating villains I've ever seen (I'd put him up there with Mishil, for those of you that have seen Queen Seon Duk) and I loved that he wasn't the usual cold guy without feelings who has never even heard of the word loyalty before (although that doesn't necessarily mean he can't throw it away). I actually have so much to say about the character development, but it is one of the points that make this drama so awesome and I don't want to spoil it.
The actors and their portrayal were as awesome as these characters deserved and especially Jo Jae Hyun as Tae Joon stole the spotlight for me. Kim Rae Won also showed an engaging performance as the anti-hero, which caused me the dilemma of wanting him to take everyone down but at the same time hoping that Tae Joon's downfall wouldn't be too hard. The only small complaint I have is that the female main character seemed less complex than the rest. She was pretty much the only non-corrupted character in this show and therefore very much needed as a good example, but in my opinion that also caused her to fall a bit flat compared to the others.
The third aspect I really loved about this drama is the dialogue! Coming from this writer intelligent dialogue is a given, but I want to point out how creative his metaphors are. A lot of them were related to food and I always found myself looking out for the next one, because they brought across the points of the characters so well. In line with the drama's title there were also a lot of hard-hitting lines that must have felt like a strong punch to the stomach to whoever they were directed at. (Oh, and since I'm already talking about the title, be aware that some things the characters do or say might make you want to punch your screen!)
Now since my review is getting too long and in case all of my rambling was too much to read, here's the tl;dr version:
Thrilling drama with brilliant writing and acting, awesome dialogues and fascinating characters! In my opinion a must watch for everyone who likes dramas dealing with serious topics!
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This review may contain spoilers
Anthing can be achieved if one is persistent and determined.
Message from this drama is that being weak doesn't mean you are useless... Be resolute never give up and victory shall surely be yours.Xing chen, FL says if it doesn't work once, I will try 10 times, if it doesn't work 10 times I will try 100 times and so on.. Attagirl!!!👍
If a person doesn't give up, then with multiple attempts even weak eggs can break a stone.
The story started on a light hearted note, first 12 episodes focused on the character development and their relationships..... These episodes were humouros and had many noteworthy hilarous dialouges.
Quoting a few humourous situation from these episodes
Episode 2 - how NOT to select a good matrilocal husband. 😉....jiang buting, ML drew an egg in the second round of selection hoping to get disqualified, but it was interpreted as ' bold and powerful' so he was advanced to the final stage of selection. ( presumably the FL's family was advancing a cripple to allow Mu Binghe their favoured future son-in-law to win)
Episode 4: Xing chen, FL taking a job of a janitor because she is the head of her family and needs to provide for 'two useless men in her family' 🤣( useless men referring to her would be husband BuTing and her would be brother in law BuYing
Episode 11: xing chen, FL to Bu ting, ML......."since I can't hold your hand, we both can just hold the branch"... Bu ting keeps walking on holding the branch while xing chen gets kidnapped. 😛
Some enlightening issues brought forth in the latter half of the series. (Which slightly changed the tone of the series)
1. Women Empowerment:
It was difficult for Xing Chen, FL to be accepted as the head of wuyue sect in a patriarchal ancient martial world... However she had strong backing from her father and other loving members of her sect also BuTing, ML always supported her to achieve her true potential... Every woman should be self sufficient and is capable of achieving great heights was the dominant theme of this series in my opinion... Apart from the FL, other FL characters were also shown to be aspiring, SFL Mu YaoGuang secretly wrote manuscript and published articles... Other minor female characters were also depicted as endeavoring to stand out in the community.
2. Greed for Power:
Doctor Song a brilliant scientist was corrupted due his ambition, he poisoned the person who loved him the most throughout BuTing's life as the doctor was consumed with greed for knowledge.. He played with peoples' lives and made them nothing more than his puppets to be sacrificed to realise his dream of being a superpower... I am glad he did get some absolution in the end and saved BuTing's life who trusted him whole heartedly.
3.Obsession and Weakness:
SML, Mu BingHe became obsessed with the idea of saving the FL, xing chen due to his failure to protect her in their childhood... However this plauged him to such an extent that his desire to protect her changed to stifling and caging her... He too got some redemption when he was at last able to protect her by sacrificing his life.
There are two OSTs that standout in this series for me, one is the song 'Is this the end' and other is 'kilig love' the ending credit song.. Both have good lyrics and catchy tune.
Ceasar Wu was amazing, playing the character of Jiang BuTing a physically weak man who defied the odds and fought back against his limitations.. BuTing was a character who was supportive, compassionate and retained a sense of humour.
Xu Lu was equally good at portraying Xing chen's character and managed to depict the changes in her character from being frivolous to a dependable sect head.
Overall, can be watched when your mind is preoccupied with other matters and you need some light entertainment with simple plot.
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to anyone who's sick of the typical annoying FEMALE LEAD, i totally recommend this drama. She's tastefully childish and quirky at times (sometimes on purpose as she tries to make the emperor not like her) but she actually acts her age, likes to help her friends, is kind but not unreasonably so to the point it makes her look stupid or a pushover. It's so refreshing, she's cute without acting 5, realistically clumsy (but not annoyingly so) and doesn't run away from her problems (thank the heavens)
the ROMANCE. They are so cute. It doesn't just start immediately because this is a romcom and theyre the leads . There's an actual buildup, and its super cute, heart fluttering and realistic. They take their time to get to know each other. they become friends first. They actually get along and have things to talk about. The king notices her because of her "uniqueness" but that's not why he falls for her. I like this the most about it. I feel like even the romantic tropes used are uniquely done and never go where you expect.
the MALE LEAD is not a jerk. He messes with her as enemies do (and later as friends), but it's nothing extreme (eg. making him a purse - which he just wants cause he likes her anyway) In fact, I'd say he's very careful about being too abrupt with his feelings and scaring the female lead away, especially as he funnily enough becomes friendzoned in a way. But hes the most reasonable person in this drama, and an actual good ruler.
Also the PALACE DRAMA AND POLITICS is very few and totally tasteful. Also all the concubines/escorts are BFFs instead of trying to kill each other, the main character's squad is the best and they get along like you're watching some youth drama with all the shenanigans they get up to around the palace and gardens.
The PLOT is well written, nothing that drags. It's short. 36 episodes that are about 30min when taking away intro/outro songs.
SIDE CHARACTERS are likeable, cute. everyone in the palace gets along like family. I think it's stylised this way. I think if it was more realistic, the servants wouldn't be able to behave like that, but that's its charm, it's very warm.
I 10/10 recommend if you're bored with the typical progressions of both modern and ancient dramas. I feel like this one has a lot of heart with the romantic relationships and the friendships.
Also the COMEDY is really unpredictable, is it only me who thinks this?? the jokes never go where i think they'll go, and I have watched.... a heck load of dramas.
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The Characterisation: So wonderful. I still don't know how they managed to effectively portray and explain the motivations and personalities of the characters and develop them so well within 8 episodes. With the exception of one minor character, everyone is so beautifully captured and explained in this story.
The Plot: Amazing and really intriguing. It was a pretty crazy ride but it was completely realistic. One major credit to the drama is that it deals with some really H E A V Y topics but it is still hilarious and respectful. The way in which the drama unfolds this story is so realistic but also enjoyable without weighing you down. In this regard it is a similar watch to Sky Castle, there are really touching moments, very dark and sad moment amongst very important lessons while maintaining a fresh, light air to it. (Disclaimer: it is a very different drama from sky castle, I am referring here to the feeling of watching)
The Music: This was forgettable for me, didn't feel like I wanted to listen to the songs outside the drama. I will say that the music matched well with the show and there was never any songs that felt out of place with where the story was going at all.
Personal Fave: A lot of the script is very beautiful and poetic. This is stronger if you have a relatively good understanding of Korean but also translates into English really beautifully. Perhaps because one of the main characters was a budding poet it was a stylistic choice? The best part about it is that its poetic without ever being pretentious r feeling disingenuous to the setting of High School.
Overall: I am not a big fan of high school dramas as I am older and sometimes find the writing of teenagers quite unrealistic and overly juvenile. This drama was so wonderful in its portrayal of both teenagers, the people around them and the less flowery events that sometimes young people have to deal with. It is highly recommended to anyone that likes touching shows but also want to laugh. Great Quarantine watch!!
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I must warn you beforehand this drama starts slowly.
It takes a lot of episodes for the summary in description to unravel. And somewhere in the middle you'll start seeing things you waited for since the beginning. But the slow start was necessary. It allowed us to see the characters in their usual surrounding and when the crisis starts we see the change in their character imposed by the situation they find themselves in and as the peek of the turmoil passes we see them grow and develop. And that's one of the great things about this drama.
Story is full of various questions about life, love and marriage. Some answers were left to the watchers others are hinted.
There are also funny moments. Side couple was crazy and hilarious at times and the couple that we all root for is so adorable together.
I've read few comments describing An Zhen as a saint. I didn't get that impression. She is good but she is far from perfect. The whole essence of this drama is her character development and growth and not only hers but others' also. It would send a very bad message is she was the kind who holds grudges and hate. One of the main point of this drama is that; if we could forgive or at least give up our hate and anger we can move on and be happy. I believe that is true.
Acting is good. Music was very nice. There are a few songs that I really like.
I don't know if I'll re-watch it or not. It's too soon to tell.
If you are unsatisfied with the ending watch the sequel, movie called The Fierce Wife Final Episode. :)
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This is such a sweet heartwarming and enjoyable story of a family with four boys and their problems and adventures.
Lots of laughs, light moments, endearing characters, sweet romance and some sad moments.
I would compare it to Ojak Brothers, but its quite different but similar in some ways. If you want to take some time out from all the heavy melos, and soso comedies out there now give this one a try. You wont regret it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Swordfights And Broken Dreams: What Could Have Been
🍁OVERVIEW OF PLOT:-Baili Dong Jun, the mischievous young master of the Marquis of Zhenxi's mansion, has always defied convention. With a passion for brewing wine that stems from a childhood pact with his friend Ye Yun, who tragically died young, he's determined to become a "Liquor Deity." But fate has other plan. He met a masked girl while idling around and fell in love at first sight. The girl asked him to become famous and promised to find him by then.
As he embarks on a journey to learn martial arts from the world's top master, Li Chang Sheng, he forms an unbreakable bond with Sikong Chang Feng, a young man aspiring to become the Spear Deity. A chance reunion with Ye Yun, now known as Ye Ding Zhi, sets him on a path of self-discovery and responsibility. Together, these young heroes navigate the martial arts world, forging their own destinies.
Years later, when Ye Ding Zhi is manipulated into launching a devastating war against Capital of Beili, Baili Dong Jun must confront his friend and make a choice: save the world or save the friend he once swore to protect.
🍁MY VIEWS:-
As a fan of the sequel, 'The Blood Of Youth,' I approached 'Dashing Youth' with high expectations. Dashing Youth had all ingredients to be a compelling drama- an intriguing setting, complex characters and rich storyline. However, the execution fell short exploring the story's full potential. The convoluted timeline made it challenging to keep track of characters' ages and relationships, detracting from the overall experience.
Baili Dong Jun's charismatic personality shines through, showcasing a captivating blend of responsibility, humor, and compassion. His journey from a spoiled young master to a responsible individual is marked by ups and downs, making for an engaging narrative. The interactions between him, Li Cheng Shang, and Beili's eight young masters are enjoyable, adding fun to the story.
However, Yue Yao's character had potential but was reduced to merely supporting Dong Jun. I would have appreciated seeing her take action against her sister and persuade her to let go of her obsession. Or at the very least, showcasing her fighting skills and improvement would have added depth to her character. Unfortunately, her role was limited to walking and talking, making her feel more like a prop than a fully fleshed-out character. While I don't mind romance, it should be written convincingly to resonate with the audience. The romance between Dong Jun and Yue Yao lacks depth, feeling unconvincing and more like fluff.
Ye Ding Zhi's complex character conveys the intricacies of his struggle, making his tragic journey from Ye Yun to Ye Ding Zhi both captivating and heart-wrenching. I find myself having mixed feelings towards him – sympathy for the cruelty he faced, yet disappointment in his subsequent choices. His decisions led to regret and made his only son a public target. I was well aware of his eventual fate, but knowing it and actually seeing it unfold are two very different things. It's a bittersweet journey.
Coming to Yi Wen Jun, her character failed to evoke sympathy from me. Her decision to flee to Ding Zhi was understandable, but leaving her son Xiao Yu behind was perplexing. Her subsequent choices were poorly made, making her a self-centered character who destroyed three lives – Xiao Yu, Ye Yun, and Ye An Shi. I stand with Dong Jun; Ye Yun may have never blamed her, but I do. And I really wonder if she ever loved anyone except herself.
Sikong Chang Feng and Beili's Eight Young Masters are interesting characters, and I was invested in their relationship dynamics and storyline. Exploring their characters further would have added depth to the narrative. I crave more of their stories.
Xiao Ruo Feng's character, admired in 'The Blood Of Youth,' left me with conflicted feelings in 'Dashing Youth.' His actions and decisions lacked a clear greater good, leading to his sorrowful end in the sequel. A more nuanced approach to his character would have been appreciated. Had he chosen to help Ye Ding Zhi by persuading his brother and then becoming the emperor, he wouldn't have had to face the betrayal from his brother. He wanted the best of both worlds, which ultimately made him a threat to both sides.
Li Cheng Shang's romance plot and secrecy surrounding his immortal identity lacked conviction, feeling inconsistent and shallow. His secret identity was shared with numerous individuals, undermining the intended secrecy. The engagement with his fiancée was also unexplained, making the romance feel unconvincing.
Most of the female characters were a letdown, with underwhelming and one-dimensional roles that lacked substance. The antagonists, too, were unimpressive, lacking the depth and menace necessary to make them compelling and formidable foes. Their easy defeats felt unearned and unsatisfying.
Furthermore, the tone was inconsistent, careening wildly from lighthearted moments to angsty scenes without a clear narrative direction. This made it challenging to become fully invested in the story.
Additionally, the character development was often told rather than shown, leaving viewers to fill in the gaps themselves. This was particularly disappointing, as it prevented from forming a deeper connection with the characters.
On a positive note, the casting of actors to play father-son roles across generations was a highlight. Notably, Bai Shu as Xiao Ruo Feng, Fan Jin Wei as Xiao Ruo Jin, Yan Jie as Baili Cheng Feng, and Li Hong Yi as Emperor Tian Wu brought a sense of continuity and cohesion to the story. The bond of brotherhood between Baili Dong Jun and Ye Ding Zhi is a standout for me which kept me captivated throughout the show.
🍁ACTING:-
The cast delivers a mixed bag of performances. Hou Ming Hao did well as Baili Dong Jun, bringing a charming and carefree energy to the role. However, his emotional range is sometimes limited, and he struggles to convey intensity in pivotal scenes.
He Yu, on the other hand, impresses as Ye Ding Zhi, bringing depth to the complex character. His performance is captivating, making Ye Ding Zhi's journey both heartbreaking and compelling. I have seen him in 'The Legend of Shen Li' before and was looking forward to his work here. Ye Ding Zhi is way more complex character than Baili Dong Jun and He Yu did amazing in his role. Nevertheless, his screaming scenes during the wedding of WenJun could have been better.
The supporting cast, including Xiang Zhi Guang (Sikong Chang Feng), Bai Shu (Xiao Ruo Feng), and Wanyan Lou Rong (Lei Meng Sha), deliver good performances, but their screen time is unfortunately limited. Hu Lian Xin brings elegance and grace to her portrayal of Yue Yao, making her a delightful addition to the cast.
🍁CINEMATOGRAPHY:-
The sets and costumes are visually stunning, transporting viewers to a vibrant and immersive world. However, the over-reliance on CGI in action scenes detracts from the overall experience. While the visual effects are impressive, they often feel overly reliant on virtual powers and lighting, giving the fight scenes a more Xuanhuan/Xianxia than Wuxia vibes. More practical action sequences would have elevated the drama's authenticity and impact. Nevertheless, the cinematography is generally pleasing, with beautifully designed costumes and sets that enhance the viewing experience.
Overall, 'Dashing Youth' had the potential to be a captivating drama with its intricate setting, complex characters, and rich storyline. However, it fell short due to poor execution, inconsistent tone, and underdeveloped female characters. Despite some impressive performances, particularly from He Yu as Ye Ding Zhi, the drama's flaws detracted from the viewing experience. With some improvements in writing, character development, and action scenes, this could have been a truly unforgettable Wuxia drama. Despite the issues, I did enjoy the drama but it failed to become a standout.
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Much of the plot follows the titular agency as they tackle cases. This system produces miniature arcs usually lasting around three episodes. Since each case aims to jump start relationships for supporting characters (often depicted by famous guest stars), various romances are sketched out. Each of them appears to pay homage to a romance type common in dramas (mystery, melodrama, teen, etc). As the series goes on, the cases improve in quality; though still fun, the very first as initiated by the veterinarian was almost silly. Several agency members experience plots of their own, mostly bridging all 16 episodes. Unfortunately, the "main couple" was not to my taste. Age gaps rarely bother me... but lack of chemistry does. Here sparks never fly and, while the romance makes sense on paper, the entire thing felt stilted.
Most performances were solid. Something about Seo Byung Hoon struck me as similar to Sherlock in the recent BBC adaptation; Lee Jong Hyuk has magnetic prickliness down to a fine art. Soo Young spins a potentially cliche weak-spined bore into a refreshingly spunky, strong, realistic woman. Her immediately clear screen presence actually drew me into Dating Agency: Cyrano in the first place. Here I must admit that I fell hard for Lee Chun Hee as "Master". It doesn't make me proud, but whenever he was on screen I often degenerated into a giggling puddle. Whether it's because he played the character so well or because he's drop dead gorgeous, it's hard to say. The rest of the cast performs well, if not memorably. Each guest spot was wonderful too, with Lee Kwang Soo standing out in arguably the best case in the series.
Though eventually it may have become repetitive in a longer series, the soundtrack excels. "Chance!" by The Peppertones burrows into the brain, while Ra.D romances tenderly with "Something Flutters." Most of the instrumental fare felt funky and modern; the intro particularly impresses.
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This review may contain spoilers
The small town was lacking charm
From the first episode, the townspeople didn't give the best impressions. They had no boundaries & got upset at Jiyul, the ML, for daring to express not being comfortable with it. While their behavior is somewhat common compared to other small town dramas, in this one, they failed to make the townspeople endearing (except for the young boy child & Jiyul's assistant but they were never unlikable in the first place.)For some, they would've liked Jiyul to be one of those bold MLs but I like the fact that he was mostly cool & collected. Throughout the drama, I couldn't help but to feel a bit bad for him as the people around him didn't respect his boundaries or expected things of him. However, he wasn't overbearing but he did say what he needed to when it mattered. As for Jayoung, the FL, because of her upbringing it made sense why she was a people pleaser, even if it was frustrating to watch at times. At the start , she was also one of those who couldn't respect ML's boundaries & was upset at him for him not remembering her (even though meeting her was associated with a bad childhood incident) so it took some time for me to warm up to her.
Because of FL's behavior towards ML (up until he remembers her), I wouldn't say that I was strongly invested in them as a couple but rather I just accepted that they would be together & waited to see it happen. They were kind of awkward when they got together but it was the kind that comes when you first start dating someone. I would've liked to see more moments of them as a couple, including having their ending better developed.
There was too much time spent on resolving the love triangle. Some were able to look past Sanghyun being passive aggressive towards ML & his childish behavior because of his looks, I guess, but he was irritating & made me want to skip his scenes. It was difficult for me to take him as a serious love interest when he looked like he could be the FL's younger brother. He was alright when he was being a friend to her (& it would've been better if they kept him that way) but when he started showing his romantic interest towards FL he became annoying. Whenever FL was going to reject him, he would stop her from doing so. (Sure, she should've been more firm in pushing the conversation but, again, she's a people pleaser & didn't want to risk losing his friendship too.) But, it wasn't bad enough to have only him so then they added ML's ex, who of course wanted him back, into the plot. Although ML made it clear to her that he wasn't interested in getting back together, that didn't stop her from sticking around for a bit.
When a love triangle is basically the only plot, & is only over with two episodes left, there's not much to enjoy. Instead of dragging it out, the focus could've been more on the leads as a couple, ML deciding on the future regarding his work, FL learning how to speak up for herself, & seeing the secondary couple get together. All of those things did happen but they felt as a matter of fact & were rushed. Maybe this drama is better as a binge watch rather than waiting for episodes to air. The good thing is that episodes are short & it's not a long drama.
For those looking for something to watch that won't make you think after finishing a heavier drama, then I guess you may like this drama. I don't remember the music (but I had to give it a 1 rating). There were times where the FL's acting was awkward & I didn't really care for the SMLs acting either. (I've watched all of Joy's main roles so I think it was the directing here that made her come off awkward.) I think there are better short length dramas out there so this wouldn't be at the top of my list to recommend nor would I rewatch it (but I had to give it a 1 rating).
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The Plough Department of Song Dynasty
16 people found this review helpful
TPDoSD is a wuxia drama, with a spin to it. It honestly has a really nice and refreshing modern vibe which I absolutely love.
It's one those dramas that just makes you feel all happy and giddy inside.
The main story is your classic wuxia drama story, with a bad guy wanting to take control of the martial world, and having the main character prevent this disaster, but it works. To be honest, when you're watching this, the side stories are actually what you should focus on instead of the main.
The acting is nicely done, so is the cast. Easy to watch and like the characters.
Visuals and CGI are nothing stunning, but once again, pretty good--
I like the music.
It's not a show that will make you go "holy damn that's amazing", but it's undeniably enjoyably.
Conclusion: Yea, worth the watch. Should be a priority series to start if you have nothing on your list currently--
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This review may contain spoilers
This is not a fluffy BL story that is for sure. The relationship between the main leads is twisted and intense and S/M abusive. Having said that I didn't regret watching it ... it was sort of interesting thinking about the 'whys' of this strange relationship and some of the unexpected twists that occurred. In short:
For me this movie is about love ... what is it ... who can have it ... and under what circumstances can it be ‘had’. It is a kind of fascinating melding of greek philosophy and S&M. The reason for my thinking this was the reference to Plato’s feast (the TV documentary they were watching on the TV). Maybe I read too much into that TV documentary, but for me it seemed relevant to the story.
In detail:
Plato’s Feast was kind of symposium or talk fest, where all these philosophers ate, drank and talked a whole lot of philosophical shit. In respect of the TV documentary, it particularly referred to the feast held at Agathon’s (a poet) house. At that feast, the topic of discussion was “eros” or “love”. Quite a few philosophers had their say about what they thought “love” was ... in particular:
Pausanias believed that loving attraction was not always sublime, that it could sometimes be ‘base’ because there were two kinds of love from the goddesses Aphrodite (Aphrodite was the Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion and procreation). One kind of love was Aphrodite Heavenly and the other kind was Aphrodite the Vulgar so therefore it must follow that there were two kinds of love - heavenly love and vulgar love.
Aristophanes, on the other hand, spoke about the myth that original inhabitants of the land were androgynous i.e. they were both male and female at the same time aka the Androgyns. The Androgyns had 4 legs, 4 arms and 2 faces that looked in opposite directions. When they wanted to move, they moved on their 8 limbs like a wheel. The god Zeus didn’t like the Androgyns so he ordered Apollo to cut them into half. Afterwards, even though the Androgyns were now separated, the memory of the connection with their former half gave rise to a desire to search for their other ‘half’ in order to restore their original nature and integrity. However, this was not as easy as it seems as if they were 'wicked' the gods would 'cut' people into even smaller parts.
Anyway, given the above as a kind of background to the story, it is not surprising that the two male leads have the same sounding name Ichikawa Mitsuo … the only difference between the two is how they spell their family name "Ichikawa". One spelt it with the kanji for the number "one" i.e. "Ichikawa" / "一川" (one river). The other spelt it with the kanji for 'city' - "Ichikawa" / "市川" (city river). Is having the same name symbolic of them being each other's other half ... they are the same but different ... same coin, different sides 🤔. This is interesting as when both Mitsuo’s meet in high school … right from the beginning, you can see their two very distinct and seemingly different personalities but there was a hidden S&M kind of connection / attraction between them none the less. Since their first meeting they have 'danced' around each other ... like a pair of orbiting neutron stars that spiral ever closer together. One receives from the other, one gives to the other … one receives abuse, the other gives it … one masochistic, the other sadistic … one gets a girlfriend, the other takes her for himself ... “No. 1” Ichikawa is “City” Ichikawa’s dog and will come to his 'call'.
After high school the two Ichikawa's go their seemingly separate ways. “City” Ichikawa comes from a Yakuza (gangster) world and is a low level ‘dog’ for the Yakuza Boss. “No. 1” Ichikawa is a Systems Analysist and true to his "number" name, is brilliant on coding. They had no contact with each other until that phone call.
When “City” Ichikawa "murders" his girlfriend … the only way he can keep it secret from his Yakuza brothers, is to call his own “dog” from high school. That "City" Ichikawa still has "No. 1" Ichikawa's phone number after all these years is interesting. The rest of the story is really about the “dance” they have with each other against the backdrop of murder and the brutal gangster life … and in doing so, how they slowly grow in awareness that despite how their lives have gone, despite the predicaments they get into, they are best together ... live together, die together. They are two sides of the same coin … each is the "mint" (as in stamping) to one side of the same coin ... one has no meaning without the other ... hence "Double Mints" ... not the peppermint kind but the coin minting kind (well imo).
So this for me is a love story with a twist ... and it is fascinating. Who is it that deserves love … what kind of love do they deserve … ''heavenly love vs 'vulgar love' … if the love is consensual, is one kind of love necessarily 'worse' than another kind of love 🤔 … I am not into S&M but who am I to judge what other people need in their lives so long as it is informed and consensual ... “love is love” be it ‘heavenly love’ or ‘vulgar love’. Interestingly, regardless of the type of love had between people, when it is informed and consensual, there seems to come with it a potential degree of personal 'evolution' … so in that sense can all kinds of love be 'good' love 🤔.
The ending of the movie had an air of bitter sweetness … I think they were both going to Korea knowing they would meet their deaths there … but in so doing, they would meet it together as "one". The movie is a bit of a mind f*ck ... but that is the way I see it at this point in time ... maybe if I watch it again in another year or two I might see things differently ... who knows.
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The SL and FML really got my attention when I saw the former episodes. They had this oozing chemistry, and I feel bad (not) for shipping them rather than the actual love teams. Although, the leads' chemistry is cute cute cute! There are times when I feel like that the FML is not innocent however insensitive, although her development is good. I liked their character development (especially to SL's).
The music is really giving the LSS vibes. It's kind of redundant in the drama, but I don't really care because it somehow suits the scene.
Give it a try, especially when you’re watching angst films/dramas. It might help soothe your heart~ :D
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This review may contain spoilers
More Than Just an Idol Romance
Idol I struck a nice balance between romance and murder mystery, with just enough lighthearted moments to keep it from getting too heavy. The FL's fangirl side added some humor early on, even if it became an issue later on in the story. Where the drama really stood out for me, though, was in its exploration of fandom and parasocial relationships.Some of my favorite moments were early on, when we see the ML dealing with the more uncomfortable sides of fame and parasocial fan behavior, and later, when he talks about the two versions of himself: the idol persona versus who he really is. I also appreciated the way the drama showed more normal fandom behavior through the FL. The ticket-buying scene near the end was especially funny, but also totally accurate!
I’ve seen some criticism online about the romance, particularly concerns that it feeds parasocial fantasies since the idol ultimately ends up with a fan. I understand where that worry comes from, but at the same time, that outcome was inevitable from the start. The drama, however, made an effort to show that this wasn’t just an idol-fan fantasy. Their shared history and emotional connection added depth to their relationship. And while I don’t usually love the “we knew each other when we were younger” trope, in this case, it worked for me...I actually wish the show had spent more time exploring it.
Overall, I liked the main couple and found the ending mostly satisfying. My one lingering frustration is that the show never fully tied up the storyline surrounding her father’s retrial, which felt like a missed opportunity for closure. Still, Idol I offered a thoughtful take on fandom, identity, and romance, and it was a genuinely fun and enjoyable watch.
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A hidden jem
I want to write my first ever review for "The most ordinary romance" because it was that good of a watch.I never felt the urge to review anything, not even my favourite dramas, but this movie's score is way too low and it doesn't give it justice.
The story was intriguing and captivating, the cast was brilliant, the dialogues very realistic yet entertaining and the ending satisfying.
Just give it a try and ignore the not-so-positive reviews, it is an amazing movie full of romance, comedy and realistic everyday life full of flaws.
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The way this drama was written is a lot different from a lot of other crime detective dramas where the crime is already committed and the main cast needs to track down and catch the culprit. That usually takes like three to four episodes per case. This one has a title that shows up when a new segment starts to tell the audience a new case has started. The cases are connected in a way where the main cast are basically on a journey. They weave a lot of the other developments into the drama as the case unfold (like let's say the main characters' love story or character development). The cases are very interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat.
As I watch this drama, I could actually care less about the main characters' love story, I was actually following the second main leads. Usually, there is some sort of love triangle or square around the main cast, but this drama is different, the second main leads develop an interesting relationship. It's pretty funny since the guy is basically a prince where everyone is usually very impressed by that except this girl. I really liked watching scenes with these two since almost kind of rare. Their story is hidden behind all the different kinds of plot developments from the cases themselves to the political plot. There are times where I watch these two and I go when did their relationship get to that stage? Probably also due to the fact that there are different versions of how many episodes there are. The total number of episodes are 40, some websites have 36 or 39. The shorter ones have some scenes cut out in different parts of different episodes but I found out that it was most of the scenes for my favorite couple, the second main leads.
The music is really great because the main cast, the ones that are traveling together each contributed a song. The song that each of them sang sounds to me like it's their unofficial or maybe even official character's theme song. I thought that was really awesome.
This is the first drama where I saw Ma Tian Yu and now I'm a big fan.
P.S. I found a cover song on YouTube where the lyrics of the song were rewritten to be about my favorite couple and if you watch the drama from beginning to end, you'll see there is a secret message in the lyrics inspired by the drama itself. I had to watch the music video several times to realize that some of the first words were a different color and bigger text to find out the message.
The music video seem to have been taken down because I cannot find it but the song name is called 誤芳瑶 by ASSEN捷 if anyone wants to check it out. If you can find the lyrics, you can see the message when it starts spelling out Yuan Fang Meng Yao.
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