I can probably guess that most of the viewers of this drama will be major fans of Lee Joon Gi since his popularity seemed to skyrocket after Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo. However for me, I was still trying to find a drama I liked that had Lee Joon Gi as a lead. Don't get me wrong, Lee Joon Gi is a talented actor, but I dropped Scarlet Heart half way through as it just wasn't entertaining enough for me and other dramas such as Arang and the Magistrate were lackluster at best.
Lawless Lawyer was alright. That's the only word I can think of that sums up the drama for me.
The acting was obviously the strongest aspect of the drama. Lee Joon Gi (Bong Sang Pil) had some very intense scenes which is the character arc that suites him best in my opinion, going off the rails and being full to the brim with the need for revenge seems to suite him. Although, I found that the cute, cool dude act that he put on for some of the scenes just didn't sit right with me, to be honest, they made me cringe.
Seo Ye Ji (Ha Jae Yi) is one of the strongest female leads I have ever seen in a drama. I loved her character. She was not afraid to stand up and speak up for what she believed to be right and she batted away all those sexist remarks like a pro baseball player. Unfortunately, I found that her fighting spirit died down a little towards the end, she did still make decisions for herself, but they weren't as well thought out as they had been previously, leading to irritating plot lines.
Lee Hye Young (Cha Moon Sook) played a fantastic villain. She always had the upper hand, unbeknownst to the characters and sometime even the audience. Strong female characters are what I live for and she was the cherry on the cake for me. My only complaint with her was the ending she received but I'll talk about that once I get to the plot.
Choi Min Soo (Ahn Oh Joo). I'm sorry but I hated every second he was on screen. I am aware that if an actor playing a villain makes you hate them, then that probably means they are a good actor. In this drama, I really do not believe that was the case. The way he portrayed his character, with the exaggerated voice and the forced mannerism where he licks the inside of his cheek just distracted me. His acting did not feel natural for me and if it doesn't feel natural, you are reminded that you are watching a drama and that's not what I want.
The other side characters were decent. The one that stood out to me the most was Baek Joo Hee (Noh Hyun Joo). The desperation and fear that she portrayed was outstanding, very well acted.
Now the plot was interesting in the beginning because in the first half of the drama all the information is given to us so we know all the details of the case and who is more likely to win. After the audience knows everything, the drama goes downhill. The second half of the drama is just picking one detail of the case and manipulating it, forging evidence or making up a witness.
The ending felt very rushed as everything was tied together in a pretty messy bow in just one episode. The writers had built up the villain to be extremely powerful but the bullets that shot them down felt like they were made of rubber. I felt the evidence was given in a very vague way that wasn't satisfying enough for the audience who were, by now, seething with rage at the immense influence that the villain held.
To be honest I almost forgot about the romance. It wasn't really necessary. Any "cute" moments they had were set up in a way to promote any of the sponsors that the drama had. Most important of all, I didn't feel the chemistry. I think it would have been better if Bong Sang Pil and Ha Jae Yi were brother and sister that were separated at the origin of revenge. The drama would have benefited from completely replacing the romance arc with a sibling one, that way they wouldn't have to dedicate time, that they don't have, to building chemistry between the leads.
None of the music stood out to me at all.
No, I wouldn't watch it again. It was an alright drama, that's pretty much it. After 16 episodes I'm unfortunately still waiting for a Lee Joon Gi drama that I am wholeheartedly obsessed with. I'm so excited for that drama to come, whenever that may be.
Well done if you've read all of this, I just finished it so I needed to get all of it off my chest.
Thanks for reading!
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This review may contain spoilers
Love Song In Winter Indeed..
"If you want rainbow.. You have to deal with the rain.."- Augustus
This quote came to mind as I finished the drama.. The ML and FL are each other's rainbow.. And Wen Peng is undoubtedly the rain they must endure.. The first 10 episodes were top notch.. We even got the first kiss in ep 2.. Unlike many dramas this one avoided the usual angst and misunderstandings we often have to endure in the first half.. And the ML?? He crushed the SML every chance he got.. Firmly put him in his place with such nonchalance that it made it even more satisfying.. Little did I know though that this was nothing compared to what was about to unfold.. Compared to the first 10 episodes the next 10 were just good and nothing great.. Once the killings and investigations kicked in the plot began to lag.. The investigation plot initially was poorly crafted.. And the cops they were made to look completely ineffective.. They were literally overpowered by a girl half their size and not just once..
We got a proper villain in LSIW.. WTC was truly outstanding in his role.. I dont know if the villain was overpowered and too smart or if the others were just naive.. He outsmarted them at every turn.. He was a psychopath, A maniac, A madman, Callous and Machiavellian.. I liked how they revealed that the SML could be the villain.. He was initially portrayed as this perfect guy with a troubled childhood but slowly his dangerous side was revealed.. By the end of episode 21 it was clear he was the antagonist.. There were hints from the beginning like the butterfly and other subtle hints..
The FL treated the ML coldly after her friend's death?? Well.. Yes she did.. I felt sorry for him but I dont blame her.. Her behavior might seem immature but it was as mature as it could be.. Both in the past and in the present.. Even the ML realizes this and tells her "Now I understand why you had to do that 8 years ago".. And I honestly think the FLs from both Cdramas and Kdramas could learn a lot from the FL here on how to draw a clear line with the SML.. There are very few characters like her..
That devil of an SML made the FLs life miserable.. He killed two of her friends.. She had to break up with her love.. He tried to kill her mother and soon her boyfriend also almost got killed.. Even amidst all that she stood strong.. Her mental resilience is truly commendable..
Wen Pang’s mother’s identity was a real surprise.. I wasnt expecting that.. Or did I miss the hints?? I liked the mother's character in the first half but by the end she became someone I really disliked..
There is a scene in ep 32 where the ML breaks down.. It felt like a genuine emotional breakdown.. Natural not overdramatic and it fit perfectly within the sequence of events..
" Jiang Chengyi.. Don't get hurt again.. I can't live without you.. "
Everything about the couple felt special..
Read a few comments asking why the villain didnt propose to her in those 8 years.. I think the answer is simple.. He knew she would never love anyone else and that she was waiting for the ML to come back because she believed he would.. Or perhaps because she never truly let him go.. So he had to make her come to him on her own..
The last 6 episodes were good but they were way too slow... Though I didnt mind.. By the end Wen Peng had completely lost touch with reality.. Consumed by his own delusions and obsessions.. He literally killed and hurt everyone close to her and still had the audacity to say "No one will ever love you the way I do"
The interaction between the ML and the antagonist in the last episode didnt make sense.. Was that really necessary after everything he did?? He is being treated as a human being?? And then the ML asks him to meet their mother?? How could he even think about letting her see a psychotic psychopath who manipulates and gaslights people so easily?? As for the mother’s character.. I dont even know what to say.. It felt completely illogical.. Yes she loved her son.. But her psychopath son tried to kill her stepson and Kidnapped his girlfriend.. Killed two of their friends, murdered several others.. And tried to kill at least three cops.. And she keeps saying its her fault?? While her love for her son is clear her willingness to overlook his crimes makes her actions seem more baffling than emotional.. This choice by the writers underplays the cruelties of the SML.. I really wish they hadnt included that scene.. It felt totally unnecessary and probably hurt the show’s ratings..
While the final episode had some unnecessary scenes, it was really good overall.. I mean an entire episode of them being happy after overcoming all their problems?? Kdrama writers, take notes..
Overall.. Despite some slow moments and unnecessary lengthy scenes the drama really pulled me in.. The performances were solid and the chemistry between the leads was undeniable.. The FL was such a standout character and the villain?? He was terrifying.. The ending had its flaws.. Sure but it still gave them the happy ending they deserved.. Is the drama perfect?? No.. Flaws?? Plenty.. But its definitely worth the time and its one i will not easily forget.. Be sure to watch the bts scenes as well.. They were fun..
P.S.. The subtitles are never getting better are they??
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Story falls in place nicely + extremely likable characters!!!!
I’ve watched a lot of dramas, but this one has definitely become one of my favorites. The characters, the story, and the production suits my taste PERFECTLY!! Here are the main reasons why I love this drama so much.ALL CHARACTERS ARE VERY LIKABLE
- TDK is the first female lead that I can relate to this much. She is someone who suppresses her emotions and pretends to be fine on the outside so she wouldn’t be a burden to her loved ones. Also, little things like the way she acts, the way she talks and reacts is different from many typical female leads. She is very honest, genuine, and sometimes effortlessly funny. She’s extremely likable and I would love to be her friend if it were possible.
- MM’s character development made him extremely likable (more about that below). When MM is in love, he does not force anything or make TDK feel uncomfortable in any way. His love for her is very genuine and that is shown in lots of scenes. Although MM acts cold and sometimes careless towards the deity, he is extremely respecting of her and understands that there is a greater, deeper layer below everything that he may not know about.
- The deity is wise and knows what she is doing. A very respected character which can be seen especially at the end. It’s interesting seeing the way she delivers messages.
LOTS OF REALISTIC CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
- MM starts with emptiness inside but slowly warms up and proceeds to understand the value of life. It’s very fulfilling seeing him grow as a character and realize the purpose of life by experiencing love.
- Throughout life, TDK locked up her emotions inside so that she can look fine in front of the ones she loved. Throughout the drama, she begins to open up more and starts to find the good in letting out emotions and talking to someone about them. She realizes that problems can be solved together.
- The story of the second lead couple showed lots of character development as well (more below).
STORY FALLS INTO PLACE NICELY
- The story unfolds very nicely and naturally
- There is a reason for everything
- When everything falls into place nicely, it’s extremely satisfying and fulfilling
SCRIPT IS WRITTEN VERY NICELY
- The way thoughts and emotions were expressed with words were very comfortable and suited my taste very well.
- Some things were said not too direct so that they required a bit more thought and space to interpret (mostly from the deity and from CJI)
- There is subtle humor throughout the drama making it enjoyable to watch (IT’S LITERALLY MY SENSE OF HUMOR I’M SO HAPPY HAHAH)
NO ANNOYING MISCOMMUNICATIONS
- The characters know how to communicate with each other
- Of course there are some little misunderstandings, but none of these turn into the main conflict of the plot. In general, the characters are quite open with each other and are true to each other. They don’t hide major things from each other and usually always communicate every problem.
- The first lead couple tries to solve problems together. They always have understanding for each other. When there are unexpected/impulsive events, the other character will always understand and be open to help.
NO USELESS FRUSTRATING CLIFFHANGERS
- The episodes end naturally without frustrating cliffhangers but still leave you waiting for the next one.
- Similar for scenes. The scenes come to an end nicely, there is no switching back and forth between two set of events. This allows you to fully focus on one event at a time which I think is important in this type of drama.
NO DRAGGING, NO FILLER SCENES
- Every scene serves its purpose
- I never felt that the drama was boring or dragging in any way
- The story and romance unfolds at a natural and realistic pace
AMAZING ACTING
- Great chemistry between the leads
- Emotions are expressed so well in every scene
- No awkwardness
- Natural and realistic
- It seemed like the actors got quite close during the 6 months of filming (from the behind the scenes videos) which may be why they had great chemistry and were able to act so well together
SECOND LEAD COUPLE
- The way I perceived it, the main purpose of the second lead couple is to show character development. It’s about moving on and letting go of something that has been held onto for too long. Although the outcome is predictable, it’s extremely satisfying seeing the characters grow as a people. For me, this side story was very relatable and understandable. I was able to gain empathy for all three characters involved in the love triangle.
THE OSTS COMPLIMENT THE SCENES
- The OSTs are memorable and add so much emotion to the scenes
- I’m actually listening to the OSTs while writing this review LOL
I hope this review was helpful! I really do recommend this drama!!!
TDK = Tak Dong Kyung (1st Female Lead)
MM = Myeol Mang (Doom) (1st Male Lead)
CJI = Cha Joo Ik (2nd Male Lead)
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So why should you watch it?
Because it is one of the only dramas where the relationship between the two leads is realistic, healthy and loving. Their rapport is natural. The small honest gestures of portray true love. And both characters are reasonable. No unnecessary drama, feuding or harsh words. They start of not antagonistic in an unrealistic sense but mostly civil.
It is refreshing to see a leading man whose character is humbled and is genuinely likable. It is refreshing to see a leading woman whose character isn't gratingly annoying but fiercely independent in an understated manner. Not the usually over the top confrontational manner that Asian dramas find sooo 'attractive' in the lead girl. Also best thing about it? Jiro Wang as Mars is respectful, caring and vulnerable playing the usual pretentious trades of the lead guy up for jokes. No alpha male arm pulling, no romantic gestures laced with sexism. MOST IMPORTANTLY! For a romantic comedy, there is no unecessary focus on other characters, sure there is an annoying sister but she serves a purpose. Also, the love triangle is handled in a less than typical manner, the villains are reasonable in all their 'villianly acts' and use of drama OST is great.
See? Refreshing.
My only problem is the low production value of the drama. Imaginative direction is not helped by low budget equipment, bad sound editing and certain awkward scenes. But hey, Taiwanese dramas aren't know for the 'purdy colours' as expensive K-dramas are.
Surprisingly enjoyable with some touching and memorable scenes.
Worth it.
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I have to say, they are backed by two actors who did more than good; Kim Kwon and Kim Da Som perfectly embraced their roles and they grasped the personalities of their characters in a way it makes it easy to jump right into the plot.
So after praising the actors, I should praise the plot right?
Well that's where the drama loses points. Although it was a nicely built story, I was still bothered by some incoherences and the inevitable moments of boredom. The plot revealed too much, too quickly: the multiple flashbacks sure were interesting and nice, but I do believe they weren't exploited to the maximum of their potential. Which leads me to the main point of my critique: suspense fell flat almost all through the drama for me. If you paid enough attention to what was going on, you knew what would happen next, and in my opinion, the writers didn't succeed in building up anticipation and dread, which are vital for that kind of thriller drama.
To sum up, the drama is worth watching, for the original plot as well the skilled actors, but could have been much better plot-wise.
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This review may contain spoilers
I have to say I actually really liked this one.. That makes it three dramas in a row that I have enjoyed.. LOZH, Reborn and this.. All in completely different genres.. Song Wei Long’s previous work was pretty disappointing for me.. Same with Liu Hao Cun.. Even though her last drama wasn’t bad, I just didn’t think she did a good job in it.. The ML mostly carried that one.. But this was different.. LHC felt more comfortable here.. She seems more at home in dramas with martial arts and action stuff I guess.. Even SWL, his character was solid here and he did a satisfying job..
Honestly, I didn’t really enjoy the first few episodes.. Some scenes were so silly or cringey that I just laughed at them.. But it got much much better as it went on.. Loved the Captain America inspired fight in the lift.. That was fun.. I also really liked the fight in ep 2 between the main leads.. I liked their chemistry there and the kind of expectation it brought with it.. And I was also very excited about the squad.. They had this weird bond and behavior.. It was bound to get crazy and obviously fun..
The world building was done well and the relics in The Seven Relics of Ill Omen are a fascinating plot device.. Though not without its flaws.. But I think that’s easy to ignore since the other aspects of the story make up for it.. The story kept getting more interesting with each relic, how their pasts unfolded and how their connection to the relics was slowly revealed..
" You have to believe the heavens love you..
The flowers they withhold..
They make up for it with stars.. "
I liked the relationship between Luo Ren and Mu Dai.. This wasn’t a romance story, but they had good chemistry and really clicked..
How can I not talk about their Hummer?? Just like the characters, the SUV went through a lot too.. They literally dragged it through a desert, dried lake, quicksand, mountains and it still survived..
Everyone in the Phoenix Squad had a painful past.. Except Chubby I guess.. The main leads probably had the most painful ones.. They lost a lot and went through even more.. I just wish they had taken Lou Ren's Flashback scenes a bit more seriously.. Because it had real potential.. They should have handled it with more care.. The gunfight scenes could have been much better but instead it turned out to be too bland.. It was just a senseless sequence with no real clarity.. If they had spent a bit more money and brought in professionals instead of shelf actors, those scenes could have been a lot more satisfying and enjoyable to watch..
The only disappointing part in this drama for me was Ao Rui Peng.. People might hate me for saying this, but he was terribly bland in this.. Honestly I am surprised he is hyped as a talented actor.. I just don’t see it.. Overall, this drama isn’t a masterpiece.. But for me it gets so much right that I just had a good time watching it..
P.S. The OST was too damn good..
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It was the perfect drama until it wasn't.
Let's be short the story on the 15 episodes wasn't a revolution but was good enough, the construction of the world, the revenge, how he accepted his new life, the bittersweet comparation between his past self and his new life, how he missed his old family, sometimes the characters were plain stupid just because, but they were evil so it was fine as we watched them fail and suffer.The romance was not there just small moments but was fine until ep 15.
The best of the drama is the relationship between Jin Do Jun and his grandfather, is pure gold, it's just perfect and deserves a 10 just for it, the acting was on point even with the child actor was stunning. His family aka brother, mom and dad where wholesome too, as the family he never had.
But the ending ruin everything, they throw away all the development, the dreams, the hard pushed love line, the promise with the grandfather.
JDJ became by far the saddest character in the drama and overall the ending is disappointing, not satisfactory at all.
The first 15 episodes are a worth watching but the last one is plain wrong.
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Struggles to capture the soul of snowboarding
Lately, Ski into Love (嘘，国王在冬眠) has been circulating in the snowboarding community, so I decided to give it a shot. Snowboarding is my life, and no matter how flawed the content, I will consume it because action sports are so rarely depicted in media - and when they are, it’s often with a misunderstanding that borders on mischaracterization.My approach to this drama was twofold: to assess it both as a story and from a technical and cultural perspective, offering insight into the culture and history of the sport. Initially, I came in with a lot of skepticism, worried about its authenticity. However, as the series progressed, I found myself praying it wouldn’t completely fuck up its depiction of snowboarding. Whether it succeeded or not, I’m still on the fence. While I didn’t learn anything new - and I have plenty of factual errors to nitpick - I had fun identifying the snowboard models, shooting locations, and analyzing tricks.
The Spirit of Snowboarding
Snowboarding, like its action sports counterparts, is more than just a sport; it’s a way of life. It’s a culture deeply rooted in music, fashion, and community - a group bonded by their passion for riding. Fun comes first; talent is secondary. The irony of this drama is that the entire plot feels like it was written by Wei Zhi herself - someone with little understanding of snowboarding but trying her best.
I can overlook the title mistranslation ("Ski into Love", even though the show is about snowboarding). The issue of calling them “ski slopes” and “ski resorts” when snowboarders share the terrain hasn’t been resolved in real life either. In Chinese, both skiing and snowboarding fall under 滑雪 (huáxuě), with the only differentiator being 单板 (single board, snowboarding) and 双板 (dual boards, skiing). Riding into Love might’ve been a more fitting title, but I digress.
Where the drama falls short is in its portrayal of snowboarding’s essence. It offers a mainstream, sanitized version that feels disconnected from the sport’s rebellious roots. Snowboarding emerged from counter-culture, a space for outcasts carving their own path. Every rider, no matter how successful, shares this spirit. But in Ski into Love, the characters feel too clean-cut, too polished. Shan Chong’s personal style, for example, is far removed from how freestyle snowboarders actually dress. Sure, designer clothing at his wealth level makes sense, but not in the way it’s presented here. Snowboarders have a distinct style - baggy hip-hop-inspired outfits, a chill, laid-back demeanor. The characters here feel stiff, missing that effortless cool.
Technical and Cultural Inaccuracies
A major oversight is how the series lumps all snowboarding disciplines together. Shan Chong, a Big Air/Slopestyle specialist, is challenged to a slalom race by his teammate Dai Duo. There is little to no crossover between alpine racing and freestyle; they require vastly different skills and equipment. No elite freestyle snowboarder would suddenly be competent on a racing board. It makes as much sense as a figure skater excelling at speed skating.
Another glaring issue is the depiction of the snowboarding community. This sport thrives on camaraderie - it was built by outcasts creating their own space. Even in professional competition, snowboarders form one of the most close-knit communities in all of sports. Yet by episode 5, factions have formed, going against the sport’s very ethos. While rivalries exist, true snowboarders know the real enemy is always the skiers. (Kidding - kind of.)
China’s snow sports scene is rapidly developing, but its cultural etiquette hasn’t fully caught up with global standards. If this drama wanted to be idealistic, it could have done better research into this aspect.
Duelling it out over a game of In Your Face but with completely made up rules was disappointing. The actual rules are: rock-paper-scissors for first caller. First caller calls a trick for the opponent. If opponent lands, they move on, if they fall, loser gets sprayed in the face. Calling the tricks for the opponent would have been a great opportunity to help casual viewers understand what’s happening, which they missed the mark on.
Shan Chong’s friend Beici insists that you can’t let fate decide in competitive sports. While Beici isn’t wrong, Shan Chong’s agreement to his statement feels out of place. Snowboarding has never been about pure competition - it’s about fun. But as commercialization grows, this ethos is being overshadowed. More athletes now prioritize rigorous training over joy. If the series valued snowboarding’s integrity, it should have acknowledged that while progression matters, fun and camaraderie matter more.
Although the series captures the amateur snowboarders quite accurately, elite athletes are depicted more like athletes of other sports. It’s disconcerting to see traditional, sterile bootcamp-style training gyms that strip away the essence of snowboarding. China has Woodward facilities designed for action sports, yet they’re absent from the drama. Instead of advocating for snowboarding, the series uses it as a plot device.
But one of the best parts? The absolute chaos of the national team. As they should be. These are the elite, yet they all act like overgrown kids - just like real-life snowboarders. Their coach, at least, gives sound advice: Shan Chong shouldn’t expect to return to form immediately. His frustration watching younger riders outperform him is understandable. The new generation has better facilities, training, and role models. The older generation had to figure things out through trial and error; the younger ones have the blueprint handed to them.
The drama focuses heavily on Big Air but omits Slopestyle, even though Olympic-level athletes compete in both. Worse, it downplays the technical difficulty of tricks. When Dai Duo lands a backside 1440 triple cork, his teammates claim no one else on the national team can do it. This is absurd - Su Yiming, China’s big air gold medalist pulled off a 1980 in 2022 at the age of just 17. A full 3 years before the events of this series. Every year, the bar gets raised higher, and since events took place during the 2025-2026 season, every olympic calibre athlete should be able to pull off at least 1800s. At the 2022 Olympics, seven riders landed it cleanly in the finals. At the 2025 X Games, 2160s and 2340s have started to make an appearance.
Characters
Wei Zhi is endearing but utterly hopeless at snowboarding. Even under professional guidance, she makes no progress. She gets flustered when Shan Chong teaches others, yet she has no resilience for a sport that demands patience and suffering. Her best friend Nanfeng was right - paying for lessons just to spend time with him isn't the solution to staying in this relationship long-term.
Shan Chong retired after his sister Shan Shan’s skiing accident resulted in a bilateral transtibial amputation. Coupled with his own near-death experience, he couldn’t justify putting his family through more distress. His actions were noble - saving up to fit his sister with prosthetic legs - but the drama falters in depicting her recovery. This part of the story feels rushed - it acutely oversimplifies the complexities of fitting for prosthetics - no casting, no check socket, no rehab... just straight up delivered to their door, ready to put on and get up and walk. But the prostheses themselves are real. Great CGI on Shan Shan too. They missed a big chance to potentially have her aim for the paralympics as well, I thought the story was developing in that direction when she remarked she was on the national junior team during the arcade scene, and later joining the group on their next adventure.
Wei Zhi’s parents’ judgmental attitude toward Shan Chong stems from class prejudice. They see snowboarding as
不务正业 (not a serious profession), even though he’s a nationally recognized athlete. The irony? He’s more responsible for Wei Zhi than they’ll ever be. Rich people sure have the audacity to look down on those more accomplished than them. If anything, they don’t deserve him. For this reason, it felt like forgiveness felt deeply unsatisfying.
Thematic Direction
Episode 8 captures the contrast between snowboarding’s free-spirited nature and the rigidity of high society. At first, I thought the drama was about breaking free - Wei Zhi from her conservative upbringing, Shan Chong from his guilt. This would have been perfect, given how snowboarding is all about freedom - the feeling of flying as you catch air. But in the end, the theme turned out to be about reconciliation. Reconciliation with family, with the past. A solid theme, but a missed opportunity to showcase snowboarding’s true philosophy.
Final Thoughts
Despite its flaws, Ski into Love grew on me. It may not fully understand snowboarding, but it tries. It’s a surface-level depiction of the sport, but for mainstream audiences, it’s a start. And for someone like me, starved for action sports representation, I’ll take what I can get.
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An amazing journey!
I started to watch it without any expectations and even without reading synopsis... you can say just for time pass, but it turned out to be more than that, such a painful yet meaningful journey it was. There are still tears in my eyes... but I'm sure that it's going to be one of my favorites.Loved the acting Song Joong Ki did amazing work in it, his expressions, his eyes tells us what he feels what he want to talk, it tells that it's not necessary only words can express our emotions... so hats off for his acting. Park Bo Yeong also did great job portraying Sun Yi you can see and feel pain. The execution of story was perfect loved the fact they didn't gave us a fairytale ending because that doesn't happens in real life.
Ending was painful, sad but it was meaningful and perfect couldn't been more perfect than this. I had a great time, I hope you'll also, definitely recommend you if you are not looking for something sweet, cute love story because this isn't it. It's not typical love story but that doesn't mean that it has less meaning rather it's more meaningful that will make you understand many things.
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This review may contain spoilers
One of the more impressive historical dramas that has come from Korea in recent years. Masterfully made, with great actors and a much more serious tone than many of these new historical dramas that are a bit fluffier and lighter, and often feel a bit timid to go all the way with its political plot which often makes the story loses some momentum and make the tension of the story feel artificial and contrived. This drama, however, manages all of that extremely well. One can tell why it is one of the most popular historical dramas from Korea for a long time.The Red Sleeve feels serious, bold but still not too dry, so it was no fun to watch. It had a good pace to the story, and I liked the darker undertone that was always present within the narrative. Despite a more serious approach at the palace politics but still achieve a certain lightness in other aspects of the show, without those two things working too much against each other. There was a good balance between the characters arcs, the palace politics, the more romantic moments, the serious and the light.
did a really good job painting this picture of loneliness within the palace and show it as this dazzling but ghostly prison for all the female characters in the show; highborn or not. Especially as we went further into the story. The loneliness of the palace does affect all the character in some way or another and becomes a big theme within the story. It has a good emphasis on how the female characters play a special role within the narrative. To me the main character, Deok Im, never wanted to be anything but free within the limits of the society she is born in, and the story always comes back to that very point. She is always true to herself while putting other before her.
All her life she seems to try her best to be loyal to those who are good to her but closed off to people around her, but especially to the prince who has such great affection for her, to avoid feeling trapped by this life that she has. Because when you become his concubine, there is a certain world that is just closed to you. It’s not really until she’s cornered, and she sees no other way that she finally gives in to his affections. , even if she loved him, and becomes that concubine that she is destined to be. And I think it was the purpose of the story that Deok Im really had no choice but to be his wife in the end, although it was a little frustrating that he liked her more than she liked him.
The romance, as much as I liked it in the beginning, lost it’s my grip towards the end because I felt Yi San insisted too much that he owned Deok Im, and seemed a little too domineering to me. But at the same time, I feel like it was very much part of the realism that this show seemed to convey. This is not a romantic comedy or a teenage love story. The story, all the way through, is describing the harsh reality of the palace, which was something I really appreciated (and it managed that without being too gory or grim for the sake of realism like Game of Thrones for example).
It is a bit bold to present the love story of the drama in such a way and having the prince carry far more feelings for Deok Im than she seems to do for him, or it can be interpreted in that way at least, rather than showing a more of balance between their feelings. But the writing was done with such sincerity and great sensitivity, and the same can be said about the character, that I felt I understood the position of all of them, although I did not always agree with them.
But even though the themes and characters of The Red Sleeve were brilliant, I found the story start to go in small circles towards the end and drag unnecessarily in certain sections as the story goes on a bit about the same thing. But I cannot blame the scriptwriters of the drama too much for that, as the drama got an extension due to their popularity and it can be hard to add new things to fill over an hour of content with something new. And it didn’t hurt the story that much overall. The end result was still the same.
Deok Im as well as pretty much all the female characters in the drama have my whole heart. They were all so deep, varied in characters and thought and had their own stories to tell. And too me they were the focal point of this story. And the bitter-sweet ending works wonderfully well for the story that this drama was trying to tell. Anything else would have taken from the realism of the story.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is my first review so I'm kinda new at this.If you're not a fan of historical martial arts films, then don't watch this. The story reminded me of "Hero" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", two great Chinese movies starring Zhang Ziyi as well. Can't really tell much about it though, 'cause we don't want any spoilers, do we ... Just read the synopsis! + You'll get an idea of what else to expect by reading further :) (Story - 9)
I really liked the accuracy in lots of elements such as costumery, weapons (super awesome btw!), settings and that everybody speaks in their native language (Chinese and Korean). The Yuan-dynasty's soldiers are played by Mongolian actors, which makes it more believable. Zhang Ziyi's acting is great as always, although that might be my opinion 'cause I have a slight crush on her :3. Ahum, moving on, I really like how all these different cultures cross paths in this movie. It helps you visualize how these cultures looked like in the past. What really made this movie great for me were the hardcore battles in it (hint: man with spear)! (Acting/Cast - 9)
Not really much to tell about the music. It worked out well with the scenes, like the battles for example, and gave me a matching feeling. The music did what it had to do, and did good doing so. (Music - 8)
Just like the two great Chinese movies I mentioned above, this one's worth a rewatch. Though you might like to wait a while before doing so, 'cause it'll most likely stay fresh in your head for quite some time. Yet, totally worth it! (Rewatch - 8)
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This review may contain spoilers
A Hopefully Eye-Opening Review of the Movie
As the title entails, this was absolutely OOZING with sweetness. I am currently in my japanese romance youth phase again and I came upon this movie. This was SO MUCH fluff that it had me kicking my feet and smiling like an idiot in the middle of the night. It's a good romance movie if you just want your heart to flutter or if you're a sucker for fluff romance, you'll absolutely love this. HOWEVER...if I was about 13 years old right now, I would've said this was the best romance movie I've seen but I have half outgrown that and I wanted to review some things.First off, the story. Again, cute moments but I just wanted to commend the producers, the writers for having to expound the concept of unrequited love. In my 21 years, it's the first time I got to hear someone say, even if it is from a fictional movie, that unrequited love is "fun". At first I was thinking how utterly ridiculous that was, but then I realized the actual feeling of having a crush. It is fun. To love someone, to like someone, to have a crush on someone. The rush of feeling these emotions are quite thrilling. And also, these days, there's a thing called happy crush. Where you just find someone that makes your day, that inspires you, and for you to look forward to stuff because you get to see them everyday. It's so similar to that. This movie made me realize, it's not uncommon.
Next, the "unrequited love game". This isn't my first japanese drama/movie, I am a veteran to japanese dramas and movies already, and I am still baffled by the concepts that they often think about. Rental boyfriends/girlfriends, being someone's pet, or even "buying" a real human on the net (don't ask about that jdrama lol) This is just one of them, except this is kind of a little more tame? BUT Realistically, the "unrequited love game" WOULD NOT be ideal, you can already guess why *points the word "stalking" in bold letters* I was honestly so confused when they said that because, huh, what's the point? You want the girl to come after you, and look like a total loser and creepy stalker? And also, woah, is this what unrequited love girlies and guys do? However, I tried to be more open about it. As much as I found it weird, some of it is kinda true. When we like someone, when we have a crush on someone, we often do the stalking...that is, usually on the internet lol. Or we would come out of our way just to see them because they make our day, we love watching them from afar and knowing what they like and want to like what they like. It just shows how crazy love is because we end up doing crazy stuff.
And with that, I also want to say how interesting it is that they kind of broke the "pretend relationship" genre. Usually it's like this, girl has broken heart, meets the popular cold guy in school, and pretends dating guy who might want his fans to back off and girl wants to forget about her past love and then in the end they for real fall for each other. BUT THIS, this was a different approach, and I LIKED that. And it all made sense when the ending came, where it was revealed that Chigira had feelings for Maya from the start. It made me think how Chigira wanted to let Maya move on, but also he courted her without her even realizing it. He wanted Maya to come to him, he wanted Maya to like him, letting her realize that HE'S THERE. And the more I think about it, it's just so sweet T T
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The acting. I wouldn't change the cast if it were me, they were perfect. But Takahashi Kyohei's acting kind of does need work. I REALLY LIKE THE PARTS WHERE HE SMILES but the expressions in some scenes irked me--I am very meticulous when it comes to, ESPECIALLY when it comes to expressions and emotions in the eyes. There were some scenes where I was looking for worry, pondering, sad expressions on his face but usually his expressions were just blank. That one scene where he was thinking if he should text Maya or not, I did not see any expression on his face.
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All in all, I would personally watch it again if I want a good heart flutter or if I just want something light and fluffy. I would recommend it for those who are still hesitant to watch it because the story's good and kinda unique, also considering how I analyzed it. But would've loved to see this as a drama series though since it felt kind of rushed. But again, go ahead and watch it!
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I am notoriously hard to please when it comes to rating dramas, especially historical dramas, but this one is one of my favorites. I gave it a 9, which is high praise that only a few other dramas have gotten from me.
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This review may contain spoilers
At Its Core, It's a Video Game Movie
I'm prefacing this by saying that I'm as massive fan of the Dynasty Warriors franchise, so when this movie got announced I was both terrified and excited simultaneously to see it happen. I wasn't disappointed, but neither was I wholly impressed, but I did find myself actually enjoying the movie.The biggest thing you need to understand going into this is that this movie is, at the end of the day, a video game movie. If you're going in looking for a Three Kingdoms (2010)-Dynasty Warriors combo, this isn't it. The story is pretty straight-forward, the action is kinda insane, and so long as you take it for what it is - an adaptation of a franchise known for being a little whack - then you will enjoy this movie if for no other reason than it's nuts.
The characters are about what you'd expect from a Dynasty Warriors setting: Liu Bei and his brothers fight for righteousness and to restore the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao is coming in with ulterior motives and seeking to get rid of the crumbling Han Dynasty, and you have Dong Zhuo being the evil supervillain he is with Lu Bu on a leash. None of them are particularly deep, but considering that the video game franchise only just now made them more than archetypes (i.e. Cao Cao isn't a mustache twirling villain anymore and Liu Bei's personality is now more than "BENEVOLENCE!"), it was about what I expected going in. Wang Kai was amazing as Cao Cao and gave him an interesting bit of depth I wasn't expecting, and he was probably one of the best things about the movie. Tony Yang as Liu Bei was pretty bland overall, but that seemed more from the script and less from him. Louis Koo is about the only person I figured could have pulled off Lu Bu and he did great. I wasn't too hip on most of the cast when I saw the initial casting, but in terms of capturing what the characters were about in the source material, they did a decent job. Not good, not bad, just decent.
The story was... lackluster. Honestly, this is one of those movies where you really shouldn't be going into this for the story. There was one, and if you know anything about Romance of the Three Kingdoms, then this is hardly a spoiler: Dong Zhuo usurps the throne and our intrepid heroes form a coalition to stop him no matter the cost, but it was clearly an afterthought when placed beside the absolutely insane fight scenes that I expected out of this movie. It was pretty obvious that the movie was made around the battles between Lu Bu and... everyone. They attempted to explain how these people got their weird, whack powers and it felt dumb. If they had just owned it and had everyone's weapons shooting fire and lightning, it would have worked better than trying to explain it, honestly. It felt really cliched to have these weapons be "magical" and "given to people with great destinies" when literally everyone and their mother is slinging elemental powers around in the source material. Letting the viewer just use the suspension of disbelief would have been much more effective. The movie also ended in a weird place, which left me sitting back and going "Wait, we're ending here?" Nothing really gets resolved and that's really disappointing considering how they were building up the big battle with Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, Liu Bei and his bros against Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu. They get to Luoyang, there's a time skip, and suddenly the credits are rolling. It's a weird stopping point, especially if we never see a sequel.
The effects were okay, not horrible and the stylized way they were done weirdly fit the movie, and the fight scenes were exactly what you'd expect in a movie that was blending the crazy elements of a video game with wuxia martial arts. The crazy part is that it works. The stuff in between the fights did leave me hoping that someone would start a fight again just to get it moving because they were hands-down the best part of the movie. They were insane. They were crazy. They were chaotic.
And I loved them.
When the movie embraces the "one dude killing thousands of people on his own" motif, it is so much fun that it's insane. When it grabs ahold of what made Dynasty Warriors cool, the movie is incredible. It's so much fun and I found myself going "This is insane, and I love it!" more than once during the fight scenes. When it tries to be a melodrama with a wuxia backdrop, it fails. Horribly.
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