No angst, no extremely evil characters, no overdramatic FL or an extremely unrealistic ML.
Just a simply and lovely romance with good acting and enough drama to keep the thing going for a couple of hours.
Acting is great here, if you are familiar with the ML you will know you are going to watch some good acting, the FL was nice too so it was nicely done.
The whole story is cliché which is the norm with VDs but this is one of the good dramas.
Recommended ~
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The way death note ended gives lot of questions to us viewers just what happen to the world after? Given that death note still exist. This film tries to answer that question as 6 death notes spread around the world; it also clarifies some rules and expands it more which only makes it more interesting for possible sequels in the future. Also, the film did a nice job of portraying the post death note world as how we imagine it, death note used as a tool for terrorism and the idea of death note as the key for world order. Although even with interesting setting, fans of death note would be a bit disappointed here as it lacks the brain power of the original, nothing new as plot twist and tricks were all familiar, the execution was right but sometimes innovation is needed.
Although the movie's substance is a bit of a disappointment what it excels at is its stunning visuals it's so good, it's directed by Shinsuke Sato in the first place, the guy who directed Gantz and I am hero so you know what to expect if you watched those, the camera shots were awesome and the films atmosphere too, and also THE CGI WAS TOP NOTCHED RYUK here is miles better than the original.
Imagining death note without Light and L would be hard but at least their presence was felt from video recordings of them throughout the movie which IMO was a brilliant idea. As for the rivalry, it is now played by Ryuzaki and Shien which was subpar compared to the original but please do yourself a favor "DO NO WATCH THIS FILM WITHOUT WATCHING THE 3 PART MINI SERIES" this will make you connect with them and understand their motivation better. The acting from 3 main actors was excellent even higashide which at first I thought would be subpar compared to ikematsu and suda.
Got the same feeling from watching Crows Explode, just replicates the awesomeness of the original but offers nothing new. Felt a bit of cash grab. Felt a bit disappointed especially that actors played their characters well.
Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/
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We Must Choose To Live The Life We Never Want To Go Back And Fix
I am in shock by how much I truly enjoyed this show. I saw people recommending it here and there but I kept putting it off until it was already around the time when about 5 or 6 episodes were out.THEY SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT ON THIS SHOW!!!
SPOILERS AHEAD
I just wanted to give a brief overview of the main characters…
You have Kawi who is a chaotic, anxious, and lost mess who doesn’t have the highest sense of self-worth and self-assurance but yet still wants to do what’s right, wants to learn from his mistakes, and is in my opinion overall a good person. I think Kawi can be quite misunderstood as a character or some people may take fault with how he goes about dealing with certain situations but I think he might be one of, if not, the most relatable characters on the show. Life is full of choices and we as humans can struggle at times to know which way to go or how to handle things. Also, having to deal with such opposing feelings and the effects that those feelings can have on others around us. He is the perfect example of honesty within yourself and to others.
Pisaeng is BEST BOY TRULY!!! He is the ride or die man!!! He is loyal to Kawi through and through no matter what timeline they are in. Even during those moments where they are still just friends and Kawi is grappling with his overwhelming emotions, Pisaeng is still there. I loved that we got to see a glimpse into him coming to terms with his identity. I also thought that the storyline concerning his mother was very valid and needed attention so I am glad that it was included. Pisaeng is the type that is self-sacrificing, almost too much, but that’s something one can learn to overcome. What else can I say other than that his heart is so pure.
PEAR IS WHAT A FEMALE CHARACTER IN A BL SHOULD BE LIKE!!! I LOVED that we got to see a multi dimensional female character on the show who’s only purpose wasn’t to be going after a man that clearly doesn’t want her. Her relationship with her parents, particularly her mom really made me emotional to see and seeing her hypothetical outcome in the future really made me feel for her even more. She turned out to be such a great friend to Kawi and Pisaeng and that’s how it should be.
Max is the friend that we all need. I liked his honesty towards his friends. People need the truth, you can’t always sugarcoat everything and Max gave that. He really served as a much needed confidant for both Kawi and Pisaeng. I really wish his character could have had more of a storyline other than just as being a friend but I really truly feel like his purpose was to showcase the importance of equality for all.
Now on to what I liked about the show…
Be My Favorite manages to tackle many themes in it’s runtime without feeling forced. It touches on things like discovery/identity, acceptance, forgiveness, healing, liberation, how the past impacts the present/future, friendship, living in the moment, and many more.
Not only that but the pacing of this show is spot on as well. There wasn’t ever a moment where I felt like a scene was unneeded. Everything just flowed nicely. I also thought that the writing on this show was surprisingly wonderful. The dialogue stayed with me and every line felt like it was meant to be there. The plot kept me coming back for more.
I can’t talk about this show without mentioning the main characters acting. Krist and Fluke were an unlikely but wonderful combination together. I thought they both played their roles with conviction and believability. The chemistry was chemistrying for sure lol
I also thought that the show utilized the time travel concept very well. It was actually interwoven into the plot and it seemed like whoever came up with the idea really knew how to execute it well.
There wasn’t much that I disliked about this show if you couldn’t already tell.
All in all, this is one of the best BL’s of 2023 and one of the best BL’s in general. It deserves ALL of the love and praise!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
Ok, this was a long ride. Before you read my review, I will need to tell you a few things that might explain this whole review better:• I watched only a few Japanese dramas. 10% of them are the ones I did not like, not at all, and 90% are absolute pure love. No middle ground.
• I dropped Prism after the 1st episode, but I was persuaded to go back, and that was my 5th attempt to drop something. I failed, again. I am glad I returned. I am glad I waited months for subs, literally a month or slightly more between the episodes.
But what makes Prism so significant to me, and why I had to review it!? I will try to be as precise as possible:
FL is gentle, delicate, imperfectly perfect, and absolute sunshine. Which made her so strong and slightly unreal, but I loved how sometimes I wanted to b***ch about her, but she said and did everything right. Her character broke me.
Dialogues are very nice, very civilized, and very down to earth. Everything about this drama is down to earth. I love the explosion of emotions, but Prism gave me the needed balance.
I was scared, the whole time that the story would walk into some silly cliche, but it did not. Thank heavens, I would be so pissed otherwise.
I loved the aesthetic, a lingering feeling of undefined relationships, a mixture of love, friendship, reality, and sacrifice. The whole story about the perseverance of memory, past, and families really had a decent depth. And I do not believe everyone would see the beauty and the ugliness of a CHANGE.
This might not be the masterpiece, but this drama did something for me, hurt me a little, shook me a little, and made me feel something, which is just enough for me.
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A Korean “English Countryside” Drama (quaint, it’s all cosy and quaint)
Usually I never write a review until a drama is finished but I felt that this time around I must. Given that the usual MDL ways of down rating a drama happens when the female lead IS NOT super young and hot (insert a generic Zao Lusi or Kim So Hyun prototype here. They both are very talented and pretty ladies. I personally am a fan of Ki So Hyun. I am just talking about how people react on this forum).Moving on, anyone who likes cosy village settings with super wacky and weird characters will like this drama. A lot of the characters do questionable stuff and so many characters are so weird. Even the pets are funny and strange. This drama “reads” and feels like a book. Fans of PG Wodehouse, Legends and Latte, Indian Malgudi Days, will know what I am talking about. So it may not be everyone’s cup of tea at all. However it must be noted that this drama is doing exceptionally well in Korea. I am glad. So many times Korean productions have to bow down to international tastes that they lose their unique touch. Not so in this case.
Han Ji Min is amazing in this, I had always seen her in sad or dramatic works and I was pleasantly surprised to see she has good comedic timing. Her male lead, is usually wooden but he is emoting very well.
Han Ji Mins’, curly haired sister is amazing. I really liked her in one spring night too.
Anyways I am really enjoying it. Hope it does not do a nosedive towards the end like many K Dramas do.
****************
My thoughts after watching this - a very nice thriller whodunnit mystery and the bickering about chemistry between the leads (non romantic for most of the show) was good. The setting, the characters were very unique. A throughly enjoyable drama
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Very sweet
I started watching this drama because I am a fan of daddi tang since I've seen a couple of his works and I liked them, especially in the roles he played ML. Now another reason I started this drama was that I previously saw "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" where Fair xing was the female lead and Daddi was the second male lead, so I wanted to see more of their chemistry. Now obviously if a drama isn't good I'll drop it even if I like the actor/actress, but that wasn't the case with this drama.This drama was pure fluff. We didn't have unnecessary angst or misunderstanding that lasted for episodes. Their chemistry was also very good. The ending was one of the best endings I've seen for a Chinese drama.
Definitely recommend watching, you won't regret
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The character portrayals are what makes this drama fantastic: from the handsome player,, the shy classmate whom t the guys adore, the lovely med student who blindly follows parent's orders, the popular coworker, to the perky girl who falls for her coworker. What's a girl to do when she loves a guy whose heart yearns for his old schoolmate? Rika will win your heart and maybe break it. I rarely have found a character that I adore so much. How can someone smile amid so much pain? I wish we all could. And that is why this is such a worthwhile watch.
Music was great, The clothes, hair styles, and phones were all outdated. So what! This one is a classic!
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Twists and turns
The trailer and cover photo make you think one way the story will go but it’s so so different. Rather enjoyed this! Would love to see an American version of this ! I loved the two main Leads . Did you notice that their appearance seem to change as they fell in love? Both got more attractive . Forgiveness, second chances, coping with loss all were themes but lots of humorous moments too. Really enjoyed this. Fell in love with the lead actor he is adorable and kinda sexy and kinda scary all rolled up into one .Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
You should watch this. It is really good.
Since this a web drama (most web dramas usually don't take more than an hour each an episode) You can watch this anytime. You can watch this in only a short amount of time....By traveling back in time, she realized how hard it was for her mom. She made a lot of hard decision to make the future (or present) right. By watching this web drama, I learned that we should understand our parents because we do not know what they had been through. Even though I had to wait for the next episode for so longgg (like every 7 days), it was worth the wait. Anyway it is a really nice story I give it a 10/10.
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The story isn't something that hasn't been done before, but it's really entertaining, and there were more fantasy elements than I initally expected. I think the pace was perfect, not too fast and not too slow, so you can get to know the characters but it never gets boring. That being said, I must warn you, it ends with a cliffhanger (season 2 starts in January).
The acting was pretty good too. I have never thought that Ayase Haruka was a really good actress, just an alright one. And I really didn't see her playing a credible action heroine. And yet, she really surprised me. She's great throughout the 4 episodes, and she has a very strong presence that makes for a great lead character. Most of the rest of actors were good too. I've always liked Higashide Masahiro a lot, and he's really good here. He's very funny and charismatic. Takashima Reiko was really funny too. Kimura Fumino is pretty good too, specially in the first episode. Kobayashi Kai is a bit annoying, and not the best of child actors, but I must admit the role was very difficult. Lastly, I won't say much about Fujiwara Tatsuya, because I've hated him for a long time, so I'm too biased (he overacts SO MUCH, it's incredibly annoying). Thank god he doesn't appear much.
The music was spectacular, it felt like listening to a movie soundtrack. Actually, most about this drama felt like a movie. All the technical aspectas were miles better than in the average j-drama. It's clear that they had a pretty big budget. The cinematography was great, and so were the costumes (even if a few of them were a bit ridiculous). The special effects were great, considering it's a J-drama (effects in j-movies aren't much better...). But mostly, I was shocked by how good the fight scenes were. They're the best fight scenes I've seen in a Japanese prodcution, drama or movie.
To sum up, I was pleasantly surprised by Seirei no Moribito in almost every way. I can't wait for the second season, even if there are still 8 months left. I guess in the meantime I'll have to watch the anime adaptation.
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If a plate of scrambled eggs wrote a screenplay, it would have written this.
You may or may not have fun watching this one. But you'll probably have fun talking about it in the comments.So many things don't really make sense. So. Many. Things. Where to even start.
You will be confronted on many levels by this drama. It begins with an ML who is supposed to be "almost 30".... being played by an actor who is 47. That is an 18 year age difference. Some say the ML is hot and manly. That is up to you to decide. But we can safely say there is something strange going on in his neck area, and his hair makes him look like an ancient chinese car salesman. Maybe that will bother you. Maybe it wont. Who knows.
Then you will be confronted by a 2ML who you will have to decide if you ship. Will you think he's Simpy McSimperson, an NPC with no real character of his own, who is annoying and stupid and serves no real purpose in the show? Or will you think he's sexylicious, and the FL's only real friend, and she's stupid for not running off with him to live a live of banditry in the woods? There is no telling, you'd just have to find out for yourself.
Then you will be confronted by the way the ML treats the FL. Is he manly and protective with reasons of his own for doing what he does? Or is he stockholming the FL and being a spineless passive aggressive douchebag? That's up to you to decide.
You will also be confronted by ML/FL kiss scenes. Will you think they are fiery and electric? Or will you think they are disturbing and strange. There is only one way to find out, and that's to see it for yourself.
And then... you will be confronted by plot holes. Lots of them. You could make a game out of it.... how many plot holes did YOU find? Five? Ten? Twelve? Winner gets bragging rights. You will likewise be confronted with a mind boggling amount of scheming and villainy. Sometimes you will not understand why a character did what they did or said what they said. Does anyone have the answers to clear your confusion? Perhaps. Or perhaps not.
I can say, the styling was really phoned-in and lo-effort. There were some scenes where I was looking at the dotted pattern along the wigline on ML closeups. I can also say that there is an abundance of overacting. It's not THAT bad, but it's there. Many actors and actresses on this drama were overacting to one degree or another. For some, it was just a hint of overacting, like the FL. For others on the supporting cast, the overacting was really quite much. And that's fine, I don't really mind that so much if other factors are present. But just so you know going in... this is less of an understated, subtle drama.... and more of a thrill-ride drama. I guess what you'd expect from 30-min episodes, really. Let's just say these performances aren't winning any awards, know what I'm sayin. It's meant more for fun, and not for serious viewing. If you go into this one very serious-minded.... you are going to have a BAD time. But if you go in to watch just for fun.... who knows what kind of time you'll have.
It's all mixed up. It's kind of mindless. Plot and logistics of things are pretty nebulous. Ending was kind of.... shall we say conversation-inspiring. Will you like it? Maybe. Or.... maybe not. I am reminded of a Blackadder quote by Lord Talbert Buxomley: "This drama talks like a plate of beans negotiating it's way out of a cow's digestive system." And I think that says it best, really.
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There are two HUGE reasons why this drama stood out so much in my mind:
1. The script - I don't mean the storyline, but rather the things that they say and the meaning behind WHAT they say. Personally, I jot down quotes of lines I like while I watch my dramas and I am 100% sure that "In Time with You" will be holding the record of Most-"Memorable Quotes" for a very, VERY long time.
2. The character setup (I'm not sure what it's actually supposed to be called, or if there is even a name for it.) - Out of all the dramas I've seen (not that I can be a fair judge of them all because I have not watched all the dramas in the world), not once do I ever remember seeing the lead-male act almost like the second-lead-male. Partway through, I started to really doubt whether Chen Bo Lin/Li Da Ren really WAS the lead-male, or if he was just some sort of secondary character. In all the other dramas that I've watched/can think of, the lead-female always ends up with the lead-male, and we (I) pretty much expect it to happen. But if she ends up with the second-lead-male instead, then it's almost considered a "sad ending".
So in my opinion, kudos to the actors and actresses for making the second-lead-male stand out so much that I just didn't know HOW it was going to end until it finally ended.
First off, the storyline. I would have to describe it as an in-depth look at a (seemingly) classic situation. Friends-turned-lovers, nothing special, right? But somehow, I felt that the way their whole relationship was portrayed was just simply...perfect.
While some might say that their "just friends" relationship dragged on for far too long, I actually felt that they were "practically lovers" to begin with. They had their “break-up” and “get-together” moments too, even if they were “just friends”. Seeing so much of their "friendship" for so long, I also feel like I got a taste of what it felt like to be Cheng You Qing - I'd always expect Li Da Ren to be there for her no matter what, being the "best friend" that he is.
So for me, even though I was hoping for change while watching from a third-person point of view (the way their friends and family members felt), their friendship was so solid that even I was convinced that there really WAS the possibility that nothing would ever change (the way Cheng You Qing and Li Da Ren felt).
In addition to their own 'big issue', there was just enough everyone-else-drama so that the whole drama wasn't "just about them", but also about work, family, etc.
As for the Acting/Cast - I was actually really REALLY impressed. For starters, the cast included newbie actors/actresses to play the roles of Ding Li Wei and Maggie, which were pretty big roles. Despite it being their first drama, their characters were portrayed very solidly and never once did I think "oh, they're just acting." I never got the impression that this was just another one of those “fake, jokester dramas”. Nope, this one was serious- serious all the way. Nothing, their words nor actions, were out of character, and I probably would've believed you if you'd told me that they've actually been acting for years. I think credit also goes to the director - from watching the "behind the scenes", I feel like he played a big part in getting their characters to come out as well.
There is one actress in particular that I must praise as well, and that is Ariel Lin. I must confess that I was never a real fan of Ariel Lin. Watching her in ISWAK, Love Contract, and Tokyo Juliet, I continuously got the impression that her characters were all the same - just simply, dumb when in love. While I'm sure it's not her fault because that's just how the script was written, I had always been under the impression that she was simply just suited for "childish roles", and I told myself that I wouldn't be too surprised if she turned out to be a childish character in this drama as well. Sure, she had her cool and composed "I don't need love" moments in Love Contract, and her serious work-focused moments in Tokyo Juliet, but once she 'fell for the guy', all of that was kicked aside and tossed down the drain, and all the serious-attitude that she’d worked to build up before was just…gone. She'd just be in silly “lovey-dovey mode” for the rest of the drama. Up until I watched "In Time with You", that was my impression of Ariel Lin. (I don't mean to offend any Ariel Lin fans or anyone who is a fan of those dramas.) I was just so shocked, impressed, and GLAD all at the same time that I finally got to see her play a "mature" role. I loved being able to watch her act as an ALWAYS-work-focused, consistently hard-working, "I'll take on work and play all at the same time" kind of character. I'm glad that I got to see this "different side" of her - a mature side that was able to control her feelings all the time, regardless of whether she was with her boyfriend or not (minus the few zone-out moments she occasionally had, but come now, we all have SOME moments). Despite her previous dramas, she wasn't too-cute, too-dumb, or too-air-headed; she was mature and sophisticated the majority of the time, "broken down" when she needed to be, and just naturally relaxing during her chill-time with Li Da Ren. For anyone that may have had the same impression of Ariel Lin as I did before I watched this drama - I would recommend giving this drama a shot to see if your opinion of her might change.
The music itself was not necessarily "amazing" or "simply grand" in any way, but it was still nice. The most important part was that suitable songs were played in suitable situations. I also really liked the addition of Chen Bo Lin/Li Da Ren's own song - it really gave certain scenes a deeper "feel" at those critical moments.
While this drama seems really typical, I think...there's just something about it that can't really be described by just "words". It incorporates a lot of different aspects of just "life", namely friendship, work, love, marriage, family, justification of self, and probably others as well. But in a sense, it’s a story that just kind of shows “Life” – it might not be your life or my life exactly, but for me, it was still close enough to hit home.
-Please keep in mind that this review was all based on personal opinion.-
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Pride and Prejudice
The Red Sleeve refers to the official hanbok worn by the court ladies of the Joseon Dynasty, in which its sleeve cuff has been dyed crimson red. I’ve watched many sageuk dramas over the years but this is the one production in which I’ve truly taken the time to appreciate the beauty of this simple traditional Korean clothing, the hanbok. It comes in many iterations and colours in this drama that does justice to the appropriately named title.This drama is a “faction” sageuk (mixing facts and fiction) that heavily romanticizes the life story of King Jeongjo and Royal Noble Consort Uibin Seong, as well as their ensuing romance, through a narrative that spans a number of decades. Countless other real life historical figures are present in this drama but the events that transpire, including the depicted themes, are very much fictionalised.
The only MBC sageuk released this year that is directed by Jung Ji-in and Song Yeon-hwa, it is based on a screenplay written by Jung Hae Ri (The Emperor: Owner of the Mask) that is adapted from the 2017 novel, The Sleeve’s Red Cuff by Kang Mi-kang. This is a live-shoot production which began in May 2021 right through to 21 December 2021, with principal photography taking place entirely at the famous Yongin Daejanggeum Park. Initially planned for 16 episodes, an additional 17th episode was added due to overwhelming popularity reflected in the ratings spike during its run. Prolific composer Noh Hyeong Woo serves as music director.
In the recent 2021 MBC Drama Awards, The Red Sleeve took home a plethora of trophies including Top Excellence Awards for stars Lee Jun Ho and Lee Se Young, the Lifetime Achievement Award for Lee Deok Hwa, the Best Couple Award, the Best Supporting Actor Award for Jang Hye Jin, the Best New Actor award for Kang Hoon, and the Best Screenwriter Award.
What I Liked
The story. I won’t comment on the accuracy of the history or the presumably anachronistic nature of the storytelling and characterization (which is present in various forms in most, if not all, faction sageuk anyway). For the most part, I’ve enjoyed the many elements and themes incorporated in the story that makes the drama eventful, engaging and interesting. In addition to the usual court politics involving power struggles between different factions, there is a strong focus on the cultural background and role of the Joseon court ladies aka Gungnyeo (literally "palace women"), a Korean term referring to women waiting on the king and other royalty in traditional Korean society. I think the last time I’ve seen such similar emphasis was in Jewel in the Palace several decades ago.
Even the romance feels quite extraordinary - the depiction is ahead of the times because there is a profound feminist tone to the trajectory of the FL and the push-pull relationship dynamics of the leads. Most historical dramas reflect the sense and sensibilities of the setting which lean heavily on repressive hierarchical structures and Confucian teachings, particularly on women. Here, the FL draws many parallels to Jane Austen's Elizabeth Bennet. Independent, resilient, cool-headed and sensible.
The production values. This drama is one of the most beautiful sageuk productions I’ve seen in a while. There isn’t much to complain about because every technical aspect is very well executed and plain to see. The cinematic visuals, gorgeous cinematography that involves a variety of framing techniques to breathe life into the atmospherics. Praise of course goes to the art direction of the set designs and the beautiful costumes. Unsurprisingly the women outshine the men in terms of fashion. The action is few and far between but no less decent, with one major battle sequence occurring during the first half of the drama.
Although the drama starts off with lightheartedness, it eventually settles on a consistently more serious tone. I didn’t particularly enjoy the moments of levity which I found jarring when interspersed among the intense moments but fortunately they did not last very long. I think the dramatic tension is much better portrayed and credit goes to the cast for the delivery. My first time seeing Lee Jun Ho and what a performance from him as King Jeongjo aka Yi San. He basically grows into the role where the momentum progressively builds as the story unfolds. He imbues the character with a remarkable duality with such finesse which gloriously reflects the range that he actually possesses. I honestly thought at times he steals the limelight from Lee Se Young who plays the FL and love interest Sung Deok Im. That’s not to say she underperforms because her role which reflects the uncharacteristic modernity in the characterisation is richly layered and complex in and of itself. However, IMHO, her interpretation isn't at the same level as Lee Jun Ho's nuanced articulation, especially in the second half of the drama.
The SML Hong Deok Ro is played by Kang Hoon. Among all the characters depicted, this is quite literally the most theatrical. I really have to applaud his performance because it well and truly matches the dynamic character trajectory as it is written into the sequence of events in the plot. One bit of astonishing cliche lies in his character developing facial hair, in part to manifest the passage of time but mainly to afford him a more nefarious facade. In contrast the ML remains clean shaven, young and handsome amidst the transformation around him. Quite the juxtaposition there.
Veteran actors make up the bulk of the supporting cast to deliver some of the more dramatically compelling moments. I have truly relished the performances of Lee Deok Hwa, Park Ji Young, Kang Mal Geum, Jang Hye Jin and Jang Hee Jin, despite their limited amount of screen time. Lee Deok Hwa certainly demonstrates the gravitas for the role of King Yeongjo while the others provide the perfect display of women with substance and mettle.
The music in The Red Sleeve is exceptional, a key aspect which most viewers should come to expect of a sageuk by now. The original score complements the entire production by subtly enhancing the ambience of many powerful scenes with its orchestral BGM. Likewise the soundtrack, featuring a total of nine original songs of which most are love ballads. My personal favourites are I Wish and Let Go of Your Hand.
Whee In (휘인) - I Wish (바라고 바라)
Ben (벤) - Star That Never Sleeps (잠들지 않는 별)
Jeong Sewoon (정세운) - You Are My Miracle (네가 나의 기적인 것처럼)
Minhyun (민현) - I'll Spend All My Days With You (모든 날을 너와 함께 할게)
Shim Gyu Sun (Lucia)(심규선) - It's Beautiful At Last (비로소 아름다워)
Jeon Sang-geun (전상근) - I'll Take One Step Back (내가 한 걸음 뒤로 갈게)
XIA (준수) - I'm Still (네가 불어오는 이곳에서 난 여전히)
Lee Seon-hee (이선희) - Let Go of Your Hand (그대 손 놓아요)
Lia (ITZY 리아)- I'll Light It Up Like A Star (밝혀줄게 별처럼)
What I Liked Less
The plot is quite straightforward yet holds much potential, especially with the infusion of a huge dose of fictional elements such as the emergence of an underground sisterhood of court ladies. The political aspects involving the grandfather, King Yeongjo and other factions vying for power initially appear quite intriguing as well. However, as the story progresses, each of these fascinating arcs falls by the wayside rather too quickly.
I wanted to witness more of King Yeongjo’s infamous tyranny but he comes across as an endearing yet senile old man engaged in a repetitive and destructive cycle with his grandson, Yi San. Reproach, incarcerate, forgive, then release him, and this sequence repeats another three to four times. Not that I blame him entirely because Yi San continuously partakes in pointless subversive activities through the secret organisation, Deongdukhoe, that produces little to no meaningful accomplishments apart from sabotaging his own legitimacy as Crown Prince.
Both the ML and FL share a repetitive cycle laden with angst of their own as well, which involves Yi San frequently expressing his love for Deok Im only to have his affections rejected time and again. The FL’s mental fortitude appears to be in a constant state of flux judging from her reactions each time she rebuffs Yi San’s advances. In any case, I understand and empathise with her wish for independence from regal constrictions and the vagaries that would no doubt ensue if married to the King. This miserable state of affairs takes up quite a fair portion of the later half of the drama.
Final Thoughts
The Red Sleeve is an enthralling watch mainly for the quality of its production and technical execution. The visuals are an absolute feast for the eyes while the performances of the extensive cast is quite exceptional. Despite my issues with aspects of the narrative, there is no doubting the intensity of the chemistry between the two leads. The bittersweet ending is somewhat consistent with historical records, although personally I wished that the story would have ended at an earlier and more positive juncture. All things considered, the pros outweigh the cons and if you are in the mood for a well-produced and well-acted romance sageuk, then this might be worth checking out.
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