Reviews

A Very Poetic Drama

If anyone asks me which drama is the most visually beautiful, poetic drama I've ever seen, it would be Her Private Life. The camera angles in this series are just simply brilliant. I came for Kim Jae Wook and he did not disappoint. The storyline itself is also very warm and touching and cute at the same time. The chemistry between the leads are off the chart and is simply one of the best three chemistries I've ever seen (besides Crash Landing On You and My Roomate is a Gumiho). After watching, many beautiful and meaningful scenes have stayed with me and simply make this drama one of the most favorites of mine. I highly recommend this drama to everyone!

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Pure entertainment at first, followed by exhaustion and frustration (not in a good way)

Let me first say: this is merely my opinion, judging by other reviews there are surely many people who enjoyed watching this one, I didn’t.

Also: I have not seen the original nor any other version of this Drama, I may later so I can judge whether or not my problems with this Drama are only with this version or the story in itself.

Let’s talk about the actors/acting first.
I am a huge fan of the main couple/ their actors. I loved their chemistry in the eternal love, and for the first half I also loved it here, later on due to the drastic change in one of the characters character I kind of didn’t feel it as much anymore.
Their acting may have been a little over the top in some scenes, but for me that fit the Drama (that was a little over the top in itself) quite nicely. All in all the actors chosen fit their characters nicely. My only problem would be how the Mom of the female lead was acted. To me her expressions sometimes didn’t really fit how her character was described.
I’ll use this spot to give a big shout out to the actors/character of the best friends of the main leads. They were my ray of light throughout this series, and never failed to make me enjoy the scenes they were in. And sadly towards the end were my only source of some fun in between all the drama.

Now let’s talk about the plot. This started out as one of the most amusing Dramas I have ever watched. Everything was so extremely weird, unusual and unrealistic, filmed in such a fun way, I was literally on the floor with laughter for the first few episodes. I thought this would be a Drama were you could have a lot of fun if you didn’t use your brain, or it’s function to reason all that much. However, somewhere around the middle those weird scenes that made me laugh more and more turned into weird scenes that were just weird, stupid and frustrating. One misunderstanding started piling on to the next, until it got to a point were I didn’t even care anymore if those misunderstandings got solved. I really just wanted it to end.

To me there is good Drama and there is bad Drama. Good Drama is the kind that has got you on your tiptoes anticipating what will happen next, good Drama is understandable Drama, misunderstandings that can’t really be avoided, good drama may also be frustrating at times, but it also throws you some treats of happiness or hope every once in a while. Some misunderstandings need to be cleared up before piling on more problems. Other wise I for one start to lose interest.
Bad Drama is Drama/misunderstandings that you see coming from miles away, that is not based on any real reason and more the inability to communicate about the simplest things.
In this Drama misunderstandings just kept coming, really for the stupidest things, drifting the main characters further and further apart, basically for no reason at all, except for their inability to communicate. If a misunderstanding could be easily solved by having one simple conversation, then that is not a good source of Drama.

This might have been bearable if it was just a few episodes of this kind of Drama, sadly it just kept on going for the entire Drama, only solved in the last 10 minutes.

Another point is the weird character transformation of the female lead. To me it would have been nice to see some kind of slow transformation in her character but she basically just made a jump and became a completely different person, and sure the story kind of explains why, however to me the jump was just too big, no matter how much a person changes you would still be able to detect some traces of their original character, to me she just seemed like a completely different person... this may also be the reason I didn’t feel the main couples chemistry that much anymore.
Also for the male lead, his character was kind of inconsistent? He was described as a cold character with a good heart, but honestly he just seemed like a good hearted, bubbly character most of the time, and “cold scenes” really felt out of character to me.

There’s so much more I could complain about, but I’ll end it here for now. It’s just extremely disappointing to see a Drama that started out so well, losing everything that made me like it in the first place and turning into something completely different.

This might have been alright if it was a little shorter, since the story itself to me had some really interesting aspects... however how everything was executed, the sources of problems, the way the characters handled those problems, just felt too random and honestly exhausting to watch.

I did however really really like the OST.

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After reading the synopsis i was expecting it to be culinary/cooking centered, but it's actually more of slice-of-life type of drama

Story was about self growth of the ML, his past love, and people around him.
The loveline wasn't necessarily the focus but it makes a big impact.

Like the other review said, one minute it can be so funny and the next minute so heartwarming.
Watching this feels like watching everyone grow in front of my eyes, their imperfections was relatable. The mental health part doesn't have a good closure which is realistic. Because even in real life not many people put care and actually look for treatment.

Everyone did great with their roles. But I'm really impressed with Guan Xiaotong, her portrayal of Peng Jia He was amazing.

I wish they did better with ML's look in the flashbacks scenes, instead making him look young they ended up making him look older.

i really like the outro song, I'd definitely listen to it from time to time

Overall whole story was pretty light, it kinda gets a bit slow and boring in the middle.
It's not really my favorite and not really the one that I'd rewatch. However I'm thoroughly enjoying watching it.

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Cute mess

My expectations weren't high due to reviews but I must say this is one of the best series where all plot is focused on romance. Is it messy? Yes, but I enjoyed it.
I think as long as you won't have relationship smiliar to Kluen and Dao then you might see it as stupid but let's be honest; for some people feelings are hard to understand and many sucks at communiation. I can relate to Kluen tbh. Sometimes we can love someone but hurt them because we don't know how to deal with our own feelings.
I didn't enjoyed any BL like this for a long time. JoongDunk absolutely stole my heart, especially Joong. In Dunk case; you can see in hidden agenda and THK how he improved since this series.

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Warm to mind, Heal to heart.

This amazing series is a wonderful one, it has comedy,lovely moment, thriller scene, action scene and beautiful storyline as well.
Both ML/FL has act their characters really well. The buildup was great and give us viewers a reason to stay. I love how the camera angle works in this drama. There's scene that i felt like i am communicating with the characters. This drama has address one of mental health issue, abandonment. It is easy to watch, and easy to relate as well. The most i remembered from this kdrama, is the scene in the first ep (i called it the 'The hammer' scene, which is the key to this kdrama.

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Powerful in its authentic acting & realism combined with dramaturgical abstinence

Does love have an expiry date? Or is it we humans who persistently fail to create a living co-creation from the promising 'WE' for which Cupid's arrow once set the course? "Maybe we Broke Up" doesn't have an answer to that. But! In impressive dramaturgical abstinence, the KMovie encourages us to think about it.

"Maybe we Broke Up" is also known as "Someone you loved". It documents in fantastic realism the unspectacular 'ending' of a relationship – like so many others. Almost as if couples in crisis could have applied to a reality show, whereas the camera team followed one of them through this difficult time and also for several months beyond. Everything seems real and lifelike and familiar. At the same time dramaturgically abstinent with neither comedy nor jokes through embarrassment, nor suspense, nor eroticism, nor violence, nor action being staged to get tempers boiling.

The couple's relationship story takes its inexorable course. And the problem with this relationship is that it has lost all its appeal. Habit, everyday familiarity, and being taken for granted have taken the place of tingling love. Concepts, expectations and relationship dynamics, which are now well trained from behavioural patterns, keep the radius of emotional highs and lows in check. The KMovie is consistent in this respect and doesn't try to sugarcoat anything. The camera just stays on and the viewers stay tuned to the action. We don't get emotionally involved, we just watch. Maybe we take a stand for one or the other. But that's our business.

The film doesn't want to push us into any corner. It just wants to take us along. Documenting. And it doesn't actually tell us anything new: A relationship gets more and more out of balance. Actually speaking out about the situation eventually brings it all down. There is no turning back. The 'WE' has become two individuals again, who now have to sweep up their emotional shards themselves and thus get the chance to learn the best from their mistakes.

The power of "Maybe we Broke Up" lies in the authentic acting combined with dramaturgical abstinence. The author is also the director. He stays true to his idea. There is no evaluation. And it is precisely through this simple authenticity that the realistic story spirals so poignantly into the mind, leaving the audience with their own record - their thoughts, emotions, questions and well-known stories, be it their own and/or those of friends and/or relatives.








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Side note: ---- Gosi Civil Service Exam in South Korea ----

The civil service career has been a priority in Korea for centuries. It stands for social recognition, but even more for financial security, up to retirement. Since the 14th century, candidates for civil service have had to pass a state examination. There are nine levels of officials. For the lowest ninth level, all you need today is a high school diploma. The competition is massive. The ninth "Geup" is for those, who get accepted, the start. With years of service and performance, or a degree, the civil servants can then advance to the middle civil service career. But for a higher career up from the fifth "Geup" you have to take the "Gosi" admission test, which only takes place once a year. It is quite demanding, but can be repeated indefinitely. Needing several attempts is not uncommon (and the high demands of the exam are always a popular topic, even in KDramas).

The Gosi exam is only the door opener. After that, the training takes place. A degree is also mandatory for the upper Geups, especially law, economics or political science. Since civil servants are/should be the pillars of society, only the most talented citizens are traditionally selected for this. In fact, most of the top five Geup officials hail from one of the three elite SKY universities (Seoul National University, Koryo University, and Yonsei University). An enormous market for tutoring institutes has now grown, not only for the university entrance exams, but also for the Gosi exam. In these, the candidates are intensively prepared. For many, this means nothing other than: study and study even harder, period. For one year. The better the preparation, the better the chances. However, you can get a lot of support for a lot of money.

The Gosi exam wants to separate the wheat from the chaff. For some, money may help, for others, iron will power, diligence and a certain amount of talent/intelligence must suffice. This combined with a supportive social environment, because in that preparatory year (and possibly subsequent preparatory years) there is hardly time for part-time jobs and everyday obligations...
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This isn't your common, run-of-the-mill, drama. It's main focus is abuse, and what it does to a person, and that person, through friends, becoming stronger. While, each of the friends have their own issues, they find a way to work together to help each other overcome(or accept) those issues.



The acting in this drama is SUPERB, each actor portrayed their character perfectly. I have to give Nishikido Ryo huge props for his role. It was NOT easy for me to watch the scenes with him in them, which means he did great, but without those scenes this drama would not have been 1/10th as good.

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something different from your typical mini cdrama

I don’t usually write drama reviews, but I felt the need to for this drama.
1. This drama is surely different from the usual mini C-drama tropes. It involves the story an archaeologist who time-travels and becomes a royal concubine, while the male lead can enter people’s dreams, something I didn’t see coming.
2. I love that the writers didn’t forget she was an archaeologist! She was so excited to see and feel ancient artifacts in real life (the king included🫢).
3. The leads had amazing chemistry, resolved misunderstandings quickly, and the actors portrayed their characters so well.
4. The plot was never boring wi so many twists that kept me hooked.
5. It had a happy ending (for me at least), though the princess’s first love didn’t work out 💔, but she still found happiness.

Now that it’s over, I feel so empty 😢. If you’re thinking of watching, DO IT!

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A hidden gem with zero angst

This is one of these hidden gems that I am sometimes lucky enough to stumble upon. The storyline isn’t exactly new or different from other shows with this theme, but it is one of the funniest and sweetest. It is very lighthearted and there is zero angst.
Character wise:
ML is this super cute and funny somewhat goofy guy who isn’t the best at studying even if his father runs the school. FL is a headstrong woman who is actually a modern chemistry student who blows herself up in an experiment and wakes up in ancient times.
Actually all of the characters are likable except “the villain” - but even he is not scary at all, LOL.
Acting wise this is great. Given the short format I believe the actors did their best with their characters.
So, if you love a lighthearted, romantic comedy, with zero angst, this is a “Must Watch”.

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Revenge + Obsession + Buckets of Blood + Found Family

Completed - 4/15/2022 - 8.75

It's been a while since I last saw a drama with so much gore and blood. The last one was probably "Arthdal Chronicles". If you get squirmy with blood and violence, this might not be the right drama for you. However, if you can get past that, this is an exciting fantasy drama about reincarnation, revenge and freeing from a curse. Along the way, characters from different backgrounds and personalties came together to become a family.

This is a beautifully produced drama with great cinematography, action scenes, and incredible makeup. Not a small budget production. I don't think I have commented much on a drama's makeup before, but I got to give props to the makeup artists here. There's so much super-realistic blood all over the place, wounds of all shapes and sizes, protruding bone and slashes, and of course, facial makeup of our Bulgasals. Aesthetically, it just puts me in the right mindset to watch this drama. The OST is beautiful as well. Whenever the theme song is played, I feel all the emotions in the scenes, and the background music complements and sets the mood well.

I am quite familiar with the acting of the two female leads, having watch quite a few of their dramas, esp. Gong Seung Yeong ("Are You Human Too?", "Circle" & "Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency"). Kwong Na Ra ("Secret Royal Inspector" & "Suspicious Partner") and Gong Seung Yeon really look like sisters. Both have beautiful eyes that can convey emotions very well. On the other hand, this is my first drama of the two male leads, Lee Jin Wook and Lee Joon, and I am quite impressed with their acting. I think I am most impressed with Lee Joon, because his character just gives him so much more to work with. I love how his crazy personality matches all of his over-the-top outfits. Kim Wook Seok is adorable as the high schooler and his acting has improved tremendously since I last saw him in "Twenty-Twenty". The supporting cast is great as well with both veteran and child actors.

But the main attraction to this drama is its plot. Viewers need to be patient and pay attention in order to not get confused. Not everything is explained in the first few episodes. The history and entanglement between the characters are slowly revealed throughout the drama. You don't get the full story until the finale. I personally quite enjoy the storytelling as I try to piece together what's been revealed and guess what really happened many years ago. The pacing of the drama is pretty good (maybe just slowed down slightly in the middle) but I was focused and engaged throughout the drama. I would like to see more of the story told in historical times. And I would have liked for Dan Hwal to find out the reason for his family's death a little sooner. Because then, the found family and small romance can truly develop, and have more heartwarming scenes (that's just the romance-junkie in me talking). Dramas oftentimes do not finish strong, but I think "Bulgasal" has a strong and satisfactory finish. I was quite emotional in the last couple episodes. Ahh... I love the found family and wish them all have happily-ever endings.

This is by no means a perfect drama. I am still a little confused about Ok Eul Tae's obsession with Dan Hwal. Why was he so obsessed for so many years ago? It also seems like a very roundabout way to device a complicated plan to achieve his ultimate goal. When we finally get to the finale to find out what started all this mess, it was a little bit anti-climatic. I thought the origin of the curse and the entanglement would be a much bigger deal. The modern times monsters could be more terrifying and could be used more. And what happened to the fire inside the room with the well?

Objectively speaking, this might not be highly rated. But if I don't think too much and enjoy the ride, I quite like this drama, thus, a very generous 8.75 from me.

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Truly a masterpiece

What a truly great drama! At first I thought - the men in this show sure are feminine looking. By the end of the show I couldn't believe how great this show is. The amazing story, acting and music . Man oh man, the music is in a league of its own!
The plot has some amazing moments that just pull at your heartstrings. Interestingly, this show gets better every time you rewatch it! Don't be scared away by the Boy Love elements. It's really subtle if that's not your thing. I'm not into BL but by the end of this film I wanted the two male leads to live happily ever after!

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Wasn't great.. but a wholesome journey!

It's not like those crime thrillers which will keep you edge of the seat. But yeah it does have thrill and will make you wonder what's going to happen next. To be honest for me it was strong start I was hooked from first two episodes but for me it later lost track for a while but I enjoyed at very last .... so yeah it was good journey for me. But sure been great show coz it had a lots of potential.

You need a lot of patience to watch this, it's slow paced thriller in which in many episodes you'll get literally nothing. But it's really good ride to found out the truth. Like you suspect everyone and in the last the you'll get shock. For me some characters were unnecessary and there's no need of them and the side stories of them it made this draggy.

Mystery was one and only fact that kept me watching this I was curious to know what's going happen next. Yeah some thinigs were big shock for me while other predictable. To be honest I'm not big fan of the shows where from the start we get to see leads having grey shade or dark past and make us assume that ahh they can be culprit and in the end it turns 180 degree yep that thing was really predictable here.

Well well well talking about the title of the show it never actually revolves around cheating but yeah cheating plays important role in some aspects. And don't start to hate any character from the start coz there're chances that eventually you'll end up liking them. If you're expecting a wholesome ending it's not right place to find it, it's open ending. Nah I'm not disappointed coz I expected from the beginning that I'm not getting happy ending and as I assumed it left hanging with many unanswered questions.

Overall it was okay not must watch.... but definitely where you wanna know what's gonna happen next.

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"In the name of love, an angel goes through hell."

To what extent are you willing to do you to have your old self back? And when you're staring at your old self, you are conflicted if you are better off with your new self. A tough choice, right?

When you need to pick between power & prestige and love. Would you choose power & prestige that you are longing for so long. Or would you gamble with love that you never felt before?

STORY
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It started off as a typical rom-com, romatic comedy, story. But mid-way through the series, things are getting serious but there are still a lot of funny moments. The last third of the series is paced with seriousness laced with just a hint of comedic side.

I like how the production team paced the female protagonist everyday life, slow... As it amplifies the struggles she has to endure each and every minute, hour and day. But, the male protagonist is always there for her to make the day brighter.

During the course of the series, countless time would you ask yourself, if I was in Lin shoes, would I do the very same thing that she did especially when you are so close to bottom? When your back is against a wall, would you push back? When is enough is enough?

The series gently questions your morality about things and will make you wonder, will I do the same things what Lin did? I know I had moments just like that.

Lemme ask you... what will you choose? Power & prestige or love?

ACTING/CAST
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MIKALE LASALADON... errrr.... SOMCHAI (played by Jaylerr/JJ) - I've seen Jayler's Great Men Academy (GMA) and In Family We Trust (IFWT). In both series I was amazed how good he is an actor. Too bad though, neither of the two showed his singing and dacing skills. Unfortunately, this series is no exception. HOWEVER, his character in this is totally different from the 2 I mentioned earlier. His goofiness was intensified compared to GMA, and his seriousness too from IFWT. The features of his face really fits for an angel. When he acts as he experience new emotions/sensations were credible and believable too! As if he is a child that is experiecing the world for the first time.

LIN (JANE) - I've watched her in My Dear Loser: Edge of 17 and The Gifted. In both series, I have this vibe that she portrays a queen bee character quite well. Though, both series, her being a queen bee is contrasting. Yes My Dear Loser she still have a great admirers but she did use it to her advantage, unlike in The Gifted. That is why when I saw her in this series, I AM IMPRESSED! It was the complete opposite of a queen bee! And I can see in her eyes, the struggles she gone through. Can't wait to reprise her role in The Gifted: Graduation as Claire.

LUKE (MEK) - In Kiss Me Again and Dark Blue Kiss, he is the typical friend that goes along with the rest of the gang. And his character can be easily foreshadow by Nick's character, Jun. I've seen couple episodes of A Gift to the Person You Hate, I reached episode 5, but I wasn't able to notice him there. I guess I have to finish the series. Going to Angel Beside Me... OMG! The devilishly handsome looks fits him perfectly! And when he wears black, his face is more prominent even further and as if you are drawn to his stare. Hope he gets more kind of this role in the future since his acting is awesome as well!


MUSIC
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The song during the opening credits is so angelic, a perfect fit to the theme of the series. It is so light, bubbly and joyous. What help also is the sound effects, it were placed in the right moment giving those scenes an extra "kick" to the emotion.

REWATCH VALUE
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There is no real reason for me to watch this as if I want a romantic series, definitely there many more. I could rewatch this though for its comedic side.

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