Reviews

Romantic, Angsty, Cliche, Nonsensical

I had high hopes for this drama as I absolutely love the main leads but the scriptwriting left much to be desired. This drama is about the love story between a sexy, poisoned Prince seeking revenge and a courageous, beautiful girl caught up in between the chaos. Imagine, a republican era angst but in a historical style, that’s the drama you are getting here. The main leads are the star of the show and the only reason you want to watch more. The plot and writing is bad even for a mini drama and yet this is still an entertaining mindless watch (at least in the first half).

POSITIVE:
- Sexy blindfold scenes and beautiful main leads.
- Morally grey male lead (he appears to be a red flag but is more green flag).
- Feisty female lead.
- Lots of nice kiss scenes, wrist grabs and sensual vibes between the leads (definitely the best part of the drama).
- Angst with lots of tension with over the top dramatic scenes.
- Romantic scenes and aesthetics.
- Enemies to lovers.
- Mystery plot. At the start you have no idea what’s going on which makes it intriguing.
- Second couple stole the show for me as they are better written than the main leads. Their story was short but heartbreaking and realistic for that area.
- Fantastic acting from the main leads Richard Li and He Xuan Lin. Seriously, these two need main roles in full length dramas at this point.

NEGATIVE:
- Cliche. My biggest complaint is that the writers have literally put every cliche ever known to cdrama watches here. There is nothing original and nothing you haven’t seen before. In fact, I suppose you could give them an award for putting the most cliche tropes and situations in one drama (there are literally in every single episode). But actually, it's not even the cliches that are the problem as much as that those cliches were put together in a way that made a lot of the emotional scenes feel very fabricated and the characters not real.
- Nonsensical. I usually don’t care much about logic and especially in short dramas as they have limited time but the world building, fantasy elements and basically the whole plot makes zero sense. You really need to completely turn off your brain for this one.
- Too dramatic. The characters turning into maniacs/psychopaths as a cheap and fast way to create tension and angst.
- Visuals. The main leads and costumes are great but the filter/colouring/lighting sometimes appeared too bright and made them look washed out. I feel in later episodes this gets better.
- Too fast-paced. Yes, short dramas are usually fast paced but here everything looks like it’s shot at 1.5x speed. People coming in and out of frame, people talking etc. The drama needed a breather especially at the start. Although this did improve in the later episodes.
- Second half is a snooze fest. Literally, the ridiculous situations, overused cliches and psychotic characters made me want to drop this but my NDD (Never Drop Disease) made me pull through the end.
- (MINOR SPOILER HERE) Unsatisfying ending of the Emperor. This guy. You will want to burn him, skin him alive and then feed him to the pigs. It’s been a while since I’ve hated a character so much I literally wanted to start throwing furniture in my room while watching his scenes. You will want this disgusting grandpa to suffer. But what happens to him in the end is NOT satisfying.

OVERALL:
If you want to see sexy main leads in a very cliche romantic story with many nonsensical but entertaining parts, oh and lots of nice kiss scenes, watch this drama.

TRIGGER WARNING:
This drama is heavy on abuse so bare that in mind (multiple attempts of r*pe, multiple scenes leading up to actual r*pe shown).

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Spectacular dresses and world-building but falls short on screenwriting

Sadly, Hotel del Luna's fanciness couldn't make up for the story's lack of coherence and sincerity.

The extravagant hotel for the ghosts and the splendid clothes of its owner didn't quite impress me. Each episode has the same dreary pattern of spirits struggling and protagonists babbling at the end. After the first half of the show, I found myself neither interested nor thrilled.

The answers were already laid out so I didn't get the point of dragging out the story. The antagonists which I once thought of as formidable opponents were easily gulled and defeated. Indeed, there is a fine line between a show with a high-caliber script and one with a mere show-off wardrobe.

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This drama is great. Go and watch it.



That's pretty much all you need to know

(But that would be a lame ass review ^.^)



I read about this drama and how fast it won on popularity.

And I just wondered how could a 30 episode-story about bread-making be interesting?

But I started it anyway. Even though the first couple episodes are set in the past

and were meant for information build-up,

I think those were needed to give depth to the following episodes.

This drama made me laugh. cry. angry, then laugh again and most of all: It kept me interested. Love and intrigues. The story moves along and progresses constantly. The actors are all very good (AND very good-looking.) ^.^

You can feel the struggle the characters have in the story and feel with them.

Also the music was good.

I even caught myself humming the tunes to it at work.

(Unfortunately I dont understand/speak korean. YET ^_^) haha.

Hoped that helped, and you are now convinced to go and watch it.

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I adore AlmondProgress

I have adored AlmondProgress since Love Sick and I am glad to see them back on my screen. I didn’t know how they would transition over to GMM TV. I figured it would be a good transition because it seems like that company would suit them and I’m glad that it has.

I have to say that I love the color grading in this series. I know that it is based in the 90s and it definitely gives that vibe. this was also probably one of my favorite first episodes to a series in a long time. there was something about the true chemistry that these leads have, but then also their lines didn’t feel like they were just delivering lines it felt more authentic to me. The whole vibe felt more authentic to me.

I really enjoyed the books and they’re available officially translated into English off Meb and I highly recommend them.

this is a great coming-of-age story and I’m really looking forward to what else they adapt from the books to the series.

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Not for the Faint of Heart; Drama You Won't Soon Forget

this drama will always have a special place in my heart. i've finished it hours ago and went to sleep exhausted from all the crying. even now, i keep thinking of it and tears up again which prompted me to write a review, as someone who have been watching countless c-dramas for years and never write a review ever before but this time i feel so empty and need to vent my thoughts. SO PLEASE BARE WITH ME!! this drama will forever live in my head rent-free and piercing through my heart. A TRUE MASTERPIECE IT IS. i respect those who don't like it because this is not everyone's cup of tea. it is so HEAVY and DEEP at the same time that explores themes of mental illness and the impact of war so WATCH WITH YOUR OWN RISK!!

first of all, this drama has broadened my ENTIRE perspective on how the current world is going through right now, causing them to live in fear and anxiety every seconds, not knowing if today is their last day or if tomorrow will come, while we're here with abundant resources and still not satisfied with our own lives. i wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to all the soldiers out there who endure the hardships of war, facing danger and making immense sacrifices to protect their nation and lives of their citizens. i am so proud of you all.

what left a big scar on my heart is that both main leads have gone through so much. they portrayed their roles SOO WELL. THEY NAILED IT!! EVERYONE IN THE DRAMA!!*applauses* the male lead who desperately wants to help those suffering from war and longs for peace in the world, tragically experiences a deeply traumatic event that leaves him irreparably broken. he was utterly destroyed, haunted by the past. watching him was like reliving the trauma with him, explain how his acting was SUPERB. on the other hand, the female lead also went through a great lengths of pain, highlighting how hard it is for those with mental illness to open up and their fear of being perceived as weak or a disappointment to others. i wish i could give everyone in the world who struggles with mental illness a big tight hug. you all deserve love and support.

back to their love story, this drama really represents a saying goes 'love conquers all' or perhaps more accurately, 'love endures through life and death'. i deeply admire their love story, witnessing how they love each other so profoundly that they would willingly sacrifice themselves for the other. last few episodes show how love meant for them in a way they can't live without each other. if one were to leave, they believe there would be no point in continuing. they went through ups and downs together and always have each other's back. even when one struggles with PTSD and the other with depression, they find solace and comfort in each other's presence. i was MOVED TO TEARS every single times they tried to put a smile on their faces to comfort each others during their shared suffering. it might seem weird to say, but i finally understand that love is not merely about being together. it's a quiet strength that holds u tgt during storm, the selfless act of putting another's needs before our owns, and the unwavering belief that u have in each other. love is so pure yet can make us blind.

as for the OSTs, i have no words. the way they seamlessly blends with the visuals and enhances the storytelling is truly masterful. it's like a hidden layer of meaning, adding depth and emotion to the overall experience. just hearing the music can bring me to tears. ik i might seem overly emotional lol but the OSTs are truly exceptional.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, i would like to say that after watching countless dramas for several years, THIS IS MY NUMBER ONE drama hands-down. it took me on an emotional rollercoaster throughout all 38 episodes, making me experience a wide range of feelings, from joy and laughter to sorrow and grief. i felt deeply connected to the characters and their journeys. HOWEVER, it also destroyed me emotionally. im so traumatized to the point im still processing the trauma of some of the heavier plot points. BUT EVEN SO, i hope to recover and rewatch it someday.

MY ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO HESITATE TO WATCH: dont let all the reviews weigh u down from picking it up. LISTEN TO UR GUTS. give it a try. if u dont like it, then drop it. dont force urself to love it because this is not everyone's cup of tea. although, i truly hope this drama receives high ratings because it deserves all the attention it gets.
Thanks for sticking with me to the end! i appreciated it.

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First off, i like Lay and i watch this because of him. Of course the summary sounds interesting and i like fantasy genre so i started to watch this. No matter how much i like Lay i got to comment on his acting here. His character is those type that are suppose to be cool, calm and usually doesn't talk much unless when solving various problems and stuff. This side of him is fine and i enjoy the eye candy but whenever he is acting angry or "sick" or sad i get really cringy. I totally can't feel him being angry except his face being "i am angry!" (breathing heavily) or "i am so sick i am going to faint" (then proceed to drop on the floor). Partly i guess is because of the storyline but i get really irritated on the number of times he is so weak during the whole drama but of course somehow still solve all the problems and becomes the hero. The female lead too makes me frustrated with her acting and character (this i won't blame her since it is the writer's fault) but still her acting is not any better than Lay. Other characters acting are just so-so. Their acting are so awkward that it make some parts really cringy for me to watch and i can't focus on the story at all.

Moving on to the story. I will try not to spoil too much. The story started off predictable and nothing much capture your attention. Most of the characters make you feel exasperating. (I will start using their character's name now). MFF character is awkward in the beginning and by the end of the show her character doesn't seems to progress much either. She is suppose to be a clever policewoman but ends up just relying on ZR all the time. As for ZR, he is the Main character of the whole show but i don't feel for him at all when he is sad or angry or whatever which is bad. It means that i am just not into the show. Half is because of his acting and half is the character problem i guess. He is so overly nice to everyone, always forgiving and you know those kind that get betray often and etc that it is kinda boring. He is smart and clever but sometimes it doesn't makes sense how he knows all the answers to whatever problems they are facing but anyhow this is a drama so let's just skip that. HFY/XY the best friend is totally annoying. He likes to butt into everything even when he knows nothing. However i like his character as the story progress, for the very least his character bring some joy and funny moments. At the end of the show i do like him and the way he always say "we as rich guys... " QXB is consider the most believable character and quite okay as the antagonist but the acting part is still awkward especially when she is suppose to be hurt or grieving. It will be too long to comment on each character so i will just stop at these main ones. Btw, if you are looking for romance then look away because this has like 10% only. I can't really feel the chemistry between the two main lead and their progress is so slow. I was like waiting for at least something romantic happen but nothing at all which i kinda feel disappointed as a viewer. Anoher thing i really dislike are the flashbacks. My gosh, these flashbacks take like half of the episodes and worst these are repetitive flashbacks! I watch the same flashbacks over and over again for so many times. I just skip through it and i don't even care if i skip the present part anymore. As the story goes on, it gets a bit interesting in the middle but very soon it gets boring again because of the repetitive pattern. Always on an adventure to search for something but bad guys are always following then they will get caught almost each and everytime then on repeat. In between the different arc of the story, the way the character act sometimes or how the story progress is so illogical that i am just speechless.

Last but not least, be prepare for the ending.

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Dear God, this drama is just a million times no for me. NO NO NO NO NO. I can see why people would think this drama is cute but I have never seen a male lead that drove me to the point of insanity like this dude. And I've seen people say that they ignored his attitude because it was short and it didn't bother them that much but this dude absolutely disgusted me.

I watched the drama in one sitting with a confused face the whole time because DEAR GOD WHAT DOES SHE SEE IN HIM. If I ever met a man like him I would run so fast. I'm not sure if he's sexist or what, but almost every time he opened his mouth it was either controlling or insulting.

Honestly he reminds me of Christian Grey minus the BDSM abuse with the way he treats the girl he is supposedly "in love" with. That scene with the contract in this drama? He called himself the ALPHA in the relationship and she was the OMEGA that had to listen to everything he said. WHATTT!?!?!

Just...no.

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Compelling tragic hero story weakened by uninspired direction

For me, it was one of those dramas you continue watching because you want to know how the story ends and what happens to the characters you like but not necessarily enjoy the road to get there. I felt disengaged from the individual cases because there was very little space given to get emotionally involved or get your brain gears turning as a viewer. Everything was quickly introduced and quickly resolved, with not much tension or nuance in the storytelling. There was more talking about investigating than actual investigation being shown on screen. I cannot stress this enough, this drama involves hours of people standing around discussing stuff... My fellow suspense junkies, do not approach! On the other hand, the martial arts scenes were nicely filmed and quite exciting.

Cheng Yi excelled in his role as Li Lianhua. He is the soul and heart of this drama. A rare compulsive liar protagonist who completely won me over. Once a hopeful, audacious hero now cynical and disillusioned with the world. The wall he built around him gets dismantled brick by brick, first by an offer of friendship from an eager and idealistic young detective, then being forced to deal with unresolved past issues. Watching him shamelessly toy with young Fang Xiaobao was a pleasure. I wish the reluctant friendship with his erstwhile enemy, Di Feisheng, was given more screentime though. It was way more interesting to me than the overused master and apprentice bond.

I think Di Feisheng’s story arc dealing with his past was criminally underdeveloped. His lifelong struggle to break free from the confines of his brutal past was given a 5-minute resolution before the drama galloped on. That was a major disappointment for me. He was such an interesting, layered character and yet he was absent from almost half of the episodes. In general, secondary characters weren't fleshed out very well and only a few got closure. No one was particularly memorable or original. The villains were boring, shallow Wuxia clichés too. Honestly, if it weren't for Li Lianhua being such a compelling tragic hero, I would've dropped it before the halfway mark.

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Like Sitting In Front Of a Yule Log

This is like watching a Yule log in the fireplace burn. It is a slow, crackling, source of heat, warming the front side of you while the back side of you is frigid. In this case, the back side of you is euphemistically your brain. While it does at times give you a warm feeling of comfort and entertainment, it also dulls and numbs your brain with its slowness, cheesiness, and emotional torture. I could never figure out why anyone loves to watch series where the major focus is on one protagonist playing ‘hard-to-get’ to the point it is almost emotional abuse. I just do not get it.
You can read the rest of my review of this series at BLBiss.com.

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THIS SUCK

First of all, you have to know that what is being replaced is not one or two things, but everything.
1. The weapon is changed with unreasonaable reason, they didnt know gun doesnt work on the monster? Please they shown JIHYE with GUN, JIHYE is YJH student, and YJH is a REGRESOR HE IS SUPPOSED TO KNOW!!!
2. Bihyung looked like a damn labubu in the worst way possible, he looks ugly, the dokkaebi is bad looking making my stomach churn.
3. Sangah being basic healer like thats not Seolhwa job. Sangah literally a fighter, a killer, she kills the enemy with the strings they said she used them to heal? What bs.
4. Dokja being a Hero. His ass is not a Hero for the world, his reason is to see the epilog of twsa, the reason he is still living.
5. Dokjas dad is not abusve. What is the point of changing that? Why would they change that?
6. Dokja does not hate his mom. Why change this too? He is the MC yet his character getting chopped so much.
7. Apparently Heewon is the protagonist of twsa. Come on now, Heewon doesnt exist on twsa why would she be the protagonist? What is YJH then?
8. Dokja hates twsa. This is so bad, twsa the reason he is still alive....why would he hates the novel he has read for Ten years...
9. Tl123(?) the author, Sooyoung(?) tells kdj to write the novel himself. She write the novel for kdj why would she say that?
10. The cgi is shit, theater kids could make better movie that this director.

This is the worst adaptation ever.
Maybe because this is more like taking inspiration but scared of being told plagiarism so they went ahead with calling it adaptation.

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A dissapointment, despite my love for the cast

I have a very soft spot for Choi Woo Sik. He is one of my favourites in Korea since Our Beloved Summer. I just love seeing him act and does his magic with his soft personality and great acting that makes every role he takes has depth. But unfortunately, even my favourite could not save this cliche and very superfacial story.

The things i hate the most bad rom-coms is that there is no actual context of the characters to full in love. No fluttering moments, no time to bond, no details to make you feel like ahh please just kiss already. His confession was so badly timed, the emotional development was non-existent. Even the very beautiful Jung So Min could not move my heart in this drama.

OSTs were bad, nothing actually worth hearing..

I am all in for light rom-coms that let you watch the show without deep thoughts and just for enjoyment, but ONLY when there are actual real emotional attachement in them. "Empty" would be the perfect word to describe it.

It just make me upset cause since years, every Jung So Min drama was so good. Why would they agree to such soulless show. :(

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Painfully bad

I want my money back. This was painful to watch. Non readers cant even understand it, it lacks so much context and would be confusing for ppl who havent read the novel. It sucks, thats all.
Now, this movie in the perspective of a reader, also sucks. The story is all over the place, doesn't follow the original plot, cgi and cinematography is so painfully average (one might even say bad) for a movie that has a big budget. Even so, it seems like they used that budget for the actors, but was that good? No, not really. They couldnt capture the character's vibe and aura well. It was a waste of space, time, and money. Just give up already

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BEGINNING!

The meaning of Chronical which is a Greek word is "annals of time." It's a record of past event, it represents the roots of history. So as it's name suggests "Arthdal Chronicles" it's history and the journey of Arthdals living on the land of Arth. It's not historical it's ancient. It's starting of civilization. Every era has it's own problem own struggles not even one era doesn't have passed that didn't had struggle of power. Though it's mythical story it represents the struggles and greed of power on the land of Arth.

This part is just beginning of this journey. We don't explore many things it's like an introduction to all characters and the base of story. It's quite confusing in the first episode because of time laps but we get to know a whole imaginary world with different tribes with different cultures.

The cinematography in the best, it can't be more beautiful than this. Both ML and FL's character are likeable but it's not romance based drama so they don't get more screen time together.

It's very interesting and unique story, the best part is it's originality. I was hooked from the very first episode. Even the last twist of 6th episode wasn't unexpected but still I'm curious what will happen next. I really enjoyed the first season and now looking forward next two seasons. I hope they'll as good as I'm expecting.

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No chemistry, no stakes. She's powerful yet she needs saving from a man. Embarassing

Wondering how you can take an interesting concept and give it the blandest execution? Look no further.

They do nothing with the gumiho tale that is embodied in two characters.

The series is a string of side-quests that vaguely bring the protagonists closer together. I say vaguely because we don't learn anything about them. Their previous life has no bearing in how they're dealing with their situation currently. They feel like empty vessels in aesthetically pleasing (according to korean beauty standards) faces. They should be passionate, hold grudges, carry the wisdom of a lucrative career (Si Yeol) and hundreds of years on earth (Eun Ho). Instead they move as though they're born yesterday and are forced to interact.

Both these actors have given decent performances before (Kim Hye Yoon in Ectraordinary You and Lovely Runner and Lomon in Branding in Seongsu) so it's not their fault. It's the writer's responsibility to construct a story that makes sense and that makes us root for them.

I feel bad leaving such a low rating, because compared to other series that are actively harmful in their messaging, this one was just meh. But it had promise and everything going for it, so the fact that it didn't deliver is a true letdown.

P.S. If you're gonna have a superhuman FL, don't ruin it by making her need saving. that's a slap in the face to the audience. learn to write meaningfully.

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