Convoluted plots and too many side characters take away from the plot.
This is a show that to preface my review could have easily been great, but was bogged down by too many characters and subplots and a pretty bland main story line with mediocre revelations and underwhelming scheming.The story centers around Zhou Zi Shu and Wen Ke Xing. The story is unapologetic about the relationship between these two leads who have a deep and profound connection. It does not make attempts to stray from trying to show their connection which surprised me as I watched the show.
Unfortunately, other than the relationship between the two leads, they don’t particularly captivate me. The story introduces multiple different characters, and different subplots that really make the plot not as cohesive. They don’t particularly drive the story and ultimately just make it unnecessarily convoluted. As different subplots fought for my attention, I found myself caring less and less about the leads. There are different people fighting for power and this leads to some glaring plot holes and just underwhelming revelations. The main plot line never really captures my interest as it’s got too many elements involved that on deeper reflection just don’t make sense.
If you’re not accustomed to wuxia/xianxia dramas, the bad CGI and mediocre fight scenes are glaring. The sets are not particularly good, and a lot of the scenes are not set in a way that immerses you into them. I’m accustomed to the genre in terms of both dramas and the novels, so I know what to expect, but for those who don’t, the mediocre production does stick out. The fight scenes for me are also bizarre in that the canon fodder characters have better choreographed fight scenes than the leads. There’s genuinely so much slow motion fighting one can take. To this day, the most memorable fight scene in this drama for me does not involve the leads.
Where this drama shines is in its power to strangely tug at your heart strings. It could have easily gotten a far better grade if I’d cared about the characters a little more, but because there were too many convoluted subplots, I felt strangely apathetic towards the main characters. However, even if you can predict the emotional scenes, they do a great job at biting at your heart. There were many times I was tempted to drop this but I hang on due to some stellar emotional scenes. The problem of course is the memorable scenes for me do not involve the leads who are what should be driving the story.
Overall, a drama that could have shined if it had ironed out the main plot better, focused on the leads more and erased some of the complicated subplots that don’t add anything to the actual storyline.
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Beginning of an EPIC journey
Wow! This live-action series really justifies the most popular and greatest manga of all time.We tend to have this negative idea about the live-action series. They are based on the manga/cartoon/anime series that we all like. As a fan, we want to like them. But they can never meet our expectations. It is not easy to translate the manga/cartoon world into a live-action world. Most of the live-action series fail terribly. BUT, let me tell you, the one piece live-action successfully translated the magic of the One Piece manga/anime series. It is no doubt the best live-action series of all time (till now).
Questions & Answers:
1. What is this story about?
-This is a story about adventure, friendship, dreams, inspiration, reaching one's goal.
2. Is this series mainly for kids and young people (as many mangas and cartoons are targeted at young people)
-No, this is a series for all audiences. Especially for adult audiences. Anyone, kids, young and old people can watch and enjoy this series
3. Should you watch Manga/Anime before this?
-No, you don't need to watch. If you like this series, maybe you can start Manga/Anime after finishing this.
4. Does it feel unrealistic and manga/anime like other live-action series?
-One piece world is a fantasy world. It does feel unrealistic sometimes, but unrealistic in a good way. You get used to the world very quickly.
5. How is the pacing?
-It is fast-paced, and not many unnecessary events happen. Most of the events are important and have a meaning.
6. You don't like manga/anime, will you enjoy it?
-Yes, of course
7. Is it like other pirate series, i.e. Pirates of Caribean?
-No, only a few similarities. But overall it is different. It shows the pirates and pirate world in a totally different way that you never watched before.
8. Is there romance? (MDL viewers like romance)
-No, it is about friendship and adventure. It is full of emotions.
9. Is it better than the manga/anime?
-No, but almost the same. This series only covers the first part of the manga/anime series. Manga/anime gets far more interesting in the later part. If you only consider the first part, this live-action series is almost the same as Manga/anime.
10. How are the main characters and side characters?
-Very good! Very much likable. One of the best things about one piece manga/anime is its characters. The characters are some of the best in the entire book/TV industry. The live-action was only 8 episodes. It couldn't explore the details of the characters like the manga/anime did. But, still it did a pretty good job.
11. Should you watch it?
-A big yes. You should at least give it a try. There is a reason one piece is the greatest and most popular manga of all time.
12. You never liked other live-action series before, in fact, you disliked those. Will you like this series?
-Yes, this is unlike other live-action series. This is good.
13. Is there comedy? Will it make you laugh?
-Yes, yes. The humor is good, It will make you laugh in certain scenes.
14. How are action, and cinematography?
-Very, very good.
My Ratings:
Story: 10/10. One piece manga story will get a 10+ from me. Live action story gets a 10.
Acting: 10/10, just perfect. All the actors did a pretty good job
Music: 9/10, Very very good. All original tracks. All were good, but just wished they used some of the music/songs from the anime.
Rewatch Value: 9.5/10. Very high rewatch value. This is the kind of show that you would enjoy no matter how many times you watch it.
Overall ratings: 10/10
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The story is really great and realistic. After each episode you learn more about each chara and there relationships with each other. At the same time they need to stay alive after the accident. All charas devleoped with the story and the acting was really great.
I couldn´t predict the ending and was really surprised.
If you expect like me at first a drama with blood and lots of killing of each other, don´t watch it. You will get a quielty on going story, where the main focus is more on the relationships from the charas.
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Best Timely MESS EVER!
WOW!! Just WOW!! What a surreal feeling this drama gives you. I didn't want this to finish. I would like this to go on forever.The drama started with a BANG!! (literally Bang with a gun), and after 4 episodes you will feel like what more they could show than this as time loops are created every time. But Man I was wrong. This show gave me more than what I anticipated for. I was swept away in this mess right from the start. It can be confusing at times, but once you get the flow of the drama, you get used to it.
Story is based on web-toon, but its unusual than typical time loop dramas. In many dramas time loop gives different results every time you do things differently. But in here, you have to do things differently to stop the time loop.
This story gives BEST character development ever as Baek Jin Sang in dramaland. You hate his bluntness and rudeness in the starting episodes. But before you could know it, he slowly crawls under your skin and become a part of yours. You feel for him as a person who he is and why he is like that. His struggle to change himself is just AMAZING. Kang Ji hwan is at his best in this comedic role after a long time. I could never imagine BJS performed by another actor. I rewatched his many scenes and dialogues in later eps.
Another breather of the drama is Lee Roo da. The Life-saver for BJS and his major change-maker. Roo da is bored by routine life, and she keeps to her own self without caring for other people's stuff. But Time loop changes her into Roo da who is cheerful, caring, and righteous person with no nonsense attitude. Jin hee is spotless and charismatic as Lee Roo da. She had one of the Best chemistry with KJH.
Though it's said romance is short or not up-to the grade. But I didn't feel it that way. The chemistry both leads have is beyond just being lovey-dovey to each other. It is more of bringing out the best in each other and doing everything possible for the other person.
Gong Myung is adorable as Kang Joon ho. But in all the time-loop thing, he felt like a support character rather than second ML. Though I dont mind it.
I liked the comedic timings and the interactions among characters.
The messages in this drama are given in a totally different perspective. They portrayed the work life problems in Funny but deep and subtle manner. That's the charm of this drama.
Loved the music. 10/10. Every OST, every b/g tone is just superb. Every song gives you the emotions for every scene. Comedic, romantic, sad, happy, frustated.. Music is just perfect.
Definitely a rewatch! Love you Baek Jin sang ^_^
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This review may contain spoilers
1st of all I don't really get it why people are rating dramas so high these days? The same case for this one as well if I'm not wrong.The story was slow paced, scenes were stretched for no reason and story felt shallow as it progresses.
For better experience watch at 2x, skip the middle and watch last few episodes you won't really miss anything. I hate the fact that the writers are trying to convey the message by theme rathar than characters themselvess. Only watch it if you're bored to death.
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Should’ve been shorter.
If you’re not going to give us character development and more depth to the plot, then keep the drama short. It was fun and entertaining at the start, but the conflict everything revolves around of is not really that great. I think it would have been better if it had like 12 episodes. I eventually stopped caring about the main leads because of how little they change, they slowly stopped being likable, they just kept doing the same mistakes, the drama reused the same memories to justify their love story. We get it, they’re gonna end up together no matter what, but give us at least real situations that they can learn something from. In the last episodes I just kept watching because I founded Ji Woong’s story interesting.Visually speaking it was really beautiful, those visuals deserved a better story.
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One of the Must-Watch dramas of 2023.
*chefs kiss *What a drama. What a cast. Easily one of the best dramas of 2023.
This drama didn't waste anytime in establishing who or why a Vigilante became a Vigilante in the first place. It started off with a bang and never allowed room for distraction or time to relax. It was fast paced with well written storyline and direction.
Nam Joo Hyuk was amazing as the dark hero. I always thought he was a romantic hero, but in this drama he shined as an anti hero. And I can't stop raving about Lee Joon Hyuk. I absolutely loved loved every single scene he was in. I have loved his character in Stranger, so in this drama I knew I would I totally dig him and I did. He really excels with characters like these.
What I adored about this drama was that there was no unnecessary fillers or screen time. Every single character is there for a reason and a purpose. Also, it's amazing how the drama didn't waste one single frame. With a tight script, brilliant actors and a perfect storyline, this drama got it all.
9.5/10
Now all this drama needs is a Season 2!!!!!! And easily I would be rating it as a perfect 10.
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This review may contain spoilers
I stayed up all night to finish this drama when I watched it. This a very sweet story about 2 people who meet each other and fight to not fall in love. Yamapi in all his super cuteness, plays a naive basketball player who is on the rise. Keiko plays a sweet innocent violin player who is making no money and about to give up. By chance they meet, and keep running into each other, and eventually become each others support when troubles come. I know i cant give any spoilers but...... watch out for the girlfriend she is an unbelievable mess.if you like romance stories this is an awesome one that doesn't bog you down with too much basketball terminology.
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I’ll repeat it to myself because I still do not understand. What did I just sit here for two hours and watch?
Have you ever loved a show so much that after it finished, you watched highlight compilation videos on Youtube? Maybe that’s just me. But THIS movie, is exactly what one of the Youtube videos feels like, but without the context of actually watching the show.
The entire movie jumped from scene to scene without context, explanation, motive, character development…. Nothing. And because of that, nothing really made sense at all. Side note. Why did the soundtrack pretty much only consist of this lullaby tune they tried to make into some sort of edgy score to the movie?! IT IS A LULLABY. No… Just no.
However, I have to say that most of the moments in the movie were quite intense and many were very interesting. They should redo this and make it into a 30 episode drama and I’m in for it. But as it stands watching it will simply confuse you. Most likely frustrate you. And definitely leave you staring at the screen, if you make it through to the credits wondering, ‘What did I just watch?’.
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It's not worth your time.
For what it's worth, I just can't seem to enjoy this drama. It's really not worth watching and wasting your time for. The story was dragged too long that I couldn't care less about the male & female lead. Their story is just too frustrating, boring, and sickening for me. On the other hand, I was more interested in the side couple's story that I could even finish this drama and gave 3 for the story rating. You don't know how much I've skipped the story because it was so boring and meaningless. I'm sorry but that is just my opinion.The acting was ok. I like the male & female lead, even the second lead, but the story is just unbearable. There's no excitement because from the start you could already guess that the female lead will be with the main lead in the end. The drama in between is just too exaggerated not worth your while. After finishing this drama, I thought that I would feel somewhat relieved for the happy ending, but I just didn't. I don't feel anything except for a little bit of happiness for the side couple. I feel like I've wasted my time.
If you're the type of person who likes romantic-comedy, or feel-good type of drama, this is not for you. Don't bother watching, unless you want to waste 18++ hours for something meaningless.
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The plot is very simple but I still loved every minute of it. At first when I heard about this drama I wasn't so sure if I wanted to watch it because the plot seemed like it was only about food. I'm so glad that I gave this drama a try. The food is important so please be ready to have some type of snack with you while your watching because I guarantee you that you will be hungry. But this drama was more than food. You have a murder case as well too. You also have some romance on the side and I loved the friendships too. I just really think the writers did a great job with something so simple and making it a great drama.
The cast also made this drama too. I actually think the cast was one of the greatest things about this drama. The cast had great chemistry with each other as well too. I also loved all the characters. Soo Kyung was so fun to watch with her love of food, Jin Yi was adorable and such a sweet girl, Dae Young was a fun guy to watch and I loved his long rants about food, Attorney Kim was hilarious, and the rest of the cast was hilarious as well too. I never disliked anyone. I liked how well rounded all the characters were and how they all worked together.
This drama is very rewatchable. I just finished it and I already feel like starting it all over again. I think this will be the fun drama I will watch time and time again.
Overall, I think this drama was great. I don't know why but I loved it very much. It's so simple but amazing at the same time. You'll love the characters and have a good time laughing too. I laughed a least every episode. Once I watched the last episode I was left with a satisfying feeling.
If you want to watch something that will keep you on your toes, make you laugh, feel happy, and also make you extremely hungry then watch Let's Eat.
Warning! Please have a meal or a snack every time your watching this drama. The food scenes will make you hungry. I repeat the food will make you extremely hungry!
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1This review may contain spoilers
for such a short drama, it didn't feel flat at all. the story is well paced and had the right amount of angst, balanced by the chemistry of two individuals with different backgrounds. sure, the tsundere and upbeat dynamic is not new. ji woo has a stoic personality but deep down, he's a caring dude. seo joon has a fun type of personality but he also won't back down when someone's being a dick. one thing i loved is how straightforward seo joon is with his feelings. he doesn't hesitate to express himself and it was refreshing to watch.
"I didn't want to get hurt again. And I didn't want you to get hurt either. But staying away doesn't prevent getting hurt either." -Ji Woo
the conflict between the main leads was understandable with how unpredictable things can go due to seo joon's fame and the homophobia they'd face. seo joon doesn't care what society thinks while ji woo is scared from his past experience.
i'm just happy that the plot didn't go for a complex route so things were resolved easily and the pace of the story didn't become overwhelming or mellow. acting wise, it was pretty good. ji woo's crying scene and the slight angst definitely made my heart yeet into two pieces. seo joon was undeniably quite a charmer and his smile is hella contagious. i must say the acting is decent and i'm impressed.
overall, this drama revolves around two individuals helping each other grow with each other's support. bonus points for the ost.
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An engaging drama about changing one’s fate, discovery, and growth
When "Blossom" premiered in WeTV a few weeks ago, it was not in my list of anticipated dramas. But when a friend recommended it, I decided to give it a try after finishing another series, and I'm so glad I did!"Blossom" (九重紫) is a story about second chances - a chance to do life over, a chance to avoid the same kind of fate, and a chance to live a better and more meaningful life. When Dou Zhao woke up as a young girl with a wound on her forehead, she vividly remembered her “dream”, which was actually her past life. Armed with this foreknowledge and the prophetic book (昭世録), it gave her the opportunity to change some things in her present life, which had a ripple effect, thus changing the course of something bigger than her own struggles.
This is a historical drama with all the major ingredients that I'm looking for, and done in such a way that they fall into place smoothly and cohesively - engaging storyline with twists and turns, swoon-worthy romance, diverse and interesting characters, great fight scenes and political strategizing. I went into this without reading much about the story except for the summary. The first episode got me intrigued, setting the stage for the story to unfold. The pacing is good and the story build-up is well done. Each episode builds on the previous one, revealing the plot more and stirring excitement on what’s to come. The political intrigue and strategizing are key parts of the story and they progress at the right pace, with surprises even until the last episode. Then there are the well-executed fight scenes, the great visuals and cinematography, and the original soundtrack that fit the drama’s themes and moods. Also, I like the production team’s approach in starting each episode with a scene (or two) before the opening credits and showing a quick preview of the next episode before the ending credits.
That said, there are some parts in the drama that I think could have been shortened (mainly related to the stepmother) and a subplot that could have been expounded further, but in the grand scheme of things, these are not big issues for me.
Now on to the cast of characters. Meng Zi Yi’s portrayal of Dou Zhao / Shou Gu is spot-on. She was able to show Dou Zhao as a smart, charming, decisive, and business-savvy woman who refused to be bound by the traditions of the time. Dou Zhao is loyal to the people she loves and cares for. She was able change some things in her present life, and in the process, she discovered that some people (e.g., Dou Ming, Chen Jia) did not turn out the way she expected them to, which is a part of the ripple effect.
I have seen Li Yun Rui in “Love Like the Galaxy” as Yuan Shen, who is one of my least liked characters in that drama. But here in “Blossom”, I very much like his character, Song Mo / Yan Tang, and his portrayal; he truly shines and he fits the role. He was able to show Song Mo’s struggles, angst, joy, and victories. His devotion and love for his uncle (Duke of Ding) and Dou Zhao are admirable. On a lighter note, the loose white/gray hair suits him! I read in an article in Sohu that he turned down a supporting role in Yang Zi’s drama “Flourished Peony” to star as Song Mo in “Blossom”. That's a wise decision and a good move for him 👍!
As for the main couple’s romance, I love the relationship between Dou Zhao and Song Mo. As both characters grow and develop, their relationship dynamics follow. Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui have amazing chemistry. I look forward to their interactions right from the start. The scene in the theater where they first met as adults, with their masks on, was played out so well. For me, their romance got even better after they were married ♥️.
The supporting cast did very well too. I will mention some here:
• Ji Yong (Xia Zhi Guang) is an ambitious, confident, shrewd, and smart aleck type of a character. Dou Zhao, his best friend since childhood, is one of the few people he cares about.
• Alina Zhang is convincing as Wang Ying Xue. She is very much an infuriating character as well as a pathetic one.
• Chen Jia (Zhu Jun Lin) is another interesting character. He may not have many scenes, but his role is a crucial one. I like that they pair him with Zhao Zhang Ru (Liu Mei Tong), Dou Zhao’s cousin.
• Li Xin Ze is believable as Wei Ting Yu. He is not an evil person but a man without much backbone, unable to step up to his role as husband and Marquis.
• Snow Kong as Miao An Su and Yan An as Song Han have their fair share of pivotal moments, especially in the last one-third of the story.
• Other notable performances: Wang Jiu Sheng as Song Yi Chun, who has been added to my list of the worst parents in drama land; Tan Kai as the Emperor, who, despite being at the top, has his helpless moments in the face of the powerful forces in the kingdom; and Zhang Cheng He as Jiang Mei Sun (Duke of Ding), whose impact and influence extend greatly to those around him.
And last but not the least, the ending is great! I love how they wrap up the story. Most of the characters got what they deserved, and they gave us a convincingly happy ending.
Final Verdict ⭐: This is a great Chinese historical drama to end my 2024, and I highly recommend it!
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The fictional storyline (the Liang merchant family in specific) and the historical framework are brilliantly woven together; at first they seem to be two different stories, but eventually are brought together for sublime, and emotionally devastating effect.
Viewers who like the easy emotional shortcuts of romances, the popular BL stories especially (where the plot illogic wrenches the characters, and all sense, into alignment with maximum angst and hurt/comfort). Angst there is here, and also hurt/comfort, but these elements don't bend the story, but arise out of it, interspersed with insight, comic moments, intellectually exciting threads as we watch the politicians striving to invent, and better, their land.
The cultural differences between then and now add their interest, but the film never loses sight of the fact that we are all human beings, a thousand years ago and now, and we have roughly the same emotional needs, faults, frailties, and strengths.
Even the characters I strongly disliked had their agency, their reasons for what they did, and their human moments, even positive moments of creating beauty, or heroic action, or emotional faltering. The resolution of one long arc was amazing in its redemptive quality, taking me by surprise--I expected (even relished the thought of) the usual bloody end. But the way this was carried out was just so much better than the usual tropey story arcs.
I see myself rewatching the entire series again, probably soon, something I have only done with NIRVANA IN FIRE, this time to relish the brilliant character moments and the way they are expertly woven together.
I have watched all Daylight's shows. I think this is their best yet.
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