“Can people eat cat food?”
I've been waiting for this drama for a long time and I was worried it wouldn't hold up to my own hype. Well, I worried for nothing because this drama is delivering on so many levels. It was a mistake to watch this while it's still airing because I simply could not get enough.
The story isn't necessarily original, warm FL & domineering CEO ML, but the chemistry between the cast is perfect. Each character plays their part perfectly as if written for them personally. The main couple is so good that when they're apart it's almost painful waiting for them to share the screen again.
What I Love:
- Heart Flutters! This drama is delivering on all the heart flutters you want out of a rom-com. The chemistry is off the charts. It's as if the 2 leads are magnets! I can't get enough of them being together. Not only is the romantic chemistry there but the comedy between them is there too. I'm having so much fun watching their relationship and characters develop. (Also, they kiss quite a bit. Lots of steam here)
- The ML seems cold but you find out pretty earlier on that he's actually pretty silly. Unlike a lot of dramas, it's not the FL that brings this out in him, he's already silly on his own just in private. We see this early on when he's with his uncle/best friend. He's serious and cold about his business but not in his personal life. It's more that he's a bit shy and protective of himself when it comes to his personal life.
- The FL is very sweet and warm but don't let that fool you. She is smart, capable, and often the hero. Even though she's quiet, that doesn't mean she's at all stupid. Bullying her doesn't work. But because she's warm and sweet as a viewer I keep worrying for her, as if someone is going to tear her down and break her spirit but she proves over and over that she's not that type of FL. I find myself constantly cheering her on.
- The FL's best friend is the friend we all deserve and more. I love how supportive and fierce she is about the FL. She will literally fight someone's mom for her friend and I love to see it.
- The ML's best friend/uncle is also a favorable character. He protects and loves his nephew dearly. Everything about their bromance is fun and supportive and I enjoy watching them interact.
What I Don't Love:
- There are 2 semi-annoying characters who don't want the leads to be together but they're not unrealistically evil. I think this is good because it shows them as real people. They are jealous like real people are but not devilishly jealous. They try to gain favor the way real people would but they don't go around trying to ruin lives to get what they want. I do feel like they use these two as fillers towards the backend of this drama which did impact my rating slightly. It's just frustrating to watch the SML not getting the hint that Ke Lan just isn't into him. He's quite dense when it comes to women. Even though I find these 2 characters annoying I don't have hate for them. More of an annoyance with them than anything else.
- There's something that happens with the main couple that I really dislike because the FL's reason is frustrating and frankly so is her mom for letting her daughter make the decision she did. These episodes really upset my feelings for this drama. When the leads are together there's so much magic. When they are apart this drama feels quite slow and sad but that's because the leads are just so so good together.
- There are a few slower episodes. Some are "build" episodes and I don't mind these but there are a couple of episodes towards the end where I would have preferred seeing more of the MC together. Although what happens between the MC is necessary for them to be together long-term (mostly on the ML's side of things), I wish the issue didn't take up so much time. I wish we would have seen the main couple together more in the end, after everything was resolved.
Note-worthy:
There's also the ML's ex who obviously wants to get Yu Hao back but she's also not an evil character, just a regretful ex trying to win him back. There's really nothing outlandish about her actions other than trying to separate the MC. The MC handles her really well. As a couple, they are mature about her. Also, the way Yu Hao goes about dealing with his ex is mature, compassionate, and respectful of the relationship they once had.
Would Recommend
Would Re-watch (with some skipping)
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Story- Really well written. I like how it seeks to inform the audience in a way that takes the subject seriously but also is lighthearted as to not alienate the audience. The romance in this was small but still meaningful. The ending was happy=)
Acting/Cast- Solid acting by the main leads. Their chemistry was so strong that i really wanted them to be together. The acting by the little child actress was really good. The pairing of her and GHJ was perfect cause they really made a believable mother/daughter. The acting by the supporting cast was really good but i didn't like a lot of the characters.
Music- Fit the scenes well.
Rewatch- I'd definitely rewatch this again in a few years.
Overall this drama is different but i definitely recommend you trying it out.
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Don't expect this movie to be a shorter version of the drama. This movie is a completetly different version of Hwang Jin Yi story. In this movie, Hwang Jin Yi was raised as a noble during all her childhood, and this is only when she turn fifteen that her life change all of the sudden.
Unlike the drama this movie focus on Jin Yi's personality, rather than her art, so those who expect a lot of music and dance will be disapointed. But the OST of the drama is really beautiful.
One thing I absolutely loved in this movie, was the settings and the costumes. The landscapes are beautiful, the architecture and costume are really subtle and delicate. Everything isn't flashy with bright color, you have deep blue, black lace, green and black dresses, black hair ornements, all those dark color contrasting with the ivory skin of Hwang Jin Yi and make her gaze mesmerinzing : all her expessions are magnified.
This is a captivating and moving piece of art that I recommend.
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I didn't know it would bother me that much, but it was noticeable. This drama was originally made for sixteen episodes, but tvN decided to cut it down to twelve. A slow drama being cut down means a change of pace, and it was obvious by the end of episode 8 and onwards. The tone and mood of the story is quite dreary, but the delivery was good. While it is mainly a romance drama, it's main theme has always been about loss, and telling the story through its characters has been an up and down experience. I had my doubts before I started watching it because I'm not really a fan of stories that involve AIs (and to be honest, every TvN drama I've watched lately has been quite hard to finish, especially if it deals with a few fantasy), but this doesn't bother me at all. Granted, the mild science element of the story is improbable, completely improbable, but it elevates the major key element of emotional coping, which is the struggle of our male protagonist (and a few other characters later on). Some viewers may find it creepy at some point, especially in the first four episodes, but do know that it needs to be as unsettling as possible to prove a point that an unhealthy obsession should be stopped. You'd also be forced to think what it means to love someone who has always been absent.
Before I get to what I don't like, I have to first recognize Han Seo Woo. Seo Woo is truly one of the best characters k-drama land has to offer. She's sensitive to people's needs. She carefully thinks about what to say before talking. She doesn't look back at her past and get helplessly tied to it. She helps people find happiness they can make for themselves. She's independent. She genuinely cares. She knows her space. Others may notice she feels emotions a bit too much, but there are people like that. Ha Won, on the other hand, it a puzzle piece that needed a lot of healing. Just as he has gotten past one slump, a new discovery threatens his peace, which overall makes his character a bit pitiful. But what I love about it is how he's quick to pick himself up, and with very good character dynamic with Seo Woo, he becomes more than just the victimized character.
To be honest, I loved the first part of this drama, and right when I noticed the change of pace, my view of it has declined quite a bit. While I owe it on pacing, I believe the storyline wouldn't have changed greatly, which is where most of my problems lie. It's quite frustrating because this drama gave me really good characters (in the form of the main leads), but it also gave me one that I can never connect to at all (in the form of Kang In Wook). While I understand that it is about healing, I really hoped they could have gotten a different path for In Wook. I'm not saying he shouldn't heal, but greater repercussions should have been dealt with. I really dislike his character and I can even say this drama would have been a lot better if they introduced a completely different character for a different kind of conflict. I didn't like how they ended things with him, either. Personally, I felt like what he did was not justified at all. And what really irks me is the [lazy] execution of explaining that it could be okay. It felt as if the plot become overwhelmed with the enormity of its characters' actions that it had a hard time connecting, which is why they resorted to a slight change of narrative, which personally felt like a betrayal.
Overall, A Piece of Your Mind worked best when it was at its natural pace. It gave some wonderful lines that fully described the characters. tvN cutting it short definitely affected the drama, like how Minjung's storyline seemed like it wasn't completely attached. The support characters, while they did good, should have also gotten more exposure.
In a way, it seems as if their storylines got haphazardly thrown in.
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flow of events mostly congruent with the plot, but bad finale spoils the show
I'll start by saying that I watched Season 1, and I did enjoy it, but the disappointment manifested in the last 5 episodes or so. My memory still holds the feelings of that time, but not the specific storyline. Since Season 1 was aired two years ago, I had completely forgotten what the main case was about. So when Season 2 was starting to air, I went back and restarted S1. And just from the first ep, most of the memories of the case came rushing back! I remember why I was disappointed with S1 in the first place.Now in S2, Do Chang is now the guardian for Eun Hye, whose father they had wrongly convicted for a murder charge in S1, whom they eventually failed to save from death row. I was really pissed about that in S1. I guess that's somewhat realistic, but being part of the audience, I want some form of satisfying closure. S1 didn't provide that.
Nothing came out of the brief attraction Ji Hyuk had with Seo Kyung in S1. That was also disappointing. While I didn't care much for the couple either, I would have been happier if something happened between the two of them. A development of a new relationship, or something. Overall, S1 had a sense of discontent hanging all over it, although the thrill of the chase made it a pretty decent drama for me.
I wasn't expecting much from S2 because of the lassitude I was feeling from S1. But as I followed episode after episode, I was quite surprised to find myself easily absorbed into the story. S2 started off rather slow, but it gave a cogent follow-up on Ji Hyuk getting a transfer back to West Incheon with the same team and same partner. While in S1 he had faced various oppositions and "attitude" from existing members in the investigation team, he had smoothly cemented his place with the team with his return in S2. Do Chang's younger sister who was a mess from her divorce back in S1, now owns a fried chicken shop, and Eun Hye who Do Chang is raising, helps with the shop.
The plot for S2 began with the serial killings of several girls, which overlapped with the battery case of a woman by a son from a rich conglomerate. It felt straightforward at first glance, but it was soon revealed that one of the girls whom police initially suspected was the serial killer's victim was not in fact, murdered by him. So, as the story steadily gains momentum, it begins to present a new problem and revelation of a new mystery that requires digging into the core of an affluent but heartless and dyfunctional conglomerate family.
Most actors and actresses are well-trained -- and I'm actually a pretty easy person when it comes to grading acting skills. I usually don't have much complaint where acting is concerned, unless it's so bad that even my great-grandmother in a stupor would have been a better actress. That rarely happens. However, I'm extremely picky about the script and storyline. As such, there's nothing to complain about the acting, which I quite enjoyed, especially Kim Hyo Jin's performance. She's an amazing actress.
I wrote this review when I was 8 episodes into the drama. I gave this an 8.0 back then, but now that I have completed all 16 episodes, it is with much regret that I have to dock the rating down to a 7.0 and rewrite my review. I find the final three episodes of S2 underwhelming and nonsensical. The new developments that transpired, which I'm sure almost everyone could see coming, were handled badly. I mean, there are still wholesome humour injected in some scenes, which I thoroughly appreciate. The humour is what I love about the vibe of The Good Detective. This drama gives me a light and pleasant feeling while following the cases, compared to a dark investigative series. But that being said, I have issues to pick with some details in the writing of this show.
Now, it is clear by Episode 13 that Cheon Sang Woo was not the actual killer of Jung Hee Joo. Sang Woo, having been sentenced to 15 years for soliciting Hee Joo's murder, was suddenly deemed "innocent" and freed. This is where I have a big glaring issue with the writing. He's not at all innocent. He did order the killing, and although his solicitation of murder by hiring Ki Dong Jae to murder Hee Joo did not directly result in her death, he was nevertheless still very much guilty of hiring Dong Jae as a contract killer. This is just common sense, and a law in many countries. South Korea is not an exception. According to Statutes of the Republic of Korea (aka South Korean Criminal Law) under Chapter 24, Crimes of Homicide, which covers Article 255 in Preparations and Conspiracies, it was explicitly stated that, "A person who makes preparations or conspires with intent to commit the crimes of Articles 250 through 253, shall be punished by imprisonment with labor for not more than ten years." Articles 250 through 253 include Murder and Murder Upon Request. All these can be found on the Korea Legislation Research Institute website.
Even if Jung Hee Joo did not die by the hand of another person, it was still very much assured that she would be killed by the assassin Cheon Sang Woo has dispatched, aka Ki Dong Jae. So why should Sang Woo go free?!?? It doesn't make a shred of sense. Why would you release someone who had been proven to hire a killer with the intent to take another person's life!? The whole retrial bugged the shit out of me. Why would you need a retrial? No retrial should have been needed, Sang Woo is a scumbag who contracted a killer, he violated a law with the intent to take the life of another human being. He should have stayed in jail. The part where Kang Do Chang and Oh Ji Hyuk requested for Cheon Sung Dae's cooperation with their investigation was unnecessary, and looked really silly at execution. What was the point of Cheon Sung Dae asking for the help of 50 other old men at a villa dinner again? That bit was preposterous. It went nowhere.
Choi Yoon Geum committed a range of crimes. He accepted money to cover up a murder. Why was he free and walking about in Episode 15 and 16??! It was utterly ridiculous. All of these people have been caught red-handed on tape yet they are all released. Lmao. Hello? They were all involved in conspiracy to murder a poor girl. Again, even if she didn't die by Cheon Na Na 's hands, Cheon Sang Woo would still have her killed. He showed no remorse whatsoever even after he was caught hiring a killer on tape, was sent to trial, and put in prison. He acted like his own psychopathic self from start to finish. The final 3 episodes made zero sense.
Dude I really, really enjoyed this drama for 13 episodes and then this whole dumb "retrial, release Cheon Sang Woo" garbage happened. Ugh. Another issue that I have is the writer's treatment of female characters like Moon Bo Kyung. Girl was introduced as a mess in S2, but she grew as a character over time and honestly I have grown to love her too. She has a crush on Oh Ji Hyuk and how did the writer give her closure? Nothing. Space silence.
The really big plus about S2 of The Good Detective is that there are plenty of comedy and camaderie spirit abound compared to S1, and I personally feel it that way because I actually ran a concurrent rewatch of S1 up to Ep 7. Really, S1 wasn't terrible, but I'm ambivalent about it. S2 is definitely the better season for me, and that is very rarely the case with sequels. It almost never happens. Honestly, S2 would have been such an awesome sequel, had it not been for the disappointment in the finale.
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Wanted to love it, but the ending was SO unsatisfying
I decided to give this series a chance in part because the premise sounded interesting, but more so because of the male lead. His acting in Le Coup de Foudre was vibrant and natural, and I thought it'd be interesting to see him play a completely different role.In general, the actors all did a pretty good of bringing their characters to life. The male lead did a good job, though I will say he made his character a lot quirkier than the typical cold CEO role normally is.
Based on the first half, I would've given this a high rating. However, it starts to drag halfway through, and the last third of the series was a complete mess. The sudden turn of events near the end didn't make any sense either, and it completely ruined the storyline.
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Based on Rin Mikimoto's series of manga "Kyo no Kira kun" (published September 13, 2011 through August 11, 2014 in the Japanese magazine shojo manga Bessatsu Friend) the film is not that very sticky or very cold thing, it is a very sweet romance between two teenager, the parrot has a representative role that I found a great balcony of the director. The soundtrack is very nice as is the cinematography that gives the most romantic air in this beautiful love story that is worth it.
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This review may contain spoilers
It's somewhere between like and hate ...
Let's see -Like:
Yin and War are still good together. Though it is War that emotes it better.
Depiction of true poverty. Really brought to life the effects of debt and poor choices. The sweaty faces (may not have been part of the script), cramped tumbled rooms and scrappy clothes made the setting believable.
Grandma bringing the comedy and sound counseling.
Rose accepting the refusal with a little class and not hanging on for scraps.
Bad happens to everyone. How it is dealt with is on you. Same event but different choices between Nang and Boss.
Aran's downward slide into poverty was covered.
Aran building Tattoo's ego when he needed it most.
Joke crying. Again, I repeat, Joke crying.
Hope reminding Jack that he had to do some dark shit for Boss, also.
When Joke saved Jack from Boss without telling him that he saved him.
Joke raising his hand to touch Jack's face but stops midway as Rose interrupts. Jack sneaking one last look at Joke as he goes through the doorway.
Hate:
Everything else.
Script felt like I was watching an ant farm. All over the
place with a ridiculous series of events and asinine characters. Four Horsemen? Chutes and Ladders? Collars that could detonante? A ring that turned Boss into gollum instantaneously?
Jack going back to Boss immediately.
Over the top acting.
Joke getting caught the majority of the show. A master thief he was not.
No explaination as to what was Joke's learning difficulty but he is a teacher for the impoverished children. How? Make it make sense.
Humor that was not humorous.
Joke looking clownish in some of his disguises.
Joke spent 5 years in jail and still got beat. What did he learn? How to pick the ugliest comical tattoos? The boy went in jail looking wealthy and came out like he was from the ghetto all his life.
Jack helped the entire neighborhood but grandma was still in poverty.
Boss' laugh.
The struggle of who would top? Not necessary to the script.
There was no real charm to their relationship and seemed lacklustre at the end.
There is more but I'll stop here. The entire production team can go back to school to learn how to create a series within budget with a coherent plot and engaging characters. Jack and Joker was a sweaty mess from beginning to end with too many characters and very little plot to tell a cohesive story. While actors can look for roles to show their versatility, Yin and War can do better. The beginning was good. The ending was not.
Rewatch: Only if grandma is hurling a plate of chive dumplings at me.
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1This review may contain spoilers
"stomp my heartlather it with peri peri powder
make me choke
but god let me be damned
don't make a shitty ending"
- yoonthethicc at 3:38 am
the way this started off so well... us being thrilled about this fake dating deal the main leads had going on, how the pre-dating part where we were actually feeling the chemistry ohmygoD the chemiSTRY SHE WAS EXISTENT BREATHING SHE HAD A LIFE Y'ALL
*pause* okay before i combust let me tell you guys how i love sarawatine's friend groups
-oh to be tine and have fong as my friend (plus points for good advices like tF i want that shit)
-oh to be sarawat and have man and boss (nothing feels as good as having supportive chaotic idiots running about and giving you and your partner smug faces)
*resume* tHE FREAKIBG FLASHBACKS GOD FORBID I GET THAG I'M NOT THE BRIGHTEST TOOL IN THE SHED BUT I'M PRETTY SURE I RRMEMBER THESE SCENES PRETTY WELL
WHY DIDN'T SARAWAT JUST TELL PAM THA- what i'm trying to say is that sarawat didn't make any sense in episode 12 y'Know what episode 12 and 13 didn't make sense but i can't make myself to get mad that it's a cliche bc gosh damn it i'M frustrated okay?
how episode 12 could've been resolved:
-sarawat introduces tine as his boyfriend to Pam
-sarawatine sit both their asses down to talk about their insecurities in their relationship
-sarawat makes it clear to pam that there's absolutely no way of them getting back together
-a kiss in part 4 at the beginning when sarawat says smth about tine being his and his only (we're robbed and that's the truth)
-type sitting his ass down in that scooter thing (wtf are vehicles) with man and we get a clip of them smiling and shit
-mil going to the bleachers to talk to phukong
my problem with the ending is that it just there was no proper resolution to the conflict that happened?? we just got flashbacks of sarawatine and boom tine is there cheering for sarawat like dude.... you cried buckets for this... you could've cleared a drought dang it
it almost felt like i watched an ending to those bad romcom movies..... awesome ost tho ahaha
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Many people said that it lost some of its spark by the last few episodes, and I agree. That's why I gave it a 9 instead of a 10. A very annoying cliché was added to the mix, but I think the Hong Sisters handled it better than I expected. Plus, the episode 17 rewards you for all the draginess going on in the three previous episodes.
That is the only complaint I have for this drama. The rest was really amazing: all the characters are lovely, even the "mean" second female lead, Yi Ryeong. I ended up loving her by ep. 17. The CEO and Tae Yang also showed a lot of character growth. And not one that happens from one episode to another, but a progressive one that you can enjoy throughout the whole drama.
And for those who watched The Greatest Love, the CEO is very similar to Dokko Jin. Except that a much less extravagant version.
I recommend it to everyone, no matter the kinds of dramas you like. It has its touching moments, its hilarious scenes, the very cute romantic ones. It even has a little action and some mystery packed in it. If you don't like Horror, then don't worry. I did not see much of that aspect. Sure, the ghosts were sometimes... disturbing. But it does not go farther from that.
And it also has a very enjoyable OST, especially the instrumentals.
Do yourself a favor, and watch this (if you do and you don't like it, I'm sorry).
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Junior's Queen Energy Made the Show
What I loved most about this drama was how Sun, a carnivore, was constantly taming his instincts so he doesn't literally EAT Junior for lunch, but Junior tried whatever he could to tempt him. He even used catnip on the panther. Literally, that shameless penguin was born with no fear, cuz he was courting dead the whole series.Listen, Caged Again was nothing to write home about. The premise of the show was quite unique, interesting and different from the same school based bls we always got. So although I was sceptical, I still tuned in for it. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectation, the execution and the plot was all over the place, and everything was frankly a mess. Some of the characters were dumb as rock, nonsense misunderstandings that could be resolved if they just spoke dragged the pace, how that whole kidnap thing ended was so stupid, I'm still asking myself 'who dafug wrote this?' and I have like a billion questions as to how the penguin and the panther integrated into society with no legal papers. That last villain vs heroes stand-off had me shaking my head in judgement, literally the eff was that?
Yes, so many things made no effing sense and was flat-out ridiculous, but I'll give them this, the two leads, although new, did well with their acting. Junior stole the show for me, that penguin was such a drama queen and I loved every time he was on screen. Not gonna lie, with how the whole plot was all over the place, I thought I'd end up disliking the series, but, I liked this show more than I thought I would. I had some good laughs. Sun and Junior had good chemistry and entertained me with their antics. Their two friends were an okay addition as well, although not really sure what was up with them, and I liked how meta the Goddess was too.
Scenes that made me went hihi:
- In the beginning when Sun saw Junior as food in all those fantasy tripping sequence. Lol, like damn, don't eat your classmate.
- Junior turning his ruined gym uniform into a tank top, and doing a runaway show in the school's hallway. Slay!
- When Junior tried to seduce Sun by wearing that penguin suit. And I can't believe it worked, cuz all he did was lift Sun's arm and put it back down. Sun, honey...stand up!
- That whole catnip scene had me going... boy, do you have no regards for your safety? That penguin was shameless.
- Sun wanting their baby to have the face of a penguin and the body of a panther. Like??? then he got disappointed they couldn't have any. I'm glad they got a fish, hopefully they take it to the zoo and it becomes a person too.
- Junior waiting a few months, then started planning his life of moving to Bangkok and marrying someone else. LMAO, that penguin's sass needs to be studied. Sun lucky he showed up in time, boy was ready to move on.
- How sassy, naive, adorable, innocent, honest and bold Junior was. I loved how he was always true to himself and was unapologetic. He did this whole human thing better than most of us.
- That temple fair date that ended with them in the gambling club, but Junior just went with the flow, putting his dancing and gambling skills to use. Like, children, does this place look like a temple to you?? also how Junior got that piggyback ride... such princess behaviour, I stan!
- Sun's future job where he was an actor/stunt-man. LOL, the part when he fell before they even hit him, then after he was so proud like he did such a good job. Boy???
- That obvious green-screen North Pole :((((
- I also like how deep Sun loved. He found Junior and made him his whole world. Those two truly deserved their happy ending.
All in all a fun show if you go in not expecting anything, matter of fact, don't even question stuff, just go with the flow. You'd like the penguin for sure. So, I'll recommend it if you are looking for something to watch, just to watch something. I look forward to more work from the two leads, Ben and Jay, really liked them here.
Happy New Year.
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Probably Not For Everyone
One thing that remains a recurring theme with a lot of BL Fans, I've noticed, is their aversion to various series where everything doesn't go according to their personal mandates in the world of fiction. As soon as reality pokes its unwelcome head in the door, they are quite ready to retreat. Fair enough. I mean we get enough real life on the daily and who needs more of that in whatever fictional world you decide to visit? Well, I do. One of the great things about proper storytelling, as far as I am concerned, is getting to take a good look at someone else's life and realizing that I'm not in this alone. All the mess that I've lived through and all the mess yet to come - someone's already been there, already done that. And survived. Now they can tell these stories of reassurance, in which I will find some measure of comfort.So here we have a trio of parallel stories with three different levels of difficulty - Fah and Torn's "Love Before Memory" story. Having met as children, these two probably couldn't even remember when they first fell for each other. Seems like they've always been in love, even before they knew that "love" was a thing. Then there's Ai and Saen's "Long Distance Love" story - **SPOILER** - They meet, fall for each other and then, as we both expect and fear, Ai gets a scholarship to study abroad. I know I've been there - didn't work out...at all - but watching them walk that rocky road of long distance love...well, at least I got to watch from a safe distance this time. Then there's the most complicated in the bunch: - the "Impossible Love" story. Dome falls for Vee - his girlfriend's brother. Hmmm. That's a tough one.
So, how do they all fare? Well, I guess you'll just have to watch for yourself. What I will say, though, is that life just keeps on poking at the protagonists. Grounded by good performances from the young cast, good writing and some exceptional direction, "You're My Sky" constantly messes with your head. Sometimes you laugh, sometimes you cry. Sometimes you cheer them on, and at other times you stare at them in disbelief. Kinda-sorta like in real life. And, like I wrote earlier, whenever reality pops up in BL, you just know it's going to be picked apart on Social Media. Oh well...
Huge praise for the technical side of the production. The camerawork is awesome, but it's the lighting design that is spectacular. I think it's the boldest lighting I've ever seen in my life, and I am here for it!
To close off, lemme just say one thing - if you like stuff like "Gen Y" or "Don't Say No" or "Cutie Pie", you might want to give this one a miss. If, however, you like stuff like "I Told Sunset About You", "Utsukushii Kare" or even "'Cause You're My Boy" - and you don't mind a dollop of sport - then maybe you should give this one a try. I really liked it. That is all.
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The story centers around three main characters, brothers Baek Yi Kang and Baek Yi Hyun, and merchant Lady Song, and how their lives are all changed by the Donghak Peasant Revolution. Their relationship with each other isn't a traditional love triangle, but instead, it's more about how their roles directly or indirectly affect each other, rather than a traditional rivalry, which was a much more interesting dynamic to watch. I don't want to give anything away by saying too much, but they are each so good in their roles and how they relate to and interact with each other, that they didn't need a cliché romance plot to keep me engaged. Han Ye Ri as composed and calculating Song Ja In is formidable in her role, and I loved watching her hold her own in a mainly male dominant cast. I already mentioned that Jo Jung Suk is a favorite K-actor of mine, and he does display some of his usual charms as Baek Yi Kang, but it's nice to know that even with romance playing such a minor part in the story, he is still so good! However, surprisingly my favorite of the three characters is Yoon Shi Yoon as Baek Yi Hyun. His range in this drama is amazing and award-worthy (he's really come a long way from the king of baking lol), and his relationship with his brother is the true heart of this story. I can't imagine a better possible pairing, Junk Suk and Ye Ri had great chemistry, but it's Junk Suk and Shi Yoon that got me right in the feels.
I mentioned the three leads as the main branches of this plot but the reality is that every single character in this drama is important and well played. Choi Moo Sung may have the biggest shoes to fill as Jeon Bong Jun, but even the most minor characters end up being major parts of the story, and I loved watching how all the characters and their allegiances and relationships changed with each episode. The real history makes a lot of this story predetermined but it's the individual characters that keep the story unpredictable and exciting. I wish I could name every character I loved but there are just way too many. This really is a perfect cast all around, and I love that there's not always clear villains or heroes, which keeps things from getting too predictable.
That leads me to the writing, which is truly amazing. Yes, the beginning episodes take their time setting up who everyone is, the unfairness of ancient Joseon, and what's about to happen, but before I knew it I was totally addicted and wrapped up in the revolution. I also liked how historical moments were noted to make them clear but without distracting from the story. I appreciated the details in even the side plots that made me care more and made this turn of the century Joseon world feel more real. This is the kind of story that you can definitely watch again, and maybe catch things that you missed the first time. I can see myself watching this again, now knowing more about what really happened, although knowing how it ends may make some scenes a little less exciting.
It's hard to hate a soundtrack that takes a traditional song and plays off of it beautifully. I liked the rest of the soundtrack as well and thought the music was always well placed, but some of the songs were too forgettable for me to warrant a perfect score for music. The music definitely enhanced the mood, especially during battle scenes.
Overall, this drama is a practically perfect sageuk. It's much deeper than the usual fighting over status, family betrayals, corrupt politics, and ill-fated love story tropes that make up most dramas in this genre (although sometimes I love those too). In Nokdu Flower I loved the themes of fighting for equality, tradition vs change, struggling with identity/self-determination, figuring out what is really important in life and what it truly means to win or lose, loyalty and betrayal, and all the conflicting faces of "patriotism"... I have no idea how accurate it was overall but I did actually learn a lot while watching without it feeling too preachy or feeling like the history channel. It's also not so heavy that the story becomes too depressing, even if you already know the history. There's a little bit of romance, great action/war scenes, even many funny moments... and the characters may be mostly fictional, but the way they brought life to the story felt hauntingly real. I loved how many of my favorite characters got the spotlight they deserved in the story too, and that the ending didn't feel rushed and really honored the history it was celebrating. Sure, the bluebird song will probably get stuck in your head for a while from watching, but it's definitely worth it.
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Most satisfying cdrama that I've watched
This has to be one of my favorite cdramas ever. I loved almost everything about the drama from the story to the acting, etc. Even initially, I was super intrigued by the synopsis and I went in with high expectations. I was not disappointed.The plot of this drama was not only paced well and logical, but it was the perfect amount of revenge, palace intrigue, and romance. The flashbacks of the past life were also placed well. The pacing of the story was quite even throughout, although at the end, it got somewhat quicker, most likely due to the fact that certain scenes may have needed to be cut to meet the current 40 episode limit. Still, it did not impact the pacing too much. The way the revenge was done felt extremely appropriate but also satisfying. There were multiple things that happened that I did not entirely see coming. The romance was quite slowburn regarding the leads, which I think we necessary given the characters, but it also made it so that each of the 3 MLs had their own story with the FL and that nothing was rushed. I think that the climax and the ending were done really well. Everything was tied up really well and almost everyone got the ending that they deserved. I am glad that the end scenes were shown with all the characters that mattered since it made the drama extremely satisfying.
I think that all the actors did a wonderful job portraying their characters. In particular, I think that Zhang Linghe did fantastic as Xie Wei and really made me believe that he was as broken and as vengeful as he was portrayed as. His facial expressions in particular have really improved from his past projects. Bai Lu also did amazing as the FL. I just love watching her because her acting is always on point. The supporting characters held their own and the villains acted heinous enough to the point of believability of their character and actions.
The only thing that could have been improved on was the lighting and angles. There were multiple extremely weird angles shown that took me out of the plot because they were so awkward and weird. In many scenes, there was also extreme lighting shown which made everything super lit. That also took me out of the story. However, compared to how amazing the drama is, they honestly pale in comparison.
Overall, I really enjoyed this drama and will definitely rewatch it. I'm glad to finally get a cdrama that has only minor flaws and issues and that is as enjoyable and satisfying as SoKP is. I'm going to recommend this to as many people as I can because it is just that good.
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1Good, but…
The positive point is that the show is marketed as a horror series, and that’s exactly what we get: real, fairly gory scenes, ghosts, etc. The plot holds up, and the actors are convincing.However, the series has two flaws. The first is the romance, which is far too excessive and completely off-tone. We have a love story between a cop and the main witness in a series of murders, so you’d expect passion. Instead, we get long, formulaic, syrupy dialogues about love. It feels out of place.
The second flaw is the ending (i.e., the last two episodes), which is clearly rushed and full of inconsistencies. It’s strange that the writers weren’t able to maintain the same level of quality all the way through.
In the end, it’s a series worth watching, but it’s far from unforgettable.
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