The Drama of 2022 That Has Everything You Could Ever Want
I think it's safe to say this is one of the best things I've ever seen.I loved this drama so much.
I've never written any reviews on here before, but I think this one deserves it.
The drama has ended, but it will always be with me.
I was sceptical about the drama having only "16" episodes (there were so many stones unturned), but everything was executed well.
They gave us an excellent, satisfying ending; it has to be one of my favourites. Everything tied together perfectly at the end.
I have a lot of respect for the writer; it was their first drama, yet all the elements were perfect, and they included so much in just 16 episodes!
The characters were all complex and interesting.
I love Kim Hye Soo, and she was brilliant in this. Her character is one of the best female leads I've seen. She's strong, understanding, kind, and just the best. All of the Grand Princes were perfect; they had their flaws, but that's what made them so lovable. I adored getting to know them and their stories.
All of the characters were fantastic, including the Queen Dowager in all her evil glory (I despise her guts, but her character is admirable).
I think Under The Queen's Umbrella is severely underrated; people automatically deem it boring because it's a historical, but I have to say, I never felt bored, not even for a second.
This is one of those gems that surpasses all your expectations. (Even though I actually had a lot of expectations because I love Kim Hye Soo)
Historicals have a stereotype, one of being boring, but sometimes you need to look at the broader picture and give things a shot.
This drama is full of everything you could want: mystery, action, romance, politics, strong characters, and more!
This was a heartwarming and lovely show, and it is one I will rewatch time and time again.
Highly, highly recommended!
If it's not obvious already, I give it a 10/10.
No, scratch that; this drama deserves a 1000/10. (I still can't believe it is the writer's first drama. Everything, and I mean everything, was perfect.)
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Really sweet fluff!!!
If you want some relatively-short, happy romance fluff, this is for you!It's actually quite rare to see a male-chase-female rom com nowadays without evil/scheming secondary leads, but here is one to satisfy your sugar craving.
Also, if you're into smart leads (with very clever romantic dialogue), you'll enjoy this show.
Yes, people do fight, but they are resolved relatively early and maturely; so get your chocolate ready for a big binge journey that will help you forget the Gu Wei Yi in Put Your Head on my Shoulder LOL
Extra points to the poetic nature of the lines and the cultural references -- I honestly had to look up some of the more sophisticated things they said, but I think the whole "well-educated main characters with great literature background" setting really makes this drama unique -- as in only the Chinese can produce something like this without seeming cringey.
The last few episodes do transition a bit weirdly though -- at one point I thought I was watching Code Blue instead of a rom com, but I guess it was a plot device to help the main characters reaffirm their love for each other so I'll take it.
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Outstanding comedy performance by the female lead!
I'll be honest, it took me a few passes to even want to give this drama a try...I'm not big on period pieces. I'm SO GLAD I eventually watched this. The female lead is outstanding at playing a man trying to behave like a woman. Her facial expressions and body language make for some really satisfying comedy. The other actors were fine, the male lead was fine, but the female lead is where this show really really shines. She carries the entire drama and I was super impressed by her performance.The storyline itself is pretty good, the comedy is spot-on, but it's not like it's a new or innovative story, so the acting and set really made this show stand out as exceptional. The music selections were also very memorable and they did a great job fitting the music to the activities in the drama. As soon as you hear Bong Hwan's theme song (easy to identify cause it shouts his name several times at the start) you instantly know the Queen is about to get up to some badass mischief. The costumes were gorgeous, everything is bright and colorful and clean which really helped to avoid distractions from the comedy performances.
This drama is in my top10 K-Dramas list for sure! I'd watch it again 100%.
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This review may contain spoilers
Am I the only one that actually liked it? For those who can understand mandarin can go on langlangbay.com to watch. I wouldn't recommend youtube because some times its missing audio, and sometimes it zooms in and out randomly... Story: I actually like the story lol, i never thought the storyline was cliche until reading the two reviews lol. I mean who does love a cute love story, with basically no annoying characters. The female lead lands a job as the male lead's secretary. ( male lead is a ceo ) He is extremely obsessive compulsive, liking everything neat and in order. The female lead is a superior secretary to the male lead, that is because she use to be lovers with him. It turns out the male lead lost his memory five years ago and is trying to retrace his memory. The female lead's attentiveness to details/ how she knows the routine of the ceo attracts the male lead. As you know they start to fall in love and that is when its revealed that they use to be together. SPOILER COMING UP....... I felt it was breathable/ fresh when he lost his memory the second time again. He lost his memory because they got intimate. ( at the point of the story its like a restart which made it more interesting ( to me) Its later revealed why he lost his memory ( don't want to spoil the rest). its a nice drama and at the same time I bawled cried) at some parts, like when she left him because she didn't want to risk him forgetting her again. ( it was heart wrenching to watch)
Romance/ Chemistry: if you are a romantic, you love this drama. It had many sweet scenes between the female lead and male lead. It flashed back to 5 years ago and those scenes were full of chemistry too. The female /male lead pairing worked for me and I believe their chemistry. Many dramas now just do like a peck on the lips and zoom in ... lol it doesnt feel real.. also it doesn't always have to be the male lead initiating it... I liked how the female lead was not shy about expressing her love .
Also the second female/ male characters also got romantic development which was nice. also they had happy endings ( i mean its pretty cliche but cute to watch)
Overall, I really enjoyed it and didn't have to skip too much of it. Its only 24 episodes which i find nowadays is the perfect amount of episodes. I recommend. But of course my favorite romantic drama is my love enlighten me :) whoo you made it to the end of my long review :)
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1This review may contain spoilers
A Memorable Show: TRUE LOVE WILL TAKE ITS COURSE
Overall: 10/10This year I have seen too many modern Cdramas but only this drama has Reached a 10/10 for me or may 100/10 ( L&P just Won my Heart Over)
Chinese dramas are mostly youth-themed about a journey from high school to Adult Life. But this one totally outshines them all for me and will remain a masterpiece of them all. The last Modern Day Cdrama I Rated 10 was Go Ahead, exactly after 2 years I got to watch this gems, both these dramas had such meaningful stories and Beautifully portrayed characters that stay with us for a long long time...(also we got a little reunion of "father Ling and father Li" from Go Ahead).
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LESSON LEARNED: That life goes on and sometimes we have to learn to forgive and forget to continue living our lives in peace, if we hold on to the past our future will be dark and wasted "FORGIVE OTHERS NOT BECAUSE THEY DESERVE FORGIVENESS BUT BECAUSE YOU DESERVE PEACE"
An Emotionally Satisfying Ride.
I'm not very good at nitpicking, so when I like something I just express it through my reviews, this one was definitely THE ONE for me. RECOMMENDED 100%
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Story: 10/10 Outstanding elaboration of the story
Mostly modern-day Cdramas become draggy and messy as the Storyline unfolds but this one was unlike any other Drama and kept me craving for more and more, the real enjoyment was to wait each week to watch it and get satisfied with new episodes. It just keeps getting better and better and you keep asking for more and more. It has so many touching/motivating dialogue, The Story Successfully Attracts and holds the interest of its viewer till the end(cause I was hooked).
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We live in a society where many times we are being outshined by those who are better than us. It takes guts to admit defeat and take benefit from who is someone better than us, just like Zhu Yun did. but Success Fades When Ego Kicks in just like Gao Jian Hong Ruined his happiness just because he wanted to defeat Li Xun once... Many are calling Li Xun rude and narcissistic but why can't he be it? not everybody is a happy-go-lucky type of person, he was a prodigy student and why can't he show it off? He was a Genius of IT (nothing narcissist just 100% FACT) even their Professor was unable to get rid of the Virus he created. ;p
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Main Characters:
Li Xun:
His character is an Introvert and Anti-social person who doesn't like to make friends and finds it a waste of time to interact with people instead uses that time for something more productive like coding, After all the hardships he faced and his mother's death left him with only loneliness, still he worked hard went University and wanted to dedicate his life to create a chance to find a cure so that others don't go through the things he went through. ( LIXUN TT )
he was a soft-hearted person but wasn't good at expressing himself. He made Gao Jian Hong Embarrassed during the website project which was a bad idea but he had Gao Jian Hong's goodwill in mind as it was explained afterwards that it was his way of teaching Gao Jian Hong so that he learns from his mistakes just like Li Xun learned from his mistake when he got a burn on his hand by playing with fire, I also believe the best way a person can learn is by facing failure and learning from their mistake but it had a negative impact on Jian Hong.
But Gradually he becomes a friendlier and happy person when he starts dating Zhu Yun and it is shown that he is a gentle person as he made up with his sister and maintained a healthy relationship for 3 years(these moments were like a cherry topping on a cake) cause it showed their relations stability. He was in his early 20s when he lost his only family, the guilt of not being able to protect his sister and his fury made him do something irreversible and it was hard for him to maintain a relationship when a lot was going in his mind amidst of all this He broke her heart(he wasn't farsighted at this and didn't imagine how much she loves him and what a great blow it was to her TT. We all make mistakes at some point in life or in our youthful days but that doesn't define our personality but helps us to become a better person which he indeed became...
Whenever I will think about this drama ill always remember the youthful days of Lixun Zhuyun and their smiling eyes
Those who Find Li Xun Toxic Are living their lives too Far from Reality nobody is a Mr Perfect in real life and everybody has some flaw...
The fact That His Love For Zhu Yun didn't Change Even After What He went Through And enduring all that pain And still smiling, similarly Zhu Yun Supported him again even though he broke her once but she still believed him and knew Li Xun better than anyone else that he wasn't Bad Person in the end because she was closest to him. He did break her heart and Was Mean to Her but who hasn't hurt a loved one?
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Zhu Yun:
She is a Darling Friend, the Most Supportive Gf, and a rebellious child (that only after meeting Lixun but again it was an independent move not Li Xuns fault, he just gave her an ample amount of confidence due to which she started making her own decisions and have her own dreams.
Parents want their kids to be always safe but in that process, they repeal their kid's choices, and Zhu Yun's breakthrough from her controlling mother was much needed and a positive change in her personality though she didn't give up or proved to be wrong till the end(having a teacher as a mother can be a horrifying sometimes)...
In this fast-growing society If u r not able to make your own decisions then Ur life ahead will be hella hard ( cause the world doesn't show mercy to the weak, they just stomp on them and move forward)
But we should all thank her mother it was only because she sent Zhu Yun to the CS field where they met...
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PS: Too Many Happy Tears for My babies who fought against all odds AND won back L&P.
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Gao Jian Hong:
From The Start Considered Li Xun a Competitor even After getting defeated multiple times, He didn't give up even though he knew what Li Xun was Capable of. Friends can get jealous and talk or fight it out which is healthy but envy is dangerous it keeps building inside you and eats you within which is why it is unhealthy. Everyone around Gao Jian Hong was heads over heels for Li Xun even his Professor, his Classmate and the only girl he ever loved does great damage to one's personality.
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Acting/Cast: 10/10
I haven't seen any other work of both leads but I'm 100% Sure, no one Literally no one can replace Chen Feiyu and Zhang Jingyi as Li Xun and Zhu Yun. Li Xun's smiling face Around Zhu Yun when she is irritated and their eyes were always full of love, All their Emotions felt so Genuine and Pure...it surely is very hard to resist their chemistry. We might hate some characters but in the end, it was all because of the Outstanding Acting that we felt invested in the story. I'm gonna miss this badly TT
FINAL BYE TO ZHU YUN AND LI XUN
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Music: 10/10
After Ending It with tears in my eyes I Fell asleep while listening to Its album on repeat, after effects of this drama are undeniably high. With so many beautiful OSTs I enjoy the opening theme the most while all the songs are super amazing too.
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Most people will be skeptical that this drama deserves all the praise it will likely get, I know I would be. A common question has been, "Is it really that good?". Umm... YES. The answer is YES, in ALLCAPS.
Let's start at the beginning, which most people call slow, but I was completely fascinated from the very first scene. I had a friend who was a sound editor, and I always thought the job was so fascinating, but I love the way they weave that element in throughout the show. I think it's the attention to details like that that makes this drama stand out more than others. Add the psychic premonition/flash forward element to that, and I was hooked for sure. I just had to know what was going to happen next.
I think the writing was really extraordinary in how they married all the different genres together without ever totally losing it's charm. Watching it felt like being on a roller coaster. I liked the ebb and flow of the story... Some moments are cute, some intense, some are passionate, some are heartbreaking, then frustrating, then suddenly hilarious... In telling the story of a mature and truly complicated relationship, they never settle on sticking to one approach for too long. Some people who joined in for the romance may get annoyed during the depressing & frustrating parts, and those looking for suspense probably got bored during the extra romantic moments, but I was too invested in the story to ever be bored, and I knew the story would never stay on one type of moment for too long. I know that personally that "surfing" shirt kept haunting my dreams... One can criticize certain parts of the story for not being realistic, but being real is not my criteria for a great drama. In fact, the only other drama I could see myself giving perfect 10s to is Secret Garden, for most of the same reasons, and that is definitely not a drama that relies on being "real". All the authenticity this drama needs comes from the portrayal of the characters.
Seo Hyun Jin as Regular Oh Hae Yeong, and Eric Moon as Do Kyeong, are not the ideal dream couple on paper. They are emotionally damaged, dysfunctional, and certainly imperfect, but I fell in love with both characters as they fell in love with each other. Regular Oh Hae Yeong's vulnerability broke my heart, and yet inspired me. Do Kyeong's guarded personality was frustrating, and yet I was completely empathetic towards him. The banter in the beginning was fun, their chemistry is perfect, the intensity of their intimacy got me in the feels, and they have the best KDrama kisses EVER. Seriously... ever. No need to fear them touching lips together while standing awkwardly. Eric plays repressed so well, that you would never think that he had it in him. I definitely swooned several times. I am a romcom fan, and have a lot of favorite couples, but they definitely leaped their way to the top couples on my list.
Then there is the rest of the cast. If I could give higher than 10 to some of the supporting cast I would.
Regular Hae Young's parents are the best parents in dramaland... FACT. The family moments were equally touching and laugh out loud funny. Kim Mi Kyung is just so good, and Lee Han Wi balanced her out perfectly. Any scene with them in it was automatically a good one.
The rest of the supporting cast were all 10s, or close enough, and there are way too many too mention, but shout out to the bromancemobile!
Jeon Hye Bin, and Lee Jae Yoon didn't have to rest on being attractive. They each had complicated characters who had me rooting against them while totally feeling sorry for them. I admit that I HATED Pretty Oh Hae Young, but that's because she played her part so well. Tae Jin was much more sympathetic, but both of them made the complicated love dilemma work well.
Kim Ji Suk, Heo Jeong Min, and Heo Young Ji all had very fun and memorable characters, but the true MVP of this whole drama to me is Ye Ji Won. She is my power animal! I had no idea, in her first scenes, how much I would end up adoring her character. Even If the story sucked, and the rest of the cast sucked, I would still be glued to the screen waiting to see what kind of shenanigans she would do next. I don't want to even slightly spoil any of her moments, because the surprise randomness of it is what makes it comic genius. I need to stalk her in something else. If you know of any dramas where she is particularly awesome, please let me know!
I already mentioned rewatch value, but just to be clear, I am tempted to rewatch the whole thing right now. I'll try to wait longer before I watch it again, but I will, without a doubt, be watching it all again... and again.
The music is now one of my favorite OSTs. I listen to certain songs over and over and never get tired. What Is Love is too cute, and I love that Seo Hyun Jin is singing! Ben's Like a Dream started playing in a store and had me singing along like I know the words... no, I do not speak Korean, much less sing in Korean. Maybe I by Roy Kim is like musical crack. Needless to say, the OST is really good.
Overall, I don't know what I am going to do with my Mondays & Tuesdays now that it's over. I rarely watch on air dramas, but I am so glad I watched this one. I think it was worth it from beginning to end, and yes I did like the ending, but I won't say too much about it other than that I thought it was... in it's own way... perfect ; )
So yes I recommend it very highly. I think a romcom hater, or a melodrama hater, or a suspense hater could all agree that there is surprisingly a little something for everyone. I also loved the message at the end.
Now excuse me while I make some room for this drama, and it's cast on my favorites lists.
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MR.EMPEROR PENGUIN
I beg beg begggggg, you to NOT judge this drama by it's initial ratings, pleaseeeeee...I don't know what pleasure people get from down-rating a drama...If you're not into such dramas, you shouldn't have started it after watching the trailer, why would you intentionally come here just to give bad ratings.But, if you're into silly and lovely dramas that'll have you screaming in your pillow, giggling and curling your toes, THEN THIS IS A PERFECT DRAMA FOR YOU....I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE CAST... IT'S A PERFECTLY PACED STORY and cherry on top is ML's voice>>>>> sir sir sir....šš„
ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED WITH TAEGOO AND SUNHWAšā¤
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Manly ML and young FL
I would say "age gap" genre is my cup of tea. I have been watching this genre for so long even in ancient dramas. Dating In the kitchen is one of my fav modern drama. I would recommend this to everyone. plus, Zhao Lusi really fits the role of Gu Shengnan, a young and talented chef. As for Lin Shen he also fit the role of Lu Jin too. Yes, for this drama it really focuses on their love story. Y'all gonna love this show, they're really sweet in the story even their chemistry in real life (I would say good friend or co worker). Just WATCH IT, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I don't typically write reviews since I find most BL's follow the same tropes so reviews get pretty repetitive to me, but I felt compelled to this time. Prepare yourselves! In case you didn't see, yes this review contains spoilers so here it comes. LBC started on such a high note that expectations are raised right out of the gate. Unfortunately, it falls short as the story goes on, but not enough to completely ruin the series.I was both baffled and beyond happy when Pete came out to his mom. There's a lot of BL's that just hint that the parents know, but LBC had Pete come straight out and say it. I applaud them for that and loved the relationship with his mom. I love that they spoke to each other and she made sure he knew that he was her son regardless. It was beautiful and everyone needs to hear that from their parent so I was on cloud nine! The relationship between Ae and Pete, too, was superb. They were caring, had their issues, but always wrapped them up fairly quickly and were an all around good role model for LGBTQ+ youth. Their story was so pure and warm that it makes one's insides turn to goo! If I could only rate this on their story it'd be a 10 out of 10, but, my issues come with the final 3 couples that, if it was only them, would drop this story to practically a zero.
Let's start out with my biggest issue, KengklaxTechno. That was rape. It was straight up rape, uncomfortable and unsettling to watch, especially since there was Tum and Tar's story about rape so...how and why? But they're next. Simply put, I feel KengklaxTechno's so-called "relationship" was rushed because there probably won't be a second season. If they were going to do that, they should have just ended it without them ever getting together, have a little kiss and leave it open ended rather than fall into yet another rape story line. Not only is it an insult to the LGBTQ+ community, but also, men in general should be insulted that, somehow, every show makes it seem like they can only think with the head between their legs.
Onto the TumxTar story, which I didn't have a lot of issues with, but they were forgettable. They didn't have a lot of screen time, especially considering that Tar was assaulted. I would love if they would have their own show to focus on the trauma a sexual assault survivor goes through, but this just rushed it and fell into some unsettling moments as well, like when Tum tried to force himself on Tar. It was unfortunate because they could have had so much more time and energy given to them. It's sad they didn't get it.
Lastly, the TinxCan story, which I admit I'm biased as I loved them since the whole "enemy to lovers" thing is my downfall ,but, I'll do my best to stay unbiased! I simply hate how there's still sad endings for LGBTQ+ stories. We've had enough of them and I find them so unnecessary. If anyone should have got the "tragedy" ending, it should have been KengklaxTechno since their relationship was nonexistent. Instead, it's forced onto two characters that could have had a real good story. There's so much to Tin's backstory with his family that they could have a show of their own, especially since, yes, they made it seem like Can was falling for Tin. Slowly, but feelings were developing. I feel that, if they didn't see a second season in the making, it should have at least ended on a happier note but instead we're left with this and no guarantee of a season two so...
Sadly, I feel like LBC went down hill. I'm not saying don't watch it, Ae and Pete are totally worth re-watching and enjoying their story, but...it's not a 10 for me anymore. I'd say a solid 7 thanks to Ae and Pete, they saved the show so, I guess, go in with low expectations or just to watch Ae and Pete. I do plan to re-watch them from time to time and I hope season two clears up some issues!
Edit: First off, I see there will be a season two so we'll see how that goes. Second, I have re-watched the series and stand by my initial responses. KengklaxTechno didn't hit me as hard the second time around but it's just not ok. Plain and simple. TinxCan is now an ok ending because of the sequel (which will supposedly focus on them.) If the sequel doesn't clear some things up, I think LBC will fade and never live up to the potential it could have had. If they make a S2 as good as the first it could be another classic.
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It is really impossible to write a review for this drama without getting my blood pressure up. The people that waited week after week for this drama will truly understand my pain.All the writers of this drama need to be under some kind of witness protection program because they have succeeded in angering so many people including myself that had to sit through 20 eps of this BS. This drama was written under the influence of some serious narcotics.
The acting gets a 9 because they did a good job of conveying the foolishness the writers were spilling out.
Trying not to give away any spoilers, I'm a strong believer of the saying "don't bite the hand that feeds you". Well in this drama there's a lot of biting and chewing and an attempt to amputate the hand that was doing the feeding.
In this drama you get to witness ungratefulness at it's max and decisions that make you question the way some men think.
The drama was good and cute up until about episode 10 when the writers decided to play "how far can we piss off the viewers". In all honesty, the drama could have been done in 16 episodes or better still 10 episodes.
We could have done without all the crap from ep 11 to 19 and 20.
The only take a way is the OST. There are some really good songs in this drama....The drama had some good potential that was played with.
If you want to sit through this be my guest but make sure to drop by for an "I TOLD YOU SO".
Writing this without spoilers was seriously challenging....off to take my blood pressure meds
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That ending was a... choice
There's a lot to be said about this wonderful yet somehow disappointing take on gumiho and Korean lore, and having just finished it I find that I have surprisingly complicated feelings for something that, in the beginning, I was confident that I would end up either loving or hating it.I feel a bit bitter.
The drama's strengths lie in its production, its cast, and some of its characters. Some, not all. The brothers Lee Yeon and Lee Rang were hands down the most well thought out part of the story as both characters had a lot of depth to them, and their actors had a lot of chemistry on set. From the very beginning, LR's grudge is made clear and we're given context to their very strained relationship. As the story leaves more pieces for us to put together, we come to understand his character a lot more. Better yet, their relationship and LR's character as a whole have by far the most growth out of the whole cast. Even, I as someone who didn't care for LR in early episodes, grew to appreciate his role in the story.
The rest of the cast, for the most part, was a compliment to their chemistry. Ki Yoo Ri and Gu Shin Ju did a fantastic job portraying the slow-developing second couple and, honestly, their chemistry was a lot more compelling than the main pair. They're fun, they're cute, and the more you see them together, the better they look together. The Gatekeeper couple was such a treat, too, in a different way. Watching them fight and bicker and then, eventually, come together again, was so nice. For me, the main problem and the reason I was never 100% onboard was Nam Ji Ah's character. I found her very likable and refreshing in the first few episodes but that started to taper off around episode 4 or 5 where I started to find her grating. The actress's acting was passable, but a lot of times it didn't feel genuine. Her motivation was clear in the beginning - to find her parents - but as soon as they were back, the story forgot about them unless it needed a hostage or a funny little couple scene between NJA and LY. It felt a little strange. Then, this character who in the beginning we were shown was strong-willed, motivated, and could take care of herself was now in constant need of rescuing. And I mean constant. She was practically helpless throughout most of the story. In episode 13 she even fell victim to the 'woman fainting because stress' trope. There were also many scenes where she had to 'play the villain' so to speak and act as Imugi, which... was a choice. She didn't make for a great villain. The acting was cheesy and over-the-top, which I came to expect from other aspects of the show like the dialogue (which was absolutely cringy in some spots) but when you have a villain you want to look threatening, that's not a very good sign. I have more gripes with her character at the ending, too. A lot more.
Before I move on, Lee Tae Ri was an odd choice to play the villain. It's not that he's a bad actor, but he doesn't really have a threatening or large presence. He made Imugi's level of threat seem kinda silly, honestly, so I never felt like there was any real tension when he was on screen.
The plot... let's be honest, it's a hot mess. It's coherent enough to understand and enjoy, simple enough that you've seen this story a thousand and one times already, but if you think about it too long, it starts to fall apart. Just take the very first scene where NJA's parents go missing. We understand that attack to have been orchestrated by Imugi's minion KHR, but who was it that actually attacked them? Who was it that LY saved NJA from that night? They were shapeshifters, we can assume maybe they were foxes like the others? But why did they do it? Why did they listen to KHR? Better yet, what was the point of taking NJA's parents to begin with? Was it just to use them as leverage years later? That seems a bit silly - they could have taken them at any point after Imugi was revived to the same effect. With Imugi's illusions we've seen that he can get whatever he wants whenever he wants it. It just feels unnecessary. I loved the scene itself and it was a great introduction, but there wasn't much reason for it other than giving NJA a flimsy character set-up. In fact, if the parents had just been killed that night I probably wouldn't have much to say about it - it could have been a harsh introduction into the world we were about to step into. The problem is really the fact that it ties back to the main villain.
There are numerous other examples of the show taking weird turns like that or having just badly written scenes, but if I tried to write them all out we'd be here forever. Correct me if I'm wrong, but we never got closure on why NJA's parents visited that island where the Imugi ritual was performed, did we? Why did they bring back her parents if they were going to practically forget about them immediately after? The girl gets to see her mom and dad who she knew were likely dead after so many years and there's a short few scenes about them reuniting and then it's like they were never gone in the first place. They never even get an explanation for where they were or why they were there all that time. Anyway. My point is that there are a lot of holes in the story, and even more bad choices. It didn't make me hate the show but as I saw more of them, I started to realize that this wasn't the drama I hoped it would be.
Let's skip the tedious middle of the story and skip to the ending. A lot of the build-up was instead filled with mushy, cheesy scenes between LY and NJA, the couple with the least amount of chemistry in the story. Then our climax hits and it goes exactly how everyone expects - almost. Going into the last 2 eps, I expected LR to die instead of LY. You know, that old 'redemption in death' trope again. I accepted it. But then LY went through with his initial plan and there was crying and tears and LR held his wine bottle like it was a newborn baby and... that was it. I hoped. To be honest, I was fine with that. LY dying, NJA learning to move on, and their love ending on a bittersweet note might have had me applauding the show for not giving us a candyfloss ending. My favourite moments in the whole drama were seeing LR interacting with his newfound family, upset and lonely over the loss of his brother but finally, after so long, finding happiness in the company of others. He didn't have his brother, but he had a family.
And then they made him a damn martyr and had him sacrifice himself for his damn brother. They gave their most well-developed character a cheap ending. If he had died fighting Imugi, I would have been fine with that. If he died because his time was up (they alluded to him being at the end of his lifespan several times and then they, I don't know, forgot about it? Decided they didn't care?) then I wouldn't even have been upset. But instead, they waited until he had his happiest moment and took it all away, not even giving him a proper goodbye. What message does that really send us? He only lost everything once he grew as a character and became a better person. And I'm not saying that his growth nullifies all the terrible shit he's done in the past - it doesn't, he's a murderer and the fact that he's docile at the end of it doesn't change that - but it's only once he started on a better path that he meets his end, and I'm not sure I can get on board with that.
To me, NJA dying would have made sense. No, not there, I don't think anyone should have sacrificed their lives for LY to come back regardless of who it was. But her sacrificing herself earlier on would have made sense. The Gatekeeper was right - she was the reason so many people were dying, even if it wasn't directly her fault. While I can understand LY's desperation to not have history repeat itself, even if they weren't characters that we saw on screen, a lot of people died in the story. An insane amount, even. Saving her while all of them were dying was in fact pretty selfish of the both of them. A lot of heartache from the characters could have been avoided that way, too. Would it have been a very satisfying ending? Not sure. But what we have isn't really satisfying, either.
I did enjoy some of the scenes after LY returned, but ultimately, I don't think they were needed. Maybe I'm just bitter. If I based my rating solely on the ending, it probably would have been a 6. But I can't ignore the fact that I did enjoy the early episodes, and later on I enjoyed most characters outside of Imugi and NJA. It was a cringy, sappy journey that a part of me regrets going on, while another part is happy to have at least had the journey, even if it led down a road not worth travelling.
EDIT: A FEW THINGS I FORGOT TO LEAVE COMPLAINTS FOR AT THE ENDING:
-LY is supposed to be reincarnated except is brought back as himself but human. An adult. How does that make sense? Why did they not explain that?
-LR being reincarnated as a 10-year-old boy... when he died a few months ago? Does that make sense? No. Nothing does, apparently.
-That very end - so is he not a human after all? Is he lying? I get that maybe he can still use his special sword umbrella but why did his eyes change? Is he still a fox? WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THAT?
I'm angry all over again.
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Boku no Ita Jikan (āThe Time I Was In,ā internationally titled āThe Hours of my Life,ā) acquaints viewers with ALS, while painting an intimate portrait of a certain afflicted young man. This drama exults in the ordinary, from sets to characters and even plot points. Yet the propensity toward simplicity is exactly what produces any brilliance it might find. Main character Sawada Takuto could be any 20-something in Japan, but he could just as easily represent any young person anywhere. His goals appear unremarkable, his relationships familiar, his hobbies commonplace. But because they are also realistic, the generated reliability helps to connect viewers to the show. If nothing else, it will leave one questioning themselves. "How have I lived until now? Have I taken my time for granted?"
I would categorize this drama as inspirational, though also quite tragic. Many uplifting moments occur, yet these can be just as painful as the tearjerker scenes. For those wondering, a rather good love story does exist (and with surprising maturity, despite at least one "fish kiss"). There are a few cliches, unfortunately, including the most dreaded irritant: noble idiocy. Veterans of the genre might not enjoy Boku no Ita Jikan as much as others, either; there have been stronger, similar forays, though it brings a youthful flair to the table.
Miura Haruma starred in one of my first experiences with Japanese cinema about a thousand years ago, coincidentally another disease-oriented tale (Koizora). Though I've barely seen him after, I never forgot the effect that initial performance had on me. Meeting Miura-san again in Boku no Ita Jikan, Iām pleasantly surprised at his immense growth from then. His turn as Takuto is delightfully ordinary, yet powerful in its modesty. Most memorable will be his optimistic smile, though there were times I was floored in how deeply I felt Takutoās fears. An actor with potential indeed.
I found leading lady Tabe Mikako only decent, though she performs well for the most part. Her Megumi takes the longest to āsettleā and characterization seems somewhat fluid until around the mid-point. Chemistry with Miura Haruma is consistent, if more strongly felt in later episodes. Saito Takumi looks his best, though character Mukai Shigeyuki possesses a selfish streak. Due to subtle writing and this actorās innate charm, Shige nevertheless remains painfully human. He might be a flawed jerk in many contexts, but he also has the potential to be genuinely friendly, observant, and likable in others. Nomura Shuhei is also notable, as he develops Rikuto into an surprisingly adorable and complete supporting character.
Pretty music accompanies Boku no Ita Jikan. Of particular note are vocals from Rihwa (āHarukaze/Spring Windā) and Yuzu (āYorokobi no Uta/A Song of Joyā). Sound effects are also utilized to a heart-rending degree, including the sound of a ticking clock bridging between scenes.
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The first few episodes were kinda meh to say the least, not terrible, but not amazing. However, I always had an affinity for slice of life dramas and I continued watching. I think the shift happened right around when they decided to become 'Strongest Deliveryman' and that's when it started to feel like I was watching a whole new and exciting show. I will have to disagree with the majority and say that i absolutely loved Kang Soo and Dan Ah's relationship more than I did the second leads. Don't get me wrong though, the second leads were lit and sooooo funny but the first leads were more impactful to me, because I wasn't sold on their compatibility as a couple initially. In the earlier episodes I never felt the chemistry, but as the episodes progressed I fell for how well it was portrayed as a realistic relationship.
What I really enjoyed in this drama was how it made me feel as young adult who often felt like the world and everything was against me. Dan Ah calling Korea hell resonated with me so much because I feel that everyday here in America. I'm not rich, I'm not even "comfortable" in that sense. I have student loans and car payments and rent and its hard to not feel discouraged at times. Kang Soo was relatable to me because I'm the type of person that would give the clothing off her own back if it meant someone else was comfortable. Min chan, I saw myself in the way he was trying to live up to his parent's expectations; i also saw my friends who have graduated from college, but still cab't secure a job. This drama really was like a breath of air and a word of encouragement for me (so corny, I know!).
I appreciated Kim Sunho's portrayal of Jin Gyu so much because brought such depth to his character that it was ridiculous to even think that he was supposed to be a "villain" earlier in the story. Honestly, Ji Yoon's character was comedic, but that's really the extent of it which wasn't bad in the least.
I'm kind of rambling now, but yeah, I really digged this one. And I'll definitely miss it.
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Started solid 10, superb chems with obviously visual couple, but the last 5eps wrap up was bad!
What I luv:- The leadsā¦ their visuals, their chems, their acting, their characters really suit them perfectlyā¦ not a fan of noona drama, but since YM doesnāt age like normal people do, they look good togetherā¦ n Xukai is just so dreamy, even with his goodboy haircutā¦
- The plotā¦ i always like the opposite attract kind, n this is a fresh way where the woman is the ambitious workaholic one n the man is the stay home caring oneā¦ the way they hate each other first, then tolerate, admire, like, support, get in a contract married n fall in luv afterwardsā¦ itās a development in a relationship that i like to watchā¦
- The background storyā¦ FL is a lawyer, so the stories r mostly about her cases n how she tries to climb on top in this supposedly manās worldā¦ i always like watching this genre, how they investigate things, how tricky n bad people get to achieve what they want, etcā¦ itās interestingā¦
- The castsā¦ i like MLās BFF & MLās dad, they r so funny n loyal to MLā¦ i have mixed feelings about FLās BFF, they had moments in earlier eps n then her existence is almost none unless she had probs with her hubby which is FLās broā¦ I even thought that LiDai was gonna be the villain, but turns out she turns out to be an interesting character which is on good terms till the end with both leadsā¦ the associate lawyers small talks where they gossip about what happens at the office is always an interesting sceneā¦
- The writings r mature, not cheesyā¦
- The way they r not connected in anyway in the pastā¦ this annoys me lots of times when suddenly they were childhood friends or something like thatā¦
What i hate:
- Everything starting eps36ā¦ suddenly they get divorce? Unnecessary drama IMOā¦ N not that many screen time together for the leads untill the reconciliation in the last 5mins of the final eps40ā¦ n the reunion was just flat, they met again coz he moved in as her next door neighbour after 7months apart, somehow they just got back together n no explanationā¦ why did they get divorce in the first place anyway? This wrap up just *sighā¦
- They didnāt give ML a proper comeback story related to his careerā¦ people looked down to him since the beginning coz heās jobless n always stays home (he still earns money from trading)ā¦ so IMO he should get a scene where he rises back on top n everybody found out about it, at least her family&her ex! instead we only get him to tell FL about his accomplishmentā¦ i know he doesnāt care about what other people think, but still i wanna see a glimpse of his success in the endā¦
- TJH, the FLās ex, with his fiancĆ©e r both equally annoyingā¦ heās a grown up, who couldnāt stand up for FL when they were togetherā¦ n now he wanna play a hero for FL while his fiancee turned out as the big bad wolf to FL becoz of her jealousyā¦ their presence annoy me most of the timesā¦
I just freshly finished this n i wanna share a bit of my disappointmentā¦ it started with a solid 10, but with that last 5eps I could only give it 8.5ā¦ overall iād still recommend it though, especially if u like the genre or at least one of the leads, coz they look so amazingly cute togetherā¦ n as much as i hate the last 5mins reconciliation kinda drama, at least itās still a HE? N keep in mind, itās a solid 10 till the last 5epsā¦ I just wish they give us a good wrap up! Iām hoping for a bit miracle where they have an extra eps of their cute deleted scenes, or even better, the actual epilogue of their happy ending life after their so called reconciliation scene in eps40ā¦ š¤š¤
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Powerful plot. Solid & unique. Four-dimensional. An enrichment on the KDrama crime thriller market
A solid thriller, laid out across time and space. The fourth dimension has a hand in the investigation. There's a bit of magic involved too.You can expect an suspenseful, opaque story with edgy characters - in particular a cheeky, blustering, stroppy anti-hero as male protagonist. As a writer he is ambitious but probably rather untalented. However, he is also someone who doesn't easily give in and doesn't like to be fooled. And there is this delicate, gifted, mysterious stranger crossing his pathā¦
The criminal act and the perpetrator as such may seem rather familiar, sort of. But pretty much everything knitted around this crime is off the beaten track! With strong characters and powerful plot. An enrichment on the KDrama crime thriller market! With time and space becoming relative...
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