This review may contain spoilers
It’s really not a BL series.
I placed spoiler alerts at the end of this review.This series is mostly about a group of friends that struggle with their problems throughout life. This is really not a BL series because the BL storylines are mostly treated as a secondary thought. However, that’s not the main problem for me. The overall story concept was actually a good one. See the spoiler alert at the end of this review if you want more information. However, the script was a complete mess. It suffers from the two main problems that is often seen in Thai series: too many storylines and too many supporting characters. The script started off really good in episode 1, but then the cracks begin to show by episode 3. By episode 7, the script starts to make no sense and the logic behind the characters’ actions don’t add up. Overall, the acting was ok. Some of the actors were better than the others. I expected better from this cast considering they are not newbies. There were also some poor editing choices. One major editing choice caused a major timeline continuity problem in episode 11. There was a lot of wasted screen time starting from the middle of the series and onward. This did not need to be a 14-episode series. They easily could have trimmed all of the useless filler screen time to make this a 10- to 12-episode series. I also don’t understand why the Special Moment Director’s Cut at the end of the series was done and not incorporated into the other episodes. The songs they used were good, but the background music throughout the series was bland and very annoying. As for the ending, see the spoiler alert at the end of this review if you want more information.
Random notes:
I know everyone else was complaining about the bad wigs, but I thought it couldn’t be that bad. I was very wrong. It’s almost like someone showed up with a box of wigs and dared the production team to place them in as many scenes as they can. This could basically be turned into a drinking game.
The opening and closing credits are way too long.
******Spoiler Alerts******
I give the screenwriter credit for writing a series about the different means of communication with characters that don’t know how to use basic communication with each other. This was the only successful thing that came across in the script. I had an idea this was the general concept and was happy it was confirmed in the last episode. I actually gave an extra point for this.
Am I supposed to believe that none of Name’s friends went back home for any of their breaks during the first 2 years in college? None of them, not once? This is just a small example on some of the lazy scriptwriting.
It does show happy outcomes for all of the characters in the last part of episode 14.
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but anyways PLEASE WATCH THIS SHOW.
sorry that it's not steamy like some of u perverts like, but it's meant to show the innocence of first love.
and im sure the only reason they didn't actually kiss, is because Guanlin is 18 and Jinmai is only 17. AND Guanlin probably didn't want to catch a case soooo i mean....
also stfu, it was the 1st time guanlin acted in a show like this, he's working hard to be better.
and Jinmai too, shes so pretty and and is a great actress, so before you judge her and call her acting bad, watch her other shows, she protrays her character perfectly.
thank u and stop hating on my favorite show atm... its the only thing making me not go insane in this quarantine time.
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Everyone should pay close attention to this drama......why only 9 stars though???
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!CAUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Please note that if you start watching this drama you are going to get ADDICTED to this series no matter what....
If you’re expecting this drama to be just another "Addicted" or "Stay With Me," you’re in for a surprise. While it might share some similarities with "Addicted," it stands out with its unique approach. Trust me, just the first two episodes will show you why this series is different.
The STORY line might seem predictable—clearly we all know how the leads end up together and what issues they will face with their family and how they overcome those challenges..........Yet, despite knowing all these things, I found myself eagerly anticipating every twist and turn after all this while.
The production quality and ACTING are commendable, though I find Sheng Wang's portrayal occasionally a bit too childish which is contradicting his character in the novel(even though I read only 21 chapters of the novel), which might be a hit or miss for some. However, I firmly believe that this drama lives up to the high standards that we all have for Taiwanese dramas. So a big kudos to the Team and the actors.
The reason I gave this only a 9 because, yeah one thing is I wanted Sheng Wang's character not to be too childish.......so there goes the 0.5 and another 0.5 is I felt that the chemistry between the leads is a bit less intense compared to the novel. I am not telling that the leads do not have chemistry but in few scenes I feel that the tension and the emotion is missing.
I’m confident that this drama will defy any initial impressions you might have. And one thing that people are mostly concerned about is the slow burn......at few instances I also felt the same but yeah I hope this concern will not be a concern after the release of season 2 hahaha.
PS: NOT THE END............just the Beginning.......eagerly anticipate for a season 2
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This review may contain spoilers
Make it a drinking game
I have to say that the only thing I liked about this drama was the OST. The english song "With Light Inside" grew on me. The song didn't made sense but Chen Xueran voice was so dreamy in this and the melody was bubbly and upbeat. Good enough to play on repeat.The story has a lot of "ick" factor. ML was 5 and FL was 7 when they became family, and he's been into her since then? and he has been the one to guide her back to bed every time she sleepwalks. SINCE HE WAS 5! They were raised as siblings since young even if she's known she was adopted from the beginning, the ick factor is huge. It would be better if
1. They didn't change her name
2. The parents were helping raise best friends kid coz best friends are in Antarctica or something.
3. They were neighbors instead of siblings.
Plus, her academic improvements were just too great too fast. From 400th++ place to being accepted into Medical school. Then there was medical school, part time job, medical intern, bakery business owner. The writer just couldn't decide what to do with this girl. The medical trope was just unnecessary. FL going into culinary field would have been much better.
Drinking game recommendation:
1. Drink a shot every time somebody carries the the FL.
2. Drink a shot every time FL gets a new job
Now lets get into the Ouyang siblings. Sister Ouyang has an "ick" factor obsession with her brother. While brother Ouyang can't manage his brain damage sister. He should have sat down with her and told her that if FL knew of their connection to FL parents death, things with their family could go really bad. Sister Ouyang was basically going all out to destroy her own family.
(out of topic) FL's kind of friend Liu ZheHui looks a little like korean actress Kim So Hyun when she wears the long hair wig.
I think the drama could be fleshed out more, the story told so far barely scratched the surfaced. I'm not that mad at this drama, I basically had it playing in the background while I was working. I can't watch this with full attention. I think I would strain my eyes with the number of time I'd roll my eyes.
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Great concept, confusing storytelling.
On paper I understand what I’m supposed to get from the story, but I am not sure the director did a good enough job for me to say the idea was translated well on screen. It ended up with me feeling like everyone is unhappy, because of the choices the female lead made.While the movie had many great and poetic moments, I kept getting distracted by my own feelings which were: I felt extremely bad for the husband. Especially during the bar scene - whatever charm the scene was supposed to have, lost for me coz I kept thinking about the husband and how awful the whole situation must be for him.
The performances were great, though I was just not that into how the characters were written. Personally, I did not find Nora either likable or interesting. Not sure if I liked Hae Sung or just Yoo Teo’s pretty eyes and face, but he for sure aced the melancholic nostalgia feeling.
There was one scene that I really liked, and it was the “waiting for uber” one. I felt like it perfectly sums up the themes of the movie - connection, timing, hesitation. Would prefer if the movie actually ended there.
Overall, kind of enjoyable, but you truly need to completely ignore the husband and his side of this whole story not to feel at best awkward, at worst awful.
Side note - Polish subtitles in the cinema were awful. Maybe Korean phrases were translated in such a weird and “strong” way as if the characters were swearing left and right, when the meaning was supposed to be much lighter in tone.
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Dramas like these should not be made anymore!!
this drama contains everything but nothing at the same time, I watched the show but i don't really know what i watchedCons:
1) The drama was so messy and i ended up skipping alot of the scenes
2) Every storyline was so predictable and basic that i literally felt deja vu at every scene
3) the last few episodes were exhausting to watch because of how basic everything turned out
Pros:
The only thing i liked about this drama is the visuals, i honestly don't know why they make these overused teen romance plots anymore...Everything was 2 dimensional and i could not find any reason to like the characters. I will say though that i laughed a lot in the beginning because of how ridiculous the situation was but afterwards it just became exhausting to watch.
This is the type of drama you watch when you have nothing else to watch or if you don't feel like watching a plot heavy show. The show ended the moment they started dating(in fact even earlier). Nothing memorable happens and i feel like i watched falling into your smile, love scenery and love me love my voice all together. After watching so many of these type of dramas i'm honestly too scared to start a show that has sweet romance because of the disappointment that always follows. The only thing that is going to save my drama slump (hopefully if done well, fingers crossed) is Legend of shen li which is coming out tomorrow.
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Good graphics; Bad plot.
Tried to like this show… truly, but simply too many plot holes, inconsistent writing, strange character progression. Let’s start with the good:- Set design - Amazing graphics, a very believable world, all the imagery/backgrounds enhance a great aesthetic. 10/10 for me .
- Music - Wonderful soundtracks throughout the show 10/10 as well.
- Acting - I’ve been a fan of both main actors, they fit the roles given and did a great job. All side actors were also perfect in their roles!
That’s it for the good parts. Now onto the writing (or lack of)
- Plot: What is even happening? The hero goes from being a victim to being the perpetrator, the FL is from the future but is involving herself in past drama like any of it would matter (since you know, the world has literally ended in 500 years), the ML never questions where the world-Turing jade went, even though he knew it was a huge harmful thing?! That’s just one example of all the ridiculous plot holes. 2/10
- Characters: The ML has Stockholm Syndrome, the FL forgets her mission every 5 minutes. Ye Bingchang is NOT different from the male lead, she’s also doing what takes (in her mind) to survive. Writers purposely make her hateable, most likely to instigate fans who they know will jump on things like that. The fox demon doesn’t need that relationship, it seems forced by writers and she’s not over her last one.
The only character I liked consistently for 40 episodes was Xiao Lin. Honest, stuck to his own principles, calm and rational. 4/10
- Ending: The less we say about it, the better. It’s not happy and for me, not worth the whole drama just to lead there 0/10
- Romance: Is there I suppose. There are some very sweet “aw” moments. But the fact that almost all relationships are toxic in a stupid way (not in an entertaining way) really undermines the romance. 5/10
- Arcs: Dream arc - why?! Just why waste multiple episodes on a strange dream that could’ve been told in 1-2 eps. The god/goddess arc is a good attempt, but confusing at times and very awkwardly written.
One positive is that the FL somehow succeeds in her mission and the world doesn’t collapse, although by the end I wanted their fictional universe to be over already. 2/10 for the flow of the story.
TLDR - Special effects, music and actors are great; but the lack of flow throughout the story, confusing plot full of holes and all the unlikeable characters with zero decision-making skills really ruined the show.
Huge budget and good acting, wasted on awful scriptwriting.
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1Initially I was on the fence about starting this; there was a lot of hype around it and I've never (successfully) watched a Chinese Drama before. But what drew me in was the promise of a beautifully great cast, an exciting story, and some wonderfully superb acting. So you'll know without even reading ahead that The Untamed very well lived up to it's expectations, but why did it?
Let's rewind a little and summarize what it is that makes The Untamed such a rare gem among a multiplicity of other dramas in the same vein. The Untamed is the live action retelling of the Chinese novel The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (Mo Dao Zu Shi), a popular sensation that's only gaining more reader fans as we speak. Though a BL in nature, it's also so much more than that, and though censorship also plays a part where the live action is concerned, the producers of the drama made sure that none of the magic that made the novel so special was lost.
At its helm are two marvellous lead actors, both who manage to bring the characters alive in a way that made them their own. Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo display perfect synergy, in an undeniable chemistry that goes beyond the characters on-screen. It's obvious the series had a lot of thought put into when it came to the casting, as it goes without saying there's nobody else who would be such a perfect fit for these roles.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't struggle to summarize the plot of this epic series, especially without giving away too much context. It's simple on the surface but at the same time possesses a great scale of hidden layers that will continue to surprise and shock you as you progress throughout the series.
The Untamed follows two male characters from two different clans, both with very contrasting personalities; Wei Wuxian, outspoken and playful, and Lan Wang Ji, serious and virtuous. Though different in nature, through Wei Wuxian's persistence, the two slowly start to develop a friendship, one that transcends boundaries. When a new evil arises and threatens the peace of their world, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wang Ji both find themselves at the center of what essentially becomes an all-out war between clans.
Though this may be a theme that remains a central point, the series also manages to explore the consequences of heartache, love and loss, as well as the grey areas of villainy and an exploration in what is considered moral and the catalysts that cause us to sin. It's a compelling story that will grip you from beginning to end and doubtlessly inspire endless discussion and debate for months to come.
I cannot stress how much the plot summary doesn't really do it justice, as The Untamed is certainly an experience you have to be a part of to really get swept away. Because spoilers would make it a hell of a lot less fun to watch, all I can say is that you absolutely won't be disappointed.
I definitely recommend this for people who love cdramas, wuxia, supernatural fantasies, handsome men and beautiful women, epically choreographed battles and fans of Wang Yibo haha.
I also cannot end this without mentioning that the soundtrack is beautifully glorious and is just one of the many reasons I felt emotionally drained by the end of every episode.
Honestly, do yourself a favor and watch 2019's (and possibly of all time's) best drama.
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Each episode tells a different story of different people living in Beijing, from romance to horror to supernatural to just getting chills down your spine. It's skin-tingling and you want to look away, but for some reason I kept clicking "next episode" just to see how the writers and directors and wonderful actors would make my skin crawl again.
Each set of actors did extremely well, from musicians to psychopaths to people who have been consumed with greed, fear, or the thirst for knowledge. Since we only spend about 25-30 minutes with each story, it's hard to establish the depth of each character but Mysterious Summer somehow manages to go into what has caused each protagonist to do what they did. The antagonists are left purposefully ambiguous, to increase the mysteriousness and overall creepiness of the more horror/supernatural genres.
Of course, some stories are better than others, but a bad episode or two doesn't detract from the overall quality of the show.
And of course, each episode came with it's own music, which upped the ante or made me peek through my fingers waiting for something to jump out. It was thrilling.
Overall, a good watch if you're looking for a strange mix of psychological, romance, horror, supernatural, and clever acting (Furukawa Yuki is in it... who doesn't love that guy?)
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hua yong obsessed
people who are hesitating to watch this....DONT start this right away because its that awesome...i found the end a little incomplete but its common in chinese bl. the end was good but they can do better. and actors omg they can make a room hot with just by their eyecontact and smirks of hua yong. omegaverse is not common in the dramas especially in bls but it was worth it. when it comes to second lead i hated that they are gonna end up together. i hated shen wen lang so much and he didnt deserve gao tu at all.i just didnt like that wen lang regeted it that much i wanted to see him regret so much. but overall it was a roller coaster ride.Was this review helpful to you?
For the novel fans, it may be necessary to place the novel first because the drama script has been modified a lot.
And see what the series wants to convey
All characters have their origins and participate in the final case. However, the series has maintained the relationship between main actor until the end. Don't worry.
The relationships of the main actors are slowly growing.
We can see from the middle of the story.
For other elements, the camera angle is very beautiful. Light, sound, dress and props are beautiful. Action and comedy scenes are really cool in the style of Jackie Chan.
The actors have good performance. KuanHung (TangFan), FuMengpo (Suizhou) and LiuYaoYuan (WangChu). They work hard for this series and they do their best. Come to support them
Please open your heart and watching this series.
love.
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Disappointment of tomorrow
I originally started watching this because I'm a HUGE fan of namtam's acting. Also when I saw the pilot my expectations were high, maybe too high.The first few episodes of the series were good. The editing was kinda choppy but it's gmmtv so I kinda expected it.
What I liked: The casting/acting. The casting for this series was PERFECT. GIVE WHOEVER DID THE CASTING A RAISE. Sadly the acting was the only good thing abt this series...
What I didn't like: The music, editing, plot, writing... I can go on but for your sake I won't cause I don't think you'd want to read allat. I was so excited for the OST but when I heard it I almost shed a tear (Not happy tears btw). It's giving 5$ and a dream. Gmmtv really hates their actresses and they don't even try to hide it. Enough abt the music, the plot and writing was so bad that the characters and acting couldn't even save the series. They could've wrapped the series nicely in ep 8 or 9(?) but they just had to drag the plot out. Also PRIM PMO IN EP 10 AND 11 I HAD TO TAKE A LAP AROUND THE HOUSE CAUSE ATP SHE'S TRYING TO RAGEBAIT ME AND ITS WORKING, and don't even get me started on praew. STOP TRYING TO PREASSURE YOUR CRUSH/GIRLFRIEND INTO COMING OUT WHEN SHES CLEARLY NOT READY AND WHEN SHE TELLS YOU THAT SHES NOT READY DONT GET FCKING MAD YOU IMBECILE. lowk started crashing out writing this. mb chat.
ANYWAYS ONLY WATCH THIS IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO AND WANT TO FEEL SOMETHING CAUSE THE CHARACTERS BE RAGEBAITING YOU 24/7.
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What was good:
- The male lead (Kim Hong Do) suprised me... he looks kind of like any old "ahjussi", but in the end he was very charismatic and he depicted the character's ambivalent feelings well.
- There are many female-pretends-to-be-a-man instances in Korean dramas that are quite ridiculous, but this time the female lead (Moon Geun Young) could be mistaken for a young boy. It brought additional realism to the series.
- The romantic story arch is very slow and mostly only hinted at. Although I love dramas bursting with romance it was refreshing to still understand the characters feelings without much even going on between them (almost none of the old drama clichés).
- It was interesting to see Korean art. The series was very similar to "Goddess of fire" in that there was much attention to detail and you actually felt that the characters were painting these pictures right before your eyes.
What was not so good:
- The female lead (Moon Geun Young) is a very good actress, but I had just watched "Goddess of fire" before watching this and I was struck by the similarities of the female characters she depicted. Of course similarities in storyline would also make you feel that, but still I felt she could've have done more with her character. Still keep in mind she is one of the better drama actors, so I have higher standards for her.
- Besides the romantic story arch I was not very interested in the story. A lot of scenes were boring (although necessary) backroom discussions among nobles trying to one-up each other. This is most likely why I didn't give the series a 9.
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This review may contain spoilers
Left Breathless
Okay so I NEVER write a review for a drama I'm still watching but I have to make an exception. GO AND WATCH THIS DRAMA IF YOU HAVEN'T!!! Who needs romance when you've got a fiery priest, a crazy woman, a rapper lady and a silly detective???? Nobody that's who. I just finished episode 26 and the last scene with Song Sac doing Muay Thai on the bad guys gave me life ahhhh, It's the reason I'm writing this review.STORY: Let me start by giving the writers a standing ovation. The story is genius, yes It takes sometime to get to the synopsis but even the build up to it is amazing, not a single moment of boredom! I dare you to skip lol. I don't know but I - just like a lot of the other viewers- think this story has to be referencing the Burning sun issue. There's a lot of similarities and even if it has nothing to do with it, let me say kudos to the team for bringing this issue into light. Also that one scene where they referenced Reply 1988 with Ryong and the detective really had me rolling lol.
ACTING: WOW! Could Kim Nam Gil get any finer? He manages to draw you into his emotions, you start believing that everything is real. Honey Lee also, I've loved her since I watched Rebel and even if her character was sooooo infuriating at first, you managed to crack up whenever she did something silly. The whole cast is amazing. The villains/Antagonists make you hate them so much and the Heroes/ Protagonists make you love them.
MUSIC: Honestly the only OST I've really paid attention to is the one with the rap, that aside the two BTS songs that were briefly played - Fire and Idol - and the Honey bgm that plays for Honey. Still I rate the Music a 10 in general lol.
OVERALL: This is a must watch, yes I haven't finished watching but I know I'm not going to be changing my rating lol. I'll edit this after I'm done with the drama.
EDIT: Just finished it and I was right, this drama did not fail my expectations. Thank you to the team for bringing us this gem and like I said earlier, EVERYONE should watch this!
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best of 2021, best of "romcom"
tbh I'm not a fan of romcoms, or romance genres in kdramas, and it's not because I look down on them, but they're always so repetitive, and that's why this show was so greatit had a normal meeting, normal relationship, flawed characters, crushes, heartbreaks, goodbyes, new meetings. it was not "destiny", it was not "perfect", there were no evil mother in laws, no orphans, no poor fl/rich ml, no corruption, this was a slice of life romcom~
yumi had a job, she was independent even though she easily let love "change" her values. but as time went on she learned and grew.
the "evil" 2fl was not a random force trying to break them up, there was history, reasons and conclusions
also, woong was not loved by everyone just because he was the ml xD usually the jerkest of the jerks have their own fanbase and no one can complain about their many flaws, but here people accepted it
and, the people who criticized him learned to love him and get heartbroken in the end ;) he was not bad, he was not selfish, he was naive and inexperienced just like everyone else. he had his dreams and he wished for love, he just didn't know how to balance them and that's so relatable
I'm actually sad this ended so fast, I hope s2 comes out fast ;(
I've always wanted a show where the ml wasn't set in stone, and thanks to a spoiler that was thrown at me, I know the 2nd season won't be cut and paste either xD
this, this actually is kinda like How I met Your Mother xD you don't know who the "husband" is and that's fun, not for 7 seasons, but it's fun and new
tbh, since it is seasoned and there needs to be a "finale" the last ep was meh, but I just loved the whole journey. also the ost was lit, it had gaho after all~
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