3 Friends dealing with life and death
Made me cry almost as much as crash landing on you! It’s a really touching, light, but heavy at the same time story of three best friends dealing with friendships, family, love, life and death. They did such a beautiful job writing the scenes, from beginning to end, it was very emotional in both good and bad ways. The character of Mi Jo might make other feel like it was written too dramatic and unrealistic. And I agree, she cried A LOT. But I feel like they portraid her anxiety fairly well (I can say this, having ptsd and anxiety myself). The character of Chan Young was written beautifully! The character of Joo Hee was balanced but felt a bit lacking in the story. It was focused a bit more on Mi Jo and Chan Young. I do recommend for everyone wanting to watch a kdrama.Was this review helpful to you?
I liked most of the characters and thought the acting was excellent. Both the adults and children did a great job. I was especially impressed by Lee Yo Won, who played Duh-mi. She got into character so well that I almost forgot that she was just playing a role! I want to check out more dramas with her in them.
I found the women's stories to be a little bit more interesting than the men's, for the most part. (Probably because I'm a girl...haha). However, I really disliked Joon-hee's character, especially during the later episodes. I thought she was bratty as a child and had a really nasty side to her as an adult. I understand that she had a lot of stuff to work through, but I didn't think it was an excuse to treat other people the way she did. I lost a lot of sympathy and respect for her. In a weird way, though, her behavior made me like this drama even more. I figure that if a character causes you to have such strong emotions, positive or negative, it has to be a good show.
I have to warn you: This drama is sad. Very, very sad. The ending literally shocked me. I was hoping for something happier, but I appreciate that the writers took a more realistic approach than is seen in the endings of some K-dramas. Life isn't always happy, no matter how much we'd like it to be!
Overall, I recommend Fashion 70s to anyone who likes period dramas, a slow but steady story, a great cast, surprise endings, or all of the above. :)
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The Story is one of my favorite types - ordinary person gets together with a celebrity. I know if you change "celebrity" to "a person of higher status (richer/more famous, etc)" then that would probably describe 80% of romance dramas! But I especially like it if one of the people is a celebrity. So anyway what I'm trying to say is the story is not really new and in fact sometimes predictable and somewhat stretched or draggy in some parts. So if you are familiar with this type of story then you would probably get what you expected with no real surprises. Which is a good thing for me because like I said this is exactly my type. Another thing I liked about the story is they did not end it when both leads said "I love you" then faded out. There was a tinny bit of "ever after" at the end.
What made this drama special was the Acting and Chemistry of the main leads.I've seen 4 or 5 of Yoo Ji Tae's movies, but I have never seen Choi Ji Woo in any other drama yet except for when she guested on Running Man. But wow! I can understand why she's considered one of the best actresses in Korea! Right from the start the chemistry between the two was so natural you would think they were a pair in real life. The way CJW portrayed her character with "childish" personality was great. Even the standard supporting characters did good as you really get mad or sympathize at the people they want you to get mad at or sympathize with.
Music is okay but no song or theme really stood out for me.
Rewatch value, well I already watched this 2 times in the past month and will be watching again for sure in the future.
Overall I would recommend this drama mostly because of the chemistry between the leads. And if you just want to get what you expected from a romantic drama.
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Note - I didn't give high marks to the music, because honestly, I don't really remember the music in this at all, but the system wouldn't allow me not to rate it.
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Flawed as it was, Green Mothers' Club will keep you on edge of your chair
Originality and ambition are two words that sum up the experience the drama makes you feel. It is original because it deals with social issues in a very explicit way that you don't see so much in other dramas, and ambitious because, in the end, the drama tries to get at a lot of angles that really don't make much sense.First and foremost, when it comes to this kind of drama, we must make a pact with the show to let ourselves be carried away and not use reason to verify if what happens is realistic or not; at a certain point, the drama only seeks to entertain without taking into account the veracity of what is shown. As viewers, we should not value the degree of plausibility of the facts, but the degree of entertainment it offers. Actually, this is not very different from dramas like Sky Castle, Penthouse, or Avengers Social Club, and all of them share the trait of putting the "wow factor" above everything else.
That being said, from the first moment the drama caught my attention, and from the first chapter, I couldn't stop watching it. The plots are very complex, which makes you get addicted to them at the beginning, although at the end they don't conclude in a clear way which leaves some holes; but, really, who cares? While the script could have been better, the acting was outstanding. From more experienced actresses in such roles as Lee Yo Won to the children, the acting skills of the whole cast definitely made up for the plot holes.
I found the story original in its initial formula. Mothers compete with each other through the education of their children. The mother whose children get more recognition in their education will be the most popular mother. Of course, every parent wants to be above the rest regardless of the mental health of the children, which arises problems between different families, but also inside the same families. Up to this point, the drama presents an original story. However, the plot is surrounded by false friendships, back-stabbing, stalking, drugs and even murder.
Flawed as it was, Green Mothers' Club will keep you on edge of your chair, that is for sure. The story is addictive and the acting is one of a kind. Give it a try!! you can always drop it if you don't like it, but such a good drama deserves a chance.
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This review may contain spoilers
Wow Amazing
I thought the story was very interesting and unique. A short Chinese drama that mostly tells the story of one-night stands and wealthy CEOs. Wang gege and Kaimu are extraordinary in their roles. Six strategies in winning a mission, which at first Wang gege was rejected outright and even humiliated. But finally he found his true love. The storyline goes back and forth, and is difficult to predict. Hmmm, there is a fairly intense scene when making love. Overall, it is good to watch again. AMAZING.Was this review helpful to you?
Revenge + Obsession + Buckets of Blood + Found Family
Completed - 4/15/2022 - 8.75It's been a while since I last saw a drama with so much gore and blood. The last one was probably "Arthdal Chronicles". If you get squirmy with blood and violence, this might not be the right drama for you. However, if you can get past that, this is an exciting fantasy drama about reincarnation, revenge and freeing from a curse. Along the way, characters from different backgrounds and personalties came together to become a family.
This is a beautifully produced drama with great cinematography, action scenes, and incredible makeup. Not a small budget production. I don't think I have commented much on a drama's makeup before, but I got to give props to the makeup artists here. There's so much super-realistic blood all over the place, wounds of all shapes and sizes, protruding bone and slashes, and of course, facial makeup of our Bulgasals. Aesthetically, it just puts me in the right mindset to watch this drama. The OST is beautiful as well. Whenever the theme song is played, I feel all the emotions in the scenes, and the background music complements and sets the mood well.
I am quite familiar with the acting of the two female leads, having watch quite a few of their dramas, esp. Gong Seung Yeong ("Are You Human Too?", "Circle" & "Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency"). Kwong Na Ra ("Secret Royal Inspector" & "Suspicious Partner") and Gong Seung Yeon really look like sisters. Both have beautiful eyes that can convey emotions very well. On the other hand, this is my first drama of the two male leads, Lee Jin Wook and Lee Joon, and I am quite impressed with their acting. I think I am most impressed with Lee Joon, because his character just gives him so much more to work with. I love how his crazy personality matches all of his over-the-top outfits. Kim Wook Seok is adorable as the high schooler and his acting has improved tremendously since I last saw him in "Twenty-Twenty". The supporting cast is great as well with both veteran and child actors.
But the main attraction to this drama is its plot. Viewers need to be patient and pay attention in order to not get confused. Not everything is explained in the first few episodes. The history and entanglement between the characters are slowly revealed throughout the drama. You don't get the full story until the finale. I personally quite enjoy the storytelling as I try to piece together what's been revealed and guess what really happened many years ago. The pacing of the drama is pretty good (maybe just slowed down slightly in the middle) but I was focused and engaged throughout the drama. I would like to see more of the story told in historical times. And I would have liked for Dan Hwal to find out the reason for his family's death a little sooner. Because then, the found family and small romance can truly develop, and have more heartwarming scenes (that's just the romance-junkie in me talking). Dramas oftentimes do not finish strong, but I think "Bulgasal" has a strong and satisfactory finish. I was quite emotional in the last couple episodes. Ahh... I love the found family and wish them all have happily-ever endings.
This is by no means a perfect drama. I am still a little confused about Ok Eul Tae's obsession with Dan Hwal. Why was he so obsessed for so many years ago? It also seems like a very roundabout way to device a complicated plan to achieve his ultimate goal. When we finally get to the finale to find out what started all this mess, it was a little bit anti-climatic. I thought the origin of the curse and the entanglement would be a much bigger deal. The modern times monsters could be more terrifying and could be used more. And what happened to the fire inside the room with the well?
Objectively speaking, this might not be highly rated. But if I don't think too much and enjoy the ride, I quite like this drama, thus, a very generous 8.75 from me.
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As the rooster crows and the candle blows out...
...the grave robbers must cease all raiding activities and quickly leave the tomb. Such is the golden rule that all members of Mojin Xiaowei, one of the four major tomb raiding sects, must abide by.Candle in the Tomb: The Lost Caverns is the direct sequel to Candle in the Tomb (2016), as far as the chronology of the Candle in the Tomb series’ web dramas are concerned. However, an entirely different cast has taken over from Jin Dong and Chen Chiao En, who headlined the first drama, and will continue with three more sequels in addition to this one, namely The Worm Valley (currently airing, at the time of writing), Raiders of the Wu Gorge and Kunlun Shrine. This, of course, excludes the timeline continuity of the numerous film adaptations, as well as prequel drama adaptations that have either already aired or presently in the pipeline as future projects.
Directed by Fai Zhen Xiang, who had helmed two earlier adaptations (The Weasel Grave and The Wrath of Time) and has directed The Worm Valley. He is certainly no stranger to the action adventure genre and his experience does shine through in his third foray into the series. Yang Zhe, who wrote the screenplay for Medical examiner Dr Qin, heads the screenwriting team comprising eight others. Principal photography took place amidst the vast rugged expanse of Shenmu county in Shaanxi province, bordering Inner Mongolia and situated across the Yellow River.
The plot is adapted from the second volume of Ghost Blows Out the Light (鬼吹灯) novel series written by Zhang Mu Ye. Set in 1982, Shirley Yang, Hu Ba Yi and Wang Pan Zi, close companions and tomb raiders of the Mojin Xiaowei sect, travel to Shaanxi to explore the mysterious Longling Maze in search of the legendary Book of Dragon Bones which holds the secret to finding the elusive Dust Bead, the key to lifting an ancient curse.Compared to the 2016 prequel, the plot development feels more riveting and faster paced while the action is more suspenseful and thrilling as well.
The production quality is unquestionably top notch. The cinematography is truly worthy of praise in terms of the immersive views of the beautiful Shaanxi landscape and the majestic Yellow River, as well as within the massive subterranean maze where a major portion of the exploration takes place. The proper application of lighting along with the steady camerawork and excellent editing ensure that scenes in the tomb are never too dim while the action sequences are not choppy. The set designs are equally impressive, from the authentic town setting in Shenmu to the gloriously furnished underground tombs.
There are plenty of visual and special effects on show that are generally well rendered. Certain stunts involving wirework do appear somewhat awkward but for the most part, are quite decently performed. I love the variety of BGM that infuses distinct flavours to suit the atmospherics in different scenes without overpowering them in the process.
One of this series’ strengths, which is evident in this drama, is how fact and fiction intertwine seamlessly as part of the detailed worldbuilding. The fusion of mysticism, folklore, ancient history and real world concepts such as Taoism and Feng Shui all combine intricately into a compelling narrative. In addition, the elaborately designed traps and mechanisms featured in the storytelling adds immensely to the thrill. How technically accurate any of it is, I’m not entirely sure but the intrigue is certainly captivating.
Another aspect that impresses me is the authenticity and depth of the characterization.. Casting experienced mature actors and getting them to appear haggard with actual sunburn and minimal makeup. Dialogues between the various characters that are logically written and spoken with regional dialects do add to a greater sense of realism indeed. The only gripe I have is the English speaking parts which seem rather contrived and unnatural.
The new cast, in my humble opinion, fit their roles perfectly. It doesn’t take long to warm up to their portrayals because aside from the individual brilliance, they display such convincing chemistry with one another.
Pan Yue Ming’s Hu Ba Yi is slightly more down to earth compared to Jin Dong’s charismatic version, but he does possess a laidback and understated old school charm that grows on you. Zhang Yu Qi, who earlier in her career gained fame in Stephen Chow films, comes across as a more grounded version of Shirley Yang and I honestly appreciate her interpretation of the character. Minimalist yet stylish without the extravagance, she embraces the role convincingly. Together with Hu Ba Yi, their temperament appears to be quite a good match. Jiang Chao takes on the role of Wang Pang Zi with aplomb. I get the feeling that he’s literally portraying himself because he injects much fun and humour into the characterization in an extremely realistic manner. His physique certainly matches the persona as well.
All things considered, I’ve very much enjoyed the viewing experience of Candle in the Tomb: The Lost Caverns. Great entertainment value from an intriguing plot with endearing characters and at only 18 episodes. Despite wrapping up nicely and without a cliffhanger ending, the story does not end here. The tomb raiders’ quest continues in the next instalment where there are more adventures and excitement to be had.
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Three words: "Simple yet Meaningful"
Overall - The development of the main characters and the main point of the story had been conveyed creatively.
Story - Simple yet the key points had been established. Idealistic scenarios from realistic conventional and unconventional characters had been well plotted.
Acting/Actor - Realistic portrayal of the raw emotions of the students had been displayed. Each of the actors consistently performed their roles effectively to make the story focused on what it intends to say.
Music - Deemed fit for this kind of story. It also enhanced the scenarios to support the emotions of the characters.
Rewatch Value - As for this kind of story which is mild yet meaningful, it had been rewatchable because of the development of the raw emotions and attitude of the characters. These made the unexpected friendship be deeply bonded due to both typical and unusual events where they matured in rendering trust and understanding for each other.
For the fans of friendship genre and anyone who wants to try this, this simple drama will leave you a smile on your face and you might hope to have or have had this kind of bond with your friends.
By the way, my criteria per review and how I rate each category are discussed in my profile.
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Easy -to-watch and enjoyable enough .
✅️ The plot:▫️Remind me of The Princess Royal except in this one , our leads get to redo 3 lifetimes.
▫️Fast paced as expected of a miniseries .
▫️Interesting beginning and middle.
▫️The ending was quite lacklustre. A typical c-drama's ending.
✅️ Character, Acting:
▫️I liked the fact that both leads know how to fight and are equally wise .
▫️ It was refreshing to see a new faces as main leads here instead of seeing the same faces in every drama .
▫️ ML reminds me of a more handsome version of P.O and FL reminds me much of Ariel Lin.
▫️ Good acting from FL while ML's still need room for improvement .
▫️Romance and chemistry rating: 8/10.
☑️ Cinematography, Costumes, OST :
▫️Just good for a low budget miniseries.
My conclusion: If you want an easy-watching, tired of watching the same faces in your c-drama, want to watch a revenge drama but has little time for a 40 episodes revenge c-drama try this one, you might enjoy it.
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This review may contain spoilers
**I might have included some spoilers!!**Story:
The story at first is about a man who's supposed to be the most handsome man in the world and a girl who likes him, sounds a very typical RomCom.
It didn't sound so interesting for me, but from episode 2 it was interesting,
Ma Tae had to learn each thing from each woman in order to start living on his own and to receive a "password".
I liked that it not only talked about romance but also about opening a bussiness of your own, and I even learned things that I can say "I learned for life" from those women he had to learn from,I liked the idea of learning each thing from each person.
I think that from episodes 1-10 it was a good drama but from then I really don't know what happend and it turned to be a really boring and -trying to be a complicated drama .
Acting/Cast/characters:
The cast for me wasn't that "strong" .It was a nice cast for people that love Jang Geun Suk or IU .
Their acting wasn't that good or that bad but avarage.
It had a good point of many character's personallities but I think that except of JGS's character each character was shallow and not improving.(He, for at least changed and learned things)
Bo Tong from the first beginning was shallow and liked Ma Tae only because of his look and in the ending they tried to tell us "no she didn't only because of that" .
David was cute but as it kept going on , it was a bit pathetic for me that he still tries.
I was rooting for him all along but somewhat I couldn't bare to watch his behaviour anymore.
Hong Yu Ra had a pocker face the whole drama and could only stare but not show any emotion well...
The other women were interesting (until girl no.5) after that they weren't necessary for the plot.
Music:
I won't remember the OST for the rest of my life but it had a nice-main song .
Romance: (I'm adding it because it's important for a drama)
Awefull!
The whole drama they show how much Bo Tong likes Ma Tae and how he doesn't even pay attantion to her, and to end this drama they made a stupid switch that he fell in love with her ,I really didn't like it at all, David deserved much more than that but at the end as I said I thought he was pathetic,
The others may had a romace parts in it but I don't see why I need to tell about them more.
I almost didn't even watch the ending...I thought that the ending of "trying to make everything too good" wasn't that right..
This review also sounds really bad, but it was a good drama at first.
But I liked the fashion of IU and Myung Mi etc. I liked some points of the tips we got . So sad it was ruined like that at the end...
I really wanted to give it a 7 but I'll give it a 6.5 although it's worth 6...but I remember the good parts in it so that's why I made it 6.5.
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Don't even think about it just go an watch it
It is the next day after watching the finale episode of this series and I am still not over it. I'm just so happy.Story
The plot of this series is extraordinary imo. It didn't feel like a BL more like a story of two soulmates. And I can't complain about the ending at all, I can't even ask for another season because it was perfect just like this. (Still a second season or a special episode would be amazing ngl)
Acting/Cast
I haven't seen these two actors before but I fell in love with them real quick. Mix did an excellent job as a rookie actor and if I didn't read about that I would've never thought he is one. Every emotion he showed felt so real to me. And after seeing those BTS scenes of him fainting because he was giving his all gave me so much respect for him. Earth also is an amazing actor. He portrays the cold forest soldier who gets all soft for Tian so well. Also Earth and Mix are seriously two beautiful and handsome fellas. Kudos to the crew and rest of the cast as well.
Music
I always find myself humming the title song and it was sung by Earth in the last episode which was a nice bonus. But all of the OST's are amazing and made the series even more beautiful.
Rewatch Value
It's Easter holiday so I know what I'm gonna do. Rewatch this masterpiece. Rewatch Value is 100%.
So overall this series is amazing and a masterpiece and if you're looking for a nice BL series without cringy sound effects or sexual harassment - this is the one. And even if you're not looking for any series to watch - you should still watch this. You're not going to regret it.
That's it. Peace out brb crying over this masterpiece.
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This review may contain spoilers
High expectations, but it was a letdown........
The trailer seems promising, but this drama's got some loopholes and it was a letdown. The suspense wasn't there, and it wasn't thrilling. I got bored after watching ep 3 onwards. There were a lot of boring dialogue and fillers. The drama could have been better if the script was better. I didn't understand why the need for the neighbor's character when she didn't do anything major in the drama, or no major explanation for the high school girl that got murdered. Or what's with the husband and his relationship with the high school girl. Also, no explanation for why the sister's dead. Like did she get killed or was she died by suicide? There were so many missing things and loopholes. It was disappointing.Was this review helpful to you?
All members of the cast did a good job - especially the main cast, I really felt drawn in to the main couple while I also loved the supporting cast too. The story developed at a good pace and there was never a dull moment. The plot kept me interested and wanting to know what would happen next, and showed the typical Chinese culture and politics, the 'guanxi' that still exists today in China. There was no adult theme or shots while the love stories blossomed naturally and the story ripened over the episodes.
I would recommend this drama - I finished the 25 episodes quickly!
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The good: In at least 4 different episodes I had laughing fits, the uncomfortable nature of the comedy in the beginning had me literally rolling on the floor. How hot is No Min Woo? I needed a few more fanservice shots, but we have a topless No Min Woo, a wet No Min Woo and a guitar playing No Min Woo. No Min Woo was so believable, that I thought he was playing a mentally challenged adult. But No Min Woo is not the only actor that stood out, the whole supporting cast was really good with few exceptions. I felt as if every character in this story had some development, change or epiphany, and unlike many other dramas the change was so gradual, realistic and well planned. In real life every event or situation we encounter challenges our way of thinking and sometimes our mode of operation causing us to evaluate ourselves- I liked that the characters also went through the same. The ending was sweet, but it should have taken 2 more episodes to complete.
The Bad: The first episode turned me away from this drama because the main female lead appeared to be manipulative (but she wasn’t).The second male lead looked so old in some shots and I could not connect with his acting plus occasionally Yang JinSung’s face looked frozen (maybe it was the makeup used?).
I would really recommend this drama as a rom-com that is funny, a little raunchy, written for folks over 17, and No Min Woo stans . The story has a great message, a great cast and a really good ending. There are no evil mothers, spiteful ex-girlfriends, and the love triangle formed was so super weak that there was no real need to “fight” for love. I liked it give it 3 episodes and you will too!
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