A romance drama with pretty people - but that's about it
Overall, I rate this drama a 3/5, ★★★☆☆, a pass. I got into this drama because I loved Ding Yu Xi in the Romance of Tiger and Rose. But I was a bit disappointed.Let's take a closer look at Intense Love based on my seven criteria (see below for a detailed explanation of the criteria - Intense Love is my first trial to use these criteria).
1. Emotional rollercoaster: 3/5 ★★★☆☆: Intense Love is a simple, almost superficial, romance drama targeting young female audience. The drama has countless tooth-aching sweet scenes between the leads, but I did not feel a lot of emotions because of the lack of chemistry between the leads. The start was compelling at the start, with the female lead being very bold, creative, and a bit cunning, but this soon faded. Her personality became kind, some times even naive, well-behaved, and just helpless in love with the main lead. Dr. Zhou's character is even more boring and only a fraction as interesting as Han Shuo's character in The Romance of Tiger and Rose. This is also reflected in his acting (not sure if I need to blame his role or the fact he was less experienced at that time), which is a shame cause he is such a talented actor. The only watchpoint was these sweet loving romantic scenes between two beautifully looking people; some are beautifully shot (e.g., coffee shower?!).
2. Fantasization: 3/5 ★★★☆☆: I adore Ding Yu Xi, but I didn't feel much of a chemistry between him and Zhang Yu Xi. This might be the reason because both main leads have almost perfect personalities. Zhou Shi Yun: doctor, perfect-looking, kind most of the time, but takes charge when he needs to, can cook well... Bei Bei: actress, beautiful, soft-hearted, but has a cute temper! Like where in the world do you find these people? Why would these two already be engaged since birth and fall in love almost right away? I also find ZYX's acting a bit over.
3. Sleepless night: 1/5 ★☆☆☆☆: the story was never particularly dramatic at any point or particularly sorrowful at any point. I enjoyed watching it, but there was never an urge to want to know what's next.
4. Natural and intelligent Storytelling: 3/5 ★★★☆☆: The story was told fluently without many question marks. I guess the only problem I have with the drama was the setting. Except for some misunderstanding and roadblocks from female rival 2, it was smooth most of the time. To create some drama, the writer created a bit of out-of-character behavior misunderstanding between the main leads towards the end. This was a bit annoying but nothing to be too be angry about given the fluffy setting.
5. Loveable supporting Roles: 2/5 ★★☆☆☆: The best friend couple Wu Di and Xiao Yuan Song were the opposite of the "perfect main lead couple" - down to earth, real and funny. I really like them, yet, their story was not that interesting. I don't understand why XYS has fallen head over heels in love with Wu Di after spending just one night with her. I also don't comprehend why Wu Di would reject him this much. The main critic that their story seems to be just a parallel love story next to that of the main leads, as it has almost nothing to do with the main storyline. Supporting roles need to have a "supporting" function (that's why they are called this way!), yet this was not executed. If you are very strict, you could see them as fillers, a different type of couple to romanticize with.
6. Proper Pacing: 4/5 ★★★★☆: drama has only 24 episodes, just enough episodes to tell the story. There is some-slowing down in the middle, but I did not feel like pressing the fast-forward bottom.
7. Solid Finale": 4/5 ★★★★☆: I was satisfied with the ending. It was a predictable finale given the type of drama it was and the type of audience it was targeting. On the other hand, there was also no forced turn or artificial creation of dramatic, which would have been redundant. There is a 30min extra of this drama, which showed a parallel world in which the two main leads switched roles, jobs, and even personalities (the last one was not very clear). I found it quite refreshing a great add-on to this drama. I wish they could have made a few more episodes.
Overall, if you like pure romance drama, with not much thinking and plenty of pretty looking scenes with two beautiful people, this is the drama for you. Otherwise, I would suggest you spend your time elsewhere.
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Kotori's drama review seven criteria definition:
After having watched many dramas and also written several reviews. I have detected that I rate dramas based on specific patterns. I formulated those into seven criteria.
1. "Emotional Rollercoaster": the degree of how much my heart was moving from the acting, scenes, and story development (e.g., in pain, pounding, fluster etc.)
2. "Fantasization": the degree of how much I care about the fate of the main leads, how often I have to think about them in my everyday life, how much I wish the characters are part of my real life: I call this
3. "Sleepless Nights.": how much I have the urge to binge-watch this drama.
4. "Natural and intelligent Storytelling.": how logically the story was able to proceed and the roles are acting within their characters. I don't have a thousand question marks when watching the drama. The feeling that the makers are taking us viewers seriously and that we do not always think that this looks fake.
5. "Loveable supporting Roles.": how much I love and care about supporting characters. They are not merely tools to support the main characters but are 3-dimensional and have proper motivations behind their actions.
6. "Proper Pacing.": how well the drama is pacing and not watered down to fill the number of episodes.
7. "Solid Finale": how properly the drama builds dramatic and finishes with a satisfactory ending. I have just watched too many dramas that starts to lose its grip around half or 2/3rd of its way.
Obviously, many other criteria could be important as well, such as unique story setup, visual elements, camera work, music, costumes, etc. Some of the points are indirectly included in the criteria, and others are not this important for me.
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Disappointing
This has all the issues I see with Netflix produced kdramas. Unnecessary sex scenes, female nudity (it’s always women), and really bad dialogue. I came to understand Netflix subtitles don’t translate exactly what’s said, but what they translated made it sound as if the script used swear words the way a twelve year old would if they just discovered them. In addition, I didn’t think any female character was written well or treated all that well development wise. It was a huge bummer because the premise interested me. I can’t help but wonder what this would’ve been like produced by another network.Anyway, I don’t have complaints about the acting of the MLs. Some of the cinematography was interesting.
Sometimes I can ignore some bad spots if the story is intriguing enough but I found this drama also dragged a lot. Disappointing.
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1"HEAR ME OUT! ENTITLED ON THEIR OWN OPINION"
If it's not your cup of tea then don't try to smell or have a taste with it. Spill it don't sip it. WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK.In my opinion, labeling viewers of a drama series as pedophiles simply based on their interest in watching it can be unfair and overly simplistic. Such accusations are serious and should not be made lightly without understanding the context and intent of the viewers.
Be informed that the production is in Thailand, so they have their own rules, guidelines and laws concerning age consent, in reality age consent may differ in different countries based on their norms and beliefs.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HARD FOR SOME PEOPLE TO SWALLOW: From a legal standpoint (based on Thai law), there is no issue with their age gap in ACTED OUT a sexual scene. I think it's all going to come down to what people think from a MORAL standpoint because every potential viewer has their own culture and beliefs based on the country they are living in. So, no one have the right to dictate to other people that they are disregarding their morals and ethics when it is okay with them regarding the age gap of the two main leads who acted out a sexual scene. DRINK SOME WATER TO PREVENT CHOKING.
Don't be problematic here. There's no problem with their casting; it's just that it goes against your MORAL standpoint. But that doesn’t mean they are doing something illegal or immoral.
Concerns about the portrayal of minors in scenes involving sensitive content are valid, if that is really your concern. However, it is clear that IN THIS SHOW, NO ACTORS NEED TO BE PROTECTED FROM THE HARM OF BEING EXPLOITED and ABUSED. How I can say that? Just simply watching their EP 0, wherein they show how they produce this series (behind-the-scenes footage) and the reaction video of the four lead actors to the official trailer of their series. I cannot see and feel that they are being abused and exploited. As of now, there are no allegations of abuse or mistreatment coming out from the actors in this series.
Don't make things complicated, if the show violates the law or fails to meet regulatory standards, it typically won't be produced or broadcast.
To those people who keep on spamming here in the comment section about "A MAN KISSING A CHILD" please stop being DELUSIONAL. The way you think is really disgusting. No viewers want that kind of scenario.
This Drama series is based on the novel about two sixteen-year-old boys, who despite their social differences and personal history forge a close love relationship that is ACTED OUT BY PROFESSIONAL ACTORS.
So basically, this drama series is not about "A MAN KISSING A CHILD". STOP BEING DELUSIONAL it really disgust me and clearly your intentions are to put malicious accusations and destroy the show.
Friendly advice: You better do some research to gather knowledge about creative filming techniques like camera angling so it can cure your DELUSIONS and also help you to distinguish between fiction and real-life scenarios. It will help you to understand the difference between what's real and what's acted out in dramas or any form of entertainment.
FACT: Mac and August acted out a sexual scene as consensual, under Thai law, it would generally be considered legal and morally right in their country. AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HARD FOR SOME PEOPLE TO SWALLOW. DRINK MORE WATER TO PREVENT CHOKING.
These two main leads (regardless of their age) are 'ACTORS' who are passionate about their job at portraying fictional characters convincingly. Criticizing them for their choices or age only undermines the value of their craft and the dedication they bring to their roles. Such disparagement reflects more on the critics' own biases than on the actors' abilities or performances.
It is an early apology when you beg to disagree. Im sorry???
Spread positivity and don't forget to detoxify (y)ourselves. 🤡
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Everyone Hates the Ending But I Don't
SPOILER ALERT: The K-Drama has an "open" ending to a sad, though intensely moving and involving, story. The main characters may or may not get together after the story ends--one isn't sure. I too would like to see a translation of the book to read its ending but, according to ChatGPT, "Understanding Love" has not been translated into English. We are told that the book indicates they do not reunite, but I think the writers of the K-drama intended a more uncertain ending.I find the English title of the K-drama, "The Interest of Love," to be odd. It's not a good translation of the book title, "Understanding Love." I'm not sure what it means. At first I thought it was a playful reference to the bank workplace setting of the series, because banks pay interest on deposits, although in that case it should be "The Interest on Love." Perhaps it refers to our fascination with love, and should be "The Interest in Love." The question is not an idle one, because at a crucial point in the series the leading characters, looking back, ask themselves if they were once in love, or merely overcome by the "interest of love".
As for the ambiguous ending, I agree with those who find strong hints in the finale that Su-Yeong (the woman) and Sang-Su (the man) will finally get together, or at least give their relationship one more try. (After all, they have never even properly "dated".)
I was touched by Su-Yeong's remark during the walk which ends the story that she had ghosted Ha Sang-Su because their relationship left "nothing more to give or receive." By this I take her to mean that their love had reached perfection, however briefly, in the Tongyeong "Guest House". The question is whether Ha Sang-Su can convince Su-Yeong that love is not continuous perfection, but rather "two people living day to day life together". One hopes he will. Otherwise she faces years of loneliness.
Sang-Su and Su-Yeong end the story as they silently approach the end of their walk up the collegiate "hill of oblivion," with their backs to us. They are not (alas) arm in arm, or even hand in hand. One of the series' haunting soundtrack songs ("Wonder Why") is reprised. In it the singer asks why his departed lover persists indelibly in his memory, why the dream of her cannot be erased (just as Sang-Su tells Su-Yeong he has forgotten nothing). In context the song is an ambiguous close to the series. The film ends before the song reaches a line from in its earlier appearances: "I don't want to love you like I used to." Is the omission a deliberate hint, or just the result of how long the credits ran? It's ambiguous, like this whole series and the relationship it depicts.
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Great lead couple wasted on a mid drama
Tempest is a 6/10 drama but on the basis of the lead couple’s chemistry it’s a 7.Great actors wasted on a story that’s huffing its own nonsense. Should’ve kept it a simple bodyguard-honeypot story set in corporate espionage, not geopolitical. Got lost in the sauce very very quickly and thus not enough actual development of the lead couple’s romance. However, because the great acting chops, they managed to sell it even if being weighed down by the dead weight of being in a shitty political drama
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ONE OF THE WORST ADAPTATIONS OUT THERE
This LA was made by stripping away the soul, message, complexity, themes and symbolism of the beloved Novel ORVIt's sooo bad! As an adaptation it has so no similarities to the story expect for the names of the character and a little bit of power system, the characters are absolutely butchered!!
Goated KDJ's character, traits, skills and backstory is ineptly adapted, made him a saint, a fccking saint?? When he's clearly a morally grey character
Orvla kdj is stupid, idiotic, impulsive and perpetrator who indirectly caused someone's demise, hes all panicking before YJH and in 1st scenario like be frr reading a novel for 10yrs and u didnt think of it before? Where is his calmness, smart, calculative, strategic thinking? His snarky and annoying traits? His quick thinking?
YJH doesnt even feel like protagonist, him using guns is sooo dumb he's regressed multiple times so ofc he would know guns are useless, why does he have multiple swords? Why is his screentime less?
Ysh is a healer why? In novel YSH is kind but ruthless when wanted, understanding but can be dangerous, she is empathetic, has high emotional intelligence, has good ppl and managing skills, is veryy smart! Highly intelligent, a hardworker, knows multiple languages, has historical knowledge,
Ntm Making her a healer through adriadne's web is sooo unnecessary, she is not lee seolhwa!!
Jhw has two daggers?? Even tho she knows kendo and has sword in novel? Why remove the implied S.A. scene in movie? Afraid to piss off Korean men? Srsly? Also made Kim Dokja's mom Lee Sookyung a widow? Instead a women who is a survivor of domestic abuse?
We can see who this movie is made for
Jihye, well im tired of complaining bout the drastic changes made to her character w her not being her bratty self, having a gun when she should be having a sword with Yi Sunshin as her constellation, speciality in sea/ocean battles omfg.... i just cant
Not a single character done good in this la, even Lee hyunsung, Lee gilyoung, Gong pildu, cheon inho have flaws and dont make sense with the novel
Even as a movie, this is so bad, cuz orvla kdj's personality doesnt make sense, dumb director is trying to potray him as saviour of world? As a saint but wasnt he the one to indirectly cause the demise of other kid?
The CGI is cheap cuz the budget was spent on the actors
Promoting this LA which is unfortunately an adaptation of a beloved novel ORV whose themes are clearly against AI and Capitalism - it was a turn off for the fandom is who very much against the use of AI
Other themes of LOVE is also potrayed with flaws, the relationship between Tls123 and Kim Dokja is ruined, Kim dokja and Yoo joonghyuk dont have kuch chemistry and screentime together
The love kim dokja has for twsa is also ruined by this good for nothing LA
HE LOVES TWSA! Why would he say the novel is worst to tls123?
WHERE THE HELL IS HAN SOOYOUNG good thing she isnt here, her character would be butchered too
Another theme being feminism, well ofc SK would be pissed off with this theme haha
YSH being burdened with her family telling her to marry, her being the target of sexual assault in the male dominated workplace, ended up giving her the "healer" skill which is usually given to wome cuz they cant apparently be intelligent and use weapons and more skillfull than a man
Jung heewon almost being graped, they erased it
And how dare jihye receive the blessings of yi sunshin a historical figure??? A teen girl, a girl! receiving his stigma? And use swords? Ofc they removed it Haha
Lee sookyung not being a survivor of domesic abuse but being a widow says a lot
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It went downhill fast
I seem to be in a minority when it comes to how I felt about this drama. I think it had a decent start, and I liked several of the earlier episodes. About halfway through it felt like it had a tone-shift, and it barely seemed like the same drama anymore.The first half of the drama felt like a youth, or coming of age drama with a heavy focus on the police academy. All the main characters are young, playing university students. It portrayed quite well, the feeling of pride in doing what you love, and studying to become somthing you've dreamed of. As well as the helplessness and the injustice you feel when seniority is prioritized over right and wrong.
The first half battles getting accepted to the school of your dreams, youthful crushes and also. corruption within the school hierarchy. It shows both the highs and the lows of studying to become a police officer. The highs being the wonderful camaraderie developed between the student, and the lows being the abuse suffered as a new student in a highly hierarchial climate.
The second half however, completely shifts focus, from the school to real life crime. It is no longer a drama about being young, and university life. In fact, the school barely features at all in the second half. Instead, our main characters, while still being university students, go on to solve all kinds of crime outside of the school. They tackle everything from low-life loan sharks, to psychopathic CEOs.
Now, don't get me wrong. I like crime dramas, so it is not the fact that it turned into a crime show that annoyed me. It is the fact that this drama wants us to believe, that these students, who have no prior experience and are not yet police officers, go around solving crime on their own. They recieve very little to no help from actual detectives. They carry out high-stake plans and manage to solve widespread corruption all on their own. All while the actual police sit around and do nothing.
I'm sorry but I just cannot make myself believe this. So for me, this show was a massive disappointment.
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Great show with a great cast
I went into this show with high hopes and I was not disappointed this show has everything a Romcom should have. It has great cast, amazing characters, wonderful storyline, great family/friendship dynamic, beautiful Ost. Plus it has funny characters so far my favorite character thus far is Tan.He is sooo hilarious the minute he spoke and the way he delivers his lines to the rest of the characters was just absolutely hilarious. He was so funny and even though there is only one episode out as if right now this show is wonderful. I have very very very high hopes for this show once it continues on being uploaded.
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Jiwoo lost so much and gain nothing.
Revenge shows are always enjoyable, since is an easy way to throw action into the big screen and some badass characters.Most people enjoyed this series because of "finally a strong female lead ready to kick ass" and that's not it, she's not "strong" she's completely broken, traumatized. It's pretty sad, and people don't see it. But then Netflix wanted to force the typical badass girl who can beat 10 experienced guys all alone.
The camara work is so weird. It has bad angels, sometimes some really bad fast movements and then very basic ones. It's not interesting or creative.
It felt the series tried to have plot twists over and over again to shock the audience, but everything was obvious since like ep 2. Because basic revenge stories are like this.
Some really hated the love scene, I didn't mind it at all, both of them were having a break down and that was their way to find contort (i guess).
Jiwoo lost so much and gain nothing. She was so blind, that she never really noticed that.
I had a totally different ending in mind honestly. I thought she was going to shoot herself in the middle of the fight with Moo Jin. I thought she would finally realize that she would never gain anything for that revenge and she already lost so much when she choose this way, even when Moo Jin told her not to seek for it. And maybe after that Moo Jin would be in pain cause in the end she never really betrayed him.
Anyways I was confident that she would kill herself either way.
I love the actress lead. But idk I wasn't a fan like other people for her here. I don't think she was a good fit. The dynamic between her and Moojin, yes. I can see the try hard behind it. It was very good. Moojin was probably my fav character and the actor slayed it.
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It's a happy ending drama , but after watching the last ep. I am disappointed & confused.
Why I am disappointed & confused because when she transmigrated from 2026 to 1983 after she fell asleep I knew that in the last ep. she will wake up from the sleep & it will be like a real dream , but after few eps. it felt for me like maybe fate have given her second chance by having her reborn in the year 1983 by transmigrating her in the body of a girl whose name is same like her , but no , what I expected , it happened like that. If she may have transmigrated into a book whose character name have same name like her , then I wouldn't have been disappointed. But she got transmigrated in real life from 2026 to 1983 where she had mother , uncle , aunty , a nice family , made friends , met Zhou Cheng who fell in love with her & she also feel in love with him & they got married , became a successful businesswoman , but at last she again back to her real year 2026. If she is bound to come back to the year 2026 , than what's the point of going to the year 1983 , like fate have given her a second chance.Was this review helpful to you?
THE DISRESPECT
disrespect to the original source, to the fandom, and to the story.KIM DOKJA WOULD NEVER SAY THAT HIS FAVORITE NOVEL IS THE WORST!
they changed so much about the story and weapons. this can't be called an adaptation, this is the director's not-so-fan fiction. we can't (fans) even describe how disappointed we are. if only we can rate it to -1000000/10.
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Story 10/10 : WOW! JUST WOW. The story is very unique(at least for me). It intertwines both the past and the modern time in a very, very interesting and easily understandable way.
Cast/Acting 10/10: The cast was lovable and the actors made that happen extremely well .
Music 8/10: The music was great and served its purpose quite well. However, it wasn't 10/10 material for me. Just my personal opinion, don't know why or how, but thats just how I feel.
Rewatch Value 5/10: I'm not a rewatcher so I most likely wont watch this movie again.
Overall 10/10: This movie stunned me. I don't know how to describe it, but it was amazing. It's not action packed, but more about friendship and the effect of years on people. I especially enjoyed their transformations.
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A Shakespearean Genius of a Drama
Shakespeare wrote these lines:"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts."
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."
"O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!"
"My brain more busy than the labouring spider. Weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies."
And these words are apt to describe the world of The Double, a drama about betrayal, intrigue and revenge. The forty episodes go by fast. Everyone is acting a part or is a part of a scheme. There are movers and shakers (or they think they are) and there are pawns. By the end of the drama, each main character has fulfilled their version of the Shakespearean quotes I gave above.
The characters started simple enough--a wife, a cowardly husband, a debonair high-ranking duke, intrusive and selfish family members, royal bickering, evil princess. However, as the story moved forward, each layer was peeled off and the characters became Shakespearean in their clever verbal sparring, motives, and for some, a slow descension into madness.
The Plot in a Nutshell
The story begins with a woman, Xue Fang Fei, a woman of Talent (cai nue), who loved her scholar husband so deeply, she had suppressed the whole personality to be just a wife, supporting his scholarly ambition with many sacrifices, including pawning her personal property. However, after he became an Imperial Scholar, he (and his family) betrayed her with rape, humiliation (loss of reputation) and finally, the man who professed to love her, whacked her on the head and buried her alive.
Xue Fang Fei survived and was saved by Jiang Li, the daughter of a minister who had been sent to a nunnery-like place for troubled women, also by her own family. Jiang Li had also been suffered from injustice and was bullied. Shortly after, Jiang Li died and Xue Fang Fei assumed her identity and started her journey to avenge Jiang Li and herself.
The Characters
This is the best part of the drama. Every character was memorable and unique. Our heroine, XFF/JiangLi played everyone like a chess game, yet she was also a pawn piece for Duke Su, who had been playing a long political game with various court family factions. XFF/JL first intrigued him, then his interest grew as he realized the dangerous game she herself was playing. Duke Su loved watching plays and this "Jiang Li" was fast becoming his favorite play. So he interfered (and aided) with her plans over and over and through much verbal sparring, the two started the world's slowest burning romance. The chemistry between the two were SIZZLING HOT--the way their eyes met, the puns with words like Qi (chess) with Qi (wife), the progression from sharing of cups to intimate clothing without ever once any actual romantic moment had this viewer laughing and squeeing like a young girl reading her first romance.
KUDOS to WJY and WXY for their portrayal of the amazingly resilient and smart XFF/JiangLi and the crafty and deliciously debonair (every entrance he made was grand) Duke Su and his fan (oh, that fan). WJY as the sincere, eloquent, determined and vengeful, yet at the same time vulnerable XFF/JiangLi was a master class of acting. WXY had such stage presence that, even though his scenes were limited, he commanded everyone's attention and totally owned all the ladies' hearts. Every move he made was perfect , from the narrowing his eyes to the micro-expressions, to the callouses on his hands when he caressed Jiang Li's hand.
The two characters who ultimately stole the show were Shen Yu Rong (the ex? husband) and the Evil Crazy Princess who had corrupted him. I'm going to warn you that the Director had a hard-on for SYR. He had given this villain so much depth, one could end up caught in his web of self-deception. Shen was a villain and also a tragic figure, blinded by power and a need to prove himself the stronger man. Through that one act of ridding his wife, he lost all the happiness he had before becoming the Princess' dog. His final descension into total self-absorbed power-madness was mesmerizing on the screen. Like, I said, the Director had it bad for SYR.
The Evil Princess was also another revelation. She was totally villainous and just as blind to the fact that she wasn't as in control as she had thought. She remained a pawn for all the men around her and her final realization of how she'd lost the game to XFF (she took the latter's man but couldn't make him love her) was tragic to watch.
KUDOS to the two actors' portrayal of these two villains.
BIG SPOILER
If you just want the best ending to this slow-burn romance, watch Episode 40 and stop at Minute 31:16 (or thereabouts). The events after that are stupid and unnecessary. Click Off at that point and just go to the extra half an episode, 40.5, that they shot as fan service of the two lovers. I took off .5 because of the way it ended after Minute 31:16.
I highly recommend this drama if you enjoy twists and turns, clever manipulations and characters with layers. The acting is superb. The script is great. The director wanted to be artsy and framed many scenes like a stage (curtain on top, side panels/pillars, railing at bottom). An example is the Evil Princess room/hallway scenes. The zoom-ins can be very distracting as the characters look straight at the camera, breaking the fourth wall. The closeups are too close, cutting off the top of heads in MANY shots. I'm not sure why the director decided to do this. Eh. Stupid choice, in my opinion, because the shots were jarring. Overall, the cinematography was gorgeous when needed, but not overly expansive. The costumes (esp on Duke Su!) was really beautiful.
If nothing else, watch Duke Su, Duke Su, Duke Su. His fan. His eyeliner. His voice when he says "A'Li," his whipped-puppy expression when his lady love called him "Xiao Heng." That is all.
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I won't talk about the action and cinematography much, just say it was stunning. If China is best at portraying colours in their wuxia, S. Korea is great at using different seasons to depict it. This type of experience is what differentiate watching movies from watching dramas.
Acting: great on all fronts. I was initially no big fan of Lee Byung Hun but he really commands the scenes he's in, from the first time we meet him. First time seeing Jeon Do Yeon and she was great. Seeing Kim Go Eun again is a treat and she never disappoints. You don't feel that she's acting with other big stars she's just immersed into the role. The rest of the cast fit their roles as well.
The story itself is nothing new, starting with betrayal the revenge that follows. The extend to which the character was willing to go for revenge it insane. It's really hard to judge it.
What attracted me most and kept my attention is the complicated characters and the disturbing love story. Deok Ki is corrupted and disgusting in every way, yet his love is so real and pure. As illogical it is, I just totally bought it. Same goes for Sul Rang, that carried true hatred towards him, leading to an insane revenge plan, yet wishing she could forgive him. This is the type of intense crazy romance I totally enjoy watching. There's something so raw and desperate about it. Hong Yi went through many phases in the movie, but I just love her in the last fighting scene, cold yet emotionally intense! Her side love story however was a bore, with typical kdrama cliché that I totally could've done without. Still it didn't remove anything from my enjoyment, it just wasn't too logical. However I find the main leads' love story also illogical but I totally buy it and believe it.
After finishing the movie I read many comments complaining about the movie calling it a Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon copy. While I agree it alludes to it, the movie stands on its own telling its own story. Definitely worth a try.
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