Reviews

I was first interested because I thought that psychological drama would offer something deep and interesting, and also because the synopsis sounded like a thought provoking drama that would go deeper into things. But that was all false.

Story: First the story and the idea were promising. I was looking forward to how the plot would progress. But as I was watching, I just grew more and more bored. The whole idea just vanished somewhere in the middle, and it felt like the writer just forgot what they were even trying to say. I don't even remember what the underlying idea was, since it's been so long since there was any kind of purpose. There was no idea anymore, and I was left watching two most unoriginal characters falling in love (in most uninteresting way). Which brings me to the next thing ...

Characters: Flat and boring. No dimensions anywhere. There was nothing to wonder or think about. All the characters lacked defining character traits. I was hoping some kind of moral conflict with the main character regarding this whole thing that happened. But she was just annoyingly goodie goodie the whole time. They could've played a lot more with the characters and the plot. There was nothing really memorable about the characters. ESPECIALLY the main characters. Actually, the most interesting character was the villain, even though he lacked personality too. I don't think there was anything wrong with the actors or acting, it's just that the characters were really uninteresting. At least second lead's couple had some interesting conflict and interactions, but the main couple were whining about who gets to keep a flower or who sleeps on the sofa. Please.

More about the story: Some scenes were almost comical, even though they were supposed to be serious. I couldn't take it seriously, and I was just left rolling eyes confusingly. Dramas don't have to be necessarily realistic, but at least make them believable. This drama didn't even try to make sense. And ohmylife, the unnecessary scenes that didn't play any type of role in the plot... This drama just made staring at the walls interesting. There were some nice scenes, mainly at the beginning, but the latter half just ruined the wholeness.

I just hope every single drama writer could adopt this simple rule to their daily lives: if it doesn't take the plot forward, DON'T ADD THAT SCENE. But I guess they have a certain amount of time that has to be filled... But then you should use your IMAGINATION. Ahhh, whatever. I'm so done with this. I'm so done. Cheers to this ''amazing'' drama.

And what was that stupid cliche ending? After all this disappointment, you go and disappoint me even more with your meaningless supposedly philosophical discovery about how meaning of life is to live and be happy? I mean... Just wow, I have never witnessed this type of genius before.
Of course every drama don't have to make me re think everything I know about life, but at least don't pretend to be deep and BE ENTERTAINING. This was just boring. And just like I said earlier, made staring at the walls interesting. I already discovered the many shades of white my walls have that I never knew about before watching this drama.

Since this review has been so negative, should I say something positive too? Hmm... Good looking cast?

Read More

this show is ass (must read review)

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE WATCHING
i never wrote a review before but i needed to for this show because this show was steaming hot garbage !!!

1. the fl chases after the ml's best friend for over half of the show, it's unbearable this was the number one thing that ruined the show. like please don't watch it i'm so convinced this show was a experiment it makes me so mad just remembering how i wasted my time with this show.

2. THE SIDE COUPLES DONT END UP TOGETHER, the fl's best friend had a boyfriend and they were cute together and were together for most the show but they broke up and she went onto marry a RANDOM MANNN?? THEY DIDNT END UP TOGETHEr at the end and the ml's best friend had a girll, i forgot what happened but they weren't end game either.

3. there are no cute scenes of them as a couple the only cute scenes between them is just one sided love where the ml likes fl lead but she thinks of him as a brother. they literally get together on the LAST EPISODE (episode 36) at the last 5 IMINUTES, WALLAHI AND THEY NEVER DATE THEY GO STRAIGHT INTO MARRIAGE AND WE NEVER SEE ANYTHING AFTER THAT THEY JUST GET ENGAGED AND THAT WAS THE END this was so rushed, the show was so bad like i want to cry its so bad, it was so stupid, it was so bad im crying like its so bad i get angry whenever i think of this show

also one of the people from their friend group left permanently??? like he just got a train and we never saw him again after the like second episode or something & the show kept going downhill from there

people will eat anything uppp how did this show even get a 8.4,, SAV YOURSELF!!!! and do not waste 36 hours on this drama that they gave no effort on, this isnt even like those funny bad ones this is just a painful watch whole way through. this whole show felt like they were just pushing to get it over with!!!

Read More

A rare instance when the word “legend” in the name of a drama is not just a word

First and foremost, I must praise the cinematography and lighting in this drama. It is the most aesthetically stunning series I’ve seen in recent years, and unquestionably the most visually beautiful Chinese drama I’ve ever encountered. The breathtaking sets, the richly detailed costumes — it all feels so tangible, as though you could reach through the screen and touch it. The use of candles and Rembrandt-style lighting not only creates a painterly visual experience but also deepens the atmosphere and emotional resonance of the story.

As for the plot, what fascinated me most about The Legend of Zang Hai is its masterful blending of genres: mystery, revenge thriller, political intrigue, family saga, and even romance. It’s rare for a revenge drama to so deeply explore the psychological toll of vengeance. As a viewer, you’re taken on a visceral emotional journey with the protagonist — moments of burning hatred give way to weariness, as you begin to question whether revenge is worth the weight it demands. The emotional core of the first two-thirds of the drama is Zang Hai’s all-consuming desire for revenge; in the final act, the narrative shifts and poses a profound question: What comes after? What remains of a person once vengeance is fulfilled? What lines have been crossed? What goodness has been lost?

The writing is exceptional. The audience is never condescended to . The story trusts the viewer to piece things together, gradually revealing its secrets until, by the end, you almost see the full picture. Many elements remain open to interpretation, and the drama doesn’t shy away from societal critique. But what resonated most with me personally was a single, piercing truth: the most important thing is to survive. To survive those who harmed you — that, in itself, is a form of victory.

I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say this: given how thoroughly the villain saturated Zang Hai’s life with illusion, it seemed nearly impossible for him to prevail. The truth had been so deeply buried under layers of deception that it felt like the odds were stacked against him. And yet, the way he ultimately triumphs is not only fitting — it’s poetic justice.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the extraordinary cast. Zang Hai, portrayed by Xiao Zhan, is the emotional heart of the story, and we experience most of the narrative through his perspective. It’s been a long time since I was so utterly spellbound by a performance. Every conflicting emotion — the love, the hatred, the grief, the restraint — is rendered so vividly that certain scenes continue to replay in my mind. Every cast member gave their all, including the villains. You may not like them, but you understand them.

A special mention must go to the actor who portrayed Gao Ming, Zang Hai’s master. Their bond becomes a central source of dramatic tension in the final episodes, embodying the contrast between darkness and light in Zang Hai’s life. And while romance isn’t a dominant theme in the story, I found the unconventional relationship between Zang Hai and Antu deeply compelling. Their characters feel like two halves of a whole. She and Gao Ming symbolize all that is still worth living for in Zang Hai’s world. One of my favorite moments is when she drops her sword and embraces him — a gesture of rare emotional clarity and tenderness.

If there’s one thing I would have loved to see more of, it’s the dynamic between Zang Hai and Prince Yong Rong. Their relationship had so much intriguing potential, and I sincerely hope we get to see more of it — perhaps in Season 2? 👀

I also must mention the musical score — especially the haunting ending song and the atmospheric background tracks. I’ll be adding them to my playlist as soon as they become available on streaming platforms. And the scene with the Kunqu Opera? Honestly, one of the most epic moments I’ve ever seen on screen.

The Legend of Zang Hai is my favorite drama in a long time, and without a doubt the Chinese drama for me. I feel as though I’ve witnessed the birth of a modern classic.

To every actor, every crew member who brought this masterpiece to life — thank you.
Hoping for a second season. 🙏

I was wondering what to rate it and ultimately decided that some aspects of the drama are worth more than a 10. So 10 it is.

Read More

Needlessly Frustrating

This was a frustratingly stupid mess. This could have literally been solved within the first hour if it weren't for the absolutely idiotic behaviour of nearly everyone. The police were asinine and so were many of the core characters. The mother leaving out after the first encounter was face palming silly and a whole assortment of other ridiculous foolishness this movies gets up to that I'll spare you due to spoilers.
Perhaps the worst part of this movie was it's attempts at supposed messaging and social commentary. Primarily as it set up some of the silliest and most unbelievable scenarios to comment on the treatment of the disabled. A woman frantically running, screaming and being pursued by a man with blood all over him would set off literally everybody's red flags.
But oh no she can't speak so clearly she's deranged and we won't give her the time of day. THIS WOULD LITERALLY NEVER HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE.

The acting was fine, the music reasonably forgettable but I expected nothing less. This movie should have just been in the Door Lock, Blind school of inoffensive thriller that is just tightly written and done but some how they managed to make an absolute mess of it.

Read More

I really can't figure out why this isn't as popular as it should be.

I was sucked it by the first episode-- watched it all in barely four days. There was really nothing about it I didn't like. I actually tried to find problems with it:

Music= I didn't watch it on mute! Good job music.
Romance (too much/little)= this is how you balance, man.
Action (pointless/thrilling)= :') All interesting and had a purpose
Actors= chemistry was great, I didn't have to cringe at anyone
Comedy (too much/little)= Came just when I needed it. It was sarcastic and witty and wow I'm pretty sure I didn't laugh at anything I wasn't supposed to this time because, y'know, good acting
Ending= the only time I really didn't mind an ambiguous ending.

Read More

Not good, not bad.

Produced by JTBC Studios & Megaphone, "Green Mothers' Club (그린마더스클럽) [2022]" is a mild makjang Kdrama putting particular emphasis on parenting, education of kids and friendship between mothers. Written by Shin Yi Won and directed by Ra Ha Na, the show was also aired on Netflix.

This will be a simple review.

The story follows five mothers, residing in the same neighborhood, and the growth in their motherhood in the course of time through thick and thins, learning and unlearning as well as adapting and rejecting, ideas, notions and behaviours, while they strive to deal with the concerning problems about their own. It also depicts the establishment and development of friendship between mothers as they attempt to tackle issues surrounding them and their kids.

# Lee Eun Pyo (Lee Yo Won), a mother to 2 little boys, is a self-confident woman and a loving person, who believes in relaxed education for kids and always puts emphasis on how it's important to help children grow to become good human beings rather than making them academic robots. She's personal flaws though which is irritating.

# Byun Chun Hui (Choo Ja Hyun), a mother to a boy & a girl, is a highly ambitious woman yet under-confident, who has contradictory beliefs to Eunpyo and can go to great extents when it comes to make her kids reach the top of the race.

# Seo Jin Ha (Kim Gyu Ri), a mother to a boy, is an highly esteemed artist, yet struggles to deal with her own mental health and is greatly emotional & expressive.

# Kim Young Mi (Jang Hye Jin), a mother to a girl and a boy, is a propagator of anti-capitalistic & advanced education methods and have the ability of self-control.

# Park Eun Ju (Joo Min Kyung), a mother to a girl, is an easygoing lady who loves her family so much and can be easily manipulated by others.

Provided that the drama revolves around the child actors to a huge extent and the fact that all of them, casted in the show, have done a tremendous job in carrying out their roles, I believe they needs to be mentioned as well...
# Jung Dong Seok (Jung Shi Yool) and Jung Dong Ju (Lee Chae Hyun): Eunpyo
# Kim Yu Bin (Joo Ye Rim) and Kim Young Bin (Kim Seo Jun): Chunhui
# Henry (Shin Seo Woo): Jinha
# Sae Bom (Jeon Yu Na) and Jul Pin (Ahn Seok Hyun): Young Mi
# Lee Su In (Park Ye Rin): Eunju

On that note, I think I should mention the husbands as well, haha....
# Jung Jae Woong (Choi Jae Ram): Eunpyo. He's the best and cleanest character of all.
# Kim Joo Seok (Choi Deok Moon): Chunhui
# Louis Bunuel (Roy): Jinha
# Oh Geon Woo (Im Su Hyung): Youngmi
# Lee Man Su (Yoon Gyung Ho): Eunju

Plot development is quite a goal (for 12 episodes); def something to look forward to. While giving the impression that the writer doesn't really indulges to a single plot element, it throws light upon several things, from family to friendship, child mental health to education system and murder to mystery; it sums up everything in a decent way. Pilot episodes were good enough to expect from the show, and so is the furtherance throughout. At every twist it felt like they're gonna exaggerate the plot, they come up with another interesting element to keep you hooked; never ran outta context. The last 4 episodes did feel a lil dragging in terms of the mystery plot, but I don't think it affects the overall quality much. Coming to my personal thoughts, the show was till 12th, then the plot became a lil choppy in 13th & 14th and finally the 15th and 16th episodes somehow went wary, even so it wasn't obvious. Whatever disappointment actually comes in the 15th ep was from the 2 main ladies of the show, rather than the overall plot; their ways of dealing with the consequences, it was stupid and funny, really. Nevertheless, the 16th episode recovered the damage to a level and the ending sequence of 20 minutes was satisfactory.

Shin Yi Won jakkanim being a debutant have been able to pull off a decent and well composed script with a handful number of flaws. I am in fact happy that the story is not entirely a makjang story, rather a melodrama with both makjang and slice-of-life elements. The plot development is beyond likable and definitely makes you look forward. The pacing is perfect, with momentary rushing/obtuse, here and there, which is manageable. I suggest you look forward to the character arcs and their development, bcs it's both simple and intricate at times and reflect reality, that has been executed by natural means. The only problem with the writing from the writer's pov was the final character assessment, where the writer decides to make the characters do stupid things.

Even though Ra Ha Na PDnim debuts through this drama, seems like they've (they/them/theirs) gathered amazing amount of experience during her previous jobs. Directing a drama special, a webdrama and assisting a full length cable drama, they have taken their fair amount of time to work on their skills. The screenplay management, the scenario establishment, the screen editing tasks, the sound production, the cinematography and the overall execution has been well taken care of. The modern urban setup with both vivid and light hues or variable pallettes were able to serve the demanded essence.

There are 5 OSTs in total which are not noteworthy though addicting. "Happiness" by Nakkyeum is a jolly song which portrays the desire to have good days ahead. "Moonlight Mother" by Jang Pil Soon is an ode to motherhood that shapes in various forms, with the soulful rendition of the artist. "What If" by Jung In is a melancholic reminiscence of alternative possibilities. "Ivory" by Jemma depicts the conflict with your own as well as with others. "A Song For You" by SAya is a track for friendship or soulmates. Other than the tracks, the background music as well the opening theme credit are beautifully composed.

What I liked...

# The plot development is amazing, with each of it's major elements in perfect proportions, that too addressing them at appropriate time. I am happy that it was not a complete makjang which also chose to emphasize on education and friendship to a great deal. I admit the last 4 episodes could have been better but I personally don't think it was ruined or something.

# The natural human instincts, changes in mind, ups & downs in friendships as well as mental health issues including the side-effects of distorted mentality, etc. have been meticulously and explicitly portrayed through variety of human behaviours.

# The particular representation of mental health issues concerning children, is another reason you should be looking forward to. Putting pressure on those blooming minds and making them go beyond their limits by forcing them to overdo can lead to grave situations, and the drama stands out as an alarmist.

# Unveiling of mystery plot isn't really very impressive of sort but it surely takes you to edge during it's peaks, which is more than two dozens in the show. I love how things were still mysterious even for the finale.

# GMC indeed shows you several sides of parenting methods as well as the pros & cons of them. Parents attempting to fulfill their own dreams through their children, leading children along shoddy roads through their actions & reactions and overprotecting, could be creating a path of disaster, no matter the amount of love they pour. You get to witness, the failure of both the protagonists and antagonists as parents and everything boiled down to what the show actually allows you to take home away.

# Friendship in Kdramas aren't new but with each drama, we get to see an unique growth and bonding. So was the case here and the most valuable one was between Eun Pyo & Chun hee, which was based on their thoughts and action as mothers of their children. Look forward to it.

# The distorted education system, the way it shapes parenting and it's effect on the children have been well drawn and felt real.

# The character development on the parts of the main adult and child characters was enjoyable since the respective growths were contributed from various factors that are experienced by us in real, from a close proximity. The last 2 episodes, however, ethically ruins the main characters a bit but thankfully the writer recovered them.

What I didn't like...there isn't much, really...

# The dragging towards the ending, though subtle, was a lil annoying yet bearable. The final delivery from the characters was annoying and disgusting per se.

# I would have loved Jinha to have more screentime for 2 reasons: firstly, Kim Gyu Ri is a fabulous actrees and was able to carry out the role stupendously, exhibiting in herself and evoking in the viewers, the accurate emotions and, secondly the character had so much scope to regulate the story itself; I admit the writer could be correct in drawing the fates in her own accord, it's just I was expecting better.

# Similarly, I was really disappointed with Jang Hye Jin having very limited screentime in comparison to other major characters. Kim Young Mi definitely was the main role in her own world, who also played the most important part in unveiling one of the key facts, but the inconsistencies in her appearance throughout the show is what irked me the most.

Final Remarks... Overally, a good show with well developed storyline, amazingly directed and executed, which had a decent outcome. Would love to recommend others. My initial experiences with the drama would rate it 8.0 but with the progress and finale I would retain at 7.5. Even so I won't really discredit the efforts entirely bcs the overall thing isn't exactly bad. I believe it's absurd to reject something based on the final experiences, so yeah!

Read More

Visual leads with cute chems… no breakup! almost no angst!

What i like:
- The visuals of the leads is just something… come one, have u seen them? N the chems is cute… i’m not a big fan of a noona romance, but Angela Baby looks so young n beautiful, so i have no probs in that dept…
- No breakup once they get together… the relationship between the leads is just so healthy… yes he’s younger by 7years in the drama, but he doesn’t act like it, he is very mature n such an adult, especially in the relationship with her… ML is honestly how a perfect BF should be like…
- I like almost all characters, everybody has plus n minus n redeem themselves eventually, even the father… except FL’s ex, he’s just something else… he didn’t take the villain route though, so there’s that…
- No real villains, not even the ex… no real SFL either, lots of girls like ML, but noone annoying or playing tricks, their luv is strong…
- Almost zero angst!
- The side couples r cute too… FL’s BFF with ML’s boss (he has a kid, so that plot is funny) n FL’s lil bro with FL’s colleague/ML’s friend… all HE…

Why i was a bit conflicted:
- The relationship was a bit complicated… ML&FL r not related by blood, n even though they r stepsiblings, they were never raised together… he went abroad for a long time then they met again when they r adults… he fell for her first, then after a while they got together… i personally don’t think it’s wrong, but somehow i wish they weren’t step siblings, it’s still weird in a way…
- Again i’m not a fan of a noona romance… but since i like both leads, n they look so cute together, so yeah, i enjoyed watching them…
- There were a bit boring parts in the drama, but it was ok portion… i wish they could show more of them being together in front of other people n not being cute only when there’s noone around…
- The working plot wasn’t that strong either…

Overall i really like it! I’d def recommend this for people who like a light romcom n don’t mind a bit complicated background for the leads… n it’s a HE…

Read More

Something new u might like <3

I eventually decided to give it a try because I like Aaron in 'professional single' hence I wanna see more of his project! I have watched up to eps 24, and surprisingly enjoyed it (even though it's quite angst hiks)! At first, it was a bit awkward indeed, but hey! It's not that bad as others said though! Its storyline is basically about a domineering CEO who has a strange superpower that allows him to control others, besides reading someone's mind. However, he couldn't use his power upon FL. The 'CEO' stuff is not only a title or cover, but they genuinely implied basic business such as strategy marketing, how to maintain a good price to compete with other brands, etc.
FL herself is a bold, stylish (her fashion lure my eyes ngl) as well as tough woman. FYI, ML and FL were high school mates. They're best friends, moreover, ML had a crush on her back then. Due to one misunderstanding, FL cut ties with ML. Time skip, they encounter each other once again. They keep bickering yet I see he still deeply in love with her.
Aside from that, this drama is even funnier than I imagined, let alone side characters lmao!! I like the bromance thing between ML and his bestie (the doctor) as he's so hilarious :D
Lastly, don't think so highly about cdramas, just let it flow, then you'll find your own peace. If it's not here, find your kind of comfort dramas out there without messing up in the comment section. Luv! <3 *purple heart*

Read More

I See The Intention But... Such A Wasted Opportunity

I've never tried writing a review before but I'm watching BL's for over three years now and I wanted to try writing it. So please bear it with me.

Dare You To Death was one of the tough ones to watch it. Writing in this series is... well to put it kindly: childish, sloppy, unprofessional. I understand the intention when they produced this series. But, my god the story just kept getting worse and worse each episode. Irrational behaviours of police officers, stupid decisions of the victims, jarring tonal shifts from romance to "mysterious" murder scenes... The list goes on and on. Firstly, writer/s clearly did not know how law enforcement bureaus work because the errors that have been made during solving the cases is just stupid. Knowing the potential victims but not providing them protection, not asking for a full autopsy report for the first deceased, or even not interrogate the suspects/victims fully in a police station is wild. And these things I mentioned here is just a glimpse. Anyways, there is so much to talk about the script of this series; but if I get in to that, it'd be full on spoilers so I'll cut it short here. It's just full of many illogical things that doesn't even cover up other story plots and left us with a whole bunch of mess.

The acting very surprised me. In my opinion, we saw the potential of Dunk's acting in Heart Killers. He was really good in that series. But unfortunately, Joong kept getting the same roles over and over again which is a very boring caracter type for me, we couldn't see his acting range. But in this series, I believe he really outdone himself. both Joong and Dunk. They both play different characters from their previous works which is refreshing. And seeing Joong in a character that can actually show emotions was really nice. Their acting really carried this series.

If I really have to say something about the music, its just boring. GMM has stock music/sounds to play in certain scenes. And they used those musics so much that using it here too is just feels lazy at this point. Also, the production quality was a mess either. Especially for a series that's been produced for Netflix. The audio issues were jaw-dropping. The editing that caused tonal shifts were horrific. At one point, It felt as if the production team didn't like certain people who were involved in this series so they tried everything in their power to ruin this show. And clearly they succeeded.

It's such a shame that these good actors were wasted in such a sloppy series. The only reason I gave this show a high overall rating is the acting in this series.

As I said in the beginning, this is my first attempt to write a review. I know probably not many people will see this review but if there are things you want to discuss or just talk about the series, let me know so that we can discuss it.

Read More

I don´t understand why so many don´t like it!

I know it is overwhelming to see all the negative comments!!!
But trust me it was a really sweet story!
First of all I understand that it´s the typical old school school romance BL love story so it can be boring for many,
because there are so many that exist already!!
Also they should have wrapped it up after 8 to 10 episodes .. 12 was to long!
Other than that for me it was a very sweet wholesome story of two people falling in love!!
Yes there was a bit of drama but nothing over the top.. they always managed to get back together
and the reasons why there was some drama was also Ok and nothing that people can´t understand!
I get that people want to get other story´s as the same old school classic stuff...
BUT IF u want a classic school love story this is completely fine!
There are many sweet moments and also really good kissing scene´s!
I completely recommend watching it until the end and not stooping halfway thru...
even if there are some parts that they should have made way shorter!
Over all I love Joong & Dunk As a couple and I think they really improved (especially the kissing)
also the second couple was very sweet as well!
I want to see more of Aou & Boom hopefully someday with an own story!
the only thing was that I did not like that there where to many episodes and that Zo´s (Dunk) mom was a bit aggressive in the way to teach her son...she put to much pressure to him! I didn´t liked that at all! But it ended all well!
So please really give it a try!!!!!

Read More

1) The reason I watched this:

I was mainly attracted by the cast then the story seemed intriguing enough I just went for it without high expectations or anything.

2) Storyline/Plot:

Generally speaking the story was about royalty nowadays and north-south Korean peace process through love, pain and many other mixed feelings. The Korean nation, the king, the love realtionships, loyalty, friendship and action therefore you can say that the story got it all!

Positive points:

*The different theme: When you watch too many dramas of the same genre you would get tired of all the Korean romantic stories that share the same plot but this was unusual; script writers gave a unique story: I haven't seen anything like it before.
*The South and North Koreans never ending troubles; this existed before in some dramas like "Muyang the spy", it's not a new theme but it was greatly expressed here. Well, a non-Korean person may find himself not interested in this sort of theme but everyone ould like to watch the peace process and the two nations reunion.
*Royalty nowadays was a great background. It's true that "My princess" shared the same background but "King2Hearts" was way too interesting.
*The romance was cute but not shallow. The romantic development was always captivating especially that there's two different love stories to follow.
*The action was set up in a good way; those scenes were exciting to watch. Writers were brilliant for inserting action in this story because that genre is able to eliminate any sort of balnk moments.
*Involving other countries like China, the U.S and even Japan in the drama made the events complicated in a good way.
*Politics: it wasn't heavily present but when it existed it was well doe especially the diplomatic talks.

Negative points:

*I wouldn't say it's a negative point but I wanted the main couple's love story to go deeper since there was lack of drama in that aspect.
It's true that there were many obstacles but I felt like they got together so soon. Anyway, it wasn't bad but I wanted everything to go deeper in this drama.
*Beside that, everything was cool except something that happened near the end but it would be a spoiler if I mention it.

Story: 9.5/10

3) Acting/Cast:

*Lee Seung Ki : I've seen him in two dramas before but here he was amazingly different. At the beginning, he may sound childish but in some point he felt like a total grown up plus his character development was greatly done. I fell for his role and even his speeches were nicely spoken plus he delievered great emotions.

*Ha Ji Won: I like this actress because she have a great way in portraying her roles. Here, she was different from what I saw before. Being a couple with Lee Seung Ki may seem like a huge age gap but events didn't allow to think much about that side. Then there's her North Korean accent: that was really annoying to hear at the beginning but I got used to it as the drama went on. I specially liked her actions scenes and her convincing acting.

*Jo Jung Suk: i haven't seen him in anything before before but I fell for the character ever since his first meeting with Lee Jae Ha and everything that happened later on, he was so cool.

*Lee Yoon Ji: Special likes for the princess; I liked her character and her relationships with everyone.

*I didn't hate Jhon Mayer like I hated his stupid psycho artist Tara or whatever, I still want to kill her!! But I have to admit that they were great actors and performed their parts greatly.
*The remaining cast were awesome; thumb up to the WOC team and the queen.

*The chemistry and relationships between the cast members was cool uncluding other countries cast; it was cool to hear English, Chinese, Japanese and even French here.
* I rarely give 10's to any drama's cast or acting department but here I was deeply impressed.

Cast: 10/10
Acting: 9.5/10

4) The ending:

I really hated one event near the ending that I even considered it a negative point earlier but that doesn't deny that we had the ending that we wanted.
The ending a nice closure to a great drama.

The ending: 8.5/10

5) My impression (How did it affect me):

*I really enjoyed this drama, so much that I feel some sort of emptiness when it ended.
*I always love the unique different stories and I found that in this drama's storyline. Special likes to politics since I love it.
*The cast was amazing one of the fewest drama's cast that I genuinely loved.
*I had all sort of feelings while watching this: great impression.

My impression: 9/10

6) Overall:

*If you like watching royalty stories then you would like this.
*If you're looking for an interesting story the this is for you.
*If you like romance combined with action and politics then you would like this.
*If you like Lee Seung Ki/Ha Ji Won then you need to watch this.

Overall: 9.5/10.

Read More

Ended in a cliffhanger...

The elefant in the room with this series is the lip-syncing of the whole audio. For me it always felt out of place. They could not transfer all the emotions of a scene in a believable manner. Unexpectable the kissing was not good either.

The finale was a bit of a bummer. We get a cliffhanger for a 2nd season and I always hate it, when they do that. Chances are good with all the support this series gained it will happen. But to wait for a year for the continuation of this story suxx.

Besides the couples and the girl, I also think the acting was lacking. They choose to implement silly moments in such a dark story and I'm not a fan of it. Production quality was top notch, besides the lip-syncing.

We get a story between a "soft" gangster boss and a "innocent" student who is the pride not only of his family but of the whole neighbourhood. It's quite clear from the beginning that the student is drawn to the gangster and it's typical BL cliché that the gangster boss has to struggle to accept his own feelings. So nothing new there and nothing which does justify all the hype about this series..

Overall it was good entertainment but for me it was not stellar. And to have to wait for another year for the conclusion (or again 9 episodes with a cliffhanger) pisses me off.

Read More

Traffic actress with an awful acting quality

this drama use too much marketing to gain viewers, and it drive me to watch as I thought the drama must bee good the more when I saw the score was 8.6,, but after finish watching half of the whole episodes, the score is overrated, the story line just soso and the female lead too much over acting and annoying, but I love the Male Lead, he look good, his acting on point.. I made a research about the cast and found that said the FL is a traffic actress who often use billion marketing to boost her popularity, and probably the marketing I was seeing maybe from the FL side, so im not surprised then why the score is high but doesn't match the quality of the drama,, It seems like recently the quality of the Chinese drama industry has been undermined and ruined by traffic artists who doesn't have good acting qualities.. It's awful,, I wish c-drama back to it sense with the right actress/actors, good storyline and stop using traffic actress with awful acting qualities to gain viewers.

Read More

The story started off well and it had a very good potential to be one of the best dramas this year, but the slow pace is what upsets me. I can't call it is ruined, but I was anticipating more.
It is not a slow burner. Normally, I am ok with this kind of pacing. But here is the pace is really slow of the kind that the actors take five minuets looking at each other without a word and the antagonist takes scenes and scenes before he could strike, not to mention some plot holes and some stupid acts by the police. In the last episodes, the pace lift up and the episodes became more intense, which made the rating process kinda perplexing for me.
Acting-wise, the child actors did a better job than the adult ones. Nam Da Reum and Ryu Han Bi really impressed me. Heo Joon Ho (father) managed to make me cringe every time he is on screen. For the protagonists, Jang Ki Yong (Na Moo) was really good in the dramatic and when-he-is-angry scenes, but failed -unfortunatley- is the romantic moments, which was a big let down as I had seen him in Go Back Couple and made me develop second lead syndrome. ?His looks to Nak Won felt mannered and artificial, trying hard to look endearing and fluffy. Other than that he did a good job especially in the aforementioned scenes.
For Jin Ki Joo (Nak Won), I hope there was another actress instead. I won't lie, I skipped a lot of her (romantic) scenes.
Seo Jung Yeon (mother) overacted while acting angry but she was ok on the overall level. Kim Seo Hyung's (reporter) character was very annoying and was depicted evil for a reporter.
Music was soothing and lovable.
Overall, it wasn't a bad journey, but it could be much more better if it was shorter. I don't regret my time, but I don't think I'll be able to watch it again.

Read More