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1A second chance to right old wrongs. A reminder that choices may fade, but consequences remain!
What if your death wasn't a tragic ending but a fresh start? The premise was definitely intriguing but familiar.Welcome to the twisted deja vu of this time travel drama, where Armin dies under mysterious circumstances and travels back in time with memories intact to uncover the truth of his death. At first glance, it screamed the classic time travel revenge plot but the twist was that it wasn't just really about revenge at all. And honestly, that was both the highlight and the flaw.
Armin gets a second chance at life, and rather than chasing down his killer as expected, the drama takes a subtle path.
It leaned more into the "what ifs" and the invisible choices that never seemed important until they added up to something irreversible.
The second chance was to study his own life to understand where things went wrong, what choices chipped away at him and how he could prevent the fate from repeating itself. It became less about who pushed him off the cliff and more about why he was standing there in the first place.
In the new journey, he meets Thada, his day-one fan. The best thing about the romance here is that it doesn't only lean into fanservice fluff. Both the leads have their individual personality. Thada isn't portrayed as just some loyal puppy. He was/is Armin's fan but not in cringe, over-the-top stan way but more like observant admirer who looked past his celebrity gloss. What makes him cut above the rest was how he doesn't play saviour (he tries to but backs off when Armin shows claws xD). But he just stays. He walks beside him without trying to "fix" him.
Their chemistry was just the chef's kiss. They were awkward, sassy, soft and spicy. The connection felt very natural and effortless. There were times when the writing got a little uneven and things started to drift, but their chemistry held the ground. I was here for the time travel bling but stayed for them. If this were just a romance and I ignore everyone and everything, the drama would be a solid 10 out of 10
However, not everything hit as hard as I thought. The actual fantasy element is surprisingly minimal. It's just a narrative device, more symbolic than logical. There are still a few questions unanswered in my head, like how exactly the time loop worked, why it only affected Armin and what actually triggered it? Was it only his death, some unresolved business or just something else entirely? Was it a one-time phenomenon and what are the consequences of changing the past? You know, the usual time-travel manipulation dilemmas.
But strangely, the drama did manage to pull everything together. It was more about what he chose to do in the new timeline than how and why it happened. What lacked in fantasy was covered in more character depth for Armin and making the story more emotionally available. These ambiguities didn't really ruin the story for me, but it did leave the fantasy part of the story underdeveloped.
Side characters were another weak spot. While Armin and Thada were fleshed out with attention, the supporting cast was underused. I wouldn't say they were entirely forgettable but they could have contributed more to the story. For example, Veynai's whole existence in the show is just to remind Armin he has a schedule and do his non work related chores ib style. Then we have Thiwthit, a bitter rival with an unhealthy obsession with Thada, who had been reduced to nothing more than a brat craving the attention and wealth denied by dear old daddy. They did tried hard to portray him as big bad wolf but he was still the boy who shouted wolfs and no one helped him at the end. His arc was very over the top lakorn-ish.
We also have one supportive friend for Armin too but very one-note. They definitely fill spaces, but without leaving much of a mark.
Acting-wise, Pond as Armin shines through. I haven't seen him in a lead role before, but I am genuinely impressed with the range of emotions he expressed throughout. Peterpan as Thada was another pleasant surprise for me. His character Thada demanded restraint and a soft yet commanding presence and he did a great job. The supporting cast also had a few known names, but I guess the story didn't give them much. Special mention to Alexander playing Venyai. I hope to see him in other projects because he is definitely an attention stealer, even though his role was very brief and basic here.
Cinematography was very atmospheric, and I liked the change of lighting and colour to differentiate the timelines and characters' moods. Also, the tiny details of "that" time, like using a flip phone, fashion sense also resembling the 90s, all worked in favour. Props to Thada's stylist.
Overall, this is more of an emotional love story that is heavy on feels but not too big on plot twists and fantasy elements. But for a drama about healing, second chances and love, it delivered. I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you for reading my review! Hope you enjoy the drama as much as I did! <3
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Enjoying the angst that comes from misplaced revenge.
Call It Love was emotionally aesthetically pleasing. What I mean is, even the sadness, anger, frustration, regret - all were presented in a way that did not make me feel emotionally exhausted and tired. I was relating to and appreciating the sorrow.What the show did an amazing job with was showing different sides of psychological issues - for some people it makes them completely detached from social interaction, for some it makes them forget about their needs, others would focus on the negative emotions as their driving force, some would be able to accommodate their lives around their issues. Depending on the character, their personality and past experiences, we saw all the different sides of how we as humans deal with difficult emotions.
About the cast - we got blessed with some well written and complex characters and well delivered portrayals of them. How the same people could be victims and perpetrators. How everyone had to learn from their mistakes and figure out how to set boundaries, but also respect the boundaries others set. How to understand yourself and be able to communicate with others. How to move on from past, how to move forward with the future, how to find happiness and peace.
Were all the characters well written, with many layers? Not quite. While Ahn Hee Yeon did a good job with her performance, Kang Min Young did not exactly have much to offer except from being yet another external factor the leads had to deal with. Similarly, Choi Sun Woo existed only in the context of leads’ issues and struggles, and presented no personal plotlines.
Cast wise, Kim Young Kwang ate the role. One of the most versatile actors we get in mainstream shows. Can do drama, action, comedy, romance, thriller - you name it and you will get it in one of his roles. In Call It Love he presented so many raw emotions from Han Dong Jin. Even though the character was not an open book, not the most expressive guy out there, it was still clear for the viewers what he was going through, what he was thinking and feeling.
At the same time, while for most scenes Lee Sung Kyung did great (it’s a role we have not seen her in yet), there were just a few moments where her delivery was too monotone and at times felt empty.
As for the production - I loved it, but I can see why someone else could hate it. The colors were not saturated enough and the whole show was presented in this pink/purple filter. For me, it perfectly fitted the overall mood of the drama, adding to the melancholic and stoic feeling. What also caught my attention was how the shots were centered vertically. In many the characters were presented in only 1/3rd of the screen. For me it seemed like the same way they were not centered in the frame, they were also not centered in their lives - still unsure about their place, a bit lost in their surroundings.
All that said, it’s a typical “you either vibe with it or not” drama. The same visual aspects I loved could look ugly and weird for others. The same characters I related to and enjoyed analyzing could be frustrating and unrealistic for others. The same dialogues I found touching, others could see as faking profoundness with no depth.
Why not a perfect 10 from me? I did not like some of the conclusions and I wished a few characters were developed better. For such a complex situation the drama presents, some aspects just lacked nuance.
Overall, I already miss this drama.
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Highly recommend! ?✨
I just finished watching Perfect Match (2025), and I absolutely loved it! This drama had everything I wanted—romance, comedy, family love, and a touch of business intrigue, all set in the beautiful backdrop of the Northern Song Dynasty.The story follows Madam Li and her five daughters as they move to Bianjing to find good husbands while also rebuilding their family business. What I really enjoyed was how each daughter had her own unique personality and love story. They weren’t just waiting for a man to come along—they were strong, smart, and determined in their own ways. Madam Li herself is such a fun character. She has big dreams for her daughters, but at the end of the day, she truly wants them to be happy.
One thing that really stood out to me was the drama’s message about women and their roles in society. Even though it’s a historical drama, it still felt relevant today. The daughters face challenges and prejudices, but they always fight for what they want, whether it’s love or independence.
Visually, the show is stunning! The costumes, the sets, and even the small cultural details made me feel like I was transported back in time. The romance is also very sweet, and I found myself rooting for all the couples. Plus, the humor kept things lighthearted and fun.
Overall, Perfect Match is a must-watch if you love historical C-dramas with strong family bonds, engaging romance, and a bit of humor. It’s heartwarming, beautifully shot, and full of lovable characters. Highly recommend! 😊✨
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Melancholy Slice of Life
I'm not the biggest fan of slice of life dramas but there is something strangely satisfying and cathartic about this one. "My Liberation Notes" is more about the mood than a specific story, which usually feels too tedious for me to enjoy, but because the characters felt so vulnerable and relatable I ended up liking this drama way more than I expected to. This isn't your usual dose of escapism. The characters here are mostly solemn, depressed, and disappointed with the life they live. Still, there's something inspiring about the way their stories evolve and something honest about how imperfect they all were without being too sad.The leads in this story are 3 siblings who live with their parents in a rural small town despite working in the big city. The family is very close as far as working and surviving together, but not emotionally. One dreams of success, one dreams of true love, and the third attempts to be less apathetic about life in general by sparking a connection with an alcoholic stranger who works as a day worker for the family while barely saying a word. The alcoholic stranger is actually my favorite character and the mystery surrounding him was my favorite part of this drama. Son Seok Koo as Mr. Gu is just HOT. He has dysfunctional Bad Boy Swag that is somehow irresistable even when he's silent. I'd probably drop by with a few soju bottles if I were Mi Jung too! I'm also gonna steal her "worship me" line, but I don't want to spoil even a little bit about their chemistry by saying too much about them. I'll just mention that I liked Kim Ji Won way better in this than "Lovestruck in the City".
I also liked a lot of the supporting characters. The man of few words dad, the worried mom, the small town friends, the woman from HR, the single dad... every single character supported the main theme well while bringing their own unique perspectives to it. There are no throwaway or one dimensional characters.
Oh, so what are the actual liberation notes? Inspired by every introvert's nightmare, imagine your job forcing you to socialize with coworkers after work as a job requirement. 3 coworker holdouts (including younger sis Mi Jung) presured to join one of the offered after-work group activity "clubs", decide to form their own club that they name the Liberation Club. Although just reactionary at first it becomes a place where they can vent and reflect on what they want to be liberated from in life with the silent support of the other members. They write their thoughts in their own personal liberation journals which inspires the title. It's not the main focus of the plot by any means but it is a benchmark for being more proactive about the lives the characters want to live, which is what I think is the main theme.
This drama may seem boring if you are expecting something major to happen, and I can see being annoyed by hearing some characters constantly complain or being perpetually moody, but I think what this drama does well is making disappointment, loneliness, and depression palpable. Is a good life about changing your circumstances or your perspective? What does it really take to feel happy or satisfied? I think this drama may not have an exciting storyline but it offers up some interesting perspectives on life and life choices.
If I'm honest, I would not watch this drama again unless I was feeling really emo. This is a raincloud sky dressed in all black full Eeyore emo drama. I also wasn't completely satisfied with the ending, although it made sense to the storytelling style. Maybe part of me still wanted something less vague for closure.
Overall, this drama is a mood. If you can relate to feeling lost or unmotivated you may feel seen, or feel inspired to start journaling with no pressure to be profound. I did find out after finishing that the writer (Park Hae Young) wrote "Another Miss Oh" one of my favorite dramas ever, and "My Mister", and although this drama is completely different, the interesting character dynamics, family relationships, and honest to a fault perspectives is refreshing once again. I look forward to her next drama. I was caught off guard with moments of unexpected laughing, ugly crying, and seemingy mundane moments that had me truly intrigued. I recommend giving this drama a chance and you may be pleasantly surprised. Make peace with the slow pace, the unresolved relationships, and the full on sads and you may find yourself truly touched.
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I like the soundtrack of this movie.
The actors are great,you will feel the love and passion they portray.
So overall its worth watching^^
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A Bit of A Mess
STORY:If you’re looking for a series with an intricate, thoughtful, developed plot line, then you might want to skip this as I don’t think it’ll be your cup of tea. However, if you don’t mind a bit of nonsense, silliness, and fluffiness, then I think you’ll find The Best Twins enjoyable. I’m on the fence about this one, finding it funny and endearing at times but frustratingly stupid at other times. Some would argue that the point of the show is that it makes fun of stereotypes, fantasies, and fetishes, and that the writers don’t intend that this be some deep masterpiece. I totally get that. It’s pretty obvious from the first episode that the writers aren’t taking themselves or this show too seriously. But it doesn’t change the fact that the series is poorly written and virtually lacking in plot. There’s a way to provide smart, satirical commentary, but The Best Twins does not do that.
More specifics: First, the writing could have been tighter. A lot of the scenes contained nonsense that dragged on without really advancing the story, as if the writers wanted to include silliness just for the sake of being silly (which I found tiring). Second, lot of the humor is very obvious and slapstick, and I prefer more subtle, clever humor. Finally, I found the endless playing of sound effects whenever something was funny a bit grating. However, I know that all of these are techniques often used in comedies (which aren’t my favorite genre to begin with), so these may not be as huge of an issue to you as they are to me—I do think it’ll come down to preference.
Humor aside, I also didn't like that so many side characters were introduced, but for what purpose? They were given virtually no story arc at all—and anything that was there was incredibly shallow. Moreover, some storylines seemed to be dropped after just a few episodes. As a huge a huge fan and proponent of Chekhov’s Gun, I found these things frustrating and a waste of time and material.
ACTORS/CHARACTERS:
The actors were kind of hit or miss. The ones who really saved this drama for me—and the ONLY reason I continued watching—were Mild and Pak (acting as Pond). I’d only every seen Mild in What the Duck, where he played an adorably awkward minor role, so I wasn’t too sure what to expect from him going into this. I fell in love with him almost immediately. His character is so sweet and endearing, so easy to empathize with him as he yearned for Pond. Also, the chemistry between him and Pak was so good—they made my heart melt in every little scene together. They get a 100 out of 10 from me. Seriously, their dynamic is one of the best I’ve seen in Thai BL, and I’ve definitely found a new ship.
As for the other characters—shallow, two-dimensional, stock like. Their roles and story lines weren’t given enough time to develop, so I didn’t really care about them at all. They were just there for filler I guess.
OVERALL:
I know this will come down to personal preference, but overall I don’t think I’d recommend The Best Twins. Without a doubt Mild and Pak (and their amazing chemistry) were the ONLY saving grace for me; without them, I probably would have dropped this drama. There were parts that made ma laugh and parts that made me go “aww” but I just don’t think it can hold a candle next to some other Thai BLs out there (and yes, this is taking into consideration the fact that it’s a comedy).
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Kang Ji Hwan, I now have a totally worship of his acting ability. Sure, I had liked him in various movies and have watched a couple of dramas that were watchable but in this he totally shined as a consummate actor! He showed us joy, laughter, happiness, and even sadness very effectively! He is truly a comic genius.
Hwang Jung Eum, I was already in love with her and my love affair will just continue! Her portrayal as Jae In was hysterical! I enjoyed watching her transform from the unsure of herself daughter of a powerful woman to a woman willing to do anything to save her man.
I could list all of the cast at this point to espouse about their great acting but let's just say, the right actors were picked and they did their jobs!! Everyone was great!
Overall, if you have not watched this, you must!!
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Take a interesting character give his amnesia then make him with most boring persona. Voila!
I waited for this one... for a long time, ever since iqiyi released that special, and when it came out, I watched the first episodes, I thought it was worth it. Even though it starts with pretty much shitty CGI the overall look, story, pace, characters, acting... acting in acting was very good in the start.I was fully enjoying both the historical-modern parts, the traditions between then almost perfect.. and of course Jeremy's antiques, reasonable characters, budding romance, their interactions, chemistry, relationship dynamics everything was going so well, I was immersed and impressed just till it went boom to bluff.
Somewhat reasonable characters become unreasonable, chemistry almost non-existing, bombarding of cliches and annoying characters (I mean who likes bitchy sfl thrown in the mess in the middle of the drama who's supposed fashion designer with horrible fashion sense).. and the story eventually turned up boring and draggy... it could easily become 24 episodes drama than stretching it to 30 episodes.
As I was aware of amnesia having a large chunk of drama from the synopsis but was disappointed as MLs original persona came as much more interesting than his amnestic persona who was very typical 2-d character almost bland for my taste, Ming Wei's character isn't much of fun either that's why their pair was one of the most boring things that's why their tons of cute moments weren't heart-fluttering to me... and I mean if I can't even feel the main cp what's the point of the whole thing.
Though the acting in acting part was well done... but damn two prominent actors in the industry falling for the newbie female lead in her debut drama while starring with her isn't a bit.. or a lot lacking professionalism lol but then course FL should be the most beautiful and interesting person in the world as everyone ends up liking her. I adore the second couple... they were cute with a kinda typical but interesting and entertaining buildup.
I like Jeremy.. especially after the autumn ballad, he has his charm, his unique expression, and the eccentricity he adds to the character he plays.. but sometimes he outdid himself to the extent that it felt like overacting with repetition of the same expressions again and again, but excluding that overall, it was a good performance. But I missed his voice... production team did dirty by dubbing him. Zhou Jie Qiong did better than I expected but then Ming Wei wasn't a very complex character to play.
The production quality is very good, the sets, styling/costumes, and cinematography are well done, I liked the osts too not brilliant but pleasing.
It's well-produced but poorly executed... it had a lot of potential but lost due to repetitiveness... first episodes are good but don't raise expectations based on just that coz you'll end up getting disappointed as me. But if you like female lead getting treatment as princess throughout with many shinning armors saving her grace this it for you.
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This review may contain spoilers
I Liked this drama. A journey to a happy ending (explained)
A revenge plot with a single inside man.The drama narrates the story of Prince Jing He (MRJH) whose army was killed alongside 100.000 civilians in the Qinzhou Great arson. In order to take revenge, MRJH decides to train the female assassin, Mei Lin (ML). She will be tasked of the killing of MRJH.
For the readers, who wanted to watch the re-enactement of the novel : bad news. The drama diverges completely from the novel. MRJH does not rape Mei Lin and all the questionnable actions he did in the book wasn't included in the drama. In my opinion, this is a good thing because, this way MRJH is redeemable and can be loved by the viewers and acces a happy ending.
The pros :
- The violent encounter of 2 strong leads:
I liked that the story started with Prince Jing as an anti-hero paired with a strong female assassin. The first 3 episodes were breath taking. And that sadomasochistic scene in the pool was the climax of this encounter.
Because behind all the stabbing and the stranggeling, I could see Prince Jing's attraction for Mei Lin and her relentlessness.
The acting is that good, that LXY and WJY was able to convey two emotions at the same time; wrath and attraction.
- The character development psychologically believable :
I was even more seduced by the drama when I witnessed Prince Jing's development.
From a cold and frightening "master of shadow works " who had to supress his emotions to survive killing attempts.
He is now, slowly openning up his heart to love thanks to Mei Lin.
Love blooms without him knowing it. And that's marvellous and poetic.
From the moment the hidden message of his mother freed him from resentment. He started to open up his heart to love. And this is beautiful.
- The forshadowing of the happy ending during the all show :
I believe in an happy ending. The undying flower is a very important element of the plot. It is showcased in the opening credit several times. More than a symbol of resilience and strength. The leads talk about their next life all the time. More than that, MRJH and ML almost died several times during the show. This was done to prepare the viewers to see their next life via reincarnation. Now that we know that. It is not difficult to see that the last scenes of the drama, tell the viewers that they were reborn and meet again in a different time and space.
- The beautiful visuals :
The aesthetics of the show, it is just gorgeous. The colours, costumes, make-up. Everything is beautiful.
- Great acting and directing :
LXY (MRJH) and WJY (ML) are giving us such great performances. That those characters are alive thanks to their talents. The rest of the cast is great too. And the camera moves are very good.
BWJ (Prince YQ) was excellent. He managed to portray this cunning and tormented character amazingly. The audience either hated him or pitied him.
BC (Crown Prince MRXL) was excellent, at times I couldn't stand the sight of him. So brilliant.
- Flavor of a BL couple Su Muo and Yin Que:
YQ and Su Muo : One of the few times YQ was really patient and loving. I heard some people saying that they had the vibe of a BL couple. I did felt the kindness of each of them toward the other. I felt the genuine love and admiration Su Muo has for YQ. But, Su Muo still lost his life to make sure the love story of his master could leave the dream stage to become a reality. This couple has no status and no real "lovers" feelings. A marriage would be impossible. But the sweetness of their interaction lingers.
- The duality :
There is a duality between : what is seen as the truth on the surface, and what really happens behind closed doors.
MRJH has multiple personalities : "The playboy", "The Master of Shadow Works", and the mischievous MRJH.
All of these personalities are regarded as dark and hard to deal with. Whereas his quest is virteous and he acts for the greater good.
Prince YQ on the contrary is a dignified heir of Xiyan state, best friend of the emperor and benevolent before every one. Whereas, he colludes with CP Murong XuanLie and tries the frame MRJH from the multiple murder of 10 Xiyan beauties.
- Fighting scenes :
Mei Lin is such a badass. All her fighting scenes were amazing. I only regret not seeing more of Luo Mei's martial arts skills during the drama. Generally speaking all the battle was great. They even add CGI sometimes, and that's for the best.
- Yin Que, more of an antagonist than a Second Male Lead :
Yin Que was always cunning and he lied when is vowed to give to Mei Lin the freedom of choice. I spotted his dark personality from the very beginning and I was waiting for him to show his true colours.
He is not an average SML with an unrequited love for the FL.
He is cunning and evil. Moreover, Mei Lin doesn't even have a clue of his obsession for her. He is more of a powerful antagonist to me, who does all is misdeeds without anyone knowing it.
- The symbolism and foreshadowing of a married life :
This is role playing time at Jeinbei: MRJH is a lustful playboy and Mei Lin is a lethal "femme fatal".
In this white troubled water pool, after Mei Lin, (very seductress) told Prince Jing that she just wanted him.
The latter pierced her throat with her own hairpin. The same hairpin she wanted to use to assassinate him. Suddenly a drop of blood fell in the water.
Like the virginal blood falls on the « proof of virginity » on the wedding night.
We had there a hint (through this symbol) of the marriage between the two.
MRJH's hint is delicious :
« Bleeding should be on the wedding night in ZhaoJing »
This foreshadowing of their wedding amazed me :)
- Mei Lin Must not die, a promise to her moribund father :
While exfiltrating her from the fire, her father tells « Live, You must live well! »
This represent a promise done to her dying father and we know how important are moribund's last wish for the ones they left behind.
This is why Mei Lin kept repeating it. She respected her dying father's last wish. "She must live".
The con :
- The unfair death of Crown Prince Murong Xuanlie :
His death was too peaceful. CP was a criminal against humanity with more than 100.000 casualties. This is not fair that he died drinking wedding wine with Luo Mei, his wife-to-be. It is even annoying. Easthetically the scene is beautiful, but how annoying it is.
I was so pissed. But like in real life. People with higher mobility don't face the same justice *sigh*
And unfotunately, this is cast-iron truth.
Thinking about it, I think that, this is the message the writers wanted to convey.
- The disgusting romance between the Old Emperor and the Teenaged Consort Yan :
I know that it is historically accurate but I don't want to see it. They at least avoided the kisses and the two were never together in the same frame with longing glares at each other. I am thankful for that. At least they spared us.
- The destruction of a great Female General Luo Mei:
I was first amazed by the righteousness and the strength of Luo Mei. And I had high hopes for her character to bloom in this drama. Unfortunately, even if I understood that beeing rejected by the love of her life demolished her spirit. I was disappointed when I saw her willingly surrender to the so-called love of the main antagonist, the Crown Prince Murong XuanLie. It was almost inconsistent. How could she, out of the blue, fall so deeply in love with that murderer. Mystery o_O
- Not enough sexual tension :
I would have liked the sexual tension and the push and pull to last more that 3 episodes. Although I loved the chemistry of the Leads. The great sadomasochistic start fell short on that aspect. And that's unfortunate.
- Side stories :
The side stories are almost non existing. Too bad, this would add to the quality of the plot. Big guy could have had a story of his own. I would have liked to see his romance.
The ending :
On Episode 1 we saw that, as soon as Mei Lin appears asleeped and her father saves her, she wears the same outfit she wore in the happy ending sequence. We also see the Weibei army and Qingzhoun in fire.
Wich means that it is really their story that begins again in the ending of the show.
The drama ends with a happy ending. After all the hints about rebirth in the credit song, the allusion to their next life during the conversations of MRJH and ML. We see the Lead Couple together when snow starts to fall. And we know that the "Momai Poison" in them can be cured by the ''Snow dragon whisker seed" that blooms only in the snow. Now the snow is falling and the two of them are alive. We did not see anybody dying. This tells me that, they might have send people to harvest the Dragon Flower and cure themself.
Then jump in time. The color palette is yellow-ish. This indicates another reality. MRJH and ML are younger. There is no war in Qingzhou. They meet in a happy time when they are younger. And those who died in the previous paralell world are alive in this world.
This is the next life MRJH and ML spoke about so many time during the drama. They meet and fall in love on the spot. This is the happy ending.
Then the drama announces "The End"
Then jump to 15 years after that snowfall. MRJH is alone. And we understand that ML has died during this period. We don't know when. MRJH dies looking at the red fruit tree and dropping her hair pin. The color palette is blue-ish.
The maid servant refers to Mei Lin calling her the Empress. It means that Mei Lin survived at least 5 years until MRJH's coronation as Emperor. She was crowned Empress and received the decree while she was alive, because the only title that can be bestowed posthumously is the title of Dowager. So Mei Lin was alive at the Emperor's coronation. She might have died during MRJH's reign between 5 years to 15 years after the first snow. Consequently they lived a married life after their marriage for at least 5 years being Prince and Princess and then they became Emperor and Empress.
I have the impression they gave viewer a happy ending followed by a bittersweet/ kind of happy ending to please everybody. So there is 2 endings.
Overall :
I really liked this drama. I was moved by the endearing relationship of the Leads.
From the violence of a dark encounter to the beauty of love after healing from the past. Moreover, the drama is very satisfaying visually. I recommend this drama if you understand the concept of past life and you want to follow the epic love story of this couple to there next life, this drama is for you.
PS : I know that some viewers felt discouraged by the lack of sadomasochistic and gore scenes in this drama.
But, let's just be honest. Do you really think a S+ drama would feature : BDSM, gore and the sadistic MRJH's actions like the novel did? .... Really
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Dull Symphony
As a remake of one of the greatest musical dramas, i.e. Nodame Cantabile, this show was dismal. Instead of becoming the strongest point, music was the biggest downfall in this symphony. They changed the music into the lousy ones and there's practically no spark during music performances. These were actually very odd because both should become the highlight in this drama instead.Basically this drama ONLY followed main plot points from the original source. Characters and focus were totally different. Say goodbye to quirky yet amusing traits we saw in Nodame Cantabile. Here, even main leads portrayal were lack of depth :(. The writer excessively toned down their unique personalities. Moreover, it often seemed like they were not main leads because too much time dedicated for developing side character's love stories. Some episodes even heavily focused on them.
Integrating wholly different characters into the original main plotlines evidently was a total disaster. Every turning point became flat while character's actions and decisions made no sense. Comedic parts were mostly removed, but there's no adequate plot to cover that. Neither serious nor comedic, just plain. So boring.
The way they shot scenes was weird. Cameras were shaking, zooming in and out rather randomly and sometimes shooting from odd angles. It's uncomfortable to watch. Transition from one scene to another was kinda rough. Same footages were always shown everytime location was changed.
Generally, the acting was rather tolerable, but during music performances was poor. The lead actress, unfortunately, had the least acting quality. Whether the writer really made a dull character for her or she just couldn't portray the character well, her performance was below standard. Acted as a dull character while looked appealing to viewers definitely was not easy, especially for rookie actors/actress without rich face expression or gesture.
All in all, if you have spare time, it's better to invest in other activities than watch this drama :)
Don't you think people should really consider to not remake any drama, especially the great ones, if they just have a half-baked idea?
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This review may contain spoilers
I watched the anime, but I didn't read the manga, so here is my review:Story: 9
The story is really good, and people who watched the anime will not be disappointed. The ending (no spoilers) is a little different than the one in the anime, but still worth it. It's a story with good characters, and a envolving plot. I don't give it a 10 because there are some minor plot holes, but nothing that will affect the main story.
Cast: 8
Some of them were really good, and some didn't convince me. But it's still watchable.
Music: 10
The music is really good, it suited well with the series.
Rewatch Value: 10
Yeah, I would definitely watch it again.
I also want to say the photography and sceneries are amazing. They did a really good job! It's a good J-drama, it has been some time that I watched one so good.
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Let me start by saying that I liked the show. I never felt the need to fast-forward or even had to force myself to continue it (which has been happing with quite a number of shows, especially towards the second half).
Having said that, The Lies Within was simply "okay". The plot and execution were nothing extraordinary, but it's also way above average. The plot and characters were consistent, the leads were likable and the problems they faced were resolved in a believable and logical way.
This is one of the few shows which didn't weaken as we crossed into the second half and, even better, the writers provided a satisfying, well-thought-out ending.
Perhaps the biggest issue was the show's length. The plot had enough meat for a movie or an 8 episode drama (at most). Which, of course, means that characters took too long to make connections or find things, which slowed down the pace.
On that note, I'd like to give fair warning that this is a slow show, leaning more on the investigation and less into the action. So you'll need to be in the right mood to enjoy it. If you're tired and trying to watch late at night, you might just fall asleep to some episodes.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Good
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I think the ML and FL did a great job with what they were given. They felt like real people caught in a sticky situation but rising to the challenge regardless. They were both likable and had a strong moral compass, which made their team effort feel organic. However, it's precisely that sense of normality that results in the development of characters which we might not remember a few months from now.
SUPPORT CHARACTERS: Okay
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The support characters were okay. It took me quite a number of episodes to warm up to the female detective (the ML's sidekick) because, as one reviewer pointed out, she was incredibly immature and treated as the butt of a joke.
It would've been less jarring had there been another female detective in the team (or even in the department!), but there wasn't. So that part took some getting used to. By the end, though, I had grown to like her. Mostly because she showed that she could get serious and had an actual purpose outside of providing comic relief.
Still, I would've liked to have seen more female characters being integrated, since there were really only two involved in the plot.
OVERALL: Recommended as a one-time watch
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This isn't a unique or particularly strong drama, but it's a good watch nonetheless. There are aspects of the plots that are certainly memorable. Not to mention that the plot is well-thought-out, explained properly and the ending fits perfectly. The shifts in tone, few as they were, were also well-executed and the art direction was spot-on.
The only real flaw is the length of the show. Had it been shorter, the quicker pace would've made for a more dynamic show. And not drawing out certain parts of the investigation might've kept it from being predictable.
All in all, this is a good watch for crime lovers.
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