It was so thrilling and suspenseful at first and then all of a sudden it just felt like a romantic melodrama. It was honestly so thrilling to watch till episode 5 and even after that till episode 9 it was mostly good but then it started going downhill from that point onwards.
So yeah the reason why I don't love this drama is cause of the story. It started out well and then was getting progressively ridiculous and cheesy...and gosh there was just way too much going on. Too many coincidences and overly dramatic. And lol don't get me started on the last episode...gosh why did they have to add in that overly used trope?! It was too cliched and frankly painful to watch.
Buuuut I must say I really liked the cast in this drama. Every single actor was pretty good, especially Lee Joon Gi.❤
In fact, the best thing about this drama was LJG. Like holy cow can we talk about how brilliant his acting was?...honestly, despite all the problems I had with the story, the reason why I was able to watch it till the very end and actually even enjoy it somewhat overall was cause of his outstanding performance.❤❤ Moon Chae Won too was pretty good though at times her acting wasn't very convincing. However, the chemistry between her character and LJG's character was so good!♡
And I love love love the ending theme!!♡♡
I don't regret watching this cause I got to see an awesome performance by LJG but this drama is certainly overrated imo..
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a solid rom com
Overall: this was an enjoyable rom com and with a few changes I would have given it a 10/10. If Mek annoys you the first episode, please keep watching. Watched on YouTube.Content Warnings: non con video recording/posting, non con/dub con kisses (sleeping), blackmail, punch
What I Liked
- Mek's parents are adorable and the discussion of blended families and marriage equality line were absolutely amazing
- funny moments
- sweet and caring moments
- managed to balance four couples pretty well but I think if they had cut it to three it would have been even better
- an established couple
- some character growth with Mek but I did still get annoyed at him a few times in the final episodes
- the ending was lovely
- realistic and continuous physical affection (instead of 1 kiss at the very end)
- Jeff Satur's OST/singing
Room For Improvement
- the chancellor was stupid/not funny, I wish it had been the guys' idea like in the original pilot and they removed the chancellor character entirely
- the cliche drama point at the end with Mek/Kim
- Kim didn't grow as much as I had wished
- the sisters were involved a bit too much at the beginning but then they oddly vanished at the end
- unknown time passed in the time jumps
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Turned out the storyline was good. The movie will catch your attention right from the start. The pace was nice, there are no moments that I found boring. The storyline is clear, it tells you what it wanted to tell, nothing requires critical thinking. You just ponder on what should they do to survive that zombie attack. Yes, there will be some scenes that are going to disturb your emotions. Sometimes you feel like you want some characters to die fast because they are plain annoying, even at some points Gong Yoo will annoy you. He delivered the selfish role right. Kim Soo An also delivered her role well, I am impressed. Ma Dong Seok is a sweetheart, I really like his role here.
No songs whatsoever have been used as the background except Soo An's singing and the ringtone. But then the sound effect that they are using are appropriate at the correct time. Typical of zombies movies to have that sudden shock effect on the viewers, so be alert all the time. You will never know when a zombie will appear.
Tho personally I think they can give a better ending, this is a good movie indeed. Maybe I will rewatch it again 5 years later, it still leaves quite an impression to me. Go watch it, it's worth your time.
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Reasons to recommend this drama:
- An amazing touching and unforgivable love story with perfect chemistry between the couple and true hot kisses that would makes your heart flutter like crazy.
- The original and thrilling plot with endless twists and surprises that would make you wonder what is going to happen next (and hardly you would even guess it right).
- Excitement, suspense and insatiable hunger for keep watching without stop. Highly addictive once you start.
- There are 20 episodes and you don't have enough. After finished you still thinking "What happened?" "What was all this about?" "Did I really understand the whole thing?" ; and when you believe to have understood all, then you just start to feel confuse again. Definitely need to be rewatched to enjoy of this details you didn't know at the beginning were important.
- Despite of many time-travel theme dramas out there this one from my opinion is the best.
Weak points in the drama:
- Perhaps for more experts in time-travel theories the plot might have some holes or inaccuracies but as a general viewer I didn't find huge mistakes as in other dramas with similar plots.
- The music fitted well to create the adequate atmosphere according to the scenes filmed at the time. However a good original selection of romantic songs would have helped in the enhancement of the romance.
At last, I would like to mention that I enjoyed very much of the acting setting and conclusion in this drama. Again and again, Lee Jin Wook and Jo Yoon Hee were brilliant together, you really wish their love would survive after all eventualities. I hope to see more great moments with Lee Jin Wook in the new drama "The Three Musketeers".
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Please give Melody of Secrets a chance.
The Bad: A weird plot and poor storytelling initially.The Good: Beautiful cinematography, fantastic soundtrack, and stellar acting by ForceBook.
The first half of the first episode was terrible, and I can honestly see why so many people dropped it. However, the latter half saved the show for me, and I think those who gave up on Melody of Secrets made a huge mistake. The chemistry between Force and Book was absolutely sizzling.
The story wasn't actually that bad in hindsight; it’s just that there’s a plot twist that makes the first few episodes difficult to follow. Once everything is cleared up, it all makes sense in the end. In my opinion, the best part of this drama is the romance between Tankhun and Botpleng; ForceBook owned every single scene they shared.
While I didn’t care much for the other characters, my eyes were glued to the screen every time Book appeared. My heart ached whenever a tear fell from his eyes. Book did so well, I’m so proud of him. Force deserves just as much credit—he was the hot criminologist I never knew I needed! He usually plays stoic characters, and while Tankhun is somewhat similar, Force showed great improvement in his acting. He did so well during the emotional scenes, that I want to get a hug from him as well. And the kisses! EVERY. SINGLE. EPISODE. Oh my god, totally not complaining, keep it coming, ig?!?
Each scene featuring the two of them was shot beautifully. Between the visuals and the overall vibes, the production was incredible, I even found myself taking screenshots throughout the episodes.
It’s great to see a couple like ForceBook branch out. The genre shift definitely added a layer of intrigue that set it apart from the typical BL formula.
I have to give it to them for taking on such challenging roles. While Enchanté, A Boss and a Babe, and Perfect 10 Liners felt somewhat similar in tone, they really showed their potential in Only Friends and Peaceful Property. Now, with Melody of Secrets and their upcoming show Lovers and Gangsters, they are proving they can handle much darker, more complex material. It’s been an impressive evolution to watch. ForceBook’s filmograply is impressive, which can’t be said for many other CPs. I truly think people are sleeping on them, which is a shame. They choose their projects carefully, and they always deliver.
Overall, I think Melody of Secrets deserves to be given a chance. It’s unique, intriguing, and different from the usual BL stories. I didn’t expect it, but it’s now one of my all-time favorites.
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Must watch.
This was surprisingly good. I really loved it. I was hesitant based on the synopsis but I’m glad that I watched it. It was very unique. The storyline was one that I’d never seen so I was definitely always wondering what would happen. I think the build up was good. There were few and short lived misunderstandings. Things were cleared up well and the ending was great.Bold ML and a clever FL. The chemistry was one scene which made it even better.
You’ll get the obsessive person, the scheming person, the vengeful person, the deceiver, the lover, the chemistry, loyalty, brotherhood, good fight scenes and I do mean gooood. ML was a beast. Love, love, loved it.
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This show is actually a tutorial on how to squander potential.
Alchemy of Souls starts off massively intriguing with a sprawling new world being introduced to us, the production design is amazing, and the CGI is certainly good enough. Visually, great. All those soul-shifting concepts are brought in, as well as the factions, characters and many dynamics are introduced to us early on too, and it looks soooo interesting and full of potential.But then… nothing much really happens. The show shifts to comedy slapstick and relegates most of that incredible lore to the background. There is intrigue (and political intrigue), but it doesn't really lead anywhere for most of the runtime. Characters have arcs… until they don't.
But the worst offender of this is, by far, the absolutely outrageous treatment of the female lead.
We are introduced to Naksu as being a badass (and a REAL badass at that, a rare sight!) assassin wanting revenge. Then we watch her go from strong female lead to meek pushover, and never recover. What a shame.
Now this isn't to say that this is an entirely negative experience, because it isn't. Let's list a few positives:
Amazing production design and cinematography
Compelling character setups
Interesting lore and world-building
Nice and colorful CGI
The action is actually good (when it happens)
So basically, great everything outside the main storyline and characters, which bring down the show a lot because… well, it's important!! The pacing was all over the place, oftentimes meandering without aim.
Somehow the best actor in this was the actress playing the queen. Amazing performance in the penultimate episode.
The male lead is the only character in this show with a fully-realized personal arc.
I read in an article that they were still writing and filming this as it was being broadcasted. It even got delayed mid-season because of that. Kdrama writers really need to stop writing as they go, and instead write the full story before filming begins (taking a page out of western shows and leaving room only for minor corrections). How can your story make sense if it's not even fully plotted? It's obvious here that many narrative threads were made up as they went along.
So, in all, I guess if you wanna watch a show only for the male characters, you might not care that the female ones are done dirty, and that's fine, you do you. But I don't. I was disappointed at the amazing potential this show had, only to… fail to live up to it, especially concerning the FL.
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1To see all without being seen.
Deep Lurk 深潜 is an intriguing and immersive Republican era spy thriller; one of the few that pulled me in from start to finish. It is set in 1939, at the prelude to the first Battle of Changsha. Changsha was a strategic city that the Japanese tried and failed to take four times from 1939-1944. As a result, they were never able to consolidate their territories in Southern China. At the time, the Republic of China's Nationalist Army had seriously considered abandoning the city but Xue Yue, the commander in charge of Changsha's defense refused to budge. As a result of terrain, Changsha could only be flanked from the east or the west, making it a difficult city to both attack and defend. In this kind of set up, intelligence and counter-intelligence can make a win-or-lose situation difference for both sides.After a botched assassination attempt on Xue Yue, a traitor escapes to Shanghai with strategic Changsha defense intelligence. Multiple parties converge upon him in Shanghai to intercept the intelligence. The players include both the Changsha and Shanghai station of the KMT Military Intelligence (NBIS), the Wang Puppet Regime, the Japanese Military and hidden CPC operatives. Yun Hongshen, the idealistic young second master of the illustrious Yun family is sent by his father Yun Muzhi to observe. Predictably, this sharp but impetuous young man raring to make a difference does more than that and his path tangles with that off brave young NBIS agent Wen Yeming tasked to hunt down the traitor. An auction for stolen intelligence relating to the Japanese army's plan of attack for Changsha results in a deadly scramble to obtain or retrieve the intelligence. This coincides with the re-emergence of Kunwu, a long dormant Japanese spy and Muzhi's nemesis. Hongshen is lured back to Changsha, where he must crack the code to the intelligence and smoke out Kunwu in order to save his city from the encircling Japanese army. He reunites with Yeming at NBIS where they pit their wits against this master spy who seems to be able to see all without being seen.
The first three episodes are fast paced, exciting and littered with clues and character introductions and needs to be watched (and re-watched) carefully. But the setup and the storytelling is so intriguing I was compelled to re-watch; to make sure I didn't miss anything. It's been a long time since a drama pulled me in so deeply that I was literally unable to watch anything else at the same time. Even though there are some logic holes, the overall plot is tight and riveting. All the important characters are introduced early on and they are multi-faceted and grey with different loyalties and motives that reflect the clash of culture and ideology and the rival factions within the KMT during that pivotal era of change. The narrative brilliantly builds a credible case around several key characters with motive, means and opportunity to be Kunwu and maintains the suspense into the final episodes.
This drama has an all-round stellar cast anchored which by veteran actors including Wang Jingsong and Liu Huan and brilliant character acting by Hou Mengyao's disingenuous Milan, Han Chengyu's ruthless and competitive Ling Han and Zhang Tianyang's well-meaning Yun Hongqi. I really enjoyed watching Hongshen meticulously narrow down the suspect list and try to out-scheme the hidden master spy who eluded his father for years. The young Cheng Yi brilliantly captures how this character's intelligence and survival instinct makes up for his lack of experience and the shattering consequential mistakes he makes along the way. It is a shame that this drama has not enjoyed wider viewership. For this genre however, I don't need romance and I didn't enjoy Ying'er's acting or the couple's chemistry. I was far more invested in the Yun family's close bond and amused by how Hongqi and Hongshen are so different and resourceful in their own unique ways. Zhang Tianyang is a subtly hilarious actor and his brotherly scenes with Cheng Yi are among the drama's best moments for me.
Despite many cut scenes, the pacing, suspense and excitement holds up into a strong finale that delivers a good ending twist that deftly avoids one reversal too many. My only disappointment is that I had hoped for a more complex villain origin story. I won't say more to avoid spoiling the reveal. This is by far the best Republican spy drama I have watched since The Rebel (2021). I am happy to rate it the same at 8.5/10.0 despite its lower budget. It is a good watch if you are in the mood for some mental gymnastics but it can also be enjoyed simply as a fast paced spy thriller.
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I'm like a little obsessed with crime shows and stuff so I'm being a little harsh. Overall, if this was the first time I saw a crime show, this would blow my mind. But alas, I've seen a few good ones so this doesn't really compare that well.
The story was good in the sense that most questions got answered. You find out who almost everyone is at the end. But what bothered me was that the story wasn't really tightly connected. The overarching theme was really loose and it felt a little bit forced, like parts of it was inserted just because it'll add suspense but it didn't really relate to anything too significant.
The overarching plot was predictable and too typical. I mean it's still a decent drama, I would definitely recommend, but it was a *little* disappointing.
But the individual crimes and stuff, that was kinda neat. Props.
What I appreciated was the comedic relief, they were inserted a really good times so you're not psychologically stressed the entire show. And it really builds on character development.
Acting: 8/10
The main characters really worked well together, not to mention the male leads were definitely eye candy ^^ Character development only really happened for Dr. Qin, the rest kinda helped him a long with it. Which was cute. But development was pretty typical and expected. At least the acting was professional.
Music: 6.5/10
There were not really a lot of memorable OST parts that I could remember. I'm pretty good aurally so I would remember a song that relates a certain scene or whatever. The only vaguely good parts I remember is the quirky tune during comedic relief parts. When ever that music came on, I just felp more relaxed because nothing bad is happening.
Rewatch: 5/10
I don't typically rewatch dramas, but this was short and sweet enough to maybe go and pick out my favorite episodes. What I love about these dramas are that the beginnings are individual crimes and stories so you can watch it separately.
Overall: 7/10
It was a little disappointing that the overarching theme was too loose and typical. It was too predictable and thus a little anti-climatic. But the individual crimes were pretty decent and enjoyable.
If anyone is looking for a good crime show starter or just a laid back drama, this is definitely a good one.
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A Come From Behind Story
An all-around good sports story about a losing team who gets a boost from their coach with a scandalous past. The actors did a nice job with their roles. The characters are all likable, except the antagonists who were devilish in their deceit. The only downside was in the story's predictability. It's a typical come from behind sports story. There are a million of these out there. But it was still enjoyable. There are funny moments that carry the story. The seven-man rugby team were cute together and I wonder how many of their funny antics were scripted versus improvised.Was this review helpful to you?
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Is This Worth Watching, Or Is It A “ Lost” Cause?
Screenwriter Kim Ji Hye’s ‘ Lost’ is an odd-fusion melodrama which both feels old-fashioned within its dated outfit choices, haircuts, over-the-top scenarios and dialogue as well as surprisingly boasting an array of well-crafted main characters. However for newcomers or those merely wanting to pick up ‘ Lost’ this leaves us on an ultimate decision; “Is ‘ Lost’ actually worth investing more than sixteen hours into?”To cut it to the chase the premise of ‘ Lost’ mainly revolves around Lee Boo Jung ( Jeon Do Yeon) a 40-year old writer stuck in an unhappy marriage with her husband Jin Jung Soo ( Park Byung Eun) who has finally hit a rut in reality by realising that she has not truly achieving or accomplished anything in life . By a whim of fate she ends up encountering someone from a different walk of life, jaded 27 year-old Lee Kang Jae ( Ryu Joon Yeol) who fears for what the future may hold due to his complicated past .
One of the strongest gaining factors for ‘ Lost’ was the casting choice . Admittedly whilst the acting can dip a little at times with certain line deliverances, the main cast immediately help to convey something worth watching. Actress Do Yeon was brilliant as Boo Jung playing the role with a level of complex heartache and angst. Her micro expressions throughout the series captivated all of Jung’s emotions flawlessly and helped to make her onscreen chemistry with her costars believable.
Parallel to Do Yeon was evidently younger costar Ryu Joon Yeol who played his role as Kang Jae with a swift touch of moodiness and arcane mystery. As their onscreen personas Do Yeon and Kang Jae’s chemistry is undeniably slow-burn and well-built up, however, this is also undeniably thanks to screenwriter Kim Ji Hye and directors Hur Jin Ho and Park Hong Soo’s approach to the relationship. Rather than enforcing the typical traits of a lusty affair filled with dirty secrets and dramatic sneak out scenes, both characters’ gradual chemistry was surprisingly refreshing . Admittedly the slow-burn approach could work at a snail pace at times but the ability to see both leads reach out through getting to know one another through their deal( as well as having time to talk about their own feelings) offered surprising relief .
One of screenwriter Ji Hye’s major fortes came through approaches to character writing and interactions throughout the show. Whilst certain character did feel more antagonistic for plot-drive than motives, even these individuals were rarely pinpointed as “ villains” by having their own moments of humanity, flaws and strengths.
Ji Hye even took time away from our main couple to focus on an unlikely relationship between Boo Jung’s somewhat staid husband Jung Soo and his rekindled feelings for his old crush Kyung Eun( Kim Hyo Jin).
Yet ‘ Lost’ is evidently not without its more problematic writing flaws. The drama whilst having an intriguing setup is incredibly slow-paced and takes awhile to really build-up more dramatic momentum . Of course some of this is necessary to build plot, however, the storyline also failed sometimes to reach climatic tension or build-up during entire montages and even entire episodes due to being more focused upon very nuanced details rather than keeping the plot moving more actively .
In addition to this there’s also the problem with the over-the-top cliches. Whilst tropes can be fun and intriguing to see how a screenwriter revamps them and did work well to an extent in the setup of the drama, ‘ Lost’ ‘s usage of the tropes ( including the nearly-farcical cliche of the “ slap on the cheek”) often felt mismatched against the stronger and fresher writing attributes of character-build and relationship. The ending certainly matched the more profound writing moments of the series- bittersweet and interpretative, yet oddly appropriate.
Overall the viewing expectations for ‘ Lost’ is entirely dependent on what you’re looking for in a drama series. ‘ Lost’ embodies the classic tropes of a melodrama series from the overused tropes which lack more profound depth, to slow-paced story build-up in order to “ create slow burn tension ”. The acting front is undeniably one of the show’s winning strengths alongside the drama’s more original approach to the adulterous affair cliche. The directors carefully used an artistic touch to the moody and drab cinematography which symbiotically helped to reflect the tension and ambience of the plot. So is ‘ Lost’ actually worth watching? ‘ Lost’ is a drama which is dependent on your patience and tastes. Those looking for a more adrenaline-rushed and quick paced drama with flaring chemistry may be disappointed. However if you have patience and enjoy slow burn chemistry, then you’ll absolutely adore ‘ Lost’. Whilst not flawless this is undeniably one of 2021’s hidden gems.
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This review may contain spoilers
Alluring premiere, well executed plot, a badass female lead plus, an happy ending
I've watched many historical cdramas, but lady revenger returns from the fire is quite different. And why? Because most of the historical dramas I've completed picked up from episode 2 or more. But this drama captivated me right from the first episode. And that's not all, each episodes keeps getting better.I've only watched the first four episodes, and upon watching those episodes, there's only one thing I could say, which is 'this drama is interesting'.
Luo Ai lian 'the daughter of the luo family' changed her identity to shen dan qing 'the daughter of the shen family' with the help of shen zi shan in order to exact her revenge against those who tried to murder her. The plot itself is captivating!
I like to see a strong, decisive, and badass female lead, and this drama has all those.
Shen dan qing is indeed the lady revenger who returned from the fire. I love the way she isn't showing her stepmother, uncle, and evil sister 'luo shuang shuang' any mercy.
She's executing her plans of revenge quite well. Indeed, 'this is a well executed revenge drama'.
Next, I'd like to see whether xu cheng feng is going to help or hinder shen dan qing in her journey of revenge.
Just completed episode 9. This drama is indeed getting more interesting. Here I thought luo xue er was innocent, little did I know she's the devil incarnate. But it's a good thing that shen dan qing now knows that she has no allies in the luo family.
Updated
The ending was satisfying!! When I was watching episode 23, I thought it's going to be a sad ending. But it turned out unexpectedly great. Each character had their own difficulties and struggles.
Lady revenger returns from the fire is indeed a wonderful and must watch drama!
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Absolutely disappointing and a huge waste of time
There are so many better BLs and even every KBL I've watched has been better than this. People claim this one didn't have much budget but it's the KBL with the best production I have seen. The idea and universe they built was pretty great and it could have been developed so much better.The acting was absolutely off-putting, the way Yoo Han immediately got touchy and weirdly into Yeon Woo made it so uncomfortable to watch. They didn't build any type of momentum because they were strangely skinship-y in a way no one ever is. Yeon Woo was evidently disturbed by everything but they never really developed it; his actions towards everything eere exaggerated and his reactions were like those of a madman. We know nothing about Yoo Han other than what was rushly showed on ep 8. There was no chemistry between the leads whatsoever and every 'sweet' moment was ruined by excessive glamorizing of the scenes.
Overall, the show had a great premise and a truly amazing concept with the Monos, Probes, color rush, social problematic, etc., but it was terribly developed and totally ruined.
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