The story was just ok, im just glad they didnt drag the Pha&Yo getting to know stage and just summarised it in the first few episodes. Its good that they gave the other 2 team enough time to shine too. I especially ship Forth & Beam cause that guy Forth is the goddess gift to mankind :). I could watch a whole series with Forth and Beam just being cute together.
All other stuff are just your yada yada usual trope. Yes, after watching my fair share of BL, this one doesnt offer anything new.
What i probably hate most is the cliffhanger. They were slowly building up to an ending and then suddenly new conflicts are introduced at the very last episode only to not reach a climax/closure. Thats a bit lame and a bit of an insult to fans especially if the sequel is just being planned.
Rewatch just to ogle at the cute guys. Is it enough to watch the whole series? No, not really.
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Something special about this drama is certainly the scenery they used for some scences. Just Beautiful. (Next to other awards this drama got Best Picture Award). Some thing else that is special about this drama is the ending (which I loved). I am sure you cried while watching a movie before, not because you're actually sad but because it was so emotional. And when the movie ended so did your tears. Here, I cried because I was actually sad. That's how attached you get to the characters.
But dont let that keep you from watching it. It has a great male lead. good story that keeps you interested.
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There were times the acting was very off, especially with Victoria, she seemed to only express sadness and Johnny could barely show any emotion on his face. The writing was sometimes sloppy, with too many unnecessary moments, so much time was wasted on the ex-friends when I wish they could've fleshed out Qianhua/Zhaosong a bit more and they glossed over the r*pe scene after it happened.. Felt like Wangxuan was an addition that wasn't necessary – they didn't even treat her character right! I liked the use of flashbacks, it was interesting to see how everything has changed from then to now. Except episode 24 - a flashback to the 80s/90s of Pipi's parents were extra weird, but I guess it was done to provide Johnny with much needed extra screentime.
Despite these flaws, I still liked the drama – throughout the series, I liked the interactions of the characters, especially the two boys and Xiaoju - which gave us the right amount of humour. The pacing was good, issues weren't dragged out and sorted in appropriate timing.
Now the ending. Felt like they completely ignored everything that happened and did a 180 on what viewer's wanted and expected. Bad writing and bad execution. Barely tied any loose ends. Awkward time jump. Like, there were mention of the south/north war - but now that he's a fox/human without powers or memories, what are the fox clan left to do? Meeting of Helan Xi and Pipi after six months was awkward and could have been executed much better.
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3Fake it till you make it.
Regeneration is an excellent short suspense thriller. The narrative opens with a reporter He Shan witnessing the kidnapping of her contact Fei Ke. In classic Christie style, five strangers including He Shan are summoned to an island mansion for the reading of Fei Ke's will. They are each asked to share their memories of Fei Ke before the will is read. As implied by the homonym of his name, Fei Ke was not who he appeared to be; he showed a different self to each of them. As they piece together their memories, a complex, disturbing and moving picture of Fei Ke emerges.Jing Boran delivers a compelling portrayal of Fei Ke as a charismatic, amoral "fake it till you make it" kind of character. I don't think any other actor could have evoked such complex and contradictory reactions. At many points in the narrative when I wanted to absolutely despise his Fei Ke, I found myself searching for excuses for him. Yet when I could have and should have empathized with him, I found myself judging him. All of the characters have many layers that peel off like an onion. Like Fei Ke, they all have at least one moment of hesitation before they almost willfully make a fatal, life changing decision that takes them down the path of no return. By the end of this web of lies, the only story that moved me was that of the two lovers star crossed who ended up as collateral damage. Everyone else reaped what they sowed; even Fei Ke who believed his own lies to the point he deceived himself more than anyone else.
The plot pulled me in from the start and kept me wanting more with each reveal. However, at the point of reversal, changes were deliberately made to the original novel plot, likely to avoid book spoilers. I think this was big mistake. As a result, plot holes emerged and the final three episodes did not come together as well as they could have. In the novel, the group gathered because the main antagonist wished to make amends. That is simple, straightforward and easy to understand. In the drama, they gather as a result of a convoluted and rather far fetched revenge plot. Some of the character designs and motives were changed in to make this work. Some of it just didn't make sense as those parties could have achieved their objectives in more direct and effective ways. This is made worse by the melodramatic storm at the end where everyone does silly things for some cheap thrills.
Even though the ending was overly dramatic and could have been more tightly written it was dark and consequential. All things considered, this is a suspenseful and thought provoking watch with many unexpected twists and reversals. And If you need a shallow reason to watch it, Jing Boran looks yummy in every scene. My rating 8.0/10.0.
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Shine or Be Mad
45 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
About prince Wang So of Goryeo. A love story with wit, charm & affection. Makjang alert. Toxic, too
First of all: "Shine or Go Crazy" is a love story from head to toe with all the trimmings. Nevertheless, it is also about the dazzling historical figure of Wang So - King Gwangjong from the early hours of the Goryeo era. Thus it is a beautiful character study about the young prince, who at last became king, but who had by far not been the preferred prince of choice as far as the future throne was concerned. How did HE happen to become not only king but such an outstanding one as well - one who is NOT automatically (as so often) a jumping jack for his ministers, eunuchs and palace ladies? Who or what motivated and inspired his rather grounded, almost visionary, innovative, citizen-oriented policies?This KDrama offers a (possible) answer to history, as well as an epic love story, playfully sprinkling disguise of origin and confusion of gender.
----------------- SIDE NOTE: --- Wang So, 4th son of Goryeo King Wang Geon, and later King Gwangjong
During his 26-year reign at the end of the first millennium, King Gwangjong laid solid foundations for the next four centuries. To this end, he introduced some popular reforms for the common people (yet unpopular among the nobility). Above all, these concerned slavery. Additionally he instituted the national civil service exam, which allowed people to serve the country according to their ability. Introduced during his reign, too, were so-called "Daebi-won" - medical centers for the free care of the poor. Finally, he secured the borders of the empire with military measures. Throughout, he consistently had to deal with opponing noblemen ... and eliminated them uncompromisingly. "Shine or Go Crazy" is a dignified multimedia monument to his rulership, that in general rather focused on the needs of his ordinary citizens than aristocracy.
The KDrama "Shine or Go Crazy" (as well as "Moon Lovers" who deals with King Gwangjong, too), offers a conclusive explanation for this King´s particular career. Whether this is historically justified by sources, I could not find out yet. In any case, Prince Wang So becomes tangible and understandable with the help of this fictional setting: The KDramas tell his story as at a young age being banished from the palace and sent to the mountains - thus hopefully avoiding a bloody prophesy from coming true. There he lived a life beyond the palace intrigues, yet close to nature and its existential everyday struggles for survival. Like that, his everyday life inevitably came quite a bit closer to that of the ordinary people of his time. This socialization in 'freedom' and largely grounded normality shaped him in a completely different way than his (numerous) direct and indirect siblings within the palace walls and thus makes him a resolute and popular monarchical free spirit. At the same time, this lays the right foundation for placing a completely unorthodox, unexpected and inspiring commoner´s love at his emotional side. Like that the fictional K-Drama helps to on the one hand understand the sharp edges of his disappointment because of parental rejection as well as his self-doubt due to his curse. On the other hand, however, this is balanced by down-to-earth experience of authentic affection and love. Historically true or not, the extrordinary historic personality of prince Wang So is painted in an impressively tangible, comprehensible way.
------------------- SIDE NOTE --- Trading at the time ---
An aspect of historical detail that's (in general rarely) brought into focus in "Shine or Go Crazy", too, is the importance of thriving international trade at the end of the first millennium. Throughout Korean history, life on the peninsula (not only, but also in KDrama) is rather isolated and self-centered. In this story, at least, business relationships with the immediate neighbors and with the rest of the world are given some space, at least to some extent.
-------------------- SIDE NOTE --- Balhae / Late Balhae
Also rarely a topic in the focus of KDrama is the Korean history BEFORE Goryeo - the time of the three kingdoms Silla, Goguryeo and Baekje. In "Shine or Go Crazy," the female protagonist is a princess from the Late Balhae Kingdom in what is now Manchuria. This dates back to one of five kingdoms that in 37 BC united to form the kingdom of Goguryeo. The first Goryeo King Wang Geon (posthumously Taejo) at his time attempted to reconquer the former territories of the original Goguryeo Empire and thus set his kingdom on proven, solid ground. Balhae being one of them, had previously fallen victim to the Para-Mongolian Kitan. Some (many) Koreans from ancient Goguryeo, who formed the ruling Balhaen elite, escaped to Goryeo - with the crown prince, the nobles and parts of the population. The female lead is set in this context (and also personally associated with an alarming (fictitious) prophecy regarding the future of her people.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back to the (love) story between the 4th son of Goryeo King Wang Geon and the Balhaean princess, who is an independent prosperous business woman.
In proven KDrama style, there are subplots with their own stories and characters with their own motives, who courageously get involved in the (love) life of Prince Wang So. The political stage is intransigently characterized by malevolent power intrigues. There aren´t any scruples anywhere. Upright people hardly exist, loyalty and dependence being mixed up and confused. There's a lot of bad stuff going on everywhere. It gets pretty ´toxic´, too.
Set in this context is the affectionately and also humourously told relationship of young prince Wang So with a smart, proficient, quite self-confident lady in a double role in disguise as young man. These encounters inspire and enhance Wang So´s pragmatic world view. The dynamic between them is fun to watch - with wit and charm, since his queen of hearts is sometimes hidden behind a veil and sometimes in men's clothes. At times, Wang So has to seriously doubt his gender orientation (... not that this would have deterred him...).
Ah. Yes. The ending... Reviews I had read often blamed the ending. I was ready for the worst. Probably that was a good thing. Like that I was pleasantly surprised as I had expected even worse. In fact, whether I liked it or not, the ending made quite a lot of sense to me. (After all, this is about a historical character - the prince becomes king and has an archetypal task that is greater than himself - during his reign, Gwangjong sets the course for future generations.) Nevertheless, KDrama land even got us a little candy at the very end, too.
My criticism, however, refers to the soundtrack! Unfortunately, this is the first time I definitely have to complain! Shallow songs can have their time, I don´t mind. But in this case (at least in my acustic sound system) as soon as romantic vibes gently started to develop, an inappropriately dull, meaningless song (in my perception) acustically dominated the scene and thus insensitively destroyed each and every moment (again and again). A real shame! (I would like to hope, that this was just due to my technical device...)
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Homecoming
Hometown is a psychological thriller that revolves around three main characters; police detective Choi Hyung In, convicted mass murderer Jo Kyung Ho, and his estranged sister Jo Jyung Hun. The premise is based on the preliminary investigation of a murder case which escalates into the search for a missing schoolgirl and subsequently the mystery surrounding the abduction of her classmate. Both events spark an explosive chain of events with wide-reaching implications for their family, friends and the community they belong to.Originally an OCN production, it was eventually broadcast by sister channel, TVN. Directed by Park Hyun Suk (Stranger 2) based on the screenplay by Cho Hyun Hoon. Initially credited via his pseudonym of Joojin, the screenwriter was removed from the production credits altogether once his real identity had surfaced which resulted in controversy and public backlash due to his past sexual harrasment case. Choi Seong Gwon is engaged as the composer for the drama.
What to watch out for
The story is set in 2000 with a re-telling of events taking place in 1999 and frequent flashbacks to multiple timelines in the 1980s, particularly to a terror attack on a bus terminal in 1987. The storytelling is non-linear for the most part, which utilises parallel and converging plots based on the shared narrative of the three POV characters.
The eponymous hometown refers to the fictional town of Saju which is located in Gyeongsangnam or South Gyeongsang province. Nearly all characters in this drama speak the distinctive Gyeongsang dialect, as opposed to the central dialects (Seoul or Gyeonggi) that most viewers are perhaps used to.
Elements of mystery and horror are present throughout but, rather than outright terror and fright, the drama projects an overall eerie, ominous and psychologically disturbing aura. By the time the halfway point is reached, if not earlier, viewers should be quite aware of the direction of the story.
Expect trigger warnings in the form of drug references, abuse and bullying, as well as some violence resulting in depictions of blood and gore in certain scenes.
What I Liked
I enjoyed the storytelling approach which feels distinctively neo noir in terms of the visual language, compelling dialogue and the variety of complex characters written in the screenplay. We have the hard-boiled detective who does the nitty gritty legwork, the charismatic yet sinister psychopathic mass murderer and the frantic family member of the victim. Add to that an extremely detailed worldbuilding and a whole host of intriguing side characters ranging from the questionably dubious to the downright bizarre that make their truly disquieting presence felt.
The first 8 episodes of the drama felt the most captivating for me. This is largely because of the mystery surrounding the events at play and the infusion of a rather horrific scene that reeled me in right from the start. It is also during this stage that I found myself still able to sufficiently keep track of the happenings which connect the dots to the grand scheme of things.
The cast is, without question, absolutely outstanding. Yoo Jae Myung’s portrayal of Regional Investigation Unit’s Detective Choi Hyung In is utterly convincing. He made me believe that he truly is a seasoned yet somewhat traumatised cop, in a gripping performance that is reflective of his experience in the industry.
Likewise Uhm Tae Goo delivers a compelling depiction of convicted killer Jo Kyung Ho. This is my first time watching him and what a talent he is. The most nuanced of the main leads, his subtle interpretation of the intricately written role and the delicate articulation of his lines through a deceptively calm demeanour and soothing voice literally enthralled me into a false sense of security.
The drama also features the award-winning Han Ye Ri, fresh from making her Hollywood debut with the critically acclaimed Minari for which she garnered 4 nominations. She provides another fine performance through her captivating portrayal of Jo Jung Hyun, a woman struggling to break free from the burden of truth and her tormented past that threatens to overcome her seemingly bleak and hopeless existence.
I truly enjoyed the brilliant original score composed by Choi Seong Gwon. This is not easy listening music for relaxing with a glass of wine but the kind that elevates the sense of foreboding and completely immerses the mind into the dark and ominous atmospherics throughout. The soundtrack also features two OSTs performed in English that actually sounds more contemporary than the retro settings of the drama.
유라 Youra - Remember
문수진 Moon Sujin - Hide and Seek
What I Didn’t Appreciate As Much
As riveting and morbidly entertaining as this drama was, I would have preferred for the “supernatural” aspects to be the main focus and potential for driving the story development. This would have provided a different spin and a breath of fresh air to the genre. However, although the story takes a more familiar course, the sense of unpredictability still remains and even culminates in a rather surprising and unexpected outcome.
Speaking of unpredictability, either the rationale behind certain plot points or much-needed connecting scenes were sacrificed as part of efforts to induce viewers’ intrigue and suspense as well as, in my case, confusion. Perhaps this was also attributed to the shorter duration of the drama, at 12 episodes. A number of key events shown, particularly from episode 9 onwards, were never fully or properly explained. Without giving spoilers, let’s just say that viewers will have to formulate their own hypotheses as the story unfolds because ultimately the ending does not provide clarity for all the questions asked.
Adding to the air of uncertainty is the countless switching of timelines, sometimes captioned for viewers’ benefit but at times they occur unannounced. It certainly doesn’t help when the disparate scenes are acted by different sets of actors that I end up having to pause and rewind simply to ascertain who exactly these characters are.
Conclusion
On the whole, Hometown is a very good drama with high production quality and a top tier cast whose performances are deserving of praise. The slightly over complicated narrative, uneven storytelling, somewhat surrealistic setting and arguably lack of logical clarification particularly during the final quarter may give rise to bewilderment for some viewers, as it did for me. This perhaps hints at the drama's selective appeal, particularly for those who are fans of the genre rather than the casual watcher. Notwithstanding the issues, I still had an enjoyable (and moderately spine-chilling) time watching this absolutely binge-worthy drama.
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-Story
i thoroughly enjoyed this drama. It has a good plot line (i know the synopsis told a lot but when you watch it, it's really not much) that also sets its pacing well.
We're introduced to YunXi, the daughter of the Imperial Doctor and FeiYe, Duke of Qin and the King's younger brother. The King and his mother does not believe him to be his actual brother because of an event. To help the King, the Queen Dowager ends up arranging him to be married to YunXi, who also harbors a secret. Their story then develops from there.
Apart from this, there is also the politic side of it, FeiYe's hidden secret, the secret plans from different Kingdoms, the King's own plots, and also those of his sons.
-Acting
Super well done! They really played out their parts. I especially fell in love with our main girl. For most light hearted historical dramas like this, i find it hard to continue watching the main girl but for this one, i really ended up enjoying all her expressions, her scenes, and her emotions. FeiYe is your typical stone faced male lead at first but quickly ends up warming up. Their little romance is adorable to watch! and honestly, despite the amount of troubles that come between the two, they never really end up having bad blood or angsty scenes (even with that slight betrayal tag).
Another reason i stayed till the end of this drama was because of Qishao ;_; developed major second lead sydrome thanks to him. He played his part out sooooo well, i absolutely loved all his scenes!
and the side characters in this did not lose out too, they were well focused and planned out.
Opening and ending theme song for this was great and the music that played during sad scenes matched well.
Rewatch? i'll come back to this when i miss the second lead and the chemistry between all the characters here.
One thing- THE ENDING- its a really open ending (Eps49/50 are both different endings). I love this drama, not intense love but happy love. I'm really sensitive and it was only at the last episode that i cried my heart out.
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This review may contain spoilers
From a cold general to one who loves and cares for his wife, and their encounters
For ancient drama I give this a solid ten ! First all of it wasn't draggy at all , despite it being 30 episode.Storyline- The daughter of the Shen family has to marry a general far away. This general is heard to be ruthless in battle, giving him the nickname Devil. The female lead ends up going in her sister place, because her sister didnt want to marry a ruthless monster. Female lead didn't want her mother to suffer so she accepted the marriage. On the way, she is met with some other tribe people, the male lead ends up saving her( she didnt know who he was atm) She and her maid makes their way to the general's house. From getting to knowing the general, to being with him on the training ground their relationship grows and blossoms.
Romance- This one had quite a lot of kissing. They are a pretty cute couple. They have good passion. It's really cute to see their love develop for one another. It is most definite that the male lead loves the female lead a lot and is very patient with her. She can be over bearing somethings but the male lead still supports her. Their kisses gets better as their relationship blossoms, which is very cute. Its quite natural, like a everyday couple. Their relationship has it ups and down.
Reason why this drama is good
Wasn't too heavily focused on one specific topic. The underlying story was the general wanted to investigate what happen to the 8th king's family. Others included the female lead and male lead in their training ground, when she goes back home to live, finding her old friend, starting up her own business and some more.
Starts off with a bang, already have a kissing scene in ep 4 lol
Male lead and female lead's love for one another.
Some things that i didnt care for
- ugh hated with a passion her two annoying sisters! same dad different mom. They were quite annoying , but its very limited. I cant stand those drama who has a lot of the evil people getting their ways.
This drama surpassed my expectation. I loved it!
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This review may contain spoilers
This was a popular series, and deservedly so! As you can see, my ratings are all over the place, so I will explain why.I loved the music. For me, Mew (Tharn) carried this show, with brilliant acting = A+. Mild (Techno) was great = A+. Gulf (Type) was really good, too = A. Kaownah (Lhong) was a great singer and a decent actor (although, with all the crying, some real tears would have been welcome) = A-.
The chemistry between Mew and Gulf was off the charts! (That ice cube kissing scene in the last episode was epic.)
Now, for my issues with the series (hence, some of my lower ratings):
Despite some great performances, THE STORY WAS SO BAD I nearly dropped it after about four episodes. Here's why:
1) THARN'S MOLESTATION OF TYPE, WHILE TYPE WAS SLEEPING (And yes, that's what it was.)
For someone who was supposed to be the "good guy," this was not cool, not funny, not appropriate. Can something like this be portrayed in a drama? Yes, of course it can. But it should be presented as what it is, a molestation. Not as something cute, that can just be dismissed as "oh well."
2) THE WAY TYPE'S CHILDHOOD RAPE STORY WAS HANDLED.
At first I was intrigued, because Type was obviously scarred, and his intense hatred of gays made sense. All good. Then, without any buildup, Type has no issue with getting a blow job from his hated gay roommate. Then, in the next episode, he comes out and asks Tharn for anal sex (with Type as receiver), just one time, to "get it over with, once and for all." Are you kidding me? This was a childhood rape victim? And, Tharn's going along with it was almost as incredulous.
I seriously think (and wish) that the author would have had a better story, had she simply made Type a bigoted homophobe who eventually came around. That in itself would have been dramatic enough. As written, the "rape victim suddenly turned gay" storyline was not only unbelievable, but incredibly insensitive and offensive to actual victims of childhood rape.
3) THE TIMELINE.
I was confused (and still am) about what the timeline was for this story. There was no "six months later" that I could see. So, even if we allow for some time lapses here and there, we saw absolutely zero development of Type's character. He went from understandably hating gays, to suddenly having sex with Tharn. So, how exactly did this happen? We got no explanation.
4) THE ACTUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THARN/TYPE.
Not talking about the sexy hotness. That was there in spades, no question! But, it was never explained why Tharn was so taken with Type. Let's face it, Type was a hot mess on many levels. Did Tharn just think Type was hot? What in Type's personality attracted Tharn?
5) LHONG'S ENDING.
Why on Earth didn't Lhong end up in prison, or committed to a psych ward?????
The following were not dealbreakers, but I found them a little hard to swallow:
a) MEW PLAYING A 19 YEAR OLD. Sorry, not buying it. Mew is 28, and he looks 28. Don't get me wrong, 28 isn't exactly old, but it's nowhere near 19. Mew looks like a hot, sexy 28 year old. He looks like he should be a teacher in the college. (That said, I had no problem with Mew/Gulf. Gulf is 21 but could easily pass for 24-25. They look fine together.)
b) TAR LOOKED 14. (Apparently he's 25 or something, a few years older than Gulf. But that's not the point.) Tar looked completely juvenile and the idea of Tharn falling for him -- to the point of being destroyed when Tar left him -- was almost laughable to me. To go along with that...
c) THE BED SCENE WITH TAR/THARN WAS SILLY. Tharn was there begging for Tar to let him up when, in real life, I'm sure Mew could have thrown him off with almost no effort!
d) TYPE HITS THARN IN THE BALLS IN THE BAR BATHROOM. Why? Totally uncalled for.
e) LHONG/TYPE IN THE LAST EPISODE. Type looks like he could easily kick Lhong's ass, but he sat there being strangled, without fighting back even a little.
f) LHONG DROPPING THE GLASS. Really? It was dumb when Pete did it in LBC (especially since he and Ae had already slept together, but I digress... ) and it was dumb here. And then, Lhong uncomfortably makes an excuse and practically runs out of the room. Tharn and Type just shrug it off. Seriously? Was there anyone who didn't know right then and there that Lhong was hopelessly in love with Tharn?? Without the glass drop, Lhong's devious behavior would have been even more of a surprise.
g) THORN, THARN'S OLDER BROTHER. Not only does the actor who plays Thorn NOT look older than Mew, but he is actually younger in real life.
With all that said, I can't say I didn't enjoy the series. I did. There were really great moments. But, despite all the good, it had some real flaws.
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Yeong's worst enemy....
This series had me until episode 6 and then it just was a dull hum until the end. It's was a beautiful realistic story. One of the greatest joys was watching Yeong move from being self indulgent over exhuberent college kid to a self aware realist, a published writer. This is also the greatest sadness. He drew on his experiences, his environment and poured it into his writing. Along the way he lost his sparkle.Gyu Ho and Nam Gyu both suffered the same fate. Yeong's inability to accept love without expectations caused him to lose two people who truly love him. It seems all his relationships were doomed due to his desire to have the razzle dazzle fireworks to continue throughout, without being able to accept the mundane. Only after they were over, would he be able to see what he truly lost and regretted. Not knowing his true self and his inability to be alone encouraged two relationships that should never have been. Habibi and Yeong Su came with hidden baggage, one abusive and the other just sad. Yeong Su lived in shadows and manipulated Yeong's niaivete to live in his internalized homophobia. Habibi, with a hidden wife and child, embarks on a journey with him, hoping to capture a bit of Yeong's sparkle to relieve his boredom. Seeing him too drunk and overworked, Yeong chooses himself and walks away. Both relationships were poor choices to facing a life of solitude and expected failures.
His mother is shown to have moved from denial, abhorring, to knowing, to minimally discussing. She doesn't accept his life but still loves her son.
The real charmers, the electricity powering his life, were his close group of friends and roomate Mi Ae. Yet, even with them, some bits of his life were closed. His HIV status is only shown to be discussed with Gyu Ho, who loved him enough to truly accept him as he is. Gyu Ho, after the cowardly way Yeong breaks up with him, never contacts him again. Though, through the bartender at their favorite spot, he let's Yeong know, he is still loved. Not yet ready to make any contact, in the end, it is his friends that he is seen enjoying the fireworks.
The story was beautifully told, and with flashbacks in the last two episodes, we get a fuller history of the reality of his best relationship, Gyu Ho. The sad part for me is that he began to let his status have an effect on him and as he took stock of his life, became more subdued. The last two episode felt like a gradual slide down from the high.
Every character was skillfully brought to life. Yeong was a free spirited over the top whitty self accepting non judgemental dreamer who was scared to dream and Nam Yoon Su killed it. This is a must see at least once.
Note to directors and editors at large:
Flashbacks: This is how it's supposed to be done. Ever flashback should reveal something new and actually propel the story being told.
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This review may contain spoilers
I'm not going to be writing a really long review but I'm just going to say that this drama was so good! This drama made me cry, laugh, feel fuzzy in the inside! If a drama or movie made me cry, then I would rate it a 10/10! Of course there are some flaws but I really enjoyed it! The story was a bit like Love O20 with the game and stuff, the acting was really good it seamed real, music was good too, i would totally rewatch it but probably from the middle onwards. Overall, I really recommend this drama if you love romance dramas like me. It's really hard to find a good drama that has at least good looking main leads. I hope they would have a season 2 for this drama!
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because its so unpopular..or lets say one of the mdl underrated of 2012. (seen only by 40 mdl users)
Expect not to see any eye candy on here and it was evident on the poster.
I think somebody who come across w/ this drama with an impression like this..
"ooh The chaser? hmm ahjussis?"
*reads synopsis
*looks on the cast
"oops theres no hottie nevermind lol"
Oh well..anyway
for anyone who likes another revenge drama should give this a chance.
It was very relatable with emphasis on importance of living w/ family.
If i would think of a drama that shares some similarity...hmm
Think of city hunter w/o a superhero thing and the rom com stuff and add
the movie "the Crucible" not exactly but just to show some idea.
i will give you some hints on how entertaining this is
- after the 1st episode there is no break on tension or a big pause on plot,
it keeps moving in a above average pace on first 60% of the drama,
- it was so complex and every character interwind in the plot/ very well deveveloped and no weak performance.
- the politics scheme is easy to follow as it really happening on real event.
The Story: It was compelling and there is so many situations/happening in an episode w/ no dull momnets but its up to you.
Since its only 16 episodes...its not so dragging if you spot one.
The Cast/Acting: lets us not so bias if there no fave actor in it but what important is the character developement
and the performance they made. The Main villain has to be one of the great one you will see in a dramaland that isnt annoying.
The Main lead is very relatable and his character will make you symphatize w/ him greatly.
Music: entertaining as what you could expect in a tense drama
Replay: there is a part of me that even i watched this again...it isnt as entertaing as before since i got everything
from my first viewing, anyway it was a satisfying drama....w/ a fulfiliing conclusion as a whole but again its up to you =)
note: I heard this got Daesang award yay!
my other recommendation:
The Devil
Resurrection
Equator MAn
City Hunter
Giant*
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The actors put their heart&soul into it. Soundtrack + camera provide a unique ambience. A Classic.
"All In" is a timeless classic from the early days of KWave. Via main plot and various sidelines involved, you dive into the subculture and parallel world of back room and casino gamblers. In the course of the story, the glitter and glamor of the casino world increasingly take their place, all the way to Las Vegas.Besides the gaming milieu, the series provides insights into the life of simple, poor young people in the late 1990s, which were shaken by the Asian crisis, and offers interesting local color. The well-established KDrama leitmotif 'Orphanage' also has its place here again. Soundtrack and camera capture the action in an atmospheric and impressive manner.
The actors put their heart and soul into it. In the case of "All In" the milieu-specific ambience was supposed to appear as authentic as possible. Therefore, in advance of shooting Lee Byung-hun and Son Hye-gyo (as adults of the main protagonists) went through an intensive training program, including in a casino in Las Vegas: Lee Byung-hun concentrated on virtuosity Card shuffling techniques and the eye dramaturgy of professional players at the gaming table (he won the Grand Prize at the Baeksan Arts Awards that year, as did the drama itself). Song Hye-gyo, on the other hand, was trained as a croupier and not only convinces when she sorts the chips at a breakneck speed.
The opening scene with a helicopter over the Grand Canyon alone is reminiscent of the beginning of a blockbuster à la Tom Cruise or something similar. "All In" isn't just romance, it's also packed with plenty of action, including brawls and gunfights. It's also about friendship among men. As a milieu study of the gamer's world, it's ultimately about gangsters and mafia, too. (Perhaps it is no coincidence that "the godfather" has a guest appearance in the story: it is shown as a movie in the cinema that shaped the youth of the protagonists.) But of course it's also about great love - in the progress of the 24 episodes facing one obstacle after another - it´s makjang after all...
At the time (2003), this KDrama triggered a veritable All-In-Syndrome in South Korea. The filming locations on Jeju Island became a hotspot for fan tourism. The ratings on public television back then are legendary (at around 47 percent).
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