This review may contain spoilers
Whelp this is gonna be long, but I like to express my thoughts and I have a lot to say about this. I think this is the first lakorn I've watched mainly for the story and curiosity of how it all ends. That doesn’t mean the romance is not a big factor here, and there were lots of cute OTP moments that kept me going on and accumulating into their well deserved HEA, though not without some bumps along the way.This lakorn is divided into three timelines, with the second being the main storyline. I'd like to review each timeline as a means for better organizing my thoughts.
Timeline 1: This was a weird one for me because it felt kind of rushed, with the love story between Tan Chai and Maan Kaew not developed properly. I felt like I missed out on the development of their relationship (mainly on Maan Kaew's part) and was caught off guard by the sudden devotion both had for each other. This was a love at first sight thing for Tan Chai, which I suppose explains his passion but also feels like a cop-out (tho I admired him for fighting for his love, breaking off his engagement and never yielding to his mom's demands). Maan Kaew was kinda boring and I felt she didn't really offer anything in the relationship. What I liked about this timeline was how the hate/misinformation you give people creates this negative domino effect (think Tupac's THUG LIFE). This is apparent in the mom engaging her son to some girl he never met; because of her selfish actions, she lost everything and unwittingly unleashed two lifetimes worth of misery. I'd say all the terrible things that occur in this lakorn started because of her, tho she couldn't have imagined that the girl she thought was ideal for her son would turn out to be a total monster.
Timeline 2: Tan Chai is still here tho he is a ghost, while Maan Kaew is reborn as Rachawadee (R). Honestly I love R's character so much; she is assertive but still sweet, and for the most part is smart about what's going on around her (don't even talk about the part where she got sick, I was really disappointed there). I especially love that she stood up for herself in front of Tan Ying and told her off for being such a b****. Ghost/human love stories tend to be doomed from the start, but here that added to how precious and sweet the two lead's relationship was. Every moment between them was lovely and were the breadcrumbs that kept me watching. However, him being a ghost meant that he couldn’t do much so it was mainly R that was carrying this timeline.
What surprised me about this timeline was how the characters were straightforward with their thoughts and actions eg Tan Chai commenting on Chai Yuths indecisiveness, R not immediately going to serve Tan Ying because she knew she hated her, and Tan Ying telling Ying Wan to be patient in getting Chai Yuth or she’ll lose everything (in front of Chai Yuth). Like I’m surprised the characters aren’t too dumb? This made the episodes easier to zip through and engaging, the story not losing its momentum or being boring (for the most part). Having said that tho, there was way too much time spent in this timeline; I felt like everything could’ve been resolved in less episodes and more should have been spent on developing the third timeline instead of the draggy “who dunnit” parts. I felt like it would've been more interesting to see how the leads find each other and their past in the third timeline since the male lead is a ghost and not much can be done. Also Tan Chai wasn’t as great here as he was in the first timeline; granted he’s a ghost but seriously, he asked for forgiveness way too much for someone who doesn’t deserve it.
I also have to talk about Tan Ying. Honestly, I felt sorry for her at first since her honor and rep was basically destroyed because of Tan Chai’s mom and no one would want to marry her because of that. But instead of moving on with her life, she obsessively tried to make everyone around her miserable and is driven to crazy revenge. She’s incredibly short-sighted and self-absorbed and it boggles my mind that Tan Chai, his descendant and R’s descendant all beg her for forgiveness. I mean she killed you all! Granted she didn’t live a good life and didn’t reincarnate when she died, but even till the end, she only saw her suffering couldn’t look past it to see how it was making others suffer.
Timeline 3: I really wish more time was spent here, and tbh I wasn’t into these reincarnations as I was with Tan Chai and R. What pissed me off the most was that they still begged for forgiveness from Tan Ying’s ghost, saying they’ll do merit and all but she killed your previous life forms!!! I don’t think they owe her anything, but I guess it all had to come full circle here. I do like that the Tan Chai and R of this timeline were finally able to be together and certainly didn’t disappoint with the chemistry and affection. Like dang, I really want another lakorn with these two leads.
Overall I liked the story and the two leads. The music was pretty good here and although there wasn’t much OTP moments as I would’ve liked, I felt like the story made up for it. I don’t think I’d rewatch this except for some moments. Would recommend to watch.
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This review may contain spoilers
Excuse me while I go all soft and mushy. Lol I loved this movie! Don't get me wrong, I stayed stressed out the whole time. Did I need to be? Not a bit! This is probably the first time a movie has started out happy and ended happy. LolI kept waiting for some hellacious stuff to happen -- and while it did have it's up and down moments I'm so happy things worked out in the end! Also, I had no idea this was technically the second movie. >__< I'll have to find and watch the first one soon.
Not happy how his cousin and brother shit talked her most of the time. Like you see how happy they both are and you see how healthy their relationship is, yet because she doesn't fit YOUR standards, she's not good enough? Are you kidding me? While I wish he had popped off on them, I get why he didn't. I'm glad she blew up on Reon. I freaking swear I wanted to hit him. Lol His character is such.... well.... the more I think about it, his character really is American. Holy hell I'm shocked it took me this long to realize it. Lol the actor definitely played him well.
I feel like this movie is a rare gem not enough people know about. I mean, how often do you get love triangles.... that aren't even love triangles? Lol So many times we see one person get swayed. But not here. Main characters had eyes only for each other. My heart freaking shattered when he told her he was thinking about going to America.
The ending was super cute but I was still stressed out the teachers would find out the big secret and hell would break lose. X_X It's weird how the movie is over and I'm still stressing over this. Like they aren't even real!! LOL good grief! smh
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Life was Hard
2025 had some fun movies in Korean cinema, but no movie came even close to "No Other Choice"—not until I saw this movie. The Ugly is a simple but impactful drama that looks back on the hardships of a man and a woman, discovered by their son through a series of interviews. The premise may not seem that interesting at first, but it is made in a Korean style that I really like, contrasting the good and the bad in people and offering a deeply human experience without a mainstream happy ending. We often don’t understand the way of life of our grandparents, or even our parents, so this movie gives us a mirror to reflect not only on the story presented, but also on our society in general, and invites us to have more respect for our ancestors (and the cross they carried).The movie has a mystery to uncover, but for me it didn’t offer any real surprises in the development of the story. Where the movie truly shines is in the actors’ performances. They did a great job portraying believable and deeply touching emotions.
The movie also invites us to reflect on what is ugly and what is beautiful. As it is written in the Bible, God does not look at outward appearance but at what is in the heart. So what seems ugly to the world may in fact be beautiful, and what appears beautiful may actually be stained with ugliness.
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"Are they Squid Gaming us?"
Culinary Class Wars managed to highlight the Korean culinary world’s hierarchy without being mean spirited even with layers of ambition and main courses of egos served piled high. Chefs and judges Baek Jong Won and Anh Sung Jae were the ring masters who declared who stayed and who went home in this high stakes cooking competition.Eighty chefs, many self-taught or working as street vendors or in average restaurants came to take on 20 professional fine dining chefs for a prize worth 3 million won/215,000 (USD). The chefs on the lower rung of the hierarchy were titled Black Spoons and only given nicknames. The professional chefs were given the title of White Spoons and their real names were used. Only 20 Black Spoons would move on to the next level after the first challenge. After the winnowing, Black Spoons went head-to-head against the White Spoons in ever demanding challenges.
My favorite challenge was the Blindfolded Challenge. I’ve seen too many cooking shows where the established chef is treated deferentially and preferentially. The Pros freaked out when their advantage diminished. With only their senses and not their sight, Baek and Anh had to determine which dish tasted best. For this alone, I gave the show a .5 bump. The Infinite Cooking Hell mission would be my second favorite as the chefs had to utilize the blandest ingredient I can think of in numerous dishes. Honestly, I would have preferred for this to have been the semi-final with ALL of the remaining chefs participating to see what they were truly made of. The final by comparison was a limp noodle and anti-climactic. At least have them make a three-course meal to demonstrate a range of skills.
If I have any other quibbles, it would be with the editing. The class wars took place there as well. The Black Spoons also had a hierarchy. Two of the female contestants I was invested in, had much shorter screen time than most of the male BSs. It wasn’t difficult to determine who would be the finalists due to the editing as some chefs were barely shown.* There were also a couple of conflict of interests, including using Baek’s products in one challenge. The Professional Chinese chef’s protégé was given several second chances which wasn’t a good look. The maneuvering to keep some contestants and the ratio of White Spoons vs Black Spoons even was over obvious. Also, thirty minutes to do the introductions in the first episode was overkill. I’d rather watch them cook.
The culinary social statuses were clearly delineated. Early on the White Spoons may have admired some of the cooking techniques they observed by the Black Spoons, but often acted superior as if their skills were untouchable. After all, many of them were award winning, well established, famous, and far removed from prepping the highest quality ingredients for the meals served in their restaurants. The Black Spoons were mostly chefs fighting for recognition and validation, true hustlers innovating with the ingredients available to them. I will nearly always root for the underdog, and cheered each time a BS took down a WS, even more so when the WS had a shocked look as they tried to process losing. My heart broke for one Black Spoon who beat a White Spoon and was so overcome he pulled a peasant in a Sageuk and kneeled head to the floor in respect and was never acknowledged by the old dude.
The White Spoons had only their egos on the line. At first, they didn’t seem too worried about the rookies. As the WSs began to hit the floor it became obvious the BSs had nothing to lose and were playing for keeps. They weren’t just fighting for prize money, they were fighting for recognition and to show they were worthy of respect. The biggest exception I had to the White Spoons was Edward Lee. He embodied not only a competitive spirit but also a humility unusual for someone skilled in discovering unique and clever flavors and presentations. I’m still a little salty that one of his dishes was significantly downgraded over his name for the dish and not the flavor. Now that is culinary elitism at its best.
Many of the Black Spoons knew their chances of winning were slim, but they still persevered to prove themselves to others and to themselves. Despite working in what would appear to be basic places with whatever ingredients they could afford, they took pride in their food and desired recognition. Often judged for their lack of fine dining skills, they still prepared delicious food. I’m okay with the winner though the result felt too scripted, a common drawback in most cooking competitions. I was just relieved they didn’t turn it into a Game of Thrones or Squid Games to make the show more dramatic. Watching chefs work to create delicious and memorable dishes was thrilling and entertaining enough.
"Once you start walking you have to go all the way through to the end." Edward Lee
16 November 2024
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#JusticeforTheLunchLady! I hated that her head-to-head competition with a White Spoon was barely shown. This was the biggest upset of that challenge for me! She survived several rounds and had very little screen time. She and Hanbok Auntie punched above their weight throughout the competition.
I did love the Italian chef's response when he lost, "Fabri always stays positive" while holding up finger hearts. And classy! I knew he was screwed when their ingredient to work with was skate.
While her attitude could sometimes grate, I had to admire Jung Ji Seon for her tenacity to become a famous chef in a profession often ruled by men.
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This is not a high budget serious historical drama. It's full of overacting, absurdity, there's many elements that made no sense, almost like a parody. If you are looking for a drama with a bigger and more complicated plot, this is not for you. When you watch this just get along with the flow and don't take anything seriously.
!! SPOILER !!
The reason i rate so low is because of the ending. It supposed to be silly unserious drama. I didn't mind the overacting, plot holes, and the whole parody thing. But the stupid twist at the end ruined the whole thing. I should've stopped watching from 10:41 :(
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Amazing acting and excellent storyline
Just finished it today. Amazing acting and excellent storyline. It gives you good moral value about life. I love how nice the dialogue is well written for every characters. it's an excellent masterpiece! This is such a great series as you inspire not only us who works in healthcare field but also all the human in this world on how to act morally. Everyone deserves both local and international awards! I salute every cast in this series especially the creators, directors and the whole staff. After watching this show up until episode 9, I totally love this drama. I cannot stop binge watching this drama since episode 1, it's very addictive.The plot is filled with twists and turns, including political intrigue and personal vendettas, which keep the audience invested. The dramatic tension between the characters, along with the complex, multi-layered storylines, contributes to its gripping narrative.
Acting:-
The performances by the lead actors are commendable, bringing depth to their characters and making their emotional journey relatable. The chemistry between them is palpable, which adds a layer of authenticity to their romance. The supporting cast also shines, contributing to the richness of the narrative and providing various perspectives on love and ambition.
Overall, Doctor Stranger is an entertaining and emotionally charged drama that successfully combines medical themes with political and personal intrigue. Its strong lead performances and engaging plot make it a worthwhile watch for fans of the genre, despite a few narrative missteps along the way.
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Each episode of Saka no Ue no Kumo (“Clouds Above the Slope”) opens with these optimistic words. An NHK special, this high-budget historical spans a period during the Meiji era which includes the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars. But despite a clear aim to educate and remind viewers such events ever took place, imparting the spirit of the times to viewers holds chief importance. One learns what the Japanese people felt at the time: a reluctant deference to western knowledge and shame at requiring it, national pride and burgeoning hope, the excitement and fear which accompanies the dawn of a new era.
We follow the stories of three historical figures, brothers Akiyama Yoshifuru (cavalry legend) and Akiyama Saneyuki (maritime hero), as well as their childhood friend Masaoka Shiki (writer and pioneer of the haiku). The three grew up together in the same small town of Matsuyama, yet matured into men whose unique talents would help raise their country in the eyes of the world. Saka no Ue no Kumo utilizes their unique perspectives to tell the story of Japan in its infancy as a modernizing country, while also touching on these incredible lives. Most of the political and military history comes to us via the brothers and their contemporaries, while art and culture channel through the eyes of the writer alone. Viewers may be surprised to see how many international figures and events influenced Japan at this time. An important name includes Czar Nicholas II (the last Romanov and father to that poor Anastasia so many of us have been acquainted with thanks to apocryphal relations).
What an ambitious objective! Unfortunately, it is an objective that goes unmet in some areas—despite valiant effort. One issue is that this drama attempts to tell too many individual stories at once; so much focus ought to be put on the Akiyama brothers (and is), and as a result other plotlines seem to interrupt the narrative flow. One major example is that of Masaoka Shiki. Despite his status as a literary legend and particular childhood friend of Akiyama Saneyuki, I felt there was very little the writers could tell us through him. He may have been better served as a supporting character, especially since his presence so rarely had an impact on the others past a certain point. When humor was injected into the series, it was often done in an almost awkwardly goofy way which did not suit the somewhat austere tone. Otherwise the plot is as strong as to be expected from any mile-stone celebrating special from the NHK. The fascinating subject matter often speaks for itself, with little pressing need for overt embellishment. Please be warned, however, that there is a definite pro-Japanese spin to most depictions.
Military buffs ought to be pleased with the major battle sequences. Despite occasionally being a touch short, choreography and quality CG are used in concert to create a realistic effect. It surprised me how well done this aspect was, especially for television.
When names like Abe Hiroshi, Kagawa Teruyuki, and Kanno Miho grace a cast listing, one instantly expects quality performances. For the most part, viewers shall not be disappointed in such expectations. Abe Hiroshi meets his usual standard with masterful poise, emerging as the ramrod strict (though oddly warm) Akiyama Yoshifuru. I was particularly impressed with his portrayal during war-time and wondered how much equestrian training he might have acquired. Motoki Masahiro is a name not immediately mentioned above, but perhaps my absolute favorite actor in Saka no Ue no Kumo. Naval history has always been a personal favorite topic of mine, so naturally I gravitated more toward Akiyama Saneyuki. Despite this early bias, I also luckily met an actor with natural charisma and an almost chameleon skin. In early scenes, Motoki-san portrays a wild and strong-willed youth whose intelligence is being wasted in Matsuyama; as the drama continues, we witness changes responsibility, command, and war effect in this boisterous personality.
On the other hand, we have the ever-talented Kagawa Teruyuki—who seems to have been miscast as Masaoka Shiki. The younger years were hard on Kagawa-san, who neither looked especially young nor performed as such without a great deal of exaggeration. In the second half of the series, once the character settles, viewers are finally treated to the acting skills Kagawa-san is so beloved for. A minor note: much of the western cast were dreadfully hammy, or wield their “native languages” less than fluently. This can be quite distracting at times, considering how important many of the international figures are to the story.
Saka no Ue no Kumo can pride itself on the strength of its soundtrack. Legendary composer Joe Hisashi contributed his talents to this portion of the drama, and it shows. The main theme of the series overflows with the kind of hope and strength this series tries so hard to capture. A personal favorite track must be Stand Alone, vocalized in angelic tones by Sarah Brightman (of The Phantom of the Opera fame).
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I was drawn in from the beginning, and if it were not for responsibilities and work....well, I may have been glued to my tv day and night until I was finished. At around an hour and a half long per episode, this was NOT an easy show to binge on. I wanted to, but it was practically impossible for me to do. This show ended up being a warm, full of heart, slice of (prison) life 'dramedy' that is almost entirely character driven rather than plot driven. If that type of show is something you enjoy, please give this a chance, I don't think you'll regret it.
The writing for this show was first class. I hesitated to give it a 10 just because I tend to get 'post show glow' as we MDL'ers like to call it. But I settled for an overall 10 with just a fraction knocked off for storyline and rewatch values (this show is LONG, did I mention that??) This story flowed so well, with proper use of flashbacks to fill in the missing pieces. There were some things I didn't think would be realistic in a prison, but some things which were too heartbreakingly realistic. I loved the relationships that the writer created and getting to know the motivations of the characters. Overall, I think the writing was VERY well done. I audibly laughed many times and then mopped up my tears through the last two episodes - both happy and sad tears. Prepare your tissues for those, folks! Although we didn't get a firm ending for everyone, I felt that, in a way, that was realistic too (and maybe, there's a chance for a second season down the road??) and I wasn't overly upset with that lack of closure as I normally would be. It made sense to me in this story, and it was enough for me right now.
The acting from the cast was worth every minute. Who would have thought they could draw this much sympathy from me for criminals? I loved how Je Hyuk, who was quite lacking in common sense, was so shrewd at reading people and knowing whether they were really a good person or a bad person and how to deal with them accordingly. I've only ever seen Park Hae Soo in one other show and that was a supporting role that I didn't remember. But I will definitely be looking forward to seeing him in more after this. I thought the chemistry between Park Hae Soo (Je Hyuk) and Krystal (Ji Ho) was excellent. I absolutely would have watched them do a straight up romance drama with these actors playing these two characters. And I always think that I'm not really fond of Jung Kyung Ho, but then I always end up liking him when I watch him. He was very likable in his role as Lee Joon Ho, and I liked his bromance with Je Hyuk and his romance with Je Hee. I loved all Je Hyuk's cellmates as well - I can't even choose a favorite. I liked them all for varying reasons, Min Chul, Han Yang, Captain Yoo, KAIST, and Crony. Then there was Lt. Paeng, the best corrections officer in the whole pen - and his protegé, Song Gi Doong. Wonderful performances from all the actors of these characters. I really have no complaints for the acting at all. Sometimes, even down to just facial expressions was perfect.
The music was very fitting and fit just the right emotions for the scenes, and I feel like I need to go back and listen to some of the songs again.
The re-watch was knocked off a bit just for those long episodes (did I mention those yet? LOL) but, time permitting, one day I really do want to go back and rewatch this again.
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This drama tells a story of an extra who gets transported into the body of a princess who's about to be married to a prince, who, apparently was dead by the time she gets there. Whenever the male lead dies, she will be killed too because she's his wife, and the time loops back days before the wedding. The more she died, the further she gets transported back in time, so she tried to prevent his death from happening and find out how to get back to her world.
It has 25 episodes but it's so short with only 8 minutes per episode, so I'd say it's pretty packed with almost zero filler scenes (!!).
The actors who play ML and FL, Hao Fushen has a mouse-kind of face that I like, and although the prince he plays are supposed to be unruly (frequent brothels) but it doesn't really show. Instead he looks pretty gentle and sweet. Jin Zixuan is also good, she plays a time traveller so well, she's fun and not afraid to look silly, and her silliness is not annoying me. No one is a stone faced NPC, and I like that too.
Story wise it's not new, but the execution is done well and makes it look enjoyable. The prince mansion setting is beautiful, and they use a soft color palette that doesn't glare into my eyes. They're also pretty generous with the trinkets and decorations, and if it's a budget drama it certainly doesn't look like it. What irked me is that in some parts it looks like I'm expecting a jump scare(?). There are some plot twists in here, some of it frustrating but not disappointing. Also the ending?? It is honestly predictable but so random I'm torn between laughing and crying.
This is good, simple and easy to watch, fun enough to keep you engaged and guessing. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a short drama.
p.s. I never found out the real name of the FL until I read the synopsis, like?? There is really no narrative intros nothing whatsoever we're just thrusted into this time travel thing and expected to find out ourselves. It's kind of fun though.
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It focus on how the heroine is trying to catch the hero's attention. The movie is very comedic, I laugh often on her ways to attract the guy. It is more on how their friendship blooms, how the guy taught her on life through foods so yeah, their relationship is kind of sweet.
I watched Kawaguchi Haruna's previous drama and I must say she improved a lot in this movie. She delivered that desperate woman's act successfully. This is the first time I watch something with Hayashi Kento, he is good, an eye candy too.
The ending made you want to know more, kind of hoping for a continuation of this movie. This movie is short, about an hour and half only so if you want something light heartening you can try pick this movie. Recommended.
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So close
This one took me REALLY long to get through, and I'm not sure why. On paper it has everything I love — a strong female character, mental health, tragic backstories.But I really just couldn't connect to the female lead. Insecurity is something I understand, but when every other line out of her mouth was "did you do this with all your girlfriends?" or "are you breaking up with me?" or "are we even dating?" it just made her very overbearing and unlikable.
I really liked the main plot about JJY dealing with his abusive childhood, but it really could have come earlier. There were some subplots that I felt didn't really add much to the story, and more time could've also been dedicated to Hae-soo's sexual fears, which I thought was never addressed as much as I wanted it to. The second ship was also kind of out of nowhere for me and didn't make much sense.
Because of all those criticisms, I was pretty much stuck on episode 8 for months and just never felt the urge to watch. Once I did, it was the last few episodes where we really fleshed out JY's plot that really had me buy into the drama.
Ultimately, this was still a pretty good watch, though I'm surprised it's rated so highly. My favorite part is undoubtedly the OST.
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This review may contain spoilers
Everyone needs a damn psychiatrist.
How can an 18-minute long extra episode be better written and far more interesting than the entire first season?I should start by saying that I'm a big fan of villains/antagonists in pretty much any type of media, so Lhong turned out to be a character I really enjoyed from a psychological perspective. I'm not a psychologist or anything of the sort, but I do enjoy reading and watching stories of the genre. If you ask me, I would've preferred to watch an hour long episode of him going through his personal life because I felt that the combination of depression, anger, and fear of abandonment that was showcased in this short episode was an excellent plot for him.
Many of you are very quick to judge this character and I see why, I mean, he has done absolutely terrible things, but he has also been led through a life of self-loathing and solitude, hating people because he thinks people hate him. Now listen to me: I DON'T support any of his actions due to the fact that they were simply WRONG, but it make sense why he did it when you think about it.
I am incredibly disappointed at the writers of this novel/drama because they turned something that had so much potential into a degenerated sexual assault and abusive relationships fanservice. It is absolutely AGGRAVATiNG how NONE of these character got ANY type of punishment for their actions. If this was me, I would have called the police on them bitches as soon as the first episode ended.
Please do not support these kind of stories. They do no good for the LGBTQ+ community.
Sincerely, a gay man who won't condone this type of behavior.
P.S.: Shoutout to the actor, though. He did an excellent job portraying his role as Lhong and I hope to see more of him in future dramas.
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Dooenjang/The Recipe is a perfect example of a simple story made extraordinary. Lee Yo Won, as usual, portrays her character with grace and calmness and Lee Dong Wook was the perfect 'masked goblin.' But the best performance goes to Ryu Seong Ryong, who played the inquisitive, go-getter reporter who went to great lengths just to piece every bit of truth behind the story that makes up The Recipe.
Story - If you're just as inquisitive and scientific, this story will guarantee you a 10
Cast and Music - awesome
Rewatch Value - Although a tragedy, still highly rewatchable masterpiece
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Story 7/10: This special was quite interesting. Like I said before, it just has a few clips that aren't from the dramas, but overall it really helps you learn more about Asahina and toru.
Acting 10/10 : No complaints about the cast. They are perfect like in the drama.
Music 6/10 : The music is good, but not great. In fact I think it only had one song and that was the same one.
Rewatch Value 3/10 : I wouldn't really rewatch this special, especially due to the fact that im not really a rewatcher.
Overall 7/10: The special is good, but it's not great like the drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
SO MUCH LIGHT FUN
A few months ago, I put this on hold just after 4 episodes due to horrible Eng sub translation on YT. When it popped on IQIYI recently I was still curious (how could you not be when there is literally no plot for the first 50 episodes other than men from harem vying for Queens favor???) and, as expected, I enjoyed watching half naked male beauties bickering like hens among themselves, or steeling each other's best outfits for diligently serving the Queen, or flaunting themselves at the FL from all directions. And what makes it really enjoyable is the current excellent translation. I mean, how can you not love "my butt is perkier than yours" and countless one-liners that fit a perfectly staged and shot scene (two concubines in the blurry foreground having a pillow fight while the camera focuses on a slightly embarrassed FL who sits calmly watching with glee two idiots wrestle and then finally getting up with "I am leaving. Carry on" or one consort telling the other "where is your dignity, you think her majesty will like you dressed like a cheap whore")?People complained that the FL character is weak. True, but she has a consistent personality of a pushover dummy from the first life (who was manipulated by a man who hated her) to a reincarnated pushover dummy being sexily played by a man who worships her. How is that bad - particularly if we get to see abs galore, exposed legs and necks and some really skilled filming of what probably qualifies as Chinese version of a soft porn? 🤣🤣🤣
If you want an ambitious drama - look elsewhere. This is a straightforward eye feast for most hetero women who don't have to be strong as long as there is a fool in love who will remove all the obstacles from their lives and make love to them every turn while forsaking all other interests while we women still have other ahm... options available. It does not hurt to be loved by two handsome boys, right? Especially when they have been reborn with you and can band together to save you, perhaps even willing to share you? I giggled with abandon but was touched by Prince of Cang's dignity and self-sacrifice-a lovely detail.
But seriously, there are some turns of the plot here that will keep you glued to the screen in the end. Plus, the director created a solid, consistent look for this production with intimate feel in every scene which was done without theatrics and did not look cheap, regardless of the small budget (pay attention to things like the framing of the night talk with that old twisted tree trunk in ep 55 or the shadow theatre in the window in ep 12, or the stunning outfits of all parties- including three grooms on the wedding day). The 3 hours of the drama packed all the important things that are necessary for keeping your interest: conflict premise, opposing interests and views, scheming parties yet no single villain, catchy lovemaking scenes and seductive moves of various characters. Even flashbacks were incorporated seamlessly without the unnecessary refocusing. Add to it really good acting of fairly unknown actors (even though both Fl and ML have been each in over 30 micro/mini dramas since 2020) and excellent directing/edition and you get solid joyous experience of a S-drama in a nutshell.
The only thing that I personally did not like was lack of independently commissioned music - in QIYI version it was mostly borrowed from My Journey to You, One and Only, The Story of the Kunning Palace, and various other big budget dramas. While the use of these songs and BGM was very skilled and I loved the pieces in the original dramas, it was still distracting to hear them here: I dropped my rating one full point because of this. And I subtracted another point for lack of story/plot substance as there was not much empowerment or women's rights stuff here (a wasted opportunity if you ask me given the fact that the emperor is female guided by extremely powerful Dowager Empress). But still, what was once an incoherent seduction fest with really bad subs is now a reason to say that VD is alive and kicking in 2025 and still testing the boundaries of risqué and tongue in cheek fun.
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