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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Deng Kai are you being forced to act against your will. If you need help, wear a yellow shirt.
Hello once again, sexy.I think many of you would agree, that a spiceless Deng Kai drama is a travesty of justice. Maybe some of you are not here for Deng Kai, you are here to watch something whimsical and cute. If so, then I love that for you, and maybe you should watch this.
But I am not here to watch something whimsical and cute. No. I am here because I watched Qi Min *literally chain his woman to himself*, and it fried my motherboard. I used to have a functioning brain. But not anymore. Maybe you think people with this level of brain damage should not be reviewing shows. Yet here we are.
I am not alone. Millions of us have Deng Kai brain damage. And if you also suffer from the same debilitating condition that I suffer from, then this review is for you.
Maybe you don't think it's reasonable to harbor deep-seated resentment and bitterness at a producer who, when blessed by the heavens for actually managing to book Deng Kai as the ML for your show, then proceeds to squander his talent and sexiness with goofy sound effects and poorly executed kiss scenes. But I do. And as such, I shall now channel that bitterness into mercilessly ripping apart this drama. Because this is NOT how you treat a gorgeous Deng Kai. It was blatant Deng Kai abuse. And I must vent my anger.
So once again, we have a bad stylist who covered him in BB cream and face powder, and smeared purple eyeshadow under his eyes and gave him a dark berry shade of lip color. Don't get me wrong, I like the vampy vibes it gives. But come ON, stylist. Dear stylist. Are you really that disrespectful, that you made up one of the hottest stars in China without even looking at his other shows. ***Too much powder ages Deng Kai by 10 years on the screen!!!*** I thought we all knew this by now. You have to go LIGHT on his powder. His skin is flawless and delicate, and he works long hours. He needs to be hydrated and his skin's oil balance needs to be RESPECTED. And yet you caked him in powder, that's a desiccant! Why don't you just wrap him in parcel paper and sand between episodes while you're at it! At this point I don't understand why overpowdering Deng Kai is not an arrestable offense.
The kissing. Is just not there. Now on this one, I give it somewhat of a pass. Because it's nice to think that Deng Kai isn't some cheap thrill like Jesse Ren, or some playa like Yan Zi Xian, and he can't summon that fire energy for just any FL he happens to be in front of. So let's just say this FL is no Snow Kong, and leave it at that. But it was also a fail on the part of the producers who apparently were dead set on making this one of those "clown-honking, rubber ducky squeaking, cartoon sound effect" dramas. JUST WHY. And don't even get me started on the dubbing. Everyone on the sound team should have been pre-fired before the show even started filming. Is that on the sound team for being inept? NO, that's on the producer for not stopping it from happening.
The script. Are we REALLY turning this in the last episodes into Confession Followed By Random Fireworks, and Running Barefoot On The Beach Holding Hands And Laughing. Really. Oh, and you want kisses in the back half of the drama? Aaa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, that's a good one. Yeah no that's not happening. No, they just gonna continue to shove bad plot down your throat like dry toast with no butter.
Short-length supporting cast is short-length supporting cast. No surprises here. Nothing but mid as far as the eye can see. Great job, casting director, you've really outdone yourself.
But honestly... props to the evil father's mistress who still showed up to the set every day despite that nasty case of conjunctivitis.
And that's all I have to say about THAT.
6.5/10
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Watch this to feel good about life and love
This has been such a treat. If you are growing tired of dramas with very heavy themes i.e., revenge, switched at birth, love triangle, cheating etc., then this is for you!This is the first time I've seen such a realistic take on life and love for a Japanese drama. I love how the leads trust each other and believe in each other's dreams. Even their arguments make me smile everytime they make up/make amends, because we can clearly see that they communicate them well and not just assume/create scenarios inside of their heads.
I've been skipping this drama and out of boredom i finally watched it ~ totally worth it! ♡♡♡
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beyond expectation!
I watched this drama on a whim and didn't have good expectations at all. unexpectedly, it turns out that the drama story is interesting with interesting actors as well. a fun romantic comedy story that everyone should watch 😌The first thing that made me curious was how the story made them both fall in love with the background that was shown in the drama. although there are still some things that make me curious, but I am still satisfied with the storyline and the ending presented.
i wish the best for krystal jung actress career
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Really sweet
There's a small warning in the beginning, "This project started because we want to do it. There's no any other reason. There's no drama. There's only fun and confusion. We just want to do it, so don't expect a meaningful story. Even if you want to find it, you can't find it. But if you want to find our cuteness, you will definitely see it." This is so true. While there's no "meaningful story," as they put it, it's still super sweet and endearing to watch. Each episode is only ~5 minutes, and they're all small compilations of just cute, mundane moments between Team and Win. Honestly, it made my day to watch these, and I'll probably rewatch just before Between Us comes out in 2022 (and maybe in between if there's any drama that makes me cry, haha).Note: There was some body-shaming in the 3rd episode that I wasn't a huge fan of, but other than that I enjoyed these episodes!
Just watch it if you want pure sugar <3
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A Promising Cast, but a Miscast Lead
As a big fan of Choi Hyun-wook and his previous dramas, I had high hopes for this series. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a real disappointment.The drama follows classic, overused patterns, which isn’t necessarily a flaw, but when the story lacks credibility, it becomes a serious problem. And here, that’s exactly what happens.
Overall, the casting is decent. But why cast Choi Hyun-wook as a company CEO? From the start, it just doesn’t feel right. Some might say you eventually get used to it… I didn’t. He still looks like a high school student; seeing him as the head of a company simply isn’t believable. As a regular employee, maybe, but not as a boss.
On top of that, the soundtrack and the story are quite bland. Nothing really stands out. The "geek" side of the main character, which he awkwardly tries to hide, felt more cringey than endearing. There were so many better and deeper themes they could have explored.
In the end, I couldn’t even finish the series. And those are the reasons why.
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A gloomy, purplish masterpiece
Call it love. As the title suggests, we are invited to watch another drama revolving around LOVE. But what kind of love?This Drama is so typical; it is a melodramatic, slow-burn, revenge type of drama. If you have seen such a genre, then you won't be surprised, but this drama in essence is quite different from the rest.
Plot Summary:
Revenge, adultery, drama, and romance, all depict this drama. A very average, yet very vengeful girl is set out to avenge their shattered family after their father cheats on their mom and makes them homeless after 13 years. But who does she go after? The mistress's son who happens to be a CEO living a somewhat OK life. but that's the just surface. There is more to it. As the story goes, the leads get to know each other and yes Fall in love. The Love is slow-burn, with long gazes, and minimum physical contact, the type that makes you crave more. The leads are both very hurt and depressed, and you will get to see them crying a lot, but the romance is so deep that keeps you going.
Acting:
Both leads delivered a wonderful job. You get to feel their pain and growth as the series goes. Definitely one of those dramas that need an appraisal for the leads. Just look at their direct gazes and long silent walks. even their very short intimate scene was beautiful.
Even the villain exhibited proper character development and other actors/actresses delivered their respective roles decently.
Writing:
I'm not familiar with the writing team, but this drama is not without fault, however, most of the questions are answered in the end. There are no loopholes or over-complicated plots, yet the drama became slow in the last few episodes. Plus, the leads needed to have more skinship/intimate scenes for the audience to enjoy their relationship better, but that's how Kdramas are. Always trying to be artistic and different.
Production and cinematography:
One thing i heard a lot before starting this drama was that many said the drama has a purple theme. That's true and it can be annoying to some, yet i personally enjoyed it. Why? because the color itself could depict how the leads were in pain and how the story wasn't happy. it's actually a psychological effect and the writers used this deliberately to play with our minds. it can be irritating at first, but as the story continued, i felt more and more in sync with the color.
The locations used in this drama are SUPERB. Beautiful sceneries and aesthetics. are one of the great aspects of this drama, Again in sync with the characters and the story's gloomy theme.
Soundtrack:
Beautiful choice of songs. All convey the feelings of pain and love at the same time. Wish i could find the background music pieces by the composer, yet we only got the original songs so far. No theme songs.
Overall, it's a 10/10 for me personally, yet had i to deduct a point for the fact that the leads had very little skinship and in my honest opinion, romantic dramas need intimacy on-screen.
Highly recommended to those who want LOVE and ANGST at the same time. and the ending doesn't disappoint too :)
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