A highly personal review.
First of all I started watching this because I am a Lusi fan. Second of all I knew this would be a patriotic drama aimed at a specific audience containing political views and opinions. The political theme is not subtle, so if you are not a fan of something like this I do not recommend you watch this. As someone who did not learn anything about this particular time in Asia in school I took this as a history lesson written from one point of views.The story: The first episode is probably my favorite. It starts in the year of 1950 in Beijing with our 18 year old female lead Tian Zao, an orphan, wanting to avenge her father. This particular plot point is finished quite quickly, as there is only 14 episodes to complete the story. Her childhood sweetheart Tie Dan, our male lead, is a wrestling teacher who studied under Tian Zaos father.
The new government is formed and Tian Zao is impressed with the way they want to help the common people in Beijing and therefor wants to join her local government. This will as the story goes on lead her to help catch spies, gather support from her neighborhood to support the war effort and more. She is often too enthusiastic in her efforts, and causes problems at times, but she is well liked by her area and by her chosen older sister who works in the local government.
Acting: I have no complaints about the acting whatsoever in this. Zhao Lusi and Hou Ming Hao made me believe they had known each other basically all their lives and they were very cute as a couple.
Tian Zao is an orphan and grew up in a hutong area in Beijing, where she has a very big support group amongst both adults and the other children in the area, which helps her throughout the story.
She is a very headstrong girl and acts before she thinks at times. She was described as a person who dares to love and hate. I also find her very passionate about wanting to improve the lives of the people in her community.
Tie Dan is not your usual male lead with a stone face, he is actually a guy who is well liked and smiles a lot. He is also one of my favorite personalities in mls since he is not just kind to his one true love but an overall good guy. He is also willing to communicate with his love when there is a problem, which is definitively a skill more leads need.
I found most of the side characters quite interesting as well, but my focus is mostly on the leads.
Music: There is not really a lot of music in here but I do enjoy the instrumental music.
Rewatch: Would I rewatch this a whole? No. If I do rewatch something it will be the parts that I enjoyed together with the main leads.
Again, this is my point of view so you may not agree with me and that's alright.
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Again, it annoys me when the "bad guys" don't even understand what they did wrong. Also, the ending left a lot to be desired. There is plenty of crazy for every character though.
I'm totally in to Lee Yoo Ri. Even that I'm not going to feel anything stare she had to have for part of the drama made me feel something. She played both Lee Na Yeon and Baek Do Hee really well. I could definitely tell them apart regardless of hair because they had different personalities. The transformation Na Yeon goes through after the tragedy is palpable.
All of the other actors are good too, but Kim Hye Ri stole the show as Park Yoo Kyung. I love to hate her.
The music is good.
I probably won't rewatch this. Once is enough.
If you like revenge dramas, then this is one of the best. I recommend this to everyone. Just ignore the absurdity of the plot. LOL :-)
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This is your trigger warning.
This "review" is really just for those who need a warning.Because I tend to stay away from the comment section because of spoilers, I wish I had somewhat peaked at them this time. Because they're right. It's not for the light hearted.
This movie made me physically sick.
Zombie lovers; feel free to pass this movie. It's pretty much just rape gore on steroids under the guise of zombies.
I get this movie isn't for everyone. it sure in hell wasn't it for me.
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Great concept!!!
My Stand-In has multiple layers, making it a highly textured and emotionally complex BL series.The show has a highly refreshing concept, which brings up some interesting questions on the relationship between love and personhood. If the person you loved died and revived as someone else in a different body, how does that alter the nature of the relationship?
The series should be lauded for not shying away from complex, and deeply flawed characters. It explores fairly mature themes, given the show’s sexual relationships and the characters’ manipulative nature. Perhaps it can be criticised for romanticising toxicity, but I don’t think it is any series’ job to be an ad for civics and moral education. Characters like Ming are everywhere in real life.
Ming’s mercurial tendencies and obsessiveness makes him challenging to like and root for as a character. But for Joe, who has been collateral damage from getting caught in the crosshairs of power struggles – he finally gets his turn to understand what it means to have somebody to fight for you.
And it was superbly satisfying to watch.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2024/07/20/my-stand-in-2024-bl-review/
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The story sounds like a solid drama. Sadly Rooftop Prince is a drama that couldn't handle being 20 episodes. I'd like to think if the writers had to get it all done in 16 the story would have been cleaner. The first 9 or so episodes do a good job with jokes about the past characters adjusting to the present. The emphasis elevator scene and so on. But if you took out the time travel and such it's not that big of a key element to the drama. Besides some jokes, and then the first and last episodes.
The writers were so focused on putting standard drama tropes and plots in Rooftop Prince that it killed the parts that made the concept so unique.
The characters ended up feeling very hallow. Villains that did things for the sake of being villains. Other dramas at least try to make you see the other side. These villains were despicable because that's what they do. The leads spend so much time getting kicked by them that it's hard to cheer them on, or care. The prince is the standard jerk who can't decide on his feelings, though he is aware that he is leading, and playing with Park Ha. Park Ha is the lead who never truly learns and gets stuck behind the trope of never standing up for herself. She just keeps smiling.
Though I will give credit that Park Ha realizes the kind of man she's fallen for in the prince. He's selfish and will eventually put himself first. As a prince I understand thinking of others is hard for him, and as the drama comes to a close he realizes his mistakes. So points for that.
The side characters are interesting, and the ducklings/stop light boys are so much fun. In fact, if they were more developed I would have gone for one of them as the love interest for Park Ha. Alas, the writers decided that side characters should remain as window trappings only. What a waste.
The music did nothing for me and I don't think it enhanced the drama. I've already forgotten it. And boy I won't be rewatching this one ever.
In the end I understand Rooftop Prince's appeal. Why fans love it. However, I can only see it as a missed opportunity to create a unique drama. Instead all I viewed was a boring show with the same hijinks that other dramas have. The writers were to revved up to put a unique cast, and concept, into a stereotypical roles to keep fans happy. It bums me out that I couldn’t really enjoy this one. But to each their own.
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What a mess
Let's start with what I didn't like:1) Editing. From the voice over to the flow of the scenes to the episode duration, someone just either never got paid to do it, or just pressed the AI button and let 01 bits take their course.
2)Lack of chemistry. Two exceptionally beautiful people who fell in love bc it was in the script. Especially the FL, with the atrocious voice over, came out as emotionless.
3) The plot. The relationship btw the leads was more of a second thought than the main focus. Also, so many secondary characters that dominated so much screen time I had to speed watch half of the drama. Also, what's with the songs???Not everything has to be an in drama video clip, reminiscing of past scenes. Especially when the romance is lacking.
4) The fight scenes. Most of them incomplete, you only get the end result and that as an afterthought.
5) The villain(s). At first it's the ML, then you hate Shi Zu, then it's Sen Luo(who just dies more easily than expected), then it's the Evil Sect, then it's the Sword Sect Master to end with the Premier, what a mess, every 5 episodes you get a new villain introduced.
6) Why for the love of all chinese drama gurus out there the FL's paternity was never questioned? Is it such a taboo to ask "Who is your father?" Maybe he's the problem here and not every other Tom, Dick and Harry?
7) The ending. Inconsistent, unexplained just HE for the sake of it.
What I liked
1) The Dragon Lord
2) FL's mother's plot
3) Zhang Linghe. But I've yet to see him with a FL he's got chemistry with.
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Summary: Evil lost sister + innocent sister + rich naive man + lots of B-slapping, killing, cons and lies + lots of snarky evil grins& tears + some cheesy acting =perfect lakorn petri dish.
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Story about friendship and growing up, plot falls flat.
I haven't read the manhua or anything else so this story was completely new to me. I searched some background information about the characters etc. so based on that I was really looking forward to this drama.The story is mostly about comradery between the characters. How they hone their skills, level up, fight together and form a team. There's some love but it's more like affection. If you are planning to watch this because of Xiao Zhan then go ahead but it doesn't necessarily carry through. He has the main role but the side characters with their backstories take a lot of space. That's why I stress the words "friendship" and "teamwork".
The main plot and side plots all fall flat. It was dragging until episode 26 then it kind of picked up. They have these mysteries going on, antagonists.. But nothing really happens. It's very predictable. I felt like everything only began in the last episode. Fighting scenes were kind of nicely executed compared to everything else.
The cast was okay. I think they did a good job with what they got. The characters all stay kind of.. superficial so the team's friendships seem also kind of so-so. Ou Si Ke was my favorite.
Music is just horrible. In some scenes it doesn't fit at all and then when it occurs all the time it starts to bother.
Overall I gave 6 out of 10. I watched it through but at times it was like pulling teeth. I just didn't want to give up. I was waiting for something to happen, the chemistry between them to deepen, to get a better idea of this supposedly magnificent original story but no. But I stayed for the fighting scenes.
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Could have used a change in direction
Newtonian physics may not bind the Laws of Drama Writing, but it is a helpful starting point for examining “Bulgasal: Immortal Souls”. Newton’s first law states that a body that is at rest or is in motion at a constant speed in a straight line will remain at rest or continue at the constant speed in a straight line unless it is acted upon by a force. In other words, for something to change, we need some sort of object or mechanism to trigger a chance in action.With the drama in question, we begin with events that occurred 600 years ago which is where we find our object moving forward. To summarize, Goryeo era monster hunting ace Dan Hwal became a bulgasal (an immortal monster which feeds on human blood) and he loses his family. He sets out to wreak revenge against those who put him in his predicament. We flash forward to present with Hwal seeking Sang Un, once a bulgasal, now a human, reincarnated. Every other character of any note is a reincarnation of someone or something other creature from hundreds of years ago. As the storyline progresses, Hwal and Sang Un encounter Ok Eul Tae, an antagonist from the origins of the story.
Let’s set the storyline aside for other matters…
The production is outstanding. Whether it was set design, photography, soundtrack or the physical monsters themselves, this crew was tops. The monsters are exceptional. Whether the settings are the Goryeo era forests or present day mountains, the settings are gorgeous. The special effects are above average. There is not a copious amount of OST but the few entries are solid. And there’s more than one underwater sequence that are some of the highlight scenes.
There’s some fine acting too. Park Myung Shin is the standout as a Goryeo era shaman and present day aunt/butcher for Hwal. Lee Joon creates a compelling and vibrant character for the twisted and scheming Eul Tae. Han Seo Jin plays a young Sang Un and continues to create one of the most impressive filmographies of any young actor anywhere.
It’s a mixed bag for the leads. Lee Jin Wook as Dan Hwal has the imposing stature and gravelly voice to pull off a character that is part dark monster and part former human bent on retaining some of his humanity. But the character has shortcomings that no actor could really work around. He’s smart enough to clandestinely coordinate a complex manhunt and amass a significant collection of assets but has lived hundreds of years learning almost nothing. He follows a predictable cycle where he is introduced to a new side to his backstory, he refuses to believe it then just decides that it must be true. And despite the fact that he wants to end his troubles, he’s got the worst sense of self-awareness on the planet. He’s supposed to be the hero, albeit a non-traditional type of one, but he’s so determined to derail any effort to make progress that he’s nearly impossible to sympathize with.
As for Kwon Na Ra’s Sang Un, she’s got enough sense to diagnose Hwal’s issues, can formulate a basic plan and know that she needs to invest in and maintain relationships. That’s all good but the direction for the character was to overwhelm everything else about the character with a damsel-in-distress aesthetic. Even when her actions should signal strength and determination, the visuals instead emphasize her weakness and impending panic. That’s the present day visuals. Have to recognize that her appearance in the historical eras is simply stunning.
Without spoiling too much, there’s no end to this saga unless there’s an end to Eul Tae or Hwal or Sang Un. But two aren’t easy to kill and the other one will just reincarnate so something out of the ordinary has to happen to end this.
Here’s where Newton comes in. We have this trio that has been on the same path for six hundred years with this seemingly unsolvable problem. What would have made for an outstanding drama is that at some point of the storyline, the viewers are given some somewhat comprehensive understanding of how our object in motion at a constant rate of speed in a straight line was put in said motion at said constant rate of speed in said straight line. Then the production could have adequately built up over multiple episodes to a climax where new big force is brought forward to bring about the cataclysmic change in motion and to put an end (or new beginning) to our heroes and villains story.
Instead, a full reveal of the real origin story only happens far, far, FAR! too late leaving little time to build any appropriate amount of tension for the climactic showdown. Pending the full reveal, Eul Tae is left as a likely evildoer but possibly ambiguous character which fatally hamstrings his actions. Instead of going full dark and crazy, there’s only glimpses of his true nature. To keep a semblance of mystery about him going, he winds up a disappointing antagonist who spends too much time politicking with Hwal and plotting in the background than being, y’know, a bloodthirsty and invincible monster. And instead of Hwal and Sang Un spending far too much time wondering how they ended up this way, they could have been doing something much more interesting like, y’know, fighting monsters.
It’s a tremendous shame because the scenario was promising. There’s lots of interesting monsters and the show was terrifically entertaining when there was action. But it is invested so heavily in a painfully slow reveal of backstory and keeping the main characters and viewers in the dark that the characters are unable to develop. And, y’know, move forward in a new direction.
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a masterpiece with multidimensional/flawed characters (please give it a try)
Overall: I think some people won't start or finish this series due to the premise and Ritsu's character in the beginning. I would highly encourage people to watch the entire series because it is 100% worth it. Aired on GagaOOLala and Viki.Content Warnings: there are several some of which might be extremely triggering, I will put them in a comment with a spoiler
What I Liked
- flawed/multidimensional characters (I could write an essay on Ritsu)
- realistic and very well done NSFW scenes (including talking during and not overpowering music)
- relationships between characters (enjoyed the found family theme with the four of them)
- how Meguru was not a cliche/stereotype and the actor (used as a gender neutral term) is non-binary so that's pretty awesome
- production value/cinematography (you can tell it's the same director from The Novelist & Mood Indigo)
Room For Improvement
- the flashbacks kind of took me out a bit from the story in the present
- not a fan of some of the one lipped kissing
- the special effects near the end were low budget/cringey
- definitely could have used a longer run time to more fully develop characters
- I wish they'd go with something that could actually happen like a deadly virus, nuclear war or a large natural disaster but I realize they had source material
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2This review may contain spoilers
SWOT Analysis
A business proposal without a SWOT Analysis? Sacrilege. The following are some strengths and weaknesses of the drama; and opportunities and threats to the main couple’s relationship.◾Strengths
The casting of all characters was impeccable. Totally ship the pairing of Ahn Hyo Seop and Kim Se Jeong as the main couple; as well as Kim Min Gue and Seol In Ah as the secondary couple.
A few support characters stand out from the rest as they provide some comic relief and are such a joy to watch. Grandpa Kang, the drama-obsessed chairman, who wants to see his beloved grandson married. Jin Young Seo’s cousin, Jo Yoo Jung, the Konglish speaking and spoilt rich girl with the infamous line “You know I have no 친구 (chingu)”.
12- episode format as opposed to the current Kdrama standard of 16 episodes - it forces the story to move along at a faster rate.
◾Weaknesses
The secondary couple tends to overshadow the main couple throughout the drama. It was love at first sight for both Sung Hoon and Young Seo, and they became a couple before Tae Mo and Ha Ri. Communication between this duo was mature, and any misunderstandings were dealt with on the spot.
Kang Tae Mo is a character who knows and is good at everything. Yet, he could not discern Shin Ha Ri’s disguises at the beginning. Hmmmmm….
The usage of a time skip. I do not mind this trope, however it feels a bit of a cop-out. In a romcom, the last episode is where we get our final warm fuzziness. The time-skip in here is akin to the editors realising they have 10 minutes left in the drama but still have 40 minutes of story to tell.
A few opportunities and threats to the main couple’s relationship:
◾Opportunities
- Goobne chicken (Shin Ha Ri’s parents’ business) should bottle and sell their chicken rub. In episode 10, Kang Tae Mo tried it with his astute taste bud and liked it. If he likes it, it will be a hit!
- Shin Ha Ri’s brother can get a new phone from Kang Tae Mo. Make sure to get a new Samsung, Shin Ha Min!
◾Threats
- Grandpa Kang. Shin Ha Ri needs to put extra effort to get his approval of their relationship.
- The chef and his girlfriend. Either they want or are jealous of Shin Ha Ri
- Daddy Shin. Kang Tae Mo must have a man-to-man talk to his future father-in-law regarding the safety of Ha Ri.
- GoFood employees and netizens. Gossiping about the CEO who is dating an employee.
- Cousin Yoo Jung liking Sung Hoon.
The above SWOT is an incomplete list. What would you like to add to the above analysis?
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Decent with the typical clichés
The story was simple, but only the hunt for the "store" left a lot to be desired. It's not really clear what the hunt was for... Otherwise it was a more light-weighted series with some serious undertones and some silly clichés...Chemistry and acting was more than decent and it was quite fun to watch, but nothing earthshattering. I have not much more to say because it did not leave that much of an impression. It's a decent show, but nothing more. So if you like something to turn your brain off, this will fit nicely.
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This drama may seem boring to some people as it is about office world, but the script writers did a great job and to me, personally, it didn't seem boring at all. It is a serious drama, yes, but there are also funny elements. It portraits the office life in a really realistic way.
While watching this drama, I felt like I was a part of the company, that I am part of every character there. Whenever there was something emotional, you could feel the emotions yourself. Whenever there was a funny scene, I was so happy, it felt so good and the funny scenes were always in a place. They just fitted.
STORY
As for story, I loved it. Some people might say that the plot was kind of about nothing, but I disagree. So much happened in those 20 episodes. The story and the characters will captivate you. I just can't express how much I love this drama!
ACTING/CAST
Everyone in this drama was well-chosen and their acting was superb. I guess, I loved every character, well, almost every character.
Lee Sung Min - he is a king of acting. I loved him since King 2Hearts and here, he proved that he is a 1st class actor. I loved his character Oh Sang Shik, in the future, I would also like to have a boss like him. After this drama I became his fan even more.
Im Shi Wan - I was a little worried at first that he would not be good for this role. Oh, how I was mistaken. He was perfect for this role. "Jang Geu Rae, fighting!!! You can do it" that is what I was thinking whole time. He was so hardworking, nice and pitiful.
Kang So Ra - I love her! I think that she is the best actress of her generation. I was so pleased with her English and even her Russian wasn't so bad. Her character Ahn Young Yi was great as well, she was tough, hardworking and clever. Great female character!
Kang Ha Neul - I am so in love with him! He is so good-looking but a great actor as well. I didn't like his character at first, but then Jang Baek Ki grew on me. He needs to get a proper main role! P.S. I was a bit disappointed that there was no love line between Jang Baek Ki and Ahn Young Yi, they were so cute together.
Byun Yo Han - first time seeing him and I must say, what an actor! I loved his character of Han Suk Yool, he was so cheerful and full of life and then at one point when he was so devastated by work, I was so sad, I wanted him to return to his old-self as soon as possible. This actor has definitely a bright future ahead. P.S. I loved the moments of those four (Im Shi Wan, Kang Sora, Kang Haneul and Byun Yo Han) together, I couldn't help but smile all the time. They had a great chemistry together.
Kim Dae Myung - I also has to mention him. His Kim Dong Shik was so nice and his acting was so believable.
MUSIC
Music was not outstanding nor special but it fitted with the drama very well.
I seriously must congratulate the actors, director and scriptwriters. They did an amazing job! Misaeng is now on my list of the best dramas I've seen so far! And after re-watching, it might become one of my favourite dramas!
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I had so much fun watching this! Things just go boom when the leads meet.
Ep 1: I have realized that Lovely Runner set the bar too high for all the romcom's to come, so I can't help but compare everything that comes out to it. However, I can't deny that I laughed a lot throughout the first episode. I was looking forward to the show, ever since I heard about it. The ML is the real draw, the FL doesn't look so good with those bangs, however her character is actually funny to watch. Honestly, at this point, her sister who eats her feelings is more relatable. I can't yet figure out what kind of a person the ML is but he is fun to watch. Bubbles are such a good substitute to cigarettes. Let's see if he actually sues her for murder.Ep 2: Oh wow! Since the moment they first met, they have been going at each other and it is so fun to watch! The verbal match is amazing. The first 10 minute of the show so far are so hilarious, I just had to pause and write it all down so I don't forget things as I go. It was interesting and kept me engaged throughout the whole episode. I like watching dramas like this, especially while eating food, it makes me appreciate and enjoy the food more. For a moment there, I had forgotten the drama description that said the ML has a gf and she hasn't broken up with him yet. I kept thinking maybe she was an ex. But she is not just a gf but a fiancé. That was fun to watch!
Ep 3: Okaayyy. Fair warning, don't watch it on loudspeaker with your family around you. They make very explicit noises that make you feel like your family caught you watching a kissing scene on TV. I have my earphones on now so it is safe to watch. I got to laugh a little less compared to the last episode but it was still a fun one. They are all so silly, our FL's friend adds to the nuisance, making it more interesting.
Ep 4: Half of the time it feels like you are watching looney tunes, the scenes are so cartoonish and that's exactly what the show is all about. It brings back some of those funny cartoon memories patching it together with a comedic parody of Cinderella. You discover that her step sisters aren't that bad and her step mom is actually pretty decent, but all of them are just a little bit crazy in their own way, expect for the older sister. She seems rock solid so far. I wonder if the new guy they introduced in the episode just wants to take advantage of her because he is being too obvious about it. Well I was right, poor Cindy.
Ep 5 & Ep 6: I enjoy the interaction between the leads, but the bickering was toned down in these episodes. That kiss could have been better on the FL's part, but it looked good. That almost second kiss would have been better than the first one. The angle was right. The ML going out of his way to marry her off to other guy because he doesn't want to be abandoned is a bit sad. The fiancée and her family are so funny. I get that she has anger issues but I'm not really sure that she likes Cha Min. She rather considers him a possession. I hope the FL gives up on the SML, because it wasn't jealousy that made him say he liked her but competitiveness. In contrast the ML's feelings for her are quite real no matter how much he doesn't want to accept them. They are both so blind to how beautiful their life could be if they just stopped trying to live a loveless life.
Ep 7 & Ep 8: Cha Min blows so hot and cold, only Jae Rim can tolerate that kind of nonsense because they are both equally crazy. The SML has improved a bit but not by long. They totally got me with that imaginary scene with the leads kissing! I thought the drama was going in an another direction. He was kinda right, his mom was a little too late with the apologies. She could have made time despite how she may have been perceived. I just feel so sad for the boy that grew up being brainwashed by his father who couldn't keep his resentment to himself. He didn't give the boy a chance to form his own opinion but tried to indoctrinate him into his crazy beliefs about women.
Ep 9 & Ep 10: I wanted to see who the crazy ex fiancé was going to end up with & what happened to her crazy uncles as well. Overall, it was a nice story. I thought the last two episodes would focus on the happy ending, but we got one where they separate even though they weren't really dating. The last episode was good though. This should have been 16 episodes, so that we had some more crazy Cha Min & Jae Rim moments! They were adorable when they got together. This is definitely something worth rewatch.
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