An average drama (weak without the main CP) with a huge POLITICAL ISSUE
"You are my glory" is a 100% adaptation of the original novel. For fans of the novel or fans of the main couple in particular, this can be a perfect match. However, for me - a fan of the original, not a fan of the main actor/actress, a former film critic - this work is relatively weak in terms of cinematography. The storytelling is a listing of events from the original novel, but lacks the climactic elements that should have in a drama. The length of the film was also cut shorter than the usual length to pull up to 32 episodes, showing that the content is not too rich. This type of instant film is only suitable for web dramas, which is weaker than a standard tv drama. Compared to some other web dramas, the storytelling of this series is also poorer. What attracts views is basically the main high-visual CP and their romantic scenes. Dilraba and YY's acting is only at the level of acceptable, not excellent, with good interaction.In the original, the game part is what I like most (but boring in the film) while in the drama, the best part is the aerospace scenes because of its professionalism. However, immediately, I realized this part definitely has the backing of the Chinese government, and the political intrigue is too obvious. The illegal 9-dashed map is embedded multiple times in this series. If you don't have the necessary political knowledge, especially if you are an audience from countries that own a part of the South China Sea, you have been warned. Do not support a product that the Chinese government uses to claim sovereignty over the entire South China Sea which is shared by more than 5 different countries in the region.
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Beautiful yet Pretentious; Great character development but poor plot writing
“Fangs of Fortune” is no doubt the product of director Edward Guo. I enjoyed his other drama “My Journey to Love” so much that I wish I could feel the same about “Fangs of Fortune”. Unfortunately, just having a good-looking cast and beautiful cinematography are not enough for me.What I Like:
1. Characters
The main reason I am not rating this drama lower than 8.0 is because of the characters. I like each of them, main cast, supporting cast and guest roles. Each character’s story is unique and I had a good time getting to know them and following their journey of growth. They are interesting individually and together as a group. “Fangs of Fortune” is able to make me care about each of them and their stories touched me.
2. Acting
I am happy to see a much-improved Neo Hou. He is able to convey more than just a blank pretty face. I am most impressed by Tian Jia Rui. This is only his second drama after “My Journey to You” and he has so much potential. Chen Du Ling is fine. Cheng Xiao improved from her blank look in “Falling into Your Smile”. The rest of the cast also did an admirable job and I don’t really dislike anyone’s acting.
3. Cinematography
Edward Guo’s signature beautiful cinematography and camera angles make every actor and actress look good. Screenshots of this drama flooded the Feeds with many posts throughout the airing and after the completion of the drama. But…..(to be continued below)
4. OST
This drama boasts a huge soundtrack of beautiful songs. I enjoy them all, especially ‘Spring Breeze Does Not Ask’ 春风不问 and ‘Broken-Tailed Bird’《斷尾鳥》. However…. (to be continued below)
5. Production Value
I love everyone’s creative, unique and beautiful hairstyles, costumes and accessories. I also like the use of natural lighting and the realistic sets in the indoor scenes. The fight choreography is unique and the actors did a great job with their wire work and moves. It does a great job in using Chen Xiao’s dance background in giving her excellent moves and she did not disappoint.
What I have Mixed Feelings and Don’t Like:
1. Slowness
This drama is SLLOOOWW. The characters talk slowly, they move slowly and the pace is slow. This could have been a 30-episode drama (instead of 34) if people would just walk and talk at normal speed. The last episode is a waste of time. Everything could be told in 15 minutes. What pisses me off the most (my personal pet peeve) is characters standing around during important battle scenes. The good guys would be talking amongst themselves or crying or staring at each other, and the villains just stood there waiting. I just want to shout at my screen for them to move or do something! So much time is wasted and it doesn’t make sense!
2. Plot Holes
There are so many plot holes in this drama. Actions that don’t always make sense. Why parade a suspected murderer in front of a crowd to be easily recognized and then humiliated? If you knew you were the cause of a pandemic, why not kill yourself sooner? You already knew the solution! There are powerful demons and genius human beings yet you can’t detect someone is hiding around the corner eavesdropping? I thought you could smell their scent from a mile away! Plot logic becomes secondary (or sacrificed) when the drama focuses so much on the characters and making them look good. A good drama must be able to balance both plot and character development. Even if you can’t balance it well, it can’t be so lopsided.
3. Close-up/Camera angles
I complimented on how beautiful this drama is. But if you repeatedly show me a close-up look of a pair of attractive eyes every 5 minutes, it becomes really pretentious and fake. The fight scenes are beautifully choreographed but if you give me the slow-mo version of it, it interrupts the flow and the excitement. I don’t need to see them posing when fighting. This drama also loves the fog and wind machines.
4. Non-stop Music
I also complimented the OST, but gosh, the music is overplayed. Song after song, music after music. It doesn’t allow the viewer to decide how to feel in silence, but manipulates my feelings with the non-stop music. I counted one scene (one conversation between the leads) when 2 songs + 2 more instrumental music were played non-stop! At times, the music is so loud that I could barely hear what the actors are saying. I really don’t need the fight song being played at every single battle, no matter how cool it is.
5. Romance
Disappointing main romance. I enjoy the initial bickering between Zhao Yuan Zhou and Wen Xiao. A battle of wits and sarcasm! But then, not much happened and not enough chemistry or longing looks. It was boring. I had more fun watching the guest roles suffer in their forbidden love than or sad romance than the main leads.
OK, if you are a fan, don’t hate me. Go back and read what I like before throwing stones at me. LOL🤣 I will still recommend "Fangs of Fortune" because it’s a well-acted darker story with a good-looking cast, beautiful cinematography and likable characters. If you are a big fan of character development, you will enjoy this. But if you are like me and can’t stop your brain from noticing plot holes and things you don’t like, you might have a harder time enjoying this.
Completed: 11/27/2024 - Review #521
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value to watch
VERY VERY different from Red moon.Red moon very slow and bore ,I quiet at ep5.
this love in pavillian very good actor,actress ,value to watch ,strong recommend to watch.
strong costume ,music, stroy.
chemist between main role
and support role vety good.
Rating must 10 or more.
and i can't wait for next episode
and next trilogy.
I pay iqiyi vip member to wařch🐭🐭🐭.
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The writing was uneven. There was a fun supernatural element along with the premise of 4 flower boys living in a mansion and charged with turning a goth girl into a lady. The friendships were portrayed nicely and the love story was cute. Some episodes were good. But some were just bad. The last one left me cold, with a twist I did not like.
The acting was uneven. Some gave pretty good performances. Kamenashi Kazua was a standout. But he’s been pretty good in the three dramas I have seen. Oomasa Aya was good as the girl who loves blood and skulls and death. The others were a little choppy but I got passed it because I liked the friendship between the four boys.
I think I have seen too many really stellar dramas to fall in love with this one. But having mentioned the negative things let me mention a few things that I liked: I loved the relationship development between Kyohei and Sunako. They truly had some very funny moments together and some very touching and cute ones as well. I liked how fast he came to accept her even if he took a long time to sort out his feelings. Sunako truly had some fun/funny personality quirks. The dynamic of friendships in the house between everyone was enjoyable and kept me watching until the end. I loved that house! I want it!
The music was forgettable except for one little detail: The bar/café they frequent has a very fun detail, almost easter egg to watch for. I’m not going to spoil it here but watch closely. Once you figure it out…It’s very fun to keep your eye out for.
The rewatch value is low for me. I probably won’t watch this again.
This is a cute drama…it has it’s value and it’s place. If you like supernatural elements in dramas and a cute love story, this is one drama you may like.
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IGNORE THE RATINGS AND GIVE THIS AMAZING DRAMA A CHANCE!
I'll start by saying these are one of those times where I doubt peoples tastes in rating dramas because this deserves higher ratings....This drama was the kind of thriller that kept you on the edge of your seat no matter how simple the plot seemed to be...in short the plot was something refreshing and executed in a way that kept me engaged for eight episodes straight.
There plenty of reasons I'd give as to why this drama deserves a chance to be seen by many but I'll cut them down to three...
1. THE PLOT
This drama tells a story of a criminal who gets released from jail and a masked man who puts a bounty of 20 billion won on him for whoever kills him....just the sound of this sinopsis arrouses curiousity..you going to have lots of questions and trust me all will be slowly answered as the plot or story flows....
The pacing of this drama was neither fast nor slow but rather enough to keep you entertained and the hoping for more....the story it's self was intense..there was some amazing and captivating action that will keep you on your toes as you watch.
2. THE CHARACTERS
The drama it's self had multiple main characters and I love how they introduced each one of them per episode..each character had their own different story, personality and more and I love how each one of them connected to the main plot....the characters were written in a way that was interesting and despite the short episodes they felt complex and each contributed to the charm of the series.
3. THE ACTING
This drama has lots of familiar faces and most were veteran actors and actresses so the acting was strong and impactful from the entire cast.
BONUS: The show had some intense and catchy back ground music...
DO I RECOMMEND IT?
Absolutely, if you want a riveting, entertaining and exciting thriller then this is it
I REALLT HOPE FOR A SEASON TWO SEEING HOW THEY HINTED ON IT AT THE END👏🔥
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Love - CURSE or FATE ?
This review also contains the thoughts I had while watching since they were too precious to be removed !Synopsis-
Story revolves around cupid who gets shot by his own arrow and the question that follows is ....will there be a chance for him at love ? Is this finally the end of all the lonely wandering .?
Cha Sang Hyuk or we may call cupid burns his wings after a fateful encounter and ever since then opening up to someone meant death of the person. With a heavy burden to carry he somehow manages till the time of his last metamorphosis ....but "LOVE" has other plans.
Cupid crosses path with Baek Ryun who has never had a shot at love - no strings of fate attached, a girl who falls for cupid himself ....will these star crossed lovers have a happily ever after ?
-- You can pick this up if you are in the mood of a Typical Kdrama with cliches pretty faces , gorgeous scenes and a serial killer background story, this makes a good Fantasy tale ! - do not have high expectations from any segment development and you'll have a good time !
Acting -
I expected so much more from Nana - like she does the comedic relief well enough for me to say she's a good actor but the scenes with emotional depth ..girl lift up your game pls - she did not ,sorry but you are too good for this mediocre acting in the portrayal of someone with zero survival skills lol !
Cupid - Jang dong yoon - IDK why people are saying he's not doing a good job ...or that he has a straight face all the time ...he's not yet at the point of flexing his emotions ...he needs to have a cover ...IDK but I really enjoy myself seeing him on screen to me he's doing quite a good job imo...
SML - I like him - tbh more than the acting I like his perspective towards FL ...that she's cool more than just being attracted to her beauty !
He's doing a great job but I don't feel Second lead syndrome just yet ....so it's cupid and nana ship ❤️ which I very much hope sails !
MY PERSPECTIVE - MILD SPOILERS (will avoid direct ones) --
To some FL's character seems desperate and childish - to me it's more like it's her very first shot at love, seeing the people you wished have the best of everything ,get hurt bec they are with you is really heartbreaking after that if she clings on to someone who doesn't , that's not very pathetic ...it's more human to me ! wanting the person all for herself and getting a bit jealous it's okay to me ...reasonable but debatable at the same time! tho I do not find it annoying !
I love the fact that she was given choices and she chose to fall for ML and not really bec he was able to live bec at the back of mind she always knew that someone would pop up on the 1000th time and she wanted it to be ML she prayed for him means she knew she had a choice. I really like that point.
I don't know why the god of fate (I assume )- is being such a meanie ...like come on lift that shot from ML if you can why just appear randomly and go - I won't set you up with anyone ...we already know that ...just leave cuz you annoying me ! or else atleast tell me what's the metamorphosis criteria ? when does it happen ? what are the rules ? and why are the other 3 being punished? why is that fairy converting into dog now and then ....tho it's kinda funny to me but yeah i have questions ...i can't just do with - I won't set you up ! (bec i know you will lol ) - and most annoyingly that's all we had to settle for !
Also I don't get why FL is being punished ...like cupid shot the arrow what did she do ? - except for being drunk all the time !
also what's with her acting all so brave - to me it's like so so dumb ...just hand out a message there are 2 people literally running all around to protect you and you just go around being ...no imma go alone ...like wth ?
The surgery scene was so not done well ...like don't they cut hairs or something before the surgery ? I am not a med student but I just thought that they do ...(ignore if I am dumb )
the second half has been a bit of disappointment with that dumb surgery, too much screen time for dumb side characters (yep i hate them ) and more than that I don't care what happens to them. EP 11 and still that side character fairy is making a fool outta himself and been given so much screen time ...aaahhhh !
My guesses - The other three fairies are allowed to date because they didn't shoot themselves like they did not have a cupid arrow. Now if the cupid's arrow was directed to himself bec of someone else it could be a punishment for maybe trying to set someone up who does not have a string of fate. - one of these was wrong and I seem to hate their explanation that it was just some random kid god fooling around for no reason. - I still don't know anything about metamorphosis and their past life memories are coming back without an explanation on top of everything is extremely annoying !
-- i feel sorry for myself for expecting so much from this show !
finally some development still they are hung up upon that dumb side character fairy but i liked this ep it had a scene where they show us not everyone can burn wings and they have finally mentioned metamorphosis tho I still don't know why he has to suffer that but okay atleast they talk about it ...now it's more like I have started to look for positives and I am enjoying less than I previously did !
-0.5 to reach 7 ! lets hope for a good season finale !
The season finale was a good closure with a lot of character development for everyone !! - including the god of fate lol
The mystery definitely fell flat, but then this isn't a police procedural anyway. I wanted to have some endings for the other fairies too. In the end, they played it a bit too much to the FL's remembering about past lives.
And why the fu*k did they not bother explaining any fairy insights like metamorphosis, dog conversion - does the writer think all the viewers are fairies ...awww that's too cute to be REAL !
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also for the people who are like ...there's a serial killer on the loose ....guys chill sit back it's not a thriller ...so they won't be going around all the time finding the killer ...like pls pls ...RELAX ! - also you must suffer from amnesia if you can't remember these things are common.!
PS. the crime part overstayed its welcome (by a lot).
Conclusion -
I am enjoying myself and I absolutely like to spend my time around dramas like this ....so yeah I would suggest you pick this up if in the mood for a light watch ! Fantasy with adorable leads and amazing cinematography are a must watch aren't they !
will edit once i've completed the show - till then
Let me enjoy these cuties on my screen ! and you guy's breathe !
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What I Liked
> they showed a more melodramatic experience of high-school
> the cast was amazing and did what they could with their parts
> they had enough cuteness in every episode to watch if you wanted something to do
> The way for the first time the bad boy was explained so thoroughly i fell for him rather than the lead
> They cried and expressed their sadness well
What I Didn't Like
> the wast of ALL the minor characters, like why did people end up the way they did, that was never answered
> the way the love triangle wasn't even one, the feelings were never reciprocated all all
> the long stares and the terrible OST like ohh god! if i ever hear "LOVE IS THE MOMENT" again i will bust someone's head
> the lack of story, it went in circles, and felt soo dead
And Last
I didn't really enjoy the drama as much as i had hoped, It started okay but it went downhill from there, idk what the writer was trying to accomplish but i just wasn't feeling it. Those of you who love the cast, the ost, the acting, the chemistry then please continue too; but one things for sure it was quite a ride after 10 weeks, but at least everyone got some kind of lovin':) Cheers
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2Which is why it's almost criminal how they reduced her kickass self to little more than the Male Lead's side kick in the latter half. So much so, that in some scenes the legendary Demoness is nothing more than a glorified damsel in distress whose sole purpose is to stand by the ML's side.
Speaking of the male lead, even with his cute face and pure love he was still pretty much boring, bland and quite one-dimensional. No match for the somewhat antagonist/second Male lead: Jiang Wu. Who was one of the most interesting characters in the show. Being a nasty sonovabitch demon with hilarious moments, he was easier to root for than the ML himself.
My biggest complaint is that the show gave so much screen-time to completely irrelevant characters. Screentime that should have been used to further develop the main leads and their journey. I could count about 4 to 5 story-lines which I didn't give a shit about and that were constantly forced on me.
So over-all, yes there are some pretty adrenaline rushing moments here and there and yes, there is good acting by all those involved but it is nearly not enough to counter the drag.
If you are planning to binge watch this, like I did. My advice is: Make the Fast Forward button your best friend.
Enjoy!
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The worst regression of a plot and its characters I've ever seen
This entire drama is a fraud. It pulls you in from the beautiful pilot episode filled with symbolism, breathtaking cinematography, and the heartbreaking backstory of who you THINK is the main lead, Han Jipyeong. And then it pulls the rug from under you.Nam Dosan is the main lead, though he had a 10 second clip only in episode 1. Regardless, he was great in the beginning. Relatable, cute, dorky, and very lovable. Until he's not. I really can't pinpoint where this happened, but Dosan quickly became the most toxic, manipulative, serial liar with anger issues and violent tendencies, male lead who never gets called out for his actions. In fact, he is rewarded for everything he does, good and bad. Why? Because he's the main lead, of course! Duh.
On the other hand, we have Jipyeong, our second main lead who feels like the main lead but is treated like a punching bag and a waste disposal. Everything revolves around him: the plot, the letters, the character development, and the relationships with all the other characters. He is the heart and soul of the story, no matter what the writers were trying to convince us otherwise. This was in part Kim Seon Ho's doing, as he breathed life into his character. What I firmly believe happened was that Han Jipyeong was not MEANT to be as loved as he is. Rich, quick-witted with a sharp tongue and a self-made man, he could've easily become the antagonist of the story, but Seon Ho achieves in making him out to be a beautifully flawed human, a man who grew up with nothing and has had to fend for himself all his life. Props to Kim Seon Ho, who was a hidden gem that was discovered through this mess of a drama, and for that reason only I don't regret watching it with my entire self. As much as the viewers learned to love Jipyeong, the more the writers began to hate him, and his entire character arc ended with a whimper, leaving us unfulfilled and demanding justice for him.
As for Seo Dalmi, our female lead, the writers were amazingly horrible in developing her. She went from being independent, hard-working, dream-filled to a pathetic and helpless nobody who couldn't do anything without the help of a man. We never really learn what she's thinking, or why she's doing anything, or the reasoning behind any of her thoughts or actions. Honestly, I don't even know who she is. The show failed in fleshing her out and showing any sort of character growth and development on her end. She's a mystery box. You can't predict anything she'll do or say because nothing about her is consistent. Very disappointing.
Overall the show advertises itself as a business youth drama, but it really isn't. It pretends to be one until the plot falls apart and character development is thrown out the window. Plot holes everywhere, dead storylines, and "main" characters are more like cameo appearances- AKA Kang Hanna. The writers forgot the overall arc of the story and instead focused on a love triangle that went nowhere for 10 episodes. In all honesty, the plot could've been concluded in about 6 episodes. It dragged on for so long and so painfully, with virtually nothing happening in the second half. Without Seon Ho's portrayal of Jipyeong, I really doubt that this show would've caught the hearts of the viewers, and as amazing as he is I would still never recommend anyone to watch this show. You're better off watching clips of him on youtube.
Lessons and morals of the story? Cheat, lie, play dirty, fight your mentor and those who help you, blame others for your failures, never be grateful to your friends and family, use "fate" to explain your mistakes, and win the girl. Wonderful, very heart-warming.
I don't think I'll be watching another Bae Suzy or Nam Joo Hyuk work for a while to cleanse my palate from their portrayal of the worst characters in kdrama history, which is ironic given that I started this for them in the first place.
1/10.
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After watching episode 12, I had to change the review about this drama.
This drama is very promising at the beginning because the theme, storyline and actors are very good. But only for the first 8 episodes.
From episodes 9 to 12, in my opinion, the quality has decreased dramatically in terms of the storyline.
The only thing that kept me watching was because of the character Han Ji Pyeong, who in my opinion he was a very extraordinary scene stealer.
As the second main character, he can attract the attention of many audiences to beat the main character.
There are still 4 more episodes left, but I didn't expect much.
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This drama went from 만점 (100) to 빵점 (0) real quick ?
The issue isn’t the fan ship war that has erupted lately.
It’s that This has become the most important question for viewers to judge whether they come out of the drama slightly satisfied or not: “who the female lead is going to choose as her beau?”
•The second female lead has been reduced to a poor cameo role; who despite being sister, daughter & granddaughter doesn’t even get told in 3 whole years that her Grandma is losing eyesight.
•The female lead turns from an independent, almost self-raised woman with a bold personality to a damsel in distress who cannot function without help from the men in her life.
•The Start Up title is a bait. We start off with a group of inexperienced + Zero business knowhow but passionate people who hope to become the next Steve Jobs or Google. Whilst the first half of the drama gives you hope that this team will slowly learn how to become entrepreneurs and encounter common start-up problems.... We end up with a bunch of (very) immature people who rely heavily on plain luck to secure investments, recognition & success and then proceed to Sell off their company in ONE day without any forethought about their goals. The drama then proceeds with a misplaced time skip to gift this team success & wealth from jobs at other companies.
•One of the worst time skips ever. Not just because the actual scene transition was terrible. First due to when it takes place, it robs the characters of the opportunity to reflect and learn from their mistakes. Second, zero character development in 3 years skip. Everyone seems to have frozen in time. (stagnation) Third, all the previously struggling characters have found (lucky) career success & wealth and we miss their journey through it.
•The show seems to Romanticise/gloss over undue violence and immaturity Especially in a workplace/professional area. (Guys if you punch your mentor At work or school because he made your girlfriend cry after your Own friend told Him to tell Her the “harsh truth, no feelings involved”..... You will be kicked off campus/site and not allowed back in. There may also be lawsuits on assault.) The main characters consistently & unrepentantly make business decisions based on personal emotions- love life, jealousy, euphoria, entitlement. I cannot stress enough the lack of maturity a bunch of 25+ somethings show in their Place of Work- that even teenagers in contrast can seem more wise.
•The male lead has been reduced to a whining entitled toddler who, like a broken radio in order to gain sympathy points from everyone around him, keeps crying & repeating he “has nothing” just because his love life isn’t sailing smooth. THIS, despite the fact that he has 2 very loyal friends, supportive parents (regardless of their expectations of him they still invested into his loss-making, no-real-plan, debt-run business for 3 whole years prior to the show start), a close cousin who’s more like a brother that does marketing for him for basically free, genius coding talent, handsome & tall looks, a warm family house (not an apartment!) to return to.... and after a time skip, even becomes successful & wicked rich..... Like dude, what the hell more do you want ?!? And what’s more ridiculous is that he’s the most well-off character in the show. One of his own friends has lost a brother to suicide. The girls have a dead parent + blind grandma + enemy like stepfamily. The other guy is a literal friendless orphan whose success is all self-made......
It’s a wonder we’re still watching this drama. The effort of the actors, the pretty cinematography, the enticing OST. There’s not much else bringing us back except needing to know the conclusion of a drama we already invested our time & energy in.
*credit to someone*
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What´s life if our heart threatens to tear? Emotionally intense KDrama. About crime&politics, too
“Wonderful World” is painting a wonderful psychological picture of people desperately trying to come to terms with their inner suffering. The focus is on feelings that we would rather not experience. Accordingly, the KDrama is anything but funny. This is once again a KDrama that isn't afraid of drama.What is life like when our heart threatens to tear? If someone is losing their child, for example... There is no stent nor bypass for that. Guilt and loss of control, the desolation of existence and sheer agony are shaping the terrain through which one has to survive every day. At best there is grieving. But to get there even, that is a long way... “Wonderful World” takes on these emotional dimensions – carefully, sensitively, seriously and urgently.
At the same time, this KDrama vividly documents how the selfish decision of individuals, who see themselves as elite or want to be seen as such, unscrupulously, ruthlessly and brutally throw the lives of 'insignificantly normal' people completely out of balance. It is thus a political drama about a world that is not as 'wonderful' as it claims to be, too.
“Wonderful World” is also a crime thriller because there is a murder to be solved. This brings tension and additional dynamism to the story. “Wonderful World” could also be understood as a story about one or two revenge missions. In my opinion, however, these are more stencils in the background. In the foreground unfolds the emotional world of those who feel left alone in their pain and their helpless anger - but still, they carry on, somehow. Two humans see and understand each other in their suffering and are/feel/come close to each other because of this ...and ultimately try to regain a sense of control over their lives. Therein lies the power and beauty of “Wonderful World” (I think anyways).
As I said, this KDrama is not afraid of drama. It's right in the middle of it and even better. The increase in entanglements, and the music, too, remind me in places of the early KDramas - and gladly so. A great script. Yes, bitter life experiences, admittedly. Nevertheless. Intense acting. Serious. Authentic.
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PURE MADNESS!!!
I understand why many viewers felt disappointed with the ending. At this point, the drama could have followed the webtoon more closely, especially since its ending, though still sad, felt more complete.That said, I genuinely enjoyed this drama. It’s one of the rare shows where I didn’t skip a single scene. From start to finish, it held my attention.
The early high school episodes were a highlight for me. I actually wish they had lasted longer. Without them, if the story had begun only when Baek Ah Jin became a celebrity, her character would have seemed like just another fame-obsessed star willing to do anything to rise to the top. But that’s not who she is. Those early episodes showed the roots of her trauma, and because of that, I could empathize with her, and I pitied her, even if I didn’t agree with her choices at all.
And it wasn’t just her. Every character in this drama had their own brand of madness. Let’s be honest: the world Baek Ah Jin lived in was far from sane, and the people around her were just as chaotic in their own ways! Everyone was mad in their own way!
Despite all this, I admired the two male leads. Their devotion to the female lead was unwavering, and they were willing to do anything to support her. Still, I can’t say I condone all their actions, especially Jun Seo’s behavior toward the end, which was absolutely wild (although that's not what happened in the webtoon).
Overall, I’m really satisfied with this drama. I usually gravitate toward lighthearted romantic comedies filled with cute fluffy moments between the leads, and this show was the complete opposite. Yet I found myself appreciating it deeply, and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for something different.
I’m just giving it fewer points for rewatch value. Because of its dark themes and how emotionally heavy it is, I feel that watching it once is more than enough.
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Not worth the wait
3 long years after the insanely good and very high rated first season, I have to say I’m very disappointed with season 2. It fell way below what I was expecting, and honestly felt like a completely different show to me.First off, I was very sad that the original cast made it so far for half of them to be killed off by the second episode. They introduced way too many new and not important characters with no character arch or background on any of them. The cast from season 1 is what gave the show such great charm, and these new characters had nothing to them at all. Not to mention, none of the good characters from season 1 remained except for obviously Hyunsu and Eunyu. Everyone else that was there I could care less about. Give me back Jisu!!!
Next, the storyline was just so all over the place?? There were 5 different storylines going on, all of which added barely any substance to the plot. We definitely could have done without Yikyung and her weird monster baby, that pretty much added no value other than, that monsters are evolving, which we knew would happen at some point. Didn’t need to be some weird sub storyline. Keeping with this thought, I could give a shit less about the people at that damn stadium. It became pointless to me after Eunyu left it to find Eunhyuk, but instead we spend most of our time here instead of the more important plot points. Who was Chief Ji? Why was she so suspicious? Was she harboring a monster? Was she a monster? Guess we’ll never know that because they didn’t explain anything. What was with the old man and Hanni?? What was their added value?? Why did they want us to care about these soldiers so damn much? They were a tad bit more important to the story though as they did come across more neo-humans, but why do I have to care about them? We were gonna end up at the research facility at some point with or without them.
And lastly, my BIGGEST issue with the show: where the hell was Hyunsu for half the show?? Main character but they gave him no main character energy. He was sidelined to make way for these less important characters. Last we saw him, he was petrified/turned to stone by Uimyeong at the research facility as it was crumbling, then what happened?? How did he get out? How did he become unfrozen? How did he find Yikyung and her weird monster baby?? And then he’s just gone? for three episodes? and magically shows back up for the last 2?? For a story about Cha Hyunsu and him being the only one that can stop monsterization (maybe) he sure was given dust. What happened to Uimyeong after he petrified Hyunsu? He was j chillin until Dr. Lim showed back up? I mean none of this story made any sense and lacked what made season 1 so popular.
All I can say is, I was very disappointed with the long and highly anticipated wait for season 2. With the return of Eunhyuk at the end, I have slightly higher hopes for season 3. I hope season 3 can redeem any lost hype that season 2 didn’t have and bring back the feeling of what made Sweet Home so incredible.
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1The ship didn't just sink, it imploded under the weight of its own melodrama and bad writing!
The central plot of the drama revolves around trauma and its handling, set against the backdrop of a war zone in Eastern countries. However, it failed to evoke any emotions in me and just felt bland and boring.The only saving grace, which is why it even gets a 6, is thanks to Benjamin and Saxin, who helped me sail through all 38 episodes of this aesthetically pleasing mess!
For a drama where trauma is the main plot, there was no real sense of warmth, depth or emotional resonance.
At first, it gave off the impression of aiming for something deep and thoughtful, but it quickly lost its way. The plot meandered aimlessly, leaving what should have been powerful moments feeling strangely flat and forgettable.
FL Song Ran was supposed to be a reporter, but she spent more time doing everything except her actual job. It was hard to believe how she was just wandering around and taking pictures in a war zone army base, it just felt completely out of place. Most of the time, all I saw was her trailing behind the male lead.
ML Li Zan's character left me with mixed feelings. I appreciated how the show portrayed his trauma and the denial he was stuck in, it felt raw, real and authentic. However, as time went on, it seemed like his reluctance to open up was more about convenience than anything else. The constant addition of trauma without any real growth or resolution made it feel like there was no light at the end of his tunnel.
I am a fan of both the actors, but I just couldn’t feel any chemistry between them. Maybe it was because their romance developed in so many illogical situations like having a heart to heart conversations on the bomb site before even getting medical aid , that it felt hard to buy into.
Most of the drama was set in a war zone, but the seriousness , urgency and consequences of it were largely missing throughout especially in the first half. The logic was often flawed and there were many instances that could have been fixed if they paid a little attention to detail. For example, why were people moving so freely in the war zone? Why were people just lying down and hugging when there had been a bomb blast only minutes before and why couldn't they do that in hospital to make more sense ?
When it comes to handling PTSD, don’t get me wrong - they did attempt to show the real vulnerabilities, denial and the struggles people face after being in such a traumatic environment. However, the portrayal became a repetitive cycle, with no significant character growth. It doesn’t make sense to me that after 8 episodes of dealing with the issue, there was still no real development.
You would expect them to be open and communicate with each other, especially after everything they’ve been through together. But no, we are still stuck in that non-communicative phase, where life-threatening and life-changing decisions are made without even informing the other person.
In real life, while PTSD can have long-lasting effects, people do tend to make progress over time, whether in small steps or through moments of realization. The drama's absolute refusal to allow characters to experience this type of growth feels unrealistic, as it disregards the possibility of healing and moving forward.
At one point, the hero complex from both of them actually diminished the impact of those serious scenes!
Acting wise both the leads did a good job with what was given to them. Chen Zhe Yuan can act and time and again, he shows that! Liang Jie did a great job too but CZY stole the stage when vulnerable scenes were on the screen!
The emotional scenes were executed well ( the man cries so pretty) but the problem wasn't the acting but the writing!
Now coming to the good part, Benjamin and Saxin ! This was a perfect enemies to lovers trope! The constant bickering , the eye contacts , the jealousy, the unwavering trust and support for each other was just the chef's kiss.If the drama had focused more on them or given them even half the screen time, I would have rated it much higher.
Censorship wants you to think it is brotherhood, but they ain't fooling us. Initially I thought it was me who was on team delusion, but they kept hinting us that we weren't wrong. They know what they are doing ! They know we know what they are doing ! Everything is out there yet still between the lines. We need a masterclass so that we can have those shelved dramas out !
I want to keep this review spoiler free but let's just say the ending was just bizzare and lazy writing. It was as if they ran out of ideas to how to make this mess right which they made, grabbed the nearest piece of paper, scribbled something random, and called it a day.
Overall, this drama was incredibly disappointing and fell flat despite its ambitious premise. It seemed to aim for something grand, but ultimately, it failed to deliver. The plot lacked depth and the pacing dragged, making it hard to stay engaged. It was a slow burn with little payoff, leaving much to be desired and leaving me feeling bored.
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An energetic idol drama with soothing love and dreams
This drama is so great. All aspects are so amazing. The acting of all the cast is pretty good especially for our main cp Wei Zhi and San Chong. Yu Shuxin is always clever at captivating the hearts of audiens not only men but also women like me. Sooo cute my baby zhizi. Lin Yi's acting is also quite good in portraying the character of San Chong. The performances of the cast are also great. The scenery shown in every frame in the drama makes me unable to stop smiling. The storyline is light and flows naturally. I was impressed because this drama not only presents visuals but also full teaching about mature ski teaching. The transition of each scene also really good. I Love this drama so much. I hope the flow will remain good until the end and I always look forward to the episodes every day. ❤️❤️Was this review helpful to you?
