The story is basically about lovers who are from different times. The writers did an excellent job presenting the time-slip theme in a simple but persuasive way. It was indeed very different from other recent dramas which deal with the same time-slip plot. The efforts and attention put into the little details of the story was admirable. This drama can be an ideal pick for a romance drama fan. The lead characters fall for each other pretty quickly and as a result we get see a lot of affectionate moments through all 16 episodes. However, I personally wished they spent more time on showing us "how they fell in love" than "How much they were in love".
As the main idea is to establish the divine message of ‘love transcending time’, naturally we get to see two different eras-the Joseon time and the modern time. The love story takes place at the modern time so it was pleasant to watch. However, though I love watching Korean historical dramas, I found the Joseon part of the story utterly boring. The ever confused annoying King and the usual negative characters, whose only job is to sit and conspire, failed to add anything surprising to the typical historical premise. And as a result I was tempted to fast forward the Joseon period again and again.
The rest of the characters were pretty well-written. The ones I loved the most were the supporting characters. The naggy manager who is also a sincere friend, the worthless but charming ex-boyfriend who makes a fool of himself all the time, the devoted girl who is ready to sacrifice everything even though her love is unrequited-all were refreshingly likeable. There was good humor and I smiled a lot at the harmless childishness of the characters. When I did finish the drama, however, I felt that something was missing. Although I did enjoy the most part of the drama, it somehow left me unsatisfied. Apart from occasional boring episodes and side-stories, the reason of my discontent was probably the acting.
Yoo In Na did an excellent job as a carefree, lively, cheerful girl. But her acting wasn’t perfect when the she had to act solemn. I’m a girl who cries very easily while watching a drama, but she couldn’t make me cry along with her. I wish Boong Do expressed his love for Hee Jin more through his words, eyes and facial expression than through his lips. There was an alternative reality where Hee Jin and Dong Min gets back together and to be honest (the fans are going to kill me!!) I felt those two had better chemistry. I adored watching their lovely bickering and actually preferred Hee Jin- Dong Min pairing to Hee Jin- Boong Do. The main couple had to endure many supposedly heartbreaking separation but my heart didn’t quite ache for them neither I felt the longing to see them back together. If this was one of my earliest dramas I’m sure I’d have loved it but the problem is I’ve already seen much better ones. I do feel that the main two actors tried their best but their lack of experience was just too visible for me to ignore.
Overall I liked this drama. It made me laugh a lot and I always appreciate decent humor. But for me it lacked the depth which I consider essential to turn a nice story into a great one.
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Call it on-screen chemistry!
Lin Yusen and Nie Xiguang are practically tailor-made for Song Weilong and Zhao Jinmai! Their on-screen chemistry is not only top-tier but also feels like destiny itself—I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the entire series. The show perfectly inherits the unique subtle style of Gu Man’s works, where seemingly ordinary daily moments flow with touching emotions, and the portrayal of romantic atmosphere is textbook-level perfection. In terms of faithfulness to the source material, it largely achieves a divine capture of the original novel. As for production, the surprises keep coming: a cinematic-grade filter quality, cleverly thoughtful cinematography techniques, paired with K-drama-style OSTs.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
So I just want to start off by saying I didn't hate this melodrama but I am disappointed. I agree that there was a lot of unnecessary scenes and not enough romance between Nan Sheng (Qiao Man) and He Ping. I also found the ending to be nonsensical, after regaining her memories how could Nan Sheng be so cold and unforgiving towards He Ping yet be so forgiving towards Hansen who essentially kidnapped her and lied to her about her identity and didn't even try to find her family, as well as Qiao Feng who essentially used Nan Sheng to replace her own dead sister, how in the entire world could Nan Sheng feel comfortable going anywhere with that psycho? Did she not care at all how He Ping and his mother felt? I understand her feelings towards Shen completely because how dare you act all buddy buddy and like everything is normal after you killed my daddy and only come clean when you thought I was dead and as for Ah Li, she should've been to prison so many times like it was all so unrealistic and it shouldn't of taken till the very end to regain her memories that's not even reasonable. Barcelona and all the flashbacks absolutely meaningless, Luo Chen another psychopath, I honestly thought he was going to be the one to solve the mystery but he was just useless and annoying I didn't get his deal at all. I liked this drama because it kept me interested but it was rather frustrating, I would like a S2 solely for the purpose of rewriting a better story that makes sense because there's no way a man who I don't know (Hansen) can tell me "Oh yeah I actually found you long ago but I was so infatuated with you that I didn't even bother to try to find your family or friends, instead I wanted to wear you down so you'd marry me, I don't care if you ever loved me", and me being like "Oh ok, let's go back to Barcelona." Meanwhile the love of my life and my mother who have mourned me and my father for years I leave them without a word? Who would do that? That makes no sense and then in the end He Ping goes to Barcelona to see her and they have a silent conversation with their eyes and she thinks "He Ping, I missed you." Girl what??? So a S2 is definitely in order or a remake of this drama because it was good but also extremely awful. I don't blame the actors they could only do so much with this script, I wish I could've taken part in writing the adaptation of the book, it would've certainly turned out better than this. Was this review helpful to you?
Nonetheless -
GOOD - (EYE CANDY) Lets face it, if you're a fan of Kim Hyun Joong, you're going to watch this drama regardless. Eye candy-wise there will be a few more surprises, mainly Song Jae Rim, and not only him. BTW Kim Jae Wook is there for less than half of the series.
GOOD - (ACTION) If you love action, different styles of combat and disciplines, then perhaps you will like this drama. Theres a lot of fighting.
BAD - (STORY/WRITING) The story had so much potential, its a huge pity the writing wasn't at all up to par. It wasn't as bad the first 10 episodes, but then they switched writers, and subsequent episodes dragged and lacked logic, production value also became worse.
MEHHH - (ACTING) The casting wasn't bad. The acting itself was phenomenal coming from some of the actors. KHJ has improved as well... although he's still not amazing. Problem is, the acting is greatly exaggerated.. as in a lot of moments are over-acted. Its a bit awkward...
OVERALL - Watch for the eye candy and the fighting. Do not watch if you like a solid story, humor, goose bumpy romance or fast paced storytelling.
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Living for Tomorrow
Tomorrow tells the story of a select band of Grim Reapers who perform the exact opposite of the Angels of Death’s conventional job description as we know it. They don’t accompany the souls of the dead to the afterlife but instead seek to ensure that the souls remain very much intact in their current lives. In other words, their sole purpose is to prevent folks (who are intent on dying) from dying.Presented in an episodic format with a series of standalone cases - each story that comes complete with its own unique themes and ambience - against the backdrop of an overarching mystery that spans several centuries in the making. This tale of urban fantasy masterfully blends light comedic undertones with extremely sensitive and serious subject matters, such as the prevailing issue of suicide as well as potential triggers like sexual assaults and violence.
It is not all doom and gloom however as it provides the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” by instilling a hopeful and inspiring closure to each featured case that this supernatural team attempts to resolve, at times with adorably hilarious consequences but for the most part, are stirringly emotive.
Based on the 2017 Naver webtoon of the same name by Llama (her nom de plume), this MBC production is helmed by Kim Tae Yoon (his first drama) and Seong Chi Wook (Kairos). The screenplay adaptation is written by Park Ran (What’s Mama) as well as Park Ja Kyung and Kim Yu Jin in what is their first ever drama script. Jo Seong Woo and Won Ho Kyung serve as music directors. Principal photography took place at several iconic locations, amongst others that include Seoul’s Dongjak Bridge, MBC Global Media Center, Yongin Daejanggeum Park, and Jung-gu Freedom Hall.
A total of 5 songs are released as part of the drama’s OST, as follows:
Seunghyup Lee ( N.Flying ) - Red Light
Ahn Da-eun - Don't Leave My Side
Suran (SURAN) - When My Loneliness Calls You
Yoo Hoe-seung ( N.Flying ) - Still love you
Ben - My Only One
What I Liked
Without delving too much into the psychological and mental illness aspects, and having not read the source material, I’m just going to comment on the drama based on its own merits and also the entertainment value that it brings as a webtoon adaptation.
To be honest, this drama is deceptively more profound than I initially expected. It starts off comical and lighthearted before steadily tugging at the heartstrings with the emotions and finally evolving into a full fledged sob story (or stories, for that matter). I usually avoid sad and depressing content, which this drama has plenty of, but I appreciate the way that these elements are conveyed and the overall narrative is one that is ultimately positive even if the viewer has to experience the whole gamut of negativity along the way, if that makes sense. The presentation is powerfully captivating and inducive of no small amount of tears.
Among all the individual cases presented, my personal favourites would have to be the earlier ones involving the singer-songwriter and the old army veteran. That is not to say the others are not as good but rather they are compelling in a somewhat more sobering and gut-wrenching manner. I don’t want to scare people off watching this show but you have to be emotionally and mentally prepared for what is to come.
In terms of the production values, Tomorrow is a high quality offering that utilises many special effects, for obvious reasons and which are decently rendered. I love the aesthetic intro which is accompanied by the stylish opening theme. The costuming aspect is nicely done with a range of contemporary, futuristic and traditional (Joseon) outfits. I particularly like the FL’s styling as well as the overall set-up of the Grim Reapers’ appearances. The classy touch to the design and set-up of their headquarters alongside the more unsophisticated workplace of the Risk Management team provides an interestingly vivid juxtaposition to the roles of the various factions of Grim Reapers in the story.
The extensive cast for this show provides some memorable performances indeed. Kim Hee Sun’s Goo Ryun is a character that possesses more layers than meets the eye at the beginning. There is a remarkable duality in her evolution from being the cold and inexpressive leader of the team to one who is emotionally vulnerable yet enduringly resilient. Rowoon is the biggest surprise for me by showing that since his recent appearance in The King’s Affection, he has grown by leaps and bounds in this show as the ML, Choi Joon Woong. I still think comedy would suit him best but there is certainly potential for versatility and further improvements.
Perhaps the most intriguing portrayal of all is provided by Lee Soo Hyuk as the antagonistic Park Joong Gil. This man would make an excellent villain in any production but he is convincing as an extremely grey character with anti-hero vibes as well. Yun Ji On rounds off the main cast with his depiction of the stoic and deadpan Im Ryung Goo.
Certain supporting and guest cast members are worth mentioning for their unforgettable appearances, including veteran Jeon Moo Sung as the ex-soldier Lee Young Chun, the adorable child actress Noh Ha Yeon, Min Ji Ah who plays Ryung Gu’s mother, and Kim Young Ok as Lee Jeong Mun, just to name a few.
Final Thoughts
I was left breathless at the end of it all. Tomorrow doesn’t really warrant major criticism, in my humble opinion. Perhaps the slight comedic tone might come across as subtly jarring, at least at the start, but that general sense of levity eventually evaporates into something intensely complex and deeply heartfelt, if not agonisingly heart-wrenching. A drama worthy of recommendation but not without due preparation and ample supply of tissues.
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An alchemy of genres that went a bit wrong
Take a dose of a classic shonen anime trope and mix it with romcom. Then add some wuxia elements and for the cherry on top, give a historical kpop-like styling and wrap it with a high-quality production. What you’ll end up with, is Alchemy of Souls.Alchemy of Souls (AoS) is a weird combination of many different tropes & genres which make it definitely stand out as a very unique drama. I believe that’s partly why it gained popularity and is loved by many; it has its own special charm.
AoS is easy to watch and overall, an enjoyable-entertaining ride. It may consist of 20 episodes, but it can be easily binged if you feel like it. Watching this drama while it was airing and discussing events and theories with other watchers made the experience a lot more fun. Thus, I highly recommend watching this drama with company.
~The Story~
Even though I quite enjoyed the drama, story wise I had many issues that disappointed me and I wanted to highlight. The story had a very promising beginning but unfortunately, as unique was the style of this drama, as shallow the story ended up to be.
~~The main concept: body sifting
NOTE: If you don’t mind spoilers, read the first review’s spoiler comment for more details about this matter.
As a concept is nothing new, yet if it’s done right, it can make the story extremely interesting. In AoS the rules/grounds of body sifting are very interesting yet the concept of it somehow lacked.
Firstly, biologically speaking it has plot-holes. Since it’s a purely fantasy drama, I didn’t get bothered by it, I just found it funny. With that move though, it was made clear that what really matters in this concept is the soul and not the body. But did any other actions show that the soul matters more than the body? Well, in general I didn’t feel like they did.
When you play with such themes you have to constantly remember where the soul is coming from and its original form, especially if that form comes back eventually. You have to make clear that a soul is “parasitizing” a body. This can be succeeded with several directing-writing ways. In AoS when at first this “parasitizing” was clear at first but started to get blurry from both the directing and writing side.
From the directing aspect, I wanted more audiovisual stimuli of the original soul’s form. From the writing, I wanted to see the persona I was promised this soul has and its gradual development-changing and confliction, which weren’t really shown. This leads me to my next issue.
~~ Development: Plot & Characters
Some would say that AoS is a slow-burn drama. I would say that to characterize a drama like this, the plot has to move, unlike AoS where honestly, the plot is moving slower than Flash the Sloth from Zootopia. Don’t get me wrong though, AoS is an eventful drama, just most of these events don’t escalate the storytelling, they are fillers.
These filler events were mainly comedic & romantic scenes. The writers made sure they gave the audience a decent amount of juicy funny and romantic scenes which provided exclusive entertainment and made the viewers get more attached with the characters. These scenes didn’t offer anything to the plot, so as the drama was running out of episodes I was wondering “I’m having a good time watching, but what about the story?”. From one point onwards, I couldn’t but constantly get the feeling that the writers wanted to win over viewers’ hearts and extend the series as much as possible rather than make a consistent story.
AoS is a fantasy story that has its mysteries. These mysteries made the story very intriguing to watch and many viewers started theorizing about what would happen next. Sadly, even the mysteries didn’t escalate as they should. For example, one of the main mysteries, which was also a very important part of the story, was noticed and solved pretty early in the story process. Yet, it was “explained” so late to the point that when the director finally presented it as a very intense revelation, it didn’t feel intense at all, because it wasn’t anything new.
About the characters, some of AoS them had likable personalities, others didn’t and very few of them had multidimensional personalities. Many characters were just used as mere plot-subjects, love interests or/and they were very important parts for the story but they were never fully explored. About character development, the two protagonists barely had any, and in fact, they were predictable. It’s really funny how static the characters were when the drama consists of 20 episodes with a duration more than an hour each.
The universe of AoS is very well created, I would gladly see another story from the same universe. But about the character relationships of this universe, everything was predefined, everything was forced. From the start it was made clear who are the bad ones, who are the good ones. Even their appearances and acting were decisive. There was no room for doubt, everything was black and white without them getting mixed and creating a gray area, even if the good guys sometimes did the same things as the bad ones.
~Conclusion~
AoS is a drama in which you’ll enjoy the journey (individual moments) but not the destination (the overall story process). The story started really well but lost its main focus as the episodes were passing. Despite that, AoS can turn out a very good drama depending on what you are looking for. If you want to have a good time, laugh and you don’t really care how the story will turn out, then watching AoS is a very good option. If you want a story with more depth, escalation and more complex writing, then AoS is not what you are looking for.
I would also advise you to not have high expectations while watching AoS, you will enjoy it more that way. I believe the main reason I ended up really disappointed at the drama was that due to the amazing first episodes, I set the bar too high and I expected a lot from its story. In the end, the drama didn’t satisfy my high expectations and I was let down. I want to believe that the second season of AoS, writing wise, ends up better than the first one so the final taste this drama leaves in my mind is a more positive one.
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China ONLY shut down the sex on the drama and kissing, but they didn't shut down ANYTHING else and that's what we were given by the writers en masse. This drama was brilliant. I truly loved it. All the boys in this drama are extraordinarily gorgeous. I have no clue in what pits of hell they found them, but dear lord all mighty. I have always said...on the level of hotness when it comes to East Asian guys---Koreans are on the bottom. The ranking is Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Filipino, and then Korean. The Chinese guys all looked like hot vampires with abs and shit and moved in slow motion.
Anyway, all the pairings made sense. Xia Yao and Yuan Zong came together because YZ's sister, Yuan Ru, has a thing for Xiao Yao. As a note, Xiao Yao, rolls with a bunch of his co-wealthy rich kids Xuan Da Yu and Peng Ze. All three of them are of a long line of royalty. XDY has a thing for XY---of course. PZ has a thing for a girl but rolls with a guy to get a girl---irony. Anyway YR asks YZ to get involve to help her with XY---you usually get your friend not your bro (who then seems to be rather psychotically obsessive over XY)...makes no sense---irony again.
However, the greatest irony of it all is that rather than being irritating, nonsensical in some respects; it's truly romantic and you connect with the romantic end of the story). You then understand the story. You want all of the male characters to advance bravely towards their respective partners in their respective relationships; and you want their respective relationships to advance bravely in society.
The drama's title gives way to the ultimate meaning the character's relationships progress go through in the story. I do feel that Peng Ze's relationship was the one that was forsaken in the story. It could have been because his partner was not only the youngest but also the one that looked the most feminine of the group. That would have been a dangerous one to portray on screen too much. I think TPTB could have sold it...but I can see why they kept it at the minimum, but at least they put it in there. PZ's kid is like 21 to everyone else's 27 or so and YZ is 31.
Of course, I'm going to love the second pairing---just like I did with 2 Moons, Xuan Da Yu and Wang Zhi Shui. Slow build up...not enough air time when they did get together. They fulfilled the need both of them were seeking. I liked that Wang Zhi Shui was the most persistent. I don't know why I see them as such a long term couple that I would watch for eternity. I would love to see them with their own short series. I'd like to see Wang Zhi Shui interact with Xuan Da Yu's family if they do show up---his continuous bouts of fear of rejection. Ditto for Da Yu dealing with Zhi Shui's possible nightmares and fears and his backstory which we REALLY don't know all that much about.
AB is great and I recommend it to all.
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Road to Patriotic Boredom
If you look at the stars you may wonder why the low overall score when pretty much everything is rated highly so here is the deal. The story itself is a decent and pretty interesting story, the cast is amazing and the cinematography is gorgeous there are no annoying over the top characters and the start of the drama was so good I even cried in the 5th episode. The chemistry, kisses, dynamics in this are also all good. There are adorable animals in almost every single episode too and not to mention amazing found family and friendships.So basically this should have ticked every single one of my of my boxed and gotten a 10 star rating...
However I was bored out of my mind at times as the pacing of this drama is extremely inconsistent, the flashbacks to the past come seemingly out of nowhere and once we are back in the present something big happened but we never got to see the good stuff as it unfolds.
A lot of time is dedicated to teaching us some type of morals about monogamy, staying faithful to ones partner as well as to mother nation. As I am pretty sure this drama was made to satisfy and recruit wives to soldiers, SWAT team members police etc.... Teaching viewers that saving the nation comes first and a good wife waits patiently for her lover to come home without asking be it a week, a month or 10 years she shall be faithful and supportive and loving...
Unless the guy is unfaithful or beats her then it is ok to get a divorce, seek happiness etc. etc. I am not sure if that counts for men serving the country or if it just for those who have civilian jobs. But it does seem to be clear that the drama is pro divorce, which is a good thing in my book but it was done so wrong I felt like my intelligence was being questioned.
I also found myself thinking:
Will someone please think of the children?
Yes there was one character who seemingly did but one of the kids was tossed around so much the kid must have wonderd where the h*** he was when he woke up. If this is the reality of kids to SWAT people I find myself thinking maybe SWAT captain is not the ultimate job for a single father... But Hey I am sure the guy had his reasons... But I did wonder how hard can it be t to get a job as a regular police officer near ones kid... but then again I do not know s*** about this but did feel bad for the kid, with
or without found family.
However the main reason for dragging down the score was the endless preaching dialog... the repetitiveness of I have to go I can not tell you... I may die..." meets "Ok, I understand" that would have made a killer drinking game, but without one present I was just board out of my mind.
So to sum it up yes this has a lot of potential and good stuff to it but it was not worth it and I should have dropped it somewhere in the middle... But again the first bunch of episodes touched me so I do not regret starting it, but I do regret finishing it.
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1Overhyped undercooked K-drama meal at its peak!
Before starting Queen of Tears:"OMG I'M SO EXCITED" ٩(ᵔ0ᵔ)۶
Ep 1-8: OOOHHH, I'm enjoying!!! (ʃƪ˘з˘)
Ep 9-12: hmmm, ok...umm ( ˙-˙ )
Ep 13-16: EH? WHAT? WTH? (╯°Д°)╯︵ ┸┸
☑️Likes:
✓Leads bickering and them being mean to eachother occasionally
✓THE AUNT!
❎Dislikes:
Everything else other than likes. Starting with -
X FL's mean character and they dragged her sickness too long
X ML being a pushover
X The pacing of the story, it got damn boring at the end of the story, that I had to use +30sec and 2x speed button back to back.
X Slow sloth moments with all ballad OSTs had me yawn in every single episode.
X DAMN PEOPLE CAN CRY, I wouldn't know if I didn't watch this. They cried in almost every episode. Drunk crying, happy crying, cute crying, sad⁹⁹ crying, angry crying and so on.
(I shouldn't have picked this one to watch considering the title being filled with tears -_-)
X And WhyTF did that old selfish geezer escaped from this misery?! He's the root cause of this mishap, now when he saw he is in deep mud, run away without explaining, leaving his offsprings in pain. Strange!!!
If this drama was one of my first dramas, I would have loved it and rated it close to 10. But after watching hundreds of dramas I have outgrown this genre and developed a taste of my own where bleak plots like this completely failed to entertain me. They had big budget, star artists, pretty faces, crystal clear cinematography but lacked to grip attention of the audience with less intriguing plot.
This is an one time watch only. You watch, you finish, you forget and move on in life. But why did I watch? Because my completionist brain said "you've come so far to drop it now, deal with it". >.<
My Rating: 5/10 ʕ–_–ʔ
If I have to explain the drama in one word that would be, "BORING".
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The story could have been really well done if on a larger time scale (therefore why I suggest it should be a drama). It is very sweet but I think should have been more in depth. The story line is something that cannot and should not be rushed, but was. For that reason the characters weren't very strong, which then meant that you didn't have a strong connection to them.
For that reason, the actors, I don't think, could have done much better then they did. I think the main selling point for this film was the fact that they are attractive. That probably adds a lot more to the film then you would get otherwise. The music wasn't too memorable.
Just to note, make sure it is a good subtitled version because I found the version I watched (which to be fair was on a Cathay Pacific flight, so I would have expected more from paid translators) didn't have very good wording with it, and didn't translate what was written down, which seemed to be quite essential (I can't tell though).
Also make note that the ending is the most frustrating thing you will ever see and brings more questions then answers. However if you google it, you find out what the final plot was meant to be and you feel a bit more satisfied. Also look {https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E-qugSxZLA} as it has the deleted scene at the end. The director was an idiot for cutting out the ending because it kind of ruins the film - or at least it ruined a good 7 hours of my flight as I got frustrated for not seeing the ending.
Overall, I would get too frustrated to watch this again. At points I enjoyed the film, but I think it just wasn't well done. I enjoyed the theoretical story line, but wish that it was done better (preferably as a drama).
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What if I said Medical Top Team had a split personality? Several weeks ago, panicking network MBC announced a change in scriptwriters; whether or not a switch actually occurred is dubious. In any case, the focus and tone of the drama seemed to shift rapidly around the same time. What we began with was a somber medical offering, complete with meticulous operations and multitudes of jargon. Cases felt realistically engaging and hospital politics well-written and relevant. Character interaction possessed an understated, slow-burn potential, though most attention was paid to the overall workplace atmosphere. Viewers searching for something more technically sound, like me, would have enjoyed this to the end.
However, around midway, much more focus was placed on individual characters (including romances and personal drama). The result was a marked shift away from the surgical team element, which was sort of the entire point. Other stumblings include muddied simplification in hospital politics, plot-lines hastily handled, and character trajectory which sometimes felt pandering or out of line. Relationship evolution of and between certain characters became the worst offenders of this, especially within the last five episodes. Overall development was incredibly rushed, right up to the ending; little to no focus on romance suddenly becomes episodes without scalpels, but stuffed full of sudden hugs and almost-kisses.
Performances suffer inconsistencies as well, stemming from both issues with the script and fizzling chemistry between actors. This comes from a person with many favorites present in the cast.
For instance, Jung Ryeo Won plays a role lacking in everything from settled back story to likability; her presence can only be called wooden, which is *not* the standard for this talented actress. What worsens the effect is how little spark exists between her and either male lead, though particularly Joo Ji Hoon. Zero chemistry, there, platonic and otherwise. But on that note, Joo Ji Hoon manages to have the best portrayal and most consistent character in the series. Late episodes allowed him to show more range and were very kind to him, though the styling department never was. His work with Kwon Sang Woo (whom I found likable) and Jun Noh Min (twice now, after Five Fingers) was strangely fun to watch. Favorable mentions go to Alex Chu and Park Won Sang, while the huge amount of airtime enjoyed by Oh Yeon Seo will forever have me scratching my head. Her acting wasn't great though she very nearly eclipsed Jung Ryeo Won as female lead, a disappointment of itself: Dr. Seo needed the extra time.
Fine music stands tall as the best element throughout Medical Top Team. Most instrumentals are memorable and suit each situation well. There are also two very nice vocal pieces including the stirring "Firelight," (John Park) and catchy number "Can You Feel Me?" (Melody Day). Other positive highlights include an actual, modern hospital used in filming, deliciously bright color palettes used for sets and clothing, and sharp cinematography.
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The chemistry between Zhang Baoqing and Cai Gua is awesome. I love how Cai Gua manages to show her awe for Baoqing’s scientific knowledge or her attraction for his chivalry while being incredibly annoyed by his sense of superiority. Every time I saw that look on her face, I was like, “I give you permission to smack him down with your longbow.” Good thing Baoqing redeems himself in the second half of the drama. He stops being a condescending big city jerk as he learns to respect her and her hunting skills after their many adventures together where they have to save each other’s life. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside to see him being protective of her. Puppy love is the best.
But the most enjoyable part of the drama is watching the research team (with the assistance of Baoqing, Cai Gua, and Er Bi Zi) separate facts from fiction regarding a legend of a gold mine guarding demon. The drama captivated my attention as the team overcomes village taboos, deadly creature attacks, bad guy sabotage to get to the bottom of the legend. The stunningly beautiful snow covered landscape only make their adventures all the more mystical.
Things to watch for: Solid performance from the young cast. Beautiful cinematography. Villagers’ winter outfits. Family love. Satisfying conclusion to their adventure, until a sudden twist at the end leaving you desperately begging for a 2nd season.
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This drama can’t touch your heart
This is far from being a must watch drama. Actually from the very start, I couldn't dive into the story. Not that the plot was uninteresting, nor the actors that bad, but something was missing or just annoying…This drama is all about changing peoples fate and clearing up injustice. On first episode, 3 characters share the same fate, finding death in a military putsch. Those three characters have been given the chance to restart their lives and were brought back to childhood. One of them (Dou Zhao) is given a book stating future political and social events but also the main events of her life. This book will make her understand that she can change her destiny but also the Nation’s. What a big task ! So of course Dou Zhao is more than smart, she knows everything about everything, from how to make commercial benefits (and generate a fortune) to how to heal people. She also creates a spy network to collect all kinds of information. Such capabilities, for a girl in her early twenties, are far too much ! I admit I hardly stand this kind of characters.
Dou Zhao is the one who can make things change, but also is the monk (Ji Yong). He is now a scholar and a strategist. He recalls Dou Zhao and how they were brought together back to their new life. They are friends but Ji Yong don’t tell any of his plans and even make Dou Zhao believe that he is working with the enemy !
Song Mo (the 3rd character) doesn’t remember anything of his previous life. Why ? Certainly because he needs Dou Zhao’s guidance…to get revenge and to find his true self. Together, they will bring justice changing the nation’s fate and their own destiny. Poor chemistry between those two actors make this drama boring, we have to wait for the last episodes to find some chemistry. Until episode 26, I would think : « The more they are together the less the drama is good ».
In the middle of the drama, the plot is a bit messy, I got lost and felt like dropping the show.
Some characters, like Song Mo’s father and brother were hard to understand. We are supposed to get explanations but to me their behaviors were just illogical or inappropriate even though.
Song Mo's brother turned out to be quite an interesting character at the end, giving some thrilling moments, making the drama a little bit more interesting !
Script flaws, questionable acting and questionable characters make this drama not worth watching.
If you really want to watch this drama, here is my advice : GO STRAIGHT TO LAST EPISODE…
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Everyone did a fantastic job! From Lee Jin Wook as Sun Woo to Jeong Dong Hwan as Choi Jin Cheul! I loved the way everyone played their parts and held your attention whenever they were on the screen. Jo Yoon Hee as Min Young was simply charming. I have to point out that my favorite was Sun Woo's buddy played by Lee Seung Jun was amazing! His portrayal of Han Young Hoon was STELLAR! He amazed me with his expressions, his tears, his joy, just about everything.
Music: I loved how you had a blend of every type of music from the 90's, whether it was western or korean; just about everyone was featured. I loved how the music fit the scene and helped, you the viewer feel what was going on in the scene.
Action: AMAZING!! That's all I need to say!!
Direction and Writing: This team of Director: Kim Byung-Soo and Writers: Song Jae-Jung, Kim Yoon-Joo; they must continue to work together. Studios? Just keep them together!! With this being their second work together (Queen InHyun's Man being the first), this is a team that no other can match!!
Romance: We got real kisses, folks!! Big smack-a-roos and deep soul kisses! I have no complaints on the romance! No deer in the headlights for this drama.
So is it worth 20 hours? Damn right!! Will you be bored? Most definitely not! The ending kind of left you open but what do you expect for time-travel where the cause and effects are definitely shown here brilliantly!! This is now my #1 favorite Fantasy drama!!
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