Reviews

Excellent Start. Good Middle... Rocky Finish.

this drama has everything I like in a drama. Excellent plot, great acting, fabulous chemistry, character growth for at least the leads, and a journey I'm invested in as a watcher. With all that said... why not 10 stars? Let me sum it up real quick...

The beginning was excellent, the pacing was on point, and I was invested in the journey the leads were on and loving the storyline/character development.

The only gripe I have about this drama is after the 5-year time skip. And it isn't because of the change in personality of the ML... that actually made sense. He'd been through hell and back. No one at 25 is who they were at 15. No one at 35 is who they were at 25. I get it.

The real issue for me is it seemed like the leads (both FL & ML) seemed to have regressed in the things that had gotten them that far in the first place. Thinking fast on their feet, being able to get the upper hand, and also the ability to have a straightforward conversation with one another. They spent a LOT of the last 1/3 of the drama not sitting down and talking about ANYTHING. They were always 1-2 steps behind the villains and were blind-sided ALL the time. They played defense (and not well) the entire last 1/3 of the drama or more until finally the last 2-3 episodes where they finally had epiphanies about how the game should be played and how to get the upper hand.

IDK. I guess when you go on a tough journey like this in a drama where the FL/ML suffer a lot and work hard to climb from the bottom... you expect them to... be smarter? More scheming? More "on their toes" or at the very least not working at a LOSS for 12+ episodes? This made it a bit of a struggle to watch but I did still enjoy it. If the 2nd half of the drama hadn't done this, it would have been an auto-rewatch for me and an auto-9.5-10 stars. But instead it firmly sits at 8-8.5 for me and likely not something I'll rewatch in the future.

fyi... another gripe is the main villain's ending. not good enough for me. not only that but how magnanimous and forgiving the FL was towards a few people. Just STOP already. It's OK to not forgive and to be glad some of these folks got their comeuppance! Why did she have to go literally out of her way at the end. The FL was already well established as forgiving, kind, generous, etc. We didn't need to make her go this far in the end.

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Revenge can be so Satisfying

In an era when school bullying remains a serious problem, The Glory feels particularly relevant. The drama is highly emotional, especially for someone like me with a strong sense of justice. The bullies are so vicious and cruel - almost psychopathic - that I absolutely hated them. Then there is Dong-eun's useless, drunken mother, who should protect her daughter but is more interested in money, and the teachers who turn a blind eye because the bullies come from wealthy and influential families. They are all equally infuriating.

This review covers the complete series — both Part 1 and Part 2 — rather than looking at them separately as they are streamed continuously.

Perhaps this is why the drama is so satisfying. Moon Dong-eun grows from a helpless victim into an intelligent and calculating woman capable of matching her wits against the people who destroyed her childhood and dashed her dream of becoming an architect. Of course, someone carrying that much pain is unlikely to emerge completely unscathed. Dong-eun is damaged, obsessive and consumed by revenge.

This is where The Glory becomes more than a simple revenge story. When a country's legal and policing systems fail to protect the innocent and deliver justice — especially when the perpetrators are too powerful to be held accountable — people may feel driven to seek justice through dark and personal revenge. Dong-eun's revenge is helped by others who have also experienced pain and suffering and can understand her.

The drama becomes a fascinating game of psychological warfare as the two sides counter each other's moves, while Dong-eun cleverly uses people on the fringes of her enemies' lives to get closer to her main target. There are morally questionable moments, and revenge sometimes takes dark and disturbing turns, but there is still an undeniable satisfaction in seeing the perpetrators finally face the consequences of their actions.

I did have a few minor quibbles about realism. Can someone really learn Go and become that proficient so quickly? And could a teacher realistically accumulate enough money to finance such an elaborate revenge plan, including a car and a separate apartment used mainly for surveillance? I also wondered whether chauffeurs and personal assistants would really go to such extraordinary lengths to cover up their employers' crimes rather than expose them.

These, however, are minor issues. The emotional tension kept me thoroughly invested — so much so that when Dong-eun appeared to be contemplating suicide towards the end, I was thinking, if she dies after everything she has been through, I am going to 'curse' the screenwriter and director!

The cast delivers excellent performances, with Im Ji-yeon particularly outstanding as the main villain. It is interesting to see her in such a different role from her leading role in Royal Nemesis.

Overall, I found The Glory highly entertaining, dark and immensely satisfying. The bullies will make your blood boil, but watching Dong-eun cunningly turn the tables on them makes the journey worthwhile. It is a gripping revenge drama about what happens when justice fails — and the victim decides to take matters into her own hands.

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Good beginner KDrama

This was my first introduction to romance KDrama. That being the case it was a fairly new experience and one I will not soon forget. The drama centering around the workplace is something that I do not have experience with but the drama brings together the sticky situations that can arise if you were to play with romantic relationships in the workplace. The overall theme of love conquering all is placed in full view when it comes to the settling of the shows most toughest conflict. I will be taking some things that the show touched upon such as finding yourself and being true to it. Overall I would recommend it!

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amazing series

this series I had expectations and it met them. the actors chosen are perfect for this series, the female leads acting dont get me started. she acted pretty well, the male lead acted so well. He also acted in dream to you and the second couple in the series and from then I wanted him to be the male lead in some other series bcz he acted so well. so when I got to know abt my bias my boss I had expectations and it met them and I was actually watching a shop for killer s2 so this was a total 180 degree from her character in a shop for killers. I was pleasantly happy with the love triangle. the female character knows what she wants and rejected the second male lead. so far now neither the series nor the love triangle has disappointed me. So I am really excited for the upcoming episodes. And it is a good rom com. So I suggest whoever has not watched it yet to watch it.

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True character development

When this show was announced, I wasn’t sure on what to expect because the leads have acted before and I didn’t really like it. However considering it’s been directed by the same director who has directed several shows which have all been phenomenal, I decided to give it a try.
The setting— spectacular. From the costumes to the makeup to everything, it was really impressive.

The acting is what has blown my mind. Ancy Deng has improved so quite a lot. She looks matured and her acting shows drastic change from her previous roles. Ding Yuxi has always been a promising actor to me but again he too looks mature now.

The small details played an important role in this show. I love how they showed how the couple have matured, not just by their dressing but also the body language. Zhao Lings walk when he was still working with salt was entirely different. He was young and carefree and his body language spoke for his personality and now that he’s actually an official, his walk is refined, and it actually feels like the military has changed him. The same goes with Tingyun, her open hair and girlish personality changes rapidly as she grows into a woman of nobility and respect. Her hair style changes from one of a young woman to of a respectable capital lady with that bun. Huge respect to whoever has actually put in so much effort in these details.

My personal favorite- Wen Zheng Rongs acting is phenomenal. I’ve admired her for so long over her acting bcz she doesn’t get a lot of screen time or lead shows but whatever she plays– she’s actually seen as that character. In The Glory I actually hated her in the start (the character), but I ended up crying at the end bcz SHE IS such a good actress that the emotions are actually seen in her acting.

Though a great show, I felt like it wasn’t balanced. The starting was good, the middle not boring but it was light so by the time the ending episodes came, it got really heavy, it gave me a headache.

Also a side observation— almost all the side characters have been played by actors who’ve worked in some or the other popular show 😂

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The Cdrama version of a Hallmark Christmas movie

This show is pretty much your run-of-the-mill historical romance. The premise, characters, and plot are all very typical. But, nothing across the board is done that well. It’s also not quite the fun and lighthearted romp I thought it would be- there is some comedy, but it’s not really a focus, and I was kind of disappointed it wasn’t more funny.

At the same time, this is a show that won’t hurt you. It won’t make you sad, angry, or stressed. It’s just kind of sweet and feel-good, like fluff fluff fluff. Sometimes it’s nice to just turn off your brain and watch something that follows a tried and true formula- maybe not the best version of that formula, but good enough.

The show has a band of friends solving cases, which is usually fun, and the show does try to give them personalities and roles. But honestly, I was not too attached to any of the characters, good or bad. Their relationships are also all pretty straightforward. There are three romances, and this is the kind of show where nobody gets a moment for growth or reflection. Whenever anyone has an emotional moment, their love interest will just happen to show up.

Actually nothing- relationships, characters, plot- is that deep in this show. My overall emotional engagement was quite low.

The cases themselves are mildly interesting, moving along fast enough that you don’t get too bored. The show covers decent ground in 20 min x 24 episodes by not wasting too much time. It’s actually even shorter than it looks- the grand mystery is pretty much solved by episode 21, with a reveal that makes embarrassingly little sense. After that come 3-4 episodes of cute romcom fluff, with half of each episode devoted to fluffy vignettes that seemed like they chronologically occurred during the body of the show. Kind of an interesting way to structure the show.

For acting, I’ve seen Ding Jiawen in various supporting roles before, mostly playing more young / innocent characters. From this show’s poster, I was excited to see him be silly again (I loved him in Love Beyond the Grave), but it turns out this is a more stern and serious role. Well, I am happy to see him in different kinds of roles, but I think the others suit him better. Across the board I thought the acting was only ok. Maybe something between the production, acting, and script, but sometimes I felt like I was watching a high school play, it just felt very... acted out.

The styling is also really bad. The costumes are actually pretty creative and color coordinated, but they don’t look that good on the actors, and the hair and makeup are some of the worst I’ve ever seen. Everybody looks worse than they need to.

For the music, the OST is mostly cheery pop songs, though they don’t play that much. I actually like cheery pop songs and they’re not bad, but it contributed even more to the feeling that there isn’t much to this show except sticky sweetness. For the BGM, I mostly didn’t notice it, except once in awhile I heard really faint piano music that sounded like noise.

Overall, the best analog I can think of for this show is a Hallmark Christmas movie. It’s not that special, engaging, or even well-done, but sometimes this sort of feel-good brainless thing is just what you need. Not bad when you want a show that won’t keep you up binging or thinking about it.

ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS





This ending is strange. I do like it when a show gives us special fluff stories after the conflict is concluded, but this many episodes of it is kind of strange. Even more, there is a cliffhanger stuck in the middle of the last episode.

Actually the whole mystery threw me in for a loop. By episode 18 or 19 I thought it was so obvious- they’d given way too many clues. Then it turned out to be some other random guy, though not fully explained. Then in the last episode, they’re like, no no PSYCH it was who you thought it was all along, AND BYE!

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Light -hearted rom-com perfect for a chill day

I will start with what I enjoyed most to what I enjoyed less :

✅️ The costumes & cinematography :

Park Eun Bin looks absolutely beautiful in all her outfits 😍. I’d expect nothing less from a rich heiress character like hers. And Yang Se Jong’s suave look? Simply gorgeous! I’d say their visuals complement each other so well.

✅️ Acting, character, romance & chemistry :

The entire cast delivered solid performances. I absolutely love Ma Gang Uk character. He has officially earned a spot on my list of green-flag MLs in K-drama land. I really enjoyed watching our Glove Couple. Their romance was cute and sweet, and the leads had such good chemistry. Honestly, their chemistry was the main factor that made me rate this drama higher than I probably would have otherwise.

✅️ The humor :

I really savoured the humor here. I liked that it wasn’t overdone, yet it still managed to make me smile, giggle, and even laugh out loud at times. Notable mentions: the humor in the early episodes, the scenes featuring the ML and his two assistants, and the scenes involving the two grandmothers.

☑️ The plot :

Watching the early episodes of this drama reminds me so much of The Master's Sun, where the FL also has the ability to see ghosts. The plot was indeed cliché, but I still really enjoyed it. I especially loved the first 5 episodes. There were even some scenes that genuinely scared me while watching at night 🥶. However, I still enjoyed the rest of the episodes too—especially after I started using the 3x speed function whenever the family feud drama came on screen. I have to mention this: the bloopers at the end of Episode 12 were pure GOLD! 😂 I wish more dramas would include bloopers in their final episodes too. It’s such a fun way to wrap things up!

☑️ The OST :

While none of the songs stood out as favorites for me, they fit the story perfectly.

🔴 Conclusion :

My rating was between 8 and 8.5, but I settled on 8.5 for the reasons I mentioned above. The plot of Spooky in Love was pretty basic and nothing particularly new you would forget the plot after months but I think what made the drama better was the romance and chemistry between the leads, along with the humor.

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Every BL fan, no matter what generation, needs to watch A Tale of Thousand Stars at least once

Queer stories weren't really appreciated in our household but somehow we decided to give A tale of thousand stars a chance. And honestly it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made.
It felt like seeing love through a completely different lens. There was something incredibly beautiful about watching two men slowly find their way toward each other not through grand gestures or instant romance but through patience, understanding, vulnerability, and all those little moments that made their relationship feel so deeply human.
What stayed with me most was how naturally their feelings developed. A glance, a conversation, a small act of care, even the slightest touch could carry so much weight because the story took its time. Their slow burn wasn't just about waiting for them to fall in love, it was about watching them learn each other, trust each other, and slowly become important to one another.
The acting, direction, writing, cinematography, and storytelling all came together beautifully. Everything felt intentional. The mountains weren't simply a setting,they became part of the story itself. And phupha and tian's journey wasn't simply a romance—it was also a story about finding purpose, learning from your mistakes, understanding other people, becoming brave, and discovering who you are.
I didn't expect this series to change the way I looked at love. But it did.
A tale of thousand stars didn't just give me a romance I loved. It gave me a different lens through which to see love—one that felt softer, more patient, and more human.

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Severely Underdeveloped

TLDR: I thought everything from the story, to the lore, to the character development, to the romance was significantly underdeveloped. Very disappointing. #JusticeforRangwhoshould'vebeenthemcandmainplot

Full Review:

I liked the lore/history/magic parts of this drama the most, even though it was severely underdeveloped. I wanted to know A LOT more.

The side story with the brother and his development and learning Yeon actually does care for him was really good.
I also liked the vet and Yuri's romance. I liked Yuri and Rang's relationship too - I feel it's rare to have opposite gender friendships this deep in dramas. I just wish she didn't have to cry 99% of her screentime; makes me think the writers must've hated her or her actress.

I had zero interest in the romance, this too was severely underdeveloped in my opinion. And creepy ngl, she meets him in her previous life when she's like 6, and then he spends her entire modern life watching her (again from the age of like 6) and we're supposed to be fine with this romance? I don't mind massive fantasy age gap romances when they're both adults or around the same age from the start, but he's hundreds of years old and has known her since she was a child (both times!) so it's just fucking weird in my opinion.

I'm gunna be honest, I shipped Jia and Imoogi more than her and Yeon. It felt like there was actual tension and feelings when they were in the same room.

I absolutely could not stand the grim reaper. I dunno what the showrunners/directors were thinking but she's incredibly unlikable from start to finish and is absolutely horrible to her husband the entire time (shame it took him 13 long-ass episodes to finally leave her), and while we get the most basic of reasons as to why she's a complete dickhead and they start trying to redeem her in episode 15, but it doesn't land at all in my opinion because at no point are we shown any remorse nor any turmoil going on with her, she's just horrible to everyone including her husband who does EVERYTHING for her.

Also, the absolute lacklustre when she got her parents back gravely disappointed me. I was expecting a lot more after 20 years of not seeing them, but they're at home and all they do is hug, the scene ends after like 2 minutes.

Rang was done absolutely dirty. He's easily the most interesting character on the show and his character development was the most interesting too - his storyline should've been the main plot if we're being honest. Him, Yuri, his doggo, and Sin Ju growing from trauma together and making a fam should've been the main plot.

I only watched this drama all the way through because I wanna watch all of Lee Dongwook's work. If it wasn't for him, I would've dropped this show around episode 12.

I expected much more from this drama in all aspects overall.

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