This review may contain spoilers
one of the best romance kdramas i watched lately
Perfect Crown was honestly such a fun watch for me. The plot was interesting from the start and it never felt boring, which I really liked because some dramas drag a lot in the middle but this one kept me hooked. The pacing was pretty solid too, not too fast but also not dragging, so every episode still made me want to continue right away. I also really loved the set design and overall visuals, everything looked so pretty and royal and fit the story so well. Even the villains were annoying in the best way possible, like they really made me mad but that just means they did their job well lol.And the romance?? omg I was fully invested. The chemistry between the leads was seriously so good, like every scene between them had that tension and softness that makes you want to keep staring at the screen. Their moments together were not just cute, they actually felt meaningful, and I was fangirling over every look, every small gesture, everything. The leads did such a good job too, especially with how they brought out the emotions so naturally. You can really feel their connection and it makes the whole love story hit harder.
Overall, I really enjoyed this drama a lot. The ending was satisfying for me and it left me feeling emotional in a good way, like sad it ended but also happy with how it wrapped up. Perfect Crown just has that kind of charm that makes it easy to get attached to, and for me it was one of those dramas that stays in your head even after finishing it. Definitely a really lovely watch and I would for sure recommend it to other romance lovers.
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Beneath its luxurious and seductive aesthetic, the narrative belongs to a form of highly sanitized “historical fiction,” where historical facts, royal etiquette, and traditions are handled only superficially, almost carelessly. For viewers unfamiliar with the historical or cultural references being evoked, the experience can feel satisfying precisely because it demands no intellectual engagement or contextual reflection. Ultimately, the series offers neither genuine political reading, nor sociological depth, nor any meaningful reflection on the systems it portrays; instead, it accumulates a succession of images designed to be instantly “Instagrammable.”
Luxury thus becomes a narrative language in itself: prestigious cars, yachts, designer brands, lavish interiors… As for the work of the elite, it is portrayed in an almost caricatural way, reduced to repeated images of elegantly dressed characters sitting in front of computers inside refined offices. This sanitized representation of power and wealth contributes to a highly codified contemporary fantasy of social success, where appearance matters far more than actual function.
The lead actor, undeniably very handsome, is himself filmed as an aesthetic object. The direction fully embraces this catwalk-like presentation: slowed walks, flattering camera angles, and carefully composed shots constantly emphasizing his image, as though he were perpetually walking on a fashion runway. Here, he once again embodies the archetypal role audiences have already seen in many contemporary dramas. As for the chemistry between the leads, it works — though with certain reservations. Their acting is neither truly poor nor particularly remarkable; it simply remains effective within the standards of youth-oriented idol dramas.
The writing itself feels largely generative, assembled from already popular references. The opening episodes seem vaguely inspired by the media image of Harry and Meghan, yet in a fully softened and romanticized version. The visual universe and overall concept also strongly recall The King: Eternal Monarch starring Lee Min-ho, to the point that viewers familiar with the genre are no longer genuinely impressed either by the beauty of the aesthetics or by the fantasy-monarchy concept itself. This is especially true considering that the latter drama largely surpassed this one in terms of production and, direction
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Realistic but frustrating
To be honest, I watched this drama a long time ago, but at the time I hadn’t discovered reviews or MDL yet! 🤣The acting was really good, I have to say. Although I’m not usually a fan of Moon Ka Young based on the dramas I’ve watched so far, she played her role very well here. Yoo Yeon Seok was excellent as always, and Keum Sae Rok felt very realistic too.
The plot, however, was something I didn’t like. Okay, I understand that it’s a realistic drama and that every character had their own personal issues, but still… the indecisiveness made me furious at times. I couldn’t stand how much Ahn Soo Young focused on the hesitation she saw in Sang Su. If it was such a big deal for her — understandable. Move on. There was no need to play with both his feelings and Jong Hyeon’s feelings.
By “playing with his feelings,” I mean all the constant back-and-forth behavior: getting close, pulling away, returning again, and then abandoning him again. Why? It wasn’t healthy even for her.
Mi Gyeong was controlling and manipulative because she knew Sang Su had feelings for her “friend.” Another manipulative thing she did, at least in my opinion, was trying to become close friends with Soo Young. Although she knew Sang Su wasn’t in love with her, she still pursued him, and in the end she got hurt, even though she knew from the beginning that his heart wasn’t hers. A bit delulu? Yes. You love at your own responsibility!
For the other guy I have nothing to say because for me it was like a side character in the whole story!a guy there is just to fill soo Youngs gap!sorry for Jong byeon,but to me he was just the other guy existing!
This is the kind of drama where the characters’ issues keep repeating over and over again, and at some point nobody even considers therapy. Soo Young kept running away from situations until the very end, and the reunions after several years felt unrealistic.
Her relationship with Jong Hyeon never really stood a chance, just like Sang Su and Mi Gyeong’s relationship didn’t. But honestly, even the relationship between Sang Su and Soo Young never truly stood a chance either. It was toxic. There was lingering attraction and yearning between them, but that was all. I never felt there was actual love. Their personal problems and emotional complexes were stronger than their feelings for each other. 🥲
I also would have liked to see more character development because the situations kept repeating like a cycle without the characters truly improving. Even by the end, I never felt that Soo Young had really changed. It honestly felt like she could abandon him all over again. That’s why the ending didn’t feel satisfying or hopeful to me — it felt unresolved in an emotional sense, not just in a romantic sense.
Even the open ending was frustrating to me. In the past, I probably would have wanted them to end up together for the fairytale ending, but as an adult now, I understand that realistically they wouldn’t.
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“A shameless man with a wicked smile meets a tiger bodhisattva — and I may never recover.”
I don’t think words are enough for what To My Shore just did to me.What started as curiosity turned into complete emotional destruction.
Fan Xiao — shameless, wicked, manipulative, devastatingly charming — is the kind of character you should hate, yet somehow end up smiling every time he walks onto the screen. That wicked grin? Illegal. The audacity? Unmatched.
And then there is You Shulang — composed, restrained, heartbreak wrapped in quiet strength. The emotional weight he carries hurts in ways I genuinely did not expect.
Their relationship is messy, dark, obsessive, painful, magnetic — and somehow heartbreakingly beautiful.
Yes, the chemistry is insane.
Yes, the tension burns.
Yes, the spicy scenes deliver.
But what truly stayed with me was the heartbreak. The longing.
The emotional ache of two people crashing into each other, hurting each other, yet somehow becoming each other’s shore.
By the end, I wasn’t just watching.
I was grieving. Healing. Smiling through tears.😭😁
And when that reunion happened?
God.
Some dramas entertain you. Some dramas leave scars.
To My Shore possessed me.
Watch it.
Then watch it again.
Then stare at the wall wondering how anything else is supposed to compare.
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Funny Superheroes Done Right
Good drama. It has action, humor, great chemistry between the characters, and interesting personalities. I think it’s the perfect kind of project for a franchise (I’m almost sure there will be a season 2). The concept itself is also quite original. In short, it’s definitely the kind of drama you can watch as a couple to spend a pleasant evening together. The superheroes are genuinely very funny, and Eun Woo, as always, is charming and incredibly likable.Of course, Park Eun Bin carries much of the project on her shoulders as a talented actress, thanks to her natural and energetic acting. And Eun Woo brings glamour and charm to the drama… The other characters also deserve recognition, although some of them are a bit too stereotypical, which is probably the only downside. On the other hand, the special effects are well done, and the cinematography is good too.
The director also did a solid job — he managed to make everything work convincingly and bring all these elements together successfully. The two other superheroes are incredibly cute and funny. In fact, the humor revolves around these three characters (3 Comic relief characters) , while the others remain serious, and it’s precisely this contrast in tone that makes the drama so entertaining.
As for the casting, the heroine has some similarities to the character type from "True Beauty". They clearly didn’t want to take risks and chose a formula that already works. Apparently, this kind of casting matches very well with Eun Woo
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Teenage girls can have real storyline in GL
After watching the 6 episodes of Shades and waiting for the rest… wow, what a series! I absolutely loved Shades and the stories about these teenage girls in this strict private school, especially the dynamics between the girls.Amy, Sophie, Nano, Jane, Earn, and Belle all have really interesting backgrounds that make them different from one another, while still connecting them in some way.
I found the themes explored in the series really interesting: underage sex work, grooming, and the dynamics between teenage girls during adolescence, with all the emotional intensity, rivalry, power struggles, and complex relationships that come with that stage of life.
I honestly didn’t think the storyline involving Teacher Nalin would interest me that much, but now I really want to know what happens next, especially with Teacher Mink.
Even the intimate scenes are well done and feel believable, which makes the series even more immersive.
I’m really excited for the rest of the story: how will Sophie and Amy’s relationship develop, especially with Sophie’s mother involved and Amy’s own relationship situation? Will Earn and Belle finally take the next step and get together? And what about Jane and Nano—will they resolve their debt issues and maybe grow closer?
One thing I found disappointing, though, was the kiss between Jane and Nano happening while Nano was drunk, since in my opinion she wasn’t in a position to give proper consent.
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historical problems than romance
start - the plot everything was good, comedy characters I wanted to give it 10middle - good same as the start
romance - was slow in start then suddenly fast, random,forced I can't believe people rating it 10 ? this kdrama felt same as cdrama, ml clearly started liking her ,but FML wasn't interested in him at all ? they didn't show anywhere how she started liking him too ? she's suddenly mutual? from slow it felt fast and rushed - I don't mind because everything was good, the slow burn part should've been a little longer? they get together too fast and early I think ?
last - worst part from 7-8 I think ,when I saw the contract I did felt it will leak , it really did ? here comes a loop of problems where the couple just got together and they divorce already? or story focus completely on historical problems , so for 2 whole eps they were doing everything to slove this problem, I lost interest ,the drama was already short why create problems 😭? i really liked it in start , I just decided to drop because even the romance wasn't completely satisfying for me, they did deceive but why no one find how it leaked? and the FML friend is actually supporting the villian ? the sister in-law father tried to posion ml and that friend hides it seriously?
the issue here is only with writing it was a 10 from me before 6 after 6 I it dropped
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Too hard to swallow
As the title says, it's a story of multiple personality. The beginning sees this jerk (ML) , that runs an amusement park, lay down different stupid rules to make us feel he's very petty. Then we flash to a scene with a gorilla that is running thru the park and people screaming. There is a woman that is running away from the gorilla but for some reason decides to stop at the jerk and hold on to him. He bites her and tosses her on the ground, with the gorilla prancing around her. Next enters the FL calls him and e comes running to her. She is the owner of the circle and the jerk tells her he's cancelling them from the park. She gives him the phone with a video of him biting the woman and tossing her on the ground and he then says he'll renew the contract, but wanted to keep looking at the video and she lets him keep the phone, with having a back-up of that video. After she leaves he has his flunkie erase the video and tear up the renew contract.The ML has a multiple personality and he's going to see his doctor who thinks she's found a cure. The FL meets him as he's leaving, but he brushes her off, but she follow him to the university his father owns, and is stopped from entering the university grounds? As he
s walking to the doctors office he looks out the window and sees the FL zip lining across the two building and she just happens to wind up at the same office the jerk is going to, but the doctor is l=on the floor with a pool of blood by her head. She screams and runs out the door with the guy he attacked the doctor on her tail. The jerk sees this and he also starts running. He gets to the elevator, opens the door and he pushes her away from the closing door. The attacker the starts choking the FL and the next scene you see is the jerk gets out of the elevator and looks up and in another building 3 stories up the Fl is fighting the with attacker as he's trying to toss her off the building. The jerk runs up and tosses the attacker off her and she falls over the edge and he jumps after her!! As in every kdrama, modern or Joseon period when the lead falls off a high stop and is to live there's always WATER and not just any water, it has to be 100 feet deep so they can slowly fall deeper and deeper.
None of this makes any sense. How did she get up top, how did she put a zip line out, how did she happen to "zip" to his doctors office, how did the guy stop choking her from the elevator and carry her all the way up to a top floor, how did her get out of the elevator and get to the top floor before she was pushed off and why was the lake so deep right next to the building?
I just had to end this farce and wonder how old were the writers?
PS> I liked the actors
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when the remaining 50% are the most interesting.
this drama is a good natured absurd comedy, and i say that with all the affection in the world.they took three of the most interesting actors in south korea, dropped them on a remote island with fake identities and bodies that no longer obey them like before, and said: “figure it out.” and it worked. completely.
the concept is already a joke in itself. a former elite n.i.s. agent who cooks in a chinese restaurant without being able to collect debts from customers. a former north korean operative considered a human weapon who lost his memory and has no idea who he really is or what he carries with him. a former crime syndicate boss who runs a small grocery store and spends his time packing lunchboxes to impress the policewoman he likes. if someone told me this as a premise, i’d think it was slapstick comedy. but no. it’s a spy thriller. with andropause. at the same time.
shin ha kyun carries the weight of being the serious man of the trio, with the expression of someone who waited ten years for a mission and the mission never shows up, but his wife does. oh jung se is pure chaos in a body that no longer remembers why it’s dangerous until it does, and then everyone around him is left speechless. and heo sung tae, happy with his quiet life: former number two of the hwasan gang, running a small grocery store while his only henchman, the loyal gong bok, eats fried pastries at ho-myeong’s restaurant pretending to be a normal customer.
what excites me for the rest of the series is exactly the balance that is still being built three forces converging toward the same point without knowing about each other’s existence, a villain with bigger ambitions than he lets on, and a prosecutor who pretends to step back but keeps moving forward. there are enough pieces on the board for this to be very good. the question is whether the series will have the courage to play them all well.
the main thematic bet the idea that at fifty years old there is still half a life left with potential is not subtle, but it is honest. and in a drama about men the world has already already considered obsolete, honesty matters more than subtlety.
it’s not perfect yet. but it’s exactly the kind of show you start on a friday night with no real expectations and find yourself at two in the morning trying to resist the next episode.
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Amazing chemistry and characters! Very satisfied w/ tempered expectations about the political plot.
Oh. My. God. I absolutely loved this story, but more specifically, I loved the characters. It's very much a character driven story to me, and the actors all do a great job of making you feel for them, whether they're a main lead, villain, or side character. Usually, C-dramas don't spend much time on the "village life" arc of the main leads. However, the time spent on the bond between the main leads and side characters is what made the rest of the story compelling, even when the climax was not as big as what the rest of the story built it up to be. It serves as the foundation for the FL's down-to-earth personality, the ML's humanization, and it makes you utterly invested in the world they and their friends live in. There were multiple scenes that I watched multiple times because the camera angles, the dialogue, and the actors pulled them off so well. So many surprise reveals pulled of *so* well. I can already tell I will be rewatching this drama for years to come. Only regret is that I won't get to experience it for the first time again.I loved that the strong female lead archetype is refreshed with the element of being a butcher, and I love that ML largely lets her fix her own problems rather than using his strong, influential male lead magic to make things easier for her. She earns everything truly by her own merit. I love the comedy that comes from their differing social positions, and their chemistry is off the charts! Zhang Linghe does an amazing job balancing ML's two sides, one that is utterly devoted and a simp for his wife and the unrelenting, ruthless Marquise. It never feels forced or like whiplash. I saw Tian Xiwei in "New Life Begins," and I knew she would absolutely nail the part of FL. Every trope is served in a way that makes sense for the story and doesn't feel like it's stuffed into the story just because (except for the excessive FL tend to ML's wounds to create forced tension, especially at the beginning). I also must say I am a sucker for whenever the ML falls first and *hard* for FL.
This drama, as other people have pointed out, does suffer some discrepancies due to the 40 episode limit. There are scenes where you just know there was meant to be more. However, this drama never feels awfully disjointed. My expectations for the court life and political scheming was already tempered; I had heard from many people who had read the web novel that not nearly enough time was spent unraveling the very complex events of 17-years-ago. I have never read the web novel, but after watching the drama, I view it as a story much more devoted to our female lead's development and the main couple's devotion to each other. There's a large dose of political intrigue, and I feel given the restrictions, the ending was still relatively well-paced to me. I am very willing to make that exchange for the time we spent on their time in the village and on other battle fields. I think you'll be very satisfied going in knowing that the political plot is not as elaborate as the novel, but the story still does an amazing job of making us fall in love with its characters.
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Not perfect, but definitely worth watching
My opinion and feedback are totally subjective, and considering the huge fan following Pursuit of Jade has amassed, I hope I don’t offend the hardcore fans of the show. The 9.1 rating on My Drama List became one of the deciding factors to watch Pursuit of Jade, besides the cast. I had not watched any of Zhang Linghe’s shows before Pursuit, so I had no idea about his acting skills, but the actress is a known one (watched and loved her a lot in New Life Begins).The story is not very unique. It has all the elements that a period drama is expected to have: a hero/heroine in distress, seeking revenge, a royal house planning and plotting, and a dark past that clearly affects many lives in the present. Nevertheless, it’s the screenplay that determines how the story unfolds and characters progress. Pursuit of Jade does a really good job in this area. Characters evolve and grow (at least most of them do). The subplots and the supporting cast have done a great job as well. The music is not exceptionally great, but worth remembering. Besides the romantic numbers, there are a few exhilarating pieces that blend well with the storyline.
The actors: Pursuit of Jade is full of great-looking actors. The whole Zhang Linghe beauty admiration doesn’t look like hype at all. He surely is a gorgeous-looking man, and not to mention, he looks utterly gorgeous in the traditional Chinese period drama costumes. The wigs have enhanced his looks 10 times; even in that bee sting headgear which he has worn twice during his grand entrance, suits him. The actress is a beauty herself and shines in all the scenes. Even the bad guys of the show are great-looking men. The romantic scenes are shot beautifully, tastefully, and in a truly aesthetic manner. I am glad that Chinese dramas have progressed in that department, where the kissing scenes look real and passionate. Keep up the good work!
Now, a few things that I didn’t like and honestly don't understand. In my opinion, Pursuit of Jade could have been summed up in 32-33 episodes, max 35. There was no need to make it a 40-episode-long show. There were a few dragging subplots and scenes that dragged a bit too long. The part where the FL is separated from her little sister and the ML, is dragged somewhat too long. The scenes consisting of violence and gore were too many. The ML was healing and getting wounded at the same time. The FL was tending to his wounds and nursing him back to health after every 2nd or 3rd episode. It was mentioned in the beginning that the young sister of the FL was ill, and they even tried to show that in one of the scenes where she breathes heavily. That’s all! That was the only time when she was shown to be a bit unwell. The character of the FL’s former fiancée, who later became the intern scholar, was not used to its capacity. There were more possibilities for his character, but in the end, he turns out to be a failed and dejected man who drowns himself in drinking.
No period drama is complete without political conspiracy, and Pursuit of Jade is no exception. I understood very little of why there was so much mess in the royal court, and why the emperor was acting all juvenile and dimwitted. However, I liked the romantic angle between the Grand Princess and Gongsun Yin. There were many other challenges that I came across in keeping up with the plots aside from the Main Lead’s romance (that was definitely easier to get along with and understand).
I may revisit the show sometime and then may understand the parts that I totally missed and didn’t try to understand, as I was more invested in the lead pair’s story.
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christopher boonying
do not ask me how many times i have watched this i could not tell u its a daily requirment i love them so much their chemistrey is everythgign and surfjava is just sp peak salt and pepper 67 i might be glazing but this is so peak everyone must watch and yeah more surfjava when we need a full series of these characters i love them so much and if anyone has oh's pants hit me upWas this review helpful to you?
tis show my life lowkey
this show is a classic and is always so peak on every rewatch watching thie for the first time changed my life i like to rewatch it on ym flip phone it really adds to the show and firstkhaotungs acting is always great SANDRAY IS MY LIFE love that arctic monkeys comes into play in this show it brought sm happiness into ym life to here my favorite band be mentioned in a show i really like alex turner we will never hate you and yeah wish the yuri was in it a little more but life goes on forcebook and neomark did a good job too forgot to mention my kings i used to hate bostonnick sm but now i love them and miss them but im glad they had a more realistic ending also the ost never disapoinyts i listen to it everyday mainly on my flip phone i really love my flip phone and know the song word for word it helps me live i need it to survive also i stand by that ray is not a red flag fire emoji fire emojiWas this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
What I expected...
When I started watching Soul Mate by asking from ppl I know and comments, I was really excited, I expected an emotional and meaningful story about love, healing, and connection. But honestly, it just felt like the show kept adding sad things only to make people cry. There was suicide, illness, grief, loneliness, abandonment, death — one tragedy after another. After some time, it stopped feeling emotional and just felt forced.My biggest problem with the show was the relationship between Ryu and Yohan. The way the series was promoted made me expect a romance or at least a deep emotional love story, but their relationship never really developed. There were barely any romantic moments (I understand it was a very discreet and non verbal love wt no intimacy, and not much emotional payoff, but their barely had a sentimental HUG when needed). The show kept calling them “soulmates,” but I personally never felt that strong connection between them. They barely talked
one - a - one. Honestly, sometimes Ryu seemed closer to Sumiko than to Yohan, which made the main relationship even harder to believe (Considering they were Soul Mates for real).
Another thing that bothered me was the writing. A lot of the dialogue sounded unnatural and too slow. Big emotional moments happened, but I didn’t feel connected to the characters enough to really care. Some serious storylines, especially the suicide attempt and grief, were handled too quickly and didn’t feel realistic. Instead of feeling emotional, I mostly felt distant from the characters.
The pacing and editing were also confusing. The story jumped around so much that sometimes I couldn’t tell how much time had passed or how the characters were supposed to feel. In the second half especially, the series started to feel messy and unfocused.
The acting was probably the best part. The actors did a really good job with the script they were given, and some emotional scenes worked because of their performances. The cinematography and music were also nice, although sometimes the music felt too dramatic, like the show was trying too hard to make viewers emotional.
What disappointed me the most was how the series focused so much on queer suffering without giving enough happy or warm moments in return. Every time something hopeful happened, another tragedy came right after it. By the end, I wasn’t heartbroken — I was just tired.
When Yohan is about to get seriously sick and Ryu goes to him to be wt him in his "final moments", that alone was supposed to have crushed RYU'S feelings ONCE HE WAS HIS SOUL MATE, but to my surprise she had hidden from him that his supposedly ex- partner was dying and he accepted almost instantly.
Overall, Soul Mate had a good idea and strong actors, but for me it became an overly depressing story that confused sadness with emotional depth.
NOTE**** They completely forgot about Arata. Who almost got handicapped and never to be heard of him again (?)
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