Reviews

Maybe its not for everyone but its sure for me

First off, This is my second BL i've ever seen and i watched it on the Mandee Channel on youtube. i adore this story so much, its Definitley one i can put on in the background and watch.

I LOVE all the mains, Newnu, Zee, Max & Nat, They all have great charater chemistry together, i saw a video where someone was hating on Nat and it made me cry becuase he os just a little bean. Yes he always plays the cute roles but thats just his style but he does it so well, If given a bigger, more "powerful" role, he'll be able to do that too. - maybe i'm bias becuase i have the same personality as Nat.

Zee & Newnu's chemistry is literally unmatched, they have so much tention and chemistry in real l;ife (Probably because they are dating) that there on screen Chem is electric.
Max& Nat also have really good chemistry on and off screen

My favorite part(s) of the entire show is anytime Kuea changes into Kiriin because Nu looks so good in this style of clothing, and i lovehim riding the motorbike, - i'm bias because i love anything with a motor bike

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watch this when ur watchlist is empty

I had really been anticipating this since its announcement and even tho it was pretty good it definitely does not make it to the top....
About the story line: the plot line is amazing, it's something different and plus the fact that it's a historical drama just adds to its charms. I really enjoyed the first couple episodes or maybe till like the 7th or 8th episode but then it just started lacking in places like don't get me wrong the story was still very much there and progressing but the pacing was just too slow....at the start i didn't expect the marriage of the 3 daughters to be stretched for all 16 episodes but it did....given that it's a romance drama i did expect the leads to work on their relationship and feelings but it was more like just a push and pull from both sides and then in the 15th episode we see some real progress with those two.....the other couples have great stories of their own and they are elaborated enough given their screen time but with the leads again something was just lacking.....also one thing i absolutely hated was the relationship shown/made between the 1st daughter and the crown prince....it was just absolutely baffling and borderline disgusting.....they could always have casted an older person to play the crown prince and i think this is a big mistake on their part. Also the episodes between 7th/8th episode and 14th/15th episode felt a lot like fillers and didn't really contribute much to the plot n stuff so it would've been much much better had they shortened this to 12 episodes (which is a really great step nowadays imo)
The characters and acting: All the actors are really good at their jobs, at portraying their characters .....i specially loved the character of sun deok's mother in law i really think she stole the show with her greed her madness her understanding her flaws and her intelligence...it is always an interesting scene with her and u really start anticipating her next moves and everything........
This show did have the potential.....i mean look at the cast, the storyline, everything....but it just lacked somewhere
Honestly I think I could only finish this because i was watching it while it was airing and had to watch just 2 episodes per week....it wasn't something i was really curious about after every episode.... tbh i don't think i could've binge watched it and most probably would have dropped it midway....the romance between the leads was just meh their was not much chemistry and honestly in the finale i expected much stronger emotions with the two of them but the reactions were lukewarm at best.....also the ending didn't really cut it for me even tho it was a happy ending....
All in all even tho it is pretty good it can feel a bit lengthy and stretched...but if ur thinking about watching it for ur fav actors or just to pass time....pls go ahead and enjoy yourself

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Humans are scarier than evil spirits

Fantastic drama! The storyline was so surreal and amazing, it will make you hooked on to your device until you finish it completely. But there are some drawbacks tho. For example, Sanyeong's mom was dumb and stupid till the very end, and I would say selfish too. She only thought about saving her daughter I agree, but in the process she endangered her. Her quest in saving her daughter was running away from every dire situation. She even concealed Sanyeong's father's family secrets and was acting like a lunatic everytime Sanyeong asked about it. She really pissed me off. Hongsae was a brat at first, but his senior's death changed him, and thank goodness for that, cuz I could not tolerate two annoying characters at the same time. He was greedy for promotion but later realised the real meaning of being a civil servant. Now coming to the evil spirit, Hyangi. Damn, she was a real tyrant, just because she wasn't loved by anybody. What I understood from her backstory was that, Hyangi didn't mind being poor, she wanted that happiness that was snatched from her by her own acts of selfishness and greed. When she said, "Why can't you love me?" to Sanyeong's mom, I felt her pain PHYSICALLY. Getting killed because of some psychopathic heiress of a business company wanted her husband's business to flourish, was seriously the most painful part, as Hyangi's teenage and the rest of her life was snatched from her without her knowing. That's why, humans are lot more scarier than evil spirits, and conclusively, this drama was super fantastic. Probably the best work of Kim Taeri.

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endless tug of war

Let met starts off with their NC scenes - It was hawtt af! soft porn is all I can say! phewwwh. However............

SPOILER!!: It takes almost 8 episodes; which equals to roughly "8 hours" of my watch time for you guys to finally get together?!!

I get it. When someone broke your heart it sure takes a while to overcome it, let alone to accept them back in your life. But then, having the privilege of making an hour of drama, you ought to be put more emotions rather than expanding the mellow effort of trying to reconcile with one another - repeatedly!

I’m mad actually!! Annoyed. How can the side couples have more drama, angst rollercoasters with one another and yet overcome them with the episode; but the main couple stills in tug of war for 7-8 hours! Arghhhhh.

I do find it somewhat awkward having a senior who used to have a crush on you; is now with your brother and currently living together. But then I admire their openness and understanding towards each other; which lead to a loving family with barely any jealousy in sight. Janus & Bomb is beyond adorable. I love their relationship.

Cheque (Venus) sure has a nice voice though. His singing is too adorable & when he’s on his low voice - MAIGOODNESS! Tod (Sky) is sweet and so mischief. My favourite part was when he cheered for himself at the bed & furniture selections.

~ WELP

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Beautiful, Wholesome, Charming and Sweet

I don't even know how to explain how beautiful this series is, I don't have an explanation either, I just think this is one of the most charming and wholesome series I have seen in a while.

EP 10 - Made me extremely sad, but also it felt strangely comforting. The fact that they had the little excerpt about Choco in heaven but then we saw clips of there journey together.

Jungwoo & Choco - These two need another wholesome series together, their chemistry is one of the best ive seen in a while. Choco's buff tall body matched Jungwoo small self so perfectly. They were made to act together

Uncle & Milk - Even though we didn't get much from these two, everything they shared was beautiful. Milk was confused on his feelings for Uncle because he had came back for Jungwoo but found love in the process was just photography. They also had extremely good chemistry together and I hope to see them in more

Overall - The episodes were so short, I really could've had them easily be 40 ish minutes, and not got bored or tired with them. With Season 2 (Hopefully soon) coming, I hope they make it has wholesome and sweet as the first episode. I also hope the EPs can be a little bit longer

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Doesn't hold up in 2023 for me. Waste of time.

The only thing worth in the entire drama is the main couple. Every other character other than the main pairing was so badly written. I understand one or two characters scheming or being annoying but not every character other than the main pairing. The entire story relies on using side characters to show how good and noble the main pairings are. That's it. That is the whole story. There was no character growth or redemption arc for other characters. Just a sorry or let's be friends again in the last few episodes to reach a happy ending.

At least storylines in dramas have improved tremendously in 2023. When I Fly Toward You (2023) was such an awesome drama in comparison with nicely fleshed-out characters and main pairings not requiring dumb or evil characters around them to make them look good.

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Incredible Acting

Story:
I started after seeing the critics reviews. Mostly positive though audience review was poor. Once I began, it felt like this was labeled as a wrong genre "creature". This should have been titled Gyeongseong 1945 or something. Because the story is character driven and I must say Park Seo Joon delivered a tremendous performance in this one. Han So Hee and so does the rest of them did their part neatly. Not high-octane was the only reason people thumbed down I guess. But if you are looking for a character driven, heavily colorful, neatly oriented and glimpse of a creature hunting down soldiers and people apart, this is a must-watch. If you want to watch something that would push your adrenaline, I would suggest going somewhere else.

Acting:
Best TV series of 2023 in terms of acting. Park Seo Joon nailed the role again. Jang Tae Sang is a role as complex as it gets and perfectly embodied by Seo Joon. Colorful, historical and vulnerable Joseon in 1945 with experimental labs and monsters is like a super-combo for the watchers. Not high-octane but a brilliantly character driven story from all angles. Each actor neatly did their part. Han So Hee at the ending episodes killed it. The emotional scenes were perfectly depicted by her. It's a powerful combination with two of the brightest stars of South Korea along with other powerhouse actors. The trapped hospital and the monster did make my heart beat faster. There were enough scenes to keep the storyline fresh. Great Directing, Great Acting and great scenes. Though, it isn't not high-octane with the creature only in limited scenes, it still managed to thrill me. It isn't a creature drama rather a character driven Joseon in 1945.

Direction:
The direction may seem off at first but slowly it became poised in a singular tone. The acting of Park Seo Joon keeps the drama alive till the very end. A fresh, new and charismatic look along with the new language from Joseon Era seemed to have met perfectly by the cast. 6.8 doesn't seem to do justice to the series considering the level of effort that was put into it. I would suggest anyone who is looking for a character driven story with minimum thrills to watch the series. If you are looking for only monsters and high-octane thrills, this will be disliked by you and as I can say from the rating, immensely disliked. But critics reviews were mostly positive since they are unbiased and don't have hatred in their heart. And they were also not expecting only monsters in a series. Most critics labelled it as a 'hit' rather than miss. So, watch for yourself.

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This series would've been better if they didn't have the same kind of stories about ex, twin siblings, misunderstandings & all. Why do in every modern C-Drama they have to add misunderstanding & ex, it's damn annoying.

I liked all the actors' acting, not mind-blowing or over-top kind but decent enough to watch.

Su Ying is a kind-hearted designer who always thinks about others' feelings about hers & is also a workaholic. This is my first time seeing Elaine Zhong. She did good.

Qin Yun Sheng is a cardiology doctor but, because of his past, he switches to the emergency department. I watched Leon Zhang performance before in Ancient Love Poetry, although I have watched only the last 10 episodes of Ancient Love Poetry. He also gave a good performance. I liked his shy smile.

I hated Yang Zheng Wen throughout the series. I liked the actor Zhang Tao in Nothing but You so much, but here I hated him.

Tian Mei is an annoying character. She is selfish, naive and only thinks about her own benefit. Tian Yi Tong character was also annoying in Lie to Love.

Su Ying relationship with Xu Ming Shi, Cao Xiao Ye, Cai Chen was something I enjoyed watching and her friendship with Du Hui Xuan.

Du Hui Xuan & Qin Yun Sheng have a really understanding relationship. They trust each other. But in the end, the writer ruined it with that stupid misunderstanding.


There was something missing, maybe more scenes between the main couple would have been better.

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i stayed for the slowburn subplot romance

For someone who likes watching these kind of shows, this one didn't feel like a copycat of others I've seen. While some parts are confusing because of two or more cases being solved simultaneously, it didn't really affect my watching experience so all goods. I was really impressed at some of the sequence of case solving being done, not all but notable ones. Quite a variety of murder mystery too. I think my down point is when Dr Qin talks to the dead and their wrongdoing are being downplayed. I understand how it humanize them but not all of them really did well when they're alive to be pitied being dead but anyways some are also touching, a closure of sorts and connection of a medical examiner to these people he examined.

The squad is alright. They could've made the criminal unit leader a bit smarter tho. It sometimes bothered me how they wouldnt be able to solve any without Dr Qin. Hopefully Ke will find his significant other sooonest. Overall, i really like the team.

And mostly the reason I stayed is the slow burn loveline between Dr Qin and Lingli. I loved it so much. The way they look at each other, their team work, their understanding of each other. That's my type of slowburn subplot romance. And it didn't disappoint me until the end. Them not having a lot of scenes is something i weirdly like because i always look forward for them to meet and when they do i squeal and heart flutters. When they talk ughh such mature interaction between them was what i lived for. Theyre made for each other. Lingli would be someone who will never be bothered by how Dr Qin still love his passed gf. I hope they heal each other and live happily with their family in their apartment overlooking the river.

This wasn't perfect in any way or even impressive or impactful but my rating is based on my experience while watching it. I binged this for like 2-3 days. I didn't even fast forwarded that much. Overall, i really enjoyed this show.

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I love Rising With The Wind soooooo much!!!

Everything in this drama is PERFECT!!! I don’t know what to say, but I know all cast and crew have done a hard work. Business story is easy to understand, and love lines are soooooo good for me! All Ost. are beautiful and I’m waiting to listen via Apple Music or other music streamings.

I love Gong Jun and Zhong Chuxi more and more! Xu Si / Jiang Hu’s relationship and their character developments make me crazy in love with them. I think their business certificate is everything more than marriage certificate. It’s intense, I don’t know how to explain my feeling. Gong Jun is always good-looking (I’m falling into him, someone helps me) and Zhong Chuxi is my pretty girl (She’s the reason why I watched this drama, but everything is masterpiece, so I stay here.)

And I want to admire Wu Xuanyi and Gao Zhiting. They have done their great jobs and fullfilled this drama too! Their love line is interesting and warming my heart. And every cast is PERFECT! I love all of them, obviously.

I assure I can say the word ‘PERFECT’ for a thousand times to Rising With The Wind. I’ll rewatch this drama as soon as possible, because I love it!!!!!

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Lost potential

I don’t usually write reviews. But I managed to finish this show and want to dissuade as many others as I can from spending unnecessary hours of their lives on a show that unfortunately did not live up to its potential if they have any alternative way to spend their time. I read reviews before watching and expected some of the faults but not all.

What I liked:
- I found the costumes to be very beautiful but usually it was side characters
- I liked the overall story and was invested in its central conflict
- Chinese historical dramas often have, imo, bland side stories with confusing relationships but those were kept to a minimum.
- There were aspects of the FL’s personality that were warm and kind and could help me imagine why someone might fall in love with her for reasons other than just a pretty face

What I Didn’t Like:
- Story became repetitive and the same story could have been not only delivered but better served by 24 episodes if not fewer.
- the FL’s acting was more horrendous than I was already anticipating based on the comments and reviews. Almost completely unbearable. She ran awkwardly, her facial expressions were exaggerated and often didn’t match what was happening—it reminded me of the male models from Zoolander. She wore a pout even when there was nothing to pout about and twisted her face around a lot.
- Character inconsistencies: how the FL was able to evade capture so often with just the tiniest little shove was unbelievable. Seemed like lazy writing or they should have gone with a less weak acting angle for her. I can think of many other examples.
- This story didn’t adhere to basic logic all around but mostly this foolishness was concentrated among the four leads. People made decisions that, from a logical standpoint, made no sense. This got worse as the story progressed.

I really liked the premise of the story but the execution left so much to be desired.

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Im-Siwan giving another iconic character: Jang Byung Tae, the dogged warrior against bullying!

After the iconic Jang Gu-Rae (Misaeng), Si-wan has given us another legendary character as Jang Byung Tae. Words would not be enough to praise this idol-turned-actor for every diverse role he undertakes. At 35 years of age, he plays a high-school boy with such finesse which I doubt actors of that actual age would be able to deliver. His latest work, Boyhood, deserves to be added into his ever-growing list of amazing works & personally for me it has wrapped up my 2023 Drama-Year beautifully!

⭐ STORY SUMMARY:
In first half - we meet Jang Byung Tae, a meek school-boy, oppressed all his life by bullies, no matter how many school he changes. He has been "whooped" so much that he and his family assume it to be his destiny & he has no other meaning/dreams from his life. By a comedic chain of events - in his new school he is mistaken to be renowned bully/fighter than being someone who is bullied. He gets to live life on the other side - but all good things must come to an end, right?

The second half - reveals the truth & once again Byung Tae is miserable as bullies oppress him and his friends. He reaches his breaking point & when his friends/family make Jang Byung Tae realize that his life is meaningful & he is not someone that should just be bullied. He vows to fight the bullies to end this cycle of violence so that one day he and others can wake up to enjoy life as they should. But in face of the oppressor, can Byung Tae emerge victorious as a true Dragon Warrior?

❤️ BEST PARTS OF THIS DRAMA
In short - EVERYTHING! But let me break it into main TOP 3 (rest under detailed review)

1. Hitting the right notes of nostalgia through the music, cinematography, story & acting by all that made me experience 1989!
2. Balancing the serious issue of bullying with apt comedy, action, cute romance & friendship of youth!
3. Im-Siwan: he proves his acting chops again. Dialogue, face expressions, dancing - is there anything this man is not good at?

OVERALL:

Very rarely you come across dramas that remains true to its premise & expectations. Boyhood manages to deliver it through the acting, action, music, story, friendship and romance - making it one of the best dramas of 2023 for me! It wrapped up neatly in 10 episodes, which ensured no dull moments, even pace & satisfactory conclusion. While Si-wan is the highlight for me but the above factors intertwined with his character's journey beautifully making this a delight to watch.

Would highly recommend to watch, it would be worth your time & I am confident land up as a drama high-rated on your individual lists.

Im-Siwan, yet again has all my heart ❤️ what a talent! He already has recognition for his work, cannot wait for it to go to another level/global in his future work (especially counting it for Squid Games 2)

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❤️ DETAILED REVIEW - of parts that I loved in this drama

• The Dogged Spirit: Laughing in the face of bullies
Throughout the series, it delves on bullying & it's effects which we face head-on with Byung Tae & his friends. The gravity of the bullying will make you somber & is more prominent in the second half of the show. The seriousness is cut through with apt comedic situations, dialogues & acting - making it a perfect blend of comedy . The show will give a lump in our throats, misty eyes but loads of laughter!

• Im-Siwan as Jang Byung Tae:
In his role as Jang Byung Tae, Siwan is exemplary right from his dialogue delivery, his stances (as the bullied guy & then the change as he learns to fight), the pouting, the crying, the cute dances. Literally everything this man does is par excellence & a delight to watch. TBH, I would just ask the readers to simply go & watch the show only for Im Si-wan. He is one of those few talents that are rare and needs to be watched, re-watched, recommended at every opportunity we have.

• Soundtracks, Cinematography & Acting:
Without downplaying anyone - I consider Byung Tae as the only main cast & rest support him in his journey. The story of Byung Tae & his youth cannot be told unless sharing about the bullies, families & friends. The actors in these roles all bring in their A Game in execution, making us relive the 1989 rural life of Korea through their adventures. Their unique stories & characteristic quirks blend seamlessly in Byung Tae's personal journey from being bullied to fighting for justice! Aiding the acting is the right location, make-up, fashion, camerawork & props that is sure to hit the nostalgia button - as you watch their school life, places the gang hangs out in and the awesome fights!

The music is diverse: tracks that are plain fun, soulful renditions that define our relations of our youth - friendships & romance, & dance hits of 1980s K-POP. All the tracks may not be memorable, but each of them fits perfectly into the scene that is playing.

DOWNSIDE:

1. I wanted more romance between Byung Tae and Ji-Yeong:
They have a lot of sweet moments which are cute & so wholesome. But since we are used to K-dramas having a confession/kiss scene initiated by the ML, I blame this unconscious bias of mine for finding fault here. Right from the start we know they are tight & even without the drama explicitly showing it - I know where these two are headed in future, in terms of romance. But human me is unable to overlook this minor thing.

2, What is the ending for Jung Gyeong-Tae and Kang Seon-Hwa?
Given the evil forces they are - again I know where they could be headed, but I guess I would have liked it to be shown that being implicit/open-ended.

The above issues are very minor, personal opinions and it does not impact the overall magnificence of this drama. It still remains as one of the best dramas of 2023 for me! This drama had everything - good storyline, great acting, fitting soundtrack, beautiful cinematography - truly a hidden gem of this year & I cannot wait for more people to discover & enjoy it! ❤️

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This drama have best storyline very different from cringe types cdramas thats why I like it

This is absolutely amazing drama
story line is very different and amazing when I first saw this drama I was not planning to watch but later when I started I was amaze 💗both lead chemistry is very nice to me yes if there was a lake of reactions so its a fault of director to make scenes more romantic .
But music makes the scene more awesome one of the best drama ost and you should try watch it and judge by yourself because everyone have there own taste .
Liqin acting was just fab she is one of my fav actress
the scene when she realize he wants to kill her ,her reaction was amazing👌👌 that scene was superb
Allen acting is also amazing his character is cold and rude guy type and he portray it very awesomely 👌 btw story is the main point 👌i really like it

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