Reviews

Good overall, but Barcode award worthy performance

For this drama, the title alone would compell me to watch it. The fact that it comes from BOC, the company who gave us KinnPorsche and ManSuang, makes it a mandatory watch. And it was a good watch, but was it up to standard? Well, yes and no. The theme (revenge thriller) is an original choice in BL-land. and for this kind of theme I expect a solid story, taking me to a climax and having me root for one or more characters on the way.

The story is solid enough, theres a clear line, even with the flashbacks and - forwards. But i could not root for any of the characters. They were either too shitty or too obscure to identify with. In the friend group there are a few identifiably archetypical characters, but not all of them are written in to be a real part of the plot. The ones that are essential to the plot are lacking in detail so we're left wondering about motives and patterns, What made Tan/New go so insane? What about Jin makes Phee fall for him?

The only character I could "feel" was Non. Barcode seemlessly goes from sweet and innocent to dramatic and psycho and then to mysterious and sad. It was a thrilling experience that he can do that t such a young age with so little experience. Can't wait to see more of him.

There were some annoying plotholes. What happened to the opening scene? This scene is not in the movie they made and is never mentioned since, What happened to Tee's father? and the most important question: who killed mr. Keng? Since Jin keeps seeing him in the hallucinations, could it be him? And speaking of hallucinations, what kind of stuff is this? And it has an antidote? And it works with just a whiff of it in your nose? But not if you're wearing half a mask? Like I said: annoying and sometimes distracting from the story.

I'm left feeling that if Barcode did not do as well as he did, I might not have enjoyed this series half as much. Go Barcode!

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A beautiful adaptation of a wonderful webtoon

So glad they stuck to the plot of the webtoon instead of making a more audience-appealing and romanticised version.

The casting was amazing- everyone fit the webtoon characters perfectly. I liked how they made Ri-Eul more childish and cuter than the webtoon to counter Ah-Yi’s unbearable victimisation. Yes, the poor, helpless FL was a little overdone- it’s not this exaggerated in the webtoon.

I’m not so sure about making it a musical because the only song that I thought was relevant is the asphalt road song.

I do wish they showed the parrot as much as it was shown in the webtoon because the webtoon showed her as his family whereas she was more of a prop here.

Nevertheless, a great watch ???

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A captivating look into the intricacies of war, wrapped in the charm of old-school sageuk

Plot/Story:
The Goryeo-Khitan War begins with the crucial Battle of Kwiju, a key conflict during the Third Goryeo-Khitan War in 1019. The narrative then rewinds a decade to provide context for the second war between the Khitan-led Liao dynasty and the Goryeo dynasty. Set against the backdrop of the Third Goryeo-Khitan War, the series meticulously explores the tensions throughout the Second and Third Khitan invasions. It also depicts the challenges Goryeo faced following the Second invasion and how the dynasty united to face the impending attacks from the Khitans.
The drama, despite containing some anachronisms, is still mindful of historical accuracy. These anachronisms enrich the narrative, emphasizing the importance of national unity and adding some edges to otherwise perfect characters. This approach can slow the pace, making it feel somewhat dragging. However, with patience, the payoff is quite satisfying. Even with these minor modifications, the series stays close to historical truth (based on my research on Wikipedia and Google) and kept me engrossed in a world of politics and impending conflicts, and even kept me at the edge of my seat despite knowing the outcome.
At its heart, the Goryeo Khitan War is about human strength during war. It deeply explores reactions to conflict and political plans linked to war. It shows power struggles, ambitions, alliances, and betrayals that affect the outcome of battles. It also focuses on how characters grow through these challenges and how this changes their perspectives on life and humanity.

Character and Relationship:
Just like in most traditional sageuks, politics, court intrigues, and epic battles take center stage in this drama. However, the true stars of the show for me were the characters and their very human stories. King Hyun Jong, who evolved from a naive figure into a powerful leader under the mentorship of Gang Gam-chan, is a character that I found endearing. Their bond forms the pulsing beat of the show, symbolizing the perfect dynamic between a king and his minister. It's all about loyalty, reciprocal appreciation, immense capability, and heaps of trust.
Yang Kyu's character strikingly portrayed the harsh realities of war and the steep price of victory, which deeply resonated with me. His struggle against adversity and his spirit in the face of overwhelming odds painted a vivid picture of the human cost of war and the sacrifices made for victory. One thing to note is that since this is a war drama, female characters mostly occupy peripheral roles, yet thanks to the superb performances and concise writing, they still resonate as vivid and authentic. I particularly appreciate the portrayal of the enduring marriage between Gang Gam Chan and his wife, and how, despite decades of marriage and constant bickering, her unwavering loyalty shines through.

Acting/Cast:
The cast, packed with familiar faces and veteran actors, brought their A-game to this sageuk. Choi Soo Joon's portrayal of Gang Gam-chan is impeccable, as expected from the King of Sageuk. His performance captured Gam-chan's essence in a way that was both captivating and genuine. I was also impressed by Kim Dong Jun's portrayal of King Hyun Jong. His transition from uncertainty to authority was smooth and convincing, embodying the regal air of a king as his character evolved. But the real standout for me was Ji Seung Hyun. His portrayal of Yang Gyu tugged at my heartstrings. He encapsulated the harsh realities and raw emotions associated with this historical event, painting a vivid picture of not just the physical struggles, but also the emotional turmoil faced by the characters.

In summary, to me, "Goryeo-Khitan War" is more than just a historical drama. It's a captivating exploration of personal growth, power struggles, and the intricacies of war and politics, all wrapped in the charm of old-school sageuk. Unlike many modern sageuks targeting younger audiences, or those blending with fusion sageuk subgenres, this drama is a refreshing change of pace. It stays true to its style and prioritizes historical accounts over romance or fantasy. If you're a fan of classic sageuk, this is one for your watchlist.

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Another boring human-fell for a supernatural-drama

I was excited when I first heard of this, knowing that Netflix produces promising and really interesting shows. However, the drama just fell flat and did not show anything new. The story is about a woman (KYJ) who fell in love with a Demon (SK) because some circumstances forced them to marry each other.

Cast was very promising. Kim Yoo Jung, I believe, is one of the best actresses of her generation. I mean the girl is acting since she was a child. And, she's one of the reasons why I was excited for this drama. She actually delivered Do Do Hee to the audience very well. Song Kang, hmmm, well his robotic acting did not help him on this one. I mean, I watched Love Alarm and was rooting for him, but his acting hasn't evolve yet. He was just not able to show emotions on specific scenes. Some scenes expects him to be scary, nope same face. Another scene needed him to show grief, nope same face. I still believe in him, maybe this is just a wrong project for him.

The plot is like a combination of fictional love story cliches. The family drama is also not that interesting and a bit over the top. I get it children is fighting to get the business their mother built but, is it worth killing each other? The plot twist was very obvious. However, I really find the eldest son really scary.

I actually am very disappointed with this one. I was just able to finish this because of a long holiday vacation, out of boredom.

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Just What I've Been Needing From a Show

I don't tend to leave reviews, but I love shows that delve into the dynamics of teen girls, bullying and mental health issues. And Pyramid Game ticks that box! The pacing's great, the humour works, no scene lasts too long. So far, there's been very little focus on characters outside of the main class. The main characcter is ballsy, and has a lot of gumption - she's very brave and tries to instill that in others too.

I started watching the show this evening and have already binged the first 3 eps. I wish I could stay up and watch more! I went to an all girls high school too, and whilst we never had anything quite like the Pyramid Game, we definitely had some similarities with some of the dynamics between my classmates. It's been a bit of a trip.

I just wish this show was on a streaming platflorm so it was more accessible internationally. As I'm sure this would be way more popular!

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had me giggling

honestly.. i really enjoyed this series. i remember watching it a year ago, it was a series i always looked forward to whenever i was done with classes or needed something to watch when i was eating or just bored in general. i am a SUCKERRRR for enemies to lovers. but the fact that they sprinkled a little fake dating in there had me undeniably hooked.

INDEPENDANT WOMEN!!!! LIKE YES WE LOVE THAT I'LL EAT IT UP EVERY TIME!!

the comedy in lthy was comedying and the romance was romancing. i felt almost painfully single, it is genuinely one of my favourites.

I BEGGG PLEASE WATCH THIS!! IT'S SO GOOD

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Japanese Korean cultural merge

It's a cute start of a rom-com with Japanese and Korean fusion. Foodie nuances made it a warm interaction between the leads & the plot is pretty good too.

Like the legend of the blue sea mermaid, FL can hear inner voices of people but with ML she couldn't understand the language of his thoughts as he's Korean and this is where the show gets interesting.

A beautifully setup office rom-com, story weaved intricately with hints at villian being someone close in 4 episodes so far. Waiting for the rest of the episodes.


Some subtitles are missing when the ML thinks in Korean & FL couldn't understand.

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Interesting and Inspirational sports- business drama

I had no interest in watching this initially thinking it was fully about sports and I am kind of that lazy person who is not really fan of any sports and has no idea about how Baseball works. Lol But I read some article about it recently and thought to give it a try now (Feb 2024) and I was pleasantly surprised because I really enjoyed it.

STORY:
It is basically an inspiring story about how a sports club which owns a Baseball team is going through bad times and how a new strict manager turns their luck around. He changes the whole system, weeds out corruption, etc etc. Even though it is kind of predictable, the story of how these things are achieved is the highlight of the drama.

Acting is stellar and has many heart warming scenes. I was happy that there was no romantic feelings b/w the leads and it was only a strictly business relationship b/w them as I kinda shipped the 2nd ml with Fl. :)

Overall a good pick me up drama !

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Currently my favorite C-Drama

The story when they were still school student until they became an adults is amazing. The story is very natural and the scenes are all what we experience in life.

Personally, I do not feel like the ending is rushed or dissapointed with how the story ends. I think this kind of story does happened in real life. It just shows how strong the love that the characters had.

In the novel, it is from FL pov and I think its nice. We don't need to know the ML's pov to enjoy the show.

The first time I feel attached to this drama is from the OSTs. At first I was only enjoying the story and feel relate to them but the OST makes me feel very attached and have strong sympathy with the characters. The OST start playing in the college part and I feel like I am their own best friend. Everytime the OTS played, I almost always cried because the of nostalgic feeling. Although I don't understand the lyrics, but I love it all.

I have read the novel and the story is quite different. This drama contains more events than the novel. In the novel, the ending is not really shown. Its an open ending but we know that finally the FL likes the ML.

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This drama always come at recommendation section. So I finally just decided to watch this. Quite happy to watch this....

Kawi is a person that's always had Inferiority & low self-esteem, cause he's always didn't have enough money & that's also affecting his social life. One thing that Kawi regret the most from his university days is he has crush for Praemai for years, but never dare to confess his feeling. And one day, he received wedding invitation of Praemai & Pisaeng Jirawarakul. Unlike Kawi, Pisaeng is a popular guy at university.

When Kawi received the wedding invitation, he recalled back his feeling for Praemai. He looked back one broken snowball, that he intended to give her back in university days but couldn't due to it's broken. Now he tries to fix it before giving it to her for wedding gift. While he tried to fix it, he met one grandpa that said he can fix it. He did fix it & also giving a little surprise for Kawi, which can transports him back in time to the age of eighteen. Upon realizing it, Kawi determined to change his future with Praemai. And his journey begin...

The funny thing about playing with time & future. U can't guarantee u get what u want when u change the past. Kawi tried to fix his relationship with Praemai & a few times he turn it back to the future to see the result. And much like summary said, instead kawi fix his relationship with Praemai, he find himself closer & closer to Pisaeng. And kawi relationships with Praemai get worse & worse over time, and Praemai future herself also getting worse & worse with each changing. And unfortunately the time can't turn back for the second time. How Kawi gonna fix everything in the end...? Haha... U need to watch it urself...

Enough with the drama. Now what i like about this drama.
+ Kawi is interesting person. He seem selfish at first, but he can reflect himself & fix it to make everything better in the end. He dares to admit his own feeling & mistake & embrace the result in the end.
+ How in the end Pisaeng also experience the feeling going back to the past. How & when...? Stt.... U need to watch it urself. Haha...
+ The interesting changing relationship between Kawi & Pisaeng.
+ Praemai is one positive woman. She didn't self pity herself & don't hold grudge. She's one good friend.
+ The interesting concept of butterfly effect. How little decision that Kawi made really effect & changing the future...

Overall this quite good drama that can teach us something... Below is a little SPOILER!!! Read it with ur own risk.












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SPOILER ALERT!!!
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What i don't too like:
- Everyone characters seem a little shift everytime Kawi time travel. Like in one future how Knot & Kwan having secret affair & that's continue for long period until Praemai & Knot wedding, while Praemai didn't know about it cause Kwan didn't said anything all those years. But when Kawi return back to the past Kwan decided to tell Praemai about her affair with Knot. Maybe due to the change in chances of relationship between Knot & Praemai. But I mean the shift character here is Kwan, how at first she kept silent, but later she more honest to Praemai.

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