Reviews

Hidden Gem

"A good person isn't someone who is just nice, but someone who changes others into nice people" — love to hate you, ep. 9

Y'all...I am gaggeddddd! I don't think there is a better feeling in this world than when you stumble upon a hidden gem like "Love to Hate You" randomly and end up loving it. This mature rom-com has pulled some strings on my twenty something year old heart and I couldn't be more grateful.

It's so FUNNY? Like, belly-laughing, coughing up water, snorting type of funny??? I absolutely LOVE when an entire ensemble visibly has a funny bone because, my god, there wasn't an episode where I wasn't dying from laughter. The plot isn't something you haven't seen before but they just do it so well. The line deliveries are incredible, the chemistry is INSANE (like let us breathe for a sec...WHEW), and lessons learned from the characters are unforgettable. We are who we are because of the people around us and we too can change because of them. Heartbroken this drama is only 10 episodes long but I think they have done us all a favor by doing that because I would have become insufferable, like actually.

If you're looking for a light-hearted rom-com that falls more on the mature side, I *highly* recommend watching Love to Hate You. It has everything and more and not the mention the four leads are FINEEEE. Wherever you lie on the sexuality spectrum, GOOD LUCK, because they do not play with the visuals in this drama.

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Overall worth a watch

I haven't seen the original, nor did I know this was based on a different drama until after I watched it.
This drama was binged over the course of two days and I have no regrets. Previously, I'd enjoyed the ML in Business Proposal and Dr. Romantic, and I'd loved the FL in Vincenzio, so I had high hopes.
I will say, the FL did just okay in this drama. Maybe if I hadn't watched Vincenzio I would've enjoyed this one more, but the scenes where she really shined in this story were moments where her character was similar to her previous role.
The ML was great in almost every scene and really sold the story.
I do have to note, however, that it seemed like the two lead actors never quite reached a level of physical comfort with each other because the affectionate scenes didn't come across well. I know both the ML and FL can do better, so this lack of chemistry between them (in this romantic drama) knocked off a full star.

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Beautifully cinematic, unlike any other bl/y series drama

This is one of the most beautiful pieces of television I've seen in any genre.
From the start the series doesn't feel like any other bl/y series I've seen. The pace is very relaxed. Lead ins are long and cuts are often extended. The characters all have space to breathe, and we have the space to empathize with them. The series isn't littered with product placements, and yaoi tropes are kept to a minimum (partner feeding, wiping each other down, peeling shrimp etc.). There is very little of the standard Thai drama sound-effect punctuated drama-comedy dialogue. Important scenes often reach their crux in silence rather than against the background of a thai-pop crescendo. Overall the series feels more like a very well shot film than it does like a Thai drama series. It features a complex story, overcharged emotions (director New's hallmark), and touching romance. It's not a series for those in search of flesh however. Watching the series is an exercise in catharsis, not titillation. (Though I suspect that beyond the camera's eye that Ongsa is a pretty wild lover.)
The story is a romantic fantasy in which time travel is the fantasy element, embellished with magical butterflies and oracular shop-keepers. Time travel is the magic that the story uses to allow the characters to experience events and emotions that lie beyond what we experience in reality. This isn't a science fiction story. It's magical realism. Time travel here is some sort of spiritual miracle or miracle of fate. In fact I think that time travel is simply the way in which the author has chosen to tell an archetypal hero story. Ongsa and Suansoon are destined to be partners, but only if they can prove that their love is pure to the extent that they are willing to give up each other for each other's sake.
I suspect that the story's flirtation with causal loops (A causing B causing A) is going to upset some viewers, but it's pretty easy to accommodate them simply assuming some external cause to the whole loop. Call that fate or destiny, and it squares pretty well with the spiritual world of the story.
The acting is sound to phenomenal throughout, without dead lines or awkward sections of stiff manneristic acting. Tor Supakorn especially does an amazing job creating the role of young Ongsa. He's always very three dimensional, which makes it very easy to empathize with him. He manages emotional character arcs and ranges of emotions very well.
The key challenges to filming this story are making the various timelines immediately clear and motivating our empathy for the characters given their unusual predicament. Both challenges are met successfully. Changes in clothing, set dressing, and character demeanor help to differentiate the time-lines, and the use of flashbacks to tie the counterfactual regrets to something we can feel bad about serve to maintain the viewers empathy.
Overall I found the series very effective. It was easy to empathize with the characters and share in their emotions. It's very cathartic, especially at the emotional cruxes of the character arcs. I would add though that it's a story that needs to be enjoyed on it's own terms. If you try to watch it simply to follow the plot of story rather than letting the series engage you emotionally, it's probably going to seem a bit dull and repetitive with the various repetitions of events and flashbacks tying then and now together.

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Absolutely recommended

Absolutely recommended. The cast are visually amazing, their chemistry as well is undeniable. I love the whole story but the progress of it is very slow but its not stressful, its a slow pacing relaxing drama. I love everything about it, congratulations to Dylan Wang and Bai Lu for their amazing acting that captivated everyone as well as the other cast who is absolutely doing their best to portray their character as well. Big thank you for all the people behind this drama who made this into reality more power to you guys, the crew, the production and the writer. I've been watching kdrama for a long time and just started watching chinese drama last year, I realized Chinese dramas are more relaxing and family oriented and I will choose this over a very stressful drama, life in reality is stressful already . I wish to visit China even once to experience the beauty the country offers as well as to experience its culture. Thank you for this amazing drama that made us experience your culture and made us realized your beauty. Cheers to more Chinese drama and I hope more project for Dylan and Bai Lu in the future,

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I blame the script

The acting was great. The direction was fine. The script was a hot mess. I didn't like the premise (first of all) and then the dialogue was stilted and--honestly--dumb. Such a shame because I love both these main actors and had high hopes. If you love the actors (like me) go to Youtube and look for a highlights video of their scenes; though the dialogue is terrible, they do have a few cute scenes where there's less talking. Those are worth watching, but don't waste time on episodes of this drama (these are hours you can't get back, people!!)
For the ML, check out Business Proposal, A Time Called You, and Dr. Romantic.
For Park Bo Young, check out Strong Girl Bong Soon, Doom At Your Service, and her newest Daily Dose of Sunshine.

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This show requires your curiosity over substance

This show takes a little bit of unpacking to really understand and enjoy it. It heavily reminds me of A Time Called You/ Someday or One Day and Extraordinary You in both plot and vibe so if you liked either of those then you will probably get some enjoyment out of this one. The unique part of this one is the mechanism/reason for the time travel here but because it is an alternate universe and does not effect her real life at all it kind of all feels pointless as well. The OST here is hands down one of my all time favorites as well.

The first scene in this drama is what will draw you in. At least for me it did. My curiosity over what happened to him is what drove me forward even though the first few episodes were truly difficult to get through. The female lead is not relatable in the beginning at all and I can not understand why she would like this guy (once you meet him as a high school student) and then how that high school relationship even ended up with them being engaged and there is only one very short scene later that tries to explain that to you and still fails to make me understand. His attraction to her after she stops following him makes far more sense and I could understand that plot better than her following/badgering this completely asinine character around until he decides to date her later on but then from his interactions with her during the breakup it seems like he treated her like trash the whole time. So WHY did she ever like him?!

Then you have the best friend that stole her fiance and when the FMC went back in time she immediately cuts the friend off and that friend immediately becomes the mean girl for no real reason. She is then only there to be an annoyance and cause friction for the FMC occasionally. Were these girls ever really friends? Her character is so pointless.

Now the MMC is all kinds of a green flags from start to finish of the series. He is the reason I stuck around to even find out what happened and the reason I found enjoyment in the show. His character and reasoning are all thoroughly explained and the actor does a great job.

Finally the story. The show does do okay in explaining things to you throughout so you do not find yourself confused about the plot or movement which I liked. I would not say that it needed to be as long as it was, however. There were several filler scenes in the middle of the drama that could have easily been removed as they did not add much to the plot or forward motion of the show. That is when I began to fatigue a little with this show as it gets much slower in the middle. The romance is cute once it picks up speed and I do like this couple together. Then you have the big scene that leads you into the final 6 or so episodes that will keep you pretty teary eyed. The emotions shown in those last episodes from the FMC as she looks at him are exceptional and her best performance throughout the show. But since this show pointed out several times that it was an alternate universe and does not effect her timeline at all it leaves the show without any stakes. The last episode I also found unfulfilling as the entire experience could be written off as a dream since nothing at all changed or had any consequence other than her finding out the truth behind his sacrifice.

In conclusion I will say that if you are like me you will find your curiosity is what will carry you through this show. But then as it concludes it just feels pretty mediocre. An okay ride at parts but ultimately leaves you feeling like it could have been so much more.

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A Magnetic Xianxia

I was blown away with the production, casting and storyline of this drama.
Its sheer entertertainment value cannot be denied.
I have to commend the costume designer for the beautiful clothes of the characters, especially the female cast. The colour is vibrant in pastel which pleasing to the eye. The hairstyle is immaculate as well.
#ZhaoLusi is getting better and better. I am so glad she is choosing dramas that are well worth the time of viewers.
Totally recommend this drama to anyone.
Thank you, Tencent, for this gorgeous Christmas present. Well appreciated.

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Jang Dong-yoon and Nana, Charming chemistry of different types of looks and acting styles

When I first saw the poster, it was so weird. But after watching episode one, I understand what the poster means. In episode one, the curator explains a picture of a girl who rejects Cupid. It's like she rejects Cupid but still pulls him with a smile. Like she's afraid to fall in love but still wants to love.
In the poster, M.L. looks like he's pushing away F.L., but on the other hand, he smiles. He can't help but be smiling at her with her eyes closed. The poster is a reversal of Cupid's photo. It shows the emotional relationship between the two.
The most impressive part of the drama was Jang Dong-yoon and Nana's teamwork. The two create an attractive chemistry by perfectly combining different looks and different acting styles.
Nana is having fun playing the loveliest, slightly eccentric character of all her works. Jang looks like Cupid itself, an adorable, but a little stubborn fairy. His performance is very natural and makes Nana's rather exaggerated performance feel natural. Jang and Nana both have delicate facial expressions and unique sense of humor, which are cute and lovely, but very exciting and fun at the same time. I love this tempo. It is sometimes admirably beautiful, as if the faces of two different types appeal to how great chemistry they can show. The supporting cast of this drama, however, is not powerful. Other supporting cast members are anachronistic, except for the only YouTuber who lives with Nana to show unique performances. Past episodes of Cupid's friends and detective friends have been really bad.
The drama is getting more and more interesting as it goes through parts 3 and 4. The police officer who is in charge of one of the pillars of the love triangle seems a little dangerous. But even the man who cheated on me is suspicious. I think there are a lot of stories left about my past life.
The first Cupid story I expected was about a human woman who was destined to fall in love with Cupid, but it's a more interesting setting than I thought when I watched the drama.
Cupid only helps you fall in love with the god who decides your fate and connects you with the thread, but love is short and has no effect on those who are destined to be connected. So, even if a threadless FL is connected with a thousand prayers, it will not be directly connected with Cupid. At least not in the beginning. Cupid knows that because of the destruction caused by her love, she cannot still look away from her. Given that Jung-ah passed away 29 years ago, and Baek Ryeon is 29, they are probably reincarnated as the same person. This may mean that Cupid has continued to have feelings for her unconsciously.
This drama is likely to focus on the will of love chosen by lovers rather than the thread of fate that God has made for a long time.
I hope this drama will tell this story well but the script is half great and half just so.
However, I believe that the chemistry created by the acting and appearance of the two main leads will successfully imbibe the drama.

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A GREAT SACRIFICE, STILL WITHOUT OFFICIAL EXCUSES

"A nation should not meddle in the affairs of other nations. Do you believe the US will abide by this pact? If it does, the civil war in Korea is not a problem. If it goes to war, it will undermine China's internal security."


"The great war" starts with the decision of Chinese central government to enter the "War in defense of Korea against US aggression" , with the great deeds of the heroic volunteers of the people in war to resist aggression and help North Korea, after the US and South Korean attack on Chinese territory too. This is the first film in a trilogy that adapts a series of 3 novels.
To be closer to the volunteer soldiers of the 1950s in terms of physical fitness and mental temperament, the 300 actors who played the roles of the soldiers underwent rigorous military training for a month, with war scenes shot with 8 cameras simultaneously by multiple sides.
To better adapt to the physical condition of Premier Zhou who worked all night and did not sleep during that period, Liu Jin who played him also changed his work and rest schedule.
Zhang Ziyi collected a lot of data and also visited elders who had served as simultaneous interpreters at the United Nations, and took English classes to practice British pronunciation.
The war to resist US aggression and help Korea was the founding battle of New China.
The film adopts a narrative strategy that develops at an internal and external level, of politics and war, first the USA and Russia, then Korea.
On a broader level, the film represents elements that have never been depicted before, such as Chinese representatives and their impassioned speeches at the United Nations General Assembly, to also make China's voice heard.
Actor Wu Xiuquan, representing the Chinese delegate, raising his hands at the United Nations General Assembly, exemplifies a relationship between national dignity and individual life, giving a frontal blow to the invaders on the battlefield.

Another praise that I would like to give to the film is the figure of Mao Zedong's son, Mao Anying played by a very good Wei Daxun, one of the Chinese martyrs of this war (where China emerged from 38 years of civil war and an aggressive foreign), who died on the battlefield while sending telegraphic messages and various communications and who was buried in Pyongyang.
The topic of the movie is something that deeply interests me, and i am happy that i t shows with great impact that Chinese victims are all aged between 18 and 30.
It's one of those films that makes me love China even more and their patriotic spirit to the maximum, ready to sacrifice and fight, because without a homeland there is no home.

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A MUST WATCH

SUPER LONG REVIEW AHEAD!

I can't believe I just happened to scroll by the title "My Dearest" and because it reminded me of Supercell's song "My Dearest", I went on to google to search out of curiosity what's it about. For once, I've been grateful I let my curiosity get ahead of me or else I'd be missing a gem.

This is definitely a masterpiece portraying a combination of romance, drama, war and politics. The story took place in Joseon Dynasty and during the Qing Invasion. I am well aware I'm still confused to some of the war politics here, but there's a lot of references that you can take note of such as the "JingKang incident". It's thanks to Legend of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong that I understood this reference. It goes way back to the Song Dynasty when Jin invaded the Song empire (thus the war between Jin And Song) and when the Jin army caught the Song Emperors, they humiliated them... Going back to the events in My Dearest, this is what the Joseon Emperor is fearful of when the Qing Army besieged them. Since the Qing army is composed of what they call 'barbarians' who cares more about money and raping women, the show managed to execute it in the entirety of season 1 with such thrill. It was also the perfect introduction to highlight the strengths of both the male and female lead. It left us in tenterhooks and anticipation of what will happen next, will they survive? The Season 1 set the bar so high that somehow, when things calmed down and gave way to more palace politics in Season 2, S2 pales in comparison. But what happens in S2 is still essential to wrap up the entire story, and it actually has much more tragedy than S1 so prepare your tissues. Tbh, I felt like crying on almost every episodes, that when we get cute moments, it almost felt surreal. That's just how heart-wrenching this show is. It gives us that feeling of receiving treats before getting beat up badly.

CHARACTERS

Now let's talk about Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun-jin. Jang hyun (Namkoong Min) is a mysterious man who has no desire nor purpose. I felt Namkoong Min really did well in pulling of Jang Hyun's charm and enigma. He is wise when he speaks, but when he reserve his words, his eyes tells everything. He is an empty shell, satisfied being a bystander, and letting others enjoy than himself. But upon meeting Gil Chae, his eyes started having all sorts of emotions. Because he wants to prove to Gil Chae his worth, he decided to save people and the fire that died inside of him once again ignited. Jang Hyun is actually a compassionate man. In the series, I cannot count how many times he cried, and nothing was more manly than that of how NamKoong Min did so. And even though he cried a lot, there's still subtle differences. You can notice that there are only two times he really cried for real, one is because of Gil Chae, the second when he plead His Highness the Crown Prince to keep his promise to the captives. I fell in love with Jang Hyun's character so bad, that's no doubt.

The dynamic between the Namkoong and Eunjin is also just perfect.
Here's my take for the people hating on the FL. The FL is a strong headed woman. In a setting where women are usually suppressed and kept as housewives whose expected role is only to tend and serve their husbands, Gil Chae broke the norm and actually had done SO SO MUCH. She saved her friends during the invasion, she provided rice for the people of the General in exchange of their labor and she continues saving people and slaves to the point of being a slave herself. Those who are hating on her lacks empathy and may be bias to the Male lead. There's a point where I also almost got annoyed by her because why can't she just accept Jang Hyun? But later on, I understood. Perhaps Jang Hyun— with his overflowing display of affection— came on too strong. And Gil Chae, as someone who also has a strong personality, her instinct was to avoid Jang Hyun and suppress her feelings. She knew Jang Hyun always has a bigger purpose and role, always gone like a wind, he's bound to leave at anytime and she's bound to wait. Did y'all ever see an instance where she stopped him from going? Not once. Everytime, she wishes him well on his journey, even when Jang Hyun himself pleaded to Gil Chae to stop him, she did not. And that was so courageous of her, that even though it pains her to see Jang Hyun go everytime, she persevered and waited, even without assurance from Jang Hyun. How hard is a long distance communication in their period? It's not like they have cellphones to communicate whenever they liked. How excruciating was it to wait for news of your loved ones, for weeks, months and years? Yet Jang Hyun never wrote to her to update her. He's always on the go, and even though he promises to come back, it was always Gil Chae who has to bear the burden of WAITING. So it's unfair for everyone to say who suffers more, when clearly both Gil Chae and Jang Hyun suffers in their own both ways. It's unfair that Gil Chae has to be the bad person when she married another man, but who does not make bad decisions in their life? There's still that traditional thinking wherein it's okay for men are allowed to sleep to anyone, but if it's a woman who was touched by another man, it's such a big deal. Gil Chae may have married another man, but just like what Jang Hyun says to the Princess of Qing, "I can give you my body but not my heart", Gil Chae was the same. The whirlwind of events taught us that it doesn't matter who they were entangled on in their journey, what matters is that they FOUND THEIR WAY HOME TO EACH OTHER. Just like Gil Chae loved Jang Hyun despite knowing him only on surface level (Gil Chae only knows Jang Hyun is a merchant, and later on she knew he was a government slave. In those times, nobles are on a waaay different level from people who only bought titles, so even if Jang Hyun appears to be an aristocrat, some might just raise their eyebrows and not honor his title and still regard him as lowly slave. For you can change your title but not your origin. Gil Chae did not do any of this, and she still love Jang Hyun as he is. She never pried into his past, and just like that. Jang Hyun also did the same to her, he never cared what Gil Chae went through with the hands of the intruders, he just honor Gil Chae for what he had known her, a strong and amazing woman. Dare I say any more why they are perfect for each other, and that them ending up together did not do any injustice to the other, rather, what's greater injustice is that! If they didn't get the happy ending they deserve from each other's company.

I have never written a review for a romance drama before, but I just felt compelled to speak out for the characters here. My Dearest is definitely one of the historical kdramas that will stay in my memory forever. Highly recommended.

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"I had made up my mind to not believe in marriage. But if the only way to make a certain woman mine is through marriage, then I am willing to marry."

"Husband? No way. I will be your servant. My body is yours, my soul is yours, my heart is yours too" - Lee Jang Hyun

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Eun Ae: Do you think women should take their own lives when the foreign intruders grabbed their wrists?

Yeon Jun: A single drop of ink is enough to make a clean water dirty. Whether it's just their wrist, or something even worse, they have lost their chastity

?

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Gil Chae: What if I say a foreign intruder took advantage of me?

Jang Hyun: Then I should give you a hug, for it must have been painful.


?

Here's a clear differences in perspective of a scholar who has never experienced dirt and is bound by traditional thinking vs a man who crawled himself out of dirt and experienced all kinds of cruelties.

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A distinct storyline! Is that too much to ask?

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m officially fed up with these recurring stories. They may as well just make one drama and give it different names. It’s frustrating at this point, the acting, the storyline, the actors themselves, and the CGI to be fair has always been at it and you’ve got to give credit where it’s due. For me, C-drama is on a proper downhill and pretty much has been for the past couple of years.
The genre XianXia is enormous, and you cannot tell me each time we’ll have to watch repeats of other dramas, it’s so cliché having to watch a drama and being able to predict what is gonna happen. What happened to the impressive voices, eye-catching Male and female leads, the distinguished storylines like Journey of Flower? And I’ll just say it, this thing of petulant and trying-to-be-funny actors has to stop, it’s boring and it gets annoying at times with how long it carries on and how much screen time it takes up. As for the FL, I’m a huge fan of Zhao Lusi when she’s playing a role that brings the best out of her, Who Rules the World directors understood that perfectly, and for me that was her best-ever performance I have seen to this day. The ML lead does not fit this role, or the storyline doesn’t fit the ML, whichever way you want to put it, he shouldn’t be playing this role and that storyline is mid. The turning point is what is doing my headin’ the most. It was just like any other normal scene and all of a sudden it was something huge. Come on! Where’s the build-up? I get no feeling that something story-changing is about to happen.
And before I even forget, what was this writer thinking about when he decided to hand us a ML with such little spiritual power? He’s a true god for God’s sake!!
Personally, I’ll keep on watching this scrap and I have to anyway because I have no other drama to watch but I highly advise you to do something more productive with your time. I haven’t found this drama interesting enough to keep me exuberant waiting for the next episode. It’s instead just happened to be another of many failures of the C-drama industry this year.

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Justice that is extremely rational

There are largely 2 main points addressed in the story.
1) What happens if someone creates a fast lane for all the public to deliver justice as they see fit?
2) What happened 8 years ago and how is it relevant to everyone involved?

Now whether what happened or happens is right or wrong, that's up to the viewers. They just tell you both stories. I'd say it's a well done show. From the practical case & investigation part, it's as good as any decent thriller out there. Nothing more though and nothing less either. As for the concept itself, it's a part vigilante / part revenge style story. But this wasn't an all-about-oppa show and with more people on different sides falling under the limelight, it's kinda hard to pick sides.
I have a strong bias for Park Hae Jin and one of the things many of his roles have in common is they give me a hard time seeing things as black and white. Everyone's performance and acting was good, Park Sung Woong, Kim Kwon, Im Ji Yeon (if she irritated me at times, I'd look at her outfits instead, they were good) and all the supporting actors as well, and so I was swayed this way and that and most importantly had a good interesting time watching this show. Certainly had its set of plot twists, big reveals, decoy plot lines and such. Beware of the last fake out is all I'll say.

Post that, the last scenes are setting up for a follow up story but that is none of our business until it's officially announced. This season reached its own conclusion. So can be watched for now.

Overall, 9/10 from me.

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