Reviews

Skip if you are into history minus the cringe romance

Storyline started out good, there was suspense and a decent pace to the drama. There was also a hint of a triangle romance between the Prince, his buddy and Leng Yue that was light-hearted and playful.
But towards the middle, the story started to drag because of a forced cringe romance between the Prince and the babyfaced FL who seemed to have only 2-3 facial expressions throughout the drama. The plot took a downward tailspin and so did the main characters. The chief eunuch, whose acting sustained this drama, had his role chopped off to make way for the cringe romance. Likewise, the other story arcs like the fake coins and southwest military buildup were also completely abandoned midway to focus on the romance between Chu Chu and the Prince, with the Prince running behind Chu Chu just like the ML running behind the babyfaced FL in Nirvana in Fire 2.
The writers should have stuck to the original suspense theme instead of changing focus - it would have salvaged the drama.

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Fluttery sweetness all the way

I'm the author fan and I had to read the book before watching the drama. The book is so sweet and the drama made it even 200% sweeter. It's a fresh new topic, a new kind of hero. I really like Mo Bao Fei Bao's male lead characters. In case of Lin Yi Yang, though he seems to be poor and trapped in the past, his heroic charisma still shines through his actions. And Leo has perfectly portrayed the complex emotions of the character. Though Lin Yi Yang is a fool in love but what makes the story so sweet is how Yin Guo so bravely love him too. It's how they love each other that makes me read the book over and over again, and watch the drama over and over again too.
It's awesome that the production quality is really high, unlike many other romcom C-drama. I was surprised to see that they actually filmed it in another country. I was so curious starting to read because the setting in the book is in New York. The production team is so brilliant in finding the locations and sets that match most of the original story (probably thanks to the investors). Plus I was impressed with people actually speaking some decent English, and foreign actors actually speak English (except for Berry, and in other dramas even foreigners speak like perfect Chinese). I highly appreciate this fact for the production team and the cast.
One last note but all of the male cast are so handsome hahaha, especially An Mei (idk why Yi Yang call him "mei"?) and Wu Wei whom I've never seen before.

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Compelling story that makes fun of typical tropes!

Watch it, watch it, watch it. I'll few tropes that this drama has in case anyone is wondering - and it kinda is a spoiler so you've been warned!

There is no love triangle, there is the stereotypical memory loss at the end which is expected but the way they went about it was so well executed that you can't really complain and yes it's an happy ending, you might get second lead syndrome for a bit (I personally still rooted for the main couple though ehehe).

Many complain that the fl behaves at the beginning is awful but the whole point of the drama is that she goes against those stereotypes so imo I dont mind but take that as you will ?‍♀️

Like everyone else says you might want to push yourself to continue based on the first episodes but is WORTH IT!

The acting in my opinion was great, it felt natural. The music was also really spot on, hence why i put 10.

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The cute cartoons in her head cant make me like Yumi

I will.keep this relatively short and not focus on the cells because their humour and cuteness just distract from what is a really depressing drama. Yumi is annoying insecure wants the perfect man (they dont exist not even for your cute cells) and as soon as she gets to a point of difficulty in relationship breaks up for selfish and unrealistic reasons. She is annoying. The fact she goes to serial relationship intruder guy in S2 just makes her more unlikeable. The fact she still spends emotion and time on guy1 when in flown blown relationship with guy2 in S2 makes her ...yes even more unlikeable. The fact she breaks up with guy2 mainly because of another woman's interest in him while she has been trotting off to see guy1 througout their relationship makes her again yes...even more unlikeable.
The fact she has to then go to young good looking third guy with no thought for the 2 broken hearts in her wake yes you guessed it makes her even more unlikeable.

People say its not about the romance its all about her and her growth. Well it is totally about the romances through which we clearly see yes it clearly is all about her at least in her mind. As for growth ? All i saw was history repeating itself

Finally why do so many people give this kind of unhappy bad behaviour a pass by assuming it is realistic. None of it is realistic thats why we like dramas, so dramas like this where selfish behaviour is dressed up as realistic slice of life are just a waste IMO. This show turns out to be a pointless story of a woman getting into and ending relationships with nice guys who really like her. Unless you like cartoons and the psychology of a flighty selfish insincere woman who thinks shes always right then there is no real point to it. Sorry it just crystallised that way in my head the more it went on the more the cute funny cartoons couldnt distract from her flawed behaviour. One season would have been more than enough to get the message.

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Li Cheng and Mu Ren great others no

I skipped all the scenes with Yong Jie. I would be banned from the internet if i said what i would have done if i was their friend. He wouldn't get that weak B slap that he got. He would be lucky if someone peeled me away before he left this world. I read spoilers because during watching the 1st episode i googled who is the creepy stalker. Wanted to throw hands after reading the disgusting story that is the other 2. Both of them need severe mental health care. Pscho step monster needs to be in jail along with his mother. Xing Si's father needs a beat down as well because from what i read he's a terrible father who doesn't do anything about that demon spawn drugging and R his own child.

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King the Land Has Brought Genuine Smiles To My Face

I just finished binge-watching King the Land for the second time because I couldn't resist knowing how good it was when I first experienced it a few months ago. Upon watching it again, I am glad that I feel about it the same as I did when I first watched.

I've seen a couple of articles saying that the drama didn't do very good and comparing to other shows like Business Proposal, which to me was odd because I actually watched Business Proposal before but after a few months I truly was wondering if I had watched it, I couldn't remember anything and had to look for some scenes to trigger my memory.

But anyways, enough comparing and talking about other stuff, let's get to the review:

— STORY

The plot is nothing extraordinary or even amazing, but it hooked me both times and didn't let go. I never once felt bored or like skipping scenes or even noticing time pass. I loved pretty much everything about the story and how it unfold, with only a few critique here and there.

There's no big cliche moments, or love triangles or "villains" or anything. It's a very simple story but it does so explendid in it's simplicity that made me love it.

— CHARACTERS

Gu Won and Sa Rand are by far the best part of the drama. They are both so lovable, funny, respectful and so mature. The way they interact with each other and their chemistry truly makes you feel in love.

I don't think I can out into words how much I love these two and the pure joy they brought me. I binged the show and by the end of episodes I noticed my cheeks hurting from smiling so much, this happened in almost every episode and also during my first watch. I love that the drama had this affect on me so much and made me feel so happy. That's what a romance drama should be all about.

The other characters also did a great job, specially the grandma and Gu Won's secretary person.

— VISUALS

Everyone and everything looked so beautiful that I cannot think of a single moment or character that looked anything but amazing.

— MUSIC

The music was absolutely fantastic! The kind that touches your soul, makes you feel the love between the characters and that sticks with you throughout days. There were some misuses and overuses here and there, but aside from that it was beautiful.

— RATING

King the Land is an extremely beautiful drama that touched my heart and makes yearn for love like theirs. It is such a beautiful and emotional experience. Although I didn't cry much, the amount of happiness I've felt watching this was everything to me. My hurting cheeks from smiling too much at the screen are proof of it!

Sadly not everyone could enjoy it, but for those of us who did and know how special the show is...

Hermés :)

My personal rating for the show is a very well deserved 9.7/10.

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A nice drama with woefully poor rounding off of character arcs and main story

Firstly liked all 3 leads yes including FL. I thought she was perfect for ML could totally ship them and the writing let them down especially the ending.

The action and general production were good premise was great execution really poor.

My biggest single issue was the story arc of the 2ML and his ex. We are clearly shown they are in love in the past, then suddenly she marries a chaebol. It is not explained but the hint is it was something weird like she had no choice. This feeling is reinforced all throughout she is always looking out for him and he obviously is not over her and was obviously heartbroken when it happened. So what they do with this intriguing plot line. Answer NOTHING. Unbelievably we never find out what happened and why she left him like that.

But there is worse. Her husband is basically a total bastard the villain of the piece. He threatens her is a violent psychopath and controls her by threatening not to let him see her son. He hates that she even indirectly cares about 2ML. She also helps bring him down he is clearly portrayed up to a point as her enemy her captor not lover or husband

But then unbelievably in the endgame she goes to prison with divorce papers and instead of having her triumphant moment of telling him where to go. She tears them up he smiles she nods sympathetically and says we will wait until hes older at least. Total character assassination IMO.

The only comment in the script to explain this even remotely. Is when her friend tells someone she has a complicated relationship with both men but cares for them both in her own way. Eh no not complicated one guy loved you with his whole heart the other guy "took" you and was a psycho.

Her last interaction with the 2ML is pathetic no closure no explanation. He just lets her off the hook and she is as smug and unapologetic as ever.
This epitomised the whole problem with the drama great cast great premise terible execution and poor script. Its like halfway through they backed out of dealing with the 2ML past and just threw in this terrible endgame for him and his ex

That alone was enough to ruin it. This was not a 2ndry couple this was a main lead it made me regret watching it.

That and the MCs incomplete ending as well which was really unsatisfying.

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Complex plot with many flaws but worth to watch!

PLOT:
I want to start off by saying that this GL might not be the cup of tea for many. It has a complicated plot with content that is controversial, and might not be enjoyable for some viewers, like cheating, slight harassment, and misunderstandings. However, this does not necessarily make it a bad story. This is what actually makes it interesting and develops it. And I do not mean "interesting" in a way to justify any wrong actions that take place, but in a way that these "actions" actually happen in real life and that makes the story more realistic with its flaws. It's not all perfect and that is why I enjoyed it. With a plot like this, you can not expect it to be all flowers and rainbows. This is more than just that. So, if you want to watch this series, or have already watched it, just keep in mind that these events do happen in real life and sometimes it's good for them to be in series too to make it more realistic and for people to feel related to it and not feel alone.

CONS:
One thing I didn't like about the plot at all is that there were a lot of extra scenes that made it a bit boring sometimes. By "extra scenes", I mean scenes that didn't contribute to the story much, and that felt unnecessary. Most of these scenes involved the side characters and it has nothing to do with the main leads, so, it's not too bad.

ENDING:
The ending is a bit open, but it also makes us wonder what will happen next. The production chose that type of ending were it leaves the audience thinking and imagining their own ending, if that makes any sense. To me is a happy ending though, cause the two girls do seem to end up together. Personally, I believe the plot is good, is not my favorite, but is good. I rate it 7.5 out of 10.

ACTING / CASTING / CHEMISTRY:
Anyways, let's talk about the acting and casting. Since the moment the main leads got introduce in the series, I was mesmerized by them! They have good visuals and are so freaking attractive! I couldn't help but to fangirl from time to time. The chemistry is on point and I love how their relationship went from lovers to enemies and from enemies to lovers. I also enjoyed the slow burn, and how it was not too explicit. Don't get me wrong, I love mature content in GL, but I believe that with a complex plot like this, it's better to keep things sweet and subtle. I really love how their relationship developed, and how the child in the story brought the two girls back together. As for the acting, well, for me it was very good! Especially in the crying scenes, you can feel their emotions. I love it. I rate the cast and acting 9 out of 10.

MUSIC / REWATCH VALUE:
I don't have much to say about the music. I mean, it does not stand out to me, but it is not bad either. It is nice like most Japanese songs I have heard in BLs and GLs. So, 7 out of 10. As for rewatch value, well, I do see myself rewatching this again cause I enjoyed it. So, for rewatch value a 8 out of 10.

Overall, I give it a 8 out of 10. I would definitely recommend this. Like I said, it might not be enjoyable for some because of how complicated that plot is, but that does not make it bad. I would not judge this for how many flaws it has since it has a lot. I would just enjoy it for what it is and accept that the things that happened are realistic, that makes it more likeable. My suggestion to those who have not watched it yet is to have low expectations just in case cause you won't find a "perfect" plot here, and have an open mind. Just give it a try! Thank you for reading! <3

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The dullest Japanese drama ever! Besides the fact that everything ninja related was so loosely used, the majority of the actors didn't have any enthusiasm in this none whatsoever.

The only few actors in this that helped this drama along was the mom, grandmother, and little kid.

We have no idea why the Fuma and Shinobi are at odds with each other. We just know it's about power but that's about it.

The antagonist was the weakest of all. What was his point of trying to kill everybody? Because he felt he was a god and wanted political power....ain't that always the case?

Plus it's always about a girl. I swear they make Asian females the dumbest characters ever. They're always that stupid D.I.D (damsel in distress). I can't stand when the arc of a story is surrounded by this.

The episodes dragged by. I found myself skipping through the last episode which was worse than the first episode. There was no meaning to it at all. The plot was still carried out! What was the point of going through all of that only to have the ending just waste away.

The only fighting chance this series had was the fighting. The daughter was useless...the parents were good...even the grandma out shined the second eldest son.

It took me a lot longer to finish these 8 episodes. The House Of Ninjas was true to it's title. It was a family of Ninjas but that's all they were.

This was one of the reasons why I tend to shy away from Japanese dramas. Most of the time they're utterly useless!

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The drama beautifully explores family, community, and the healing power of love.

This K-drama shared into the themes of family, sisterhood, career, community and most especially true love throughout its 16 episodes.

I was initially drawn in by the central conflict, and hoping it will be resolved soon but along the few episodes, I found Sam Dal's journey toward inner peace with her family, particularly her soulmate Yong Pil.

In mirroring real life, it beautifully portrays how adversity can pave the way for profound connections, healing, and a peaceful resolution. love the storyline, moving performances, and commendable work from the entire team, it stands as one of the best K-dramas.

I had to cry so hard for the last two episodes, pure talent of the screenwriter and the entire production crew. Bravo!

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A Geezer's Bet

I really hate what streaming services do with dropping projects in batches. Either drop the entire thing or make it serializing. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment after a decent first season (more like the first half of a 16-episodes drama!). The plot ended up being all over the place, with twists that felt more like they were forcing us into paying attention than actually adding anything interesting to the story. Some side plots were only there to buy time. I wasn't a fan of the ending either, they should've just ended it in a normal fashion. The characters were fine but I wish there were more interactions between Moo Sik and Seung Hoon. I'm not sure why the drama had 18+ rating considering it wasn't that violent, although it had one tiny quick intimate scene and some smoking? The opening theme was cool.

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A Geezer's Bet

I really hate what streaming services do with dropping projects in batches. Either drop the entire thing or make it serializing. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment after a decent first season (more like the first half of a 16-episodes drama!). The plot ended up being all over the place, with twists that felt more like they were forcing us into paying attention than actually adding anything interesting to the story. Some side plots were only there to buy time. I wasn't a fan of the ending either, they should've just ended it in a normal fashion. The characters were fine but I wish there were more interactions between Moo Sik and Seung Hoon. I'm not sure why the drama had 18+ rating considering it wasn't that violent, although it had one tiny quick intimate scene and some smoking? The opening theme was cool.

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I'm devastated

like seriously I don't know what to do with my life now. I was hooked onto this series after giving it a second chance. It has a really interesting storyline and kept me entertained until the last minute. I will patiently wait for a hopeful second season because I have so many questions left and I need answers. The Story continued on really fast at the beginning which actually made me drop it but I came around and gave it a second chance just to be surprised at how good it actually is. The acting was so good and I really loved the cast because I think they all fit there roles so well. I even cried now watching the last episode.

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