Reviews

Casts Switch Did Not Matter

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the first season, I wasn't overly anticipating for a sequel. It is like having a very satisfying meal but not wanting same menu right away.

This sequel was plastered a over, showing tVN's exemplary job in advertising. It piqued my curiosity since I have read of main casts being replaced. Disney, Hulu, and a lot of other major entertainment providers purchased rights to show this sequel that hyped up the interest of many internation viewers. Let us not forget that Netflix has the first one still available in their platform with high viewership.

The concerns of artists changes affecting the overall quality of this series was put to rest after the first episode for many viewers. Lee Joon-Gi replacing Song Joong-ki as Eun Seom did wonderfully if not better in portraying the character.

The location set and production didn't fail, but how can the beauty of Burma's landscaping be any disappointment? It was the perfect location for such a costume series.

I can say that this was a satisfying watch and highly recommended to watch the first kne before watching this sequel. I just wish that aside from tVN, other paid platform will have both available for viewers however, I am finding out that most will only have the first or this second one available and not both.

Enjoy watching!

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Solid execution with "Logical" Ending

There's been multiple promising thrillers with less-than-ideal endings, so I've been holding off on this one (still recovering with WTH endings from other dramas).

Script isn't completely unique, but the execution and pacing was solid. No overly absurd twists and not overly gore.
Short 11 episodes, there won't be any supporting character development and most of the bad characters were just one dimensional. The focus will be entirely on the leads.

Amazing pair up:
Shin Ha Kyun (previously in Beyond Evil) had a similar vibe, but I enjoy his character in this one way better. His character transition from a beat down lawyer to morally twisted vigilante is spot on.

Kim Young Kwang (coming from Somebody) is the perfect choice for Seo Do Young. He's charismatic, psychotic & calculating all at the same time.

A partnership that started out from fear develops into a promising business codependence. There were hints of friendship and trust at times but as the greed & ambition expands, it leads to the ultimate ending.

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It's Dry ...

I watched both seasons for the sake of trying to understand why the heck this was popular enough to get a second season and I don't understand it.

The Story: It had so much potential. it really did. I have not read the webtoon and I don't know if it differs or goes more in depth, but for eight hour and a half episodes, I really expected more substance. There's zero character development. You're just assaulted with characters and their trauma and expected to know who, what, where, when, and why. It makes for a very awkward and dull drama. You don't get a chance to love, hate, learn to love a character.

The acting seems forced and fake. I didn't feel there was any chemistry among any of them.

The music was OK. It seemed a bit out of place to me, but it was decent.

There is zero rewatch value for me. Even as background noise, I'd tune it out.

Overall, I am curious to read the webtoon to see if I'm missing anything that would make the drama make more sense or give me a sense of the character/story. As for the drama, it's not it.

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Excellent Production Quality

Being directed by Lu Yang, I couldn't resist anticipating the release of this series. Director Lu Yang excels in costume and period dramas.
Though this has a plot of tackling an epidemic during the end of Ming Dynasty, this is more of a mix between science fiction and mystery.

I like the way the story unfolded here allowing viewers to use their imagination in deducting clues sporadically given throughout the series. Viewers are captivated by the unraveling mystery, and top quality production.

This show didn't fail my expectation for a mystery series.

I have to also say, Huang Xuan simply did what he had done in Mining Town and Luo Yang - excellent role portrayal. I believe period costume series is really his Forte.
Wu Yea have proven time and time again that his versatility in acting and perfectly handling different roles have made him a top notch actor. Being paired with Huang Xuan, they highlighted each other and made the series



The entire production was marvelous producing top quality set and scenes. Lighting fitted the scenes, wardrobe complimented the timeliness, camera works provided a better understanding of the scenes.

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Bad Fish, Monsters, & Sauron's Eyeball, Oh My! (Last drama of 2023)

So Chinese sci-fi huh? Only have ever seen the ML so know he can carry his own weight. The story started strong and the monsters were convincing; didn't end strong though. I'm glad it was only 12 episodes long and that it had some semblance of a finish though suspension of disbelief was necessary. This really was about bad fish, monsters, and Sauron's eyeball, oh my! Honestly gave it the rating I did purely for entertainment value.

Pros: The storyline had a very promising start. The ML, Shen Rong, and Bo Yan were the strongest characters in the entire series. I do wish they explored more into SR's background and history as well as those of the real origins of the Heng Masters and how the "Lord" aka misty alien thing that was really Sauron's eyeball created them in the first place. It wasn't just the semi-mortal fish; needed to be fleshed out more. The CGI was decent especially when it came to the monsters. I like how there was a mystery that was solved little by little by our characters. Music was good and OST's fit. The historical/post apocalyptic feel was there. The beasties were pretty cool looking though.

Neutral: First time I'm using this section in a review but I feel like the character of Angelica was neither here nor there. The actress is stunning but whether or not she was actually needed; I'm completely neutral about it. Maybe to show a tough woman among a horde of men. Her presence doesn't affect my score at all.

Cons: It's Spanish not Portuguese! Dear lord, even those of us who don't speak either language but have been around either can differentiate between the two. That was a pain in the ass and while Angelica was where she was, the rest of her men and the ship and that storyline was also unnecessary.

There were many unanswered questions like:
1) The meteor arrived 20 years prior but didn’t create a tsunami? Ok suspension of disbelief ✅. 
2) How did Shen Rong get infected? From that water wife gave him to drink? 
3) How much time was SR away from home that the islanders started getting infected? Because clearly not the case for when SC was still a baby. We get a timeline of 20 years since meteor touchdown and then 2 years since SR’s return and villagers already infected and mutating.
4) When did mainlanders start getting infected? 
5) How did CSY get infected; never told us. 
6) When and how was the cult formed? Why was SR's wife chosen to lead them?
7) Again what happened to that HLH kid? He fell into the water and disappeared. Did he drown? Did the Sauron eyeball thing integrate with him too?
I'm sure I'm missing other questions that I can't remember now but who knew Mordor and Sauron were alive and well, off the coast of an island during the Ming Dynasty; that was pretty ridiculous honestly.

Also, I feel that ML was pretty gullible thinking his brother was still alive while being with the "Lord"; yes twins have ESP but it never occurred to him until the last 15 minutes of the final episode that this was all a set up? He's supposedly so smart and that felt off even for him. Whether he really survived at the end as SC claimed, we'll never know but he's now hanging out with Sauron's eyeball whatever that means.

Too many green screens as characters would often stare off at something not there or react in a way that didn't really make sense or there's a delayed reaction to what the audience saw.

Would I recommend it? Only if you like sci-fi and have nothing else to watch. It was entertaining, I'll give it that.

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Yet another highly praised show that failed to resonate with me.

As a piece of entertainment, it is more than decent. But it is unsatisfactory in the messages it is trying to get across. It raised very important problems, such as being driven into a corner by a competitive society and being stuck in a poverty cycle, and feeling oppressed and helpless as a youth. These are extremely prevalent and sensitive issues in SK and other countries. The show offers a message that comes from good intentions, but it is over simplified and maybe even insensitive towards depression and mental illness. Throughout the show, there is no empathy offered to the main character's suffering, but rather a lingering feeling of "your pain is bearable compared to many others who have suffered so much more than you". Which is obviously distasteful and wrong in many ways. It's classic victim blaming, coming from an outsider's POV.

Furthermore, it ultimately does not provide any tangible solutions to any of the main character's problems and he will realistically end up in the exact same place. In the end, he's just back to square one with the wounds of living multiple lives and with the guilt of hurting others with his decision. There is no accountability for the further damage to his mental state. I can't help but feel that if that was the route the show was going to take, it shouldn't have presented such severe societal issues through the main character's story in the first place.

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Nice little short show

Sadly, this must be one of the more boring comedies I’ve seen - at least the middle part. I have seen the cast before, so I know they are good actors, but the comical part is somehow off - or it cannot decide whether to be a comedy or a romance, so it lands in the middle. As a Danish saying goes, it’s neither bird nor fish.
I admit that the last third was pretty good (great twist) so I’m glad I stuck with it and had myself some good laughs every now and then. It also had some nice character developments which is somewhat rare in these short format shows.
Character wise:
FL is a strong but simple (borderline oblivious) woman in search of a certain pill to save her father.
ML is a cunning and calculating thief who wants to rob the place.
Acting wise these are good actors but the directing or storyline lets them down a bit.
Well, if you have some time to burn - and like the cast - this is a nice watch.

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A Simple, Slice of Life, That Truly Captures Life's Hardships

This drama is a true slice of life, meaning it shows life's happy moments, but also the emotional, hard, and lonely moments. There wasn't a single scene I felt bored during. I think this is one of the best dramas that really strips a relationship down to the core, with no extra drama, misunderstandings, random love triangles, and unnecessary storylines. It simply focused on the relationship itself, and how two adults maturely lead a relationship, and how deep the connection of love is. Dilraba and Yang Yang acted perfectly. I was surprised a little at Yang Yang's depth in acting out the true feelings of an aerospace engineer, and how he felt like he was absent for his family, and his troubles with balancing his dream and his want to take care of people in his life. Dilraba did really great as QJJ too, showing how a celebrity can be down to earth and humble.

Story

The story of this drama was great, without many misunderstandings and showing us the cutest and fluffiest moments. I got immersed in a lot of these moments, and felt like I was in the scene too. These scenes and the actors definitely gave me tingles in my stomach just watching them. There was no second lead couple, which I thought was good because it got the main couple more exposure and time to develop their storyline in depth. The side stories about each of their careers were also really nicely thought out, and gave a nice insight into their lives and careers, and how they manage their busy lives.

Music

The OST really fit the mood of the drama. The song that played during the most fragile romantic moments (right before they get together) was so healing to listen to in the background. I think the best song in the soundtrack is Time Monologue by Lala Hsu. But I think the whole album is really good.

Overall

Overall definitely a 9.5 drama. The only reason I would dock points is for not showing us if they had a kid or not. Imagine how cute that would be! Rewatch value is really high, and I highly recommend this drama for anyone looking for something that has a lot of focus on the couple, but also has no unnecessary plot arcs and misunderstandings.

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An unusual plot : no heroes, just the daily life of a rehabilitation departement

PLOT: journey and daily life of FL, physiotherapist in the rehabilitation department at the hospital. She is only contractually employed and aspires to have a permanent contract. A young genius therapist arrives in the department, the ML, and the FL will little by little warm his previously wounded heart.

PROS:
+ A great casting. I really like ML who I would like to see again in other dramas.
+ Story focus on romance and daily life of the service, but quite realistic. The psychological evolution of characters is credible
+ Each episode is punctuated with beautiful poetry.
+ lots of humor
+ Excellent OST

CONS:
- no real storyline, apart from the CL romance and obtaining the permanent contract.

=> Not addictive, but nice to see once.

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PLOT: parcours et vie quotidienne d'une FL, kinésithérapeute dans le service de rééducation à l'höpital. Elle est contractuelle et aspire à avoir un CDI. Un jeune thérapeute de génie arrive dans le service, le ML, et la FL va peu à peu réchauffer son coeur, blessé auparavant.

PROS:
+ TB casting. J'aime beaucoup le ML que j'aimerai revoir dans d'autres dramas.
+ Story focus sur la romance et la vie quotidienne du service, mais assez réaliste. Evolution psychologique des personnages crédible.
+ Chaque épisode est ponctué d'une belle poésie.
+ beaucoup d'humour
+ TB OST

CONS:
- pas vraiment de storyline., hormis la romance du CL et l'obtention du CDI.

=> Pas addictif, mais sympa à voir une fois.

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For a Hammer, everything looks like a Nail!

I think that saying fits this Series quite well. Our Female Lead is good with Poisons, so everything becomes somehow Poison related, sometimes to the point of hilariously, comically contrived and laughable.

This series tries to commit every possible Sin dramas can commit. Tropes, Cliches, BS Devices, generating Drama out of thin Air etc. etc. you name it and it probably does it.

Lets do it Morricone Style with Good, Bad and Ugly:

the Good:

It starts quite well and has some things going for it. I mainly stuck to it because at first I thought that this was a lighthearted Drama that didnt take itself too seriously (what with all that Poison gimmicky stuff like a literal Poison Wall). I expected a Mix of Drama, Comedy and Parody which I like a lot. At first it looked like it and some of the Side Characters started quite goofy and entertaining like the side couple that always fights. It was those Elements that were Entertaining and about the best thing in this Drama.

the Bad:

Acting is overall mostly on the mediocre side. The ML is too wooden, the FL is too boring, the 2ML is too flamboyant and the 2FL (if it can be called that) is ....words fail me but more on her in the Ugly Section.

The Story is all over the Place. I found myself asking "what was the Story again?". The FL is good with Poisons....and thats the Story right there. I had the feeling that the Writer just had this one Idea to make an FL that is good with Poisons and then simply made up everything else from that point. The FL is good with Poisons so everything that happens has some connection to Poisons even if it makes no sense whatsoever. Barbarians attack the Nation? it turns out they are "poisonous Barbarians", a Meteorite hits the Palace? it turns out its a "poisonous Meteorite", Godzilla comes out of the Ocean? well you guessed it, it actually turns out to be not Godzilla but Godzillas Chinese Cousin who conveniently is also poisonous, you get the Point! It becomes really tiresome after a while.

The CGI is worse than a joke. Seriously, with CGI this bad, it would have been better to use practical effects. Even some guy in a Costume would have been better than what they tried to pass for a "monster".

the Ugly:

Flashbacks, lots and lots of Flashbacks. Deus Ex Machinas, lots and lots of Deus Ex Machinas. BS Devices, lots and lots of BS Devices (super effective magical Poison Powders in this case that work better than Gasses in the first World War...or any Gasses even today). As I already said, the amount of tropes and cliches in this Drama is quite critical. I am aware that Dramas like this utilize such "gimmicks" and have to utilize them but there are differences of what is useful and necessary and what is lazy and cheap. How many times can you see the mains get rescued "last second" before realizing that they are never really in danger? When I dropped this Series I had lost ALL Interest in any of the Characters. I couldnt care whether they lived or died or loved or hated or whatever, they bored me out of the series with constant repetition of the same "dramas" over and over and over again.

The 2FL has a special place in my heart as the most idiotic, stupid and utterly retarded villain in any Drama of all time. She has triggered me more than any Character in any other Drama I watched and not for lack of competition mind you, she is just that worse! What was her plan again? to DIE for the ML so he can "fall in love" with her Corpse? now there is a "great plan" if I ever heard one. She starts crazy evolves into psycho and ends a complete lunatic and none of it in a good way. This Character harms the Series in a serious way and I would deduct at least two Stars just for this Character alone. Very annoying.

Summary:

Its not completely bad and has its upsides but cutting it down to at least half the Episodes would have improved it a lot. This Series was clearly artificially kept running for 50 Episodes to make Money, avoid Taxes, pay Bribes/the Mafia or whatever and it shows.

I had the time to waste so it was not that big a loss for me but those who dont should check twice before committing.

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Just fine

I felt like this drama had a really strong start — the female lead's spunkiness made her really likeable, the mystery was intriguing, and the time travel also made for really interesting parallels.

As the drama went on, I felt like it a lost a lot of its spark, opting for either humor or a modern-only plot, leaving the saeguk mystery and time travel element both really neglected until the last episode and not really tying the two timelines together well enough. It didn't make much sense what Yeon-woo's time travel had to do with the modern storyline, or why those parallels even existed. I think the stakes weren't established well enough for me to feel emotionally invested: I paid painstaking attention to the modern day characters to figure out how they were tied to their past lives, but by the end it felt like the modern day characters were the far more important ones. I really think this drama could've used a full 16 episodes to balance out the modern and historical plotlines and add some explanation for the time travel.

Other than that, I felt like the side characters were fine and occasionally funny but pretty unimportant to the plot, and the main romance was also fun but generally a cookie-cutter ship. It's a fun watch but for me, not very memorable.

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Decent acting saved this

I guess korean bls are a genre of their own, the main rule being “give as little as possible”. I understand making something great while having only 8 episodes, 12 minutes each, requires a cinematographic mastermind but then let’s make it longer than that, so the plot won’t seem so shallow. I mean overall it’s not that bad, just a little overdramatic towards the end in my personal opinion- it’d be great for angst lovers. The acting was great, really amazing. The cast did an outstanding job at making it enjoyable and sometimes even funny, and for that I’d recommend to watch it - it’s still just like an hour of your time.

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Great Show with no Unnecessary Fillers: Loved the Characters

I love when kdramas are 8-10 episodes, I feel like it's a sweet spot for kdramas, they tend to get straight to the point. To be honest when I saw that the dad died in episode one, I was actually going to stop watching, thinking it was another cliche drama, but I'm glad I continued because the death was meaningful and is a huge part of the plot as the story goes on. This is a very character-driven plot, and I LOVE plots like that, I loved Geu-Ru, the uncle, and nam-u they are such a fun cast and perfectly balance each other out. The amount of times I CRIED in the show is unreal, it hurt me so much to see the uncle realize that his brother always loved him and never forgot about him, it seriously was so beautiful.

My only drawback is that I do find the 'genius' disability character to be one that can be tricky to balance since people with disabilities should be accepted, and not judged, whether or not they are geniuses. I find that they try to 'justify' disabilities by making the character a genius, when in reality, no matter the intelligence level an individual with a disability should be respected. I also was annoyed at the random scene at the end, it felt so unnecessary.

The main this I love about the show is how they deal with grief. I hate when shows gloss over death, and make the main character easily forget, so I loved that this drama made it show just how devastating loss can be and how you never truly move on.

Would highly recommend the show if you're in need of a good cry, and love character-driven plots.

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