Reviews

Charn and Tinn are two sides of the same coin

It was intense. I think the series only having 8 episodes helped to keep us on our toes throughout. There was always something going on that required our attention. I liked that; it made tuning in each week for a new episode enjoyable.

The plot was interesting. There was some mystery, murder / accident investigation, corruption and action. Most of the characters were multi-dimensional which made them appear more realistic and human, no matter how much we want to hate some of them. The plot made sense, the events logically corresponded to one another, each action had a logical reaction. Even if motives of the characters were questionable.

Tinn & Charn: the two are different sides of the same coin. Tinn is the more idealistic version, the one who never lost faith in justice, in good in the people. Charn’s loss turned him into this heartless version of himself, he doesn’t believe that justice is possible by following the law. He wants power, something that he can use to protect himself from going through what he went again. Neither of them had it easy, but they chose two different paths in how to deal with it. Charn knows that while his way is effective, it’s not one that would allow Tinn to keep his head up if he had done the same. Charn has a way of making you want to hate him, but at the same time you want to give him a hug and never let go. I love the duality of his character, his ruthless side in contrast with his cute side when he is with Tinn. Tinn might appear soft and gentle at first, but he shows his fiercer and more possessive side as well. Both Film and Jam did an amazing job with playing the two characters. Their chemistry was amazing!

Methee & Thaenthai: They were a couple I didn’t know I needed, but I absolutely adored. Thee is Tai’s bodyguard and has been around him since the two were children. He loves Tai, that is clear from the start. And his pain whenever Tai gets hurt is something we can feel through the screen. Thee does his best to take care of Tai. Tai might seem like a rich troublemaker, but there is a lot more to him. Whenever he is with Thee, he shows this vulnerable and almost childlike side of himself that I started to enjoy. He is not nearly as wild or as problematic as one would expect. Pearl and See both did really well in their roles. I think they both showed a lot through their eyes and facial expressions.

As for other characters, I think Tinn’s grandma is amazing! I love how open and supportive she is. Rose and Maya are amazing too, I love how the two kind of adopted Charn as part of their little family once he lost his mother. Rose also isn’t afraid to put him into his place when needed. Charn’s ex is on a whole different level of crazy. I can see why he and Charn were together in the past, but the man is still obsessed! When it comes to the senator Thatthep… ugh, just burn him or something.

There were some parts that I think were overdramatic for no reason, but it didn’t bother me too much. The senator did come across as a bit cartoon-y at times, which made it hard for me to take him seriously at those parts.

The ending was what we needed. The OST was nice, I enjoyed the cinematography and the overall aesthetic of the series as well.

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So adorable

The plot isn't great, but the series is exploding with cuteness without being irritating.

The supernatural element could have been used further. Because of an accident, Gu Buxia's suppressed ability to sense other-worldly beings is partially unlocked, and he only stops hearing sounds from the other world when he touches Jiang Chi. There could have been a lot more worked into the story here. Maybe each episode should be twice as long. Some of the events seem to be leading to something more exciting, but are quickly abandoned. Take for example the time when Gu Buxia is frightened by a fierce spirit in the bathroom. I thought more was going to happen, but no...

Still, there the couple is really cute. Yang I Hsuan (who plays Jiang Chi) is a surprisingly good actor and while Hong Wei Zhe (who plays Gu Buxia) seems a little unnatural at times, the role suits him very well.

The main weakness of the series is underdevelopment, which is a pity because if there were stronger development, the series would be phenomenal with such a cute couple. There is a hint of unresolved issues, making a Season 2 possible, with Jiang Chi beginning to hear the other-worldly voices and some foreshadowing of Jiang Chi's parents objecting to his relationship. I wish a Season 2 would happen.

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An oddity

There are plenty shows which start well and then, after a couple or so episodes, go downhill. This show is one of them. Though the final episodes somewhat improve after very boring middle.

What's odd, though, is that acting is rather OK at first but then gets worse instead of improving.
I'm not sure who is to blame. The screenwriters, who took an interesting premise and barely made use of it throughout the show focusing on flashbacks, pointless details and stilted dialogues instead, the director, who hardly helped the cast to deal with the tepid script, or the editor, who often failed to combine the scenes into a coherent, flowing story.

The music was nice though.

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The story of a woman who confronts an unrequited love with all her heart.

~A missed opportunity turns into a regret. If there are no more opportunities to miss, I'll make sure to create some myself.~
~In a world of misunderstandings, it's dangerous to make assumptions about others. So you should ask the question yourself. You should hear the answer directly.~
~Love has to touch someone's inner confidence. Then love won't be dragged down by the other, but will draw the other to you.~

I thoroughly enjoyed this JTBC romance, as is often the case, and it left a lasting impression on me. I would recommend it to you if you are looking for a romance that's not necessarily simple and cute, for some it will be more a source of annoyance and boredom than anything else (it's a slow burn and it's far from being a frustration-free drama), or even depressing because yes, it's sad, but in my case I found it more interesting and I was totally hooked. The drama might seem rather light, it is actually quite heavy.

I really liked the atmosphere, the meaningful and thought-provoking dialogues, the quotes, the narration, the literature, the calligraphy and photography, the cinematography and music, the tense moments and camera movements, the way they end the episodes, the many well-placed metaphors related to fairy tales (I even read an entire analysis to understand one in episode 8, Lee Soo compared to the Little Mermaid at that very moment surprisingly makes so much sense), the parallels, the play on words, even the episode titles, there are so many details I can't list them all.

I would like to add that never before has a drama made me want to visit South Korea, and Seoul in particular, so much. I felt like I was discovering the city as I watched. They did a great job of blending photography with calligraphy. It's rare that I'm so captivated or even amazed by the work aspect of a drama, but this was more than successful. Just like in "Now, We Are Breaking Up", where the male lead is also a photographer while the female lead is a stylist. So in the end, the match-up was really different. Knowing that here we have a very different male lead, he's cold, withdrawn and solitary whereas the one in NWBU is warm and sociable.

I started the drama during my stay in Brittany (region in France), so I might as well tell you that I've stayed in the travel mood with this drama.

Lee Soo is quite a sad and annoying character at first, he has a lot of flaws but that's what makes him interesting and he has a beautiful evolution.

Overall this is the kind of drama that's best watched from the perspective of trying to understand the characters, or even empathize with them. We can't control our feelings, and not everything goes our way, and this drama shows that very well. Like it or not, the way the characters behave was very human. More than just a love story, it's a drama about relationships, be they family, friends, lovers, the misunderstandings we can have about ourselves and others, the difficulties we go through, the mistakes we make and the regrets that go with them, ... Simply put : life. You have to be patient and not judge the characters too quickly to fully appreciate this drama, because we're all different and nobody is perfect. Of course, it's also a beautiful love story and a drama that warmed my heart, with beautiful morals. It's just not what I'd recommend if that's all you're looking for, the drama shows how complicated love can be etc. If you like slow burn and bittersweet romances with complex characters, then it could be for you.

Some of the topics covered are very relevant, but... you'll have to watch the drama to find out.

Note that the title of the drama in Korean is "Number of cases (to go from friends to lovers)". When you think about it, the concepts at the heart of the drama are some of the things that drama fans hate the most. However, when it's the very concept of the drama, it changes everything. It's not just the story that creates conflict between the characters, and it's not because of external problems either, but internal ones. I'll take an event at the end of episode 6 as an example. At first it made me perplex, I thought it was too cliche, even ridiculous. By the end of the episode, I completely changed my mind. I find it incredible that what I thought was stupid ended up impressing me. It was so meaningful and sad. Yet another cliche made its appearance towards the end of the drama, but I knew they would prove me wrong, and that they did. Sure, these are all familiar plot devices, but they're there for a reason—and honestly, it's not like such things don't happen in real life.

OST: The lyrics have a real emotional impact and make so much sense in relation to the story and the characters' feelings, especially as they were really well placed in the scenes. One OST is actually sung by Ong Seong Wu himself, dedicated to his character. The OST is called Late Regret, for those who want to know the name. There's also Spider Lily and Serendipity as interesting titles, since they mean something.

Side note: Yes, the story is frustrating and one could say it goes in circles, but no, it doesn't drag unnecessarily. Yes, Joon Soo deserves better. No, I do not put all the blame on Woo Yeon, and no, he wasn't innocent. What matters is that in the end, the journey was meaningful for everyone. Also, it's funny but not surprising to me how people just go for the simpler, kinder, more extrovert character who's a rich CEO, while I'm here finding Lee Soo much more interesting as an introvert, tsundere type of character. Of course I also loved Joon Soo and especially by the end I felt bad for him, so don't get me wrong.

In conclusion, this is the kind of romance that is clichéd but still stands out from the rest because everything seems so realistic and different from other dramas, right up to the very end. Moreover, the division of the drama into two distinct halves is nothing short of brilliant.

The opening to discover as it does not appear on Viki : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKQazSzhFr8

Thank you for reading !

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A mature historical kdrama - might or might not frustrate you.

My Dearest is a epic masterpiece most of the time - with beautiful cinematography, interesting plot and amazing acting. Set during 1600s when Qing declared war with Joseon, it tells the tough violent times with many innnocent lives lost, killed in brutal ways… In midst of the tragedy, there is Gil Chae, who started as an arrogant, spoiled young woman from a noble family, but who is forced to mature quickly because of war! And then there is the cynical realist Jang Hyun, who has seen it all. He”s a mysterious man with a dark past who is fascinated by the bold Gil Chae, she who has many men drooling after her because of her beauty and is disliked by other women because of jealousy and because she is not ladylike and is quite ”scandalous” known for flirting around. But she is in love with the scholar Yeon Jun, she tries everything to get his attention, but he’s engaged to her only friend - Eun Ae. Anyways everything is peaceful, but then war starts and it changes everything forever, Jang Hyun falls deeply in love with Gil Chae, Gil Chae however is confused by her own feelings …

My Dearest is somewhat loosely based on the classic Gone With the Wind, but it grows into its own unique story without much common with Gone With the Wind anymore. My Dearest is a serious, dark ”proper” historical drama, not one of those youthful lighthearted historical dramas with idol actors. The acting here is amazing and of highest quality, the quality overall is on the same league as Mr. Sunshine! Definitely not a cheap drama! Characters are multidimensional, flawed and complex. Both main leads - Jang Hyun and Gil Chae are very interesting characters. Jang Hyun is anything but naive, he doesn’t live in some bubble, he knows How dangerous, powerful and strong those ”barbarians” are, and that the Joseon men fighting in the war will most likely lose. Because he is not unfraid to be brutally honest, he is not popular among the others. Besides that, he has this playful nature, in order to hide his dark past. He is a womanizer who never wants to marry and he lives without a purpose. Just like Gil Chae, he is concidered ”scandalous”.

When Jang Hyun meets the much younger Gil Chae, he experiences true love. He loves teasing her, which often makes her angry. Just like the others, she looks down on him and is quite mean to him too, he is far from her ideal type…but when war starts she sees another side of him, and gets confused by her own feelings. Gil Chae, who has been in love with another man for years, refuses at first to admit her growing feelings for him, not only because she is in love with someone else, also because she doesn’t see him as serious since he teases her a lot and not wanting to ever marry.

The other characters are interesting too… we have Yeon Jun, an idealist who has studied confucianism all his life, he has been taught to put the King first, having him as the first priority, he is engaged to Eun Ae, an soft gentle young woman who is great at reading other people and a great observer, unlike Gil Chae. However, she is not nearly as strong as Gil Chae.
She loves Yeon Jun, despite not putting her first. But does Yeon Jun truly love Eun Ae?? Or is he with her only because she is the safe choice, while he has feelings for Gil Chae, but won’t act on them because she is too strong-willed for him, not some ”proper” lady. Then there is Ryung Eum, a legendary singer and Jang Hyun’s friend, he has a big Secret that he keeps to himself…

Despite the big age gap between Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun Jin the chemistry is AMAZING! I love their characters banter, how they quarrel and How both are so strong willed, refusing to back down! Sometimes Gil Chae gets a bit too harsh and mean to Jang Hyun, but we see she cares for him a lot. Jang Hyun sees Gil Chae for who she truly is, he admires her strength… would Yeon Jun admire Gil Chae’s strength? I doubt it,while he likes her he doesn’t want to a bold woman, he wants someone submissive. Anyways, Jang Hyun is willing to go so far for Gil Chae, and yes it’s frustrating because she doesn’t know that… but it’s not really her fault, because he never tells her how much he is willing to sacrifice for her. By the way, it’s such a delight to see how Gil Chae develops so much, how strong she actually is… at first you think she is quite stupid, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth… when it comes to surviving she is very smart. I love that.

Jang Hyun really grows on you, at first I didn’t know really want to think of him although I admired him for his brutal honesty and for being a realist, but I ended up really loving him and feel for him. He is without a dobt the best character in My Dearest, for me, and one of my all time favorite male leads in dramaland! Behind his playfulness he is quite vulnerable, all he wants is Gil Chae’s love! Namkoong Min does an outstanding job, he plays his character with so much depth. I’m glad they casted him, besides his outstanding acting he has a mature face, which in my opinion is important , because his character is supposed to be older who has been through a looot, I’m thankful they casted him instead of some younger baby faced actor. And Ahn Eun Jin is also outstanding! She plays her character so well, I’m glad she’s getting more popular. All actors are amazing!

This drama is very realistic, the sword fighting is great and the makers of this drama has done a great job potraying the uglyness of war, how it affects people, how it destroys them. Since My Dearest is for mature audience, it can get very brutal and violent. But that’s How it was during the Qing invasion of Joseon,people were tortured in the most horrific way possible, women were raped, etc. What I love about this drama is that the makers are not obsessed about having the actors look like flawless dolls, the make up artists actually makes them look dirty/ messy. Just as it should, there is no way during wars that they looked perfect and flawless, with make up on. Kudos to the makers of this drama, the make up artists… and kudos to the actors for not being scared of not looking perfect all the time!

Many says that ep 1-2 are not that interesting, that its not until ep 4 this drama gets VERY interesting! I liked ep 1-2 but yeah, it definitely got more interesting in ep 4. But it was important to introduce the characters in the first 2 episodes, so that we get to know a bit what they are like. My Dearest is a very tragically beautiful drama with lots of heart put into it, it’s a roller coaster full of emotions! I have to keep my breath sometimes, it’s a stressful drama because you never know what will happen and you fear for the characters, etc. it’s far from a predictable story, far from being cliche. I love that this drama is quite fast paced, I never feel bored!
Thanks to this drama I learned a lot about Korea’s history, I had no idea prior to this that there was war between Qing and Joseon. And learning about Khan, Mongolians and Manchu people was really interesting, it was interesting to see actors portraying them. They could be really brutal!

Honestly, tho … the love story can be very frustrating , because Gil Chae… For part 2- hopefully it will have the same high quality in part 2 too, which I think it will, because supposedly they split this into 2 parts so that the quality wouldn’t be less. .. I just hope that Gil Chae will realize how much she loves Jang Hyun, who’s done so much for her. So overall, a great watch if you can handle some very frustrating moments.. sometimes I felt like banging my head into wall to be honest, but the greatness is far stronger …

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Best concept ever

I knew of some of the groups that were on here and was sad to see some of them go. There is so much talent on here, and I love the concept of giving idols a boost and some screen time. I want to hug whoever the rapper was of 24K because he is so good and was my favorite in the group. I want to tell the baby idols that they have so much time because they are so young.

I was really rooting for DKB and BAE173 because I had already listened to some of their music. I also was surprised Kingdom was on there because I thought they were semi-popular in kpop. I am really glad Vanner won. I cried. A lot of groups have the same backstory and aren't as lucky as they are. I had already heard of them before the show but hadn't listened to their music.

All in all, as far as survival shows go, this is my favorite.

P.S. The whole thing with team 23:00 was stupid and shouldn't have been a big deal. But that's the industry for you.

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Ever changing layers of happiness and sadness, pain and survival.

I went into this drama with a lot of trust and hope. Hwang Jin Young amazed me once with Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People, and I was ready to be amazed again - and she did not disappoint.

Set around the year 1636 during the Qing invasion of Joseon, the story centers around the themes of social structures and expectations put on different social classes, inequality of genders, women solidarity, the role of the royal family, all mixed with a beautiful, well paced romance that keeps breaking your heart and mending it back together - the sweetness and the angst perfectly balanced.

The story opens with what one could describe as open ended closure - showing us the future, but just a direction of where it all went, vague frame of the characters’ fates, while leaving enough uncertainty to keep you curious and striving to make your own interpretations and theories.

The core of the show are its characters. Yoo Gil Chae is exactly what I always wanted to see from a strong female lead - realistic depiction of pure survival based on wits and determination instead of unrealistic superhero like skills. She is introduced as a naive, egocentric and slightly delusional young woman, who thinks the whole world centers around her. Her bold attitude and cunning nature is truly refreshing, even if at times cheesy.

As the drama progresses, she shows an enormous amount of emotional strength and wits. The same cunning nature she used to seduce men, she then used to keep others alive. Even though her whole behavior and demeanor changes in a matter of days, it feels organic, believable and right - all the development happens on top of already existing traits she had.

And then we have Lee Jang Hyun introduced as a resourceful casanova dressed in a veil of mystery, surprising everyone with his skills, insightful understanding of politics and unconventional takes on matters of loyalty, patriotism, marriage and love. A man who seems too perfect to ever exist. A man who can make viewers' hearts flutter with sweet teasing and playful flirting, but also sincere confessions and yearning gazes he gives Gil Chae. A man who is willing to try to stop the war for the woman he cherishes.

Compared to Gil Chae and Jang Hyun, who present this opposition to accepted social norms and values, we have Nam Yeon Jun and Kyung Eun Ae, whom I would describe as prisoners of their upbringing and expectations put on them.

Yeon Jun, the loyal subject with an idealistic idea of protecting the royal family when needed. Eun Ae, the perfect pure woman who protects her chastity. His worth lies in his devotion to the king, her worth lies in her purity that should be given only to her husband. Both characters were truly sad to watch and fascinating to analyze.

What more has the drama to offer? First of all, the amazing, and at times painful to watch social commentary, often presented in the format of contrasting scenes intertwined with each other. Patriotic moments put against complete defeat, happy celebration in contrast to upcoming invaders, inconvenience of the royal family opposed to dying subjects. Sometimes just seconds, passing moments that stay with you long after you finish watching.

What adds to the gripping storytelling is the more realistic depiction of war and how gruesome it can truly be for commoners. All the scenes of the invaders attacking villages, killing all the men, the horrifying fate of the women, struggles of the slaves and pain of the ones thought to be the enemies of the Qing. People trying to survive, people trying to get back to normal, even if the peace was not fully obtained.

Everything created ever changing layers of happiness and sadness, pain and survival. How the tragedy hits us harder thanks to the happiness we previously witnessed, and how we appreciate the joyful moments, remembering the pain the characters went through.

All that emotional impact was possible thanks to the phenomenal performances from the cast. While watching Namgoong Min in this drama, I accepted that I will stay single for the rest of my life. My standards in men reached unobtainable levels all thanks to his portrayal of Jang Hyun. You wish to be in mortal danger so he can save you, while also making you want to protect him. The perfect balance of confidence and vulnerability, playful nature and sincere love, bravery against the enemy and the fear of losing people he cares about.

Ahn Eun Jin was the perfect choice for Yoo Gil Chae. An actress skilled enough to present the pure innocence, cunning nature and mature strength in a way that it never felt contradictory. I ended up adoring the character’s little schemes, feeling the pain she was feeling and rooting for her with all my heart in times of hardships and danger.

Lee Hak Joo and Lee Da In had an extremely hard job of presenting characters whose usually praised traits became their flaws. A delivery that at times makes you feel a whole ra(n)ge of emotions. Love them or hate them, but you for sure will not be indifferent.

From the production standpoint, I cannot describe how happy I was with the styling of the characters during the turbulent times. The raw perfection of the imperfections. No porcelain like white skin. The blemishes, imperfections, dirt and sweat - all adding to the realism of the story.

And then we have the touching soundtrack. Only With Heart full of feelings of hope, the innocence of pure love hidden in Road To You, The Painted On The Moonlight filled with longing and the desperation in Unforgettable Love.

Realistically speaking, words cannot describe how much I love this drama. It took complete possession of my brain, heart and soul. It gives you sweet moments that will make you grin from ear to ear and scream into the pillow. It breaks your heart times and times again, and yet you will feel grateful for every tear it made you shed. It introduces uncomfortable topics and scenarios that will make you contemplate your own beliefs and ideas. It served me everything and I could not ask for more.

Is the show flawless? No show is. But if you ask me to name any flaws, I would struggle, because all the tiny issues I might have had seem so miniscule and insignificant it would truly feel like looking for something to criticize just for the sake of finding any negativity. One thing that bothered me slightly in the later episodes: there were some unclear time passage issues, the contextual hints of how much time passed were not always clear and it affected the understanding of the characters, their motivations and emotions. It was not extremely hard to figure out, but it did require a bit more analysis and thinking.

(Some additional analysis and thoughts about the ending of part 1 in comment below under spoiler).

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Humurous, Must Watch if you want a break from reality

This is a rom-com series that will get you laughing from beginning to the end. All the actors delivered their punchlines so well.
The story is hyper-focused on the love between Princess Qi Pa and Kui Mu Lang / Li Xiong. The historical setting, the theme and even the internal war conflict was just thrown to build a story around the couple. The plot was there for just the sake of having it. If you're looking for an elaborate political tactics, government affairs, character's historical background, plot twists and ulterior motives, your too serious mindset should skip this. Its not for you.
But if you're looking to just fall in love, have fun and leave you refreshed every after episode, then you must see this.
- Contrary to all the negative and seemingly synchronized reviews here, Its NOT a drag! I'm up to Ep.23 in no time.
- Real passionate love communicates physically and you just can't help it. The director and actors allowed enough room for physical romance. Wu Xuan Yi and Chen Zhe Yuan is not awkward with each other and didn't hide behind birds for a fake kiss.
-While all the roles here are one-dimensional, they all have remained consistent through to the end of the story. Not one has acted out of character which exemplifies the simplicity of the narrative.
-When Chen Zhe Yuan hugs, he hugs with open palm and not closed fist. I noticed he does the same with Hidden Love. Kudos to Zhe Yuan. There's never an awkward moment.
-Wu Xuan Yi looks so tired on episode 1 despite her make up and has terribly lost weight. I know she's too busy with projects because, why not? She's a dedicated actress who takes time to study her role, highly creative and puts in an effort. There's no doubt, I will see Xuan Yi in a better and more challenging roles in the future.
-Just when I am thinking that this whole series has zero great character, General Ma died. Though it was given screen time, it failed to invoke the expected reaction from audience with the death of Ma Ying Xiong.
-I think this is running on a tight budget given that the Beast City Palace is running on 20 men soldiers, 3 commandants, 3 Elders, 1 kitchen staff, 1 lady-in-waiting 1 right hand man and 14 women soldiers who are sometimes assigned as palace maids. It wasn't too obvious because it was highly compensated by the costumes of Princess Qi Pa and specially by the grandeur of the Beast City Palace. Its also rare to find a decent sound effect and music background—a very good one at that.

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It isn't love if it's easy. A MUST WATCH.

Lighter and Princess depicts a love story filled with all sorts of twists, I had never experienced such an attachment to a show but I can say for certain, Lighter and Princess is unique and beautiful, I don't believe I can ever find a show similar to this one.

There are many factors I admire about the show, but one thing that stuck out to me is, the story goes a lot deeper than I assumed it would, the hardships were never sugarcoated and I cannot count the amount of times I sat at the edge of my bed stressed because I was so attached to all the characters.

No one is perfect in this world, we all have our faults, we all have our struggles. That does not mean we cannot change or grow, The main characters have developed so much throughout the show, and you cannot help but feel infinitely proud of all of them. My review may be short, but for anyone whoever considers/thinks to watch this show should definitely go for it, enjoy the ride it is rewarding.

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The Lady in the Swing and the Man in Love

I rarely give a 10; the last one was "Crash Landing on You," almost 3 years ago. This series is over half completed with the 2nd half now well underway. It began by teasing us with flirtations and long looks: a beautiful man with a fan loving a charming woman more than himself. It then advanced to the man dropping the fan that was only a distraction anyway to the real man, the experienced warrior behind those eyes who risks his life repeatedly, and the “girl on a swing” revealing herself as a brave warrior who assumes the leadership role to protect other women and children.

The series has steadily moved us through numerous scenes of increasing danger and heartbreak, that were leading us to where we are now. It is a love story, yes, but it is also about invasion, war, escape, resistance, horror, and the violent treatment of the poor, elderly, women and children in a horrific reverse of their community into a war zone with them as the sacrifice.

It is terrifying, heartbreaking. And no love story can change that. But it can give us hope. The woman in the love story is brave and resolute in protecting others. GC has become the woman LJH saw and fell in love with the first day as he watched her floating high on the swing. And he is not just the man who loves and protects her but is also revealed as the resistance fighter who saw her from the beginning and knew who she was. As he tells Ryang, “you do not know what she means to me.” But we do, and they would both do anything to save the other in this constantly evolving love story moving steadily into the finest of Korean Dramas.

"My Dearest" Eps 18 & 19
I was able to sit down with my morning coffee and enjoy both episodes this weekend.
And it was very interesting to see how the entire series was moving this way all along-just as the writer and direction teams intended. For this is not just the romance most of us here share an abiding hope will be fulfilled, but also a historical study of the Qing invasion and its effects on Joseon, its people at all levels, and its future. These are all seen in the madness of the king taken out on his own people and family, the grief of the people-symbolized in the death of the baby, that the mother must bury with her own hands-and the shared anguish of the citizens just trying to return home but slaughtered by the misuse of power.
Additionally, there is more than one love story, and they are on multiple levels. But of course the central love story is that of JH and C: who at the beginning seem to be a man with a waving fan but who is so much more, and a woman with a rising swing who finds out who she really is through his love for her. If the writer closes next weekend the way she seems to be moving, the outcome may be as complex, as is the historical reality. And it may also be one of Drama's greatest achievements. But even if it falls short, the writer, production team, cast, and composers have given us a series that many of us love. That is an achievement in itself. So onward to next weekend with hope and maybe a few tears. Either way, it's been a grand ride.

—AJ McAninch.

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A mess but it's entertaining

What to say, what to say. This drama is very difficult for me to review because while I know it’s not the best show objectively and has its fair share of issues, I had a really fun time watching it. So the reviewer in me wants to give this a solid 6 stars, the rest of me wants to give it a nine. So I decided to give it an 8.5. I think the thing about this show that makes it so enjoyable for me, rather than something I was watching purely to review it, was the chemistry between the actors. Sunny and Pak had excellent chemistry, they were able to make most of the horribly cringy dialogue bearable and I don’t think this drama could have worked without them.

This drama follows Namnuea, a wedding planner, as he falls in love with one of his clients. I know, it’s an alarming premise. But it is not what you think, well actually yes it is. The plot twist in this show is so predictable, everyone can see it coming. If you guessed both Lom(the groom) and Yiwa(the bride) are gay and that the marriage is fake to appeal to their parents, congrats. You would be correct. This is not an original concept, Mame really was just writing an excuse to get the LITA couples married and threw the main couple in to fill time. Which really makes me laugh seeing as the LITA couples got maybe 2 minutes of screen time each, in total. I could be wrong, it could be Mame wanted to try her hand at a cheating romance and added the LITA couples in to show Nuea working but I don’t think so. Before you watch this show, I do think it’s important to know that there is SA in this. Nuea sleeps with Lom while he is sober and Lom is very very drunk. It’s in episode 4, around the 53 or 54-minute mark. It is, as is typical for Mame it seems, not portrayed as SA but romantic. I hope I don’t need to tell you that drunk people cannot consent to sex, even if they make the first move and a sober person sleeping with them is assault. The scene is kind of important to the plot in the sense that it starts the episode 5/6 conflict but you don’t need to watch it if it will upset or trigger you. They do sleep together again if you want an NC scene. The dialogue is very cringe, I feel so bad for Pak cause it’s always Nuea who gets the terrible lines. As for the other characters, I really liked Yiwa and Marine. They are so adorable, a very desired wholesome and drama-free break from the emotional roller coaster that is Lom x Nuea. Nuea’s co-workers/ friends are so funny but I also really love that J’Im always had Nuea’s back. She was very protective of him and I loved that. The secondary side couple is cute, from what little we see of them.
But for all this show's flaws and issues, I really did have fun watching. I laughed, I giggled, and kicked my feet, all the stuff. Maybe I’ll edit this when the wedding episode or whatever the 8th episode on IQIYI will be comes out and give my feelings on that but for now, this is it.

*EDIT*
Hi there, I'm here after the wedding episode. Um, it was cute. It's always fascinating seeing wedding traditions from cultures that aren't my own and they're very cute together but like,there was no need to make it behind a pay wall. It's like seven dollars, so not terrible, but the episode should have been free. But it doesn't matter too much now anyway, I already bought it. Over all notes are J'Im rocks, she's the best and we're honestly being robbed of Sun and Ryu. They're cute and I wanted to know more. Also really wasn't vibing with how rushed the wedding was, Nuea only knew he'd be getting married the night before and Loms mom wasn't even invited. Not that you have to invite your parents to your wedding but I felt like there was no reason to exclude her except maybe for Yiwa and Marines comfort? Idk, it felt odd. Like Lom could get them from the UK for a wedding but not his mom from Bangcock to Chang Mai? Especially when the beginning of the episode started with Nuea wanting to be approved by the mom, a good full circle would have been her saying some lovely words of blessing at the wedding. But whatever. This episode doesn't improve my rating, the episode itself will get probably a 5, but I said I'd update so here it is

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It was a good drama

It was a good drama but it was also kinda weird because he fell in love with a women that looks exactly like his sister. I found that a bit disturbing. But overall it was a good drama. The female lead is kinda annoying. The male lead his handsome and good at acting. There are a lot of plot twists Wich makes the story even more interesting. The male lead is a strong character that has a sad past. Thankfully at the end he found out that his mother was still alive. That made the end even better. The female lead could have had a bit of improvement during the course of the drama but sadly she didn't. The story is kinda sad but it has a happy ending. I love the music in this drama is super catchy. I recommend this drama 100%

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