Reviews

Underwhelming

Due to Kim Soo Hyun’s three year absence from the small screen, there was much hype and anticipation when his role in QoT was announced. Sadly, QoT didn’t live up to the hype.

The story had potential, but got dragged down and lost. It was greatly overshadowed by the two villains, who had more weight in the story than the two leads.

There are plenty of romance KDramas that include a stalker or killer that don’t lose the power of the romance, such as Kim Soo Hyun’s last KDrama, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, or Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, W:Two Worlds, Extraordinary You, While You Were Sleeping, etc., even QoT’s competition from this year, Lovely Runner. All had pretty nasty villains, yet the romance never got buried or overpowered by the evil.

If anyone got a bonus out of this show, it was Kim Ji Won who more than proved that she has the talent and acting chops to deliver any role in which she is cast.

There is a sweet romance lost in the villainy.

Too bad it wasn’t given preeminence.

Positive: It has a happy ending.

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It is my first drama review so don't be too harsh on me.

Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru (My Dress-up Darling) is an adaptation of the very warmly received and well-reviewed manga by Shinichi Fukuda.

Story: 7/10
The story follows two highschool students, Gojou Wakana, a young adept of Hina doll making, and his classmate, Marin Kitagawa, a popular gyaru whose secret hobby is cosplay. Their fates meet by accident when Marin discovers what Gojou really does outside of school. Then, she introduces him to the world of cosplay.
The plot in the first five episodes does not differ so much from what we have already seen in anime. The scenes are well adapted, and also the settings fit well. Unfortunately, in the last five episodes we have the impression that the action is too rushed and we cannot feel a greater bond between the characters. The drama would need a few more episodes. In this case my rating couldn't be higher.

Acting/Cast: 7/10
By live-action drama standards, the acting is good. Both the main characters and the side characters fulfilled their tasks.
The styling and outfits also deserve great praise. These did not differ in any way from the original.

Music: 8/10
There's really nothing to complain about in this category. The music matched the appropriate scenes and was very nice to listen to. The opening and ending theme songs were also great.

Rewatch value: 5/10
I'm not really the type of person who rewatches drama, but there were some interesting scenes (especially with cosplay) that would make it worth returning to the series.

Lastly, it was a good adaptation of manga, although not at the level of anime. Some things were good and some of them were used unnecessarily. Overall, I have to admit that I enjoyed this drama.

Overall score: 7/10

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Main dialogue " This is just wrong" at least that's what the subs translated it as.

It was funny which is great. It had elements of "Ugly Alert, My father is strange, and What happens to my family? " so if you liked any of these u will like this as well as it comes with lots of laughter and the only thing that saddened me was not having one more episode for the ending.

The father of the sister had it rough! I really feel bad for him, not only (in the beginning) are his daughters ungrateful but also vicious. Slowly they start to learn the truth but still continue doing stupid things giving the father more embarrassment. I don't think any man in the real world could have his character and personality. Just watch it you will like it.

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Trying a bit too hard to be "epic historical drama"?

First of all: This is long. It is dragged out quite a lot – I watched this on Netflix, and ended up watching a lot of the episodes on 1,25 speed. Couldn't do faster because of the subtitles, lol.

Second: It is a bit dated, but sometimes that doesn't matter that much with historical-style dramas. I try to overlook the dated factors in my ratings for older shows, but here there were elements that slightly bugged me to the extent that I will mention them:
- (Occasionally) Poorly done makeup, especially the wig-lines
- Overly dramatic music, a bit repetitive
- "Soap-operaish /telenovela" style

When it comes to the casting and acting, I think they did a decent job under the circumstances. It tended to be "overacting" for certain characters (especially the villainous ones), which I am no fan of.
The three main leads all did rather well – I found the performances to be a bit either too flat or too stereotypical at times, but unsure if that has to do with when this was produced or the script.

As for the story, it became extremely plot-heavy and too dragged out, especially the last like 10 episodes or so. I nearly abandoned this after watching somewhat over 30 episodes, but then it really would have felt like a waste of time.
There were some smaller things in the story that either didn't quite add up, or that I missed.

When about half-way in this drama, it reminded me a little bit of "Empress Ki", but that is a much better drama.
As for this drama ("Introduction of the Princess / The Glamorous Imperial Concubine"), I get the impression that they tried a bit too hard to make it into an epic, historical drama.

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Shu Brocade Family

Rating after 25 episodes:

Story: 10

Although it's not a perfect drama, it has a storyline framed around historical Shu silk, fighting for justice, and weaving love and friendship. I enjoy watching it. I generally don't like every drama. This year, I liked only a few dramas that were released. This drama is better than all of them. The story is so good that besides war and intrigue, there are also funny scenes. The main couple constantly argues with each other and finally unites to fight for justice.

Acting: 10

Ji Ying Ying (Tan Song Yun) has a cunning, cute, businesswoman, strong woman character. Due to the events in her childhood, she took all her family's responsibilities upon herself. So, love and marriage were secondary for her. Her life continued to get more difficult. After her first fiancé left her, a romance began to develop between her and Yang Jing Lan. And finally, they got married in the 25th episode.
Tan Song Yun does justice to this role. She is a very talented actress.

Yang Jing Lan (Zheng Ye Cheng) has a funny, just, and somewhat carefree nature. He is both a warrior and a government official.
After this series, I fell in love with ZYC's acting skills once again.

Music: 10

I really liked the OSTs. They were performed by Liu Yunning and Tan Song Yun. Both of them have very beautiful voices.

Rewatch Value:

In your free time, you can watch Ji Ying Ying and Yang Jing Lan's arguments to relax.

Overall: 10

Both the story, acting, and music are very beautiful. It's a drama worth watching.

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Another Stockholm Syndrome Plot

I wish a story like this had not been produced. It is a wrong message that got twisted into a pretzel trying to make it feel and turn out respectable. I am sorry but it should not have. Someone was kidnapped at gun point, threatened, tied up, terrorized, and almost killed. And then the victim falls in love with his captor. This is another version of the ‘Stockholm Syndrome’. Yes, of course, the story is more complicated than this. But then again, it really is not. The story gets convoluted and endlessly waxes and wanes between ridiculous plots and scenarios. I cannot say anything bad about the acting.

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a very casual rom com

Slice of life kind of drama! A simple and fun romcom! Roles are kind of reversed here where the female lead #KimSejeong is more outgoing and has a tomboy kind of personality (initially) while the male lead #LeeJongwon is highly introverted and a quite person.

This is really a binge worthy show it’s only 12episodes and when you feel like watching something light and casual without any complicated breakups or misunderstandings this show will be good. It takes awhile for the leads to get used to each other but they have a very mature relationship and solve their issues properly 👍

The second leads are also really cute surprisingly both of them also had their own arcs given and challenges they had to overcome! The village people were so funny especially the biggest shippers of juju couple the 2 ahjummas!

This is the first time i’m seeing lee jongwon and !!!!! he should have gotten lead roles much earlier!! His acting was good and really very natural! Sejeong was really good in the emotional and sad scenes but aegyo >< (maybe not for me) yea the over the top aegyo all the time was just not for me...

overall will rewatch this drama down the road! The plot was easily to follow and very straightforward ~

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I need more explanation

Watch this for my alphabet challenge. Quite enjoy it, but still left hanging feeling in the end

Story about Seol Dong Baek (DB), a man who entered a company. On the first day, he got a text that he was transferred to another department. Now, he works as secretary for the CEO, Min Yu Dam (YD).

At the very first of their encounter, YD asked DB to date him. Not because of love, but because YD said DB needs to date him, if not DB will be dead. Thinking the CEO was crazy, DB ignored his word. But from that day on, YD started asking DB to have dinner with him. Of course, can’t reject the CEO's word, DB just goes with it. And that’s how their relationship started.

Strangely, on the day DB can’t dine with YD, DB started having a nightmare and his body started to feel the pain. ‘Cause in the dream, he was shot & the place where the arrow shot him, it hurt in real life too. When DB woke up, he told YD about it & YD kissed that place, and the pain started to disappear. And that’s how their relationship started going forward. Haha…

DB who tries to run from the relationship just finds himself feeling more and more for YD. At the same time, Dennis Lee also feels attached to DB. So, how will their relationship go forward from this…?

That's pretty much the story without giving any spoilers. Now what I like and don't.

What I like:
+ Interesting story
+ How DB & YD relationships grow. Even though this is just a short drama, it feels a little bit too fast.

What I don't like:
- a 2 minute recap is freaking too long for episodes that are under 15 minutes.

Overall this is quite an interesting short drama to fill ur time. Unfortunately, they have quite a big hole to fill, so therefore I can't give this higher score. But it's still a good short drama.

Below I'll write about the big hole. But that also means SPOILER ALERT!!! Read it at your own risk.












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SPOILER ALERT!!!
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- They don't explain to us about the curse that YD had. What the hell is that? Why does he need to live for 300 years…???
- Who the heck is Dennis Lee? Why is he obsessed with DB? Why does he look like he's been alive for so long, or is it just my impression of him…?
- Why in the past DB can't be named? MDL wrote: “Hundreds of years ago, a child was named after god and was cursed.” I don't know which one is wrong, MDL or the translation of the drama I've watched. But according to the translation in the drama, DB is a child of God that can't be named. And they never bother to explain to us why…? That's kinda frustrating me… Who had explanation for this please kindly message me

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Brewing love

I love Kim Sejeong - she is amazing singer (we got new OST song!!!) and actress - so of course I had to watch this. Her character is cute and badass, for many people mix of Do Hana and Shin Hari, maybe at the beginning, before we got to know her more. Chemistry as always is great. Lee Jong Won - it is first drama where I see him and he was really good. Baek Sung Chul - I know him from Once upon a small town (he safed it for me) - after shooting scene I believe that he would play perfectly some criminal or psycho and I need it to happen. Shin Do Hyun - I know her from Doom at your service, I also like her character here and chemistry with BSC was great.
I think that many people believed that it would be more similar to Business Proposal - it is also cute and light, but it is more like Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, we have cringe, cuteness overload but also some dark (BSC's past and trauma) and sad moments (grandma - eventhough I expected that).
Main point of this drama - outside of making beer - was to show how people hide behind masks, pretend to be happy when they actually want to cry and that they do not have to.
Personally I really like this and I think it is worth giving a chance.

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Arranged marriage, what could possibly go wrong?

Man I did not expect to love this show as much as I did. The couple gave me so much butterflies and their chemistry was really something. I loved their dynamic, and although they were often described as ‘opposites’ of each other, somehow I found them the most similar to each other than any other character.

I loved everything about this show. The plot, the characters, acting, the pace. I think everything plot wise was perfect, and everyone got their closure in the end.

I can’t exactly say I was happy with the ending, although it was hinted that everything ended nice and happy but I just had wished after all these 8 sad episodes we would get a nice ending with them. Still, I won’t say the ending was bad but it was a little disappointing to say the least.

Like I said before, 8 episode K-Dramas never disappoint! It reminded me a little of My Mister since it started off very melancholic and it ended like My Mister as well. I love when sad characters find each other and help each other be happier.

I recommend this a lot! It includes a lot of psychological messing with your head as well as childhood trauma/ past marriage issues. I recommend it. Give it a go!

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To see all without being seen.

Deep Lurk 深潜 is an intriguing and immersive Republican era spy thriller; one of the few that pulled me in from start to finish. It is set in 1939, at the prelude to the first Battle of Changsha. Changsha was a strategic city that the Japanese tried and failed to take four times from 1939-1944. As a result, they were never able to consolidate their territories in Southern China. At the time, the Republic of China's Nationalist Army had seriously considered abandoning the city but Xue Yue, the commander in charge of Changsha's defense refused to budge. As a result of terrain, Changsha could only be flanked from the east or the west, making it a difficult city to both attack and defend. In this kind of set up, intelligence and counter-intelligence can make a win-or-lose situation difference for both sides.

After a botched assassination attempt on Xue Yue, a traitor escapes to Shanghai with strategic Changsha defense intelligence. Multiple parties converge upon him in Shanghai to intercept the intelligence. The players include both the Changsha and Shanghai station of the KMT Military Intelligence (NBIS), the Wang Puppet Regime, the Japanese Military and hidden CPC operatives. Yun Hongshen, the idealistic young second master of the illustrious Yun family is sent by his father Yun Muzhi to observe. Predictably, this sharp but impetuous young man raring to make a difference does more than that and his path tangles with that off brave young NBIS agent Wen Yeming tasked to hunt down the traitor. An auction for stolen intelligence relating to the Japanese army's plan of attack for Changsha results in a deadly scramble to obtain or retrieve the intelligence. This coincides with the re-emergence of Kunwu, a long dormant Japanese spy and Muzhi's nemesis. Hongshen is lured back to Changsha, where he must crack the code to the intelligence and smoke out Kunwu in order to save his city from the encircling Japanese army. He reunites with Yeming at NBIS where they pit their wits against this master spy who seems to be able to see all without being seen.

The first three episodes are fast paced, exciting and littered with clues and character introductions and needs to be watched (and re-watched) carefully. But the setup and the storytelling is so intriguing I was compelled to re-watch; to make sure I didn't miss anything. It's been a long time since a drama pulled me in so deeply that I was literally unable to watch anything else at the same time. Even though there are some logic holes, the overall plot is tight and riveting. All the important characters are introduced early on and they are multi-faceted and grey with different loyalties and motives that reflect the clash of culture and ideology and the rival factions within the KMT during that pivotal era of change. The narrative brilliantly builds a credible case around several key characters with motive, means and opportunity to be Kunwu and maintains the suspense into the final episodes.

This drama has an all-round stellar cast anchored which by veteran actors including Wang Jingsong and Liu Huan and brilliant character acting by Hou Mengyao's disingenuous Milan, Han Chengyu's ruthless and competitive Ling Han and Zhang Tianyang's well-meaning Yun Hongqi. I really enjoyed watching Hongshen meticulously narrow down the suspect list and try to out-scheme the hidden master spy who eluded his father for years. The young Cheng Yi brilliantly captures how this character's intelligence and survival instinct makes up for his lack of experience and the shattering consequential mistakes he makes along the way. It is a shame that this drama has not enjoyed wider viewership. For this genre however, I don't need romance and I didn't enjoy Ying'er's acting or the couple's chemistry. I was far more invested in the Yun family's close bond and amused by how Hongqi and Hongshen are so different and resourceful in their own unique ways. Zhang Tianyang is a subtly hilarious actor and his brotherly scenes with Cheng Yi are among the drama's best moments for me.

Despite many cut scenes, the pacing, suspense and excitement holds up into a strong finale that delivers a good ending twist that deftly avoids one reversal too many. My only disappointment is that I had hoped for a more complex villain origin story. I won't say more to avoid spoiling the reveal. This is by far the best Republican spy drama I have watched since The Rebel (2021). I am happy to rate it the same at 8.5/10.0 despite its lower budget. It is a good watch if you are in the mood for some mental gymnastics but it can also be enjoyed simply as a fast paced spy thriller.

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