Completed
My Name
12 people found this review helpful
Oct 15, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Action/Thriller Romance

This drama was worth of waiting the story was awesome Han So Hee's acting was really good and the fight scenes were also super cool and blood was every i love this. Getting to the middle were Ahn Bo Hyun comes in that was also really good.

And Lee Hak Joo again did a good job at his acting i find him really cool when he is acting in action/thriller. So coming to the and i find the scene where Ji Woo and Pildo are fighting ey not really fightning Pildo want to stop her to leave and cuffs himself to her that a good scene and the after coming scene is the best worth watching but nearing to the end i really felt heartbroken when Pildo dies in was i really sad scene for me.

Please give many love for the drama "My Name" and please give many love for the actors and actresses.

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Completed
Good Doctor
12 people found this review helpful
Oct 9, 2013
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
I'll be right to the point: YOU MUST WATCH THIS ONE!!!

>>Story (9):
The story is just so special and sooo well written, the slice-of-life, the medical, the romance, even the comedy....all aspects were given the utmost care to come out so convincing and at the same time emotionally attaching.
A big point that adds to a good story and script is the character developments, and Good Doctor didn't miss a character however small it was and gave each the motive and the chance to change so beautifully it simply gives you ENERGY and HOPE.
Also, all the characters even the side ones all had their of their own little stories going about, so it feels like they're all breathing life into the main big story and giving it more depth.
Why I gave it a 9 not a 10? It's because there was this side story line progressing all through the drama, at first it didn't really bother when we were still being introduced to the characters and their relation ships progressing, but later on with the drama it just felt like "I honestly don't give a da** about this stupid business war, it's a medical drama for God's Sake!!". It would have been a LOT better if they had settled the whole matter a bit earlier not in the final episode like they did, so we can concentrate on our main characters. But anyway, it's a GREAT story so I honestly feel bad giving it a 9.

>>Acting (10)
A definite OUTSTANDING!! if there we no other actors other than Joo Won it still deserves a firm 10!! It's never easy to bring out a mentally disabled person so convincingly, having to act like a little pure child but at the same time always showing proofs of being a real grown-up man deep inside. From the expressions to the smallest gestures to the posture and body moves, Joo Won was simply PERFECT!
All the other cast also delivered a very firm acting all along *thumbs up*

>>Music (9)
Great OST!! though there were rarely any instrumentals that stuck (I'm a bit into instrumentals rather than vocals) but there were some beautiful songs in this one, and their lyrics was always soooo fitting the story it always manages to put you in the right mood.

>>Re-watch Value (10)
I'm positive I'll be watching this one again, especially coz I can then skip the take-over business fight filler scenes and jump to my favorite scenes to my hearts content ^^

>>Overall (10)
Good Doctor deserves to be watched, deserves to be added on your favorites list too.
come to think of it, Good Doctor might as well be my first medical drama, and though sometimes I was a bit dizzy from all the complicated medical terms, and at times I was never quite sure what was wrong with the patient and what they were supposed to do, or what went wrong with the operation, but it never mattered. In a sense it felt refreshing, I think I'll be watching more medical dramas afterwards.

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Completed
Behind Your Touch
12 people found this review helpful
Aug 19, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 6.5
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 2.0
This review may contain spoilers

a bit flat but...

not entirely happy with this...I really liked 'my liberation notes' (same director) and I normally like both leads, Lee Min-ki particularly.
That said, this one has some weaknesses for me. Han Ji-min not only has the same haircut as in 'the light in your eyes', she also plays the exact infantile way . While it made sense in the mentioned other drama due to her just looking much older than she was, it doesn't make sense to me here.

So the character here lost her mum at a young age, had a tough time then, still managed to become a vet which must have been tough, very adult environments to get through, her character is now 35 and steadily acts like a 6 year-old girl, why? With her history there is no room for her being like that. Also her character being steadily dressed like a toddler (really, it looks like toddler's clothes adult size) - It's bearable, but at times just too much.

Main problem is, the main characters stay quite flat. The vet is childish and rather annyoing, and there is not any other sides to her. Lee Min-ki's role is a broody, upfront officer who is pissed he was transfered to that little weirdo town. His acting is good as always, but also his character is thin yet.
I don't care for any of the side characters. And it's just a lot of slapstick that is not to everyone's taste.

I'll keep on watching after having seen episode 3, where the story improved a bit and got more substance, and Lee Min-ki is enough to keep watching anyways - at least for me =D

(and I couldn't disagree more with another reviewer here: yes, it's the same director as 'my liberation notes' - if you liked 'my liberation notes' for its rather philosophical and melancholic storytelling, you might particularly NOT like this new drama, which is the total opposite.)

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Completed
Because of Love
12 people found this review helpful
Jan 26, 2022
30 of 30 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Tearjerker

This is storyline told at its purest, it’s so simple yet so complicated with the intricate feelings and the complexity of the human mind. Nothing is every black and white in life and this drama shows that life is hard and complicated the choices we make pave ours life. But we also have should have ability to move forward instead of letting our past dictate the rest of our life, we can see what vengeance can do to one’s life. Wallace’s acting stands out and continues to amaze me. His acting is so haunting and just simply a masterpiece. He is so good at what he does. Supporting cast of his father who did an amazing job as a complicated misunderstood father. The adorable son Ping Ping, who is much wiser than his age, breaks your heart, he played it so wonderfully. The vibrant and beautiful Vicky who added much needed sunshine in the series. Her character with ML is a joy to watch, totally shipped these two together in the series.

I wished they have shown us more that NYS had the strength to move forward without Tang Jing, you can see glimpses of this towards the end. But so many things unfolded and than they were back together in the end. The first half of this drama made sense to me why she couldn’t be with him. But after ML found out about his son after FL kept it a secret for 7 years plus . Plus all of the past history and misunderstandings that had lead to breakup . It was just cruel the way he was repeatedly getting abused by the FL. So many people in Tang Jings life was affected by her selfish decisions, which she claims were selfless. But to me were really decision based on her own self worth and pride. She hurt so many people along the way. She had a very strong case of victim mentality and this really took away from this drama.
Not only did she take away the ML chance of being in his sons life for the first seven years of his life, she took away ML relationship with his own father that really never got salvage. She really took away every possible relationship he had with anyone away, with herself, his dad and his own son. She took away his self worth, not because she broke up with him. But for her lack of trust in him, the way she treated him . Her pride was always an obstacle in the relationship right from the beginning of their relationship. One of his quotes was “I’m I that unworthy of love that I can’t be trusted”. He even told her (in the younger years) that he questions, if she truly loves him. Cause people who love each other never think of their pride first.

ML became a shell of his former self. The happy go lucky confident young man, became someone who always question his self worth. I’m glad that drama realistically portrayed that those years took a big toll on him. Even with her being back in his life, he never really was his former self again. Experiences changes you, time is not always kind.

She also literally squeezed the life out of the second lead the fake husband Sun. She let him be the “father” and “husband”and she let it dragged on for all those years without giving him any sort of commitment, communication, love or kindness. If you can commit you shouldn’t be selfish for your own needs and let him continue to be with you. He was also a happy, confident man when they were younger. The years he spent with her really took all of his confidence away.

Her sons life was in danger multiple times. Your pride shouldn’t be confused with the life of your son, you shouldnt be playing games with someone’s life. Nor should you be able to decide a father and sons relationship and than continue to do so when he found out he was the son. She felt like she had suffered all these years and the world owes her for all her suffering or in this case NYS and his family. Her hatred and thirst for revenge was never founded as his father never had anything to do with her fathers death. Let’s say that he had anything do his death, the fact was that her fathers death was an ACCIDENT to begin with. That’s all it was, she can perhaps blame him for the cover up but not the actual death. Throughout the drama, it is mentioned she never ever had any solid evidence,it was just an assumption that she made. But that assumption ruled her life and really affected so many people in the process.

Many many viewers in China were unhappy with the middle of plot with so much dog blood coming from FL. You know what would have made a lot of viewers happier despite all the wrong decisions Tan Jing made? An apology to those around her or at least an acknowledgement of some guilt that she felt.

1. An apology to NYS for robbing him of 6 years with his child. An apology for wavering so many times and choosing to trust anyone but him
2. An apology to NDS for believing he was behind her dad’s death without any solid proof. An apology for driving a wedge between him and his son. An apology for robbing him of 6 years and robbing him once again when she ran off with the child knowing that the grandfather also loved him. Only a blind person can’t see that he loved his grandson and the feelings were mutual
3. An apology to her son for depriving him of his father. An apology for delaying his surgery because of her selfish means to keep him by her side when his life is on a string.
4. An apology to Sun for depriving him of the warmth he deserved. Knowing she could not return his feelings she should have never had him commit his lifetime to her. As soon as NYS walked back into her life, she just tossed Sun to the sidelines because she no longer needed him.
5. An apology to Vicky because she walked into their lives and ruined what could have been a better relationship than her own with NYS. Also knowing that Vicky and NYS were together and offering up her body to NYS. What decent person does this?

She took the money NDS offered then cried victim. She tried to prostitute herself to NYS for money to cover the surgery instead of telling him that Ping ping is his son. People make mistakes but Tan Jing never once regretted how many she hurt along the way or felt any remorse for those she hurt. She thinks she’s so selfless yet she was always so selfish using everyone around her.

Though it was a happy ending and they got back together. I wished that instead that the ML, NYS found his own happy ending without her. That his life and self worth isn’t define by her. That he is worthy enough for love, worthy enough to live his life to its fullest. The love that they had was beautiful, but it’s in past and nothing could salvage all the damaged it had caused. Happy memories can remain that and he can create his own happy memories with someone else . I really had hope that we would have seen some of redemption of the FL at the end or seen more closure of all the problems and loose ends .

Overall beautiful beautiful cinematography throughout the drama, many scenes you wouldn’t think you would cry, you did. It was an excellent high quality drama, worthy to watch to the end . A heartbreaking drama that hooked me from the beginning.

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Completed
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
12 people found this review helpful
by SKITC
Oct 26, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.5
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 6.5
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 4.5

Ms. Dentist should have brought more friends from Seoul

The show is part small-town ensemble comedy and part romance between leads attempting to overcome difficult childhoods. The foundation is there for a successful show. There’s some terrific actors in the supporting roles. Jo Han Chul, Lee Bong Ryun and and Cha Chung Hwa are excellent performers. It’s not uniformly great up and down the roster (In Gyo Jin as the district head and Lee Bong Ryun’s ex-husband flops badly), but it’s a serviceable group. Several of the supporting cast appear to function as comedic relief (Jo Han Chul’s Oh Yoon and Cha Chung Hwa’s Nam Sook particularly). The comedy, unfortunately, rarely connects. A great deal of it doesn't land because it relies on crudely portraying the locals as a group of hillbillies that has no fashion sense, no sophistication, can't solve basic problems, can barely operate modern technology and is semi-literate. Punching down isn't a good strategy to generate laughs and even if it were, the characters and cast used to attempt it here execute it poorly.

There's other issues too. Early, it appears that there’s some special connection between Chief Hong and Kim Young Ok’s Gam Ri, but her presence fades until there is a throw-in backstory moment near the end. There’s not merely one secondary romance, but a handful of relationships between supporting characters. None of them, however, get enough screen time investment to pay off. While Lee Bong Ryun’s Hwa Jeong is a strong character and gets enough screen time to develop an entertaining arc, the rest of this crew are not much more than one dimensional characters that only very intermittently entertain. Overall, the ensemble just never develops as it has too many characters, not enough character in those characters and a poor job of weaving the supporting arcs to the overarching narrative.

Which leaves it up to the leads to carry the show. And the leads are more than capable hands. Shin Min Ah is marvelous as the centerpiece character - a driven dentist with an inner warmth that isn’t visible through a normally prickly exterior. The character is far from perfect and frustratingly stubborn as she consistently finds ways to damage the tenuous relationships in her new seaside neighborhood. But the blemishes make her charms shine brighter as she begins to connect and find her way.

As for Kim Seon Ho, this is the most Kim Seon Ho style role ever. It is distilled, purest Kim Seon Ho and for viewers that are looking for what he's done in previous work only with more of it and taken to an even more natural, laid-back, "aw shucks" style, this role will probably never be surpassed. For viewers looking for something that would expand his range or show a new type of character, search elsewhere. But he works extremely well with Shin Min Ah and whether it was written with this intent or simply this actor found the right balance, his Chief Hong is the only resident character that doesn't end up being pigeonholed as a backwards simpleton.

Were it not for some missteps with the narrative setting up the conclusion, Ms. Dentist and Chief Hong would probably contend for best romantic lead couple of any drama this year. But the long-awaited unveiling of Chief Hong’s back story is teeming with cliches and reveals that should surprise exactly zero viewers. There’s also some uninspired dialogue in what should be a big emotional moment. It’s exactly when things should be building up to a grand conclusion that it deflates instead. To confound matters more, there's an explosion of crying and product placement in the final two episodes. Frankly, the last three episodes are a massive disappointment. While a less than stellar conclusion shouldn't completely negate what had been a worthy production up to that point, "Hometown Cha Cha Cha" nosedives badly. Badly enough that it does cast a shadow on the show as a whole.

Recommended but barely.

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Ongoing 12/12
Revenant
12 people found this review helpful
Jul 26, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

heavily underrated

i started watching because it aired after Dr Romantic 3 finished on SBS and i loved Kim Tae-Ri in Twenty Five Twenty One, i didn't really have any expectations but it has become one of my favourite dramas.
i think the first couple of episodes were pretty mundane but i got hooked on episode 3 and 4 and now i'm excited for the finale this week.
Kim Tae-Ri's performance is incredible, the way she captures emotion is so perfect. The story is also good too, it's not too complicated but has enough depth.
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Completed
My Demon
12 people found this review helpful
by Hapon
Jan 20, 2024
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Masterpiece My Demon

All I can say this drama is a masterpiece ,story line is so refreshing the all actors and actresses are excellent they played very well in there characters .. the visual fx i so amazing my mouth is open every time I saw something new ..the song gives goosebumps everytime I listened ...what great work ..so happy they gave use the Happy ending that Songkang and kimyoojung they deserved and us viewers that we deserved .... so sad that Mydemon end this week no more sleepless nights on Friday and Saturday after work..Best drama 2024 My Demon ..
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Completed
Twenty-Five Twenty-One
12 people found this review helpful
Apr 4, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.5
This review may contain spoilers

The Villain: Time

Was expecting a happy ending but this is just the reality of life. You don't always end up with your first love, you change, you grow up, you forget and move on. But the people you met will always be part of who you are now. I know we watch dramas to get away from reality, but I think after time I will recover from their sad ending and realize it’s not really sad. They loved each other, and that’s all that matters. They gave each other strength, and she showed her daughter that strength as well. While I admit that I’m broken they didn’t end up together, I would be lying to say that this ending didn’t touch me. This drama was special and will always be special to me. It shows me that in the future if I love something dearly, it was worthwhile and not pointless even if it ends.

This drama taught us how precious youth is. it's precious because it'll only be a phase, it'll be the only time where passion and friendship are the only things that matter. that's why you have to treasure it. This type of finale is kind of new. it was heart breaking but beautiful. Thank you for everything, 2521.

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Completed
Xuan-Yuan Sword: Scar of Sky
12 people found this review helpful
by rachso
Sep 30, 2014
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 7.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 6.5
this is the first Hu ge drama i have completed without dropping it or skipping until the end, and his acting skills are really good that i have finally accepted, i really loved him in this one, so much that i might start watching more wuxia, this drama was funny, annoying at times.the only problem i have is how it ended, god cant anything end the way i want it to ever!!, but if you are a hu ge fun he really out did him self in this one,
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Completed
A Romance of the Little Forest
12 people found this review helpful
by Cc2
Oct 13, 2022
35 of 35 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 3.5
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 4.5
Music 5.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

Too much cringe.

First of all, the second lead love story. Oh my gosh where to begin!? So cringy, so unnecessary and so so SO BORING! I forwarded all their scenes and never looked back - why so much screen time? Those actors are more suited to be extras in a film, not supporting role.

The main leads had pretty good chemistry and Vin Zhang’s smile can melt anyone but that’s the only good thing I can say about it. What I didn’t like is Yu Meiren ‘s character. At first she wanted him to fall for her beauty and not because of her intelligence so she acted like a ditz. She pretty much acted the same way even after he found out she’s smart so what’s the point! Also, I know it’s Esther Yu’s own voice but she really have to tone it down. In one scene I had to lower the volume because her crying was just out of control. Honestly I don’t know why the ML would fall for someone like her. It seems like she annoyed and pushed him to the corner until he had no choice but to fall for her.

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Completed
Rookie Cops
12 people found this review helpful
Mar 17, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 4.5
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

I feel that I wasted my time!

The Good
⌲ The main romance is alright, though there is not a whole lot of it.
⌲ The friendships
⌲ Muscular Teacher Watermelonface
⌲ No love triangles (though as I said, there is not that much romance to begin with)
⌲ Chae Soo Bin did not disappoint.

The Average
⌲ FL's family (heavy character adjustments here)
⌲ Tak's backstory
⌲ The underutilized Min Do Hee
⌲ Kang Daniel was bad, but I expected worse for his first appearance as an actor, he is not totally hopeless like Lee Minho.
⌲ The cleaning lady

The Bad
⌲ The crime/procedural part of the story is full of intelligence insulting plots. (Windows password 4 digits, copy protected video, lack of food during boot camp & countless others)
⌲ Corruption in kdramas is always portrayed in a really weird way, here it's worse than usual.
⌲ The first three episodes are about abuse by older students, this is no fun to watch, should not have wasted more than 30 minutes on that.
⌲ Assault is a crime, even in South Korea, Uhm Hyuk should be in prison not training cadets.
⌲ There is no satisfying conclusion, the ending is just whelming.
⌲ Dae Il's random romance with Hana
⌲ *'s meaningless death, I did not even feel sad, just confused.
⌲ The cadets investigating stuff.


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Completed
Gu Family Book
12 people found this review helpful
Dec 3, 2013
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 4.0
I don’t watch historical dramas often and I admit I started this drama because of Lee Seung Gi. However, overall, I found the drama to be enjoyable.

Story:
Even though our lead characters do not appear until the third episode, the beginning of the drama does draw you in with the parents’ story. I do believe the first half of the drama was better than the second half where things slowed down a bit. Based on the title, I did expect the drama to be more focused on Kang Chi’s search and journey to becoming human. I also was not particularly fond of the ending. It was more of an open ending and left you expecting more, especially the last scene. However, I did enjoy watching this drama for the most part.

Cast:
Suzy definitely has improved in her acting since her past dramas but she could still work more on her crying scenes. Lee Seung Gi was great as he is really able to convey his emotions through his acting. The supporting cast did well in their roles and Lee Sung Jae did an amazing job portraying the villain.

Music:
There are some nice songs that fit the scenes well but overall the OST wasn’t too memorable for me.

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Completed
Hidden Love
12 people found this review helpful
Jul 9, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

The visual of the main leads soo ??

i love the story, the characters, the visual of the main leads, i learn so much from this drama, not too much conflicts so yeaah this is joyfull drama, i found that the mainleads have developed their acting skills, for me 25 episodes is not enough, this drama should be 35 or 40 episodes ?, about rewatch?? of course, i rewatched more than 3x, love all the soundtracks either, i would recommend this drama to my friends too, oh and the makeup suits the story, overall this drama is worth to watch ??
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Completed
Ashes of Love
12 people found this review helpful
Sep 17, 2020
63 of 63 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 4.5
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

Some good parts, but a repetitive plot

Wow, I don't know how to review this.

The good:

1) Deng Lun and Yang Zi's chemistry. The lighthearted scenes between the two of them were the BEST thing about this show and they were sooo fun. I wish this show had been a twenty episode modern romance, not this long and dragged out mess.

Xufeng reminds me a bit of the main guy lead from What's Wrong with Secretary Kim. I loved it when Xufeng was being tsundere or jealous, it was so funny. The scenes where he grieves for Jinmi, especially near the end, were also amazing.

2) Luo Yunxi and what he did with his role. He was SO good. I'm totally going to watch the upcoming drama, Immortality, coz of him.

He played this ambiguous antagonist figure. He starts out as a quiet, gentle and kind person, who is picked upon constantly by the cruel Empress, causing him to be isolated, without many peers or connections. It makes him very lonely. He immediately falls for Jinmi, who is lively and kind to him.

The episode where the Empress then kills his birth mother before him was amazing. Some wonderful acting there. I felt for him when he debased himself and begged on his knees. That was the turning point in his arc, where he got darker and darker.

I really hated the Emperor and Empress that I didn't even care that he was turning immoral. I was just so glad that the Emperor and Empress got their comeuppance.

Luo Yunxi was able to convey Runyu's complex motivations, making you both sympathize with him, while also feeling more and more uncomfortable with what he does. It was really sad that he was still so lonely all the way at the end.

The bad:

1) The pacing. It was so uneven. This show started off really strong in the first few episodes, and it's quite fun to watch, but then it lags, and around episode 30, it gets so slow that I put it on 1.5x speed, and then in the end I ended up skipping all the way to episode 45, which is when the good stuff happens. Then I skipped all the way to the last three episodes. This leads to my second point:

2) Overly repetitive plot points. You know, you can only make a character die and revive ONCE to make dying have an effect. In this show, characters die and come to life all over the place. It just loses any emotional weight. What's the point? I barely feel anything when I see a character die. I'm just waiting for them to come back to life again.

This was not the only repetitive plot point. Jinmi and Xufeng's romance just about made me want to bash my head into the wall to end it. Their love story basically goes like this: they grow close together, Jinmi realizes she can't be with him due to various reasons and draws back, Xufeng chases after her, they get close together, Jinmi realizes she can't be with him... You get the gist. I literally exclaimed, 'Are you kidding me?!' when I skipped to episode 60, and they were STILL DOING THIS. After Jinmi and Xufeng both died and revived, after 60 episodes, they are still at this hot-and-cold, two-steps-forward, one-step-back mess. Many of the scenes could have been cut, many of the mini arcs could have been more succinct. A lot of the characters have repetitive plot arcs.

3) Evil characters who are evil for the sake of being evil. The Empress' arc was pretty much just her being progressively more and more evil until she finally gets her comeuppance at episode 40. FORTY. And then she's still around for convenient deus ex machina reasons. Ugh.

My overall opinion: could have been better. Other shows did it better.

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Completed
Empress Ki
12 people found this review helpful
May 1, 2014
51 of 51 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
From beginning to end, it kept me hooked.
Don't get me wrong; it had its ups and downs as all dramas do. There are times you sometimes hate what's going on and you rant and rave (as I did many times) about the injustice of it all. But looking back on it, once it was over, I think this drama was amazing.
51 episodes for me is the longest drama I've ever tried but I was willing to do it for the plot and for Ha Ji Won who does not disappoint in the least. I followed it from the first week to its last week and I finally completed it today. And all I can say is: Wow.

Story: 8/10
I think, for a lot of people including me, the best of this story was in the beginning and was its strongest point. I loved the fact that it never dragged in the slightest. Like so many other historical dramas, this one didn't spend much time with the childhood actors which I was glad for. Everything was well-paced and the story pulled you in immediately.
While there were one or two questionable plot-points in the middle, despite the initial "Um, what now?" response, you learn to just go with it and the story went along quite well. This drama had feels, some palace drama, some tears, quite a few smiles and laughs. The characters make you cheer for them, make you care for them, make you hate them. The cute ones you adore, the horrid baddies you hate probably a little too much (and then relish their deaths with glee), the honourable and loyal ones who do what they must while you sob about the injustice of it all. Again, lots and lots of feels.

Acting/Cast: 10/10
While the characters' motives were questionable at times, the actors and actress in this drama were spectacular in their roles. From the main actors and actress to the secondary ones, everyone was brilliant. The male leads, Joo Jin Mo and Ji Chang Wook, really impressed me. Their roles were as different as night and day and for the few scenes they had together, they were epic. Ha Ji Won wows as the main protagonist. You find yourself cheering her on and shipping her with people you probably shouldn't in addition to both male leads (personal experience here talking). I have to commend Jin Yi Han who was a surprise in this drama, making me love a secondary character like Taltal who I never expected to like so much. The actors and actress who played the villains were really commendable since they had me hating them with a vehement passion from the expected evil like Kim Jun Hyun, Baek Jin Hee and Jung Woong In to the shocking and unanticipated turncoats towards the end. This is one cast that definitely deserves that 10.

Music: 9/10
I've downloaded all the music from this drama and listen to it probably a little too often. From the first episode to the last, the music has never disappointed in the least. I especially love when an actor sings for the OST as Ji Chang Wook did because it makes the scene it plays in that more genuine and the sadness palatable.

Rewatch Value: 7/10
At 51 episodes, I'm most likely never going to watch this entire drama from start to finish again. But I will, as I have already started doing, rewatch my favourite episodes and scenes. This drama had some hugely wonderful moments that are too great to watch once.

Overall: 9/10

I recommend that you try this drama if you like historical settings that have a little bit of everything - romance, action, drama, political intrigue and feels.

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