Do you soar?

Hands down this is the most wholesome and heartwarming K-drama I've watched.

A story that remind us it is never too late to chase our dream.
At first, I'm not really interested in watching old man doing ballet. I started watching it to past my time and Song Kang is the main lead, so i give it a try. Oh boy, I was wrong. The plot of how an old man that knows his time is short due to his sickness, found his long lost dream again and starting to pursue it just manage to pulled me in. Even though I find that in the middle of the stories I got bored can't fault the plot due to this is a slice of life drama (there will be no action that will excites us), but I still wanted to know how Grandpa and Chae Rok are going to soar. This shows that the character manage to drew us in as an audience. I manage to cry the whole last 3 episodes of this drama. I can't express how wholesome this drama is.

I have got nothing to say about the cast, all of them are great especially grandpa and Song Kang.

The most memorable and impactful line in this drama is right at the end "Do you soar?". After hearing it, I feel like I have been smashed with feels.

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wholesome

just have to write a review for this series.

this series just brought us a new perspective of grieving. how things left behind by the deceased often portray their life and what they wanted to convey to their loved one or the world. how the series bring it to life is just touching and wholesome.

each character shown has their story to tell and it was what hook me in the most. the character development of the main lead is really good and well develop especially cho sang goo. and how han geu roo brought us to his journey of grieving and letting go of his father. these 3 character (cho sang goo, han geu roo, han jung woo) relationship with each other are really great developed and the progressed is really good.

the acting of each character is really well.

the only reason why i do not score it 5 stars for rewatch value is because i don't think i can't rewatch it on a whim, i have to prepare myself emotionally to rewatch it again because it really emotion-consuming watching this series. （i cried for the whole series, managed to used a box of tissue)

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Not as good as the first season

Plot:

Somehow I felt that there is something lacking through the plot compare to the first season. I don't quite enjoy it as the first season. I felt like it is not as impactful as it was. The message of each episode did not quite delivers. Somehow it focus more on how gore and bloody it is. However, the first season manage to bring that horror, spine chilling, hair raising atmosphere that the sequel.
I was expecting how NANNO able to drives the plot and excites us through every episodes. but somehow it feels lacking, especially with the introduction of Yuri as a new character. I really do not like Yuri as a character. I undrstand they want to potray a new character that is clashing and have different opinion to Nanno but somehow it comes as annoying. Everytime she shows up I feel like i want to skip her part. After watching the whole season 2, afraid that the next season will be focus on Yuri (please don't, the sole reason I watch Girl from Nowhere is due to Nanno as a character). I like the idea of the possibilities of Nanno being replace by her rival it is fresh. However, at the end of the episode how Nanno is being replaced by Yuri and new girl, junko, just does not satisfy me at all and make me does not want to know the next story anymore. while Yuri character is annoying for me. Junko character is just underwhelming. maybe I just had bias against Yuri and Junko character., or maybe not.

IMO, the essence of GFN is to show human dark side through Nanno either enticing them or slowly revealing it to us. However, in season 2, I didn't get the theme of the whole season. At the start I though it was about punishing the 'bad' kids, somehow it got off the track and then become a revenge spree series with no pay off (message that each episode convey to us, audiences). It just feels like, OH They bullied me they have to DIE in a gore way! Kill! and that's it? I did not feel the satisfaction I felt after watching each episode like the Season 1.


Acting:

Acting of the actors still shines though. The only thing that stills bug me from the first season is the laugh. Both Nanno and Yuri laugh still don't quite 'there' yet. Nanno sometimes manages to hit it but still not consistent. Other than that, I feel like all is good.

Music:

Glad that it still use the same music from the first season.

Rewatch Value:

First season has better rewatch value.


Overall:

Can we just talk about the wig??? OMG, right from the first episode I kept getting distracted by how stiff and obvious the wigs are. First season Nanno has much better wig and looks more natural. (If Chicha is not wearing a wig, I seriously question the stylist how could they make her hair so stiff). Yuri's wig is worse than Nanno, OMG. the whole season, the most thing I focus on is the wigs! it shows how distracting they are. If there is Season 3, they need to put more budget on the wig. I beg you.

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Unexpectedly a great drama

I found this drama unexpectedly and managed to marathoned it all 16 episodes with the lack of sleep :).

Plot :

Seriously did not expect that fantasy, slice of life, entertainment drama can be this good and managed to intrigued me. Watching this drama until the end feels like watching a life lesson about greed. For me, this drama manage to made me emotionally involved that I cry on every single episodes since the first 3 episodes whether it is sad, happy, frustration, and any other emotions that portrayed by the character especially ML.

The story is well paced up until the last 2 episodes it seems a bit rushed but still ended in satisfactory and expected way, imo.

Acting:

Honestly, Jung Kyung ho and Park Sung Woong performance are top notch. Other actors also really did well in this drama. This drama introduced me to Song Kang as a really great potential new actor and it shows (seeing his filmography up until now 2021).

Music:

This drama is about musicians and it make sense that it has a lot of OST. However, I rarely like most of the OST of a 'entertainment & music genre' drama OST. It did surprised me how every single one of the OST managed to make it on my playlist up until now even the 80/90s version of the OST.


Rewatch Value:

I often rewatch it for the key moment and when they sing the song. Especially when Jung Kyung Ho and Song Kang busk together.

Overall:

I can say that this is one of my top 5 drama of 2019. i wish it get more recognition from others. It is sad that many people steer clear of this drama due to the 'devil' and fantasy aspect of this drama and missed out the essence of this drama that it tries to deliver is beyond the devil and the fantasy.

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Seriously questioning the scriptwriter.

Story (6/10)
- at first few episodes it develop really well, how the each characters properly lay out their roles and characteristics. After 1/3 of the drama, the plot just goes BRUH?. The female lead Ji Ah, just become damsel in distress for the 2/3 of the drama and basically useless until the end. Her role there is just for the romance with the main lead that's it. The second male lead, Lee Rang, is much more important and driving the plot that the FL. Male Lead, Lee Yeon, still drives the plot really well except the romance. ML and FL does not have any chemistry and this drama keeps forcing us to watch their kinda useless chemistry-less romance most of the show. Tbh, I just watch it for the development between Lee Yeon and Lee Rang, and the 2nd couple.

The ending, OMG, I can't explain exactly how I felt. It really frustrates me. Seriously, the scriptwriter really want to push the ROMANTIC HAPPY ENDING in our face while disregarding the plot and the character development. Lee Rang deserves so much better than "heroicly" sacrificing himself. This just disregarding the essence of Lee Rang character itself. I can totally understand how Lee Yeon is sacrifing himself for others especially the female lead, because that is how his character is develop. However, no matter how much character development Lee Rang gets (and its the best character development in this entire story) it is still not in accordance with the essence of Lee Rang and how he is developed. If his character is not developed up till the ep 16, then I would buy it if he sacrificing himself this way. However, the way the writer just end Lee Rang in or der to brings back Lee Yeon is just a big HUHHHH?!!! It still can saves the ending if the comeback of Lee Yeon makes more sense and fulfilling. But no... the scriptwriter needed that REINCARNATION THEME and must have romance between the leads so He must reincarnated to himself (the sentence alone does not even make sense :D) and we got more HUH?! in our minds. I understand this is fantasy genre. but is still need to apply drama universe logic in it, and it does not even applying the drama logic in it.

Okay, I need to stop ranting about the plot cause I can write an essay for this.


Acting (8/10)
i would have score it 9 for both Lee Dong Wook and Kim Bum. Especially for Kim Bum, it has been so long since I watch his drama and I gotta say his acting is top notch while playing Lee Rang character.

Rewatch Value (6/10)
Basically it is great to rewatch for only the Lee Yeon and Lee Rang part, you can skip the whole Lee Yeon and Ji Ah part (most of it is pointless anyway)


Overall

I may sound really harsh on this drama, but the plot and ending just frustrate me so much that I need an outlet to rant... *peace out*

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ONE WORD: MAGNIFICENT.

To summarize my experience of watching this drama, I have never skip even a second for the entire series (mind you I am a skipper while watching drama)

STORY:

The plot is pure brilliant! I have never watched such well written and thought out political "history" drama such as NIF. Every single part matters, no wasted screen time at all. Every moment as I continue to watch it, it kept me surprised and intrigued. The character is written very well, no 'dumb' characters at all, every characters serve its purpose for the plot and also as real as it gets.

ACTING:

Hu Ge and Wang Kai blew me away. What a magnificent potrayal of the characters. When you watch it, there are no Hu Ge and Wang Kai in the characters, it is purely Mei Chang Su and Jing Yan 100%. Other actor and actress also perform a very good job for their characters. They made it believable and real.

MUSIC:

I do not have any issues with the music or the background music or sound. I like it all.


REWATCH VALUE:

i have watch it for more than 3 times and I did not skip a single thing. This should explain the rewatch value.


OVERALL:

I may not write a long review for this due to one simply can't express how great it is unless you watch it. However, I can confidently say that this is the best Chinese Drama (#1) ever made up until this moment. If you have not watch NIF, you can't say you are a C-Drama lover.

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All I want to say is can someone explain the ending to me?

The only things that keep me watching this series until the end are the acting and I want to know how it ends. however, the ending confused the h*ll out of me. I have tried to watch it the second time for the last 6 episodes but they still confused me.

Story:
First half of the series is pretty okay, well paced, and managed to make me intrigued the behind story of Mo Qing. However, the second half is plot is just messy, and focusing on unimportant things. Such as, we do not need to know that much scene of the villains missing and lamenting their other half over and over and over again. We also do not need to watch the same scene over and over again but with no new information at all (the scene of Mo Qing with the demons). It all unravels in like the last 1/3 of the series but oh God help me, I can't even make sense of it due to the editing of the scene which keep jumping everywhere without order and any sense. This keep happening until the end of the series which is the worst of it all. I can't even make any sense on the last episode due to the poor editing and planning of it. It feels like I just wasted my time watching all 56 episodes and it ended up with that kind of ending that I just can't make sense out of it due to the editing of the scene. IMO, It is much better for The director and scriptwriter to make the ending as sad and tragic as possible with chronological order ending than gave us this kind of jumpy order happy (????? seriously I am confused, what the h*ll happened) ending which makes no sense.

I can continue to rant on this but I will spare you from it.

Acting:
One of the reasons I managed to watch it till the end.

Music:
Gotta say I love the ending OST.

Rewatch Value:
I rated it 6 for the sake of rewatching it to try to makes this drama more sense maybe we can find something that we miss that can make us understand the ending. But i highly doubt it due to the biggest problem is with the editing.

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This series is pure saccharin.

After finish watching this series, I hereby announce I have been diagnosed with diabetes.

If you want to watch a light romantic series this is the one you should watch! I am happy that this show is as intended to be a light hearted romance show with no troublesome conflict that keep misunderstanding like most of the romantic drama we have.

The progress of the main couple is just pure sweetness. Sweetness overload! I really like the chemistry of the main couple, 10/10 since the first episode. Even though this show has a lot of typical romantic trope but the chemistry of both lead just overcome the trope and shine!!!

Regretfully, I can't say much about the 2nd couple. Especially, Ma Shan Shan. she shows no character development for the entire drama up until the last episode. She keeps being the heartbroken girl over her ex for the whole drama. Once Taro manage to soften her heart, a news about her ex brings back her character to the starting point which is exhausting to watch the same shit over and over again. Eventually, I sometime skip when the second couple get the screen time because there is no progress at all. However, suddenly at the last episode MSS is all okay and want to be together with Taro. I was like... ZZZZ.. Taro deserves better. Do not pair them up suddenly just because it is the last episode!

Another thing i have to address. Lu Jing rival, Ding jia Yun. Honestly, I am the type of person who does not mind huge age gap (as long as it is legal). However, how they portray DJY is not like love rival but like a FATHER toward Liang Chen. I can't help but creeps out everytime DJY shows his love toward LC. I don't know why. Maybe because they show his rival, LJ, as a much more younger guy. Hence, the audience will feel the gap is bigger than before and it becomes unsettling. I am glad that the rivalness between them ends early. I just do not want to keep watching DJY chasing over LC.

Overall, I will definitely re-watch this show when I feel like i need to destress from the harshness of life. Due to this shows is just refreshing, no heavy conflict, and I will repeat once again, SWEET.

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