One of the best Chinese drama ever!

I absolutely loved this drama. For me this is one of the best Chinese dramas ever.

Production:
Everything was top notch, high quality. The costumes were luxurious and regal. The designs had a bit of stretch of imagination for the period portrayed, including the general and soldiers armors, particularly the armor of the right hand of the ML, Song Huain Ein; and weapons like shields but definitely it gives a big feeling of grandeur. The fabrics used for clothing and bedding were absolutely divine, you can see how those fabrics laid in the actors body, so regal and majestic. Also appreciated the good quality and design of costumes of the support characters like maids, palace maids, and helpers. Love the quality of the wigs from the ML to the last Court member, impeccable and very natural. The female wigs were good too, shiny and pretty. I loved and enjoyed the different hairdos in those wigs, not just the FL but everyone, color coordination and accessories were on point.

I also loved the care they took of the horses, they didn’t look overworked and exhausted like in other productions, at any time given the horses looked rested.
I really enjoyed the battle scenes, how magnificent they were, impressive choreography and amazing timing, well done.

Casting: FL and ML absolutely stunning, they had incredible chemistry. At first it shocked me to see such a mature cast, but their acting experience definitely paid a thousand times more in how flawless the overall drama was. Yes, there were some supporting actresses that couldn’t do a flawless job at a moment of struggle but it was really minimal, to almost mention it.
The main cast and the support cast with more screen time was very professional and seasoned. A guilty pleasure to watch.
This is a medium length drama, 68 episodes with a plot so compelling that when I realized I was watching episode number 68, I couldn’t stop to ask myself: what? How can it be? So fast, in no time it ended, it only took me 3 days to watch it all. I couldn’t stop myself, barely pausing to do minimal things, yes, it was totally addictive.

I couldn’t get enough of that perfect man, the ML with humble origins that knew sacrifices from an early age, with a ginormous heart, not to mention he’s super handsome, masculine, and exuding incredible sexiness for each of his pores, and on top of that he has amazing and expressive eyes. A man at that period of time that decided to love and give his heart to only one woman is, The Man to me. I love Asian historical dramas but I always had that pain in my chest when in dramas the ML swore eternal love to his FL and at the same time had a harem of concubines. They said you can’t judge history, but as a woman it doesn’t go with me. So, when I see a ML that says what I think I can’t stop but to love him to pieces.
This is my first time watching Zhou Yi Wei work, and I’m truly impressed. One of the things I loved about his character is that despite being a rough, strong general, he also knew how to enjoy those moments together with his wife. Seeing his smile while dancing melted my heart, because in Chinese historical dramas it is very rare to see that happening, it’s very typical to see aloof, cold males that don’t loosen up and don’t know how to enjoy life, so it was very refreshing.

I know, we just watch: Television = “Tell a vision”. But still, knowing that my heart flutters in raw happiness.

I also loved our beautiful FL Princess, she was everything I was expecting. Although I sincerely I’d prefer they choose a teenager actress to portray her teens years. At 42 it doesn't matter how beautiful she is, the neck doesn’t forgive no one, without exception. But definitely the FL has that regal, stoic look needed for her character. She brought besides beauty a heavy portfolio of acting experience, her royal pose, her walking pace, the Hulan dance was superb. Shang Zi Yi majored in dance and it shows how she expressed herself in her hands and dance, so enjoyable.

Plot: The plot was engaging and very entertaining, it had the right dose of drama without going overboard. What a ride! It took me there at that time, it made me feel it with each of my cells, yes that good it was. The mean ladies are quite mean but still enjoyable.

I really enjoyed how it was a war between everybody except for the main couple. I loved how they portrayed the struggle and war for power and went so far for it. It was done very tastefully and with lots of cleverness.
And that’s why this drama is so awesome, the script is impeccable, superb acting, with a solid production. You can see the actors' and actresses' faces looked rested and not showing signs of tiredness or boredom in their acting. There are no awkward situations, kisses, intimate moments, nope, everything is truly flawless.
I truly appreciate the beautiful scenery, the wooden room was spectacular and solemn, it gave me goosebumps for what it meant. Each Palace background was done spectacularly and perfect to the minimal detail.

It’s really rare that you can find Masterpieces like this drama. It happened to me before that when watching a very entertaining drama, as soon as the main couple gets together it become dull, losing all the curiosity to keep watching.
This is definitely not the case, because the story had really good structure, is not just struggle for power, ambition, palace life, arranged marriage, a general is that and much more, it has a soul in its own, the soul that the actors, directors, production and script writers poured to make a product of excellent quality.

And there was true and authentic slow burn romance, not with empty staring at each other but learning to know each as a man a woman needs to do, when they are in love. This was not a joke, the romantic moments were sublime, exquisite and very tasteful. I loved how they portrayed this marriage, their understanding, the respect, the given space to each other, is how it should be.

OST:
Absolutely gorgeous. I added them all to my playlist on all my devices. Because, it will take me a long time to detach myself from this drama. That’s what happens when a drama is so excellent that it makes an imprint in your soul and kidnaps you for a while.

Rewatch value:
Very high, I’m considering watching it all again, to find more enjoyable details. But if I don’t do it immediately it definitely goes to my list of my favorite dramas that I rewatch several times a year.

Final words:
Don’t hesitate to watch it, you won’t be disappointed at all.
This drama is a work of love and art! Spectacular, Romantic, Fascinating, Entertaining, Superb!

10/10

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A caress to the heart!

I absolutely loved this drama! I loved how heartwarming it’s, how overall family oriented is. And how family values, integrity, compassion, and redemption are intertwined.

I loved how the loan shark is an old lady, that’s is a refreshing twist. Also loved how her character evolved e improved.

This drama is about HOPE, hope in our dreams that beyond everything they can come true. Hope in the community, it reinforces values of the love for your neighbor.

This drama dreams high of a better world and starts at a small place, a neighborhood.

It has a good amount of heartless vicious characters. Some will evolve some won’t.

Never Give up, although is not a romantic comedy, it’s about Love. Also it’s about people and the reunion of different generations, each one listening to the other, respecting other people point of view, taking advantage -in a good way- of older people life experience, and young people vision and knowledge.

Yes, it may sounds very far fetched some parts of the plot but not impossible, it can happen. You never know.

The casting was so well choose. A likable young entrepreneur Junk Seok, and a man in his forties Goo Pil So, a breadwinner ready to do anything legal to support his family.

That generational difference between a boisterous, loud, trying to seem charming and coming out sometimes a bit forced and awkward and; a cool, restrained, well educated, with tons of things to learn yet about himself and his entourage, is quite interesting and very well portrayed.

Goo Pil So: is a former athlete, a Taekwondo championship belt winner, with no college background. He is all heart, brawl, sweat, and force. He don’t mind do embarrassing jobs, if that ephemeral moment of embarrassment will fed and give a roof to his family.

Junk Seok, is a software genius in his late 20s, so ultra focused in his job that sometimes he used to lose contact with his partners needs, he will pay a high price for this.
The storyline will put him in an unexpected cohabitation situation with GPS and his family. He will have lots of improvement in his journey.

The other family members of GPS also have their own light time, making the story more rounded. The ML wife is a sweet character, her frenemies are quite hilarious, and make the story much more lighter when it gets a little too sad.

The old lady loan shark, a lonely sick elder will be the key to hold everything,

I particularly enjoyed everything about this drama. It has comedy, slice of life, business, family, friendship, “bromance”, Teenagers POV, and a few lowlife criminales to spice it up.

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Not your regular Kdrama!

Season 1 and 2 have a totally different vibe.
But, I think there is a reason for this and it was done on purpose like that. Season 1 describes the puppy love of the main characters, her childhood trauma, and the friendship of the boys. Season 2, although it seems disconnected from season 1, it actually isn't. It has coherence. It's gloomy, dark, it's where conflicts are solved because the three of them are adults now. Because life is not always happy and joyful, at any age but probably much less at adulthood.

I kept wondering why Kim Jo Jo can't say at loud who she loves in S 2. So, I went back and rewatch S 1 for my 8th time, I think. And there it was the reason. She didn't trample two friends. Hye Young falls in love with her but he was too timid to confess his love. Sun Oh also falls in love with her at first sight, she didn't seduce him. And Sun Oh suspected that Hye Young liked her and he didn't care about his friend's feelings. To be fair he asked HY several times, but he couldn't say it. But after many times SO asked it, he should have known better.

Kim Jo Jo was a conflicted girl from the start because of her past, unable to vocalize her fears and doubts she, obviously, couldn't solve by herself. And after all, she only was a teenager. It will be too much to ask a teenager to deal by her/himself with a such heavy load.
Her family wasn't the most loving and caring environment, and still, she grows up decent and hard-working, knowing about life responsibilities way too early.

All her decisions are rooted there, in the unresolute past (at that time in S1). She lacks a really good friend, a good guide in life like a mother or anybody that could decently guide her to know how to deal with all her insecurities. So she became gloomier, darker, saddest. She like every other woman that suffer because of love said those words: "... I already decided that I wouldn't ever like anyone else again". But those words were said in a time frame of frustration. But life continues, our opinions may change and that's is not wrong. Is not lacking in conviction, is growing from experience because after all, all of us want to love and be loved.

Sun Oh wasn't left out there in the cold, by Kim Jo Jo. She managed it wrong, yes probably, but she was a teenager, so from her teen years she doesn't have to be perfect. His proclaimed love was more obsession than anything else. He didn't stay faithful to her, he gets together to Yook Jo showing that he didn't love Kim Jo Jo. Otherwise, he'd wait, and fight for her. He left go of her hand as soon he came back home after the accident. He could have escaped and go to see her, but he didn't. So, she wasn't his choice either. His love was selfish, loud, and violent. He couldn't have a decent conversation with her after they broke up, he only could express himself yelling at her. Meanwhile, Hye Young was gentle and his love although silent was steady from start to end. Of course, he also has his own conflicts, but who doesn't? His love was real, not in the spur of the moment, no just curiosity. He respects her, all the time. He acts based on what will hurt Kim Jo-Jo and not based on his own selfish motives. Because he truly loved her from the start.

Sun Oh didn't lose his smile, we can see him smiling pretty often with his new girlfriend Yook Jo.

The casting was excellently done. The chemistry was there: between the main leads, in their respective roles as girlfriend-boyfriend and as friends too.

The acting was really good, all of them. The crazy, rude, unreasonable cousin was very well portrayed.

I also liked her drawing in The Ringing World. I liked how they depicted her gloominess.

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All and all it's a really good drama

Lovers is a 2006 production, with a mature cast and a complex plot. I really liked how the characters were slowly unfolded and the complexity that each one had. It truly felt like an old, far far away in time drama, when actually it was made just 14 years ago. I read so many times that old Asian dramas are the best and Lovers proved it.
I loved the ML character, I felt his pain as an orphan, his loneliness, his lack of emotions or it seemed so -at first- and I fell for his kindness, which surprised me how they showed the sensitive side of a gangster. It was his acting that made it worth watching this show.
I extremely disliked the FL to the point I considered several times, to stop watching it. Her bad and exaggerated acting constantly reminded me of Itazura na Kiss actress. Yep, that bad. I found myself often screaming at the screen: Do something!! Are you really a doctor? Or... Are you really a surgeon?? And things like that, including some of them not so pleasant. I made a mental note to never watch any her dramas again to avoid the pain I was in.
This drama truly moved me, infuriated me, and shook me. It kept me hooked from start to end. I didn't fast forward it at all. Yes, it was a bit lengthy but enjoyable, except for how the FL was portrayed.
This definitely was a different kind of drama. I couldn't take the main actress's side or to root for her. I understand she didn't have any kind of love life experience but she as a middle-aged professional woman' she lacked common sense, a lot. You may not have experience in love but as a 32 yo. surgeon. Can she really have lived in a bubble that much? Can her ignorance be that big? 12 years of studying to be a Plastic Surgeon didn't permeate in her a bit of wisdom at all?
There is something else: I felt it lacked a little bit more of the roughness and ruthlessness of the gangster's world. Although the fighting scenes were excellent. These gangsters were very mild. I understood the leaders: the Chairman and the ML: they truly wanted to change their lifestyle. I get it, but there were times where I expected more.
Rewatch value: if available I think I'll watch it again later on. It was really hard to find it with eng subs.

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