Conflicted Literature

Prologue

My mind never fails to go completely blank right before writing these.It feels somewhat like a line of astounding talents gone ahead before me, and my absent minded ass is up next. No idea what to write, how to portray these thoughts that future me can look back on and feel every word of it as if I’m in front of the television again pressing play for the first time. What do they want to see from this review? How do they feel of this drama? Man, wouldn’t it be so much easier to just be like the rest? Well my dear silent minority, we aren’t like the rest. Our thoughts differ, lights dim out, voices hollow, presence uncertain.

But, every now and then some of us gather the strength to shout our unpopular opinions loud enough for everyone willing to hear. Lights begin to flicker back on as we approach our biggest momentary fear, the stage is ours. Make no mistake, no matter how nor if the audience responds back to you, you’ve done something for us that will always inspire those after. There’s no telling when you’ll feel like this again, nor get the chance to express it.

You then realize those lights that were so intimidating before were never dimmed. At last , a star is born.


Man vs Everything

I’ll get my biggest frustration with this drama out of the way first to make up for the rambling. Jeongnyeon is not a complete drama. In fact, you’ll feel there’s something missing at the very beginning, but it only becomes apparent towards the end. There’s several components to a story, and that one thing you’re having that gut feeling is missing in this one, is conflict.

How so? We’ve seen many antagonists introduced, as well as internal and external struggles made out as obstacles in our leads’ way. Poor upbringings, jealousy, underdogs, loss, scandals, defamation, the list goes on. Well, could you really make these things out to be conflicts when even the characters absolutely refuse to?

First we have our favorite little star Yun Jeong. Dimwitted, until she’s not. Inexperienced, until she’s not. Star of the show, until she’s not. Daring, until she’s not. Determined, until she’s not. Damn near mute with multiple medical professionals’ ruling it as so… until, well.

My surprising favorite that deserved closure and proper writing all around, Yeong Seo. I haven’t seen a single thing from the actress until now with this drama, and i can still tell this is easily the best performance she’s put on without needing to see any other. In fact, i won’t even butcher her character here any more than the writing already had. Just know, she deserved much, MUCH better..

Speaking of deserving better, let’s reel in the last few who deserved worse. Despite my unpopular perspective with the Prince of the stage herself, I’ll admit, Moon Ok Gyeong is hands down the most fascinating character that’s completely open to interpretation. She’s a fan favorite to many, both in and outside the drama. To me? She’s the epitome of toxicity and the most subtle portrayal of an antagonist I’ve seen this year. I know that opens alot of doors for discussion, and to be fair, they’re probably not even opened at all had the webtoon been adapted faithfully enough. But we’re going from the abomination they chose to throw out for us to mindlessly consume, and that being my conclusion.

Now here’s someone i feel for certain couldn’t have been redeemed well enough in the original work to make sense of, Ju Ran. Another popular favorite, but i see no logical reason why outside of some piss poor GL teasing. Her storyline was the sole confirmation that cuts that shouldn’t have even been considered , were made. The heavy censorship behind her relations with everyone was adding gasoline to a forest fire. I see no potential redemption of this character in even the webtoon whenever i decide to pick it up. But hopefully I’m wrong.


To make something clear, this drama is by far Kim Tae Ri’s most innovative and expressive role yet. And it’s clear to me now what she’s been going for all along aren’t good scripts, but challenging roles to take her own acting range another step further. Even her weakest work steps all over 95% of the industry, and that’s no exaggeration. She has been my favorite actress in this drama land since I’ve first came across her, and she’s only reaffirmed my obsession with her work and talented eye for scripts here. If you feel even remotely similar about her, you will enjoy every last bit of this drama as i have, minus the rant after, likely.



Jeongnyeon is a successful, aspiring drama that failed as an adaption. Have i read the original webtoon yet? Not a single word. But i know a cut and rushed mess when i see it, as I’ve seen too many at this point. Want to know what else I’m aware of ? My opinion being the minority , as well as my genuine enjoyment throughout watching this series. I can go longer than this run on sentence about this embarrassment of an adaption as much as i can rave about how even Kim’s worst work is better than your fave’s best and you’d be doing yourself the disservice by not trying this title out as any fan of Kim Tae Ri or even Shin Ye Eun.


I applaud the effort of the impressive cast and remarkable production. Our star has yet to dim, it’s just another was born.

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Over The Past Ten Hours..

This film is the perfect example of what sets pieces from Japan apart from Westerns, Kdramas, etc. A delicate,heavy story woven by it’s magical Ost, sharp camera language, and effortlessly masterful performances. No where else will you have a similar style in similar executions. The heaviest of topics leading to self reflections that you’re not aware of until it ends.

The Last 10 Years leaves more questions than answers, and not for the film itself. After finishing the film i spent the past 10 hours falling in and out of sleep to the Ost on repeat and tears drawn to the rhythm. Why do such different situations and occurrences hit so close to home? What’s so similar in my own life that has me so empathetic of these characters? Why am I, a grown man, waking up 3 in the morning with puffy eyes over a movie? For fucks sake do i have to check if i wet the bed as well? Are all of these emotions simply the film or realizations from watching it?

I’m usually not a fan of the typical pacing dramas and films from japan, and it’s quite rare to spot one that steps outside of that norm and delivers a deliberate, smooth flow throughout. Especially considering the time restriction of films, taking your time to give more impact towards the climax will always have my upmost respect. Mix that with realistic dialogue,compelling performances, and a subtle melo tone and you got a work from japan at it’s very peak. THIS is what I watch these works for. THIS is what I can’t get anywhere else and feel the same uplifting overtones of a very dark, depressing story.

A slight flaw i find with almost any decent movie, especially ones this good, is that there’s always something more i want to see but not given. Some more fleshed out development instead of the bright, fluffy montages we received of our leads’ bond getting closer would’ve sufficed. Alas, the more you give me and the better it is, the more i want. There’s a very thin line of Perfect between the large margins of “Draggy” and “Not Enough” , this falls in the latter for me.

Films like this, in my opinion, are must watches not only nationally but internationally as well. Such heavy topics delivered in such an impactful way that teaches us things we never considered before needs the recognition. This level of quality is rare to come by. First love is rare to come across. Life itself is such a blessing that is rarely cherished amongst many of us the way it should be. Death is seen too much as this inevitable outcome that some unfortunately succumb to sooner than others. We sometimes empathize for selfish reasons. Some may want to end it all with no concerns of how it effects the people around them. Life can be this seemingly endless journey to a singular destination one wants to rush towards from unfortunate hands dealt, or it could be the journey itself as you cherish a blessing others aren’t given , with those around you through thick and thin that you’ve been lucky to have been dealt.

The Last Ten Years makes use of depressing desires to accentuate the appreciation and beauty of life and finding your own happiness in it. A masterful artwork i hope receives the attention and praise it deserves down the line.

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Huh, so that’s what consistency in a period drama feels like...

Occasionally you’ll come across a series that’s so unique in terms of quality, yet for reasons it shouldn’t be the case. The Wind Blows From Longxi is a comparatively short drama that succeeds in everything it goes for, that most period dramas these days fail to.

Now before i get into a overview for those that are interested in trying the series without spoilers , a forewarning. TWBFL isn’t for those that aren’t a fan of dramas not trying to grip their audience immediately with bright and vibrant colors, doll like characters, straightforward beginnings, or the trendy dynamic pacing that you regularly see in other series. You’re thrown into a gritty, detailed period setting that takes its time to draw in the viewers at a steady pace with its bold narration and realistic characters that are brung to life by both the great cast selection and airtight writing surrounding their background and motivations.


Wind Blows From Longxi doesn’t hold your hand with simplified explanations nor one layered characters. Which may leave some confused given the seemingly large cast you have to get accustomed to within a 24 episode span. Everyone has a purpose, many having 2-3 faces to achieve their true goals that are revealed over time. But fret not! One of the underrated strengths this series has is the very helpful, humorous, yet repetitive recaps at the end of each episode to assist viewers with staying aware of everything that’s going on that are both told and sometimes not easily shown to viewers that aren’t used to the hidden details and agendas. And ofc it’s optional, if you don’t need any clarification or refreshers you’re more than welcome to skip over them with no effects on your viewing experience.

You’re given a spy story that naturally becomes the focus in a relatively short span after being shown the cause of later occurrences in this drama. Keeping you on the edge of your seat with great fight choreographies, thrilling backed into a corner moments where your intelligence and quick thinking is your only friend, hidden agendas, betrayal, along with its fair share of sudden heart wrenching moments.

The gorgeous,dark, very still cinematography is one of the strongest aspects of this drama, buuut can also be one of it’s weak aspects depending on the viewer. Backgrounds rarely bares the light needed for some to see exactly what’s going on at times, which can become quite bothersome depending on the devices used to watch. An aspect i can for sure say is the weakest that this drama bears is the BGM. Not once, but several times over the course of these 24 episodes the BGM is blasting when it isn’t needed, as if they’re trying to distract you from what’s actually going on in front of you, which is weird...because that isn’t the case, yet it’s there, just to be there? Some times not even matching with the tone of the current scenes that are happening. When some scenes are way better off dead silent or subtle, the bgm rumbles. You become used to it over a few episodes, making you unaware of how often they’re constantly slinging tracks behind the scenes that can break your immersion. Luckily, this is the weakest aspect of this drama. Oh, and there’s Angelababy.. uh yeah.

The Wind Blows From Longxi is likely to be a hidden gem as time past from it not catering to what period drama audiences are now used to and favor , causing many to rather be uninterested in trying out or dropping. What i can say is that for those(like me) that still prefer a well written story with a much more serious tone at a realistic steady pace, The Wind Blows from Longxi is a beautifully handled drama that is most certainly a must try at the very least.

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A half baked story forgiven by masterful scriptwriting and compelling performances.

Let’s start my thoughts off with the elephant in the room, comparisons. MLN is brought to us by the same screenwriter of the heavily praised My Mister. Introducing newcomers to its signature realistic,gritty,and deep tones that many like me were overcome with nostalgia from their previous work. I am part of the minority that wasn’t as fond of My Mister as the rest, and MLN, in my opinion, succeeded in a few areas i felt were poorly handled before, with a much more surreally mute tone I fell in love with immediately.

My Liberation Notes has alot to say, ALOT. It also manages to keep many moments where exchanges or unnecessary dialogue isn’t needed, empty. This was my first encounter with this bold style of narration, nothing has to be said for the characters and the viewer to get what’s happening. You’re thrown in the middle of awkward silence, that’s only awkward because 99% of dramas does not attempt to speak with only expressions and atmosphere. Some will not be fond of this style the writer took on, as this aspect is also a very different feel from their previous work, leaving most jumbled at first.

The direction in this series is with no surprise, top notch. With a very beautiful Ost perfectly mixed in to fill silent scenes and defining moments, which may be quite distractive at times from being..too good? Hell you might even pause the series every now and then to immediately search up the soundtrack and/or spend more time replaying a scene than it takes to complete the episode. Stunning cinematography with a much brighter touch that makes it very refreshing compared to the dark, depressing story being told.

Now with, in my opinion, the strongest(and perhaps weakest?) aspect of this drama, the characters. The main cast has come to express every bit of talent they have in this one. You’re endlessly shocked at how natural these performances are, how drawn you are to them, how much you feel as if you can literally meet these exact characters in your day by day encounters, which in terms of relatability, you can. In terms of the main cast everyone takes an equal hand in making this series as great as it is, nobody drowning the other out, no one noticeably under performing, no thunder stolen here. You have to acknowledge and thank Lee Min Ki, Kim Ji Won, Lee El, and Son Seok Koo for easily one if not their best roles yet.


Now... the weakest aspect of this drama, as this series isn’t without its flaws. I will just put all my nitpicks under one classification that i found MLN severely lacked in at times, believability. Hear me out, as this drama is one of the most realistically written series you'll come across, but there are some mishaps. To list a few:
~Toleration from the supporting cast when unnecessarily deep realizations comes to the fore front from the leads, leaving you confused as to why they’re not questioning where it’s coming from, and why at times their dialogue is only used to set up the leads for these realizations of themselves, unnatural topics being brought up in natural situations.
~Some supporting characters don’t progress unless the main storyline calls for another push.With sudden abruptions of “I have a sob story as well!”, “Well here’s my long awaited confession”, “ Here’s something personal I shouldn’t even know let alone address and belittle you for.. any realizations yet?”

~Gu’s background starting out as a well handled secret leaving all of us curious and guessing, slowly leaking out little by little. Suddenly it erupts at an abnormal pace with abnormal characters making actions that most of the time felt forced, because you’re not given the same amount of time with these new chracters, you’re not given enough explanations to justify the things they’re doing(or haven’t done). You’re expected to accept weirdly paced occurrences in an already established slow and steady paced story in general.

Nonetheless, My Liberation Notes was a powerfully written story, though too deep for some. A work of art worth all acknowledgment and praise it gets. A new personal favorite of mine that fulfilled much emptiness i was left with My Mister. A memorable journey of this fantastic cast seeking liberation. I applaud, i cry, i await the next story to be told.

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Kim Tae Ri does it yet again..

Hm, i fell for the ole adrenaline rush after completing this drama for the first time. I’ve given this a rewatch recently and.. i was reminded of the many small aspects that didn’t sit well at all with me. This section alone will be an update of my thoughts with a clear head this time as to those bumps in the road i forgotten about. The first episode is,again, without a doubt the worse of this series, may i even say god awful when looked at separately instead of comparatively. Embarrassingly forced interactions(the club),amateur scenes and screenplay that were unbearable to sit through again(after school “brawl”),and underwhelming moments of acting where it could’ve hit the hardest. Pair these disaster moments along with the unfortunate nosedive the last two episodes took and it became very clear that i was too fixated on the highs of this drama and rated it beyond how i regularly would. Welp, that’s about it and some small revisions in my original review. Back to it.

The main cast all served their roles decently enough so don’t get me wrong when i say this, but Kim Tae Ri OWNED this drama, easily her best performance out of all her works for me, and that says alot due to all of her previous works being damn good as well.

The first episode showcases the worst part of the drama , i think most of us can agree on that, because what a HELL OF A 360 the quality took from there. Don’t believe me? Give the very first two episodes a shot and tell me if you can even believe both were even from the same writer.

I’m not somebody that says a show is a must watch, but in my perspective I’ll definitely say that this drama is most certainly a must try, we all have different tastes and preferences, so this series obviously won’t be worth everyone’s time to sit through. The first 2 episodes are enough for a viewer to know rather the show is worth their time or not, anything further than that don’t bother, the quality skyrockets from the second episode and keeps that consistency the rest of the way.

Now there are obviously some hiccups in how they pushed towards the ending, and NO it didn’t showcase realism...In reality people don’t suddenly go blank in their decision making, the problem isn’t the end game despite many thinking so, the problem resided in the lack of effort in resolving and communicating. It didn’t make enough sense for me to believe Yi Jin would’ve taken that offer down New York knowing how hard it was to see Hee Do already, he became inspired in that field in the matter of months, not a childhood dream he longed striving for where he’d immediately put it before anything else. Maybe he thought Yu Rim did it why can’t he? Lol. Hee Do giving up that easily didn’t quite add up with her character consistency either, yes there’s the past conflicts with her mother because of similar issues but that doesn’t mean cut everything without trying to at least accommodate either of their paths to work out for one another. Putting that aside, “ both characters’ reasoning for their actions were clear and understandable, just paced poorly. I agree that it was extremely rushed at that point,still, the Pros far outweighs the cons , and i mean FAR. Undeniably a masterpiece that’ll be that staple slice of life, coming of age drama for alot of us.


It’s been quite the journey.. here’s to my 8 week long adrenaline rush,here’s to first love, here’s to the unforgettable experience. Until next time

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Rise

Fine I’ll admit it, this one took a a few tries for my complete devotion. Legend of Zhen Huan is an extremely slow dose of what later becomes a helpless addiction you can’t put down until the very end. But how? What does this drama deliver so great that warrants binging for seemingly endless hours on end? What puts this series on a pedestal above most historical dramas to date? We’ll get into that, allow me to start off with why this masterful piece in particular is NOT worth everyone’s time.


The Calm Before The Storm

Listen, the several times you’ve dropped a series can reflect one of two things in my opinion. The mood you’re not currently in or your distaste of the piece in general. A slow burn has never been for everyone no matter the quality of it. The subtle audacious tone of the pacing here only attests to why many prefer the opposite. As that may seem appealing in writing, it holds very unappealing factors that entirely depends on how little invested you are. Will you inevitably care for some characters? Sure. Will you care for enough characters and/or anticlimactic events to slog through a character driven drama of this length? There are many dry moments of daily life here, some more impactful than others, some much more exhausting on the viewer yet meaningful nonetheless. The quality of the story being told never drops but personal interest in it may. (Un?)Fortunately for me it occurred towards the very end.


Flowers

How exactly can one make a film entirely focused on life inside the harem interesting let alone a series? Simple, characterize all living fuck out of those living in it. I guarantee anyone who has watched through even a quarter of this has a favorite or two they’re extremely passionate about. The unstable sisterhood,rivalry, and flickering ambitions showcased here is not to be taken lightly. I’m a simple man that favors consistency. While i do have my praises for the FL like everyone else my constant interest and entertainment drove on the overt dominance of one of my favorite antagonists to strut on screen Hua Fei . My heart surprisingly resided with the deteriorated yet dignified Meizhuang from her long, unwavering friendship with Zhen Huan to her stubborn yet prideful ambitions in surviving as a shadow in the harem.

There are several likes and praises beyond those characters of course. The seemingly peaceful yet overly cautious and insecure Lingrong. The refreshing relief of wholesomeness in the harem of our beloved youngest Lady Chun. The constant press of the rewind button when a certain child speaks because my god was every word precious as hell. Huanbi’s under looked complexity and reflective envy of freedom. Clever yet underhanded actions of Cao determined to secure a safe future for her child leading to its inevitable demise. The longed pitiful Consort Duan that warms the heart every visit to her ironically cold palace. Believe me, the list goes on and on. Everyone is brought to life in full here, rather they tick annoyances or peak highlights. Every scheme and act of defense reflects the differences amongst each character in full congruence. Outstanding performance by the unsurprising Betty Sun as her character fall and rises through the ranks through countless tragedies and obstacles. She alone shows just how flawless Jiang Xin was for her role of a snobby, jealous, hilariously direct antagonist to stand out the most for me. A few weak performances , luckily as weak as their characters’ impact on the story.


Pitch

Let this beautiful story sell itself to you on its own. No it’s not an immediate hook and take some patience to become immersed for most. Once this drama does though there’s no going back. Actually, i take that back . There’s so much detail and subtle differences in tones and expressions that well warrants multiple rewatches with more satisfaction than the first time around. Such a strong and passionate execution throughout it’s length making no moments of it empty. Everything it attempts to deliver it executes profoundly through one way or another.


P.S. - If there’s anything this drama has expressed throughout its entirety. It’s watch your step in the palace.. no like literally, everyone’s clumsy as fu-

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Plot armor? Do they come in grey?

Somewhat short thoughts, not much i want to touch on besides the fact this is the most underrated drama I’ve been blessed coming across. From months of collecting dust on my watch list to weeks of stalling episodes as I didn’t want this series to end... sigh, to be fair the covers do not do this drama the justice it deserves in grabbing attention.

An extremely well written and compact story delivered at an explosive like pace. Characters so interesting and unique from one another you’re bound to find yourself rooting for the wrong sides every now and then. Strong and morally grey characterization making almost every death worth mentioning, farewell, betrayal, and new alliances a very impactful watch.

Now beware and/or also take a breath of relief, this drama loves it’s plot armor, and it doesn’t discriminate, while also showing its capability of finishing what was started. Have a specific favorite ally or foe? 9/10 you’ll be fully satisfied with whatever fate they come to, rather it’s before they meet their end, a grand return, an epic shootout saving an ally, bullet sponges, bombing party, survival of the written, you name it.

Different Dreams is a rich historically filled work of art. A series that makes the absolute most out of it’s comparatively small budget to popular hit dramas like Mr.Sunshine. A very dark and gritty tone wrapped around immersive struggles for independence, power, and peace. A must try for any historical fanatics out there. A memorable journey and new personal favorite worth much more acknowledgement and praise.

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A powerful theme with unmet expectations in structure.

A bit of a curve from the other raving reviews and comments on this drama. Y’know, i was told beforehand to keep my expectations a bit low when going in on a critical perspective, and from doing that, I’ve been able to enjoy many aspects here and complete the drama with little to no hesitancy. However, the things i found worthy of praise and checking out had also came with about twice the faults I couldn’t turn a blind eye to.

Plot

This drama had the grounds and pacing for a rather outstanding film, this is what both kept me going and disappointed me time and time again.

To relay my frustration here as simple as possible for those who hasn’t watched yet and may have stumbled across this, just picture a plot and it’s characters written from any notable films you’ve watched recently. Quick relation to keep in mind, surely we’ve all had fallen victim to a restaurant rather working with a low quantity in supply of what you’re ordering, or simply being stingy as hell for the sake of it. You order a drink with no ice so they don’t skimp out on the actual drink this time, but they fill the cup up about 2/3rds anyway. You order say a 12” sub today, different from your regular 6-8” order any other time you’ve came. You can’t help but notice that they’re using just about the same amount of toppings, but spread out more to fill the space. That’s what I’ve felt here, the structure of a film stretched out past its 2 hours worth of plot and limited characterizations to fit the 6+ hours to make out as a series.

Many key things are said about the characters, but most of the time you’re not seeing any of it relayed in the actions of said characters. It’s as if there wasn’t enough time to layer out everyone as much as they could have, but enough time for several daily interactions amongst colleagues that have little to no impact on building who these characters are. Not to mention the occasional after work dinners to fluff out the heavier days they made it through.

I found myself spending too much time pandering on “Hm, Miyabi’s capable of derailing something like that? Where is Osako’s intentions leaning more towards? Is Ayano…like blind, deaf, or dumb? Mai, read the letters on the screen, row by row. Tell me which lens is better between the perspective of a simp in distraught or the clueless romantic. Should we just check on Sanpei’s mental health at this point? At any point?” These and many more questions have been lingering throughout the entirety of the drama, my hopes in any of them being shed any light upon diminished the further i progressed.

Future me, i know, we’re missing a lot. I’m sitting on 3 hours of sleep from binging this 6 hour film, add whatever I don’t feel like touching on and edit this out, or just like ,don’t. We’re rambling , on to the highs that were worth my exhaustion.

Production/Casting

Fantastic performances and very well grounded casting choices. You can immediately tell they weren’t trying to fit any typical visual appeal here and went straight for who’s capable of fitting these roles exceptionally enough. A huge props to the supporting cast this time around, specifically the patients and their surreal portrayal of the stories behind them while maintaining similar themes and suturing them well with the main plot and messages.

Direction

To reiterate, this would have been masterclass had this drama simply been a film or more fleshed out to fit the structure and pacing of a series of its length. Regardless, it’s still this drama’s strongest suit for me among the best I’ve seen this year from dramas. It gives just about everything you’d expect from a great jdrama style of directing, muted tension when necessary, strong messages and topics sprinkled throughout, subtle tones and actions giving rewatching alot of value, overall great use of soundtrack(though a bit uncalled for a few times), brilliant use of imagery, and well versed guidance through rather tough scenes and evoked emotions of the characters.

Unmet is another one of the very few series I’ve managed to watch through that reminds me just how great a drama you have more gripes than praises with can be. And how differing opinions can hold different reasons in something being worth your time for. I can’t say that even my lowered expectations in some aspects were met here, but many other surprising aspects has shed light upon the faults, illuminating the hidden gem this drama is behind it all.

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Needle In A Haystack of Mediocrity

Luckily for me this was the first republican era Cdrama I tried, as well as the first cdrama i was able to complete. Underrated isn’t enough to truly praise this drama.

You’re thrown back into an extremely detailed, gritty, yet beautiful time period world design that amazes you the more time you invest in its little details around every corner, posters, costumes,buildings, offices, you name it. The production quality is in short, next level.

Along with it’s stunning production you’re also given a great cast with a compelling story and scripts that brings these characters to life in full. You’re not thrown out of immersion for even a second. The realistic style of pacing this drama decided to take in terms of each character connection to one another is the bread and butter. You can’t help but to acknowledge and praise this show for not tossing everybody together in the first episode or 2 like 99% dramas does. The interactions are believable along with the reunions.

The writing is airtight, meaning little to no room for improvement. The development of the ML is truly a high quality sight one can only behold in very few series to date. The strong characteristics of each lead and supporting roles constantly reminds you that you are to recognize these characters as real seperate individuals in a story, not single layered background tools for progressing the plot. If one goes over a plan to later put into action, it’s up to their level of competence of pulling it off or failing. If one gets into a tough predicament, it’s up to how their own thinking works that could rather get them out of it or even deeper in. Something many dramas don’t bother putting the effort into.

After stumbling across this work of art, I’ve yet to find any drama in its genre close to this level of overall quality. Everything it provides, it executes profoundly. If the hundreds of republican era and espionage dramas were to be thrown at each other in countless comparisons and contrasts. This series stands among the top easily. A soon to be classic that’ll be appreciated more down the line when receiving more recognition.

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When a masterpiece meets a cliff..

To start off my takes on this series let’s just all come together and agree on the one undeniable strength of this drama, the tone.

This drama is best to be labeled as “Spicy”. Easily one of the strongest characterizations I’ve seen yet. The leads being my favorite duo to hit the screen. The back and forth, tease-like bond, mature yet suspenseful tension between one another doesn’t give enough justice to them.

The support characters is nothing to scoff at either, with great humanized actions and reactions with fierce pacing that will have you on the edge of your seat. Almost everyone has their own goals, ambition, and reasoning behind their actions, which btw, are mirrored to their own personalities.

The story is mix of some well known series alot of us seen already, but it takes these premises and themes and executes it with its own personality with perfection, UNTIL, it doesn’t..

Well, well, well. If it isn’t my arch nemesis seen in 95% lengthy cdramas, the falling action. Let’s admit it to ourselves that the quality of this series’ writing has drastically fallen after it’s 50 episode mark. You’re tackled with so many inconveniences yet in VERY convenient timing, inconsistencies in almost every character worth mentioning, plot devices for the sake of forced narrative direction, and to top all of those off, underused/simplified and characters so bland or cheap that it’s borderline impossible to sympathize or understand their drive towards their actions.

To say this drama isn’t worth the watch simply because of the last few arcs would be a lie. Create a plot diagram of the Introduction, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. Now replace the words leading up to the climax with Episodes 1-50. Then episodes 51-70 with down to the Resolution. That best explains the quality of this drama. A phenomenal build up that meets the peak of the mountain, only to take it’s own life with a slow, unfortunate downfall.

The first Periodic Cdrama I’ve managed to finish and thoroughly enjoy for the most part. Like many, I’m grateful for the unforgettable journey.

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A Glass Half Empty

Well, someone has to put on their big boy pants here. If there’s anything I for certain have gotten out of this drama is that I wouldn’t mind if it ended with Ryang Eum taking off h-..

My Dearest, where do i begin? Have i already begun? Hell could i even tell you after a ridiculously long “part 1” that this drama even began yet? I’m sorry , let me get the few praises i have out the way that made me stick through and why anyone contemplating may want to give it a go.

Cast

Yes this is indeed Namkoong Min’s world and we’re just living in it. Emphasis on namkoong min alone, not his character. In fact I’ll get it out the way that there’s not a single character besides one (I’ll get to) that satisfied me on screen. BUT!..but, the casting surprisingly held its own to enhance the mediocrity my now dreary eyes couldn’t get enough of. Namkoong Min is truly a delight no matter what he’s starred in, i can watch the man stare in longing from afar for hours. Actually, should i rewind and start a timer? I think we have already, no? Was at least 10% of this drama not comprised o-. Sigh, pros… pros. The rest were good enough, big ups for the antagonists here.

Cinematography

Watch the trailer. Yeah no just watch the tr-Shut up, turn the trailer on. Want more? Of course you do .

Jack of all Trades, Master of None

Listen, we have a bit of almost everything here that almost every kdrama fan can’t get enough of. Cliche romantic setups, poetic dialogue, BL, stunning settings, censored BL, intense love triangles as confusing as they are everchanging. Hm, anticlimatic cliffhangers keeping us flat on the center of our chairs, oh hey Ryang. Grand action sequences , sleeve tugging, not now Ryang, heart numbing departures, weirdly timed confessions, me too Ryang. Know it all there for it all wingmen. Oh so mysterious and seemingly tragic pasts, singing, fine ,one more Ryang. Damsels in distress, but hey, capable damsels? Trying betrayals, ah, slam him harder against the wall, more passion, t-that’ll show him.

Fyi, i enjoyed all of these and more for some reason. And for that same reason unknown to me, I’m sure anyone contemplating on watching it now would too. Would i say any of these were executed profoundly? No, but I wouldn’t say any of them were done in some piss poor manner either, more so a delicate tinkle.


Character

No not characters, let me introduce the most refreshing female lead to hit the screen in 2023, that I’ve wa-. Yoo Gil Chae is this manipulative, seemingly selfish, obnoxiously stubborn, clueless, hopeless romantic young woman finding herself during a dark time in Neunggun-ri that’s falling down on her quicker and heavier than anyone at that point of time could ever imagine. Forcing this carefree woman to adapt quickly in extremely harsh and boundary pushing surroundings. What once was manipulating others’ infatuation and frustrations for her personal gain in favor, entertainment ,and reputation suddenly had to shift into taking advantage of the cards dealt in front of her in order to survive and protect those she care for. This selfish woman going with almost any means necessary to make it through one more cold insufferable night, day by day. You have the absolute pleasure of witnessing these strengths and weaknesses contrast in several completely different and expansive situations. Sometimes with relieving and maturing results, other times leading to deeper holes and despair. Ladies and gentlemen, Namkoong Min may hold the star power, but there’s no other character here that holds a torch to the ever-growing flame that is Yoo Gil Chae. She alone made this worth my time, she alone may make this worth watching part 2 if i weren’t currently exaggerating my ass off from the temporary fulfillment her character has given me in comparison to the other mediocrity.


Episode 6

I do not care what anyone has said or tells you. This point here is what sold me on this drama’s potential that it later fell flat on. Not the drastic tone change in the beginning episodes, though impressive in contrasting. Hell if you would want to just spring on ahead of the other episodes to see what i mean, I wouldn’t advise otherwise. This was the peak for me, all the way through, what happened before and after this episode? Couldn’t tell you.

I don’t wish to convince anybody to turn away from this series, as there’s some quite impactful stuff here to miss out on. But I wouldn’t consider this a must try either. At moments it has everything going for it. But then there’s the ineptness of the pacing here of what feels like a story meant to be told in it’s entirety within what is made out to be the first half? The extremely questionable actions and senseless confusion from these characters that had me questioning if i’m just not comprehending the full picture drawn out. The sole plot progression tool and absolute bot of a character Eun Ae went out her way to be. The complete abomination of a “part 1” finale that was just all over the place in pacing and writing that terrifies me in even opening a trailer for the inevitable second half around the corner. These are hot takes, simpleminded thoughts to avoid deep dives and heavy spoilers just to take a shit on this drama in full cognition. My single half assed rant amongst the swarming amounts of well thought out reviews treasuring this drama for plenty of valid reasons. I’m currently half awake and pissed at the potential I personally didn’t find this drama coming close to. Constantly sipping away at some cheap wine i know would be empty soon. Admittedly addicting ,but no memorable notes. Now a trade of my time for a bit of yours.

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The Hare & The Tortoise

A bit rusty, let’s go light here. I’ve been healed by this drama. Healed from frantic Adhd drops and pick ups. Healed from 1-2 episodes every other week. Not healed, from the disappointment we all know far too well with these dramas. Usually hitting us about half way through. But no, this drama in particular found its way to rob you of your enjoyment in a mere segue from one story to the other.

The Hare

Despite an amateurish beginning in terms of performances, this is what started the incredibly strong and relatable premise that took hold of me to end up binging the entire series in 2 days. We’re introduced to Ruo Hua and her seemingly competent yet clearly depressed younger brother. I’ll keep this blunt so I don’t go off ranting more than my attention span and grammar can keep up with. There’s nothing impressive nor noteworthy here besides the rare topic of toxicity and mental manipulation their mother lays out and keeps her foot on for the entirety of the story.

A flashy production flex. While this side of the story presented a quite unique direction towards a very typical subject, there’s little to no substance behind everything we’re being taken along to witness. Constant traveling back and forth between school and pampering. Relentless amounts of job hunting, exams, and home migrating. There was so much “progress” to take in at face value, but provided little to at times absolutely nothing behind it nor what came after. We’re never taken through a single day at the office, a single class or study session of Ruo Hua’s days in college, a single minute of job hunting. It’s directionless behind several fluffy relationship arcs and depression sequences, not a single time have i felt an ounce of character development here, for anyone. Ruo Hua remained the same dull character that has no idea what she wants to do in life, while at the same time somehow managing to do just about everything that’s put in front of her. Rapid pacing without ever hitting a single finish line in any of its aspects.


The Tortoise

Slow, defined steps. Meaningful dialogue. Top class performances. Set goals, realistic obstacles. This, is where you put your bets on. This is what you’ve come to watch. Half of my time i considered a complete waste with utter confusion as to why i kept consuming, this other half reminded me again and again why I couldn’t put it down.

I could rave about this half twice as much as i can rant on the half assed.. other half. But I won’t. This run alone gets my stamp of approval to go in completely blind to see why this is by far my favorite drama that failed as whole of what it had set out to do. And why it can be much more forgiving because of that for anyone else.


Overall

I’ve come to accept the realization of scenes that were cut out and/or adapted differently that resulted in the many faults of this drama’s pacing. But they don’t excuse the god awful decision making and quality of the changes itself.

But what I’d want of anyone looking to give it a watch, forget all of these faults. Make friends of the fast forward button if need be. Just let your time and attention be swooned away by the peak of this drama. Ruo Hua clearly wasn’t the favorite child nor story here.

Give in, to An Xin’s enchanting performance. Cheer on Xiu Fang through every beautiful, struggling step of the way. A hidden gem.

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A Fart Ever So Serene

Hello there random reader , do you cook? Ever felt the warmth of food bringing peace to your loved ones? Dwindled memories brought back anew from nostalgic dishes? Experienced joy through the smiles of others around you indulging in a particular cuisine you went through trials and errors to put together? Looking to experience any of this? Set the table, have a seat.

This is the after taste of a beautiful drama delivering heartfelt performances and subliminal messages behind wonderfully executed cooking scenes and frantic trips to the supermarket. I must say i have my own background in cooking and finding peace of my own through it , so my perspective comes from excessive relatability that calls for reduction.

Recipe for Farewell is this seemingly tasteless story seasoned and cooked thoroughly the longer you allow it to process. It’s not an immediate grab of attention and/or immersion if you can’t relate to any of the things that are happening and being narrated with relatability of emotions as the target. Still, anyone can find themselves slowly drawn to this relatively short piece through the profound subtle tones and overbearing warmth of family and loved ones coming together, a reminiscent of both trying times and memories at their happiest.

May i say the narration here is one of this drama’s strongest aspects, which is a rare thing to acknowledge as praise. Han Seok Kyu’s voice delivers a smooth texture that marinates everything happening before our eyes and thoughts beyond them as you let it settle. The transitions from Chang Wook’s perspective to Da Jung’s is like a handoff from the chef by the recommendation of the server. Usually this style annoys me because it tends to rather not hold consistency or just break apart immediately from inept handling, fortunately these veterans know what they’re doing here.

This shortish drama has everything one can ask from it’s premise. Muted backgrounds when needed to raise the heat on emotions. Appetizers and desserts complimenting the main course of the story, none taking spotlight away or diminishing the experience. Decent soundtrack to admire every now and then, specifically the outro of every episode hovering me away from the play next button til the very end of each. I’m somewhat of a foodie(damn that’s corny now that i say it) myself so I really appreciated being brought through every step of every dish in every episode. I’m quite guilty of the food blogging myself in the past and now reminded how much i enjoyed my own trials and errors in new food and the stories behind them, i figure it’s about time i dabble back into it.

Done setting? I could go on and on with the sentimental and fuzzy shit here, or , and hear me out on this one. You could give these remarkable servings of memories and lasting farewells a taste yourself. This isn’t the typical fuzzy drama with cheesy attempts at comedic punches people are used to so it flew somewhat under the radar, just be sure to give compliments to the chef on our behalf and leave a review expressing the taste this left you with personally. Now, I believe i have a few recipes and pots to absolutely tarnish myself. If you’ll excuse me .

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Unhand Me!!

I feel like the overwhelming amounts of praise this drama’s getting distorts many of the minority(me included) expectations that only ends up disappointing. May i say this series is indeed a masterful creative piece, that isn’t quite for everyone? Yes that can go for any show but, to put me as an example, i came into this series quite hyped in having my expectations met. I’m extremely nitpicky but I’m also very simple, the likes of an unnecessary facial expression can set me off, though i can accept and enjoy any premise,trope,casting, age gap(legal ofc),etc. as long as it’s executed well and subtle when it needs to be. This drama unfortunately severely lacks the subtlety.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo showcases its pros and cons almost as if the writer/s handed you a graph that updates the further you’re in. Beautifully handled representation, cinematography, mesmerizing chemistry amongst the cast,and pleasing soundtrack at times made me ignore my gripes as i shivered over the play button like the filthy drama addict i am convincing myself “one more should be enough”.

There’s only so far i can be dragged along a series I’m not enjoying 1/4 of, i truly envy those that can finish their food no matter the taste it leaves, as i lack the tolerance. I’ll hand off my gripes with this series in a listed manner i felt the series handed them to me.

~Caricatures,aloot, literally one after another. This may be to your liking, if it isn’t, condolences.
~”Aww, look who wants to read between the lines all on their own, big boy! Here, give us your hand and i promise we’ll let go on the next one.” I would reach true insanity if i had to sit through one more cringey slowmo scene to “help” viewers read the room(no slander on the rotating doors, hell I’m still going one,two,three). And for crying out loud Choi Su Yeon, stop...fucking...blushing! I shouldn’t have to constantly witness grown adults peeping at one another and helplessly cheesing on a day to day basis with coworkers. We get it, she likes him. We get it, he likes another. Subtlety people, a hint of mature professionalism if you will.
~Hey there ;), ever watched Innocent Witness? Well if the series hasn’t persuaded you into adding to your list yet, allow me. This series executes many aspects in the same style as the writer’s previous work, perhaps too similar. The episodic nature isn’t necessarily my cup of tea, but again can be tolerated and even enjoyed,if executed well, feels as if the writer didn’t quite understand the depth a series should have in comparison to a film. The predictability of when and how the cases conclude(splash,brainstorm)and excessive amounts of caricatures lost the final bit of interest i was clanging on to.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a vibrant, detailed , comical, stunning drama full of life and effort that dare i say should at least be given a shot no matter what you’re into, as it surprised me in many ways that I can’t consider the 10+ hrs given as a waste of my time despite dropping. Does the overwhelming amounts of praise delude some into unrealistic expectations? Well, I’m proof of that minority. But I’d rather that be the case than the sheer amounts of effort put into this series go to waste by slipping under the radar with many other criminally underrated titles.

Think I’ll go cross a street or two..huh? O-no reason, just cause :\

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The Opera House

Performer 1: Come one come all! Hear our words!
Performer 2: Holds no interest, reckonings. Blind reckonings.
Performer 1: Heed us, as we must share the unspoken. I’ve been no stranger to false accusations in my years, tis no surprise here.
Performer 2: Shameful... Framed?
Performer 3: Dressed ineptness wrapped away and labeled as art, class acts dancing away to the tunes of a tired music box. One claims malarkey but the word spreads m-
Performer 2: -orbid(1:-olasses)audacity... speak less.
Performer 4: Do give us room for air, the same words by many must have origin.
Performer 3: Unfortunate that this origin holds the exact opposite of it’s creative counterpart.
Performer 2: Speak LESS. Vile words of scrutiny is at order.
Performer 1: Irony.
Performer 3: A tree falls with no one around, it holds no sound. The impact remains. The word travels with the minority but attracts no ears, as the scratched record entertains.


The Story Of Minglan carries a similar burden as the leads, claimed by many to be this slow bore of a series dragging its viewers along until it all pays off. Those that managed to trudge through holds the same advice, bear with it. First time diving into the drama, i understood. How many episodes must i watch until the drama becomes worth it? 34? The other commentator said sevente-..don’t waste my time? Dropped in 3? What’s the problem with them still being k-. Wait, skip how much? What the hell is yanxi palace again?

I’ve never wanted to rant on anything this much outside of the drama itself until encountering this one. Most that’s given high remarks and praises still holds words that can deter you away depending on what you’re looking for and toleration. For well over a year now i kept my eyes away from this drama because I don’t believe pieces that requires patience past the first episode to be worth my time nor others’. Though that’s just my perspective, as i still respect and envy others that can withhold their last straw. So what even made me give in? Hell every person i know rather didn’t watch it yet or bares the same discouraging words as the rest. Hunger, hunger for this particular setting, genre, and tone convinced me in giving it a go.

Did i encounter this overbearing snooze fest of mundane acts that others warned viewers of in the beginning? No, what i encountered was an articulate trap made up of subtly theatrical performances and neatly wrapped storytelling that slowly unfolds it’s layered lead characters and the world surrounding them. I remain utterly confused as to how anyone can give a slice of life at this length a try and expect anything other than a slow burn. What’s funnier is that the pacing doesn’t even take the actual slow course it’s known for until after those beginning 6-8 episodes, yet many dropped or found it hard to continue feeling that it did. Rather it’s influence from the loud minority or preference for a completely different pace that has no business in a drama of this genre and length. My credulity fell for the influence.

My dear viewers, you have been wronged. This series requires your time and attention, not patience.This is a fairly paced slice of life warranting it’s length that barely consists of any unnecessary scenes, characters, nor arcs. Yes every single episode is well worth paying attention to and skipping any of them will completely lose you in the next. No this isn’t exaggeration, as my proud elders once said in full certainty, fuck around and find out.

Cast/Production

The cast is as large as it is talented, with naturally witty dialogue and mind games to match. Raw emotions are constantly thrown at the viewers no matter if it’s genuine of the characters or them putting on an act(you’ll get this a lot, i mean a lot). No complaints on the outfits, appearances, sets/backgrounds , or cinematography. All held up to the quality expected. One nitpick i have is that every performance worth mentioning were too..balanced? In my opinion,nobody really went above and beyond. They all were great, just no hint of excellence. Don’t go in expecting stand outs or jaw drops. You’ll be constantly impressed nonetheless .

Story/Direction

The strongest aspect of The Story of Minglan is,in my opinion,the pacing. Scroll through some comments and/or reviews. The most common questions you’ll see are referring to when [blank] will happen, when [blank] and [blank] grow towards one another, when will we see [blank] again, so on, so forth. What we have here is natural progression folks. In all of it’s satisfying and painful goodness. The climb in ranks, pitiful downfalls, house empowerment, filial favor, newfound family, the list goes on.

It’s of no surprise I’m an absolute sucker for slow burns when executed well. And dear god do they go way beyond that here. Not only are you taking in each episode waiting for future inevitable moments and interactions that’s way further down the line, you also find yourself not willing to loose your grip of the current relations and moments happening that would have to take a tumble for the others to progress. There are countless memorable scenes from the very beginning to the very end. You’re nail biting early on not because of anything coming off as banal or monotonous, it’s from disbelief that there’s still so many things you have to look forward to on top of everything you’ve had the pleasure in watching already.

The camera language and use of symbolism is next level, these factors alone marks this series with a very high rewatch value. Stare downs, signaling through eyes and body language, setting up for future stages to perform.There are plenty of subtle hints and details that most will miss the first go around and many moments leaving room for interpretation that lets the mind roam freely, speaking of..

The use of romance and bonds here are second to none. The chemistry/dynamics are so distinct and profound amongst each character you’ll have to see it for yourself to believe how effortlessly they interact. From the banters, thoughts through time apart, strategizing, rehashing, lessons, arguments, persuasions, attests. I could go on and on, the chemistry alone makes this well worth the try.

Shortcomings

The ost’s ass...... condolences. Ight listen if i have to hear that same tired ass track in romantic/longing moments another second I’ll lose it. No track stands out or grabs attention besides the rare use of sound design on sudden tensity, you’ll hear what i mean.

Way too much plot armor and abuse of convenient last moment timings. You’d wish for a competent male antagonist since the women here has to rely on the incompetence of their aides to lay a scratch on anyone. Besides some ass whippings and timeouts the feel for stakes on the line completely diminishes about halfway through. This drama is many things, a thrill isn’t necessarily one of them. So much protection going on I wonder how some of them even got pregn-

Epilogue

To anybody who hasn’t tried this out yet i can only ask what’re you waiting for, more so what’s holding you back? What I’ll advise is don’t force your way through this drama, if you can’t stomach any more, let it go. Need a break? Take as long as you need, it’s okay to not binge in a couple sittings, much healthier at that. Watch and experience this breathtaking journey at your own pace.

A new favorite of mines, been hours since i finished and i think it’s about time for an encore.

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