Sometimes its good to read the story behind the true story if you have a weak heart

I recently convinced myself that i was missing out on historical dramas(I have dreaded them for years) but KDRAMA has sold me and am hooked.
Lee JunHo brought me to Red Sleeve and OMG this was good that i almost watched it in one seating but had to break it to avoid looking like i have no life.
I was originally not planning to say anything,this is one of those drama that stick in your brain weeks after you finish them but i need to get it out of my system,let me leave it here.
1.The cinematography,the OST,the still picture and everything Jeoson palaces were on point.
2.The acting was out of this world,few actors can pull of a heavy drama full of all types of emotions but everyone in the entire cast pulled off Oscar worth acting.
3.I have no words for Lee Junho portraying Prince Yi San/ King JeongJo,I dont think there is any language that can discribe this man's acting so i recommend to go and watch
Overall this was one of the best historical drama of 2021 and now i know why,It has left me with a very heavy feeling and made me want to understand more about this era in the Korean history.I will not talk about the FL wanting to drive all of us crazy but she was portraying a real historical figure so we pumped our hate breaks whenever.
Many people warned us future views not to trade in the waters of Ep 17 but we are too curious for that and curiosity killed a cat so you can imaine how dead i am now,but I will not spoil it for anyone. i have learnt my lessons, before embarking into the territory of an historical drama that is real story of real people, I should probably read the story first and see if there is and sad ending

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Noona/Office romance with perfect cast and production

This could have been just like any other noona romance but it was not.It solery focused of business
and then the romance came in after.
If you are not a patient person,I wouldnt recommend this drama but unffortunetly you would miss out
on a very good project that was excuted with care and high intelligence from both actors and writers.
Its a slow burn,they spend most of the time really conducting business and somehow you find yourself
sacked in the boardroom with them,watching the bad guys skimming and loosing which gives you a silent
satisfaction.
The FL is the main character,she is carrer driven,goal setter,with an ability not to crack under intense pressure
in an industry that is designed to give one high blood pressure.But she navigates the corridors of power with
ease,a fake sime and a problem solving attitude.
She gets paired up with a young ML who by "accident" finds himself thrown into the battle ground and early
on he understands that he has to protect the FL from the wolves who have nothing in mind but to kick her out.
When she gets demoted,he follows her and stick with her till the end of his term.Did I mention he also falls in
love with her and they have to fight another battle outside the office beacause of their age difference..and win
her mother who from my opinion stood between a thin line of weird and psychopath.I have seen share amount of
mothers in asian dramas but this one took the trophy,the only difference is that she would get a quicker redemption.

This is one of thosse drams you watch slowly,with your own pace. but I commend the directors and writers for giving us
a solid show.ther ewas no dragged story line.And it was an educational piece on the world of business and environment.

Also Hallo Dylan Wnag..I trust him with any role,He will deliver and give you more than you bargained for,I call him the male
version of Zhao Lusi.I lowkey wish his potential chemistry was reciprocated but acting with someone 20 years older
than you in real life,creates some sot of invisible boundaries.But he is acting was kiss chef that this lack of chemistry
was not visible.

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THE HEALER WE ALL NEED

In the world full of uncertenity,stress,depression,hard life,unplanned messes and noises,Someone thought of "Meet yourself" I read somewhere in the comment section,someone said that when life gets hard nd unbearaable,they just think of moving to a chinese village in the middle of nowhere and i feel the same lol.
This has been my healing drama of all the times,It introduced me to the rural most authentic and amaizingly beautiful China.What a fresh of breath air,what an amzing scenery,Every scene felt like a holiday in a care free country, where there is no worries.I remember the horde scenes a long the vast rivers, the farm with cows and two seat on th verandah where the leads would seat and watch the sunset or the sunrise,Gosh who thought of this idea?
There is so mujch goodness in this drama that words are not enough,I think you have to experience it on your own.THe sense of community around this drama was out of this world,every character was running from something but the moment they arrive in this village,it seemed like all their worries flew by in front of our eyes.THe show lietrally is so good that you feel like you are a part of grandma's circle.
The two seasoned actors Li XIan and Liu Yifei put on a show to remember.
If you are looking for a quiet,slow paced holiday destination to meet your self..tHis is a show for you

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GREAT NOONA STORY DONE WRITE AND DIFFERENTLY WITH LOTS OF BUTTERFLIES

I wanted this drama to marinate in my subconscious before i wrote a short review.I have less complaints so this will be quick.
If this ended up in your recommendation while you were looking for a noona story,dont even finish reading reviews,Go ahead and watch it,just have a warm blanket and extra pillow near you because the ML will make you feel very single if you are single or question your choices if you are married.
Typical noona romance trope that was done EXTREMELY RIGHT and with a FRESH touch.The writer knew what he/she was doing,not your typical go back in time of our childhood storyline, unfortunately if i tried to explain it,it would spoil the whole thing so I only encourage the future viewers to watch and see how well the story was coordinated between the past and present.
For the first time i want to give flowers to the Editing team,whoever came up with the editing ideas is a genius..It added comedy to the show and it was well done with the music and the sounds that were used.
I love love a constistent ML,from day 1(probably the day he met the FL when he was 0 day old) He knew what he wanted and that was to be with her,simple and clear, he never waved or blinked..and this man gave all the viewers butterflies,oh No Zoo in our stomach..I ended up hunting all his work,young and talented.
As for the FL,chinese writers have something against FLs in general,so i wont even start to talk about how difficult her character was,since childhood,she loved and protected the ML but she did more than that..And how i wish her character developed at least in the ast 6 episodes.She surrendered her will to control and fight her emotions very late and this drove me mad..Because the moment she did,the flow of the drama went really light.
The side characters,especially both parents were made in heaven,who had been friends before even their children were born.All the side characters and their personal stories were well executed and added to the beauty of this drama.
I would have rated this 10/10 but the FL character development that took forever left me bitter and I wish there was more music performance seing that the ML chose music as a career because of the FL and he had a super star status.

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Taiwanese dramas are either a HIT or a MISS and this was a HIT

As an avid watcher of asian dramas,I always give each Major industry namely K-drama,C-drama,J-drama and TW-dramas alternate timing,for every K-drama.
I watch a C-drama or a J-drama but I admit that I rarely find a good Taiwanese one and whenever that happens it becomes a priority and I keep my fingers crossed
that it is well done.And to be honest Taiwan has good productions and superb scren writers who develop a story that keeps you glued on the screen.
And just like japanese they make is short and Sweet.Taiwan pushes the envelop especially with subjects that China mainland avoids oe sensors so its a thin line.

My dear boy is not just like any ohter noona drama(older FL-younger Ml)Its a story about a woman and everything that connected to her.
Her life,her family,her career,her love life and her growth.Every character in the drama is connected to her directly or indirectly.One of her story
that take center stage is her heartbreak and betrayal from someone who mentored her in her career,being hurt by someone you look up to will give you
20 episodes of a very detailed journey of ups and downs as an intern in a commercial film industry to being a famous director who is respected by her peers.
I was thinking how hard is it to shoot a film crew inside a drama..its like having two productions in one.But the FL Ruby Lin is also a director in real life so
am sure she had a huge in put in the process.

I would like to give a big up to the screen writer of this drama,She really outdid herself.She covererd every big or small storyline and nothing was left hanging
or undeveloped.The characters were well put together and intertwined somehow and the actors did a good job in portraying whatever role they were given.
As usual there was the asian mother,who tend to be the show runner in every drama, sometimes i wonder what would happen to a project without a crazy,
psycho and manipulator mother from eith side.Either way this seems to be the fuel of asian dramas and i dont think we will avoid this part any time soon.

The ML,what can I say,it is always a good day when one discover a new talent and I found Derek Chang,I added him to the list of my favorite TW actors with
Wallace Huo and Jusper Liu.He took his role to heart and brought in all the emotions that are needed to chase after an older FL, I dont think i have seen any
other character go to this level,maybe He Yu as Lu Zhechang in "My fated boy" His character was well developed and his growth was visible,and for the first time
in Noona romance,the ML gave up at a certain point,knowing that he is going to need more than just a cute face and an innocence to be with a mature woman.
The woman who he met by accident when they were both going throught heir disastrous love lives and ended up becoming his life teacher and his colleague.
Everyone was against them and them taking a step back was heartbreaking and shocking to the viewers but later on i understood that he needed this in order to
have something to bring to the table..And when he did 5 years later,It was really good to see him accomplished and ready to parsue the FL,hoping that fate is in
his side..hoping she is still single..Finding her was going to be another mountain to climb,especially after the twist the writer gave us before the separation.

What i didnt like in this drama was the amount of flashbacks,OMG I understand its part of the story,but it almost felt like a time travel trope,so if you are extremely
allergic to flashbacks be warned that there will be many.

Overall this was a good watch,the quality was top,the visuals, the set, the production, the OST and the writting were all well executed.As an ID, I would give extra
points to the production and set designers,they did a stellar job,especially for the FL's industrial loft..I would live there in a heart beat.
This drama felt almost like a slice of life with normal problems for everyday people trying to get from point A to B.The writers took their time and i belive they had
good time writing.

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THE NAME SHOULD BE "FAST AND FURIOUS IN KAIROUTEI"

I picked this for Steven Zhang but the FL convinced me to stay because she was really good.
Steve Zhang will deliver no matter how bad the plot is.I call him the male version of Zhao Lusi.
Sometimes you dont even know if he is acting because its just too accurate and his mannerism
and body movements feel like you are seing him in real life.

Am not familiar with the FL but from what I gathered she is a veteran,this explains why her acting
was really good and thanks to the write she was a strong character who didnt let the
bullies have their way.Should i mention she is the first FL in chinese drama to initiate intense kissing scene?

We always complain about chinese drama having long episodes filled with unnecessary scenes
but what happens when they have to fit a whole trope into 12 episodes? You will find the answer
when you watch,thats why I said they should have named it "Fast and Furious in KAIROUTEI
Thats how fast your brain will be moving from scene to scene,saved but beautiful cinematic shots.

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OLD IS GOLD

Every now and then I go back in times(so far have gone 12 years back) and watch a masterpiece like Healer when Ji Chang Wook,Park Min Young,Yoo Ji Tae and the mervelous Lady Kim Mi Kyung were still young and before they went to make numerous hits like Welcome to Samdarli,Whats wrong with Secretary Kim,Money heist-Korea and Its okay not to be Okay.
The actors combined have been in more hit projects that can make up a whole movie Studio in itself, so seing them together in one drama back in 2014 must have been a thrill.
I felt the power that they brought to this serie 10 years later..No scene is boring or a filler, Everything suits together like a puzzle.Even if you were a critic,Its hard to find bits to pick on.Considering this was a decade ago, and how the film industry has grown with the use of CGIs and advanced tech,Back then thngs were still being done manually, streets were closed to shoot scenes,actors did their own stunts off the buildings,I understand that JCW does most of his own stunts and how can i forget the veteran who never ages Ms Kim Min Kyung, She is is been in more dramas than my neighbors'cats..how about Ms Park Min Young, I see her on my screen more than CNN Breaking news.
Overall as they say Old is Gold,indeed Healer is gold that will stay in our reserve mental bank for generations to come.

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A SLICE OF LIFE WRITTEN FOR ADULTS WITH REDIATING CHEMISTRY

Just finished re-watching this master piece and the special episodes,I had to find the writer and give her a bow.
What an excellent writting.This is my second time and it felt like it was the first time i was watching it and the
smile that stuck on my face from episode 1 to the last bonus episode will be hard to erase it.
I hope she keeps putting out script for adults and real slices of life.

Elvis Han who plays Xu Zi Quan brought his natural talent to this drama and watching him leaves you in awe of
how much flow of words,actions and mannerfisms he brings to the table.He was paired by another veteran of the
industry Elvira Cai who portrays Tang Ying character and their on and off chemistry was worth of an oscar.
It was my first time watching her but just from this drama I knw she knew what she was doing.These two really
need to be cast in another project..It was like watching two friends going head to head non stop,even after they got
together,the banter didnt stop.They portrayed complex characters that can be easlily misjudged but the way they
navigated the growth from "play boy" to responsible monogamous fiance on his side and from a woman obssessed
with work to her realisation that its not about working hard to reach the top but enjoying the moment.

This is the realest drama I have ever watched and trust me I have watched quite few in the 3 digts and I can tell
you for free that this was a portray of everyday's challenges,negative and positive.The stories were real,the victories
and failures we also real.This was really a slice of life.

I dont know who came up with the OST but wow..Again never in my history of watching dramas have I ever downloaded
a full album of the music accompanying the drama.90% of the songs were in english,From all gengre including country music.

Planning to rewatch a gain in a year or so,this is not something you want to forget.

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RARE WARM NOONA JAPANESE DRAMA

Its not a secret that Japanese writers' mission on earth is to break hearts of viewers with the most heart wrenching stories and sad endings.
They do melodrama like its just a csual walk in the park and its hard to find something that doesnt make you cry your eyes out but I was craving
for some aregato Kozaimas and I scrolled hard on Viki and here was "On a Starry night". Just by the look of the poster,Japanese dramaland has a
way of warning you that this is about to be a rollercoster but i trusted the synopsis and the reviews thta it was warm and fluffy so I sailed on.

I have seen quite a number of japanese dramas with deaf and blind tropes and to be honest You learn a lot about the community and how their
families and friends work with them to survive everyday.
The story was a typical back to hometown for the FL after she lost her job due to a lawsuit and she came to a seaside town to start over and met
the ML who is younger than her and he is also deaf..
The editing was a bit confusing if you are not patient because they started it in the middle of the story but It comes around and connects well.
Its a comfy story of love,There is no angst,no love triangle,no push and pull.They meet,fall in love and all they want is to be together.
The supporting cast did a good job,Its one of those drama that is set around a community of individuals that support each other.

Finding a japanese drama that will not leave you traumatized and when you find one,it becomes a treasure.

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NOT YOUR TYPICAL K-DRAMA..IN AN UNFORGETTABLE WAY

After wwatching Oh My Ghost and Jo jung Suk award winning acting, I was left wanting more and without skipping to another drama,
I wanted to see him more and Jealousy Incarnet seemed like a good plot where he is the main lead,Hospital Playlist was there but
He is not the ML so i skipped that,I might probably pick it up later because of Yoo Yeon Seok,out of curiosity how they interracted.

I wanted to marinate this review for few daysm,but i realised i might forget how good the OST was,I think this is is the first drama that
I have watched and I want to download the entire OST.It was the best,not repetitive,mixed of korean and english,emotional,funny with
beautiful tunes and sounds that accoumpanied any comic lines and action.

What do you gert when you put Jo Jung Suk ,Gong Hyo Jin and Go Kung Pyo in one project? The bet love triangle in the history of love
triangles but in a good way.Because this is liteerally the whole plot,If you dond like love triangles,you might miss out on a great drama
if you misjudge it quickly.This plot keeps you on your toes and probably might give you a sencond male lead syndrome but everything
ties up nicely.Its love hate relationship..In the ednd you will come to fall in love with the least loved character of the drama.

The writers did something that i havent seen in mamy dramas,there was no typical relations here.Everything wednt opposite of what
the society expects.It broke barriers and taboos about a man who gets an illiness that is often assiciated with women...
THis is a packed slice of life drama and I loved that it was set in a televion network news room.we got to see what goes on behind the
scene of a news production.

Overall,I loved it and am glad it was 24 episodes long

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LET GO BACK TO PRE-2020 AND ENJOY GOOD OLD DRAMAS

Its been a minute since I met wrtiters that get it right from the begining to the end and i will say this Oh my ghost's writers did an amazing job writting captivating dialogues.WHat was funny was funny,what was serious was serious and everything in between.I will admit that I normally skip fantasy/spritual tropes but i dont know how i pressed play on this one,Maybe Its because am going back in times with dramas pre-2020 when directors and producers were giving us well thought off scripts or maybe Park bo young brought me here from "Tomorrow with you" She is slowly becoming one of my favorites actresses.
but the stars of the show were Chef Kang Sun-woo's restaurant staff namely ,Seo joon/Cordon,Heo Min Soo,Choi Ji Woong and JO Dong Cheol.These guys carried the whole show on their backs, the brotherhood,the bromance and the family connection were out of this world.I have never seen such a team of individals in a drama that will go to the end of the earth for their leader.
The Kitchen scenes were so real that you wanted to vidit the restaurant and hear them say "Fire" or "yes chef" they brought the comedy,the wittiness,they brought the craze and anything in between.
I will not spoil the story by talking about the ghost part so please watch it and you will not regret it.

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If you are a Ji CHang Wook fan,this must be on your list

I watched K2 in 2024,for am in a mission to watch every Ji CHang Wook drama,am not even being paid to do so but the man is just mad talented that you wished he was on your screen everyday.
The story is not new for the pre-2020 action/political dramas but stellar cast makes it very interesting and it keeps on the screen wanting to know what next
Unfortunetly MANY VIEWERS expressed the need to pair the ML with the lady villain instead of the FL who was at the center of the story,and i saw why they all felt like that.
Arent we all tired of weak Female leads and K2 gave us the supreme leader of them all..Every now and then i wanted to reach inside my screen and say come on Ann speak up"or do this,but she was just following a script and the writers reall did hr dirty.Nevertheless if you look at this from a human point of view or a reality angle,two strong characters often crashes whenever they are paired together and this would have been the Case if there was a romance between K2 and ms Villain but for sure it would have mmade the drama more intensse adding the love triangle of Ms glasses a.k.a Secretary Kim.So they decided to give K2 a soft love interest that needed saving otherwise where would he have found the need to use and re-use the action scennes that honestly unless you are an action fan,they just became unreal as they progress.
This is an old drama and by 2024 the story tellers and directors have grown and are experienced,Am sure if this had a season 2,It would break the box office.

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A time travel trope done exremely well

I have always avoided time travel trope like a plague.the world of dramas is already unreal,adding another brain frying imagination is tiring in itself.
From an edit on the tiktok,i ventured into this unfamiliar territory and hoped for the best and ma glad I did.
The Synopsis was clear and it didnt derail in the story,which was well told by a very relaxed writer.am starting to think women screen writers are better.

The story is well told,the back and forth is well calculated that you dont notice at all..Normally time travel can be a bit complex which is the reason why
I dont find peace in them.I liked the way the write sedveloped the past story in details that you might think its a whole drama in itsself.and whenedver
Yoo So Joon would step into the future was just a matter of either fixing it or getting information that would help him in the past.
The drama moves at an accurate pace,unless your are extremely impetient, you would say that its a slow burn.
All the side stories were developed to fit the main story and the actors didnt miss a bit.The bromance between Yoo So Joon and his best friend Kang Gi Doong
was unreal,it was a loyalty class,He was the only normal person who knew his secret and he kept it safe for many years,without trying to force him to stop
traveling back and forth but being there in whichever world they met in.Lee Je Hoon the ML though this my first drama of his,am about to watch "Where the stars land".
Just because i find him fascinating,one of those actors with an aura of being present and swallowing a character that its hard to know if its real of fake.
Shi Min Ha will always shine in whichever role she portrays..She is a class A actress and i never have to worry about her peroformance whenver i pick her drama.

Overal this was a good drama from the era where K-drama produced quality stories.Fo someone who dont like Time travel themes,I sure was hooked from the
begining to the end,and i will recommend it at anyone looking for a stable and mature story.It did well on the romance that am adding it to my fluffy/butterflies
producing list that make you kick and screem with happiness.

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Light,fluffy and the right amount of cliches

I love Sung Hoon since Oh My Venus and My perfect marriage revenge so whatever I say
will be biased but for the sake of it,here we go.
I have gone back in time to watch old dramas,going back to 2014 when directors
really took their job serious and the current oppas were still doing some serious acting
and the writers were not misserable.
My secret romance is from that Era.Its fluffy,and the story is light,I think I was coming from
watch a heavy plot,so i needed to relax.
The story is not original,normal 2nd generation Chaebol falls in love with a regular girl, just
from this you already know whats coming next.The only difference was the fact that they
started their relation backward.From a one night stand to love.It normally take 12 episodes
for the leads to hold hands but they went straight to it and this made viewers excpect things
to be tough ahead but honestly the time jump made the whole thing go smoothly.
Its a piece you enjoy on a lazy saturday afternoonenvironment you might finish it in one sitting.
The only negative thing is the overuse of flashbacks but i think i have seen worse

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A plot written to give you Stockholm syndrome

As am determined to watch at least 80% of Ji Chang Wook projects before the end of the year,
I picked up my suspicious partner without going through the reviews..
I told myself that 40 episodes of 30 min each will nt ruin me as long as JWC is on my screen
Also if you are C-drama watcher, you will know thata this is childplay.

1.If you like good and real acting from professionals,please go ahead and watch.
2.If you like good court drama and crime solving,please go ahead and enjoy this.
3.The support team and the friendship that came out of this was incredible.
4.If you are triggered by handsome criminals with mesmerising visuals,maybe skip it
5.If you get easily angered by a hot and cold female lead who take 38 episodes to decide,
6.If you have enough time on your hands to watch an amazing cast doing amazing acting

Key people to keep in mind:
No Ji Wook the versatile prosecutor played bythe multi talented Ji Chang Wook
Eun Bong Hee, the unluckiest FL turned lawyer,nicknamed "dirty but pretty" by No Ji Wook
Jung Huy-Soo,The smoothest handsome serial killer who started the whole nighmare

Note:It doesnt mean the whole drama was superb,but any plot hole that showed up was covered
by good acting.Like the child that witnessed the murder and was confused if he should testify or not.
I know it was added so that Procesecutor No Ji Wook can sort out his own story but the way it was never
solved or developed didnt make sense at all.Having in mind that this wasnt a small plotline.

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