I don't even know where to start.
I watched the trailer and I was so excited to watch the film. I honestly thought I would enjoy it. But it really disappointed me. The storyline is empty and meaningless, the characters don't seem to learn anything throughout the movie, the dialogue is poor... everything is just disappointing. The actors did a good job, given the circumstances. It started off pretty well but the two last thirds of the film did nothing for me. And I felt quite offended with the message of this film. I felt as if they were saying being gay is a phase, and that it's wrong. I wasted my time watching it. I gave it 4 stars because I felt bad for the actors but after writing this review I'm thinking of giving it 1 star lol.

update: I changed it to 1 star.

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The actors, the storyline, the whole concept of this drama. Everything amazed me. Even though its theme is a complicated one (it is a fantasy show after all) I think the writers did a good job at making it cohesive enough without as many loose ends as I was expecting.
The two main characters did an amazing job ever since the first scene. Their interactions felt real and were heart-warming. And her father's job was so interesting (I'm very interested in art and stuff so I really liked that part of the plot).
I watched it a while ago (right when it came out) so I can't write a proper review but what I can say is that it's definitely worth watching.

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From now on only Korea is allowed to make zombie movies and series. I said what I said. (Lol please don't take it too seriously!)
This show has received a lot of amazing reviews and attention from audiences that aren't typically asian drama watchers and that only proves this show's ability to surpass language and cultural barriers and capture everyone's hearts and keep us at the edge of our seats.
There are many amazing reviews already that express my feelings perfectly but I'll still say a few words for each category, in case whoever is reading this still isn't convinced.

The plot is absolutely AMAZING, BRILLIANT, EXCITING, GENIUS etc etc. It really doesn't get any better than this. The whole story is so intriguing, heartbreaking and incredibly cruel, as it portrays the biggest flaws of humanity. The writer and everyone involved in the production of the series did an incredible job at criticising our day's society through 1) a story about an epidemy that transforms people into flesh-craving monsters 2) set in the Joseon era, centuries before our present time. It's truly outstanding.

The cast is simply brilliant. I believed every actor, every emotion, every expression. I'm ashamed of not knowing these fantastic actors before this drama. I have to check their other works out!
The characters were so complex and raw that I found myself submerged in the story and living their adventures as if I was their companion. That's how realistic they were. Forget about all the stereotypes surrounding heroes and nation saviours: these people are trying to survive, not always in the most selfless way. I loved every single one of them. The fact that the Crown Prince is genuinely doing his best and beyond to help those people and be different from the selfish and coward "important" people is remarkable. I loved his character development; it might seem very small and irrelevant compared to the magnitude of the events, however, he is the one who has the power to save them all. The "small changes" in his character by the end of the season were so meaningful and completely relevant to the plot. I don't think there are any side characters as they all play very important roles and they're all PHENOMENAL, whether I loved them or hated them.

The music increased the tense sensation on my stomach and made me literally jump sometimes. It was so well chosen that I can't give it less than 10 stars.

The more I think about this drama, the more I love it and watch to rewatch it. I'm so glad I chose to give it a chance and I certainly don't regret it. I'll probably rewatch it before the new season stars... that's how obsessed I am!

I'm not a horror fan and I'm still scared of historical dramas thanks to my lack of knowledge and experience with these shows, but Kingdom was able to make my mind work at an incredible speed for two days and every time that I wasn't watching it I was thinking about watching it. Powerful show, in many ways. It deserves the 10 stars and I will happily add it to my favorites list.

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Charming historical drama

Let me start off by saying I wasn't planning on watching this drama. From the main leads I had only watched Love in the Moonlight, which I didn't really like, and Abyss, which is the bane of my existence and that I dropped after five episodes. I wasn't excited for it when it was announced nor did I pay attention to people commenting about it on Twitter. But fours days ago I was going through mydramalist's currently most popular shows and I FELT like watching it... out of nowhere! When that happens I usually end up loving the show so I just followed my heart and watched it. And I have to say that this is a great show overall. It's charming, interesting, different from other historical shows out there. However, there are also some elements that don't allow me to give it a higher rating. While watching it, I wrote down many of the positive or negative aspects about the show, in my opinion, so I'll share those now! This section might include spoilers (but to be honest... the first episode is one big spoiler for the rest of the story already so... it's not too serious haha)

Things I loved about this drama:
1) The structure!! The way the story was told was very different from other shows. Like I mentioned before, the first episode lets the viewer see all the details of what happened in the past, while it keeps characters in the darkness until the last few episodes! Sometimes it was a bit challenging to follow who knew what informations but overall I think it was a super refreshing way of telling a story.
2) One of the most charming parts of the plot was the blindness aspect. That factor was used well throughout most of the show and connected the storyline between the two characters very well.
3) I loooooved the fact that the male lead isn’t a king or a prince and his main ambition or goal isn’t the throne!! He has so many goals to fulfill other than the romantic pairing: get revenge for his family and himself and get rid of ma wang’s possession.
4) The female lead is strong but has flaws, which makes her likeable.
5) Good acting that isn’t over the top or too dramatic. Very touching acting from everyone in the cast. Couldn't have been cast better!
6) Phenomenal chemistry between the two leads even though they didn’t share too much screentime in the first half of the show- the story was built according to the time it needed and it wasn’t overwhelmingly fast paced nor too slow it became boring. Perfect pace and perfect relationship pace according to the circumstances, in my personal opinion.
7) All the (main) characters have clear ambitions and those ambitions make sense for everyone! They’re not just caricatures but complete human beings with a background story and actual feelings, whether they’re good or evil.
8) Good fantasy elements that added to the show and made it stand out from other historical shows. It’s sooooo cool! I love the fantastical characters. Great cgi too.
9) It was funny when it had to be, heartbreaking when it had to be. Great balance.
10) It is a political drama but the plot matches the fantasy elements nicely and it’s not just boring ministers fighting for the throne.
11) Amazing ost. Baekhyun. No need to say more.
12) The love triangle is here for a reason! It wasn't toxic and there were no forced feelings from anyone. Really good.
13) I love that in episode 9 we got another summary of what happened with the demon as the king was telling the third prince about it. I thought it was nice to refresh the viewer's memory and to explain once again the fantasy elements.
14) OUR MALE LEAD IS SOOOO DREAMY!! THE EYE COLOR SUITS HIM SO WELL. He portrays deep emotions very well.
15) I also appreciated the fact that the male lead isn’t a goodie goodie. He’s looking for REVENGE!! He is a good person who (and to be completely fair, rightly so) feels very wronged and can't deal with that.
16) Really pretty cinematography and camera angles.
17) I LOVE THE VILLAIN SOOOO MUCH!!! The acting was phenomenal.



Now, the things that took out one star for me:
1) Sometimes it looked like the male lead's eyes don’t look like he’s blind. They seem to follow the female lead movements as if he could see... Maybe I’m being ignorant but I thought blind people had more unfocused eyes? But sometimes he does it more realistically… I'm not sure, maybe he’s just used to following the voices? Oh well, it took me out of the story sometimes.
2) Why does it have to be the dead king’s portrait and not the current one? Was it because the portrait wasn’t completely burned??? It was a bit confusing.
3) Very weak finale. It wasn't very impactful, there was a weird use of the blindness for just a minute and then it was dropped, and don't get me started on the weird plot with the second prince like????WTF was that????? Way too rushed!!! It's so weird how the last episode was structured... Worst episode of the whole show.


I hope my review makes sense. I'm writing this on three hours of sleep.
I did love this drama but I agree that there is a lot of wasted potential.

BY THE WAY
A very important advice: you should binge watch this show. I’ve noticed that a lot of people who suddenly stopped enjoying this show was because they were watching it from the beginning and waiting each week. The story is complex so to not miss out on details you should watch it in one go, like I did.

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Might change the rating to 10 stars

I've been wanting to watch this show for a very long time. The plot seemed really interesting but a bit depressing so I kept putting it off. I finally made myself watch this show this week and I was hooked since the first scene. I guess my type of drama really is the heartbreaking type of story? haha! There's not a lot I can say about this story because I feel like it's one of those dramas you can only truly understand while watching it and receiving the feelings it provokes on the viewers. It's so good I might even change this rating to 10 stars, depending on how I digest the whole thing, but I couldn't give it less than 9.5 stars.

The characters are sooo well written! As someone who loves complex characters more than a complex plot, I was really happy with how they managed to make me interested in every character's story. The protagonists (I would say there are 4 protagonists, right??) are all amazing and likeable, even if frustrating at times. Kang Doo hecame one of my favorite characters ever because of how simple he was in everything that he did (by the way, simple doesn't mean not complex! ...right?). I was just very in tune with him and could understand his emotions and choices very clearly, even if I've never been through anything similar to his situation. Jun Ho did a fantastic job with his character. Now I want to watch more dramas with him! And then we have Moon Soo, who was just so likeable (although not perfect) since the beginning. I love how we also got to see her parents and their relationship and how their family dealt with such a tragic loss. Seo Joo Won... I felt so sorry for him. He just had all that pain in his eyes!! I loved that he was a warm-hearted and kind person who was struggling to deal with his own demons. And Yoo Jin... I just loved her character, even if at first I couldn't care less about her... she definitely grew on me!
I cried so much in the last episode. I was scared (I literally paused the episode and calmed down hahaha if you've watched it, you know what I mean) and then I was sad because it was over. I wish we had more time with these characters (not only the main ones but also Moon Soon's friend, as well as our dear Sang Man and the others) because even though the plot isn't anything crazy and fast-paced, it was never boring. Not even a single scene! And the ending was so satisfying... because it made sense and it wasn't forced.

More than a story about a tragedy, this show is about the story of those who live on and have to deal with the consequences of said tragedy. I feel like I learned a lot while watching this show. I'm not sure what but I know I did. It made me think about life and death and put me in all these characters' shoes. I wish I had watched it sooner because this is one of those dramas that make me happy I started watching dramas in the first place and reassure me I'm not just wasting my time.
Unforgettable.

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I found my favourite drama ever... and it hurts.

{I'LL WARN YOU ONCE I GO INTO SPOILERS}

Hello. This year, for some reason, I haven't been writing reviews for every drama I watched. I think I got a bit lazy after watching so many dramas that didn't make me want to write a review for them. I watched many 8-star-worthy dramas in 2020, which was bittersweet. I felt like I was somewhat losing my deep interest in dramas because I had already watched the ones that would always stay in my top 10 list (is this sentence confusing? It is to me... I'm sorry hahaha). And then Moon Lovers came into my life. I don't know how I'm going to write a review for my favourite drama of all time but I knew I had to write one. So that I could later remember these feelings of when I first watched it when I rewatch it over and over again. Yes, this drama is flawed and I'll point that out later in this review. But no other drama could make me feel like this. This exact feeling I'm feeling right now after having binge-watched the show for three days. This feeling that I can't name but that I'll try to describe throughout this review.

Okay. Let me get into the review.
Background:
I never had any interest in watching this show. I thought period dramas weren't for me and I had a huge prejudice against this drama because of that- which is very ironic, considering many of my favourite dramas, such as Goblin and The Untamed, have the same elements of a period drama. I love history but I was scared I wouldn't understand the story or wouldn't be able to connect with the characters because of the setting. Therefore, I had been ignoring Moon Lovers since 2016, even though I've heard many amazing things about it. I only decided to watch it because, on Sunday (September 27 2020), my boyfriend made me watch The King and The Clown, a great movie that shoot Lee Joongi to fame overnight. I tried to resist it because it's also set in the ancient times but thankfully, my boyfriend insisted and I watched it. Lee Joongi's performance was... very touching? He left a great impression on me, that's for sure. And, suddenly, literally out of nowhere, I thought "He's in Moon Lovers, right? Why don't I watch that after I finish the dramas I'm currently watching?". I ended up watching it before finishing anything else. The power Lee Joongi holds!!!

Acting:
I was interested in the story from the very first minute. That scene with IU complaining about her life to the homeless man. I later found out that many people didn't like IU's acting and for that gave up on the drama. Wow, never have i disagreed with anyone more! I honestly think her performance was stunning. It didn't feel like acting so I was completely immersed in the drama from the very first scene. In fact, I loved every actor's performance in this show. Even the actors who were fairly new to the scene (like Baekhyun and JiSoo). I think everyone fit their roles very well and even though I hated some characters, I was very glad they were portrayed by those actors and actresses.
Lee Joongi took the best actor award for me, however that is only because he is absolutely insane. His facial expressions could rip my heart apart. How could is smile hurt more than when he cried??? Insane, that's what that man is. I'll now have to watch every single project he's in! Yay! Kang Haneul, Hong Jonghyun, the senior actors. Literally everyone. They made these characters come to life and I couldn't say enough good things about this cast. It was on point.

Characters:
Let me start off by saying that I love that every character had grey areas. No one only had white sides to them and no one had only black ones. Each character had flaws, ambitions, made mistakes and had a reasoning behind their actions. There were characters that I loved more than others but I know I couldn't just take one character out of the story because they all added something to it and I couldn't completely hate anyone because I could understand what motivated them to do what they did. That's one of the big reasons why this drama impacted me so much. How cruel, pure, passionate, ambitious and desperately human these characters were. I also love the fact that we got to watch them change throughout the show, even though it stings and we want to go back to how everyone was in the first few episodes. It hurt but it made sense. That's all I ask from a drama. On top of all that, the fact that women weren't portrayed negatively in this drama made me so happy! There were female characters that I "despised" but I can't deny they were powerful! There were many female characters I loved, such as Court Lady Oh and Lady Hae. Amazing. And the complexity of these characters... 4th prince So is one of those characters you never forget after you get to know them. But if I start ranting about him I'll never finish this review.

Plot:
The plot was huge. Very well written but sometimes they had to rush some things so that they could fit everything in 20 episodes. I wish they had taken their time to include the things I'll mention in the "Things I would change if I could" section. Overall, the plot was very smart and it made sense for the era that the story was set in and the characters' personalities and situations. It makes the viewers think about what they would do if they were in the characters' shoes. And call me crazy but if I could live in any drama and interact with any characters, I would choose this drama.
OH AND BY THE WAY!! The scenery was beautiful! The props too. Great production.

Soundtrack:
Never has a soundtrack fit a drama so well. There were some modern songs thrown in there, which, in my opinion, fit those scenes so well because Hae Soo had just arrived from the modern times and was filled with happiness and innocence. So the music was kind of funny and cute, in a way? And by the middle/end they weren't played anymore.
And the sad scenes hit differently because of the soundtrack. The songs were absolutely perfect to emphasize the emotions of each scene. Lovely.

Things I would change if I could: [THIS SECTION MAY INCLUDE SPOILERS]
-The fact that Hae Soo seemed to have forgotten her life in the modern times too swiftly. Like, she didn't even try to go back more than once. Also, she didn't seem to miss her family or friends and the only time she mentions anyone is when she mentions her brother when she has that conversation by the lake with So. I wish we had got to know her life before she went to Goryeo and that she had expressed more pain or fear for being there? At least in the beginning!
-Also, Hae Soo's personality changed quite drastically throughout the drama, which I understand since she went through a lot and grew up. But I wish she showed more of her former self. I'm not sure what I mean by this but yeah, she seemed a lot more like Court Lady Oh as time went by (which is probably what the writer wanted to show- the parallel between the two lovers of the Kings).
-I don't know if I would change this because that's what makes the 4th prince that mesmerising but the cruelty he showed when he became a king was scary. But he also had his reasoning behind his decisions... but... I guess I'm just used to the plain good male leads so So's decisions are a bit hard to take in but all of them make sense and they may seem cruel but what choice did he have?? Okay, I'm ranting now.
-A lot of shots were straight up ridiculous. When the 3rd prince "died" and fell off the cliff it wasn't shown! I was so frustrated haha. Also, when Hae Soo was writing the shots never seemed appropriate? Or when some characters came into some scenes. A bit awkward.

My favourite scenes: [THIS SECTION DEFINITELY INCLUDES SPOILERS]
- The deaths. I know it sounds a bit morbid but oh God, did I cry... They were really well done. Even those of the characters I didn't like were good. I have to say that the one I cried the most was Eun's death, along with his wife's. That was probably the moment I cried the most in the whole drama. What a tragic ending!"I'm all she has... I won't leave her alone." And then So (finishing) killing him... UGH!!!! So much pain. Just thinking about it breaks my heart. The song that was playing... AHHHHH it hurts.
-8th Prince Wook crying after his wife's death and realising he did love her but never got to tell her that.
-The snow scene with Hae Soo and Wook.
-The scene where Hae Soo and So met.
-The scene where Hae Soo and So reconcile and act all cute ):
-When the princes were playing together in the first few episodes.
-When 4th prince was doing the rain ritual and it started raining.
-Their daughter... and So asking Jung to come to the castle often with her... his smile... why must it hurt like this?
-The last scenes of the last episode. THEY. HURT. SO. MUCH. I. COULDN'T. BREATHE. Loved them and I will always remember them.
-To be honest, every scene. That's it. That's the section.

Random thoughts/observations: [SPOILERS]
-Ok but... did Ji Mong like Prince Moo??????? Guys... I squealed!!!
-Was that little girl Woo Hee's reincarnation? Heartbreaking.
-It hurt when So made love to the Queen. But it hurt more that he couldn't care less about his son. Poor boy. I wish he wasn't so cold to him but once again, So is a flawed character. After Hae Soo's death he must have lost the will to live and to love anyone else. It's just sad that his son will probably suffer as much as he did because he will feel rejected by his own father.
-The fact that he ended up alone in the end... all his brothers died or left him. The love of his life died too (or was unreachable). The astronomer and the general left too. My heart physically hurts just thinking about how lonely he was, from the very first episode. "The Lonely Wolf"...

There are so many things I want to talk about but my computer is already lagging because of how long this is hahaha help. I'll just say one more thing:

The ending:
[SPOILERS] I liked it. It hurt, for sure. But it hurt so good? OMG HOW CAN I EXPLAIN THIS? It's memorable. I'll never forget how it made me feel. This type of hurting... as if I was the one living this story. Of course I wish there was a second season (as long as it didn't ruin what this show did for me, of course). But I like how it's kind of open and lets the viewers imagine what could have happened. I like the fact that a second season is not necessary but that there's room for it to happen. Also, no one can convince me that there is anything more painfully beautiful as that last scene. Stunning. I can accept a sad ending when it's well done. It fit the story perfectly and that's all I can ask for. That said, I'll now go read the novel and hope for a more cheerful ending hahahaha it hurts. It hurts so much. I just wish it didn't end. Or that I could forget everything and watch it like it was the first time. It hurts. It physically hurts.



Remember the feeling I mentioned in the first paragraph of the review? There is a Portuguese word that is unique to the Portuguese language: "Saudade". That word describes the feeling of missing someone, something or a moment so deeply that you're filled with nostalgia and your heart aches. And usually that feeling stays with you and you have to carry it with you for the rest your life. I think that's the best way I can describe how this drama made me feel, and it can describe just as well the feelings the characters have for one another.
I just feel like this drama was tailored to fit the number one spot in my heart. I was certainly not expecting it but I'll forever be grateful that it exists and that I found my way to it.

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Wow, this was a rollercoaster for me. When I heard about this drama, I was immediately interested, although sci-fi and technological things aren't really my thing. After the first 3 episodes, I was slightly disappointed. The story was kind of boring but I still wanted to watch it because the main lead was so impressive, acting as two different characters. The female lead was good but I wasn't sold yet because her character was hard to like at first (her choices were a bit dumb). I also couldn't understand how an AI could be so loved. After episode 7, things completely changed for me. I was hooked! The last two episodes specifically were amazing! Usually I find the first episodes better than the last but this drama was different: it kept getting better and better. The plot, the action scenes, the pace, the acting! Everyone is such a good actor in this! Plus, all the frustrating things about this drama disappeared as the episodes went by and as things started getting explained (and as we got to know the characters). I cried multiple times watching the last few episodes. All I can say is, if you decide to watch this show and don't find it that interesting please stick with it until episode 7 or 8. I was planning on giving this 8.5 stars but now I'm giving it 9.5 stars! The last four episodes were THAT powerful hahaha. It's very beautiful. That ending scene... the tears kept coming.
It's definitely worth your time so please give it a chance!

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I’m speechless. I was so scared of watching this show because everyone was saying that Suzy couldn’t act. I will never not watch a show because of what other people say again!!! Suzy did an incredible job, this character really suited her. Lee Jong Suk..... as expected he was fantastic. His characters are always the good cool funny guy that everyone loves but he does it so well I’ll never grow tired of it. And our sweet Haein was amazing, I loved his character so much!! All the prosecutors, the villains, the families... amazing characters that were portrayed as humans, not simply drama characters. The music... I simply can’t put into words how much I loved every track! The plot sold it for me: it was interesting, there wasn’t any boring episode, all the cases frustrated me just as much as the characters!! Because of this show (and “Punch”(2014)) I suddenly want to study law and become a prosecutor. It’s this type of dramas I love. It deserves all the hype it got. I will forever remember it.

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I'm not sure if I want to write a full review to this drama. It's almost 1am and I just finished watching the last episode. My eyes are swollen and my heart hurts. But I feel the need to, at least, try to convey 1% of this drama's majestic quality, so that maybe whoever reads this will have the courage to go through 19 episodes of tension, desperation, anger, frustration, and cruelty.

I decided to watch Punch because of my boyfriend. He said Kim Raewon was his favorite actor and that I had to watch this show to understand why. I'm so grateful he recommended this show to me because I wouldn't have watched it otherwise since it's not talked about a lot; in fact, I had never heard about it.
I'm the romantic comedies and bl's kind of person. Dramas with powerful ost's, about youth and dreams and love. Well, Punch was definitely a challenge for me. The first episode was so hard for me to understand that I had to read someone's review of the first (and second and third) episode online so that I could understand what was going on. I don't know anything about law or politics and corruption has never been something I'm too aware of. But the first episode intrigued me. Probably because of Junghwan's ambiguity as the main character and the strength of the female lead, Hakyung. These two actors blew my mind. Of course, Lee Taejoon also played a big role in my admiration for this drama. And the other "villains" too. I could understand why they had to be punished and although I hated them I also hoped for a redemption. In the end, I have to admit, Lee Taejoon was the only one I believed to have a heart.
What to say about the script? I don't have any words, to be honest. All the metaphors, subtle remarks, the plot twists. I simply have no words. I'll only say that it's without any doubt the best plot of anything I've ever watched. The writer deserves all the awards and recognition.
Even the music fit in perfectly with the drama's theme and the episodes' brusque endings. I think I heard one ballad once for like ten seconds during the whole show. It doesn't matter, at all.
Rewatching this show? Oh, I certainly will. I'll make my boyfriend watch it with me and watch me cry like a baby whenever Yerin appears on the screen. The actors did such and amazing job, along with the writer, director, the whole team. How could I never watch this again?

I'm so glad I took on the challenge of watching something completely out of my comfort zone. It was eye-opening.
Needless to say it is one of my favorite dramas of all time.

So, if you're reading this, please watch it. If you only have one day to live, watch all 19 episodes of this drama.
P.S.: I'm obviously joking!! Spend time with your family!
P.P.S.: But seriously, it really is THAT good.

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I don't know if it's because this was my first drama after I turned 18, on May 14th, or if I'm simply a sensitive mess. But this show broke me apart. I have so many things to say and I will make sure to go through all of them because I want to reread this review in the future and remember these feelings, although they hurt. I think that Reply 1988, even more than 1997 and 1994, really explored the theme of "Youth". And how hard, yet crucial, it is to leave it behind.
This review will contain spoilers from now on so read at your own risk. :


First things first, I'm an easy-crier. And when I start crying, it's really hard for me to stop. I cried in all the Reply dramas. Specially in 1994 (SPOILER COMING). Remember that Chilbongie scene in the baseball field, where he basically gave up on her? HEARTBREAKING. But nothing (not even Train To Busan, that I watched in May as well and destroyed me) can compare to the amount of tears I shed while watching the last episode. I had already cried in some of the scenes throughout the drama but as soon as the wedding started, I almost cried my insides out until the end. When it ended, with that throwback scene in the neighbourhood, the same as the first episode, and Deok Seon saying goodbye to her youth and saying that we must "reply" to it when it calls us, I closed my eyes and thanked every actor in this show. I kid you not, I spent 30 minutes crying like a baby and thanking every actor mentally, as if they were next to me. Crazy right? I had never felt the need to do that with any movie, drama or tv show. So, for this review, I will go through most of the characters and basically talk about them individually. I'm sorry if this is exhausting but I know that no one except me will read this anyway hahahaha.


Deokseon: Out of the three main girls, she is my favorite. She's the one I relate the most with and the one I admire the most as well. She was an amazing friend, daughter and sister. I wish I could meet someone like her in real life. Of course she had flaws but, at the end of the day, she followed her heart and really did what she wanted to do. I'm really happy with how her character developed throughout the series. I really am. Thank you, Deokseon-ah. I won't forget you.
P.S: how stunning is she????????? wow the visuals. So beautiful. I'll Stan for the rest of my life.

Taek: Ah... our baby. His smile is the most stunning smile, I swear. I have to admit his personality frustrated me at times because I wanted him to take care of himself and he kept taking those pills and smoking. But his older self seems to have things under control... at least a bit more hahaha. He warmed my heart. His love for his friends was so obvious, always. Although he didn't know much about life, he certainly did about friendship. He would never hurt Junghwan, even though he loved Deokseon to death. Honestly, the friends had such an amazing dynamic, I can't even be mad at the love triangle.

Junghwan: Speaking of love triangle... this was more than heartbreaking. I kind of spoiled myself before watching this show because I saw deakseon and junghwan as the thumbnail for a video Calle d"worst second male lead syndrome in dramas" but I wasn't sure because it was a long time ago. But yeah, it still hurt like hell. The way he kept hesitating and then gave her up because of his good friend Taek... we need more people like him. Although he had a quiet and cold personality comparing to the others, he was worth more than gold. OMG THE WALL SCENE........ one of the best scenes in ANY drama EVER. Sooooo good. He really had some amazing scenes. If there is one thing I want to complain about his ending is that Deokseon and Taek didn't talk much about him. If he got married and had kids eventually... I really wish the whole group of friends in the present time would be having a meeting or something, spending time together, just like in 1994 and 1997. But I also appreciated the fact that it was different. We all know that their families are intertwined anyways and that they see each other often. But for Junghwan... I just want him to be happy. More than any other drama character. I really really really want him to be happy. Our precious handsome guy. I'm really glad they are dating in real life. My heart feels more at ease hahahaha.

Sunwoo: When I saw him smiling when he was walking down the aisle, I broke down. I was already teary eyed because of Bora's father but seeing him smile so genuinely and his friends seeing his happiness... my heart went out to him. Don't we all want to be like this character? Of course we do. Honestly, such an amazing actor, his relationship with Bora was so cute. Best kisses. Hands down.

Bora: I have to admit that Bora, at first at least, wasn't someone I thought I could get along with. Lol, no one really liked her. But asI got to know her, I started to understand and appreciate her personality. Her scenes with her father is the one that made me cry the most. Them eating together the night before her wedding, her crying when she saw her father's shoes, them reading the letters. I felt that so deeply. I think that their dynamic is the one I'll remember the most in this drama. Bora... thank you for growing well. Honestly, what a f*cking boss.
P.S: Her wedding dress is my dream dress. Classic and simple. She looked so pretty.

Ryu Dong Ryong: He has such a funny face. Not saying he isn't handsome. He simply has a funny face that matches his character sooooo well. His scenes with his mother are also some of my favorite and they made me cry. I could understand him completely. His joyful personality brought so much light to the group, I was really thankful he was there. We all know someone like him. Thankfully.

Sung Dong II and Lee II Hwa: At this point they are the nation's parents. We really got to grow close to them after all these hours spent with them, throughout the three shows. There is no doubt in my mind that they are true professionals and two of the best in the industry. Their characters weren't always likeable, I must admit. Specially the father. Sometimes I think the actor forced it a little. But looking back at it now, I look at his as a father hahahahaha it's so strange! His scenes with his children were the best. I was happy they stayed with us in the three dramas. And I'm sure than even if I watch them perform completely different characters, I'll always feel like I'm at home with them.

Jung Bong, No Eul, JinJoo: The siblings. There is not much to say about them. Only that I'm grateful. Amazing characters, specially Bongie. I'm so thankful they made the show even more interesting and exciting. I'm always rooting for them. Jinjoo, the cutest baby ever, yes or of course?

Ra Mi Ran and Sung Kyun: Loved loved loved loved them. I think I even liked Sung Kyun more in 1988 than in 1994. His character was so endearing. And Mi Ran is our hyungnim, a queen. Their relationship was my favorite among the adults and they raised their children so well... I'm so happy we got to see these two actors together. Phenomenal, Really.

Moo Seong and Seon Yong: How adorable were they? Healthy relationship, amazing parenthood, whats there not to love? I was so happy when they got together! They were really interesting to watch. What a beautiful family.

The three mothers: I loved them. I just wanted to say that. Thank you.

The other characters: Dong Ryong's parents, Deokseon's friends, other friends and such: thank you. You did an amazing job.


By the way, the soundtrack was amazing too. As expected from a Reply drama. My most memorable song is Don't Worry by Lee Juck.



While I was watching this, I wondered if it would be better than 1997 and 1994. To me, before watching this one, 1994 was the best one and then 1997. But when the last few episodes came, I realised I could never pick a favorite. I don't have to make myself go through that, so why would I??? I appreciate each of them individually and for different yet similar reasons. I will remember all of them, keep them with as a sweet memory in my heart. This series means a lot to me. I hope one day I'm able to rewatch all of them. One day when I'm no longer young. One day when I have finally had to leave my youth behind. I hope I'm able to rewatch them and remember, not the years 1994 or 1997 or 1988 because I wasn't even here at that time, but 2019. 2019, the year I turned 18 and my life had just begun.

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So.. after MONTHS of struggling to finish this drama, I finally did it las night (April 5th 2019)!! I've been watching this since October, I believe, and GOD WAS IT A RIDE.
This contains no spoilers (...I'll try my best) but if you don't feel like reading the whole thing I'll review this drama in one single sentence: I just wish it was shorter.

It's actually quite hard to say what went wrong with this show but... it... dragged... for... so... many... episodes...
The scenes were enjoyable and the story was good (despite the MANY plot holes I'll talk about in a minute) and the cast was really good but for some reason I just kept wishing I was already done with it? It was interesting but not THAT interesting, you know? It took me MONTHS to finish it even though I liked it. Hard to explain

Story: I love mermaids. They could have explored that so much more. I mean... the whole thing was literally about a mermaid. But the whole time regression and past lives thing just made it heavier. I'm not someone who usually pays a lot of attention to plot holes (specially if they're not noticeable and I'm enjoying the show) but I noticed a few in this story that kind of bothered me a little. For example, the mind controlling power that Heo Joonjae has in the beginning and isn't mentioned ever again. Oh well, some of the episodes were just repetitive and could have been done differently. I do feel like the rest of the drama didn't really fit the first three episodes (which were the best, in my opinion). On the other hand, some of the plot twists were good and surprised me.

Characters/Cast/Acting: So much potential in one single drama... ahhh kind of frustrating how this wasn't a 10 star drama for me hahaha. But all the actors did an amazing job so I'm not disappointed with the acting. I just wish they focused more in some of the characters, like Heo Chihyun. No spoilers but I think the way his character ended didn't match his initial... feeling? I dont know how to explain without spoiling any details of the story but I don't like how things ended for him. But Lee Jihoon did a phenomenal job!! His facial expressions were amazing. The main characters were a little annoying after a while but nothing too hard to handle. The side characters stole the show, in my opinion. I think Lee Minho simply isn't it for me... I try to love him but I just... like him. Like... he's okay. Doesn't blow my mind.

Music: Even though I did enjoy the OST, I don't think it's memorable enough for me to give it more than 9 stars. But it matched the concept really well!

Rewatch Value- ...just thinking about rewatching this show already makes me tired.

I actually have lots of things to say about it but my reviews are usually better when I'm emotionally drained (in a good way) but with this one I'm just like... I recognise it was good but it could have been so much better. It didn't touch my heart even if it had the potential to. I think the only time I cried was due to those final scenes with Heo Chihyun.
Oh well, I'm glad I watched it until the end because the three final episodes were really cool!

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It's actually hard to explain my feelings about this series. I'm not even sure how to feel myself. But I'll try to be as coherent as possible for those who haven't watched it yet and are reading this review.

I fund SOTUS a great great great great bl drama. The acting was natural and believable, the story was interesting and plausible, the characters were likeable. I don't know why I'm only giving it 8.5 stars. Maybe I wasn't able to feel it as much as some people because I'm a bit younger than the actors and couldn't truly understand some of their experiences. Maybe I was too stressed because I had to pack (my trip was today and I finished the drama right after it). Maybe I simply didn't connect with the actors. I'm not sure why I'm not giving it 10 stars as some of the others but even though this drama was of high quality, both story and production, I, for now, am settling on 8.5 stars. I do want to watch the sequel and the special episode so maybe I will reevaluate it after it cools down. It's weird because when I was watching the first episode I was reeeeeally feeling it but even though the other episodes were great too it lost a little bit of its magic?
Anyways, it is a show that I want to rewatch one day and I'm glad I watched it because everyone seems to mention it every time they talk about BL's and now I know what they mean hahaha.
Oh and the side characters weren't annoying AT ALL. Everyone had their own personality and their own things going on which made me connect with them as well, even though they weren't as present. I wish they had been more developed because they were all very interesting!

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(ALMOST HEART) - LONG REVIEW

This could easily become the best bl series I've ever watched because the chemistry between korn & knock and also between the group of friends is unbelievable. They're all amazing actors and they made me fall in love with this story because I wanted them to be happy and I wanted to hug them multiple times. Yiwah and Fai, along with the two main boys made the show for me. I also loved Farm. I will now list the reasons why I absolutely adored this show and also the reasons why I didn't give it 10 stars.

I love it because:

1- As I've mentioned, the chemistry between the characters is one of the best I've ever seen. The acting is incredible.The cast suited their roles so well it gave me goosebumps!
2- Tul and Max did such an amazing job interpreting the main couple. The opening scene got me SWEATING! I honestly felt every single one of their interactions as if I was watching a scene from real life. Without a doubt the best bl couple I've seen so far.
3- I was lucky enough to have found Lazysubber's subs. They made the show even better for me. Those who have watched their subs will know what I'm talking about. Those who are thinking of watching the show and need English subs, watch it with lazasubber's subs! You won't regret it ;)
4- The side characters didn't annoy me at all. Yiwah and Fai were so entertaining to watch. Definition of strong female characters!
5- Pleng... ah God, I really did hate her. And I think that was the point of her character so I think she did a great job. At the end of she show I couldn't stand to even look at her face! And I usually don't hate characters. It's very hard for me to feel like this so I think it's a positive thing. Even though I hate her. So. much.
6- I also love the representation in this show. We have gay characters, (apparently) straight characters who fall in love with someone of the same gender (even though his sexuality is not that clear at the end of the day- and it doesn't have to be, really), strong and smart female characters (Yiwah, baby, I'm looking at you. And also Pleng. She was smart as hell too!), people discovering their sexuality and exploring it too... it has it all!
7- I just really loved it, okay?

Now, the reasons why I won't give it 10 stars for now (I might change my mind later):
1- This might sound stupid but the moment I noticed it I couldn't unnotice: Max's (Korn's) expressions were always the same. It was like he was constantly in pain. Slightly open mouth, frowned eyebrows, and PAIN. I understand his character is going through a lot but other expressions would be nice too. I was glad to see that in the last episode that ugly face (I mean the facial expressions, obviously) wasn't as present hahaha.
2- I didn't care about the student-teacher relationship at all. I skipped their scenes too. It was completely useless to me. It didn't add a lot to the relationship between Korn and his sister (which I also wasn't thrilled about). The actors did a good job but I just couldn't bring myself to care.
3- I sometimes felt uncomfortable with P'Bright and Farm's relationship, even if I was supposed to feel like that. I just didn't feel comfortable. And if the third season that's supposed to come out this year takes the same direction... I'll still watch it, of course, lol. But I will be a little disappointed and uncomfortable.


These are the main things I noticed while watching the show. As I've said, I'll probably change my mind and add it to my favourite drama's list. But for now, it's one of my favourites, which is good as well.
I can't wait for season 3!!!

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