epic, gripping and valuable.

if you're drawn to beautiful epic and orchestral music pieces this is one of the aspects where this show stands out and shines so brightly, I was moved since the very first scene, each piece simply brings out the deepest emotional element of the story and makes the it richer and more complex, this on its own made the show much more memorable, just as much as the cinematography, the composition of everything with the beautiful scenery and play with lighting gave a refined look to everything, there was so much attention to detail, it was very impressive.

For me the intricacies in the context of this story turned into a double edged sword at times, on one hand there were so many layers that made this piece truly interesting and worth studying, the historical nuances, developing the deeply unfair and harsh circumstances of the past, morals behind loyalty, power over love, honor over family and the people, even sacredness, chastity, marriage, inevitably pushes the audience to see how some things have changed drastically and some are still the same, to name a few, each of these became a critical part of the show, however at times it felt like piece by piece each story was moving at a confusing pace between push and pull that was not very balanced, with so many back stories so many characters with all kinds of different sub plots, turning the story a bit too dense, lacking some closure and with no seeming sense of relief in the horizon.

While I truly loved everyone's incredible job bringing each character to life, all the actors brought a top tier level performance (Hello Eunjin, you're a star!!) and had really nice chemistry, I have to mention Mr. Namkoong, the way he was able to command the scene without having his ego take over the dynamics between his counterparts and actually achieving the opposite, he injected a special kind of energy to his character, I'm looking forward to discover more of his works.

For me, the second half of the story was a bit tiring, and the ending didn't necessarily excite me but, I really believe this is worth watching and I will be recommending this.

Leggi di Più

a truly great and creativ premise that flows between very serious and very funny

First of all I was really into this story, it seemed like the premise was written in a way that felt very unique, complex and creative, but with a touch of comedy to lighten the mood and keep the audience more immerse.
One thing that caught my eye was the cinematography, the close up shots in the beginning is so effective to get to know the expressiveness of the characters, the visual effects looked really nice and refined, the stuns were filmed in a really interesting way and the shaky scenes during the fights were a nice shot, the music choices were amazing and set a nice atmospheric, as well as the makeup and styling.

Another interesting elements was how dynamic each episode felt, the story didn't let the audience sit for way too long in a story and kept it moving as they presented the characters and personalities, it seemed like the chemistry was really natural and they had fun on set.

The actors were so great, the use of satoori is always an interesting element to me, the delivery in terms of dialogue was so good, and I was, once again, impressed by Siwan, he was able to show a spectrum of different expressions as well as manage the physical comedy elements in a very subtle, balanced and seamless way, he adapted his posture and even tone and voice for this character, his attention and care for each role truly impresses me.

All the characters had something different to bring to the table, I do feel like some characters didn't quite hit in terms of the story and I wish they showcased more of the relationships in the family, the ending is a bit... well I don't feel as convinced, but I could be jumping to conclusions. I had fun watching it, and I recommend it.

Leggi di Più

it had potential but then...

the last three episodes felt excruciatingly long, unfortunately, I tried and tried to like this but I just couldn't, can't say it was terrible in itself, but it was definitely forgettable.

I couldn't feel like there was a decisive plot, it was simply moving in an ambiguous way and it was a bit unsettling to feel like there were so many important elements missing, the love triangle was absolutely unnecesary here and its resolution wasn't even satisfying, and there was a scene that solidified it to me when Yong Pil was sobbing, there were actually a few other moments like this, he was breaking down and there wasn't enough context, no enough clues, not enough of anything for us, the audience to build a bond, it just felt like another loose end, and it made me, at least, feel frustration... over the fact that there was nothing for me to hold on to in terms of the story, I think that if they actually tried to make this more about the haenyeos, it would've been more interesting to me, though the gossiping aspect, while may be true in these kind of communities, it felt a bit overbearing, it almost made me feel less interested in the island, sadly, it still held a lot of the comedy scenes, so it wasn't absolutely detrimental, that said the whole story and ending didn't feel like there was closure in any of the aspects, it was just shown visually but there wasn't a whole lot of evolution and growth in the characters, and subplots.

Production wise, it was incredible, visually it was lovely and the music really matched the energy of the show, acting wise it was really solid, there were some very credible moments in terms of the relationships, specially between the main characters, they had a really nice natural chemistry, and there was scene when Ji Chang Wook was angry, he was truly red, there was so much rage outpouring in that moment, it reminded me how good he is! to me, the best part of this show were the main actors and the beautiful production with the most outstanding scenery, made me yearn for a trip to the beach!

I really hoped for more it felt a bit inconclusive and ambiguous, there were many clichés that didn't feel like they were handled correctly, there were many missed opportunities here, with such a great cast and production, it lacked dynamics, it lacked a strong story, at least in my opinion.

Leggi di Più

a gripping and chaotic story.

watched this with mom and she's so picky, but she was hooked! and honestly me too.

While I was a bit hesitant in the beginning, I was receiving a couple of confusing vibes from it, it felt like it was going in circles longer than it was necessary, but then started progressing in an interesting and well structured pace so while I kept watching and enjoying it more and more, then I found myself loving the dialogues and how well and intricate the scenes looked and felt as a whole, everything was calculated and had a purpose, so it was an effective development between the story and the characters.

The themes were very interesting and while some people may find it a bit niche in the end I think it leaves a mark, in the way relationships and break ups can have a huge impact and it's like a butterfly effect, and when there are kids and a family in the middle of a transitional period it can be very tricky to manage, revenge, power, egos, trust and personal habits can get in the way, and if those involved get blindsided... things can quickly go wrong and turn dangerous, it made me think about how important is to choose our families and our close community who are meant to be a support, it was complex and it was showcased in a very interesting and nuanced way, I really liked it.

Cinematography, music, and acting were truly so good, from the colorful sceneries to the rough winter scenes, the styling and settings, the beautiful somber music and everyone who worked hard to convey their characters, bravo.

It all came together and while this may not be a story for everyone, I found it gripping and suspenseful, i think it's worth watching and really enjoyable, I'll recommend this in the future.

Leggi di Più

Brilliant show that's emotional, heartwarming and uplifting.

truly so very brilliant, carefully written, greatly emotional, heartwarming and after all quite uplifting.

The first episode didn't fully catch my attention, but trust that if you keep watching you'll be in for a great ride. I liked how there was a somber, dark and quirky but muted atmosphere, a show that talks about mental health and tries to break stigmas, that tries to change stereotypes that have been perpetuated by the media for so long.

It's a show that's complex but the natural yet poignant dialogues bring out a very special environment that sets the journey. The acting was truly phenomenal I was very impressed, I think Bo Young did a fantastic job conveying the emotions of her character.

It talks about the different personal experiences in terms of how each case is so unique, even if it's the same illness, and it was showed in a very visual and metaphorical way that almost reminded me of a theater play, though the effects looked a bit strange and inconsistent it was still so valuable and a great element that added another layer to the narrative.

I solidified my thoughts about empathy in the healthcare system, how the healing journey isn't linear, how there shouldn't be shame around the subject and how health doesn't discriminate, that we should set boundaries, how life is so much about perceptions and how our minds can become our own prison, but if we rely on our support system they can become a source of strength, to help us learn more about love and how we should always take care of ourselves.

There are some unrealistic elements as well but this show is very clear in the message that wants to convey and it's very valuable. I truly recommend!

Leggi di Più