A happy ending their way…

It was a drama I followed eagerly from the start, trying to craft theories, and it was excellent how the writers developed all the plots in 16 well-constructed episodes. The villains had good developments. The most assertive criticism is that our villain Yoon-Jin tormented for 15 episodes and, in the end, decided to apply the death penalty, which I find unusual for someone so envious, narcissistic, and egocentric, but it was the appropriate way the writers found to end her cycle of suffering and obsession. In terms of acting, I really liked the duplicitous scoundrel Nam Tae-Joo, portrayed by the veteran Park Ho-San, and the simple portrayal of Lee Ki-Taek, being an unconditional protector when playing Yoo Teo. As for Na-ra, she interpreted the central protagonist of the drama well and carried it through to where we are now.

Regarding the romantic part of the drama, the writers’ fanservice treated us to a bittersweet and open-ended ending between Jae-Won and Yoo Teo, and I think they were happy with this action. Finally, as I’ve always said since the review of episode 2 that I do here: A fully happy ending doesn’t exist; there’s the one that God or the Universe provides us, and we have to be wise to value and try to understand that not everything in life is simply complete or entirely happy.

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Lee Yi Kyung was the biggest highlight.

Before starting to analyse the drama itself, I would like to praise the art director and visual effects team who created and made the beautiful scene of the petals dancing with the air in the art gallery, contrasting with the gigantic painting. It was one of the most beautiful and touching things I have ever seen in a drama. Everything there fit together: the couple, the painting, the colours, the lighting; everything worked very well.

Regarding the drama, the success in terms of audience and ratings was deserved, but I don't think it needed to have 16 episodes. I believe that in 10 to 12 episodes, we would have had a more robust story, without too much dragging. I confess that from episode 11 onwards, I noticed a more sluggish plot, with the clear intention of saving the main decisive events for the last two episodes. The secondary and tertiary couples had no development at all, which is a shame. Nevertheless, it was a good drama that had an extremely interesting synopsis. I liked it.

I would like to give an honourable and positive mention to Lee Yi-kyung's performance, which was exceptional and above average in portraying the comical and heartless scoundrel Min-Hwan. On the other hand, a not so positive mention goes to BoA, who had more facial expressions than actual acting. In my opinion, her character did not add anything significant.

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SEASON 2 IN 20......... ?

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The drama had a very well-developed plot and a well-written story, and the dynamics of the episodes intertwining the future and the flashbacks were not boring or unreasoned, especially in episodes 6 and 7, which brought in detail everything that happened to get to where we are.

In the first episode, I reported and suspected Ji-Man's inert reaction, but the episodes mentioned above showed how he suffered and was desperate for the death of his loved ones. The fight scenes and weapon technologies were completely above average and showed Disney's investment power in the drama. The entire cast was very good, but the highlight for me was Pasin, who excellently portrayed his role, with Thai mannerisms and accent to give greater authenticity to the character.

I think the negative point, if we can call it that, was this super open ending for a hypothetical second season. Sometimes they don't even continue it, but with endings like this, there we are waiting. Anyway, I liked it and would watch it if there is a second season.

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ENTERTAINED ME...

The utilization of the same location as "CONCRETE UTOPIA" for the building scenes appears to be a curious choice, adding a layer of familiarity for viewers. While unconventional, this sequence provided an enjoyable diversion. The visual effects maintained a consistent level of quality, with CGI that, while not groundbreaking, was competent. However, the reliance on clichés such as the mad scientist, zombies, and transformed humans felt uninspired and failed to captivate. As a result, the film may ultimately be relegated to the realm of forgettable entertainment, lacking the originality needed to leave a lasting impression. Despite this, there's still some enjoyment to be found in its execution, making it a passable option for casual viewing.

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IT’S OFFICIAL! ZHANG RUOYUN IS MY FAVOURITE ASIAN ACTOR!

I’ve watched “Joy Of Life I and II”, and now, after watching this new drama, it’s only reinforced how much I admire Ruoyun’s talent. He’s an absolute force of nature. Not only does he act brilliantly, but he also has a comedic touch that few actors of his generation possess. The way he balances seriousness with humour is so effortless and natural, which really draws the audience in.

Curious about the top-notch writing and storyline, I looked it up and, to my delight, discovered it’s the same screenwriter behind the two seasons of “Joy Of Life”, a huge hit. The quality is undeniably high, both in terms of professionalism and production value.

As this drama is from 2022, I’m eagerly hoping the Chinese producers follow through on their promise of a second season, because there’s clearly so much more story left to unfold.

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GOOD ETHICAL AND MORAL LESSONS.

We had a very histrionic villain who was very well constructed by the established Nomura Mansai II, who knew how to lead his character well without making him caricatured, showed that he is an actor with good resources. The protagonists had secure and forceful performances in my opinion.

The drama wanted to show that one crime can never justify another under any circumstances, no one can be penalized for something they did not, they should only be blamed for mistakes made and proven. Furthermore, even under pressure, one should never sacrifice the life of another. And the hardest part: acting in a beneficial way will never erase the crime you committed and nor will it mitigate it.

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Very corny Western cast.

Yesterday, while watching this movie, I made an interesting self-discovery. To be blunt: I prefer Song Joong Ki's acting in movies more than in TV dramas. His acting in TV dramas is below average, and his facial expressions are the same for sadness, anger, happiness or emotion. In the movies, I see it differently; it seems that the director extracts all the artistic quality he has, and I consider that commendable. Anyway, now I have discovered what bothered me about his acting: the pasteurization that Korean TV dramas suffer. Korea is always more concerned with what the public thinks or will think than with the art itself of the product it broadcasts.

About the drama, I found the synopsis interesting and the events very well developed and dynamic. However, it is necessary to mention the terrible acting of the Western cast of the film, all acting in a very corny way and causing embarrassment in every speech. I wonder how NETFLIX selected this cast, based on what?

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HATTORI HANZO FOREVER…

I started watching this drama without any expectations and, before I knew it, I was completely hooked on the story and the characters. The drama, created and developed by the excellent Dave Boyle, presented a sense of common reality of Japanese everyday life in a family composed of “shinobis”, and the storyline was well tied and conducted in just 8 episodes, unfortunately. The fight choreography was so realistic that it became unnecessary to use visual effects to speed them up, where the viewer gets lost in the performances and ends up not watching anything but a bunch of fast movements. Here, Boyle took care to let us enjoy all the choreographies. As for the actors’ performances in the drama, it is noticeable that they were restrained and within the Western standard of acting, far from the theatrical performances that are trademarks of Japanese dramaturgy. Now, I confess I am looking forward to the second season and hope Netflix renews it, however, Japanese dramas tend to end with open endings and continuations simply do not exist. I hope it’s different here.

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Very common drama with Jung Suk in a state of grace.

There are actors and then there are actors, but without a doubt, Jung Suk is at the top shelf. I believe that in the awards season, he and the leads of "A BLOOD LUCKY DAY" will be vying for the Best Actor award for drama. Returning to Jung Suk, he began the drama portraying himself as a sweet and simple prince, but upon ascending the throne, he transformed into a paranoid and suspicious king. However, as the episodes progressed, this image softened. Although I still believe that the crimes he committed three years ago have not been fully justified, I understand that if the characters affected by it have come to terms and moved on, I won't dwell on it.

It's incredible how Shin Sae Kyeong's acting falls short, it's uniquely hammy. The female highlights in terms of acting, for me, are the veterans Park Ye Young (Lady Dong) and Jang Young Man (Queen Park).

My favorite character without any reservations was Kim Myung Ha, who was dismissed by the protagonist early on in the drama and moved on without trying to create a love triangle (thanks to the scriptwriters for that). Many times, he brought Hee Soo back to reality. Usually, secondary protagonists are persistent, but Myung Ha was different; he immediately stepped aside and even helped the couple get together in the end. Yes, I still find the lead couple extremely toxic, but that's a discussion for another topic.

It was an interesting drama that delved well into palace intrigues, and Jung Suk was the maestro behind it all.

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HEART MORE THAN WARM!

I started enchanted with this drama and ended in a state of grace and with a certain nostalgia. Few dramas have moved me as much as this one, a completely unpretentious drama that, when I saw the trailers, I thought I would ignore and forget. However, after watching the first episode, it was clear that there was a story with a simple premise but with immediate magnetism. It's hard to explain, but I feel full and happy with everything that happened and with this ending that was a "fan service" beyond reproach.

I hope that Kim Hye-Yoon takes on roles that don't require her to mould her voice into a cute and almost childish version. Her serene performance with her natural voice in the first episode was of high quality. Now we need to talk about the actor of the moment: Byeon WooSeok, who gave his body and soul to this role. It seems like he lived every moment of Seon-Jae as if it were his own. Moreover, he is an actor who doesn't stay in his comfort zone and constantly challenges himself. In 12 months, he played a villain and this hero in this romantic comedy. WooSeok is the moment and deserves all the possible praise. By the way, in his scene with the grandmother, it was clear that his crying was natural and authentic, not acting. Hearing that from someone should move you, I was choked up.

I cannot forget the Archangel Michael of this drama, Tae Sung, who protected the couple and put an end to all that anguish. It is worth noting that Tae Sung was excellently portrayed by the outstanding Song Geon-Hee, who is long overdue to be the lead in a drama. He is a complete actor as well. The trio of protagonists did very well, and that's why this drama was successful in Korea and worldwide.

I will miss it; the spring snows will never be the same.

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Claudia Kim is AMAZING

We conclude the first season here, with more positives than negatives. I see this as a good outlook for the second season. Clearly, it was a drama made for the global audience with touches of Korean style. Many times, I thought I was watching a series from FOX or AMC because of the script style and the pace of the drama. The creature's CGI still presents issues in terms of art and finishing, but it seems to have improved as the episodes progressed. Nothing that deserves more consistent criticism.

Now, talking about the story, I noticed something that most people didn't catch, but it's quite clear in episodes 8 or 9. I'll explain: Everyone remembers that it was Akiko who drank the water with Najin. However, in the mentioned episodes above, it shows that Najin was administered to Akiko as soon as she entered the hospital. So, who drank the Najin water from the lab? Tae-Sang is my highest probability. For me, the three characters who extended their life expectancies were Tae-Sang, Chae-Ok, and Mrs. Maeda because the trio has Najin in their bodies. Probably, their Najin is asymptomatic in their bodies, and maybe in the second season, they'll erupt, unleashing a whole hell. Possibly, one of the current favorite actors, Bae Hyun-Sung, will be Ishikawa and Akiko's son.

I conclude the review by saying that although Seon-Jun and So-Hee did very well in their roles, their torrid love story seemed exaggerated and superficial to me, not convincing me. But for me, the highlight of the drama without a shadow of a doubt was Claudia Kim, playing Mrs. Maeda. She took the drama for herself, portraying a chilly and restrained yet villainous and determined character. Moreover, she spoke Japanese with an excellent and well-executed cadence.

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NOT EVERY HIERARCHY IS EASILY TOPPLED.

I must confess that when I started watching the drama, I saw the terrible rating of the last episode and thought it had been awful, but I found it consistent with how it began and how we got to this point. I noticed several insights for a second season. Some considerations:

• Finally, Jae-I realised how toxic, obsessive, and abusive her relationship with Ri An was. It was a relief for her to understand that the two of them together, directly or indirectly, brought misery to everyone around them.
• I noticed an interesting insight left by the writer. Did you notice she rode a bicycle, stopped to sit on the bench near the street stall, and bought that snack with Ri An? Clearly, it was her subconscious showing that the moment she was happiest in all the hell she went through was with Kang Ha. In other words…
• I firmly believe that, in the hypothetical second season, the writer will develop the relationship between Jae-I and Kang Ha.
• I also believe that Kang’s smile and the exchange of messages were not him sending messages to Ri An. I think we will have someone violent who wants something. Kang Ha showed throughout the drama that he was a naive and kind young man.

That said, it is a drama with mediocre performances, but I liked the actress who played He Ra and found the actor who played U-Jin stunningly handsome.

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