Amintiri din Alhambra (2018)

STORY
The drama itself is interesting and it a different kind of fantasy. I like the idea of VR story, and at first, it was confusing, and after episodes, they start to wrapped the story. I really like the story itself. It like the anime I watched, it has the same idea, but different twist. For k-drama addicts, this story is completely different.

CAST
The cast has amazing chemistry. Park Shin Hye did it again. She did a phenomenal acting job, never disappointing.

OVERALL
It was amazing drama, this is a completely different story and concept!!!!!

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guys, I always joke that I know when it's a good or bad drama within the first couple of episodes but trust me on this, I honestly believe its a talent. lmao. tell me otherwise but it's actually so good.

Story:
Se Joo develops a game with a friend he met online and soon they decide to sell it to Hyun Suk, the rival company against J One. After an accident, Se Joo rings Jin Woo and tells him that he is willing going to sell the game to him as Hyun Suk is a bad person. Confused and not wanting the game to go into the hands of his ex-best friend, he goes to Granada overnight from Barcelona in the hope to negotiate with Se Joo. He arrives at a hostel that is owned by Hee Joo and demands that he needs to stay there, even after Hee Joo said she'll recommend other nice hotel around the area for him, he still declined and so she let him stayed. Not knowing Hee Joo is Se Joo's older sister, they both start with an unwelcoming greeting. Jin Woo finds out Se Joo is missing and so the search to find Se Joo embarks. // This is basically the gist of the drama, like throughout the drama its about finding where Se Joo and Jin Woo leveling up in the game to find Se Joo. I actually really enjoy the plot of this drama, it's so different which is why it is worth it to invest the time to watch it. I was very skeptical about watching it even though it was on my plan to watch list, but I decided to watch it with my brother and I kid you not, so far it's the best korean drama for end/beginning of the year drama. At first you will be very confused with all the going back and forth scenes but they are very important and critical to the story. Like I was very confused and honestly think it was very unnecessary but the more I watched it the more I was thanking them for those scenes as it made it more clearer and very understanding to the situation. Although I do wish the leads have more romance but I feel like it was really well spread out and the romance they had was already cute enough so I don't really care. haha. Also the ending is very open so it is honestly free for your own interpretation. At first I was very disappointed about it but I guess the write really want to give you that feeling of what's going to happen next, do the meet, do they not, and so on, but it really is up to you on how you want to end the drama. So much hate in the comments but I mean like everyone is entitle to their own opinions sooo meh. p.s spoiler...the saddest part in the drama was when secretary Jung Hoon dies, he did not need to die to make the drama amazing.

Acting/Cast:
The cast was amazing. bonus for Hyun Bin's look like omg like he was just a whole mood. everytime he comes on he was just soooooooo pleasing to look at. & MVP awards goes to Jung Hoon.
HeeJoo: SeJoo's older sister, the money maker for the family.
JinWoo: CEO of JOne Group, divorcee twice,/ thinks he is always right but no dude.
SeJoo: game developer, / you only see him once in a blue moon. haha
HyunSuk: JinWoo's ex-friend, co-founder of JOne Group, marries to Jin Woo's first wife.
Jung Hoon: Jin Woo's secretary, the MVP in the drama.

Music:
I rated 10 but honestly I can't really remember the music.

Rewatch Value:
I probably will, when I have a throwback season.

Overall:
It's a really different type of drama that will either catches your attention or be a miss if you're not into it. I guess you can say if you're into gaming you will find it that it talks to you or even if you're a fan of the cast then it will definitely catches your attention. lucky for me I'm both so everything was eye candy. haha.

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Honestly shocked there are no reviews for this on MDL yet. I haven't seriously watched KDrama in a while, usually can't seem to find the time Or I can't get into it. If I get bored Around episode 1-3 I'm bad about dropping it.
That is Not the case with Memories of the Alhambra . I binged so hard. I am blown away and obsessed at this point. Always at the end of the episode dying to watch the next on the edge of my seat! I haven't seen Hyun Bin since Hyde Jekyll Me and it's great to see him again , and of course Park Shin Hye! I have been waiting for a new drama with her starring as a main character and they are both doing amazing jobs in MOA! The gameplay is epic and makes me want to join in and play it too! I won't go into detail because of spoilers, but give this drama a try if your wanting to fall in love with kdrama again or just love Hyun Bin/Park Shin Hye/VR Gaming/Sword Art Online!

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I never wrote review for any drama. But I had to write something for memories of Alhambra. To be honest I dont how to express my feelings for this drama. Firstly I started to watch it because hyun bin is the lead actor and I love him. Also the pair look so fresh and beautiful together. But each week the story keeps drawing me in more and more. The story and way of telling the story, the cast, the beautiful cinematography and never seen before awesome AR is sooo interesting for me. And hyun bi-shin hye couple makes me so delusional, I want them to get married in real life. On top of that eveRY actor in the drama showed top notch acting including my babY chanyeol. I hope it get the applause it deserves for presenting something so fresh and new. BEST DRAMA of 2018/19 FOR ME.

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Beautiful drama. The writer is a genius. I was constantly on the edge of my seat and didn't skip a single second what NEVER happened before. I'm honestly thinking this is the best Korean Drama I have ever seen in my life and I have seen many over the last 10 years. I can imagine people aren't fully sold on this, because 1) they don't like the gaming theme, 2) they watched this mostly because of the love story and – to be honest – the love story wasn't overwhelming and 3) they were disappointed in the ending which has a lot to do with number 2. I'm personally not a fan of those gaming series either. Since I watch Japanese anime for over two decades now, I know very well that this is a popular genre. Seeing some medieval soldier coming to life and having a sword fight with Hyun Bin somewhere in Spain made me almost drop the series (I'm really not into this stuff), but everything is so incredible well done, that you cannot stop watching. The directing, the music, the acting – this is flawless. Hyun Bin did a great job. Everyone was doing great. About the love story: It was nice. But this wasn't the strongest part of the story which is okay. I never got tired of Hyun Bin being the tragic hero, I never got annoyed by the girl being rather helpless. This couple worked out pretty well. For such a tragic hero a woman who supports him emotionally is the best writing choice. The strength of the story lies in the whole gaming theme and how one detail after another gets revealed. The strength lies in the psychological aspects of the story, the deep and complex relationship between the characters, the whole life-threatening scenario. This was such a great watch. I‘m still in awe of this incredible series after finishing it an hour ago.

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This show is one of the best K Dramas that I have seen yet! So many twists and turns throughout the entire show and it is very unpredictable. The graphics are amazing and this is all worth a high re-watch value. Even though it might not be one that I will re-watch right away, I will definitely watch it again sometime. The acting is amazing, and the cast really put time and effort into their characters. Besides the sad parts mixed in, learning of the characters backstories was and amazing experience as they all were different and unique. This drama really has all you need in show from mystery, romance, action, passion, and even comedy! A lot of the show incorporated real places in the world and that made it feel all the more realistic. This is definitely a must watch and I can guarantee that you will not regret it!

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DECODING MEMORIES OF THE ALHAMBRA: ECHOES OF THE MATRIX (Abbreviated Version)

Part I - Memories of the Alhambra (MOTA) echoes Matrix not only because it is an action filled science fiction thriller, but because it is a fable whose main characters possess similar purposes. Kdrama’s first foray utilizing Augmented Reality (AR) is an ambitious project for a television drama and a refreshingly philosophical and spiritual treasure. While Matrix is a story about control and authority, MOTA serves as a treatise on human behavior. MOTA advances the idea that man must transcend his lower nature by knowing himself in order to benefit the greater good.

MOTA IS A PHILOSOPHICAL. RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL TRILOGY
This hauntingly beautiful drama pairs a video game with AR triggering several philosophical questions as did Matrix. MOTA stealthily delves into branches of philosophy (i.e.- metaphysics, epistemology, axiology and logic). Similar to Matrix, it tackles religious ideology, referencing Christianity and Islam, and employs religious symbolism and iconography. Though the religious symbolism seems very surface initially, a detailed review reveals the brilliance of pairing state of the art technological concepts with ancient principles and wisdom. Gleaned and preserved by Greek philosophers, this knowledge from the Ancient Egyptian Mystery System was eventually carried into Spain by the Moors, who brought Europe out of the Dark Ages. This makes the fact that the drama is initially set in Spain very appropriate.
Just as Song meshes several genre, themes and religions, the screenwriter interlocks the philosophical ideas, such that you cannot consider one without the other. The spiritual ideas are woven seamlessly into the story. Following is an example of the metaphysics used in the drama:
The AR game’s world and the real world of the drama begs questions about the rules of the AR game and its impact on the real world. When questioning rules, we are in the territory of metaphysics. MOTA wastes no time in immersing the audience in a guessing game. Just as the IT Manager Choi Yang Ju, Master Jung Seeju and Yoo Jinwoo, begin to ask how certain things are possible, the audience too questions possibilities when Seeju and Jinwoo interact with the game. Jinwoo presents the audience a third world to be concerned with, that of the “crazy,” which has its on rules.

Part II - MOTA v. Matrix - Characters in MOTA share some of the same features as characters in the Matrix. Jinwoo is MOTA’s Thomas Anderson/NEO. Albeit fearful and youthful Jung Seeju the maker of the game represents the Architect; the teenage Jung Minju represents the Oracle in the real world; Jung Heejoo represents the sacred feminine energy similar to Trinity; and instead of a self-composed, regal Morpheus, the quirky IT Manager Choi serves as Jinwoo’s mentor. Following are a few example of how MOTA echoes Matrix:
1. Jinwoo is “The One”, it’s spelled out in plain sight with his company name, JOne, just as Neo is the One if you change the letters around in his name;
2. When we are first introduced to Jinwoo, he is awakened from sleep by a telephone call. In the Matrix, Thomas Anderson/Neo is shown as being asleep at the beginning of the movie. Sleep symbolizes a state of unawareness or unconsciousness.
3. When Jinwoo was sedated after his injury, Minju tells Jinwoo that he only wanted Heejoo to care for him, no one else. So, in his unconscious state Jinwoo knew how important it was for him to be with Heejoo, but he did not know the reason. Minju also told Jinwoo that she had given him a new nickname, the Master, just as The Oracle talked to Neo about being the One.

Part III - SPIRITUAL MUSINGS: MYSTERY SYSTEMS
So, is MOTA an allegory? Does it have a meaning? In order to make a determination as to whether it has a meaning or not it is necessary to review the symbolism in MOTA. Ancient Egypt birthed the seven Hermetic Laws and teachings of virtues. This too is where we can find knowledge cultivated by secret societies. It is within this information that we decode the meaning of MOTA:

1. Jinwoo inserting the JOne contact lens into his right eye brings to mind Neo peering from his apartment, #101, using his right eye. In Ancient Egypt, the right eye is “The Eye of Ra” a powerful destructive force of the sun. IT Manager Choi asks Jinwoo when he removes the lens, “is it hot?”. On the other hand the left eye is depicted as the “Eye of Horus,” “the all-seeing eye,” of protection. The all-seeing eye sees into the spirit world. So, obviously the JOne lenses represent the all-seeing eye and sees into the AR game world, the spirit world.
2. Jinwoo Knocked off His Square - A square is composed of four 90 degree angles. The four angles equal 360 degrees. In some secret societies it signifies the foundation of all knowledge. In Ancient Egypt, it is also said to represent the higher and lower nature. At the beginning of the drama, after Jinwoo arrives in Granada to test the game, wearing the lenses, Jinwoo watches an Aragon Warrior ride up to him on a horse. The Warrior has been shot in the back with six arrows and falls dead from the horse. The horse with its four legs epitomizes the square. The warrior riding the horse symbolizes a man that has risen above and overcame his lower nature. Obviously, him falling off the horse signifies him having succumbed to his lower nature. This event serves as an omen for Jinwoo. It signifies Jinwoo losing his ability to control his lower nature. In the drama the number six arises at least three times. As stated the Aragon Warrior had six arrows in his back, Jinwoo’s, room number 601, at the hostel is on the sixth floor, and when he and Hyeon-Seok (his old friend and enemy) prepare to duel he mentions that they have had six challenges. Jinwoo eventually falls the six flights down. Once again, the sixes operate as a warning. In some sacred circles, the sum total 666 equals the lower nature. In the Bible six is considered a sign of human weakness and sin.
3. Like Trinity in the Matrix, Heejoo provides the compassion and love that can only be given by the sacred feminine energy that Jinwoo seeks and needs in order to transcend his lower nature. Heejoo is passive and emotional, unlike Trinity, but both women stay in distress in the respective movies. Heejoo worries, runs and cries though out MOTA. Law of Opposites – Principle of Polarity, it is necessary to point-out that MOTA cannot be told without a romance. Some viewers of the drama state that they felt the romance was unnecessary, because they were more interested in the AR game. Heejoo symbolizes the feminine principle and is Jinwoo’s opposite. Throughout the drama on several occasions, Heejoo and Jinwoo stood opposite of and staring at each other. Heejoo embodied the compassion and love that Jinwoo sought. It was when Jinwoo kissed Heejoo for the first time that he accepted love and started operating based upon his heart.

There is more symbolism in MOTA, for example the injuring of Jinwoo's left leg, etc. that tell us about this very thought-provoking drama. Actors, Hyun Bin and Park Shin Hye provided excellent performances. My criticisms are that we needed to see more of Park Shin Hye's character in action and explanations for the unexplained phenomena.
I believe this drama is underrated, because several people do not understand its meaning, which goes beyond the AR game. I definitely recommend watching MOTA.

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I wasted 16 hours of my life

The MC got his leg broke, haunted by the game, reputation ruined, framed for murder, fired, then the writer killed him off at the end like hey he solved it so all the BS we put him through was justified like what the hell? I hate writers that write dumb unrealistic plots like these, while the main female and her bro is still alive and well and got the 10 billion. THEY RUINED THE MC’S LIFE FOR 16 EPISODES, not one positive thing happened to him until the end so if you’re watching him take all the BS and expecting an uplifting ‘it was all worth it’ turn around towards the end. Don’t watch this. The MC gets shat on for 16 episodes.

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Amazing acting on all fronts (especially Hyun Bin), but I agree with most that Park Shin Hye should not have been cast in this drama. She was too underutilized and there is not much room to ACT when your character barely has anything to do. The AR game is also very well explored and fun to watch, until the second half where every battle feels like a slog. But if they are trying to mimic painful level grinding in your watch experience, then I have nothing to say. Hats off to the action choreographers.

Great soundtrack, each ost fits the scene very well, and Memories of Alhambra's beautifully haunting tune still brings me the chills, 16 episodes in.

And that is about it for the pros. The story is so clumsily constructed, and the show feels like it's trying to be clever without actually knowing how to write a decent non-linear story. You can basically start a drinking game halfway through the show: every time a character sees something shocking, or before a cliffhanger, down a shot. Then wait for the annoying Spongebob "10 hours earlier" chyron to flash across the screen. Sluggishly paced, not much happens in an episode and the show constantly breaks its own rules, or makes up new rules whenever it likes. Half of the cast is completely unnecessary, not enjoyable to watch, and the important halves' characterization is horribly underdeveloped. Might as well use up the same thinking power as Sword Art Online.

Final note: the romance is forced, incomprehensible and inexplicable. He should have ended up with his secretary.

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