Reviews

'Can You Hear My Heart' has a lot of the same drama tropes that most, 30 + episode melodramas have: Revenge plot, evil parents, childhood trauma, childhood love. It had some of the same archetypes: The evil antagonist, the chaebol hero, the innocent, unassuming heroine. It could have been a standard melodrama lost in a sea of other melodramas. But it is not. I loved every one of the 30 episodes of Can You Hear My Heart. Two things that made me fall in love and stay there for this drama:

1) The Characters and primarily their core relationships made this story extraordinary. Cha Dong Ju and Bong Woo Ri and their love story; once it began there was no wavering. It was a solid loving relationship that had the perfect mix of sweetnes, spark and friendship. Bong Woo Ri and her father and grandmother; when you watch, you will realize why this family is so special. Cha Dong Ju and Bong Ma Ru; their brotherhood, their bromance and the way they loved and looked out for each other. There were countless ways in which these core relationships and the love that sustained them, helped them overcome the trials they went through. Now that this show is over I feel like the message at the core of this drama is sometimes, in spite of blood ties or the lack of, your family is made up of the people you choose and those who have chosen you. It is sacrifice, loyalty and never giving up on or hoping for, the person you love with all your heart.

2) The writing was very solid. It felt like there was a real story line trajectory rather than on the fly, off the cuff script writing that sometimes takes place to appease the masses/ratings. I got the feeling this story was planned from the start and stayed on course. There were beautiful words brought to life on screen by the actors. My above raving about the characters and friendships wouldn't exist without this writer's insight and story telling ability. The themes of family, loyalty and love rose above the necessary story/drama propulsion of revenge, hate and hardships.

There were other things to love as well. The cinematography was great. It was a pretty sweeping story as 30 episode dramas tend to be, so the sweeping views and pretty color palette fit the story and scope.

I loved the way they handled Cha Dong Ju's deafness. He was such a strong character all throughout the story. He had moments of fear and uncertainty but mostly he was brave and wonderful. The "writing" always treated the physically or mentally challenged characters with dignity...even if some of the characters within the story didn't always do the same. Does that make sense?

It is a testament to good story telling the 30 episodes went by pretty quick. The angst wasn't so constant and prolonged that you felt wrung dry emotionally. Lots of light moments in between! There was never I time I felt I wanted to drop this show or give up. Actually, I'm kind of sad it is over. It is a wonderful Drama! Give it a try if you are hesitating.

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(Slight spoiler, but nothing major! I'm not explaining or summarising what happens in the series.)

First I want to start by saying that if you are considering watching this series, then you need to know that this is not your usual fluffy drama with tons of comic relief. This is a very raw story and it's not so much about their relationship (them being together) as it is their emotions and how they handle the situation(s) they are put in.

This series is very heavy with the topics it brings up and is not a drama I would recommend for someone who's just looking for some cute relationships, because this is NOT that. This drama is more psychological and may be triggering if you have experienced violation of any kind. There's manipulation, lying, heavy drinking, dubious consent and very explicit scenes involved. I saw one of the reviews written for this show gave it a very low rating because I don't think they were expecting it to be as explicit as it was. Because it is very NSFW, and also again, NOT A FAIRYTALE LOVESTORY.

There is a lot of depth to this story, and I don't think everyone choosing to watch this will be able to see passed the cruel nature of a lot of the things that happens. This series requires the understanding that it isn't about the romance, because this isn't romantic. It's about the characters and how they deal with the situation they are put in, how they take into account the feeling of the other people involved, etc. Also, they do not romanticise the seriousness of the topics in this AT ALL, but then again some may think they do, but they don't. Just don't watch this with the mindset that this is going to be a fully functional and healthy relationship throughout with fluff and epic romance. Because, it isn't.

So, do I recommend this drama? Absolutely, I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is probably the best Japanese drama I've seen. The acting is on point, the emotion is raw and honest, the dialogue is natural, they have chemistry and are not shy to be doing the things they do for the performance to be truthful and believable. 10/10, honestly. However, I would be careful when deciding to watch it, because they do bring up topics and themes that could be very sensitive and triggering for certain people, so it honestly is not for everyone. So, I also DON'T recommend it for those looking for that cute fairytale BL, because again, this drama isn't really about that. And I would be careful if you have PTSD or similar mental health issues related to being subjected to manipulation, sexual and psychological trauma, or similar things.

I hope this helps some of you with deciding whether or not you should watch this. Also, watch this before Blue Indigo (this came out before anyway) because there's a few things you won't get with Blue Indigo in terms of character development if you watch that before this. Also, it makes Kijima's character a lot more mysterious and that is what makes the plot make sense. Kijima's character is supposed to be a wild card and unpredictable, so watching Blue Indigo first sort of ruins that.

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As you can probably see, this drama is one of my favorites, if not number one. I've seen this drama three times, and I enjoy it every time. I could probably watch it again, today, if I had nothing better to do. Sometimes, I watch the first few episodes just for the fun of it. When I feeling down, or when I'm feeling alone.

This drama is the perfect representation of what true love is, and how it should be portrayed. Yes, romcoms and comedies are good, and fun and exciting during that moment, but this type of love... it may be acted, but it still is a goal of mine to have love like that, because even I know love like that does exist, even if that one is not real.

This drama really hit everything for me. I'll try to keep the fangirl inside of me down, and be logical and realistic without giving away spoilers or anything, but it really got everything. There were so many plot twists in this story, and a lot of them weren't very original, and yet... they worked. I mean, come on, popular boy rich boy and poor girl, cancer, memory loss, pregnancy... that's just the beginning. It's like, everything you've ever seen in a drama was thrown into this one, and it WORKED. I know, I can't believe it.
I cry so many times when I watch this drama, it's definitely a tear-jerker. It's a beautiful story, one that will pull at your heart and you won't be able to stop thinking about it.

The acting was phenomenal, I think it is very underrated. Vaness Wu gets a lot of harsh criticism for his 'over acting' but I don't think there was a lot of it. I really liked his 'over acting'. When he cried... oh. my. god. I really believed it. He actually looked like he was crying, and it actually looked painful. I don't know how to put it... he looked like how a guy WOULD cry. And Addy An, she get's a lot of harsh criticism for her under-acting. I agree that sometimes she looks expressionless, but I think it had more to do with the script. Not only that, but I wouldn't say she under acted. I could see it in her eyes, in her reactions, in everything she said. Her mannerisms and subtle expressions, that's what made her character. You need to pay attention to those, it isn't in her character to look so blatantly affected all the time. Mu Cheng gets all of my respect, even if shes fictional. To me, the acting was superb, and lets not forget little Xiao Le. God is that kid going to grow up to be a super star. His acting was absolutely perfect, especially for a child. He really pulled the story together throughout the last half. Some go as far as to say the story was only held together by him toward the end, but I wouldn't go that far. With or without him, I would have kept watching, but he is such a cute little guy. Someday he'd get so tired during shooting that his dad would have to be on site. Such a strong little boy.

The romance and chemistry between the Mu Cheng and Guan Xi is tangible. I can literally almost taste it, I can feel it. It's so beautiful, it touches my heart. I know this sounds cheesy and cliche, but really, you won't find more pure love in a drama than in this. If I didn't know any better, I would assume Vaness Wu and Addy An are in love. The chemistry was just out of this world. Love really does win out in the end, that's what this drama taught me. I have to say I learned a lot from it.

Also, the people you hate in this show you'll grow to love. Along with character development in the main characters, the side characters really developed too. The side-plots in this show were interesting, too, and I found myself just as engaged in them as I was the main couple/family.

The ending of this drama is my favorite. Not just the ending with MC and GX but with everyone. The ending of this drama is also one of the reasons this drama is #1 for me. There is closure, on everything. No loose plot ends, all side plots are tied up, no questions are left, not for me at least. Everything is happy, I'm actually content at the end. No worries, no complaints, just sadness that it's over. Very bitter-sweet.

I won't lie and say that this is an easy drama to watch. There's going to be a lot of painful moments and heart-wrenching scenes, but the good in the drama sky rockets it to the top. Even when you hate someone you didn't think you were going to hate, you understand what's happening, and why their doing what their doing. The love never dies, and even in the toughest moments in the drama, they give you little moments to nibble on while you're waiting. It's a brilliant story, and I will forever enjoy it and remember it. The music alone is beautiful, I have a few songs saved and listen to them frequently, even now. In fact, this is random but I have my itunes on shuffle and ironically 'Next Stop, Happiness' just came on. How funny, must be a sign. (;

If you're looking for a refreshing, pure love story with superb acting, tangible chemistry, and every plot twist you can imagine, this is for you! I will recommend this to any person interested in dramas for the rest of my life, hah! Hope this helped people, sorry if I wasn't as rational and logical as I planned. As you can tell, I'm a fan. I have never watched a drama more than I have this. Three times through the whole thing, not counting the many times I've just watched an episode here and there that I liked. Please watch!

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OH MY GOD PLEASE WATCH THIS DRAMA!!! IT’S SO SO GOOD THAT I’M HAVING A HARD TIME PUTTING INTO WORDS!!!

Let me just start off with the fact that two of the first dramas I watched were I Really Really Like You and Playful Kiss, so seeing Lee Min Ki and Jung So Min in a drama again was exciting and nostalgic. I had high expectations for this show since the writer of this show also wrote Ho Goo’s Love (which, by the way, is a MUST watch) and I  worried that the bar I’d set for the show would not be met, which would probably ruin my love for the actors and the writer. However, my worries were unnecessary, because THIS SHOW IS IN MY TOP FIVE NOW! I can’t even begin to tell you how much I adored this show (though I must, since this is a review after all)! My expectations weren’t just met, they were exceeded! The plot, the actors, the music, the CHARACTERS! Everything was just so, so perfect and genuine!

Story/Plot: Oh my god, where do I even begin? This show was just so layered and wonderful! It wasn’t a melodrama by any means, but contained so much depth. The plot contained three simple plotlines: cohabitation/contract marriage, rich man and poor woman, and a struggling long term relationship. Often, when stories try to cram too many plotlines into one show, there are too many loose bits and ends. But in this drama, every character was purposeful and important, adding texture and depth to the story and the themes, and there were no loose ends. Speaking of themes, this drama was very progressive and dealt with issues that usually aren’t dealt with in Korean dramas. It challenged traditional gender stereotypes, sexual harassment in the work place, and the traditional meaning of marriage, but all in a very thoughtful and eloquent way. Perhaps I’m making this show sound boring, like a class at school, but it’s difficult to explain how such a simple idea was so revolutionized through some VERY skilled writing. The whole show seemed deliberate, and not cliche at all, despite how the storyline seems on the surface. You’ll just have to see it for yourself! I promise that you’ll love every moment of it!

Characters/Cast: As I was saying earlier, the surface level plotline is very simple, but what really enhanced the story and made it so enjoyable were the ABSOLUTELY PERFECT characters! All of them were so realistic, and their thoughts were clear and coherent, and they weren’t there just to waste screentime. Starting with the main couple, Ji Ho and Se Hee were just so nice to watch. They had great chemistry and by this point, I just want LMK and JSM to date in real life! Ji Ho was really the star, because seeing such an intelligent main character in dramas is rare. She knew what she wanted and she approached it wholeheartedly, and overall, she was a very relatable character. Se Hee, on the other hand, encompasses a person’s more weary and cautious side, because he was afraid to be hurt and even more afraid of hurting others. The show focused on them and their character development rather than adding useless love triangles. On the topic of triangles, there were technically two, but both were short lived and ESSENTIAL to the story, because they brought out new sides in the main characters. What really stood out to me was how realistic the rivals were (if you could even call them that). I’d say that one of my favorite characters was the ex girlfriend, and I can’t say more without spoiling the story, but her arch was one that was worth watching. She was a realistic and admirable character, unlike the conniving ex girlfriends you usually see in dramas. The other two couples in the story were equally important, and their stories were full of substance and lessons worth watching. Soo Ji teaches us to follow our dreams and stand up for what’s right, against the face of adversity. Ho Rang and Won Seok teach us that there’s a difference between love and marriage, and that the bad things that happen are often unavoidable and we must move forward. I won’t go into the details, but the character development in all three couples is worth watching and then rewatching a couple more times! Every wonderful character in this story was played by a wonderful actor that truly did the characters justice, and I have no complaints at all with the perfect casting or the extremely convincing acting. (I might be a bit biased since I love Lee Min Ki, but the difference for someone who doesn’t love him already might be the difference between an 11/10 vs a 10/10 rating. Either way, it’s PERFECT!)

Music: This review is already long enough, so I’ll be brief. I downloaded the whole soundtrack! So cute and perfectly suited for this drama! >v<

Rewatch Value: Usually I don’t even mention the rewatch value since I rarely rewatch dramas regardless of how good they are, but I have to mention it this time! I finished episode 14 two days before episode 15 came out, and I started to rewatch my favorite episodes while I waited! I just wanted to relive all the cute moments, and I can’t wait to finish the show so that I can rewatch and relive everything a few months from now! The show is really refreshing and light, despite the heavy progressive reform oriented subplots, and it seems to be very timeless. It’s worth watching at any age, but I feel like it gets better and better as you get older and experience dilemmas faced by the characters. The value for me is a solid 10/10, since I’m already itching to rewatch it!

Overall: As you’re probably aware by now, because of all the gushing I’ve been doing, I LOVE THIS SHOW! I can’t recommend it highly enough! Everything was flawless, and I don’t say that very often. Please give this beautiful show a chance, because I know you won’t regret it! <3 In fact, you’ll be missing out if you don’t!

Maybe this show will be part of your room 19 ;))


Edit (Contains a hint of a soft spoiler): I've been reading a lot of comments saying that Ji Ho was selfish in the last two episodes, and I just wanted to say that I completely disagree - Ji Ho was trying to understand her own feelings and see whether or not her feelings were long lasting, and she gave Se Hee a chance to do so as well. While this might have hurt Se Hee in the short term, it let both of them be sure about whether or not they want to be together for the long term, so that they aren't hurt once they're in a truly serious and committed relationship.

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My feelings about this drama are very complicated. I was entertained, but frustrated. I was interested enough to watch, but I also felt like dropping it several times. Don't let the simple title fool you. This is a typical love story in some ways, and very unique in other ways. Now that it's over, I think I appreciate the whole story more, but some frustration still lingers.

My major frustration is with the three leads. I loved them as a trio. Those moments were my favorite in the show for sure, and their friendship was also the source of many of the emotions I felt while watching. Still, from the very beginning the show is set up as a love triangle, and that's the part where I think this drama falls short. I'll give it credit for not being cliché, but it still didn't really work for me.

The story centers around Im Shi Wan as Wang Won. It's Won's story, so it makes sense that he was the character I liked the most. I thought Shi Wan did a great job in all aspects. He was funny, he was clever, he was stubborn, he was impulsive... and I enjoyed watching his character navigate all of the palace drama without being passive. I think he did an awesome job.

Hong Jong Hyun plays Wang Rin, his partner in bromance. Rin is the straight man, to Won's uninhibited personality, and their dynamic is awesome. I loved that we get to see the start of their friendship too. The show really explores the deepness of their friendship in a way that got me in the feels from the very beginning. It gets very complex, but their love throughout it all is the strongest story in the drama.

Then lastly there is Im Yoon Ah as Eun San. I loved her character in some ways, but she was also the reason for most of my frustration. When she was being brave, impetuous, and independent, I loved her, and her camaraderie with the guys. However, when the obligatory love triangle comes into play, she spends far too much time looking like a deer in headlights. I won't speak too much about specifics, because which guy you root for is mostly about preference, but it really bothers me that by the end all the romance was still questionable. I thought maybe it was the writing, but I honestly think it's that she had trouble pulling off the romantic parts of the story. I've seen better actresses, Ha Ji Won for example, pull complicated love stories off, but I think where Yoona shined in action, comedy, and even some emotional scenes, she left much to be desired in the romance department. Cute moments with Won worked, because their banter was funny, but anything involving serious romance fell flat. I don't think she was bad, but I do think the role was a little out of her league in that respect.

The rest of the cast was good. I loved Jang Young Nam and Oh Min Suk the most out of the supporting cast (both so good at being bad), but there were a lot of great performances. A few characters made no sense to me, but that wasn't the actor's fault, just weird writing. There are a lot of duplicitous characters to keep the story interesting. If you like ancient Joseon political drama, this story definitely has a lot of that to enjoy. If you're not a fan, you will probably get bored about halfway through.

To be clear, this show is 40 episodes, but the episodes are 30 minutes, so really it's like watching a standard 20 episode drama. I thought the show started strong, and ended strong, but somewhere in the middle I began to stop caring. Still, for some reason I just couldn't quit watching. I think that's because of curiosity, and probably because I became attached to the characters, even when the shows seemed to drag. In those times it helped that the episodes were shorter than usual.

Would I watch this again? I'm torn. If I did I would probably be tempted to skip too many scenes. There were a lot of great moments, and like the characters reminiscing, I would probably enjoy revisiting those moments again. Maybe it will feel different watching while knowing how it will all play out, but I think my main frustrations would remain.

Overall, this is a good drama for sageuk fans who want a different kind of story. It is more bittersweet than completely tragic, and there are comedic moments too to add some balance. I think it's far from perfect, and gets messy in the middle, but it all ties together for a touching ending that made me boohoo cry, and smile through my tears. I never heard of the novel before watching, so I am curious what fans of the book thought. It's not the best or worst sageuk around, but if you're in the mood for something a little less typical, this may be exactly the kind of drama you are looking for.

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the biggest WHAT IF

I'm editing this to add: if something is wrong it's better to fix it and show the right thing instead of burying it and everyone involved in criticism. make them be a lesson for the rest. past bullying? let them do community work or a movement against school bullying. "inaccurate" history? force them to show a documentary at the end explaining how things really were. you don't fight a problem by cancelling everyone.... the only thing people will learn from this? don't waste your money and time at making historicals..

I'll just use this space to vent a little more. as a fan of JDY I've been waiting for this since last year. and as a historical fan who's bored of the repetitive palace politics, this was going to be one of the most unique stories. Kingdom explored zombies but this was bigger and had more characters. this combined vampires, zombies and demons. it sounds overboard but the combination was so fitting. they bit people in the neck and they were as brainless and lost as zombies, but they were evil spirits controlled by the biggest demon
this was going to be so much fun!

JDY was Sejong the Great ! I did not know that TT_TT no wonder why he was such a sweetie, honestly if they wanted great representation of the past they had the bestest boy to play their bestest beloved king TT_TT


the biggest mistake on this was the timing and the fact that historicals don't seem to check facts beforehand.. every historical right now is under some sort of fire but this got the biggest blow...

and even if they let the dramas air, they turn their pitchforks onto the actors.. the issue seems so easily avoidable, there needs to be a big historic association so people can check their facts


like we all knew this would be about king Taejong from the start, so like they (whoever they are) could've showed their stance before. if they didn't want a historical figure to be showed as a person who kills possessed people then they shouldn't have let them film it!

it'd have been easily avoided by naming them differently. and they didn't even let them change that. they just attacked this until the canceled 14eps worth of hard work. the actors got injured... we'll never know how they'd have dealt with the process, but the promise of the plot was unique and it will forever be the biggest WHAT IF TT__TT

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Edge of Your Seat Suspense.. Thriller That Keeps You Hooked..

Undeniably the best thriller drama of 2024..

The drama boasts top notch production quality and excellent cinematography.. Though the beginning can be frustrating.. As the ML is gaslighted into a confession and his family suffers manipulation and helplessness.. It effectively sets the stage for a gripping and intense thriller..

It gets even more frustrating.. How they mistreat the ML's mother and how they try to protect the person who tried to Kill her.. How helpless the ML is.. Yeah it gets on your nerves..

The story progresses too slow at the beginning.. But that makes the eventual twists even more impactful and makes it even more interesting.. A proper thriller that slowly unravels and pulls you deeper into its web of suspense with each twist and turn... That's how it is.. I am glad I waited to binge watch it.. Because there’s no way I could have handled waiting a week between episodes.. Watching the ML spend more time in the ER than his house after getting out of prison was a bit much..

Besides the ML and SML and Ha Seol.. The rest of the characters were truly awful.. Most weren’t just bad they were outright evil.. Manipulating and feasting on others pain.. Even the detective who forced the ML’s confession was being gaslighted by the chief.. It’s a story packed with evil people.. I mean nobody felt a hint of remorse of regret for what they did..

Initially, I felt bad for Choi Na Gyeom. She stood by the ML for 10 years, visiting him in prison when even his mother didn’t. That devotion was admirable. That was quite something.. But how he kept pushing her away.. Ignoring her.. That felt bad.. But well.. She turned out to be a psychopath.. A total psychopath.. But Go Bo Gyeol nailed her role..


Around episode six the story starts coming together... Everything starts to make sense and just when you think you’ve figured it out.. Another twist drops and then another.. It keeps you hooked till the very end.

There were a few flaws though.. Like the unrealistically clear footage from a foldable keypad mobile phone.. Seriously.. how was it not grainy??

Anyhow.. Black Out delivered a satisfying conclusion.. Though I would have loved to see the ML’s friends suffer more for their actions.. They lost what they valued most and ended up in jail but they deserved even worse.. They deserved more pain.. More and more and more pain..

For the first time in a long time.. I was fully immersed in a Korean drama.. It was one hell of a rollercoaster ride..

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That Rare Gem in Drama

The series is superb and heading for greatness in the KDrama lists of its classics. First, there are wonderful aspects of "My Dearest"--great acting from the entire cast, superb writing, excellent, careful direction, deeply moving sound track, and more. Yet along with the carefully evolving FL, who is superb, it is the master class in acting that Namkoong Min is developing for us that makes me gasp. I am so deeply touched by what he has given both to AEJ as her Co-Star to work with and to us for our enjoyment. It is an unforgettable work of dramatic art in both his delicacy and strength. Plus those deeply expressive eyes and his quiet, beautiful voice. He has worked so hard for years and become one of the finest actors of his era.

This series began by teasing us with flirtations and long looks: a beautiful man with a fan loving a charming woman more than himself. It then advanced to the man dropping the fan that was only a distraction anyway to the real man, the experienced warrior behind those eyes who risks his life repeatedly, and the "girl on a swing" revealing herself as a brave warrior who assumes the leadership role to protect other women and children.

The series has steadily moved us through numerous scenes of increasing danger and heartbreak, that were leading us to where we are now. It is a love story, yes, but it is also about invasion, war, escape, resistance, horror, and the violent treatment of the poor, elderly, women and children in a horrific reverse of their community into a war zone with them as the sacrifice.

It is terrifying, heartbreaking. And no love story can change that. But it can give us hope. The woman in the love story is brave and resolute in protecting others. GC has become the woman LJH saw and fell in love with the first day as he watched her floating high on the swing. And he is not just the man who loves and protects her but is also revealed as the resistance fighter who saw her and knew who she was. As he tells Ryang, "you do not know what she means to me." But we do. They are both wonderful as is this constantly evolving story.

Update

"My Dearest" Eps 18 & 19
I was able to sit down with my morning coffee and enjoy both episodes this weekend.

And it was very interesting to see how the entire series was moving this way all along—just as the writer and direction teams intended. For this is not just the romance most of us here share an abiding hope will be fulfilled, but also a historical study of the Qing invasion and its effects on Joseon, its people at all levels, and its future. These are all seen in the madness of the king taken out on his own people and family, the grief of the people-symbolized in the death of the baby, that the mother must bury with her own hands—and the shared anguish of the citizens just trying to return home but slaughtered by the misuse of power.

Additionally, there is more than one love story, and they are on multiple levels. But of course the central love story is that of JH and GC, who at the beginning seem to be a man with a waving fan but who is so much more, and a woman with a rising swing who finds out who she really is through his love for her. If the writer closes next weekend the way she seems to be moving, the outcome will be complex, as is the historical reality. And it should also become one of Drama's greatest achievements. But even if it falls short, the writer, production team, cast, and composers have given us a series that many of us love. That is an achievement in itself. So onward to next weekend and closure with hope and maybe a few tears.

Final Episodes 20-21 Closure

There are tragedies, of course: this is a violent invasion; we will lose characters we care about and be disappointed in some others. But there are also blessings: GC’s growth into the strong, protective, loving woman she becomes is one of the finest in film. And JH always knew who she was. Ahn Eun Jin's transition in her performance is magnificent. And even the princess who wants JH so much does the right thing in the end: because she in fact does love him in her way. The cast on all levels is one of the most talented in KDrama—and they made us care. The production team taught us about the Qing invasion of Korea along with the monstrous political behavior of Koreans in power, and kept those effects, especially on the people, firmly in front of us.

Min Nam Koong as Jang Hyun created one of the most heroic characters in film, and he does it with his deceptive fan, steady calm, interrupted when needed by explosive defenses of his people and the woman he loves. But he is also funny, ironic, and adorable, created through his warm, beautiful voice, and the delicate expressions from his eyes and mouth. The man is simply beautiful and so gifted we fall in love with his characters. All of the cast and production team are outstanding—but it is Min Nam Koong who commands every scene he fills—and we cannot look away.

So though I didn't like JH getting beaten up all the time and being forced to use the amnesia trope not once but twice—I love "My Dearest" and its cast and production team and especially the character Jang Hyun that Min NamKoong created and so many of us fell in love with. He is one of the finest actors in the world today, and new fans are discovering him every day.

What a wonderful experience is this fine drama.
—AJ McAninch

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Redemption

You can't talk about One Spring Night without mentioning Something in The Rain.

Because OSN is the result of what SITR could've been. It's about growth to both the drama and especially to the writer. One Spring Night is a take on modern Korea where the youth have to face the older generation, but not with guns or lawsuits, it's all about dialogue.

The first two episodes give the viewer an amazing introduction to the story, something most kdramas really fails to do, and the supporting cast is probably the best of the year. Every single person here has a story, no matter how much screentime they got. I dare to say that at least 3 or 4 supporting characters could easily have a drama to call their own, even if they just appear for a few minutes each episode. The music is soft and the editing makes the transitions between conflicts fit in nicely with the narrative.

Remember when I said this drama is about growth especially to the writer? Well, this drama is not perfect. It has its problems but that's what growth is. It's not a straight line to success. Don't come to this thinking all the missing points from SITR were fixed and that you won't get annoying sometimes. But the acting, damn, the acting.

I don't like to compare performances because I like to believe that actors can't only do so much if the script isn't good. But what an amazing performance by everyone.

One Spring Night is (once again) about growth, and I believe that the best score you can give to a drama is "I want to watch whatever this writer and director are doing next".

For the first time in a while, I feel bad that I can't see a drama on my 'currently watching' list anymore. There's no "I want to finish this quickly so I can watch another one" with One Spring Night. In a world where people consume so much media, not seeing a piece of content as a simple checklist is one of the best adjectives it can get. That's what happens with OSN.

Binge watch it, watch two episodes a week, whatever works for you. If possible, watch it on a Spring Night.

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Rational life.... unexpectedly with much pleasure!

"You've never asked me why I like her. I like her because of how special she is. Her ability and strength, everyone can see that side of her. But her cuteness and softness, only I can see that."

First of all, this show is for a mature audience, it's slow-paced doesn't have heavy romance. Rather Character-driven and Female-centered and revolves around how characters achieve their goals.

The story dynamics, structure, characters, and their personality development it's just in the perfect place. Romance isn't the center of attention or big aspect small yet beautifully done. Characters are three-dimensional, realistic, having their own pros and cons. And not trying to get perfect but just trying best to be themselves.
It has some coincidences but as its name isn't unreasonable.. everything has its own reason. If we take Ruoxin's mom's character she is possessive but it's her past what made her like that, she is controlling in many places but I found her cute too, and that what makes this drama special every character has different shades as if they are a real person.

It doesn't make a big issue or taboo of the age gap or revolve around that but it's handled so carefully. The drama focuses on their life, work, how they chase their goals. This is proper office drama.. where they actually work no hard work and the office doesn't become a dating spot.

Dylan Wang finally got a role, where he shines! and shows brilliant acting skill. His expressions, liveliness is very natural as if it's not acting its real self. Qi Xian is energetic, charming, confident yet so mature. His smile, sometimes weird expressions are just cherry on the top. Though being a chocolate boy he is different from most of the stereotyped leads. He has dreams, plans for the future... and he always gives his 100%.

"When he smiles at me I feel… I feel like this cold world, this world that is full of rules and restrictions has become so warm. I don’t know if it’s love or not. Because I don’t know what the definition of love is. But I know one thing for sure. In all these years, he’s the only one... Who came into my heart."
Shen Ruoxin definitely one of the best female lead characters I have ever seen. She has her own charm that made me fall for her. While she may look cold on the outside and only cares about her own interests, she’s actually a soft-hearted person. Her compassion for work, competence, smartness. She is rational, logical, and careful ready to face any problems and difficulties without wavering, a perfect definition of 'Strong Female Lead.' But aside from this, she has a different side where she can be very cute.

I don't think without Qin Lan and Dylan Wang I can imagine this drama. Even having 19 years difference in real life. There's a process we get to experience, why they fall for each other. Not out of nowhere or because of physical appearance, they like each other as a person. Their relationship progress is natural.. which is slow but realistic and pleasant, the way they look at each other, small, small gestures.

It's not a perfect drama it has many problems too, some annoying characters (But there are many characters whom I adore a lot), a bit draggy in some parts. But with leads sizzling chemistry, comfort with each other's presence is a great pleasure to watch.

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There is a reason why this movie has such high ratings. It's not just a movie but a piece of art that seriously touches you deep within.

The premises is simple - an intellectually disabled father is found guilty for a murder that he didn't commit and throughout it all his daughter, Ye Seung stuck by him. He is sentence to prison and placed in Cell no. 7 with inmates. He is treated badly at first because of the fact that he was charged with the murder and rape of a child. Though as the story progresses people begin to realise that a guy like this couldn't have possibly done something atrocious as that!

What I see and feel in this movies is just love in the purest kind. Their father and daughter bond was for me the driving force of the story.
There were times when I felt so much anger for the injustice.
Times when I laughed my ass off because it was so damn hilarious!
Times when I cried my heart out because of the beauty of the story, the characters and the unbelievably heart warming relationship.

My sister and I watched it together and we literally used up the entire box of tissue! I recommend everyone to watch it because it is just such an amazing story and the feels are OVER THE ROOF!

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This story, will probably rile up some people and not in a good way. Where in HIStory many people loved the couples, here the leads are often not likable in the traditional drama sense. Hua Quin the main actor can come across as selfish, entitled and bratty, however, if you look beyond that, you will also see that HQ is vulnerable, easily convinced and often unsure of himself and his feelings. He battled depression and became the object of affection of two men, Yan Fei and Pin Jun. Their love triangle was more complicated with the fact that HQ fell in love at first sight with YF and vice versa and YF was already in a two year relationship with Jimmy his partner who suffered quietly in a loveless relationship; though he could have saved himself the heartache if he had loved himself more and ended the relationship when YF asked him to various times.

The story seemed rushed for the most part and there were a lot of plot holes that could have been easily answered if this series had been a bit longer, but overall it was a good story. I liked the way the director/writer played with the color blue to show that these characters were not your typical "innocent/naive/nice/arrogant/villain" typecast. HQ's depression, his indecisiveness, his vulnerability, his happy moments all came through thanks to the actor playing him (Aric).  I felt sorry for all characters and I liked that this drama didn't shy away from showing realities of love and relationships. The color blue also played a big role in the way the main characters interacted; whenever HQ and YF were in the same scene, it always seemed to have "lightness and blues" to show that they were truly in love with each other. While, YF and Jimmy's scenes were often "dark" as well as HQ and PJ.  

Music wise, I LOVED IT. I downloaded the main song by MaxLin. It is such a great song and it fit the story well. Overall, if you aren't into the messy love hurts and you don't want to see the "nice guy" be hurt, then don't watch this. But, I suggest you give it a shot and see things from a different perspective. Love hurts, love isn't always kind and sometimes people don't get their happy endings, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be exposed to that.  Also, if you want to see some hot men kissing and touching, it doesn't hurt to watch this (come on most people are watching this for that anyways, don't lie)I for one loved this story, but then again I love messy complicated stories more than sweet ones. So, I hope my review helped some of you in some way.

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Enjoy the crazy ride.

This drama is just like it's title "Mystic". Never have I ever watched any drama which could actually play with parallel worlds!
Honestly speaking, I started watching this drama beacuse of Hwang Jung Eum and my love for Fantasy genre. I wasn't a huge fan of Yook Sung Jae nor Choi Won Young since I hadn't watched any of their dramas before. So, I was a bit skeptical.

The story was all about a pricky woman who operates a food tent at night so anyone (dead or living) can visit and grab a drink with the owner and then she can appease their grudges through entering their minds by giving them a special drink.
As the story progressed, it got me hooked everytime! I literally craved for the next episode. It soon became a story about some extraordinary people with some extraordinary capabilities trying to help out both ordinary and mystic beings. The characters were so diverse and well played by each and every actors/resses.

Hwang Jung Eum playing Weol-ju (the main character) was so different from her other characters she has ever played. Her character was written in so depth, we could actually feel those emotions. More matured, understanding, comedic, lively, passionate, etc! Being a spirit aged 500 yrs, under a grave punishment in the human world, the pop-up bar was set up as a place to help spirits let go of their problems and solve their grudges patiently to fill her quota to solve up to 100,000 grudges in order complete her mission.

I actually love that I came with an expectation of a bit weird love story between a supernatural woman and a younger guy. But NO, this was truly an Exception! Instead, I got two crazy spirits who are practically married but denying their feelings, and an adorably awkward part timer who's spiritual visions are widened! They together really made a hilarious little family.

Every episode is fun, and there’s a lesson we takeaway each time we watch it. Almost always we become jealous of people who have more capabilities than us, but this shows that knowing and having that much can get very lonely too. I had never expected the story to be so deep and at the same time so heart-warming and touching!
Each and every episode holds a mystery which unfolds just nicely. It totally delivers the heart wrenching and heart warming stories in a not over dramatic way. I actually liked that they didn't focus much on romance but human life itself which is perfect for what is going on in this world today. I cried and laughed every single episode!

The growth of attachment between the trio which eventually strengthened was so sweet to watch. How quickly did Kang Bae got attached to Weol-Ju and Chief Gwi? Kang Bae being upset and distracted awaiting their return even when he was with his girl was just priceless!

Best Things I loved in this drama:
● The first thing I got very attached to in the beginning of this drama was it's Music. The OST "Dive" totally has those 'Mystic' vibes. The orchestra Background score and the sound effects in each episode is so Amazing!
● HWANG JUNG EUM LOOKING GORGEOUS than ever! How amazing does she looks in that hanbok (Korean traditional dress)?
She looks so pretty. Her costumes were killing! Her transformation has indeed surprised me this time.
● YOOK SUNG JAE TURNING CUTE TO SEXY IN NO TIME! His expressions were priceless!
● CHOI WON YOUNG'S AMAZING ACTING!
● Hwang Jung Eum and Choi Won Young's ENGLISH.
● Yook Sung Jae's adorable side.

☆Overall - This drama is something I needed desperately! It's full of magic, love and laughter.
*This maybe not a drama which everyone will like, but it was perfect for me!

The only disappointment is that the drama is too short. Anyways, a complete enjoyable drama which is fun to watch. I would definitely re-watch it someday :)

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GARBAGE ON STEROIDS!

***DISCLAIMER: These are just my thoughts on the show as a whole. We don’t have to agree and I’m not here to argue with anyone.***

AND THE AWARD FOR WORST KDRAMA OF 2023 GOES TO STRONG GIRL NAM SOON!!!!! (Except nobody is smiling, cheering or clapping and all you hear are crickets)

THIS SHOW IS SOOOOO BAD I WANT TO GIVE IT A ZERO BUT THAT’S NOT POSSIBLE SO I GIVE IT A ONE. It is the definition of unserious. Though this review may come off like I’m hating (which I most definitely am) it’s mostly shock and disappointment. I had high hopes going into this and it just did not meet the mark AT ALL.

This show just lacked depth. The plot made no sense whatsoever and you basically have to turn off your brain to watch it. The focus shifted from Nam Soon to the mother, Geum Ju, and her heroic tendencies / saviorism, and unwavering determination to bring down Pavel and the Korean drug cartel. Even Nam Soon's grandma and her whole love affair got more attention than her. To say this drama did not live up to the hype or potential would be an understatement.

All the characters were unlikeable except for Nam Soon (earlier episodes) and Shi Oh… at least when he was around Nam Soon he didn’t treat her like a 5 year old. I sort of feel like her being childish / silly with him was healing his inner child so I was happy to see him smile and be content with her. I also liked Nam Soon's father... he was so supportive and seemed to genuinely care for his children unlike the mother who was always working / busy and could never see what was going on under the surface or spare five minutes of her time to get to know them better. Geum Ju was a horrible mother and I will not stop saying it. Her over the top emotions and tears coming out whenever her children were in danger and on the verge of death says so much. I don't even want to get into her fat phobic / insensitive comments and how that took a toll on her Nam In's mental health. While this show masked it as humor, it was in poor taste because it just was not funny at all.

It is safe to say I wasted almost 2 months of my life watching this tom foolery. That’s time I will never get back. The last 2 episodes were absolute bullshit and they lost the entire plot. Tell me why Ryu Shi Oh died by suicide within 20-25 mins of episode 16, Bread Song turned out to be Nozh, Grandma was supposed to die and didn’t and Nam Soon who is such a half witted, untrained and reckless girl became a cop? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.

Ugh and don’t get me started on Hee Sik’s gold digging family, Nam Soon’s mom flaunting her wealth and the obvious lack of chemistry between Nam Soon and Hee Sik. That last kiss was an immediate no, no hate to Yoo Mi, but why did she kiss him like she was eating noodles??! Everything about that kiss seemed weird / unnatural and awkward. Anyway I know people who shipped them from the get go would have eaten it up, but it just was so cringe in my opinion.

It's the way they tried to outdo SWDBS and FAILED. Again, you seriously can't outdo the doer and this show is proof of that. The plot was lackluster / sucked big time, the acting was over the top and it seemed like they were putting on a comedy sketch (a seriously bad one) rather than a serious drama / tackling real issues. Except for Ryu Shi Oh, the characters were dull, one-dimensional, and devoid of depth. Nam Soon was even more childish at the end than at the beginning. When she received her award, she acted like an immature hyperactive toddler / a crazy person in serious need of a mental facility. Not to mention her continual lifting up of Hee Sik (bridal style) was another a major turn off. I need someone to me why she was always acting RIDICULOUS?! My goodness, it was like she didn’t have an off switch and was always behaving like damn fool or a deer in the headlights. She appeared to always be on drugs and that’s putting it LIGHTLY. If you told me she snorted 5 lines of COCAINE and also did METH or MDMA I WOULD BELIEVE YOU! In my opinion, Nam Soon doesn't appear mature enough for a relationship, let alone marriage... and when Hee Sik eventually proposed – it was so underwhelming. NEXT!

I could not feel anything for the main couple or root for their happiness because there was no development whatsoever, it felt like they just forced their relationship down my throat. Nam Soon clearly had better angst / chemistry with Shi Oh and it was easier to see their potential because they had so many good moments together. Even Bread Song and the mom had more tension filled interactions – which is saying so much. The way the proposal was at the same cherry blossom tree as in SWDBS was a major eye roll moment. Also, the stupid, overbearing heartfelt moments between the Joong Gan and Jun Hee like? PLEASE SPARE ME. LITERALLY NOBODY WANTED TO SEE THAT. Even in the end, they attempted to build up the suspense and make it appear as if it would be the death of her character after she had used a lot of her power, but they still let her survive. It would have been more dramatic if she had died... and Jun Hee and her ex-husband were obliged to mourn her together.

I still can’t believe Jun Hee was just a bland / flavorless and spineless character (literally such a freaking simp) had no connection to the Russian mafia and didn’t turn out to be a secret bad guy. THAT WAS SUCH A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. The fact that he was just there to be Joong Gan’s sidekick and lover sent me over the edge. The amount of screen time the grandma's whole arc took up just because the writer was trying to live vicariously through her character was so annoying!

Additionally when Nam Soon and her adoptive mom both happened to nearly be killed by bombs was just so predictable. Your telling me the writers couldn’t have come up with a better plot?! Even bringing in this new guy to play adult Bin Bin at the end was strange – he had no connection to the people we previously knew and never popped up in the story before (at least not as an adult), so it was difficult for me to feel pity or anything else for him. Yes, he spared Shi Oh’s life by not betraying him / killing him as ordered and that was the only bonus. Everyone literally thought Bin Bin would have been either Bread Song or the kind man at Opulentia helping Geum Ju out with her investigation. AGAIN, ANOTHER MISSED OPPORTUNITY.

The only thing I liked about this drama was the fact that the girl vagrant took the money back from the male vagrant after he discarded her / threw her to the waste side. I have been praying on his downfall ever since he broke up with her and I’m glad to see he lost everything in the end and ended up penniless and homeless while she was free to live her best life without him. I also liked when Nam Soon's father suggested that all the single males live together. I could definitely see it because they would have started their own "weak men" empire (for lack of a better name) or something like that! Now that is something I'd watch. When Nam In said te refused to live with them out of fear of ending up like them I DIED, he was so real for that!

Needless to say I really HATED this drama and would never watch it again. I would rather kill myself or rip out my eyeballs instead. Even banging my head repeatedly on the wall would be better than rewatching this ridiculous parody. I stuck around for Shi Oh and in the end they gave him the worst possible death, no redemption arc and completely ruined his character. He had so much potential to be a better person and a changed man but the writers destroyed everything. I still refuse to believe he actually tried to kill Nam Soon and her family when he found out her identity. Though, what is enemies to lovers without both parties trying to kill each other? (iykyk) It’s even more sad when you think about the fact that he tried to help his birth father out and even bought an orphanage and turned it into a boxing gym. I won't stop saying it but – RYU SHI OH DESERVED SM BETTER THAN THE HAND HE WAS DEALT!

Anyway, I guess they just couldn’t allow him to live after he spiraled, went off the rails and took so many innocent lives. What gets me is that Geum Ju and Nam Soon believed Hwa Ja was capable and worthy of being saved but they could not extend the same right or courtesy to Shi Oh. I mean seriously? Hwa Ja even tried to murder Nam Soon at one point…. just because she was unsuccessful in her attempt does not make what she did excusable or justifiable. I don’t care what anyone else says but the fact that Nam Soon’s mom forgave her after all that and basically adopted her as a daughter was absolutely insane and I will never understand it. This show proves that Geum Ju's and Nam Soon's empathy is conditional on whether they feel pity for someone's situation or not. Ryu Shi Oh never chose this life and it's unfair because he had gone through so much as a child to just hang on / survive. Literally everything he did was just so he could finally escape / find a way out from Pavel's control. He was a victim or circumstance but the stupid characters in this show could not even see that. It's ironic because when they were starting to realize at the end it was ALREADY TOO LATE.

My favorite character was and always will be Ryu Shi Oh. They could never make me hate him! I understood all his motives and rooted for him endlessly — even when he was on his killing spree. Honestly he was not evil enough in my opinion. I’m not gonna lie, if I lived his life I would’ve been worse. It’s unfortunate Byeon Woo Seok was not enough to save this drama and make me turn a blind eye to how horrible the overall production and acting was. If the writers had gone with an enemies to lovers plot / dark romance, this show would have been so much better. I mean – most people were watching for the villain and rooting for him instead of the ML or even Nam Soon and her family. This drama was way too childish, and it was difficult to find benefits or reasons to stay. Each episode progressively got worse, and I had to force myself to watch for the sake of completion.

I sincerely hope the writer gives up and just ends this TRAIN WRECK / TOILET FIRE IMMEDIATELY. This shit show does not need a part 3 or spin-off. Whatever she writes next she will ruin it even further and it would just be wise of her to stop now.

I could have lived my life without watching this drama or knowing it was a sequel to the original Strong Woman Do Bong Soon. If you are contemplating starting this because you liked SWDBS, I suggest and strongly advise you skip this drama entirely and watch some edits instead. Their five minute screen time is not worth over 18 hours of torture and misery. Please save yourself and quit while you are ahead.

If you think I'm lying / joking then watch this circus act and see for yourself.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you though.

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P.S. No hate to new watchers or persons who enjoyed this drama. I'm happy for you, truly. I'm glad some people were lucky enough to be warned beforehand and able to go into this with very very very LOW expectations.

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(If you actually made it this far ilysm!)

(づ ᴗ _ᴗ)づ♡


As always,

Thanks for reading & happy watching!

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

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