"I enjoy the lighthearted moments of the series and the friendships between Se-ri and the soldiers. Though most likely fictional, I find it interesting how the show is able to highlight both the differences and similarities of North and South Korea through their interactions, reminding people that at the end of the day, they still have a shared cultural origin. My favorite character is definitely Jeong-hyeok, who is a stick in the mud learning to loosen up. His petty moments make me laugh out loud!" - Isabel
WATCH IT GUYS! YOU WILL NOT REPENT. I PROMISED!
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Like what they said in the podcast, and in my own words and understanding, this drama was a classic Netflix drama, full of emotion and intensity, with a big budget, and filming locations all over the world including Switzerland. But even they though drama was intense and had some "real world issues," the drama was written like a drama, and the characters acted like they knew they were in a Korean Drama; even though this drama has an intense plot of a South Korean heiress "crash landing" into North Korea and trying to find her way back home, while trying to hide out and not reveal her identity and people trying to kill her, the characters and the mood of the drama was very carefree and no one took one another too seriously. And it made the drama very enjoyable to watch. Like yes, people are trying to kidnap others or try and kill them, but we can take a break and have a family dinner. I think my favorite point the podcast made, or observation, is how Se Ri must have been a college long distance running champion because she was outrunning ALL these special Ops North Korean soldiers in the beginning. Just things like that made it funny and enjoyable as it wasn't realistic, but you didn't care because you got some comic relief in a serious situation.
I also LOVED all the characters. I wanted to be friends with Captain Ri and everyone in his company. The actor who played Captain Ri and actress who played Se Ri genuinely seem like amazing people in the drama and in real life. I also didn't think this day would come, but Captain Ri's company have finally won it all as my favorite gang of minor characters - sorry Love020 and Oh My Venus. But what was funny, is that one of my friends who watched this drama before I did, said I would love it because Captain Ri had very similar attributes as Zhao Nai in Love020 as well as the relationship with the minor characters.
The only people or person I did not like in this drama was Dan, as she added NOTHING to the drama except for maybe helping prove how much Ri loved Se Ri. But other than that, I didn't care for her character...but this drama was annoying and made you care about her at the end with certain events that I am still heartbroken over. Other than that, I loved everyone else including the second lead Jun who despite being a South Korean criminal for stealing from Se Ri's second brother, was a very likable character. He was funny and witty and selfless even though...you know...he stole hella money.
Other than what I have already said, I don't think I can say anything else. This is on the top of my list, a much watch for anyone who loves Korean dramas or wants to get into them. It was filmed very well and the soundtrack was to die for. I wouldn't even call myself a fan of classical music, but whoever handpicked each song, did an amazing job of conveying the mood and the emotions of all the characters. Like literally, my next mission is finding all the pieces that were in the drama. But I think my favorite part of this whole drama was all the "extra" scenes at the end of the episodes explaining some backstory of what had happened in the past and I think I cried through almost all of them. Even though I keep saying that this drama didn't take itself seriously, as they kept leaving everything to "fate," but I don't think I have cried and been heartbroken and just generally as emotional watching any other drama. It had an incredible balance between comedic and serious.
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Forever favourite
Ever since i watched crash landing on you, no kdrama feels that good. The thing about crash landing on you is that it is full of surprises.Each new episode is more exciting than the previous one and you can’t stop watching until the end.i have watched it 3 times already during the pandemic.Also there is nothing lame in the entire story.Everything feels soo genuine and realistic whether it was showing North Korea or the differences b/w the two countries everything was well portrayed.i have never watched a show 2 times in a row but crash landing on you is a exception.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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My heart has been stolen!
“If you give up on waiting, the pain of loss will kill you. That’s why I wait.” —Captain Ri.This quote will stick with me for a long long time. It's such a meaningful quote that hits my heart hard and doesn't fail to make me think a lot. I usually don't find many quotes from dramas that stick to me like superglue, but this one does, it's engraved in my brain.
Onto the review of the drama itself!
I've heard a lot about this drama, good and bad alike, and I procrastinated on watching it for such a long time honestly. Funny side-story, but my French teacher is actually the one who motivated me to FINALLY watch it, and when I did start it, I binged it all the way through! (It was that good!!) I'll start off by talking about the acting in this drama because CLOY has some powerful actors in my opinion.
The acting style throughout this drama was amazing, and each character held up their own, I felt as if I could feel the emotions that the characters were experiencing most of the time I was watching the drama. I fell in love with the main leads instantly, and they played their characters brilliantly.
The story was never really boring while I watched it, there was something interesting, or funny, or nerve-racking scenes all throughout the show that keeps you on your feet and keeps you engaged. I love the fact that the female lead isn't some "helpless" and "weak" woman, it's different from a lot of romance dramas and I love the empowering feeling that Seri gave off. At first, you'd think "Oh, she's just a spoiled main lead." but no, that's really not the case with CLOY. She worked for everything she has and she's a powerful female lead, she's headstrong and she's confident. I love her. I also like the shyness and care that Junghyuk displayed, it wasn't over the top and it really goes to show that the small things matter and the little things that someone does for you can make such a big difference in how you see someone.
Another thing I really love about CLOY (besides the brilliant story and beautiful acting,) is the support characters, more specifically, the comrades. The comrades brought a lot to the show and never failed to make me laugh, they really made things come together and make everyone feel more like a family, which my heart grow so full, they were such a cute little group, I honestly got a bit attached to them.
The last thing I'll touch on is the OST. I love the OST lots, and I listen to it almost daily, it's absolutely stunning!
Overall, CLOY is an amazing drama, and if you've been pondering whether you should watch it or not, I highly recommend watching it!! You won't regret it!
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the plotline was almost good but in between it is not the best because it starts to get confusing. Eventually though you will start to fall in love with this drama. I wish they went deeper into the love line but that is still ok. Even some of the actors don't look the best they will start to grow on you.
the music for this drama is very good. if you have heard Iu made the ost for this drama after like eight years. she is making her comback for her ost and it was amazing. the music to this dram was very professianal. the music puts in the elment for this drama.
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Funny, Heartwarming, Suspenseful: A Blend of Sucess
I don't think I can perfectly express what was it like to watch it for the first time after having rewatched it four times already. At first, I just thought it'd be interested to see a drama to portray a North-South Korea plot. However, it was way more than just that: I laughed a lot, got curious to watch the next chapter, had my heart racing out my mouth with such a fast pace, was shocked on how gorgeous these actors are... Also, about the music, all of CLOY's tracklist is just beautiful, from the rhythm to its lyrics. Everything just seems to fit!What made me write this so much later is that I recommended it to a friend, and she expressed to me the same reactions I did before, really made my go back in time – but the main thing to get my attention and give a 10 star rating for Crash Landing on You is that it makes you think about real things in real life. It's not just some ordinary series you watch just to kill time, but instead a real lesson. I learned how real is that money doesn't buy you happiness, just take a look at our protagonist. Also, you need someone that's by your side because they enjoy your companion, other than just because. I even got emotional when our main couple's first-meeting story was revealed – and I never do!
To say the least, it changed me, from the way I see life, to my personal beliefs. As I was just 11 years old the first time I had contact with the drama, it also brings me so much happiness to rewatch it, as I can travel back in time to how life was back then. Simply put, you'll not regret it – I just wish I could erase my memory so I could watch it as it was the first time again!
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Full of surprises!
I absolutely adore our leads for being so strong yet humane. Our ML is shown to be strong and tough but they also showed that he is a human who bleeds, cries, and cares. Our FL showed bravery, independence, and seemed to have it all but they also showed how much she cared, cried, and depended. They were so cute and funny together, if it were from the plot then I'm sure this k drama is going to be all fluff. There are a lot of moments where they just slapped me in all languages about how single I am but hey at least I still experience butterflies in the stomach because of them.The storyline is an absolute masterpiece. It's a beautiful rollercoaster that made sense. It wasn't too fast or slow for me. Our main story combined with the second couple is good too. The friends are so funny, they absolutely made my day. I would recommend this for everyone and for those who want something that would pick their interest from the very beginning,
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This is hands down without a doubt the best kdrama of 2019-20 <3. I simply LOVE LOVE LOOOOVE every aspect of it, every angle so beautifully done. Not to mention the fact that the female lead is NOT DIRT POOR AND HELPLESS as is typical in most kdramas. She's actually very intelligent and holds her own in various situations.
The music/OST fits perfectly with the heart wrenching moments, as well as the comedy entwined into the more serious scenes.
The acting from the whole cast is absolutely top notch! The emotions, thoughts, feelings, everything is conveyed so well. It’s brought me to tears on so many occasions, or left me in stitches clutching my sides unable to stop laughing :D
Another remarkable thing about this drama is how it’s able to shift so effortlessly from the more serious moments to the comedy, it’s so smoothly done and feels so natural. Love
it!
One of the most beautiful themes of this drama is how it illustrates all the different types of love and relationships, ranging from true love/romance, mother-daughter/familial bonds, comradeship/friendship, and how it brings people together uniting them no matter the physical separation or hardship they are going through. It so preciously shines through <3.
This will always remain a fave of mine, and undoubtedly so difficult to topple…ahhh that void left behind as you try to find another beautiful drama :’(
Ps. Hyun Bin oppa and Son Ye-Jin so perfect together, their chemistry off the charts.
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I must say, this drama had it all. I think there are several factors that made it as good as it was. For me, my main points are:
- the element of North and South Korea. It almost feels like a parallel world (maybe just because I’m watching ‘The King: Eternal Monarch’ right now) but they are both so different, and the North gave it that element of danger but also innocence (since they don’t have access to much and it’s very backward)
- the brotherhood with the 4 soldiers, each with their own personality (hello 'found family' trope because se-ri's biological brothers are human garbage)
- the age of the leads: in their mid-late 30s rather than in most dramas it’s 20s, gives it a more mature feel
- stunning cinematography and soundtrack
- star-crossed lovers trope
- the plot is v good
+ one of my favourite intros ever.
But I must say, one thing I found so funny in this were these Trucks of Doom™. Like why did the villains have to go through All. That. Trouble. every time they needed someone killed. There are so many other methods to make it look like an ‘accident’ why do they do they same M.O. every time???
And even 'I' think that this show has too many coincidences, even for kdrama standards. The amount of times they had a ‘chance encounter’ in the past is crazy lol
Even so, this drama is such high quality. So glad I finally got around to watching it.
P.S: Ri Jeong Hyeok has set the standard impossibly high, sucks for all the guys who aren’t him because he has just raised all our expectations by 847%
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synchronicity comes full circle
This drama is outstanding and has earned its place as one of the greats. It is incredibly rich, incredibly layered and ultimately incredibly satisfying.It showcased all the typical kdrama tropes while still remaining fresh and addictive; the tropes I identified are: impossible love, chaebol family, cohabitation, a past, barely remembered meeting between the leads, arranged marriage, fake engagement, truck of death, riches to rags, adopted love child, sibling succession wars, fate or destiny; I'm sure there are many others.
This is a story about love in all its different facets, romantic love, familial love, love between friends, love between co-workers, love of your immediate community, love for your country and finally love for oneself. On the flip side the drama also explores destructive love for example the love of money, power or revenge.
Ultimately the drama strives to portray a love that is protective, selfless, healing, enduring, patient and a love that seeks to build it's object up rather than tear it down.
Jung Hyuk and Se ri's love and to a certain extent Seo Dan and Gu Sung Jun's love shows that as long as your heart is open and you're looking outward toward the object of your affection and putting them first, then your love will be rewarded, it will continue to grow and your life will be enriched as a result. I also particularly loved how Gu Sung Jun found his humanity in North Korea and I applaud the writer for not romanticising him by allowing Seo Dan to fall in love with him just as he was.
The cast and acting are what makes this drama special, not just the leads ( who are truly outstanding) but the entire cast kept this drama exciting, relatable and so heartwarming to watch; there is a commitment to the narrative that is evident in this show, each actor is so diligently and charmingly immersed in their role that as a viewer you cannot fail to be captivated.
The village ahjummas and the lovingly dubbed 'ducklings' literally steal this show with their sometimes hilarious and other times poignant and heart tugging performances, I truly adored this aspect of the drama and was never impatient to get these characters off the screen.
The treatment of the North Korea aspect was handled in a very sensitive manner, I appreciate that the writer depicted North Koreans as normal people who live their lives working hard and loving their friends and families just like any other people on this planet, this is important because oftentimes North Korea is caricatured and stripped of any normal commonplace attributes.
I also enjoyed this drama because I could always make sense of what I was watching, and all the nods to other kdramas and kdrama characters in the form of cameos, guest appearances or references were truly appreciated.
Although this is a drama with many goodbyes, each goodbye led to another level of love where the characters discovered more of themselves and what they are capable of enduring.
I do have a small criticism to make, I personally think that the synchronicity of the main couple's story regarding their first meeting in Switzerland and how this plays out throughout the drama is a little too neat and pat in the way it all just falls into place at the perfect moment. I don't know that's just me, kdramas love their fated love stories.
A lot of people have expressed some dissatisfaction with the ending, but in my opinion the writer and production team were probably very conscious of giving us a politically correct resolution which didn't appear to advocate anything illegal or insensitive. I think as viewers we are free to flesh out how our main couple navigated the rest of their lives.
The music is great in this drama, I think the placement of the music improved as the drama went on, especially with regard to the tracks with lyrics, not the instrumental pieces.
Overall 9.5 out of 10
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A masterpiece
I don’t know what I was expecting, really, but I can confidently say this exceeded my expectations.At first, I tought I was just watching an overrated romance with a hot military man (that, tbh, was the reason I started), but wow. Just, wow.
I’m horrible at writing reviews, but CLOY deserves it. Not a single thing about this kdrama bothered me. Words cannot describe how much I enjoyed watching this show. The chemistry between the characters, even the secondary couple, was top notch. I cried, laughed and smiled so much watching.
I know it’s a short review, but I’m so overwhelmed with emotions that I cant even express them properly.
Thank you, CLOY ❤️
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First, I would like to say that before watching it I was slightly apprehensive of the way North Korea was going to be portrayed. I feared it would be too cliché and without nuance. Now that I have finished it I am glad to report that it did not feel that way to me. The inequalities between Pyongyang and the countryside, the instricacies of power in the society and every day life were portrayed in a believable way. Rather than provoking pity for the North Korean it shows them as ordinary humans evolving in a society that is vastly different from what we know.
The appeal of this drama rests on its cast and the characters. Every actor did a great job but especially Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin. I liked Ri Jung Hyuk's subtle expressions of amusement and love throughout the episodes. I felt that Se Ri was really relatable even as she went through improbable situations (that tornado...).
The female characters were also something that I loved, I liked that Se Ri was strong and brave but sometimes unsure. I liked the mothers : often in dramas they are either too nice or absolutely horrible. Here, they feel real : they love their child without smothering them; they want to help them without deciding every details of their lifes.
I loved how the relationship between the second leads evolved and even how it ended (obviously I wasn't super happy but felt that it somehow made it more beautiful and meaningful) and how Seo Dan grew because of it.
I loved the camaraderie between Ri Jung Hyuk, his subordinates and Se Ri but also the friendship between the women in the village. They brought the funny moments.
And finally, I really really liked the ending. I haven't been so moved watching the end of a drama for a long time. The fact that it is not a simple happily ever after is refreshing and keeps it more real.
If you want a drama with heartwarming love stories and frienships, a bit of sadness but lots of laughs, great scenery and acting, this one is for you.
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