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Marvellous acting and production, historically inacurrate storytelling
To be honest, when just starting to watch this drama, I had absolutely no idea about the historical events behind it (and how distorted they were in the k-drama). I wholeheartedly agree that the show's writer failed to recreate the tragedy of the real events and heavily sugarcoated the hostage situation. That's why my review is solely about the acting, character development, and plot resolution(taking into consideration that the plot is historically inaccurate and acknowledging the real events that happened in 1987).Moving on to the actual review [SPOILERS]:
I am in a love-hate relationship with this show.
What I loved:
1. The acting.
Everything about the cast was perfect.
Jung Hae In killed it. I can't think of anyone better for his role. Soo-ho was such a three-dimensional character, that you rarely see in k-dramas. He had his cute/mischievous side (first episode, when he met Yeong-Ro), his love for his country, men, and family, his stoicism when he had to do his duties, his soft side (for Yeong-Ro). He had his weaknesses, his doubts, and mistakes. He was not perfect, but that made him a real person.
Great debut performance for Jisoo. While her character wasn't as colourful and multi-dimensional as Hae In's, she still did well portraying a college girl's emotions through such a traumatic event. Sad and crying scenes were realistic. I expected more action and character development from Yeong-Ro, she is one of the main leads after all, but that's not Jisoo's fault.
Yoo In A - Loved her in "The spies who loved me", loved her here too. She deserves to be included in the "main leads" list. Kang Cheong A was dare I say, the second most important character after Soo-ho.
Gang Seung Jo as Lee Kang Mo. This was my first time watching him on-screen, and I instantly fell in love! I'm looking forward to watching a drama where he is the main lead.
Kim Hye Yoon as Boon Ok - Wow! When someone plays a villain, and you grow to hate the character - that means the actor is marvellous.
2. The production and decor - I loved the costumes. Not sure how historically accurate they are, but they look convincing enough. Even though the setting was only the dorm, the way each room was decorated, and the consistency was good (when it came to object placement and character's costumes).
The whole series was a pleasure to the eyes, make-up wasn't over the top and was relatively consistent - all the characters' injuries "stayed" in the same place throughout episodes and didn't magically disappear two days after the hero got them (like in some dramas, a character is punched in the face, his eyes and face swollen and everything, but after two days everything is healed like magic).
What I hated:
1. Eun Young Ro's step-mother, Nam Tae Il's wife, and the ANSP political drama as a whole.
2. Lots of things were left hanging at the end. I know the ending was rushed because they had to cut out a big part of the drama due to controversies. However, I would've liked to know what happened to Kang Cheong A, the college girls, and most importantly So-Hoo's SISTER.
What I didn't hate, but I also didn't love:
1. The love story - Sorry. It has nothing to do with the actors. They have amazing chemistry. It's just that the whole falling in love while being held hostage didn't seem too convincing. After episode 3, the main leads barely got on screen together, and the few times they were together, Yeong-Ro was crying about something. She didn't contribute to their relationship (with Soo-ho) in any way. I felt like it was more of a brother-sister like love, not so romantic.
Maybe you are wondering why I'm giving this show an 8.5/10 and not a lower rating (considering the historical inaccuracies). Well, this was one of the few dramas, in which I haven't fast-forwarded. It managed to keep me interested from the start, till the end.
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Not an emotional rollercoaster but just pain
I started watching this drama cause of jisoo and the teasing that we were given for a bit over a year and I wasn’t disappointed. I had doubt starting the drama because of all the controversies around it and therefore didn’t really know if it was even going to continuing airing. However I don’t regret it as it was so much different than what others said it was going to be.1) I personally enjoyed the plot. I found it interesting especially at the beginning and it kept you guessing. However, I found it really easy to guess the ‘plottwist’/secrets, so when they were revealed I didn’t have that wow factor. Only two things actually made me shocked and it was because I felt it was really random plottwist that may have been unnecessary to the plot line.
The romance between the characters was little to non-existent and that’s probably why I kept getting excited after each interactions (if you haven’t guessed it it’s cause I like pain) .
And as I said in the title I wish I could say it’s an emotional rollercoaster but to qualify it as that you need to feel other emotions that pain, which was not included.
2) The acting was really good, from the main to the side I feel like none lacked and each delivered their performance to give out the feeling of pain and fear (once more).
Because it is Jisoo’s first time I had my doubt as many may have towards idol actors and I wouldn’t say she surprised me greatly (as my expectations of her were not horrible) but she delivered her character so well that I forgot it was her.
As for Haein, I have nothing to say (if you watched his other dramas you already know what a great actor he is).
3) The only music I can remember clearly is the one from the intro and bonus scene. But the intro music made me not want to skip as it put you straight away in the painful snowdrop mood.
4) The reason why the rewatch value is low is solely based on my personal feeling and the fact that I have to protect my heart from hurting more than once with the same drama.
Overall as you may have understood, my main point is that snowdrop equalled PAIN but I definetly not regret giving it a try.
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Don't Watch with a Delicate Heart
This is my first time reviewing on MDL, really because I need closure! I can't find myself able to move on.Story:
I found the concept really interesting, the corruption of government and even the ties between North and South Korea. There were tons of plotholes by the end, but honestly, I was only really bothered by one thing when I reached the finale. I think Yeong Ro deserved better, and more character. Kinda surprised that Soo Ho was more in-depth than our FL. I think it's still a great watch, and I was hooked. Every episode cliffhanger left me needing more... I've never risked sleep for a drama, but there's a first time for everything- and Snowdrop was the first. I was most bothered by the fact that Nam couldn't have just radioed the SWAT team telling them to hold fire on Soo Ho, instead of wasting his time running there... Like what? There was also plenty of time for him to have just gone with Yeong Ro. But it was a destined heartbreak from the start.
Acting/Cast:
Holy hell, Jung Hae In... How did he completely pass my eyes in While You Were Sleeping?! That man's smile just makes you melt. I thought his acting was fantastic too without a doubt. I read lots of reviews and comments saying that people should not have stopped watching just because of Jisoo's acting, but I'm glad I never really saw any comments saying her acting was bad. Because it wasn't. I'm a BP fan, fairly new, but I never really found the thing that made me love Jisoo as much as my bias. This though, holy. I wanna go to a BP concert now. SHE POPPED OFF. I think she did well beyond the expectations of a rookie actress and I'm really proud of her. I hope to see #haesoo in another project for some better closure (happy endings only).
Music:
I thought the OST was great, nothing else to say.
Rewatch Value:
This wouldn't be so high up just because I don't want to put myself through the pain again, but also the drama unveils many plot twists that take away from it's rewatch value because the suspense that kept you going the first time is no longer there.
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Worth a Watch. So many feels!
The most exceptional romance I've ever watched. The acting and the production (especially the cinematography) made this show such an amazing experience. I loved (almost) every second of it. The two leads (and literally everyone else) are absolutely mind-blowingly good at their roles and made this drama shine. The ending is a little lackluster though and the characters could have been fleshed out a bit more... But it's definitely worth a watch if not just for the acting and the *chef's kiss* production.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Stellar cast
The most outstanding part about this drama is the cast. I’ve watched some of Jung Hae-in’s dramas and in this drama he gave his best performance. So controlled, nuanced and powerful that I sometimes wonder if its the same Jung that I know of. Yoo In-na stood out too, she great whether she was sexy doctor or a cold spy. The two’s screen time almost stole the show from that of the ML & FL’s. The baddies are so good too. Nam Tae-li is a hoot and Boku is pure jealously and spite. Unfortunately, the FL is weak and it spoilt the drama somewhat for me. Jisoo is pretty (at some angles, she looks like young Tang Wei) and her performance as a new actress is commendable. She would have done v well if its an idol-type drama. However, she is really out of her league here and its not her fault tbh. Why cast an amateur in this formidable ensemble? At the height of a scene when every one was deep in their element, she looked like a lost extra. If only a more seasoned actress was cast, I would have cried buckets. Instead i was left a little irritated.The story is gripping but yet at times meandering. Too much screen time is given to the numerous failed negotiations and it was getting repetitive. More time could have been allocated to fuller develop the characters who seem to have interesting backstories. The last episode was rushed, although it was worth the wait.
It would have been a perfect drama. The premise of this story is intriguing and romantic. It’s also v cinematic and beautifully shot. It has the vibe of a fairytale. A pity the storytelling and casting were a little uneven. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the drama and recommend it. I have become a fan of Jung Hae-in and Yoo In Na.
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Politics
Everybody keeps saying that this is a romance drama but this is not the main genre. The main genre is politics. This whole drama revolves around an election scheme. But the story was good enough. The acting was also great. Jisoo did a good job.What I didn't like was that the episodes were too long. All episodes were nearly one and a half hour long and the last episode was one hour, 45 minutes long ?. It's a movie not an episode! But it's fine.
Also, I feel that Jisoo should not have taken this drama. There were various controversies about it because in this drama, she unknowingly gives refuge to a North Korean spy. It doesn't look good to start a career with controversies. But probably because she wanted to get into acting, she had to do the very first role she receives.
It's worth one watch though.
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Snowdrop offers a fresh idea about the relationship between a spy and a female student. Surrounded by a tense situation, the romance that grows between the two main characters manages to make the audience sympathetic to the hopelessness of their condition. This drama focuses a lot on the political situation among high-ranking officials and there is a lot of innuendo and criticism of ANSP. One of the strengths of the Snowdrop script is that there are a lot of characters with a well-explained background, which makes the supporting characters also have an important role and not only for screen-time. The audience can see various characteristics and characters so they don't just focus on ML and FL. This is also what I think makes this drama not boring even though it takes up a lot of background places only in the dormitory. Now, I want to discuss the weaknesses of the script for the drama Snowdrop. One of the characters that I think is not well developed and written is the FL, namely Eun Young-ro (played by Jisoo). From the beginning to the end of the drama, every time she takes the initiative to do/help, it always ends with a big tragedy as a result of her "good" deeds. This makes it seem as if the female lead is just a burden girl and there is no character development until the end. I don't know but I feel that Eun Young-ro as a student who is described as kind and helpful to others can be developed more and make her a more interesting character as the episodes continue. The next character I want to criticize is Ms. Pi (played by Yoon Se-Ah) and Lee Kang Moo (played by Jang Seung Jo), who are clearly seen as smart and experienced characters but instead commit a lot of stupid actions. I don't know if this is the author's intention or the details are not being paid attention to, but I feel the story focuses on the character development of ML's side. The last thing I didn't like was that all the problems were solved in the last 3 episodes which ended up making the ending too rushed and leaving several plot holes. The problems in this drama can be said to be many and complex, which should be solved gradually and not thrown all to the last episode. The casting for this drama has to be said to be a brilliant decision. Jung Hae-In managed to bring out various emotions just from the look in his eyes. The action scene as a veteran agent was also successfully delivered. Yoo Inna is my favorite actress in this drama. Kang Cheong Ya as a manipulative character is really well displayed and her leadership aura is felt. Other actors such as Jang Seung Jo, Yoon Se Ah, Kim Hye Yoon also managed to present the character very well. Jisoo, as a rookie actress must be said to be doing a good job. She is not awkward and I have to admit that her crying acting can break the hearts of the audience. I'm looking forward to the future project of Snowdrop casts.
The music from Snowdrop fits into the 80s and really impresses the disney feel. Unfortunately only a few OSTs were used for the 16-episode drama.
Overall, Snowdrop is worth-watching drama of 2021. It's not the best but it still be considered as a good drama. I won't actually consider to re-watch it because I've known the twists of the story, but maybe if I miss the cast I will do it.
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A Gorgeous Production dripping with nostalgia!
I must preface this by saying I'm no expert in Korean history and the controversy surrounding this drama. So before watching it I did a quick google search and read a few articles regarding the matter just to know what I was getting myself into.So I went in thinking Id be watching some controversy-ridden, political hot potato of a drama. Instead, I found something incredibly lush and dripping with nostalgia. The OST perfectly sets the stage for a gorgeous production that practically allows you to step back into 80s Korea. The costumes and the set design really enhance the experience, even the sounds of the streets and shops create a rich and full experience that immerses you and draws you in. The camera work is so cinematic, with a slight vintage tinge to it.
The second you meet Ji soo's character, Eun Young Ro, the scene lights up with her buoyant playful energy. Jung Hae In is excellent in this role, stoic and matter-of-factly yet full of conflict. The many side characters are interesting and feel like real people. Even the antagonists are intriguing and varied in their schemes and motivations. And I have to praise Yoo In Na who practically steals any scene she's in.
I must also mention the biggest and most important character in the drama: The Dorm! The Dorm is like a living breathing character that feels like home with its wooden frames and long hallways. It reminds me of when I first saw Hogwarts and something inside me thinks "I want to live there!" By the time the drama was over, I felt sad because I didn't want to leave the dorm that welcomed me with its warm embrace.
As for the writing and plot, I thought it was a tough task to tackle and they handled it fairly well. Not just the challenge of dancing around the dicey politics, but also just writing for a plot that takes place predominantly in... should I say "limited" (so as not to spoil anything) locations. I also really enjoyed the concurrent "who dun it" secondary subplot, expertly woven into the primary plot. There are times when it does drag but these are built-in to the limits of the plot's scenario.
I have to gush about the OST some more. Every time I hear it I get chills. While I was watching the series, I would find myself humming the OST during the day. That's just how effectual this OST is, it sinks into you and stays with you. I also want to commend Ji Soo's first outing as an actress. While she wasn't perfect for her first time, as a main lead no less, she did a great job.
As for the controversy, after finishing the drama, I really didn't feel the complaints were warranted. At least not worthy of all the outrage. Ultimately, this was a beautiful story regardless of all the fuss surrounding it. I could very well be wrong as I'm not exactly well-versed in Korean history, but give it a shot so you can form your own opinion. But It's definitely one of the most gorgeous productions I've seen in a drama and you'd be sorely missing out if you were put off or hesitant purely due to controversy.
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What are you waiting for ?? Go watch this show !!!
One of the drama where the plot twists are INSANE. I was in tense in every single episodes wondering WHAT WILL HAPPEN, and HOW WILL THEY SURVIVE THIS TIME ?Jung Hae In is amazing... he can't never disappoint me... I love him so much in this show, how can he be so versatile ?
I can't give 10/10 because the romance was a bit slow for me , and the FL was a little ... childish ?
Also, something it felt like the story was repeated and repeated , like I had alrealy lived the same scenes some episodes before
But.. thank you for this show, one of my favorite from now on <3
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fighting bleeding losing nonstop CRYING!!!
THIS KDRAMA IS THE BEST !!!! I REALLY ROCOMMEND !!! EVERYTHING IS PERFECTTHE ENDING WAS TRAGEC I CRYED ALOT BUT THIS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN U LOVW A KDRAMA OMG I FEEL LIKE WRITEING ASY FOR ENGLISH !! OMG I HAVE TO RIGHT MORE !!!!!!! FIGHTING BLEEDING LOSING I GE DEPP BUT BAGER SO HOP DAMION I F_+ KEEP IT LOW CRYING CRYING CRYING IGO DEEP BUT YO LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU NO MATTER WA I SAY RUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNN LIKE I GO CRAZY OVER YOUUU OMG EVENN MOREE !???
I know I love you
이 제로의 세계 속
I know you're my one and only
이 끝이 없던 어둠 속
Like oh my god, so holy
뭐든 내 두 손끝에선
부리나케 도망가 멀리
My life before you was a mess
언제나 단 한 판 이길 수 없던 체스
Oh we
무저갱의 바닥에서
넌 유일하게 빛나던 gold
Now I can't stop thinking 'bout you
When I'm sinking alone
어느 날 내게 나타난 천사
데려가 줘 너의 hometown
I know it's real, I can feel it
난 문제 투성이 love sick
길이 없었어
죽어도 좋았어
I'm a loser in this game
세계의 유일한 법칙
나를 구해줘
내 손을 잡아줘
Please use me like a drug
(I know I love you)
Say you love me
Say you love me
세계의 끝까지
All or nothing
I want all of you
(I know I love you)
Say you love me
Say you love me
세계의 끝까지
All or nothing
I give all of you
(I know I love you)
아마 난 안될 거야
천국엔 못 갈 거야
난 어울리지 않아
내 자리 따위 천국엔 없어
뭐든 내 두 발끝에선
새까맣게 물들었었지
My life before you was trash
언제나 단 한 발 붙일 수 없던 match
Oh we
얼음뿐인 이곳에서
넌 유일하게 빛나던 glow
Now I can't stop thinking 'bout you
When I'm sinking alone
그러다 내게 나타난 천사
데려가 줘 너의 hometown
I know it's real, I can feel it
난 문제 투성이 love sick
길이 없었어
죽어도 좋았어
I'm a loser in this game
세계의 유일한 법칙
나를 구해줘
내 손을 잡아줘
Please use me like a drug
(I know I love you)
구멍 난 영혼에 살이 돋아
추운 대기가 녹아가
제로의 세계 속에
찾아낸 너라는 온기
내 모두를 거둬가
Girl I need you
난 문제 투성이 love sick (oh)
길이 없었어
죽어도 좋았어 (oh)
I'm a loser in this game (game)
세계의 유일한 법칙
나를 구해줘
내 손을 잡아줘
Please use me like a drug
(I know I love you)
Say you love me
Say you love me (I love you)
세계의 끝까지
All or nothing
I want all of you
(I know I love you)
Say you love me
Say you love me
세계의 끝까지 (세계의 끝까지)
All or nothing
I give all of you
(I know I love you)
SORRY I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE THX
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Positively surprised and delighted
I'm positively surprised and delighted with this drama, especially with the political and historical thread. The romantic theme is understandable, but the story is sooo gooood that it was barely an addition, I think it would be fine without it also. The main male roles... revelation. K-pop idol's acting, not bad but also not above average. In fact, it seems to me that she had definitely less scenes/minutes compared to the lead male role so she didn't have enough opportunity to show more, dunno. It will definitely be in my top dramas and I will come back to watch it again.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
You don't choose your country when you are born
We all know how this drama was anticipated for a year and almost put into stop when it was broadcasted but this drama is more of the romance between Yeong-ro and Soo-ho but a real deal in governance.When I watched the first few episodes, it made me feel I'm watching a movie that made me appreciate its production.
I won't dive too much on its historical and sensitive plot since I'm not knowledgeable about it but how the writer and the director able to show the struggle of hierarchy and power-tripping throughout the hostage-taking situation definitely provided a more deep understanding on the clash of ideologies—dictatorship and soft authoritarianism. So yes, the hostage-taking will last long.
In terms of the romance between Yeong-ro and Soo-ho, there are times that I don't feel that there were 'sparks' in their scenes together because of the chaotic and horrible situation they were in so I think that flashing skinships does not help to make the tension light enough. Also, some hidden backgrounds and flashbacks made a difference in the drama but others just becomes a supplement rather than a twists because it's predictable.
Overall the an hour and a half episodes was enjoyable so might give this drama still a try.
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