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take-to-the-sky
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GREAT chemistry. fun. laughable rom-com
the two actors — despite both being in the 30’s, are able to portray a couple being playful in the traditional cute kdrama way without it making you cringe compared to how their characters are normally in every day life, instead, it feels like you’ve really just watched these two people fall in love grow into their honeymoon phase.
**spoilers**
many viewers maybe saw the second half with the orphaned trauma ‘boring’ or a ‘waste of time’ but in my opinion, i preferred this plot device over a misunderstanding between the main couple or something keeping them separated. much like another very loved kdrama of mine, just between lovers, this is a character driven show which focuses on the trauma of a main character and how they deal with it. so, obviously not for everyone, but i thought it was dealt with beautifully.
anyways, i read a lot of reviews before watching that discussed how great the chemistry and skin ship was in this drama, and it’s the truth. they don’t hold back and it pays off!
DEFINITELY would rec for lovers of rom-coms and anything you don’t have to take too seriously. it’s a lot of fun.
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Beautiful yet bittersweet & youthful love story centered around many aspects of love
I should preface this review by first stating that the majority of c-dramas I get invested in are historical dramas, not many modern or youth dramas. Yet I fell in love with this drama within the first few episodes, much to my own shock. I thought I'd just watch it casually or when I wanted something fluffy rather than angsty and dark. But I soon binged up to all the available episodes, that's how immersed I felt in the story.Now that I've explained my love and attatchment to their story, as it's rare for me to be invested in a drama and main pairing like I was, I can explain why I enjoyed the majority of the story and I reccomened it to anyone with an open mind about this story.
Firstly, the story. I haven't read the orginal book but I could tell that the source material helped the writers create such a fun and exciting story off the bat (with fire crackers giving us the start to the story, literally) Anyways, I was instantly gripped by the dynamic between the leads, Shiyi and Xiaoju, which felt sort of similar to the love story dynamic of Anne and Gilbert (From Anne of Green Gables) which could certianly be a reason as to why I enjoyed watching their story unfold so much, as that book was part of my childhood, along with the mini-movies. The reason I found these two similar is because it delievers that cheeky teasing boy x girl who fights back yet is ultimately quite sensitve to his teasing at times, and they bicker, like a LOT. As well as the fact that Shiyi falls for her first, which makes the way he constantly teased her at first even funnier considering how he falls and has a crush on her before he can even come to terms with it himself.
I thought the side-characters were interesting enough as well (there's a scene with the second leads, Huang Jun and Letao, towards the end that actually led me to tears even though I didn't quite expect it from them, so their story is anything but dull.) I know many viewers were somewhat dissapointed by how Xiaoju was crushing on Chang Leng for so long, but I think that's part of what made me want to keep watching. Her pining after this guy who didn't pay her much attention after he found someone he liked, she became basically an after thought to him, but she was never an after thought to Shiyi. We as the viewers get to see first hand how nice he actually is to her and all that he does for her, even if he likes to tease with his words and deflect his feelings a lot. If this kind of drama sounds like it would intruige you, I'd advise you to watch for characters who all make mistakes in love! ALL of them. No one is perfect.
This is also a c-drama with high quality acting from both mains, and most of the supporting cast. Hu Yixuan did such a great job with the conflicts at the beginning centered around her mother and her, specifically her mother's obvious favorment of her brother over her, which isn't a rare trope, but I thought she portrayed those emotions of an older sister particularlly well. And Richards Wang stood out to me as skilled right away, he pulled off the goofy, comedic relief male lead off successfully, and I've certianly seen other actors be unable to pull this off. Another thing that struck me was their beautiful chemistry together, they had to potray leads with a friendship that dated back to high school full of teasing and that kind of acting can come off as rather fake if the actors aren't comfortable with each other but you could tell they were and understood what seemed natural for their characters in interacting.
Overall, I think if you want a drama that does slowburn well, with only a little big of dragging at the end (in my opinion they should've cut college life off a bit earlier so we could get more of their adult life) but I understand they were following the original book and they made some good adjustments to the story as well. hehe. But the payoff is worth it! The chemistry is worth it! And don't be concerned about the 2nd male lead being in the way too much or anything, Shiyi and Xiaoju become best friends basically in the middle of the drama and this leads to them being together the majority of the time. Lots of fluff and tropes done right! I'll miss this drama and I'd love to rewatch it some day. Give it a try if this review sounds like you'd be in the mood for it!
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It is getting repetitive..
Hello, just want to preface this review by saying, yes, I did drop the drama. However, I skimmed through the last few episodes, which is why I can't technically say I watched all of them. So ignore my review if this bothers you. Back to the review, this is all my own opinion, not meant to sway anyone or change anyone's mind about trying this drama out, because it could totally be for you.Overall, the drama started out good. I was excited for it as I thought it had potential. I like both Lee Jaewook and Jung Somin, I think they acted well and did what they could with their characters. However, from the very start, I picked up on the extreme similarities of the main character writing + otp dynamics from the Hong sisters last two works, like are they not bored? They give us a strong FL to start with, and a goofy-ish male lead (who will get stronger later while FL gets weaker) and it is all just so predictable. I'm sorry, I just feel like they need to try something new out. Aside from this though, I could feel the magic die as the show went on, it just lost that fire it had at the start in my opinion. I don't know what it is, but it started to become a chore to me to have to watch this drama. So, it wasn't for me to force myself to finish watching it.
The chemistry between the leads was also nothing special or unique in my opinion, I think a lot of this is due to how typical their love line was. It was just nothing new or different, nothing to cheer on. Also, this is perhaps a preference thing, but I'm really tired of the trope of having a female lead with three different guys who chase her, it feels so outdated.
For me personally, this drama was recycled with predictable twists and tropes, and it also failed to utilize the potential of things like the Four Seasons etc. So, it is a skip from me. However, I can totally understand the love it has gotten, and also respect everyone's own opinions and feelings towards it. :)
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We were rooting for you!!!!
Sigh. I really wanted this drama to not fall into the curse of being one of those dramas that should've had 12-13 episodes instead of dragging itself to a lousy 16 that ended up ruining the drama for me. Firstly, I loved the acting and the chemistry of the leads. The supporting cast was very cookie-cutter and replaceable, so I won't say much about them. They were boring to me.Now, this drama presents itself as a romantic comedy at first that had a fun fast pace right from the bat. Where it falters is the need for it to become a melodrama from episode 12 onward. It is an abrupt change that feels forced and from there on all the characters basically repeat their actions over and over until the end, losing any pace it had before as a result.
The forceful need to have it be that one of the leads "needed" to die, instead of just ending with ML transforming into a human due to drinking a *bit* of FL's blood (would have been a perfectly good ending IMO, but no, let's force one of those ambiguous open endings on our viewers from what was meant to be a silly little rom-com about vampires.)
These scriptwriters and the director just couldn't pick a lane I guess. Wasted!
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a timeless masterpiece
So, I'm writing this in 2021 even though I originally watched this in early 2018. But I am writing this because I love it now just as much as then. Which I can't say for every other drama I watched in 2018.This is a drama you should watch when you need something both comforting and tear-jerking at the same time. Which, I think we could all use that sometimes. This drama also features characters that feel real! Due to the writing and acting and overall vibe of this drama, I could sympathize and feel for each of the characters in their own way.
Kang Doo and Moon Soo also have one of the most healing and beautiful romances. Not a lot of dramas that deal with trauma carry the romance arc properly, but this one did. The leads have dynamic chemistry and I'd love to see them on screen again. (Also when I first watched I had no clue Junho was an idol till like halfway through. He's amazing.)
The music.... ohh the music. I found myself humming along to many of the beautiful osts because I recalled them from my first watching. The OST is one of the best ever. I still listen to the songs from it today.
Rewatchablity was an A+ for me. A lot of the time when I try to rewatch dramas I'll drop them, but rewatching this one I found myself finding new details and falling in love with the beautiful little world in this drama all over again.
SO, 10/10 Overall, it shows a beautiful journey filled with many life lessons and it's such a well-paced and incredible drama. Don't miss out on it if you're on the fence of watching it or not.
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My favorite drama of 2022 easily.
To me, this drama was the underdog in it's genre this year. It successfully won the hearts of so many lovers of this genre and I couldn't be happier that it did. When I first added it to my PTW in 2021 when it was announced, I thought I'd give it a try since the visuals were so pretty and the chemistry between the actors from the BTS we had gotten seemed good. Little did I know this drama would prove to be worth the wait!Firstly, the story is magnificent. I will say I was watching passively at first, unsure if I was going to like it or not (I've been burned by dramas a lot this year okay, starting strong then falling flat) but this was the opposite for me! The story kept getting more exciting as time went on and before I knew it I was staying up late just to catch up more on episodes of this addictive drama. While a lot of xianxia drama's tend to start by throwing the characters into a plot and overloading the viewer with information and backstory, this one kept itself and it's story simple without overcomplicating anything. The characters are not driven everywhere randomly by the plot, they are responsible for the plot and their actions and choices make sense as we grow to know them, nothing is senseless.
Another thing I loved is how DFQC was a well-written xianxia ml who didn't fall into the usual tropes we see, he wasn't a teacher or a noble figure who was holier than thou. He was also given good development and most importantly it was development that actually made sense. Falling in love didn't take away the vengeance he had before, which would've been unrealistic if he ditched all his previous goals just because he fell in love. Like usually dramas act as though falling in love changes a persons every thought, nope, DFQC was still himself, just a bit less sociopath-y.
The acting was another beautiful aspect of this drama, I could feel the passion Esther and Dylan had for their characters. They also both pulled off the body swap's without making it seem like they were mocking, instead it was really like they picked up on each other's core mannerisms. The chemistry is also undeniable. They channeled it perfectly, and you can tell both actors are listening to each other well. It is just lovely to witness.
There is so much obvious passion here, from the directing, the music, the production, gcostume design, editing. It all feels like no details went untouched. The team wanted to create an enjoyable drama for the summer, and in my opinion they did just that!
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(We Don't Know Much but) We Are a Family
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An immediate comfort drama for me!
I wrote notes down while watching this drama, but my overall thoughts came out a bit scattered! I guess I'll just preface by saying I really do love this drama, if my 10-star rating didn't make that obvious already.This is easily my favorite family drama I have ever watched. Every episode gave me a reason to keep on watching, and on top of that, every episode felt like its own movie in a way, in terms of direction. I would say this is a more serious family drama, I watched most of it with my grandmother, who despises most comedic relief humor that is often found in family dramas, and she enjoyed the tone and pacing of this one a lot. I'm not saying that this drama doesn't have any lighthearted moments or parts that you might throw a chuckle at, but the drama leans towards a more melodramatic feeling. I think this is very fitting especially given the rather controversial topics that this drama covers. These topics were never treated as a joke or laughing matter by the writers and I really enjoyed that a lot. This drama was realistic but not in a way that was ever painful or felt like they were exploiting these topics for views, it was just tackling issues that exist in society.
Now, onto the characters. I loved all of the siblings in their own ways, Eunhee as the classic mediator middle child, Eunjoo as the cold yet misunderstood older sister, and Jiwoo as the youngest who tried to match both of his sisters. I thought the family dynamics were super realistic and profound. The parents storyline was interesting too, you could especially see how heavily their respective traumas had impacted how they carried themselves in their older age. You could tell how much they wanted to understand each other yet their past kept preventing them from moving forward. I will say, that the fathers character was probably the one I had the most problems with. I won't spoil too much, or rant, but he is certianly a tough character.
Also, for viewers that are fans of romance (like myself) rest assured, although the romance in here is slow-burn, it is very complex at the same time. Eunhee and Chanhyuk are now one of my favorite couples I've ever seen in a drama. I typically am not a fan of friends to lovers (unless it is done very well like here) And honestly, they are more like estranged friends to lovers if we're being honest but that made the angst even better since they had a somewhat ambiguous past. Their chemistry as friends is wonderful but you can always feel the romantic tension underlying, the soft will-they-won't they lingering in the background.
The twists and turns kept me watching as well, I enjoyed not knowing everything ahead and having to guess what was going to happen next. This was one of the perks of watching it pretty much spoiler free. it made each truth that much more gratifying once it was finally revealed.
I was actually upset to watch the last episode! I felt a sense of emptiness once I realized I would never see more content from these characters again (ahem, tVN if you ever want to make a spin off showing all of Eunhee and Chanhyuk's past, I'd sell my soul for that, I don't care if they look too old to be students!) On a serious note, this is a drama that I could see myself rewatching one day, and picking up on all the little things that I'm sure I missed the first time around. But the ending was satisying too. Overall, I love this drama and if you are considering watching it, give it a try :)
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unforgettable lovestory for lovers of angst
I am actually listening to the ost, love catastrophe, as I write this review. Even after finishing this drama, the story continues to linger with me. This is the power of the original book and also the scriptwriting, acting, pacing, and original soundtrack.Now, this drama isn't for anyone who cannot handle angst that will make you want to pull your hair a little bit at the character's actions, lol. Yet still, in my opinion, I cannot imagine my life without it now. It is just such a powerful story that I have to keep thinking about it and how everything ended. Trust me, this drama will stick with you if you let it.
I think one of my favorite aspects of this drama is the pacing of tragedy. You see, there are dramas I have tried that have similar plots (The wolf is an example) but the pacing was too fast. Basically, we are introduced to them and get to know them before it all goes to hell first, seeing all the happy memories play out slowly and learning the motives.
The acting was amazing and I always think of how it was so hard for Chen Xingxu to break character that he continued crying during one of the powerful scenes & Peng Xiaoran had to comfort him, so heartbreaking. Anyway, I can't imagine anyone else in their characters and this is a testament to their acting.
The ost is one of my favorites ever and at first, I'd tear up every time I heard it again, LMAO.
**spoilers now**
Whilst the ending is for a lot of people, a reason they may not watch, I can understand why. I was even spoiled the ending before I watched and I still cried for like a day after. But it made sense. It was not a non-sensical ending or rushed, it fits with what happened and her suicide was absolutely preventable if ML had chosen love over power in the first place, which made it all the more heart-wrenching. You could feel his denial and regret in his old age. He and many other events caused her to lose everything and he foolishly believed he could still be with her after when she proved this was not the case.
Overall, I think I'll remember this story forever.
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a thrilling story filled with misunderstandings and beautiful chemistry
so, i’m one of the viewers who saw the kdrama “secret” first and saw many people discussing this drama after i finished it, which got me intrigued since i enjoyed the twists and turns of secret. (i know this isn’t a remake drama. the source material is thailand’s own story)and boy oh boy, i had no clue what i was in for.
it’s an intense show, for sure one you have to suspend your morals to watch a bit, if you’re like me and you have seen dramas such as “goodbye my princess” or anything else where you can deal with a ML and FL who aren’t just rivals like usual “enemies to lovers” shows, but have ACTUAL hate for each other. and it’s mutual at first for sure. genuine hate.
that’s what sets this apart. its the difference between the way that the ML and FL are characterized. FL is an extremely misunderstood yet strong and hard working woman. she doesn’t put up with bullshit, which is great.
meanwhile ML is a hardheaded and most definitely stubborn, but unlike being the usual rich and powerful ML, he’s just a lawyer. so it definitely sets itself apart from the revenge dramas IVE seen.
i enjoyed it. would rec for anyone looking for some genuine enemies to lovers.
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good drama
I remember I first tried watching this and had no clue what it was based on so the plot was very confusing to me. But as with most dramas, after the first two episodes, I was hooked and had every day to look forward to when binging it. A very good fix.I love the leads and the story has something for everyone. The ost also feels very emotional when hearing it after finishing it. Although, the ending was a bit disjointed and I'd rec looking for an explanation on youtube as that's what I had to do. But other than that, it was great. At one point I thought I'd never be able to move on from it, that's how attached I was to the storyline. Also, some people have said the first half before it "resumes" where it left off at the start is boring, but I disagree. The backstory was absolutely essential for the present and would've been so nonsensical if they had jumped back in first without showing us.
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