Reviews

It seems this drama has literally divided the audience into two groups: the passionate lovers and the just as passionate haters. I believe the reason resides in the gulf between the story and the plot, in other words between what the drama is about and the way it was written to convey it. I belong to the group of the lovers for 28 hours and 50 minutes and to the haters for the last 10.

The plot is a hot mess. Very hot on the eyes and the heart and very much a mess for the intellect. But, frankly, I was more than willing to overlook every plot-hole, every unrealistic twist, every narrative ingenuity while watching, because the emotions portrayed were so strong, so moving and beautiful, it was like swimming in self-inflicted, desired pain. This is a story of friendship, and this aspect is wonderful. I rejoiced in every scene which would bring the friends/rivals together on screen and not surprisingly those scenes are the best shot ones too, with some stunning choreography and mesmerizing music. I could have watched 29 hours of sword fights or friends silently sitting next to each other without complain. This is what the story is about and as I said it's incredibly beautiful.

On the other hand, the plot, or, if you prefer, the writing, goes everywhere and nowhere. Aliens could have landed in Joseon and killed them all with laser beams and it would have gone almost unnoticed in the circus. I'm not saying the politics didn't count, but I simply didn't care. What I cared about were the characters and their bond.
First, the kids: they enchanted me. Because this drama is totally devoid of mother figures – the only living one having refused to be such for 20 years – I suppose my very latent mother instinct came to the surface with a vengeance. The acting by both Yeo Jin Goo and Park Gun Tae was amazing and I'm kind of indignant they are listed as "guest roles" here. In less than 4 episodes they managed to make me love the characters and die to see how they'd connect to one another. The young Wun in particular must be the most harrowing character I've come across in a long while. My desire to kill that father of his with my own hands reached unexpected and disquieting heights.
Then, there's the older generation of friends/foes, mainly Chun the Sky Lord and Gwan Taek, who share a weird bond based on rivalry and grumpy respect shown with swords. I won't spend too many words on the two actors, they are simply brilliant and the director seemed to share my opinion since the best camera works are dedicated to them. I mostly appreciated Choi Min Soo's rendition of his character, which could have easily come out of a Sergio Leone's film.
This drama is based on a manwha and this is particularly obvious in all the main characters who are clear cut and distinctive like drawings.

Not so the adult Dong Soo And Yeo Wun, who mature and change, making this into a coming-of-age drama. As single individuals they are very different, one light the other dark, one goofy the other somber, one stubborn the other easy to manipulate, but together they shine. I loved the acting of both Ji Chang Wook and Yo Seung Ho; the first because he enters the character in a way that makes you instantly forget whatever role you may have seen him in before: here, he's Dong Soo. There's a lot of physicality in his acting, which makes his performance totally believable. Seung Ho has such expressive eyes he steals the screen by a single, all-telling glance. His character is all played on subtlety, which makes it extremely powerful. As I said, separately they do great, but together they are unforgettable. It helps that they are both so smouldering handsome; in a drama based so much upon visuals, this isn't a secondary aspect at all.

Also, I must be the only living creature who liked Shin Hyun Bin here. What everybody described as a wooden performance I found to be delicate and very fitting to her role. What that role was, is another story entirely: the romance is so secondary it's almost non-existent here. This in the most common sense of the word, since the drama is profoundly romantic in the classical definition of sentimental and tumultuous.

I invested a lot of feeling in this drama, this is why the very last minutes infuriated me. I can condone many faults of this script, but I will never, ever forgive the writer for not honouring a particular character the way he deserved, for cutting short on a farewell I had been kind of expecting (and dreading) since the beginning. Many tears welled in my eyes but never had the time to come out, leaving me frustrated and empty. I suppose I should thank the production for hastening my healing process this way, for reminding me life goes on, or I'd be still suffering now. I'm not sure it's fair to lower the overall score of a drama due to the last 10 minutes, but for a show that expects you to leave the brain aside and only watch with the heart it feels like cheating.

The music is a different story. To put it short, this is the best drama Ost I've heard so far. It contributes so much to the feeling I believe it is mainly responsible for my loving the drama and overlooking its faults. Honorable mention to BMK's powerful "Yanoy", to its harrowing acoustic version by Eun Tae Park and to the haunting "Stagnant" by Shin Sung Woo. If you have the chance, give a look at the lyrics too, as they are beautifully poetic.

I don't think I'll watch the entire drama again. I will definitely re-watch single scenes though, just for the wonderful aesthetic of them. On the other hand though, I've watched a disgustingly high number of MVs and fan videos only for the sake of Dong Soo and Yeo Wun. Given how many are to be found, it seems I'm not the only one.

Leia Mais

This drama deals with issues like: affairs, divorce, per-marital pregnancy, & marriage. It's told from a very realistic viewpoint of both the men and the women's perspectives. Brought forth and portrayed in a very comedic and touching way. You'll be laughing throughout the drama - and you may tear up or cry as well. The comedy is not over the top (believe me I hate o-t-t comedy) but is instead done in a very realistically believable way - which in turn made it funny & lighthearted even when dealing with heavy topics :P (if that makes sense). It was a very enjoyable drama to watch & I'd watch it again in a heartbeat <3

Cast & Characters: I loved them all, of course the central couple was my favorite and they were the most enduring of all the characters. The couples each dealt with issues and problems in their own ways & from their own perspectives. I loved that I got to see the different way opposite sexes view things - none of us think a-like, we all come from different backgrounds, have our own pasts that shape us, circumstances or situations that give us different fears & hopes. During this drama we see immaturity grow into maturity, we see "playing around" turn into love. Broken hearts mended. (this is not boring at all - it's very entertaining, I swear I was sitting here watching it the whole time with a smirk on my face) ;D Like someone else said "It's about growing up." The entire cast was great with their facial expressions & acting - nothing felt forced.

Music: The OST was perfect! I love how "older" dramas have their own "charm" with the music ^-^ My favorite songs were: "Sa Na Ee (I am a Man)" by Moonlight Fairy (?), "I Love You" by Han So Ah, "Do you Know" by LyN, "My Story" by Plan B, "Sarang Haet Neun De" by Choi Soo Hyuk, "Gwi Yuh Wuh" by Kong & "My Destiny" by Bada.

I would definitely re-watch this drama again - It's very easy to watch (I marathoned it in 2 days!!!) and I'd recommend it to others ^-^

I loved the way the drama was filmed, the directing & everyone who put the drama together (lighting, effects..ectra) did an excellent job!

Leia Mais

In summary: a very entertaining show that kept me thrilled and excited, and also moved me at times.

This show has pretty much everything - a compelling romance, exciting mysteries and action scenes. In a way the story felt very similar to I Hear Your Voice, probably because they share the same writer-director team.

I love that the central relationship is strong - Choi In Ha and Choi Dal Po, and there isn't too much unnecessary angst as is too often the case in Korean dramas, and it gave us so many scenes of cuteness.

Well it certainly seems like everything Lee Jong Suk touches on TV turns to gold. While his character in this show really reminds me of his character in I Hear Your Voice, I didn't feel there was any baggage in his portrayal of the character. I was compelled and won over to his side, and rooting for him and his relationships and journalistic career. Can I also say Lee Jong Suk is a damn good crier?

Park Shin Hye finally was given the opportunities to show her abilities in dramatic and comedic acting which seem to have been buried somewhere after You're Beautiful.

I am a fan of Roy Kim and was pleasantly surprised at Tiger JK's inclusion in a drama soundtrack, so I quite enjoyed this soundtrack.

Leia Mais

I absolutely loved this drama, which was a really pleasant surprise as I only decided to give this a go on a whim. I had recently watched "Rooftop Prince" and was in the mood for another time travel story and thought this sounded interesting because it was a reversal, with a woman travelling backwards in time.

I didn't expect to love Eun Soo when I started it but she became my favourite character just from how funny she was. A modern, intelligent, 21st century woman stuck in the past, baffling everyone with her "heavenly knowledge and ways". It really was the ultimate fish out of water scenario and was so so funny to watch. I also just loved her character as she tackled all of this stuff head on with a brave face and a smile but still let herself cry when faced with the overwhelmingly traumatic events she experienced. She was the type of heroine I enjoy watching, someone who feels like a real person and is actually proactive in the story and contributes to the plot (an annoyingly rare thing to find in kdramas imo).

Then there's Choi Young. Oh boy, well everyone who knows anything about korean dramas probably knows Lee Min Ho, and I really loved him in this. I've seen him in a few dramas and this was actually my favourite role of his. Watching his development throughout the series from someone simply existing to someone who actually finds a reason and will to live was wonderful. His unbelievably badass skills, his constant need to protect everyone, his amazing bromance with the King and his "just do it well" approach to leadership was fantastic. I was also really enchanted by the overarching plot of him having become weary with this life of killing and whether he would or could lay down his sword.

The main romance was so unbelievably sweet and beautiful to watch. It progressed in such a nice way, not too rushed or too slow, and developed into this wonderful love story that I will rewatch again and again. I tend to love stories where the guy falls for the girl first so that was also a major plus. In general they were just really adorable and I LOVED all the Wudalchi totally invested in their boss' love life haha.

Apart from the love story though, it was also a really interesting story to watch. I usually get fed up with the story in kdramas but this kept me hooked until the very end. In particular I really enjoyed Gongnim as a character, watching him grow from the nervous paranoid man to the great King he was destined to be. And his relationship with Noguk was a great secondary love story too. The Wudalchi were all so adorable, especially in their complete devotion to Choi Young and their giddy interest in his love life with Eun Soo. Everytime CY&ES had a moment in front of the wudalchi and you'd see them get these great big smiles on their faces, I laughed like crazy. It was so adorable to watch. The wonderful relationship between Choi Young and Gongnim was also a major highlight, especially considering what important historical figures they are.

Overall, this drama was such a wonderful surprise. I honestly didn't expect to love it as much as I did and this is definitely one I would recommend to anyone looking for a great love story with an equally great plot.

Leia Mais

So and the begin I did't wanted to watch misaeng because of many reasons. One of them is that I don't really watch drama without Romance. (And in Misaeng there is no love story which I in the end really appriciated later one) So and the begin I already liked misaeng but at first I did't give it 10 point but after each episode the rate of this Drama increased for me. And then when I saw the last episode I realised the connection between the first and the last episode and it was a liitle bit unexcpected. Sobecause of this good Story which was really thought trough. And not just this was good in the story, but also that who much I saw myself in each of them and it was sooo realistic and heartouching. For the Story to become good is the cast also very Important. And they were really fantastic.And I think it was not an easy Job for them to do. Because this drama was not a so typical Kdrama. And I am sure it was something new for them Shwan also said that for him it was much a much more tougher Job then in Triangel. Nevertheless they were incredebile. So I Just could't not give them 10 Points.

I hope I could help you

Ps: Another thing that I really liked in Misaeng were this Wise Quotes. Quotes you can take with you for your own life.

Leia Mais

Nothing is new about the plot. I would gasp at the screen or cry my heart out but I wouldn't be surprised. And strangely that didn't push me away -I who lives for surprises-. The story might sound typical; or it is typical, but the journey of those people trying to heal the open wounds is something everyone of us can relate to. You can hate none of the characters even if you can't bring yourself to justify their actions. Each of the characters presents a part in us; whether we admit it or not. The characters are so human we can simply sympathise with how weak they and we are.

Watching them changing each other unintentionally, watching sincerity going through and watching the wounds getting healed even if they leave a scar was like watching my life in a flashback. The only difference is that my wounds are still unhealed.

The drama evolves around family relationships and society's views on them. It tackles the struggle single mothers go through in order not to abandon their kids. For society they're damned anyway. Whether the mother has the child or abandons it; she'll be cursed. The whole world gives its back to those poor women.

The drama as well questions the family. What makes a group of people a family? Is being born of the same parents the only way to become family? If you find yourself suddenly a family of someone, how would you react? How much would you sacrifice for your family? How much would you forget and how much would you forget?

Read the rest on my personal blog for fears of spoilers ^^
https://parkchohwa.wordpress.com/2015/04/10/cinderellas-sister-a-drama-i-watched-for-the-ost/

Leia Mais

Probably the best 16-episode drama I've ever seen. The best rom/com series I've ever started. The interactions between the protagonist Ho Goo and his sister, and ever so loving parents were amazing. Ho Goo's friends and how they developed to become a huge circle of loving friends nearing the end surrounding the *SPOILER* -------









Baby.

The love between Do Do Hee and Ho Goo was one of the best I've seen between couples in kdramas. I mean who would stay with your first high school love, even though she's had a baby with another man? and help her through 15 hours of labour? Oh no not me. But Ho Goo did! which is what made it more amazing

They also tackle problems such as homosexuality phobias, sexual assault/rape cases where victims are always on the wrong end of the stick, and many other problems in society. They portray this in a unique way by showing the good side of these societal problems.

Overall it was one of the funniest dramas I've seen to this day, and the most HEART-WARMING drama ever! I'm convinced that I'd probably want to fall in love with someone like Do Do Hee (played by Uee from Afterschool)

Really amazing!!

Leia Mais

One of my favorite dramas of all time. One word to describe it would be BEAUTIFUL. The story had me crying at many points, not gonna lie. The casting is PERFECT, the guy from You're Beautiful and Baby & Me, the girl from GIRLS GENERATION, what?! Basically this is a story through time, starting in the 1970s with their parents romance and ending in modern day time with their romance... The story is about sacrifice, one love for another.. A parents love for their children vice versa. The young parents and the children are both played by the same actors. This drama, personally I think they should have downplayed the parents romance a little bit more, it made it overly lengthy. But this drama has moments that give me the FEELS, I think it's underrated!! PROS: you can FEEL the love in this drama, when the characters are going through something you're right there beside them, the acting is one of the best I've seen in a drama, only comparable to KMHM, the romance is adorable and hot at the same time THE FOUNTAIN KISS SCENE!! "1 2 3" the way the 2 couple's romances differ and are the same really is like poetry, like I said it is all so BEAUTIFUL. It made me laugh and cry and smile!! The ending isn't bad either. CONS: this is a lengthy drama and things drag on, I would recommend skipping through the first few episodes EPISODE 5 is where it really starts, the sad truth is that the older 1970s couple's romance is a bit uneventful and boring, even with it's very cute moments. Even after that, certain parts should be skipped. It is a dense drama and TOO dense at times. Basically all the cons revolve around the drama (puns) revolving around the older couple, I do see how it was necessary to the plot but yea it should have been downplayed more.. This drama is a bit sad because of them. HOWEVER IT STILL GIVES ME MAJOR FEELS REGARDLESS. If you have some time up your sleeve, or when you do, I definitely recommend watching this WORK OF ART MASTERPIECE, etc.. drama :)

Leia Mais

I had to check out this old Classic Favorite and I was not disappointed. This is my 2nd Jerry Yan drama, and he has got to be one of the sexiest guys in world. OMG, I mean if he falls in love with you, he will take care of you for life and give you 110%. He has that trade mark, sideways smirk/smile that gets me every time. Ella was funny in this drama, but I did not like her character that much. I felt that although she was suppose to portray a really dense & naive girl, she kind of irritated me a lot with her insensitivity, especially towards Jerry who was in love with her and her sister who was hurt by her actions however un-intentional. I actually was more interested in her sister's character, I really liked her. The storyline was really good, acting by supporting cast was terrific. If Ellen's character was not so annoying, I probably would have given it higher marks.

Leia Mais

I only made it to the 4th episode and I really had to push myself o do it. I am also a Mike He fan and adored him in Sunny Happiness. The secondary character was played by another hot dude, Shawn Chen. So being the superficial gal, I was going to watch it for the "eye candy" alone. However, the drama was so bad, I could not even bring myself to watch anymore. The cast was really good, but the script and the acting by the female lead was so incredibly bad. The drama had a really slow, boring, gloomy feel to it. I'm usually not that picky either, but this drama was a train wreck.

Leia Mais