Temple of Deceit: Unraveling Faith, Fraud and Fortune in The Believers

Religion, business, temple and politics, i never imagined these four elements could converge to create such an interesting drama. This show was a surprise for me as i hadnt experienced anything like it before and i thoroughly enjoyed what it offered.

The three protagonists of the drama take over an abandoned temple to run it and repay their debts after failing in their gaming business. Essentially, they resort to selling faith to believers making them essentially scammers. They embark on renovating the temple, organizing various activities and even hiring famous monks to attract the local public. Their deception extends to creating amulets from sacred objects and attempting to sell them through advertising. This deception forms the crux of the storyline.

However i loved how the creators executed and handled the narrative, delicately addressing sensitive issues throughout. One notable subplot involved a monk genuinely falling in love with FL character and deciding to leave monkhood. I empathized with him when FL rejected him, realizing she was also exploiting him for money. The drama also delves into a drug scandal, murder and other elements typically found in crime thrillers, all set within the unique context of religious business.

The final reveal of the villain was pretty good, i never really imagined that guy to be the villain. I mean, i didnt really think the series would take a different turn in the last two episodes and there would be some big conspiracy going on behind everything.

Overall, it was a pretty good drama, tackling a bold subject matter with finesse. I commend the makers for their courage in exploring such a controversial topic, knowing the potential risks associated with it.

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Cozy Blend of Education, Romance & Realism

I simply loved the whole episode. it felt incredibly natural, heartwarming and cozy. The most of focus was on the conflict between the high school teacher and the academy instructor along with Seo Hyejin's student raising an issue about a question with multiple answers yet the small moments and execution of the drama made it a very heartwarming and cozy experience for me.

I liked the issue they raised in ep 1 about multiple choice question having multiple answers. No matter how many times i see how korean schools and students are competitive, it always amazes me to see how they create issues out of small mistakes. I bet if it were my school, teachers would have given one extra mark to all those students who chose either of the two correct answers instead of retaking the exam. But korean schools take them to a whole new level of seriousness lol.

The cinematography lent a realistic touch to the episode with the atmosphere feeling warm and inviting. The interactions between characters were natural and genuine, avoiding any ott moments.

Although there wasnt much screen space for romance and the ML in ep 1 but leads first encounter after years to their meeting at the coffee shop, everything felt so smooth. Their chemistry was so natural, it didnt feel like they were acting but more like they were actually those characters.
I also loved how easygoing the SFL character was. At the instructor's exam hall, her interaction with another fellowmate was really smooth. She was very likable with only one scene in the whole episode. Would like to see her more.

I hope the drama continues to address the various challenges students & instructors face in korea's competitive society while maintaining a balance between romance and educational issues.

Also i loved how the drama gave me vibes of some of my favorite workplace dramas like Misaeng & Black Dog.

Overall ep 1 left me thoroughly satisfied and im excited for what's to come.

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