Reviews

Wow what a great drama i love it♥

Wow what a great drama. It is true that this is a historical fantasy drama, but at the same time it has historical truths that are correct for that time and it was fascinating to watch it.. Great acting and casting of the entire cast... a drama that has everything, laughter, crying, love, corruption, political upheaval, friendship and sacrifice.. There is no doubt that actress Shin Hye Sun is extremely talented and has versatile acting ability. The plot manages to maintain tension throughout the episodes, so that you immediately want to see the next episode, all the characters from the main to the last functions (including the servants) develop their personalities gradually.. highly recommended drama 10/1

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Who the heck is writing this story

First impression: Very very questionable decisions taken by FL throughout the episodes that makes you wanna question whether the writer was high while writing the story or they think audience is pretty naive to accept it all.
What irked me - being stalked for many years but still you (FL) won't share it with your family.
- No bodyguards even though you can easily afford some help.
- Walking alone on the streets at night despite danger to your life.
- FL doesn't ask police to help her but prefer to go to some secluded place.
- Instead of taking some evidence (like photos) she always leaves the scene and doesn't even confront her husband or friend.
What I liked- It is Jang Na Ra's genre.
- Loved the intensity of the show. Just first episode and everything is like bang boom boom.
- Suspense is really good the moment you think FL has figured out everything then things again go down the drain and everyone is sus again.(despite all those dumb decisions by FL you will be on the edge of your seats.)
- Actors are doing really good. Loving our 'Go back couples reunion.'
- No comments on storyline, too much is happening so it is little confusing to comment on it. Lets see how it will unfold, I have high expectations from Jang Na Ra. Show is watchable so far.
PS: The drama has created a web of twists and turns that it itself got entangled in it badly. Despite having amazing cast the storyline is really very bad. I am contemplating whether I should lose my remaining brain cells trying to understand the plot and continue it or just drop it now or wait till I hear that the plot has progressed well and it was not that bad after all. I doubt the latter though with each passing episode. This show could have been really very great if writers tried to do something different (we are all inundated with same type of plot already) and like sane people instead of justifying questionable decisions of actors, they could have made the story more realistic with some character growth. (sigh)
In conclusion I would suggest people : watch it at your own risk.

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girl what

the actors were just about the only good thing in this show. i have 2 major complaints:

1. the romanticism of mizuki’s sexual coercion is horrendous. i know that’s pretty common in bls but that doesn’t make it any better, plus it’s not even used as a form of “character development” here because he keeps it up til the very end. i firmly believe they could’ve made the plot just as, if not way more, compelling by removing the whole obligatory sex thing and all the scenes where mizuki forces himself onto yoh.

2. the plot goes absolutely nowhere, in fact it goes in circles. every time it seems like they’ve communicated their feelings and things are looking up, one of them (usually mizuki) overreacts about a misunderstanding and then they’re back to square one. even by the end they haven’t communicated their feelings properly and are just in another lull phase whilst misunderstandings continue to brew underneath.

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Its fine for FL to have affair but not her husband

Fl is working with her ex lover and hiding it from her husband but its all right
But husband having a affair is biggest problem of the drama
Her music is most important and her gangster lover.

Drama focus on self centered femlae lead to make her look strong independent but all in this she will end up becoming a parasite for gangster lover to feed her..
Her lover and her husband both blackmail her but she goes her lover because him blackmail her is love.
But her husband is criminal
Nobody is seeing her and her lover together ?
Everyone is one her side and its fine for her she is openly having an affair and its fine
What kind of nonsense story is so one sided
He husbyis awful person but her lover is more of gangster and she is crazy herself

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Love should have the Main Place in Heart but Duty is Equally Important.

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The Overview of Plot:
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Ancestral God created and divided the universe into three realms.. God Realm, Immortal/Heavenly Realm and Demon Realm... where God Realm is supreme... There is also Nether World where devils are imprisoned...

There are countless gods and immortals but only four are True Gods who commands the God Realm and are responsible for management and safety of Three Realms... Zhi Yang, Bai Jue, Tian Qi and Shang Gu... They all are born from the same origin but Shang Gu is "Supreme True God" who possess the Power of Chaos and the only girl and youngest one among them, just 10,000 years old... Zhi Yang, Bai Jue and Tian Qi grew up together and have very strong bonding...

• The hierarchy of God Realm:
1. Supreme True God/Chief God of Chaos
2. Three True Gods
3. High Gods
4. Lower Gods
5. Disciple from Immortal/Demon Realm

• The hierarchy of Immortal Realm:
1. Heavenly Emperor and Empress and High Gods
2. Demi Gods
3. Senior Immortals
4. Junior Immortals
5. Other Immortals

• The hierarchy of Demon Realm:
1. Demon God
2. Demon Emperor
3. Demi Gods
4. White Tiger Clan
5. Fox Clan
6. Other Demon Clans

The drama follows the story of Shang Gu and Bai Jue and show how their deep love and relationship developed and progressed while bearing the responsibility of safety of three realms and dealing with countless hardships...

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Introduction to Main and Support Characters:
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Bai Jue/Bo Xuan/Qing Mu (Xu Kai): Bai Jue, a True God and the God of War... The origin of his powers is Immortal and Fire...so he is also God of Fire... Has a stoic, distant and cold personality... No one can match upto his wisdom and patience...and his determination and dedication towards responsibilities and love is unmatched... Bai Jue grew up cultivating hard with Zhi Yang and Tian Qi and fighting devils to protect the Three Realms.... Tian Qi nicknamed him as "Ice Cube" because of his cold demeanour... Despite him being distant, he was still admired and pursued by many goddesses in God Realm...
Weapon - Tai Cang Spear
Divine Beast - Hong Ri (Fire Qilin)
Residence - Abyss Hall and Daze Mountain

When God Realm closed due to Tribulations of Chaos, Bai Jue adopted the identity of Bo Xuan and lived in the Qing Chi Palace in the Immortal Realm for almost 60000 years, hiding his True God identity and isolating himself from all others.... only Gu Jun knew his true self...

Qing Mu, a aloof and reserved young immortal from North Sea of Immortal realm.. whose origin is unknown and he don't like to socialize... He got fame for his powerful cultivation despite his young age of only 1,000 years....and titled as "Lord of North Sea"... He looks like Bai Jue who has disappeared years ago...
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Shang Gu/Hou Chi (Zhou Dong Yu): Shang Gu, the Chief God of Chaos, a mischievous and fun-loving young Goddess meant to be the Supreme True God... She was raised and spoiled by Zhi Yang, Tian Qi and Yue Mi... Despite having Chaos Origin, her cultivation and powers were weak so she was being bullied by others.. Bai Jue was tricked by Zhi Yang to being her teacher... Because of her undisciplined and arrogant personality, she despised strict and disciplined Bai Jue from their very first interaction...
Weapon - Ancient Sword
Divine Beast - Wu Huan (Five-colored Pheonix)
Residence - Pilgrimage Hall

Hou Chi, the born High God and daughter of Gu Jun... She has aloof and cold demeanour but a warm heart.. Raised in Qing Chi Palace in care of Bo Xuan and Feng Ran.. Her Godly powers are weak and she shows less to no improvement in cultivation, even after diligently practicing for 60,000 years.. She looks like Shang Gu who died in Tribulations of Chaos...
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Tian Qi/Jing Yuan (Liu Xue Yi): Tian Qi, a True God, his power origin is Demonic and Water, so he is also Demon God and the God of Water... A carefree, mischievous and fun-loving God but a little impulsive and sometimes narcissist.. haha! He and Shang Gu have similar personalities... He manages Demon Realm... Tian Qi values relationships and friendships more than anything else...and likes to arguing with Bai Jue, but in a good-natured way... He loved Shang Gu and would do anything for her, even destroy the three realms he had been protecting his entire lifetime...
Weapon - Purple Moon Whip
Divine Beast - Zi Han (Dragon)
Residence - Everlasting Hall

Jing Yuan, the Demon Lord Zi Yue, is actually another identity/reincarnation of Tian Qi after the Tribulations of Chaos... He lived in Demon Realm in seclusion and apart from Zi Han, only Demon Emperor knew who he is in real...
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Zhi Yang (Li Ze Feng): The calm and rational True God... He is incharge of the affairs of the Three realms...and the oldest one in all True Gods...
Weapon - Twin Spear
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Wu Huan (Zhang Jia Ni): The low-ranked pheonix from Wutong Island, whom Shang Gu picked up as her divine Beast instead of "the Only Fire Pheonix and Pheonix Queen" Feng Yan... She used to be kind, humble and calm before but later on became an arrogant, cunning, heartless and thirsty for power.... She is one of the three Ancient High Gods of Immortal Realm and the Heavenly Empress...
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Gu Jun (Leon Lai): A Flood Dragon from Demon Realm.. and the only disciple of Shang Gu... He is a loyal and wise person... Gu Jun is one of the three Ancient High Gods in Immortal Realm who survived the Tribulations of Chaos... He is the master of Qing Chi Palace and former lover of Wu Huan...
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Yue Mi (Luo Qiu Yun): The Goddess of Stars and Moon in God Realm and best friend of Shang Gu... She is wise and powerful but fun-loving Goddess and very close to all the True Gods... She was in love with Tian Qi but her feelings were not yet reciprocated...
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Mu Guang (Fu Xin Bo): The Golden Dragon, only disciple of Yue Mi and peer of Gu Jun... He is also one of the three Ancient High Gods in Immortal Realm and the Heavenly Emperor....
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Feng Ran (Zhang Ya Qin): The only alive Fire Pheonix and daughter of Feng Yan... A straight-forward and cleaver girl... She is the best friend and protector of Hou Chi..and attendant of Gu Jun (whom he saved from Yunlin Swamp)... She is way powerful than Hou Chi and in-charge of Qing Chi Palace in the absence of Gu Jun...
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Jing Jian (Zhang Yun Long): The Second Prince of Heavenly Realm and son of Mu Guang and Wu Huan... A powerful, wise and kind White Pheonix... He treats everyone equally and easy to approach...
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Jing Zhao (Zhong Qi): The Princess of Heavenly Realm and a Golden Dragon... She is arrogant and spoiled girl... Reckless and wilful...
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Some notable support characters are:
~Hong Ri (Divine Beast of Bai Jue),
~Zi Han (Divine Beast of Tian Qi),
~Sen Yu (Second Prince of Demon Realm),
~Chang Qin (Princess of Fox Clan),
~Xuan Yi (The Devil God and once designated Chief God of Chaos),
~Sen Jian (Demon Emperor),
~Jing Yang (First Prince of Heavenly Realm), and
~Yuan Qi (The only son of Bai Jue and Shang Gu)....

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Acting and Chemistry:
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Xu Kai and Liu Xue Yi's portrayal of their characters is breathtaking...

Xu Kai was great as Bai Jue and Qing Mu although I don't like Bo Xuan's part much but it was good as well. As Bai Jue, he acted well as a cold and distant God who treats everyone fairly but can silently sacrifice his all for his love, and as Qing Mu, he did amazing as a aloof Immortal who knows to pursue his love without concerning the world... Xu Kai made the two characters really different with his acting skills that you won't feel these both characters played by one single person. He made Bai Jue my favourite character...

Liu Xue Yi impressed me with his remarkable performance... Tian Qi is my favourite just after Bai Jue... and I am so grateful to makers to not turning him in "typical toxic second male lead" who is obsessive... He loved Shang Gu but knew what are the limits and when to give up...

Zhao Dong Yu was amazing as Shang Gu in the first and last arc of the story but I feel her acting plain as Hou Chi...

Zhang Jia Ni did an extraordinary job with her character.. she truly made me hate Wu Huan from the bottom of my heart that I wanted to slap her everytime...

The chemistry between leads can be considered decent and above average... I loved the chemistry between Feng Ran and Jing Jian.. it was just wonderful...
The relationship dynamics between Bai Jue and Tian Qi are very interesting and fun to watch...
Other actors also did beautiful job with their characters and are worthy to be praised...

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OSTs, Costumes and CGI:
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OSTs are pleasant and extraordinary.. these have secured the top place in my playlist. The lyrics fit the story and scenes perfectly and make me cry every time I listen to them... "A Thousand Years of Search" and "The Thought of Life" are my favourite...

"I am willing to search for thousands of days and nights; Waiting for time to meet again in your eyes..
Exchange a lifetime for a second of encounter; It would not be a pity if it can be accomplished.."
~A Thousand Years of Search

Costume are really beautiful and gives a aura of grace and divinity.
CGI is great and appealing.... The magic spells, the power from the divine weapon, all look real...

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Conclusion:
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Ancient Love Poetry signifies the patience, dedication and loyalty in love without compromising the duties and responsibilities one has to fulfill...
The wait of sixty thousand years and dedication of Bai Jue for his love Shang Gu along with his devotion for duties towards the three realms are exceptional and heart-touching... I'm actually very tough to cry while watching a drama.. but this made my tears rolled over my cheeks... even after rewatching it many times I still feel the same heartbreak every time....

"She turned to ashes,
separated by life and death;
He protected the three realms for her...
The thought of life is still ringing in my ears;
Once again, this passion has no limits and will never be extinguished"
~The Thought of Life

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Ending and Recommendation:
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I was thinking it would be a drama with a sad ending, but the ending touches my heart. It was a beautiful happy ending that I never expected...

To be honest, it might feel a bit boring to many in starting and one could feel like dropping it.. but I recommend to must watch at least 8 to 12 episodes before you make the decision to drop, otherwise you'll miss a fabulous drama...
I would recommend everyone to give it a shot...

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Solid drama with great acting: some of the incarnations stole the show !

Death's game is a series about a man who decides to kill himself and is therefore forced to play an horrific game with Death herself (or at least a personnified version of it) as a punishment for insulting her while committing suicide. He will be reincarnated in several individuals facing imminent death circumstances and needs to find a way to survive in order to win the game imposed on him.

The idea of the series as well as the visuals and production value are really great. You are totally immersed in the drama and it is super interesting to follow. The soundtrack is not overly present but I enjoyed a lot the songs ending each of the episodes.

The cast is fabulous. The incarnations are played by good and different actors, each bringing his own touch and nuances to the role with their characters' own unique background. So far, my favorites stories were the ones of the 3rd, 5th and 7th incarnations. And the most traumatic for me was the 6th one...I really was impressed by the way the stories are somewhat interconnecting within each other, making the bigger picture more and more intriguing.

The series is not totally without flaws. I personnally do not like as much the parts that are set in the limbo with the main male lead and Death chatting and bickering. Those parts are critical for the set up of the story, as well as to see the evolution of the main character as he goes through failures...But I think they are missing something to make it as captivating than the incarnations scenes. I would have loved also to be more invested in the romance side of the story but the ending of Part 1 improved on that.

I would recommend this series to people that are looking for a thriller with a fantasy twist. Given the topic, this drama can be very triggering and is super violent. There are some elements I wish would be better developped but it is overall a very solid show which manage in only four episodes to keep you on your toes...It is never easy to review a series at the halfway mark, I hope the second part will successfully manage its landing because Part 1 raised my expectations.

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A very addictive drama. Priest masterfully built the plot, placing riddles all along the way, and practically giving no clues. In the end, everything was explained and shown. Dorama was swerving like a drunk on the road, back and forth. The ideas are taken from a variety of places, but it turned out to be quite an innovative product.
When they write in the comments, why is so much time devoted to the beauty topic? The author has nothing he doesn't need. Direct quotes from the drama: "God helps those who help themselves", "If you want something, you have to make yourself worthy of it ..." First, we are shown how the heroine and her boyfriend "pecked" for easy money, which can be obtained simply by testing a toy, and got a fatal result... And then the heroine with her own hard work, sweat and blood (and we are shown this sweat, dirt and blood, setups and rivalry) I earned a place in the sun by studying and improving first in the profession of a stylist, then a make-up artist. That's what all this salon entourage is for. In addition, Priest skillfully connected two story arcs, heroines and "villains" through the son of a makeup artist. Otherwise, everything would have hung in the air.
And portals and time travel, there are a lot of dramas around with this topic, it's good that Priest abandoned them and moved on to the usual everyday problems of family and society and managed to do it very interestingly.
The drama, of course, is based on the exceptional play of Liu Hao Cun. The boys are Lin Yi (the eternal rescuer of the girl), and Huang Sheng Chi (an unhappy makeup artist, but good), Wan Yan Luo Rong (a former traitor), Wang Cha Сha (the charming head of the salon and the stylist squad)... - just a pick-up from the actress.
I will not review this, because I have not watched any drama a second time, too many new and interesting things are coming out, there is no time for repetitions.

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Lovey-Dovey Foodies with Chinoserie Songs in the Background

This is a slow paced, feel good drama with a high budget that paid for beautiful scenery, good camerawork and spectacular music numbers. Our main couple is a pair of quiet and talented people: a famous and mysterious voice actor and a promising young composer and singer. I had an amazing time watching the drama and listening to the OST afterwards. It made me want to travel to Guilin and learn how to cook more Chinese meals.

For my personal taste, I would have a like more dynamic in the main couple relationship, even without breakups is possible to make the protagonists struggle with outside factors - like disapproving family, unwanted suitors, etc - and grow as people and as a couple because of it, On Love Me, Love My Voice, everything happens kind of easily and our couple do not even sweat for it. Another thing that I would like was to have more screen time for the secondary couples, especially the tanned, strong but shy older voice actor and the bright, youthful protagonist's best friend. I could not imagine more different people but they were strangely appealing.

If you liked the voice acting theme, I suggest: I Hear You
If you liked the slow paced romance without breakups, I suggest: Love 020

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nice to watch

__*KBS.Drama.Special.2022.E04.Like.Otters*__ -8.5/10 -:kmovie;

nice school romance about two half-adults from problematic families
FL from twinkling watermelon showed quite different personality which was quite nice to watch too.
Truthfully I didnt cared much for ML story at least I didnt found him unique in any way. That kind of character I seen ton of times.
Kinda introvert being carried away by extroverted girl.

__*plot*__ - ML and FL are classmates which dont talk together much and both got family problems and both carry resignation letter to end their school days. Both of them discover it and starts to notice each other.

__*genre*__ - romance

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"Friend Zone": Dive into Love and Laughter

Overview:
Friend Zone, a romantic comedy featuring the real-life couple Baifern Pimchanok and Nine Naphat, explores the classic theme of best friends turning into lovers. Despite a seemingly cliché premise, the film manages to deliver an entertaining and charming narrative.

Plot:
For a decade, Palm (Nine Naphat) has harbored feelings for his best friend Gink (Baifern Pimchanok), who initially rejected his advances. The story cleverly navigates their evolving relationship, incorporating elements of friendship, unrequited love, and the challenges of transitioning from platonic to romantic connections. The plot, while predictable, unfolds with a delightful mix of humor and genuine emotion.

Characterization:
Baifern Pimchanok shines as Gink, portraying a lively girl with a complex background. Her emotional scenes are compelling, showcasing her versatility as an actress. Nine Naphat, as Palm, effectively captures the character's dedication, even if his role lacks some of the emotional depth seen in Baifern's performance. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, contributing to the film's overall appeal.

Acting:
Both Baifern and Nine deliver solid performances, striking a balance between humor and heartfelt moments. Baifern's emotional scenes are a standout, while Nine's portrayal of Palm remains convincing, even if the character doesn't delve into intense emotional territory. The on-screen chemistry between the real-life couple adds authenticity to their characters' evolving relationship.

Music:
The film's soundtrack enhances the romantic and comedic elements, adding a cute and enjoyable dimension to the viewing experience. The music complements the feel-good atmosphere of the movie, contributing to its overall charm.

Recommendation:

Friend Zone is recommended for those seeking a lighthearted romantic comedy with strong chemistry between the leads. The engaging performances, well-executed plot, and delightful soundtrack make it an enjoyable watch, offering a perfect blend of humor and romance.

Overall, Friend Zone proves that even within the confines of a familiar storyline, a talented cast and well-crafted execution can elevate a romantic comedy to an entertaining and heartwarming experience.

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An emotion roller coaster

We're Both Grooms has only 50 minutes screentime but it gives us everything: chaotic moments, heartwarming scenes, family bond, social acceptance and especially education about LGBT+ community and their disadvantages in Japan, which many full-length shows don't even mention just a little bit. At the end of it, after cracking up so many times that I alr lost count, I find myself ugly sobbing about their honest confession and their true intention for making each other happy with the cheering from family and friends. I wholeheartedly wish for their lifelong happiness.

I purely love this one so much and to me it's a 10/10 show bc I don't think anything could be better done than this. 50 minutes of emotion roller coasters ended beautifully with a warm wedding! If you have never watched this one, pls watch it right now. I myself watched more than 10 times!!

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Is it just me? No thanks.

I should have paid attention to the synopsis of this drama before jumping in, I didn't know it was a colonial era drama. Also wtf is going on in here?
One minute people will be talking in Japanese, pretending they don't know Korean, and the next second, they'd switch to Korean without batting an eyelid and continue conversing like that didn't just happen.
The CG for that creature is good though, but the pacing is too slow, ML character is flawed and not well developed, FL lead feels a bit too cold, my screen is frosting whenever she's on. And why is every other scene in this drama a shouting show down? Is this how it was during the colonial days? Everyone shouting to be heard? This drama missed its mark with me. Next time, PSJ.

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