The actors pierced my heart!
What to say, this drama was actually quite good. The story kept me going, it was particular, one of those shows full of drama, secrets, misunderstandings and obstacles (there was a bit of cringe sometimes, but not the worst).The actors were incredibly good at portraying deep emotions (especially the trio of friends) as fear, desperation, sadness, pain.
Do Hwan was extremely good, his eyes were so expressive... My heart melt and hurt when seeing him (not to mention his versatility, he could be both very sensual and extremely cute).
Joy's acting was decent, her characher had some flaws (just like every character) but it was a good one overall, strong when needed.
I liked the characters and their development, the way they were hurt so much that they sometimes went a little bit insane, building walls between them and others. Their relationships were very interesting, complex and deep.
Finally, I was moved by how love was portrayed as a potential cure and a source of strength, of wanting to be a better person.
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This drama let me down, and I hate that fact. I had high hopes, which makes it a little unfair.
The story had so much potential and it didn’t follow through. It was badly written, the character development was slow and the side stories were boring in my opnion. The same things happend every 4 episodes, which made me reluctant to watch. Honestly it doesn’t deserve more than 5 stars..
But I wanted to give this a fair shot. So I gave it a 6,5 star. Please hear me out..
The story and the writing was bad, but the acting wasn’t! Honestly I fell for Woo Do Hwan the moment I saw him. So maybe I am a little biased in this review.
I just honestly thing he portrayed his character very well! Also, I want to give a lot a credit to Moon Ga Young. I hated Choi Soo Ji, from the bottom of my heart! Only a very good actress can pull that of..
I didn’t like the development of the character Lee Se Joo.. I wanted more for him..
So there it is. I finished this drama for the actors, love them! But the story was poorly written and lacking in many ways. To bad...
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To be honest, I only watched the whole drama for Kim Min Jae and Woo Do-Hwan’s bromance?????????????????
The plot of the drama was to predictable, it was boring and plain like some what doesn’t write at was forced to write it, so the to base it on the classic French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses. By the way the novel is amazing, I recommend you reading it. But Joy’s acting has really improved since her last drama. Kim min Jae for main lead an I hope woo do-Hwan get roles in dramas like Mad Dog, which was brilliant.
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This review may contain spoilers
Same recycled plot you find in most kdramas
Before moving to the bad parts let me just talk about the good ones, I liked how Tae Hui was upfront with her feelings. She is portrayed as a bold and strong female who isn't afraid to share her feelings. However, that's it. That's all I like about the show. The plot was predictable, had the usual love triangle/quadrilateral (one of the reasons I would drop watching many kdramas in the middle), irrelevant side characters. There's no meaning or substance to why everyone is behaving with the other person. The main plot which drives this story is weak and loses it's meaning. Towards the end of the show, it gets extremely unbearable! I had to watch the last few episodes while skipping major portions. Disappointed.Was this review helpful to you?
Be tempted.
It is a drama to be appreciated by a bit older audiences imo - meaning, people that have digested the sh** that have gone through.Although the layout is a cross between Dangerous Liaisons (1988) or the more contemporary Cruel Intentions (1999), both inspired by the 1782 novel, as well as Gossip Girl (without the gossip), it becomes so much more than that.
There will be scenes/characters that will make you wonder about the position and portrayal of women in general, the obsession and struggle with control and highlight issues of a modern caste system and how hard is to maintain/elevate to a position.
Then it gets deeper. People are not black or white, they make mistakes, have deep wounds, are selfish and strive for the welfare of the ones they love and care about, have secrets, are scared and feel lonely. They carry heavy burdens and fight battles.
There are no two dimensional characters. Even the secondary/tertiary ones are as complex as the protagonists and in a very discreet and unexpected way, you end up caring for every single one of them.
That is what great writing and direction is all about.
Impressive cast and acting, showing the complexity and depth of each character which elevates the story as it can faintly lose its originality (no-one is perfect, I’m reminded).
Great OST too!
Only real con: All is well in the Tempted kingdom, until the rushed last episodes..It’s as if the creators realised they run out of time and needed to wrap things up, no questions asked. Shame, to ruin such great potential as there was surely enough material for more episodes/development and the right kind of closure.
Note: Having previously dropped this drama after thinking it’s getting darker and at the time wanting something lighter, I decided to give it one more chance for Woo Do-Hwan. I mean, the man can act. So, if you have no reasons to watch it after reading this, watch it for him. Perhaps, just gazing at his face/listening to his voice could be reason enough for some.
8.5/10
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The ost...I focused so much in the classic piano and violin beats that it even made me shiver. All the scenario is very elegant and the characters seem like high class:
- Joy as Eun Tae Hee- Yeah...Joy did a good job, she improved a lot. Tae Hee character kinda disappointed me...I think she was too easy on him, what made me angry, but she was a dreamer and pure person.
- Woo Do Hwan as Kwon Shi Hyun- What can I say about this man? I'm so happy that Woo Do Hwan got this role and has sucess. I think he is a good actor who has the look to kill somebody. Even if what Shi Hyun was doing was bad I couldn't hate him, I always loved him. His emotions touched my heart so badly.
- Moon Ga Young as Choi Soo Ji- DAMN THIS GIRL! WHAT'S WITH MOON GA YOUNG PERFOMENCE?! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ACTING?! WHY WAS SHE SO GOOD?! JUST SO PERFECT! O.O'' I think she killed this drama, she did amazing acting. Soo Ji is a well made character, to be honest I really never hate her that much, just a little.
- Kim Min Jae as Lee Se Joo- Kim Min Jae never dissaponts me, he is one of the actors who deserves more mains roles. Se Joo works like a chain here to keep the friendship, he also is the cheerfull guy and is the one I felt more pity.
Overall I found how incredible the chemestry between Tee Hee and Shi Hyun was, they definitely fit each other. I want see them together in real life....
What was bad, was all the damn drama around the families, I think it was too much!
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It was an interesting drama for me!
I'll give you a positive review for this drama. The Great Seducer is satisfying to watch and the plot is interesting though it has many flaws executing it. The casts did really great especially Woo Do- Hwan, Mun Ga Young and Kim Min Jae plus the supporting roles ahead. Even though Park Soo-young (Joy) is still learning as an actress; she did also very well. The OST is soft refreshing coming from Park Soo-Young herself and were full of emotions. Overall, it was well done even though it is not the best. KUDOS TO THE "THE GREAT SEDUCER TEAM".Was this review helpful to you?
Story: I Know the Original Book and I like adaptions of booky, mangas, etc. but they have to be well written. The drama began very good but the story lost my interest so that I watched the last 12 Episodes yesterday and today after I paused it a few weeks.
Acting: The Acting saved this drama for me.
Woo Doohwan acted very well. The Problem was his bad written charakter Kwon Shihyun is an *** I wouldn‘t want talk to… The problem was he confused me. At the beginning I hated him, then I pitied him and last but not least I didn‘t know what I should think of him. Woo Doohwan did an amazing job and rescued the character. He is one of my favourite Actors and I hope his next drama will be better like Mad Dog.
Moon Gayoung is a very talented young actress even though I didn‘t watched many dramas with her. But I will in the future. Sooji was a complexing character, sad and devil. And she was madly in Love with her best friend who falls in love with another girl and this fact she can‘t tolerate. In my opinion her character was too devil. A little bit exagerrated.
Kim Minjae played the last fried of the trio. His character is the most well written. Til the end he was in Love with his friend and can‘t see her be sad, so he changed. Kim Minjae is a new Actor but he is very talented. I hope he gets more main roles and maybe he gets the first male lead role soon.
The Problem for me was Joy. Yes, she did a better job than in „The Liar and his Lover“ but although her character was well written, she wasn‘t very good. I didn‘t feel anything when Taehee was scared or sad. This is the difference bettween Joy and the other three. I felt the Sadness of Woo Doohwan, Moon Gayoung and even Kim Minjae but Joy. There weren‘t emotions…
Music: DK of Seventeen sung a very nice Song. It suits the situations and was played at the right moments.
Honestly I am sad that the ratings were so bad but I can understand it a little bit even though the Actors deserved higher ratings. The Acting of three Main Actors was amazing and Joy wasn‘t so bad that you shouldn‘t watched it. It was the Story which was the main problem...
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After re-watching the first episode I remembered that it wasn't as bad as I recalled, I actually enjoyed it, the story let itself down in the middle I do wish it stayed as good as the first episode.
That being said I would suggest giving it a go because everyone will have a different experience with it.
,he acting from the main leads was not great and I feel as though that was down to the fact their characters were bland and had no real personality traits. (Joys character mostly). The story was also a letdown, and repetitive. despite these facts I finished the drama which I wouldn't normally do if it's not great meaning something drew me in.
I did enjoy parts of this drama especially the first few episodes and certain storylines within it.
This being said I wouldn't say it's a terrible drama it was definitely just a let down to a lot of our expectations.
I STILL LOVE THE CAST THOUGH AND THINK THEY ARE ALL GREAT ACTORS JUST NOT FOR THE CHARACTER ROLES THEY HAD WITH NOT VERY GOOD WRITING!!!
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The huge plus for this drama! The storyline is something I really LOVE here. Cruel intentions, which has a similar story line, is one of my favorite movies up to date. So yes, of course I was thrilled to have the storyline made into a kdrama. And overall it kept it's promise and was just what I had expected. I liked the characters and hated and loved them in all the right places. The reason why I took off 0,5 points is because the on-and-off relationship betweem Tae Hee and Si Hyun got a little annoying in the end. Tae Hee's character was definitely my least favorite....They could have done better with her.
Acting/Cast:
It was my first time seeing Woo Do Hwan and Moon Ga Young in a drama, but I reaaaally liked them. They are great actors!
I had watched Kim Min Jae in some other dramas and productions before and was ecstatic to see him as one of the main roles. He did great! He was my favorite character throughout the drama.
Well, and then there's Joy....What can I say? I watched her before in The Liar and his Lover and din't like her at all. But as the story captured me and Min Jae was part of the main leads, I still decided to watch it. And I have to say her acting was quite alright. What I really didn't like was her role, Tae Hee was supposed to be a strong girl, but was a weak character in the end. So Joy did an alright job, although she will never be my favourite actress. Her facial expression is somehow always the same...
Music:
I believe it was okay, don't really remember though ;)
Rewatch Value:
Maybe some scenes, but not the hwole thing.
Overall:
Great story, alright actors, sometimes a little too much, but enjoyable and not too bad!
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This review may contain spoilers
The positive review you've been looking for
Actually I think that many do not know, that even the Chinese film is based on the book of "dangerous liaisons" written by Pierre in 1782, which had a movie in 1988 and a modern version in 1999 (which is one of my favorites ).I couldn't give this review without telling you about the depth and complexity of the characters in the original book.
First, Soo Ji has a troubled past, which is not explained in the original novel but is implied. She is also evil in her own right, she is represented as a girl who is used to getting everything she wants. Perhaps many like her, and I say this in general, because she represents what a true femme fatal is. She goes against all morality, she controls men as she pleases, she is cynical and handles the power she has well but she also has this duality that she wants to be seen as a perfect person in the face of external look. She goes, let's say, very lightly in this version against the patriarchy and what she is expected to be.
Next we have Shi Hyun. A narcissistic man who is used to being a complete fuckboy. and he also has to have everything he wants. That's why he plays that bet with Soo Ji, because in some twisted way, on both of their parts, he wants to get the big prize. But as he usually happens, he falls into his own trap and falls in love with Eun Hee. Which complicates things because she doesn't want Eun Hee to find out that she was part of a game and she has to submit to Soo Jin's whims so that she doesn't get hurt (this can be seen in the scene where Eun Hee is dressed as red and humiliates her in front of everyone, against her wishes because he was being blackmailed by Soo Jin and he realizes that his "friends" are actually his enemies. And Woo Do knew how to handle this character very well. and everything, you could feel everything. Even her desperation.
Now we have Eun Hee, who is the complete opposite of Soo Jin, only she doesn't believe in love, because of her past with her mother. You could say that Joy is the most important low in terms of acting but I personally didn't think that. First because she had great chemistry with Woo Do, chemistry that I didn't feel between Woo Do and Ka Young (don't get me wrong, she is a great actress who can easily show any facet, from a pure girl to a complete villain), second because she really showed a lot of the resistance and doubts she had regarding Shi Hyun and third because there is a scene in particular that I liked a lot but others say that she couldn't "show " her pain to find out that she was part of a macabre bet between Shi Hyun's friends. But here's the point, Eun Hee always showed herself to be a strong woman, before she succumbed to Shi Hyun's deception, she was able to open up more and show that she also had a lot of pain and weaknesses, how would you act if you were in her place? I would act in the same cold and heartless way that she acted towards Shi Hyun. I wouldn't want a bastard to even see me cry, because he doesn't deserve it and he says things to Shi Hyun that destroy him. Because yes, I would also like them to go through what I went through. So even though you feel her pain, contempt and hatred, which Joy reflected very well in her features, she became the tough girl she was before. Because she wouldn't show her pain in front of Shi Hyun and Soo Ji. Even she maintains that position until almost the end of the story.
Lee's character was the one that seemed weakest to me, in terms of acting and character structure. He was only there to be Soo Ji's lapdog, I even wondered if he had really considered friend Shi Hyun from the beginning, because he was always very envious of the closeness between Shi Hyun and Soo Ji.
Perhaps what bothered me the most was that nothing significant happened to Soo Ji. She had no punishment for what she did. Shi Hyun had the punishment half done but the ending was so rushed that they left a lot of things unfinished at the end. Honestly, I did expect a real punishment for Soo Ji and that Shi Hyun would never have been forgiven for what he did to Eun Hee or die, as part of his punishment. Because the one who was always the victim was Eun Hee, none of them three.
Perhaps if it had been broadcast by another less conservative network we could have seen this less moral and ethical side, but well I agree that the performances were good, with the chemistry, the soundtrack is spectacular, the cinematography is not so glamorous but I liked it the opposite of the locker room between Soo Ji and Eun Hee, because it marked a solid social and also character difference.
You know, I wouldn't consider this drama as a Makjang because these things and gambling tend to happen a lot and more so in teenagers.
I have lived it.
It may not be the most extraordinary thing you see, but I do invite you to see it. Even if it has negative comments. Because I saw this drama when it was on air but I still think the same after almost 7 years hahaha I think you should judge things for yourself and not get carried away by so many negative comments. Because each person has different perspectives and tastes.
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