I can’t with MDL

Sometimes I just go here to support my theory that most ppl in MDL is gonna dislike a good drama. For some odd reasons, the viewers here, 90% of the time, never gets in line with my thoughts. But that’s just probably me. ? Often times I wonder if I even watched the same drama as everyone else. But enough of that…

I’d like to start with the general theme of the drama, coming from its title itself “Royal Feast”, obviously it’s gonna be about food. For the scriptwriters to incorporate that in all issue throughout the drama is already amazing. It introduced us to Chinese cuisines and their way of cooking from back then and showed us the importance of the food department in every kingdom (as opposed to the less attention it gets in most historical dramas Chinese or Korean). And it’s true that they can be so easily implicated just by what they serve on the table as those food goes in the body of the royalties.

Zhu Zhanjin - calm, collected and wise character even from the time he was the Grand Imperial Grandson, he was more like his grandfather than his father was (hence he was the favorite). He posed as a threat to his own father after he took over the throne and it was perfectly portrayed and set by the earlier scenes. He knows his duties as an heir and duties to his wives. He sincerely wanted to create a good relationship with his consort but she didn’t want it hence his heart drifted away and found comfort in the presence of Zijin. Xu Kai did well in this character and he portrayed the three stages that he went thru from grandson to the emperor. However, if I may say so myself (someone who watched everything he had done), this is one of his easiest role. ? But Xu kai is Xu kai and I’m proud of him.

Yao Zijin - classy, wise, talented and just the perfect Empress material. Her character has always been composed and just (maybe except for herself, too selfless). Her love for Zhanjin is real but she’s been brought up as an Empress would be and thus how she acts. She knows he duties first as a concubine and then a noble consort, she doe what she can in her power but never goes beyond what the preceding authority before her. She knows the limitations that entails her title and have never asked for more. And when she was given power, she knows when to push through and when to fall back. She’s not frustrating, she’s wise and calculating; just like the Empress Dowager had always been beside Zhanjin’s father. She speaks forward for his sake, for the sake of others but not for her own sake for she does not want to abuse the attention she’s receiving (however, it’s one of her flaws for she has taken it quite far before she lost her voice). In this case neither her nor Zhanjin were free from blame; they both were in the wrong. Nothing to say but perfect Empress material. The actress was perfect for the role, even her facial structure is fit for the role.

There’s so many characters that I can talk about but my willpower to write about each one of them is not enough so I’ll just pass on that.

I enjoyed it a lot and is the only Chinese historical drama ever that I didn’t skip through. Tbh I started this expecting to skip around Episode 17 as I usually do but I actually watched through the whole thing.

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This is my very first review of a drama and it’s even extremely late but I still want to do it.

I just have to say that I want to slap myself for taking this long to find this precious gem of a story.

This drama is amazing. It is realistic, if not very close to reality. My very first impression of this drama is: “wow mature and responsible main leads”. I love it. I love it that both of them act like the adults that they are. I love it that this drama is mature.

At first I thought it really slowwww. I’m not a fan of slow burn dramas at all but this one, despite the cinematography that makes you feel in slow motion and the atmosphere that takes forever, it didn’t feel like that at all. I mean it was slow in a comfortable way. I did have moments like “quickly car, you don’t need 40 seconds of the time to get off screen” or “do they really have to shoot her walking up the stairs to his apartment, he lives on the third floor for goodness sake” moments but when I remember what kind of drama I’m watching it calms me down. LOL. It’s really nice to just watch calmly and wait for things to unfold slowly. It’s very fresh when things unfold in a normal realistic way instead of the overdramatic feeling we often get from most kdramas.

The next thing I love about this drama is that it makes you think, sympathize and empathize with the characters. If one doesn’t stop for a moment and think, he/she will never really appreciate this drama. This drama made me think about the situation and why the situation is not working out; I think of the factors why it was difficult for them to start a relationship; I think whether they even really deserve to be together. I love that I used more of my head watching this rather than my emotion. Of course I still cried and smiled and got frustrated with the characters but despite that I can understand why everything is turning out that way.

Next is the Romance. Needless to say, their relationship is amazing. Sometimes I can still see unrealistic moments with them but since they’re sweet, I can forgive that. Their sweet moments are to die for and I appreciate that they’re not holding back with their acting. Han Ji Min and Jung Hae In did an AMAZING job. It makes me look forward to their next projects.

I would definitely recommend this drama to anyone who wants a break from too much cliche and overdramatic scenes. This drama is sweet. Like drinking a cup of coffee on a Sunday with rain pouring out your window.

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First of all I decided to write this review because I read the other reviews and comments and saw too many negative opinions. So I want to write a good one for all of us who enjoyed it a lot. (Would want to point out tho if we even watched the same drama because the drama I watched was good LOL).

Points:
- People say that they couldn’t take Yi Seo. I get it, at some point of the drama I hated her (maybe for two episodes) when she got really mean with Geun Soo and Soo Ah about the building thing but the thing is, did the writers give her a free way with this? NO. Saeroyi got mad with her. But the thing is, if she didn’t bitch about the building thing, do you think Saeroyi would have decided to buy one? She made him realize that at that moment they needed a REALISTIC alternative. Yi Seo’s role here was set right from the start if not from the start, you guys should have seen it the moment she cut off the would-be kiss of Soo Ah and Saeroyi with her hand over Soo Ah’s mouth. She is a crazy character. And if it’s only me I like her. For once a refreshing main female character.
- People say that the romance between Yi Seo and Saeroyi is weird. I don’t think so. If you actually watch kdrama a lot, most of the earlier scenes point out that Yi Seo will end up with Saeroyi ( I really don’t know why some think otherwise). And if not Yi Seo would you like Soo Ah? Yi Seo even pointed out the obvious when they met at the cafe four years later that Soo Ah was only for herself, even Soo Ah realized it and knew what she lost because of hesitating too much when Saeroyi was so determined to save Yi Seo.
- Jang Geun Soo turnover haha. Tbh his characters is one of the pitiful ones. Some say it’s weird that he suddenly became a villain but I don’t know about you but I called it that moment Yi Seo said “If you really decided you want me, take over Jangga.” I knew at some point that he will go to Jangga. If you look at his last conversation with Saeroyi at the rooftop when he resigned, he said that Saeroyi is really amazing. And that he would want to change to and try to achieve his goals like Saeroyi. His goal was Yi Seo. But the thing is HE WAS A KID. At the ending scene after the IC Co. took over Jangga And Saeroyi was talking with Geun Soo, Saeroyi literally called him a kid. Not sure about the real reason why but I assumed that it means “It’s not your fault, the adults around you didn’t really show you a good example so you haven’t grown up yet.” Maybe who knows. But it was obvious that he was going to turn against them.
- Park Saeroyi kneeling down. That scene was phenomenal! I didn’t think that PSJ’s back was so powerful hahaha. He was kneeling down to show some kind of “surrender/deafeat” but he was dominating that shot! I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. And it was not much of defeat but out of pity. Saeroyi realized that the old man was actually ridiculous to the point that he was not worth it at all. At first Saeroyi saw him as a powerful man and wanted to reach for what he did but he realized at that moment that the old man was nothing but “trash”. He couldn’t believe he wanted to go after a trash and so kneeling down became nothing. Did you see Jang Dae Hee’s face when Saeroyi explained that to him? When I saw his face “SATISFACTION!” hahahaha.
- Romantic change at the end. Tbh Saeroyi didn’t have anything to live for anymore. Nothing that would make him happy, hence his scene with his dad by the bridge. He keeps remembering Yi Seo who put her life on the line for him and he decided that I want to live for that person too because I love her. And it’s not weird that he only realized it at the end. Remember he’s a 34 years old guy who didn’t have his first kiss yet. And he was used to the thought that “I like Soo Ah” that he didn’t realize he actually loves Yi Seo. It was pretty well written for me.

But then again, this might just be me. Still It was a great drama! It slowed down in the middle a bit but it’s fine because Park Seo Joon hahahah.

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I’m sorry but overrated

The beginning was good and as people said it has so much potential. I love the foundation of the story (some were a bit unrealistic but it was acceptable since this is a comical superpower show like its preceding season.) With that being said, I am not comparing the two, I can’t even remember the plot of the first one, except that I enjoyed it.

My main thoughts about this is that they tried to squeeze in TOO MANY for 16 episodes. Too packed that you don’t even understand what’s going on anymore.

My first ‘eyebrow raise’ moment was when she met her mom for the first time. They were reunited after almost 20 years, crying and hugging, then suddenly they were talking about something random? Then even her reunion with the rest of the family was too underwhelming, they moved on too fast. Right away she was onto this spy mission, and you can barely see her with her family. She was lost for a long time and NOW you found her and that’s it?

They’re moving too fast with the scenes that the emotions aren’t showing enough of what it’s so supposed to show BUT it’s draggy at the same time. (Idk how to explain,, that’s how I felt).

The mom is annoying too I AM SORRY. I love that she’s living “FOR A CAUSE” but she’s like a bulldozer, she doesn’t think first before taking actions. And sometimes she do things that aren’t smart and even IF they are smart it doesn’t sound and look smart. ? Her character is too comical. Imo

There’s too much going on that the story is all over the place. Even her homeless friend have been gone for 2 episodes or so, and now the grandfather is back…and received a surgery…for what?

I wish they had skipped some of these funny scenes to just make a more wholistic story because HONESTLY, I don’t know WHY the grandma’s role is there, what is her role’s essence in the storyline?

I know I haven’t finished the whole thing yet. I WILL be finishing it because I am still curious. The only way I’d change my mind about this is if they’ll be able to tie up everything properly at the end.

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K-drama has just had the most dramatic shift in history

Okay, that might be too much but for me it is.

Now, what to say...I have A LOT to say about this drama.

The storyline is one of the best I’ve seen in Korean Drama history. Though, mental/psychological/psychiatrical stories have been made before but this drama truly dug deep into its theme. I applaud the writers for creating such a masterpiece and laying out the plot very well. To be honest, a mix of the usual cliche stories we often see are still in the drama but tweaked so—I’m sorry—damn well that it wasn’t boring to watch. I like how exactly connected the title of the episodes are not only with Gang Tae and Moon Yeong but even with the extended stories of the supporting roles at the hospital. It’s very much clear how well the whole plot has been thought out, wonderful job!

The characters were beyond amazing. Their stories were all complete. All characters (at least those that matters) have their background stories and I like how well they were written. Starting from their mental/psychological needs to how they got it and how they were able to overcome it. I’d say that the characters were completely and perfectly sculpted. Each character has a reason why they are in the drama. And I also like how the friends surrounding the three of them never pulled them down but waited and kept on encouraging and supporting them no matter what. Kdrama writers...please take notes.

The whole series is full of symbolisms and contrasting ideas and I LOVE IT! The butterfly, the red shoes, the long hair, the scars, the bandages, the drawings—literally oozing with symbolisms that I made it a game to find them while watching. And then the contrasting ideas: the butterfly could be both a symbol for being psycho or a cure; the fact that Sang Tae was considered the liability but most of the time his words give the greatest realization to Gang Tae; the fact that Gang Tae was so good with his job—controlling/appeasing people with mental/psychological/emotional needs—but he’s in complete turmoil; the fact that Moon Yeong helped a lot of people overcome and pick themselves up when she’s the most broken one; and a lot more.

Cinematography! Wow just wow. I don’t know much but just the way it’s different from other dramas already deserve an acknowledgement from me. The transitions of the scenes are almost peculiar but it’s so fun. I also like how they actually show what each person is feeling or thinking in actual representations. At first I thought it has horror but then realized that they just wanted to let us see inside, and that’s really cool.

Need I say more about the cast? Sublime! Kim Soo Hyun has always been good, so that 인정! Oh Jung Se truly truly did such a good job portraying a person with autism. But the most I’m impressed with is Seo Ye Ji, I’ve always liked her, but I get to like her even more; I cannot imagine her not acting as Moon Yeong, she’s PERFECT for the role!

My last thoughts would be regarding Sang Tae and Gang Tae. As a person with a sister with special needs too, I’ve been continuously affected and touched by most of the scenes between brothers, especially about “Moon Gang Tae is for Moon Gang Tae”...this feeling is inevitable and yes it’s not easy to overcome and I like how that’s the final scene; that everyone is their own and that it takes time to understand and accept. I also like how in the whole series, no unnecessary scenes where Sang Tae gets bullied by extras just for the sake of making a point that he’s different or just to say that he’s being discriminated and looked down upon. We don’t need that and I’m thankful for that writers.

Truly amazing drama. Will definitely be watching it again soon just so I could see what I missed before.

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DRAINED AF ?

How to even begin...

I mainly watched this drama without any sort of expectations or background about the story. Never read the synopsis and never seen the teasers, only for the single fact that Lee Seunggi is one of the casts. However, on my first episode, right of the bat, the captions in front had said “Counseling has been provided for the child actors” and damn that scared me. For my entire kdrama journey (I watch all kinds of genre too), it was my first time to see such a note and I was beyond intrigued. So I watched the first episode and I was scared the whole time. It was a first time experience of being scared not because of ghost characters but because of killers (I never get scared cuz it’s a character) but the way the killer has been portrayed on the first ep was damn scary for me for some reasons.

I watch All the Butlers (Seunggi’s variety show) and it has been said there in passing that he is the culprit so I had an inkling. But what surprised me was he wasn’t acting like a culprit at all and my brain was torn between two possibilities and a hope that “oh maybe he’s not the culprit”. Tbh I thought about this until the 18th episode, like is there going to be a big reveal that it’s all been staged and they messed with his head to make him remember things he never actually did. I guess the biggest struggle for me here was not figuring out who’s the culprit because from the very beginning Seunggi was a very plausible candidate, the struggle was the “hope” that “it can’t be this easy, he’s not the culprit is he? No how? He’s build too much rapport with the other characters” but as episodes went by, that hope dwindled little by little. Call me crazy but I think that’s what the writers are actually going for.

Next, this series showed how sick society is. Ba Reum’s psychopathic behavior was brought upon by society and irresponsible adults not through birth no matter how the story wants us to believe with all the DNA and stuff. Which comes to my next argument, imo it’s not Yohan that influenced his emotions but because he lost the violent memories and only remembered the good ones (which was highly influenced by the people around him only telling him the good things). Think about it, if he had been fed bu good things since childhood, he wouldn’t have thought that the whole world was against him. If only his mother was the like Choi PD. The influence of the society plus the push of OZ in that direction happens in real life you know; some into violence and some into taking their own lives. How sad is that. What I hate about the society in this drama is that they all were playing “god”, which was shown at the end when they voted pro to aborting babies with psychopath genes. And they don’t consider themselves serial killers that way? That’s like mass serial killing isn’t it? Messed up.

I’d be biased and talk about Lee Seunggi’s acting only in this review: HE BLEW MY MIND AWAY. I like him a lot really and I know how kind he is but his villainous self in this drama scared the shit out of me. He was that good; like how can you adore and loathe and pity him all at the same time? His character in itself was a roller coaster ride and he pulled it off so well. I don’t think anyone can do better. They did well casting him for this role and kudos to him for taking this role. Hat’s off.

Despite this being an exquisite LSG performance, I give the rewatch value a very low score. Only for the reason that it’s mentally and emotionally excruciating to watch. It came to a point where I had to pause the video a couple or times just to watch something brighter and lighter in the feeling before continuing. Still, I do recommend giving this a shot, just be sure that you are mentally prepared.

Now...lemme just go back to 2019 and watch Little Forest Lee Seunggi cuz I needa wash my eyes from dark Seunggi hahahahaha...watch it guys MOST ADORABLE VARIETY SHOW ♥️

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Many people had great expectations towards Melting Me Softly because:
- at the beginning teaser, it really seemed fresh and new
- Ji Chang Wook comeback

However, in general opinion it has become a disappointment. The storyline is really good and has so much potential. It's new, it's fresh and there are many other ways that the drama could have gone to be so much better.

In watching the drama I saw two problems why this drama is generally disliked:
- people had great expectations because we're used to getting quality content drama when we hear the name Ji Chang Wook but sadly the writers didn't do this drama justice
- people started to have prejudice towards this drama because there have been a lot of negative reviews *that being said, although it had been a disappointment but in my opinion, it is not worth all the hate it's getting... it's bad but there there are worse out there* But if you think about JCW and all the other actors here it is indeed quite below them all. The writers couldn't showcase the great cast's potential for sure.

But I would like to point out the things I love about this drama (since I see very few ppl think that there's even something good about it):
- I like how consistent both Ma Dong Chan and Ko Mi Ran with their role being "old-school". Especially at the beginning. It did get better when they started to "keep up" and the things they used started to get modernized but even so they're still consistent in acting like an old person (behind their times).
- The messed up hierarchy. I so so love this about this drama especially when it comes to Ma Dong Chan. He is mostly older than everbody else in the drama following his real age and it's funny how they all act around him. His younger brother and sister, his former assistant director all call him with honorifics even when he looks wayyy younger. I find it funny and interesting when they call him oppa, hyung and sunbae. (I especially loved the scene when his younger sister and brother came to him for a hug.) I also love it when he shows other people his ID card showing his date of birth and they're just stunned.
- The great effort the actors has put into it. And I can imagine how much fun they must have on set.
- The comedy. Yeah yeah call me weird for liking the comedy. But the thing is, I knew from first ep how the comedy in this drama is going to go. At first it will put you off cuz they happen at moments that they shouldn't have but I decided to just let it go and then along the way I started to like it and laugh with it.
- Ji Chang Wook doing these skit-like comedies. LOL. When we hear JCW we automatically think about Empress Ki (an emperor for goodness sake), Healer (a really skillful fighter), K2 (a very dangerous ex-military man), Suspicious Partner (prosecutor/lawyer). All of these drama did have their own funny moments and JCW did well in all of them. But, this is the first time that he obviously went all out. I like that I found this new side of him. And that proves what a great actor he is. I'm glad that he took the risk.

I admit that I watched it because of JCW and not because of a great story (cuz it's not haha). But, I still find things that I love about it so I don't think it's all that bad.

P.S. Rereading the review, I seem like a die hard fan of JCW and it looks so biased LOL. Just FYI I am not hahahaha. I just happened to watch all of his drama and liked them all.

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Another MDL rant ?

I do agree that I like season 1 more because it’s more emotionally relatable. However, Season 2 has something else to offer which I thoroughly enjoyed a lot. So basically Season 1 focuses on giving justice towards people who are not able to rely on lawful ways, which we can all agree often happens that criminals don’t get the punishments they deserve. We are able to relate well because the stories of our main characters portray such stories. In Season 2 though, I’m not sure if some of you noticed but, they referred on actual crimes that took place in Korea — big ones I might add — and tweaked them a bit to follow the storyline.

For examples (and this is just based on my own observations cuz I won’t be googling these stuff just for a review)
- the story about the cult whom they call 아버님(Father) if you go to Netflix there’s a full documentary of a cult that sounds just like it. The most notable similarity for me is when they said “if he touch you, you will be healed” (in the documentary it’s literally sexually touching women while saying it’ll heal them (disgusting person). In the series tho, they changed things a bit
- the black sun (honestly do we not remember the whole ‘Burning Sun’ from 2021). The most notable similarity is with the drugs, drugging women, the idol Victor and the CHATS. At first I was just guessing but when Victory was chatting with his friends, that solidified it for me. The series of course, changed things a bit.

Season 2, gave me a sense of satisfaction. I don’t mean that I, outside of dramaland, would allow unlawful justice because law is there for a reason. However, if it were not up to the law, at least once in our lives we hoped that these criminals have experienced the same kind of pain as their victims. Or is that just me?

Anyways, enjoyed it a lot! Waiting for Season 3 !

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