Szarfaraz
Disappointing. It’s visually stunning, music is great, but that’s it.
I’m disappointed. The story is not good. Or maybe I just expected so much from the glimpse I had from the music video and reviews here.The music video of Park hyo shin’s ost is a way better story than the entire series. It’s unnecessarily long just to keep dragging the episodes to showcase the beautiful cinematography.
Story: Why so long? Is it to cater for the countless slow motions and CGI? Or is it to make it seem like a big shot kdrama? Most of the scenes are empty, the order of the series is a mess, maybe they were just trying to be more historically accurate but if then they couldve just made a movie. The war that I was expecting for the last episode actually happened in the first episode, and it was just a glimpse. The feeling of patriotism that I’ve been waiting for was concealed in a very short scenes, then the lovestory-filled ending came up, then the end.
Cast/Acting: I don’t buy the main leads. Why does it have to be Lee byung hun? He might as well became the father figure for the main female lead. I could see hyun bin as a more fitting cast for the character. Kim tae ri, okay so many better actress to portray this role, but I can forgive this. The rest of the main leads, perfect.
Music: One of the best soundtracks in kdramaworld. Thank you Park hyo shin and Baek ji young.
Rewatch: No, because it’s so long and empty, I might actually fall asleep. Actually I did fell asleep so many times while watching this, I just woke up one morning and the entire series has been streamed out. Lol!
Overall: Very disappointed. Unlike the claims of other fans about this drama as patriotic, historical etc. it actually focused on the lovestory of the main leads, the main leads as in the five main leads.
There are only three good things about this drama.
1. The cinematography
2. The music
3. The mourning scenes in ep 20.
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We can forgive, but we can’t forget
It is a very heavy drama with so many twists, turns, revenge, betrayal and forgiveness. I never thought I’d actually like this genre, but I did. I cried because I could feel their pain. I sympathized not only with the protagonists but also with the antagonists. I smiled for the bittersweet ending and how things get back on its place. I lived the moment when the characters live the comfort of their vacation from the twisty scenesThis drama will make you feel anger, sadness, pity, happiness and comfort. It’s a heavy drama, and it lives up to its genre. These 16 episodes could be divided into two different series. First half is around ep 1-6, the second is around episode 7-16.
There are only gray characters in this drama, atleast in my opinion. Everyone has their good sides and hidden evil within them, this applies to both protagonists and antagonists. Thus, my feelings towards the characters throughout the story has been constantly changing. I would hate one character in one episode to that point that I’d love to see him/her dead, then depend on them to save the day for the next episodes.
Story: The story is fully packed. Every scenes and episodes are full everything. It reminds me of dramas like Sky Castle, Penthouse, and Mine for example. Twists and turns, comforting drama here then bad omen within a single scene. It’s fully packed and you’re not gonna be bored.
Cast/acting: Well, I was thinking in earlier episodes why they chose the actor of the husband and why it was the wife, then I realized, because they were perfect for their characters. Now that I finished the drama, I couldn’t think of any other actors who could have played it better than them. The acting was superb, even their child’s act is on spot.
Music: I like that they included The package’s soundtrack “imagine” because honestly, it’s a beautiful song to soothe the drastic things happening in the drama, but I honestly can’t even remember a single ost from this drama at all, they were very forgettable and not effective to be mentioned.
Rewatch: I don’t think I would rewatch this drama because the only series I rewatch are fun melo and light hearted dramas, this is just too heavy to rewatch, and it may not give the same vibe since I already know what’s gonna happen.
Overall: It’s one of the best drama to binge-watch because you’d definitely ask for more in each episode ending. Most of us will remember the past relationships we had and relare to this so beware. Enjoy!
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Too beautiful, touching and painful.
I heard about this drama before its release in 2016 and was looking forward to it because it is centered on senior characters but I did not get a chance to watch it. I recently finished the drama and it surely is one of the best dramas to reflect about life, friendship, family and love. I shed a lot of tears for this drama, but they were pretty healthy feelings to absorb, especially because most of the new dramas I encountered before were either too cliche, childish, and political, which lack the ability to give out emotions.First of all, the cinematography is just so good for its time. It brings the mood and the feelings into you.
The music, “don’t go” and “want to be free”, they are incredibly effective in bringing out the tears whenever they get played.
The story was quite complicated in the first episode because you will be overwhelmed with a lot of different characters, I was glad i continue through episode 2. Each episode has a different focus but the story provides a good amount of fun, laughter, excitement and happiness. Yes you may cry for some, but it won’t feel heavy, it would feel lighter to release the emotions you absorb throughout the drama.
Love all the characters. The cast are on point. Na Moon Hee is just the best actress for the role. Jo in sung and Go hyun jung were the only couple in a drama that I actually cried for. Go hyun jung should have definitely been one of the top paid leading roles in her prime but I was surprised that she was not. All characters are significant and their stories play a huge role in forming the bigger picture. Each of them would most likely be somewhat your future, and it was refreshing to see a variety of characters to go along together.
I would definitely watch this drama again. It was one of the best I’ve watched so far, and I have watched a lot. If you want a touching, beautiful and refreshing drama to get rid of your hidden emotions within, try this drama, you won’t regret it.
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A disappointing 2020 drama that looks like a 2000’s sitcom
I love family dramas and I was looking forward to this when I actually started the first episodes but it disappoints.Firstly, I need to point out that the cinematography for a 2020 released drama just looks a lot like a 2000’s sitcom. It was just too smooth and nothing cinematic about it, just a regular tv show that you watch to pass time every now and then.
The story was well laid out, but not given justice. This is a family drama that seeks to let viewers shed tears but it does not have the quality to let the tears out. There’s just something wrong about the cinematography and the script. It was funny on most parts and that’s just what it has to offer. The only powerful character was the gimbap store owner.
The music was very forgettable. I do not even remember a single music in the drama when I finished it.
The acting was okay.
I wouldn’t rewatch this drama. It was a 50-hour long disappointment.
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Just a regular modern day drama
This drama started off with a very powerful first episode. The grandma, kim hae sook played a huge role not only in building the storyline but also the success of the first episode.However, everything just went downwards the following episodes. I do not understand why the drama need to include the character nam do san and suzy’s love story whilst taking into consideration how effective han ji pyeong’s character with the grandma. I think the storyline was just created to drag fans into this drama rather than to serve masterpiece to viewers.
I would have loved this drama more if Han ji pyeong and the grandma was the main leads, helping each other reach the success together rather than seeing suzy and nam do san’s love story and the whole sandbox concept into the scene.
The drama has an itaewon class type of cinematography, modern but too modern to let the emotions out from you. It was rather a simpler plot than a real business drama or even a friendship drama.
The music was so-so, nothing really special and remarkable about it.
I wouldn’t actually watch this drama but I’ll give it a 3 for rewatch because I might rewatch the good old days of the episode 1 of the grandma and han ji pyeong.
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