oh....my.

wow...I know I am not alone in feeling incredibly disappointed in how this drama turned out. what started out as a hopeful coming of age story about growing up and finding your place in the world...ended with an hour of "your friendships of youth are meant to be kept in the past...deal with it :)"

Twenty-Five, Twenty-One started out (and, honestly, continued to be until about episode 14) as one of the most genuine, engaging, and hopeful dramas I had seen in a long time. the characters were charming, but also human, with flaws and development that really made you feel like you were growing up with them. their friendships were the kind that had struggles, but as they grew up, they learned how to navigate these conflicts. it showed the realities of growing up, young love, and finding your place in the world.

and then it totally crashed and burned.

here's the thing, I actually am all for bittersweet, or even sad, endings. I just did not feel like this one did the story justice. it was such a...non-ending, that it felt like a cheap cop-out to get an emotional reaction, which was in stark contrast to the rest of the drama, where each of the emotional moments was in the story for an obvious developmental reason. I knew from the start that this drama would probably not have a "happy" ending, but nonetheless, I was very disappointed in this.

the ending, which provided no true closure for anyone but Hee-Do (kind of), felt like it was communicating a message that any friendship that happens in your childhood is...intended to be left there? that none of the youthful love or hope you have can follow you into adulthood... this, paired with how melancholy adult Hee-Do seems to feel about her life, was incredibly strange in contrast to the other 14 episodes of character development and hopeful storytelling.

all in all, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I feel like this drama was designed to be watched while it aired, and it created great engagement in the audience due to this fact...and maybe this is why the ending felt short. they kept the "mystery" going for too long, in a way that did not leave them time to truly flesh out the ending. I am not sure. I feel like they could have kept the "open ending" concept, and just tweaked it a bit... showing us that some of the friendship group were still in touch, or something...the fact the drama went to such great lengths to keep all the side couples together, and then threw out not only the main couple's romance but also their very long friendship so abruptly... hm. it just felt incredibly out of place and incredibly disappointing.

perhaps this is all a testament to how lovely the first chunk of the drama was! I highly recommend the first 14 or so episodes...but save yourself and do not watch the finale. it is not worth it.

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a testament to the power of "committing" and not taking anything too seriously

Business Proposal was cheesy, trope-y, and absolutely amazing. this is an example of how powerful it is when creators know exactly what they are going for, acknowledge that it is campy, and fully lean into that cheesiness aspect.

in addition to the perfect 12 episode story arc (seriously, I haven't seen such a well-paced rom-com before! no forced break-ups!), I am genuinely so blown away by how well done all of the K-Drama cliches were in this series. it was like a little homage to everything that makes K-Dramas what they are, from the silly tropes to the more serious drama (although I am glad we skipped the childhood connection trope, hah!). I loved the way they acknowledged this through the incorporation of the ongoing drama all the characters were watching. the creators of Business Proposal knew what they were making wasn't unique, or particularly fresh, but they let this guide the way to creating an absolute delight of a series that I think any K-Drama fan, old or new, will get something out of.

the characters were charming, and the cast genuinely had me smiling along with them. it was nice to watch something so fun. I knew things would work out, I knew people would fall in love surprisingly fast, but it wasn't boring or overdone, it genuinely somehow had me on the edge of my seat for each new episode. the 12 episode storyline also kept things from being too drawn out; I am truly impressed by how well-paced the story was.

I haven't enjoyed a rom-com like this in years. it is honestly a genre I tend to stay away from now because it has always felt a bit repetitive to me, and I find myself dropping dramas quickly because of it. I think my appreciation for Business Proposal comes from the fact they acknowledge many of their viewers will feel this way, and the show feels almost like an inside joke, in the most delightful way.

if you need a little happy distraction, this is the perfect drama for it.

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Alchemy of Souls is everything a fantasy story should be (plus some)

I am a lover of fantasy in pretty much all forms of media but wasn't sure I wanted to start such a long on-air drama, especially since it was going to be split into two seasons. After all, how much story is there to tell in that genre that hasn't been done before? I am so glad I did. Alchemy of Souls (AoS) does just about everything right; from successfully portraying complex morally grey characters, to creating a detailed but digestible fantasy background.

Every character in this drama has serious flaws (don't we all), but the audience gets to grow with them as the story progresses. It is so seamless and unforced, that you don't even realize how much the characters have developed until they are confronted by one of their original weaknesses (ie-Naksu constantly being presented with opportunities to *unalive* people). The actors have such amazing chemistry together and are giving impeccable performances, allowing these characters to have so much depth and personality that you're constantly hypnotized regardless of the plot. In writing it can be easy to rely on either the characters *or* the plot, especially when in a fantasy narrative. However, here we have a truly seamless blend, where it feels like each is just as important as the other.

The characters have to make choices that give you pause, thinking about what you would do if you were there; there is often not a black and white "good versus evil" choice. The prime example of this is Naksu's whole ~body~ situation; we all kind of want her to stay as we know her, but is that really the "right" choice? Or even the main ~romance~ storyline; seeing their relationship develop, and how well they mature and get to know each other. They are both often forced to give pause and think about what they want, versus how it will impact the other. In my personal opinion, this kind of moral complexity, the kind that is so subtle but forces the audience to subconsciously engage with the story on a deeper level, is the trademark of good storytelling. And while this isn't especially easy to achieve in novel form, I think it is much more difficult to portray on television, when you can just *show* people what they are supposed to think. AoS does an amazing job with this.

"People can be very foolish.” – Crown Prince

“They are not foolish. They are frightened.” – Jang Uk

I love myself a good fantasy novel or movie, but so often it can be intimidating to even understand what is happening due to all the lore; AoS definitely has a lot of this to catch up on, but they spread out a lot of the lore through the story. Uk's character is especially good for this; he grew up in the world but was constantly shut out from truly understanding it. The audience gets to learn about the important details as he does. Side note, I love the incorporation of modern fashion in the character designs. It brings new life to the historically inspired fantasy style, and I think it makes the whole world feel quite fresh and engaging, without trying too hard. Despite the length of episodes, I find myself very rarely skipping through scenes (I'm looking at you, So-Yi).

I definitely think this is a drama that is truly elite to watch while airing, as the world is so new that the excitement and suspense can really be felt as it is quite unpredictable. It is not without its flaws or plot holes, but it is rare to find a drama (especially one this long) that feels so fresh and exciting, that you don't even think about hitting that "skip ahead" button. I certainly see myself rewatching this later in preparation for Season 2... I won't lie, as a fan of the Hong Sister's previous dramas, I am getting a bit nervous about this ending...so I decided to write the review before I potentially cried over this story, hah!

“Some things are hard to see because they are hidden, not because they do not exist.” – Jang Uk

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Full of hope; if you like sageuks and don't mind investing some time in a slower plot!

Wow! I did not expect to love this one as much as I did. It caught me by surprise, but I think this is going to be one of my top all-time dramas.

If you haven't watched a lot of sageuks (or, if the only ones you've watched lean more towards fast-paced comedy like Mr. Queen or Forbidden Marriage) I would not recommend this to start with. It is a bit slower, and I think I have only recently grown to love the genre enough that I appreciate this about it. If I were going to pick one to compare it to, I would say Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung - it strikes me as less intense than a lot of traditional sageuks when it comes to the plot, but it also it may not be as "fun" as some of the more recent historical dramas have been.

The mystery plot (and detective teamwork) was actually really intriguing and made a lot of the political portions of the drama much more refreshing than they could have been. I especially enjoyed the first chunk of the drama that had almost a contained mystery plot for each episode, and then those pieces all slowly came together for the main storyline. That being said, there were some episodes where the discoveries were dragged out to such a degree, that it made it hard to continue to be in suspense. I think this drama's greatest flaw is just that they overextended the main plot, and did not give the main romance much time to grow. I think if they had leaned into the romance a bit more, it would have balanced out those slow portions of the mystery.

That being said, where this drama really shines is the main cast. Park Hyung-Sik was AMAZING in this drama. If you are a fan of his, this drama is worth watching just for his acting. His character leans a bit more restrained (which like, is pretty par for the course for a Crown Prince character) but PHS managed to communicate so much emotion just with his eyes and body language. Also, those fight scenes omg!

Jeon So-nee and her character were immaculate. She was incredibly vibrant on screen and just captivated me in every scene she was in. My only complaint is we didn't get enough of her character in action! She was clearly incredibly intelligent and skilled, and her detective work was some of my favorite scenes. I wanted more of it (like what we had in the first few episodes of the series). Also, again, those fight scenes omg!

PHS and JSN together were great. Their banter was great, their chemistry was great, I adored it all. I just wish there was more. As I said above, I think it would've filled the gaps a bit more. Like, in some of the later scenes, there was potential for an amazing reunion moment, but it wasn't there! I think because they were so great together, those moments where there was potential to take their chemistry (even slow-burn chemistry) to the next level, really stood out. Also, the whole detective team was great, and there was some amazing character development in this show (looking at you, Sergeant)!

The ending was optimistic and full of hope in a way you don't see in a lot of historical dramas. It left me teary-eyed, just thinking of how far they had all come.

If you like historical dramas and don't mind investing some time in slow (but largely intentional) pacing, I highly recommend it.

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a narrative about human nature

one of the few "hyped up" dramas I have seen recently that I felt was maybe...underhyped. I was truly surprised by this drama. due to the nature of the story, it is not plothole free, but it did a wonderful job of depicting the reality of human nature in times of crisis. the main leads have earned themselves a forever fan in me with their work in this drama as well.

I think part of what makes this drama stand out is that it is one of those stories that takes place in the midst of an "action crisis," a conflict that could quickly become a story of fight scenes and drama. however, amidst this plotline is a narrative of human nature. beautifully done, morally grey characters that you can't help but empathize with one moment, yet you truly despise the next. the focus on the people did leave some plot holes that I think may detract from the story on a second watch when you are less invested in the suspense of the story. however, it is a compromise that results in a truly unique first-watch experiance.

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an unexpectedly charming series

this is my all-time favorite drama, but I do not think it is for everyone.

Miss Hammurabi was a very unexpected delight for me. I firmly believe everyone has "their book" out there; a book that they feel truly seen by, and that can impact their life, a connection I would chalk up to being a literary soul-mate with the author. Miss Hammurabi is "my drama."

the drama is one that follows a format similar to While We Were Sleeping, where each episode addresses a big picture topic, with underlying themes throughout the entire series. the thing that made Miss Hammurabi stand out for me was how real the topics were they were covering. the stories were not unnecessarily dramatized, nor were they overly simplistic and easy to digest. I know that the novel this series was based on was written by a real judge, and it truly translates into the drama. each episode feels like you genuinely are looking into the life and consequences of the cases these judges were hearing.

in addition to how grounded and impactful the overall story was, the main cast was amazing. the best way to describe their characters was...subtle, almost soft. again, the way they were portrayed felt so real, without the dramatics that is usually in dramas (and which are usually such an enjoyable and immersive part of dramas, making the successful absence of it notable). I especially resonated with L's character (true INTJ representation, which I really appreciated).

all this to say, the drama just felt so authentic, it would be difficult not to feel a connection to it, but you have to give it a few episodes to loop you into the story. it is one of those dramas that will truly shift the way you look at the world, even if only a little bit, because it gives you some real insight into the humanity of each person around you, the sign of great storytelling.

however, I would be wrong not to acknowledge, I do not think this drama is for everyone. I think a lot of the characteristics that drew me into the drama, the subtle, slow nature of reality, etc. probably would deter a lot of people who like more traditional drama style of storytelling, especially if you aren't one to continue a show if you don't like the first few episodes.

Miss Hammurabi is not for the times when you want a fast paced, edge of your seat distraction. it is the perfect drama for when you want to feel a bit of hope in reality, when you want something to give you a kick of inspiration to go out and make a change for yourself.

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truly a hidden gem: a breath of fresh air

there is no better way to describe this drama than a "hidden gem." I had heard the name once or twice, but truly dismissed it until I had some free time and I wanted an "easy watch." I was so pleasantly surprised by this drama. the story and characters were lovely, I found myself crying nearly every episode, whether it be from a moment of melodrama or some of the many moments of pure hope and human connection that the story highlighted.

however, what really stood out to me about this drama was the atmosphere. the producers knew exactly what "vibe" they were going for and fully committed in a way you see so rarely. it had a very unique, whimsical style to everything from the dialogue, to the cinematography. it was visually a delight to watch.

a narrative of finding your place in the world, and learning how to use your talents and passions to add value to the community around you...this drama was truly a breath of fresh air.

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