rae
Philippines
One of the things I like about this drama is the portrayal of mental health in Korean media. I haven't seen kdrama in years, so I'm not sure about how much it has progressed but I am glad that at least this drama gives mental health an avenue for discussion instead of it being taboo in traditional Korean culture. Unfortunately, the thing I did not like about that was how comical it was, and how it pretty much merged social anxiety and introversion in one? When those two are different? Anyway, what's important is that its opened that topic up, but I hope that even if this is a romantic comedy, people would take that aspect of it seriously. Another thing also brought up here was a trans character, and their acceptance. It was a small part of the whole thing but, still I appreciate that so much.
Overall, despite a rocky start, it was still quite enjoyable. I loved the chemistry between Yeon Woo Jin and Park Hye Soo! They are such a cute couple here, and the height difference.. I live for it. The rest of the cast seemed to have fun too, and that's what I like about romcoms like these... It's that very fluffy feeling you get when you can see everyone having fun. I really liked the soundtrack as it was well incorporated into the scenes and the songs were catchy, I admit they kept me in the mood to see this even if there were some parts that were just "meh" to me. The "meh" parts are actually why I gave this drama a low rewatch value, as there were a lot of points that got predictable to me. I was also very annoyed with Chae Ro Woon at the start, but it was nice to see her grow throughout the series. Yeon Woo Jin was very very cute here, I can make a whole separate review just about him but I am wrapping up already so yeah HAHAHA
Despite the points I mentioned above, it's still a fun watch if you'd like something light, though there are some quite triggering parts when it covers the mental health issues. I'd compare this drama to probably, tiramisu. Tiramisu looks like a sweet dessert cake, but the coffee is there with a bitter taste. Even so, the bitter coffee taste compliments the sweetness, and the layers of the tiramisu would apply to the layers of Chae Ji Hye's story and what it has to do with the characters around her.
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The first thing I want to say about this is simply: masterpiece. Yes, it has all the Korean drama tropes you can think of, but if you set that aside, you're in for a ride. I was impressed to see the different themes and issues brought up in this drama, partnered by the amazing performances of the cast and perfect soundtrack. I could not stop bawling my eyes out every episode because of how moving everything happening was. I am in love once more and would want to have fun winter experiences with a lover, too.
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As someone who loves the time travelling theme, I knew that this would be right up my alley so I was very excited to watch it. Overall, it definitely went beyond my expectations and had the right amount of not only romcom elements, all the steaminess of the boiling hot palace drama blended perfectly.
For starters, I won't lie, I honestly found Bong Hwan as So Yong so annoying. Like, seriously. If he learned about Korean History from his mom and had etiquette school and all, he should probably have an idea of how to act well. I didn't like how edgy he immediately was as So Yong, but I eventually warmed up because of his confidence and pride; which literallyyy shook the whole palace because it was unbecoming of someone, let alone the queen herself. Bong Hwan as So Yong's playful and carefree attitude definitely painted the palace in beautiful colors, but of course a child painting on a tattered wall won't be enough to cover how ruined it is.
This tattered wall of course being the palace itself, embroiled in many different acts of red tape and inhumanity brought on by the court ministers. In midst of this, a puppet king rules over, with not much left to say under the regency of the Grand Queen Dowager. Seeing the walls she and other key antagonists built crashing down through different circumstances was just so satisfying, making the dramatic elements feel like that perfect tinge of saltiness you detect when eating anything salted caramel-flavored.
As for the romcom aspect, I love Shin Hye Sun so much!! She absolutely NAILED her role here, especially with the clear distinction
between So Yong and Bong Hwan. I also loved Kim Jung Hyun's differing sides of his character. The comedic relief moments were splendid, and I like how Young Jae from B.A.P is such a wildcard character here and he showed his acting chops pretty well. All the side stories played out very well too, and I like how well-developed each character was, each leaving a lasting impression on me and played important roles to the intergral story.
Anyway, as I end this review, I'll say I can to compare it to a burnt lasagna. Lasagna, with all the delicious layers, but with a slightly bitter, crisp cheese topping.
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It's been a while since I saw the first season, but fortunately you can watch this despite that since there's a short recap at the start (which I appreciate very much). There was a lot going on in this season, and I think that that is its main flaw: the story. If I point out every single flaw of this drama, we can keep going on and on about it, but like I said, this is a romantic comedy: it will make you feel like you're having fun and it's supposed to be lighthearted so we have to put the seriousness aside. Now that I've put that aside, I just want to say that the cast is just AMAZING. They fit their roles very well, and I'm so biased I guess because I love Matsujun but aside from that, they were really able to encompass their characters.
The drama has only a few notable songs but of course I gave it a 10 because they're simply ICONIC. Who wouldn't jam to Love So Sweet everytime its played as the OP song?
Anyway, I'm not one who rewatches dramas but like I said, this had its flaws. The messiness of it all would prevent me from rewatching it, but I definitely understand why it won't be for others. This is, after all, a classic dorama cherished and loved by fans all over the world for so many years already.
I kinda also feel nostalgic about it because I was about 9 or 10 years old when I saw the first season, and that's actually the reason why I gave this still a high overall score. Nothing can beat the impact it had culturally as a manga, drama and how iconic its other adaptations are as well. It's nice to see this now that I'm older, it made me feel the rush of innocent feelings of what I perceived love to be as when I was younger, and of course its flaws and what's wrong about them. Makes me feel a little sad honestly, because it's a sign I've gotten older but at the same time I appreciate seeing my own growth because of it. Also Matsujun was literally my first Japanese boyfriend... please let me be aaaa
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