Understandable hype

Story/Plot: I like the pace of the drama. Just the right amount of slow-mo to needed scenes and fast paced story. Scenes that took 2-3 episodes to be done were needed to create foundation to the relationship which is understandable for me. Their romantic slow-motion scenes are just perfect. Same goes with other characters. I didn’t fast forward that much in this drama. The police and medical scenes were done right that it didn’t need too much exposure for me to get bored. I’m a nurse so that might as well helped me from being interested in it. First few episodes were just okay but it got better after episodes 6 or so.

Acting: I think they all did great in it, even the side characters. Although I had too much expectation on Sandra Ma’s acting because I heard she got an award or nominated from this. The only thing that I didn’t like about her in this drama was the first episode(robbery scene), it didn’t showcase her acting skills and was kind of disappointed because I wasn’t impressed with her on that scene, fortunately, her other scenes were fantastic. I also appreciate Bai Jing ting’s facial expressions, he’s now one of my favorite actors in China. Plus, his body looks really amazing here. ? but what impressed me the most was Dr. Shao’s character, if i were to pick the best actor in this drama, it would be Wang Yang. It’s very believable that he’s a surgeon. His chemistry with Ke Yao was well-done as well. They could flirt with just their words and eyes and it made an outstanding impression from me. Pei Yao or Xia xia did good as well. She looks so natural and charming in this. Especially her chemistry with Mi Ka. Their friendship was very convincing. If there’s one thing she needs to improve on with her acting skills, it would be about getting mad for real. I only found her annoying with Lu Feng but it didn’t take long.

Music: I can only think of one song that I like, it’s a woman’s voice.

Rewatch Value: Honestly, I don’t rewatch movies or dramas that’s why I usually don’t give high stars in this category. It’s not the dramas fault, just a personal issue.

Issues: Although I like this drama very much, there were some things that they forgot about or probably characters that they don’t think deserve closure like Wen Bo’s mother and Mika’s roommate/other friend.

Overall: I now understand the hype of this drama. You can learn a lot from it. How to respond to some situations that you may find yourself in or things that you may handle maturely and gracefully. Sandra Ma’s natural beauty is also what impressed me about this drama. I just can’t help but admire her face and smile and tone of voice and she jus reeks of playful grace or gentle and charming aura. She’s like an angel.

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Skippable

Story: It’s an interesting story of how a visually impaired man struggles with his life and also being successful at it. You will learn that they just want to be treated as normal people, which they are, but they just need less to no reminder of their disability. I think it was good until it was forgotten. The pace of the plot was slow then it was fast which I didn’t find helpful to give more points to this drama. Too many questions unanswered. If you have watched this, you’d know what I mean. Even the little girl was forgotten, how ironic. The ending was just meh. Don’t know the purpose for that sort of suspense before they give us the happy ending.

Acting: as LYJ’s first main lead drama, I think he did great, especially acting as a sorta blind person. I’m sure he’ll improve more if he will pursue acting and do dramas, I just hope it won’t be all cold personas. Wan Peng’s acting is great too except during her friends scenes. I don’t see any chemistry with them. It’s like they are NOT really friends. Not to mention the side characters. They were totally a facepalm couple, their acting were amateurish. I finished this drama in a day because there were too many skippable moments. Although I liked the surprise or twist of yanyan’s friend, I’m just quite sad how they didn’t push through that plot, I think it would be interesting but I guess it would be difficult to pull off.

Music: some good songs that can make you feel giddy or sad that were perfect for the scenes.

Rewatch value: I personally won’t watch it again. Not even clips are worth rewatching.

Overall: Because some of my cdrama friends loved this one, I thought it would be good or maybe the main leads’ chemistry would be amazing but I wasn’t feeling it. I felt like LYJ is just a gentleman and there were no special chemistry with WP. If they will have a second collaboration, maybe they will be more comfortable with each other.

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Humorous~

Story: The plot is easy to understand and just light. It didn’t go deep to every character’s issues and each was smoothen out good. The series is like candy when you feel like you don’t have enough sugar in your body. I didn’t expect anything apart from the negative reviews I found online but still quite enjoyed the drama. It was entertaining and the humor is just my type. It has this ‘what’s wrong with secretary kim ’ vibe.

Acting: The only familiar face for me is Seol In Ah and she did really great in this, the rest were good but nothing spectacular. There were some scenes where I found awkward but still watchable. I do think the side characters did better than the leads, like Shin Hari’s parents, Tae Moo’s grandfather and the duo of Go food development team 1. The chemistry of both main leads weren’t the best to be honest but still convincing and cute at times.

Music: I only remember one song that I like and some cute sound effects.

Rewatch Value: Those laugh out loud ones. I like this drama because of the humor not because of the romance.

Overall: If a drama can make me laugh, it’s already a 7 for me, which is considered high or recommendable in my book. It’s not exactly art but a feel good drama that can give you good mood on a boring day. One of the ways to enjoy a drama is to not take everything seriously and appreciate the effort and acting these actors have made just to give color to their characters.

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Perfect pacing that makes you want to catch up every weekend

Story: Basically about a fresh couple who were in a honeymoon stage and ended up estranged due to a major issue. Both loved each other very much until one forgot how much and the story revolved around how the male lead will realize what made him love the female lead in the first place. It also showed dynamics of different types of families and how they overcome their own issues.

Acting: All cast were amazing and did justice to their own roles. However, Ji Won’s acting felt quite short in some scenes with Soo Hon. I think she tried to keep the cool & collected Hae In characterization but ended up restrained. Other than that, everyone did a fantastic job.

Music: Some songs are quite catchy and got me LSS for a few days.

Rewatch Value: I might rewatch all the funny and romantic scenes of the main couple.

Overall: I think this drama is not something that you should binge watch but rather, a perfect drama that you look forward to every weekend. It’s quite fast-paced so if you watch it in one sitting, I feel like the mystery or anticipation of knowing what will happen next would be different.

Things I like:
A.)Hae In and her mom’s relationship. Having almost the same relationship with my mom, I believe they did great in interpreting how they are still awkward with each other after being estranged for so many years. That kind of relationship won’t be solved in one conversation and has to thread lightly, however, they still know that they love each other as family. Hae In’s mother crying scenes always make me cry.
B.) Hae In’s father internal conflict. I think it was quite nice to actually see his POV as a father.
C.) Soo Cheol and Da Hye’s love story. Although we’ll never know what actually made Soo Cheol fall in love with Da Hye, his love for her and her child is admirable and made me cry a lot times. I guess his lines are quite touching.
D.) Eun Song’s ending. I guess I didn’t expect that because most rom com villains just end up in prison so his ending was quite satisfying.

Ending: Honestly, I don’t know if I like the ending or not. It felt rushed yet beautiful at the same time. Maybe because I still want more interactions from the main couple. Or maybe how they concluded Seul Hee’s story was a bit lame. Because there were some surprising twists in the first few episodes & I expected the main couple to surprise us with their own tactics but finale just ended up having cameos from other actors which felt dull and lacking. Even so, it was still a good watch and the first kdrama that I actually looked forward to every weekend during their broadcast time. Like I literally waited for it to air on Netflix and didn’t miss even when I was on holiday. I was quite invested and I totally ship the main couple in real life, although their chemistry on screen wasn’t the best, they still have sparks.

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Realistic & Relatable

Plot: College to Early 20’s Romance with a touch of Art. Although it didn’t really dive into the deep part of arts, there were some good foreshadowing. I felt like I was watching my own story back when I was still naive & immature. Although mine didn’t end up like the main lead’s story, I still believe that some had their own happy ending. However, it still lacked deep emotions to portray their characters but then again, it’s not actually about development but more on the surface of first love/first heartbreak. Basically, he got a taste of his own medicine and he didn’t like that.

Acting: so-so acting. Sometimes they were good, sometimes they were bad. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses.

Music: I have two favorites. One korean song and one English song.

Rewatch value: A high percentage that I won’t rewatch it. Got the message and learned from that.

Overall: 8 episodes were good but then the last 2 weren’t convincing enough for me. Although I did like the execution of push and pull attraction of the main leads, the conclusion though was like a gift tied in a messy bow. Despite that, you will find subtle messages in the form of art and I liked that. Side characters’ stories are cute too. Just don’t expect any profound reasons/explanations as to why the characters are like what they are because you wouldn’t find it. The drama is focused on how young people nowadays struggle with their own thoughts about their identity, their relationships and future, immaturely and recklessly. Because we were like that too. I like the simple attack just not well-formed. For me, the ending is just a start — a fresh start of different types of love.

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Simple yet entertaining

Plot: I would like to think that the plot is kinda predictable however the drama is saved by the funny side characters and PSJ’s charm. He’s definitely the king of RomCom in Korea for me.

Acting: They all did great except for the brother. I wasn’t really convinced that he liked Mi-so.

Music: Honestly, I skipped PSJ’s lullaby and piano scenes but other sound effects were really cute and on point so I gave high marks for that.

Rewatch value: I could definitely see myself rewatching this drama because it was just light and sweet. It’s exactly what a romantic comedy drama is. Don’t expect too much on the story, just go with the flow and you’ll enjoy this series.

Overall: But since I have watched better dramas in terms of depth and climax, I would rate this 7.5 to 8. It wasn’t memorable but the humor is definitely enjoyable. I didn’t press the fast forward button that much, especially about the side characters because they were highly entertaining for me.

PS: I can’t stop admiring PSJ’s body here, especially his butt. He looked divine in every suit. Hahaha~!

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Surprisingly good

Story: The plot is straightforward that’s why I loved this drama. Shows the struggle of an ordinary human being with his passion. Very realistic, if you ask me. Definitely falling under RomCom & slice of life genre. I cried almost every episode here. Dramas about family make my heart hurt. Although the first few episodes were uneventful, it got better after. I skipped some parts about the supporting couple and their office romance but I like how they interpreted it in a mature way. There are many quotable lines here as well.

Acting: Major applause to PSJ acting, I love him here. He can be childish, cool, gentle, dramatic and manly all the same time. I can’t help but drool over his body ? Kim Ji won did good as well, with the mix of cuteness and fierceness. Like a cat. I just wish they’d justify her being afraid of Dong man in a fight with her feisty attitude. Like have scenes why loss or death would be scary for her. Other actors all did great except for the landlady. I also think that her son’s story was a bit unnecessary.

Music: okay, I guess, but not memorable for me.

Rewatch value: will probably skip the scenes that made me cry ?

Overall: I think it was surprisingly good. I usually read bad reviews before starting a drama so that I won’t expect too much but fortunately, their negative comments wasn’t too much for me. I enjoyed this drama very much.

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Memorable ending

Story: A heartbroken woman in modern world suddenly time traveled to Goryeo Dynasty after drowning and woke up with Hae Soo's body. The plot is full of politics, love stories, family issues and tragedies.

Acting: Both leads did amazing in the series, as well as the other side characters and villains. However, there were few noticeable unconvincing acting or lacking of intensity emotions to some, especially in the last episodes of the drama.

Music: I love most of the sound effects used with catchy background music / osts.

Rewatch value: It's not rewatchable for me but i might wanna watch Jun Ki's scenes as he's really good looking in this drama.

Overall: What made this drama memorable for me is only the ending, some may hate it, some may love it but directing wise, it was an impactful one. It's one of those series that will make you feel sad whenever you remember it because of the ending. Kudos to IU and Lee Jun Ki for giving their best in creating their roles that will forever remain in our hearts and hopefully will remind everyone to not regret things and keep giving all our best in the face of challenges in life. Despite the traumatic ending, Scarlet Heart Ryeo isn't memorable as a whole. IU's character was all over the place and I couldn't understand what her goal was or what she values. Sometimes she values her life, sometimes she doesn't, so the things she did was a bit confusing and made me question her decisions in living in the palace, then staying away then back to living there again. The progress of Hae Soo and Wang So's (4th Prince)relationship was not as convincing like her and Wang Wook(8th Prince)'s initial love story, even so, they were still cute and believable because of their acting. The first few episodes were full of wisdom or quotable quotes but then faltered in the middle until the end because the focus was directed to the brothers fighting for the throne and giving us tragedy every step of the way. Even with the devastating events, i wasn't fully invested with each story as i felt detached or the flow of the story didn't make me feel connected with some of the princes' while IU's modern character had no explanation whatsoever as to what happened of her 'coma' like how she was saved and what happened to her best friend, boyfriend etc, where she's suddenly awake, back to working and with snippets of her 'time travel' experience via her dreams, which felt rushed and left me more confused. Quite a bit disappointed but still happy that I got to watch this drama, so my overall score would be 7-8 stars.

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Not mafia but politics

Plot: Don’t expect too much mafia stuff here but more on government/politics issue that is happening in real life but with too much obvious deaths. Episode 6 onwards it became predictable. There were some plot holes but still watchable and entertaining. Mostly skipped the tenants parts but there were some foreshadowing that I actually like.

Acting: SJK did good however JYB didn’t. Her acting reminded me of Jun jihyun, honestly, her dramatic scenes weren’t on point and few of badass moments were sort of awkward. I think SJK did the heavy lifting when it comes to their chemistry. OTY & KYJ did amazing here as well but my favorite is KDY. He didn’t deserve his ending but necessary for his character to be memorable.

Music: Music is very deadpool-ish especially during action scenes.

Rewatch Value: Would definitely rewatch KDY scenes

Overall: I suggest that you don’t take this drama seriously or don’t expect too much because the plot was sort of so-so but still enjoyable.

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Great chemistry not so good plot

Plot: Cliché plot of vague childhood memories and unnecessary family drama at the end. However, the lines/messages along with it were meaningful. Forgiveness and gratefulness came hand in hand. Also, healthy fangirling is about having your own goals/ambitions while creating time for your own personal happiness. Your life shouldn’t revolve around your favorite idol/s only. They should be an inspiration not an obsession.

Acting: Good acting but not spectacular. I think Eun-gi’s character wasn’t convincing. Either a miscast or poor acting. The rest of the actors were okay but not memorable.

Music: Catchy songs & cute sound effects.

Rewatch value: One’s smiles & kissing scenes of main leads. They have one of those electrifying chemistry on screen. The sexual tension between them was just hot.

Overall: However, good chemistry between the leads wasn’t enough to save this drama but at least, it was less boring. Would have been better without the last two episodes. Misunderstanding and miscommunication are my pet peeves especially if not executed well, that’s why I struggled with the first few episodes. I would give this at least a ‘5’ for effort and a maximum of 6 for the main lead’s passionate relationship.

I do agree that when you fill your room with the things you love, your life will become happier. Surround yourself that makes you smile and it will make your day and night easier and brighter.
Simple lesson with a sprinkle of art and hopefully, audience would learn to take a step back, savor what’s in front of them, and think differently with a positive attitude. Life is art and how you see art is how you see your life.

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