peperomia

Happy New Year, everyone! Just wanted to pop-in and comment on some of the topics. Topic 1: What drama brought you joy this year? Dr. Romantic 3 Revenant Fake It Till You Make it A Journey to Love Topic 4: Fave relationship Dr. Romantic 3 – Kim Sabu (Han Suk Kyu) and Seo Woo Jin (Ahn Hyo Seop). I liked that this season showed a deeper bond between them. I hope there'll be a season 4 with the same cast. Topic 7: What drama had the best family/squad? Dr. Romance 3 and A Journey to Love. Topic 8: Regretful watches I typically don’t regret anything that I choose to watch but sometimes I do wonder how I managed to finish King the Land. Topic 12: Fave character Fake It Till You Make It’s Xu Zi Quan (Elvis Han). I mean, what a man. Not perfect, but overall, a good-hearted, witty, and funny guy who I think could exist in the real world. The “friendship” ring was such a smooth and romantic move. I wouldn’t mind being Tan Ying (Elvira Cai) and be courted by someone like him. Topic 13: A memorable scene from a drama I watched The finale ending scene of Revenant with San Yeong (Kim Tae Ri) and Hae Sang (Oh Jung Se) watching fireworks in the night’s sky. I liked the message of wishing everyone happiness and finding hope, even during the darkest moments. Topic 14: An actor/actress who made a good impression He Lan Dou and Liu Yuning from A Journey to Love. Topic 15: An actor/actress you wish to see next year Lee Joon Hyuk – I can’t wait for Good or Bad Dong Jae and I’m excited to see him in Between Greetings (aka Acquaintances). It will be my first time seeing him in a rom-com. Liu Yuning – I hope there’s a chance The Prisoner of Beauty could be released. If not, I look forward to his other upcoming projects. For the other topics, I couldn't easily think of anything.

NYZ...I mean, LYN performed his A Journey to Love OST live for Jiangsu TV NYE show: His post-performance interview:

Wow, I don't think I've seen LJH in a romance drama yet. How exciting that he's pairing with HJM. I like that she's the CEO and he's the secretary. Usually, it's the other way around. He's also a single father which means there'll likely be a cute kid as well.

One of HLD's BTS. She's so adorably funny. Even the other cast members are laughing at her 😂 - - - - - - - - LYN and FYL's thoughts on the ending. This made me sad all over again 😢

I hear ya. I like her attention to details, but I totally agree her views typically tend to be on the negative side. Surprisingly, this one was overall positive, which is why I dared to include it here. LOL. I’m glad despite some issues, she still views this as the best period C-drama of this year. Poor guy! 😥 So unfair. It's definitely bad if he's personally addressing them. I've seen comments praising him too. At least, I hope he sees these. YSS is one of the most unique characters. I like his mottos. One of them being that we should live life to its fullest. His elegance, playful nature and carefree aura sometimes remind me of Gu Long’s Chu Liu Xiang. At the same time, I think he has deep emotions kept hidden inside. Maybe because of the death and destruction he’s seen as part of his position. I remember when NYZ almost died, he told Ruyi that he would likely meet NYZ in the underworld in a few years anyway. Knowing life could be short, he probably chooses to live cheerfully (even romantically). It's hard to pick favorites really. I chose Ruyi and NYZ before YSS because I like them individually and as a power couple but also because of their influence on YY’s growth and maturity. Ruyi taught her to be a strong/independent woman while NYZ helped her realize her responsibilities/duties as royalty. But, I know YY wouldn't have come so far without her own potential and will. You are right that her gradual development was clear and visible. I agree. The writer also did a great job of mixing up the characters' ages. The storytelling worked by blending the more mature adults with the younger ones together. Just maybe not LTG. LOL. - - - - - - - - I love this!

I listened to a final review of the drama by AvenueX which was pretty good. In case anyone would be interested in it, I’m linking it here: There were 2 things that surprised me: The heavy criticism that LYN received about his looks. How sad...and what's wrong with some people? He might not be as handsome as FYL, but he’s still a good-looking man to me (especially when he’s sings live). I like the little mole underneath his eye. LOL. The claim that Ruyi’s character was weak by the final cut of the script. On the contrary, I thought her ruthlessness was well-balanced by her kind nature. I mean, toward the end, both Ruyi and NYZ’s fighting ability was weak from sustaining back-to-back internal injuries. This would’ve been a good reason for them to retire and live out the rest of their lives peacefully after the mission, but since we got the opposite outcome, perhaps it was an early sign they weren't going to make it. I loved the music as well – both the songs and the instrumental pieces. Aside from LYN’s OSTs, I really liked the songs sung by Richie Ren and Zhang Jie. They complimented the martial arts scenes. My favorite character was also YY. So proud of her. AvenueX’s next favorite was YSS. Mine would be Ruyi, NYZ, then YSS. I didn’t notice the pacing issues, but I can see how certain things were out of place/rushed toward the end. I was fine with the amount of time spent on tying-up of the court politics though. I didn’t care too much for the royals other than YY so I have no complaints. When I previously said that I enjoyed every second of the last 6 episodes, I might’ve gotten a little carried away. LOL. I was disappointed with one thing…LTG’s arc and AvenueX nailed exactly why. In writing his character, it did seem like there were too many cooks in the kitchen. His development was a stark difference from YY which was odd. However, I don’t agree that NYZ saving LTG was out of character. I think he would’ve done it whether LTG was regent of An or not.

It’s Christmas Eve in my part of the world and I just finished this…ep 35 through 40. Although I’m an emotional wreck, I enjoyed every second of it. Now…did I wish for different kind of ending? Of course, but I loved that it gave me the feeling and nostalgia of the old wuxia stories that I used to watch with my dad. He would’ve really liked this one as all the characters possess tremendous heart and righteousness, 有情有義. Liu Dao Tong heroes and Ruyi courageously defended the central plains and touched the hearts of many – even the highest courts of Wu and An. I believe those whom they saved won’t let their sacrifices be in vain and will carry out their honor. I hope it is evident in how the new emperors rule and maintain peace/stability for their people. Excellent drama and I will definitely rewatch some of the happier parts. Ugh, me too! His part rocked me the hardest.

@OsmanthusTea Thanks for the info on A Journey to Glow. I agree it being a sequel to AJtL does not make sense. I read viewers are split on the interpretation of the ending. I've only seen a few clips of it, but my conclusion is they did not miraculously survive. I'm on ep 30 so I haven't gotten to the part of YY and LTG's marriage yet, but that is an interesting point of view of their relationship.

@Tofu LOL. Given the ending, I have no clue what the sequel could be about either. Story could be about Yang Ying and LTG, or a story with completely new set of characters but maybe with ties to AJtL. According to the MDL page, the Chinese title for A Journey to Glow is 一念江南, which I can't read/understand all the characters. When I see my mom, I might ask her for her thoughts about it. Anyway, if anyone happens to hear anything about it, please let me know.

Good to know. I like Zhao Lusi so I look forward to his project with her. Fu Bo Han is another good young actor. I know him from Who Rules the World and A Date With the Future. I'm at ep 28. So, I saw Yang Ying and Yuan Lu's rooftop scene! I understand why they're so shippable now. I read some viewer comments wanting a modern version of A Journey to Love (similar to Scarlet Heart). Chances are slim, but it would be nice for these two to have their happy ending in an alternate story or just star in a completely different project works too. I also read some comments that there'll be a sequel to A Journey to Love called A Journey to Glow. I'm not good with this kind of news so if anyone hears anything concrete about it, please let me know! As expected, Qian Zhao still isn't smiling and Shi San is so extra! LOL.

@Tofu Based on the premise of the story, I knew going into it that we'd likely get this kind of ending. Same as you though, I just hope that possibly it could be different. So, I'm sad but not upset at all. I watched a few more episodes last night (at ep 25) and luckily, I found my enjoyment isn't affected by knowing the outcome. I think the journey and everything in between counts here. The love - whether it be romantic, friendship, brotherhood - shared by the characters is wonderfully portrayed in the story. That, even in death, I don't think can be taken away. Plus, I'll continue to enjoy it for LSS and LYN. I admire LYN as a singer. He always nails the OSTs. I'm glad my first drama of his is this one because I can't imagine someone else portraying NYZ. I hope he gets more good ML roles. I did see some clips of the ending including one of CY encountering a boy in the fields. Real or not, I'll take it because I wanted to see their wish of having children come true. (I like the actor playing the boy. He was so good in My Journey to You as Tong Zi.)

Sigh...I'm on ep 22 but have caught wind of the ending. Don't know details so I'll still finish it all and decide how I feel about everything.

My experience from watching costume dramas is similar, but I hope this story won't follow suit. I want everyone to be alive and happy at the end too. Yuan Lu has to live past 20+! I was able to power through some more episodes last night. I’m at ep 12. I thought it was a good stopping point where Yuanzhou and Ruyi are officially together. I loved how their baby talk circled back and played a part with them confirming their relationship (and commitment). I couldn’t help but smile when Yuanzhou surprised Ruyi by finally agreeing to having a baby together, but the right time is when the mission is over. I believe their plan is to retire and live peacefully. This part made me really hope they achieve their happy ending. The rest of the family too. Looks like there will be some sweet and touching scenes coming my way. Yuanzhou makes me want to be Ruyi. But yeah, I wouldn't get into an ice bath for anyone either. LOL.

I’m only on ep 9 so I can't comment on Yang Ying’s preferred love interest. Just wanted to say though that I have high hopes for her as a person of high power in the state of Wu. Ruyi seems to believe in her potential and so do I. I would like to see the experience and knowledge that she gains from her journey outside the place to be meaningful. I hate to say this, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some lives are sacrificed for peace by the end, so I hope for her role and growth will be impactful. Yuan Lu has a heart of gold so I totally understand why everyone wants to protect him at all costs.

Just started this and already really liking it at ep 7. The elements of wuxia and court politics are well-balanced and well-developed which I feel are a rarity nowadays. Of course, the romance gives me the warm fuzzies. I like the slow-burn and push/pull with Ruyi's persistence and Yuanzhou's resistance. LOL. But seriously though, Yuanzhou won me over when he said he wants Ruyi to know there are many interesting things to experience in the world besides killing. I thought okay, the English title is kinda clicking now. Will we actually get to see baby "Xiaochuan" by the end of their journey? 😏😂 I like that Ruyi and Yuanzhou are strong characters equally and individually. Together, they might end up being one of my favorite wuxia pairings in a long while. And as a whole, the envoy crew might be one of my favorite squads. - - - - - - Oh boy. From skimming the comments, it looks like I need to brace myself for an overly obsessive character. I was hoping Li Tongguang would be an interesting character (maybe a wild card) on the An side.

Thanks! I will flip my list and start A Journey to Love first. I used to watch more C-dramas back in the days and a lot were LSS' projects so I am definitely interested in watching this for her. I only know LYN as a singer (mainly his OSTs) so I'm curious to see him act! I do like a good wuxia, but a lot of them have been disappointing lately. Either martial arts scenes are oversold in trailers and lacking in totality, or the story starts off great but can't maintain the momentum. But...I've heard great things about A Journey to Love so hopefully, it's a good one all around. I will look this up!

LOL. Not sure about contract marriages, but I do like romance/rom coms. I have a short attention span though so they have to be really good to keep me to the end. This may be why I prefer police procedurals and mysteries. Naturally, the just hook me. I also watch some C-dramas. I've been trying to find time to watch Lost You Forever, Kunning Palace and A Journey to Love.

@SilverMoonTea I'm answering the question here in case I mention any spoilers. Yes, I finished Behind Your Touch pretty quickly a while ago. I enjoyed it especially LMK and HJM. Love these two. But...I wasn’t fond of how Suho’s character was mostly utilized as a red herring and given a tragic ending like that. As a second lead, I just thought he deserved better. Otherwise, it was a good story. Kept me guessing throughout and I laughed a lot. The references to 25-21 as 55-51 were clever! I haven’t had much down time to come here nor watch dramas since this and The Day. I’m hoping for a plain old police procedural soon though. I'll always make time for that. LOL.

I'm excited...Kang Ha Neul will make a cameo in the final episode. I'm guessing he'll appear as a prosecutor. Credit: Soompi

I think the story could've ended with maybe 8 episodes, not 12, as the plot got draggy at the middle. It got better when Myung Joon, Ro Hee and Sang Yoon finally meet each other. I've always enjoyed the relationship between Myung Joon and Ro Hee though. Emotions got real at the end of episode 11 and the two got me teary. I'm looking forward to the finale.

@SilverMoonTea I've progressed to the end of ep 3. I love Ye Bun's tenacity in wanting to save the influencer girl from her old schoolmate no matter what, which she did with the help of Jang Yeol. I was happy that he ultimately believed her and went to her aid just in the nick of time. Looks like she was right that she knew he would trust her, which is why she has only told him about her psychic abilities. Their chemistry is good. Started off bickering, but I think I see a friendship starting to form now. Revenant is probably the best drama so far this year for me. I'll take your word that Behind Your Touch is a solid one too. I do find the tone to be refreshing. I can see the family, friendship and investigation. I'll look out for the slight romance. LOL. LMK and HJM are both cuties. Story is good so far, but I think I'm mostly enjoying it because of these two. They're very expressive with their facial-acting and bring their characters to life. I can't tell how Suho's character will come to play in this mix so I'll see...LOL. That's neat that they became close in real life.

@SilverMoonTea I've been meaning to tell you that I started this, but I'm only on episode 2. I tuned into it blind without reading much about it, but I get the meaning of the title now. LOL. Ye Bun and Jang Yeol start off on the wrong foot, but given her powers, I assume she will assist him in solving mysteries. Can't wait to get more into these parts. It's nice seeing Lee Min Ki again. I've seen him as a detective in The Lies Within, but his expressions and mannerisms remind me of him in Because This Is My First Life and My Liberation Notes. He seems like quirky detective in this one which there must be backstory from Seoul. Just hoping he stops flipping over Ye Bun so angrily. Yikes. LOL. I like their dynamics though so I will definitely finish this. Love Han Ji Min.

Yes, me...it's the only show I have time for at the moment. I was bummed only 1 episode aired this past Thursday. Wednesday was taken over by a soccer match in S. Korea. I watched it that evening so don’t remember all the details, but it was a good one. Ro Hee and Myung Joon gained a few people by their side. I really liked the person who turned out to be the truck driver at the end. I think you might too. 😉 The next episode looks good too. It seems like Ro Hee will gain some important memories.

I agree he's not telling the whole truth and is likely taking the fall for Hye Eun. He must carry guilt from injuring her as a child and causing her to contract HIV. She wasn't his intended target and this incident made her lose her adoptive family and return back to the orphanage. Detective Park found a framed photo of him and a teenage girl in his house. Is she Hye Eun? Her neck is covered up like it always is as an adult. If so, have they been on decent terms and keeping in touch all along? Not sure what their intentions could be. Money or revenge seems to simple, but the others are looking for the secret genuis drug formula written by Ro Hee's grandfather/father. Park Cheol Won told Detective Park during the interrogation that he found strange documents in Dr. Choi's safe. Those documents might be the research and know-how for the drug. What's strange is if he and Hye Eun wanted it (to profit or destroy), he would've taken them. Hmmm... - - - - - - Oddly, I'm enjoying Yoon Kye Sang's performance the most, but I like all the characters. Well, except the new guy, Jaden. His smug face is so annoying. I agree Park Sang Yun is sound detective which is why his superior believes in him and doesn't take the case away. It would be nice if we got some kind of backstory of him though - like why he always has a cigarette but refrains from smoking it.

Oh yes, since the ex-wife knows a lot about Ro Hee and the family, she could be the mysterious mistress. (Ro Hee has good instincts and I noticed she doesn't trust the ex-wife.) It's highly possible she and PCW could be working together. Ro Hee had some memory flashes of seeing a police car and maybe a police officer during the night of the murders. So, there's a possibility of this link as well. Also, the show brings up Ro Hee's necklace a few times. I wonder if this will be some kind of clue.