Chesca Miguel

Very well made considering this was made back in 2015. The video editing, OST and how it was put together overall was very good. The opening theme song and intro has Sherlock Holmes vibes which is what drew me in. It's a light-hearted mystery series which is not common. If you want something interesting but not too intense, then give this a go. Seo in Guk is a big bonus. He's such eye candy here 😉

SWEET AND SOOTHING TO THE SOUL It is the sweetest and cutest love story I've seen without the typical cringey cliche scenes in k-dramas. Instead, I always find myself smiling silly when the two main lead characters are together and every episode leaves a warm feeling in my heart. The male lead is supposedly a world-famous pianist so I was expecting his character to be a proud, snobby hotshot. However, that was not the case at all which was a pleasant surprise. On the contrary, he is very reserved and down-to-earth while the female lead is very timid. You can imagine what a quiet pair they make yet the show was so well executed as a whole that never did I feel bored or in a rush for the story to move along. The actors played their roles so well and effectively, never under or over-acting. No need for a spew of tears, rage or words to communicate their feelings. The emotions expressed through their eyes, faces and body language, every heavy heave of the chest, bashful smile and lingering gaze, spoke volumes louder than any words could. With every shy grin and nervous giggle, I grinned and giggled with them, and many times found myself choked up as well when they were in tears! Of course, being musicians, the time they spoke the loudest was when they played their instruments. Beautiful. The female lead's timid character in particular was remarkably natural (unlike the one in "When the Camellia Blooms" which I found forced and simply irritating 😅). The writer and director employ a variety of story-telling devices beyond mere dialogue that engage the visual and auditory senses of the viewer. Most significant to me was their great sense of timing. How the time taken for each scene was never rushed nor too long, just enough for each gaze, words spoken or unspoken, to simmer and fulfill their purpose. Even the way the leads meet and gradually develop their relationship is very natural and realistic. The story itself is quite simple and there aren't any riveting plot twists but the pure, sweet and cute chemistry between the leads is such a feel-good trip that you barely notice you're already halfway through the series. It is such an easy show to watch that leaves you feeling calm and warm so if that sounds like something you're looking for, then you should definitely give this a try. P. S Can we just take a moment to appreciate how endearing Hyeon Ho's love for Jeong-gyeon is?

A k-drama masterpiece! Recommended for: Those who appreciate shows that reflect hard truths and deal with the ugly side of human nature. Although it is essentially a tragic story of royal brothers and a court lady, it contains many heart-warming moments enough to comfort you as the story turns dark. Beautifully written - The story sets off on a light-hearted note and takes its time building relationships between the lead and various characters each episode. At the beginning, it seems as though there is no development in the plot but later on you will realize why the writer carefully laid down this groundwork as each of these relationships prove significant when the story unravels into a maze of unexpected twists and turns. The story is intricately crafted with multiple layers and relationships that branch out into their own arcs within the master story yet it is not too complicated for the viewer to understand. The dialogue is engaging and the characters, though plenty, are memorable due to their distinct personalities. Excellently made - The over-all production design from the numerous costumes, sets and props to lighting and locations, is absolutely brilliant. The artistic composition of each shot is a visual treat, the choreography of the action scenes are awesome, the soundtrack is spot-on on emotion and timing and the actors are very versatile. Note to viewers: Keep in mind that as this is set during the dynasty period, practices that are taboo in our modern day society were then considered the norm.

At first, the show was breath-taking. Production was stunning and at par with full-length Hollywood feature films. Sadly, it was unable to keep up the excitement in the episodes that followed and soon became dull. The setting was mostly a house and cafe that was usually empty. Many episodes were wasted on the immature bickering and erratic mood swings of the lead characters who greatly lacked chemistry. I suppose those moments were supposed to be funny but it was just annoying. The plot twists were either pretty obvious or just plain and uninteresting. Somehow I felt that the story, the characters and their relationships with one another were not established enough. One sign of that is how none of their emotions translated to, or affected, me as a viewer which is unusual since I am hopeless romantic and am usually a sucker for great love stories. For me, this show was just not one of those that struck my heart.

This show is simple, light-hearted and just full of good vibes. In a nutshell, it's about leading a "dual" life and finding someone who can accept and love you entirely. Personally, I enjoyed this show a lot more than I expected to. I had never heard of Kim Jae Wook before this but I am now a fan. Hope he would be the lead in more romcoms!